Finally, I made a "Manligan"

I loove cardigans, especially on boys, and waaay long ago when I saw the "manligans" Sophie at Cirque du Bebe made for her littles, I had to make one too!  It just took me a while!

I picked up the red stripe knit at a fabric thrift sale and the blue ribbing is the same I used on the Mr.'s cardigan last year.

The pattern is relatively easy, but not really for beginners.   It's the Darling Cardigan by Owly Baby.  My only slight issue was the knit is pretty thin so a bit tricky to keep in line.  But again I loove having my new machine for knits,  I'm really loving sewing with them now!

But it turned out pretty good! (please ignore the fact the top button is really to high, but it works, oops!)

Now I just need to plan my spring sewing as winter is almost over... right?

38 Weeks

Remember that maternity calendar shirt I made?  It's now gone mini!!

Just like the author of the tutorial I made the shirt from did, I hacked mine up into a little romper for E!  I wasn't ever going to wear the thing anyways, and this way he can get some use out of it, and it'll be a nice keepsake for us (imagine me bringing it out at his wedding? or passing it down to a grand-baby some day?) eek!

This shirt was of particular significance as I had really wanted to make it to 37 weeks with this baby, having had my older son early, and wanting to avoid the extra potential complications/interventions that can lead to and wanting to birth at home (which Midwives here can only let you do after 37 weeks).  I particularly wanted to get to 38 weeks, as that would make things like jaundice even less likely.  And I made it to 38 weeks and 1 day!  And all that work produced one super cute baby (who's now already almost 2 months!)

I used this tutorial to make the romper, pretty straightforward stuff (despite it being in Dutch!)  While I did get my Dutch mother to read it through I didn't really need her too, the pictures and a few quick checks on words with Google Translate were enough.  The only thing it neglects to tell you is seam allowances, but I figure it was meant to be served, so I assumed 1/4 inch.

It came together super quick too, partially thanks again to my lovely new machine!  Hand sewing on the snaps probably took the longest... I really should get snaps to use with the snap press I have lying around!  I had to cut it on an angle to make sure the 38 week number appeared, but it worked!  And he looks darn cute in it.

Girly and purple

I don't often get to make little girl clothes, being the mother of two boys and all.  Thankfully little M has some adorable girl friends who I can make things for.

And one of them just turned three, and loves purple.  Seriously, everything she wears pretty well must have purple in it.  So since last year I made her this purple backpack, I thought I'd use this chance to make a top!  I had some of the polkadots left from my Kobo cover, and a fat quarter of this floral which I thought would be perfect!  And I had just enough, although the skirt of the shirt is in two pieces.

The pattern is one of the many cute patterns coming out of the Peek-a-boo pattern shop, the Hopscotch top, tunic and dress. And it provided the first opportunity for me to make button holes with my new machine, and they were a success!  Now I'm not so scared to tackle some other waiting projects with lots of buttons!

A book cover of sorts

I love books,  especially old, musty ones,  books and fabric are two of my favourite things.  So I feel a bit like I'm cheating when I got an e-reader for Christmas (it's a Kobo, the most common type in Canada).  I love supporting our local book shops and e-readers have played a part in several closing this year.  

But when one is stuck on the couch with a sleeping baby that doesn't like being put down, a nice light e-reader is waaay better then heavy books.  Plus it keeps me away from surfing the net on my phone and buying things I don't need, and is a change from re-watching every episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation on Netflix.

I'm also making a point to really just rent e-books from the library (which I frequent otherwise) rather than buy books for it.  I have had to cut down on book buying lately (no space really!) and so I'll keep my infrequent physical book buying to my remaining local shops if at all possible.

So this Kobo needed a cover, and naturally I had to make one.  I took the opportunity (and the gift cards my lovely family got me) to pick up some gorgeous fabrics from the new local (and seriously awesome, I want to move in there) fabric store Fabrications.   I'm so happy they opened up shop, it's pretty much exactly the kind of shop this city needed, and if they have what I want/need, I plan to buy there!   They now also have an online store set up too, you should all check it out.  The owners are lovely people (they put up with little me loitering around for long periods of time! ha!) and I seriously want to buy everything there.

But for this project I picked up some Echino fabric for the outside and some dots for the inside.  I love how I was able to to use the entire pattern on the outside, wasn't sure it would work, but it did!

 I used this tutorial for the cover, and it was pretty easy to follow, just make sure you keep your seam allowances small or the cover will end up too small.  And what's worse is when you've already cut your corners before turning and then... well lets just say, I had to waste a bit of this lovely fabric and start over.  Oops!

Generally it turned out well, although I seem incapable of making square things like this actually square, but it serves its purpose nicely so I try not to notice its slightly wonky shape :)

I may or may not have picked up a bunch of other awesome fabric from Fabrications that's just waiting to become other things you'll hopefully see here in the near future!

