Class Picnic Ensemble... A Cozy Favorite

I may be the biggest fan, EVER, of the Class Picnic shorts and top by Oliver and S.

Is that still true if I don't go to great lengths to modify the pattern and add crazy details???  I do tend the keep it simple and just let the fabric stand out, but it is one of my favorite things to make Camden.  In fact, you can see ALL past versions in this 2016 blog post.  How has it been that long since I've sewn this pattern???

I became carried away with sizing on this pattern.  Camden is a solid size 8, essentially, but I decided to go with a size 10 and then lengthen the top.  It is clearly almost a tunic on her, and I may go back in and tighten the elastic on her shoulders.  I also almost want to go back and make a size 8, LOL.  I like that she'll get a good two full years out of the pattern, but the top is hilariously large at this point.  As for the shorts, they will totally fit, waist-wise, through two summers, I'd like to think, but these shorts do run.... well, short, so, who knows where we'll be in a couple of years. 

Pretending she was sad about something

Speaking of the shorts, this is one of those patterns where you think, "Awww, man, do I HAVE to???"  The sewing of them seems daunting, for some reason, though it completely isn't.  They tend to go together quickly, and it is nice that you don't need a lot of yardage for the main fabric, so, you can peep through remnants in your stash and likely find something.  I had planned to use a solid purple for the trim on the shorts, but I wasn't feeling the shade of purple I had, in comparison to the purple on the flower print of the top (which is just Joann Fabrics, by the way!), so, I made it matchy-matchy, no biggie.  A lot of the time, she throws on a camisole with the shorts, anyway.

This pattern is seriously a quick sew, and I am just enjoying the last couple of years when I can sew things like this for Camden, because soon, she'll be too grown-up to want to wear these types of patterns.  At least, that's what I worry about, aha!

Nothing crazy has been happening on the home front, and I don't have many photos of work on the new house, because I have been running Camden around, and Matt has to work, so, we aren't able to get as much done.  His parents have been super helpful - both at the house and with watching Tiberius while I ferry Camden to her sewing camp this week.  She is LOVING it, and I'll have photos of that in the next blog post!

Homeschool life can be pretty intense

Getting our planting on

Attending our last story time in Bend

I have NO idea what I'm doing, and I hope our plants don't die

Twinsies

 

Cornish Tin II AND Colorwork?! Absolutely!

This hat is just gorgeous!  I'm so glad this yarn didn't have to sit in my stash for millions of months!

I told myself that if I finished a few things for the kids, I could work on a couple things for me, and back when Cornish Tin II came out, I knew I had to snatch it up FAST!!!  (I purchased from The Woolly Thistle, by the way - so....stateside!)  I had missed the first incarnation of Cornish Tin in 2015, so, I allowed myself two whole skeins of the second go-round, and I totally don't regret it, naturally.  I am really trying to move toward using non-superwash yarns, but I'm so picky and have a hard time purchasing just anything, based on an on-line picture.  But I knew when I saw it in 2015 that I NEEDED it.  The 2016 version, from Blacker Yarns, is a lovely mix of fibers, so, it's pretty and heathered, in a way.

The colors I used in my lovely Vitsippa hat are Wheal Kitty Orange and Levant Gray.  The colors are clearly contrasting, but I feel that with this pattern, maybe a brighter color would have been a better choice over the orange.  You CAN see the pattern well enough in bright light, but I always worry.  The pattern is included in Pom Pom Quarterly, Issue 12 (Pom Pom site) and isn't the only pattern in that issue I'd like to knit!  Written by Joji Locatelli, it is quite delightful and simple, as far as the pattern and directions go.  It seemed to take forever, just because it is a million rounds of fingering weight yarn, yet it also flew by - maybe because there were no cables, LOL!

I had tried a needle size or two for the ribbing but ended up going with size 00 needles and the smallest size hat.  In the end, I maybe could have knit the middle sized hat, but it does fit.  I prefer my hats to be a bit snug, but it's almost a pop-off-my-head type of snug, aha!  Honestly, I am just excited I now have three whole knit hats for myself - one I knit several years ago and the Fathom I recently knit.  I have plans for just ONE more....then I promise I'll work on a hat for Matt, a Quadri, as he really could use a new, fancy hat!

Things have been pretty tame around here lately.  I mostly can't stop thinking about my quilting class that starts next week at Modern Domestic.  I'm THIS NERVOUS about the class....I feel I will ruin all my fabric and have NO IDEA what I'm doing.  I hope I don't drive the teacher, Meredith, nuts!  :O

The weather has been off and on decent....sun, clouds, wind, rain....I'd like a consistent 65 and sun, if that's all right ;)  It looks like the birthday party weather for this coming Saturday should be okay, which is awesome.  I am sad, though, for Camden, as I planned poorly and didn't think about spring break for public school kids, so, a lot of families are out of town.  But ahhh!  I need to order cupcakes today!  I keep forgetting!

Our days in the life of....

Someone brought up Santa, so, he had to make an "appearance" for Tiberius's birthday

Finally rid of this annoying tree 

Presents from "grandma in Michigan"

                                      

Someone didn't feel well for a day last weekend 

Time with good friends!

                                                     

Headed out on a shopping trip with Matt's mom and me