Flashback Friday over on Sew Much Ado!


i'm thrilled to be over on "sew much ado" today for flashback friday!!! fun!!!!  i was so excited when abby asked me to join in! i'm a fan of this series when she first ran it and was happy to see her doing it again!  so pop on by sew much ado and check out my flashback friday post where you can see how i got from this.......

men's dress shirt sleeves to pants tutorial by luvinthemommyhood
to this.... 

emerson tunic dress tutorial from luvinthemommyhood
i'm still chuckling and boy oh boy was it fun to go back to those days and see what the heck i was thinking....so hilarious! i hope you enjoy the post! wishing you all a wonderful weekend and thank you so very much for having me abby!

what would your flashback friday post be about?  what project did you first sew? who or what inspired you to start a new craft or to take up sewing?  i'd love to hear about your flashback fridays!!!

ISLAND MINI BOOK TOUR!!

jane and i will be packing up our samples and hitting the road for a mini book tour this weekend for ISLAND!!!  woot woot!  we're heading over to vancouver and to lovely gibsons, bc! 


here are the stops on our mini tour :
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Friday, January 25th from 7 pm - 9 pm
4437 10th Avenue, Vancouver, BC
. . . 


Saturday, January 26th from 1 pm - 3 pm
#602-21183 88th Avenue, Langley, BC

. . . 


Saturday, January 26th from 7 pm - 9 pm
2667 E. Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC

. . . 

Sunday, January 27th from 1 pm - 4 pm
8-1161 Sunshine Coast Highway, Gibsons, BC

Event Page on Facebook

. . .

...if you are local to the Lower Mainland or the Sunshine Coast, come on out and see us at one of these stops! we can't wait to say hi & for you all to see the lovely knitted items from the book in person!  be sure to come up and say hello and if you are a ravelry friend let us know both your rav id name and your real name!  it's funny how many people we know only by ravid's! funny but true!

we're looking forward to the tour and hope you all are too!  see you this weekend!  

p.s. if you can't make it out you can also follow along with us on instagram.  follow jane at "janerichmond"  and myself at "luvinthemommyhood" we'll be using the hashtag #islandtour.

Downton Abbey Knit Along - Kitchener & Colorways

hats, hats and more hats! there sure have been a ton of hats being made in our downton abbey knit along right now. very gorgeous ones at that.  i adore hats and wear them all year round.  i detest cold weather but love when it's cool enough for me to start wearing hard core knitwear on my head all year round.  i think i wear a hat at least once a day during this season.  sure helps me out for kindergarten drop off in the am - saves me time having to do my hair :P

kitchener stitch tutorial from the purl bee
i'm working away on my nola cloche for my kal project and got to a part that requires using the kitchener stitch - a grafting technique that yields an invisible seaming result.  i like doing the kitchener stich and find it very soothing for some reason and oddly fun.  i do know that the way of doing the kitchener stitch is one of those techniques that is tricky to memorize. it has a repeat pattern to it but you have to do it in just the right order.

as i was working on my kitchener stitch and watching my fave video to remind me how to do it on knittinghelp.com i thought wouldn't it be fab to have a handy little cheat sheet of this that I could throw in my knitting bag?  and then instead of just pondering it i actually made one. i then had to share it with all of you too.  now we can all remember "knit, purl, purl, knit" - KPPK.


i've also been busy drooling away at the projects that are being worked on and also the ones that are finished.  the one thing i noticed that i thought was really neat was the color palettes most of you had chosen.  i took a snippet of color from each image shared in our ravelry group and voila - a lovely array of what we feel are downtesque colorways :)  i think they are purdy and i also thought it was fun to see them all grouped together.  where did yours fall in?


i feel so lucky to get to knit with such a wonderful and caring group of women.  it's been so much fun and boy oh boy are sunday nights and monday mornings a fun time to jump in the convo. so many chats happening, friendships being made and old ones getting stronger, people learning new skills and just overall discussion on downton abbey itself -  i love it!  don't miss out on the discussion. you can find our ravelry group here.

how's your project going? are you enjoying the kal? how do you remember the kitchener stitch? let's sip some tea and chat all things knitting! i'd love to hear from you!

you can follow along with all things downton abbey knit along here:


 ||  DOWNTON KAL SPONSORS  ||

secret projects & new addictions


i've been working away on a fun and exciting project the last few weeks!  i'm getting to play with some fun fabrics that i haven't yet sewn with!  suiting and fleece! i can't show you the fleece yet because it's a surprise!  eeeek!  i also got to make some sewing patterns that i have been dying to try out for my kiddo!  i always enjoy sewing someone else's patterns after spending a lot of time designing and making my own.  one of the items you will see when these are done will be mine but other than that....it's all just fun sewing for me!  i also got to whip out some stretch sewing and you guys know how much i looooove sewing with knits!  needless to say i've been having a great time getting some much needed sewing time in.


i've also developed a crush lately on pleats and darts to hang out with my addiction to topstitching.  i can't stop adding them to projects and i have found myself drawn to clothing with special details lately.  i love the texture and shape that they add to garments.  swoon! along with working on my secret project i've also been madly working away on my "stripe study" shawl in my spare time.  i've got a ton of other knitting projects and designs on the go but i am sooooo in LOVE with this shawl that i am having a hard time putting it down. i can't wait to wear it!  short rows = fun!!!!! plus the madelinetosh yarn is just heavenly! don't you just love that red? i can't get enough of it!!!

