Sewing and buttons

A couple of weeks ago I posted about some sewing projects I had in the works. 

With the help of a few solid naps and The Elder and The Younger on button patrol I was able to finish them up today.

Here is the dress for The Youngest. It came out a little short, but I decided it was o.k. since shorter dresses are better for crawling, when she's not trotting around on her sweet little legs.

The Elder and The Younger worked together cutting out and covering the buttons from some extra skirt fabric.

Since The Elder's sweater has completed buttonholes, the button covering continued, and The Elder did these all on her own.

The top I cut out for The Elder came out too short, so I added a few inches to the bottom. It doesn't look all that great, I think I'll add a tuck at the seam.

If I finish it up in time, this will be The Elder's Easter outfit.
Since her birthday is in early April, The Youngest's dress can double for Easter and a 1st birthday party dress.
Now to plan what I'll make for The Younger. I have some sweater plans, and maybe a tie.
What's on your creative to-do list?

Yarn Along

Joining Ginny for Yarn Along today.
I have been knitting away at a few projects with a bunch more waiting in the wings.
The purple is a sweater for the Elder and the other two are for the Youngest.
The stripy one was started about 4 years ago for the baby of a dear friend but clearly, it was never finished.
The smallest one there is a cardigan for the Youngest to go with a little dress I made.
I'll have a sewing post later today.
There hasn't been much reading lately, I am in the midst of Dance with Dragons and Bossypants. Both of which are quite fun, but mostly I have been obsessed with House of Cards and so the reading hasn't been happening.
Head on over to Small Things to see more knitting and books!

Portrait Inspiration

So a great side-effect of participating in a project like Yarn Along or Keep Calm and Craft On or the 52 Portraits is that you meet some amazing, talented, like-minded folks.
Today I visited the very cool Ruby at her blog - Ruby Hoppen.
Ruby is participating in 52 Portraits, but instead of a photo, she's making watercolor paintings of her sweet one.
Ruby inspired me to try a drawing of The Youngest this afternoon.

It's been a long time since I did any drawing from life, and a squirmy, always-on-the-move, 10 month old may not have been the best way to jump back in.
She was in the high chair when I started, but got pretty restless after her graham cracker was all et up.
It's not perfect, and I think I may worry it a bit more before I am satisfied, but I think I will do another one soon.
Maybe if I bribed them with a movie, I could get the Elder and the Younger to sit still for longer...

8 of 52

The Younger - My little chef and his newest creation - banana s'mores.
The Elder - Her winnings at the arcade.
The Youngest - She's all smiles.

Joining up with Jodi for 52 portraits.

7 of 52

Joining Jodi for 52 Portraits

While She Was Sleeping

My life has calmed down a bit since last year and I am able to pick up a few shifts at the fabric store each month. This has lead me to be tempted by the pretty fabrics and while I don't think I am spending everything I am making there on said fabrics, I'm probably not taking too much home from the old paycheck.
So, I spent a little time this weekend getting a start on some sewing projects for my ladies.
First, I planned a dress for The Youngest with a knitted bodice and a fabric skirt.
The bodice is a mash-up of the Tummy Warmer pattern from Petite Purls and a lovely leafy border I found via Google. I cast on on Saturday and finished up the knitting yesterday evening while watching the Grammys.
This morning The Youngest obliged me with a lovely nap, so while she was sleeping I got a couple more things done.
The skirt is a quarter yard of Liberty of London fabric that we're carrying right now at Treadle Yard Goods. It's really pricey for a cotton lawn, but spending $12 for fabric for a baby dress didn't sound too exorbitant. Also, the yarn was from my stash, so that was free ;)
I made a tube with a french seam and doubled over the top and bottom so no raw edges are showing.
Next I have to gather and sew in the skirt and then I'm thinking of trimming the sleeves and collar in the lawn and maybe covering a couple of buttons too.

A couple of weeks ago I noticed that one of our Kokka double gauze fabrics was almost gone, so I rescued the last yard and a half and brought it home to make a peasant top for The Elder.

I got a pattern but I didn't want to cut it, since it goes up to size 14. 

I was feeling a little too lazy to trace it, however, so I came up with a solution -

I made dots with a sharpie along the cutting lines and since it bleeds through it left dots on the fabric which I could sketch together and cut along the lines.

It worked like a charm!

Here is a close-up of the pattern on the fabric-

I think I had better get this sewn up quick, since she's 9 and who knows how long she'll want to wear little kitties and flowers.

Oh for a million dollar job so I could sew everything out of double gauze, this stuff is dreamy!
The purple is for a skirt.
These should be finished up by the time the snow melts, and I may be able to whip up a cardigan to go along with the outfit.

Joining in with Nicole at Keep Calm Craft On
What's on your worktables today?

6 of 365

So my camera is missing. It's in the house, but I don't know where. I haven't seen it for 2 weeks.
Partly that is due to the fact that I am a slob. Partly, it's also due to the fact that I have been working away at the projects for my artist residency and haven't had time to do a thorough cleaning.
In any case, all I have left to me right now is the camera on my phone which is terrible in low light or at any distance or if anything is moving.
This lead to a week of crummy photos.
We did have a couple of lovely vignettes, though.

The Elder and Youngest walking together.

Everyone wearing their footies.

Joining Jodi today for 52 portraits.

Keep Calm and Craft On

The past couple of weeks have seen plenty of creative activity over here in the fifth lamp house.

I was able to get a lot of progress made on my Rocky Coast Sweater while I was on my little getaway, and now I only have about half a sleeve left.

I have also been working long hard hours at the quilt and wall hanging and I was able to finish up the quilt yesterday

Here is a reminder of the mock-up that I made for my presentation to the teachers

and here is the finished product with squares embroidered by the 2nd graders.

Such beautiful work from these kids!

 The wall hanging is almost finished, I just have to add the last few leaves (I fused on the majority of the leaves, but I am adding in the last 20 or so by only sewing half of the leaf down so they give the project a little more dimension) and then some grass on the bottom to balance it all out.

I also taught a couple of classes this weekend at the yarn store and the fabric store.
The class at the fabric store was Fun Stuff with Felt, and since it is almost Valentines Day I whipped up some heart-themed crafts.
I saw this one on cruising Google for valentine-related felt crafts -

and there was more than one site which suggested making conversation hearts from felt, so I made up a bunch and strung them together on a garland 

No one in the class was interested in making these, but at least now I have a sweet Valentine's Day decoration for the house.
Joining Nicole for Keep Calm and Craft On today.

Weekly Stills

Time for Weekly Stills -
She got a haircut.
Lots of stitching this week, my thumb is a little sore.
Reading, and eating, books is her favorite activity.
Building and decorating a snowy friend.

Joining in with Emily at Beetleshack.

5 of 52

The Youngest - Why Is That Tiny Man Stuck in This Box?
The Elder and Younger - Chatting with Mr. Snowy
Joining Jodi at Che + Fidel