Reclaiming The Home

Sewing School Clothes (with tutorials)

Hello friends!  Its been much too long.  Things have been incredibly busy since Kevin has been on TDY to Ft. Knox.  We have been busy decluttering the house in preparation for the move, which has been such an encouraging thing for me.  I love looking around and feeling less burdened by the clutter, disorganization and an overwhelming amount of stuff.  Don't get me wrong, I can clutter-bug along with the best of them, but it is really refreshing to feel like things are where they should be and its less that I have to worry about.  *whew*.

We have been doing a decluttering challenge over at the Ravelry version of Reclaiming The Home.  If you are not a member of ravelry (or even if you are) feel free to to join us over at the Proboards forums for RTH as well for a decluttering challenge, or just write about your decluttering pursuits on your blog, and link it here so we can see what you're up to.  Photos of my decluttering successes to come soon. :)

A big part of getting everything ready for the busy upcoming months, as well as decluttering the stash, has been sewing up clothes in preparation for the girls to start school in the fall. 

Those of you who know me, know that I much prefer an open-ended tutorial to a rigid pattern, so that is generally what I work from. I find that they allow me a lot more freedom in interpreting things to my own design, and I feel less like I can fail at it, as well, since the instructions are usually pretty open and fluid.

This top for Anna was made using the peasant shirt tutorial over at Just Tutes.  I altered it a bit by not adding elastic to the sleeve. I figured that while things were still warm out it would give a little more ventilation, especially in this humid climate.

(excuse the wrinkles and the grass that needs to be swept.  With hubby gone i've let the yard work go a bit - oops.  Anna was also only sad because she couldn't find her shoes, and wouldn't believe me that they were in the car - which they were - about 2 feet away.  Tears ended instantaneously.)

To go with the shirt I sewed a ruffled skirt to match, from the tutorial over at Grand Revival Design.  I LOVE this tutorial.  I will be making a lot more of these in different girly fabrics soon.  This was my tester, and I used leftover scraps from the march quilt kit to make it.  Because I sold some kits using this fabric, the proceeds more than paid for the fabric so I'm considering the materials for this outfit "free."

Abbi's outfit started with the same peasant blouse tutorial, only I added the elastic to the sleeves this time.  It worked well with this particular fabric (an old, white sheet that I found at a thrift store for 75-cents!). 

The skirt was INCREDIBLY simple.  I bought an old valence for 99-cents.  The lace came pre-attached.  To create the skirt, I simply threaded elastic through the top casing and sewed the two short edges together.  Easy peasy, and now she has a beautiful linen and lace skirt to wear to school.  If you want to make something similar, but don't have a valence, the Twirly Skirt Tutorial over at House on Hill Road is *fabulous*.  We have used that tutorial several times for super-cute skirts for the girls (and will definitely be using it again!)

Total cost of the valence outfit? $1.74.

(oops - more grass to sweep! - sorry)

This outfit was made using a Women's size L tunic that I bought at the thrift store for 75-cents.  It fits about a 4T little girl (isn't she cute??).  The pants were made using sleeves.  Here's my tutorial for sleeve pants, as I did them.
 
The shirt was done without a pattern or tutorial as well.  I will be working on a tute for that coming soon, using the body of the shirt for the fabric, so keep your eyes out!

I also have two other tutorials in the works for clothes I made for Abbi recently, so those will be coming over the next couple days as well.  My hope is that others can feel inspired to make some clothes for the fall, and to not feel overwhelmed by the increasing prices of clothing for our kids, as school starts!  All of the outfits that you see in this post cost a total of $2.49.  One needn't break the bank to dress their children well.

Enjoy, and be sure to let me know if you use the sleeve pants tutorial !  I'd love to see what you do with it!

 

Where to Begin?

First off, I want to share my excitement about an amazing event going on right now over at the RTH Forums!  The Ultimate Household Challenge has begun, and members old and new are competing each week for prizes, reclaimed homes, and bragging rights!  If you want to join in, you can hop on over at any time.  There are door prizes for new members, live chats, games, and all sorts of motivation  & inspiration.  Most importantly there are so many new friendships to be gained, and a sense of community that is difficult to find these days.  Pop on over and join in if you like, or even sit back and watch the fun unfold! :)

Lastly, and far from least, I have some BIG personal news to report.  The winter of 2008 will bring us a brand new little bundle.   

This was something completely unexpected, but very very exciting for us.  I am still in a little bit of shock from the news, but it is starting to sink in, especially since the morning sickness and exhaustion are reminding me quite often of the new little addition!

