You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘Sewing’ tag.
I’ve been desperately trying to follow the example of my friend Marie Grace and make Sundays all about sewing. There always seems however, to be something going on that needs my attention and so yesterday was the first Sunday that I was able to throw down roots in the craft room and say “Sewing Only!”
It went more slowly than I would have liked. This was mostly because I had to clean a path to the sewing machine and neaten up my space a bit. This is problem numero uno with having your craft room in a corner of the playroom.
I managed to finish a dress I had started a month or so ago for Oona (pics later) and I started on a simple throw quilt for the couch in a christmas-y pattern that matches my tablecloth (who doesn’t love a nice red and white toile for christmas?). All that it is composed of is two lengths of coordinating fabric with some wool batting sandwiched between and some top – stitching. No piecing to do, no applique. I am using an old “Favorite Things” pattern called “French Bedroom“.
Which brings me to my second problem with Sewing Sunday. I always seem to have “help”. Especially when working on a cozy wool – filled blanket.
See there in the background? Occasionally a paw will reach forth and grab at my work, making for slow going. Then, this happens:
He makes himself comfortable right where I need him NOT to be.
As “helpful” as all this is, it is still an improvement over his “help” earlier in the day. You see, I started off Sewing Sunday with him knocking a full glass of water into my lap as I sat at my desk getting my sewing supplies in order.
Anyway I got a fair amount of work done on the quilt before retiring to bed, where the cat promptly deposited himself on my face for the night.
The end.
I’ve been spending most of the hot days lately inside the craft room, air conditioning on full blast, sewing. I just can’t get myself to knit when it’s this brutal out. I still have piles of unfinished sewing to get to, but this is what I’ve finished up this week.
First, an Oliver & S dress for Oona.
Next up I have been working on some new pj pants for everyone. The pattern is from Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross. So far Oona and Neve’s are finished, using fabric sent to us by the always delightful Jellenp.
They’ve been wearing them non – stop and I can’t wait to finish mine so I can be all comfortable, too!
Lastly for now I am pleased to have finished my Traveler Dress from Sew Lisette. I had to make some adjustments to the pattern for it to fit properly (the waist was far too low and I had a bit of trouble with the collar) but I am really happy with how it looks on me. The fabric is from Anna Maria Horner and I just adore it.
I may have to make one in the orange version of this fabric, too.
As I mentioned last time, the kids are away this week and so the pressure is on to get things done before they get back. It’s actually more difficult than I would have thought, because with no one needing me every ten seconds I can lose myself in things for a lot longer than I probably should and before I know it I’ve spent far too long reading rather than cleaning.
It’s okay. Relaxation is good for me, too.
Yesterday I spent the day with Susan and Caroline over at the farm working on sewing projects. We had all been lusting after a dress made with this pattern, and it just so happened that I have it. We played with fabrics and zippers and sewing machines and in the end managed to finish a skirt from this Amy Butler pattern. We’re not necessarily the most productive team when we’re having too much fun enjoying each others’ company. But it was just what I needed to break up a week of sequestering myself for the purpose of house cleansing. Being around the animals and hearing the sweet “baaahs” and “maaahs” is wonderfully rejuvenating.
And now, on to the BIG news.
I will be shortly giving away 3 skeins of Noro Silk Garden RIGHT HERE to one lucky reader.
Details to come!!!!!!
Gratuitous Wren picture. Lord, I love that lamb!
This week the girls are staying with their grandparents in New York and the pressure is on to get things done!
Don’t worry, I am making sure to have plenty of relaxing down time as well. Lots of Japser – cat cuddle time is happening, lots of knitting time with Gulliver in my lap, lots of catching up on the tv I can’t watch with kids around.
BUT.
Also lots of cleaning out, throwing away, packing up for storage, weeding, steam cleaning, etc. You get the idea.
Even better, lots of knitting and sewing. I am getting ready to put the finishing touches on a strip patchwork quilt using all of my precious discontinued Heather Ross fabrics.
It’s looking better than I could have hoped, and I found a queen – sized flat sheet at WalMart that looks very similar to one of the Heather Ross polka dot fabrics. It’s doing nicely as my quilt backing.
But it won’t get done tonight.
Tonight I am taking Maddie to PF Chang’s as a belated birthday gift.
Hooray!
Susan was kind enough to let me borrow her serger last week. I had a pile of fabric scraps that were too small for any real projects and too big to throw away, so I thought “napkins”! And “dishtowels”!
The serger sat for a week before I had time to use it (newborn lambies are much more fun to play with!) but last night I sat down a sewed up a whole big pile o’ cloth napkins.
There’s no real matching sets to speak of, they’re not all exactly the same size. But I love, love, LOVE how they came out. The serged edges look so much nicer than a plain fold – over hem would.
Now I am thinking about all of the cute clothing projects I could finish up with such lovely seams!
I give you, for your dose of Halloween cuteness, Oona’s lamb costume:
Can you stand it?
I finished it last night after much cursing and breaking no less than 2 sewing machine needles.
I think she should dress like this all the time, don’t you?
I finished sewing up Maddie’s Halloween costume last night and I am rather proud, if I do say so myself. I wanted to get some pictures of her modeling it, but then I thought better of it. She’s going as a “Ventriloquist Dummy”, but wanted me to make her a corset/bustier top. I wasn’t sure how appropriate it would be to post her in it.
So, even though it doesn’t do the sewing justice, here’s what it looks like (and please look away from the liner fabric- it’s just a costume, afterall).
