Back in Business!

Ok, so that was a bummer. Even though it ended up being a very simple fix, it took several people, countless emails, and more than a week to get the Magpie Patterns web site back to its old self.

{Can I just say that I am very excited for the new site to be ready? Yep.}

Thanks to everyone for your patience this past week!

And now, back to the business of making great stuff!

Happy crafting!

Web Site Woes

My apologies to all of you wonderful crafty birds who have been trying in vain to place orders this past week. The web site is completely knotted up and is apparently not accepting any orders. Lovely.

So, until I can figure out what's going on, I just wanted to let you know that I can process orders through Paypal. Send me a note with a list of the patterns you're interested in and your whereabouts (so I can calculate shipping charges if they apply), and I'll get a Paypal invoice out to you right quick.

Happy crafting!

A Little Simplicity

Sometimes I just love an intricate pattern. Don't you? Something that challenges my craft-ability. Something that really makes me think and demands my full attention. Those are the kind of projects that I imagine protect us from dementia in old age. Workouts for our brains, you know?

And other times, well, other times it's summer. And when that happens I think a little simplicity is just thing.

Or, as my mom is fond of saying, "Sometimes it's nice to let the yarn do the work."

From Magnolia Handspun

Yes, sometimes it is.

Bridget Cowl from Elena Rosenberg

Featherweight Cardigan by Knitbot

So for the weekend, how about putting the fabric and the yarn on heavy-lifting duty? Find something luscious and use it for a really simple project! {Which you can work on while watching the kids run through the sprinkler, sipping your lightly sweetened iced green tea with a touch of lime, and enjoying the dappled shade beneath the apple tree in your backyard.}

Fabric by Nani Iro from Matabai

Double Dutch Skirt by Owly Baby

Grocery Bag by Keyka Lou

Doesn't that sound lovely?

Oh! And don't forget to give the fathers in your life a kiss on Sunday!

Happy crafting!

Finding Time

So I'm wondering, do any of you ever feel like no matter how hard you look, you just can't find any time for crafting (or, fill in the blank with your favorite down-time activity)? I mean, it's not just me, right?

Before busy baby Norah joined the family I was pretty good at locating an hour or two here and there for myself. Granted, I often used that time to make stuff for my kids, but it was definitely a choice I was making (which is not how I see laundry, mopping, or cleaning up the kitchen).

But these days, I feel like I could look my day up and down and never happen upon an extra 20 minutes.

So, clearly, I need to stop looking and start making! I've found some great advice about making time for yourself (to knit, sew, read, whatever) and thought I'd pass it on. Just in case your day isn't as flush with free time as you'd like either!

I love this post on A Little Hut. Particularly the idea of asking for free time as a gift. Brilliant.

In this post on Down to Earth, Rhonda makes a great point about feeling guilty when we take time for crafting (or rather, not feeling guilty).

This post on Knitting Daily has some great ideas about getting organized and inspired, which will naturally lead to more time for crafts...right?

Divine Caroline offers a few practical tips for sewing in this post.

And perhaps my favorite post about making time for crafts is over on Whipstitch. {I think I threw my fist in the air with a renewed sense of power after reading it. I'm worth it! Good stuff.}

Happy crafting!

Oh my.

I've just added some new patterns to the shop from Brooklyn Tweed and I'm finding myself a bit, um, distracted by them.

See, it's (finally!) summer here and so I was thinking I'd focus on sewing sundresses and board shorts (check out Rae's—so cute!), sun hats and beach blankets. Maybe do a little summer knitting with the luvinthemommyhood knit-along. You know, good, summery crafts.

These new patterns aren't particularly summery, but man, do I want to start on them today. Take a look:

Shale Baby Blanket

Celes Stole

Rock Island Shawl

Brownstone

Girasole Shawl and Blanket

See what I mean? Irresistible.

Happy knitting!

A Summer Sweater Knit-Along

The lovely and fabulous Shannon of luvinthemommyhood has put together a very cool summer knit-along over on her superb blog and of course I am all for that!

If you'd like a little cyber-company in your knitting this summer and you're looking for something fun to make, this just might be the event for you.

Everyone will be knitting Knitbot's completely awesome Effortless Cardigan:

Which is a great choice for beginners and experienced knitters alike. Hannah's easy-to-follow instructions and uncomplicated style make it a great project for everyone.

