Yard Sale Sweater Re-Do

At the same yard sale that Sarah found the rocking chair, I found three 100% wool sweaters:

Two of the sweaters (the tan and maroon) were men's V-neck sweaters, the third (the blue one) was a woman's small and featured a ribbed color and full-zip front. For some reason the tan and maroon sweater did not felt very well, but the blue one came out nice and thick and tight. 

Sarah said Sophia needed something warm but not bulky for her rides in the carseat.  So I went to work on the blue sweater, with the intention of transforming it from a women's small to a little girls jacket. I cut out the zipper because it did not shrink with the rest of the sweater and created large puckers that looked like hills and valleys. (I should have taken pictures of the process but I didn't, so hopefully your imagination can fill-in the gaps:-)

I cut the sleeves to about the length they needed to be for 13 month old Sophia and added a ruffle edge:

I used the same Bali print to make a ruffle around the body of the sweater just above the ribbing.

Here's a view of the back:

In the front (where I had cut out the zipper) I finished the raw edge with more of the bali print then made two tab and button closures.

For decorative detail I added small florets at the color points to pin them down. 

Here's the finished piece:

--Cindy

Sweater Mittens

You can make mittens in 5 minutes. 

These happened to come from an old sweater that was no longer fit my husband. 

 I cut off the sleeves:

 Made a mitten template by tracing my hand:

Placed the mitten template on the sleeve, using the wrist band as the wrist of the mitten. I cut around the template, leaving as much of the existing stitching in tact (I really only cut from the tip of the thumb down to the split and then up over to the outer edge.)

The finished product is pretty cozy, they'd be even cozier if I lined them with fleece or maybe felted them in the wash (the sweater was 100% wool).

 I like quick, easy projects like these. So gratifying:-)

-Sarah

Snow Day

Yesterday morning we woke to a wonderful land of white: it seems that winter finally decided to show up here in New England.

Sophia was a fan.

 I love the feeling of a snow day: cozy, cuddly, warm, that feeling that the world has slowed: stop and you can just snuggle, all day...if that is your hearts desire. My heart desired to first have a clean house and then snuggle and get cozy in that clean house. So I cleaned, which lead to organizing, which lead to the decision to start gathering things for a spring yard-sale: needless to say the flurries outside weren't the only flurries going down yesterday. But after all that was done, after I'd snuggled for a bit and relaxed in my clean house (oh so satisfying) we went out for a little snow-adventure.

The first part of our adventure involved Sophia leaning into a snow bank only to find it didn't support her weight:

(Yes, I did take a picture of her before brushing the snow from her little freezing face...horrible I know.)

The snow bank was as tall as she is.

Here are my brown-eyed cuties.

 Tucked into Daddy's jacket.

The Barn covered in snow.

 The Church next door (the church where mark and I were married).

Snow Day. Clean House. Fun with my family. It was a perfect day!


--Sarah

The BIG Announcement: WEBSITE!

So the big announcement that I've been working on for the past few weeks is our new website! I've had fun creating our new home:

www.bumblebeeandsophie.com

 We'll still be very active with the blog (especially now that the website is done I can get off the computer and back to sewing:-) so you can continue to check in here for tutorials, tips and general craftiness--can't wait to share my project list for 2011 with you! But we've moved a few things over to the website: like our collection. When we add new items or collections (like Spring/Summer 2011!!) we'll be sure to link from the blog. And of course we'll be linking up to all our favorite parties too!

I'm still working a few kinks out over at the website any user feedback is appreciated. (bumblebeeandsophie@gmail.com).




Let us know what you think!


--Sarah

Yard Sale Find to Christmas Surprise

At a yard sale in September, I purchased this rocking chair with the intention of refinishing it as a gift for Sophia for her birthday in December and if I didn't get to it then, as a Christmas present a few weeks later. All the pieces were in great condition, the only drawback was the wobbly rocking action and the fact that the finish and logo weren't what I pictured for Sophia. 

I didn't get to it in time for her birthday but on the Thursday before Christmas I (with help from my Dad) disassembled the entire chair. 

I didn't get to it in time for her birthday but on the Thursday before Christmas I (with help from my Dad) disassembled the entire chair. Although I wouldn't recommend it, it was necessary in order to make the chair more structurally sound upon reassembly (wood glue plus a few extra screws to steady some loose joints). Keep in mind this was all my Dad's idea and without him and his patience, the chair would be re-finished but still wobbly. So, Thanks Dad! You're the best!

I don't have any pictures of the chair in progress, partly because it was Christmas Eve and I was on a tight schedule to finish the chair in time to get back home to make bread and squash and shower and bathe Sophia and get ready for two (2!!) Christmas Eve parties....phew! Needless to say taking pictures was the last thing on my mind. 

But here she is on Christmas morning:

 and here's a closer look:

 I used a cherry red paint (it looks more pink in person) that I picked up at the home improvement store and applied it after I had sanded  down the old finish. I applied two coats and realized that if I wanted total coverage I would need a third, but since it was Christmas Eve and I didn't have time for a third coat I opted to make the chair look a little distressed. So after it had dried I sanded down in select areas to give the chair and worn-in look. I stenciled the "C" using craft paint, then sealed the whole thing with a spray gloss which I found next the spray paint at the home improvement store. Overall I was pleased with the results, and Sophia seems to enjoy it.

 Here's the little lady, sitting pretty...that look of determination on her face is directed towards my camera, which she is obsessed with getting. Makes taking pictures a little difficult, but fun. Thanks to my Dad, this chair should last for a while.

--Sarah

Sneak Peak at the Winter Wedding

Our big announcement will have to wait a few more days. Normally I like to start the new year with a flurry of "git 'er done." But Saturday I was stopped dead in my tracks by a stomach bug that had me puking and feverish 'till last night. I'm much better today, but my to do list went largely un-done. While I resume work on our "big announcement," here are a few pictures from my sister, Alissa and my brainstorming session for the decor at her winter wedding in February.

 --Sarah