pattern:  stripe study by veera valimaki  yarn: madelinetosh merino light in colorway tern and torchere
hopefully i will be able to show you all what the sewing project is that i'm working on next week!  i can't wait!!!!  anyone have any guesses?? lol.

what have you been working on?  what type of fabric have you been wanting to try? any new fabric and sewing details that you've been drawn to or are dying to work on?  have you started on any new projects that you're excited about?  i can't wait to hear about it :)

moments in the mommyhood - how long till bedtime?


i feel like it's been forever since i had pics of the girls to post.  the weather here has not been in my favor alongside the time of year.  with my oldest being in kindergarten now it sure makes it tricky to get good shots of her after school.  it gets dark and really cold fast.  i found myself going through withdrawal of their cute little faces on here and scheduled in a quick little 5 min photoshoot after school yesterday.  they had so much fun posing for the camera and i found myself amazed at how big they had grown when i edited the pics.

 

i know i see them everyday but stepping back and looking at the photos really cemented how old mackenzie looks and how big harper is getting. i mean where has my baby gone? can you believe harper is going to be 3 in may???!!! seriously! i get misty eyed just thinking about it.  they are both definitely keeping this momma busy.  my oldest loves to challenge me on more than a daily basis and i tell you the grey hairs are coming in.  but she loves school and going to full time kindergarten has been great for her.  only problem was i figured she would come home with a tad less energy but instead she comes home even more pumped up.  i can't figure this out...lol...and it's exhausting.  she wears me out..haha.  the two of them together makes me sometimes feel like i can't get a focused thought through my head.  it never sinks in how crazy it gets around here some days until they are asleep and my brain goes...."yesssssss....finally....what took you so long?".  it's like stepping into a hot bath.  i just soak and revel in the silence.  boy do i love that silence.......


.....for a while...and then i miss them and i sneak into their rooms to give them that one last bedtime kiss.  it's so hilarious to me that when they are driving me to the brink of insanity (and believe me they do on more than one occasion) that when i finally get them to go to sleep after an hour or so i miss them. anyone else have this issue?  sometimes it makes me feel guilty for wanting them to go to bed so badly that i get one of those cases of "am i a good enough mom" bouts that we all get...or at least i hope we all do and i'm not the only lone bird analyzing my parenting skills....and desperate need for silence.  speaking of silence....how long is it till bedtime??  ;P

wishing you all a wonderful weekend filled with kiddo craziness but also lots of quiet mommy time.  does your wee one come home from school even more energized than when they left in the morning?  do you long for bedtime some days and if so do you sometimes get the same mom guilts i do? let's chat!  i've got some yummy lattes here with your name on it! pull up a seat and stick around for a while :)

downton abbey knit along - twists & techniques!

Pattern: Nola Cloche by Hilary Smith Callis  Yarn: Supernova in colorway Pewter by Luna Grey Fiber Arts
i'm having so much fun with my downton abbey knit along project!  just like sewing i love a project with interesting construction or finishing details. it get's me excited and i race through the project to get to the fun part!  the nola cloche doesn't disappoint.  hilary is a friend of mine and one of our kal sponsors and i really enjoy how she designs her projects.  this hat is a fun example.  the brim is knit flat and then seamed together while the rest of the hat is knit in the round! me likie!!!  i know it sounds a tad silly but i just loved how she designed the twist which is my fave part of the hat.  i love details like that and i also love cables so it was a win win for me.


i know a lot of our kal members are trying out new things and there are a lot of hats being made with interesting techniques.  there are also a lot of lace work and cables happening so i thought i would use today's post to link up some of our handy resources so if you happen to get stuck or are still deciding on your project but needed a bit more helpful info before you jumped in i hope these help you out!  please remember we also have a very active ravelry group that is always more than willing to help knitters out and to answer any questions. so don't be shy - join the fun!

||  PICKING UP STITCHES  ||
i am just about ready to pick up stitches (not one of my fave things to do) and here's a great knit along post from one of my besties jane richmond.

- picking up stitches (summer sweater knit along 2012)
- picking up the stitches (summer sweater knit along)

||  LACE KNITTING AND KNITTED LACE  ||
i adore lace and knitting it.  i also like to get others to not be so frightened or overwhelmed by lace knitting and knitted lace.  here's a post i did with a fun rundown on the ins and outs of lace.

- la la la loving the lace (tops, tanks & tees knit along 2012)

||  SEAMING  ||
who loves seaming? not me...lol. so we had one of our group moderators kelly of celtic cast on to come and show us all her tricks for seaming.

- seaming video tutorials (summer sweater knit along 2012)


how is your project coming along?  are you doing a project with fun techniques or construction involved?  is there a topic you'd like to see covered in this knit along? come chat! coffee's on!

you can follow along with all things downton abbey knit along here:
 

i'm so excited for this kal and i am so happy you are all knitting along with me! please show your love for all of our amazing sponsors who make our knit alongs possible!

