whatcha working on?

simpatico in colorway minty by cloud 9 fabrics

fabric goodness going on around here today.  i haven't been able to sew in a few weeks now due to my back and boy has it been torturous!  all these new fabric goodies have been showing up and all i have been able to do is drool, pet and profess my love for them.  soon my lovelies, soon i will sew you.  it's going to be hard to cut in to all the goodness but i. cannot. wait.  see that pic above? in case you haven't seen it already that is simpatico by cloud 9 fabrics.  obsessed.  i'm totally obsessed. i want to cover myself and the whole house in this line.  i can't get enough of it. i love it in all the colorways but i ordered minty this time round.  now that's it here i'm kicking myself for not ordering way more.

1. pearl bracelet by lizzy house in turquoise 2. & 3. simpatico in colorway minty by cloud 9 fabrics

the yards that did make it to my house are going to be a special pressie.  my youngest sister camille is pregnant with her first baby...eeeee! i'm so excited!  she doesnt' know what she's having so boy has it been hard for this crafter.  i'm dying to make boy or girl goodies and have to control myself.  i've decided to hold off on a lot of little things i would make and do them after the wee one is born so i can just go crazy with the prints.  but in the meantime the big pressie is in the works.  the center print and the right print from simpatico are going to be a duvet cover for the babies crib (lucky baby hey!) and the left print "pearl bracelet" by lizzy house is going to be her booby pillow.  nice!  i cannot wait to get whipping these up! so excited to give them to her!  the colors are going to match her nursery perfectly that has lots of coastal shades of greys, neutrals and some turquoise.

quilt blocks by ellen luckett baker in mostly colorway shade as well as bella moda solids from fat quarter shop

and see this stack...mmmmmm....yummy!  this is mostly all from the lovely ellen luckett baker's (the long thread) new line "quilt blocks".  i chose mostly the prints from the shade colorway as well as all the grey prints and 1 mustard print.  i also have some matching grey and mustard bella solids from moda in there as well.  i purchased all of these lovely prints from our awesome sponsor fat quarter shop.  what will they be you ask?  it's my next quilt!!! yay!!!  i've been waiting and waiting to get my hands on this line since it came out but i had to save up my pennies to get all the prints in yardage to cut the design i had in mind.  can't show you what it is yet because i first have to finish up my vintage sheet quilt. so for now i just stare lovingly at these.  my fave print is the top one.

i'm also super excited to get my hands on the lovely pat bravo's new line "indie" from art gallery fabrics.  i've been dreaming about my next fat quarter gang project already.  those sunlight bazaar colorways are haunting me.....so purdy!  i cannot wait!!! come to mama!

riley blake chevrons in yellow, pink & grey from fabricworm and deco dot from gypsy caravan by amy butler in astor from stitch simple

this stack of goodies are all commuter cowls waiting to be finished up.  i'm going to be selling some handmade goodies at a local event in august here in victoria so if you'd love a handmade luvinthemommyhood item or pattern i'll be selling at "fibrations" - come by and say hi! i'd love to see ya!

sooooo....whatcha all working on?  what are your sewing or knitting this week?  any new fabrics you are obsessed with lately? share m'dears. i want to see pics too!  sit....and sip.  grab that coffee and let's chat!

Art Gallery Fabrics Giveaway Winner!!!!

 

better late than never right...lol...here's the winner for the fat quarter gang giveaway from art gallery fabrics!!!  was it you?  the winner of the summerlove fat quarter bundle was.......

commenter #21 - audrey dautenhahn from hot pink quilts!!

congratulations audrey!  i'll be in touch with you soon!  happy sewing!!! and a huge thank you to art gallery fabrics for the awesome giveaway!  you can find all things art gallery fabrics here:

website  |  blog  |  facebook  |  twitter  |  pinterest  |  youtube

be sure to follow art gallery fabrics on facebook & twitter to stay up to date with all things fat quarter gang!

Summer Sweater Knit Along - Knitting with Hand Dyed Yarns with Guest Tanis Fiber Arts!

 i'm so excited to welcome tanis lavallee of the awesome "tanis fiber arts" as part of our summer sweater knit along!!!!  she's one of our rockin' sponsors, the maker of the yarn i'm knitting my project with and an all around sweet & talented canadian gal.  her yarns are to do die for.  scrumptious tones that just scream knit me!  she even designs equally as fab patterns as well.  yep...this gal does it all! 

   when rounding up my list of guest posters i knew i had to ask the lovely tanis to join in.  her post today is all about knitting with hand dyed yarns and it's a good one.  read on my dears and thanks for knitting along with me and don't forget to link up your knit along blog post by using the linky party at the bottom of this post..it's easy i promise! oh...and here's a sneaky peeky of my project as of a few days ago...it's grown since then...

pattern: something silver by veera valamaki yarn: yellow label dk weight by tanis fiber arts in colorway pink grapefruit

 and if  tanis sponsoring our kal wasn't enough she's also joining in!  here's a shot of tanis's gorgeous "nanook" - her summer sweater knit along project.

pattern: nanook by heidi kirrmaier yarn: orange label cashmere/silk weight by tanis fiber arts in colorway

 and now let's here from tanis...

There is so much to say about hand dyed yarns. Obviously, I'm a huge fan, I've dedicated my life to hand dyed yarns! I knit with hand dyes 99% of the time and am always amazed at the nuances in colour, the variety, the subtlety and the magic that happens in each hand painted skein. I think that one of the key factors in what make hand dyes so special is the very fact that they are made by hand. Each skein is unique, and the work of the artist who dyed the yarn is present in each stitch.

Picking the right yarn for each project you tackle involves so many factors; weight, gauge, needle, fiber content... lots of details have to be considered. But beyond that, if you're a lover of hand dyed yarn and you've found the right base for your project, the hard part now becomes picking a colour! Hand dyed yarns come in everything from wild multicoloured skeins, to the most subtle, tone on tone colourways.

The fancy cable stitch pattern on the sock on the right required a more solid colourway while the pattern for the sock on the left allows the colourful yarn to shine!

