Chocolate is a great motivator

So the two amigos and I have a problem getting motivated. Which is horrible since we all have small kids that need garb and need it like.. NOW.
As I was chatting with Hastings we decided to  motivate each other and had Andrea jump in when she got online.

The challenge:
Do make as much headway on your kids garb during "school hours" (they are both pretty close to stay at home moms but I work in the evening). The winner would be gifted chocolate by the other two.

Lyvy in her Skjold hood

And we were off!!

I patterned Lyvys Skjold hood and worked out some of the kinks, its all ready to be cut out of my now raspberry ish wool flannel which fulled very very nicely but still isn't as super soft as I'd prefer so it will get a lining most likely, though very very small amounts of it will actually touch her skin, so we'll see..

So far she kept it on for the most part but we'll see how the finished project goes.

After I got that all patterned, I moved on to a tunic, crossover coat and pair of salwar. I made calculation error while getting her crossover coat made up, but I think I can fix it with some snaps which of course will help out even more for when it comes to her being active toddler type.

In the end all three of us did about the same amount of work and so we're going to exchange chocolate on our next get together.

Sometimes its just a little friendly competition to get us going, especially with the thought of reward.

Im craft challenged.

Yeah that's correct. Sometimes I have to do use odd methods to understand what my end result is going to be or look like, especially when I haven't seen the product in person.
So I decide to start out with a Skoldehamn Hood for alyvia for the hat challenge. THL Sofi the crabby (who really isn't crabby) taught a make and take at FP last week. But since I was at work I missed out.
I've been pouring over the Notes and all the stuff I can find online (mostly here Sjkold hood -- which has the example pattern)  but still just couldn't wrap my head around how it would actually all go together.
So I made a paper mock up.
Okay I'll admit that sometimes my methods are a bit odd to even me, but once I cut the pieces out (not to scale mind you) and started taping them together suddenly it seemed to make sense. "Wow those pieces really are intended to go together" and suddenly I went from the paper diagram on the left to the wee bitty paper hood on the right.
I've decided a few things as well:

• I will make some viking whipcord and use it as a drawstring in the hood area. This of course will also be useful depending on how thick my wool fells out after washing.  But this will be pretty helpful with keeping it on the munchkin.
• I'm going to make two front gores and layer them on top of each other so I can attach buttons to it. I think having it completely open in the front, being able to button once its on, will be easier to get a squirming toddler in and out of rather than an over the head opening. Guess we'll see huh?
• I kept debating all day what I wanted the embroidered viking runes to say. Finally figured that out last night when I was at work. "Be warned. My daddy carries a big sword" Which has of course gained approval from the boyfriend. 
• This will be out of the red wool I bought on a whim (I got it as a remnant from Renaissance Fabric which has pretty good deals for scraps -- Think I paid like maybe 5 bucks for a yard?) and I'm trying to decide what color the embroidery will be.. Crystal aka Jaqueline offered up some of her private stash wool for a  guegal with dagging for the Lyvy. I might take her up on it after a time but this is much easier and simple so I figured I'd give it a shot this way.
• I'm still trying to figure out what OTHER embroidery I should add to it. Suggestions have been Pinky the poodle, and sharkum bear..