Washi Tunic for Me!


i've been busy knitting but i've also been sewing.  i couldn't resist whipping up another washi after making my dress.  this time i decided to do a tunic.  i originally was going for rae's version with sleeves and maybe a peter pan collar but the universe was against me.  never try cutting out your clothing pattern pieces when you have kids running wild around you.  after some silly mistakes (some that weren't even mine) i ended up running out of fabric and didn't have enough left to do the sleeves or collar. i also omitted the pockets...lol.  but even though the end result wasn't what i had originally visioned i love it no less. i've been wearing it non stop and cannot rave enough about this awesome pattern.


i used one of my fave prints from last year "afro fusion dusk" from indie by pat bravo for art gallery fabrics.  it's soft and has a lovely drape.  i couldn't resist adding the same vintage mustard bias for my armholes and neckline that i did for my original washi dress. i did a plain rounded neckline that i finished with the mustard bias and some double top stitching for fun which i also repeated on the hemline. i also decided to add a casing with elastic for the back this time instead of doing the shirring.  you can find a tutorial on how to do this on rae's blog here.  i didn't line mine though. i simply made a casing and topstitched it down in position and fed the elastic through. when i sewed my side seams down it closed the ends of the casing.  it's super fast, easy and i love the result.  i recommend it if you don't feel comfortable sewing shirring or your machine acts up with it.  mine has suddenly realized it hates shirring. no idea why...lol.


i hope to show you some pics soon of me actually wearing the tunic but with our dreary, grey, and rainy weather here the timing just always seems to be off for the hubs to take pics of me and it's just too dark in my condo to take shots of myself.  hopefully i'll be able to show you all soon.  in the meantime i put it on sally, my lovely dress form.  she's not my size...not even close...haha...but i love her anyways.  i use her for hanging things on and she likes to travel and do markets/craft shows with us all :)  she's on loan to me from a friend and she's come in very handy.  one day i will buy myself one that is my size though...lol.  when i put this on her i died laughing.  seriously.  it really made me realize how big "my girls" were when you see it hanging off of a dress form that is the size i'd like to be.  oh my....so close ups it is :) i'm sure you get the idea though :)


i've really been enjoying sewing my own clothing and hope to do a lot more this year.  one of my new year's resolutions has been to sew my own pair of pants.  anyone have a great pattern recommendation?  i'm fed up with buying pants that just dont' fit right and make me look bigger than i am so i'd love to make some fit just for my body.

have you made your own pants before?  what is your favorite pattern to use? do you have any tips for me? let's chat sewing my friends!

||  FABRICS USED  ||
- afro fusion dusk from indie by pat bravo for art gallery fabrics purchased from fabricworm
- vintage mustard colored pre-made bias tape for armholes.

||  PATTERN USED  ||
- washi dress by rae hoekstra (made by rae)
- size made: XL
- full bust adjustment: none
- length: mid thigh
- helpful link: sewing women's clothing post from rae (great for tips on sizing and muslins)

PATTERN || HANNAH HAT PATTERN RELEASE

To say I love this hat is an understatement.  Since the night I whipped the Hannah Hat up it's been on my head non-stop.  Made from the scrumptious and lovely malabrigo rasta this hat is warm, cozy and sooooo soft and chunky! It's a dream to knit and wear. Living in a coastal city we are always getting wind storms and this hat keeps my ears and head warm while still being cute and stylish.


hannahhat.jpg

This yarn has a special spot in my heart.  Gifted to me last xmas from my dear friend Hannah (ummashin) the color is one of my faves.  I fell so in love with this yarn that I have held on to it for a full year until i found the perfect project for it.  So to say a lovely thank you to one of the most lovely people i have met online i have named this hat for hannah.  I hope she likes it as much as I do.


hannahhat.jpg

Quick and easy hannah knits up in one night.  a few hours and bam - you've got yourself a lovely new accessory.  Knit on a US12/9mm it works up fast and it's simple to customize to your desired slouch/length.  and helloo....that pom pom just melts my heart.  Love it.  Pom poms and I have had a love/hate relationship because I can never seem to make a good one but I have broken my curse (I like to use my pal jane richmond's pom pom tutorial). 

Making pom poms with rasta is actually fun! I love the added touch of fun the pom pom adds to this hat. I also love the coziness the 2x2 rib that goes to mid crown adds to keep your ears warm.  That extra bit of depth just feels so right on the part of my head that gets the coldest while waiting for school pick up. 

Best part is hannah only takes (1) skein of malabrigo rasta! Plus the pattern is only $1.99!!! That's it - time to treat yourself! Just remember that if you alter the pattern or choose to NOT unravel your gauge swatch you will need another skein to be able to finish the hat and the pom pom.  I seriously used every last inch of my skein. There were no leftovers..not even one centimeter..lol. 


hannahhat.jpg

THE HANNAH HAT PATTERN FEATURES:


:: clear and easy to understand step by step instructions

:: bright & colorful photography

:: 2 page color PDF pattern

::  a great knitting experience

The Hannah Hat Pattern is available for purchase at the following:

  1. ravelry
  2. Etsy
  3. Very Shannon Shop

If you make a hannah please let me know and share your pics! I love to see the projects you guys make. Feel free to add any pics to our flickr groupand also our ravelry group.

