a little inspiration

I had no idea I was choosing a fabric that so perfectly matches my hair.  I am fairly certain that isn't what most fashion editors would suggest.   However, it is very pretty and very, very soft and cozy.  This is the Cinema Dress by Liesl and Co .  I am pretty sure I bought the pattern the day it came out.  I had just finished the girl's version for Anjali.  I've yet to get a good picture of her in it as she is always so busy. The fitting on the bodice of this dress is perfect me.  The side view is a little wider than I would go for off the rack but I think the front and back views make up for it.  The only thing I changed was sizing down two whole sizes.  I don't need 4 inches of ease in the bust for a dress with princess seams.  Oh, and I omitted the notch at the neckline in this version.  Just because Anjali is very grabby and I don't want to make it any easier for her to get her hand in my shirt.... :) I als...

I have to figure out a better way to take pictures of completed garments.  It is tough to find a place where the light is good and the background is uncluttered enough.  All out walls have pictures hanging. This is the tunic length of the raglan sleeved shirt from Simple Modern Sewing.  I've used this book a lot over the years.  I took an inch out of the front but otherwise it is pretty much as written. I have another one cut but just realized I cut one sleeve backwards.  I'm not sure there is a good remedy for it as I am out of fabric. I finished this on the 2nd.  First item of the year.

I'm a little knitting obsessed right now.  I just don't seem to be able to stop.  This morning I finished another Barley for John and already I've started a Clayoquot for Anjali.   Today is slightly cool and over cast.  I have several hours of work to do while the apartment is empty.  And, of course, I had to start a new project?  Clearly, there is something just a little bit wrong with me. Before either of those hats there was a sweater for Anjali completed.  I really love the patterns from Tin Can Knits (could you tell?) Even as a total novice knitter I feel empowered to start color work and pick up stitches and use DPN's like I know what I am doing.  This sweater didn't come out perfect (nothing has yet! :) but it is perfectly wearable and fits her great.  Cute as a button if I do say so myself. I made her the 2-4 year old size with shorted sleeves.  I'm hoping she'll be able to wear it next year with the sleeves at 3/4 ...

A few weeks ago I decided I needed to go to the Oliver + S website and look at patterns.  Clearly a bad idea as I wanted to buy most of them.  Especially enticing was the t-shirt family pack.  A pattern for everyone in the family?  Yes, please. I put the women's together in about three naps.  Next time it will only take two since the pattern is already cut and taped.  It was really simple.  I thought the neck was too tight at first but it is very comfortable on.  I also freaked out a bit when putting the sleeves on and matching the curves but then I remembered reading something about attaching knit sleeves on the Collette blog.  I can't find the link now but it mentioned dividing the stitches in half and starting at the top of shoulder and heading towards the armpit for each side.  Suddenly it was easy.  A very satisfying little project. The fabric is more vintage who knows what from who knows where.  I didn'...

I've been working on this dress since March.  Intermittently, slowly.  Trying to do things as well as possible instead of my usual rush job. I even made a muslin and decided to size down, knowing this satin would show every crinkle where the fit was wrong.  I am looking forward to finishing the muslin into something wearable too.  It'll be fine a size up in a light weight woven stripe.  I've put it off because of the buttons I think...  There are a lot of buttons. This is Colette Patterns again .  They really write a beautiful pattern.  I want to go back and put smaller buttons on the collar to convince it to stay down on both ends and up the men's wear details on it.  I didn't have time to get matching buttons before the wedding when I realized that the collar just wasn't going to behave.  When my mother in law asked me to be in her wedding I knew I had to find something special.  Something pretty and simple and that I...

It strikes me as ironic that I finally made a perfectly serviceable nursing dress the week before I decided that I was done nursing.  I've been working on this dress in my head for the last 5 years.  (I know, it is awfully simple to have taken that long!!) I love nursing my babies but somewhere around 14-16 months I'm totally over it.  When the teeth come out and the baby becomes the distracted toddler I'm done.  And I miss dresses!  This time, all done.   Dress A is a blank slate tank dress.  My favorite shift style.  I lowered the neckline and notched it and added a button.  I added patch pockets.  On the next one I will omit the notch and put the pockets in the seam.  I am also thinking of adding a draw string waist.  Because of the pockets on this one you can't really belt it. But I don't mind.  No one is going to call me sexy in it (and some people might think I am hiding something.  No more babies here tho...

