Pour les francophones : un petit concours

Ami-e-s francophones,

J'ai lancé un petit concours dans le dernier épisode de mon podcast mais il n'y a pas de raison que vous ne puissiez pas participer parce que vous n'écoutez pas l'anglais.

Les trois premiers lots de ce concours ont été offerts par MariaDenmark, qui traduit et commercialise sur son site les patrons danois Onion et Minikrea (que personnellement j'aime beaucoup).

Pour participer, je vous propose de me laisser un petit commentaire en me parlant un peu de vous : d'où vous êtes, votre petite histoire avec la couture ou le tricot ; quel lot vous intéresse et pour qui vous feriez ces modèles.
Il faut commenter sous le message précédant celui-ci : cela facilitera le décompte pour le tirage au sort. :)

Les lots:

1. Patrons Minikrea pour bébés, dominante fille : robe chasuble 10003, pantalon bouffant 10301, and pyjama kimono 10400

2. Patrons Minikrea mixtes : pantalon large 10300, combinaison 10401, salopette 10450, combi-pilote 10550.

3. Patrons Minikrea pour enfants : tunique 20200, pantalon large 20300, robe empire 30000, gilet/anorak à capuche 30500.
4. Douceurs bio, douceurs locales.

Attention, les instructions de ces patrons sont traduits en anglais, il faut donc maîtriser un minimum la langue... ou maîtriser suffisamment la couture pour pouvoir se passer d'explications.

Le concours est ouvert jusqu'au 13 mai, 8h. 

Pensez à me laisser un moyen de vous contacter dans votre commentaire (adresse de blog, remplir une adresse email dans votre profil Blogger, adresse email dans le commentaire avec une syntaxe hachée pour brouiller les robots spammeurs).

À vos claviers ! :)

Fluffy Fibers: Episode 11 ~ Fresh New Leaf

A fresh new leaf, for a fresh new life! With a contest to celebrate.

Download the episode (48:32) here, or listen directly from the embedded player below.
Here are the direct feed and the iTunes page for the podcast.

SHOWNOTES

1. LIFE UPDATE 
Many thanks to Yoly for sending flannel prints; to Tini, Tracy, Nicki for their handmade gifts for my daughter; to my local knitting group, led by dear Rebecca for the gorgeous collective blanket (detail pictured on top of post).

2. SEWING PROJECTS (8:15)
    2.a Finishes

- Sleepsack in sheep fabric
- Hooded towels and matching washclothes, made of organic terry cotton and machine embroidered
- Swaddling blanket in cotton flannel
- Ruffled Bonnet from the book Intemporels pour bébés by Citronille AKA Astrid Le Provost
- Baggy pants Minikrea pattern # 10300), from the new Minikrea line by Onion Patterns; available here. You can catch a glimpse of the pants on top of this post. :) Made out of Liberty babycord.
- Spencer Dress (Minikrea pattern # 10003). Made out of a quilting fabric (Hope Valley - Prairie Rose by Denise Schmydt). I paid 2.45 euro for half a metre. I used Dritz Snap Fasteners as closures at the the shoulder tabs.

       2.b Upcoming projects
- Jalie 2787 Criss Cross Nursing Top
- Perfect Nursing Top by Megan Nielsen
- my Pinterest board for a Stylish Mama (inspiring RTW nursing tops and dresses)
- More baby sewing: more Minikrea patterns and Intemporels designs.

3. KNITTING PROJECTS (30:15)
       3.a Finishes
Finishes before the birth of my daughter can be found on my ravelry project page (browse by "recently completed")

      3.b In progress
- Bird Crib Mobile. Forgot to mention I'm using cotton in aran weight (Lang Tissa and Rico Creative Cotton)
- Plans to knit the Lore Hoodie from Vampire Knits out of Cascade Eco + failed; I'm knitting a February Lady Mummy Sweater instead.

     3.c Upcoming Projects
Cladonia Shawl or Daybreak (inspired by Jasmin of the Knitmore Girls), in Lang Mille Colori Socks and Lace (colourway #53, after seeing Katia's crocheted shawl) and Jawoll Magic (shade #66)

4. CONTEST (40:21)

Sponsored by MariaDenmark, who translates and sells Onion (and Minikrea) patterns.

