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new mom crafting

So this is the type of making I'm able to get around to these days:

'What is this?' you say. Well you might ask. This, my friends, is an infant potty-bowl rim cover. Or to be more brief, a potty-band.

We've decided to give EC'ing a shot with our New Baby. For those of you not familiar with the concept, 'EC' is short for Elimination Communication, and is based on the idea that infants all know when they have to poop or pee, and have signals that let us know when that happens. So toilet training an infant is possible, by learning their signals, and then holding them over a potty bowl or toilet when they make whatever sound or gesture that is. Then they can simply go in the potty. When they go, the parent makes a sound (like 'pssst' or something like that) that they come to associate with the elimination, and eventually you can hold them over the potty, make the sound to cue them, and should they need to go, they will. Here's a link with more information about it, if you are interested. I'm using a book called The Diaper Free Baby as a reference as well, and its quite comprehensive. I've known a couple of people who've done this with great success, notably a friend of mine whose 3 year old absolutely refuses to use a potty, and after months of fruitless toilet training struggles, she decided to EC her newborn in hopes that she won't have to repeat the stress of toddler toilet training. And indeed, at this point her 6 month old is pretty much fully toilet trained. According to EC'ing theory, you kind of can't blame toddlers for objecting to toilet training as strenuously as some do. They spend their whole lives (two years or so) being taught that the diaper is the proper place to go to the bathroom, and then, at their most contrary, independence-seeking stage in life so far (toddlerhood) you try to switch it up completely by telling them that now it is time to use a toilet. From that perspective, you can see how it might seem unreasonable to them.

Anyhow, we're using the EC'ing concept so far, and its pretty interesting. At this point in the New Baby's life, the only goal is to be able to see when they are going, and work at creating an associative cue (psst), so we spend a lot of time not wearing diapers and just hanging out on some flat cloth diapers/other absorbent surfaces, so that we can see what happens. And he's got a pretty obvious signal. He fusses and cries right before it happens, and then gives a funny growly little grunt when he goes. So its pretty easy to cue him. 

Also, I bought this little enamel pot at the local thrift shop to use as a potty bowl. We've had some success with that too, as I know he mostly goes right after breast-feeding, so I just take his diaper off and hold him over this bowl and about 8 times out of 10 he usually goes right into it. 

They have some nice inexpensive potty bowls at the continuum family website (also note the adorable picture of a baby using one on the same page), but when I got around to ordering them, the shipping was twice the cost of the item, and that always just annoys me. Also, what I really wanted was this nice Japanese enamel one, but it was so much more expensive again that I just couldn't do it. So I just kept my eyes open at the thrifts, and luckily this cute little red one jumped out at me just a couple of weeks before the New Baby was born. 

However, the problem with an enamel bowl, is that it is cold. And its hard to hold him completely above the bowl without touching it to his skin, either on his vulnerable little back or his sweet little legs. So I decided to crochet this cover for the edge of the bowl. 

It worked out pretty nicely, for not having a pattern or any idea really of how I'd make it work. That's the nice thing about crochet; you can really just make it up as you go along. I made it out of some acrylic yarn that I had in my stash, as I figure it will get pooped on pretty regularly and probably need lots of laundering. The only downside to it is that the Little Dude keeps insisting it is a hat, and then pulling it off the bowl and trying to put it on his head just when I need to use it.
Luckily, his Oma crocheted him a lovely hat last year, that fits him really nicely now, and we pulled it out of the cupboard for him to wear in lieu of the potty-band. That seemed to do the trick, and he lost interest in running away with the potty band and instead decided to dance around in the hat.

Here he is in the midst of an especially intense dance move. I love the way his curls look sticking out of the edge of this hat. Now if only I could get him to wear it for any length of time.... Maybe next time we go outside. 

P.S. If any of you are interested in the pattern for such an obscure item as a potty-bowl rim cover, feel free to leave a comment and I'll give a stab at writing it out for you.

 

ripple blanket: update

Man, it has been a long day. Started with a potty emergency, followed by a non-stop retail shift that was totally slammed full of weary Christmas shoppers, and then ended with a Christmas pageant rehearsal full of noisy and slightly unruly kids pretending to be barnyard animals. Fortunately, I got to sit down through most of the rehearsal, and there was pizza involved. But I am just beat. But still, I felt I needed to post today and follow up on an unresolved issue.  

