Down on the Farm with ChiknGirl

The Last FO of 2007

For Christmas I made Anneliese a tee-shirt dress with some remnants she had picked out at the fabric store a few months back.  The remnants are flannel and very soft and the tee-shirt is 100% cotton, I think I picked it up at Target for $3 or $4.  I left the waist dropped so that she might get 2 winters of wear from it.  I'm looking forward to when the awkward-stance-can't-make-a-normal-face-for-a-picture phase ends.

And The Winners Are....

From the 14 comments I received the random number generator determined that comments number 7 and 9 are the contest winners.  Congratulations to ~L~ and Feebee!  ~L~ won the apron and potholders set and Feebee won the surprise.  Yay!  I will be contacting both of you to get you your prizes.  Thank you to everyone who entered and wished me a happy blog birthday.

Birthday Blog Contest

365 days.
133 comments.
75 posts.
1 party!

I am pleased to be celebrating one year of blogging here.  I have enjoyed recording my year's crafting projects and sharing them with you.  I am giving away 2 prizes randomly for comments left on the blog between now and next Sunday, January 13th.  The first prize is an apron and matching potholder set  I posted about last year.

The second prize will be a surprise.  You never know what you might get.  :)

Leave a comment and be entered into the prize drawings.  Thanks for helping make my first year a great year.

2007 Wrap Up, 2008 Set Up

The goals I wrote down for 2007-

Personal Goals:

• Be healthier.  Make healthier choices. - I did this, but there is still more to do.
• Be kinder and gentler. - I still working on this one.
• Have less, do more. - We enjoyed many more memories this year, but still ended the year with a bunch of stuff.
• Post a monthly to do list. - Started strong, finished weak.

Household goals:

• Contribute financially. - I contributed for about half the year.
• Less screen time for everyone. - We improved a little bit.
• Garden. - I didn't do any of this.

Knitting Goals:

• 4 pairs of socks. - 2 pairs finished, many other pairs started and frogged.
• Something for me. - I made myself some fingerless mitts and a pair of socks.
• Finish sweaters for kids. - Anneliese's sweater is done, Trevor's is not yet begun.
• Lace shawl.  (Doesn't count as the something for me knit, although it is for me) - I finished the Swallowtail Shawl for my Grandmother.

Crafting Goals:

• Sew fleece pants for family. - This didn't happen, but I did do lots of sewing for the family.
• Finish Gary's quilt. - This didn't happen either.  Putting it back on the list.
• Craft with kids every week. - This one didn't either.

Goals for 2008

Personal Goals:

• Find more time to enjoy crafting.
• Nurture close friendships and make them closer.
• Get mental health help.
• Be more active and get fit.
• Communicate my emotions more honestly with those I love.

Household Goals:

• Become more financially responsible and find more financial security.
• Garden.
• Organize the laundry room.

Knitting Goals:

• A sweater for Trevor, a Tomten.
• A lace shawl for myself.
• An intarsia project.

Crafting  Goals:

• Finish Gary's quilt.
• Learn to sew knit fabrics.
• Make at least half of the cards I give during the year.

Happy New Year

  Holiday outfits 
  Originally uploaded by Chikn Girl

I had a very enjoyable blogging break, in fact, I wasn't sure if I was going to return to blogging.  I finished a few projects, had a lovely Christmas and I'm looking forward to a terrific 2008.

Anneliese's dress is a simple summer dress (Butterick 3772 size 6) made from a heavyweight cotton flannel and trimmed with a velvet ribbon.  The top is lined with a fabulous black and white striped print and Anneliese picked out some gorgeous flowered vintage-style buttons.  I picked an easy, comfortable dress for her knowing she would want to wear it everyday.

Trevor's shirt and pants are from the Winter 2007 issue of Ottobre design.  I made the 98 cm size since Trevor measures 95 cm tall and I found both the pants and shirt to be WAY too big.  I love all the design details in the Oliver pants.  You can see the pants (and shirt) in a lighter color corduroy on the Ottobre site if you click on the "view magazine 6/2007" and then on "Neo Romantic Meets Practical and Charming."  This outfit is the most "finished" of any garments I have ever made.  I am very pleased with the way it turned out and will definitely be making more patterns from Ottobre.

I finished a pair of Dashing fingerless gloves for myself.  I used a super-soft wool from 100purewool in a gorgeous and subtly variegated grey/blue/purple.  I've had trouble photographing them, but have enjoyed wearing them everywhere.

The mailing date for the Loopy Ewe Swap that I'm involved in is coming up.  I've got my yarn and my pattern ready and will be getting started in the next day or two.

Coming soon - a post about 2008 goals and a blog birthday contest.

Happy New Year!