I hope you enjoy hannah as much as I do!  It's a great beginner pattern to practice knitting in the round and making pom poms :)  Happy knitting from my home to yours!  

p.s. To all you sewers...don't worry, I promise there will be sewing goodies coming soon too!  

ISLAND Book Launch Party


party time this weekend!!!  if you're on vancouver island or feel like popping over from the mainland this weekend  make sure to stop by "knotty by nature" on saturday from 6-9pm for our ISLAND Book Launch Party!!!! woot woot!!!!!  jane and i are so excited to get a chance to celebrate ISLAND and to share all the lovelies from the book with you. 

we would LOVE for you to come help us celebrate ISLAND! join us for food and drink, view all of the samples in our trunk show, pick up a book or have your copy signed and come mingle with photographer Nicholas Kupiak, model Kylee Shaw, Jane Richmond and I, and all of our knitting friends!

we thank you all so very much for all the awesome support you have all shown us and we can't wait to see some of you in person! we're very excited!

to find out more information about the event and to rsvp please check out our event facebook page:


WHAT:  ISLAND Book Launch Party
WHEN: Saturday, January 12, 2013 from 6:00-9:00pm
WHERE: Knotty by Nature, 1704 Lillian Road, Victoria, British Columbia
 

have a great weekend and happy knitting and sewing my friends!  i'll see you on monday with a new free pattern!!! 

p.s.  the newest season of Project Run & Play launched today so make sure to pop over and vote for your fave!  

downton abbey kal - my project & tea!

Pattern: Nola Cloche by Hilary Smith Callis  Yarn: Supernova in colorway Pewter by Luna Grey Fiber Arts
it's here! our very first official downton abbey knit along post! woot woot!  i was so excited on sunday night knowing everyone was watching the season 3 premiere! our ravelry group was on fire!!!  i couldn't believe how many convos i had to read to catch up! love it!  there's something so comforting knowing we were all curled up with our tea and knitting together while watching downton abbey.  does my heart good.


i swatched my pattern choice on sunday night.  want to know which one i chose?  the nola cloche by my gorgeous friend hilary smith callis of "the yarniad".  hilary is such a sweetheart and when i saw the nola cloche pop up in my facebook feed a few months ago i knew i was making it for the downton kal.  i've always wanted a cloche and this one was a happy place for me.  two different yarn weight options - chunky, or worsted, and you can wear the hat a few ways too!  bonus is there is even a nola cloche for kids now!  hehe! can you just see me and both my girls wearing them! adorable!

the nola cloche by hilary smith callis
my yarn choice? yum!!! i'm using some gorgeous and lovely yarn from one our fab sponsors luna grey fiber arts!  she's got tons of modern and fresh yarns and her colors are just to die for!  i'm so excited to wear this yarn! it knits up so nice and i'm very happy with it!  the yarn weight is worsted and it is called supernova. it's a 100% merino in the colorway pewter.  jackie from luna grey fiber arts recently dyed a nice bundle of lovely yarns for me that i'll be showing you in a few weeks so stay tuned. they are so pretty!


now i couldn't have watched downton abbey without some tea.  i started thinking it would be fun to share our favorite tea of choice at the moment.  i'm currently obsessed and i mean obsessed with the david's tea and the flavor - cocomint cream.  delicious.  i drink at least 1 cup a day and have to monitor myself as it's a holiday flavor and when it's gone in the shops it's gone :(  wahhhhh!  i think i need to buy another tin to get me by :)  you can find all the david's teas online on their website.  so delish!  i cannot rave about this company enough.  it definitely is one of my fave new things to do in our city and it doesn't help that all of my pals and i are equally as addicted :)  yarn and tea....ahhhh the lovely little things in life :)


you can follow along with all things downton abbey knit along here:
 

i'm so excited for this kal and so happy you are all knitting along with me!  i'm so excited to show you all of our fabulous and oh so amazing sponsors for this kal! are you ready to see who they are? yay!!!!!!!!!!!! fo'reals...the prizes are drool worthy! you seriously do not want to miss this!  can you hear me squealing!!!!!!!!!!!! 


now get sippin' and get knittin'!  which project did you cast on for? what yarn are you using? is anyone else making the nola cloche? what's your fave tea of the moment? any thoughts on the new episode of downton? let's chat <3

banberry place giveaway!!! fabrics & more!

who's in the mood for some yummy fabric?  our lovely sponsor banberry place has fabric galore and is one of the best places to get some fabulous knit fabrics!  they've got "inspirational fabric, patterns & trims from around the world"!
heather ross fabrics on sale!
**THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.  THE WINNER WAS COMMENTER #176. THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR ENTRIES!**

banberry place also carries designer fabrics, cotton & knit european import fabrics, pre-ruffled fabrics and seasonal fabrics.   on top of all the lovely fabric there is also an awesome selection of trims & ribbons! i love me some trims people! so cute!

banberry place stocks a great selection of patterns including e-patterns and e-book patterns.  you can find patterns for women, children, boys, stuffies and more.  make sure to get ready just in time for valentine's day as well with all their heart fabrics

there are also some great sales! get your hands on some far far away 2 and 3  plus boys knits are on sale too!
||  THE PRIZE  ||
- one lucky winner will receive a $30 gift certificate to banberry place.

||  HOW TO ENTER  ||
 - simply leave a comment below letting me know what you'd spend your $25 on.  that's it! nice and easy!
- *bonus entry: like banberry place and/or luvinthemommyhood on facebook and leave us another comment to let us know you did that too.

||  THE RULES  ||
- you must leave a valid email address in your comment to qualify.
- giveaway will end  january 13th, 2013 at midnight, pst.

good luck everyone and thank you corie for the great giveaway.  happy fabric shopping! you can find all things banberry place here:

CAMILLE HOODED COWL || NEW PATTERN!!

