Our Handmade Christmas - For Our Daughters
January 09, 2008
Get your cup of coffee and settle in. This is a long one.
Let's start with Fatty's gifts for the girls. Remember how I told him that he could burn me a CD and I would be happy? Well, that is what he did for the girls. Jane and Kate both have CD players in their rooms and are constantly asking us to make them copies of our CDs. So Fatty spent the better part of a Sunday creating playlists for each of them on itunes. He burned the CDs and put them in a CD case of their own. They loved this.
Jane's disc:
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic - The Police
Way Back When - Donna the Buffalo
Shine - Dolly Parton
Lakes of Pontchartain - The Be Good Tanyas
Penny Lane - The Beatles
I'm Gonna Make You Love Me - The Jayhawks
My Right Versus Yours - The New Pornographers
Laughing - R.E.M.
Singular Girl - Rhett Miller
Children of December - The Slip
6 String Belief - Son Volt
Mysterious Ways - U2
The Long Cut - Uncle Tupelo
Everything I Do - Whiskeytown
Kate's disc:
Silver Lining - Rilo Kiley
Walking On The Moon - The Police
Hello, Goodbye - The Beatles
Teach Your Children - Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
Waiting for the Sun - The Jayhawks
Blankets - The Gourds
Life Is Just A Tire Swing - Jimmy Buffett
Ring of Fire - Johnny Cash
Catapult - R.E.M.
Get Off My Cloud - The Rolling Stones
Windfall - Son Volt
One - U2
We've Been Had - Uncle Tupelo
Either Way - Wilco
And me....well, I knitted ponchos for the girls. Completely inspired by the one Kristin made for her daughter, I started with Kate's.
This is the back so you can see the hood. Kristin told me that she wished she could make the hood bigger - I am so glad she did. Kate has a big noggin, so I made some adjustments to accommodate it.
I also added pom poms to the drawsting for a little whimsy. I would be lying if I told you that I didn't think they would add to the appeal. My kids are all about the pom poms.
When it came time to knit Jane's, my plan was to make it the same, but just in a different color. When it came time to pick up the stitches for the hood, I hesitated. Given her pickiness in clothing, I wasn't sure if the hood was such a good idea. I knew she would like the pom poms, but I wasn't convinced that she would want the hood. I asked Fatty what he thought and he agreed with me. I decided to leave the hood off and if she really wanted it, I could always add it on later.
Without the hood, it needed something. I added a sweet flower pin, in her favorite color turquoise. I actually showed her 5 fabrics and asked if I were to make her something out of one or two of them, which would she want. She chose two Denyse Schmidt prints and I pulled out my copy of Blair's great pattern and whipped this up in less than fifteen minutes. I took the Sarah route and cut circles with my pinking sheers instead of the scallops because time was not on my side.
For you knitters out there, here is the scoop:
Pattern: Knitting Pure and Simple, Children's Ponch (#243)
Yarn: Nashua, Creative Focus Worsted, 3 skeins of hot pink for Kate and brown for Jane (I probably could have done Jane's with two if I had made it about 1/2" shorter)
Needles: 16" and 32" circulars, size 8
Modifications: I added 1" of length to Kate's hood and made 3 sets of increases along the center back of the hood to allow more room for her big head. I added pom poms to the i-cord drawstring on Kate's also. Jane's didn't get a hood.
Notes: This pattern runs small. My girls wear about a size 8 - I knit the size 10 to 12.
Kate loves hers - she wore it all Christmas day! I was standing in my brother's kitchen and saw her running in the back yard, hood on, pom poms flying with a huge smile one her face. I wish I could have captured it on film.
And Jane....well, at first I think she was disappointed she didn't have pom poms. But I knew that was a gamble. In the end, I think it paid off. She has decided against the hood which is fine by me. She wears her poncho all the time - sometimes with the pin, sometimes without. She would sleep in it if she could. Well, if I would let her.
Little does she know that by loving something I made her, she gave me the best Christmas present of all.
they turned out so cute Erin! The pin and the pom-poms really make them special.
Posted by: Sarah Jackson | January 09, 2008 at 08:25 AM
Oh Erin! Here is another of your posts that makes me wish I had girlies to crochet for. What a great idea and so glad that they are loving them as much as Im sure you loved making them. Great, great, great!!!
Posted by: Eren | January 09, 2008 at 08:28 AM
so beautiful, like everything you do.
