Only 7 weeks to go (well, a bit more, and then she might be late) on the maternity front, and I believe I've finished up sewing from my vintage maternity patterns. This last dress, made of gorgeous red wool from Fabric Depot, is for Valentine's Day (Mr. Jones: "Why, wha? What's happening for Valentine's Day?" I shrug.)
This is the pattern. On it, written in pen, is the date 2/15/71. Almost Valentine's Day itself! I love all the variations, especially the puff sleeve, and the necktie.
On a rare sunny day in Portland, Mr. Jones and I took a walk with the camera, only to get locked out of our house. So I posed in the streets on the way to the landlord's house to get a spare key. How funny he thought it was to have me pose by the graffiti "blimp" in my current state! Ok, it's a lil' bit funny...
And in front of the neighborhood firehouse...if only it was Engine 14!
I'm not sure what we'll do for heart day, but I'm planning to make some special treats. I haven't baked anything in what feels like years.
Whatever we do, it's crazy to think this will be our last Valentine's Day alone, before a little one joins us in April!
This past Christmas I got an interesting gift from my Mother-in-Law's best friend Judy. Judy does not knit, but knows that I do. Judy's mum was also a keen knitter. So she gifted me a xerox copied pattern, 2 balls of corresponding yarn, and this card:
The note inside reads: "Dear Holly, My mum has made this coat so many times. I thought you might like to make it for your baby girl. It must be 40 years old, the pattern." So I made it!
It's a lace picot matinee coat by Patons UK (Ravelry details here). Turns out Judy's mum made one for almost every member of her own family, as well as every new member of Mr. Jones' family, including my husband, Mr. Jones!
I can't decide whether to add three buttons at the top with a crochet closure, but I have some sweet ones standing by should I decide to, later.
Let me tell you, in working the intricate lace yolk I realized that Judy's mum was a pretty savvy knitter (I was, at times, screaming with frustration while also learning new British to American knitting terms: "yfwd yrn" anyone?). In the process, I have fallen in love with picot edges. So simple and gorgeous!
I love this sweater, and I love the history of the pattern, passed on to a future generation, from Birmingham, England to Portland, Oregon. Thanks so much, Judy!
When we last heard from Jean, she was squatting around the house, limbering up for delivery. These days, she and her husband Chuck are doing similar things to Mr. Jones and me, to prepare for our upcoming addition (please click on these hilarious photos to enlarge):
I might be hemming and crafting all sorts of things for the baby, but Mr. Jones isn't so 'up' on that insurance idea quite yet. We did go for a tour of our hospital, however.
Boys have all the fun, don't they? Straight for the gas, probably giggling away...
Oh how I love this image. I'd love for Mr. Jones to meet with a pediatrician (or psychiatrist!) to discuss improvements over his own childhood. They might never let him out of the hospital, with all his great ideas...
Of course the women are left to see where they'll actually deliver the baby, without their husbands. Mr. Jones and I did our hospital tour together, of course. But the looks on these ladies faces were the same as ours: interest, resignation, or shall I say nervous anticipation.
After all that color, I made something neutral and classic. I knit it in pieces, too, which is such a lovely change after going 'round and 'round with circular knitting. It sat unassembled in my craft room for weeks. Finally I sewed it up, and added some "grandpa" vintage buttons.
The pattern is called "Cream Puff", from this vintage pattern book that I found at an estate sale. How I love vintage patterns! So clear, hardly ever a mistake, and the sweetest, most timeless styles...
The pattern, pictured below, was originally double-breasted, but I changed it to be single. I also made stockinette sleeves. I almost lined the sweater, nervous that the gorgeous wool (I have to find the tag, I bought it at Sock Summit this past year, and it was the nicest I've had in a while) might be too scratchy for our future cream puff. When I blocked the sweater, though, it was soft and creamy, like butter.
The stitch pattern is lovely, too. I think she might need to hold a (knitted?) pipe when she wears this one.
The pregnancy is still going well. I'm getting quite BIG now, and we couldn't be more excited for the beginning of April to arrive. I need to put down the knitting needles and work on a nursery!
I knitted this dress for our upcoming "strawberry" (as we call her), with yarn leftovers from so many other projects I've knitted in the past year. I love how it came out, an outfit for an 80s video game character.
