Yay for recycling!

July was hot, August has been cold and wet. Luckily this came back from the cleaner's last week: a little princess seam winter coat I made for my girl.
At first I wasn't so sure designing and sewing a real coat, collar, lining, neat buttonholes etc. would work out, so I figured I'd start by cutting up a blue wool trenchcoat I picked up at the thrift store (a little yucky, so I took it to the cleaner's immediately after I finished it :oP)
What got me all inspired to give the whole project a try was an illustrated work-in-progress report I saw at Natron & Soda's site, where Soda creates a gorgeous pink winter coat.
Following her example, I used an existing pattern (my BF came home one day with a pile of old sewing magazines he'd found when taking out the trash) for getting the sleeves and shoulder parts the right size. And you know what, it wasn't really difficult, (meaning I didn't have to rip too many seams). OK, the collar is curling a bit odd at one side and the pockets didn't work out so I just skipped them, but my baby LOVES the smiley-buttons, and the rich blue looks fabulous on her. Recycling can be such fun! If you're not into it yet, take a look at Flobberdewotsky and get inspired!

Cloth diapers for Miepie

As our toddler is very verbal, she's quite capable of telling me what she desires.
Her doll Miepie should have a bathrobe just like hers (so I made her one) a bunting (she got it) and now she needed: diapers.
It is very amusing (and sometimes confronting) to observe my girl playing with her Miepie, she so closely imitates my doings.
For the diaper pattern I somewhat followed the tutorial at mama2mama.org
I found this to be a very helpful site, with all kinds of good advice on AP, so I put it in with my favorite links right away!
At Heike's site there are lots of links to more doll clothes patterns to be found (this site is in German).

Way back when...

This photo I came across today, it's an abandoned old swimming pool, the pavement overgrown with weeds, its basin filled with cold black water. I visited the site only weeks before it was demolished, way back in the days when I used to do some urban exploration from time to time. The memory of it's quiet beauty made me wish I could travel back in time, just to stand there once more, feeling the chill of early morning still in the air: summer at the point of turning into fall.

Boys wear

For a friend of mine who had a tiny baby boy recently, I finished these yesterday. They match a jumpsuit I made last week -but forgot to take a photo of before I put it in the mail :(
Isn't it interesting how our perception of masculin or feminin is connected to colors? The clothes I made for my daughter were by the same patterns, but look indefinitely more 'girlish' to me. Same as, when I dress my girl in blue and green (which I love) people invariably conclude she must be a boy!

Boohoohoo!! They are too big!

Last weekend I made these shoes, matching a silk party dress for my little girl I made earlier. They turned out real good, genuine leather soles and all, but when I had finally persuaded her to fit them, they proved too big, sniff...
So: I'll just have to make another pair, and anyone wanting the pattern will have to bear with me until I have adjusted (and tested) it.
Luckily my sister's wedding is still a little over 3 weeks away....
EDIT: The final pattern can be found here.

Socks!!!

These baby socks I knitted (yes!! I DID!!!) for a friend of mine, who's first baby is due in December. I never knitted real socks before, and it was way easier than I thought!! Just plainly following directions, not making it difficult by trying to figure out why or how :))
As this is just one of my never ending series of experiments (Can I do this? Oh I wanna try that! and so on)
and as they turned out so great, it was the final excuse I was looking for to open up a blog of my own, and share the fun (and the mistakes) I encountered. That's enough rambling for now, this wonderful free knitting pattern is by Patti Pierce Stone
and her site I found through Jessica's superb site (literally tons of free knitting patterns there)