Last Bit of Sewing

I finished up my sewing project yesterday afternoon - here's the other fun fabric with complimentary colors to the flower fabric I used for the bathroom. You can see in the picture below I caught both looking towards the laundry room (and the piles of laundry). I really enjoyed making these and am thrilled with how they turned out.

I got to the end of the hood on my Wallaby and had the awful realization that I forgot to increase 26 stitches before starting the hood - so stupid of me! So I frogged 9 inches of small hood and had to start all over again. I think I'll still finish it time but I'm doing the smack on the forehead for that one - this is my 3rd Wallaby after all and I should have known better!

Some Simple Sewing

A little intermission for some sewing...Miss America and I hit JoAnn fabrics and picked this wild fabric for the door to the laundry room and the downstairs bathroom...we also have a complimentary fabric for the kitchen windows. That's tomorrow's project.

I also whipped up these pillow covers...I used some down inserts from Ikea that cost all of $6 each. The fabric was about $8. They really spice up the bed and bring out the blue sanddollars!

I have been knitting - mostly trying to finish up my pink Wallaby...should be done in a day or two. It's just been too hot to knit lately but there is a storm coming through to cool things down.

Ten on Tuesday

Every now and then I post on the Ten on Tuesday - I do love reading them and Carole always has some good ones...so this week I decided to participate on the 10 Ways to Entertain a Child. I'm going to put a slant on it and make it specific to how I entertain(ed) our kids at the beach during the summers.

1. Go for a walk on the beach and find sea glass and other treasures (I still do this).

2. Water balloons - they are fun to fill and quick to go but always amusing. One time our kids and their friends started a water balloon fight and all of a sudden half the kids are on the block in an all out water war. It was hysterical!

3. A bike ride and looking a the flowers, houses, people.

4. Crabbing in the canal - a few chicken necks, some string, a bucket to put them in and a net. The bonus is I get a few crabs every now and then and steam them up for a nice little crab salad.

5. Poker Chips or Dominoes - my husband's grandparents must have played a lot of poker and there is a huge collection of chips. They also have dominoes. Just pull them out, give them some cards and let the kids make up their own rules. Dominoes are fun to line up and then have them click down in a pattern.

6. A bucket of tennis balls and a racquet - I would spend hours feeding tennis balls to our kids and then we'd pick them up and start all over again. Tires them out too!

7. Lemonade stand - busy time setting up, making signs, making lemonade and ice tea then selling it. Then divvying up the money to go spend a the candy store.

8. Paper cups - one rainy day out of desperation I took a stack of those mini paper cups that you use in the bathroom. They were too small for anything. Our kids stacked them up in a pyramid then used a nerf blaster to knock them down. They were totally consumed with this and trying to catch the whole thing on film as it collapsed.

9. Painting/decorating clam shells...glitter glue, paint, sharpies - whatever works. You can also sell them at your lemonade stand!

10. A tidal pool...nothing beats playing in safe water while at the ocean. You can paddle around, pull your friend on a boogie board, skip stones, create canals back to the ocean.

Pretty in Pink

After making two navy blue Wallabies, I'm very much enjoying this very pink Wallaby. I've finished the body and have to juggle my size 8 needle collection to start the sleeves. I cast on the Mondo Cable Cardigan with my size 8's I use for making the sleeves - I think I'll be able to pull it all off. I don't have a deadline but I'm hoping to get this done by the second week in July when I can present it to sweet Robin (my godsister's daughter).

Also, a dear friends just had their second child - a girl...hmmmm, another pink wallaby? I might branch out and use the Debbie Bliss book I scored last November...

Just Right

Yesterday I took Miss America to find buttons for her jumper...she promptly found them and a few more for futures (she has a button fetish much like I have a flip flop fetish). Anyway, I just sewed them on and we had a modeling session. She does love dresses that twirl - this one passed the test. Now I just hope she doesn't grow too much this summer so this still fits come fall!

Addendum: someone asked what yarn I used - Auracania Nature Wool.

Warms My Heart

I got an email today from my friend Jackie that totally warmed my heart...it said:
"thought you'd enjoy knowing Will has literally worn holes through his favorite slippers and has been asking me for a long time if I would ask you to make him another pair. How 'bout that E? He wears them almost every day."

Who can resist making another pair when a kid loves something to death? I think I'll let him pick his own color this time as these were made from leftover bit. It warms my heart that his feet are warm and happy and so is he...he is a love of a child.

A Little Bit of This and That

I've been busy working on my sleeves for my Mountain View Cardigan - next time I think of making something in Fingering weight will you remind me how long this cardigan took me???

Anyway, the sleeves are worked as a lace bit then you pick up the stitches along one of the edges for the rest of the sleeve. I prefer to work both sleeves at the same time because then you are done with them both at once - ta da!

































This squiggly bit is the Mondo Cable Cardigan by Chic Knits - I just had to cast on something else that might knit up faster. The color is quite true - a dusty plum.

On the homefront, the kids are thinking of summer vacation. It can't come soon enough but due to that big storm that had the town without power, we are in school until the 24th. It's hard to keep them focused and inspired...we're slowing slipping into summer habits. We all can't wait to get to the beach and I can't wait for my summer Stitch and Bitch group!

Picky, Picky

I finished Miss America's jumper and needed to find some buttons (no button holes just sewing on so it looks like it went through a button hole). I hit my button jar and came up with several options. Yesterday's review netted a big strike-out. Grrr.

It could be that Miss America is like her mom and has a button fetish (I have a flip flop one too) and wants to go buy some new buttons...

We have plenty of time as it is too warm to wear this anyway.

What Is It With This Time Of Year???

Why must every activity be crammed into May and June? Between baseball games, birthday parties, PT for Miss America's foot, working 2-3 days a week, etc, I've been a bad blogger. I haven't written in almost 2 weeks. Every time I thought "I need a new post", something would get in the way.

However, I have been knitting. I just polished off another Wallaby in size 4 for my godson. Yes, it is navy just like the other one. My next one will be pink...now that will be fun!