KCWC Round Up, and what came after

OK, so KCWC is gone.
I DID actually finish the two things I planned to during the week, but blogging about it too proved a step too far. So, here's what happened

V's Hat.
Is done. Definitely not my finest work: I need to practice sewing jersey, and it's too big, but it still looks cute. I'll take a photo when I can

Insa Skirt

Here it is without the elastic waistband sewn yet, I needed to check it against her waist.

I'm pretty pleased with this. It was really good fun to experiment with patterns and add whatever I wanted. I made some piping from string and ribbon to edge the front panel:


It was quite a bit of work, and you know what? E's not interested in it AT ALL. Sigh. That's how it goes sometimes I suppose.

In all, KCWC was a success for me. It made me find some time to sew, and when I did, I found it wasn't all that intimidating and I could actually get something finished.

And so, since then, I've made something else:

This is from Sew What: Skirts by Francesca DenHartog. It's the A-Line Skirt, Fitted Waistband version that you create the block/pattern for yourself.

And I'm pretty pleased with it. It fits! for one, and it's nicely Autumnal, and it was pretty easy to do if you took it step by step.

I used Ikea fabric (total cost £3.99) for the outside, and the fabric for the facing was from my stash of scraps, so also pretty cheap.


Now, what's next....

KCWC Day 3

Finally have some fabric cut out.
Insa Skirt is cutout from some of my vintage pillowcase stash. I let E have free reign to choose the colour combo she wanted. As you can see, it's mostly pink. That is the world of my four year old girl!

The baby hat is cut from a t-shirt which i picked up from a jumble sale last weekend, with a tiny piece of purple cotton from my scrap basket

Day 2

Somewhere between the school drop off, taking the baby for her second immunisations, having new broadband installed and talking to my brother in law about the work he's going to do in the garden for us this weekend, I squeezed in the tiniest bit of prep. And only them because my Mum and sister came up and picked E up from school.
The baby hat pattern is traced, and fabric has been located and washed.
The Insa skirt is traced and partially cut out. Fabric has yet to be found.
I have a lot of catching up to do.

And... fell at first hurdle

Well, not a great start. Seriously, V has been up for HOURS tonight. Not crying, just awake. And looking about. And wanting to be cuddled.
So I've chosen cuddling my child over sewing for her.
She has now gone to bed though, so I've made a little start. Looked through my books, chosen a couple of patterns I'd like to do. Does that count?
Thinking about, for a gentle start, the baby hat from Making Children's Clothes
and maybe,hopefully, the Insa skirt from Sewing Clothes Kids Love.

Have traced the pattern for the hat and chosen the fabric from my thrifted tees stash. I still need to find a contrasting fabric for the ears.
And that'll have to do for tonight

Early Start

I wanted to get a bit of a jump on KCWC, and I wanted to finally use the new serger I bought as a present for myself just before I had V.
I planned to use the 90 Minute Shirt tutorial from MADE. (find it here). I cut out my pieces last night, using an old shirt of mine and an old shirt of E's which I rescued from the charity shop pile.

Today is my birthday. To celebrate, V slept for a whole 24 minutes when she got in and let me make a start on this


And throughout the day, though it took longer than 90 Minutes, I got it done.
It's not great, but it gave me good serger practice, and the tutorial was great. I'd definitely try making this again. I think it needs a bit more in the length next time though. And I think I'll make the neckband thinner.

Kids Clothes Week Challenge

I really want to do this.
My plan for my maternity leave was to spend my free time trying to learn to sew. Practice practice practice, I thought, I'm bound to improve some. I forgot about the fact that maternity leave is essentially to look after your new child, and free time is not in abundance.
It remains to be seen whether my new baby is like my first (no more than 30mins for a nap before she's up again and ready to rumble) but at the moment things are pretty busy around here. Baby No.2 and I continue to try to find a routine that works, while Baby No.1 (actually 4 and a half) settles into her new school. It's a merry-go-round of early mornings, lunchboxes and gym kits, note slips and after school snacks. The will-she-or-won't-she-settle evenings. Topped off with through the night, 3-hourly feeds.
It's either the worst time to attempt this, or maybe the best. The thought of giving myself permission to squirrel myself away for an hour each evening for a week seems indulgent.
I'm going to give it a go.

A couple of things I made over the last few weeks...

Have been very very busy, but have just found time to start a couple of makes...

Firstly, these socks. From the Fyberspates monthly sock club kits that I seem to have had around for, oooh, ever. I started the Moss socks


The pattern is simple enough to work without thinking, and it's knitting up quickly.

For something a little more challenging, I also started some crochet! The Sweet Summer Cardi from the latest Crochet Today magazine.
I'm making it from 9 balls of aran weight cotton I found in a charity shop for the total sum of £4.50.


Hopefully there'll be enough to finish it

The yarn is a bit thick, hopefully I'm not crocheting pink armour here.


And here's another thing I made, that's keeping me busy... Violet!

Grumpasaurus. And more Saartje's....

Tidying up a couple more projects while I'm waiting. This is Grumpasaurus, Ravelry link is here. This was a cute, fun knit, I just used up some scrap yarn from my odds and ends basket.

And another pair!

This is I think my third pair, these are for my sister's baby. I used Sirdar Luxury Cotton DK, and a 3.75mm needle so these are larger than the newborn sizes shown in Saartje's pattern (Ravelry link here). I'm thinking of casting on yet another pair, in thinner yarn, so she gets to have a tiny pair too.
It's not like I've not got the time.....

Waiting

I have been preoccupied this year working on something that should hopefully be here very very soon.

Me time

Carving out a bit of time for myself this weekend

Catching up on unfinished projects:


Treating myself to vintage trinkets:



Eating chocolate, and winter stew

and enjoying the vintage decor on Columbo

New Year's Day

For the third year running we spent New Year's Day on a steam train. For the second year running we spent it at Midland Railway Centre.



We got our takeaway teas and coffees and boarded the train for the Butterley - Swanwick round trip


Looked out at the frost and steam and discussed our plans for the year







And before we knew it, it was time to go. New Year's Day is so short