Okay so I have been working on this project for almost a year… the shame! 
This is from the lot of vintage patterns I scored from a family friend. It is so darling and I had the pieces knit up, and the thing seamed even for oh, a half a year or more. But the crochet, oh crochet, how you vex me! It had crochet edging all the way around. 
I finally figured out that I wasn't going to be able to get good enough at crochet in time for me to finish this to my liking to fit little Tutu. So my friend did it for me and it turned out so awesome!
Vintage buttons from one of the only sales I went to last year (I am going to do better this year). 
Sparkly Pants wore it today and spit up all over it. My mom and I managed to mop most of it up so I could take some photos. I should have taken the photos before, but you know, a finished knit you have to wear it!
Because they make everyone so happy!
Pretending to Sit
I got one of these chairs from Michele and I've been trying to sit Tuesday in it for a while. This is the first time she came close to being able to:
That lasts for a whole 15 seconds or so before we get this:
That's when I rescue her. Hehehe it cracks me up. I think if she was a little more solid it might work better. But she's so skinny she slips around in there.
I might have pictures of a really awesome finished project tomorrow. Buttons, I'm trying to get on buttons.
Weekend Away
This last weekend we took an extra day and went on a three day adventure to visit Bj's parents. Because they live a bit away this included two 4.5 hours car rides – there and back. Of course we have to stop now to feed her, but we had to stop a couple of other times to change her diaper or just sooth her a bit. She is much better in the car now that she has learned a couple of great tricks: tracking things really well and focusing on books and toys, being able to get to her fist and suck on it, and the newest of new tricks; grabbing toys. It is so beyond cute!
This toy from Sarah continues to be a favorite. Right now we have a balloon tied to it and she is so funny with the thing.
Also loving the links you use to hook toys together. My favorite funny new trick of hers:
Playing with her tongue. She makes clicky sounds with it. I sort of had her dressed like an elf this day:
It was an accident. She got hot (we have had a couple days of insanely nice weather), and she only has a few pairs of shorts that fit. I think the days of head to toe wool might be over (but not head to toe knits!). Ah sweet baby
The reason I haven't blogged by the way? This is the first time I've gotten any real time on the computer in days. She has been keeping me busy (in a good way). Today we walked to the park with grandma and a friend and had a picnic! It was so lovely. She pays more attention to the world now so everyday is more interesting than the last. But I still would like a little time on the computer 🙂
The days go by much quicker now.
I can't believe two years ago I was turning from a Miss to a Mrs. It really is crazy how time flies, huh?
Tuesday, Bj and I headed to Portland this weekend for a shower and a wedding. A baby shower for my friend who is having twin girls in a month or so. I was just stopping by with 2 before the wedding. I had to get her all dolled up of course.
I'm not a huge fan of that really soft pink, but the more hot pink I think looks pretty cute. I had her in a different outfit for the wedding, but this is the best picture I got of it:
Don't worry I'll definitely be putting her in this get up again. Bj picked out that zebra print jumper.
Tuesday did so great the whole day, and the next day. But the first night away, in the hotel, not so great. I learned a few key things, number one: bring our fan! The room was so quiet, I'm sure that's part of what kept her up until one. Little crazy bean:
Since then I've been trying to catch up. On sleep, on work, on crafting. And just being with the family. These past two years have been amazing. Difficult at times, but mostly fantastic. And now with our little daughter we couldn't think of anything better than chilling tonight having dinner with her in the bouncer near us, babbling away and tossing us those beautiful smiles. Or her new favorite look…
the "what are you doing mama?"
A not so manly vest.
Remember this yarn? I wanted to knit it up ASAP to see if I liked knitting singles, so I could see if I should spin some more. Turns out I do like knitting singles, a lot. I made up a quick little vest from a free pattern I found online. It's called the manly vest, hehehe.
I was so happy with this knit that I actually took the girl out to go look for buttons!
The trip went great!
I consider the quilt shop not walkable alone so we went in the car. I was so pleased she did not scream the whole time. So pleased that later we went through the drive through at DQ for a Blizzard, we are so brave.
Who is the cutest baby ever? Who? Ah my sweet tutu.
Oh and she has a newly developing trick:
Grabbing things! Had to flash her because the swing was moving. She loves this toy from Sarah, it's perfect for her dainty little hands.
