What have I been up to, you ask? Well, many of you know that I started a knitting blog a while back called, "
The Knitting Maniac", and although I'm been M.I.A. over there lately too, I just have to say... although I am crazy about knitting, I am also a little maniacal (is that a word?) about other things besides knitting!
Sewing. That's my latest addiction. I've always loved to sew, but with 6 kids, it just isn't that easy a task compared to knitting! I can grab my knitting bag, click my needles a while, and then set it down anytime I want to move onto something else.
With sewing, I am messy. Just being honest. I end up taking over the Dining Room table and have pins, threads, scissors, fabrics... you name it... ALL OVER THE PLACE!! I'm like a kindergarten kid gone wild who was left alone too long with glitter & glue! Just a freaky mess!
But when I set my mind to something, all that stuff doesn't matter. I plan on how to keep kids out of that room and then get to work! And sewing is instant gratification. Knitting can take a good solid week to finish something of beauty where sewing can take a good solid....HOUR.
Here is my new love... shirred shirts. They are great in the Spring/Summer and also in the Fall/Winter with a matching solid shirt underneath!
This is a shirt I made for my Squeaker and I'm working on her woolies to match! They will have a hip skirty and capris legs. And where you see the green line of bumpiness... I am planning on planting a few flowers there in some way, shape or form. OOOOH I love matching sets!!!
This shirt design is great because of the buttonhole in the back! You pull your ties through and the straps can grow with your child!
And then you tie a bow and "ooh" and "aaaah" over it's cuteness!!!
AND the exciting news is that I am going to start offering shirts with custom woolies! Here is a glimpse of a little something I have up my sleeve. Well... actually... in a bag up in my room.
FOURTH OF JULY SETS!
Last night, I grabbed my Cestari Color Card that I would NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER doodle on because I cherish it so much...
and I headed to my favorite fabric store with one of my favorite friends! (Hi, Jessica!!!)
I bought lots of fabric, including the two you see above the undoodled on card. I took the photo with the yarn colors that match...including a pitiful little red ball of yarn because I don't have a full skein at the moment.
And here is the other set I plan on making. As you can see...one is blue fabric with stars and the other is red fabric with stars. Very 4th of Julyish!!! I can't wait to see how the finished set looks!! Once I am done sewing the shirred tops, I will be listing them as custom sets!
OK so before I add more fabricky (I know that isn't a word, but I think it's cute) photos, I thought I'd throw in a few photos of my Squeaker.
Most mornings the older 5 kids are still asleep when Daddy, little Squeaky and I come downstairs. Like this morning. She woke up (she sleeps in between us) and said, "Dad. I down stay-uz?" (we live in Maine... she can't help it.) And he said, "you want to go downstairs?" and she said, "ya." So... he picked her up and we all headed down to get the coffee started.
Lately she's been randomly yelling up the stairs to each child, one at a time, until someone answers her! It's hilarious. (especially because they are all cranky sleepyheads and she drives them bananas!!)
In this photo, she got her littlest big brother to wake up and he got a nice wave!
And the other day I walked over by her play area and she was in her rocking chair with her prayer bear just relaxing...
Awwww... my little Squeaker...
OK...back to sewing talk! Sorry!! I just love that little honey!
Last year, my parents went to visit my brother and his family in Guatemala and brought me back a beautiful wrap skirt! It is my FAVORITE!!! So...I analyzed it to death and created patterns for myself and my girls!
Here is my middle daughter's wrap skirt (my first tester creation) ~ I made it in 4 sections and this is it laid out flat :)
And here is what it looks like all wrapped up!
And here is my little bean the first day she wore it! I took the skirt to Target and got her a cool top to wear with it :) And since I hadn't washed my floors (shhhhhhh!!!) I had her wear little socks over her tights!
And this is my oldest daughter's skirt. She turns 11 next week. How is that possible??
I decided I like the skirts better when they are tied on the side!
My big girl. I can't believe in 2 years she'll be a teeeeeeee.... a teeeeee... a teeeeeeeee... oh nevermind. I can't say it. Isn't she pretty?? We call her "Pocohontas" :)
Isn't her hair cute???
And this is the 2nd wrap skirt I've knit for her :) This time I decided to change it from 4 panels to 2 so that there is no seam in the front! (I cut on the fold instead of separate cuts!) Another change and I like it much better!
So... the perfected pattern...
Future fabric for me and my middle girl for wrap skirts. I LOVE batik and she LOVES pink!
And I've had my girls stay away from the computer as I've posted this because I am going to make their Madame Alexander dolls shirred dresses for their birthdays! This is the fabric for Miss Pink Lover...
and this is for my "soon-to-be" 11 sweet daughter... (she is a purple & peace sign lover so I chose the peace fabric that had purple in it! I chose the green fabric mainly because it would look fun AND it would match a lot of other fabrics I have so I can make something else with the leftovers!)
And this is a shirt I will most likely sell as a custom set. I sewed it from a cute "Frogslegs and Ponytails" pattern but I calculated wrong for my Squeaker! I believe this would be better for a 9-12 month size. The only part that didn't fit well was the armpit area. It was a wee bit too short. But look how CUTE it is!! I love patterned fabric because you can match lots of wool to it!
Even colors you wouldn't think would look good are little accents in the fabric and the wool just brings them out nicely!
This is the first shirred shirt I made for my little one. Please don't look at the tiny white line in the shirring that was caused by me not paying attention. I flipped over the fabric by mistake and that is the elastic that SHOULD be on the back. Oh well, she doesn't care ;-) I will match woolies to it soon for a nice Spring/Summer outfit!
And since I am into all this matching jazz, I brought some ladies knee highs to match up because I am going to make homemade baby legs out of them. I will make a shirred shirt with the fabric and make her some cute summer shorts with the wool! She'll be a funky monkey!
So...there ya have it. That's what I've been up to!!
Stay tuned for all the fun sets I'll be selling and if you have any questions, ideas, etc... please let me know!!!
Bridget
