A few months ago, I want to say in late October or early November, my friend Catherine and I were out shopping.  I needed to go to Costco and once we got there I decided to put both of my little boys in the cart, instead of wearing Hunter in my SweetPod.

*gasp* “Can I try your baby carrier, then?!”  Catherine asked.

“Well, of course.”

I proceeded to help her adjust and get her little guy loaded up.  We tried him on the front, swung him to the back, and then Catherine proceeded to stroll, no, proudly strut through Costco exclaiming things like, “This is so liberating!”  “This is so much more comfortable than the Baby Bjorn!”

I said, “I’ll totally make you one!”

Um, well, I just finished it.  Here it is hot off the sewing table.

I immediately had to try it out before I walked it over to its rightful owner.  Since pictures I took myself were more of the mess in my art room than the brand-spanking new SweetPod, I enlisted Jonah’s photo taking abilities.

I used apple green canvas duck for the solid heavyweight fabric, which I totally love.  The carrier I wear daily has a dark brown denim, which has worn in beautifully and is really soft and comfy, but I really like the hefty feel of the canvas on this one.

I think Catherine and her little guy like it too.

I hear it made maneuvering the airport a cinch the other weekend.

I’m glad you like it Catherine!!

Sorry it took me so long.

(So, I’ve had several people ask if I would sew them a SweetPod.  As much as I’d like to say yes, I think you’d be sorry.  As you can see– it’s a long time between October and the end of February, which is how long it took me to get this one done.  Your baby would probably outgrow it before I could get it to you!  And, part of the fun is being able to say, “Yeah, I made it.”  Which you totally can.  Even Jessica says so.  And I promise you’ll be able to do it in much less than 4 months.)

• Get up before everyone else.  Read.  Pray.  Do yoga (or go swimming).
• Take a shower, even if the baby has to come along.  (Naked babies are fun, after all.)
• DO NOT YELL UP THE STAIRS.  It does not make you feel happy.  Walk upstairs to say whatever it is that needs saying.
• Do not whine back to whiners.
• LOOK AT THE CALENDAR.  Your planner is your friend.
• Wait until after school to look at the computer.
• Read aloud.  And snuggle.
• Work on making something with a child.
• Work on making something all by yourself.
• Watch birds.
• Breathe fresh air.  Go outside, even for a second.
• Eat vegetables.
• Remember that there are people that live outside this house.  Talk to one (or some) of them.
• Give one hundred bazillion hugs and kisses.  (They are much more important than math.  Really.)
• Smile.
• Laugh.
• Sleep.

I’m printing this out and putting it on my bathroom mirror.  I’m needing the reminder lately during these days of not-quite-spring.

Speaking of spring– the new issue of Rhythm of the Home is up!

It’s full of creativity, fun, and loveliness– including the pattern for my sweetie birds.  Go check it out!

We’ve been battling a very, very, gross stomach bug the past 2 weeks, but I think it’s safe to say that we’ve beat it. Phew!  I’ve got lots of posts up my sleeve.  Let’s see if life will cooperate with my plans of regular posting.

Another Christmas book I got was Design it Yourself Clothes by Cal Patch.

And, truth be told, I spent a big chunk of my Christmas vacation with a list of measurements, a roll of newsprint, a ruler, pencils and erasers.  I got Brenna in on the action too and she drafted her first skirt pattern.

Then it took me awhile to get any of the sewing done, but here they are!  Super simple a-line skirts that fit (almost) perfectly (I’ve lost some more weight since I measured it seems.) cut from my stack of designer home-dec fabric.  I had only just barely enough, so we skipped hemming them and I just made a lot of green bias binding.

I learned a lot, even with such a simple design.  Like– it’s much easier to put in an invisible zipper with an invisible zipper foot, and french seams are easy and pretty.  Brenna even sewed her own.

And it looks cute with my warm boots– my snuggly warm Colorado winter boots.

I’ve done some preliminary runs through my basic t-shirt pattern and have visions in my head for that button down shirt.  Now to find the time…

(Thanks Barry and Brenna for humoring me through the photo shoot!)

Logan handed this to me and said, “Well, mom, you ah kinda cute.”

I hope you were showered with love too!!

xoxoxo

My little guy turned one a week ago. I don’t even know what to say about it. I love having babies. I love watching them grow… if only it took a little longer to go from a little squeaky lump of perfection to a running ball of chubby energy. *sigh*

He wasn’t sure what to think of the whole celebration. To be honest I think he was a bit scared of the candle. (Nothing like the excitement of this first birthday.)