The knit-along will run from June 15 (so there's still time to sign up, get your pattern—which you can do here—and pick out your yarn) until September 1 (giving you just enough time to knit, knit, knit and have your finished sweater ready for the cooler weather).

Along the way you can share your progress in the luvinthemommyhood flickr group.

And I hear {ahem} that there will be lots of lovely prizes at the end. How fun!

Happy knitting!

Feeling Inspired!

Portland is in full bloom right now and let me tell you, it's a lovely sight.

{via Decor8}

Really, I almost stopped at a house with the most gorgeous red poppies I have ever seen just so I could find out where they came from.

{via Quadratiges}

And you should see my neighbor's pale pink peonies! Simply beautiful.

And then there is the absolutely perfect yellow rose in our front yard. The poor bush needs a little more care than it has been getting {ahem} but despite the neglect it is producing the most luscious yellow blooms on our street.

{via Kerri Rodenbaugh}

So, why all the ramblings about flowers, you might ask. Well, I don't know about you, but I am remarkably influenced by color. Indeed. I've been known (on countless occasions, in fact) to choose yarn for a project based entirely on color (with utter disregard for other important qualities, like weight). Yep. And I've been trolling fabric shops for years looking for that perfect yellow that my darling rose bush produces with such ease.

{via Meadowbrook Farm}

And right now I walk around the city and think up projects based on the color of flowers! You'd think I'd take that happy flower appreciation and spend a little time with my garden, but instead my head is swirling with potential dresses for the girls in pale-peony-pink, new curtains for the family room in front-yard-rose-yellow, and a lightweight summer sweater in perfect-poppy-red. What can I say?

{via Tumblr}

Don't get me wrong, I'm a happily dedicated gardener. Honestly. But oh how I love to make things!

Happy making things!

Tunics!

I'm thinking that my closet is sorely lacking in completely awesome, lightweight summer tunics. Good thing I know just how to fix that!

Ok, so usually I sew for my kids. A couple reasons: 1) Kids patterns are often so, so cute. 2) Everything looks good on my cute kids (with a few minor, nothing-could-save-them mama-made-failures). Hmm, and ok, one more: 3) I'm a little chicken to sew for myself.

However, I'm feeling quite brave these days and ready for a new infusion of awesomeness in my own wardrobe, so I've been surfing Pinterest for inspiration. And of course, there's plenty. Here are some of my favorite tunics that I will dutifully try to replicate in some fashion this summer...

Scrunched Floral Tunic from Free People

Alfresco Tunic from Anthropologie

Saltwater Blouse also from Antrhopologie

Tunic with Jabot by CharlotteCarotte

And maybe even something a tad complex:

Tunic from Johnny Was

And of course the ever-fabulous Emerson Made Ribbons tunic from this post.

Ought to be some fun stuff, don't you think?
Happy sewing!

Technically It's Still Spring, So...

Here's a super cute new Spring Ribbed Cardigan pattern from Knitbot!

And, just in case you're not a speed knitter, or Spring is a bit more like summer where you live, it would make a great Fall sweater too, don't you think?

Happy knitting!

Weekend Stitching

I've got a sweet new pattern for you in case you wanted to do a little weekend stitching:

Sailing Polar Bear by Nicole Vos van Avezathe

How cute is that? Wouldn't it be sweet on a pillow in a child's room? And you could certainly stitch it up in no time—no matter what you put it on!

Happy stitching!

Feeling Inspired!

I had a very stittchy weekend—some embroidery, some knitting, even a little bit of sewing. All three of my kids were sick (again! sheesh!) so we were housebound. And the only nice thing about being housebound with three sick kids is the chance to catch up on my stitching!

Which, I have to say, wasn't so bad.

And of course I spent a little bit of time searching out inspiration when I wasn't actually working on anything.

Here's a bit of what I found while the kids slept, watched Pingu, or sipped hot tea:

The completely awesome Ribbons Tunic by EmersonMade

Doodle Stitching by Aimee Ray

Spring Sheets by Alicia Paulson

From the Amimono Knit Collection 2010

Duvet and pillow from Little Auggie

Runny noses, fevers and sore throats are always easier to handle with a little crafting, don't you think?

Happy Wednesday!