Prizes:

1. Minikrea patterns for baby girls: Spencer Dress 10003, Balloon Pants 10301, and Kimono Set 10400

2. Minikrea patterns for baby boys or girls: Baggy Pants 10300, Romper 10401, Overalls 10450, Snowsuit 10550.

3. Minikrea patterns for kids : Tunic 20200, Baggy Pants 20300, Empire Dress 30000, Hoodie 30500.
4. Local and organic goodies (chocolate made in Montpellier, organic tea).

Two blog readers suggested names before the contest was launched (Marty and AECDesigns), so they're also entered into the drawing.

Contest runs until May 13th 8 am (Paris time).

Credits: Music: Piano Sonata in E-flat Major, mvt. 3 by Joseph Haydn, played by Mario Ajero.

Blueberry Ruffles to Match her Eyes

So, in the very few minutes a day that I don't take care of the baby, tackle the never-ending piles of laundry, or, you know, indulge in some hugely overrated necessities such as eating, it seems all I can do is still make stuff for the baby.

My little one and I have been hugely enjoying going around with a sling (truth be told, I may be a little addicted to the thing, and tend to be cranky if we don't manage an outing once a day). The only thing is, the intense sunlight we have here in Languedoc means I keep having to wrap her head under a layer of the sling, then unwrap her as she wants to look around, especially now that she starts holding her head. She urgently needed a little hat; however, I didn't want a sunhat with an all-around brim, as it would create an uncomfortable excess of fabric between her cheeks and my skin. 

Enter the "béguin", as we say in French, or bonnet, as you English speakers would say (I happen to love the word "béguin", as a common if slightly quaint idiomatic phrase in France is "avoir le béguin pour quelqu'un", meaning being infatuated with someone. You know, a bit like "throwing one's bonnet over the mills". "Bonnet" in French means woolen hat, so not quite the same thing :).) I have this book of beautiful traditional designs for babies, Intemporels pour bébés, by Citronille AKA Astrid le Provost (I also have her book for maternity wear, which I mentioned earlier, and used with mitigated results; the baby book is much better IMO). I used the pattern for the ruffled bonnet, or "béguin à volant". I did alter the pattern as I made the ruffle much wider (by 4 cm), for a deeper brim - since the point is to shield my baby's face from the sun.

Success! The sunlight streams down on us, but is screened from her little face, and she can look around all she wants.

I used a print for the ruffle only, making the body and lining in solid shades: lilac linen for the outside and white cotton for the inside, both remnants from previous projects. Sewing for a baby is proving a great way to get rid of all these remnants that aren't big enough for an adult project, but that you can't justify throwing out because they're not tiny scraps, either.
The print is Liberty, no less; but when you need so little of it it really isn't so decadent! It has both lilac and deep blue shades, which is why I settled on it for the ruffle - to match my daughter's current dark blue eyes.

Because the brim is only at the front, there's no problem in snuggling up and falling asleep against maman, either:

(my glasses are back as I haven't been able to wear contact lenses since the birth due to photophobia and my eyesight being out of whack - hopefully things will get better with time!)

As an added bonus, the blue matches my Vitamin D cardigan - which was great during pregnancy, and is still great for babywearing!

Coming up next: cute little pants, and a spring dress!

Wherever you are, and whatever way you are (or are not) celebrating, I hope you are all having a wonderful Easter weekend.

What a Difference a Month Makes

A month ago, at 12 days:

Today, at 6 weeks:

Somebody’s been filling out quite nicely! And has been making the most of her handknit PJs :) She needs a few new pieces soon, methinks. Good thing I've been able to cut out a couple of Minikrea patterns today. I'm hoping to be able to get to the sewing machine tomorrow; and to record a new podcast pretty soon. With a big giveaway. I cannot wait!

In the meantime, I've been able to get a little bit of knitting done.

Seb and I are joining skills to make a crib mobile. I've knit 4 birds and all we need to do now is balance them all together onto the mobile frame that Seb built.

Thank you so, so much for all your good wishes on the arrival of my daughter. This has certainly added further to the happiness of these times. Also, there hasn't been a day over the past couple of weeks when the mailbox hasn't yielded a new package from a friend for our little one. And wait till I show you what my friends of our knitting group have made... I am completely blown away. So much love and kindness.

I do hope to share the handmade gifts our little girl has received in a future post. For now, this has taken me long enough to write! I know this will sound utterly cliché, but this post was indeed written one-handedly while nursing: it seems to be the only time I have for the computer these days!