Marie Grace Designs

A Little Planning, a Little Knitting...

So the little swatch hat has become a whole hat and so has helped to plan a sweater.

I've been thinking about Bubba's first wool Aran-ish sweater pretty much since he was born. The hazards of knit design, I suppose. I wanted to wait until he was big enough to be up and around and have use for a really warm wool sweater that I could plan to have some growing room.

Let's get a little side tracked here for just a second so I can mention that little Gansey vest I did a while back. That vest, along with its Girly version companion, were originally published in Knitcircus magazine. I had been working on getting them re-formatted to make them available here as pdf downloads but descided to wait a bit. The original pattern range is only from 6 months to 24 months so I'm extending the range to fit up to a child size 8. As soon as I get a little time I'll work out the numbers for the bigger sizes and then I'll re-release them. 

The reason I mention the little Gansey vest is because I really love the simple combination of cables and seed stitch zig-zags I used for that design. Its enough to be cute without being complicated and perfect for busy little boys who seem to always be moving... just like the little zig-zags. In fact, I like it so much I'm using the same combination, along with one of my very favorite wools, for Bubba's first Aran-ish. I say "ish" because its really a Gansey pattern but implimented in an Aran sort of style. Make sense?

I'm trying something a little different with the construction method so we'll see how it goes.

So how about a model shot for the little hat? I'm sure Bubba will sit and let me take a nice picture. Ha! You see that grin? 

There we go!

Sunday's Sewing (on Monday)...

I didn't get nearly as much done this week as I would have liked. Still, here's what I did get done...

Another smocked Oliver and S Ice Cream dress. I planned to add some embroidery to the smocked area so its not quite done...

A pair of Oliver and S After School pants waiting for their matching shirt, I'll give a full review and action shots once the shirt is done...

And how about a little knitting? I've been picking at an idea for Bubba's first Aran sweater and making swatch hats with some texture patterns...

 

I got noth'in...

Between the fact that the average tempature is dropping a little more each week and the fact that its KCWC I had big plans. Big. But I got noth'in done. Well, almost noth'in.

So I'm adjusting my plan.

I've always got too much going on. Its a personality flaw and I own it. If there's no chaos... I'll create some. Its weird really because I need to be organized in order to function yet I throw more stuff on the pile every chance I get. Along with all the regular schooling, dealing with our little farm, keeping the house livable, and keeping everyone fed there's also my compulsion to knit and sew as many things I can plus keeping my knitting obligations work-wise under controll. Sounds a little insane, right? And you know its not just me.

I really don't believe I'll ever find a real balance to the whole what-I-need-to-do and what-I-want-to-do. I was planning to use KCWC as an excuse to blow off a bunch of other stuff and just crunch down on some sewing but it didn't work. But still, there are things the kids really need (new pajamas, fall jackets, some long pants) and I am still completely committed to making them myself. So here's what I'm going to do... I'm going to set aside Sundays for sewing. For the rest of my life. Forever and always. All 6 other days of the week can be for everything else including work but Sundays I'm setting aside for just sewing. Whatever I can get done that day... whether I have an hour in the afternoon or if I can manage a big chunk of time I'll do as much as I can. 

I figure between seasonal changes, holidays, and kids outgrowing stuff there's plenty to do that I can set aside Sunday forever. This will take the pressure off the rest of the week... my perpetual inner struggle... to knit or to sew, THAT is the question... because I'll know I have some sacred sewing time set aside that nothing else can mess with. 

Sound good?

Okay... just so you don't think I'm a total KCWC washout here's what I did get done...

2 knit shirts and some flannel pants for Bubba. Notice the strategic folding so you can't see the unfinished hems...

A pile of Riley Blake fabric destined to be 2 jackets, one for Bubba and one for Tater...

A Honeycomb smocked nightgown for Tater. To be completely truthful I started this awhile ago but it still needs some finishing...

And finally here's part of my distactions for this week... it was a really good mail week...

So if all goes to plan I'll be back on Monday to show what I got done on Sunday. Hopefully. 

 

Friday...

~ A little knitting, woolies for Bubba. I sorted through the ones her wore last year and was just in awe of how small they were and how not-so-small the ones I'm knitting now are.

~ Still working on Tater's smocked dresses, 2 in progress. She's already looked through her collection of warm leggings to make sure she's prepared for cooler weather dress wearing.

~ Enjoying all the fruits and veggies that are in season right now, making pie and eating fresh pears.

~ Pulled the last of the carrots. Dug up the sweet potaoes. Still watching the cauliflower and the Brussel's sprouts.

~ Watching this little guy figure out all manner of things. Things like Mama can't reach him if he hides under the table.

I really love this time of year. Its not just the cooler weather and the warmer cooking. I think its got something to do with that urge to prepare. To get ready for longer days indoors. Tucking the garden away until spring. Making sure everybody, including the goats and chickens, will have what they need to be comfortable and healthy for whatever winter brings. That hunkering down and digging in that comes with change whether its seasonal or some other aspect of life in general. 

