More Multi-tasker Totes

I can finally show you pictures of something!



It's taken a while, but I finally finished another Multi-tasker Tote by Anna Maria Horner.

I cut out the first pieces I think a month ago, but I didn't start actually sewing until last week.



I had it almost all finished yesterday. I just needed to stitch up the opening in the lining.
I was gonna do that last night, but Rickard insisted on watching a movie (Star Trek - oh woe be me ;-) ) and it was too dark, plus I couldn't concentrate on the awesome of the movie.

Once the movie was finished I stitched the seam up and it was ready for a test drive today.



In hindsight I should have interfaced the pocket pieces too. The fabric I used is a bit too thin for this bag. But it will make a great knitting bag this fall.

It goes really well with my new purse. I bought that from Marieliz on Etsy. Amazingly talanted woman (runs in the family).




I'm debating ripping out the straps on the tote and replace it with something brown like in the purse.
What do you think?

Isabel's Milk&Lingonberry cardi

No pictures yet, but Isabel's cardigan is coming along nicely. I tried it on her this morning and I think I just have 2 or 4 more rounds to go before I can set thearm stitches on hold and knit the skirt part.

I wanted to make a different lace pattern on Isabel's cardigan, but I think I'll use the same as for Sofia's.
I might change my mind if I can come up with some nice cables or an easy lace pattern before it's time to start the skirt.

The yarns she chose work so well together. I most definitely would not have chosen those so I'm glad she came along to pick the colours herself.

She looked very pleased this morning when we tried it on for size.

I wish I had something picture-ish to show you but instead I hope you can hold out for another week or so until I can show you the logo I worked on this weekend for The Project.

I'll see if I have enough light this afternoon to take a picture of my progress.

New plans - again

Finally, 1 year later I managed to get things rolling on my big Project.

Rickard is helping me out with the tech stuff. I'm sure I could get that done sort of but he is amazing that way.
Plus I think he thinks it's fun.

So watch this space cause things will soon look rather different here ...

Yay!

Sewing day

Last year Rickard and I gave each other alone time for Christmas. One Saturday every other month we're free to do what ever we want for a day without having to mind the kids.

Today was my day and I took the opportunity to get a hair cut and then go back home and sew.

I had cut out some pattern pieces this week so I could just sit down and sew.



I made this bag from some left-over, gorgeous Lantern Bloom fabric I bought for a quilt. I used the Phoebe bag pattern by Artsy-Crafty Babe.

I've not had a lot of experience making bags. I made a Multi-tasker tote by Anna-Maria Horner but that was about it.
But the Phoebe bag was very easy to put together. The directions were easy to follow and I made the bag from start to finish (not counting cutting time) in about 2,5 hours.

I didn't have a magnetic snap so I used a closure I bought for a cardigan I'm knitting for Sofia. I'll have to get another on Monday cause her cardi needs two.

I made some other stuff too but I'll have to wait posting about that cause it's a secret.

I have more Lantern Bloom remnants and I plan on making another Multi-tasker tote but I haven't cut out the pieces yet. I started cutting the exterior when I cut for the Phoebe bag but I never finished the job, and now it's really too late to be cutting fabric. I'll only mess it up.



This is Isabel's doll quilt, finished. I have one more for Sofia to quilt but I haven't gotten to that yet. I think I'm gonna tie that one instead.



Here's a close-up I took of Isabel's quilt while trying out the manual focus function on our camera.
I just discovered it - we've had the camera for 4 years. Yes I've run it on Automatic basically since. I'm challenged when it comes to photography.

The evening ended with delicious bulgur and kefta for a late dinner while watching Brüno. Yeah, not the best combo. That movie was disgusting at times. Mostly in regards to other people's behaviour - not necessarily Brüno's.

My Creative Space 2009 Aug 20th

I'm joining Kirsty's My Creative Space again this Thursday.



This week I'm trying to get into the spirit of quilting. I bought those gorgeous prints and I'm planning on making a quilt for our sofa.

Tonight I cut the first strips to make up the side panels.

I think the top will come together fairly quickly - I'm most worried about quilting the d--ned thing.

