goin' to the chapel

It worked! My little brother is a married man, and I have a new little sister. Can I still say "little brother" even though everyone in my family is taller than I am? I guess I should say "younger brother."

At the rehearsal on Friday night, we bonded with the church coordinator over her Gryffindor lanyard. Christopher was even wearing his Gryffindor tie from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. He's grown up enough to get married, and fun enough to wear a Gryffindor tie to his rehearsal. Such an awesome brother.

The rehearsal dinner was held at one of my parents favorite restaurants, which used to be a library. My sister Kelsey put together an awesome video of Christopher and Emily's childhood photos that made everyone a little weepy. We gathered around to watch the video before dinner.

If you notice Christopher's rugged stubble in this photo and are wondering if he shaved for the wedding, the answer is no. Apparently he and Emily have run experiments to determine the length of facial hair growth at which he looks most handsome. Results show that 2.5 days results in optimal scruff, so he shaved Wednesday night before the wedding.

Saturday morning, the ladies woke up bright and early to begin the beautification process. The salon worked their magic on four bridesmaids, two moms, and one exquisite bride. Emily even managed to eat some fruit and chicken salad, which is required by law to be served at all gatherings of three or more women.

The beautiful wedding ceremony was followed by a limo ride to a nearby park for photos. We enjoyed a little champagne on the way!

The reception was held at a 150-year-old mill converted into a banquet center. I can't wait to see the wedding photos; I'm sure they'll look stunning against the brick backgrounds. The most popular part of the reception was definitely the photo booth. People were waiting in line to don the silly hats and glasses and take their snapshots for the guest book.

Sunday morning, my parents hosted a brunch for almost 60 people! Towards the end, Christopher and Emily opened their gifts including the knit hedgehog ornament I made. They have a little pet hedgie named Watson, so I just couldn't help myself.

This is the second hedgehog I've made from the Little Cotton Rabbits pattern. The first one lives upstairs in the craft room as a pin cushion. Details on my Ravelry page. (The wedding bunny I knit was also a LCR pattern.)

Congratulations, Christopher and Emily! Enjoy the honeymoon and every day afterwards!

the smallest one was madeline

Happy Halloween! My Madeline costume was a success... several people recognized me right away, including one little trick-or-treater (whom I rewarded with extra candy).

The costume consists of a dress, capelet, and hat. I prefer to make my own patterns, so I usually start with several yards of cheap muslin and make a practice piece. Zippers and fasteners would complicate the dress construction process, so I traced a simple tunic that pulls over my head. After making one out of muslin to ensure proper fit, I cut, seamed, and hemmed the same pieces in blue fabric. The front has a faux seam with buttons sewn on to look more like a real dress or coat.

The capelet is a large circle of fabric with a head hole, white collar, and red ribbon tie. While finishing the cape and the dress neckline, I decided that hemming curved edges is officially my least favorite of all sewing tasks. All the little pin pricks in my fingertips concur.

The cap is a felt sailor hat, again of my own design. This is my first attempt at making a hat... I would definitely change some things if I made a second one, but I think it completes the Madeline look nicely.

We spent Halloween at home for the first time this year, and I was pleasantly surprised with the number of trick-or-treaters. I'm glad I bought enough candy! Dan's parents arrived late in the evening for a weekend visit. Since his grandparents moved to assisted living recently, his parents brought us some rugs, furniture, and decorations that needed a new home. I'm so happy to replace my cheap, scratchy rug, but I'll have to be more careful not to drop food when I eat at the coffee table now! We had a fun weekend bowling and watching football before they had to leave on Sunday. It was a short visit, but we'll get to see them again in just a few weeks for Thanksgiving!