Being able to predict how your yarn will behave in your project can be crucial. If you're knitting a pattern with fancy cables or lace and don't want all the details to be hidden by the variegation in the skein, a more subtle tonal colourway is probably a better option. If your pattern is simple and the yarn is to be the star, then go nuts and pick something vibrant and stripy! It's always a good idea to start with a swatch with the motif from your chosen pattern and make sure that you like the way it looks knit up in the colourway you've picked.

Always swatch with the colourway you intend to use for your project.

Once you've picked your pattern and yarn, the next step is to decide wether or not you're going to alternate skeins throughout. If you're knitting a large project, like a sweater, and you've got 7 skeins of hand dyed yarn, even though they all come from the same dye lot, it is the nature of hand dyed yarns that they will all be unique, and sometimes there will be a noticeable shift in the way the yarn knits up. In order to avoid having a dark patch of zizags fall right across your bust line, you can knit your entire sweater by alternating skeins every couple of rows, or if the difference is very subtle and you'd just like to feather it out an easier option is to alternate skein every couple of rows every time you join a new ball. I often find that I can get away without alternating skeins for larger pieces, like the body of a sweater, but then when I switch to a smaller stitch count, like for the sleeves, any pooling or striping can become more noticeable and I'll alternate skein from that point on.

The light blue cardigan on the left didn't require me to alternate skeins because the colourway is so subtle. However for the bright Cobalt sweater I alternated skeins throughout, and for the Brick turtleneck I alternated skeins for a few rows ever time I joined a new ball.

Though hand dyed yarns work beautifully for cables and lace, and they add a whole new dimension to stockinette and garter stitch, turning the simple stitch into textural, complex looking fabric. One of my favourite uses of hand dyed yarns is for colourwork! Since the colourways are more complicated then simple solids, a blue is never just a blue, it's got a hint of green and purple and when worked next to a green shade that has hints of blue and yellow, the whole thing just comes to life!

The colourwork possibilities for hand dyed yarns are endless! With so many tones within each colour, pairing two colours together is more like pairing four!

thanks so much for joining in tanis!  you can find all things tanis fiber arts here:

 website  |  blog  |  ravelry  |  facebook  |  twitter

and you can find all things summer sweater knit along and join in here.

and be sure to check out all our other awesome sponsors...

additional sponsors:

joji locatelli

The Stella Collection Giveaway from Tanis Lavallee & Julie Crawford!!

suncrest by tanis lavallee (the stella collection)

we've got an awesome giveaway for all you knitters today!  two of my fave knitters - tanis lavallee (tanis fiber arts) & julie crawford (knitted bliss) have come together creating a set of 4 gorgeous patterns called "the stella collection"!  each pattern features a different tanis fiber arts fingering weight yarn base.  the colors are beautiful, the designs are feminine & pretty and they highlight both of these women's awesome talents!

the stella collection was inspired by the fact that the "shawls are all unique, like each star in the sky. stella is latin for ‘star’, two shawls are inspired by stars in constellations, and two are inspired by the biggest star of all - the sun"!  love it!!

don't they both look stunning?  all of the designs except one were modelled by tanis and julie themselves.  so purdy!!  and i'm proud to say that both of these fabulous ladies are canadian!!! woot woot!  gotta show some luv for my fellow canadians!!!

when my pal tanis asked me to join in on their blog tour i of course said YES!!!  i knew you guys would love these patterns as much as i do.  i can't wait to knock some more wip's off my list so i can make a suncrest for myself.   i also knew that i just had to show off some pics of all of these projects!  wanna see?  ready to get inspired?  here's the stella collection....

suncrest
ravelry pattern page here.
the stella collection details page here.


nashira 
ravelry pattern page here.
the stella collection details page here.

solaria
ravelry pattern page here.
the stella collection details page here.

adhara

ravelry pattern page here.
the stella collection details page here.

gorgeous!!!!!  aren't they lovely? would you love to win the whole collection???  yay!  simply enter by clicking on the link below and filling out the form.  that's it! easy peasy!

the stella collection giveaway entry form

- giveaway is open until july 16th, 2012 midnight, pacific standard time.
- you must enter a valid email into the entry form or you will be disqualified.

thanks so much tanis and julie!  and good luck to all of you!  happy knitting!!!

you can find all things tanis fiber arts here:

website  |  blog  |  ravelry

and all things knittedbliss here:

  blog  |  shop  |  ravlery

 and you can find the whole stella collection tour here:

• July 2nd : Celtic Cast On  
• July 9th: Luv in the Mommyhood
• July 16th: French Press Knits
• July 23rd: The Yarniad
• July 30th: Through the Loops
• August 6th: Knitspot 
• August 13th: Knitting to Stay Sane
• August 20th: Susan B. Anderson
• August 27th: Yarn On The House

 which pattern is your fave from the stella collection?  which one would you make first? what colorway of tanis fiber arts would you use?

moments in the mommyhood - pain & instagram

me attempting to take a self portrait with the ipad.

i've missed you guys :)  it's felt like ages since i've been online and on the mommyhood.  the last 10 days have not been easy.  there's been lots of tears, pain & frustration but there has also been laughs & some good memories.  in case you missed jane's guest post for me last week i've been having some issues again with my stupid ol'35 year old back :P  remember last fall when i couldn't sew for months and was on bed rest for a bit with that stupid back belt that was like spanx gone bad?  yeah...i'd like to erase those memories too...lol.

kidlets passed out on the floor after a loooong week.

