mouse nap

Sadie's nose is oozing unpleasant stuff but on the bright side she took a three hour nap this afternoon. After a bit of internet time I gave myself a stern talking-to and dragged my tired Sunday body to my sewing corner to make good on the time she was giving me. Under the spell of an old Cowboy Junkies album and a foggy just-before-falling-alseep idea last night this little guy came to life, snout and all. I've used wool suiting instead of blankets which means my stuffing job will have to be improved. I think mice have been filling my head since seeing Vicki's little squeeks, though I'd also like to get going on some bird babies in a fashion similar to Little Red. Of course I hope Sadie's nose clears up, but it's terribly nice of her to give me lumbering naps every so often.

(P.S. It probably goes without saying - my absolute first choice is to hang out with Sadie all day. The mice and birds, as cute as they could be, can't rival my girl.)

the games begin

I didn't actually sign up for the Knitting Olympics, but I did decide to quietly participate during today's Opening Ceremonies, and that's got to count for something...right? There wasn't really a way I could cast on at work so instead, I picked my project and grabbed the wool on my way home from work (I seem to be stopping in at Knitomatic on my way home every Friday so my winter knitting is definitely a full-blown addiction). My Olympic challenge will be the "Fuzzy Wuzzy was a Poncho" for Sadie from the Yarn Girls Guide to Kid's Knits. It's not that the pattern is challenging but finishing it in 16 days will be. I also have a book to finish for my book club in the same time, though it's a completely different style of thing, and I'll need this pink and fuzzy project to balance the gore of Chuck Palaniuk.

little red

Better late than never - here is my submission for A Month of Softies. I thought I would take a break from wool and my usual construction methods and spend more time on the fabric. The first few lines of "Little Red Riding Cap" are machine embroidered on a few layers of linen, and I used a photo transfer and some hand embroidery for the face. It was invigorating - but also incredibly challenging - to work more freely...but I think I'll keep it up.

winter addiction

Is it the January blues? The post-holiday wind down? I just can't stop knitting, and my butt wants to be glued to the couch. So here are some finished projects - a mauve scarf for Sadie, some itsy bitsy legwarmers in a multicoloured alpaca and a pair of red wristlets for me. That would be me modelling a wristlet and then Sadie trying everything on (she prefers the legwarmers as sleeves - is she telling me she needs a sweater next?) I've almost finished my MOS entry, but a nasty cold over the weekend has delayed that progress. My other excuse for avoiding my sewing machine and being a couch potato is that Jay has a show in March at Le Gallery so I've been using the time after Sadie goes to bed to catch up on movies he would hate while he spends late night hours in the studio. Hey, no complaints here!

camera happy

The new camera is fantastic - I hadn't realized how much I missed the control you have with a 35mm. Finally I don't have to totally doctor my shots in Photoshop, they are good to go as is! For fun, I took a shot of one of my current knitting projects, a Louisa Harding lace scarf knit in Naturally Fur Merino, and the cover of a pattern book that I couldn't help but frame. Floating baby heads? It was just too great - and somewhat creepy - to file away. But of course I've been shooting a certain someone incessantly...so Sadie is included too.

learning curve

So I'm taking some time to figure out more template tweaks. I've put a new header in just to see if I could figure it out - and now that I have, it's back to the drawing board for something more compelling. Also we just got a new camera that I need to figure out, a digital SLR, so hopefully my photos will improve too! I'm such a techhie all of a sudden.

I have been knitting non-stop though, and enjoying perusing knitting blogs. Here is about 1 percent of the places I'm visiting: buzzingbee, knitfix, angryknitter, elizaboothy and my all-time fave naive knitting. As far as projects go I've started a Louisa Harding scarf, tried out double pointed needles, and almost finished Sadie some legwarmers...oh, and I so want to make myself a pair of these knitted maryjane's. There's just not enough time in this working-full-time-with-a-toddler girl's life.

slow to start

Finally I am getting to work again. There are a few knitting projects currently unfinished, but I feel like I have abandoned the Month of Softies for far too long. Above is a sneak peek at my "Fairy Tales" entry - what a great theme idea. So many possibilities, and only the time for one doll. I've also included a photo of my miniature work space; before Sadie arrived I had an entire room to myself and now I'm lucky to get this tiny corner of our bedroom. My sincere thanks go out to the Anonymous Baby residing over my table - thanks to his/her chubby goodness I have been able to make it work!

rumble tumble

Who wouldn't want a jolly game of Rumble Tumble in their life? Can you imagine a more wonderful gift? Great friends of ours - who totally understand what Jay and I dig - found this for us recently. I just love the illustrations and check out the doll in the little girl's arms! The game is completely intact and so simple to play. And speaking of these friends, they also spoiled us with a Camilla Engman calendar! Lucky for them, Camilla's "aqua in strawberry pants" came to live at their house and I am just dying to see and feel the little fella person.

I think next year I will vow to do all my Christmas shopping over the internet for only handmade goods. Anyone with me?

knitting fever

Oddly enough, I have never knit myself anything. Jay, Sadie, friends' babies, countless stuffed creatures...they've all enjoyed the fruits of my needled labour. So when deciding what to do next and devouring the first season of Lost on DVD I started a hat and became addicted to finishing it. The pattern came from a Louisa Harding book of accesories, and the wool is black alpaca and an angora tweed from a long time ago. Perhaps next I'll knit a scarf in a total wave of selfishness? Then I absolutely promise myself to get back to other things, like little woolen creatures who desperately need their own knitted treats.

'tis the season

Every year I try to make something for my Mom at Christmas. I wish I could make all of my gifts, but I think my Mom is the only person who doesn't tire of my handmade efforts (though she has quite a collection of dolls and cushions by now!) This doll was inspired by a previous entry; my Mom mentioned the mom-and-baby duo a few times so I thought trying another would be a safe bet. I knit the baby's blanket and used a linen for her dress that is almost the exact colour of my Mom's living room.

Now that my gifts and projects are out of the way I don't know what to do next. So many options and two weeks away from work. Knitting? Sewing clothes? Starting a new idea? Hmmm...