Posted by: Celene | January 09, 2008 at 08:33 AM
the ponchos are great, erin! i love that they're similar yet unique in special ways - kind of like sisters, eh?
Posted by: cloth.paper.string | January 09, 2008 at 08:36 AM
The ponchos are gorgeous, Erin, but your sentiments are even more beautiful. Such special gifts for your sweet girls.
Posted by: betsy | January 09, 2008 at 08:59 AM
Gorgeous! You have all made the most amazing gifts! x
Posted by: Florence | January 09, 2008 at 09:00 AM
i love that last photo and that last line you wrote so much.
Posted by: kirsten | January 09, 2008 at 09:01 AM
The ponchos turned out wonderfully. I'm really liking the brown and turquoise combo a lot!
Posted by: melody | January 09, 2008 at 09:09 AM
ditto what kirsten said.
the ponchos are beautiful. the girls are precious. and your handmade christmas sounds divine.
Posted by: emily | January 09, 2008 at 09:22 AM
Both are beautiful. Handmade gifts are the best. Great choices.
Posted by: Teresa Alber | January 09, 2008 at 09:30 AM
Those both turned out so well!
Posted by: beki | January 09, 2008 at 09:37 AM
Your girls received such wonderful presents! The ponchos are beautiful and the playlists sound great. What you said is so true, the present is for them, but you get the warm glow from their appreciation of it.
Posted by: Amanda | January 09, 2008 at 09:38 AM
you are so clever, the girls look fabulous!!!
Posted by: blair | January 09, 2008 at 09:49 AM
the ponchos are beautiful. I love the addition of pom poms and flower pins. the colors are gorgeous.
Posted by: amandajean | January 09, 2008 at 09:50 AM
I'm loving your whole handmade holiday retrospective. It is so true that the best gift is the appreciation! How wonderful that your whole family experienced it this year!
Posted by: angelique | January 09, 2008 at 09:59 AM
amazing. simply amazing. the gifts. the story. it was not long at all. i am happy the gifts were loved.
Posted by: leslie | January 09, 2008 at 10:16 AM
They are just fantastic! I've loved this little series of yours... A wonderful family effort! I'm so glad the girls were happy with these. They are beautiful.
Posted by: Beth | January 09, 2008 at 10:25 AM
Funny, I am usually busy making things for other people, but really nobody gets as excited for one of my creations quite like my kids. Maybe that should be a resolution for me this year...make more stuff for my girls.
Posted by: Rachel | January 09, 2008 at 11:10 AM
Those ponchos are great...and those CD mixes...I want 'em!
Lucky girls!
Posted by: Dawn | January 09, 2008 at 11:55 AM
these are amazing! such a great idea, same gift, but tailored for each of these lovely ladies.
Posted by: traci | January 09, 2008 at 11:56 AM
These are so great! They really take me back to the ponchos someone (unfortunately, I can't remember who!) made for my twin sister and I when we were in the single digits back in the 70s. :)
Posted by: amyehodge | January 09, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Oh how sweet they are. I love ponchos. That brown and blue is such a nice contemporary combination!
Posted by: Tracy | January 09, 2008 at 12:12 PM
First, the ponchos are adorable!!
Second, your girls are SO LUCKY to have parents like you both, that Fatty really considered each girl's taste in making each cd. Same with you and the choices you had to make with each poncho. They will grow up knowing they are each loved and understood for exactly who they are. And THAT is the best gift of all!
Posted by: kate | January 09, 2008 at 12:12 PM
Amazing! They look great!
Posted by: Tara | January 09, 2008 at 12:22 PM
one, great songs :)
two, great ponchos! I myself wear a poncho, (love them) but I bought it last fall from Ann Taylor. I would love to make a handmade one, like Jane's for myself :)
Posted by: kat | January 09, 2008 at 12:33 PM
The gifts for your girls from you and Fatty were so perfect. I'm all smiles knowing that your picky little lady adores the poncho you made her. I'm sure you're just thrilled.
Posted by: sulu-design | January 09, 2008 at 12:53 PM
OH Erin these are just gorgeous. How lucky they are to have such wonderful parents. xoxo :)
Posted by: Dawn | January 09, 2008 at 12:57 PM
oh, I love this series of posts. My husband and I used to make gifts for one another- maybe you'll inspire us to start back!
Posted by: melissa | January 09, 2008 at 01:21 PM
those turned out so great erin!