I am loving each day more and more with her. You know that giddy butterfly stomach you get when you know something awesome is going to happen? I swear I feel like that every day with Tuesday. She is so sweet and I love playing with her. I love cuddling her, changing her, nursing her, bathing her. I love everything about her! I must post video soon she really is the cutest little bird ever (says her mama :).
My little reader
Okay NOW you can call me a super crafty genius
All the time I am doing dead easy craft projects and I get the, "oh I could never do that." And, "you're so crafty." True I like doing crafty things, but I'd like to point out that I usually stay on the easy side of the street. In my knitting, for example, I've never even done color work or cables. Knit and pearl baby. Anyway I have to say with this completed project I do feel quite awesome. It took way longer than I thought, but I love the results!
I know, I know you're not supposed to have bumpers. But I give you the amazing Tudini:
Those are her legs… in a swaddle me! I did rescue her right after I snapped this picture with my iPhone. She is so clever with her moving around. So I made this really thin, and checked by trying to roll her next to the side. I really do not see how she would suffocate. Anyway she sleeps in a little baby positioner so she can't move side to side, just down.
She really seems to like it. Which is good because it took forever and was way harder than I thought it was going to be.
My favorite block. So first I pieced those blocks. I didn't measure or anything. Just cut strips of fabric and played around with them on my felt board. That was problem one. The blocks didn't line up right so I had to put in extra pieces of fabric (like you see there – the stripe of big dot). I couldn't find a batting that would work either. My mom went to all the trouble of getting me an organic mattress and pad for this thing so I didn't want to have her be surrounded by polyester. Sciarrino solved this problem by getting me some Timtex (the stiff stuff you use in handbags). So next to Tuesday and backing the blocks is cotton batting (thin) and then behind that is the Timtex.
The hard thing was figuring out how to get all the pieces together. I ended up making tubes, and then stuffing one before connecting the next. I added the ribbons as I went around too:
Ribbon is double faced satin from the Ribbon Jar. For the one open corner I did half the ribbon on one side and half on the other. I also used little piping for the top to make it look more finished (also from the Ribbon Jar). I've never used piping before. I might use it on everything now! It's so fun to finish a seam this way. LOVE IT. And since I had the machine out I finally put in the ribbon ties on the inside of that sleeper I made Tuesday when she was in my belly. Since she looked so cute I had Bj take a picture of us:
Ah my little Sparkly Pants how I love thee. Also I like how my hair cowlick looks like a curl! Then we tried to take a family portrait:
Hehehe
Today was great all the way around. Besides that project (which I finished during Tuesday's 3 HOUR NAP), I also go the cutest mail ever!
Nancy sent me these from Canada. OH HOLY CUTENESS BATMAN! I had to put them out so I can look at them all the time. They are so soft and sweet. I had Tuesday feel them and she made her cute "ohhhh" face. Seriously Nancy thank you so much, we love these little Canadian cuties!
Then my mom came to go on a walk while the sun was peaking out (it's raining again now). It was great, we saw a young friend of mine who I used to baby sit when she was a baby and is now in high school. Crazy how time goes. Then this evening our friend's came over (baby William, his parents and his grandma). We just ordered pizza and chatted. Very relaxing and fun. I have nothing planned tomorrow (except some quickbooks stuff, ugh).
Oh and I can't believe I forgot to take pictures yesterday. We spent the day in Portland visiting my grandma, aunt, cousin, and my dear friend Carmen on her layover back home to Alaska. I miss you Carmen! Give your belly a couple pats from me and Tuesday!
Double as Cute
It was so wonderful out yesterday. Sunny, happy, beautiful weather. Erin came to visit us and kept an eye on the little miss while I had a cavity filled (I blame the coca cola during pregnancy). After getting some work done we headed outside to walk around. Everyone had the same idea, as we came back to the house my friend Donna came by with William and my neighbor across the street was taking the first walk with her newborn. Since both William and Tuesday were awake and relatively happy we took advantage:
Donna says these are William's fat man pants, hehehe. He is two weeks older and so cute! Looks like I need to knit him a bigger hat! Tuesday always looks so surprised to be next to another a baby. Since Erin was here I not only got to eat two real meals (and really yummy she brought us potato chowder and enchiladas) I also got to take beauty shots of some new yarn I made:
I think this will be a cute little vest for Tuesday. I'm really liking spinning singles and leaving them that way instead of just plying my yarn.