 well for no reason at all the other weekend my back just went again.  not fun for this momma.  pain got so bad i ended up in ER over the long weekend here in canada so i could make it until i saw my doctor when offices were open.   since then there's been a confusing amount of advice about what they "think" may be going on accompanied by a lot of pain meds - yuck! only problem was that i needed the pain meds to obviously not be in pain but they made it so i couldn't take care of my kiddos. so in the end i've been toughing it out and going ibuprofren since the worst has passed. to top it off the hubby had to study and write one of his last big exams during this hell week!  i mean seriously....what else could go wrong right? (oh maggie...why can't i live closer to you?...lol..i need a good chiropractor)

thanks to my sister, my parents & some loving friends whose phone calls, visits to help me contain my kids, and basically them just listening to me rant and cry - our little family survived the last 2 weeks.  it was not easy.  boy oh boy.  i'm pretty frustrated about the whole situation and wish i could fill you guys in on some more but i really don't know anything.  i'm going to see a specialist today and am also waiting on a long list to get a CAT scan to check out the muscles/joints in my lower back so hopefully between now and the next few months this problem will slowly start to be fixed cause man has it been hard to be couped up inside when we finally just had a weekend of gorgeous sunshine & hot weather here!  i soaked up what i could from the deck, a car ride for a much needed cup of starbucks (i went a week without any!!!) and a wee walk near the ocean.  i basked in the fun stories the kiddos came home with about their outings to the waterpark, beach and more with daddy.  hopefully i'll be able to join them soon.

bear nighties...yep...that's how we roll peeps!

but in the meantime i splurged and bought myself and the hubs an anniversary/belated bday pressie (for me - thx mom/dad & nana/papa).  yeppers...i got myself an Ipad!!!! woot woot!  love it!  and the best part of the Ipad - instagram!!! yesssssss!  i'm finally on instagram!  i was seriously getting emails and messages daily asking if i was on instagram yet.  it was killing me to miss out on all the fun and boy is it fun.  i'm hooked and i just started.  it's a good time over there...lol.  you can find me under "luvinthemommyhood".  and now thanks to my awesome new tablet i can still chat with y'all and keep a bit more up to date online even though i'm all gibbled...lol. i've been busy loading apps and exploring the world of tablets and also knitting my brains out on my summer sweater kal project. 

i'm hoping posts will get a bit more back to normal this week but bear with me if here and there i'm a no show.  i'm still no where near better and have 2 kids to watch full time so i'm not sure how my schedule is going to go.  but what i can tell you is there's a great giveaway this week as well as another fabulous guest poster so stay tuned!!! i promise to do my best to keep things rolling around  here :)

so question to you guys - how are you all?  what have you been whipping up these days?  any fave Ipad apps you can't live without?  what crafty apps do you rely on & love?  so far i've been pretty happy with JKnitHDLite, Gaugefy Free, and Tally Lite for my knitting but i'd love to hear any of your suggestions!  hope you've all been well m'dears xoxoxox

Summer Sweater Knit Along - Guest Jane Richmond

 
Hi all! Jane here. I'm filling in for Shannon today. As you may recall, Shannon sprained her back pretty badly last year, unfortunately she's suffering a major flare up and needs very much to take the week off. She's doing as well as she can be and certainly doesn't want anyone to worry but sitting at the computer is less than ideal right now. So let's give Shannon a nice bloggy break, send her get well karma, and if you are trying to contact her online, please bare in mind that she will be unplugged for the most part this week.

Today is Wednesday and I hope you know what that means! It's time to check in with our Summer Sweater Knit Along projects! And since I'm sure you are all dying to know how Shannon is doing on her Something Silver I'll fill you in on her progress... Last Wednesday was the official KAL cast on and so far it's flying off the needles! There is definitely something to be said for a well written pattern and amazing yarn, it's highly motivating! The pattern is top down and as it stands, the yoke is about 2 inches away from separating the sleeves and body. It's a very well written pattern and is fun and easy to follow, the lace is easily memorized and Veera's instructions are clear and thorough, no guess work here! And the yarn! Can we just talk about the yarn for a minute? When Shannon told us that she would be using Tanis Fiber Arts Yellow Label in Pink Grapefruit we were all pretty jealous but when the yarn actually arrived I don't think any of us were prepared for it's deliciousness! The colour is fresh and vibrant and oh so pink grapefruit-ish. It's the colour of the summer in my opinion. And the yarn is soft and springy and so nice to work with. I get excited just watching Shannon knit with it, it's just that lovely!

How about you? Are you loving your yarn choice? Enjoying your pattern? Is your project flying off the needles or has something got you stalled? Don't forget there is plenty of chatting going on and tons of help to be found in the KAL thread over in the luvinthemommyhood Ravelry group.

You can find where to enter and how to follow along all in this one handy post as well as on:

 Ravelry Group | Blog | Flickr Group

You can join in the KAL anytime and remember, there is no pressure or deadlines just a lot of encouragement to knit :)  And remember if you blogged about your KAL project link up using the linky party at the bottom of the post. Simply enter your name and url of your post and that way we can all check out each other's progress.

Please check out our awesome KAL sponsors & show them some luv! thanks guys!

additional sponsors:

joji locatelli

join our linky party by linking up your "summer sweater kal" blog post!

30 days of sundresses over on melly sews

you guys looking for a some new dresses to whip up this summer? pop over to melly sews to check out her 30 days of sundresses series!  lots of awesome tutes by some pretty talented ladies over there.  i was thrilled to get to end the series sharing my "delaney dress" that i made last fall here.   thanks for having me melissa!

have fun and happy sewing :)  see you all on tuesday!

weekend wishes

to welcome the sunshine...

image src: alphabet bags

to have fun at the beach...

to get this necklace...

image src: snugstudio

to sport some sassy red for canada day this weekend...

image src: kendi everyday

and to convince the hubs this is camping...lol.

img src: shelter

yahoo...it's friday peeps!  and it's a long weekend here in canada! we've got canada day on july 1st! so i won't be popping in on monday but i will be thinking of you all :)  doesn't that pic above of the camping tent look fab?  i could so camp like that i tell ya!  i love camping but i'm deathly afraid of bears.  i've almost been attacked by a bear more times than i'd like..serioulsy...and i don't mean like i saw a bear out the car window i mean standing in front of me on it's hind legs roaring with it's mouth open kind of bear.  fo'reals.  so  needless to say i get really anxoius when camping in a tent now. i much prefer trailers and such but i may be co-oerced into this lovely set up.  doesn't that look fab? you could get all dirty camping and eating smores on the fire and then climb into that gorgeous bed...lol.  ah well...a girl can dream right? i don't think my die hard hike in the bush set up camp in the middle of nowhere come eat me bear kinda camper hubby will ever change his ways :)  for now...we just don't camp...lol.

