Thank You Quilt for Rocking Horse Day Care

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this before, but crafting and quilting for me are kinds of therapy. Births, deaths, milestones of all kinds, and things that are meaningful to me - large or small - get transferred into some kind of quilt or craft endeavour. So when it became clear that Rory and Ewan's last day at their current daycare was looming, the only thing that seemed to "fit" for me was to make them a quilt.
I've had this quilt in my head since I found a variation of this pattern some years ago. But since I only seem to get things done when I have a deadline, it only just got made. Now, I don't do this sort of thing for every child care provider or agency that helps out with the kids. But Rocking Horse Day Care has been a part of our lives, on and off, for 8 years, and all four kids have spent time there. They have an incredible ability to make me feel like our kids are their favourites (though I know they probably make every parent feel that way). They have cared for our children with love and patience and energy and enthusiasm, and that is a blessing for our whole family.
Although I was certainly the prime mover in this quilt project, all of the kids had a hand in it. I got out my stash of quilt fabrics and had Rory choose his favourite (the border fabric with the chameleons and frogs). From there, I chose a bunch of co-ordinating fabric options and had the other kids make requests about what fabrics they particularly wanted included. The square of trucks and cars in the bottom left is Ewan's; Neva chose the turquoise, purple and red fabrics used in the main part of the panel; and Hugh requested the indigo fabric with the gold stars (seen in the border and as one of the stars around the "welcome" sign). And Jeffy, of course, provided lots of support along the way, both in the emotional department ("that's a fine looking quilt, sweetie") and the practical (doing extra driving so I could snag some extra kid-free sewing time). Truly a group effort.
I have no idea what the daycare will do with this piece, but ultimately it doesn't really matter: I've poured love and energy in to it, and have made my peace with the fact that the kids are moving on, and once it goes to them, it's theirs to do with as they choose. It is a gift filled with love and thanks to the people who have helped raise our children. Not enough, by any stretch, but a heartfelt token.

Grape Leaves Cardigan

I fell in love with this yarn some time ago - soft, bulky, great colours. It took me a loooooong time to find the right pattern for it, but I finally did find it. One of the pattern's appealing qualities was that it was touted as a "24-hour knit!" I knew that this would only be true for people who were fast knitters and/or who might have fewer than 4 young children at home, but still: it was a hopeful sign. I began this sweater on April 9; I finished it on June 2. Quite a few more than 24 hours, really. Part of that is my fault - I made some changes to the pattern which meant that I had to rip it out a couple of times to get the fit right - but ultimately I'm glad I did. I think it looks great, and it will be a perfect little sweater to throw on in the cool fall when I can't go outside without a coat or sweater, but don't need full-on fall or winter gear. I love it.
Pattern: Cumulus by Cirilia Rose for Berroco
Yarn: Malabrigo Aquarella in "Soriano" colourway

Backdoor Quilt Series: Beginnings

Many, many moons ago I made a fall quilt from a pattern called "Back Door Quilt Series: Be Thankful." I'm a sucker for all things Autumn, and this was right up my alley. My office at work had a perfect space of blank, bleak wall which was just calling out for some décor, and that autumn quilt fit the bill perfectly. I changed the lettering to "Thankfulness" (not wanting to be too pushy) and it still hangs there every fall.
The problem with seasonal quilts, however, is that (in my opinion) they look weird if they're hanging there out of season. So I duly designed and constructed a winter-themed one ("Tranquility") using the same basic principles, and it hangs there during the winter. And just this week - while I had a reduced child-care load over March Break thanks to various members of the Sheldrake family - I finished off this spring one: "Beginnings." The template is the same, but the design of the quilt part itself is totally from my own brain. This was a very organic process - I kind of faked my way through most of it - but I'm really thrilled with the results. One of the things I love about these quilts is the little bird that gets incorporated: a crow for fall, a cardinal for winter, and here - a robin for spring. The flowers are made following a couple of patterns in the Fabled Flowers book. I love it, and even though it's snowing outside today, it reminds me that spring is just around the corner.
Pattern: my own, but based on the Back Door Quilt Series
Fabrics: from my stash

