My Bit of Earth

Shabby Chic Moleskine Covers

Valentine's Day is quickly becoming a non-holiday at our house.  Sweet Husband has never been a huge fan.  ("But I love you all the time.")  And this year he brilliantly bartered his way out of making a fuss for at least the next few years.  (There was a new camera bag involved, so I was thrilled to make the trade.)  And, of course, the Kid will always get a bit of a short shrift because his birthday is the day before.

But just because we have chosen to downplay the day, didn't mean I could forgo my little tradition of mailing some crafty thing off to Sweet Sister and Cutie Niece.  (A.K.A. My Very Best Girlies.)  Inspired a bit by the newest edition of Alphabet Glue (which has a few really cute ideas for completely handmade books), but a bit short on supplies (I have cabinets stuffed with fabric, but very little paper), I decided to make these moleskine covers instead.

I am a persnickety knitter, but my favorite kind of sewing is a little slapdash.  (I'd like to be dottie angel when I grow up.)  To that end, I decided to make my covers very shabby chic.

I cut out two rectangles, each about a half an inch taller and about four inches wider than my little moleskine notebooks.  After figuring out where the front cover would be, I added the initials and other embellishment to the front of one of the rectangles.  Cutie Niece's was a little more involved--some ribbon, bits of an old sweater, some hand embroidery--while I left Sweet Sisters a bit more simple.  (I thought it looked more befitting a teenager that way.)  

Then I stacked the rectangles on top of each other (wrong sides facing) and zig-zagged them together, leaving the edges raw.  Lastly, I folded over the short sides--using the notebook itself as a guide to get the fit right--and zig-zagged them to the front to make the pockets for the notebook's cover to slide into.

I like the way they turned out, and they were speedy enough that I may have to sit down soon and make one for myself!

(P.S. Second post is up over at the Rhythm of the Home blog today.  Cute baby in a quilt alert!  Hope you'll come drop in!)

Bartering Rocks

A few months ago, Nice Friend and I did a barter, wherein she got a knitted cowl and I got a lovely new ceramic water mug for work.  This is not terribly uncommon for me.  I often pay for things in eggs and knitting, and often am paid in yarn and art.  It's fun for me, and less awkward than trying to put a price on what are essentially favors between friends.

A bit after our initial exchange, my friend's Nice Husband texted me:

Nice Friend's Husband:  The neck warmer you made...She is simply in love with and adores

Me: yay

Nice Friend's Husband: So much so that it has far exceeded an outdoor cold weather accessory and now has become a fixture in her daily wardrobe

Me: does she need more colors?

Nice Friend's Husband: . . . .You read my mind

Again, this is one of those situations where I would have knit for nothin'--encouraging men who want to surprise their wives with presents is a fine thing in my book--but when it was suggested that payment would be in the form of bottles of wine...my friends, bartering rocks!

From top (the pink one) clockwise...an easy stockinette cowl...a speedy cabled cowl...and a cap'n crunch.

The Kiddo's Crib-to-Floor-Bed Transformation

Prior to a few weeks ago, the Kid's crib was in our room.  He always began the night in the crib, but would often end up in our bed as the night went on.  It worked well in fits and spurts, but the bigger he was getting the less often it was working well.  So we decided to set him up in his own room with a new floor bed.

Initially, we just put his crib mattress on the floor.  However, that wasn't completely safe because (with our hardwood floors) the Kid could scoot the mattress around.  Also, with no ledge at all, there were a few nights that he rolled out of bed onto the rug--not a big deal, but not comfortable either.

We decided that just a teeny bit of a frame was necessary.  And, lo and behold, we had a base that was the perfect size--the bottom of the Kid's crib.

To make the frame, Sweet Husband cut the side pieces (which are 8 inch tall boards) to the correct length, then attached them with screws.

He used fairly nice poplar boards so that there would be less sanding.  However, even then, he spent a lot of time getting the edges rounded off and everything perfectly smooth.

We finished it off with a few coats of "spoon oil", which smelled yummy.

The Kid is enjoying his new bed so far.  He likes to get in and out and in and out of it--like, look at me, I can do this!  

That's exactly the point, my dear one, exactly the point.

What Am I Going to Do About Emily?

This is Emily.  She was my bunny growing up, and one of two stuffed animals I've saved to pass on to the Kid.  

