Looking Ahead to a Petite Polished

Y'all are in store for a cozy twosome in this post!  Camden gets to show off a new hat AND a new sweater!

For such a lovely sweater, I took so long to write the blog post that the Petite Polished shows wear. I would say it honestly started pilling pretty soon after finishing it, too.  I wanted to hold out on allowing Camden to wear this design by Alicia Plummer, but since I finished it in October and she needed a pull-over, well, that was that.  Originally, I'd wanted to sew her new jeans first for a nice photo combo, but I have yet to get around to sewing those.  Maybe next week, aha.

There was some silliness in knitting this pattern, though the pattern itself was lovely.  Because of my gauge, I added extra yoke rounds, but in doing THAT, I also added extra increases, which wasn't great for the sleeves, and when I started the first sleeve, I realized my mistake and had to rip back and decrease differently.  I wasn't sure that it'd work, considering I couldn't just get rid of the original sleeve stitch count, but it ended up being okay.    I alternated skeins, and while the gauge called for is looser than I like to knit a DK weight yarn, it does look nice.  In saying that, I wonder if it'd be AS pilled as it is if I knit at a tighter gauge.  I knit with Tanis Fiber Arts PureWash DK in the Luna Gray colorway.  I was glad for Camden to have a somewhat neutral-toned sweater, which it is, but she really still needs another pull-over - and a cardigan, while we're at it.  I had been desperate to try the PureWash base for some time (because of its more eco-friendly "super-washing" process, and it is nice to knit with, but I'm not sure I'll knit with it again, unless I do try some time, at a tighter gauge.  Overall, the sweater is quite lovely, and Camden loves to wear it!

As for Camden's hat, this is another moment where I feel cool that I knit with deep stash yarn!!!  The yarn was purchased way back in 2012, and I had paid an Etsy seller to knit a sweater for Camden, because I didn't trust my abilities or something and figured another person would knit it faster, LOL.  Anyway, the remnants have been in my stash every since, some lovely Madelinetosh colorway - I think it was Truly, Madly, Deeply.

A tiny July 2012 Camden!

Looking Ahead, designed by Veera Valimaki, is a simple-enough pattern, thought I botched up the decreases a bit; it was hard to know how to stay in pattern, or I'd get off track.  Either way, it is cute, and I also had a feeling it'd be super cute with a faux fur pom pom, and I was RIGHT!  I am so glad I ordered from Thread Head Knits.  She has tons of choices, and I bought my poms as a bulk order, but keep in mind that some colors can't be ordered in bulk buys.  I was winging it on color choices, but I figured something I ordered would work, and the light pink is so pretty with the hat.

Even here, you can see the pilling.  I really should get a Gleener!

I am pretty happy that I have been working through stash yarns - for the kids or for others.  I am knitting two wee sweaters for twins right now - one down, one to go!  And I have recently knit another pair of mittens each for the kids, both from scrap yarns.

Lastly, so much has happened since the last post, but here are some snippets from some days!!

She worked on this longhouse with her dad.  She presented very well!

Their monsters are afraid of faeries!

But their monsters love to eat!

This and the next shot are the same beach, same five minutes, LOL

A gift her grandma made!!!

Gift for baby cousin Helen!

They are now obsessed with The Lion King!

Disco Dancing on Easter??? Never! Maybe EGG Hunting, Though

Here it is, folks - a second Disco Dress by Ainslee Fox Boutique.

Remember when I sewed THIS version last year - ALSO for Easter??  Aha!  It might become this holiday's staple.  It's cute and easy, so, why NOT??

I searched through stash fabric, and I think I turned up with the last bit of fabric in a larger bit of yardage, which was great!  I needed a coordinating color, so, I picked something up at Modern Domestic a few weeks ago - something that worked for this dress and the next one I'm blogging about.  Yay on both accounts!  

The pattern worked up quickly and was easy to follow, same as last year.  I did remember the belt was a bit long, so, I cut that shorter, and again, I made Matt run to Home Depot to grab D-rings, but he failed me :O  He grabbed crazy D-rings, but my friend, Lisa, came through in the end!  I love the final result, though I swear the back placket came out funnier than last time.  I probably sewed something a bit off, I suppose, but the triangle area seems off somehow.

I was also super happy to find cute, matching buttons in my stash - totally vintage!  I purchased them whenever-ago/sometime last year at an antique store here in town.  They were originally 29 cents, though I was happy to sacrifice a couple bucks or however much.

All in all, a success, and it works out, too, that this year's Saltwater Sandals matched!  Just like last year!  Not sure I'll get lucky three years in a row, but I can't wait to tempt the fates about twelve months from now ;)  (On a related note, I wanted some Saltwaters for myself, but they don't seem to quite fit my feet, which makes me sad!)

Tiberius ran over in his grandma-made bat cape and wanted to be included ;)

He looks rough!  And that bruised-up kid just bathed :O

And a bit of a week in review!

Egg hunting at Elora's!

Someone peed through his first pair of pants that matched

Nighttime Easter family photo!

Lisa made a fun new outfit!

Sunki Dress, Take Three

I don't know why I haven't made more of these dresses, as I love the pattern!  This is another one I cut a million months ago, then I finally got around to sewing it in December, I think - yikes!

The Sunki dress by Figgy's is super fun, though it seems to run a bit smaller than other Figgy's patterns, somehow.  I should have lengthened this one by a good inch and a half, but I'll have to just love it while it fits Camden.  I used stash fabric (Kaffe Fassett???) I'd purchased at Cool Cottons specifically FOR this dress....You can see the first version I ever made is basically the same fabric, LOL.  Please note, though, that I sewed it on the cross-grain, as I wanted vertical striping.

Rather rotten picture - but mostly to show how sad it is that the zipper is a smidgen off

The pattern is totally easy, and I think there is a pocket-sewing tutorial on Shelly's blog, but I don't find it necessary.  The dress goes together simply, as long as you take care with the pocket-finishing, in order to make it come out as nicely as possible.

It's a dress that is great with leggings, and I didn't have time or the right fabric to make a pair to match this version, which is a bummer, but I made them once before and loved them (until Camden's dad let her slide about on the SIDEWALK and put a hole in the LOVELY merino wool :O).

One of the old versions:

Awww, June 2012

I made this version for our mom/dad/Camden date to see Shrek, The Musical - which Camden LOVED, by the way!  She totally teared up when things were rough between Shrek and Fiona!  Super cute, LOL.

Matt is not a giant and is somehow dwarfing Camden, aha!

I always recommend this pattern!!!  It has a cool, hip vibe that is great for older kids...especially when you're feeling over the cutesy stuff that isn't quite meant for older children.

And....a few weeks in the life of....

Yard picnic in February!

A nice day for a walk! 

Dad's scrap wood haul