Thank You Scarf

After Chris the librarian gave me her handspun and I turned it into my lovely Shalom Cardigan, I felt it was only right that I give her a little something in return. Karma, politeness, the Golden Rule - all would suggest that this is a good thing to do. Figuring out what to make was a bit of a trick, but eventually I settled on making her this infinity scarf. I used the same yarn I'd used for my Celtic Cardigan - it's Canadian, nice and thick, and a great mix of colours. Chris often wears a scarf when she's sitting at the front desk in the library, and she's a no-nonsense kind of person who would appreciate the simplicity of this scarf. These big cowls (or infinity scarves) are all the rage these days, and I can see why - they're big and warm and can be worn all kinds of different ways. I faked a pattern up - it's just a big loop of seed stitch - and knit until I felt it was big enough. I kind of love it myself, but I'm happy for Chris to have it, with my thanks!
Yarn: Fleece Artist Scotian Silk
Pattern: my own

Handspun Shalom Cardigan

At the last book club meeting at the Storrington Public Library, I brought my knitting. Chris the librarian said she had some yarn at home which she had spun ages ago and which she was never going to use, and did I want it? I said sure, thinking that would be the end of it, but the next time I went in to pick up my books: there it was. A bag of cream handspun think-and-thin yarn which Chris happily handed over to me. I did some research on Ravelry, weighed and measured the stuff, and figured out that my best bet was probably to make myself a Shalom Cardigan. I also decided to dye the stuff with Kool-Aid. The dyeing was an interesting process - it took a few tries and lots of grape powder mix - but eventually I ended up with a colour I liked (even if it was a bit uneven. Luckily the pattern could accommodate the patchy colour). I probably would never have tried this method if it hadn't been free yarn, but I'm very glad I did - it was really fun, and made the whole house smell like grape Kool-Aid! (The sweater still smells a bit like Kool-Aid as well, even though it's been well rinsed and blocked.) The sweater knit up quickly - it was a great pattern to work with - and overall I'm thrilled with the result.
Yarn: Chris the librarian's thick-and-thin handspun, dyed with Grape Kool-Aid by moi
Pattern: Shalom Cardigan by Meghan McFarlane

Hugh's Birth Announcement

What? Do you think I should have had his birth announcement finished and framed closer to his actual birth almost seven years ago? Well, you're probably right. But a few things happened in the intervening years (see: worldwide travel, buying and moving in to one house, buying and moving in to another house, and having two more children) and this little item kind of got lost in the shuffle. But: it's done now. And even if it's a little late in coming, the love that goes with it isn't diminished one whit.

Sparkly Scarf

One of the side effects of learning about the incredible knitting community online (mostly via Ravelry and the Yarn Harlot) was that I found a number of online yarn shops in Canada where I would, often, buy yarn on impulse. Their sale bins were no less appealing just because they were online. And so I acquired a number of things which - quite honestly - if I had seen them live and in person, I probably wouldn't have bought. This yarn was one of those impulse buys. The idea of sequined, beaded mohair sounded great, but when it arrived, it was the smallest skein of yarn I'd ever seen. Seriously - when I wound it up (and it was closer to dental floss than yarn in terms of thickness) the ball was no bigger than an apple. I had no idea what I was going to do with it - how I would stretch this tiny bit of luxury yarn into anything at all resembling anything useful. Still - I fell in love with it, and stashed it carefully where I wouldn't forget it. Eventually, I found this one row scarf pattern on Ravelry and decided that this was what my yarn was destined to become. I paired it with a plain brown sock yarn to give it some body, and knit until I ran out of yarn. I seamed the ends together and, voilà! A sparkly brown infinity scarf, large enough to go around my neck twice. I'm very, very pleased. But I've learned my lesson: buy most yarn in person unless you know the yarn well, or unless you're willing to take a risk. And I'm also laying off the online yarn store websites until my stash is reduced to a more manageable level.
Pattern: One Row Lace Scarf by Turvid
Yarn: Artyarns Beaded Mohair & Sequins; Sandnesgarn Sisu Sock Yarn, both in brown