this weekend i plan on knitting, knitting, knitting, knitting & more knitting. did i say knitting yet? haha.  i'm obsessed with my summer sweater kal project. i've been slacking on all my other blog/sewing duties to work on my lovely pink grapefruit cardi. so in love with it's yummy squishyness.  i'm also teaching mackenzie to knit. my pal rebecca of nook helped get her started yesterday and now i've got to keep the ball rolling. so far she seems like a natural (yessssssss!!!!) and has been loving it! 

i do plan on doing some sewing in there though and guess what.....the sweetheart dress sewing pattern is not far away!  i'm hoping for a release date in july! so stay tuned!!!! yay!!!!  and in between all that goodness i hope to drag the hubs away from his studies long enough for us to all go hit the beach or get outdoors.  should be a good one.

wishing all of you a wonderful, beachy, sunfilled, crafty, celebrating, snuggles and lots of fun kind of weekend.  what are you all up to? anyone else have a camping phobia?  are you teaching your wee one to knit? any tips to share?  come chat m'dears <3

p.s. don't forget to get your entry in to win the art gallery fabrics fat quarter bundle (yum!) and also your very own "ruby ruffle dress" from the cottage mama! 2 giveaways in one week - wowsa!

banberry place fabric giveaway winner

 we've got a winner.....was it you?

 commenter #192 - adrienne charette

you've won a $25 gift certificate to banberry place! congrats! we'll be in touch soon!  thanks again to corie for a great giveaway.

you can find all things banberry place here:

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

website  |  blog  |  facebook  |  twitter  |  pinterest  |  

summer sweater knit along - my yarn & pattern reveal!

i can hardly put in words how excited i am to start the summer sweater knit along!  see that pic above....that is my  yarn!!!!!!!!!! squeal!!!! yep...yummy isn't it!  it's been very, very, hard to not cheat and just cast on. after i did my swatch all i wanted to do was knit, knit, and knit! it's that gorgeous and really...my pics don't even do it justice.  it screams summer to me and the tones are just scrumptious.  i kinda just want to eat it...in a non weirdo way...lol.

yarn: yellow label dk by tanis fiber arts in colorway pink grapefruit

the yarn is colorway pink grapefruit and is yellow label dk from the lovely tanis fiber arts.  a fellow canadian whose yarn is simply to squeal for!  drool worthy yarn that i have been coveting and wanting to knit with for ages.  i'm so excited to not have to pet my pals skeins anymore and will soon get to cuddle up in my very own knit into something silver by veera valimaki.  perfection if you ask me...lol. 

pattern: something silver by veera valimaki

things have been busy over in our ravelry group already and i can tell you that i know i'm not the only knitter just dying to cast on...i love the excitement!  it's super fun!  i want to see your pics too!  show me your yarn, show off your pattern choice and then link your post up in our linky party at the bottom of the post.  each week when i post on wednesday you guys can also link up your summer sweater kal posts too!  simply enter in your name/url and then viola!  linky party!  we can then check out each other's blog posts, show some comment luv and drool over each others yarn stashes!  i hope you'll join in!



there are also new topics in our ravelry threads this time round to keep us all organized.  you'll find topics for your wip's, a gallery to show them off and also ones for your fo's too!  i think it will make it a lot easier to follow along with all the chat going on in there.  i hope you'll all chat away :) you'll also find some awesome moderators who help me to help you in our fun loving ravelry group.  there is rebecca (nook), sandra (3pumpkinslittle), and kelly (CelticCastOn) - these gals are all avid and very savvy knitters.  thanks for your help ladies! and if you're not already part of ravelry join in!  it's free and seriously awesome!  it's like facebook for knitters times ten!  a huge resource and a great way to make dear friends :)  but don't worry, you can still be part of the knit along even if you aren't on ravelry.  instead of showing off your pics in our ravelry group you can add them to our flickr group!  we all love seeing each other's handiwork!

i've also got a yummy summery button for you all to sport on your blogs too! the more peeps knitting in the summertime the better :)

<a href="http://www.luvinthemommyhood.com/2006/06/summer-sweater-knit-along-2012.html" target="_blank"><img alt="luvinthemommyhood" src="http://i344.photobucket.com/albums/p330/shannonandjeremy/ssk150.jpg" /></a>

at the end of the kal there will be our usual "starring you" post (my fave) followed by a crazy awesome giveaway!!!  you know i love me a kal giveaway!  all of our awesome sponsors and i mean awesome people are listed below and are all generously donating prizes for our summer sweater kal!!!! make sure to pop by their sites/shops and show them some luv!  trust me....they are all drool worthy!  don't forget that to be eligible for the giveaway you need to make sure you are signed up for the knit along by filling out the form below.  you aren't able to be entered in the giveaway if you aren't signed up :)

enter the summer sweater knit along here:

  SUMMER SWEATER KAL ENTRY FORM

and you can follow along with all things summer sweater kal here:
 

ravelry group  |  blog  |  flickr group

ok......you all ready to cast on????  ready, set.....go!!!  yay!!!! thanks for knitting with me everyone!!!!

check out our awesome KAL sponsors & show them some luv! thanks guys!

joji locatelli

join our linky party by linking up your "summer sweater kal" blog post!

