the tiny homestead

a pointy red pixie hat

I first made this hat a few years ago in pink with a pink fleece trim. Unfortunately, the pattern, found here, only covers sizes up to three years. To make this one, I simply added about a half inch to the top and back of the hat. I used basic polyester fleece for the shell and the lining is a remnant of a soft, brushed cotton fabric by Nani Iro. The trim and straps are just cotton double fold bias tape (the pattern calls for using strips of jersey ribbing, but I cannot sew with jersey to save my life!). This has to be one of my favorite hats I've made for her so far and she's such a good sport. She LOVES everything I make for her and wears it with such pride. She makes my mama heart happy!

in progress

:: this gorgeous bundle of fabric just arrived and boy, do I have plans for it. A smock for me, a dress for my girl, a spring/summer table runner - I'm looking foward to digging in after some furious knitting projects are finished ::

:: I cast on for the Honey Cowl many, many months ago and have only knit about two and half inches! I've been so busy with a certain little one's birthday sweater that I just haven't had the time. Soon, so soon ::

:: this lucsious yarn! I love it and it's been a dream to work with - after I adjusted my tension a little ::

:: the little one's sweater, along with Harry Potter. Can you believe I'm just now starting to read the books?! ::

:: painting, painting, painting! We are finally making this house our own. I'm a firm believer that a good can of paint is all you need to make a house your home :: 

What are you working on right now?

the big easy sling bag

I've had this fabric by Anna Maria Horner lying around for quite some time now. I purchased it as a kit to make a throw blanket, but just never got around to making it. The green poppy fabric is a gorgeous, thick velveteen and the other is a soft cotton voile. It probably would have been a deliciously comfortable throw - especially now that the "polar vortex" (I always laugh when I say or write it) is upon us. A few days ago when my old bag finally went caput, I pulled this fabric from the shelf and decided that it was to become a new bag. I have a great book called Sew What You Love by Tanya Whelan and I've had great success with everything I've made from it. The Big Easy Sling bag seemed the perfect fit - velveteen on the outside and voile on the inside. It's big enough for me to hold everything a mama of two little ones needs (pullups, wipes, snacks, the usual), but it's still very fashionable. I love it and I already have some fabric in mind for a lighter summer version.

in progress

:: A sweater for my niece that I've been working on for way too long.  It's coming birthday girl, I promise.

:: A knitting bag in this gorgeous cotton voile fabric from Anna Maria Horner.  No more knitting projects getting tangled at the bottom of my diaper bag.

::  All those other knitting and crochet projects that have been sitting in my basket.  Next up, the beautiful Annabel sweater from Quince & Company - my first major knitting project that I am making for myself!

::  The boy has finally started drawing something other than lines and shapes.  See those two circles with a squiggly line above it?  That's a car!  A pretty good one if you ask this proud mama!

::  I finally nailed down some fabric that I want to use to make my first quilt! Ack! I've been dreaming about making a quilt for my son's soon-to-be big boy bed.  I wanted to do something nature inspired, but I couldn't find anything that was realistic enough (most are either cartoon-y or just plain tacky). Then, over at SouleMama I spotted a lovely fabric that gave me some inspiration.  Goodness, I can always rely on that woman for inspiration!  The four nature prints are from the Holly Bimba's Golly Bard Woodland Collection (it can be found at Spoonflower).  The other two lovely prints are for a dress for my daughter, but more on that to come!

::  And finally, we have progress on the tricycle!  Half the time he scoots along by his feet, the other half he is actually using the pedals - Hallelujah!

sewing interruptus

Well folks, I didn't achieve my goal for the day.  I almost had it...almost, but late bedtimes and a toddler suddenly afraid of the dark quickly put an end to my lofty aspiration of one children's garment a day. That's not to say that I didn't get anything done. There are pants in the works for the boy, robot pants to be exact.  Stay tuned and hope for the best.  There might be a lot of caffeine in my future if I'm to finish these before week's end.  Fingers crossed!

quick and easy skirt for girls

If you are new to sewing or are a seasoned seamstress wanting instant gratification this is the skirt for you.  No pattern, a little measuring, two rectangles of your favorite print, some elastic, and a sewing machine is all you need for a night of carefree sewing.  Last night I was tired and really not interested in spending all of my precious kids in bed relaxation time in front of the sewing machine, so this is what I came up with.

I've had this sweet little Sarah Jane print lying around my sewing room for a couple of months and I thought it would be perfect for this project.  Plus, it would leave me enough yardage for other future projects with this same print.  In the end, I'm happy I am keeping up with my goal for a completed sewing project every day this week and my lady is always happy to wear her mama's creations!

 

Sorry for the double dose of butt shots.  Unfortunately, this is the side you see the most on a almost two year old!  

red riding hood

On day two of the KCWC (Kids Clothes Week Challenge), I bring to you...

...this dress for my littlest little.  The pattern is the Playdate Frock from the book One Yard Wonders sewn in a fabric by Aneela Hoey from her "A Walk in the Woods" line. Love the fabric (who doesn't love a whimsical Red Riding Hood print), love the dress!

As you can see, this dress is delicate enough for a dressy summer occasion and casual enough for a romp in the garden picking flowers and stalking bugs.

Wish me luck for another night of happy sewing!  

sewing for children

It was late last week that I, in my famous day late dollar short fashion, stumbled upon a blog (Elsie Marley) written by a very gifted seamstress Meg Freeman.  Apparently, last week she issued the KCWC - Kids Clothes Week Challenge - where the goal is to attempt to complete an article of children's clothing for each day of the week.  I was scrolling through some of the posts and admiring the work of Meg and some of her fellow bloggers and fans when envy got the best of me.  So what if the challenge was last week!  I'm challenging myself this week.  This week I will try to sew something for one of my children every day.  Now, I can't promise you anything, but with my husband home for the week this might be a task that I can pull off with some ease even with two VERY small children.  So, with that introduction here is my first completed project.

Remember those Quick Change Trousers by Anna Maria Horner that I raved about so much that I made several pairs for my daughter in record time?  Remember how I wrote that the boy would be getting a pair too?  Well, here they are!  Except, now that the weather has warmed, I had to adjust the pattern slightly and trousers became shorts.  I love these pants - uh, shorts - so much that I think a few more are in order. Check back later in the week to see if I can make it happen.  In the meantime, the boy has his pants and I am so happy to see that cute bottom of his happily frolicking and getting dirty in some mama handiwork.

change of a-trouser

Several of the crafty and talented mommy bloggers that I follow have been making and raving about Anna Maria Horner's Quick Change Trousers.  What can I say...I LOVE these pants!  They're reversible and oh so cute with the little yoke on the back for accent fabric.  I've wanted to make them for such a long time, but I was reluctant to buy the book, Handmade Beginnings, because most of the patterns max out at 18 months (except, of course, the trousers...they go up to 24 months).  I tried to find the pattern online with no success, so off I went and plopped down twenty-five dollars at the Barnes and Noble counter and home and to the sewing machine I went with Anna Maria's book.  I made two pairs for Aida, one with some splurge fabric from Alewives Fabric and the other with fabric from Joanne's.  The pattern was so easy to follow and the pants came together rather quickly even for a novice seamstress such as myself.

There are pants in the works for my son as well.  He simply cannot go without pants as cute as these.  To make them larger, I simply added three inches to the bottom of the pants and traced the pattern out a 1/4" wider than the 24 month size.  Afterall, three year olds aren't really growing out as much as they are growing up.  I'll let you know how they come out.  In the meantime, we can all gush over this little lady's cuteness.My goodness she is one cute baby!