But I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. For now I have to find the time to piece the top.

2 more Fridas

This weekend was spent in the garden mostly.

We built a fence last year that needed oil this year and since we were rained out on Saturday we spent a glorious Sunday outside oiling the fence.
Or rather the husband and my FIL - and the girls.

Saturday night after the in-laws had left after putting some sausages on the grill I started another Frida for Sofia and got it almost finished that night.

On Sunday morning when the guys were outside painting I sneaked off to the studio and finished Sofia's Frida and then started one for Isabel.



Rickard too the girls to his parents in the evening but I opted on staying home due to laundry malfunctioning. As in we hadn't gotten around to do any of it.

Sofia wore her Frida to dinner on Sunday and Isabel's was finished later in the evening.
They wore them to preschool on Monday and they looked adorable (as always ;-) )

My creative space 2009 Aug 13th

Today I got in the zone after picking the girls up at preschool/daycare. I finished a tote bag I started yesterday.

And to top it all off I made two quilt tops for the girls' dolly push chairs. Both tops are done and basted. I can't decide if I should quilt them or tie them.
I'm also short on binding fabric ... I'd prefer not to have to buy more.

The tops are made from a charm pack of "Look and learn" by American Jane. I didn't follow a pattern, just winged it and I think it turned out quite well. This one is for my big girl and I made another in blue and green for her little sister.

Still work in progress though ..

Check out other creative spaces at Kootoyoo's

Multi-tasker tote by Anna Maria Horner

I'm sort of always on the look out for the great bag.

I have one that I love and that really fits all my needs at the moment but who doesn't need another bag?

So when I saw Anna Maria Horner's Multi-tasker tote I decided to try it out.



I had the exterior fabric in my stash and I had been looking for the right thing to use it for. I had contemplated making a few funky wetbags for a friend but when I got the pattern for the MTT I knew it was the right thing to use.

I didn't feel the need to match the exterior panels since the pattern is fairly busy and I also wanted to showcase as many of the tattooed girls as possible.



The tote feels like a good size and the straps are a good length even for me. Usually tote bags don't go over my shoulder and I end up having to carry them making them drag in the dirt since the straps are too long for that.

I like the construction of the bag too. Just when you feel that you'll never get this bag together the right way everything just falls into place.

If I make another one (and I can definitely see more of these in my future) I will add a few more pockets to the interior, but for now this will be just right.



I'm trying this one out tomorrow!

My creative space - a day late

I decided to get some knitting done tonight and sit outside in the sunset instead of being inside sewing (although that's fun too).

I'm knitting the Sylvi (Ravelry link) and I've gotten 16 rows done on the back piece.

I've done cables before but never on this scale, but I'm amazed at how easy it is. Sure it takes a lot of concentration (not exactly TV-knitting) and it's rather complicated but once I figured out how to read the chart it made a lot of sense and it became easy.

Spruce it up with lanterns and bird cages

Ever since we moved in 2 years ago I've wanted to brighten up our living room.

When we moved in we had a white/off-white sofa from IKEA that looked sad. So this January we ordered a new, shiny black leather sofa with a foot stool and I had big plans to add some more colour.

I had stretched a piece of fabric over a wooden frame and hung it on the wall but the place needed something more.

Then I took up quilting and after both girls had gotten their quilts I set out on a quest to find fabric and a pattern that I could live with.

That was this winter.

I finally found what I was looking for.

The gorgeous fabric line, Lantern Bloom by Laura Gunn for Michael Miller Fabrics.

It's got gorgeous colours and sophisticated patterns that will add just the right palette to our living room.
So I ordered fabric to make the quilt and some extra prints to have room for some throw pillows and maybe to stretch over another frame.

I ordered the fabric last week from Fat Quarter Shop in Texas and I hope it'll arrive this week.

The quilt top looks easy enough to finish in a day, and since all the fabric I'll use is new I don't plan to pre-wash it but rather let it wrinkle up as it wish.

I can see the finished result before me, let's just hope it all lives up to my expectations.

Making dresses ...

Last year when I started stashing fabric (to my husband's gentle frustration) I found a lovely fabric from Alexander Henry called Baby Berry.

