Well.. July is gone. My birthday month is done and over and now I have to wait a whole other year for my birthday month to roll around again. ::sigh:: it was a good one though… so it should hold me over fo the next 11 months.

Not much has been going on here at Chez Knitpho. My young Andre Agassi is still working on his tennis skillz and becoming quite good, as long as he’s not playing with me. The princess is getting excited for school to start (in 26days!) and loves to do dishes.. God bless her. As for me.. just doing what I do. Knitting (still working on the PLURK sock) Friending people on facebook that I thought I knew, but I really don’t.. WOOPS! and becoming increasingly obsessed with the core class at the Y. Love to hate, hate to love it.

Today, we needed a little craft to get us through the afternoon. I was reading this blog and she had made these bracelet with her kids, and I had to go to do immediately, if not sooner. I had the bandanas, and for why I had them..I don’t remember, but pretty neat and who doesn’t love these!! Very cool and very fun little project.

I am gearing up for the upcoming Ravelympics. I am proud member of TEAM BAMFK and I will be entering the Afghan Relay? So, I my goal is to knit the entire baby blanket during the 3 weeks of the Olympics. I CAN DO IT. It’s for a fellow BAMFK’r who’s due in Sept.. HI DANIELLE. and I am such a lame ass gift surpriser giver person.. that I showed her what I was making.. and if you wanna see to.. CLICKY!
i figured if she was around and I was motoring through this blanket at knit night.. she’d see it sooner or later.. so that’s why I had to give up the surprise.

So, let’s welcome August with open arms. School supply shopping, parties, a wedding, some summer BBQ’s, SCHOOL STARTING!, and most important day in August.. my boy turns 10. **10**. WOW.

It’s been a hot couple of days here in New England.. so hot that today after we ate lunch at a nice cool restaraunt and then perused the local B&N.. I could have easily came home and ZONKED. Mr. Knitpho was even shocked when he saw me awake on a Sunday afternoon! It was the perfect time to get down to some serious sewing business. That I did…

I present to you, my second attempt at the pillowcase dress:

I did it right this time.. measurements and everything. I’m no dummy.. most of the time!! Instead of the binding, the evil evil binding - I just folded over the armsyce (thats a real sewing term!) and stitched it nice & neat..and instead of ribbon, I made my own little ties out of the fabric. Im wicked smaht like that.
and then done with pics.. she walked away

It for sure did not take me 15minutes… but that’s with doing other stuff too. I’m pretty pleased with this little dress.. I am going to attempt a matching hairband too! But, that’s tomorrow. Now, it’s time for drinks… and casting on for socks.

Today, I feel accomplished!

is a failure to communicate…

…………………………with the Singer.

So, this is the pillowcase dress that was inspired by my friend Kathryn. who by the way today is her birthday… so everyone say HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATHRYN!!!!! She’s a plurker too! Anyway - she told me about a cute little dress made out of a pillowcase.. my first thought was a slit in the top and two slits for armholes.. and a little sash perhaps? No… no.. no… I was wrong. it’s SUPPOSED to look the ones on Kathryns blog..so go look. Mine, it was not a pillowcase to begin with, but I had some great fabric that I wanted to use. It was my first affair with binding.. not easy, not hard but challenging. Now.. I do have to redo the binding on one arm .. no close up pics of this tragedy! AND WTF? how did I make it so long. That is an easy fix, but I did wing the measurements, since the princess was asleep when I felt motivated to get this done.
I want the next one to be a bit more flairy. more…. GIRLICIOUS. ~snort~

So, I will try again. I got some VERY cute bright pink fabric with white polka dots that just screams MAKE ME INTO A DRESS FOR MIA! I will perfect this… it’s so easy.. thats why it makes me feel SO damn dumb.

OK, it’s crazy hot here today, and that makes me NOT HAWT. SHWETTY!

Off to eat,drink,plurk and chillax the rest of the day.

I fought the bobbin.. and I won.
BEHOLD! The easiest dress ever made in the history of sewing.

It turned out quite cute. We figured out the ribbons and they maybe a little wonky and uneven but they work! Ofcourse.. she had to put the pearls to dress it up. While she was picking up piles of rocks and throwing them.

It’s HAWT today and gross muggy. Miles played 3hours of tennis this morning and is the next Andre Agassi. He did that, while mama (and) mia went to Starbucks on a play date with their friend D & D. We’re all very cute with matchy initials with our kids. I’ll have to take a photo, but I got coolest tote from Danielle for my birthday with my name on it, and it’s pretty badass with a skull and everything. I do love anything with skulls. My inner biker chic, maybe?

Time to go cool off while roaming around Target…and showing off Mia’s dress some more.

Stay cool!

365.3, originally uploaded by rkymtnmel.