I could hardly resist the title.  Two is not quite enough for a flock but perhaps three will be.  Moving two sizes down from the last Tiny Pocket Tank  I found a nearly perfect fit.  And I was a little surprised (though I had been looking at them both for many days thinking of these tanks) to discover I had picked two bird printed fabrics. This one is vintage from a gifted stash.  The binding is part of the immense amount I got at the beginning of my sewing all those years ago.  This shirt cost me nothing but time to make. There was exactly the right amount of the binding to do the neckline.  If I do say so myself, I think it is very anthro.  I still want to drop the darts an inch.  These children have certainly rearranged my body but I am getting used to it and trying not to mind too much.  All part of growing up, accepting the changes for what they are instead of fighting back so hard. Also, perhaps it is time to clean my...

I am still sewing over here.  Does anyone come here to see those kinds of things anymore?  It has been a while since I was able to share anything about making things.  It is an interesting place to be, moving so much out of my life and loving a craft that creates more stuff.  The Cooper bag is still going strong after a couple months constant use.  I love it and my husband doesn't even mind carrying it. Most crafters have a "stash."  This is just a nicer word to use than hoard I think.  At least, in my case.  I'm struggling to figure out how to balance.  My goal for the rest of this year is to only use fabric I already have.  I can buy a pattern or the notions but no more fabric for a little while.  I have many ideas about what I'd like to create in the coming weeks and months, especially since I am trying to set up a capsule wardrobe. In trying to start this right away I noticed that there is a huge imbalance in my clos...

Next up? Minimalism.   This is an exciting topic to me, one with many, many branches and sprouts growing off of it. I hope you'll explore it with me. At the time that we moved from the first house we rented in Asheville to the apartment we are in now we threw out so much stuff I can't even begin to describe it all.  I wish there was a picture.  A 12 foot box truck would have been full.  And this was after a move just one year before!  Some of it was forced because of a moldy basement and some of it was baby things outgrown, but much of it was just too much stuff.  Too much!! I am the type of person who remembers where almost everything in my house came from.  I know which of Anjali's clothes came from which person, I think of them every time she wears them.  I know who gave us the shower curtain for our wedding (10! years ago) and think of them when I see it.  I remember who sent each toy, where I bought each shirt and piece ...

I must tell you I am still quite perplexed to find myself with a One year old baby.  How has this happened?  How could she still seem so small and baby-like ?  I am not sure if I am just delusional or if Emerson actually was farther along at this age.  He was really trying to walk I think, and that makes a difference.  Also, there wasn't a 4.75 year old to compare him to.  I know that makes her seem smaller. She is a delightful creature.  Full of smiles and jokes.  Easily frustrated and easily calmed. This was made using the same pattern for the hedgehog dress .  I still didn't cut the front and back pieces in two, just added a little extra in the front to make the gather.  Emerson picked the shoulder buttons and I came across these felt buttons I have had since E turned one.  I put them on to remind of a dog foot print as our party was, of course, a wolf party. I made this hoping it would be her birthday dress but it...

We all made it through the procedure on Monday morning.  I will not was that it was easy.  I do feel very strongly that it was the right choice.  Dr Hahn did also find a posterior tongue tie so we had both the lip and tongue lasered.   Papa held her while they did it and I was glad.  Afterwards she nursed and went to sleep pretty fast.  I was a shaky mess.  It was a lot uglier to watch than I expected as they had to go pretty deep.  I've had surgery in my own mouth a couple times, but I had never watched .  Emerson has had several mouth/lip traumas in his short life which have been hard, but nothing like taking a happy baby and holding her still through something that hurts. Anyway, she is doing really well now and has been smiling and very much like herself since the evening afterwards.  Nursing is better already and I am betting with time will get even better. Here she is wearing pants I made after seeing this post. ...