The pattern is "Little Sister's Dress" by Tora Froseth. It's free (so generous!), really simple, and you can download it here(my Ravelry details are here).
I am excited to add something girly to my baby's stash without adding more pastel. Not that there's anything wrong with pastel, and I do like pink, but gad, you end up with a lotta lotta pink for the girls, don't you?
I wanted some rainbow buttons for the side closure, or maybe something featuring Rainbow Brite herself. Finding nothing appropriate, I attached the big black discs and now like them just as much. She's outfitted for tea with a Care Bear, or a ride on My Little Pony. Game over!
One of the things I had to get done before Christmastime was to knit a copycat stocking. The stocking on the left is my brother-in-law's, from his childhood. Since marrying my sister last Summer, he really wanted her to have a matching one (or at least a complimentary one) to hang on their fireplace. He mentioned this request to me last Christmas, and when it came in the mail after Thanksgiving this year, I knew the request had become imminent.
It was an incredibly challenging task, from finding the right color wool in the right weight, to matching the fuzzy textures on the faces. In the end I think it came out OK, but copycatting is certainly not for the faint of craft! Have you ever done anything similar?
There must be some joke in the fact that we spent part of our winter vacation in somewhere called "Santa" anything, but Santa Monica was a lovely surprise in its village-y charm. The weather was absolutely stunning, and we walked, biked, and bused through the streets in balmy 78 degrees.
California really lives up to your imagination, doesn't it? Whether you've pictured the skateboarders, the palm trees, the far-off mountains, the sunsets, the highways, the strip malls, or wide flat streets that go on for ages, it always lives up.
When living in New York or London, I've had hosted visitors that marvel that "it really looks like the movies". California is one of the few places where I have that feeling. And yet, it's a movie I like to visit more than inhabit permanently. It's like a dream you know is not part of real life.
Mr. Jones and I spent New Years with old friends, in a reunion with great food, and a midnight Austrian waltz to "The Blue Danube". We gazed at a few far-off fireworks over the beach.
We learned new traditions like this Feurzangenbowle. Of course there was none for me, but the site of it smoldering was certainly quite mesmerizing!
Also enchanting was the Bleigießen. I think everyone decided mine was a bird of some description, but there were also dragons, flowers, and lots of good fortune predicted.
New Years Day we put our feet in the sand and soaked up the cloudless sky.
Perhaps our last holiday before someone's arrival, it lovely to stare at the sea and wonder...
What's in store for us in 2012? Happy New Year, Everyone!
I have been in my suitcase of scrap fabric, whipping up bibs for the unborn! It's the perfect project for an hour of sewing: a tiny bit of two different fabrics (I used a template from this book) stitched together and turned inside out, a random button from my jar, and one buttonhole. Voila! A little stack would make such a great shower or Christmas gift.
I've hung them on an Amish Fireplace in celebration of our upcoming trip to Pennsylvania for Christmas. Happy Holidays to you all!
Wow, where have I been, huh? The answer is, that I've been fulfilling a lot of Christmas/end of the year obligations. These are the kinds of things I expressed enthusiasm for when I had more time and energy. Then time became short, and people around me became anxious for their completion. Now, with almost everything crossed off my list, I can finally see some Christmas relaxation on the horizon.
This was one big accomplishment:
Back in Summer, I solicited recipes from many of my coworkers for this company cookbook. The recipes were so great! Then I lost energy. With the help of the Mr. Jones, and the lovely Vera (who drew this sweet cover and additional little drawings inside), and Jocelyn on proofreading, I madly rushed to complete it over the Thanksgiving break.
In the end, we had 136 recipes from 82 people, sold out all 130 copies, and made over $600 for the Oregon Food Bank. It felt good to do something for charity (something I'd love to get back to doing in the New Year), and felt even better to get it done! How is your pre-Christmas list looking, good people?
I've been making a few things in "newborn" size, but I think they've all come out too big. If I'm giving birth to a newborn this size in April, I really have reason to be frightened.
At any rate, this adorable top is "Tummy Warmer" (free pattern here). It was the easiest and most satisfying pattern I've worked for months (and the pattern photos sold it to me; how cute is that baby?!). The bloomers are from this book, which I recently bought for a deep discount, following my rule for craft books: they must have at least 3 patterns I would definitely make. Baby will probably wear/use none of them, but I'll give it a try. After all, what do I know?
