The Christmas Dress

I’ve been having trouble uploading new photos recently, but finally - here are a few of the Midnight Mass dress I made for Yarrow out of a bright red cashmere sweater..

I love cashmere..it’s so touchable, and so very warm!

                             Look at the texture! And actually, cutting down sweaters to make baby-clothes isn't terribly hard. Baby bodies are so much more forgiving than adult bodies..and they require so much less fabric. This was a turtleneck sweater, size Large, from Goodwill. And I have a bit left over..not enough for anything, really, but enough that, if I had messed up on the sleeves, I could have re-done them, without trouble. For the pattern, I just took one of her dresses, and measured the bodice to make sure it was the right size, measured her to make sure I had the length right, and cut away..nervously. Seth made a little cap to match from the neck of the sweater, and it was like a soft nightdress as well as a dressy-dress, because the cashmere was so very soft.

 

 

Creche - made by my husband

 

 

 

 

Monday Plans

This morning is cold! The pig’s water, chicken’s water, and all our buckets are frozen solid. The ground is hard and I’m grateful my husband managed to dig the new outhouse base before this morning’s chill - I don’t know if the earth will warm again this season. Our four-day vacation for Thanksgiving was lovely, my ideal blend of family solitude, true solitude, and visits. I loved having my husband home for four whole days. I’m looking forward to the winter, when snowstorms and deep cold will keep him home more often.

 

We had grapefruit and Greek yogurt for breakfast with just a bit of coffee for me and a big mug for Seth, who needs it on the long drive to work. Looking at Yarrow this morning, I realize she’s had another growth spurt, the nightdress she was tripping over at the beginning of the month is at her ankles. She will not eat yogurt plain, I have to add honey or raspberry jam. I’m sure she’d love it if I added both, but I won’t.

Today we’re making her ‘healing salve’ olive oil steeped in comfrey, oatmeal, and calendula (I’m so proud that the comfrey and calendula are from our own garden this year!), coconut oil, and beeswax. I made a basic oil and beeswax salve on Saturday, but winter weather requires a bit of skin support, for us as well as Yarrow, and this salve is a delight. Later, I’m hoping to bake a bit, and wash the left over dishes. I’m saving the big baking for the end of this week, when Yarrow’s Bushia comes up for a surprise visit. We weren’t expecting to see her until Christmas, but Yarrow is craving some grandmother love, and I would love to show off my kitchen! I’ve borrowed my mother-in-law’s “Baking with Julia” book, which is a fantastic baking companion. I’m actually hoping my husband will get me a copy for Christmas (used - to avoid supporting some of her more problematic organizations) and I’ll be able to bake my way through popovers, cakes, croissants, and breads.

While Yarrow naps this afternoon I’ll be working on Christmas gifts: a red cashmere dress for her to wear at midnight mass (from a turtleneck I found at the thrift store), an Infant of Prague soft doll (because she loves him so very much), and some stocking stuffers for my husband. We are putting a lot into Christmas this year, more handmade gifts, actually sending out cards this year, and doing an advent calendar of our own. I feel so much of a desire to spread out a bit in our life, and share the beauty.

November nights are long and dark, with bright stars and cold winds. We have the lamps lit before five and the stove burns all day. I make a lot of soups and go to bed early. Today we are at the local cafe, burning off the post election hangover with breves and chocolate. I don’t like elections. I don’t like what they do to people.

 

We’ve had a busy past few days. The stove-pipe is capped for the first time in our life in the yurt. The stove-pipe is all new as well, my hope is that capped and with a special anti-creosote powder, it will last longer and burn more effectively. We have another cord of wood piled next to the house, a freezer (as-yet unhooked up) tarped in beside the kitchen - my husband will have to build it it’s own little home attached to the building - it’s that massive! The pigs are eating more and more, we have a little shelter for them again, to protect them from the storm that is supposed to bring us a “wintery-mix” starting this evening. The garden is partially put to bed, but more needs to be done, if only the ground would soften again! There are always so many tasks, and the never-ending cleaning and cooking that are my daily distraction from the bigger things.

But I’m trying to plan ahead for Christmas this month. I’m hoping to get Yarrow a doll, and make her a soft, infant of Prague little hug-able doll, since she loves hugging and carrying around the statues of him so very much! And I’m determined, this year, to actually send out Christmas cards. We have good intentions every year, and every year we fail. This Christmas will be different!