Jofrog is Knitfrog!
September 19 2008
I had so much I'd wanted to blog about this week, but it just never came together! Last weekend's shows went extremely well! ...so well that I've spent all spare moments this week preparing for the one this coming weekend*.
Do you wonder what 200+ pairs of baby shoes look like? Here's a bit of a clue:
Due to a few pre-orders (before the pattern is even made!), I'll be making 3-4year size within the next month or so! Let me know if you need a pair.
I really wanted to show you the KNITTING I did at the fairs between set up and the onslaught of customers, but that picture hasn't been taken yet... remind me this week!
*This Sunday, 9/21, I'll be at stART on the Street in Worcester, MA. If you live in the area, swing on by! It's a free street fair with over 250 vendors. It should be tons of fun!I Had So Much To Say!
This was the whole booth setup. Shoes sorted by size, and holiday shoes in the rack to the right. (Holiday shoes will be listed on Etsy starting Monday morning!)
Here are all of the little ones, NB, 0-6mo, and 6-12mo, all with corduroy soles.
The big guys got their own table! 12-18mo, and 18-24mo with nonskid soles.
September 11 2008
I'm two days away from my first outdoor craft fair ever! (The info for MA locals is at the end of this post.) I've got 5 boxes full of shoes:
Peek inside. This is the 6-12mo size box:
...and now it's time for other crafty projects! I'm going to be doing the first and third outdoor fair all by myself, so I wanted to be sure that all important things (read:$$) are as secure as possible. The best way to do this is to wear a craft show apron. Of course, always the one to take the harder road, I decided to make one... about 20 minutes ago!
Seriously, this project only took me ~30mins and it's just great! It has two pockets, one for the sales pad and one for money and credit card receipts. Both are very deep so nothing can fall out. I was going to make straps, but when I hemmed the back piece, I decided that I could just thread a thick ribbon through it. Easy peasy!
...and a closer shot. Dani, do you recognize the fabric?
As a side note, the shirt I'm wearing in this picture is from Etsy seller "East 4th Street". I'd had my eye on it for a while, and finally got it for myself. I love this shirt. Today is the first day cool enough to wear it and I jumped on the chance!
For those of you that are looking for something fun to do this weekend, I'll be at the Billerica Yankee Doodle Homecoming on Saturday, and the Melrose Victorian Fair on Sunday. Next Sunday, 9/21, I'll be at stART on the Street in Worcester.
All of these fairs are large outdoor street festivals with food and activities, parades, games, and crafts!Crafty Girl
August 29 2008
Labor Day weekend already! Wow, that means September and the beginning of my crazy craft fair schedule! I've been working nonstop (okay, nonstop while Kaya is sleeping or otherwise occupied) on getting shoes ready for the fairs.
One of the tough things is that it's still August and I need to be making winter and Christmas shoes! It seems nuts! Every December Mike and I throw a holiday party. Some years it's big, some years it's a small dinner party, every year I think about it for months. A few years ago we imposed a rule that I'm not to talk about the holiday party until August. It was a compromise, Mike thinks it should be November, I think it should be June! ...and now, here I find myself sewing Christmas shoes in August, and feeling like I'm already behind!
As part of this, I just added new fabrics to Kaya's Kloset custom page. They won't be listed on Etsy until after Sept 21st (the last Sept fair), but you can get a sneak peak there... or here! Here are three of my favorites:
Labor Day
Kaya had a pair of these Rudolph shoes last year that she wore from Dec 1st through Dec 31st! I just loved them!
August 19 2008
This past weekend I spent at my mom's... without Kaya! She and Mike were at Mike's parents' house for the weekend so that they could attend a family birthday party, and I was in CT at my mom's so I could attend a wedding shower.
I certainly lead a very busy life here, taking care of Kaya and Pal (Buddy has left us and Pal has taken his place), taking care of the house, and Naomi, and running a quickly growing baby shoe business. I love the pace, I love the chaos, but wow did I love the sleep this weekend! (...and the lack of diaper changing, and meal preparing, and...)
While I was away I didn't feel anything special or especially rejuvenated or energized, but yesterday I had so much energy; Kaya didn't know what to do with me! We had such a great, fun day. I got so much done in and out of the house. I was energetic and happy and we had a great time together. Yeah for a weekend break!
So, this wedding shower that I went to: It was for a lifelong friend Molly. Molly's mom and my mom have been friends for close to 40 years. I grew up with their family, and we've been on great trips together. Really they are as much family as any blood relation!
I wanted to make Molly something special for her shower gift, but also useful and pretty. I settled on a placemat and coaster set.
