Visiting the baby

Last night I delivered the baby gifts in person and spent some time chatting with the mom and holding the 12-day-old boy. He spent time sleeping and sucking my pinky.

I had wanted to make a frog but couldn't find one I liked, so I went with a ladybug instead because I had the colors. I did the red first and then the black and was surprised that the freezer paper did not stick very well to the already-painted section. I could have sworn people said it worked. I guess I won't be getting too ambitious with any multi-color designs in the future.

The mom had knit one baby booty but didn't see herself making the second one, so I offered to knit it for her. It will be interesting to see if I can get mine to match hers. The yarn is identical to the unexpected sock yarn that arrived earlier in the month courtesy of my mom, except the color is different.

"So cute": the only thought in my brain

For a long time I've been thinking of stenciling some onesies for my friend who is pregnant (and due any day now). And, like making ice cream, it seemed like fun summer entertainment. I got a little discouraged by all the stuff I had to buy and the fact that the new Michaels did not have non-puffy fabric paint, and I contemplated not doing it at all. But I couldn't get the itch out of my system and finally bought everything I needed yesterday.

The basic procedure: cut a stencil out of freezer paper, iron it onto the prewashed fabric (shiny side down), paint (I did more than one coat), wait for it to dry (this is the most difficult step), peel off the stencil, and set the design by applying heat (if the paint says you should). I also ironed a square of paper onto the underside of the fabric before painting to provide stability and to ensure the paint wouldn't seep through to the other layer of fabric. Links to more-detailed instructions will be at the end of this post.

I've made two so far and they're just so cute!


(That's Oregon if you're not sure.) The puppy is from Anna Maria Horner. Any spots in the photo above are because the light was coming through a dirty window. And I need sunglasses just to look at that picture. Too bright! I messed up the Gerber baby's face on the puppy onesie with some careless ironing, and a few flecks of the logo are now staining the neck, but it's not too noticeable. And now I know not to iron there.

I'll be making more (I have three onesies left), but I think these two will be my favorites. I plan on washing them before giving them to my friend, and I'm nervous that they'll fade. Paint is Jacquard Textile.

For more on freezer paper stenciling:
neitherhipnorfunky.com
artfulparent.wordpress.com
unwindknitting.net
kneek.wordpress.com
grumperina.com
bittycakes.wordpress.com

Cookie Monster on The Colbert Report

Unexpected yarn! Ice cream!

Two balls of yarn arrived as a surprise the other day. Of course, one of them is supposed to go back to my mother in the form of socks. A fair trade-off, I'd say.

I have so many DVDs and books that I need to get back to the library. I have one episode of North and South left, and then I need to watch Mrs Henderson Presents. Two more BBC series await me this week, and then I have some modern stuff due next week. I did not manage to crack open Moonlight Twilight (see, don't even remember the name of it) and will have to return it, unread, and put my name on the waiting list again. Another book is already overdue. Good thing the fees aren't bad at all.

I made another batch of ice cream. I had to fancy this one up because otherwise it would look just like the vanilla, of which there is still a very small amount left in the freezer. Behold the white chocolate ginger ice cream! It's tasty.