Stitch Rabbit

The Advent Calendar and the Messy, Messy Studio

I have a feeling the studio floors are going to be covered in fabric scraps, paper and notions for the entire month of December. With a long list of "to-makes" for the holidays there isn't any point in even sweeping the floor.

I love the holidays. I'm a sucker for them. I love the cozy indoors, the cold winds, the snow (though it's come and gone I am praying it returns soon) This is the first year that Frankie has started to have her own ideas of what the holidays mean. This is a tricky thing, especially if you are anything like me, I hope to instill in her the true meaning of Christmas, of Winter Solstice, of Winter Celebration. And I think that's why it is so important that Gabriel and I are hand making almost everything, both together and on our own and with the kids. From decorations to gifts to holiday events, I try my very best not to get wrapped up in the commercialism that comes so in your face this time of year. If only I can show my kids how truly satisfying it is to spend time with the ones you love, not spend time buying things for the one you love. I think we're doing alright so far. She has her own list of "to-makes" for the people that she loves and I love that.

I have managed to scratch one project off the list tonight, right on deadline considering tomorrow is December First. I finished off the last of the advent calendar I've been working on secretly for the kids. I promised to show you when I finished, and it's done, hung on the wall and waiting, tiny house bellies full of goodies for the kids starting tomorrow. Though I have a feeling there will be a lot of talking about why you can only peek inside one house a day. Oh the agony I bring to my children. And the glee.

 

 

 

 

 

Hanging Myself on A Wall

I got to hang myself on a wall yesterday. I've been looking forward to this for a long time. It isn't often that you are given a chance to showcase what you do, or who you are, on a wall for an entire month. It means a lot to me. Not just to make the cash, not because I want to be better known or admired. I got to hang myself on a wall so I can say out loud,

"I have to be a lot of things in my life. Mother, wife, daughter, friend - but I can still be me. I have to find the time and space to do this, to make things. I have to work with my hands, all the time, every day. I have to do this or I wouldn't be me. I wouldn't be satisfied. I wouldn't be happy. This is my happiness, in handmade form, hanging on this wall."

Yesterday was a great day. I got to wake up early with my husband (the kids stayed at grandma and papa's) We grabbed coffees and loaded the van. We spent the morning hanging art and hanging out with our friends. I drilled and leveled and hung and fretted. I loved it. Every second.

So here it is, here is me. I hope you like it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Easy Like Sunday Evening.

I can't wait to tell you about hanging the art show at Foundation today. It was so fun, and I'm so excited to have my stuff up on the walls. But I can't tonight. I have sunk into the warm, deep, merciless folds of the couch with some knitting and some husband. I have a lot of knitting to do you know. Ever since that promise post about the manly knits...I have better get a move on!

So stay tuned for tomorrow when I post the photos of the show!

Here's a few shots of what this rabbit has been working on for the readying of the show...

 

The Photos Are In!!

I am SO excited to show you the photos taken of my cowls slouchy neck warmers for the Foundation Crafty Show! My two wonderful and very talented friends Seann and Thena braved the snow and cold to take them for a test run and I am very, very pleased with the results. I will be framing the photos and hanging them with all the knitted lovelies on the walls of Foundation this Sunday. The show will be up for the month of December, along with tons of other great crafty items, so come on down and check it out!

The Foundation Lounge  -  2301 Main Street, Vancouver

Thank you again to Seann Patrick for taking these beautiful photos and Thena for being so damn pretty and making my knits come to life!

 

 

Tiny House Hot Pad Tutorial

I did it!! I made my very first tutorial!! I sewed and took notes and documented it all on camera! I wrote it out! I may have missed a step! I hope not! So here it is. If any of the instructions are unclear, please email me so I can fix it to be better understood.  I hope you enjoy!

 

Download Tiny House Hot Pad Tutorial 

 

My Ravelry WishList

I may be getting ahead of myself.

 

I've promised, promised - PROMISED Gabriel that this year would be his year. This year I would knit for him the arm warmers he's been asking me for the past three winters.Why hasn't it happened yet? Three winters of asking? Am I really that busy? Do I not care if his arms are warm?

So this is the year. And I'm saying it out loud. To all of you.. So I have to. But more than that - I want to. I make a lot of things, a lot of things for my kids, for our house, for friends and for sale. I even make a few things for myself, here and there. But I never really make anything for Gabriel. Why is that? I know many other women who make a lot of things too, and not high on the list, is a manly handmade anything. Let's face it, Gabe is not about to tie a handmade tool apron in pretty vintage fabric around his waist, not at his job, and not even in his own shop. He's not a sports guy, so there are no cute equipment bags to sew, he's not into cars, so forget that driving hat I saw... he is really, really hard to sew for.

