icewerks

Owley

2012-01-23T11:55:00.001-05:00

The Loo has started ice skating lessons on Saturday mornings through the local rec program. It's organized chaos at the rink as they have 3 classes going on simultaneously as well as open free skate for the two lesson slots before ours. Lots of kids, in other words. And cold! Wow, most mornings it's actually warmer outside the building than on the rink.

Of course, that calls for another sweater to be made.

I bought some Vermont O-Wool, in organic bulky merino, and was looking forward to a quick knit but I wasn't quick enough. My mom called in despair -- no knitting! no knitting! So I fed the knitting monster.

Owlet by Kate Davies. Details on mom's Rav page.

little things

2012-01-13T13:46:00.002-05:00

2012 is shaping up to be the Year of the Mini.

There's even a house in progress -- sorted, tagged and bagged.

1:12 scale, you are my new best friend.

Colonial Play Kitchen : aka christmas 2011

2012-01-04T16:17:00.003-05:00

Christmas 2011 will be known forever after in our house as the Year of the Colonial Play Kitchen -- a term and toy envisioned by Miss Loodyloo, who had no doubts that mom and dad would be able to pull this off, and together, a few weeks before christmas. Yes, she's confident in our geeky history loving abilities, I'll give her that. And enlightened too -- why not customize your play things to the century of your choosing?

But what *is* a "colonial" play kitchen? Well, for this answer, I posted a query on the 18C Life Yahoo group message board. The people who populate this board are the real deal -- professional historians, museum curators, living history re-enactors and smart, knowledgable researchers about colonial life. Some of them literally wrote the book on their 18th century subject and, it turns out, are awfully kind and approachable too. The subject of a play kitchen really delighted a lot of serious people over there and they were so gracious in sharing ideas, enthusiasm and even gifts!

(psst: follow that flickr photo up there if you haven't already ... copious notes inbedded!)

I wanted this to be an active, participatory experience for the Loo, so I tried to involve the senses, especially smell and touch, wherever I could. My homemade gingerbread play dough mimics real food recipes used in kitchens of that time and the smell of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger is an authentic nod to the spices used in the 18th century.

I found a pottery bean pot, similar to period redware in shape and color and regional to our area, to hold the dough wrapped in parchment. This way, the Loo could pinch off what she liked to make cookies or roll out a savory crust for pretend meat pies. So far, it has held up well and not dried up in the pot. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the rest of the year, though it's easy enough to whip up some more if needed.

The other smelly, messy (and most adored) component to our kitchen was a small wooden mortar and pestle, along with dried herbs from our garden and spices from the cupboard. Things to smash, mash, garnish and savor. I ended up making little muslin drawstring bags to hold the ingredients.

Mint, lemon verbena, and star anise to start. I think those are minted tomatoes and mushrooms up there in the photo, an interesting combination, no doubt, but it smells terrific. We let the Loo go to town on the day and surprisingly it only took one vacuum session to clean it all up.

Fortunately, we already had some nice quality felt foods but who could resist making a felt chicken to string roast in front of a fire? And speaking of fire ....

The Most Awesome Award goes to Papaloo for his colonial cardboard rendition.

In 3-D. With a real slate hearth.

You rock, honey.

Add one amazing thrift store find --

-- two dollars, a coat of barn red paint, and some quick and scrappy sewing, and then there was baby. Or at least a new home for baby. I'm waiting for the rest of her rag tag crew to show up in there.

And, there you go... a Colonial Play Kitchen and a fresh start to the New Year in the play room.

Ah, eat your heart out Toys R Us ...

Sense & Sensibility Pattern Sale!

2011-12-27T23:13:00.002-05:00

Sense & Sensibility Sewing Patterns is offering 15% off all patterns until Dec 31 -- now I can't decide between their 18 inch doll patterns or the 1780's Portrait Dress for Miss Loodyloo.

Decisions, decisions....

C.P.K. reveal coming up soon, but here's a flickr clue with notes.

C.P.K. -- phase 2

2011-12-22T13:39:00.000-05:00

Gingerbread play dough from this recipe by Sugarbelle. Mmm, this stuff smells spicy delicious but don't try to eat it! Made with half a cup of salt, it doesn't taste nearly as lovely as it looks and smells.

C.P.K. -- phase 1

2011-12-16T13:48:00.001-05:00

Sooper dooper top secret crafting for code name C.P.K.

Phase 1:

... felt faux chicken ...

check!

Spiral Socks

2011-12-13T12:06:00.000-05:00

These socks started out as a hank of undyed Brown Sheep Nature Spun which then took a dunk in just about every natural dye vat from the summer of 2010 -- goldenrod, queen anne's lace, onion skins, ect. So yes, they are yell-ow! But, naturally dyed subtle bright yellow, if that makes any sense.

I decided on socks for my mom because she hates to knit them and she needed a pair of stretchy night time socks for TV watching. Knitted at worsted/aran gauge, these socks would not be comfortable worn with shoes but their squishiness makes them perfect for curling up on the couch. It also makes them fast to knit!

The pattern is a free one from Rav -- Super Spiral Bed Socks -- and it's well written and fun to knit. I have no idea what the original 'polar fleece' yarn is like to work with but I do know I used much more yardage than suggested by knitting these in wool. Be aware of this yarn suckage if you make a pair yourself.

More sewing, a bit more knitting, then a lot more cooking and baking for me. I'm just not feeling the crafting love this year.

How's everyone else doing out there?

Maplewood Mitts

2011-11-21T13:45:00.001-05:00

Fast and fun. Just how I like it.

These Maplewood Mitts are a bit dense and full of energy -- that's the handspun yarn -- but they fit closely to the hand. I think I could even pick up a penny with these on and I appreciate that as floppy muppet mitten hands really bug me. Only a teeny tiny ball of painstakingly spun yarn left too, just in case of repairs.

My work here is done.

It's that time of year again

2011-11-17T10:57:00.001-05:00

I really enjoy working with my handspun yarn. What you see above is 3.5 ounces of Falkland wool that I spun worsted then n-plied to preserve the colors changes and give it a more balanced feel. It should work well for pattern stitching as the 3 plies make it crisper and more detailed when knitted.At least that's the theory and I'm about it test it on these... shhh... they're not for me... Off to learn a cable cast on. Oh joy!

Sari

2011-11-10T13:56:00.001-05:00

or... What I do When I'm Procrastinating...

The American Girl of choice this christmas is Kirsten Larsen, Swedish pioneer girl from 1854. AG archived her a few years ago so my options are limited to the secondary market, or make do myself. I kinda like that idea.

So, I should be making dirndls, and yes, I'm crazy enough to think I need a full sized child's version too -- 'coz really, aren't they so cool?! -- but I'm procrastinating. Which usually leads to me to trying to re-invent the wheel. Or least a doll, in this case.

In the book series, Kirsten has a rag doll named Sari who's one of Kirsten's few prized possessions. She packs her away for the overland journey to Minnesota and this separation and reunion made an impression on Miss Loodyloo. You'd think an iconic symbol like this would be well defined and yet looking through the AG archives, I noticed that AG produced many kinds of Sari rag dolls that had only a few similarities -- looped yellow braids, blue eyes, blue dress, white apron and colored shawl. Oh yeah, I thought, I can do this!

So I did.
Meet my Sari.

The Loo is going to love her...

Casey's

2011-11-01T13:51:00.001-04:00

I don't know who this Casey person is, but I thank him for making my holiday crafting about 1000% percent easier.

snow on the pumpkins

2011-10-28T08:36:00.001-04:00

Not an early snow or a late snow, just simply the first snow of the winter to come.

kcwc fall 2011: day 5... and pumpkins!

2011-10-14T12:18:00.005-04:00

It's a busy day today. Tonight starts our annual Firefighters' Haunted Hay Ride fundraiser and as we're on the route, we try to decorate up a bit on their behalf. Our neighbors have been working on their cemetery and haunted pirate ship complete with masts and zombie buccanneers but honestly, that's just not our scene. We do pumpkins.

