Eesh.

We moved. Yep. Halfway across the state. Which is saying something in Texas. Since it was such short notice, we had to stick all our stuff in storage and stay with family for a bit while we located a new place and built up the deposit.

Missed KCW in July, my machine was packed. I did finally finish the cargo pants for Chaos and the intended boatneck for the Hawk became an outfit. Need to let out the waistband now though, little weed.

Those... were the last things I made. Now with everything all moved in, and mostly unpacked (LEGOs, I'm looking at you), the nesting urges are kicking in.

Yes, nesting urges. We are expecting a new baby at the end of February! Watch for baby things to pop up. KCW October might see some diapers and crib shoes.

So, uh...

Sick kids, sick beloved, sick cat and mommy super-immune system means my week has been rough.  I've cleaned up puke and boogers and hairballs and been up with fevers and coughs and insomnia (from daytime fever naps).  Which means that I've gotten jack and shit done in terms of sewing.

I did manage to get the welt pockets, front pockets, and a working zipper fly complete on Chaos's cargo pants.  And that's about it.  Oh, and I made a small suedey sacky thing for ice packs, cause Chaos burned his hand and that was the only thing that would keep him quiet.  Going to try the bias tape binding on the legs this week(end) and maybe, hopefully, I'll have something to show for it.

As I've aged (not always gracefully), I've gotten to the point where I don't like just sitting, even if I'm watching something.  Hand finishing the collars on the boys' shirts during KCW was done during some of our evening TV time.  It was enjoyable.  I've recently begun to feel like TV is more of a waste of time that it used to feel like, so doing something was a good way to ameliorate that feeling.  So, I looked into something I'd seen referenced "English paper piecing" and what it entails and what you can do with it.  I found them.  Hexies.  Yep, I'm going to start a hexie project.  Scraps have been sorted, templates cut, and soon I'll cut cloth.

Also, the Krieg DLC for Borderlands 2 released, so my beloved and I are leveling a psycho and a mechromancer.  Krieg is creeptacular, so I doubt I'll level one of my own.  Eesh.  This won't last too much longer, my beloved is getting the Lego building bug again, and Borderlands are the only games I play, besides From Dust occasionally.  I gave Flower a go, and liked it, but not enough to go back to.

He should really have a pseudonym, shouldn't he?  "My beloved" is a little rough to type out.  How about Drummer?  That's one of his hobbies, and one I hope he'll take up again soon.  We need some more music in the house.  It sounds better than Artist.  He drew my avatar picture while I was pregnant to make me feel better about being so huge.  Yeah, Drummer.  I like that.

Anticipation

Tuesday, I picked out a couple of projects to work on for the next fortnight.  A pair of Coastal Cargos for Chaos, a Beachy Boatneck for the Hawk, and a ruffly spring top for me.  If I can get those done, I'll start on a summer dress.  

Yesterday, I went to the fabric store with the Hawk, who sqwaked at everything and everybody he recognized.  (He's never that talkative when we call his Momoo.)  Seersucker was on sale, so I grabbed a yard for the pants.  The clearance table had a nice peachy swiss dot floral, and I matched some solid grey Kona to it for my top.  All with approval from the Hawk.  The shirt for Hawk is slated to be cut from some awesome knit from Girl Charlee.  Should all go well, the dress will be cut from a vintage sari off eBay.  

Also nabbed some purple FQs and a pair of purse handles for a commission.  Now, if I could just get my hands on some Pellon of the correct weight... they've been out the last three trips.  Might just have to break down and buy a whole bolt.  I use it.  

Today, I'm cutting patterns and pre-washed fabric.  Tonight, I'm cutting fabric!  Tomorrow.... the world!  Er.  Sewing.  Yeah.  That. 

KCW Day 7: off to the Flickr Group we go!

Day 7, yesterday.  Final hemming was actually done this morning, so I could test it on Chaos.  He was at his dad's this weekend.  It's trying to curl, but I don't care much, cause that is a darned adorable shirt!  The Hawk looks just as cute in his, but I can't get him to sit even slightly still enough for a picture, so.... hanger shot it is!  With Chaos pointing things out to you.