But knit for, he is not. For being a guy who's allergic to wool he wears it constantly. He loves his misshaped, full of holes old wool sweaters and hats. Perfect for me. I can do misshapen. I can do holes. I'm going to knit him the man sweater of his dreams. And some pants, some rugged, fisherman wool pants to wear tucked into his boots with a pair of suspenders. And arm warmers, oh he's going to get arm warmers. All kinds. All made lovingly by his wife-y dearest. Starting now, tonight.

Knitting for my man. Just as soon as I can get off Ravelry..

 

Kumara Arm Warmers

Constellation Gloves

3 Season Sweater Jacket

A's Manly Scarf

Long Cardigan    oops, that's for me.

 

 

 

Coloring Outside The Lines

I'm not a free-flow sewer. I'm not much of a re-purposer either (but I dooooo like me a lot of vintage fabrics and linens!) I like freshly ironed fabric and straight edges and patterns and pressed seams. I like order in my sewing, I like exact. So making things that come from inside me completely, without a pattern or direction to follow, is like new growth. I guess that's where you find your niche, that's where you find your creativity. When you have nothing to depend on but your own ideas, you better come up with something cool.

For whatever reason, I've been making these dolls. They're cute and fun to make, no measurements, no ironing, no pressing seams. I like them. They're giving me a break from precision work. Coloring outside the lines. I guess I needed a break. Thanks dolls.

 

 

 

Make It Vancouver

Ahhh...another job is done for Gabe, which means one thing and one thing only today. I get time. TIME. Time is like gold around here, for both of us. Being a busy family of four, each of us with our own busy agenda, it is vital for us all to squeeze in some of our own time when he's at home.

I always get the first day. Mostly because I am dying to get out of the house without packing diapers or snacks or kids or all three and because the kids are SO excited he's sticking around past breakfast that he couldn't shake them from his Daddy Arms if he tried.

Lucky me today was the Make It Vancouver Craft Fair at the Croatian Cultural Centre. Today was the last day so if you missed it, sorry folks - but remember, there are more fairs right around the corner. (See Post)

I love me a good craft fair - and this one doesn't disappoint. I walked around with a huge dorky smile plastered on my face, partly because of all the beautiful handmade beauties, but mostly because I couldn't believe my luck, wandering around with nothing but a coffee and my camera, no kid on my back, no other kid touching everything and getting lost. Don't get me wrong, I love my kids..you know I do, but I don't love me and my kids at anything like this. This is me time. Uninterrupted, do what I want me time.

Here's a peek at some of what I was peeking at today:

 

I'm not always attracted to jewellery vendors, I'm usually making a beeline for anything stitched, but I loved these resign necklaces by Phaulet.

These key holders, and all of the other adorable things made by UNIK printshop were so cute, and  affordable and very original. And her display was amazing!

And finally, Track and Field, an artist who's crafty items I've admired in stores and from friends who own pieces. Her fabric choices are awesome. So awesome that I went straight to Spool of Thread after and stocked up on some more Heather Ross fabric. I love those linens!!

 

It was a great afternoon, and I came home inspired by the women and men who handcraft for love and not for profit (well, the profit is nice too). I will be hitting the sewing machines hard this week - watch for some of my own creations - a lot of projects are finally on the homestretch!

 

My Best Advice

There are moments in our lives that shape us, mold us and grow us. Moments we cannot stop from happening, moments that are meant to be, moments that change it all, for better or for not.

There are moments in our life that will sweep our feet from under us and make us build it all again.

When these moments happen to someone you love, you go along with them for their emotional journey. It's not that you've packed your bag, bought your ticket in advance and jumped aboard - it's that you are on board. Because you love them. Because they're in their moment. Because they need you. Because you need them.

And you wish you had the answers for them, but you really won't because you aren't them, it's their moment. You can listen, you can hug them, you can invite them in for tea, but in the end, you are just a witness to the moment that is shaping somebody else's life. It's hard to find the words.

I do my best thinking when I'm sewing. It's when I find the words.

 

 

 

I'm on a Winter Knitting Roll.

There has been a lot of knitting going on over here. A lot. Last week in particular.. by the time the kids were off to Dreamland every night Mama Rabbit was pretty much there herself, so the thought of getting into the studio seemed incredibly daunting and entirely out of the question. So most nights I sank deep into the couch with a good show and a glass (or two)...(okay maybe three) of wine and the clackity clack of my needles. I'm getting ready for the Foundation Art Show. Apparently I'm putting in a lot of knitting. Funny thing coming from a sewer, but the projects feel right, they're super cozy, chunky knits and perfect winter gifts.