Happy December, everyone! 4 months from tomorrow is my due date. It feels like a long time to go, but I'm hanging in there and looking forward to meeting our Strawberry (that's how she's referred to, these days). In the meantime, I'm still sewing homemade maternity clothes. Most recently I made this shirt:
I found a bag of Liberty fabric at an estate sale for $5 (don't you just love estate sales?!). Most of it was smaller pieces, but this (almost) 3 yard cut made a really comfy maternity blouse. I like the buttons at the back.
I used this vintage pattern (found at the Goodwill, in a bag of patterns for $4.99). Of course I was attracted to the Peter Pan collar, but in the end didn't put it on. I thought it got lost among the fabric's print. I've also made the jumper, though there are still some decisions to be made. It looked too plain and frumpy when first donned, so I was thinking about chopping it up. I pulled it out of the closet this morning, however, and thought its plainness sort of cute! So decisions are still up in the air.
At any rate, I'm enjoying this free and easy blouse in these final days of Fall. I know the blouse's colors are more Springtime, but as I play in the season's last leaves, I can feel the small person inside me kicking and squirming.
I guess when I chose this print, I gave her some leaves to play in, too!
It's Thanksgiving here in the US tomorrow. This year we're staying in Portland, cooking a meal with friends, hopefully getting lots of rest and oh, we're definitely seeing the Muppets!.
If you're celebrating, I hope you have a safe and savory one! Seeded soda bread recipe here (I added raisins, too). Great for a lazy weekend breakfast.
Some sets of things, for the baby. I know so many pregnant ladies now, that I may give away a set or two before my own pregnancy is over.
Norwegian Baby Cap (free pattern here) and Baby Mocs (free pattern here).
Norwegian Baby Cap (same pattern as above) this time with strings added, and Baby Moc-a-Socs. Ravelry notes are here. I'm slowly making my way through my scrap stash!
Before I found out the gender of this baby, I was so hoping it was a girl so that the clothes I knit would be suitable. Now I'm realizing that so much of what I knit could go to either a boy or a girl! Girly garments await, I'm sure.
Bean buns are one of my favorite foods. When I was in college, there was a place called "VP2" (still there?) around the corner from my dorm on Washington Square West, that served amazing baked and steamed buns with beans and fake meat. A few years ago, I found a great place in London's Chinatown that sold fresh steamed bean buns for £2. Here in Portland, I can only buy frozen ones at Uwajimaya. Though still a good choice, I've decided to try crafting my own, in a few different varieties.
They were great! We had them with soup, and I froze the rest for quick breakfasts to take to work. They tasted like a bialy, and the paste was the perfect taste, if just a touch dry. Next time I'll add 2 tsp of oil to the mix after mashing.
In preparation for childbirth, I am studying a 1950 edition of "Understanding Natural Childbirth: A Book for the Expectant Mother" by Herbert Thoms, MD, photos by David Linton. I bought it at the Goodwill for $3.99. It was previously owned by Joan Paglin of Berkley, CA, and previous to Joan, M.C. Bennett, M.D. I will be adding my name to the inside front cover.
The book follows the story of Jean, as she prepares for childbirth in some of her everyday activities. Here are some of her exercises. I am trying to follow suit.
I think all moms-to-be could learn a thing or two from these great tips. More from Jean soon...her birth story is one of the most exciting I have read!
I'm Holly Klein. I work as an Animator, Editor and Compositor. In my free time, I sew and knit and make my own films. I move house a lot. I'm currently living in Portland, Oregon.
This is the pattern. On it, written in pen, is the date 2/15/71. Almost Valentine's Day itself! I love all the variations, especially the puff sleeve, and the necktie.
On a rare sunny day in Portland, Mr. Jones and I took a walk with the camera, only to get locked out of our house. So I posed in the streets on the way to the landlord's house to get a spare key. How funny he thought it was to have me pose by the graffiti "blimp" in my current state! Ok, it's a lil' bit funny...
And in front of the neighborhood firehouse...if only it was Engine 14!
I'm not sure what we'll do for heart day, but I'm planning to make some special treats. I haven't baked anything in what feels like years.
Whatever we do, it's crazy to think this will be our last Valentine's Day alone, before a little one joins us in April!