I ordered a yard (along with a bunch of other yard cuts) with the intention to make something for our kitchen from it. Like a table runner or a tea cosy or something like that.
The fabric was way too thin for that though and at the time I was more into collecting fabric than actually making something from it.

But a year later my fabric stash is growing at an alarming rate and I really need to get started on using it.
Don't get me wrong I love fabric fondling and I could content myself on doing that, but I fear my husband will stop feeling gentle frustration and move onto something else if I don't start using it.

So lately I've been on a sewing binge. I bought a bunch of patterns from different designers' and I've been keeping busy.

I've been off work for a week starting last Monday and I definitely caught the sewing bug.
I traced the pattern for Patty Young's Frida one evening and picked out the Baby Berry and a green/white seersucker fabric I've had lying around (they were gonna be curtains) for a few months.
I took time out during the day to sew up the bodice for the Frida but had to put it aside since we were going to dinner at a friend's house.

We came home again late last night and I was fondling the fabrics and looking at the pattern pieces I had cut out. And then I thought - I can sew the pocket on. So I did. Then I thought sewing the ruffle strip together wouldn't take that long or serging the edges.
Then I might as well sew the gathering seams too.

And before I knew it the dress was done and the time was ... way past my bed time. At least the birds hadn't started singing again ...



I made the dress for Sofia who turned two last month. But since I have a taller-than-average-husband she needed the 4T/5T size ... no point in making a dress for her if she's not gonna be able to use it for at least a few months (which is the reason I prefer to put my time and effort into making dresses for Isabel - then Sofia will be able to inherit them and I'll get more mileage out of them)



I thought the dress would be too long and that I would have to make some pleats in the skirt ... after trying it on her I don't think so anymore.

Now - I have already picked out a fabric combo for a Frida for Isabel. But the pattern doesn't come in a big enough size for her so I will have to grade it myself.
I'm still working on that.

Twirlyness

Today was my final day on my own. The rest of the family left for the in-law's cabin on Monday and I hadn't seen them for almost a week.

I had fully intended to start sewing in the morning but it was still too hot and the thought of sitting down at the machine with a hot iron right next to me wasn't tempting.



But after they had arrived home, eaten lunch and Sofia had napped they headed for the public pool and I could get a few moments to myself again and since Sofia had been presented with a cami and panties right before they left I wanted to make Isabel something too.

I had decided on using some of my Freshcut-fabric from Heather Bailey. And I had decided on making a circle skirt.



I measured Isabel's waist (or the place on her body that has to double as waist since she wants to have all her pants and skirts fall on her hips) and the approximate length of the skirt.

I couldn't make the skirt longer than 12" because of the width of the fabric so I had to add a hem band and I think the dress looks a lot more finished than if I had gone without it. I considered doing the hem band ruffled but decided against it mostly cause I hate to gather fabric.

A circle skirt is the epitome of twirlyness and when you're almost 5 years old that is important.



It also makes your hips dance ...

Cherry currant cordial

Tonight I made cordial using black currants and black cherries my FIL gave us 2 years ago.

They've been sitting in the freezer taking up space since then and now they had to be used or be thrown out.

I just did a basic "boil berries with water-strain- bring to the boil and add sugar"-cordial. Only this time I boiled the mash one extra time to really get every last bit of juice out.

I'll have to check the cordial tomorrow because currants are a great pectin agent and can easily make the cordial jell as it cools. Plus I boiled the cherries with the pits which also adds in the pectin.

From the left over mashed berries I made a sort of jam-mush. I pressed the berries through a sieve, removing the pits as I found them.
It was boring work so I didn't do it for very long. I got enough mush to put in a 10 oz jar.
To sweeten it I brought some water to the boil and added double the amount of sugar and let it all boil for a minute or two then let it cool slightly before I added a few tablespoons to the mush.

The mush won't last that long unless you freeze it so we'll use it on the oatmeal or yogurt for breakfast over the next few days.
It tasted divine on piece of toast tonight and I'm sure it would be great to fill a cake with.

My Creative Space June 11th

After a few weeks of sewing clothes for the girls I have started sewing smaller projects.