Lots of pumpkins. Ones with silly faces, scary faces and simple jack 0' lantern triangle ones too. After the fifth one, anything goes. My neighbor also does pumpkins, usually about thirty or so, and this year she only managed to grow three. She told me she didn't know if it was worth the trouble for just a few. That made me laugh -- most people would consider three quite an undertaking.

Oh, and we're on to reduce for the kcwc challenge. Reduce the stash that is and I've traced, cut, and am ready to sew. Tomorrow. Maybe.

kcwc fall 2011: day 4

2011-10-13T11:48:00.004-04:00

I got 99% of the way through this project -- yes, it IS a bear carrier from 'Little Things to Sew' -- when I ran out of white (and cream and beige and all other light neutral) thread. I must corral the kid for final velcro placement on the tabs too, but I'm calling it done. And cute.

Goodness knows if Miss Loodyloo will want to wear it, but it does satisfy the need I had to make it -- and sometimes it is all about me! Ha!

kcwc fall 2011: day 3

2011-10-12T19:21:00.004-04:00

Tracing and cutting today for the next recycle project. The floral calico are scraps from the Laura dress, not yet blogged, and the dusty pink cord has been salvaged from a skirt now too small for the Loo. I'm calling this 'clothing' because it will be worn.

Any guesses?

kcwc fall 2011: day 2

2011-10-11T20:46:00.003-04:00

Simple, cute and it fits perfectly -- gosh I love this pattern. There can be a little tricky bit at the collar edge, especially with very thin drapey knits like this recycled one, but it goes together so easily. I used my shirt hems too which made this project ridiculously easy.

Here she is, cleaning off the fallen leaves from the gigantic mums.

Indian summer, we have it.

kcwc fall 2011: day 1

2011-10-10T13:52:00.005-04:00

It's the first day of elsie marley's kcwc -- kids clothes week challenge -- and I've actually given some thought as to what I wanted to accomplish this time around. I like the idea of making this a real challenge and since making kid's clothing is not exactly new to me, I figured I'd set some limitations that would make this week a bit different than usual.

I like the idea of reduce, reuse and recycle when making something useful and so that's where I'm starting. I have a stack of old nursing tees that are so soft I knew I couldn't just throw them away. Not without trying to find a way to give them a second chance -- and believe me, they were not worth donating.

The Oliver + S hopscotch top came to mind and I'm going to give it a go. PJs are so forgiving...

Pattern testing

2011-10-06T10:28:00.004-04:00

No, not a Laura dress, I know. That is coming when the sun is aligned with the Kindergartener's busy schedule.

Instead, this is a simple test muslin from the Colonial Williamsburg doll pattern I brought back this spring using a small scale rose floral that probably would have worked better for the 19th century.

Oh well, that's what a muslin is, really, a test with fabric you don't mind using on possible mistakes and adjustments. Still, it makes a fine play dress and Miss Loodyloo will love it.

See, I have this great urge to make something ridiculous and over the top in small, fussy 18 inch size. Something like this magnificent Robe à la Polonaise. Ridiculous, I know.

But I still wanna...

Kit & Ruthie

2011-09-21T13:49:00.004-04:00

For her birthday , Miss Loodyloo decided to give the 1930's a whirl with Kit & Ruthie American Girl dolls topping her wish list. Depression era fun, it sounds a bit odd I know, but the stories in Kit's series have certainly captivated her and she now says things like 'hard times' and 'waste not, want not' in reference to her allowance which really cracks me up. Hard times? Yeah right, kid. But hey, I'm not turning down a chance to buy feedsack prints and make cute doll clothes. Here are a few items we cooked up this summer.

The gorgeous Miss Ruthie Smithens in a green and cream dress based on Eden Ava's 1930's Dress pattern from Liberty Jane.

Same pattern again with collar and trim per instructions for the ever ebullient Kit Kittredge.

Cincinnati canning dress made from Liberty Jane's free Drawstring Dress pattern.

Vintage inspired shorts and top from Eden Ava's 'Get your Kicks Playsuit' pattern, again from Liberty Jane.

Log cabin quilt, bedding and rick rack house dress (a variation of Pleasant Company Molly's Pinafore.) The crate was cobbled together from an old clementine box by Papaloo.

And hands down, the cutest (certainly the easiest) project of all: vintage label canned goods! Tutorial can be found here along with a sweet little bakery case -- and oh! check out her absolutely fabulous stove too.

Next up, Little House Ma dress ups.

KCWC Fall 2011

2011-09-15T00:14:00.001-04:00

Oh yeah, the kid needs longer pants.

Join us?

Fort Ti

2011-09-13T13:10:00.006-04:00

This summer, we became official Friends of Fort Ticonderoga. That’s in part because it’s literally just a quick and lovely ferry ride from our home, but also because Miss Loodyloo loves living history, especially of the colonial persuasion.

So far we have done the Clash of Empires, a regular quiet day visit, and this past weekend, the Struggle for Liberty.

It thrills me that my kid, at age 5, is interested in history as much as I am. Re-enactments are the gateway drug to serious study, you know.

Another reason to be a Friend is that the Fort needs our help. Those chain link fences are supposed to be stone walls, eventually. In fact, the Fort was in total ruin at one point which is difficult to imagine now.

I’ve been half seriously considering kitting us out and volunteering to do spinning and natural dyeing demos, but really, we don’t need another hobby. Ahem.

Hello blog: Peaches, Irene, and Kindergarten

2011-09-06T11:24:00.008-04:00

First of all, we're okay. You might even say peachy. Irene ran right on over our heads in the Champlain Valley of Vermont but our little house is far enough away from water that we were in no danger. Unfortunately our county was one of the worst hit and the damage will be permanent and costly for many. We grieve for these losses and hope that the weather decides to play nice for the remainder of the season. Really, we don't need any more rain!

If you'd like to help, here are some folks that are making a real difference in our area : VTResponse, Vermont Food Bank, and NOFA VT. These are good people.

So yes, I have canned peaches and made peach jam. My days have started to find a rhythm in the new school year -- wash and cook. Winter coats and summer blankets all fresh and clean may not sound thrilling but it is satisfying. Today's cooking experiment is peach fruit roll ups. We got a lot of peaches from the trees this year, gave away about a bushel or so to friends and family, and now I'm working my way through the last of the green stragglers. There are worse things than having your house smell like fresh laundry and cooking peaches.

I'm also starting some new winter dance class knitting. This is Cassia by Georgie Hallam and I love the top-down, in the round, style of mindless knitting. The Loo is switching to Irish dance classes at an academy this year and while it may be opening a feiseanna can of worms later on, I can't tell you how relieved I am to be leaving hip hop tap behind. Besides, the little ghillies kill me...

(gratuitous vegetable shot)

Oh, and I bought this this morning. I'm putting a brad nailer and a random orbital sander on my christmas list. It's high time I started something completely new and challenging.

Well, that's me. What have you been up to this summer?

Beantown

2011-08-13T22:01:00.005-04:00

We turned a three day conference into one last family vacation hurrah. Boston in August -- a Back Bay brownstone, two Charlie Cards and some City Passes. Full on touristah, chowdah, and Hahvad Yahd ... quack, quack, quack...

Papaloo starts back to work on Wednesday, the Loo starts Kindergarten on the 31st, and I start having oodles and boodles of free time.

What shall I make first?

5 (Here she comes!)

2011-07-25T21:23:00.009-04:00

This keeps running through my head.

My baby turned five today.

Ready or Not.

Kindergarten, then college it seems.

Happy birthday, my big, brave, beautiful girl.

Clever Charlotte meets Ramona

2011-07-25T20:39:00.005-04:00

In the midst of the start of our summer heat wave, I got my sewing mojo back. I saw these Clever Charlotte patterns and suddenly wanted, nay needed, to make Miss Loodyloo a pair of Finch shorts. Now, I'm not really a fan of shorts in general -- we're more skirt people -- but the cuffed and pleated look sold me.

So did the well written and precisely drafted pattern. These shorts were actually a pleasure to sew and they came together without any fudging of edges or 'make do' short cuts. Nice.

The gorgeous orange linen I used was a scrap of Ikea curtain I needed to shorten. A lot. This fabric sewed up so beautifully you can bet I'm going to stock up on curtain 'yardage' next time I'm in Stoughton. The buttons are vintage leather ones that miraculously are washable... um... at least so far.