But Emily was always a very proper bunny.  She would be distressed, for instance, if I forgot to sit her upright in bed before leaving for school in the morning.  And that being the case for such a minor indignity, having the stuffing coming out of her head is, I'm sure, truly horrifying for her.

I pulled her out on New Year's Day to just consider her for a bit before I get to work remedying the situation.  I know she's going to undergo a gender and name change--from Emily to Edward in homage to The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.  And obviously with that will come a much needed set of new clothes.

But the part that keeps giving me pause is what procedure and material I should use to patch her head up?  Should I at least somewhat try to match and use muslin?  Or just embrace the fact that she's going to be patched and find some awesome plaid or print?  Should I just tack on the patches?  Or do I dare take her entire head apart?

If anyone had ever attempted anything like this before I'd love to hear about it.  I've set myself an Easter deadline, so I probably need to get started soon...but I'm just not sure where to.

Crocheted Rag Floor Pillow

We've been "evolving" the Kiddo's room this weekend.  

Truth be told, he hadn't slept a night in there until earlier this week.  But all of a sudden we all just needed a little more space.  While he's still spending about half the night in bed with us--and will be welcome to, pretty much as long as he wants--he's starting out each night in his own room.  

I have just a few more touches to make before I post pictures of the changes, but today I wanted to share this little floor pillow I made this weekend.  

After putting the Kid to bed one night, Sweet Husband came downstairs and requested that we add some firmer floor seating to the Kid's "new" room.  I had a few balls of rag strips and a crochet hook, so I just kind of started playing.

I sewed together some of the strips, and just knotted others.  The whole pillow took about four balls of rags, each the size of a small cantaloupe. 

Then I started to crochet in a circle.  It's hard to give you a pattern, but generally speaking for whatever row you're on you need to do that many stitches between increases.  (So on the fifth row, every five stitches, for example.)  If the circle starts to look bumpy and wobbly, do increases less often.  If the edge starts to curl up, do more.

Once the pillow is a bit wider than you want it, stop doing increases altogether to make the sides go straight up.  I kept going for about four inches or so--that was when I ran out of rag strips.

There are many ways you could finish this.  We had a couple of old pillows lying around, so I double stuffed one into the cover and threaded a cord through the last row of stitches.  A little pulling and cinching, and we were in business.

Making Christmas

I promise (I think) that this will be my last Christmassy post, but I am truly proud of how much we made ourselves for Christmas this year and I want to talk about it just a bit.

I didn't do a completely handmade Christmas.  That just seems overwhelming to me, mostly because I always get stumped about what to make for a few certain people.  

But I knitted my heart out and took a few photos, and Sweet Husband did some jewelry making.  (It's quite handy being married to a jeweler, yes?)  Between the two of us, almost everyone that we exchange gifts with got something handmade, and most of our extended family got exclusively handmade goodies.  

And where we couldn't do handmade-by-us, we shopped handmade-by-others or--at the least--shopped locally.  (In the interests of full disclosure, I did buy my brother the flip-folder he really wanted, and I never, ever count buying books against myself.)  Really, we did pretty good though.  Some highlights....

[Hats by me; doll by the talented Grace.]

[Ring by Sweet Husband; keychain (slowly, torturously....I do not work in metal, really folks) made by me.]

[Sweater and hat by me; bracelet by Sweet Husband.]

The best reaction was undoubtedly Cutie Niece when she unwrapped a big sweater for her and then a smaller, matching one to fit her doll.  I was pretty sure the doll would like her sweater, but knitting for an eight-year-old is like taking your savings account and putting it all on black.  There are so many things that could go wrong--itchy, wrong color, an ill-timed growth spurt that makes the size all wrong.  It's win-big, lose-big, and this year I was a winner!

Next year, I would like to get more inventive about making some things for Sweet Husband and the Kid though.  It's harder, particularly with the Kiddo, because I end up making little things for him all the time.  He wasn't wanting for sweaters or hats or even toys.  But, for example, Sweet Husband remarked on the relatively simple construction of his sled.  It's something I never would have thought to try and make ourselves, but we certainly could have.

Likewise, other than the aforementioned key chain (which I made on purpose to fill the void) Sweet Husband's gift were all purchased.  With a little planning ahead, I think I can do a bit better by "my boys" for next year.