The girls are quite excited about the prospect of being big sisters, especially Anna.  They keep rubbing my tummy and asking "baby?" which just makes me melt into an emotional blob right where I'm sitting. :)

This means lots of changes in our lives but will also mean so many amazing joys ahead.  With the baby due just before Christmas we will be planning and preparing for both the baby and the holidays with vigor, so I'm am sure you'll see some results of that on the blog here before much longer.

I could go on and on all day with the plans and surprises that all of this brought to us, but my slice of toast is calling me, as are my loving children who are anxious to spend a morning coloring with Mommy. 

I just couldn't wait a moment longer to share our news with you all.  :) 

Thank you for sharing in my joy!

Kristin :)

PS - check out the AMAZING artist who drew that lovely picture of a pregnant woman at THIS BLOG.  So cool. :)

Big News!

Here at Reclaiming the Home big things have been going on behind the scenes.  The needles have been knitting, the sewing machine has been sewing, and bits of craftiness are showing up everywhere around the house, here and there.  Because of my cold, the only cooking that has gone on was done by the infamous Mr. Rose with some buffalo cheese dip that he was quite proud of.  I'll have to ask him for the recipe so that I can share it soon!

The big news though, comes in the form of the new public Reclaiming The Home forum! 

My goal for the forum is to be a community of people who care about their homes and the gentle home arts.  There will be tutorials, resources, and information that will help us all to learn to be better Reclaimers, while providing incentive and motivational games in a fun atmosphere where we share our love of the home with one another. 

It is a place of friendship that welcomes people from all walks of life, where we all get to be ourselves, get to know one other better, support each other, and share our joys as well as our sorrows.  You don't have to be a mother, a wife, or stay at home to enjoy homemaking.

I know you will find real community here, grow friendships, build each other up, learn new things, and just enjoy hanging out at the forum.

If you have a moment, stop on by and take a look. There is so much to be found there and so much more to come, including a big surprise event for all of the forum members that will begin within the week! 

This idea has been in the works for some time, and I am so pleased to say, has finally come to fruition.  So many people were involved in its creation.  A big thank you to Caitlin, Pam, Diane, Audrey, Rachel, Robyn, Danna, and SO many more lovely women who helped to make this part of my dream a reality!

Knit (or Crochet!) Your Bit

After a long, incredibly difficult day today, I sat down at the computer tonight, wiping away the tears of sadness and frustration, fully intending to catch up on some work.  Thankfully my deadline isn't for a while yet, because I found myself lost somewhere in the depths of the World War II Museum website, reading stories of the heroes and heroines of the past.   

It made me think of my grandfather who served in WWII as a fighter pilot.  It wasn't something that he talked about often, but I do know that he believed in selfless service and cared about the men and women of the military in a very deep way.  Since Papa passed away last fall, my mind has drifted quite often to the things I wish I could be doing with and for him if he were here.  I see so many beautiful patterns that I would love to knit for him.  His feet and head used to get so cold in his final years, and a pair of hand-knit socks or a cozy nightcap would do wonders for him if he were still here to wear them.  I decided that since I couldn't knit something for Papa, I would knit for another WWII veteran in his honor. 

Having also just read Knitting for Peace, I was incredibly inspired.  If you haven't read this book yet, please do.  You won't be disappointed.

I was so pleased to see that the National World War II Museum has organized a Knit Your Bit Campaign that knitters (and crocheters) everywhere can donate handmade scarves to.  They will be donated to a Veteran's center by the Knit Your Bit Campaign and given to a WWII veteran.  If you wish, you can include your name and address and they will send you a certificate of participation to thank you for your donation and will let your recipient know that you are the one who sent the scarf.  You may also give anonymously if you would rather.

If you have a moment, go check out the specifics on the campaign.  There are also several free patterns available for both knitters and crocheters. 

I am going to be working on some scarves this month, as time allows, and will update with pictures accordingly. 

If only I could sit and knit all day, there would be a Veteran's center full of cozy hand-knit scarves this month... hopefully the couple I am able to finish will make a difference to that one man or woman who needs that bit of extra warmth right now. :)

Fresh Air and Green Things

It has been unusually warm here, getting up over 90*F yesterday, and that has left us all wanting to get out and enjoy some of the fresh air before it becomes so hot that our only outside experiences are running from the house to the car in search of air conditioning.   In Oklahoma spring usually lasts about a week before the blistering heat comes in and takes over.  We have been enjoying the pretty weather while it lasts by spending a good portion of our days playing outside in the yard.  The little ones are especially enjoying Spring's brief interlude into our lives, asking for "ou-siiigh?" every chance they get and being reciprocated with a resounding "sure! lets go play!" at nearly every opportunity.

