Three months!

Before my girls were born, I saw pictures on etsy of little onesies with a number for each month, so you could take a picture to record what your kids looked like each month. I love this idea, and here's how far we've gotten...

They were so little!!!

A little bigger...

Now 9 whole pounds!

I can't help myself, they're just so cute!

It's amazing how big the differences are even after just three months! These are really easy to make, too - it probably only takes me half an hour to make two of them. And it's really good to have some pictures I can pinpoint in time, because things go so fast and sometimes it's hard to remember!

Linking to:

Amazing Baby Gifts

I have mentioned before that my family is full of crafty people. Keith's family is full of talented people as well - so I wanted to share some of the amazing handmade gifts we were given to help us prepare for the arrival of our little ones.

Our families worked together to throw us an amazing baby shower. They went with a book theme, and asked guests to bring their favorite baby and kids' books. We now have quite a little library!

Kim and Michelle made the cake.

 The tables were decorated with books, covered in coordinating paper.

 The room was just beautiful!

Our friend Jody tie-dyed some adorable baby clothes for us. The result is totally unique - and we will definitely think of her every time we put them on the girls!

My grandmother made these beautiful receiving blankets for us, and hand-knitted the beautiful sweaters below. There are adorable little bonnets to go with them. The stitches are so tiny, and the yarn is so soft - they must have taken forever to make! They are really incredible.

 Keith's Aunt Carol and his cousin Erin made this beautiful activity book for the girls. I remember having one like this when I was little - it teaches them to tie, and zip, and button, and learn about numbers and letters. It is really incredible.

 Keith's mom knitted these beautiful blankets for the girls. They are incredible soft and the pattern is so pretty!

These ones aren't handmade - but they are hilarious. The bib is from Keith's brother Thomas- it says "My Uncle Is Hot - and Single!!!" The onesies say "I was planned (she wasn't!)", which is perfect for our surprise twins!

 Keith's sister Michelle painted this beautiful plaque for the girls. It reads "Twice the Joy, Twice the Love, Twice the Blessings from Above".

And finally, Keith's cousin Kelley made this diaper cakes. They are so cute it seems a shame to take them apart! They are decorated with little toys, bibs, and other tiny baby necessities.

My cousin Aimee, who is quite a photographer, took all the pictures of the shower for us. She takes some really incredible photos. I can't wait to have her do a photo shoot with the girls once they are home.

So, to sum it up...we are incredibly lucky to be supported by such wonderful people. Having preemies and leaving them at the hospital has been really hard, but it is made easier through the love and support of our families and friends!

Baby stuff!

I have always liked making things for babies, probably at least in part because of how quickly they work up. Instant gratification! So of course it's even more fun to make things for my own babies.

So first, a hat and mittens:

 The hat is this pattern here, and the pattern for the mittens is here. I especially love baby mittens - no thumbs! They can be made really quickly. I will definitely do that again as a baby gift!

The second hat is a little simpler, but I was afraid after I knit the first one that it might not stay on a baby's head very well - no ribbing at the bottom! Of course, I haven't actually put it on a baby yet, so who knows :)  The pattern for this hat is here.

And, in the process, stash busting! So, a sweater to match.

I keep coming back to this pattern by Jennifer Hoel because it is SO SIMPLE and there is basically no finishing - my favorite kind of sweater!

I think now I need to choose another color for the rest of my baby knits, though. Getting a little sick of that yarn. 28 weeks now - getting closer and closer!

Domestic Goodness

I've been home for about a week now, which means plenty of time for sewing, a bit of knitting, and even some needlework. I've also been making LOTS of peach jam - my parents have two peach trees, so for the last few weeks we have been drowning in peaches. It seems a waste to let them rot, so we've been preserving lots and lots.
Preserving peaches is messy work. The ripe peaches have to be skinned, and the juice gets all over the place. Ladling the jam into jars is a messy, sticky process as well. During the process, I discovered that my mother did not have a full apron - only half aprons, which just don't do the job. So, I made her one!

Rufio likes it.

This was really simple to make - I used an old pillowcase and a few kitchen-y scraps I had in my scrap basket. I used an apron I was given as a wedding gift as a template. 

 

What do you think of the finished product? 

Dress #2

Ta-dah!
Don't know what is going on with the light in this picture, but it looks pretty fancy.

Dress #2

This dress also makes me feel pretty fancy :) Perfect for work in the summertime!

June's Charity Project

I mentioned before that I loved the sock pattern I used in May, so I went with the same designer for June's project: a baby sweater. The pattern is here. The construction is very simple -top down, knit in the round, so there's minimal finishing at the end, which I love. It doesn't use a lot of complicated stitches - just stockinette and garter - but uses those simple techniques to create a sophisticated-looking final product.

baby cardi

I picked up the very cute buttons at a local yarn store here in lovely Middlebury, Vermont, where I am passing my summer as a teacher in the language schools. All this teaching is really cutting into my knitting time...but I still have some of this yarn left and that sweater really needs a hat to match!

 Haven't decided where this should get donated yet...any suggestions?

Summertime...and the livin' is easy?

Greetings from Vermont!

Summertime brings me to a new place...sadly, a place without a sewing machine and with only a very small very slow computer. But, I am going to try to keep crafting nonetheless.


I hope you will excuse the photography (it's poor even by my standards) and the backdrop of my dismal dorm room...but I wanted to share this because I am so proud of myself!

This is actually the third dress I have made from the same pattern, but I think this one is my favorite. My grandma guided me  through the first one, and she has been helping me with the hemming (because how do you hem a dress you are wearing?)The best part is, the fabric for this one only cost me FOUR DOLLARS!!! How great is that? (Thanks to Carole Ann for showing me the best place to get fabric!!!)

I have also picked out some other patterns to try...but it will have to wait until I get home again in August! I rarely find dresses that I love or that fit me exactly right in stores, so I am happy to do some experimenting.

Happy summer to all!