I bought a pattern for a sewing bag about a year ago and made two bags rather quickly after that.
Then I lost the pattern and no matter how much I searched I couldn't find it.

Cue to a week ago when I decided to clean up my sewing room and sure there it was. Tucked in between two other patterns in a ziploc-bag.

So yesterday I started cutting fabrics for another bag. This one will be a gingham/checkered outside with apple pockets and apple pie lining.

I have fabric combos to make 2 or three more bags but I haven't cut fabric for those.

Kyoko for Isabel

Late last night I finished the Kyoko for Isabel.

I have agonized over this dress for over a week, ever since the pattern dropped into my mail box.
I had a fabric combo set up that I was gonna use but I wasn't 100 % convinced it would be perfect.



I had intended to use the green Kokeshi-fabric and the pink dotted fabric for the skirt and the darker green for bias trim, but then I had second thoughts.
The darker green would look nice in a Kyoko for Sofia and I have more than 1 yard of it so it would be a shame to cut it up and make trim of it.
Then I feared I didn't have enough of the green Kokeshi anyway to use for the skirt pieces.

The pattern doesn't say how much fabric the skirt requires - probably because you can configure the skirt as you like. But it threw me for a loop for a bit. I found an orange fabric that I liked with the dolls but I didn't have enough unless I turned the pattern pieces 90 degrees and I didn't like how the fabric stretched on the cross grain.
Then I recalled I had the black Kokeshi fabric and that it would look quite cool to use them together.



So I measured and puzzled the pattern pieces on the green fabric I had and made it all fit. Now all I needed was trim.



I bought a package of three coordinating fabrics at a crafts fair in April and I had intended to make YoYos of it. The orange fabric I had considered for the skirt came in that pack.
It also had a dotted fabric that I liked and when I put it next to the Kokeshi-dolls it just matched. There was a green dot in the fabric that was the *exact green of the background for the dolls. And almost all the other colours in the dotted fabric was repeated somewhere in the dolls' outfits.
Perfect.

Now Patty had said you needed 1 yard of it to make trim for the dress. And I had 30 cm (12 inches). But I figured I could at least use it for trim of the sleeves and the bodice. So I cut it all up and made bias binding of it.
I didn't realise I like to make biniding. It's sort of relaxing. Strange.

The dress came together beautifully even though I had a brain fart and forgot to finish the seam in the sleeves. I may have to amend that.
Last night I gathered the skirt and attached it to the bodice. Perfect timing for today's birthday party.

But I still needed fabric for the obi-sash. I had intended to use a piece of stretchy thin denim I had at home but when I took it out I realized I had used it for a dress for Sofia and I couldn't find a large enough continuous piece to make the obi.

But I had the orange fabric.



So instead of going to bed like I intended I cut out the pieces for the obi and finished it too.

I love how this dress turned out. The pattern was well written and all the pictures made it easy to follow. It was a fun project to make.

I will need to lengthen the obi for Isabel if I make another one. I also need to make the bodice a little longer. She's normally a size 134 for length but she's rather slim so the 122 is ok for girth. Although the obi was on the short side.

I'm making one for Sofia next. As soon as my order from Heather Bailey arrives.

I think I'll measure her before I cut the obi for her. Maybe I need to lengthen it too.

Lunch

My Creative Space June 4th

I'm joining in with Kootoyoo's My Creative Space again this week.

Working from home yet again - maybe I can make a habit of it.

This week I'm making a Kyoko for my big girl which involved a bit of jigsaw-puzzles to make the pattern pieces fit. I *think* I have it figured out I just need to mark it and see that I'm right.

I'm not sure about the dark green geisha fabric - I was gonna use it for bias trim but I'm not convinced ... I may have to go to the fabric store *oy vey*.

I will need something for the sash - I was planning on denim, but the piece I had at home had been cut into and I couldn't find a continuous piece that would fit.
Plus I need ribbon too so - a trip to the fabric store it is.

After the weekend's birthday celebrations (the little one is turning 2)

I wasn't planning on entering the heart challenge - but when I looked closer there happened to be sort of a heart in the picture (the top of one at least).