After completing my goals (or as close as I was going to get with that bag) I realized I had a few minutes before we went to dinner.  What could better than a new skirt to wear out?  This skirt came together in about 20 minutes.  I used an old skirt and as the pattern and cut and sewed it in no time at all.  I didn't get a picture of it on (of course!) but it looks and fits great (don't you just love knits?!)  I think I'll be making a few more.  This fabric cost $8 a yard and since the making was so quick I feel like another 3 or 4 would be perfect to freshen up the wardrobe with little effort or expenditure. Then after dinner I was out of fabric but Anjali was so happy I started asking for a fabric donation.  Stephanie handed me this awesome piece and I whipped out another sweet dress.  This time I folded the pleat in the opposite way.  And lime flower buttons! Oh my! After that I was pretty much toast.  This is what I looked li...

First up were the shorts for E.  I started them as soon as I arrived on Friday night.  I had edited all the ridiculous pockets and made simple patch pockets instead.  E can hardly get into a regular pants pocket anyway.  This way he can gather treasures without extra frustration.  I used the size 4 pattern and was so surprised when they fit him.  They look huge!! I got this adorable print knowing he would love every creature on it.  I want to add a strip of it to a t shirt as well.  So cute!  I hadn't measured his waist so I had to wait until I was home to finish them.  He is planning to wear them to gymnastics tomorrow even though it is only supposed to be in the 50's. That makes them a success in my book.   Next came the bag.  This turned out to be a total fail.  Giant, way too stiff to work with, nightmarish.  I think I managed to get through it with out any swearing.  I have no idea where that restraint ...

Okay people- I have a secret- I still make stuff!!  Even though I never share anything anymore.  I am still plugging away.  I have just moved to a house with very poor winter lighting.  The good news- daylight savings seems to have changed everything and I went on a Sewing Retreat somewhere else so I took pictures there! A Sewing Retreat is where you get together with some like minded ladies and stay up late and get up early to sew- mostly sans children. (I brought the  wolf baby, but she was more like a mascot than a child :)  I'd never imagined I could do something like this because I always thought it was expensive and exclusive.  Somehow, I fell into this wonderful group of ladies that meet at a church nearby every other week where child care is provided and mamas get to work on their own projects.  These ladies are generous and sweet, I never miss.  When they told me about the retreat I almost fell over.   I had lofty ambitions....

Now that we are spending all day everyday together I am working hard to get nap times in.  Mostly they happen in the car or not at all.  I try to always have something to do with me.  Crochet is so wonderfully portable. After my miscarriage I got a sweet little package in the mail from one of my best friends from high school.  (Oh, the wonder of facebook!)  It was full of yarn and what a perfect gift for hands that are always seeking to be busy. I had a hard time deciding how to use it.  It wasn't a whole lot, but it was beautiful.  I wanted to make it into something for myself but Spring was coming fast and the need for scarves and hats was almost over.  Finally, I came across this shawl pattern (ravelry link.)  It has been the perfect thing.  Warm, but not hot.  Perfect sized even for Emerson to use when he is chilly.  I wear it way more than I expected and with this chilly, rainy weather it adds just the coziness I...

I have been on it over here.  New clients, good food, crocheting and sewing.  In addition to working in my favorite two boutiques in town.  How lucky am I?  Completely. There are a number of items from the store that have made there way into my closet and it is a constant source of inspiration.  After only getting out with out the child one day a week (at most!) for well over 2 years it feels great to be picking items which are both practical for my daily adventures and fashionable.  Imagine!  And while looking good isn't so important to me philosophically, feeling confident is.  And if looking good leads there- well, there are worse things!   When new things come into doubledutch and I unpack and steam them or help write up descriptions for the website (don't mind the type o's) I find myself falling in love with so many of the pieces that it would end up with me paying them to work there if I let it get out of control.  So I tak...

Today Desi got a sweater.  She is so cold she sleeps under the covers with us.  Happily.  Zo was so much harrier!  I can see Desi's pink skin right through her hair on most of her body. I was looking on ravelry to find something new to do with the yarn I had been knitting into a sweater.  Yeah- that whole knitting thing didn't really work out for me.  Maybe the next thing I try will be smaller.  I definitely can't count :)  Here is what my sweater looks like now: As I was looking I stumbled upon the pattern for a granny square dog sweater and figured- why not?  With crochet I can easily finish something like this in a couple of hours and whala!  Here you go. Isn't she sweet?  Her transition into the household is really going well.  I even bought her some balls to play with because she is finally getting playful.  And frisky.  And she isn't too afraid of the Bug as long as he doesn't have a drum stick in his h...