Baby in a Gown

After cutting out in October, I finally got to the last thing on my to do list for fall's KCWC.  What can I say, I'm always a bit ambitious.

I love Growing up Sew Liberated and wanted to make something for the new babe from it.  So I thought I'd try my hand at some more knits (now that I have my new machine with all it's fancy knit stitches!  yay!) And made up a baby sleep sack (or a sleep gown as I like to call it) hehe.

It was super quick and easy (thank you new machine!) And it was actually my first time making a shirt with those cross over shoulders.  They always intimidated me for some reason, I think a fear I'd sew it backwards, but nope, super easy!

The smallest size is a 0-6 months, which on my 5 week old, is just about perfect in length (I'm not sure how tall he is but I'm guessing taller than I think!)  The neck is a bit wide, so I think it I make another, I'll lengthen this size and I figure he'll grow into the neck!

As I suspected, the sack (while a bit of a pain to put on) is super handy for quick diaper changes at night (boy do I look forward to the day when I don't have to change him multiple times at night!)

And another year goes by

It's been a good year, mostly I'd have to say because of this adorable and awesome little guy

Photo taken by Christine Aubrey Photography

I hope next year brings him lots of handmade awesomeness (and it will!)

But what did I get up to this past year?  Like I did last year, and stealing ideas from the lovely Sophie over at Cirque du Bebe and fabulous Carolyn at Fake It While You Make It,  I give you 2012!

SEWING FOR ME

I made a lot for me this year actually, a number of dresses for my ill fated dress a month challenge (silly pregnancy) plus tops for Rae's Spring Top Challenge, plus several maternity pieces.  Make more things for me was a goal from last years wrap up post, so go me I guess!

Most Proud Of
of My Mad Men inspired dress (top left).  It was my first attempt at a vintage pattern, and I followed it entirely, doing all the silly details that I often cut corners with when sewing modern patterns.  I have a number of other vintage patterns and a pile of fabric for them that I hope to get to this year!  Thankfully most are shirt dresses which are nicely nursing friendly!

Most Worn
Probably my boring brown maternity skirt in the last weeks of my pregnancy, or my Minna blouse (second collage, left) prior to pregnancy as it was awesome for work!

Least Worn
Mad Men dress!  A bit too fancy for work sadly.  And sadly, my blue polkadot maternity skirt as it was really too small and I quickly grew out of it!

Coolest Things that Happened
Got to pattern test the Paloma tee for Sew Liberated and get featured!  Meg is super awesome!
Also got featured over at Burdastyle for my husband's cardigan, and over at Megan Nielsen for my Polkadot maternity skirt!!!

FOR THE LITTLES

Most Proud Of
Probably the backpacks, and they get the most compliments

Most Worn
His green hoodie, need to make more of these!

Least Worn
His grey shirt, just don't really like it sadly, need to try the pattern again with better fabric!

Favorite Pattern
I suppose that would have to be Made by Rae's Peek-a-boo bonnet.  I may have made more than a few :).  Most recently I sent two more to my niece in Australia that I didn't actually blog about (that will mean I've made her 5!).  What can I say I love making bonnets and people love wearing them!

Coolest Things that Happened
Got to pattern test the Paloma tee for Sew Liberated and get featured!  Meg is super awesome!
Also got featured over at Burdastyle for my husband's cardigan, and over at Megan Nielsen for my Polkadot maternity skirt!!!

And I can't forget my littlest one.  I only got to make him one thing this year, and he's finally got to wear them, although they are still a bit too big on him (and excuse the blurry iPhone photo :).  Don't worry little guy, you'll have more handmade goodness soon!

This year also brought the opening of an awesome local fabric store, Fabrications (if you're ever in Ottawa, you must check it out!)  They stock tons of awesome fabric (included lovely imported Japanese stuff) that will keep me sewing for a while!  And the owners are lovely, lovely people!

AND I totally got a new sewing machine.  Loved my old Pfaff, but it was a basic model (Hobby 1122) and didn't even have any sort of knit stitch or an adjustible stitch width.  I still kept it old school and got a mechanical machine, but this time it has way more stitches and other awesome useful things (it's the Select 150).

Yikes, I totally sewed way more this year then I thought!  And a thanks again to all the awesome bloggers out there that continue to inspire me to get better and better at sewing!  thanks guys!

And what of next year?

Nothing particular I think, just trying more new things, and hopefully sewing something else for my oft forgotten husband!  Here's hoping the kids nap lots :)

P.S. sorry for the ridiculously long post!

New on December 3rd

Little baby E was born this past Monday morning at home as planned.   All went awesome!

Big brother M is super excited, and we're just enjoyed snuggly family time for now!

He's adorableness sure is making me itch to sew again (and on a new machine!  but that's a story for another post)