It gets pretty darn windy where I live.  Wind storms blow regularly and I swear it chills me to the bone.  It also rains a lot so being a coastal gal we dress in layers and we love our accessories.  Since my oldest started kindergarten I do a lot of standing around outside for pick up and drop off.  Most of the time I curse the fact that I don't have a hood.  Sometimes I like to wear my fave leather jacket with a yummy cowl and then wouldn't you know it - bye bye sun, hello rain.  There goes mommas hair. 


camille.jpg

Being a bit of a scattered mom at times (aren't we all here and there) I never seem to have an umbrella and I find myself longing for a hooded cowl.  It would solve all my issues.  Be quick to make, suit many different weights of yarn, be warm, squishy and look great with all my layers :)  Best of all it keeps my hair in tact and my ears toasty.  Bring it on mother nature.



Knit up in delicious madelinetosh chunky yarn in colorway tern (love) on a big needle this is a quick 1-2 kind of evening project.

camille is a cozy & oh so comfy hooded double wrap infinity cowl knit in a lofty oblique rib pattern with warm chunky yarn.  It also would look equally lovely in a super bulky, aran, or worsted.  Quick to knit, with a fun construction this cowl involves no picking up of stitches. Camille is knit in the round and knit flat with a simple seamed hood.


The Camille Cowl Pattern Features:


:: clear and easy to understand step by step instructions

:: bright & colorful photography

:: 2 page color PDF pattern

:: digitally drafted diagram

::  a great knitting experience

The Camille Cowl Pattern is available for purchase at the following:

RAVELRY 

ETSY 

VERY SHANNON SHOP


camillecowl.jpg
camillecowl.jpg

One of my fave features of camille is that you never get cold back neck syndrome.  With the hood feature and the double wrap cowl your neck is always fully covered no matter if the hood is down or up.  I always get that draft between my cowl and top and this cowl keeps me nice and toasty. 

The pattern is easy to memorize and is a fun project to pop in your purse and carry with you.  It also makes a wonderful gift because it's a) awesome b) fast to knit up and c) a great project to splurge on some dream yarn without breaking the bank.  I can see many more camille's in my future. 


camillecowl.jpg
camillecowl.jpg
camillecowl.jpg

Named after my sister Camille who loves a hood as much as i do (which is a lot). We just love to curl up all cozy with a nice warm hood. Camille is also a good project for an experienced beginner who is looking to take on a project that's more difficult than a basic cowl but also still fun for an advanced knitter to whip up with some dream yarn.

I hope you all enjoy making and wearing this fun, squishy cowl as much as i do.  happy knitting from my home to yours!

I'd love to hear your thoughts! What do you think? Have you worn a hooded cowl before?  Let's chat yummy knits ladies!  

p.s. Thanks in advance to the lovely jane richmond for modeling for me! luv ya hun!

Downton Abbey Knit Along - Pinterest Board & Inspirations


we've got a pinboard for our downton abbey knit along! woot woot!  i started putting together a downton abbey roundup and well....got overwhelmed.  i think i just love downton abbey too much..lol.  the post would have been way too long to put up on here so trust me when i say that a pin board was a much better solution.  now you can all view it and get inspired!  it doesn't mean my roundups are gone, just that for this kal i'm going to try something new.


the lucy hat by carina spencer
i added to the pin board most of the pattern suggestions or patterns chosen by our knit along members chatting in our ravelry group.  we're getting all excited and fired up to get clicking.  2 more sleeps people and we can cast on!  hats have been a hugely popular choice for this knit along and the pattern pictured above is by far the most popular one.  isn't it lovely?  it's called the lucy hat and is by carina spencer.  i almost squealed (ok, i did squeal) when i saw the pic at the start of the post of mary! so awesome!!! how cool that they match so well? are you making a hat?

before you ask what pattern and yarn am i using i can't say yet! hehehe, you'll have to wait till next wed!  i still have to do my swatch though.  remember how important gauge is ladies.  here's a helpful post we did on the importance of swatching.  it's better to make yourself do a swatch then to knit a whole project only to have it not work out.  it hurts...trust me on that one :)  and for those of you still choosing yarns etc i've also added our link for help with that as well.

- gauge and what it is
- choosing yarns stress free

*you can find tons of helpful links and resources on our permanent kal page.  you can also click on each knit along and find a handy page with all the links, guest posts and helpful info from each knit along.  i refer to these on a regular basis.  i'm always learning something new.


and just for fun i thought we could take a little quiz to see which member of the abbey we are most like.  what was your answer?  i was surprised at mine! p.s. i love seeing the cast members of downton all dressed up in clothes from present time.  so lovely! i couldn't resist pinning some and also some gorgeous shots of the men of downton from GQ mag. they are my fave!!!! love them!


