JC handmade

hello, july?

little miss smooshy face agreed to a photoshoot for my new knitting pattern a few days ago. that was just before the cold front swept in, bringing with it the rain and cold - quite literally as we were headed up onto the deck and into the house, the winds whooshed and the droplets began to fall. and so, today's promise of ice cream after art class was switched up to hot cocoa. in july.  i suppose the strawberry marshmallows make it seasonal, right?

i'll be back here monday *hopefully* with the new pattern (you can see a sneak peek over on the sidebar) ready to go.  have a wonderful weekend!  xoxo

gone are the days of failing to plan

as i mentioned before, this little number was simple to create in my mind's eye - apparently much simpler than on the needles.  something about the different directions of knitting and the pleat.  oh, how i have a crush on pleats this summer.  if you only knew.  that said, after a few froggings, rewrites and even a mini paper mock-up, i'm more than pleased with the results - a sweet little top for your girly that is on and off the needles in a few days now that all the hurdles are behind us.  the pattern should be formatted in a few days time, which gives you a chance to choose your favorite colors of cotton fleece.  xoxo

processing

as is not atypical with the design process around these parts, the past few days have involved assessment, the sharp twinge that accompanies the decision to frog.  then shaking loose those images of what did not work in order to ultimately begin the redesign process. and then have another go at it.
always learning, i guess.  xoxo

early to rise

for some reason, i was up and out of bed at half past 6 this morning.  back when i was teaching, i was up + running at 5:30am each and every day.  but nowadays, i'm more of a night owl.  i enjoy settling in when the house settles down at the end of a long day.  and so, of course my morning rise + shine has been bumped back a bit in recent years.  but today, my internal alarm clock had me up at sunrise.  no, not to exercise (ahem).  to knit.  i had a late night knitting session and actually dreamed about it.  that's not that odd, is it?  as i tiptoed down the stairs, being extra careful not to wake the kiddos, the lovely morning light in my little studio made me swoon.  and a few minutes later, so did the sound of the coffeemaker gurgling as my needles were back in hand once again.
wishing you + yours a lovely weekend.  xoxo

midweek loves

: sunny days + beachy braids :

: "our" very generous lettuce guy :

: date night with the hub + shopping + sushi + lots of laughter :

: outdoor laundry folding + outdoor knitting + outdoor everything :

: ruffles + pleats + how secret projects can inspire a new piece for the littles + subsequent pattern writing.  i am knitting as fast as i can. xoxo

dear linen,

i'm so glad we're friends.
xoxo
~me

finished swatching the linen i started playing with a few weeks ago and am very happy that i commited to working up the entire skein with a bit of openwork as well as some stockinette.  prior to washing it was indeed somewhat stiff (along the lines that burlap is stiff - and i mean that in a very good way), but then i put it through its paces to see how it would stand up to three washings in cold, warm and then (accidentally) hot water.  the results are a delightful combination of softness and strength.  now, i don't know if i'm describing the texture all too well here (i need some more coffee), but let's just say that with every washing of the linen, it seemed to adopt more and more lovely drape as well as a softer feel.  but that's not all, because it actually feels stronger, if that is possible.  like it went through some bionic fiber transformation.

i bet your could knit a baby sling out of this stuff and it would be fantastic.  so would a backpack.  what about a hammock?  ok ok, i might be getting ahead of myself here - nevertheless, let's just confirm that everything i love about sewing with linen translates to knitting with it.  i also have a skein of sportweight merlin on my stash and am looking forward to playing around with it as well one of these days - i would imagine it offers the best of both fiber worlds.  do tell your experience of working with linen (sewing or knitting), as i'd love to hear!  xoxo

the quiet

it's still drizzling a bit outside and i just realized the house was getting eerily quiet. on my tiptoes, i peeked into the living room and spotted a scene that i want to bottle up and sip at for the rest of my days.

it's now about 10 minutes later and they are still there and every so often i hear a page flip and a little sing-songing.  i should be using this opportunity to work on a commissioned quilt, but instead i'm flickring at the kitchen table, sipping fresh coffee and listening to the quiet.
hope you are enjoying your weekend!  xoxo

square one

back in the time known as b.k. (before kiddos), i spent a fair amount of time at my co-op pottery studio.  it was a quiet zone with the utmost respect of space and freedom, and wonderful relationships were built.  it was a creative time in a very inspiring space - i felt safe taking risks and stepping away from a lifetime of being convinced "i cannot draw for shit so i am not an artist".  it all changed then and there.  the clay, that studio, my teacher + friends :: it changed me.

that urge to create, that need to use my hands + make things didn't stop when i had the littles, but it definitely went into hibernation for a while.  over time, though, the maker in me resurfaced with many baby knits and eventually during one naptime, i happened upon the sewing machine my mom gave me about 20 years ago.  i remember her telling me that it would be "a good thing to have", but never knew what it would come to mean for me. 

it was on that first sewing machine that i made the hub a set of curtains with Barry + Glodean xerox transfers back when we were dating.  and it is that hub who encouraged me to find that pottery studio.  and it is that pottery studio that made me realize i have a creative voice.  and it is that creative voice that resurfaced in my stitches since becoming a mother. 

knitting and sewing has been the kiss that awakened the artist in me and allows me to find balance in motherhood.  carving out time to create refuels me in so many ways.  i am blessed to have a quiet space to work in, and find inspiring niveaus of square one with every mess and subsequent cleanout + reorganization.  wishing you a lovely weekend - happy making!  xoxo

mental notes

from time to time, there's an idea so clever and terrific that a mental sticky note is in order.

thank you, erin, for the perfect last-minute teacher gift.  somehow the end of the semester snuck up on us and i found myself at a loss for a little something to let the girls' dance teachers know how much they are loved.  enter that mental sticky note i placed on this project the moment i saw it - i was able to whip up two of these in less than an hour, popped a starbucks' card inside each and there you have it.  i kind of winged these quilted cozies by stitching-in-the-ditch with cheater patchwork.  but newbies never fear, as erin has an easy-to-follow free tutorial for the coffee cozy on her blog.  she's one clever mama.  xoxo

hobo to go

one of the plusses of doing a big cleanout is finding hidden gems ::

a long lost "super great hobo", one of many i made a few years back and apparently neglected to list in the shop.  you see, what now serves as a playroom was once my sewing space (back in ye ole napping days).  apparently, i used the closet as storage for finished goods for the shop.  who knew.  also unearthed were my old sewing machine, a changing table (since donated), lots of freezer paper and binder clips, and a few forgotten toys that are now getting a lot of attention.  it was like happening upon a time capsule and fun for everyone.  and yes, the bag is available in the shop - at the vintage 2007 price, as well.  xoxo