Yellow Spring Lace Back Shirt

Today I finished this top for my daughter's birthday, which was last week, to go with the pink skorts.

I've got another on the needles for her little sister now.

It's longies

The mystery project I started a while back is just about done. I only need to tuck in the tails and lanolinize.

I've inserted a size small, MotherEase, Sandie's diaper so you can see how I worked to shape the rump a littler better. I also added seed stitching to the soak zone thinking it would help to add a bit more wool to that area without making a double knit layer (which I don't really know how to do with longies anyhow).

These are for my baby....though when I finished my dh asked me if they were for my (almost four year old) daughter. Nope, I'm done making her wool pants...I hope.

So close...but so far away

I've all but given up on the idea of pursuing all that is now required to legally sell my hand knit dresses. It's a crying shame, but I haven't much time these days to knit, let alone figure out how to accomplish all the bureaucratic &#!* that I would need to do to fulfill the new CPSIA laws. I've tried to keep up, but it's too overwhelming.

I just want to knit and sew dresses and not worry about breaking some law.

This morning I came across the address for the CPSC...it's practically in my back yard!

It's not lost on me that I still have about six completed dresses sitting in my sewing room, which I'm too afraid to list on Etsy...because they haven't been lead tested, nor do they have tracking labels.

I've always labeled my dresses with a sew on, cotton tag. That label includes my name, and my website address. Also included is a hand written label that describes the fabric/ fiber content, care instructions, my e-mail, and my name (again), and that the article is entirely hand made.

I try to think of everything. I even include a disclosure on my listings that I have a dog...just in case they're allergic to dogs.

So, the CPSC is just 15 miles away...and it's tempting to just go and show off my dresses to these folks...what else can I do with them? I'm wondering if I should send them the remaining dresses...I don't know why...like it would do any good...but it's as if nobody sees what they've done to the American work at home mom who loves to make children's clothes (diapers, toys, and so many things).

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission,an independent federal regulatory agency, located at 4330 East WestHighway, Bethesda, MD 20814 Toll-free hotline: (800) 638-2772

Lincoln Decor

Today I toured Lincoln's Illinois home on-line, via photos. I was just a little surprised at how boldly the carpet and wall paper selections were. Many of the rooms have absolutely no coordination what-so-ever, and some of the color choices just smack of what I would expect. It's not to say it's good or bad, just surprising, that's all.

On the whole, it was affirmation that a home is a place to "lived" in. It might not look pretty, but if it's comfortable to you, and it functions for all who reside in it, then it is...as it should be.

Window treatments for the girls' room

There are three windows in this room. I found satin sheets on clearance at Target, and thought it was a great price for drape making fabric. I'm not sure if the turn out is as astounding as the concept was...but it will work. And the girls' like what I've churned out thus far.

I still have two more windows to go, but this is a good start.

Taking the Angora out of the Knitter

What do you call an Angoraknitter who no longer has an angora?

Just a plain old knitter.

Today my last Angora went to bunny heaven. So...I'm kind of rethinking this blog.

Boy's skates...girl's skates

Skates are expensive! So when one sibling grows out of his skates, and his younger sister could use them (cause she's complaining her skates are too tight)...well, girls can wear black skates. Of course, there's a relatively easy fix for black skates. Boot covers!

Pretty pretty boot covers! They go with her pretty dress. So here you go, my first sewing from the new house. The dress was mostly done, but I had to alter the neck line (it was coming up too high) and finish the elastic in the legs.

On the Needles

I decided it was time to start knitting again. There's still plenty of unpacking to do...but I need to unwind.

So, I went looking for the socks I had cast on during our drive to VA...but couldn't find them. So I cast on something new. You'll just have to wait and see what this will be.

The yarn is Lion Brand fishermen's Wool, Natural Brown. Casted is 68 st on size 6 circular, 2k/2p ribbing.

Blue socks new socks

UPDATE: The boy wore them non-stop for three days. Last night he put his foot on the diner table and showed me the huge hole in the heal, and declared, "my foot is growing mama!"

Yeah, growing, sure! I'm pretty sure I spent more time knitting them, then he actually spent wearing them. This is the heart break of knitting things for boys.

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Peter likes them. And thankfully, he has decided that they are not itchy. What a relief!

The Letter to the Committee of Energy and Commerce

Congressmaen Joe Barton and George Randanovich have sent a letter to their fellow members of the Committee of Energy and Commerce. The letter is recommending that the CSPIA be reviewed and revised so that cottage industry will not be harmed. They're pressing them to act before Feb. 10, 2009.

Let's hope the Committee does act in a favorable way and quick!

Socks!

My friend gave me this lovely yarn for Christmas a couple years ago. I've started socks with this before back when I was first learning...then tore it out. A few days ago I decided to knock out a pair of socks for Charlotte. It's going to be COLD when we get to Virginia, and she's going to need them. I'll be starting a pair for Peter soon.

Again, I made these up as I went along, using a generic toe up method, on double points, and then added a gull wing stitch on the side, ending with ten rows of ribbing. Absolutely seamless!

chemo Caps

This is the third chemo cap I've made...ever. I wish it were going to be the last I ever make, but I think it's probably not. Last year I made one for a Great Aunt with Colon Cancer. Then I made another for a skating friend with Colon Cancer.

