Tuesday, December 6, 2011

A Sun Dress in Winter and Other Projects in Super Active Progress

It's been so long I don't know if any of you are still out there. Anyway--I'm actually making stuff again! My time is limited (getting my exuberant toddler to stop running around squealing and go to bed before 10 p.m. is a bit of a challenge)... but I'm breaking my projects up into manageable chunks--a little pattern cutting here, a little fabric pressing there, and so on.

And I've made myself a Rule: All Patterns and Fabric Must be from the Stash. That ridiculously huge stash that hasn't exactly justified all the storage space it has been occupying in our little apartment in the past 18 months.

(Of course, I immediately broke this rule and bought a book of toddler patterns when I realized Z has outgrown all her baby patterns. BUT NO NEW FABRIC I SWEAR).

So here's what's on the sewing table and knitting needles...

  • The Orange Tea Party Sun Dress and Bloomers (Oliver + S)

    I bought this fabric (from the original Far Far Away collection by Heather Ross) and pattern over a year ago. There are a few issues. The largest size in the envelope (24 months) is unlikely to actually fit my fast-growing daughter for more than a few minutes. The skirt is short, the fabric is thin, and it is a sun dress in the winter time. But whatever--it's cute, I want to make it, and if all else fails I can always give it to a friend for her 6-months-younger baby.

    Status: It's all cut out and such. Just need to actually sew it.

  • The Striped Purple Tomten Hooded Sweater Jacket

    The yarn: Berocco Vintage Chunky in a variety of purples. (I worry that it's just 40% wool--I prefer at least 50% or more wool content--but it's super soft and nice to work with and machine washable).

    Yarn for Tomten Jacket - Berocco Vintage Chunky

    And:The pattern.

    I finally started a lunchtime knitting group at work, and I'm super excited about it. Also, this is so the weather for wool. And thus I continue my slow personal reconnection with a craft I once swore I had replaced with sewing.

    Anyway, this jacket--I love making Elizabeth Zimmerman patterns, and this is no exception.

    Status: I'm halfway to the armpits! (here's the Ravelry link, but there's not much to see yet)

  • Orange Spiral Rib Socks

    The yarn: Knit Picks Swish Worsted, left over from the increasingly-too-small Baby Surprise Jacket Z is STILL wearing.

    I knit this one when I was pregnant, and she's STILL wearing it!

    And: The pattern, by Ann Budd.

    Z needs wool socks. And I was lazy, so I thought--warm thick snuggly worsted-weight socks with leftover yarn. But I don't know--plain solid one-color socks with no stripes or painted effect are so BORING to knit.

    Status: YAWN.

  • Chunky Alpaca Cabled Earflap Hat

    The yarn: Misti Alpaca Chunky Solids Marina Melange, same color as this cowl I already made:

    Marine Misti Alpaca Cabled Neck Cowl

    And: The free pattern, the "18 Seconds to Sunrise" hat by Tiffany Gallagher.

    I was starting to feel a bit clownish always wearing a hat, scarf, cowl and gloves and coat each in a different bright color (purple, blue, dark blue, red and green, respectively), and thought I'd try to consolidate my color scheme.

    Status: I finished it AND IT WAS SO SMALL IT MADE MY HEAD HURT. So I'm ripping it back and starting over. I have cast on and that is all.

Yes, I realize I'm mostly making baby--toddler?--things right now. Give me time. I haven't actually measured myself with a tape measure since giving birth almost 18 months ago and I barely remember how to sew and alter patterns for a non-pregnant shape.

Bonus photos: little Ms. Z helping Mommy wind yarn for her Tomten jacket:

Z helping Mommy wind yarn for her new sweater

Innovative approaches to sweater wear:

Is it a hat?

Z in her (purchased, not sewn, I'm so embarrassed) Halloween costume, hiding in a log at the Bronx Zoo:

9 comments:

  1. The little sundress promises to be very cute. How cool that you have time to make things again!

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  2. Yes, I am still out here, and glad to see you posted! Welcome back! I know how it can be with a toddler--I have two kids, a 2 yr old and a 5 yr old. Hang in there, you are doing well breaking up your sewing into manageable tasks. I'm excited to see how this dress turns out, Ms. Z is a cutey!

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  3. I have that book of toddler patterns. I bought it at a thrift store and when I got it home I realized that the patterns were all missing from it. It looked like a very useful book though.

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  4. Z is getting so big! And CUTE!! It's so hard to squeeze craft time into a busy schedule. I'm glad you are getting to do some!
    And that crazy growing will slow down soon. She'll actually start wearing clothes for an entire season, instead of needing three wardrobes for each one. It's such a relief!

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  5. I'm glad to see you back to blogging, even if they are posted at hours I haven't seen since my kids were little.

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  6. It's nice to see what you're up to! I haven't tried an Oliver and S pattern yet, hopefully soon. Z's dress in that Heather Ross fabric is going to be lovely. I think it's so cool that you have a knitting group at work, too.

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  7. I love that cowl! Could you tell me that name of that one so I could hunt it down on Ravelry? I am a sucker for cables.

    Your daughter is adorable.

    (And yes, lurker, first-time commenter. :-)

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  8. Glad to see you popping up in my reader! It's been a tough year -- I haven't blogged a single sewing project either. Hope you and family are all doing well!

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  9. That toddler sewing book is awesome.I've been making things from it and the baby book.

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