Ok, aaaages ago I posted about a ripple crochet baby blanket that I was working on, and how I was stuck about my colour choices. It was, by and large a very primary coloured thing, but then I put in this strip of dark eggplant purple, and I was not sure whether to proceed with it, or rip it out. Many of you kind readers gave me advice, and I know its not like you've all been out there biting your nails waiting to hear what I went ahead and did, but never the less, I thought it was only fair to show you where I've gone with it. Click on the link here to see how it was. Remember? And now, see how it looks currently.

Yep, I kept in the aubergine. I know it really does stick out a lot (especially in these pictures, where it looks almost black, but I promise its really just a dark maroon) but see at the top where it is going orange, and then pink? Well after that pink, I'm going to put in another strip of aubergine and I think that will really tie the whole thing together. Plus, I let it sit for ages and ages, and I just couldn't bring myself to rip out the aubergine. I just needed to be there. Plus also, I hate to undo stuff I've already done, so there it is. My challenge is to make it work. 

I must tell you though that despite my hemming and hawing hiatus, it really is the most wonderful project to work on. SO easy, in terms of remembering the pattern, and so relaxing. It's basically my watching tv/waiting for images to load on the computer/hanging out in doctors offices project. Its perfect for stopping and starting, and the colour changes every two rows keeps things exciting. Well, you know what I mean. Not living-life-on-the-edge-as-a-motorcycle-trick-rider exciting. Rather fun-choices-and-multiple-variables-in-your-creative-work exciting. 

Anyhow, I'm pretty please with it. Though I'm running out of yarn. I think I'm going to get three, maybe four stripes of each colour out of a ball of yarn - tops. I'm nearly out of light blue, so I think that after more than a year of living here I'm going to finally have to break my fast and find a yarn shop. I've really been trying to conserve and live off my stash, but I definitely want this blanket to be lovely, and not all haphazard and stash buster-y. It'll probably be the only thing I have time to make for the new baby. And I don't want him to feel like a Second-hand Rose. Or rather a Second-hand Ross. 

Still gotta find a name. Probably not going to be Ross. 

crochet advice?

Remember that ripple blanket I started a little while ago, you know at this point that I am making it for the New Baby right? So, I need some advice on it. My idea for it is that it will be a fun, multicoloured stripe, with no repeating pattern to it. That is to say, I have a dozen or so colours I'm working with, so the colours will repeat, but not in pattern. Get what I mean? Anyhow, here it is so far:

 The green is the bottom edge, and I am adding rows to the top of it. But this is my issue. See that top stripe? The camera did not read the colour so well, but its actually a dark aubergine. (that is eggplant, or maroon for those of you who don't read a lot of catalogues). When I originally picked it, I thought it would be a good counterpoint to all those bright colours. I mean, its a colour, just not so primary. 

 I thought it would be helpful to have a colour to bring it down a little bit, but now I'm not sure if I like it. Is it too dark? What colour should I put next to it? I've started a little bit of cotton candy pink, but I don't think its working there either. Should I pull out the aubergine and do a row of charcoal grey instead? Would that work, do you think? I still have a pale yellow and a bright turquoise blue that I have not used yet, or I could use any of the colours I've already done a row with. 

 Or should I just toss the whole notion of a counterpoint and just stick to brights? Hm. So hard to decide. Which is where you come in. What do you think? Codger, I know you crochet, and Tante Betty, you have a lot of experience in this area. Karen, Rebeckah, Steph, Zonah, you are all talented with colours and stuff. Alyssa, you've got a good eye. Cyn, Steph, Marcia, what do you think? (Wow, I'm starting to feel like the Romper Room Lady, remember that? She'd hold up the magic mirror and say "I see Tommy and Jane, and Suzy and Robert..." and you'd listen with great suspense to see if your name would be called. Mine never was. Total bummer) Anyhow, all of you out there reading this, I'd love the feed back. I've totally stalled on this project, and I need to get going. I'm getting more pregnant by the day, and I've got to get this thing done. Thanks!

If I had the time....