The Cottage Mama Ruby Ruffle Dress - Pattern Review & Giveaway!

someone in our house is sure excited to get a new dress and this mama is sure excited to see her daughter wear it!  i can't tell you how hard it is to get my daughter to wear handmade clothes. she is extremely picky when it comes to what's on her body and let me tell you...it drives me bonkers...lol.  she's always picking out fabrics for outfits for me to make her but only a rare few actually get made for her and even then, she will wear it once or twice and never again. it kills me. luckily harper is much easier going and will no doubt love all mack's hand me down frocks.  but in the meantime mackenzie is head over heels in love with her "ruby ruffle dress" from my lovely friend lindsay of the "the cottage home". 

i've known linds since she first started blogging and let me tell you what a sheer joy it has been to watch her bloom and grow.  it's been amazing and i'm so thrilled and proud of her!  when she asked me to be part of her "cottage mama pattern tour" i of course said you bet!
 
i chose to whip up the adorable ruby ruffle dress.  i knew it was right up mackenzie's alley and the bow and ruffles would win her little heart :)  and sure enough when i showed the pattern to her she went right to picking out her fabrics.  and yes, my wee one loves amy butler just as much as i do.  i used "deco dots in astor" for the front panel and "cutting garden in linen" for the main body both from the gypsy caravan line by amy butler supplied by our sponsor stitchsimple.com (all my fabrics come pre-washed & pressed!!!).

i found lindsay's instructions really easy to follow with clear instructions and lots of photographs.  the dress was quick to sew up with lots of finishing details.  only mods i made were to topstitch the neckline and armholes and also the tie.  i know...i have an obsession with topstitching..lol.  oh well...lol...could be worse things right?  i made mackenzie the size 4.  she is 5 years old but very small for her age and seriously her chest size would have fit a 2 but i decided to go with the 4 and give her room to grow into it and extend it's wear.

i love lindsay's little special touches she adds to patterns.  it's fun to put your own spin on things and to also have the ability to choose from different finishes or techniques used in the pattern.  i love that with the ruby dress i could make mack's with ruffles and a bow but if i want to i could easily just do the a-line version for her or for harper.  the patterns cover a huge age range and are high quality.

 

are you crushing on the ruby ruffle dress too?  well you're in luck - i'm giving away a copy of this gorgeous pattern for part of the cottage mama sewing patterns blog tour.  would you like to win one?  simply clink on the link below and enter your info! easy peasy!  good luck!

CLICK BELOW TO ENTER TO WIN:

the cottage mama ruby ruffle dress pattern 

giveaway entry form

- giveaway is open until july 2nd, 2012 (midnight PST).
- you must have a valid email address or you will be disqualified.

thanks for letting me make one of your awesome patterns lindsay and for having me be a part of  your blog tour!  i had a great time making this dress and see many more in my future :)

you can find all things the cottage mama here:

blog  |  shop  |  facebook  |  twitter  |  pinterest

and make sure to check out the rest of the tour:

Week 1: 
Stef from Girl. Inspired (Charlotte Pattern)
Jessica from Me Sew Crazy (Ruby Pattern)
Christina from 2LittleHooligans (Run Around Pattern)
Jess from Craftiness is not Optional (Ruby Pattern)

Week 2:
Maureen from Maureen Cracknell Handmade (Charlotte Pattern)
Liz and Elizabeth from Simple Simon (Run Around Pattern)
Andrea from The Train to Crazy (Ruby Pattern)
Destri from The Mother Huddle (Ruby Pattern)
Beverly from Flamingo Toes (Charlotte Pattern)

Week 3:
Shannon from Luvinthemommyhood (Ruby Pattern)
Mama Reita / Amy from Positively Splendid (Charlotte Pattern)
Susan from Living with Punks (Ruby Pattern)

the wellen tank tutorial & a giveaway!

so excited for today everyone!!!!  it's my first tutorial for art gallery fabrics for the "fat quarter gang"! i decided to go with pat bravo's gorgeous line "summerlove" for my new "wellen tank tutorial".  you can find the whole tutorial for the wellen tank here on the art gallery fabrics blog.



a few months ago i got inspired while sitting on one of our gorgeous west coast beaches to create a tank for the kidlets that looked like waves.  that little idea stewed and stewed while i sketched and drew until i finally realized how to put it all together.  this tutorial is the result.  wellen is german for waves and i sure hope you will all love this special little tank as much as i do.  i think it's one of my fave projects so far.

it's a great little project to jump into trying out sewing curves too! i'm hopelessly addicted now!  the tank itself is a simple a-line shape with a wide neck that's easy in construction so you can show off all your sewing and fabric handiwork.....and there's topstitching..weeee...i love topstitching :)

so come pop over to the art gallery fabrics blog and read the whole post :)  you know you wanna....lol.  i also know you'll want to win some of this ahhhhmazing fabric too.  art gallery fabrics are made from 100% pima cotton and let me tell you...they are so soft!  the drape is so nice to work with and you really can feel the difference from other quilting cottons.  needless to say i'm a big fan..lol.

would you like a chance to win the same yummy fat quarter bundle i got?  simply click on the link below and fill out the form to enter for your chance to win a fat quarter bundle of summerlove by pat bravo!  that's it! easy peasy! 

Fat Quarter Gang - Art Gallery Fabrics Giveaway Entry Form

but wait...it get's better! you can enter over on art gallery fabric too!  here's how:

art gallery's rules:
- follow them on pinterest
- like them on facebook
- subscribe to the AGF blog and leave a comment there letting them know you did.

giveaway will be open until sunday, july 1st, midnight PST.  all entries welcome.

are you a big art gallery fabrics fan? what is your favorite line from AGF?  have you been following along with our fat quarter gang?  so fun!  happy sewing everyone!

goodies galore - yarn & more!

Yarn: Sparrow by Quince and Co. in colorway 204 - Blue Spruce, 100% Organic Linen

it's been a great mail week for me!  so many little goodies, orders and parcels coming my way!  i love it when that happens!  of course i can't not show you some of the new lovelies that have made there way into my home :)  i got the most amazing surprise in the mail from one of my dear online buds hannah (from ummashin).  can you believe she sent me 2 skeins of "sparrow" from my fave quince and co.? seriously! drool worthy 100% organic linen in the most gorgeous colorway - blue spruce! thank you so much hannah! you are such a doll! luv ya!

 i also got some lovely new fabric goodies in the mail from an order i place for an upcoming project.  purdy...purdy...purdy....

