Baby progress February 27, 2007

No it’s not here yet, wish it was though, had a crazy week of visiting midwives, and a trip to the hospital, all I want is to have my baby at home.  Women have been doing this since time began, why is it such a big deal!! and why are they so deperate to take control!!

 Anyway, the baby projects are coming along, I’ve needed something to keep my mind occupied.  We’re full of cold, again!!! and I’m finding driving uncomfortable so we’re a bit house bound.

I’ve made my first quilt, I made L a knitted blanket and bunny when she was ‘in utero’, so thought I’d do something similar this time.  I bought a few FQ’s at the ‘Knitting & Stitching Show’ in Harrogate, mostly 50’s retro kiddy prints, and found one that wasn’t too girly (just in case), I’m sure it’s a Michael Miller print.  And away I went (sorry the photos are a bit washed out).

The border is quilting cotton, that I use on ‘Sleepytoes‘ Slings, dusky pink and sage green.  I machined these pieces together, then  overlocked it on a hemp fleece backing (bought from Babeco, along with my bamboo terry).  And made a binding out of another Michael Miller fabric (also used on my slings!!!)

I hand sewed all around the borders through the fleece, and then did a scalloped type design to quilt the fabric (it seemed to fit well around the fabric design).  The fleece is so lovely and soft, I had to make a bunny out of the same fabric.  He’s a bit subdued for a mini-moopy, but it turned out really soft and lovely, perfect for a newborn (this is the link for the pattern).

Of course L took a shine to the bunny and almost acquired it as her own, so I had to make her one similar.  She arranged the photo!!

I used this pattern, but made it a bit smaller and didn’t add the pocket.

The embroidery on the ring sling’s finished, and the pockets sewn on, here’s a pic of the pocket.  Just need an action shot now!!

Button flowers February 15, 2007

button flowers

Originally uploaded by raspberryfairy.

I love this from http://www.raspberry.co.uk/, I’d thought about adding buttons to my sling pocket embroidery. I might experiment, or save it for another design.

A week of chicken pox February 15, 2007

We’ve had just over a week of the chicken pox, L is much better, and hasn’t really been that poorly.  We had one horror day of itching and madness, then my husband came home with some antihistamine  syrup that worked a treat.  So we’ve been filling the days with lots of things to do.  The worst thing has been cooped up in the house, although we did go to a local nature reserve and feed the ducks/swans from the car on Monday.

Glitter, glitter everywhere!!!

My workroom is covered in glitter and stars, she even made a glitter picture for the midwife who came to visit at the weekend!!

Collage fairies made from old catalogues, paper, and fabric scraps (I’ve got a huge bag that I keep saving for something!!! (I hate throwing it away) at last some of it got used this week.

Getting wrapped up and washing the car with daddy helped, a bit of fresh air did her wonders.

Building with the packaging that came with our new bed.

Playing cafe’s, she’s definitely a ‘Yorkshire Girl’, she makes a mean cup of tea.

We had the birth pool delivered this week, and an empty cardboard box doesn’t last long where L is.  Daddy took the day off to give me a break and they spent the whole day making and playing with this cardboard taxi.  She even climbed in it to chill and watch the tele while we made tea!!

Taking pictures of rainbows with her little digital camera, there’s a load of others of the floor and her soft toys, but I love this one, she actually aimed it in the right direction.

I’ve managed to do a few things too, but I’ll post those later.

Ring Sling inspiration February 10, 2007

I’ve started on the ring sling I’m making for this baby, I really wanted to make something especially, there’ll be plenty of pouches I can borrow, but I wanted something personal. Here’s a few pictures that have been the inspiration for the embroidery, taken from 4000 Flower and Plant Motifs: A Sourcebook by Graham McCallum

I love these fantastical trees, but decided to go for a flowery design.

The design is going on the pocket of the sling, I love the fabric it’s a really soft stretch cotton in pistachio green, with matching green rings. There are loads of different shoulder styles to ring slings, but I prefer a neat finish so I’ve gone for a modified ‘hotdog’, similar to those at Zolowear.

This has been a great project over the week with L having the chicken pox, although I wish she was small enough to carry, as she’s wanting constant cuddles (at 3 1/2 she’s a bit heavy). I’ll post a pic of the finished thing next week.