Here's hoping for a productive weekend!

 

Friday...

So as I work on a really big knitting project, one of those I wish I could tell you about it but I can't sort of projects, there are all sorts of fabulous things piling up around me just waiting for a little free time.

~ I picked up a copy of Sewing For Boys. I figure between that and the Growing Up Sew Liberated book Bubba will be one well dressed dude this fall/winter. 

~ I still need to finish 2 Ice Cream dresses I'm smocking. I suppose at this point that by the time they're done Tater will be wearing them with leggings and a sweater.

~ And speaking of O&S my copy of the new Oliver and S pattern After School Shirt and Pants arrived in the mail. I'd like to make Tater some outfits and I'm planning to deconstruct the shirt, which has a yoke feature, to see if I can add some smocking detail to it. 

~ With the sewing list growing by leaps and bounds I'm planning to jump on board for KCWC. This big project should be outta here by then so it will sort of be a reward to chill out and get some sewing done.

~ We've settled in to a pretty nice schooling routine. My biggest challenge this year is Bubba. He's at that clingy, grabby, chewing on everything, and ripping paper stage which makes things sort of interesting. We're using a cyber charter school this year and finding it rather nice. One of these days I'll post more about our experience so far.

~ In case you haven't realized it already... fall is here. Need proof? Martha has wee vampire pumpkins. There ya go.

 

 

Friday...

Friday...

And she knits!

I have no words. I have been waiting for this day through multiple boys and one teenage daughter who runs the other way if I even suggest she might like to knit or sew. And then Tater happened.

I think I may have created a monster with this one. In a good way. Mostly.

While the boys are getting model glue all over my cutting mat and Doodle is off feigning drama and writing in her 438th notebook Tater is heading down the hall with a seam ripper in one hand and a pair of pliers in the other. If you ask her what she's up to she'll say "Noth'in". I think she got that Crafter DNA or whatever it is that makes some of us crave the click of knitting needles, the sound of snipping scissors, and the weight of bolts of fabric clutched in our arms.

She's been fiddling with bits of sewing for some time now and I had to make her a little sewing kit and fabric stash of her own a few months ago because I kept finding her digging in my fabric.   

So it finally happened that she asked and asked about learning to knit. I sort of blew her off the first few times because I honestly didn't think she'd be happy to sit quietly and knit for any amount of time but soon realized she wasn't giving up. And there she goes!

She's knitting! And she's done it off and on for several days now and she likes it!

Another knitter joins the ranks!

Obligatory Maryland Sheep and Wool post...

So I managed to haul 2 friends and 2 kids to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival this past weekend. The weather was lovely, the fries were yummy, and a great time was had by all.

I'm totally relying on MS&W action shots taken by The Llama Lady because I didn't even take my camera out once the entire day. Weird, huh?

Bubba's perch...

Tater chowing some cheeeeeeese fries!

The highlight of my day was getting to meet up with Amy and Susie and some of the JMF cyber crew... 

I picked up a few things the kids wanted. The girls wanted some more fiber for needle felting so Tater picked out some colorful stuff and we stopped by The Mannings in the Main building to get some spindles for the Fiber Arts classes at 4H this summer. 

Note to self... kids need spindle bags.

You'd think I'd have come home with some crazy amount of yarn but truth be told this is all I brought home yarn-wise...

I'm not really sure what that says about me but I'll tell ya I've got lots of Green Mountain Spinnery stuff here already and yet all day the only thing I really wanted was more. So at the end of the day that's where I went to load up. GMS yarns have been one of my very favorites for a long time. I normally just order from them online but standing in that booth with all their yarns right in front of me is a dream come true and yarny-overload all at the same time. I sort of talk to myself as I pick up and put down every other hank of everything and then just stand there all dazed trying to decide what to keep.

Its just a no-brainer really... an awesome company with a range of perfect fibers for anything you could possibly want to knit and all in beautiful colors. And Maureen. I love Maureen.

 

 

Knitcircus Giveaway winners...

Time to pick some winners!

I'll be using my favorite winner choosing method as always.... Tater and hat full of names on little pieces of paper!

Don't mind the fact that she's still in her jammies and has cocoa on her shirt... she's still an awesome winner picker.

First up is a winner for a full years subscription to Knitcircus...

The next 3 winners will each receive a complete pattern collection for the Summer 2011 issue. The final of these 3 winners will also receive the yarn prize... enough Blue Sky Alpaca Skinny Dyed to knit one of my designs from the issue...

Pattern collection 1...

Pattern collection 2...

and Pattern collection 3 plus yarn...

Congradulations to the winners!

I'll be in touch with you all sometime today.

And yes, that curly font still entertains me to no end.

Happy knitting!