The coaster pattern is from Last Minute Quilted and Patchwork Gifts, and the placemat pattern wasn't really a pattern at all! They match her plates perfectly, and I hope that they get used to shreds.
Congratulations Molly. I'm so glad I could be a part of your wedding shower weekend and I can't wait for the wedding in October!A Weekend Away!
August 12 2008
So, I'm here, I think about the blog, but I've got nothing to show you! If you want to know what I'm up to you can see the steady stream of baby shoes being listed on Kaya's Kloset.
I did a special order for someone about a month ago with Baltimore sports teams!
Some little Orioles and Ravens fan has very cool feet now!
I've been spending most of my crafting time preparing for the shows I have coming up in September and beyond. I've listed them all here. If you are in Massachusetts check it out, I'll be all over. Come stop by and say hi!
My knitting time has been limited to Knitsmiths, but I have been going every week and I've been making steady progress on Cow. I was sure that I had a picture on my camera, but it's not there, so you'll have to wait for a cow update. I can assure you that she is very very cute!
Off to sew some while the babies are napping. Thanks for stopping by!So Busy!
July 5 2008
Two weeks ago at Knitsmiths I pulled out a project I hadn't touched in ages! I haven't knit on this project since approximately November of 2006, um weeks before Kaya was born! I was making a very sweet cow from Bouton d'Or Layette #15. Finally I picked it up and I've knit/crocheted a few more pieces. I quickly laid them out on the couch a few nights ago to see the progress and the scale of the finished cow, and had enough presence of mind to snap a quick pic.
In completely different news, but still animals, so kind of the same?? About six weeks ago my home was over-run with hippo shoes!
Now all of those shoes have found a new home at HippoMojo.com a super fun new store for all hippo lovers and people buying things for hippo lovers too of course! The store is brand new and new things are being added all of the time. Go check it out! Come on, everyone knows a hippo lover right?Cows and Hippos
June 20 2008
I had to whip up a quick baby gift for a family we absolutely love. A pair of shoes wasn't going to be quite enough, so I made this simple ball to go with them.
I wish I'd taken the time to sew a practice one first! It takes a bit of precision to get the points to line up just right! This one is just right for a little baby and his big brother though. I put a large bell in the middle and it makes a great sound.
The pattern is a free download from here. There is no mention of seam allowance, but I went with 1/4" and it seems to be just right.
Thanks to this shop on Etsy for the inspiration!Baseball Baby
June 17 2008
The new Knitty came out last week! I spent the weekend with Dani of Sunshine Yarns fame, and she brought me a new skein of yarn and the pattern for the Spring Forward socks. What was I to do but cast on?
I'm 1.5 (of 2.5) repeats in and it's an amazingly easy pattern. Definitely a good pattern for picking up and knitting a round or two while babies are playing nicely together! I'm sure that this is going to be a super popular pattern for that reason!
I have a ton of other items on and off the needles that haven't been blogged about or put up on Ravelry, but one at a time, right?New Knitty, New Socks
June 11 2008
After making Kaya's birthday outfit, I wanted to try to make her a pair of shorts. I bought some linen blend material on super duper super duper sale and got sewing.
90 minutes later I had these shorts!
They fit Kaya's gigantic cloth diapered bottom well, but would be a bit too surfer dude for a baby girl in a disposable diaper. She wore them to the zoo yesterday and I kept looking at her and thinking "Wow, Kaya, I really like your new shorts!" I actually said it out loud at one point and another mom laughed at me.
Pink and tan shorts to come and I bought some linen to make pants for the fall too. Mom, does this sound familiar?
For those who care: This pattern is Butterick 3107, given to me by May. Thanks May! I made the smallest size, size 2, and I'm sure that Kaya will get to wear them next summer too!
More Clothes Sewing
June 9 2008
...and I sewed her an outfit!
I sew lots of baby shoes, but I kind of feel like I'm a one trick pony when it comes to sewing! There were so many mistakes that were made in this, just from my inability to read a pattern. I read the words, I tried my best to follow them, but my comprehension... not so great!
Despite that, I think it really came out looking great, and the next thing I sew for Kaya will be even better!
Kaya wore this to her 18mo b'day party (we will be celebrating half birthdays for her to separate this December baby from the holiday season). She had her first taste of cake and you can see the dainty Miss eating her cake on her blog.
For those of you who care about the specifics, this was McCall's Pattern M5304 view A (loosely followed!). I made it in the "large" size to fit my small girl. It fits her well, and would fit even better and for even longer if I hadn't made a major mistake on the top making it about 3" smaller around than it was supposed to be!Kaya is 18 Months Old!