 

you can follow along with all things downton abbey knit along here:

and don't forget to sign up. you must be signed up & have a project started to be eligible for the awesome giveaway at the end of the knit along and remember you can knit or crochet :)


alrighty my friends, head on over to the pinterest board and have some fun!  i had a great time finding some fun images from the show as well.  if there are patterns you have chosen or you would love to see pinned on the board please let me know in the comments below and i'll add them in :)

p.s. i know a lot of you are signed up for the jimmy beans wool mysterl downton kal and i just wanted to mention again that you ARE ALLOWED to join our knit along making their mystery pattern :) we've had this kal planned for months and i want all of you able to join in on the fun!!! so sign up & let's all dish & knit along to the downton!

Something Silver - Better Late Than Never


YARN:  YELLOW LABEL DK WEIGHT BY TANIS FIBER ARTS IN COLORWAY PINK GRAPEFRUIT
NEEDLE: 3.75MM/US 5

oh my, i sort of debated about posting this first thing in the new year but i couldn't resist. i know what some of you are thinking, this was my summer sweater knit along project and well....it sure isn't summer anymore..lol.  this goes to show sometimes we all don't get our projects finished on time.  i adore this cardigan and the pattern but i got stuck with my usual case of sleevitis. it took me forever to knit the sleeves. not for any reason other than i hate knitting sleeves.  i know it sounds like a cop out but it's just how it is.

this cardigan was very much worth ever single minute i put into knitting it and trust me, it took a while.  it's gorgeous, the fit is perfection, it's slimming on my hips and doesn't make my boobies look overly gargantuan or like big headlights..lol.  veera's patterns are always written well and her sizing is definitely perfect for women's bodies.  if you have curves don't fear her knits.


now onto my fave part of this whole cardigan - the yarn. ohhhh!!!! isn't the color just so yummy? i smile every time i look at it.  it's so funny to think back to when i was a hairdresser and my closet consisted of black to now wearing a bright grapefruit colored cardigan! my life is so much happier and brighter with the freedom of color!  this colorway is called "pink grapefruit" is yellow label dk weight from tanis fiber arts.  tanis is AMAZING!  i can't even write in descriptive words how awesome this yarn was to work with.  i can't even photograph it properly to show you all the delicious tones and colors in this cardi.  it's soft, lofty and so gentle against my skin.  tanis - you are so talented my dear! thank you again for the chance to knit this with your yarn. hugs!

now i've said this before and i will say it again, i love garter and i love lace.  so this cardi was a no brainer for me.  the lace pattern in it is easy to memorize and flows so nicely over the course of the pattern.  and the garter parts?  well let's just say those were my faves!  i love the look of garter and there are pockets in the garter?! yes! how can it get better than that?  i struggled a bit with finding the perfect buttons to accent this cardi and finally decided on some covered buttons with some fabric scraps i had that matched the tones well.  i adore them and get a kick out of them.


i'm so glad that i pushed past the arms and got this lovely finished.  i completed knitting it on december 22nd, blocked it and then seamed my pocket down & sewed my buttons on.  i've been wearing it ever since.  i'm so happy my lovely group of knitty pals pushed me to stay up late and finish the darn thing up. i honestly just kept procrastinating and working on new patterns (coming soon) and leaving my poor cardi sleeves as an after thought.  naughty girl i was.  from now on i'm going to try to knit my sleeves before i finish the body of a top down sweater or a cardigan.  we'll see if that helps me beat my sleevitis.

in the meantime i'll be curled up in this new knit.  smiling and dreaming of summer.

you can find my project page on ravelry here for my something silver and our summer sweater kal here. what project did you squeak by on finishing right before the end of the year? did you get your summer sweater kal project finished late too?  are you a fan of veera's or tanis fiber arts?  let's chat fo's ladies! happy new year's!

Patricia Infinity Cowl Tutorial & an Art Gallery Fabrics Giveaway!


It's Fat Quarter Gang time over on Art Gallery Fabrics today and I'm going to show you all how to make the Patricia Infinity Cowl using only 6 fat quarters! Woot woot!  It's a great beginner project to practice piecing and working in 3 dimensional forms.  I love making things that have multiple looks and living on the West Coast of BC in Canada means I wear a lot of cowls and layers.  The Patricia Cowl doesn't disappoint. With the option to have 3 prints/solids per side you can have a total of 6 different fabrics to show off! Hello! Fun!!!!!!!! It's warm, huge, and perfect with your fave jacket but could also easily be worn with a tee in the warmer months for some added flair!


Wear it single looped or double it up (my fave) the Patricia Infinity Cowl is sure to be your new fave accessory this winter.You can easily change up your fabrics by turning the cowl inside out and bam! - you have a whole new look!


