A quickie.

A quick little cocoon for newborn photos. There will be one in July of course and I might get to sneak in a little practice before then. Until then Mr. Floppy serves as a chunkier albeit more cooperative standin.




Just some cranberry colored homespun (it's much deeper in real life) and unblocked per the pattern's suggestion. Thanks to Melissa for her lovely All You Need is Love free cocoon pattern. I did mine on size 10 needles and cast on 60 stitches. It's roughly 9 x 14" but I can pretty much coax it into different sizes by tugging and pulling which is what I needed for trying out different poses. Forgive the very messy sewing room floor. I only vacuum when I notice it, um like now.




And here's a little something that the kids and I are loving. Andrew Bird performing Dr. Stringz and pretty much entrancing all of us with his very smooth, melodious voice. I'm not really into music to the extent most people are collecting albums, downloading and listening all the time. However every now and then I hear something that's just pleasing to the ear. Must check out more of his songs in the near future. Be sure to turn up the volume.

Oh ye of twitchy organizational urges . . .

. . . avert your eyes. If you're the least bit bothered by mess, disorganization or displacement of items you've been warned.




Now for the rest of us who live in reality (kidding!) here's the current state of my sewing room. I figured since I've got a bunch of stuff in progress but nothing actually finished quite yet I'd 'fess up to my mental block. It's all my own doing of course. I imagine some sort of self sabotage if you want to get all phsycho-babble but really out of the many works-in-progress I have about three items that are in the last step of completion and I can't stand to look at them. Happens every time, I'm giddily working on something at quite the clip when I'm nearing the end and I set it aside. Fear of not getting the project right, my procrastination at actually packaging (if it's a gift) or just feeling blegh. Either way, said item will sit on that mess of a cutting table not only unfinished but also blocking the way to working on anything else. If anything I'm quite self-aware of my limitations and quirks.




But! There's hope! At some point soon I will go on a finishing rampage and clean the sewing room. Then I'll sit and stare at it for fear of making a mess all over again. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Behold my ironing board. Filled to the brim with prewashed fabric that Mr. Maricucu finally tired of having to work around in the laundry room. Underneath, more prewashed fabric overflowing from a laundry basket that I was in the process of pressing enthusiastically - before I got pregnant.




Finally at least some progress. My little girl's waldorf doll body parts and the rest of the supplies all rounded up in one box to take out in the evenings. For now she pats the wool batting gladly. On top, the fingerless mitt I've now had to pull apart a record three times just to get the buttonhole for my thumb the right size. Apparently aside from my man-sized head (long story) I must have man-sized thumbs to match.



Signed, Marielle. Your local spastic and unproductive crafter.

His and Hers Sewing

For Mr. Maricucu a rice pack for his eyes. A couple of weeks ago his ophthalmologist mentioned that in order to rid himself of dry eyes he should apply warm compresses to his eyes which should help unplug his eye ducts. Poor guy was doing warm, wet washcloths which would get cool after a while and I imagine kind of clammy. I told him I could sew him up a rice sock and I fashioned this one from tracing an eye mask of his, extending the ends a bit to fit his eyes. Filled it about 3/4 full of rice to make it firm but also flexible (so that the rice contours around his eyes and nose area) and after testing it once myself I'm pretty pleased with it. He nukes it for a few minutes and then goes to town.




For me an almost finished fingerless glove. I'm taking a progress picture because I've already gotten this far before and had to rip the whole thing out due to sizing. This time the fit is much better and I'm about two inches away from finishing then moving on to the second glove. I'm hoping that being fingerless, I'll be more prone to wear them out and about as well as in the evenings while knitting/crafting/sewing.

A little reality

Last year a friend of mine mentioned she was making a king cake to share with her kids. I thought it was a wonderful idea and one my children would definitely enjoy so I bookmarked what looked like a good recipe and forgot. Until last Monday. Tuesday we went to the library (which included a book on mardi gras) and got home way too late to make any kind of dent on the king cake process.




So on Tuesday night I threw together the recipe in the food processor (my cheat to bread dough in 2 minutes) and then let it rise overnight in the fridge. The next day was a little busy and being distracted I glossed over the instructions and went straight to the ingredients list for the filling. When I saw 4 cups of powdered sugar and cream cheese listed together I knew what to do, so I had my oldest mix that together. I threw it in the dough, formed my ring and let it rise. As it was baking I tackled the icing - but oh the horror. The instructions read, "use remaining 3 cups of powdered sugar to make icing". That's right folks, I was only supposed to use one cup of sugar in the filling. Being too late for regrets I kept plugging away. As my king cake oozed cream cheese frosting in the oven I mixed the icing. I threw it on, added the colored sugar and then tasted. Wayyyyy too sweet. The kids liked it but even aside from the super sweet filling I was not impressed with the dough. Sure it was fragrant with lemon zest and nutmeg, rich with egg yolks, milk and butter but man alive I'm sure there's a reason most good Cajun families buy their king cakes from a bakery. Too much work for what basically stiffens up from one night's sitting. I also didn't put the bean in fearing one of us (me!) would forget and end up needing dental work.




