belle epoque

So remember how I said the Stella Pixie Hat was my favorite hat ever? Well, I just finished a Norwegian Baby Cap for a friend’s baby and I think it takes the cake


And one without the baby in it, if you like that sort of thing.

Of course this is for someone else, so I will have to make another for Miss E, or perhaps even a grown-up sized one for myself! I did make some changes to the pattern, and the details are over on Ravelry. I’m putting off the kitchener stitch on the other Pixie Hat I had on the needles, but once I do that I will be almost done with my WIPs! Next I’m going to make something for myself…

Thank you guys for the warm welcome back! I have put off posting to show you something finished. But I’ve been putting it off too long so thought I’d show you my little heap of works in progress

There’s another crop of babies coming from my friends, meaning I’m working on three baby hats at the same time. I have a bad habit of starting a bunch of projects at once, which means everything goes more slowly, I get bored and I want to start yet another something new. A good reason that, given my druthers and a craft room, I’m a machine sewing person rather than a knitting person– I just knit too slowly to suit my butterfly mind. But I shall persevere until these hats are done, then not do another baby hat for awhile! I’m thinking about a simple pull-over cotton sweater for HMB, as she seems to like pullovers, and it will be good for the ever-chilly SF summer. Plus will go faster than the totally stalled adult sweater I’m working on and considering frogging…

I’ve been given a delicious pile of craft books by a lovely friend, which are SO inspiring, so hopefully I’ll be back shortly with some book talk, if not a small project or two.

What a long maternity break from blogging that was! If I am still showing up on your feed readers, thank you for waiting for me and coming back! I’ve been busy taking care of these two for the past few months

Miss S. has been joined by Miss E, also known as “Her Nibs.” Miss E came right on her due date, December 17th, all by herself. After a rocky 6 week adjustment period, we’ve all been getting along splendidly for the most part. I think I showed you guys the Stella Pixie hat I made for Her Nibs before she was born. I liked it then but felt lukewarm about it. But people, on a baby?! Holy Moly

It is hands down the most complimented thing I have ever made! It is also perfect for carrying a wee one in a bjorn– it covers both neck and the entire head/ear area and doesn’t come off when they move their little noggins around. I love it so much. And of course the little fuzzy head it covers.

As that little fuzzy head is currently occupying a crib in my former craft room, all the crafting I’ve been doing is knitting and handwork, but I have been doing it! For Miss S’s second birthday(yes! she is TWO!) I made her a little family of piggies

This pattern came from one of my latest favorite knitting books, Knitted Animals by Anne-Dorthe Grigaff. The designs are super-simple and easy but so very charming. The quality of the yarn makes all the difference– the piggies were knit with a lovely angora blend that is super-soft.

I’ve got a ton of other projects in the works, including my very first sweater, for me! And some older projects I never managed to blog about before my baby-break. I’ve missed this space, and you guys! I’ll be back soon…

So, I’ve got HMB’s basket of knit vegetables all ready to go- just have to think of a clever way to wrap them for Christmas-

with a garden stowaway

The veggies are all from patterns in Amigurumi Knits, and the snail is from this adorable free pattern.

I realised that Twosie should have a few presents under the tree too, so I got the chance to make the Toadstool Baby Rattle that I’ve had my eye on at the Purl Bee since they first posted it

I put a nice jingly cat toy in the cap and hopefully this baby will not be allergic to wool so she can play with it!

Moondoggie is away for the weekend, meaning both that HMB will be missing daddy, and, as an upside, there might be some time for sewing around here after HMB goes to bed– if so I have a bunch of things in the works that I’ll hopefully be able to finish and show you next week. In the meantime, I hope you all have happy and crafty weekends!

I’m still here! I haven’t had the other baby super early or anything, I’ve been knitting obsessively. It must be an hormonal thing– I just can’t stop. I have a painstakingly made Waldorf rag doll finished for HMB and she is totally nakey because I just keep knitting and don’t make time to sew her tiny little clothes.

Anyway, I’ll show you what I’ve got– first what I’ve made for Twosie (second baby), the adorable Stella Pixie Hat from Vintage Knits

and Saartje’s Bootees to match

And of course HMB couldn’t be left out of the knitting action and got a little vest

Which she modeled for me while saying “cheese”, though it looks like she is growling

I’m still obsessively knitting– nearly finished with a somewhat full complement of vegetables from Amigurumi Knits for HMB’s Christmas gift. I’ve just got the garlic left to go… I’ll show you those guys when they’re done, and then hopefully I’ll be able to dress the poor cold rag doll and show her off too.

This one has been popping up all over the crafty interwebs, and I was so excited to get my hot little hands on it!

Hand-Stitched Felt by Kata Golda.