Winter Socks for Daddy

I don't know if anyone else has this problem, but I find coming up with gift ideas for the men in my family is always a challenge. Luckily: they all seem to love the hand knit socks. (Either that or they're doing a fine job of pretending.) So it's kind of become my go-to gift for my dad, my brother, and Jeffy. Last Christmas, however, I was a little behind in the whole crafting department (I think going back to work, taking a trip to Mexico, and hand sewing a wedding dress may have had something to do with it), and so I gave my dad a tin of cashews and a ball of the sock yarn I was intending to use to make him some socks. He seemed delighted (though slightly confused about why he was getting a ball of yarn) and said he was actually kind of happy that the socks weren't done, because if they had been he might not have gotten the cashews! (Mental note: nuts are always a good gift for my dad. Especially cashews.) I managed to whip these little puppies up quite quickly and gave them to him in late February, at which point he immediately put them on his feet. With the winter we've had, there's still lots of good reason to wear wool socks.
Yarn: Patons Kroy Socks Jacquards in "Denim Blue"
Pattern: the Yarn Harlot's Good Plain Sock Recipe

Crooked Paths Hat

I just finished up this lovely little hat for me. It's hard to believe, but I am functionally winter hat-less - a sorry state of affairs for a knitter. (What's that saying about the shoemaker's children going barefoot? Hmmm...) I love the current slouchy hat trend, and found this beautiful pattern on ravelry, and dug out some yarn from my stash that's been waiting for the right project, and whipped this little number up in about two weeks. It was a really enjoyable knit - straightforward pattern, but not boring, and blocking it around a dinner plate was especially fun. By chance, it matches a scarf I bought in New Zealand perfectly. I wore this hat outside today when we were playing with the kids, and it kept me warm and happy. Success all around!
Pattern: Crooked Paths by Melissa LaBarre
Yarn: Dream in Color "Classy" in "Chinatown Apple"

Balaclavas for Neva and Hugh

Well, I don't know if you've noticed (or if it's this cold where you are), but it's -33 Celsius around these parts these days. We're in a cold snap, and although the school is good about not making the kids go outside if it's less than -25C -- that's still pretty cold. Hence: balaclavas for all! This is a pattern I'd done before for Jeffy, and liked a lot. It's a fast knit, and the face opening is stretchy enough that it can be left open just for the eyes or pulled down to expose most of the face. I even managed to make Hugh's in less than 48 hours, which shows you either a) how quickly it knits up, or b) how good I am at ignoring the children when I have a goal in mind. Regardless: they wore them today, and not for the last time, methinks. Their comment: "We look like ninjas!" You bet, kidlets. Really warm ninjas.
Pattern: Easy Balaclava by Nanette Blanchard
Yarn: Dream in Color: Neva's is "Classy" yarn in "Pansy Golightly" and Hugh's is "Knitosophy" yarn in "Superhero"

Mittens for Rachel

One of the problems with being a crafty sort of person is that I default to making people stuff if I'm not sure what else they might like. I was kind of stuck for Rachel this year, so I started making her these mittens. Then I thought, "Man, why am I doing this? Maybe Rachel already has a million pairs of mittens! Maybe she doesn't need another pair!" So I sent her an email saying, basically, "I love you and want to make you something but don't know what that might be. Ideas? And sorry for being so blunt and pragmatic." She emailed back saying, basically, "No problem, lady, I love you too, and I could really use a pair of purple/mauve mittens." At which point I thought: this is why we're such good friends. Even when I don't know what to make for her, I'm still making the right thing. She didn't get these until her birthday party after Christmas, but they match her new scarf and hat perfectly - as if they'd been made purposely for each other. Note to self: do not question the knitting mojo. It works in mysterious and wonderful ways.
Pattern: adapted from Knitty's Cigar Gloves
Yarn: Dream in Color "Classy" in "Midnight Derby;" Noro Hakuto