I've been itching to knit something again so I cast on a little something something for myself to use up this unplied yarn. It's very soft and a joy to work.




Next up - hummus! See you around.

Hooray for mail!

The other day I received a package that I had forgotten was coming in the mail. It was another swap but in this instance a commission that I had requested from another mom in exchange for something I had (how's that for vague?).




When I had originally approached this knitting momma she giggled at me, a knitter, requesting that she knit something for my boys. I readily admitted that the boys had been hankering for a new winter hat in "their colors" for a while now and my attention span just wasn't up for knitting two in a row of anything. Nothing would induce more therapy on a child than having momma peter out of steam right before getting the second hat done. So I requested one in green and one in blue of this pattern. Boy did she produce! Gorgeous denimy blue and a mossy green all lanolized, soft and squishy ready for topping off a cold noggin.




The kids know that if a package comes for me they must wait until I take a picture of the packaging (yes they must) and then I'll let them see. I love documenting the moment of opening a package, I just can't help myself. However, it took all of two seconds after I'd unwrapped the tissue and said, "these hats are for you guys" that they each snatched their corresponding color and put them on. Here's the oldest, of course his color is green.




The younger, a fan of anything blue. It's strange how much they've latched on to these colors and thankfully are not specific on shades. Just, "blue for me and green for him momma."




Look at the beautiful job she did on the bindoff in the crown. I could stare at this forever and thankfully thought to take a picture because the boys found it odd that I wanted to take a picture of the back of their heads.




This is the bonus. My friend was kind enough to throw in a little extra for me! This funky, super squishy scarf was for me. Now I'll admit I don't typically wear a scarf because a scarf dangling behind clumsy 'ol me is just an invitation for getting caught up by a kid, in a car door or in the house door.






Then I remembered the short fold where you double fold the scarf and tuck the ends into the loop made by the scarf - sort of like a cravat or cowl. So after attempting a traditional look . . .




. . . I put it on with the short loop method. Now, because my friends told me I look a wee bit serious (and imposing, scary, angry *giggle*) let me explain this was first thing in the morning before the shower. Obviously, I'm sooo not a morning person. If it helps, imagine me with short hair and you'll get a good idea of the look my dad perfected on us kids growing up. To be honest I was just so intent on trying to focus the camera, not get some funky angle on me and make the bedhead work that I forgot to smile. Even with the bedhead, lack of makeup and early morning crusties this is nothing close to the pictures of me after giving birth looking like Mick Jagger.




However, in order to not permanently scar your retina with my serious look here are the kids in their attempt at walking off with my soft scarf. Love this and I'm sure they will too in a few years.

Fear of Commitment Cowl

This was the main player in my swap package. The mom that I was swapping with is quite the stylish woman and I figured an elegant cowl would do the trick. However when I saw this cowl that did not require messing up one's hair or makeup to wear well that was just perfect. The pattern is very easy - a seeded rib stitch which is not boring to knit and gives a bit more texture than a plain ribbing when worn. I chose Lion Alpine Wool on #10 needles since I loved the sort of handspun texture of the wool. After knitting I gave it a nice rich lanolizing to make the soft yarn even yummier.




I also fell in love with this very large (around 3") wooden button and wooden toggle combination for the closure. It's held together with elastic thread and the large gauge of the knitting allows you to insert the toggle into any place in the cowl. In theory. See, I picked a yarn on the smaller end of the recommended range (still within range though) and a toggle that was the recommended size. After I put together my button and toggle gizmo I went to insert it in the cowl but the toggle was too big. Gah! This was also the day before I wanted to mail out the package and I did not want to pack up the three kids to go out to the store. So what now?






My button jar to the rescue. Several years ago I bought a pound of assorted buttons (assorted but in multiples so I can pull out matching sets when I want). I chose a smooth, speckled brown button about 1/2" in diameter. Perfect, just the right size to slip through the stretchy size 10 needle knitted garment but large enough to stay in place once inserted.




Oh and one last modification. I'm not big on dainty accessories. Or more, so dainty they look doll sized. I think super teeny accessories look like you ran out of fabric, baubles or yarn. Also, inversely they make the wearer look Gulliver-ish in proportion. That's right ladies, teeny bopper sized accessories make us look big. So my cowl ended up about 10" x 40". I wanted to make sure my recipient could use the cute little around-the-shoulders shrug option.




Oh and I'm finding the comments on the pincushion giveaway absolutely hysterical and entertaining. Never in my history of reading blogs have I ever seen people say they didn't want to be entered. So too bad, but everyone that has left a comment will receive an entry fair and square. Why? Because I said so. (Boy have I been wanting to use that on people I won't scar with therapy).

This was so much fun.

I'm participating in a swap with some fellow sewing moms and my package is in the mail tomorrow! It was so much fun to put together something just for the mom especially right after Christmas. I didn't intend for it all to be handmade but turns out pretty much all of it is. Clockwise starting at the top left corner: A moda love pincushion, my favorite lip balm, whoopie pies and the Fear of Commitment Cowl. More on everything I haven't posted previously sometime this week or the next.

