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May 2007

April 2007

Fun stuff for the Sewing Room

Ppfspools

A girlfriend of mine and I decided to take Saturday morning to go garage sale-ing and antiquing.  What fun!  Especially when Saturday bloomed into one of the most beautiful days so far this icky spring.  :) 

Ppfvase

Of course I have to share my finds.... Although the drop leaf table and 4 chairs (a steal at $120!) is still at the store... I didn't want to use up all the space in my vehicle in one shot.  I do have to refinish that project and I am still wondering what color it will be.  I may have to experiment in photoshop before we get down and dirty with it.

Ppfshoepin

Anyway, like I said it was a wonderful day.  Flowers were blooming. (Again, after our horrible late frost that killed EVERYTHING!)  Lots of people were out.  Everyone we ran into wanted to chat.  It was lovely.  We met a shop owner who has let some buyers leave their purchased items in her store for 3 months while they refinish their old building.  We met a mom who loves to sew, but only curtains and such, despite having inherited no less than three high end sewing machines from her artisan mother.  Everyone seemed surprised that I sew and craft... like at 35 I am too young to know how or even want to.  Strange.  At any rate, we chatted and purchased our way through the morning.

Ppfmccalls 

I even picked up an old McCalls sewing book (c. 1971) with darling pics and illustrations.  It's really quite instructive.  Plus, the gal on the front has this bemused expression.   Something like, Buy this book and you, too, can have your husband hem your (curtain-inspired-fabric) dresses.  I hope he hurries, because I think I need more mascara!

Ppfmccalls2


meet jocelyn

This is my Jocelyn baby quilt, named apropriately for the preggo recipient.  Isn't she lovely?  I'm really liking how the amy butler belle fabrics are blending so nicely with my thrifty pink chenille!Joc1

Here's a closeup of one of the yo-yos I'm going to applique on top of the quilted stripes.  Doesn't it look like you could eat it?  Like bubble gum.  Sweet!

Joc2   


inspiration!

I have been inspired by this sweet little doll quilt made by moving hands as a gift for her friend.  Perfect application for my new sunny fabrics that are going to become baby gifts for friends of my own... although it feels a bit structured for my funky bathrobe chenille... mmmm.  Maybe an applique as well?

*sigh* Too much work today to start on that project.  If only crafting could pay the bills!  :)


passing it on

My daughter and I had an impromptu bag making session yesterday.  I had picked up Lotta Jansdotter's book last week and we were inspired by her simple and stylish tote bags.

So rather than let her waste the day away whilst watching TV, (GAH!) we dragged out all my fabric and played with the colors and textures.  It was fun to see her intuitively pass over lightweight blousy fabrics and focus on finding something sturdy.  Already practical!  That didn't keep her from falling in love with a sweet chinese water color blouse print that I had bought a while back and never used.  Couldn't pass up the rich colors!  Anyway, we decided that it might work as a ruffle on the edge of the bag, so she might be able to use it after all.

Natural Canvas, a fat quarter green blend, and our fancy Chinese print in tow, we trekked downstairs and began our little 3 hour project.  Et Voila!

Bag1 

Bag2
I just couldn't resist binding the seams with the green fab and adding a little hanging pocket for her iPod.  Her machine skills are a little shaky, but I blamed it on my old Brother needing a tune up.  ;)  She was so pleased with herself. 

And I was, too.  Because more than the bag, she got a few hours with mom without her little sister and made progress towards her dream of design...  I love that my daughters will sew, too.


yummy enough to eat

I am very lucky to have a nice goodwill store not too far from me.  Over the years I have picked up a LOT of fun things there.  I have only recently decided that I need to consider it a great fabric resource as well. 

So yesterday I stopped in and happened upon:

Thrift1

And also:

Thrift2

-- a whole blouse in this fun silky fabric with rhinestone buttons.  Score!

Now the pink chenille is actually a yummy soft XL bathrobe that is going to work perfectly for those aforementioned baby blankets.  The embroidered pillowcase is really sweet.  That stichwork may end up on a blanket too... The yellow pillowcase was just too had to pass up.  It felt like it had never been washed even, and it may work for making ruffles.   We'll see! 


new yummy fabrics

Fabnew_2

A little amy butler, of course, and some erin michael/moda and an alexander henry.  Not 100% sure what it's all going to become, but I've got several preggo friends right now who need nothing more than ANOTHER baby blanket.  The flowery moda, of course, is set to play a role in my new sitting and sewing room, and the mustard geometric is a coordinating print that I'll probably use in there as well.  The cherry cheeries and birdies might need to become an apron...

I also stopped by the goodwill store today and found some treasures.  I'll post them in a bit.  HINT: Chenille is involved.  OOooohhhh!


A new frock

Mom used to make so many of my clothes.  I remember the hum of her old aqua blue Singer (the one I took to college so I could shorten and taper my jeans), and the trunk of fabric remnants.  The crinkle of pattern paper and the instructions she would tape on the wall next to her machine.  I'm feeling wistful these days, with two daughters of my own and, although it's been a while since I sewed anything that wasn't home decor or a costume, I made this for little Isabel.  The ric-rac and floral fabric reminded me outfits I wore in so many pictures from my childhood.

Dress5


Starting Fresh

Pink Picket Fence.  Don't know why I chose that name, but it seems to suit me ok.  I've been inspired a lot lately by things I have seen online, children living in my own home, and the random unexpected beauty of everyday life. 

So... here I go.