When I saw the hat that Meg made for Finn a few weeks ago I knew just the handmade gift I wanted to make for Hunter for his birthday.

It’s the Stella Pixie Hat and the pattern is gloriously FREE through ravelry. I knit it up with a strand of Knit Picks kettle dyed sock yarn in Spruce and a strand of Pagewood Farm Chugiak hand dyed sock yarn in the Peaceful colorway. I spent my week of no computer or computer genius to knit it. I stayed up really late. I didn’t do the button neck band, just made about 8 inches of i-cord on both ends of the neckband so I can tie it. I think that makes it easier to make it stay on.

I took my little elf for a walk, but he moves so fast the majority of my pictures turned out like this:

He must scrunch up his nose, squeal in delight and try his darnedest to run every second he’s outside. Unless he finds something to examine.

Then he’ll slow down for maybe a second.

He’s worn it near constantly since his birthday. It must pass the itch test because he doesn’t try to pull it off.

Or maybe he just knows how cute he is.

So stinkin’ cute I can hardly stand it.

Thanks to all of you who have bought SweetPod patterns!  I can’t wait to see your creations!!

Our computer is still down for the count. Barry performed major surgery, positive that he knew the fix, but it’s still dead. Totally dead. If you’re reading this– BACK UP YOUR COMPUTER!!!

I have lots of fun stuff to share. Brenna and I made a skirt. Barry and I went on an over night ski trip. (I have not skied for over 10 years and it was fun! I love skiing!!) My baby turned 1 yesterday. There was a candle, and cake eating, and the hat! (I had to do something at night while Barry was gone and on that drive up to the mountains.) It’s just not quite as fun to write about without pictures and my 20 inch screen.

Say a prayer for our computer.

I thought Macs were supposed to be bullet proof ;(

Hi there! Welcome to all you new eyes that are coming here via Sew Liberated.  I hope you poke around and enjoy your stay…

and come back often.

Our main computer has totally crashed and my resident computer genius is out of town for the week, so I’ll probably be quiet here for a few days.  I’ll still be on top of e-mail and SweetPod pattern orders, though.

Come back next week because I’ll for sure have some sewing and knitting and a weekend in the mountains to show you!

While I was designing and writing the SweetPod pattern I wrote many an e-mail to my blog friend Meg at Sew Liberated.  She was so kind and gracious to answer all of my questions and help me along the whole pattern designing and writing process.  Though she couldn’t fit being a pattern tester into her book-writing, pattern designing, new baby life we decided we’d do a trade.  She cut the pattern pieces from fabrics she loves (left over from book projects), sent them over to me, and I sewed them all together.  Now I’ll have a little advertising button over on the right hand side of her lovely blog.  Check out her post about her carrier.  Finn!  in that hat!!  I can’t stand the cuteness!

It’s made with an Echino print for the decorative panel and a luxurious silk/ hemp charmeuse for the lining and sleeping hood.  Lovely and fun for that mama, and that chubby little boy.

I’m glad you like it, Meg!!

We’ve had some balmy near 60 degree weather, so our little toddler has been trying out his new skills.

He didn’t want to have anything to do with me holding his hand or helping him up when he fell.  The shoes, the dry grass, the uneven ground, the rocks, they were all a whole new set of challenges to be conquered.

Guess who won…

My in-laws got me a stack of craft books for Christmas.  I’m going to show you one today.

Patchwork Style!  This book has been making the rounds in craft-blog-land for years as a Japanese craft book, but now it’s in English.  Japanese craft books do have super clear diagrams and beautiful photographs which make them easy enough to work from if you don’t mind using a little guess work– but being full of words with a recognizable alphabet in a language I can actually read makes this one much, much better.

I was intrigued by the way Suzuko Koseki says to piece log cabin blocks by basically foundation piecing onto your batting.  Simple, and you quilt as you go.  I tried it out with this simple project:

a patchwork pillow.  It’s a great way to use up treasured tiny scraps of favorite fabrics .

Since I only have one it keeps moving around from place to place.  If you can’t tell, I like it so much it even became my new header here.

It does need, at the very least, a partner.  My goal is to have that done in time to welcome our new couch into the house at the end of the month.  If only the IRS could be faster…