And now, we go post this stuff in the Flickr group!

KCW Day 5+6

Got done, I promise, but didn't get posted about... kiddos waaaaay underfoot.  It happens.

Day 5:  Shirts got sleeves attached and side seams sewn.  Internal seams got finished.

Day 6: Cuffs, collars and hems.  Invisible seams for the collars, and I think when I sew this pattern again (because I WILL, it was a blast to sew and looks amazing), I'll use invisible seams for the cuffs, too.  These gave me a slightly difficult time, but that might be because they're small and fiddly.

Anyway, have some in progress shots!

KCW Day 3 + 4

Posting mobile. We'll see how this app works.

Last night was just about a bust. Hawk was up late and pesty, to boot.  I barely finished a single sleeve placket, but the other three are pressed and pinned, at least.

Wednesday, the shirt backs received pleats and got yoked and attached to the fronts. Is that the right word? Yoked? It is now.

No pics of progress today, sorry. Keeping it short since I'm posting with a kid draped across my torso. My kitchen helper brushed a hand across a still hot stove burner. Poor kid.

KCW Day 2

Plackets.  That was a lot of precision measuring, careful cutting and slow careful stitching.  Two button plackets.  I'm actually considering leaving them without buttons.  Sleeves, too.

The shirt for Hawk had some accidental awesome.  I cut the shirt front, and stitched the placket to the back.  Flipped it over, and began to pin it in place.  Woah, pattern match.  Cool.  Kept pinning, stitched it down.  Top stitched the opposite side.  Laid it out to be ironed down correctly....  Fold, fold... HEY!  The WHOLE FRONT matches!  I'm not sure I could managed that if I tried!




Also, a silly sewing moment occurred when a star looked glum at having his face stitched into.  Ha.

KCW Day 1

Was yesterday.  Yep.  Since I did my "hour" late last night, and probably will again tonight, I'll just post it all a day behind.  Ish.

Last week, I cut out the pattern pieces that I wanted to use.  The Prepster Pullover got printed once, traced and cut twice.  For the record, I hate using multiple sheets of paper taped together, so I just transfer the bigger pieces onto wrapping paper.  So, there was a pair of patterns, 18M and 2T, waiting.  I washed the fabric last week, too, and folded it neatly.

Last night, I cleared off the kitchen table, anticipated probable toddler incursions, got cat interference instead, and went to work.  It took longer than an hour, but I traced and cut out both shirts.  Tonight, a couple of interfacing pieces need tracing and cutting, and I'm hoping to make some headway on basic assembly.  I still don't have buttons, and won't for a week or three, so these'll just be "finished."

If I can get these done quick enough, I'll try for a Beachy Boatneck next using some fantastic knit fabric from Girl Charlee.  (Which I totally package stalked three times a day until it was finally in my greedy grubbies.)  After that, the queue shows board shorts for both kiddos, and something else that I don't want to give away just yet.  It should be fun!

Hawaii fabric!

Island cultural references!

A couple of weeks ago, my beloved's awesome mother sent me some amazing fabric.  I'd never seen fabric like that until she came to visit right after the Hawk was born.

It does not get cooler than surfing ninjas.

She brought a pair of blankets for the kids.  Those blankets are magic, I'm telling you.  They're awesome patterns for one, and the perfect weight and thickness and warmth and softness and....  yeah.  Exceedingly simple construction. Whole cloth lengths, rounded corners, fusible fleece on one side, and bias tape bound.  But that just makes them all the more freaking awesome.  Anytime I wrap a kid in one of those blankets, and they each know their own blankets, they almost instantly calm down, and no matter how awkward the sleeping position, if Hawk is napping with that blanket.... he won't wake up prematurely.  Until Chaos gave up naps altogether, he wouldn't go down without it.

Dude! Surfing SUSHI! 