Ok, here is the lovely crazy (and in some cases, crazy lovlieness) that was inside those knitting books and leaflets. Though really, this is only a small portion of the retro goodness; I just don't have the time to scan them all! I'll start with the oldest one, this is the inside front cover of the Lux knitting book from the 1940's. 
Love, Love, LOVE those illustrations. And there are patterns to match every single one of them! Someday I'm actually going to get around to knitting something from one of these books. I literally have hundreds of old knitting leaflets and patterns, but I have yet to knit an actual garment from them. Accessories yes (hats, gloves, the occasional ascot) but never a proper sweater. I'm usually scared off by the crazy small gauge, and the correspondingly huge number of stitches to cast on. Also, fit differers quite a bit from then to now, or so I'm told. There was much less 'ease' in garments from the '40's so you have to get your measurements bang on, or else your finished sweater will be strangling you and biting into your armpits. Not a huge fan of that. But I'll tell you what I am a fan of...

...somewhat surly looking curly-headed little boys! How awesome is this? Really, the resemblance between this reluctant knitwear model, and my own Little Dude is hilarious. But pattern wise, I'm also down with this. Really, I have no problem with little kids in head to toe knitted snow gear. For all of L.D.'s first winter in Montreal, he proudly wore an adorable knitted carriage suit (pants with feet, sweater-coat, hat and matching mitts that I had thrifted from the local Salvation Army store) every time we went out. Now granted, we were not exactly rolling him around in the snow, more like just walking across the street to the car, but still, it was a surprisingly cozy and functional outfit. Again, if I had more time on my hands.....

And speaking of children's wear, take a gander at this little number from a 1980's booklet: 
 Every single other item in this book was either boring or ugly, but I had to pick it up for this sweater. The shape and colour were not really much to get excited about, but Holy Crap! Check out the embellishment/focal point: 
 DUDE! Is that a three dimensional appliqued HAMBURGER? Yes, yes it is. Complete with crocheted lettuce and tomato hanging out the sides. Be still my  beating heart. I may someday have to make one of these for the Little Dude. Or maybe it will just be a decorative pillow. I don't want to express my ironic sense of humour/love of crocheted trompe l'oeil at my son's expense. I have a heart people. 

Ok, moving on to what I think of as the main event. The '60's and '70's. For those were the decades that brought us what I think of as the golden age of crocheted absurdity. Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you......
...the knitted bikini. Or in this case, I believe that monokini might be the more technically correct term, as the two disparate pieces are joined into one insane whole. 

Ah yes, a clothing item as impractical as it is adorable. Really have you ever used a knitted dishcloth? Gotten it wet and then hung it up to dry? Great scrubbing power, but very little elasticity or resilience. Now, imagine using the same technique to make a bathing suit. Very, very impractical. Unless you plan to never get it wet. In which case, why are you at the beach? 

Oh. Ok, so you are not going to get it wet. Its just a SUNBATHING suit. Fair enough. And I suppose this one is not so bad.

I guess, this one is ok too. Alright, just don't go in that water, promise? I'm just sayin' that is going to take forevah to dry. By the way, one thing I also really like about crocheted bikini patterns from the 60's and 70's is the total lack of plastic surgery on the models. Sure these ladies are slim and mostly still conform to today's beauty standards, but hey, there is not an implant in sight, and I find that refreshing. They look like human beings instead of LA clone bots, which I think is nice. 

 I've accumulated quite a solid little collection of vintage bikini patterns, but I'm always looking for more, so if you find some, point me in the right direction, (or buy them for me and I will totally pay you back). Someday I'm going to scan them all and make a nice little photo album on flickr, so that they will be out there for the whole world to appreciate, instead of just here in my filing cabinet, making me happy. But for now this is all I've got. Enjoy!   

vintage goodness

We had another weekend away, this time the Little Dude came along with us. We went out to good ole' Hamilton to visit with friends and see family and go to art openings and film screenings. Very very fun. Its like a spa visit for my soul, to see my good friends again, and get to spend some meaningful time with my sister and her kids. Little afternoon visits on special occasions are fine and everything, but there is nothing like being together for a more serious block of time, even if it just involves eating breakfast and running errands together. I love being in a space together and just doing the mundane. I don't know why, but sometimes mornings in track pants involve more meaningful bonding than all the birthday parties in the world. 

But it wasn't all track pants and errands. We also had fancy dinners and events, which Hubs and I were able to attend, thanks to the gracious baby sitting skills of my sister's entire family. The Little Dude cannot stop talking about his cousins. So awesome. 

Anyhow, despite all the good times and big events, what I really need to tell you about is the thrifting. Oh. My. Gosh. The Thrifting. There is a new Value Village that has opened near my sister's house, and the past two times I was there, I kept thinking to myself "if I have an extra hour this weekend, I need to go to that V.V." But of course, there was never and extra hour. Until this weekend. We went, en famillie (Hubs, the L.D. and I) and it was INSANE! 

