Beasties for the bestie

 

My best friend Valerie and I have been friends for almost forever.  Well, it seems like forever anyway, we’re like sisters.  It all began one morning in the mid 1980′s at the YMCA “drive the children of working parents to school” drop off.  The girl in the Miami Mice (not a typo) sweatshirt said “hello” to me and it was history.

 

 

 

Our bonding began over our daily rides to elementary school in the blue YMCA van.  I remember trying to guess at what point the singing would start on the Axel F song, marveling that Edwin was going to eat a 3-scoop ice cream cone from Thrifty’s for his 12th birthday, and hearing Troy’s daily response to the “How’s my driving?” sticker on the Y-van (“it sucks!”).  To those of you who did not have the pleasure of riding in the Y-van, you have likely checked out by now, or have gone searching for a crafting blog where they actually talk about crafting, but for those lucky few of us, I have sparked many warm, fuzzy, un-fond memories.

 

 

Valerie and I quickly became frenemies as we entered the sixth grade.  I send a special thanks to Mr. Covington who did not change my class seating assigment after I begged him in a private meeting at recess to move me away from Valerie.  Over time, many friendships have come and gone but I will always consider Valerie my best friend.

 

 

 

“That’s so nice, but what does this have to do with sewing?” you are probably thinking…so enough of the sap and on with the blog.  Valerie is having a baby (yea!!!  super yea!!!).  Babies definitely require special crafts, even if they are too young to appreciate them and end up spitting up copiously on all of your hard work.

 

Now here are pictures of Valerie with my two daughters.  The BEST thing about Valerie having a baby is that I get a sweet new little snuggle baby in my life…but I NEVER have to wake up and feed him!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first thing I wanted to do was make a blanket for baby S.  I decided to begin knitting a blanket one Friday night while at a conference in San Jose.  The sad truth is that I got one weekend away from my family and I happily spent the evening in bed knitting and goggling over Mario Lopez on Extra (which is a horrible show by the way).

 

The nearest Hobby Lobby was 45 minutes away in Modesto and my friend/ co-worker flat out refused to drive me there.  We went to Michaels instead.  I remember walking in, picking out the yarn and a pattern book, purchasing, then walking out.  My friend/ co-worker, on the other hand, describes watching me in an approximately 45-minute long yarn feeling trance.  Regardless, the end result was the purchase of this fine baby blanket book which I would highly recommend.

I decided on this blanket because Valerie has always loved plaid.  When I asked my friend/ co-worker what she thought of the blanket pattern, her opinion was that it was “orderly” and reminded her of “a teacher”.  Perfect!-Valerie is both.  Here is the final product.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I kind of struggled with what else to make.  Valerie loves monkeys,  and I later found out that her nursery theme is whales…but I’ve always loved the bear sweater pattern in this book…

 

 

 

 

My thought was that if Chef Duff can be a “bad ass” cake maker, than I can be the “bad ass” crafter.  You say you like monkeys?  Your theme is whales?  Oh yeah?!?  Well I’m knitting you a bear sweater with a matching hat because I’m sewLOCA!  Here it is:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Every new baby needs a stuffy too.  I used a pattern from this AWESOME amigurumi book.  Even the stuffy has a stuffy!  I put a jingle bell inside the big bear’s head so it would make a little rattling sound.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bears got tired of modeling and took a rest.  They also forced me to make them a matching blanket.

 

 

 

 

And finally, a bear buddy bag for baby S (such a cute pattern purchased here).  I had a little bit of difficulty with the boat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Something else was missing…I just couldn’t put my finger on it….finger….finger….OH MY GOSH I FORGOT TO PUT ARMS ON THE BEAR!  (un-stitch).  And here’s the final-final anthropomorphically-anatomically correct product.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The end.

And that folks is what happens when you take (prescribed!) pain killers and muscle relaxers and sit down to write a blog post.  I’m so sorry and goodnight.