more pj presents

we had two boy birthdays last weekend and, as planned, i simply walked downstairs and grabbed a couple of pj bottoms that i made earlier in the year.

there was a small snag... i'm notorious about not finishing things, and i've left the waistbands undone. so, i had to put elastic in the pants.

not so fast. no elastic.

so, i made drawstrings, which meant having to put in buttonholes. ah, well. it's never going to be as easy as walking downstairs and grabbing the pjs, is it?

here they are -- my middle bug specifically said that her friend jackson would really like the construction truck pants -- and he did!

if 2009 was the year of stash-busting, then 2010 is...

the year of WIP completion.  i've got a ton of them (WIPs, that is), so i might have to designate the upcoming decade to their completion.

perhaps when i have a few hours to spare, i'll post all of my erstwhile knitting projects on the blog.   but meanwhile, you can find a few of them on my ravelry page...   the 14 or so WIPs on that page are, i am sad to say, but a few of the ones i have lying around the house.   

i think i have a problem.  i mean, i must have loved these sad, neglected projects at some point in my life, right?  how could i have cast them aside like this -- constantly searching for the perfect project.  

well, something must be done.   and i've got a hunch that 2010 is just the year i've been waiting for.  

onward!

thanksgiving dress

thanksgiving dress, originally uploaded by flanmela.

i'm on a sewing jag. i saw this adorable fabric at a great brooklyn fabric shop -- fiber notion -- and had to get it. it has a lovely metallic print that doesn't quite come through in the pictures.

the dress is another from everyday girls dress, but -- i don't know if i cut the pattern incorrectly or what -- it's a good bit shorter than the pictures show it as being. still, a very cute tunic!

and, to all of those non-existent readers out there, please excuse my poor photo-layout.  i can't for the life of me figure out how to post more than one picture in a neat, appealing way.

japanese dress in fassett material

japanese dress in fassett material, originally uploaded by flanmela.

had a couple of hours this afternoon while the little monsters napped, so i made this dress. i made it from some lovely kaffe fassett woven material by rowan -- my amazing husband bought it for me at the liberty shop in london.

the pattern is from the japanese craft book -- everyday girl's dress. it's my new favorite.

and, as for the dress, the middle monster seems to like it, which is all that matters!

birthday pj bottoms

birthday pj bottoms, originally uploaded by flanmela.

every one of the birthday parties my children go to are always prefaced by a hectic trip to the local toy store, to pick out a thoughtful (ummm, 10 seconds of thought counts, right?) gift.

so, i decided this year that i would make birthdays easier for myself by making a load of pajama bottoms, so i can just grab a pair and toss it, with a white t-shirt, in a bag and .... voila! instant birthday gift!

well, not so "instant", as i spent a good 3 hours cutting and pressing fabric for 7 pair of pants. and, as of right now, i only have finished 3 (and one is for my own little birthday boy). BUT i still contend this is a good idea and above is the first of my "year of the PJ bottoms gift".

okay, now my middle monster is asking me to share the computer, so -- adios!

My first "made up" and knit project, all rolled into one

inspired by japanese book; embellished by me..., originally uploaded by flanmela.

I made this little cutie for a good friend's daughter and I loved how it turned out. i particularly like the lettuce edging on the straps.

it was done pretty much freehand -- i just cut out pieces in the shapes and sizes i was looking for and pieced them together -- doing the front and back pieces first, with some gathers at the chest -- and then putting them together and finally adding the straps, which i had put a rolled hem on prior to attaching. i did all of this, including the poorly executed blind hem, on my serger (which i am in love with).

all of this is very strongly inspired by the japanese craft books i've been obsessing over lately. we're talking HOURS of my time wasted.

so. that's it. a cute little diddy.

trying again

with the big bug going to school full time and the medium bug doing a part time thing, i'm thinking i *might* have more time for senseless, extroverted activities.  

i've actually been quite busy with handiwork -- mainly knitting, though.  

knitting was one of my first crafting passions; i've been doing it since i was 9 or so, taught by my aunt sandra (who is incredibly crafty).  

anyway, more to come (hopefully).

ballerinas and super heroes

today is the medium bug's birthday party (she's three...) and we're having a ballerina and super-hero party.  it was meant to be just ballerinas but i realized there were a few super-heroes that needed invites, so i expanded it a bit.  

so, i made the no-sew tutus and i also made super-hero capes.  and i'm almost ready for the party to start.  

here's a guest in a tutu ...

and above is my baby bug in a cape ...

finished the dress for the school auction...

and here it is

sewing donations...

i had forgotten a couple of things over the past couple of weeks.  or, rather, i had forgotten that some many events were coinciding at the end of March.  It's my medium-sized bug's birthday (she'll be three, she's happy to announce to anyone in earshot) and the party is next weekend.  i'm going to my 20th (!) high school reunion this weekend.  and the biggest bug's school is having a fund-raising auction the first weekend in april.

none of this would matter much except (a) i made a commitment to myself to make tutus (10 of them) for my medium bug's birthday and (b) i made a commitment to the school to make some children's clothing for the auction and (c) i'm going to be out of town for the reunion this weekend.  

so.  i'm busily cutting, planning and fretting.  

i'm making the tutus from a no-sew pattern, so i can actually take those with me and work on them in the plane.  wait, i'm going with my medium bug, so that's really not going to work.   but hope springs eternal.

i'm making a dress for the auction that i've already made, so i have the pattern cut out, i have the materials and it should be relatively easy.  same with the pants.    but i feel as though i should do it this week.

and i need to get a haircut by thursday.

first sewn item for me...

so, after sewing about 5 dresses and a few shirts for the medium-sized bug and some pants and pjs for the big and baby bugs, i've finally made something for me.  

i made an off-white, double gauze, oversized cropped shirt from the Naomi Ito book.  i'm wearing it now, but haven't taken a picture of it.  will try to do that tomorrow.  i like the shirt but it's not my favorite thing.

i'm succumbing to my desire to share with the world...

my sewing projects.  this will not be a very chatty blog -- but i'm hoping that i actually post pictures of the things i'm making.

right now, i have a few things on my queue. a shirt for me from a nani iro pattern book.

i'm loving both namoi ito's fabrics and patterns.  

there are more things i'm wanting to sew, but right now my almost three year old daughter wants my complete, undivided attention.  hence the not very chattiness of this blog.