Of course, then the problem came up of what does one wear with bright orange linen shorts?

A mustard hemp and cotton knitted tank, naturally.

Ramona, in Hempathy, knitted by my mom.

No, she doesn't stop knitting even during a heatwave. That's why she has air conditioning.

Ramona and Charlotte, summer BFF...

Holiday, in vintage signs

2011-07-16T11:14:00.003-04:00

In the Cherry Capitol of the World -- our cherriot awaits...

June spinning

2011-06-14T16:04:00.003-04:00

My head is spinning too this summer. I have three master gardener projects I'm heading up this year -- seniors, kids and libraries, varied but all so worthwhile -- and a little kid about to finish up preschool for the year. Miss Loodyloo CAN. NOT. WAIT. for kindergarten. We had her school registration meeting last month and in her mind that means she's already a big kindergirl.

Preschool picnic and 'graduation' on Thursday, then it's all Loo, all the time. Oh boy. Good thing she likes seniors, other kids and libraries...

June projects

2011-06-07T09:54:00.004-04:00

I wish I could say this tent was my brilliant idea but the honor actually belongs to Cakies. See her great tutorial for details.

This is a super simple, cheap and totally fun thing to do at the start of summer -- one thrifted sheet, two 1x2's, a dowel, and some rubber bands. I think I spent almost the same amount on the spade bit used to drill the holes (and which will be used to drill many other things in the future) as I did on supplies.

This is currently on our porch, for eating breakfast, but it has already been in the backyard on grass and in our house on a carpet. The only surface it doesn't do well on is hardwood floor or, I imagine, tile as the tent legs need a bit of grip to stay upright. We added thick rubber bands to the dowel ends as I wanted something to prevent them slipping off accidently. Cakies mentioned her dowel fit snugly but ours is loose -- better safe than sorry.

And yes, it does fold up flat and is easily disassembled for storage just as you suppose it might.

I already want to make more of them.

I also whipped up another summer necessity -- a sun hat. This one is from Oliver + S's 'Little Things to Sew' book and it is much loved already. I used fusible fleece for the brim which makes it that perfect blend of rigid yet roll-able and keeps it's shape as it should.

The interior fabric was recycled from my mom's old work shirt -- super soft, well worn cotton -- and though this hat is reversible, the Loo loves that side against her bean. There's a smidge of hand sewing to be done along the side, but it's worth the effort. Size large just fits on my big headed kid -- make sure you measure.

All together now!

AG Retro Cardy & Eyelet Hem Skirt

2011-05-16T00:01:00.002-04:00

They say two heads are better than one and it's true that two knitters can make an outfit come together twice as fast. Even a doll outfit which is a quick knit anyway. Mom and I collaborated on this set for Kit over our April break at the Cape.

Of course, I gave her the harder part -- Retro Cardy by Sockpixie. Not hard per se really, but all the pieces tend to be small and fiddly and I have less patience for this than my mom.

For me, I chose the Eyelet Hem Skirt, a freebie put out by Lilliputian Stitches. It's got that great 1930's a-line shape, a knitted up elastic casing which I wanted to try, and no fiddly pieces to sew. It's also a simple enough shape that the variegated yarn doesn't become too busy.

Both projects were knitted with StahlSche Wolle Socka Color, some ancient sock yarn I've had in the stash for so long I can't remember where I originally found it, back in the day when sock yarn was extremely hard to come by. This probably explains why I only had one skein of each which makes it perfect for doll projects.

Not the girliest of colors, to be sure, but I like the subtleness of this set. It's something I can see a mother knitting for her active child back at the beginning of the 20th century -- the dark colors show much less dirt and the multicolored skirt can be made with small amounts of many kinds of scrap yarn.

30's shabby chic. Kit isn't complaining.

ABS handspun handknit

2011-05-11T09:50:00.004-04:00

Age of Brass & Steam Kerchief, a free pattern by Karin at orangeflower. This started out life as some hand dyed Coopworth fiber I received for christmas a few years back. It's not the softest stuff but it drafts easily and so was great for the total beginner spinner that I was (and really still am).

I split the top lengthwise into two batches, spun it as fine as I could manage back then and plied them together, hoping to maintain the color changes a bit better. With the colors close in value and shade, there wasn't much barber pole effect anyway.

Sometimes I do swatch... shocking, I know. I find hand spun yarns vary greatly when it comes to gauge so it behooves me to test it out and not rely on yarn size. Actually, for this project the fit isn't a big deal -- no worries if it's a little bigger or smaller than the commercial spun stuff.

Hand spun yarn is so very interesting to watch when knitting it up. The drape on this was a nice surprise.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Little Red

2011-04-21T12:34:00.005-04:00

We have no red tulips yet but at least the snow has gone. I ran across some red in photos from our trip to Colonial Williamsburg in February and thought I'd share them here. Miss Loodyloo did indeed wear her fine gown to tour the Governor's Palace -- a private tour, I might add, as February is a very quiet month there for tourists -- and although Virginia is much warmer than Vermont, I still put her in a coat.

Just before we left, I also whipped up a hooded cloak out of a piece of luscious wool cashmere that I got for a song from a Revolutionary War sutler. It had a small fault in the fabric, therefore the great deal, but I was able to hide it easily under the pointed hood.

The pattern is one I've done before from Ottobre's Winter '08 issue. Once again, I omitted the pom fringe but decided not to line it this time, nor muck about with finishing the edge since wool doesn't ravel. It worked perfectly and added a touch of dress-up to the Loo's ordinary clothes there too.

Once home, I started to clean up my sewing area but couldn't resist pulling out a doll sewing pattern I'd bought in the Prentis Store to use up those precious cashmere scraps. An 18th century gown for an 18 inch doll. Miss Loodyloo is delighted to share clothes with her Felicity and I'm glad I had just enough material left to do it.

Of course, Elizabeth had to have a turn too.

But she insisted on a new skirt, from the same pattern. I can see many more requests like these in my sewing future...

April break at the Cape

2011-04-10T22:11:00.003-04:00

Ridgevale Beach, Nantucket Sound, Cape Cod.

March Macros :: sugaring

2011-03-30T08:53:00.005-04:00

We sugared off last weekend, another bona fide impending sign of spring. The Loo had a cold which meant most of the outside work was done by Papaloo, alone, while we girls snuggled up in a nest of blankets and tissues in front of the TV.

We did manage to bring him lunch and also give the little one a bit of clean, fresh air. It was a bright sunny day, though still quite cold and unluckily for us, the brix (sugar content) was watered down, no doubt due to the extreme snow amounts this year. That means poor Papaloo spent longer hours than usual out there for less syrup.

The good news is that this year's harvest tastes better! A combination of a new pan and a better smokeless firebox construction.

We're not giving the pros any competition, but it's good harmless fun.

March Macros: I've got the macro lens on this month, capturing moments in our daily life.

March Macros :: signs of spring

2011-03-28T18:52:00.002-04:00

March Macros: I've got the macro lens on this month, capturing moments in our daily life.

March Macros :: spinning

2011-03-25T14:06:00.007-04:00

Merino and SeaCell blend from Portland Fiber Gallery, 2.8 ounces, 2 ply worsted, spun light sport weight, 225 yards. Say that 10 times fast...

March Macros: I've got the macro lens on this month, capturing moments in our daily life.

March Macros :: lazy days and broccoli

2011-03-17T12:08:00.003-04:00

I'm trying to get back into sewing. At first, I thought I'd make a Sew Liberated Twirly Skirt, but the hemp chambray I have was only long enough for one side.

Then I tried an Oliver + S Hopscotch skirt, but I didn't have enough for the pockets.

I probably could have made a Music Class skirt, but I was too lazy to trace a new pattern.

Lazy? Aha! Oliver + S Lazy Days skirt -- free, no pattern needed, simple construction.

Just what I needed.

Dachshund! Gesundheit!

And lest anyone call me on not having a true macro shot -- a side of broccoli makes everything healthier...

March Macros: I've got the macro lens on this month, capturing moments in our daily life.