1. shade grey stars 2. shade grey ringlets - both from quilt blocks by ellen luckett baker

1. slate kona cotton 2. shade flying geese  by ellen luckett baker

1. outfoxed circles yellow by lizzy house 2. mustard kona cotton

1. denim blue essex linen from michael kaufmann 2. yellow kona cotton

and to top it off my lovely and dear friend jane (janerichmond.com) made me my very own sock knitting project bag and gifted me 2 gorgeous skeins of my absolute fave colorway from knitpicks felici yarn - afternoon.

knitpicks felici fingering self striping sock yarn in colorway afternoon

i swear those colors just scream shannon! i'm obsessed with them! love them! thanks again sweet jane...luvs!


i also could not resist picking up this ombre dot journal from the martha stewart office line at staples. ummm...can we say yum!  i stood in that aisle for a long time and it was very, very hard to walk away with only one! i love it!  i also picked up a new graph paper pad for an upcoming knitting pattern i'm working on.  need those graph sheets for doodling out some new lace designs - fun!

and here she is......my ironing board monster...clean!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  she's even sporting a fresh new ironing board cover!  and no, i didn't make it...weeee!  i didn't have time..lol.  so thank you debbie travis for making a nice one for me and selling it at canadian tire so i could bring it home. i love it!  and man does it feel AMAZING to fold up the darn thing! seriously...it's been almost 3 years since i could fold up my ironing board!  it's fabulous!!!!  let's hope it stays that way...muahahaha....

i hope you all dont' mind the lack of weekend wishes today.  it just way too hard to keep all these goodies to myself!  and i cannot wait to show you my fat quarter gang project for monday!  it seriously has been a daydream that has come to life.  it's so fun to doodle and dream up a project for months and then finally see it become real!  i hope you all love it as much as i do so stay tuned!

also, thank you all so much from the bottom of my heart for your loving bday wishes. you guys rock!!!! it so made my day :)  and to my lovely pals who surprised me on my bday for a fun get together complete with gluten free chocolate cupcakes, whip cream and strawberries - i love you guys!!!  wishing you all a wonderful yummy fabric, scrumptious yarn and creative goodies kind of weekend.  fill it with laughs and family and i'll see you all monday! <3

what are your weekend wishes?  what are you making this weekend?  any new goodies you've spoiled yourself with in the last few weeks? chat m'dears :)

35 is the new 25!

image via the light fantastic

yep, that's right....i'm 35 today.  it's my bday. i'm trying to embrace it but am having a hard time.  i won't lie..lol.  the mid's get me every year...lol.  so i'm taking the day off to wrap my head around it and to of course, enjoy my bday :)  so far so good....

Source: makesomethingsplendid.com via Disney on Pinterest

hope you all have a wonderful and special day today as well.  thank you so much to those who have spoiled me and also for all your lovely facebook bday wishes! luv you guys! see you tomorrow <3

banberry place fabric giveaway!

**THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED**

we've got a yummy fabric giveaway for you all today!  are you in the mood to win some new fabric?  our sponsor banberry place has a huge selection of awesome knits/stretch/jersey!  lots of fun prints and colorful selections!

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 trims & ribbons! i love me some trims people! so cute!

banberry place also has a great selection of patterns including e-patterns and e-book patterns.  you can find patterns for women, children, boys, stuffies and more.

wanna go shopping?  the lovely corie from banberry place is offering all mommyhood readers a fabulous 10% off till the end of june! use coupon code "luvinjune2012".  you ready to find out the prize? 

- one lucky winner will receive a gift certificate for $25.00 to banberry place!!! thanks corie!

 - simply enter your info in our google doc form (link shown below) along with what you would spend your gift certificate at banberry place on. when you enter your info you are designated a number by google doc based on when you enter.  this will be the number i use to correlate to your name when the winner is chosen.  make sense?  if you have any questions just ask me below in the comments.  click below to enter the giveaway:

banberry place giveaway entry form

- giveaway is open until june 25th, 2012 midnight, pacific standard time.
- you must enter a valid email into the entry form or you will be disqualified.

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

website  |  blog  |  facebook  |  twitter  |  pinterest  |  

the dottie skirt tutorial - color your summer 2012!

when kirstin of "kojo designs" asked me to join in on her and delia of "delia creates" summer series called color your summer i was thrilled! last years was ahhhhmazing and i'm super excited to get to be a part of this years series.  i was even more excited to choose the color "rainbow"!  you all know i'm not afraid of color when it comes to my kiddos clothes and i'm working really hard on adding pops of color to even my own wardrobe so i jumped at the chance to use rainbow as my inspiration starting point.

i knew right off the bat i wanted something that had lots of yummy colors that to me represented the feeling of summer.  yummy sherberts, sunny weather, ice cream cones and balloons in a blue sky.  i immediately went right to my stash pile and grabbed one of my fave prints - sweet nothings collection (dots cream) by zoe pearn for riley blake designs.  it screams color and rainbow to me without being too cutesy and overly colorful.  i think it's playful and the colors are right up my alley.  i love the mix of turquoise, orange and chartreuse  - so fun!



when deciding what to make i realized i've made skirts for my girls before but have never done a skirt tutorial on the blog before so i figured it was about time to whip one up!  i decided i wanted something that had a fun twist to it!  a high waisted skirt that had a fun belt attachment that was easy to construct and fun to wear with a bit of a vintage flair to it!  the belt is made on it's own and simply stitched onto the back center of the skirt only.  the belt is decorative and the elastic waist of the skirt is what holds the skirt up!  i love the scalloped end of the belt and how it plays up the dots of the fabric.  i can see many more of these in our future in all sorts of color combos!

you ready to make one too?  pop on over to kojo designs for "color your summer 2012" for the full tutorial! i hope you have lots of fun with it! happy sewing ladies!!

winner of the polkadaisy jewelry giveaway

we've got a winner of the polkadaisy jewelry giveaway!  our lucky winner won a gorgeous custom handmade katie necklace. was it you? let's find out :)

commenter #152 - kerri armstrong

congratulations!!!!!!!!!! i hope you enjoy your new necklace! we will be in touch with you soon.