Wonderful woman, she offered to send me some fabric.  Last month, she sent me a bunch of pictures from the store, and let me pick some out.  A week later, I squealed so loud she could probably hear it from Hawaii.  Already cut into one for something for me, and have designs on the rest of that piece, but I need to locate some magnets.  The other two are slated for projects for the boys.  Patterns prepared, interfacing purchased, threads matched, and now I'm hunting perfect buttons.

A sneak peek at what I did with mine!

I would really like to wrap up the rest of the projects for me, since next week is Kid's Clothes Week.

Covert Robin Gift post!

Postage stamp patchwork, made into a zippered pouch.  There was also another pouch, using the same fabrics, done in one inch strips, horizontally pieced together.  Same lining and another black zipper, but no pictures because crazy.  Crazy things this month, so the trip to the post office squeaked in under the wire, and with Easter weekend being the same weekend, I hope my recipient received her package before she went on vacation!

Yeah, I'm aware formatting is wonky, still learning, with toddlers knocking into me to boot.  Next post, the awesome pillow cover my Covert Robin made.  I still squeal inside thinking about it!

Busyness

I think that's how that's spelled....

Anyway.

The Hawk turned one!  We had a party, it was awesome.  Homemade decorations, except balloons.  Don't know how to make those.  I used classic paper chains and Dana's tutorial on paper ball chains over at MADE.  Everyone loved them.  Unsolicited comments and everything.  Since Hawk is a Pi day baby, I made apple pie cakes.  Pie crust in a pan, fill with applesauce cake, bake.  Top with pureed apple pie filling and frost with brownish frosting in a lattice pattern.  Hawk had a separate smash cake, and everyone else had cupcakes (small rounds of pie crust on the bottom of the cupcake, fill, top and frost).

I did not manage to get his birthday suit finished.  Unexpected events earlier in the week put me off schedule.    Finished it today, and it is as cute as I'd hoped, especially for a self drafted pattern.

My Covert Robin's package came half an hour before everyone showed up, so it got opened, squealed over with my bestie, and carefully set aside so as not to get caked on (there was a blast radius).  I love it!  How she knew my couch is brown, I'll never know but it is completely amazing!  Also managed to get the pouches I was working on finished and mailed out for my swap recipient.  My beloved had to squeak in the door just before closing time for me.  Whew!  Since today is the first day I've had to get on the big computer (I've tried and cannot post from my smartphone), I need to go make the appropriate noises in the appropriate places about these.

My beloved's terrific mother texted me from the store, all the way from Hawaii and through the miracle of technology, sent a bunch of pictures of fun local kawaii fabric and let me pick out a few yards.  So I'm expecting that bit of nifty in the mail.  His family is so awesome, I love them.  Picked up a new purse pattern, and hope to make her something for Mother's Day.

As soon as he finishes the current section of God of War, we'll be watching some more Dr. Who.  The universe seems to have sent several signals out about this, so....  I have no idea why watching a British television show could be important, but.... alright.  We're enjoying it, in any case.

One down, some to go

One goal finished!

I managed to get the great experimental portfolio project for my beloved's dad finished!  Whew.  That thing was a pain the rear, but I think can I do it again, bigger, better, and certainly faster.  Since beginning the idea, I've learned a handful of tricks I sincerely wish I'd known during the planning phases, at least.  BUT.  It's done!  Hurray!  Pictures up later, since it's large enough to take two people to get good images.

Now, on to the postage stamp patchwork.  That'll be for another gift.  I might take a bit of a detour and make my mom some hot/cold packs.  There's also a purse in the works with some wonderful vintage kimono fabric, and a fun skirt for my niece.  But the patchwork project must get done this week or next, and shipped this month; in the spirit of stretching comfort zones, I'm participating in a Covert Robin swap.  Check it out here.  Also, I like the person chosen for me.  Always fun to find new blogs to follow!

This week, the Hawk turns one.  We'll have his favorite meatloaf and macaroni and cheese on Thursday, and celebrate with a party next weekend, the 23rd.  Experiments with making decorations this weekend.

And... now back to party planning.  And lunch.  And Toy Story.

Whew....