March Macros :: the man of the hour

2011-03-16T15:35:00.002-04:00

The man of the hour -- Clawd the Cat

March Macros: I've got the macro lens on this month, capturing moments in our daily life.

March Macro :: pie!

2011-03-14T14:08:00.003-04:00

Pumpkin is my husband's favorite.

March Macros: I've got the macro lens on this month, capturing moments in our daily life.

March Macros :: lunch and dinner

2011-03-10T13:05:00.002-05:00

Two cloves of garlic...

one onion...

... chopped. This starts out my pasta sauce for dinner.

Crisp Spartan apples with a few bites of extra sharp cheddar...

... and a fluffy buttermilk biscuit covered in my strawberry jam for lunch.

Yum.

March Macros: I've got the macro lens on this month, capturing moments in our daily life.

March Macros :: In like a lion

2011-03-08T11:21:00.004-05:00

Coz at this point, what's a 'nuther two feet?

March Macros: I've got the macro lens on this month, capturing moments in our daily life.

March Macros :: VT Flower Show

2011-03-04T20:48:00.003-05:00

Shots from the 2011 Vermont Flower Show. This was hard -- very low light and none of it natural, no flash allowed, too many people around for me to lug in a tripod, and my camera battery died after the first 20 shots.

Not ideal for the macro lens. Or me for that matter, but really I was there for the lectures. Honest, since I need 5 educational hours a year to keep my Master Gardener certification. Believe me, even low lit blurry flowers beats the peat moss off of fluorescent ceiling lights and power point presentations...

I did bring home the kid a tiny african violet for her very own. Photos of that are sure to follow. She is pleased to bits with it and can not wait to put it into a fancy bowl with sparkly stones. Gilding the lily, always, with this one...

March Macros: I've got the macro lens on this month, capturing moments in our daily life.

March Macros :: ball mason

2011-03-03T13:56:00.003-05:00

Vintage canning jar solar light, found at Treasure Again's Etsy shop for Papaloo's christmas. I love the chandeliers she makes from old canning supplies and pot racks, perfect for our summer porch time.

March Macros: I've got the macro lens on this month, capturing moments in our daily life.

March Macros :: the mrs.

2011-03-02T12:48:00.003-05:00

March Macros: I've got the macro lens on this month, capturing moments in our daily life.

March Macros :: Town Meeting

2011-03-01T15:16:00.005-05:00

oh say can you see...

that roof is gonna need replacin' soon...

vinyl siding or lead abatement, that is the question...

dipping into the roof fund...

225 years of Town Meetings celebrated in cake form. Prettier than the highway budget but just as yummy as the 8th Graders corn chowder lunch fundraiser. Hurray for democracy and good cooks!

March Macros: I've got the macro lens on this month, capturing moments in our daily life.

midwinter color

2011-02-02T13:44:00.002-05:00

It's there, even in the bleakest of seasons.

I'm taking some time off -- preschool schedule is still kicking my keaster and we've got a big vacation coming up this month. So, see you later, alligators...

cobblestone

2011-01-27T15:41:00.004-05:00

Cobblestone in 'Blarney Stone Tweed', a more theatrical way of saying concrete gray with flecks of brown and gold. I tried to get some better and modeled shots for this sweater, but gray and winter and men... well... I tried anyway.

It seems like I sat in that same spot for months knitting this. Not so far from the truth actually -- Ravelry tells me I started it in January of 2010. Well, it was a hot summer after all. And I made lots of stupid mistakes in the process, the most noticeable was doing the side in reverse stockinette instead of garter. Uh, oops. I blame ballet class.

Not a big deal. The husband likes it -- gray, garter, and plain -- so that's what matters. It fits too, even after knitting the bottom in the smallest size and the top as a medium. That was on purpose but I'm glad it worked out.

One thing to note about the pattern: I followed the directions from the magazine, not the pdf, and it fails to mention you need to put the body garter stitches on holders to graft with the sleeves. This is common sense for any one who has knitted a yoked construction before but a new knitter could find themselves in trouble. There's no errata that I could find regarding this but, according to the Brooklyn Tweed KAL Rav group, the pdf does mention this step. Knitters beware.

slippers, version 2.0

2011-01-20T12:25:00.003-05:00

Anyone remember the first pair of these I made almost two and a half years ago? Back then, it was common knowledge that my mom could destroy a pair of store bought slippers in less than a year, and the best I hoped for was to eeck out a full 12 months with a homemade version. Not so! Two and half years, baby! But this christmas, it really was time to lay the first pair to rest, permanently.

Now here's the funny part -- I cut out this fabric a few months after I made the first pair -- you know, in case I needed them much sooner than expected. They sat, unsewn and forgotten, for the better part of that two years in a drawer, which made finding them a few weeks before christmas sort of like a gift themselves.

The key to long lasting footwear is ultra suede. The rest of the slipper disintegrated around that ultra suede sole, it never developed a hole and it washed up looking almost new. Kinda like a Twinkie, I really don't want to know what super powers or high density petrochemicals go into making it, but I'm glad it's on my side.

On the other hand, that great woven linen used on top is from an old pair of my summer pants that I still miss -- wah! -- but couldn't stand up to every day wear. I know, I know, splitting my odds this time around.

So, try and make these last, okay Mom?

food for the birds

2011-01-16T11:54:00.006-05:00

The other day, I found some well past sell-by-date rice cakes stuffed in the back of the snack cabinet. We got them a few years ago for the Loo but she never took to the no salt variety. I put them near our compost bucket for a trip to the great pile in the sky, but Papaloo had a better idea.

A little peanut butter, some hemp string and bird seed later, we had a party going on. For the birds.

The Loo has really taken ownership over her own PBJ sandwich making, so spreading the goo was right up her alley.

Messy, crumbly fun. These went together surprisingly fast. The duo started to experiment with double sided peanut butter cakes and are planning to document which get eaten faster, or last the longest.

I'm sure the squirrels will get more than their fair share even though we tried to hang them on the thin outer branches.

Bird books at the ready. Lunch is served!

this hat

2011-01-13T15:26:00.005-05:00

This hat goes everywhere with my husband. He even wears it inside until I remind him it's still on his head or until he passes a window or mirror, or leans back against his club chair. Really? This from a guy who hates guys who wear their hats all the time. He's just become *that guy*, but at least it's not a grimy ole baseball cap...

In fact, it's a pretty slick hat. The pattern is called 'Christopher' and it is perfect. One solid layer folded into the outer stripes makes for an almost windproof, waterproof, snow proof winter hat. This also makes it reversible and the shaping is just right.

I used O-Wool organic merino in the 'Coal' color for the inside -- one of Papaloo's presents, I just couldn't resist giving him a lump of it in his stocking -- and the dark charcoal gray shetland is some of my handspun. A quick knit, for essentially two hats, but it's imperative to remember that the finished tube makes it impossible to go back to weave in ends. Think it through carefully when doing color changes.

Ya know, I'm not even going to talk about the beard...

AG Felicity's Lichen

2011-01-10T09:32:00.005-05:00

We're still doll crazy here. It's so satisfying to begin and finish a project in a matter of hours, not days ... or months for that matter. I started this but had a problem with the pattern so I passed it on to mom. She says she had to fudge too, so beware section 1, row 2.

Lichen kerchief is actually meant for big people, or maybe small big people, but done in a light sport weight hand spun single, it turned out a perfect size for American Girl dolls. It even works as a shawl.

And check out the fabulous doll outfit the Loo received from Uncle Tom! Hand sewn, I might add. He has serious 18th century clothes making skills for real as he does this kind of thing for reenactors and consults on antique textiles. Huzzah, Uncle Tom!

knits for mom

2011-01-05T12:39:00.003-05:00

My poor mom not only doesn't have a stash, she doesn't have many knitted things either. I think she's made herself one sweater in the last twenty years and the rest has come from me. And we all know by now how slow a knitter I am!

Last year, I tried to tempt her with the Peaks Island hooded scarf. I still haven't seen her wear it. Mom has a 'thing' about hats -- she likes them and tries on everyone that passes her way -- but she ends up hating them all. Just on her, mind, not in general. The only thing she does seem to wear on her head in the winter is an ancient fleece headband. I am so ready to see that thing go, I was even willing to knit during December.

