I was looking at college pennants online to get some ideas about font for something I am planning on making the girls.  Over at Antique Athelete I spotted this:

We’ve had a busy week…spring break and all. We’ve been learning about quilting this week, so a lot of sewing. We checked out a ton of kids books on quilts from the library, and spent an afternoon looking at all of my old family quilts. Here’s the rundown.

Monday: The husband’s family stopped by for several hours. We had scones and tea.

Tuesday: The husband took the day off to work on the new room we’re adding on. More on that in a latter post.

Wednesday: The girls and I went out to the park, and library and fabric store. I’ll be honest, the park and library were totally a bribe for good behavior at the fabric store.

Thursday: we went to the Valentine Museum here in town with my parents. They have a lot of textiles and we were hoping to see some quilts, but not much in that vein was out. Then over to St John’s church…it’s where Patrick Henry gave his “Liberty or death” speech. That part was sort of a hoot. There were at least 7 guys dressed in colonial garb. They were doing a reenactment of the speech for a reporter from the Pilot & Ledger Star. We skipped the speech, but the girls still liked all the “old fashioned” people.

It is from a pattern I made a while back. We’ve adjusted it so it has the exact right amount of twirl.

And as a funny postscript today she asked if we could take creme-brulee into school instead of cupcakes. Hard to say no, but I do not think they’s appreciate the blowtorch.

For all the dress encouragement. Amanda over at Bulldog Knits is so right about the Dress a Day blog. Amazing stuff.

( Shirt for big-sis. Ottobre Summer 2006 Tunic Top-from yesterday’s sewing-marathon)

I do need to tackle some sewing for me. It is so fun to sew for the girls, and they are so appreciative I need some of their attitude. Big-sis always talks about the things I make for her being full of “momma magic”. I need to wave that wand my way. Funny how it always seems easier to do for someone else, I am so much less judgemental…

My Nemesis for years has been button up shirts. I tried years ago, and in all fairness the pattern I picked was a bit baggy…I need some shape. I have a pattern in hand now…better shaping. McCalls 5138. My plan is to try it in some leftover calico, and tweek from there.

Of course my biggest concern is needing to carry around a fan to blow my hair like the model…

I am not even looking at my last post date. The girls and I are on spring break, so it is a perfect time to get back in the swing of things around here.

Tonsils are out. Little sis has now been 4.5 weeks without a fever. She hasn’t gone that long since August. I have had both influenza A and B, and yes I did get a flu shot. Big sis is actually mad at me over that one. I talked her into the shot last fall with a lot of mumbo-jumbo about not getting as sick this year. Well that worked out.

So there is quite a backlog of non-illness related stuff to post on. My current obsession? Ginham Embroidery-also called Chicken Scratch. Apparently it was often used on Aprons.

This is from Posie Gets Cozy. It’s a detail from a smocked skirt she made…is it not amazing??

We are pretty much sewing obsessed around here. I am starting the girl’s spring wardrobe. Lots of orders for skirts this season, so I am perfecting the tiered skirt I made for big-sis’ first day of kindergarten last year:

Not the best photo ever, but big-sis has worn this skirt almost every week for over a year and a half. It is very well loved. Maybe even enough that she’ll forgive me for the flu shot…

OK, It has been so long I almost feel like I need to reintroduce myself.

Hi, I’m Becca. I used to knit.

So, what’s been up? Work, illness and tonsils have dominated recently. Tuesday little sis had her tonsils out. Hoary!! Poor thing has been sick since Christmas day. We’ve had 10 days with fever of 104 or more. One 7 hour stint in the ER. Four different antibiotics. These are my last four sick days of the school year.

All that said she’s pretty mad at me about the whole thing. She wants chips and salsa, now. Between that and the fact I keep waking her up to take yucky medicine I am not fer favorite right now.

Today she’s a bit better. She has more energy and I am not needed constantly. So my goals are to :

1. Make oatmeal
2. Knit a bit for the first time in three weeks
3. Make chicken noodle soup
4. Shower
5. Deliver popsicles
6. Clean toilets

I know, try not to be jealous.

And a side note to Diego. No, I really don’t want to help you rescue animals. That’s your job. Mine is sitting here trying to coax a 4 year old into taking one more dose of antibiotic. Stop staring at me like that. I do not care that is is the smallest baby mane wolf or that it might hurt itself on those thorns. Circle of life, dude.

I am cleaning out some fabric. As I mentioned a while back I inherited a huge mess of fabric from a childhood neighbor of the husband. She’s in her early 90’s and just recently has settled into an assisted living facility. She was a lifelong sewer and I can not even begin to describe the bounty.

The problem is there is a bit too much bounty, so I’ll be slowly putting batches of it up for sale over the next few weeks. Here’s a sample. It is a double-knit argyle pattern with metallic sparkles. It is amazing, but I now literally now own reams of double knit fabric. Too good not to share.

There are a few other things for sale.

Little-Sis woke up this morning insisting that she needed cards for all her “kids” at preschool. She’s just learned to write her name, so I came up with these. Yes, it’s the same art I used for the Doggie Bookplates. Can’t help I, I love these dogs.

These would work as tiny cards for kids, or as gift tags. They’re all in a PDF and can be printed in color or black and white. Enjoy!

OK, I admit. I spent all day yesterday hanging out in my jammies. Sat’s debate meet went great, but after 12 hours of running back and forth I was pooped. I didn’t even knit.

This afternoon the girls and I worked on some holiday stuff. Big sis still wants to be the first librarian in space. We used her date stamper to make wrapping paper:

I love simple wrapping papers, and this is perfect. It’s red and white, and no mess to clean up.

Handmade Holiday is rolling along. Here’s the updated list of Handmade Holiday folks:

• Billingtons
• Crafty Bits and Bobs
• Kathryn Ivy
• mk carroll
• Rosie
• Tara

Be sure to stop by the flickr group. Amazing!

Tomorrow I’ll add some more ideas of what to make. Right now the husband and I are going to watch Transformers and I am going to rework a yoke on a sweater for little-sis. Every time I start to knit for them they insist on growing!

Oh, and check out the Flickr badge to the right.

Another Wreath-here’s the how-to

Yeah!! Rosie over at www.rosieknits.com just signed up to participate in Handmade Holiday. Check out her blog, lots of snappy things!

Personally I am rolling along on the gifts. I had lots of good knit time on the DC trip this weekend, so I now have a cardigan done for little-sis and half a sock for a family friend. Deep calming breath, it will all get done.

Need an idea for what to make? Here are some smaller projects I’ve come across. Have a good idea for a simple handmade gift? just e-mail me and I’ll add it to the list. (becca (at) handmademom dot com).

• Portfolio from Amy Butler - I think I might make one of these for big-sis. She’s writing a book-a-day right now. This looks like something she would love, and I can make in an evening…perfect combo. Have I mentioned I love her fabrics:

• Knitty’s winter issue always has tons of great quick gift ideas.
• Did you say baby? Here’s a pattern for a knitted baby kimono over at The Complete Fabrication. Too cute.
• For the kids this year we are doing lots of books. I am including a set of my Doggie Bookplates with each one. If I have time I also plan on making a busy bag to hold them….right, time…

I’ve been playing with Google Maps

I thought this would be a fun way to keep track of knitting stores. I even included Toku-Hands that we visited last summer in Tokyo.