Kntting group challenge February 9, 2007

I go along to a knitting group every month with a few friends (just at each other’s houses), and before christmas my friend Beth from www.fibrespace.co.uk inspired by the Alterknits book set us all a challenge.  She’d wrapped up a load of balls of wool (50-100g), and then some smaller accent parcels.  I originally picked a couple of balls of Iceland wool in grey, but I was very ungracious and asked to swap (I find it hard to be inspired by grey).  Here’s what I picked

A ball of bluey/green boucle type cotton, not completely sure of it’s content, but it was very thin 2/4ply, and a little bunch of pale green roving.  What would you have done with this selection?  The boucle was so thin, that I decided I’d have to crochet it, or it would take forever to grow.  So I started to play around with swathches adding other wool to bulk it out, using two strands, anything really to get some ideas.

And after lots of fiddling around something began to take shape, I really enjoyed the way it sort of formed itself, a ‘freeform’ amigurumi appeared, and here she it (minus nose and mouth!!)

Scissor Hands February 9, 2007

2 hours of cutting later and the magnetic paper dolls were done, it was all worthwhile, L’s hardly put them down.  The magnetic board that we bought at the charity shop last week came in handy, we’d been using a metal drinks tray before that.

She’s acquired chicken pox in the last couple of days too, so very timely!!!  I might start a list of chicken pox friendly activities, sticking and glueing didn’t go down too well this morning though!!

More paper dolls February 6, 2007

Three posts in one day, think I’m delirious from lack of sleep.  Braxton Hicks all night long are not conducive to sleep.

I’ve found some more lovely japanese dolls, ‘Sailor Moon’ inspired.  Here’s some of my favourites from www.rushita.com

These would make great magnetic dolls

Can’t wait to print these out for my dd.

Sunshine on a chilly day February 6, 2007

oto

curtain 1

Originally uploaded by anghenn2003.

Woke up to this lovely site this morning, the sun shining through the front door. Reminds me of water, or a swimming pool.
It’s been really chilly today, but the sun’s been shining all day long, roll on Spring.

Bitty bootie 1 February 6, 2007

My first attempt at the bitty bootie, I’m really pleased.  They’re very autumnal, as I just used what I had to hand.  This baby is due at the end of the month, and we don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl, but it will be wearing the booties!!!

I have made straps, but I’m going to wait till the baby’s born to sew them on, I want to make sure they fit properly.  I’m onto a leather pair now, having found a scrap in my fabric box.  I can see there will be lots more of these being made, a great project to make with a little one around.

Baby projects February 1, 2007

I’ve only got about a month to go before this little nippers born, so I’m packing in the baby projects before it arrives, partly to keep me busy and to stop me dwelling on the labour.

Here’s a few things I’ve got on the go, or plan to do in the next month.

I’m trying to keep up the crochet practice, although I have just realised I’d been learning american crochet (Stitch n Bitch Crochet – the happy hooker), so I went to the local library and borrowed a couple of books with English crochet (First Crochet, and Cute Crochet for Tiny Tots).  Not much difference, but the stitches have different names, I had a go at these ‘Baby Brogues’ from the First Crochet book, they’re so cute, one is bigger than the other but nevermind!!

I’ve also started knitting a little cardigan, it’s a pattern from this months Simply Knitting Magazine, the pattern is by Kokobino, I’ve modified it slightly, I haven’t tried stripy knitting yet, and I had a spare ball of self striping 4ply sock wool.  If it goes well, I think I’ll buy some nicer wool, and have a go at the striped version.

I’ve been buying some nappies in preparation too, I used reusables with L (prefolds), but not at nightime as they leaked, so I bought some lovely bamboo terry shaped nappies from Babeco, the terry is so silky and lush.  I noticed they sell the fabric so I’ve been having a go at making some baby towels (I’ve finally got to grips with the overlocker), what a breeze, I found the bias binding a bit tricky (if anyone’s got any tips, they’d be welcome), but I’m so pleased with it.  I’ve just got to wash it before I have a go at another one, and I’ve got enough terry to make a load of washable wipes!!.  Here’s the unwashed, overlocked version, with Sleepytoes baby modelling (she’s not very photogenic).  I’ll post a pick of the washed, finished one later.

I’d really like to have a go at Heather’s Bitty Booties, it looks like an easy pattern to follow, I’ve got loads of bits of fleece lying around, a prototype might be in order.

As I make baby slings for a living, I’t would be nice to make some custom made ones for this little one, but I can see I’ll end up grabbing one or two from stock.  I’d love to make a fancy ring sling, I’ve got some lush pistachio green stretchy cotton, that would be stunning with a bit of embroidery or something added to the tail.  Maybe that caould be a project to save if I become overdue!!