by This is Carrie on January 25, 2012
I’m always attracted to the many brightly colored afghans at my local thrift store. I finally bought this one since it’s border and decorative flower just screamed to be made into a skirt.
Basic Steps:
-Cut a rectangle from the afghan for the skirt based on how full you want the skirt. The thicker the afghan, the less full you need to make the skirt to avoid bulk at waist.
-Sew rectangle together into a tube.
-Serge cut edge of skirt to keep the loose yarn ends in place.
-Cut and sew elastic into a circle to fit child’s waist.
-Divide waistband into fourths. Divide skirt into fourths. Pin waistband to skirt (placing wrong side of elastic to right side of skirt. click here for more details on attaching waistband elastic), matching the quarter markers and dividing the extra skirt fabric evenly between the pins.
-While stretching the elastic to fit, sew elastic to skirt.
by This is Carrie on January 24, 2012
The benefits of eating together as a family are pretty well documented. As small children turn into teenagers, the benefits (including better communication, higher grades and lower incident of eating disorders and drug use) become even more critical but getting teenagers to the dinner table becomes infinitely more difficult. I’m over at the Together Counts blog again today talking about four things my parents did to make my teenage self look forward to family dinner instead of dread it. I’d love to hear what has worked for you (if you have teenagers) or what worked (or didn’t work) when you were a teenager. I’m taking notes since I’m only a few years away from having a teenager! Leave your comment HERE.
by This is Carrie on January 19, 2012
Women’s shirred top dresses and skirts are always easy and fun to refashion. A dress that used to be mine (and I never really liked) looks so much better on Princess.
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Basic Steps:
1. Take in shirred panel on each side to fit chest. With so much fullness, you can blend to nothing about 4″ below panel instead of taking side seams in all the way to the hem.
2. Make sleeves or straps. This dress had shirred sleeves already. I cut cut them off and repositioned them to fit a smaller frame. For sleeveless shirred dresses, I have sometimes been able to make the sleeve/strap out of the excess fabric from taking in the side seams. If that doesn’t work, I make straps using pieces of decorative ribbon.
3. Hem if necessary. Luckily, this dress was an awkward short length on me, making it a perfect maxi dress for her.
by This is Carrie on January 16, 2012
When my brother-in-law heard about the First Annual Indoor Triathlon being sponsored by his athletic club in UT on New Year’s Eve, he knew it would be the perfect event for the family. When he found out we could compete as two teams of four, it made it even better. After 20 minutes on the spin bike, 15 minutes on the treadmill, a 5 minute lap swim and an hour of trash talking and friendly family rivalry, distances were added up, points were given and our team came out on top (barely). Before accepting our award medals, we had to make proper podiums (of course). 
Hopefully the Ogden Athletic Club will continue to organize this race because it’s a holiday family tradition I’d love to keep.
by This is Carrie on January 10, 2012
Before: Two gold women’s sweaters, a women’s blouse and a piece of embroidered sheer curtain fabric.
After: Two 60′s inspired mini dresses for the holidays.
The embroidered sheer curtain fabric that once sat in Todd’s (recently passed) Grandmother’s sewing pile made perfect puff sleeves for Pumpkin’s dress.
Basic Steps:
Cut off sweater sleeves.
Sew up side seams to fit child.
Cut new puff sleeves from fabric or women’s blouse to fit new armhole.
Sew in new sleeves, hem edge and insert elastic to create puff.
by This is Carrie on January 10, 2012
One of the best moments of the 2011 holiday season was being able to take my mom and the girls to see The Nutcracker performed by the amazingly talented dancers from the Maple Conservatory. It was Pumpkin’s first time seeing the ballet. It felt like a rite of passage worthy of the multi-generational girls night out. The night was topped off with a meet and greet with the wonderfully talented Bryn Watkins who danced the lead part of “Dream Clara”. Remember that name folks. She’s going to be famous.
by This is Carrie on January 7, 2012
by This is Carrie on January 7, 2012
If you would like to crochet/knit a scarf or cap for The Love Scarf Project, you can find the details here. The delivery to City of Hope (here in California) will take place on February 14th. After getting the chance to help with last year’s delivery of scarves and caps, I can’t put into words how much they mean to the patients in the bone marrow transplant ward, especially on Valentines Day. If you have the time and resources to make one beautiful scarf out of some beautiful yarn (something you would love to wear yourself) that is what really makes the patients tear up from an overwhelming sense of love and caring. From my experience with the patients, it is truly the quality (not the quantity) that makes the difference in this project.
by This is Carrie on January 6, 2012
Even though we’ve been home for 5 days, I’m still trying to ease back into reality and responsibility. Having a whole week hanging out with family is such a treat. And I’m not just talking about extended family. I got accustomed to having my own little family together with Todd home for every “wake up”, bedtime and everything in between.
Christmas Vacation in Utah 2012 Highlights
-We were unsure how The Baby was going to make it through the long car ride from California to Utah, but he did amazingly well. Still, when we freed him from his car seat at each rest stop, he had a desperate “save me from this 13 hour road trip” look on his face.
-With four needy kids, we have actually decided the driver has the more relaxing car ride on these long road trips. Even so, I was still able to knock out a scarf for The Love Scarf Project.
-Cousins are like automatic BFF’s whenever you see them. Even if it’s been over a year since you played together last.
-Having the stomach flu rage through yout entire family for 3 days is THE WORST. But, realizing it’s “just the stomach flu” and not another surprise pregnancy makes it a little more bearable. Painting your husband’s toenails while he is passed out sick on the couch makes the stomach flu a little bit funny for you and all the kids in the house. Having him realize he has painted toenails because he reads about it on twitter (even though he’s put on his socks and shoes), makes it even funnier.
- A trip to Utah is not compete if I don’t get a couple hours to roam the aisles of Savers to pick up some beautiful, old floral sheets.
-I’ve already stolen Todd’s hat and this Christmas I was also able to steal his “old timey” mustache.
-I can’t believe my three oldest kids all stayed up until midnight this year. Where there is a will, there’s a way I guess.
-We decided make the drive home in two days which was the best idea ever (even if fitting 6 people into 2 beds in one hotel room is starting to get a little tight). We spent the night swimming together, eating together (I finally got the huge, thick cookie dough malt i had been craving the whole week) and watching The Baby take his first steps together.
by This is Carrie on January 1, 2012