Calorimetry. It's a buttoned, wedge shaped headband and a quick knit despite the short row shaping. I did it out of some South African Fine merino I spun up last year in blues and greens. This yarn was my first try with merino and it's about a worsted weight for the most part, a bit of marled barberpole, and just a very few too twisty bits.

I had over half of my 4 ounces left over so I also knitted her up a pair of matching Fetching mitts.

Mom suffers from carpal tunnel and welcomes a bit of extra warmth on her wrists in the winter. These are short enough not to interfere with knitting but long enough to cover the gap from finger to sleeve. I've actually seen her wear these so I know these are a success. They're also a very quick and fun knit so I'm likely to make these up again, given I have enough small amounts of handspun lying around now.

Next up, slippers... and I didn't knit them.

back to normal except for the outfit

2011-01-02T15:09:00.003-05:00

She has managed to wear this dress at least once every day since she unwrapped it.

I'm glad I made it to last.

AG bed set

2010-12-23T13:59:00.006-05:00

This is our version of Felicity's four poster bed. We started with a wooden canopy bed from a really nice Maine craftsman (bought online through ebay) then proceeded to stain, varnish and cover it with fabrics.

My mom knitted this clever little rug out of ribbon yarn -- 2 skeins for which I really had no other plans -- and a center out afghan pattern. She stopped when she ran out of material and I think it's a perfect bed side rug for the dolls.

Ribbons, lace, more lace and pink roses. I think we're ready.

See you on the other side!

slapped back down to Les Cheries Land

2010-12-19T22:30:00.013-05:00

A few days ago, Miss Loodyloo came up to me and asked if her Les Cheries Corolle doll could have some new clothes for christmas. Camille, aka Angel to the Loo, came to us woefully under dressed for winter in a pink and white ballet costume and while my mom had quickly knitted a few things for her, poor cold little Angel really needed a few more basics.
Of course, this Corolle was a French doll and there are very few places in the States that sell accessories for her here. I told the Loo to put it on her wish list and I'd see what I could do.

The first attempt was a polka dot red dress and it looks a little too Mrs. Beezus for me. I tried cutting it down for a cute tunic look but the Loo loved the dress and wouldn't hear of it. To salvage what I could, I tied on a ribbon sash and then went back to my doll workshop to reconfigure my working pattern.

In my second attempt, I reduced the width and used a scrap of interlock knit so it would stretch over her head (and I wouldn't have to bother with a back closure). The pants were a rough sketch but I found a bit of woven linen rescued from an old pair of my own pants. Not bad, I thought, and then I found my Smartwool scraps.

These were all made with socks that had lost a mate or had an irrepairable hole. Socks, I found, are PERFECT for 13 inch doll clothes -- they are wool and feel nice, the scale of the print works on tiny bodies, and the fabric stretches, both ways, for a close fit. Brilliant. I'm going to wear out more socks without feeling the least bit guilty, now that I know what I can do with them later.

And yeah, I totally made these faux suede boots. Pretty cool, don't ya think?

I can't wait for the Loo to open these in her stocking on christmas eve!

my colonial accessories

2010-12-16T15:54:00.006-05:00

The AG Felicity doll has an optional accessories kit so I figured my dress should have one too. Included in my kit is an all purpose cotton mob cap with a rose colored ribbon to match her dress. I used elastic in the casing instead of traditional ribbon as I'm not going to spend most mornings tying up my kid's hat again and again.

Also included is a velvet drawstring bag. Those dresses didn't have pockets and my dress pattern isn't so authentic as to have pocket slits for a tied on pocket bag, so a little handbag it is. Fortunately, it matches her cape and bonnet too.

For those hot Virginia summers (and Vermont ones too like last year), we picked up a cedar wood fan from a sutler at the Ethan Allen Colonial Days Fair. It's delicate but hardly priceless and it smells heavenly when wafted through the air. The Loo will LOVE this.

The next item in the kit is a wooden cup and ball game, something a young colonial girl might have carried with her to pass the time. It's a physical challenge and should help with the beginnings of hand eye coordination. If she doesn't use it to bean the cat, that is.
Our game came from the Maine State Prison Store. Yep, you read that correctly. We stop by the Prison Store every time we're in the Mid Coast area. My husband has been trying to buy a certain boat kit for years now but they are always out of stock and they don't ship across state lines.

The AG kit has a lace handkerchief and, while I could have made one, we just called Gremma Loo for a vintage loaner. She came up with a gorgeous lace and linen square that beats the pants off Felicity's handkin and a few spares just in case they, ahem, get used.

Just a few more 18th century things to go and we'll be ready for the big day. How's everybody else doing this season?

AG horse stuff

2010-12-14T12:43:00.003-05:00

One of Meme's gifts to the Loo is Penny, Felicity's horse. She came with a saddle and saddle blanket but we decided to skip the $60 cardboard stable set. Instead, I made Penny a horse blanket out of plaid and wool scraps.

Essentially, I draped the fabric over the horse and marked where I wanted it to fall, then cut it into a vague butterfly shape so that it would round nicely over the front and back.

The raspberry wool is left over from the Loo's O+S jumper and the plaid seemed appropriately horsey and christmasy. I sewed the silver button at the edge so that it, too, is reversible, with an elastic loop to make it easy to use.

The grain sacks are burlap scraps, hemp cord and wool stuffing.

Quick and simple but I think it dresses up the gift.

Any one know where to find a curry comb and brush in this size??

Loody's Paper Dolls sweater

2010-12-08T15:45:00.005-05:00

We interrupt our regularly scheduled christmas crafting to bring you snaps of the adorable sweater my mom has just finished for Miss Loodyloo (coz, y'know, she's done with her gift knitting already, pbfttttttttttt!)

Yes, it sure is bright. Has it seared your retinas yet? The Loo is thrilled to bits with it.

I picked up the yarn, a fingering weight wool 2 ply, at Stonehedge Fiber Mill this summer in Michigan. It must be woolen spun as it's ethereal and light. Lovely stuff. I picked up some of their roving in hot pink too and it's slippery stuff to spin. I'd recommend just springing for the yarn.

The pattern is called 'Paper Dolls' by Kate Davies 'and ... um... mom didn't like it. Something about yoke decreases not being very well done. Ah well, it still is cute. Details on mom's Rav page...

AG little knits

2010-12-07T10:18:00.008-05:00

Meme, of course, started early. First, there was a tiny shawl made from sock yarn scraps. The pattern is called 'American Girl Triangular Shawl with Eyelet'. Bang on, and free!

And next came the capes. These were the first Felicity clothes to sell out but we already had these made up anyway. The green is from an errant ball of chenille I had tucked away for the better part of 20 years and the christmas red is the leftover of Miss Loodyloo's Princess Sweater (which I've yet to show here). The pattern is 'Kit's Christmas Cape' and it is also free.

For those of you in the know, why yes, that is a Kirsten doll. The trouble with ebay is that it will get you into trouble if you spend too much time trawling for stuff. We now have the Loo's birthday presents all sorted, six months early. At least that gives me time to sew.

Felicity dress up

2010-12-01T10:47:00.004-05:00

Full sized, full on, fancy dress-up dress for Miss Loodyloo's wish list.

Yes, I am that crazy.

I used McCall's 6139 and gritted my teeth through the nonsensical parts. Really? Sew the size 4 sleeve into a tiny tube and then sew an enormous tightly gathered ruffle on the end of it?? Surely, it would be easier to reverse those steps, I thought, and yes, ahem, it was...

It took most of the three yards of heavy weight cotton fabric and about another half yard for the fully lined bodice. That skirt is very full -- I could wrap it around me. Twice! That's... um.... a great deal of fabric.
I did get a great deal on it too as I paid less than $20 for all my materials, ribbon and lace included.
See, not so crazy...

I basted the hem at what I think is the right length and it's turned 3 times so we should get a few years of play from this project. My biggest fear is that the bodice will be too wide at the shoulders. She's a narrow kid. I'll keep a few safety pins on hand christmas morning, just in case.

Oh dear.... oh my.... I hope it fits....

candy houses and getting all 'Felicity' on you

2010-11-29T15:15:00.008-05:00

Gingerbread houses :: it's that time of year again...

