Who Needs Gauge?!

I have two diaper bags, even though I mostly use the one, I have a smaller one that I can take short trips to the store and a larger one that I can take on outings that might last a while. And between small samples and such, I have enough of most things to make both bags fully stocked. The only thing that I thought might be essential that I did not have two of was a changing pad. So I made one.

I had some vinyl tablecloth material I bought for a variety of uses when I was pregnant. I purchased a yard, and then cut that yard into two fat quarter and had a half-yard piece left over. The half yard I believe will go in my trunk for times I might need a piece of material that is waterproof. One of the other pieces I have left as is, and the other I made into my second changing pad.

I decided to use a cloth diaper as the backing, but you could use any fabric you wanted. I also decided a bit of padding would be nice, since I might need to lay the baby on hard surfaces. So I cut batting to size, and held everything together wrong sides together. I did not pin it because that would make holes in the fabric, rendering the waterproof-ness void. I also did not quilt the pieces together, which would have been nice to keep it more stable, but that also would have left holes. I thought about quilting just the batting and backing together before sewing them to the vinyl, but that was after the fact. Either way would work if you tried this.

I the stitched along the edge, leaving a space to tun it right-side-out. I clipped the corners and any excess before turning, turned it all right ways, then topped stitch along the edges.

It definitely is not my best work, but after looking at her modeling on it, I realized it will be needed when she gets too big to fit the one that came with the bag!

(Note – Do not ruin my joy by pointing out that it only takes an hour to make one. I know this. I, however, consider it a major triumph that not only did I finish not one, but TWO objects, and have figured out how to knit/crochet while feeding a baby!)

Yesterday I went to visit my grandmother so she could teach me how to make scrubbies!

Scrubbies are made of netting that has been cut into strips, then crocheted into a little pouch to make a device you can use to wash dishes, clean the house, or wash your car (plus some other things that need scrubbed). My family have been using these for decades. My grandmother said she learned it from a pattern, but no longer remembers which pattern it was.

 

The are not hard to make, these scrubbies. You basically start with a few chained stitches, increase for a while, do one row even, then decrease. It is a fairly quick process. One trick is to crochet loosely, which was hard to do, and I made some mistakes on my stitch count, so my first one was a bit misshapen. Which doesn’t matter in the long run. The blue one is my grandmothers, and the red one is mine.

And since they go so fast, I made another one!

Yes, that is correct! I made two in one day! That is two hours of craft time I spent yesterday!

My cats think that they make great toys, and they would probably happily play with them even more if I stuffed a catnip sachet into them!

The two people I love most.

 

Happy Father’s Day!

This is pretty cool, combining my multiple personalities – geeky and crafty.

http://yummyyarn.indus3ous.com/archives/periodic_table_of_knitting/

It might make me like chemistry a bit more!

…

I have been knitting a little bit, but again I don’t have much to show.

This is the Cobblestone sweater I am working on, a little larger than I last showed it, but not much bigger.

It is about 6 inches, with 10 more to go before I start the sleeves. A little bit here and there is making progress.

…

I was the winner of a random drawing for a contest to win Weekend Sewing over a month ago. I entered a give-away for the book from craft column Running with Needles, which asked readers to give suggestions for portable craft projects you could take on with you this summer. My contribution was

Watercolor post cards  – they make pencils that bleed like watercolor paints. You draw on the card, then you can wash them in a stream or lake you are visiting this summer, and let dry. This would be great with kids as well, they can draw memories from the summer, and write a note on the back to themselves. Then you can ‘send’ them their post card later in the year to remind them about the time they had on vacation.

As of yet, I have flipped through a few pages, but have yet to immerse myself in it, but I have been intrigued by the projects I have seen on other peoples blogs. I’ll definitely making something out of it, some year!

And yes, I am reading blogs, and may comment here and there. Look forward to seeing you around the net!

I’m getting used to this mothering thing. It is wonderful thing, if somewhat mind-boggling at times, that you created this extraordinary life. Then others, you wonder why no one told you all of the pitfalls in store for you. I wouldn’t give it up, but I do wish it was just a bit easier. (No, I know it is not supposed to be easy, but this first month has been difficult in some respects, more so than average.)