When choosing my fabrics for my latest Fat Quarter Gang project I could not resist the lure of Pat Bravo's Rock N' Romance line.  I'm a gemini and love the play on soft and hard for this line. It appeals to both parts of my personality.  And since I'm always changing my mind about what color or vibe I want to wear this suits me perfectly.  I also think this cowl would be equally as fabulous in some bright solids.  That's next up on my list.  Art Gallery Fabrics (along with gorgeous prints) makes some awesome color palettes of solids and who can resist that darn pima cotton! The drape and softness is so amazing!


So go pick your fave new fabric crushes and let's get sewing your newest fave accessory!  Head on over to Art Gallery Fabrics for the whole tutorial in an easy downloadable PDF :) Perfect for that real last minute gift (this takes literally about 30-45mins from start to finish) or for some selfish sewing after the holidays. Go on....spoil yourself...you deserve it!


Want to win some Rock 'N Romance of your own?

**THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. CONGRATS TO COMMENTER #117!**

||  THE PRIZE  ||
- one lucky winner will receive a fat quarter bundle of Rock 'N Romance by Pat Bravo for Art Gallery Fabrics.

||  HOW TO ENTER  ||
- leave a comment to let us know when you have done ANY (or all) of the following:
-follow Art Gallery Fabrics on your fav social media platform (Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter)
and Subscribe to the Art Gallery blog to stay up to date on all thing AGF & the Fat Quarter Gang..ohhh..and lets not forget Flickr!

||  THE RULES  ||
- you must leave a valid email address in your comment to win.
- Giveaway open until January 4th, 2013, midnight, PST.

Have fun and happy sewing my friends!  A big thank you to AGF for their awesome fabrics! I can't wait to see the cowl fabric combinations you all come up with! And HAPPY NEW YEAR'S!  See you all in 2013! Woot woot!

p.s. big hugs & thanks to one of my besties jane richmond for being my lovely and gorgeous model.

2012 TUTORIALS & PATTERN ROUNDUP

2012 was such a fun year! i get such a kick out of looking back at all the crafty things i got up to so i thought i would do a wee roundup of all the tutes and patterns that i put out on luvinthemommyhood this past year.  enjoy and thank you all so much for sewing and knitting along with me! big hugs to you all! see you next week with a new free tutorial for art gallery fabric's fat quarter gang!









make sure to add pics of your projects inspired by the tutorials and patterns above to our flickr group! i love seeing all of your wonderful creations!

Happy Holidays!!!!!


||  MERRY CHRISTMAS  ||

Wishing you all a wonderful, egg nog (& kahlua), candy cane, pant splitting dinner, family, laughs, hugs, pressies, loved ones, smiles, laughter, friends, treats, cookies, music, games, snuggles galore filled holiday season!

I'm going to be taking a few days off to spend with my wee family and get some much needed relaxing and unplugged holiday time.  I wanted to pop in today to say THANK YOU all so much from the bottom of my heart for reading this blog and for being my friends.  You guys are such a big part of my life and I wouldn't have it any other way.  So since I can't reach out and hug you all in real life I'm sending big virtual ones to all of you.  I hope your holiday is a relaxing and a happy one.  Enjoy!!!

Best wishes for a wonderful Christmas!!!  See you in a few days!

p.s. if you have any real last minute sewing to do or want to spoil yourself over the holidays use the code "HOLIDAY" to get 10% off all my patterns in my etsy shop! woot woot!


Book Reviews || For the Knitters


i've been lucky enough to receive some lovely knitting books over the last few weeks and i thought it would be fun to compile some of them into a post for some gifts for the knitters in your life.  i know as a knitter we are always longing for the people in our lives to feed into our obsession and buy us more knitty goodness of anything.  yarn, books, notions, bags...whatever it may be we love it!


one of my biggest passions in life are books.  i have worked in book stores for many years (in and behind the scenes), run bookclub matching services (fun idea i had!) & hosting, author events & signings, ordering, and more.  it was a lot of fun and some days i miss being surrounded by the smell of books a lot. i miss pouring over advance copies and reading through catalogues to order stock and all the fun that goes along with being in that environment with people who love to read as much as you do.  the librarians still think i'm a bit bonkers to this day i takes so many books out at one time.  thankfully now with having an ipad i can hide my addiction a little bit by taking e-books out from the library instead :)  i'm also proud to say my kids are just like me if not worse.  we can never have enough books in our house.  so i'm slowly building up my collection of sewing/knitting/crafting books to go alongside my jane austens :)

so why not indulge someone in your life this xmas with a little knitty book love?  i'm sure they'd love it!

||  TINY TREADS BY: JOELI CAPARCO  ||


tiny treads is a book filled with yummy sock patterns for kids! i love this idea!  filled with fun and colorful projects just perfect to keep those little toes you love warm and cozy!



||  BOYS' KNITS BY: KATYA FRANKEL  ||


boys' knits is a great book filled with knits just for boys! just like in the sewing community this is much needed for knitters as well.  there always seems to never be enough lovelies to knit up for the little boys in our lives.  from accessories to sweater this book has tons of classic and wearable patterns you and the little men in your life will love.

||  KNITTING HATS & MITTENS FROM AROUND THE WORLD ||


knitting hats and mittens from around the world was such an interesting read for me.  while i love modern and fun knits i am also very interested in the technical and historical side of knitting.  the patterns, colors and techniques in this book make it a great addition to my collection.  there are so many techniques and colorwork in this book you're sure to learn something interesting and knit something fun and out of the ordinary.