thank you to all who entered and also to michelle for the lovely giveaway. you can find all things polkadaisy here:

website  |  facebook  |  twitter

weekend wishes

to enjoy a special & yummy father's day brunch...

img src: lonny mag

to use my starbucks free drink card pronto...

image from mugwumpian

to have fun celebrating multiple bdays with friends this weekend...

img src: mr. wonderful shop

that summer hurried up and got here...

beach umbrella from alice b. gardens photography

to travel more with my loves...

the world in black and white from julie o'dell

and to try making some..ahem.. adult oriented popsicles.

margarita popsicles from matkonation

hellooo...summer.....where are you?  i see you sunshine...tricking me daily, popping out here and there and then bringing along cold ocean breezes and windy drizzly days.  why oh why have i been wearing sweaters everyday in june?  it's time...you can come already.  we're excited to see you!  come hang out already :P  i'm seriously feeling the need for some good old fashioned vitamin d (with sunscreen of course).  we want to hang out at the beach without freezing...lol.

we've got a few laid back plans for father's day this weekend that we're hoping to enjoy and i'm crossing my fingers for sun.  our weekend is jam packed and both the hubs and i are super busy with work to boot.  it's gonna be a long one but a good one.  i'm treating myself to a fancy new haircut on the weekend just in time to go out with the girls to celebrate my upcoming aging and a few other wonderful ladies bdays as well.  it's gonna be fun!!!  i'm in the mood for a change but am still on the fence about what i would like to do. this turning 35 soon is really messing with my head...lol.  i still feel 20 in my brain..lol...but my grey hairs and slowly forming wrinkles would like to say otherwise :)  i'm trying to remain positive about hitting the mid 30's and i'm hoping a new look will be the perfect thing to keep me on track.  wishing you all a wonderful family filled, margarita sipping, sunshine basking, brunch eating, lots of laughs kind of weekend :)

what are you guys up to this weekend? anyone else contemplating a big hair change?  what are you thinking of doing...long or short? pics to share?  wanna have a margarita popsicle with me....lol?  ok...it's early...coffee??? come chat <3

makin'it in the mommyhood - pressies!

it was my lovely pal jane richmond's bday the other week and seeing as she is one of my besties i had to whip her up a little pressie.  jane is a knitter but she is also learning how to sew.  i knew she desperately needed some new pins and didn't have a fabric marker so since i LOVE buying sewing/knitting notions i had to get her a few to add to her kit.  she needs her sewing ammo...lol.  and seriously, to all of you out there just learning how to sew - ditch those tiny little rusty pins from the dollar store and invest in some good pins.  it's worth it. trust me :)

i knew that i couldn't just give her the pins/marker though. nope, you know me.....they need something to go in.  i had been hoarding a particular fabric print that a dear friend gave me (wink wink anna) and knew it would be perfect for jane.  she looooves to garden and grows all her veggies from seedlings so how great is this fabric for her! awesome!  so i whipped her up a cute little rectangular pin cushion for her new pins and a cute project tote for her to hopefully carry her soon to be en masse of sewing projects in :)  i didn't use a tutorial for the tote, just went with the flow in a size i'd like.  tote's are a great, quick and yet stylish gift to make that allows you to show off that fave fabric which i always love doing.

why a rectangular pin cushion? well, i like things the way i like em'...that's how i roll and my handmade pincushion that was square always bugged me. there was never enough room.  i like that this is long and i can stab them in all over the place..lol.  i used the basic idea from this tutorial but never cut up 4 squares per side.  the fabric already looked like blocks joined so i simply made 2 rectangles and sewed them together per side.  i then topstiched along that seam and then down the center to give it a tiny bit of a look of 4 pieces but it's really not.  this kind of pincushion is easy, quick and functional :)
 

i also got a surprise in the mail for me yesterday!  i had to hold it in till now and not even tell the sender i received it as i wanted to thank her and surprise her with posting it on the blog.  the lovely buffy (of passionate design) so sweetly sent me the awesomest pressie!  turning 35 won't be so hard with lovelies like these!  thank you soooooooooooo much buffy!  i know how much time and thought went into this pressie and it really means a lot to me.  i. have. not. taken off those bed socks!!!!  seriously! i LOVE them!!!!!!  they rock! and the mug....people.....amazing!!!! i heart you buffy!!!!

buffy made me the cutest pair of sleep socks from the pattern "turkish bed socks"from churchmouse yarns & teas.  are they not just so cute! they also fit like a glove and are so comfy to wear! super soft and very light.  i can only imagine the time that went into these - buffy you are such a sweetheart!

she sent all my goodies boxed up and wrapped in hand drawn wrapping paper people! i'd show you but my kiddos ripped it up before we realized she had handwritten all over it!!! great idea buffy - i'm going to have to use that one :)  she had all my goodies inside the biggest and best yellow mug i have ever seen!!!!  she then handpainted one of my fave sayings on the mug that i believe she remembered me lusting after a few months ago...so sweet!!!  this will def be my new fave go to mug buffy! only wish i could sip coffee alongside you with it.

accompanying the mug were the best turquoise colored pins i have seen! i have turquoise ones but not like this! the best color ever!  *edited to add: just found out that buffy made the pins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  what?!!!!!! omg!  the pins were nestled amongst some pretty co-ordinating fabric.  honestly, this made my whole month.  the friendships i've made through blogging continue to amaze me.  i have never met buffy in person (though i hope to one day) yet she is a special friend who has read my blog for years and always been a constant supporter and encourager of mine.  she's wise beyond her years and has a giant sized heart.  so sweet you are dear buffy.  thank you for making me smile.  this pressie warms the soul and helps make turning 35 so much easier. sending you gigantic sized hugs!!!!!

what projects have you guys been working on? do you have a fave go to item you love to make for friends gifts?  a great tutorial you follow?  anyone else turning an age that's freaking them out?  i'd love to hear about it!  coffee's a brewin'...come sip with me!

summer sweater knit along - announcement & roundup!!!!