Man, that's a record.

Typically any craft supplies that make it through my front door get a little of what I'll call aging time. In reality it means they sit, for a while and many times become something that wasn't even the original intent. But hey if something gets made at all I'm happy.

However, this yarn has a deadline attached to it and since the recipient is not family I cannot use the usual "family understands if I'm late" excuse. So last night I cast on this beautiful cowl aptly named Fear of Commitment.




Since then, I've been cranking out row after row of seeded stitch and I can't wait to get it packed up with a few more goodies for this special person. The color was hard to capture but it's closer to this second picture than the first.

Life is funny.

Today we had a pretty enjoyable day as a family. Ran an errand, had lunch and then hit the park. But first I had to stop at Joann's for some yarn. I needed this yarn, yes needed, for a swap project and wanted to get a head start. After narrowing down my choices to two types of yarn I headed for the cash registers to make my final decision while waiting in line. I turned to the kind looking older woman behind me to ask her which yarn felt softer to her. She thoroughly felt both and gave me her opinion, then turned to her teenage granddaughter and asked her as well. Once I had her input and made my decision we continued to chat. She told me that she used to own a yarn shop! In fact, turns out that she owned a local yarn store that is now quite popular. Talk about asking the right person's opinion. On the other hand Mr. Maricucu finds it quite unnerving that I start conversations with random strangers so easily.

Here's the beautiful roving yarn I chose and the buttons to match.




Can I say how much I love that huge round wooden button? I just want to attach a brooch back to it and plant it on any top I wear. Love it.

I think I can, I think I can.

Still plugging away at one of the birthday surprises. About halfway into these deadline driven, last minute undertakings I always wonder what I was thinking. Then I finish up, step back and take one look at the finished object and all is forgotten.




Progressing slowly on my groundflower hat and furtively trying it on as I go, wondering if it's going to be too big. So far so good.

It's like holding up a mirror.

Having kids that is. How else do you explain a thirteen month old who can't even speak yet, toting the receiver around like this? It's obvious someone in her life spends a lot of time on the phone and let's just say Mr. Maricucu is not much of a phone person.




Oh and she didn't just pick up the phone and hold it up like that briefly. Nooooo siree. This was all day. She was going on all dominican and babbling while heavily gesturing with her hands. Because obviously the person on the other end can see you right? Yeah well no one tell my abuelo who will give you directions and point them out with his hands. I can't speak too much about him though as Mr. Maricucu will be the first to tell you that he can tell when I'm talking to my family on the phone because 1) I'm so loud it sounds like I'm fighting and 2) yes, I talk with my hands, heck my whole body.

Apparently whoever she thought was on the other end of the line was getting a good what-for in baby speak. Look at that furrowed brow.




But I haven't just been trying to capture the baby in pictures. No ladies and gents I actually got around to starting my winter hat. I know, I said I was going to use some natural fisherman's wool but the red called to me and the caron simply soft spoke to my lazy side. I live with with two dogs that shed like the dickens and the only wool I keep around here so far covers diapered bottoms.




Of course the start of another knitting project means I remember one I've already got on the needles and must work on simultaneously. Doesn't everyone do this? I'm making progress on my mom's fussy hand towel.




And this, my friends is what happens when the baby puts down the phone long enough to find the knitting and pull off a good couple of rows. Oh that was so fun. Not.

Ground Flower Finished

I finally finished the ground flower hat I started the other day. It's a free ravelry download knit in simple stockinette which allowed me to tweak the measurements without having to adjust pattern repeats. I knit this tester out of some caron simply soft I had leftover from the ripple in order to test the fit and the depth. See, I have kind of a huge honking head. Those cute summer hats sold in stores that are one-size-fits-most? Apparently I'm a freak of nature and that's not even taking into account my curly hair that I like to wear pretty fluffed. But I got a little notion last winter that a cute tam/beret-like hat possibly lined in satin wouldn't disturb my curls that much and actually fit my noggin if I knit it myself.

Obviously I'm late on this one but I'm actually following through - so unlike me. I did cast on 100 stitches instead of just 88 and also went up a needle size since I tend to knit a little on the tight side. I knit two rows of increases modified a bit in order to end up with a total of 200 stitches before knitting straight and then decreasing. Even so, while the brim fit very well, I find the hat too shallow. When I finally do knit my wool version I'll likely double the straight stockinette rows in order to leave plenty of room for my hair and still get the poufed look of the hat in front.

Unfortunately my plans for a cute baby photo shoot of the tester hat were foiled. Thankfully, we had a stand in.

I have to say it's been nice having someone around who will actually stay still for the camera and will pose endlessly for me. My mom also looks way cuter in the hat. I've always thought she had a regal profile if I do say so myself.

Looking pretty chic there mom!

She didn't want me to post this photo but I did it anyway. This is likely how I will wear the hat although with a bit more poof in the front. I still think she looks cute either way and now she has a new hat to wear when she visits those of us in more frigid climates (or for those freak South Florida cold snaps, ha!)