Merry Christmas

This Christmas is little L.'s first. So that everyone can celebrate it together and spoil him rotten, both M.'s whole family and mine are meeting in (hopefully) warm and sunny Florida. Stockings are such an important part of Christmas morning gift goodness in my family that it seemed crucial that each one of my inlaws had their own. After several hours (possibly days) of cutting and sewing through red corduroy, batting, stripey fabrics, flannel and gros grain ribbon they're finally finished.

Bumpers and blankets

The trouble with having too many projects going on at once is that it seems like none ever get completed. Being overly attached to everything being perfect probably isn't helping...

It took us 6 months to decide on a crib for little L. I'm pretty proud to say it took me less time to find this fabric, realise I hadn't bought enough, get over it and buy a different one to line the inside of the crib bumper and finally measure, cut and sew the whole thing together. Yay me.

This little flannel blanket is on its way across the Atlantic with a copy of baby-gami for a lovely lovely friend who recently had a little boy and was fascinated by the yet undiscovered (in France) art of swaddling.

Works in progress

I realise that if I wait for each project to be complete before posting it, it would be awhile. So, here is some to be completed show & tell:

Soon, these (minus the Georges) will be a quilted floormat for little L to master crawling on.

this will one day be a thick cardigan for a lovely person to wrap herself in,

and this will turn into a sweater for little L.

Happy Monday

Mobile nest

After the unfortunate loss of a gorgeous gifted stroller sleeping cosy*, which the french elegantly call a nid d'ange (angel's nest), a replacement was necessary. Although the result of my efforts doesn't begin to compare with the original (and is sadly lacking sleeves, which made the original clearly superior in its conception), I am pleased to have finally found a use for this Kokka fabric that I loved so much I was afraid to waste it on an unworthy project. All is now well : little L can stay warm whilst taking in the sights.

* The american term, footmuff, is sadly lacking in poetry. I therefore refuse to use it.

A closer look...

Liberty for all!

This was never meant to happen, yet it has : his & her wedding outfits, little L. will be wearing a matching floral belt. Frightening.

Sunday at Alameda

Give me Liberty...

Laura Ashley is not my friend. I am not a floral person. It is something of a principle. That said, there are occasions where one must give a little for the greater good. Weddings with a theme are such an occasion. So floral it is and Liberty it shall be. The dress is just about finished, the hemline is still tbd.

Finally, finished.

Before it was finished, this scarf would stare at me from the knitting basket and make me feel quite guilty. Every couple of days I would pick it up, knit a little, get interrupted, put it down and there it would lie, incomplete: the belated birthday gift in progress. Then last week, George claimed it as his prey and dragged it back to his lair under the couch. The scarf suffered slightly but miraculously avoided great injury. This near-death experience prompted me to retrieve my diminished project and knit away to completion in order to avoid any further feline assault.

Now it lies safely packed away in a parcel, on its way to the UK: the belated birthday gift en route.