||  FAIRY TALE KNITS AND THE TWELVE KNITS OF CHRISTMAS BY: FIONA GOBLE  ||

fairy tale knits: 20 enchanting characters to make is adorable.  there's lots of little goodies to make to surprise your wee ones with!  includes whimsical scenes and all your fave fairy tale characters!


who could resist knitting up the whole song of the twelve days before christmas?  a creative collection of adorable little patterns "the twelve knits of christmas" is sure to be a great fun to set up and play with each christmas.

happy reading and knitting my friends!

have you knit from any of these books?  do you have a knitter in your life who would love these?  what book are you hoping santa brings you this xmas?  have a wonderful weekend and i'll see you on monday!

Announcement || The Downton Abbey Knit Along


guess what????!! it's time for our next knit along announcement!!! woot woot!  i know, i know, it's xmas and who's thinking about knit along? well....ahem...me :P  i always need a fun project to focus on right after the holidays are over and i thought what better way to ring in 2013 than to have a knit along inspired by one of our favorite shows - downton abbey!!!!  now i can't take credit for this whole idea, it started as a fun convo in our ravelry group and grew from there.   so to my lovely knitty pals - let's do this thing!!! yay!!!

the american premier of downton abbey is the first week of january!!  if you're naughty like me (streamed it online) or live in the UK you may have already seen most of season 3 but it doesn't matter, it's still gonna be fun! we thought it would be great fun to time it with the release in the states and for us all to be able to chat about the show and new season as we knit on our lovely projects throughout january.

what can you knit?  well you can KNIT OR CROCHET anything that has that downton abbey inspired vibe.  shawls, wraps, lace, gloves, hats, cardigans, home decor, anything that you feel fits in with the whole ambiance and aesthetic of downton abbey.  don't worry if you're stumped for a pattern, i'll be doing a roundup right after xmas so you can get inspired and get your yarn and needles ready!

believe me when i tell you there are a lot of yummy lovelies to make but if you can't wait for the roundup you could plan to whip up my very own downton cowl that was inspired by the peaks of the roof of downton abbey in the black and white logo they show during the commercial breaks.  it's a very fast knit and suitable for a beginner-intermediate looking to jump into an easy lace pattern.  you can find the pattern here on ravelry and also in my etsy shop here.

the downton cowl pattern - BUY NOW
here's the deets my dear friends! i hope you'll join me!

||  WHEN  ||

- january 9th to february 6th 2013 (prizes will be announced the following week)

||  HOW TO SIGN UP  ||

- simply enter your name in this doc by clicking on the link below to be eligible for prizes.

*you must be entered & have started a project to be eligible for the giveaway at the end of the knit along.
 
||  DETAILS  ||

- you can KNIT OR CROCHET ANY PATTERN OF YOUR LIKING that has a "downton abbey-esque" vibe to it.  for example:  shawls, wraps, hats, gloves, mitts, feminine cardigans etc.

- you don't need to finish your project (though we love it if you do) to be eligible for the giveaway but you do need to start.  we really want to encourage people to knit together and form a sense of community and online friendships.

- the KAL will start in line with the american premiere dates of downton abbey which is january 6th 2013.  in canada check your local listings for PBS airing these as well.  if you are in the UK or are naughty like me you will have already seen most of season 3 :)

- there will be a topic thread on ravelry here that you can chat away about your projects, discuss downton abbey, share patterns and more.  have fun with it!  i can't wait to start!

- you will also find all the posts and info about the downton abbey knit along on it's blog page here.  you can find all of our previous kal's listed here as well.

- if you're not on ravelry feel free to share your pics and chat in the comments.  i love when you guys comment on the blog and it's also a fun place to have convos and share your blog posts as well.

want a button? yay!

luvinthemommyhood downton abbey knit along

you can follow along with all things downton abbey knit along here:

you ready to curl up near the fire with a nice cuppa tea and your downton abbey kal knitting/crochet project and knit along with me?  i'm so hoping you'll join me!  and don't worry if you are a new knitter! our ravelry group is filled with friendly ladies who love to help out. we strongly encourage new knitters to jump in and join the fun! so what do you say? are you going to join in?

a little handmade goodness


i recently sent a little handmade xmas pressie off in the mail.  i couldn't resist gifting a fun pieced zippered pouch, needlebook and a small project bag (not shown) for the receiver.  it was hard to give away this grey/yellow combo pouch.  i adore it and hope my friend does too.  i also added in one of my fave xmas cards that were made up with all of my blog info and a special message inside from moo.com last xmas. i heart them so much i'm thinking of framing the last few i have to put up as holiday decorations. so cute!


the best part of sending my gift away (other than the fun of making someone a pressie) was receiving my pressie.  how awesome was my gift below?  she sure captured my personality!  who can resist a grey velvet bow clutch, awesome fabrics and thread??? i did a very big happy dance when i opened my parcel.  thank you so much heidi (of elegance & elephants).  i looooove it!


what handmade pressies have you made this year? what's your favorite go to pattern to use when giving friends a gift? happy sewing ladies....coffee's on, come say hi!