Feeling Inspired!

Alright. So this week, it's all about pretending I have enough time to make something as adorable as this. {As usual} there is a ton of activity around here, and I feel almost super human just getting dinner on the table these days.

However, if things were different, I would sit quietly and make a little community of these pixies (the pdf pattern can be found here, just in case your days are different):

I understand the pattern comes with two different methods for making the hair — the yarn version you see here and needle felting, which may look something like this (I'm not certain, just guessing):

Jeanne from Moulin Roty

Which would be awfully stinkin' cute too.

And oh my, have you seen these little things?

Unfortunately they aren't patterns, but you can buy them completely finished (with a wardrobe!) from Manomine in the UK. 

Isn't a little whimsy just the thing to balance all that work we do all the time?

Happy sewing!

A Simple Quilt

My younger brother welcomed his first baby into the world just last week. I haven't gotten to meet Miss Hartley yet, but I hear she's simply gorgeous, brilliant, and a good sleeper to boot!

I always try to make gifts for the new babies in our lives, and in this case I had the chance to collaborate with my mom, which made the project even more fun.

My sister-in-law asked for a quilt to match the nursery decór, which of course we were happy to provide. And because of the style of the fabric she chose, simple seemed the way to go.

Still, we wanted it to be special. So we decided to hand quilt it. That's special, right?

At first we thought we'd quilt around each animal, but that proved to be a bit overly ambitious so we settled on all of the bears. (This fabric is called Brown Bear, Brown Bear, from the book Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Eric Carle.) Which turned out super cute, if I do say so myself.

Then with a simple rainbow confetti on the back and a bright red binding we were all set.

Sometimes a simple project is just the thing, don't you think?

Happy sewing!

Sewing for Boys

So guess what arrived on my doorstep the other day. A copy of Sewing for Boys: 24 Projects to Create a Handmade Wardrobe from Patterns by Figgy's.

I love Patterns by Figgy's, and not just because they let my son model for the Dapper Dillingers pattern last spring. And not just because the patterns are well written and easy to follow. I also love them because the ladies behind the company are so, so nice. 

And then of course there's that totally cool style of theirs. Just look at these adorable patterns:

As anyone with boys knows, it's not always easy to find patterns that are cool enough to pass their high level of scrutiny. Heck, it's been hard to find patterns for boys at all until recently. 

This book delivers 24 awesome patterns in one fell swoop.

I don't have this fabulous book in the shop yet since I'm only adding new items to the new site (which is poking right along) but you can pick it up here until I have the new site up (hopefully in the next couple weeks).

Happy sewing!

Feeling Inspired!

Oh my goodness. Now this is a project I can relate to (not actually accomplish, mind you). Have any of you read the awesome blog The Sew Weekly?

Well, Mena Trott decided a couple years ago to sew all her own clothes (with a few minor exceptions). Isn't that a lovely idea? {She calls it the slow clothes movement and I totally get that. As a slow food enthusiast, I can heartily say I'm a proponent of slow in all possible forms.} And, lucky for us, she's been documenting this sewing adventure on her blog, where this week's inspiration is found.

Here are a few of my favorite Make This Look posts:

Day After Day Dress

Make Fleur Own Music Dress

Lemonade at Lunch Dress

Indigo Denim Prom Dress

Forever Lime Dress

These posts include information about where to get the patterns, fabric, and the original dress (as well as the retail price, which always puts things in perspective). While Mena doesn't go through the whole process with us, she does offer very insightful tips for working with the pattern she used. It's really just the right amount of information, in my opinion.

Seriously, I'm so inspired by this woman that I might actually, finally make a dress for myself! {Shocking, I know!}

Happy sewing!

Well, well, well...

It looks like someone decided to take a month off from blogging. Wish I could say it was because I was kicking back with a tall glass of lemonade, lazily reading a fabulous summertime novel, but alas, no. I actually don't have any explanation at all. It's just summer. And it's busy, busy, busy (isn't summer supposed to be relaxing, relaxing, relaxing?)!

One of the many lovely things we did during that little blogging hiatus is visit four different parks around Portland that are large enough to have hiking trails within their boundaries. And what did we take on our adventures? The super awesome Naturlist's Scavenger Hunt Bag from Meg's Growing Up Sew Liberated.

{Image from the book: Growing Up Sew Liberated}

And let me tell you, they were put to good use. We collected a number of treasures, which all nestled comfortably beside snack bags and canteens.

This is a fabulous pattern in a fabulous book, which I'm finally going to have in the shop as soon as the new site is up (yay!). So if you just can't wait until September (and who could blame you?) the book can be found on Meg's web site, currently offered at $2 off the regular price and with a free pattern thrown in for good measure!