Socks for Bri 2010

Bri seems to appreciate getting hand-knit socks from me, which makes for an easy gift for him. I wasn't sure if these were going to get done, but they did, and a very manly sock they are too, I must say! I'm always worried that they'll be too big, and then they always fit just fine. I'll try to remember that for next time.
Pattern: the Yarn Harlot's Good, Plain Sock Recipe
Yarn: Online Supersocke 6-ply in "Desert" colourway

Handprints

This was a bit of a last-minute gift idea for my parents this year. Sarah had mentioned to me at some point the idea of incorporating kids' handprints in to a quilt, and it occurred to me that this would be the year to do it for my parents: Neva, at age 8, would still be young enough for her handprint to be cute, while Ewan, almost 2, would be old enough to actually produce a decent one. I contacted Bri about getting him to get his own kids' handprints on some fabric, and somehow it all came together. It was fun to make, and I incorporated the names of each of the kids in the stippling underneath each flower-hand. I think it's kind of neat to have this memento of my parents' six grandchildren: both Bri and I are done having kids, so this is the complete picture of the third generation. A tear or two was shed when this gift was opened on Christmas Day, and the kids were excited to find their own hands on the quilt. (From left to right: Miranda - age 4, Nicolaas - age 6, Ewan - 22 months, Neva - age 8, Hugh - age 6, and Rory - age 3.) Fun to make, fun to receive, and meaningful on all sides: a great gift for everyone involved.
Pattern: from my head, but similar ideas could be found in this book
Fabric: cottons from Fabricland and Quilt & Stitch in Kingston; fabric paint for handprints

Neva's Dress for Brad and Karine's Wedding

Here we have the dress for Neva to wear to Brad and Karine's wedding (a mere 2-and-a-bit weeks away in Mexico). She chose everything: the style (she wanted the same as the pink sparkly dress I'd made her previously, because the skirt was just the right fullness), the fabric (the bottom is actually drapery fabric, and the top is pure silk, but they match perfectly and I think I made these two work together quite well), and - of course - the butterfly embellishment (about which there was much debate and discussion about whether it should have been a flower, or a cluster of flowers, etc). I had always said that I would let my kids wear whatever they want, and I am doing my best to stick by that. This is by no means the dress I myself would have made or designed for her if I had been the one in charge, but I must say that I think it has turned out beautifully and her choices are perfect for her and the age she is right now. She is delighted with it, and I'm very glad. And even though she saw me working on it every step of the way, she still said at the end: "Mommy, did you make this?" And you know: sometimes I know how she feels. "Really? I MADE this?" Indeed I did. And I'm glad.
Pattern: Butterick 3714
Fabric: Silk, Embossed Organza, Broadcloth; purchased embellishments

Hallowe'en Costumes 2010: Neva and Hugh

So here we have Neva and Hugh in their Pokémon costumes: that's Cyndaquil on the left and Chikorita on the right, or as I like to call them, "Green Blob With Leaf" and "Platypus on Fire." These were actually super-fun to make. I used a standard McCall's dinosaur pattern and just adjusted the details accordingly, faking my way along when necessary. (As I said at the quilt retreat weekend last month: I feel like I've been doing this long enough that I can break the rules if I want to.) I've also learned that it's the details that matter, especially when it comes to costumes. The kids seem very happy with how they've tunred out, and I know them well enough to know that these will get used long past Hallowe'en. (Give me credit for making the fire detachable, so I can wash Hugh's costume as needed. A 6-year-old boy in a mostly cream costume? I know how that story ends. With muddy knees, at the very least.) So far, so good. Now I just have to make a Dora the Explorer Head for Rory to wear, and we're all set. Talk about "faking your way through."
Pattern: McCall's 6185
Fabric: Fleece and some random sparkly stuff for the fire