Once I got that freakin’ bobbin threaded … it was smooth sailing. Kind of. We’ll see tomorrow… when the princess awakens and I force her to try on the homemade clothes that mommy made her.

Just like my mom used to do to me.

Ahhhhh.Tradition.

It’s Monday. Already. But on summer vacation, every day is the weekend. Well, not really - but a little bit. So, the weekend flew by like usual, but it was a pretty great weekend. Saturday, as part of a group on FLICKR, I documented my day around the theme of green. In my past life, I played tennis. I was on my high school tennis team and everything. I haven’t played in so long and on Friday - I bought my kids both their own racquet and we’ve been going. The minute I hit the first ball, I remembered how much I loved it. Miles is going to start tennis in a couple of weeks through out the summer, I hope he finds it as much fun as I do, so far - he’s doing pretty good. That started my day off on Saturday, the I took Miss Mia to see Kungfu Panda, and tall as she is, she has a hard time holding the movie theater seat down and I’d look over and she’d be almost completely folded in half. It was quite humorous. Saturday came and went pretty quick - but I was able to finish the back (finally) before bedtime.

now, for the two front panels, which should be a bit quicker, since it’s half of the back..you know? but not really - since I have to do two. but I’m loving it so far, and by fall, it should be done for me to sport around and show off at my local Starbucks.

Sunday was a fun day for me. I ran another 5k. I am finding I like this whole running thing. This was right here in town and we were home right after. Before the thunderstorms.

Thats about it… my weekend in a little nutshell. We are in the midst of huge thunder and lightning storms and pouring rain. Looks like an inside kind of day.

Needles still involved, it’s just hooked up to a sewing machine!! Voila.. a baby blanket is born. I’m quite fond of the little blanket I put together, and it turned out quite nice. I heart it. 30 squares.. all cut 6.5×6.5 .. sewed together.. then the rows sewed together.. all put onto a backing of one solid piece. I had my doubts, believe me! But, it turned out… quite. cute.

So.. after a fantastic morning I headed to Joann and bought me some MORE fabric to sew MORE things… I might just go down into my dungeon and sewsewsew away … I had nothing to knit at the moment .. so I figured it was fine time to get to know Senor Singer. No bobbin issues.. I can thread the needle in a matter of seconds .. I think we’ll be fine friends.. or shall I say amigos. We’ll have margaritas and chips and salsa. We’ll admire the work we’ve created, together, as a team.

Do you think I might need a nap?

Here’s an A for the road. Since the ABC along changes to B tomorrow.. but you know I got a sewing machine for my birthday and I tried a few things here and there.. fought with that bobbin and cursed at it. But eventually… after many of errors, this is what I made.

I sewed up a reversible apron and for my first go of pretty much ANYTHING other than a pillowcase…a fun little denim/cotton print reversible with a fancy little pocket.
I sent Holly a themed birthday gift this year. She’s a busy mom of two who works full time and long awkward hours. So, together we thought she needs to implement the miracle of THE CROCK POT. Along with the apron, she got a cookbook and a recipe organizer. I’m sure she thought she was going to get something hand knit..not this year. So…. thats my hot off the new singer to start off 08. I have a few others things in mind, but man.. that bobbin thread wants to make me drink. (even more!)

So.. who’s watching the football game tomorrow. GO PATRIOTS!

A little something to kill the time… starring my little family and my sister in law & brother in law. Who knew we were all so fantastic at acting! And.. I stole this idea from Kathryn.. to give credit where credits due!

last night… I came home to “the box” at my front door. WHOOOHOOO! now.. what do i do with it? hmmmm. i guess for the first EVER in my life, I’ll read the instruction manual and see what all the little doodads do - because I haven’t a clue. i’m very excited though.. I do have my first request for a project.. my BFF wants to me to learn how to rip out all her waistbands and replace them with elastic. yeah. she’s hot like that. ~snort~ funny.

today. i was able to get out (with daughter in tow) and get ONE present. lets she if she’s able to keep the secret. it’s for her brother, from my parents, but still … she is my daughter after all. here’s hoping. toys r us was stupid crazy.. i’m like.. HEY DONT YOU PEOPLE WORK? I was hoping to have it a little bit more quiet, and just time to peruse the aisles..but nooooo… dumdums crowding the lego aisle like nobody’s business. yeah yeah.. tis the season.

what is it? 26 days til we have to have our presents bought & not mention wrapped!? pressure. i love it… i think it’s when I do my finest work. too bad I don’t have mad sewing skillz .. i’d whip up everyone a matchy matchy Chistmas shirt.. damn. too bad.

I did a little swap from Crafty Daisy’s..and it was an easy one.. just a bookmark.
All it was going to cost you was your time, your energy and a stamp. Mine came a day or two ago and I love it… the more i look at it.. I get more detail from it. So thanks Jessica!!