Being outside so much this week has made me want to start the seedlings for the garden.  I'm a little later this year than I usually am, but I'm not too worried.  Autumn lasts just about as long as spring and usually doesn't show up until the end of November, so we probably have a little more time for harvesting at the end of the season than most areas do. 

I'm thinking of starting a paper gardening & sketch journal for this year.  I have some ideas in the works for how I'd want it to look, since I am going to be making it.  I always wonder if others do things like that, or if its one of those "Kristin's dreaming again" things.  Anyone else journal their gardening experiences?

Chocolate Cake for Two and a Valentines Giveaway

Valentines Day is upon us and do I have a special gift of love for you all!  My lovely friend Rachel over at Simply Abundant has offered to send these gorgeous vintage valentines to the winner of a drawing here at Reclaiming The Home!

Aren't they absolutely gorgeous?? 

If you're interested in joining in on the fun, and entering your name for the drawing, leave a comment on this post and I will announce a winner 24 hours from now (1pm CST on Valentines Day)! 

For our own valentines celebrations, I have been playing with different ideas for yummy cakes and goodies.  This is one that I whipped up last night, thanks to some prodding and motivation by one very hungry little girl with cake mix in hand.

To make this super-decadent chocolate cake for two I prepared the cake mix as described on the package, and then poured into 4 mini bundt cake pans (it probably could have made 6, no problem).  If you dont have mini bundt cake pans,  cupcake pans will work also for single servings - just fill them halfway with mix so that they dont form a big cusp at the top).  When the cakes were finished baking according to package directions, I flipped them upside down onto dessert plates.  Then I used a little bit of whipped cream in the can, and made a small whipped cream border, and filling in the center cavity.  Then I sprinkled semi-sweet chocolate chunks on the whipped cream and called it done. 

For variations you could drizzle melted chocolate, crushed nuts, cherry pie filling, or melted frosting over the top.  You could also top with one marachino cherry or a slice of fresh strawberry for a tasty and colorful touch without much added work.

Enjoy!  And dont forget to comment to be entered for the drawing! :)

New Look, New Crafts, New Kits!

Reclaiming the home is partially about the ways we bring joy and beauty into our homes with our own two hands.  In celebration of this act of love, I have redecorated the blog!  The color scheme and banner are both based upon our first Reclaiming The Club Kit! 

The kit will give you enough fabric to make a mini or doll sized quilt in the pattern of your choosing.  It will include 18 strips of fabric 9x2", backing fabric, quilt binding, and batting!  The only thing you will need to provide is a needle, thread, and a quiet corner to sit and stitch. 

I decided to go with a very simple patchwork design using this month's kit, but you could use any number of patterns, or even just create something totally unique and your own!  I will include instructions on how to create a patchwork quilt like this one with the kit!  Also with the pattern instructions, I will include tips for those who may be new to quilting and want to try it out.  A mini quilt is a great starter project, and also so much fun for those with more experience!

The kit will be available in The Shop within the week, so be watching for an announcement!  A surprise contest will also be posted that day for those who receive Reclaiming Club Kit, so there will be lots of fun ahead!

Drop a line sometime, and leave a comment if you like!  I always love to hear what you all think, and will be happy to answer any questions you may have too! :)

Audrey's Knitting Needle Tutorial!

We have been very fortunate to have  a guest speaker today!!  Audrey, a dear friend, inspiring crafter, and world-class relcaimer, has agreed to share her knowledge and skill in creating her own knitting needles!! 

If you've ever wanted to give this fun craft a try, it is truly worth it, and with Audrey's instructions, completely doable for anyone at any crafting experience level! 

Here are Audrey's wonderful instructions!

To make my DPN’s: I used common household bamboo skewers. Sharpened both ends in a pencil sharpener, sanded the shaft and points until smooth, and then polished them with a white crayon and a sheet of notebook paper.

Materials:

Dowel rods or skewers (chopsticks could work too)

Sandpaper: 100 grit – 400 grit (3-4 different grits)

Plain paper

White crayon or wax

Knob or button to top the needles. (In a pinch a rubber band)

Pencil Sharpener

Choose Your Weapon

When choosing your dowel rod you may find it helpful to have some sort of measuring device. In this way, you can get exactly the size you want. I did not measure mine at all, so whenever asked, “What size needle is that?" I told people “skewer”. Please learn from my mistakes. It will make me feel better.