Miss Loodyloo has three things on her wish list this year: chopsticks, dress up clothes, and a 'Felicity' American Girl doll. Now, I know many people dislike the AG company -- yes they are too expensive, yes they have had some rather patronizing marketing ideas, and yes they are a bit snobby. But my kid really wants one and I find the historical dolls themselves to be an interesting way to discuss complex events and customs in the proper context. That said, I wouldn't give two colonial bits for their generic line. Fortunately my daughter is not yet interested in cheetah roller skates for her Just Like Me creation and regardless, her history-geek parents would not fall for that one.

AG is discontinuing the Felicity line at the end of December, consequently it has pushed up our deadline (the dolls are meant for an older child) and that neatly coincides with my kid's wants. How convenient for her. I wonder if she knows someone in that marketing office.

Anyway, Felicity it is. There will be lots of little clothes and accessory crafting in the coming month geared toward the 18 inch doll. Hope you all don't mind.

little things

2010-11-15T07:06:00.001-05:00

Just a few little projects I made over the weekend that were desperately needed: fingerless mitts and a ribbon belt for Miss Loodyloo. Small, but practical and pretty.

Is it really the middle of November? Boy, that first part went by fast. I should have something much bigger to show you all soon. Christmas is coming, after all ....

purple velveteen skirt

2010-11-12T10:09:00.004-05:00

You'd think, as many times as my kid has worn this Oliver + S pleated skirt, that I'd be able to get a good photo of it, but somehow it defies the camera.

It might be the deep luscious purpleness of the velveteen, or perhaps that it's such a twirly skirt that Miss Loodyloo can't stand still in it. Then again, maybe it's just the photographer's fault.

Whatever the reason, the girl picks this skirt out whenever she's given the opportunity. It's satisfyingly full without being too bulky and it's warm enough with tights in cold weather. I like that the flat front waistband looks more polished than full around elastic and yet it still fits the skinny minny's middle. And it's purple. Purple. PURPLE. Purple, is, you know, EVERYTHING.

High praise. I'll take it.

Maine, by the numbers

2010-11-06T09:17:00.005-04:00

Days of conference attended :: 3

Number of bow ties packed :: 2

Presentations extremely well received :: 1

Loos proud of their Papa :: 3

Slices of wild blueberry pie et :: 3

Flavors of Round Top ice cream consumed :: 2

Number of lobsters consumed :: 0

Attempts to correctly pronounce 'chowdah' :: 54

Ports explored :: 4

Beaches scoured :: 3

Lighthouses admired :: 2

Leaves kicked :: 1,199,874

Units of local fiber acquired :: 12

Pieces of fabric obtained from Alewives :: 9

Jars of Stonewall Kitchen goodies purchased :: 3

Shells and rocks collected :: 6

One excellent vacation.

A spoonful of sugar...

2010-10-28T17:21:00.004-04:00

Another sewing project that seemed to take a long, slow time to sew, but in reality went together easily and without drama. I sewed this in dribs and drabs, a bit of gathering here, a buttonhole there, so the sheer preciousness of it all didn't overwhelm.

I'm not an heirloom project kind of person, and this is as close as I'll get to sugary sweet children's clothing.

Oliver + S Music Class blouse, an absolute classic in its button down and collared glory, paired with Modern Organic Fabric's herbal dyed organic cotton cambric, so light and ethereal that Miss Loodyloo tells me it's like wearing a puff of air. A half yard is all the short sleeved version needed. A bargain!

She likes it so well, in fact, that I couldn't get it off her to iron it after the initial size try. Hmm, a size 5 but I'd call it just perfect for width and length. I'll size up for the next one, I think.

Music Box wool jumper

2010-10-26T11:36:00.006-04:00

Well, I started this jumper awhile ago. Traced and cut it out then let it sit whilst I traced and cut out even more sewing projects. I have quite the backlog now, both in finished projects and barely started ones.

But eventually, I sewed it up. Then, it sat around some more waiting for self covered fabric buttons for the front faux pockets.

Papaloo finally snapped those together last night and so, it is finally done! Though not yet worn.

Oliver + S Music Box Jumper, view B, in a lightweight and loosely woven raspberry wool suiting.

So classic, so good.

dinner light show

2010-10-25T12:56:00.003-04:00

We've lost most of our leaves now but for a few days last week we had some spectacular views from our dinner table.

Hard to concentrate on food with that kind of distraction.

Vermont is glorious in the fall. We feel so lucky to live here.

fall fairy

2010-10-09T22:50:00.002-04:00

omg... it still fits!

Sampler Sour Patch

2010-10-07T11:12:00.006-04:00

Remember that natural dye sampler I got from Grand View Farm's dye workshop? Well, there were only about 20 yards of each color and I could have left them as cute little skeins... well no, honestly, I just can't leave yarn lying around.

Not when it can be worked up into something cute. Not when Meme is sniffing around for another quick kid project. It's not easy keeping my mother in yarn. She's fast! And, ironically, she has no stash of her own. Never has. I can't fathom this, but fortunately I have plenty of yarn. And I knit slooowly, if at all. Ironic. Or maybe just symbiotic -- I am her daughter, after all.

Sourpatch from the Summer 2010 webzine Petite Purls. Details on mom's Rav project page.

Vermont Sheep & Wool 2010

2010-10-04T09:16:00.004-04:00

Vermont Sheep & Wool at the fabulous Tunbridge Fairgrounds.

Obviously, we spent a whole lot of times with the animals.

Fall Gum Drop

2010-09-30T10:54:00.005-04:00

Another season, another gum drop. I wasn't happy with the old rug, new poof color scheme so I whipped up another one out of some stash Joel Dewberry fabric and my neighbor's recently cleaned wool. I made no attempt to match the pattern at the seams and it shows, but I'm okay with that. There's usually a little girl sitting on it anyway.

Actually, this is my clever way to disguise the fact that I have too many bags of fleece just lying around the house, waiting to be spun up. If I ever get desperate for fluff, I'll simply undo a seam and pullout some Romney Monster. I guess there's a slight chance that our heated floors and rambunctious daughter might felt the insides. At this point, I'm willing to take that risk.

Life is very full at the moment. The Loo is eyebrow deep in her adored preschool world and Papaloo is dealing with a new school year's scheduling, evaluating and traveling too. We have far too many vegetables with our two week overlapping summer and winter CSAs, way too much to read with new newspaper and magazine subscription changes, and I have lots of sewing (and knitting, and spinning... ) to do to in preparation for hallow'een and christmas. I also have to make and bake an apple pie for Meme's birthday tomorrow.

I've got lots of completed projects to show so stick around. I'll get them photographed and up when I can. As busy as it is, I do love fall.

KCWC Days 4&5 :: fail and try, try again

2010-09-24T15:32:00.004-04:00

My vintage thrift store fabric shirring project, above, 90% complete except for the actual shirring. I'm setting this aside for now.

Raspberry wool and the Oliver + S Music Box (view B) is on the cutting table.

And a model hooked on karate moves.

As Scarlet says 'tomorrow is another day'......

KCWC Day 3 :: to shirr... or not to shirr

2010-09-22T12:21:00.005-04:00

Day 3, where I was supposed to step up to the 'challenge' portion and actually do something I've never tried before, succeed marvelously, and move on. Except, I failed miserably. Oh, it's not ME, it's my machine! Seriously, it's googlefiable -- Brother sewing machines, and also my Babylock which is made by the same company, do not shirr. It's a bobbin tension thing which is an amazing help except when you want stitches to gather up on themselves.

So with time ticking away, I slapped together a pair of pants instead. These were fraught with drama too -- much too tall of a rise, frayed fuff everywhere but those I could overcome.

I used left over cotton cord velveteen from these pants (I obviously bought way too much yardage) and a spiffy pant pattern from Pochee Special. In the end, I just folded over the elastic at the top one more time and sent my kid to school.

I hope they stay up.

KCWC Day 2 :: the trace

2010-09-21T15:05:00.005-04:00

Pumpulipilvi ... easier to trace out than pronounce it. From Ottobre Spring 2010.