Inventing Last Minute To-Do's

I have a friend who decided to knit Christmas sweaters for her entire, adult, family of three, basically the week before Thanksgiving.  (I may be muddling the details a little, but I'm close.)  And then one of the sweaters wasn't quite right once it was finished, so it turned into four.  I believe she may get it all done yet--in fact, I'm sure she will 'cause that's how she rolls--but whew!

I planned ahead this year, and started my Christmas knitting during our July and August heat spell.  So on December 1st I had, I think, one pair of hand wamers left to do.  I even started a sweater for myself this month.

But I'm not sure I like being a plan-aheader.  (It's not my natural state, I assure you.)  It feels wrong to be sitting here--on the Winter Solstice just a few days before Christmas--with nothing to finish up.  So much so that I've kind of begun inventing things.

For example, the Kid and I made salt dough ornaments at dinner tonight, just because we could.  One with his hand print, a few snowflakes, several hearts....

And then I decided to make both he and his new Christmas friend (more about him later, but I can't wait for you to meet him) matching stocking caps.  I don't know if I'd really call the looming deadline "pressure" per se--they're just hats and one is doll-sized, after all...getting them done in time won't be hard--but I think I needed just a little something to make me feel elf-y.

My Obligatory Snow Globe Post

If you are a writer or lover of crafty blogs, you know what I mean.  This year, homemade snow globes are to crafty-mama-blogs as skinny jeans are to six foot tall, 120 pound models--they're the trendy, "in" thing.  (I think skinny jeans are still trendy?  Are they?)  

But I couldn't resist.  The animals and trees came from my local, big-box craft store.  The jars came from my cabinet.  A little glycerin, water, confetti, and super glue finished it off.

I'm not a hundred percent sure super glue was the right choice, though.  This little penguin has come unglued after a couple of days....then again, his flapped out wings and ambiguous expression makes this little scene more comical than if he had stayed put....I think he may be trying to escape my snow globe and get back to the South Pole?

Some Love for Our Helping Hands

The plus side of living a few hours away from your family is that you always have time to sweep the dust-bunnies from under the couch before your Mom comes over.  But when you just need a grandma to nip in to watch the baby for an hour?  Or you need a night out with your husband, right now?  The little pluses start to look less appealing.

Thankfully, Sweet Husband works with several lovely ladies who have been more than willing to come entertain the Kid for an evening every now and then.  And since they have been so amazing this year, I wanted to do something more than the cookies and tea I usually send with him to work for Christmas.

First order of business was a rainbow of handwarmers.  (The Mrs. J pattern, modified to rib.)  I've been gradually working on these--a pair here, a pair there--since this Summer.  I can't tell you how it made me smile to lay them all out like this!

Next, some yummy beeswax and lavender handcream.  I got this recipe from The Beekeeper's Bible, but similar recipes abound on the internet.  It was incredibly easy to do (15 minutes?), and made a really rich, thick cream that smells divine.  (Sweet Husband took a tin just to do "quality control" on his always cracking-and-dry Winter hands.  He hasn't brought it back yet.) 

I must confess, I got a little carried away with the pretty symbolism.  I ended up sending a few sets of wamers and lotion to school with the Kiddo for his teachers too!

A Simple Handmade Advent Calendar

For several years now, I've been wanting this wooden advent spiral to use as an advent calendar.  

I love the fun of counting down to anything.  But while "giftie" advent calendars can be fun, more often than not, preparing them stresses me out.  I always have trouble finding items to put in them that are not either "kid junk" (little plastic doozie-ma-jiggys and the like) or prohibitively expensive over the course of twenty-five days.  And we've tried doing a calendar with "events", but I would so much rather do those spontaneously.

The simplicity of moving a candle along each day--and the excitement of lighting candles for dinner--seemed perfect.  But the spiral still wasn't quite right.  

The symbolism is nice, but the size was wrong.  All the spirals I had seen were just a little too big for our house.  And while I love the idea of dedicating a space to it on the dining room table...with a toddler and a dog and a table that doubles as my crafting space...that's just not our reality right now.

But I still wanted to do something similar.  So this year, in early November, I ordered the two figurines.  I had them sitting on a shelf, and had just about given up on inspiration to strike when, on December 1st, the Winter edition of Rhythm of the Home came out.  When I saw this project for a "Hardware Store Hanukkah", something clicked in my brain, "Ahh!  I need something more like a menorah...something long and skinny...."