If you purchase your dowel rod from a large chain store, they can cut it to your specified length. I used kitchen scissors, and had to deal with splintering.

Getting to the Point

Once you have your rods cut, you will run them in a pencil sharpener. Do the same to both ends for double pointed needles, just one end for standard needles.

True Grit

Next is the sandpaper. In this step, you will sand the needles using progressively finer (higher #) grits. By doing this you will get the rid of the splinters and burs in the wood. Be sure to sand the shaft and the point, paying special attention to the tip. The tip and the point receive the most activity when knitting and it would be a shame if your yarn kept being snagged. I found out how frustrating it could be to have to go back and sand each of my DPN’s. I have already made all the mistakes for you.

The Debate

This part is optional. I have seen some who do not polish their needles, yet I cannot tell you which way is best. If you choose to polish your needles, here’s how. Rub the entire surface of the wood with a white crayon. Then use a sheet of paper to smooth the needle, just the same as when you were sanding the wood. Once again, pay careful attention to the point and tip. 

 

The End

This is the last step, unless you have made DPN’s. This must be my favorite part. Finding that special something, that tells the world “This is custom!” Make your needles as unique as you want them to be. Glue a river stone, glass bead, or drawer pull to the end. Shove on a plastic toy or pencil eraser. Let impatiens rule your life and twist a rubber band to it. I have done that.

Congratulations

You now own, custom, one of a kind, original, not to be found in stores anywhere, hand crafted knitting needles.

When I asked Audrey to share a bit about herself with you all, here is what she said!

Name: Audrey

Husbands Name: Brian

Age: 36

Occupation: Stay at home mom/Homeschool mother

Hobbies: Knitting, crocheting, cooking, gardening, and sewing

Number of Teeth: 28

Allergies: Cats, mold and people who don't cover properly

Favorite Food: Sushi

Favorite Color: Green

Favorite Movie: The Wizard of Oz

Favorite Animal: Cat

Favorite Candy: Chocolate peanut butter cups

Her husband was able to add a bit more about her, so that you all can see a piece of the amazing gal that she is.

Audrey grew up in Brooklyn and Coney Island NY. As an adult her family moved to Hillside NJ where she attended Kean College. She earned a BS in business management with a minor in technology. She met her husband, Brian, in college and got married in 1995.

 

In college she worked for Adolph Gotcho as an assistant purchasing agent and later moved onto working for American Products as a purchasing agent and expeditor. She additionally held jobs as a sales rep in a sporting goods store, as a teacher’s assistant in a grammar school, as a worker in a laundry mat, offered a job making costumes for the renaissance festival and co-owner of an organized recreational camping business.

 

For most of her married life she has been a full time home builder (mom). Audrey began homeschooling her children in Kindergarten and continues to homeschool them today. The managerial skills she learned in college and her business life greatly help her run the home school.

 

Being a housewife and a homeschool mom she has taught herself how to hand sew, machine sew, crochet, knit, become computer savvy, repair almost everything broken in the home, cook like a short order chef, learned how to cut corners and save money, and much more.

THANK YOU Audrey!! :)  We surely do appreciate your contribution to the group!

(a few tips after trying this with the tutorial!!  You can find pre-cut dowels in some craft stores, so you may not have to cut them yourself!  You could also use candle wax or beeswax to finish off your needles if you would like to do that instead!)

Ladies (*and gents*), be sure to leave her a comment if you found this to be fun, informational, interesting, or any other number of adjectives!  :)  Thanks

Kids Room Inspiration

I've been glued to flickr lately, and have found some GORGEOUS inspiration!!  We are redoing the kids' room this spring, so I've been doing a lot of planning!!

First and foremost, the room needs repainting.   I'm in a pink phase, and lucky for my children, they are female. Therefore it would not be intolerable cruelty for me to paint their room pink.  mwahaha. I also need to replace their plastic blinds with the wooden white ones, and make them some pretty curtains.

Now... decor inspiration :D

1.  My kids have a kitchen already.  Its one my grandfather built me when I was a little girl, that I have since handed down to them (MEMORIES!!)... Still... it could use a new "old" paint job to really make it have that added bit of charm. :)  The dressers will get a coordinating coat of paint as well  (and will be firmly bolted to the wall for stability)

2.  I have a MAJOR love for ric-rac, and would just adore making them matching blankets with ric-rac on it!!  Though personally, I think I want to use a lot of THIS fabric!!!