Posted by: katie | January 09, 2008 at 01:35 PM
I love these posts. I love ponchos as well and need to learn how to knit!
Posted by: Jen | January 09, 2008 at 01:53 PM
I love how they're just a little bit different. I find hoods are often a little two short in knitting patterns. There must be an inaccurate standard out there or something.
Posted by: Mama Urchin | January 09, 2008 at 02:13 PM
Great ponchos - love the colors and the pom-poms. Looks like the girls really enjoy them too. Happy New Year :)
Posted by: Kirsten | January 09, 2008 at 04:03 PM
You all seem to have had a very nice holiday! All those wonderfully handmade gifts! The glass ornaments are just gorgeous, and I love the ponchos.
Posted by: Sarah | January 09, 2008 at 04:37 PM
I loved your last line in the post. So touching. And what FAB ponchos!
Posted by: Amy | January 09, 2008 at 05:05 PM
Very sweet! I knit my daughter a poncho several years ago and put pompoms on a twisted yarn strand that just goes through little holes at the top of the chest area. A simple way to add the pompoms with no hood.
Posted by: Kristin | January 09, 2008 at 05:09 PM
your kids are so lucky to have you as parents!!! Beautiful ponchos and i love that your hubby made them personalized cd's.
Posted by: Jen b | January 09, 2008 at 05:22 PM
your holiday gift idea is inspiring and I will be copying it. Not sure if Michael will get into it...but I will tell him to call Fatty. I have always thought the glassworks ornaments would be fun!!! How great.
Posted by: miastella | January 09, 2008 at 05:32 PM
I love your ponchos! Excellent job! And the pom poms are perfect.
When you first mentioned them, I looked into the pattern but my daughter wears a 12/14-ish size now and I think it would be too small. I wonder if the pattern is such that I could figure out how to make a next size bigger version?? What do you think? I have three skeins of bright pink Berocco Ultra Alpaca worsted just waiting for something...
Posted by: Amber | January 09, 2008 at 06:02 PM
oh. you know i adore those ponchos. may have to knit for my own girls. can't wait for coffee tomorrow! hey - i may bring my last sock & knit while we chat & catch up!
Posted by: suzanne | January 09, 2008 at 07:17 PM
I'm not a poncho girl but I would totally wear the brown one with the blue flower. That's got to be my favorite color combination right now.
Posted by: Julie @ Letter9 | January 09, 2008 at 07:28 PM
lovely erin. i am loving the brown poncho with the flower. i am curious how long it took you to knit one up?
Posted by: erin s | January 09, 2008 at 07:31 PM
oops...forgot to say I can't believe what en eclectic taste in music your girls have. I haven't even heard of half those songs! Guess I'm just getting old!
Posted by: erin s | January 09, 2008 at 07:34 PM
O.K. melt. Those CDs. I love them, how special are those. And the ponchos are gorgeous. Lovely.
Posted by: Sonya | January 09, 2008 at 07:36 PM
I love everything about this post! Some really great song ideas ... and the ponchos! They are so, so beautiful! They turned out so well. I love the colors, and the pin! Wow. That's some high-quality Christmas craftin'. Awesome.
Posted by: Grace | January 09, 2008 at 09:48 PM
how wonderful! Your gifts for your children are fabulous. And that wonderful feeling that your child actually likes and wants to live in the fabric you made...ahhh.
Posted by: dorie | January 09, 2008 at 11:09 PM
Your last line brought on the tears.
Posted by: Pam | January 10, 2008 at 06:39 AM
erin! they are fabulous!
beautiful job!
and those c.d.'s are too fun!
Posted by: leslie | January 10, 2008 at 09:50 AM
i'm so happy to see these on the girls! they look amazing - both of them. the pom poms and added flower are perfect solutions for making them individual. yay for ponchos and christmas crafting!!!
Posted by: kristin | January 11, 2008 at 08:55 PM
Oh, I'm well into making a pure and simple poncho right now for a graddaughter. I made one already for another graddaughter and I love them. I love all of Diane's patterns! She lives in my "summer cabin" hometown-Truckee!
Barbara
Posted by: Barbara C. | January 11, 2008 at 11:47 PM
oooohh, so good to see The Slip on the play list!!! I love them, especially with Nathan Moore as Surprise me Mr. Davis! Andrew Barr is my favorite drummer and I'm very excited that he gave me a set of his drum sticks!!!
Posted by: zarita at craft yard | March 21, 2008 at 12:13 PM