Also gearing up for the season of Holiday Craft Fairs!! They're right around the corner and I can't wait to see all the beautiful things people have made!

 

This week has been a much more energetic week then last and the board has seen a lot of work too... I can't believe I'm still working on a towel. I've been trying to find a new ironing board cover to fit my extra long, extra wide board for a month now. I really could have made myself one by now, but I guess it's about the challenge. I will succeed. I will find the European sized board cover of my dreams. Any ideas where?

I'm working on my first tutorial for this blog. Super cute gift idea. Watch for it in the next few days!!

 

It Ain't Always Easy.

Mothering. Some days, it's really, really hard.

 

I feel sometimes Like I might come across in this blog like life is all fairies and crafts and singing and sewing. And well, sometimes it is. Some days everything works oh so magically well. The children are happy, they play quietly with puzzles and crafts, nap for three hours, eat their whole lunch, say Thank You and Please and May I and my personal favorite "Yes, Mommy." And these days I can linger in the studio, possibly sewing a hem or two, cutting a pattern or stalking the internet for cute stuff I wanna make, all the while working alongside two very busy, happy babies whom I love oh so dearly.

 

 

And some days life is not like that at all. Some days it looks more like this:

There are days like this when the dirty laundry will not move from it's spot in the middle of the hall and the breakfast dishes get done in four hours of 30 second increments and there are toys strewn across every floor of every room - including the bathroom behind the toilet, which reminds me it's time to clean the damn bathroom again. There are days like this when sitting down to write an email is met by two intensely dramatic children who need my attention RIGHT NOW for their magic trick/teeny tiny BUT HORRIBLY PAINFUL ow-ie/insatiable hunger.

There are days like this when Charlie may be the one wailing in this picture, but behind the camera I'm pretty much doing the same thing.

At the end of days like this I flop on the couch in a pile of mush, look around at all the mayhem that didn't sort itself out and sigh heavily into a cup of tea, barely able to hold knitting needles in my tired, worn out hands.

So, even thought I'd like to sit down and type out my blog post about how me and my kids were crafting all day with the fairies all the while having a sing a long, I instead will leave you with my grocery list, hoping that it will magically appear at my door tomorrow morning, since we are out of all three.

 

COFFEE

MILK

CAT FOOD.

 

And just so you don't think I simply snap photos of my crying children, instead of soothing them, here is Charlie only seconds after the first picture. (He can be fairly dramatic, like his mother.)

 

 

Tiny Flags and Tiny Houses

The studio has been a busy little place today...I finally got started on a few new projects that I've been dreaming of...

The flag bunting, I love. I have them all over my house. I hang them for birthdays, I hang them for no reason at all. I made meters and METERS of flag bunting for our wedding. They seem to just shout a tiny "HOORAY!" when you look at them. So I'm making some tiny tiny versions of them for the Foundation Art Show I think. Unless they accidentally only make it to my kitchen instead.

 

The other project I've been up to involves doing one of my most favorite things:

Bringing out my entire fabric stash and spending a few hours surrounded by florals and stripes and cottons and linens trying to decide which of the beloveds will go into this project. I love this process but it makes me sad too. When I bring home new fabric I can hardly wait to make it into something - but I also feel a sense of mourning when I have to cut into it for the first time. Beautiful fabric. Crazy lady.

And finally here's a sneak peak at the "big" project I started today. I'm cutting many many tiny houses. But I can't say why. It's a surprise for my kids. So my lips are sealed. But I promise to show you it when I'm done. Okay?

What are you starting to get working on for the holidays? Any crafty ideas?

 

Tiny Stars For Little Hands

In keeping up with our handmade holiday traditions, Frankie and I set to work the other day to make a few new decorations for our tree this year. They were super easy to make. I found the wooden stars at Michael's (I should be banned, I go for wool but always come out with a million other little things). We brought out the paper podge, some brushes and some brown paper with old fashioned text printed on it and set to work. I love the way they turned out, and Frankie was able to make them almost completely by herself.

 

Yarn-Wrapped Trees

I wanted to quickly share with you tonight a really cute craft tutorial I found on the Sew, Mama, Sew website. It's by Alli at One Pearl Button and I will definitely be making these with Frankie and on my own. So cute, so festive, and so easy. Love it. Goodnight!

An Afternoon At Maplewood Farm

In spirit of the extremely wet and cold weather outside my window today, I would like to be reminded of the beauty that was last week, possibly the last of the sunshine we will see in awhile... a beautiful day at Maplewood Farm, just me and my kids.