Tulips and Blooms

Well I decided it was time to use a little more of that discounted remnant fabric I picked up. So I went to the fabric counter and grabbed a few more supplies just to fill in the gaps of my stash. If all goes well by weekend's end I'll have another dress or two to share. Worked up a pattern for a jumper that crisscrosses in back giving the hem the shape of an upside down tulip. I figure this will work really well with those ruffle-bum bloomers. My draft dress for this pattern will be kinda Rock N Roll.... I have some old-school pinstripe flame fabric I picked up for skullcaps (which I intended to make when hub had his motorcycle, only to find out he didn't want a skullcap, just wanted a bandanna to tie across his mouth to keep bugs out...) Also had picked up a crazy black and white warped check fabric. So the flames are the outside, the checks are inside - the dress will potentially be reversible but I doubt anyone wants to try and watch a toddler run around in the crazy checks (they're mindbendingly skewed) - but the flaming bloomers will have some checked ruffles, and its possible the lining may show so I wanted it to be fun on either side.

If this dress pattern turns out, the next dresses will be: frog/turtle/bugs green theme, butterfly summer theme, and a blue picnic gingham. All will be things that will continue to fit a while as she grows - longer dress for 12-18 mo size, tunic and bloomers for 24 mo, and as she's 2T, it'll be a swing top. I hope. And all season - light sweater and leg warmers for spring, alone for summer, tee shirt and leggings for fall, turtleneck/long sleeve and tights or pants for winter - as long as the colors fit the season, that is.;)

Dress 1 is cut out and pinned for the first bit of sewing. Bloomers too. Just need to muddle through the other weekend plans first... like my twins' 13th birthday party today. Eeeyugghhh I feel old! We will be cooking out on the grill trying to save some bucks - usually we go out for a birthday meal but it's tight right now and feeding a family of 7 in town can get pricey!

Bloomin' fool

Trio of jumpers (18 mo, 2T, 2T)

I got into a bit of a sewing fugue last night (I'm still awake as a result.) You see, I had made my wee daughter (now 13 months old) a really super cute jumper dress back a few months ago - a reversible jumper dress with even the shoulder buttons being reversible. I made two more for later on (ok I didn't intend them to be 'for later on' they just turned out bigger than I expected - but hey, kids grow, right? Lucky me, I also found some cute toddler pants on clearance to match the fabrics of those so she'll have a complete outfit once she reaches 3T.... but she's 12-18 month sized now, barely... she's a tiny gal!) Those grapey purple pants I found will go with the stripe/grapevine jumper. The denim/floral of course will be a cinch to match up with any little jeans, tights, or leggins. And of course, since these are 'grow with you' styling, they'll start as a dress and become a little top - truly a very wearable design (and I worked up the pattern on my own, though it is a timeless design seen all over - I measured her little tee-shirts and went from there.)

The reverse sides (18mo, 2T, 2T)

Anyway, this little jumper that fits is the zebra stripe on one side (pictured), and a black and white floral pattern on the other. Being that jumpers are pretty much all-season, I'd had red knit tights and a red long sleeved tee beneath it till this crazy Texas warm spell suddenly smacked us silly (whatever happened to the ice storms? geesh!) The red works well with either side, but she needs something more summery now. Enter the bloomers.


I traced a pair of her store-bought bloomer type shorts onto a scrap of wrapping paper. I buy wrapping paper on clearance after holidays - I never manage to use it all up but something in me can't resist a roll of pretty paper for $.50 or less. Well thankfully, wrapping paper makes for GREAT pattern paper.

Followed a random online tutorial for the gist, and voila, bloomers. They are a little high waisted, wanted to make sure even when she bends and crawls that her diaper is 100% covered up. Waist has some growing room, legs too. Very comfy shape, thankfully it turned out on the first try. They'll look so cute with her jumper. Probably even wear it today if it gets into the 80's like the weather man says it will. After washing, the ruffles kind of shrink up a bit and show more background fabric, but they still have that super-cute effect and will definitely complete the outfit. Now she just needs some shoes to match.... hmmm.... I don't *really* need any sleep now, do I?

So...

Well I'd blogged long ago on livejournal, and blogged in myspace, but I've kind of lost the steam for spouting my guts on screen. This blog will be dedicated to my crafty bits and positive postings, nothing grumpy or gripey - I hope. There is too much blah in the world to spend my time being a Debbie Downer.

I'm a full time mother to four wonderful kiddos and a part time friend to one step-kiddo who I don't get to see so much these days. I spend my 'free' time (is there ever a free moment with kids?) crafting and being artsy, surfing and reading, and of course - addicted to facebook and games.

I have a number of craft (I prefer the term 'Artisan') skills under my belt - beading, crochet, knitting (newbie) are my three top favorites. I also have tackled other crafts and home arts from paper making to lampwork, sewing to baking. I tend not to be terribly skilled with anything that has a lot of steps or planning. I *HATE* having to pin things. Sift the flour? Yeah right. I don't throw caution to the wind, but I do like shortcuts in most projects. BUT, that said, I do tend to bite off more than I think I might be able to chew...  I leap right into a large scale project with both feet, and then learn how to swim. I went right from a practice knit swatch to making slipper socks. Jumped right in to bead embroidery and cranked out a county fair ribbon winner after learning how to make a bezel. No need to practice a lot, once I've got a little feel for the steps involved it's game on.

Currently I'm working on a first for me. First stranded color work project. I did a swatch (rare for me) because it has to fit just right. It's for my little bro'. And he's 3000 miles away. So there is no checking for fit between steps, it has to be PERFECT. I've never done stranded knitting, and never done design from scratch. I've only been knitting a little over a year. I can count my finished knitting projects on one hand, sort of - two pair baby socks that don't stay on (baby socks never do anyway, right?) some slightly too-big knit hand warmers (admittedly, I never had the hands here to test fit, and guessed on size), four phone socks, two pair slipper socks, and three basic beanie hats. Most of that seems like busy work, and not so much 'fun'. So this project, a fully customized chullo (South American inspired ear flap hat) with five colors involved (two at a time for the contrast band) is a challenge. I will just knit till it looks like a hat that will fit my brother's square head. And then it will be done. Thankfully, he took a measurement for me (I did my own at Christmas but forgot to write it down, eek!)

I'm on Ravelry under MoonKatz - and have posted a couple of images there. Will post finished work here when I get to that point.