This year it seems to be Breast Cancer, and this cap is for a friend's Aunt who has breast Cancer. I have another Skating friend who also needs a cap for Breast Cancer...so if only I could knit a little faster...I might be making another soon.

One of my goofiest creations

(Models with candy in their mouths don't smile very well...but don't she look contemporary!)

This could be one of my weirdest sweaters ever. I made it up as I went along, but I had in mind to make a sweater that would go nicely over a dress. Well, it does go over a dress well enough, but my husband said, "are you going to sewing some elastic into the bottom of that?" Okay, it's a bit different. I'm going to focus on the parts I am proud of.

The light brown part on the top and sleeves is knit in a texture pattern that slowed this completion down and make the painstakingly arduous to complete...just so you know.

Perhaps I should have skipped the dark strip on the arm, it's just not wide enough and leaves me thinking, "why?" But I hate to rip things out, and so that's why it remained.

Then I decided to add some laced stitchery...or whatever you'd like to call that. Initially I had this idea of having it go all the way around the skirt, and then two contrasting laces going up the sleeves too...but I got tired of this project and stopped with the first 6 laces. Sigh... But she does like it, she's wearing it now, so I guess I should be happy with the end results.

Peter's Beanies

Oh I don't know what to call them, but I contribute the inspiration for these snow hats to Peter. Why not, his sisters each have their own dress line, lol. Peter gets the hats. And he's a happy model for them.

More of my hats

So funny story: I gave this brown raglan to my youngest for Christmas. Well...she open up her present, and her dear brother declared, "it's an itchy sweater!"

Then said child proceeded to carry on and on about how "itchy" and "scratchy" the sweater was. His little sister, of course, wanted nothing to do with the sweater (that I slaved over for countless hours). I had to bribe her with candy to get this photo....UGH!

Some of my favorite peoples wearing my hats.

Snow hats

I've been doing a bit of knitting during our vacation. I've made five snow hats, or you could call them beanies, I'm sure they could have several names...

...and I thought I wouldn't mind making some for my shop. Everywhere I went folks asked where we got our hats. Then when I said, "I made them," folks would say something to the effect of, "you should sell them!"

They're not very hard, and not terribly labor intensive...well at least not as time consuming as one of my dresses anyway!

But, there's this new law from the CPSIA coming into affect Feb. 2009 that will require all items intended for children under the age of 12 to be subjected to lead testing and such. Now, I didn't think this pertained to clothes, but now I'm told that the law is so nonspecific, that it most likely includes things such as my dresses...and just about anything else I could think of to make. Wow!

There's no way I could afford to spend several thousand dollars per item...and since all of my creations are one of a kinds (for the most part), would I be required to submit them all for testing...or face a very, very high fine?

Several of my fellow crafter friends are very confused and concerned. And yet, nobody can ease their fears. Now, if you want to read a bit on this you can visit a few different sites. Then contact your Representative and ask him or her to push for a change or clause that would exempt cottage industry inside the USA. Americans make great products...it's time to stop regulating ourselves out of business!

Save Handmade Toys From the CPSIA

Handmade Portraits WoodMouse

Etsy CPSIA Updates and Call to Action

It fits!

And Angel seems to appreciate her new jacket, and it couldn't have come a day too soon.

Yes, it does fit a Cocker Spaniel. Of course, only a girl dog, a boy dog would need a different pattern for the under belly strap.

Dog Jacket

My mom was telling me about the dog sweater she bought, and how her dog hated it. She wanted something for the dog for walks in the winter time. It rains a lot where she's at.

So...super me to the rescue...

* The outer shell is a Polyester laminate (water proof)

* The lining is a very thick impervious fleece by polar tech (malden mills...made in the U.S.A.) and also virtually water proof.

* And for safety, some reflective stripes (I found for 50% off at Joann's a couple weeks ago, thought it would come in handy...and it has)

* Velcro closures for under the belly and around the neck, with a fold over Velcro tab for the wash (like you see on Velcro diapers and covers...to keep the lint out).

I think this should do the trick. Now let's hope I got the dimensions correct. I take it as a good sign that it does not fit my collie. Hopefully, that means it will fit my mom's cocker spaniel just fine.

Maybe next year for Christmas I'll make her a rain hat too...goodness, I don't know if I can't think around those dimensions at this late hour.

Electra Repurposed

Yes, you can take a beat up boys bike and turn it into something a 5 year old girl would love to ride. A little simple green, black spray paint, new white wall tires, new seat, and new basket cover, and it's almost better then the girls' version of this bike. Seriously, we're thinking of writing Electra and telling them our bike is better then theirs.

I made the basket liner, but Daddy Saint Nick did the rest.

Big Toddler Longies

Yeah, she still needs longies. Accidents are just a chronic affliction around here, but we're too far into this to revert back to full time diapers. She does use the potty some times. A good pair of cotton training pant (or side snap fitted diaper that can be pulled up and down...like the toddler-ease), and some wool pants, and we're sitting pretty.

These were knit in the round, no seams! I hate sewing up seams...all I had to do was tuck in the tails.

You know I think Mother Mary was a knitter. Well, because I can think of no other way to make a seamless garment. So I believe she knit it...in the round. :)