Socks for Nancy

After talking about it for several years, I have finally gotten around to making a pair of socks for Nancy. These were given to her for her birthday this October, and were very fun to make. I love the yarn, and love the pattern. I hope they keep her feet toasty warm for many winters to come!
Pattern: "Waving Lace Socks" from Favorite Socks
Yarn: Dream in Color "Classy" in "Midnight Derby"

Rainbow Wall-Hanging

This past weekend, Nancy took me on a quilt retreat. (These sorts of craft retreats are becoming more and more popular, I think; several women at the retreat this weekend also go to scrapbooking retreat weekends, and recently there was a knitting retreat weekend held on Wolfe Island.) Nancy had gone to this quilting one last year, and really liked it, and offered to bring me along this year as my birthday present. I must say: it was great. The sewing machines were humming all weekend; meals were all prepared; and everything happened in one big room, so you could leave your machine to grab a bite to eat and head right back into crafting mode. There were 24 women there, and seeing the variety of projects was inspirational, to say the least. It was great, and I'd gladly go again.
While there, I started and finished this little number: a wall-hanging for my office, to brighten up my lovely cinder-block walls. I found this pattern at our local quilt shop, Quilt & Stitch, and bought it immediately (I've learned that in the world of crafting, if you see something you love, you need to pick it up then and there because there's never any guarantee of finding it again). I modified it slightly, and turned it into this lovely rainbow riot of colours and shapes. It's funny; everyone has a different opinion about what they see in it, which I love. I also did some serious stippling for the very first time, and am very pleased with the results.
Pattern: "Eclipse of the Moon"
Fabrics: from my stash

Fall Cowl

I went to the cottage all set to make a poncho for Hugh, but when we arrived, he declared that he didn't really want one. This was good news for me, since making a poncho is the kind of tedious knitting I would only do for a beloved child. Luckily, I had brought some spare emergency fun knitting in the form of some Noro yarn for this cowl. I used a cowl pattern I've done before, and this sucker got whipped up in no time. I have big plans to make myself a corduroy fall coat, and this is going to go with it just perfectly. Pattern: Cowl'd and Frosty Morning
Yarn: Noro Iro in fall colours

Creamsicle Camisole

I've had this yarn in my stash for a couple of years now, and have loved it, and so finally decided to put it to good use this summer. This is a little tank top of my own creation, knit from the top down to use as much of this yarn as possible. I'm very happy with this summery creation.
Pattern: self-designed (of the "fly by the seat of my pants" variety)
Yarn: Needful Yarns "Cotton Joy"

Hooray!

One day when I was over at a friend's house holding her delightful baby (I'm officially a baby-grabber), I noticed that she had decorated their living room with a great banner made of fabric triangles. They were celebrating her brother-in-law's birthday, and I must say it made things very festive. Plus: reusable! And a great way to showcase some of the lovely fabrics in one's stash which haven't quite gotten used in an "official" quilt. Since Rory's birthday was coming up soon, I decided to make one for our house, to be used on all festive occasions henceforth. (I also have big plans to make seasonal ones, but let's not hold our breath on that one.) In any case: it was a super quick, easy and fun project. Neva helped me choose fabrics; I cut them into triangles using pinking shears (no sewing!); and then I stitched them on to a piece of extra-wide double-fold bias tape, in the order Neva suggested. (She enjoyed organizing the fabrics by colour and figuring out which ones should go where.) And voilà! Festive banner! The name came from Rory, who awoke on the morning of his birthday, came upstairs and saw the banner, and asked, "Mommy, is that a Hooray?" It was so adorable, and so appropriate, that now it will always be known as our "Hooray!" All day, he's been talking about "the hooray made of triangles." I think he'll be just as cute at age 3 as he's been for the previous years of his life. Hooray, indeed.
Pattern: none - just triangles sewn onto bias tape
Fabric: from my stash