A Rose is a Rose is a Mini Rock Rose Cardigan

This cardigan is SUCH gloriousness!!!  Sounds ridiculous, but it's true!  I love it so much!  I have wanted to make this pattern for a long time, and when I found out Nadja of Schneckenstrick Designs was hosting a KAL, I decided to begin!  I dug into stash yarn and used yarn that was originally planned for ME.

(I shall take this time to announce that I pretty much can't see myself knitting too many garments for ME out of superwash yarns, so, I guess it IS helpful I have a few sweater quantities on hand to pull from for Camden or Tiberius, but it's also a bit sad.  I just know my future self doesn't want to get frustrated with sweater growth, etc., so, I plan to mostly knit non-superwash when it comes to me.)

The pattern is called the Mini Rock Rose, and there is an adult version, which would be so fun, too!  You can knit any of her patterns, I believe, and I have no idea when the KAL ends, so, just go ahead and join!

I feel like I was on gauge - or super close, but I knit a size 6/8, and it definitely came out close-fitting, so, I hope against hope that it'll fit well through spring.  I used Hazel Knits - the Lively DK base in the Cabbage Rose colorway, which was a great yarn choice!

The pattern was great - super clear and easy.  I was relieve, LOL, upon reaching the bottom ribbing, as I was dying from so many bobbles, though bobbles ARE simple, and the pattern repeat wasn't complicated or anything.  And I did follow the instructions and knit an i-cord bind-off, so, that took a while.  I probably, as usual, made the sweater slightly longer, because I knit a longer ribbed section on the hem and sleeves.  I love the finished size at the moment.

After blocking, I almost went with a floral button, but the button was slightly too large, and though gorgeous, it detracted from the loveliness of the sweater.

Camden wore this ALL day at school yesterday, as she was wearing her strappy Seashore Sundress, so, she wanted to keep warmer.  That makes me pretty happy!!!

And some fun days!  We went to a Mini Maker Faire, and the kids enjoyed rock climbing, blacksmithing and screen printing!

Christmas in July on her 4th day of school!

Day 3 of school in her Modkid Claudia!

A Book Report on Floral Fashion

You must know by now my undying love of this dress.  I daresay I like the pattern more than Camden does, as it isn't the first dress she ever reaches for.  I have sewn a few Book Report Dresses by Oliver and S - shown HERE and HERE.  It, like the Seashore Sundress, in my LAST post, is a relatively simple sew that you can turn into so much more.  I clearly don't get crazy with the pattern, but I think I love how there are different "blocks" of color, in a way.

The pattern goes together easily.  The only thing that may slow you down are the loops, and even putting those in isn't a chore.  I am sure it's fun for kids to have hidden pockets, too, though Camden never seems to make use of them.

I made a size 8, and I think I lengthened it, because this pattern makes it easy to do so.  And because it has so much positive ease, I do like to get extended wear out of it by making it longer.  

Anyhow, this puts me at dress number 5 for Camden's new school year!  Another is hot off the hand-stitching needle, so to speak, and I have plans for pants and a top AND a vintage pattern I have never sewn before.  After THAT, y'all???  Oh, jeez - so MUCH!!!

After the next dress blog post, though, I hope to be blogging about a finished cardigan, so, we'll see!

A few moments in the life of...

Writing comics

Helping dad sand

Even babies are welcome to their shack, lol

Paperbag Dress for a School Girl: Modkid Claudia

Remind me again why I have NOT made the Modkid Claudia since Camden was 3??????????  (Naturally, because I want to find it SO BADLY, I cannot find a photo of her first version.)

My bad, as I love the pattern.  I need to make sure to make one more before she sizes out of this pattern.  It is so cute, and for this one in particular, I put in quite a bit of work.

I had help from my ladies at Modern Domestic in picking the coordinating fabric, as I hadn't, for whatever reason, purchased any from the same line as the main fabric.  The coordinating fabric is perfect!

Because it has been so long since I last made it, I can be sure I probably did a much better job this time around.  For example, I likely sewed it up per pattern instructions last time, but this time, I went the extra mile.  The bodice lining is first sewn to the zipper, then bodice outer is attached and top-stitched down to the zipper.  I did NOT want top-stitching, as it isn't as class on a zipper, on my opinion, and I wanted the inside finished, rather than having exposed, serged edges.  So, I had to stare at it a bit in trying to make it all work.  I sewed the lining to the skirt first, then I had to later hand-stitch the bodice outer to the skirt and the zipper - AND hand-stitch the bodice lining to the seam of the sleeve and bodice.  In making up this crazy plan, I hadn't accounted for the gap at the bottom of the zipper - on the OUTside of the dress.  YIKES.  There went the idea of being classy, aha.  I ended up ironing a small bit of fabric and hand-stitching that into the space.  I think it turned out well enough, though it clearly isn't idea.

See the bit of fabric under the zipper, to cover up the raw edge??

I will say the tie is incredibly too long for this dress.  I get the idea of wrapping it around a few times, but I actually cut the width of the fabric three times to get the length, which was still technically 14 inches shorter than what the pattern called for.  I personally would have even preferred cutting the width of fabric twice - and saved fabric.

I just think in its simplicity, it's such a fancy dress, and Camden loves it - yay!!!  She will likely wear this on her third day of school this Wednesday.  Such a fancy kid ;)

Some updates and what's happening:

First day of school!!!

How the bathroom looks so far

Yikes!!!  Need things OUT of this room!