Although it has warmed up here considerably (+20 yesterday!) we're still in our long johns everyday. We keep the thermostat low (62ish) and head out into the snow each day. Lupine's cashmere long johns have been a huge hit, so I finished stitching up a coordinating shirt for her as well.

I used a long sleeve t-shirt pattern that I had on hand as the springboard for my pattern. (From Ottobre winter 2004, if you want specifics.) I used the existing sweater sleeves but narrowed and shortened them from the shoulder and also used a portion of the existing neck hole to avoid having to add ribbing that I didn't have on hand. The neck was a bit too small so I added a notch at the manufactured seam to make it go on easily.

Because Lupine wears dresses almost every day I left the shirt extra long (to keep her extra warm), and decided to make the sleeves cuffed. My theory is that next winter with the extra length in the body and arms it will still fit. Soft, warm, and woolly. $1.50 and fifteen minutes. Works for me.

Hooray for homemade!

I spent the weekend in the city with my sister. There was good food, good conversation and – of course – a lovely bit of thrifitng. While we didn't have a cabbage glass moment like the last time, we did find a few treasures including two cashmere sweaters to felt and sew with and two lambswool sweaters to unravel, dye, and reuse.

The project above is my first sweater unraveling project (except when knitting goes wrong). It was inspired by my love of knitting combined with doing the math on a knitting a sweater with new wool. (Once yarn is purchased the cost of a homemade sweater far exceeds what I would ever spend on a purchased sweater.) I found two perfect candidates this weekend both ready to dye and both buttery soft, and costing me $4 and $6 each. I'll share my progress with you as these projects take shape!

I had every intention of finishing Pete's Solstice sweater in time for Solstice. But when I started unraveling the sleeves (don't ask) I needed a plan B for his gift.

Enter the felted clogs. Pete has been slipper free all the cold season after wearing through last year's pair in the spring. He's been schlepping around the house in an (ugly) pair of brown Crocs. I cast these on a few weeks ago as his alternate Solstice gift. They were immense when I finished knitting them up but on Solstice Eve we felted them down in the washer and they've been on his feet ever since.

All of the yarn was from my stash (most from a yard sale and a bit left over from various projects) so they were nearly free. And he loves them. I added a contrasting inner sole (leftover wool "hair" from a sweet Waldorf doll) and I love the contrast when the slippers are set aside awaiting some cold toes.

(Oh, and in case you were wondering they moon walk beautifully. Which is important around here. We take our silliness very seriously. Ahem.)

We are gearing up for winter over here in a big way. Buried in snow, there is no denying that it is almost January and we have chosen to live in Wisconsin.

That winter-gear-up means – yes – more crafting. (Of course!) Lupine inherited a second-hand coat this year that we love. But alas, the zipper pull was MIA. Lupine wanted the independence of being able to unzip her own gear, so for the past three months she's been sporting an attractive paperclip looped through the broken pull. A paperclip zipper pull is functional but also awkward and ugly, so it was time to upgrade.

The kids and I spent the afternoon paining wooden peg people. I painted this peg girl (bought here) with acrylic and finished her with a dusting of fine glitter over tacky glue. When fully dry I sprayed her with clear coat (so that she'll hold up to the abuses of the sledding hill) and drilled a tiny hole in her head. Ouch. I inserted a screw eye and secured it with super glue. I twisted the screw eye onto a small split ring key chain from the hardware store and Lupine had a functional coat once more.

To add to the winter-cuteness-overload, Lupine also has a sweet new hat as of this weekend. Sadly, this fall Lupine's beloved bluebird hat was lost on a hike. She's been getting by with one of Sage's thrift store hats but it isn't very warm and she's not so into winter anyway. The cold head? Not helping her relationship with the cold and snow.

I picked up some roving recently to work on my spinning skills and chose colors to match the coat above. Still a newbie spinner, the results are wonky at best but it was great practice. The result was extremely/unpredictably bulky but I thought it would work great for a hat. Lupine chose this pattern that we found on Ravelry and with that chunky yarn it knitted up in a day.

yarn before

yarn after

The faces above pretty much speak for themselves. She loves her "Spy Cat Hat" (which can be worn rolled up in the front for a non-spy look as well). She loves it, I tell you. And it's pink, but so not girlie. (I suspect we may be leaving the queen and fairy phase and entering a new era of Lupine all together. It looks to be loads of fun.)

Off we go to the sledding hill!

The weeks leading up to Solstice are always a mad crafting frenzy around here. Add to the crafty scene that we are in the thick of our busiest business season ever and I've found little time for domestic niceties. Yesterday I glanced around the house are could not recall the last time I swept the floors, tidied the play room, or folded laundry. Ew. The messes are piling up, my friends.

No, it is not looking good over here.

Aside from the felt and thread strewn across our house there is no sign of the coming holidays. Not a tree, string of lights, wreath, or stocking. Nada. Zilch.

Goodness. I guess I'm even procrastinating the cheer. (Recently I have found myself delaying holiday decorating a bit more each year. Lately it has been mid- to almost late December before we put the stocking up.) I guess the theory is that if I haven't hung the stockings then I don't have to fill them. Yet. Through some strange math formula I've determined that our lack of decorations computes to more crafting nights after the kids go to bed. I know. It makes no sense.

So today we're hanging the stockings. And even some lights. And then we'll be cleaning and crafting until bedtime.