lightweight pullover by hannah fettig

yahoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  i'm soooo excited!!!! it's summer sweater knit along time!!!!! i know you are all as pumped as i am.  some of you already have your yarn and patterns ready!  this is my favorite kal of ours and i think the most fun!  i'm a firm believer of not putting my knitting away just because the weather is warmer.  why can't we knit all year round?  who says we can't make sweaters/pullover or cardigans in the summer?  when you think about it, it actually makes perfect sense!  if you start your sweater now it will be done just in time for you to rock in the fall/winter!  why wait to knit your fave go to handmade lovely when it's already christmas???

join in with us and start this summer!  this post is your 2 week heads up!  we give you a wee bit of time to order/buy yarn and choose your pattern and everyone will all start together on june 27th.  if you've got a sweater hibernating and you're not that far into it feel free to wait a few weeks and join in late to make it fair :)

1.stasis pullover 2.exeter 3. inversion cardigan

last summer it was my first time making an adult garment so for those of you who haven't made a sweater before DO NOT BE INTIMIDATED.  this is the perfect time to cross that bad boy off the list.  we've got a super supportive, knowledgeable and friendly ravelry group who loves to help each other out. ask questions from anything from yarn choices, patterns, casting on, anything you need help with ask away.  there's usually always someone happy to answer.  it's a wonderful way to take on something a little scary and turn it into something really fun all while making some good friends.  trust me on that one - you will make at least one new friend!  we are a lovable bunch :)

we will be doing something a little bit different this time round in our ravelry group.  there will now be different topics breaking the kal down so it's easier to keep up with everyone.  instead of having one giant thread and boy do they get giant we will have a few smaller ones and 2 galleries with no chat.  it's gonna be awesome! and hopefully a lot easier to stay up to date with all of you talented ladies & gents!

katrine cardigan by cecily glowik macdonald

there will also be posts all throughout the kal on the blog here to help you out as well.  technical posts, fun posts, inspiring posts, and some awesome guests coming to share some helpful knowledge and tips as well!  i can't wait!  you can also find a bevvy of helpful posts here compiled from all of our previous kal's.

there are really no rules for this knit along.  you can knit or crochet and you can pretty much make anything as long as it falls under sweater, cardigan, pullover or top (no tanks please).  it can also be for an adult or a child.  we basically just want to encourage you to knit!  so make what suits your taste, style, body and budget :)  it makes it so fun to see all the different patterns people choose, find new yarns to covet and just plain fill up your queue on ravlery.  mine grows exponentially each kal we do.

1. featherweight cardigan 2. rocky coast cardigan 3. wispy cardigan

i will be planning to post each wednesday with a summer sweater knit along post and you can now join in too with our linky party! what's a linky party?  it's a simple form at the bottom of each of my posts that you simply enter your blog post url in for the week showing your kal progress!  it makes it easy for all of us in the kal to follow along with our pics/progress and hey - who doesn't love friends coming to say hi on your blog and tell you how fab your knitty goodness is looking?

what sweater am i making?  tee hee....you'll have to wait to find out! i'm keeping it a secret for now!  y'all know how much i love a good secret right?!  i will give you a hint though...it's in this roundup! yep, it's time for our good ol' start of kal roundup.  i dove into my faves and compiled a fun roundup of patterns i'm currently crushing on!  new ones, old ones, classic ones, fun ones and just plain awesome ones!  there's beginner patterns, advanced patterns, lace patterns and cables and styles to suit a bevvy of body types! beware....you may get inspired!

check em' out....

something silver by veera valamki

1. bluebelle 2. julissa 3. folded 4. argo

audrey by jane richmond

1. levenwick 2. larch cardigan 3. vodka lemonade 4. tourist sweater

1. classic raglan pullover 2. fuse 3. i heart aran 4. before dark 5. aidez 6. darling emma

blaithin by kate davies

1. driven 2. twiggy cardigan 3. baby cables & big ones too 4. owls

1. flyaway hoodie 2. shellseeker 3. shift of focus 4. pontos cardigan 5. regent 6. campus jacket

1. idlewood 2. february lady sweater 3. manu 4. tea leaves cardigan

autumnal cardigan by hannah fettig

1. jenica hoodie 2. warriston 3. reed 4. terracotta

how's that for awesomeness!  it's positively shantastic!!! lmao!!!!  i wish i had way more time and way more arms so that i could knit at least 10 of these...lol.  ok..time for the deets.  here's how to join in:

 SUMMER SWEATER KAL ENTRY FORM

START DATE: June 27th, 2012
END DATE: September 30th, 2012

you can keep up to date with our knit alongs and other knitty adventures in our luvinthemommyhood ravelry group where we post our WIP's, FO's, show off our yummy yarn stashes and join in our super fun themed knit alongs! feel free to ask questions, get help with your project and just plain revel in chatting with other knitters/crocheters who love stitching as much as you do! welcome :)

luvinthemommyhood ravelry group

and you can also find me on ravelry under the name luvinthemommyhood.

but don't worry if you aren't on ravelry you can still join in.  kal posts are usually done weekly and will be posted about regularly on the blog as well as on ravlery.  you simply join in using a simple google doc entry form and you are automatically entered into the kal's giveaway and fun!   we also will be having a linky party again this season where you can link up your blog post about your kal project so we can all see what everyone is up to! it's easy & super addicting! you can always find all of our KAL posts here as well.

we also love to see your handiwork!  so feel free to show off your knitted and crocheted goodies in our ravelry group and also in our flickr group!

luvinthemommyhood flickr group

i love me a knit along!  it's been such a blast doing these and i can't wait to see what you all will be crafting.  the summer sweater knit along is my favorite one of the year and boy do we have some AMAZING and super talented sponsors for this kal!  the prizes are awesome! so don't miss out on entering your name on the form linked above to qualify for the giveaway at the end of the kal.  these sponsors seriously rock!!!!  i will be announcing them and you will get your buttons etc in 2 weeks!  see you then!

thanks so much for knitting along with me! 

what project are you hoping to make? any yarns you are dying to use this kal?  c'mon...chat away! it's kal time!