3.  I'd do something like this in soft, girly colors....

4. I think I would make these in my own funky adapted way so that they are WAY oversized... almost bean-bag style so that the girls could flop on them and read :)

5. I *love* *love* *love* the birdie mobile!  I think I would do something a bit different - maybe hang the birds from the ceiling all throughout the room :)

6.  I think I'd like to do a variation of something like this, bigger, to put on the walls as art.  i'd cut the bases out of foam board (yay dollar tree!!  I have a trunk full right now LOL), and then cover it with quilted pieces.  I think embroidery details would be so sweet and soft...

7. Mini Quilts would be such a beautiful, warm, inviting touch to hang on the walls too... :)

8.  Not that the kids would keep these on their dresser drawers for more than 5 minutes without ripping them down and using them as baseballs, but a mother can dream...

9. Can we say super-sweet throw pillow?? :D

10. And while we're on the subject of throw pillows....  (2 in "A" with different colored buttons & pink ric-rac around the edges!)

11.  I have lofty dreams of one day completing an afghan using this technique.  For now, it will be a short-attention-span project that I can add to one circle at a time LOL.

12. Much smaller picture, but this is what I have in mind for their book storage so they can actually get to it.  We'd anchor it against the wall too, for safety. :)

13.  I have a HUGE fabric stash that needs some attention (and lots of thrifted fabrics that I cant bear to part with but dont think I'll ever use that will be perfect for this)... SO - I want to make a rag rug for the girls room :)  Yay for Vintage Chica and her Tutorial :)

14. I love these silhouettes too... I'm thinking these would be a really sweet addition to the room (in some vintage-y distressed frames. :)

15. Finally.... these little flag banners are just adorable.  I'd love to drape them across one wall, or perhaps as a valence over the window (pinks/purples/creams/greens)...

{HOME}

We just returned from visiting my Mammaw and my Dad this last week down in Texas.  My grandma is one of the greatest inspirations for me with homemaking.  She taught me how to crochet (which later inspired knitting).  She taught me how to embroider, and showed me the importance of being a good hostess, friend, and mother.   This morning, I snuck this photo of her that I plan to blow up and frame for my kitchen to always remind me that home truly is in the heart....

While we were there we also took a few moments to remember my grandfather who passed away on Sept. 17th.  This was the first time that we were able to go down there since his passing.  It was difficult to be there without him, and even more difficult to see how lonely my grandma was.  Still, there were moments where I could almost feel him with us, or hear him sharing a wise tidbit with us to help us grow and learn. 

He seemed to be everywhere, and nowhere all at once... While playing out with the kids in the back yard, I saw his garden, withering and neglected.  The yard was his forte, and he loved to putter around, weeding, pruning, watering, and growing new plants from starters, even when he already had 30 aloe-vera plants taking over the east side of the yard.  Still... a few plants managed to survive the lack of attention, and carried on the bits of life he helped them to attain.

It struck me that pieces of him were in all of these plants... his wisdom, his skill, and his tender loving care... through the grief, the denial, the neglect of these beautiful plants, they had survived and thrived, and kept on blooming out his love for all of us to silently feel around us.

In a few small pots were some cuttings that had miraculously grown into small starter plants.  Mammaw saw me admiring them and asked if I would take them home and care for them.  I carefully collected cuttings, starters, and seeds... the only plant I wasn't able to harvest a piece of (that I desperately wanted to) was the tomato plant that he had brought with him and kept strong for years.  Over the past few months as they have been left to their own survival, most of his tomato plants have shriveled and died.  Many would say to expect that in December, but they didn't know Papa.  He could grow anything, anywhere, at any time (though it helps that it was about 80* even when we were there this week!  Texas doesnt get much winter!).  Still, I feel as though I have come away with a living piece of my grandpa that he will be pleased is continuing on.

Its not much... its just a touch of his legacy.  But to me, its the world.  Its his wisdom, his amazing ability to grow life in the garden, his passion, and his gentle care of these delicate plants... all of the pieces of Papa that I have cherished my entire life, and miss so desperately about him. 

Its these little unnoticed pieces of our past that come through to help form and shape what it is that we cherish so much about our homes and our environments.  Our ancestors and our upbringings help to form the way that we view our world, and the way that we shape the walls of our environment around us. 

I am truly blessed to have such great love and joy to hold on to, and to use as a starter for the growth of love and legacy in my own home...