I keep telling myself that time is expansive, decorations are more fun if you have to wait a really long time for them, and a dirty house builds natural immunity.

Back me up on this.

 The arrival of Thanksgiving rockets me into a tiny panic of counting the days until our Solstice and Christmas celebrations. How many crafting days do I have left? (Just enough is always the answer.)

What about you? Are you feeling crafting this season? I thought I'd throw together a list of quick and simple crafts that you (or you and your children) can create for loved ones. For new crafters or experienced folks looking for some fresh ideas, this list might just jump-start some creating. Happy crafting!

Hand dyed play silks: I posted this tutorial for dying silks with kool aide last winter. Obviously great playthings for kids, and if you buy wearable sizes, these are elegant gifts for adults too.

Homemade Vanilla: There is still time! But this one you'll want to start fast. Split 12 vanilla beans lenght-wise, scrape the seeds, and add it all to a pint jar. Cover with good quality vodka. Let sit 4-6 weeks. Pour into bottles with 1 fresh vanilla bean per bottle. Yay, homemade! Amy posted a simple tutorial too if you want photos.

Simple sack doll: This seems like an ambitious project if you have never made a Waldorf doll, but even a sewer with only minimal experience can make in a few evenings. Really. Easy! And treasured forever. I poked around on-line and found this tutorial, but the Bunting Doll Kit here would be a great choice as well.

Recipe Kits: I have given recipe kits as standard holiday faire for years. Pick your theme (Ice Cream, Grilling out, Pancakes, etc.). Then transfer your favorite 5 or 6 recipes to cards and package up all the non-perishable ingredients for each batch. Throw in a thrifted vintage apron or spatula and you're good to go. (Random side note: One year my best friend and I both gave each other pancake kits with spatulas. It was simultaneously awesome and eerie.)

Natural Play Dough: Easy peasy! And a guaranteed winner. What's not to love about play dough? Here is a tutorial I posted last year for. (You can even substitute gluten free flour for the wheat if you are making the dough for a little one who is GF.)

Homemade Mustards: When I was in college I gave homemade pretzels and mustard (recipe courtesy of Martha) for holiday gifts one year. They were a huge hit (and cheap and easy to boot). I shared the recipes with my friend Denise who gives them for holiday gifts every year. Homemade mustard is easy. Ridiculously so. (And good. Ridiculously so.) But plan ahead a bit, as you'll want to give it a couple of weeks to develop.

Felt Crown: Another forever gift for your child, a crown is a key accessory around our place. You can make one for all of your favorite little people personalized with favorite colors or embellishments. There is a lovely tutorial here that I use to determine length for my front, back, and elastic. I then cut the shape to my own taste and embellish in my own style.

Tree Blocks: For the woodworking type, making simple Waldorf-style blocks are easy peasy. I made mine in an afternoon with some minor guidance from a friend when Sage was two. Find some windfallen lumber and a good saw and you're set. Here is a tutorial, with my edit to not varnish them but rub with a blend of beeswax and jojoba oil if you desire a finish.

Wool Christmas Stockings: These were a quick and impressive project. I can't wait to hang them again this year. Here is my post from last December on how I created them.

Knitted or Croched "Cinnamon Buns" and Play Ropes: For cinnamon buns use your biggest needles or hook to work up long narrowish scarves out of thick wool. For knitting, cast on 10 stitches, and knit is garter stitch (knitting every row) until they are 4 to 6 feet long. Roll them up (thus "cinnamon buns") and tuck into a basket for open ended play. For ropes, crochet thick yarn into ropes of various lengths and colors. You'll be amazed what they are used for! A small basket full is a playroom necessity around here. A great first knitting project or stash buster!

Enjoy the process, and try to not put too many projects on your plate. That can suck the joy out of any holiday. Consider making duplicates for the people on your list (everyone gets vanilla, for example). It will speed up your crafting time considerably. 

Love,
Rachel

P.S. Yesterday's giveaway is still open, so throw your name in that hat if you haven't already done so!

When we were at the ocean I developed a love of knitting that bordered on obsession. I began work on my first big person sweater (a Cobblestone for Pete), and cast off my first little person sweater for a friend's sweet baby girl. I brought a camp chair and spend my days sitting in the sand knitting away each day. It was my sanity at times. The kids, just over the top of my knitting played contentedly while I meditated away the hours to the click-click-click over the tempo of the waves.

The baby sweater I cast off was the "In Threes" baby cardigan. For those of you who are on Ravelry the pattern is here. I ditched the detail stitches on the yoke in place of some handspun yarn details elsewhere. The fabric covered buttons I made from a remnant of quilting fabric from another close friend's blessingway a couple of years ago. I love this little sweater so much and can't wait to see a wee red head sporting it around town some day.

Since coming home I cast on (and off) a quick knit of a new fall hat. (The Ravelry pattern is here.) I am loving the teensy cables on the band and the loose spiraled top. I cast it off last night and lay awake wondering what I was going to cast on today. Seriously. Obsessed.

What are your favorite recent knits?

It's raining in my world. So we're inside, gathering around the dining room table for some crafty magic. Birthday party preparations are in full swing over here. We're all looking forward to tomorrow's merriment. I hope your weekend brings some ribbon, yarn, wood, glitter and glue into your world. See you on Monday.

xo Rachel