handmade kate

the weekend sewing that didn't happen

Well, I almost made it.  Posting four days in a row for yellow week--that has got to be a record for me!  I got to day five and it ended up being one of those days that I all I wanted to do was go home and drink myself silly or go to the gym and take it all out on the Precor/treadmill/Stairmaster/rower for an hour or two.  I chose the latter (and I guess that's a good thing), but I never did get Friday's late-night photo up.  Anyway, thanks for hosting, Erin!   It was so fun, and all that yellow is a wonderful way to make it through these last few weeks of winter.

I had big plans for the weekend too.  I had wanted to make this shirt from this new book that arrived in my mailbox last week.  I have so many sweet, delicate cotton prints that I've been wanting to use, and this pattern looked just perfect for them.

But I got a little sidetracked.  I saw this Valentine's day pattern for fabric cuffs over at JCasa Handmade, and thought I'd make just a few to stow away in my gift cabinet.  Does anyone else see a pattern or tutorial and think, "oh, I should make up a few, just in case...they would make great gifts for friends, inlaws, teachers, etc?"  My gift stash is quite huge.  (And yes, that cuff on the right is missing its button.  Can't find a good one for it yet.)

Back to the shirt--I managed to trace the pattern tonight.  Hopefully, I'll have a finished one to model this week.  We'll see.  Fingers crossed that I have no more crap work days this week.  I'm going to be as thin as a rail if this keeps up.  Ha!

a week of yellow, day four

thank goodness it's thursday.

one more day until weekend sewing!  i feel like i need to go find some pretty yellow fabric...

a week of yellow, day three

floor pillows.  ideal for watching television, playing with the cat, homework, and yes, texting. 

i think i have turned into the mom i always said i would never be. 

a week of yellow, day two

  

toast and tea.  with a blop of yellow butter.

a week of yellow, day one

something new for me.  erin is hosting yellow week. 

maybe i'll get my ass into gear and actually post every day. 

twelve square - playing catch-up

Since I sort-of took the month of January off, save a bit of knitting, I've had some catching-up to do with my twelve square blocks.  They were sewn up in time, but because going to the post office would involve me actually putting down my knitting, removing myself from the sofa, and leaving the house, I was a little late in sending them off.  Sorry excuse, I know, but those dreary winter days can be so immobilizing, can't they? 

So off in the post today, 

Leslie's block for January:

Leslie sent along the sweet pinks, greens, orange and white fabrics for a quilt for her daughter, Libby--all picked out by Miss Libby herself!  It was such a perfect assortment that I only added the teal and pink dotted fabric, and the orange floral in the corners.  I also added a couple of strips of white muslin to finish it up because, well, I screwed up when cutting Leslie's white fabric.  I think I must have gotten too excited when I realized that all of the little squares numbered twelve!  (how cool is that?) I do hope you both like it, Libby and Leslie!

And two weeks ago, Kristena's block for December was sent and received:

Kristena's photo of it is a much better one--my photo was taken during one of the dark, rainy weeks of January when the sun would just not oblige.  But it was such a fun project!  I loved being up to my elbows in scraps, pulling out every bit of fabric that felt vintage-y and warm for her scrappy log cabin square--including some gingham ribbon and lace that I found in the mix as well.  I'm so glad you liked it Kristena--your sweet words made my day!

Here's to warmer and sunnier days with timely blocks in the future--so far February has started off to be quite promising.

knit day

Shhh...

Ahem, that would be sick day.

My son was home sick yesterday with a nasty cold, and even nastier ear infection.  So of course I volunteered to stay home from work with him.  After we visited the doctor and got him set up with antibiotics and Advil, I settled into the sofa with my knitting... 

I actually made up these fingerless gloves (Fetching) a few weeks ago, but I'm rather slow with my knitting, and knitting is about all I've been working on lately.  These were a precursor to the February Lady that's on the needles now.  I gave the infamous Malabrigo a try, and well, I had to have more.  Oh yeah, it's sweater time!  

And my absence?  That would be the knitting too. (And the fact that I never seem to do January very well either.)  All I wanted to do last month was keep my head down and try to stay focused on the resolutions I have for this year.

I've never been one to write down my goals for the new year, but this year I felt that I really needed to.  I haven't decided whether or not I'll share them here--on the surface they're just run-of-the-mill resolutions like weight-loss and stress-reduction and baby-steps to accomplish those sorts of things, yet bigger things have gotten me to this point.  So I've been knitting. 

A few years ago, before I returned to work, even part-time, I had the children in various camps one summer.  I didn't plan very well for my own time while they were gone, so I had long stretches to fill.  That summer I literally did nothing but exercise and knit everyday, and it ended up being one of the best times in my life.  It goes without saying that the exercise was great for me both physically and mentally, but the knitting?  It was more than just scarves and hats and sweaters--it was hours of meditation each day.  And even more fundamentally, I had this piece of fabric that I had built with two sticks and a strand of yarn.  Incredible.

So that's where I've been.  Knitting and thinking (and trying my damnedest to get in my workouts). 

And trying to figure out how to get in more "sick" days.  Ahem.