So, I went out into our shed and found a piece of wood that had formerly been a garden stake.  Quickly seeing exactly where I was going, Sweet Husband sanded the board and drilled in the holes.  (I'm capable with the power tools, but he's quicker.)  Then we rubbed it down with a bit of "spoon oil", and it was ready to light that very night.

Ever the perfectionist when it comes to such things, Sweet Husband says he intends to make a new one next year.  ("The holes cracked a little, and the board should be a little longer....")  But I'm not sure I'm going to let him--I think it's perfect. 

Rock and Roll Quilting

My mom is a Rick Springfield groupie.  Most of the time we (her three children) admit this bemusedly, occasionally a bit more testily.  I suspect it's something like how she dealt with me when I was twelve and came home one day worshipping Donnie Wahlberg and New Kids on the Block; I don't really understand the obsession, but at least she's not out smoking crack, yes?  ;)

Sometime last summer, she asked me to take a stack of her old concert t-shirts and make them into a quilt.  Her birthday and a "Rick" concert coincided this past weekend, so I decided to make the quilt a birthday present.  Also knowing that there was a good chance that she would bump into Mr. Springfield (bump into, stalk...what's the difference, really?) I left a space in the center (that little purple circle) for her to get it signed. 

Jokes aside, I actually had a lot of fun putting this together.  The t-shirts were of the well-loved variety, so I cannibalized a few to make fun patches and cover holes and such.  I also think I tried out just about every decorative stitch my machine does.  Experimental sewing at it's best!

It ended up looking exactly as I think a t-shirt quilt should--a bit worn, but comfy.  And, although I missed getting a picture of the autograph, she did get it signed.

Cowardly Cowl

Today we're going to talk knitting.

It came to my attention a few weeks ago that a dear friend of ours was in need of a cowl.  I couldn't allow that situation to continue, so I started this cowl.  Or I tried to...three times, but the provisional cast-on just wasn't happening.  

So I went back to the drawing board (i.e. Ravelry's pattern search), and found this instead.  It's called the "Cowardly Cowl".  I think it's a Wizard of Oz reference, but the name felt perfect after having gotten so frustrated with the new-to-me cast-on on the first cowl.

Cowardly though it may be, I think it's an adorable pattern.

His Turkey Day Vest

I love this little "Pebble" vest pattern (a.k.a Henry's Manly Cobblestone Inspired Baby Vest) so much that I've made it three times now.  I can whip one out in a few days, it looks cute over t-shirts, and it keeps the Kiddo's core warm.  The only problem is that the pattern is only written in one size, so I keep having to guess to make it bigger.

The Kiddo grew out of his first vest quite quickly.  (While I am certainly not laying blame--as I've had my own share of laundry mishaps--the outgrowing was helped by the fact that it got tossed in the dryer by a sleep-deprived Sweet Husband.)  

But then the second vest I made, for this Fall, ended up being ridiculously too big.  It's so big that I actually think it will fit him next Winter, or maybe even the one after that.

This third one is fresh off the needles.  It's a little smaller than I would have ideally prefered, but--even if it doesn't fit past his next growth spurt--for Thanksgiving Day, at least, it should be juuuusst right.

The Last Farmer's Market

Not that we need to have the Farmer's Market, necessarily, to enjoy our Saturday morning walk'n'nap, but it does make a nice sort of goal.  And now we say goodbye to all our favorite sellers until sometime in April....

(Notice the blue sweater?  The one we couldn't get over his head?  I ripped out the neck and re-knitted it in rib--VICTORY!)

Photo Wall 2.0

A few weeks ago, I slipped down our stairs.  I had fuzzy socks on, too many things in my hands, wasn't paying enough attention, etc.  But it scared the bejeezus out of me.  

I am a consummate klutz--crashing down spectacularly is nothing new to me.  This time though, somewhere on the way down, the thought "I hope Sweet Husband can find another wife who loves chickens," flashed through my brain.

It wasn't helped by the fact that I took about a half-dozen little frames from our photo wall with me.  So, as I was laying at the bottom of the stairs trying to figure out if all my appendages were still attached, glass was crashing down on my head.  Not fun at all.  

Before my bruises had even become visible (Shout out to Battlestar fans:  I have one that looks like the Eye of Jupiter.  I won't tell you where, but do you think it means I have a "special destiny"?), I had devised a plan to revamp the wall, this time with no glass.  