First of all, its a new V.V. so none of that staff were surly or passive aggressive (yet), and there was not the usual pall of dinge over the fixtures. And organized! I have never been in a V.V. so beautifully organized. The management is still pretty keen, I'm thinkin'. I mean, the fiction section was arranged by colour, just like I do my books at home, but of course, the impact was much better at the V.V. because it was on a much grander scale. I wish I had gone back in with a camera for a picture, but alas, I did not. It also had the most amazing knick-knack section I've ever seen. And the dishes! Not too heavily shopped, and nary a hipster in sight. Just elderly suburbanites, out for a bargain because that's the way they were raised. In other words, no one was looking for what I was looking for, so there was some good pickin's I tell you whut!

Anyhow, it would take too long to tell you about everything I bought, so I'm just going to show you what I'm really excited about: the knitting patterns.

I collect vintage knitting patterns. By which I mean mostly '70's and earlier, but occasionally '80's if they are really crazy. Anyhow, this place had a whole stash that had clearly never been picked over, and look what I got. 

Every decade is represented here. To begin with, the '40's. 

The 50's.

The '60's and '70's (from right to left)

And of course, the '80's. As I mentioned, I rarely buy '80's patterns, but there were a couple of gems in these books. Come back tomorrow, and I'll show you what made it worth my while.
And cheap! I'm willing to pay for these things, since I love them so much, but its nice when you find what you like and its a bargain. The most expensive one was 69 cents. That Lux one from the '40's was only 49 cents, thats just 14 cents more expensive than its original cover price. Not too shabby. 

why I love the internet.

I really enjoy reading craft blogs. Its so nice to experience the vicarious thrill of good design and and other peoples great creative choices. And sometimes you can't help but be inspired by what others are doing, which can be a great impetus to make something. I saw this lovely crocheted ripple blanket aaaaaages ago on Posie gets Cozy, and it has long been on my list of 'stuff to make someday when I have more time'. Well, its not like I have more time lately, what with the giant quilt to finish and winter craft show deadlines looming, and I STILL haven't put up my tomatoes, but as the weather turns colder my hand get that itch. You know, that yarn-y itch, as in "I've got to knit something soon or else I'm going to take up nervous pacing as a hobby." So I dug through my yarn stash and looked over my list and decided to finally make a nice ripple blanket. 

Now I know, this is not actually knitting. I'm fully aware. I do tend to lump knitting and crocheting together, because they use the same materials. Normally I find it very annoying, when people mis-identify the handwork I am doing. I'll be sitting on the bus, happily knitting away, and a friendly passenger will lean over and say, "that's so pretty, my mother used to weave too." Or "Its so great to see a young person embroidering." I usually just try to be polite and say "why thank you." But inside it irks me that they don't actually know the word for what I'm doing. Its just basic vocabulary people. I don't walk up to a guy doing an oil change and say "Wow, I sure wish I knew enough about plumbing to fix my own car!" Precision of language people. 

Aaaaaanyhow, my point is that I got out the book that Alicia had said she'd used in her original post about the ripple blanket, and commenced with the crocheting. I wisely started with a swatch, instead of chaining up a couple hundred stitches, and I'm so glad that I did because I could not get it to work. So frustrating. Its not like I have that much free time, and I spent two evenings trying it out and then ripping it out and starting over again. And I'm not exactly an idiot. I know my way around a crochet hook reasonably well, so it was very frustrating. So, this is where the awesomeness of the internet comes in. I went and searched the name of the pattern and the name of the book and added "problems with" and voila! I wasn't the only one having issues. Apparently, its not the most clearly written pattern. Still, I wasn't able to find the corrections for it on the internet, but all was not lost. I found a very nice blog, called Attic 24, written by an expert crocheter, who has written her own pattern, similar to the one I was trying to use, but SO MUCH more clearly written. It has lovely clear photos and diagrams and whatnot. So I was able to sit down and have an expert walk me through the intricacies of tr2tog so that now I am able to confidently ripple away. I'm using her pattern instead of the one from the book, because its a more gentle ripple and looks really nice to boot.  

Here's what I swatched up. Now I'm ready to start my lovely, bright, happy ripple blanket. Fall is here, and its time to make something with yarn!

And that's why I love the internet.