So, back from Louisiana.  Saw some family, buried a grandparent, discovered that the Mazda thing we rented was absolutely the most uncomfortable little car for a road trip, and that I missed Spanish moss.

There is also a recipe for teacakes sitting on my desk that I'm itching to try.  Ms. Chapman has been making these for weddings, funerals, births, and other family and community events for decades.  Decades.  DECADES.  And she is now famous for them.  She'll freely hand out the recipe, but no one has been able to replicate them, not even my Momoo.  So I'll try my hand at it.  I doubt it'll be quite the same, but I'm willing to try!

If that fails, strawberry banana oatmeal or pear n candied ginger muffins are a pale substitute.  But probably healthier for me.  Heh.

This week, I'm going to finish a portfolio for my beloved's father, and try my hand at postage stamp patchwork.  Those are the goals!

Some good, some bad

Some good: an example of my terrible photography.  I managed a skirt and a shirt recently.  The skirt was made using a general tutorial on yoga waistbands that I've made a handful of times now (Sew Mama Sew, I think), and the shirt was made using Melly Sew's Rose T Shirt pattern, sleeveless version.








Some bad.  My dad called this morning to tell me my grandfather passed at 0330 this morning.  If my beloved can manage to get the time off from work, we'll be renting a car and heading to Mansfield in Louisiana for funeral and other arrangements.  If he can't, I'll be going with my brother and father.

In other random news, hemp milk is not as good as oat milk for drinking straight.  Save that for baking, blech.

Wee, first post!

*first post dance*

Okay, that's done.  I truly have intended to start a blog, for no readily discernible reason.  Perhaps I think it will push me to learn new skills.  My photography in particular sucks... yeah. Some examples of how not to take pictures coming soon.

So, I'm 28, mother of two boys, my little punks, and I love making a house a home.  Pretty much my whole life, I knew I'd want kids and to stay home to raise them.  This involves more dishes and laundry than I'd like, but also the cooking, baking, and sewing that I was hoping for.

My children are my life.  (While I like talking about them, I also believe in preserving their anonymity, so they are given a pseudonym according to the meaning of his name.)  Chaos is two and a half, and Hawk turns one on March 14th!  Exciting!  My beloved is in the elevator trade.  It has its ups and downs.

Yes, we're punny like that, please excuse.

I enjoy cooking for almost anyone, and it is one of the activities my beloved and I share as a couple.  It drew us to each other, and keeps us laughing and trying new things.  I learned to cook in the South, and he learned to cook in Hawaii.  This means he puts soy sauce on rice.  I think butter goes on rice.  We keep both on the lazy susan.  More and more I try to get organic, natural, and fresh whole foods.  We are not vegetarian - we like bacon too much.

Baking is my bit, especially breads and desserts, but my beloved makes a terrific cheesecake.  Too bad I can't have any of those until Hawk either quits nursing or outgrows his dairy sensitivity.  We're due to check again in a few months, so here's hoping!  Lately, we've been going through loaves and loaves of black pepper prosciutto bread, so I'll be making more of that this week.

My favorite things to sew are for my boys, but my beloved is getting jealous.  Perhaps it is time to try the cargo kilt he's asked for?  I also greatly enjoy sewing utility items like storage baskets and bowls, handbags and clutches, purses and totes, zipper pouches and tablet sleeves.  Crocheting is on my list to learn, just as soon as we can manage a trip to see my grandmother in Arkansas.  My sewing to do list this year includes completing a quilt top of any size and design.  The actual quilting might wait until next year, and another visit to my grandmother.  Hey, I've got two kids under three, and I'm pleased just to get the breakfast dishes done by dinner!

Other random things of note:  I have a cat.  I like fairies (but not Tinkerbell), rabbits, mermaids and hedgehogs.  I am short.  I served in the US Navy as a Mineman, and never left the continental US - what the heck?!  I used to dance, jazz and modern.  I like Legos, especially the big Creator sets and the Architecture series.  I am creative, but have the artistic skill of the infamous stick figure himself.  I wear my baby with a wrap covered in skulls.  Fluttershy is best pony.  You heard me.