Ghosts, Skeletons, and Jack-o-lanterns

Just returned from baby sitting John and Maggie in Charleston while Alicia went on a "girls only" retreat to Myrtle Beach for a few days.  Before I left, I had a few things that needed to be appliqued and sewn up.

Here is a pair of pants for John.  This material is corduroy with what looks like embroidered labs all over it.  I actually cut these out last year, had them partially made, and for whatever reason didn't get them finished.  Thank goodness John will be able to wear them a month or so before his long legs outgrow them.  We were a little worried that they wouldn't fit length-wise.

 
Maggie needed a long-sleeve knit shirt with her monogram on the front.  Alicia bought the little shirt and I just did the monogram on it.

 
Ghosts, skeletons, and jack-o-lanterns were a must before I headed out to Charleston so the little ones would have them for Halloween.

 
Again, Alicia bought the t-shirts.  John wanted a skeleton on his (which was very difficult cutting around those bones for the applique, by the way).  Angela wanted a pumpkin face on Nathan's orange t-shirt.  Now for Maggie's jumper----it's reversible (I'll show you the other side below).  there is a little story behind the jumper.  Maggie had one like this last year and it was too short.  I had a Children's Corner pattern exactly like it, so I made the new jumper a size larger and cut the original appliques from the old jumper and zigzaged them in place.  The ghost side is a back and white gingham with black buttons and the reverse side is for Thanksgiving (thus the turkey) and made with orange and white gingham with covered buttons.  Here's the reverse side:

 

I couldn't decide what knitting UFO I wanted to work on while in Charleston so I took four different project bags and made the decision once I got there.  The winner was the Bellevue cardigan by Laura Chau.  I am about to finish the neck decreases and then will have only a few more arm decreases.  I've never finished arms like this before; and, I must say, I like it.  Great technique:  start out with raglan decreases and changed to what ends up looking like a set-in sleeve.  I'll do another one like this with a longer sleeve and a longer bodice.  Here you can see how the sleeve is going:

 
I only have one more skein of yarn left, so I'm crossing my fingers that I will have enough.  I would certainly hate to rip this all out because I didn't have enough.

As for John's vest-----I'm almost finished with the decreases along the neck edge.  Not very much longer before I start with the zippers----------