Still to be completed are Emily’s “Legend of Zelda” costume, Neve’s “Flamingo Princess” costume, and Oona’s Lamb costume.
I am so happy to be able to say that! This marks the first day of my favorite time of the year. It’s when I am always at my happiest and the weather at my most favorite. Before long we’ll see the leaves turning and the air will be crisp and there will be soup and bread and cookies going non – stop in my kitchen. It also means Halloween is around the corner – and we looooove Halloween here. If I can get my act together and get organized enough I may try and throw a Halloween party.
There are lots of projects going on here right now as I make my final push before home school starts next Tuesday (any my birthday on Wednesday, woohoo!). There are dresses and shirts and sweaters started for all the girls. I am actually even running out of fabric! Imagine that!!!! I’ll need to start buying more!
Among the finished projects are these:
I made each of the girls a shirt with one of our animals on it. Oona got Finnigan as a newborn. Neve got one with Jasper cat and Emily’s has Big Jim the rooster.
Each girl also got a pair of these baggy black linen capris with lace trim, from the book Carefree Clothes for Girls by Junko Okawa.
I also finished another yoga suit for Oona. I am really thinking I am going to work out a way to make this pattern for adults as well, since it looks so incredibly comfortable and flattering!
Unfortunately it has been way too hot to do much work outside. We’ve gotten some good swim time in since there’s been no rain, but I am hoping to get some yardwork done before too long. My raised garden beds need some weeding. The good news is my acorn squash is doing well…….AND the arugula I planted in the spring has re-sprouted and is growing in again! Hooray for September!
This weekend was bookended by two birthdays – Emily’s and my brother Caleb’s.
Emily turned 11 on Friday (and saying that just kills me) and spent the day swimming and enjoying a visit with her BFF Jasmine. Those two were in kindergarten together and took an immediate liking to each other. Jasmine even convinced her father and step mother to name her youngest sister Emily!
Emily & Jasmine at birthday number…..6? 7? I can’t recall.
I am still working on Emily’s petticoat skirt – I don’t think there’s enough chiffon for it, even though I ordered the 8 yards called for in the pattern. We’ll have to see how short I am and then I’ll be ordering more.
Emily’s always been my kindred spirit. She’s artistic,sensitive, emotional, an animal lover, and a knitter.
Not that I haven’t had my trying times with her. She was the only one of my children who decided that the solid matter in her diaper made a great paint for her crib and the walls. She’s also the only one of my children to ever sleep in a crib.
Emily made us grateful for modern medicine in a way we never thought we would be. When she was 5, she came down with a severe case of pneumonia / empyema that required a lengthy hospital stay and two surgeries. She still bears the scars from the drainage tubes that were attached to her for almost a week.
Emily also taught us to be better listeners. After a few weeks of telling us in a casual and funny way that she had rocks in her ears (Hey! I have rocks in my ears!!!) she went to the doctor for a bout of fever / nausea where the doctor discovered that she did, in fact, have a small rock in one of her ears.
Emily is our chicken whisperer. No one takes it harder than her when one of them is sick or injured, and no one is able to commune with them the way she can. One of our hens used to ride on her shoulder! Of course, all of the chicken wrangling and sensitivity have translated into a vow of vegetarianism. She hasn’t eaten chicken in almost a year and gave up all other meats this spring. While it’s not always easy to accommodate in this family of meat – eaters, she manages well and has our full support. Part of homeschooling her this year will involve teaching her how to prepare vegetarian meals that will fulfill her nutritional needs.
Then there is my brother, for whom I can somehow find no embarrassing childhood pictures at the moment. He’s 7 years younger than me and our relationship has not always been easy. We had some spectacular fights. Picture an incredibly clever, quick witted 6 year old who knows all of your buttons (oh wait…..I have a couple of those now….).
He’s still incredibly clever and quick – witted. He’s also one of the funniest people I know. He sings like a rock star and has way more artistic talent than I could ever dream of.
Stories and jokes he tells me always make me laugh, even months later. Sometimes no one else gets our humor, but that’s ok. We’ve grown into siblings that get each other and that has made all the difference. I love that whenever my kids do something weird, geeky or off – beat I can always say Your uncle KB would be so proud!!!
Happy birthday to two of my favoritest people. I love you both.
Ok, here’s a random, jumbled post for you.
I made a cherry pie last night with two jars of morello cherries I got from Trader Joe’s a few weeks ago. It was spectacular, if I do say so myself, and there is a very good reason for that: I tried a new crust.
For years I have only used the pie crust recipe handed down for generations in my husband’s family. And I was very happy with it. But then I saw the latest post over at Smitten Kitchen and thought that her crust just looked……irresistible.
So I tried it. And good lord, it is the best crust I have tasted in my entire life, I kid you not. I urge you all to try it immediately!
Other than pie – making I have been doing woefully little because of the massive heat wave we have been experiencing. The animals are unhappy, I am unhappy….it’s just beastly out there. Fortunately I have plenty of shade for them and I hooked up a misting attachment so they can get some moisture on them to cool off. Tomorrow is supposed to be about 100, so wish us luck with that.
Mostly I have been sitting in the A/C working on handquilting.
I started this….two years ago? Anyway it’s easy and doesn’t require much effort, which is good because seriously I just need a hammock to hang out in and take lots of long, summer afternoon naps. That’s all I want do do right now.
How about you? How are you beating the heat?
If you’re looking for good reading I highly recommend The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and its sequels.