This week is getting still more complicated -- one dentist appointment turned into two with a specialist on Thursday, the flu clinic is now scheduled for tomorrow, and the eye doctor rescheduled, again.

This is turning out to be all about the slow reveal for KCWC.

KCWC Day 1 :: Ice Cream Dress

2010-09-20T21:07:00.004-04:00

I'm starting out with an ace in the hole -- an Oliver + S Ice Cream pattern, a full dress this time, in more micro corduroy. I cut out the fabric over the weekend as I knew I'd have a super busy Monday with preschool, dance class and regular start-of-the-week errands.

It's cute. I think it fits. More action shots when I actually get it on the Loodyloo.

O' Ay!

2010-09-19T15:44:00.004-04:00

Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day, matey!

Avast!

Ahoy!

Arrrrr!

Ice Cream Top 2

2010-09-14T13:30:00.003-04:00

Ah, Fall, when the corduroy wearing is easy.

Or should I say necessary?

I picked up this scrumptious piece of microcord on my last order from The Fabric Fairy. It was a remnant, but a fairly decent sized one at 3/4 of a yard. Of course, my first thought was to make it into a skirt but then I realized such a buttery soft fabric would make a perfect cozy shirt.

And it does. I used the Oliver + S Ice Cream blouse pattern again, this time taking out about an inch in the middle of the front and back. A little less full, which I think works better on my slim kid, and much easier to piece out on 44 inch wide fabric. Size 5, so there's room to grow or for a long sleeved tee this winter.

Despite the expression, the Loo approves.

Kid's Clothes Week Challenge

2010-09-09T18:37:00.004-04:00

I'm in. How about you?

2+2 frog prince blouse

2010-09-06T13:46:00.007-04:00

I've been doing quiet a bit of sewing lately but with 90 degree heat, I wasn't going to bundle Miss Loodyloo up in corduroy for some photos. Then, this morning, I finished this cute and more seasonally appropriate double gauze number.
It's the Oliver +S 2+2 blouse and I just love it.

The double gauze is perfect for cool mornings that turn into warm and windy afternoons. It's light, oh so very soft and cozy and the drape makes it ultra comfortable to wear. This print is from Heather Ross' Far Far Away collection -- Frog Prince in Blush. It's Kokka from Japan and at $17 a yard, I'd been saving it for something special.

I did a size 4 with size 5 length and managed to get it, long sleeves and all, out of just one yard of fabric. Okay, I did cheat a bit and buy bias tape (coz really, making bias tape is crazy! all those wasteful angle cuts, all that ironing and folding...) and I modified the back to a single piece without buttons.

Honestly, after a certain age, a back buttoned blouse is a bit uncomfortable, especially in a car seat, and it's also difficult for a small child to dress themselves. This style slips on just fine without it and I prefer the cleaner look.

It's a smidge big, but she's growing. An inch since April!

I see more pant sewing in my immediate future...

afternoon chat

2010-09-03T09:21:00.004-04:00

We survived the first full week back at school, now we're working on surviving the late summer heat wave.

Rudebeckia... and still more jewelweed

2010-08-26T10:48:00.001-04:00

If I seem obsessed with dyeing lately, especially with jewelweed, well, it's mostly because this is a craft that is practiced when the plants are ready, not necessarily when you are. In a few months time, I'll be left with kitchen supplies like onions and tumeric, or the tree barks. If I want to play with flowers, August really is the time to do it.

Rudebeckia, aka the Gloriosa Daisy or Black Eyed Susan. I have a ton of these in my courtyard garden. They self seed freely and no animal seems to eat them.

Bubble bubble... Are you thinking more orange and yellows? Not a bad guess -- most flowers will give these two ranges.

But not rudebeckia. My hairy hirta variety gives green! This is an unusual color as most natural dye greens are achieved by overdipping yellow with indigo blue. Everyone in my family likes mossy green. I'm glad we have an established patch.

From top to bottom: rudebeckia with no extra heat, rudebeckia but added 15 minutes later to the same bath, and more jewelweed. These are all on a fingering weight wool. I think I need to sharpen my fair isle skills this winter.

Goldenrod and more Jewelweed

2010-08-25T11:00:00.001-04:00

More jewelweed, a double batch in the big pot at higher heat for the extract but no heat for the yarn bath. I'm trying for more peach and less orange this time.

And goldenrod. Poor goldenrod gets the rap for allergies when most people are actually allergic to ragweed, which blooms around the same time. Goldenrod just happen to be prettier and thus more noticeable. There are two ways to dye with goldenrod-- flower heads in bloom like I am here, or whole plant in early summer before it blooms. Supposedly, they give a different color depending on time of year and part used.

Any guesses?

Fresh from the dye bath, we have rusty orange for the first dip then peach for the second dip on the jewelweed, and bright yellow on the goldenrod. As you can see, these dry slightly lighter in the skein.

I'm quite happy with these.

QAL and Jewelweed

2010-08-24T13:00:00.005-04:00

Yeah yeah, blah blah class, blah blah method. Let's see some colors! Today, it's jewelweed (aka touch-me-not) and queen anne's lace. In both cases, you use the whole plant, not just the flower. Good thing, as jewelweed flowers are tiny!

Wanna guess what the yarn will be? This is the interesting part because flowers tend not to indicate the final dye color. Sometimes, even the extract bath isn't much of a reliable indicator.

Ready?

Ta dah! Peachy orange for the jewelweed and yellow for the queen anne's lace.

Left to right: Jewelweed, purple loosestrife (tan), queen anne's lace.

Natural dyeing: the at-home version

2010-08-20T15:11:00.005-04:00

Ready to learn about amateur natural plant dyeing?

First off, there's a process called mordanting -- fixing chemical salts to the yarn so that they, in turn, fix the color to it... or themselves... not exactly sure about that one -- a necessary step if you don't want to wash away color. We didn't do this part ourselves in my dye class and some consider it the more toxic step in natural dyeing. I use alum, aka potassium aluminium sulfate, which has been used in pickling foods and feeding hydrangeas for many years. I do use proper care and ventilation and I don't do this when the little miss is around, so I feel for me it is an acceptable practice. I get my goods at the garden center as it's cheaper that way.

Once the big bad mordant is on the yarn, I either keep it damp by sealing it in a plastic bag placed in the fridge or use it right away. For a quick dye bath, gather the plant material -- oh there's soooo many different types, ways, myths and rules of thumb for this! -- then cover with water and simmer or boil -- yet more copious discussion -- for about an hour.... usually.

Strain off the plant mess, put the yarn into the dye bath and simmer for yet another hour. Or let it steep in the hot liquid. Or fill a jar with dye , plunk it in and let it stand for a few days in the sun. Yes, more discussion on this, because honestly -- and here's the fun-- natural plant dyeing is such a host of different variables that it's not at all predictable. That nice green you got last week might be the one and only time you get it. Even a few minutes delay in putting yarn into a hot dye bath can change the results from one skein to the next. Then again, if I wanted predictable results, I'd just open a processed dye pack.

Once you get a color you like, or just give up on that altogether, rinse the yarn til it runs clear and hang to dry.

Yarn + plants = color. How cool is that??

owly ice cream

2010-08-18T15:34:00.005-04:00

No actual owls were churned in the making of this shirt. Really, it's the Oliver + S Ice Cream pattern done in a fun Japanese owl print. I chose to do the shirt version to test out the construction and it's pretty cool. I like O+S patterns because they come together so well, even for seat of the pants sewers like me. Polished too, if I keep my iron hot.

Size 5. Can you believe it? It's roomy, but that's partly the style and partly my super skinny kid. This owl print is ever so slightly wider than the 44" norm, more like a 46", so I was able to cut out the top with very little waste. I like that.

There's something so retro about this red and blue combo. The Kona red is a bit stiff but that will soften after a few washes.

I can really see this in some micro cord, probably the full dress version, for this fall.

Preschool is just around the corner...

Natural Dyeing

2010-08-17T12:25:00.003-04:00

In July (really, it's been that long ago now??), I went to Grand View Farm to take a natural dye class along with my friend Diane. She was a good blogger and already posted about it but I'm finally getting around to it now.