My Sewing Room disaster ...

I took a cue from the Domestic Diva and started organizing my sewing room last night when Rickard was at an office party.

I got some head way and it's already looking better. Well, half the room is .. or one third.

My sewing room doubles as an office so I have a long table with my computer at one end and my sewing machine on the other.





On the other side I have a nice cutting/work table that my husband built me from four old kitchen cabinets and some pine board.



The third wall is made up of a book case, an armoire and a CD-tower and in front of (and blocking) all of that - my ironing board.



I cleared the work table last night and organized the shelves above and I'm really happy with how it's turning out.

I'm still not done so I haven't taken any after shots. That will be remedied as soon as I'm somewhat done.

More creativity

Now Isabel's got a birthday dress too ... This one took a little longer but I like it so much!

On second thought I think Sofia's dress became too big so I may have to draft a smaller size and make another for her ... maybe this weekend.

I also whipped up something I've been thinking about for a while.



I took some scraps, cut them randomly with my pinking shears then sewed them to a Moleskine with a wide zigzag.



To protect the stitching on the inside I glued on some pretty paper.

My Creative Space May 28th

I've wanted to join in on Kootoyoo's My Creative Space for a while now, but everytime I see it I'm at work and when I get home at night I never get around to actually take pictures of what ever it is I'm doing.

But today I'm working from home and I think I can take time out to do this.

Tonight I'll be making a dress for my big girl and I took out some fabrics to chose from.

The pattern is from an Ottobre magazine and I already tried the pattern here.

I hope this is a turning point for me. I sewed the dress last night and I felt so calm and content doing it. I forgot how much I like sewing.

Birthday dress

Every little girl needs a new dress for her birthday. And if it's home made the better.

Sofia's 2nd birthday is next Friday and this morning I decided she needed a birthday dress.



So tonight after dinner I sneaked away into the sewing room and started drafting the pattern. It's from Ottobre Design's latest issue. I used model 18 which is basically a pillowcase dress.

There were 3 variations and I chose the sleeveless one in size 104. I think it will be a bit too big for her this summer but come fall I'm sure it will fit nicely.

I used some Robert Kaufmann fabric (Kleo and Bangle Dot in Sage) that I bought last year from an Etsy store to use for this very thing.

The dress came together really fast. I started copying the pattern at 7pm and the dress was finished at 9:45 pm.



I need a different drawstring because the colour on the satin ribbon isn't quite right, but I can't decide if I should make my own drawstring from the Bangle Dot fabric or if I should buy something.
I'm leaning towards the first option, but I'm planning on making a second dress for Isabel using the same fabric combination so I'll have to wait to make sure I have enough.

I'll try it on Sofia tomorrow and I hope she'll like it.

Caring and thoughtful

My daughter is almost 5 years old (less than 2 months left of the fours) and sometimes I and my husband find little presents under our pillows when we go to bed at night.



The latest present (I was typing last, but I hope it wasn't the last one) was this little faerie. She had coloured it and cut it out herself with her rounded left-handed scissors.
Daddy's was coloured pink and mine was a funkier black faerie.

I keep the drawings there as long as possible. They do tend to wear out. But I hope more will turn up by themselves.

And come to think of it. I do sleep better these days.

Consolidation

I've moved around some posts from my old blogs so that all are in this one.

I realised the biggest reason I wasn't posting was because I wasn't sure which blog to post to.

So I consolidated - problem solved.

We have a long weekend ahead due to Ascension Day. I hope to get some knitting done and maybe I'll plan for a new quilt.

I have a want-to-do-list a mile long. Best get started.



And just to be sure to have a picture - rhubarb and elderflower cordial. Homemade of course!

Absence

Since writing last I haven't been very crafty.

I started a new job in October and that's kept me fairly busy during the days and at night there are so many other things I have to do and crafting has to step back.

Now that we're moving into summer (we've had the most glorious weather the past weeks) and we have more light once again I might get started.

I need to clean up my sewing room. It's cluttered and messy and doesn't really invite to work in it.

I have a ton of projects on my list that I want to make. I think I have to prioritize so first up are our new kitchen curtains.

