Brindille & Twig Bodysuits version 1 and 2

Before I get to these ...

I'm going to start with a list. 

I really like lists. I make them in my head when walking around. I am most likely to hand you something written in list form. I make multiple lists per day on scratch paper I find in my house. Even simple things like "do laundry" or "unload the dishwasher" get listed because checking off things from a list is satisfying to me. It keeps me focused and goal oriented and so I think it'll help me expand in my writing here on the blog as well.
So here goes my first list, I think you will all need it as much as I do.

 5 Reasons Why Winter Isn't Total Hell:

1. Our wood burning fireplace. If winter never came, I'd never get to sit near the fire and nurse the baby or have the smell of burning wood in our house. Our dinners wouldn't be spent staring at it happily while we chat, and there would be no running joke about how terrible I am compared to dad at building a proper fire. 

2. Embroidery. I spoke of it in my last post, so this one shouldn't be a surprise. I tend to curl up and watch tv with my embroidery in the winter.  If the weather was warm all year round, I'd never leave my patio or my vodka lemonades and bother stitching pretty little things. 

3. Time for Planning. Winter gives me the needed time to plan what will go in our garden and to really get excited about the upcoming Spring. I think that if I didn't miss warm weather so much, I wouldn't appreciate it with such a passion. I'd become complacent of it, take it for granted, and wouldn't utilize each glorious day to it's fullest potential. Or so I tell myself to make it through frigid winters. 

4. Snuggling. It's actually really nice to do when it's cold. Not so much when it's a sweltering 90 degrees outside.  So for my snuggle sides sake, let it snow. 

5. Let's call this reason Winter Foods. Ham and bean soup, beef and barley soup, chili, homemade breads, baked sweet potatoes, and so many more. The foods that come with cold weather are certainly one of my favorites. I appreciate them infinitely more when I'm looking to warm myself up. And really, lets not ditch the Winter Drinks on the kudos. Special treats like hot cocoa, apple cider, and egg nog score big points at our house too. 

Writing that down actually made me hate Winter just a little less. 

Not much, but it's a start.  

Another great thing about Winter is that I'm able to really get in my sewing room and spend an entire lazy Sunday sewing up anything I want. Our activities slow down drastically, it's a bit of a needed break. This long weekend due to New Years gave me some extra sewing time, and luckily in that exact time Melissa from Brindille and Twig Released her new Bodysuit Dress. I was browsing my email and came across the sale. I use the Footie leggings, Raglan top, and Free Hooded Raglan Sweatshirt pattern all the time and am a huge fan of her work. So, I snagged the pattern and spent today playing with it. 

First I grabbed a couple of fabrics I've used quite a bit just to see how the pattern went together. I really like the ease of all of her stuff. I will say- I've had such a difficult time with patterns that involve snaps. I've used them countless times, but they just don't go on perfectly and it really bothers me. And sometimes, if the fabric isn't really sturdy, I find the snaps rip right through it. That, of course, isn't a problem with the pattern per se, but still worth noting. I like how this version looks like a sweater top and a skirt rather than a one piece bodysuit. 

The next one I did was a bit less girly. I chose a thick striped black and white knit purchased from girl charlee. While I've gotten some awesome fabric from the store, this one didn't wash up as lovely as the others. The black dulled a little and it got a bit fuzzy. 

Regardless, I had fun playing with the stripes and creating the bowtie & studded neckline.
I'm also excited to start shopping for some new & fun knits for Spring sewing.

On that note, I better get to making one of those delicious winter meals I keep thinking about. Stay warm and I'll see you all next time.