Fall Tunics & Acorns

Miss Maari in the Emerson Tunic Dress.

 

Our pictures were taken awhile ago in early fall when the acorns from our many mighty oaks were just starting to drop and it was still warm enough to get away with short sleeves once in awhile.  Now we are bundled in sweaters (some days in down!), our oaks have shed most of their leaves, and we have to wear our tunic with a layer underneath.

The buttons on the back are my favorite. The sweet little orange flowers came from a vintage tablecloth, each one a little different from the next.

I had to add a strip of fabric to each side because it wasn't quite wide enough, but I like how that turned out with the contrasting vertical/horizontal stripes, same as the piece on the back.  And now she will be able to wear it into next spring!

We will end here with a few silly shots of a girl dancing/posing in acorns on a warm fall afternoon, in her new tunic dress of course!

5 Months of Handmade

Back to blogging! I have my new computer and have emerged from that "new baby daze."  In fact Miss Sonja is already over five months old.

 

So quickly, before she is halfway to one, here are some of her first handmade goodies.

 

First up we have THREE knits in one pic!! This was the coming home outfit.  There was lots of knitting in the third trimester because it allowed for ample couch lounging. 

 

The Puerperium Cardigan by Kelly Brooker, the Oh! Baby Baby Booties by Double Diamond Knits, and the Knitted Newborn Hat by Dana of Made.

 

The Snuggler from Lotta Jansdotter's Simple Sewing for Baby. 

So cozy for those first few months.

 

The Quick Change Trousers from Anna Maria Horner's Handmade Beginnings.

 

Reversible, double lined, and super cute not to mention extremely practical.  I see lots of these in the future...

 

The Very Chunky Diaper Cover by Jenna Swanson.

 

The Infant Peasant Dress from Sew Much Ado in red gingham.

With her big sis who is also wearing handmade, the Oliver + S Popover Sundress.

 

 The Baby Cardigan Onesie from Feather's Flights.

 

And finally we have our "current" Sonja wearing her new Bib Kerchiefs from Lotta Jansdotter's Simple Sewing for Baby. Quite stylish...

 

and good for chewing on.

So there it is, the handmade, months 1-5.

And there she is, our little peanut (a little daintier than the other two were), 5 months old already!

 

To Market To Market

Maari's Market Skirt:

I LOVE all of Dana's tutorials and I just had to make this one the minute I saw it!  It think it was the pocket that caught my eye.  Not only is it cute but also the perfect size for holding all of Maari's little rocks and acorns.

And of course it works well for twirling, stomping, running, etc, etc. 

Summer Sewing

I did manage to make a couple little things for my Maari this summer. Both were free downloads from Oliver + S.

#1...The Popover Sundress made with linen and some fabric taken from an old apron.

#2...The Ruffled Halter in pretty pink polka dots.

Would love to figure out a way to convert both to a mommy size!

(4) A Plaid Hat

I never would have expected myself to fall for pink and purple plaid. But, this little remnant really caught my eye one day and being that it was on sale I bought it, not knowing what I would ever make out of it. After stumbling upon this pattern I knew.



The pink and purple plaid hat was made using the White Melton Hat pattern from the book Carefree Clothes for Girls by Junko Okawa. Lots of cute stuff in that book, although the sizing starts at size 4 so we have a couple years before the clothing will fit our girl. I lined the hat with really thick (and really soft) fleece so I think that is why it turned out small enough to fit her now. The strap is much too long but I left it that way in hopes that I can add another buttonhole for future use.

The other day Connor asked me if I could make a hat for his cheetah. I asked if he wanted one like this one? No, more like his Vikings hat he said...hmmm, knitting for a cheetah. Not sure if I am up for that task!

(2) Puppet Show

A grand puppet theater, complete with tieback curtains, ball fringe, and storage case:



The pattern is from Amy Karol's Bend-The-Rules-Sewing. It hangs from a tension rod in a doorway and rolls up nicely for storing. As for now, we are more interested in using it for peek-a-boo than puppet shows!

(By the way, this is my 100th post!!!)

(1) Flip Dolls

I guess I am going to do a little series here. One of the purposes, among others, of this space for me is to have a spot where I can keep track of the things I make. I like to think it will be a place I come to five, ten years from now and reminisce. Things got away from me over the last 2 1/2 months so I have some catching up to do. Many of the projects were Christmas/Birthday gifts and others were just for fun. Most were made for Maari as it is much easier to come up with ideas for a baby (I am refusing to call her a toddler) than it is for an eight year old. So anyway, each post will be a new little something.

First off, meet Lily and Grace. These were the names they came with, although I'm sure that in the next few years they will be given new names.

They are flip dolls that came as a kit from Umbrella Prints. Each has a smiley face, a laughing face, and a sleepy face. Very sweet.

I think right now I am enjoying them more so than Maari but that will likely change. Connor is also somewhat interested...the fabric on one doll boasts a cheetah (well we think it is a cheetah anyway). This proves his obsession of this animal - even a doll can catch his attention! So in a way we are all enjoying the new dolls.

Lost and Found

I have to say that Justin and I (Connor too) are not the most organized people in the world. We tend to misplace things - bills, glasses, keys, phones, bakugans... Then when I do try to put everything in its place I forget where that place is. We both lost our wallets in the same week. I was at a garage sale, put the wallet on top of the car while I buckled Maari into her car seat, and off I drove. I then spent hours walking up and down the road, emptying my car out, and driving around looking for that small piece of brown leather (all while lugging around the baby). I was lucky - a city worker found it and turned it into the police.

In a small attempt to organize myself, I made this. It is the Market-Run Checkbook Cover from Heather Ross's "Weekend Sewing."

I thought maybe if I make it prettier I wouldn't lose it. The logic here: I never lose my jewelry, it is pretty, maybe that is why I keep better track of it. So far it has worked. Several months and I have not misplaced it even once! VICTORY Now I guess I need to make something pretty to house my bills, glasses, keys...

New Foods

We have been having a blast around here watching Maari discover new foods. It is like a guessing game, "what is Maari going to try next?" So far her favorite has probably been bananas. At first we thought she might be a little bit of a fussy eater, but no longer. I think she was just getting used to the newness of it all. Now she eats whatever, whenever. With the new eater, come new bibs.

These two are of my own design.

And these, from Amy Butler's Little Stitches for Little Ones. The pear design came from a bag pattern in Zakka Sewing.

Really, I don't think you can ever have enough bibs!



We can only hope that she grows to be as fabulous an eater as her brother. That kid will try anything, which makes my life much easier and our meals much more exciting.