Isabel got new curtains last Sunday in celebration of her first lost tooth.



She accidentally swallowed it while stuffing her face with candy. But the Tooth Fairy accepted the little note that we put under the pillow and left a shiny golden coin on Isabel's window sill.

New dress

Three weeks ago I saw a knitted little dress at the LYS and fell for it immediately. I was a little reluctant about sizing though. I have a not-quite 2-year-old who is taller and heavier than many 3-year-olds I know, and the sizes on the pattern went only to 18 months.

But I did some swatching and some calculating and finally decided on knitting the largest size on 3.5 mm needles instead of the 3s the pattern called for. That gave me enough girth around waist and chest to fit her comfortably.

Normally I lose interest halfway up the back piece, but this time I finished the back in less than a week and when time came for me to go on a business trip I brought it along and knitted in the car (No, I wasn't driving) for the 2,5 hours it took to get there.
I also had plenty of time to do some knitting in the evenings. Both at the bar and in my room.

I quickly decided not to put sleeves on the dress (there were really cute puffed sleeves on the pattern) because I prefer the look above with a sleeveless dress with a little shirt underneath.

I sewed the sides together last evening and weaved in ends until 10:30 pm. This morning I dug through my (tiny) button supply and found a button that will work for now - I might buy a new one later - and Sofia got to wear the dress for daycare today.

She kept stroking it and twirling it so I think she liked it.

Pattern notes
Needles: 3.5 mm
Yarn: Kasper from Marks & Kattens, 4 skeins variegated and 1 skein solid
Size: 18 months (sized up to 2 years using lager needles)
Alterations: I lengthened the armholes and rather than struggling with adjusting the sleeves I opted on knitting the same lace pattern used for the neckline around the arm holes.
I knit the lace edging before sewing the sides together.

Christmas tree mat

Back at work after a gloriously long holiday vacation. It feels really weird.

I went to my local quilt shop on Monday with a frined who is starting her first quilt. I was surprised to see the winter sale there. I don't know why, I just never gave it much thought.
There were a few FQs there that caught my eye. Especially one of a Toy shop that you're supposed to turn into an Advent Calendar.
I was very good on Monday though and didn't buy a thing.

But then I saw this tree skirt on my Google REader-list and thought I should get around to make that tree mat I've been wanting to make for a while.

I figured if I start in January I'll have no excuse not to finish it before next Christmas.

So today at lunch I drove across town to get some fabric for the mat.

I ended up getting a book as well on basic patchwork techniques. It's by a Swedish author so I can't really link it.

There was a really nifty tip on how to easily make continuous bindingstrips that I'm eager to try out.

I think I'll give myself some time to get over being fed up with Christmas before I start it. I have to draft a pattern anyway so I think there'll be time.

Knitting progress

I've not knit anything on my Sylvi for a few days. Not really sure why.

I have to fix something with the sleeve - I started knitting is as a right sleeve, but I think I'll have to change it to the left sleeve.
And I found a mistake in the seed stitch that I have to fix before I get too far away from it.

Blech.

And it's not KnitNight for another week. I've not been for over a month. Sigh.

I did however organize my knitting basket by putting in a pocket to keep the patterns.



I need to make a different closure for the pocket and it's not normally this empty. But it looks so much neater than it did before.

Coat

I got a bit of a head start on my 2009 project. I'm knitting a Sylvi-coat for me.

For someone who's knitted a few hats and mittens but never finished a sweater this is a big deal.

I've done the cuff bands and I started the first sleeve. I also cast on and knit the first 4 rows of the back piece.

I'm excited to see what happens with this project. And I most definitely hope I'll finish it.

Knitting basket

I bought this spacious basket at IKEA a few weeks ago and it has resided in my living room ever since holding ever-growing amounts of yarn.

Today when I had a "day off" I decided to organize it a little better.



Ta da!

I added a pocket to hold my patterns and a pen and tape measure. I had plans to put in more pockets, but I need to figure out how to do it easily. This one got a bit fiddly because I did something wrong (I guess).
I need to fashion a better closure for the pocket too.

The fabric is Michael Miller's Knit Pirates in teal and brown.