Taking my inspiration from here, I pulled down the frames and the nails they were hanging by.  Then I put about a hundred little screw hooks in their place.  A bulk box of bulldog clips finished the project off.

I think I like it.  It's a bit more wonky than the frames, but if I fall into one, at worst, it will just rip the picture and maybe scratch a little.  I also think it's more flexible than the frames were.  If I get bored with the pictures I could clip up bits of poems, pretty fabric swatches....all sorts of silly stuff.

The Incredible Exploding Baby (With Hats!)

So, my comment about the Kid being recovered may have been premature.  He's acting happy.  He's eating...I'd say normal, but even his "normal" is a little odd to me most days.  (Rice puffs and turkey?)  He's drinking well.  But we can't seem to get his digestive process...solidified. 

For today, I'll take happy though.

And hats!  More mysterious Christmas knitting, but (if you are not related to me), details here and here.

Dancing Leaves on Strings

This Time Something Small

Month three of the A Little Gray's "Little Things to Sew-Along" (projects from the adorable book Oliver + S Little Things to Sew).  This month I decided to divert from the plan--which was the bias trimmed apron--and make this little doll dress as a Christmas present for...oh, someone or other.

I subbed in some bias tape for a hem, and the whole thing took about an hour.  And it matches the little doll sweater--which, in turn, has a little human sweater that matches it--all and all very fun.

Check out all the other sew-along projects here.

Apparently People Know I Knit

I took the afternoon off the other day, and ended up shopping and strolling downtown.  Among other things, I found the sweetest cabled mittens for the Kiddo.  When I stopped in to take Sweet Husband lunch, we had the following conversation:

Him [Indicating shopping bag]: What'd you get?

Me:  Oh, a couple of shirts and a pair of mittens for the Kiddo.

Him:  You bought him mittens?

Me [thinking of the epic scarf--which is just almost finished, in addition to several other projects on the "to-make-for-Christmas" pile]:  Well, if I wait until I get around to knitting a pair, his fingers will freeze off.

Later that day, talking with Nice Mom on the phone, with the Kid giggling in the background:

Mom:  What's the Kiddo laughing about?

Me:  Oh, I bought him a pair of mittens today and we're just trying them on.

Mom:  You bought him mittens?

Apparently, I'm getting a reputation.

But then I started digging in his "Winter" box, and realized that I had actually made him mittens last year in my newly-pregnant-knitting-frenzy.  I'm sure he'll lose one pair or the other before it's all over with, right?  [The white ones are the ones I bought; I knitted the greenish-yellow ones.]

Although it's apparently branded me as that overly precious mommy that has to hand make every stitch of her child's clothes (I say that tongue in cheek, I know my peeps love me), I'm really starting to enjoy the fruits of all that early knitting.  

Three of the sweaters I made last Winter are currently in use. (From top left to bottom: a Placket-Neck Pullover, a BSJ, and an Easy Baby Cardigan [modified to be a hoodie].)  His Tomten is still too big, but will fit next year.  Only this one ended up being too small.  And actually even it would fit perfectly if only I could get his head through the neck hole.  We gave it a good try one morning about a week ago--Sweet Husband held him and I tugged.  It was not well received by the Kid.  (Anybody know a nine month old with an abnormally small head who needs a sweater?  Or else maybe I can rip out the neck and make it better?  Hm.)

I must admit, it tickles me to watch him crawling away (always on the move these days) in one of his sweaters.  And I suppose there are worse things to be known for than knitting.

Feeling Very Halloween

We have watched Corpse Bride and The Nightmare Before Christmas (which is a movie for all holiday seasons, in my book).  Hocus Pocus is sitting next to the DVD player, and we may have to see Sleepy Hollow once too.  (We're a little into Tim Burton, yes?  I'm such a wuss, though.  Scary movies for kids are all that I can stand.)

Pumpkins have been purchased, sewn, drawn, and pulled from holiday decoration storage.  (And a few have been eaten too!)  Banners have been festooned about here and there.  (The instructions for the felt leaves banner are here.)

The Kid's costume is completed, and adorable (if I do say so myself!) photos have been sent out to the grandmas and grandpas.  Leaves are falling prettily in the backyard, and our vases are stocked with sunflowers from the farmer's market.  I'm purposely avoiding buying candy until the day-of...so that we have candy on the day-of....

I think we're all set.  What Halloween-y things are you all doing?