These projects are all so charming and simple. I think they would be terrific not only as gifts for children (and grown-ups who appreciate the sweet), but also as first sewing projects for a child who is ready to hold a needle and thread. They are all the more darling for any mistakes or imperfections, and utterly satisfying and frustration-free to stitch together. I made three of the sweet finger puppets that are featured on the book jacket

They took almost no time to make–just a few snips and a few stitches, then instant gratification! I’ll also be making a little “bed” for them so I can roll them up together and pop them in HMB’s stocking for Christmas…

I’m sorry to be posting this so much later than I heard about it, but I’ve been on a knitting binge– as it is a craft I can do while I lie in bed, watching shows on Hulu or Netflix while HMB naps (I’m a lazy sort of pregnant lady). Anyway, the wonderful folks over at Melanie Falick Books are offering a TON of really great patterns from their beautiful books *for free* over on their website. Go check it out! Some of my very favorite craft books are from this publisher(promise, I don’t work for them!), and the patterns they’re offering for free are great, for sewing, knitting, hand printing and more. I’ve already made this one with a few changes

and I’m working on this one. I actually own Vintage Baby Knits and couldn’t recommend it more–the patterns are charming and at the least the ones I’ve tried are cleverly constructed and pretty quick and easy for patterns that call for small yarns and needles. And I’m *not* a great, patient or detail-oriented knitter.

At our most recent Waldorf cooking class, HMB wore her new fall outfit

and we made some apple muffins and a very simple fall mobile out of twigs, roving and embroidery floss. It may be that I’ve just drunk the Waldorf kool-aid, but I find the mobile really charming– such simple materials, sort of thrown together (HMB doesn’t always have a lot of patience with me crafting, even in a room full of toys and other toddlers), and without any conscious intention on my part, it turned out reminding me of fall fairies or elementals

I realise, however, that with the kool-aid factor, I could be imagining that and it just looks like bits of fluff tied to a stick. What I know for sure is that the muffins were delicious, and since not everyone has a Waldorf cooking class at their disposal, I’ll share the recipe they taught us. They are also quite healthy, as muffins go, and if you like you can put the batter in a baking dish and make it more like a nice moist bread.

SF Waldorf School Apple Muffins
Wet ingredients (mix in bowl together)
4 eggs
1 cup melted butter
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla
Dry ingredients (mix in bowl together)
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups oats
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Fruit- fold in at end
4 cups peeled, chopped apples(you could also use pears or whatever you like)

Pre-heat oven to 400. Add wet ingredients to dry, mixing gently until they are just combined. Fold in apples. Spoon batter into greased mini muffin cups (or pour into a greased baking pan) and bake for 25 minutes. They will still be moist when fully baked, but the tops should be a nice golden brown and firm.

I don’t know if I’ll ever get it done properly, but I’m working on a tutorial for the Playground Purse– it will not be for the faint-hearted seamstress, as it involves 2 different zipper setting techniques and a little bit of manipulation to get the strap sewed on, but hopefully I’ll be able to make it make sense with lots of pictures. Anyhow, in the meantime, hopefully you’ll enjoy some nice fall muffins!

I’ve been trying to make HMB one or two new outfits a season. I’m guessing spring might get a miss, seeing as a tiny wee someone will be sleeping in what is currently, but not for long, the craft room. But for the moment, I’m halfway through the two outfits I have planned for fall/winter, but I figured I’d just show them to you one at a time.

It is a larger size of my favorite wide-leg pants pattern (self-drafted) and a onesie appliqued using Heat’n'Bond light and then blanket stitched by hand.

I also stitched some pretty ribbon (bought pre-baby at the wondrous Alameda Flea Market, where I hope to go again one day) close to the pants hem

Easy to make and very practical for a busy little girl who is always on the go (skirts are a no-go, and dresses are ok if they’re made of jersey and worn with leggings), and who is calling to let me know that naptime is over! Hope you are all having a happy, crafty week!

One of the highlights of our fall season is another set of mama/baby classes at the San Francisco Waldorf School. HMB and I are taking a seasonal cooking class, and a craft class. She eats at least two portions of everything we make in the cooking class (apple crisp! porridge!), and is surprisingly willing to be patient while I knit with the other mamas in the craft class(perhaps the lovely handmade dolls to play with, and the promise of yet another yummy snack at the end of class helps with that?). Anyway, I finished my first project for the knitting class just this week– a very easy and adorable tam for the little miss

It’s of a golden Debbie Bliss alpaca/silk blend, and she was also surprisingly willing to model it for me, from the front

from the back

and in motion

And then she whipped it off her head with a quick “Bye bye!” and used it as a bag to carry around her tiny plastic Elmo. It is large enough to have quite a bit of wear in it, so hopefully it will still fit when she’s a bit more willing to wear hats for real.