Thursday, March 31, 2016

Summer Prep! Two Modkid Patterns



Dudes.

I accomplished a lot over the past three-ish weeks!  I whipped out three dresses, one pair of shorts and one pair of capris!  One dress, the Roller Skate, is already blogged up.
Top #2 for the day...the first one was immediately stained






The two dresses will be written about later, but for today, I am featuring two Modkid patterns - the Grace and the Hannah.  Sadly, for both version, I only did the bottoms.  I didn't have enough of any shirt fabric to match ANYthing I was able to use for the shorts, and I didn't want to make the top for the Grace, because the last time I made it, I had a horrible fit on Camden, though it may have been that I used a heavy fabric in the top portion.

So!  Nothing too grand to say about the Grace pattern.  I have made the capris once before, though I had wanted to make them last year and never got around to it.  There are only TWO pattern pieces, peeps.  I LOVE that.  I mean, there IS a ruffle, but I'm not into ruffles, so, no, thanks ;)  This pattern doesn't require much fabric, which is also great!  I may have lengthened the size I made, just to get a bit more wear out of them, but otherwise, they're great!!!  I am awesome, too (LOL), and used stash left-overs from Camden's Sunday Brunch outfit I sewed two Christmases ago.  Yay me!  These'll work great with any camisoles or tees.
She LOVES these Princess in Black books!


As for the Hannah shorts - I am so excited about what I did with them to jazz up the pattern.  I didn't use buttons at the cuffs, but I knew they'd be pretty lame if I added NO interest.  So, the easy way for me to do that, in this case, was to cut against the grain for the inner pocket piece and the back pockets.  As for the back pocket trim, I then cut on the bias - and made sure to use interfacing to get a crisp finish! - to add extra spice.  They fit super well, and I smile every time I see Camden wear them, aha!  I used a blue shot cotton for the cuff facings and the pocket lining, and that's important to ME, though nobody else can see that, LOL.

Those pockets!!
That blue shot cotton!


As for the Hannah shorts - I am so excited about what I did with them to jazz up the pattern.  I didn't use buttons at the cuffs, but I knew they'd be pretty lame if I added NO interest.  So, the easy way for me to do that, in this case, was to cut against the grain for the inner pocket piece and the back pockets.  As for the back pocket trim, I then cut on the bias - and made sure to use interfacing to get a crisp finish! - to add extra spice.  They fit super well, and I smile every time I see Camden wear them, aha!  I used a blue shot cotton for the cuff facings and the pocket lining, and that's important to ME, though nobody else can see that, LOL.

Anyway, I am getting closer to finishing summer projects for Camden.  She is crazy lacking in dresses, though, and I hope to sew up a few of those after I complete a shorts outfit for her.

Family times of recent....
Watching Camden at BMX
Silly dad, making the wrapping paper....

Camden's birthday books!

What she made at the Art Station



Sunday, March 20, 2016

Roller Skate With the Queen Bee!


I did NOT intend to make an outfit, but yay for unplanned beauty!!!  Lightweight dress and lacy leg warmers for the win!

I'm not usually into simpler dresses/outfits, but for some reason, I always love to make a Roller Skate Dress!  Designed by Oliver and S, it is for REAL only two pattern pieces!!!  Well, it is for ME, as I like to make the version without the neck piece.  I did that the first time I made it, but I'm not sure I'd ever do it again.  Just keepin' it real, yo.

Awww, favorite smile!
I used a deep stash fabric (a shot cotton by Kaffe Fassett???) and a solid shot cotton - both gorgeously lightweight.  I consider myself crazy lucky when I have enough yardage to create something.  Not spending extra money??  ALSO a win-win!
NOT an optial illusion...there is a wrinkle there from the sewing job, LOL
I have blogged about this before - both a dress and a tunic version.  And I made a wee version a few years ago, too, out of the lovely Dream Bikes by Heather Ross...SUCH a great, soft fabric, but I digress....

Not anything exciting to say about the pattern itself, other than it's awesomely simple and cute - so many ways to make it fun, though I'm always boring and don't get jazzy ;)


Next up are the Queen Bee Leg Warmers, designed by Jackie Vlcek of Luna Grey Fiber Arts (her FB page).  I bought it as a kit, along with her yarn.  I used Aspen Sport in the Sugarplum color way, and it is SUCH a pretty color!  I hadn't knit Camden leg warmers in SO long, and I was glad to whip these up.

The pattern is well-written and crazy simple, just a six-round repeat.  The kit is still available - you should TOTALLY go for it!  It was my first time using Jackie's yarn, and I'm glad I had the chance to.  The yarn is richer than it appears in the photos; pops of iridescent purple come through in certain lights - super lovely!

These are so fun!  (and yes, that poor end is peaking out the bottom!)
And a week or two in the life of!!!
This is why today's bedtime was INSANE
Two cuties, clearly!
Happy birthday, little guy!

Sad kid, not getting what he wants
Awww...new dump truck!
Spot 'o tea!
Birthday gift skirt!

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Spun Sugar - The Green Kind


Such a cozy sweater!  You all know my love for Elena Nodel (FB page) - her patterns AND her yarn!  Though the yarn isn't hers this time around, the Spun Sugar cardigan design IS.

I had gauge with the size 5 needles I used...but partway through the raglan cabling, I started worrying it would NOT be big enough....always sad when one is doing cables.  It turned out, however, that I was fine.  True top-down knitting moment to zone in on:  getting through that sleeve separation to test the fit!

Poor girl and her uber-chapped lips
I do have a weird loose spot where the ribbing ends after the cables, but I'll see if I can ignore it for now.  Other than that, the cardigan turned out all crazy lovely, of course!  My only wish is that it was an inch and a half shorter.  Camden isn't a giant, and I DO tend to knit sweaters longer...but because this IS a long sweater, that wasn't necessary.  I didn't do so, if I remember right, but it still seems too long after blocking.  Such is life, but I hope she doesn't outgrow the width before too long.  Maybe Camden will shoot up a few inches before Christmas???  ;)
My sadness here:  The cable doesn't really come out far enough to be seen....

The pattern was written well, and I had no confusion at any point.  I did make a point to NOT be lazy and actually knit the pockets - I think, also, that I maybe knit one pocket on size 3 needles and one on size 5 :O  :O  We'll pretend that didn't happen!

Also, the yarn!  I was awesome and used deep stash - a yarn I hadn't originally intended for this pattern, but it worked out that I had enough!  I used Blissful Knits (FB page) on the Ambrosia MCN base in the Emerald colorway (link to my project page).  I feel the photos don't truly do the sweater justice, as it really is pretty, and she has had many compliments on it already :)

It is the only cardigan Camden has that isn't too small, so, we'll have to MAKE it work!  Next up is a ballet sweater...knit out of Colour Adventures yarn, aha!  I often can't seem to stay away from Elena's products for too long.

Life in central Oregon......
Smiles for Camden and Aunt Jeannette
Sneaking in car knitting that probably contributed to continued back pinching  
Seattle times 
Helping grandma! 
Intense gaming!
When I wanted him to pose with his sister.... 
The grand pose....
Awww!!!  So glad we saw good friends!