Sort of. Well actually, I'm gonna cheat, show you the photos, tell you it was a fun day, and leave it at that.

It is fun. I like taking free things and making them into color. I've been doing more of it at home and you'll be hearing more about it later.

Funny thing is, Papaloo is crazy interested in this new hobby too. He's game to go out and fill every pot I hand him with whatever weeds are at hand. And mushrooms, lichen and tree bark. Yeah, this is fun stuff.

blue ribbons

2010-08-16T15:26:00.003-04:00

yay me

scrappy bath mat

2010-08-14T20:57:00.005-04:00

I'm going through my summer photos and realized I have a few projects that never made it to the blog. This little coin quilt mat is one of them.

Miss Loodyloo needed a soft, non fuzzy (very important), cute (even more important) bath mat and I felt guilty about never completing Orangeflower's coin quilt challenge last year -- so, I killed two birds with one sewing project.

The fairy fabric was just a thin scrap from the Loo's pinksplosion ruffle top and I wanted to be able to make use of every last inch of it. It's width determined the rest of the coins and I paired it with some Hemp Trader organic cotton and hemp muslin. For the back, I used more old towel scraps and didn't bother to add batting. This makes the mat light enough to wash and dry easily and the in-the-ditch quilting was quick and easy.

A big hit at bath time. I'm thinking a full sized quilting project is still beyond me at this point but I can see another one of these in my future.

a real peach

2010-08-09T18:16:00.005-04:00

We have an abundance of peaches this year. I guess that's one good thing about the hot and steamy weather we've had here in the East. Truth be told, I'm surprised -- that late snowfall occurred right around the time our trees bloomed and we could have, should have, lost the lot.

Lucky us.

And lucky friends and neighbors since, of the 4 bushels we picked from our two trees, we gave away almost three full bushels.

These are Reliance peaches, sweet yet tart and, for a cling stone, the stones are easy to pull out when they're dead ripe. Most of these are going into the freezer -- just wash (off with the fuzz! yeeck...), slice around and twist, quarter to bag. Nothing fancy as I'll never see the end otherwise.

Most of the ones we've given away have been eaten out of hand. Peaches are rare this far north and even the cobbler takes back seat to a fresh local peach.

I should make jam though. I do like me some oozy peachy jam in February.

pick-a-mart

2010-08-05T00:01:00.001-04:00

Ahh, the faithful Pick-A-Mart. It's what we Loos call the lower end of the antiques food chain here in Vermont. A good P-A-M is vast, rambling, and full of interesting, useful, things like potato mashers and bushel baskets, vintage dish towels, tin pie plates and screw top canning jars.

Better than a thrift store yet not as precious as an Olde Antique Shoppe, you never know what treasures you might find. Look all around now, especially under tables. Four year olds are helpful for this.

There's no smell of refinishing solvents here, you supply your own elbow grease. And imagination.

Our local haunt is just over the line in ... ahem... upstate New York (shhhh.... don't tell anyone...)

And our useful find of the day? Enamel pots!

gingham girl

2010-08-02T08:45:00.004-04:00

Sewing! I did some. Organic cotton gingham, so soft and light, and I've been seeing this black and white version everywhere lately. I got mine from Modern Organic Fabrics. It's just a yard but that was plenty for a short sleeved shift with pockets.

The pattern is from my Japanese double gauze book I posted about here. I went with size 110 cm which works for length but it's much too wide. I should have guessed since this pink version in 90 cm is too short but is still wearable. Next time, 100 cm with some added to the bottom.

The pockets kill me every time. Honestly, on-seam pockets should not be that hard but it takes me a few tries and a seam ripper to get them looking moderately okay.

Miss Loodyloo wore this to dinner the night before her birthday. She was pretty chuffed to have special new dress and loved how soft it felt. I'm thinking it'll look just as good with long sleeved tees and leggings this fall.

4

2010-07-31T20:20:00.003-04:00

The Loo turned 4 today. I'm so very proud of my girl -- she's smart, sunny, polite and kind. And she can eat raw lemons like nobody's business...

Lots of water, bubbles, squeals and running. How is it that I'm still more tired than the birthday girl?

shhh, sleeping bears

2010-07-27T23:57:00.004-04:00

Sleeping Bear Dunes at the pinky tip of Michigan's lower peninsula is made up of a lot of sand. We were there on a hazy, cloudless day with a touch of wind.

Gritty.

Beautiful.

And a looong way down to the water.

tentative first steps

2010-07-25T00:18:00.001-04:00

Traverse City's East Bay is as warm as a bathtub but it still has waves. This is the first time Miss Loodyloo has ventured into 'wild water' all on her own. She can be physically cautious, especially with heights, but the lure of warm water and squishy sand was irresistible.

Wet, sandy, up to her knees, she gave it a go and loved it.

the decision

2010-07-24T09:50:00.002-04:00

She knows how to take her time, weigh her options carefully, and make that choice.

She's growing up.

Carlson's, Fishtown

2010-07-21T23:19:00.007-04:00

Fishtown.

Home of Carlson's and the best smoked lake fish ever.

The man in orange agrees...

vacationland

2010-07-18T11:38:00.005-04:00

We're living in the land of cherries (and apricots, that's new!) and cool cars.

Isn't she a sweet ride? See you in a bit...

"Pretty Simple" giveaway

2010-07-09T15:09:00.004-04:00

"Pretty Simple, Girly Remake" ISBN 9784123901581, 4123901581 is not a sewing book, per se. It's more of a refashion book, a look book, really. There are no scary patterns to trace, no instructions to puzzle out. Just lovely photos of what one can do with vintage lace, ribbons and scissors.

If you don't sew, it doesn't matter. It's all about the embellishment.

And yes, in honor of my 500th post on this blog, I'm giving this book away!

To anywhere and anyone. Or, if you'd rather have cookies instead of a weird craft book in a different language, I can do that instead.
Just leave a comment on this post before Sunday night at 10pm (US Eastern Standard Time) telling me what you like reading or seeing here at Icewerks. Okay lurkers, here's your chance to say hi...

Our lucky winner is ... #4 -- RITA!

Please email me (icicle@shoreham.net) with an address, and I'll pop the book in the post.

Thanks, everyone, for reading and playing along!

odds and ends

2010-06-24T11:33:00.002-04:00

Just one more week until Papaloo is home for the summer.

must. hang. on.....

summer

2010-06-19T09:37:00.004-04:00

Breakfast al fresco this morning.
Posting might be sporadic while we adjust to different schedules and ease into summer mode. Time to relax and enjoy the season.
Happy Dad Day Weekend, everybody!

baa baa black sheep

2010-06-03T14:34:00.005-04:00

Oh yes sir, I do have some wool. Our next door neighbors sheared their pet sheep a few weeks ago and because they know I spin, they gave all the fleece to me. In fact, they were thrilled to get rid of it, all 14 pounds of it, because honestly, that's a lot of smelly, wooly compost.

This is 'Dandi', all by her lonesome, next to an 8 ft lounge chair in our garden.

See what I mean? It's also a lot to skirt, wash, card and spin. But hey, it's free, right? A little/lot of elbow grease is all I need for about 4 sweaters' worth of free yarn. Here's another shot of the little monster...

I swear, I can hear it growing. Her twin sister 'Darby' is still in the trash bag she came in, but she's just as big and hairy. They are Romney cross sheep -- with what, I do not know -- and the staple length of their fiber is around 5 inches or so. Exceptional for pets not raised or chosen as fiber producers, and surprisingly clean for not being coated.

So, what does one do with raw sheep fleece? Lots of picking out of hay for one thing, but there's also the concern about storage. The fleece needs to breathe and plastic does not. As I'm fairly confident I will not be getting to all of this wooly mess right away, I whipped up some cotton fleece bags to keep raw and later washed locks clean and healthy.

I found an old blue twin sheet I'd picked up at a white elephant sale and ripped it into 4 bigger-than-pillowcase sized sections. A simple drawstring at the top, a few seams, and it actually will hold a skirted Romney Monster. An added bonus is they also line the inside of my Adirondack pack basket that Papaloo gave me for sheep festivals.

Now, anyone out there with a top loading washing machine I can borrow for a few weeks?? No?