For example:

Forward: She sleeps for 4-6 hour stretches during the night for a few days

Back: Then the next night she wakes up every 2!

Forward: I’m finally starting to get comfortable with nursing after a very rocky start.

Back: Then she decides to have a growth spurt and chows down more frequently!

Forward: She likes her bath, not crying during any part of it.

Back: The next time, she screams the whole time, and daddy asks what I did to the baby!

But it is all worth it, right?!

I’ve been doing things that are blog-worthy.

Honest.

It’s just that I have to prioritize.

Blogging comes after eating, sleeping, showering, and resting.

Hope things are going well with you!

It has been two weeks, and we are all still alive and well here at Casa Davis. While everything is going as well as can be expected, I have been informed that I am not letting you all know what is going on here lately. I keep attempting to blog, however a shower and food seems more important in my short stretches of time to myself. And sleep, that is important too!

I haven’t been doing much crafty stuff. I did start sewing and extra changing pad (didn’t finish though), and did knit 3 rows on the sweater a day ago. (Mia, yours is going to be done before mine at this rate.) Other than that, I have been dreaming a few crafty dreams, but not many, since dreaming isn’t what I get to do a lot of.

So I’ll share with you the rest of the crafty, handmade things people have given me. I have more blankets that people have made for me, first this awesome star blanket that my friend Kacey made (recognize it Jess?)

…and a fleece tie-blanket my aunt and cousin made. Very snuggly.

There is also this amazing blanket my grandmother, the one who taught me to knit, made for Riley.

My friend Bri gave me a Monstoe bunny, very cute, squishy and adorable.

I can just see this being drug around by one leg behind chubby legs! And the other morning when it was cooler, I put her in the little sweater I made for her.

It fits, but the sleeves are a little short. She still likes it though!

And mom? I got my shower, so don’t worry.

Today is Mother’s Day, and I have to say, I have a wonderful mother, who has cleaned my house before the baby came, lost hours of sleep helping my husband and I through labor and delivery, made about 2 weeks worth of food for us so we don’t have to worry about cooking, and been supportive about my learning to be a mother. And this is just what has been happening in the past few days, much less throughout my entire life! Thank you to a wonderful caring, strong woman! I hope to be as great a mom to my little one as you have been to me. I love you Mom!

This is the poem she wrote to me about my pregnancy. I want to share it with you today, for all of the mother’s out there!

To My Daughter While Carrying My Granddaughter

Watching you become a parent,
Warms me from inside.
My little girl, soon a Mother,
Pure happiness and pride.

The precious child you carry,
Is a part of you and me.
I know when I will see you both together,
I see the way we used to be.

The miracle of your birth,
Is a day I won’t forget.
I remember my enchantment,
As our face and eyes first met.

I recall your sweetness,
And your curiosity
I remember your first smile,
Brought tears to loving eyes (both dad and mine)

As your Mother I still shine,
By the woman you’ve become.
First blessed by having you,
And soon your little one.

I pray that as your Mother,
I’ve been all that I can be.
May the love you will give your child,
Be reflection of the love I gave to the.

To Riley René Davis

Born 5/5/09

Yesterday I spent the majority of my Saturday walking around the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. It was a great day, there were ominous clouds predicting rain so the crowds really didn’t start up until close to noon. Then the sun was in and out, making it warm but not too hot.

I met up with a bunch of people from my knit group, saw a bunch of people who’s blogs I read, and walked around with my friends. I saw animals and petted fiber. I walked around and saw most of what was there until I was too tired to walk anymore.

And for all of the petting of fiber, talking with friends, and looking at cute fuzzy fiber animal, what do I have to show?

 

Nothing!

 

That’s right, I bought no fiber. No yarn, no roving, no tools to implement my trade (although I was tempted) I took no pictures of anything. I came, I saw, I had a good time, then I left.

Who else had such willpower? Anyone?