Knitting and Spinning and Knitting and Spinning
Those have been the main crafty activities since Tuesday was born. Mostly because I can knit while I nurse her and I keep the wheel out. So combine those two things and you have hand knits… in handspun! My favorite combo. Remember those scrappies from Funky Carolina? Well I made yarn with them!
And I made a hat with that:
And then I put the hat on my baby:
And then took a million pictures of her:
"Ohhh I'm looking at my frog toy."
"I figured out that these things are my HANDS! And I can make them do what I want! Like go in my mouth."
Want more, check out my flickr. I went nuts. Okay wait one more for the blog:
She's so tall she's going to grow out of this sleeper way before I want her to. I'm thinking of cutting the bottom half off and making a long sleeved tee for her out of it. That would be easy right? I have been sewing:
Tuesday checks out the progress on her bumper (see more here). She likes to wake up with her legs through the rails of her cradle, which freaks me out. And she gets like that completely swaddled. I guess she is crazy busy even in her sleep. Okay back to the spinning. I've finished a few other yarns since she's been born:
444 yards of a 3-ply. Hopefully enough for a jacket for Tuesday. I've spun two others also. I'm only wanting to knit with the handspun. Problem? Well it's not the best for new moms (these have all been handwash only yarns). I just stick all these knits in the bathtub until I have a batch to do, but I can't expect my friends to do the same thing. So I think I might have to see if I have more superwash fiber in my stash and get cooking on some of that. Of course I can always stick to my sock yarn. I've got a couple things on the needles. And three babies due soon. We'll see what I can whip up.
Knit baby love
I started knitting up a baby surprise jacket for my neighbor across the street. She just had a baby boy, I'm so excited for another baby friend for Tutu. While I was trying to get Tuesday to model the jacket I realized if I wanted her to have one I had better start on it ASAP. Here is our new friend's:
(with vintage buttons from great grandma's box) And here is Tuesday's:
(with random buttons from the box because I didn't have enough to match) I love knitting these out of Socks that Rock Mediumweight. It takes maybe a little over 75% of a skein and they knit up so fast. I've never had pooling issues either, must be the stitch count. (Rav them: the Mossay one, the purple one). My new project had me rethinking my intelligence and led to this contraption:
So I started this blanket and only had one of the skeins balled, just thought I'd do the other one later (hey Tuesday was screaming to be fed and I just had to grab some knitting). Well duh, you can't because the project twist around the swift. I was proud that I at least figured this part out, I was almost ready to rip out the whole thing (I had just started, but casting on in the round is always the hardest part for me). Anyway the blanket is the best and MOST mindless knitting ever!
All you do is rotate the colors every two rows, the first of which you increase (knit into front and back) on each end of each needle (later before and after a stitch marker because I switched to circular needles – thanks Tracy and Mom). Before you think I'm some kind of genius I totally copied this idea from SpiderWomanKnits' project. She also suggests a garter stitch bind off, which I think I'll do in a coordinating semi-solid. I've cranked out quite a lot of this already (picture is a few days old).
But that's not all on the knitting front!
My mom made this jumper for Tuesday with sock yarn held double. It is so genius because she made the straps long and the buttons are secured about halfway down. As she grows I'll move the buttons and it can become more of a tunic. I bet she can wear this for at least a year. I have a ton of sock yarn so I'm thinking about making a whole rainbow of these I love it so much. I want to figure out how to tweak the pattern to knit in the round, anyone taken a dress to be knit in pieces and done that before? I imagine it's just a matter of putting some of the strap stitches on holders, right?
Okay so apparently the swap is a bit confusing. Basically you get something like this:
Mmm new Funky Carolina fiber. Send it in, and it will be split up along with all the other fiber we get. And you'll get something like this:
The first batch of the Funky Carolina Scrappies Club. I already spun these because I stayed up for three hours after Sparkly Pants went to sleep (so dangerous, but luckily besides an hour in the middle of the night when I thought maybe she wouldn't go back to sleep, she slept until nine). So if that sounds like fun to you here is the link to our Rav group.
Now I'm off to work on another project. Sciarrino TOTALLY READ MY MIND and called me right when I was going to call her and about the SAME THING and to that I say freaky! And awesome. So now I have the supplies for a bumper coming my direction and a sewing partner, SCORE!