It's All About the Baby Clothes

So quick, so easy, so much instant gratification. I also find that, because they are so small, I take the time to do all the detaily stuff I should do on all my garments (but I'm too lazy to do). So a baby romper is fully lined, a baby dress bodice is lined, hem tape is sewn over all exposed edges, all raw edges are sewn over. And because Ellen was such a doll and took photos at last Thursday's SnB, I give you actual pictures of my latest obsession:


The wavy lines started to make my eyes cross while I was sewing, but I really like this dress anyway. I think the little black bows on the front really make it. I just picture Baby Maggie wearing this dress over a little white turtleneck or a cute t-shirt with a Peter Pan collar.


I love, love, love this fabric. It was a Michael Levine Loft purchase, and even though there was only about 1 yard give or take, I had originally hoped to pair it with some white cotton to make myself a peasant top. But I never got around to it, and when I was searching for some fabric for baby stuff, I realised how fantastic it would be. I think the pattern is really unexpected for a baby given the large scale and the colors (white, brown & baby blue), but I still think it's delicately feminine.

I love pink as much as the next girl, but I'll bet that as a mother of a baby girl, you probably get sick of pink really quickly. And let's admit it, a baby gift is really a gift for the parents, because that baby is barely able to grasp the concept that her fingers are a part of herself, much less appreciate the time and effort that goes into a hand-made gift.

We'll see how long I'm obsessed with the baby clothes. For now, I'm enjoying the whole instant gratification thing.

It's a Sunshine Day!

and I'm feeling crappy!

Actually, I've been feeling crappy since before Thanksgiving. I've had a horrid, wheezing cough and hideous sinus congestion. I'm on various types of drugs, so I hope I'm getting better. We'll see.

But feeling like ass hasn't curbed the craftiness. In an effort to fulfill one of my plans for 2006, I have been sewing up a storm. Let me tell you, baby clothes are great for cleaning out the stash. Because they only take from 1/2 - 1 yard of fabric, they are perfect outlets for those remnants of great cotton prints that I've been hanging on to. And they are so small, I can finish them in 1 night. Baby Maggie will be a little clothes horse if I have my way. So here is what I've done this week (no pictures of my stuff yet because I have no camera -- but maybe I'll bring them to SnB and ask Ellen to take a photo for me):

I did the first one in a black & white wavy stripe cotton (left over from a bag lining). The second I'm doing in very cute Day at the Zoo print. I also did a romper onesie in a white, brown & blue hippy paisley print. They are fun to do and encourage me to further pare down my fabric stash!

I've also completed the HotPatterns Nairobi bag for myself (same pattern that I used to make the Christmas present purses for Melissa & Carrie). I did Mel & Carrie's in contrasting ultrasuede (Mel's in red & gray and Carrie's in purple & gray), but I decided to try mine in leather & dark denim. I wasn't completely happy with how the zipper turned out on their purses, so I just did a toggle for mine, and I think it turned out better. And I learned my lesson, and did NOT use charmeuse for the lining again (that stuff slips and slides and never lays straight).

I haven't neglected my knitting, either (although I haven't crocheted much lately). I'm still plugging away on Richard's Baseball sweater. I finished the back and rather than cast on for the front, I decided to break it up by doing one of the sleeves first. And guess what? Cables are totally easy. They look intimidating, but they aren't.

I'm so proud of my mad knitting skills!

everyday life

I am making a concerted effort to appreciate just how good my life is. Life sure isn't perfect, but it's good. Rich & I have been looking for a new apartment for what seems like an eon, but the relatively low rent gives me more in the pocketbook for yummy yarn and fabric (like the rosy coral silk velvet I found on the remnant rack at Michael Levine's -- 50% off!) My current apartment is a hopeless mess (what's the point of cleaning when we'll be packing & moving soon anyway?), but the time not spent cleaning is free to be spent being crafty.

And even when I'm feeling crappy (stayed home sick on Tuesday), I'm rarely feeling too sick to knit. So, how bad can it be?

Tivolicious, baby

Because I am a big ol' copycat, I'm taking a note from Catherine, and posting my Top Ten TV Shows I TiVo:
1. Daily Show
2. Colbert Report
3. Anything on BBC America's Mystery Monday (right now, it's Waking the Dead)
4. Anything pregnancy/birth related on Discovery Health Channel. Personal favorites are Birth Day and Baby Baby
5. Arrested Development (cry)
6. Battlestar Galactica (new episodes! yes, I am a big geek)
7. House
8. Mythbusters
9. Project Runway
10. MXC - Most Extreme Elimination Challenge (guilty, mindless entertainment)

And now, Top Ten Shows Suggested to Me by TiVo

1. Rocko's Modern Life (reminds me of college)
2. MASH (I do love love love this show)
3. Firefly (and I do love Joss Whedon)
4. Stargate SG-1 (eww, don't love this)
5. Charmed (huh?)
6. Becker (why?)
7. The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy (what's with the cartoons?)
8. Cash in the Attic (yay BBC America!)
9. Spin City (?)
10. Amazing Animal Videos (I have idea)