Happy sewing!

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!

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!

Pretty Violet and Charming Ginger

So this is happy: two new patterns from Colette that are beginner-friendly. And adorable to boot!

Meet Violet:

A blouse with a peter pan collar that's designed for beginners? This is my kind of pattern! I still have that wedding sewing to do, but believe me, as soon as it's finished, I'm starting on this little beauty. In my opinion it's the perfect project for that Liberty of London fabric I've been drooling over for so long.

And how about this? I'm thinking I might try to pull off something like this for the collar:

{Photo via Artpixie by Anna Grapes}

Too ambitious? Ok, ok, but wait, before I get too wrapped up in this little fantasy, let's meet Ginger:

Ginger is also perfect for beginners and comes in three versions. A-lines are so flattering, and made with a luscious fabric, it's just the kind of skirt I would wear all summer.

Oh I just love a good reason to hit the fabric store. Of course, two is even better!

Happy sewing!

Natural Patchwork

Just last week or so I spied this book and thought it would be something I would like very much.

And then it arrived in the mail!

The lovely folks at Shambala Publications, parent company of Make Good Crafts + Life, the publisher of this book, sent me a review copy.

How happy is that?

And although I haven't had a chance to make anything from it yet, here's what I know: I was right. I do like it very much. And, I had thought that the cute little patchwork thing on the cover was a lunchbag but in fact it's a tea cozy. Even better!

There are lots of cute patchwork projects in the book, and happily, this Japanese collection is translated (although the diagrams are so detailed, you might be able to put these lovelies together without instructions).

Two of the projects are available on the Make Good Life + Crafts web site for free, so pop over there to download the Tea Towel Tote Bag and the Yo-Yo Glasses Case patterns. They're both darling. And free is always lovely.

Happy sewing!

In the End I Made It Up

I started with a pattern in French, which as one reader helpfully pointed out before I started the project, gets a little funky in the larger sizes; decided to make some changes (beyond the sizing issues); looked to another pattern for inspiration; did a little adjusting on my own; and eventually just made the whole thing up.

But it worked out! So that's happy!

Here's what I wanted: a sleeveless spring dress for my seven-year-old that only buttoned in the yoke (not all the way down the back). So basically I used a sleeveless dress pattern, cut two front skirts instead of a front and two backs, and altered the back yoke so that the button bands worked out alright just buttoning from the skirt up.

It's a really simple style, so it wasn't too hard to figure out how to change things around (even for me!).

But the very best part of the dress, in my humble opinion, is that fabric! Don't you think? I bought it from This and That From Japan, via Etsy (along with a number of other goodies including a Japanese craft book I can't wait to dive into), to help support relief efforts there.

Seems like a nice way to welcome in spring...

Happy sewing!

Well Hello There!

Long time no post! Sorry about that! Life is that way sometimes, isn't it?

Alright, so the plan is to make this a week of new patterns. A little sewing, a little knitting, and a little stitching. So that's good!

First up this week are the new and much-requested Oliver + S patterns for Spring...

Family Reunion Dress

Classic Picnic Blouse and Shorts

Seashore Dress

I have to admit that until yesterday Spring seemed pretty far away around here. But now! Now that the sun has come out, and the hail (that's right, hail) has stopped...well now I can think about Spring!

As crazy as it sounds, I have high hopes for sewing a lot of the kids summer clothes this year, so you know I'll be testing these adorable patterns out. In fact, I've already started on the Family Reunion Dress for my seven-year-old, for the afore mentioned wedding. So far so good, but I'll keep you all posted as the project progresses.

Happy sewing!

We Are All in the Wedding

And how fun is that?

My husband's baby sister (who is now a fully mature 27) is getting married in a little more than a month (eek!) and our whole little family is in the wedding!

Hubs gets to look debonair in a tux and my sister-in-law has picked very stylish bridesmaid dresses, so I'm all set there (aside from the multitude of alterations I have to make as a result of badly timed weight loss—but that's another story). But she's left it up to each family to decide what to dress the kids in, with the only caveat being that they wear solid colors.

You see my opportunity, don't you?

Here's what I've got planned. For the girls, the new Oliver + S Family Reunion Dress:

Cute, huh? (I should have it in the shop in early April, fyi.) I'm thinking in a springtime blue, similar to the top image.

And for the boy, the Sketchbook Shirt from Oliver + S:

And the completely awesome Dapper Dillingers from Patterns by Figgys:

{The one in red is my little guy, by the way.}

Jill, if you're reading this, what do you think? Sound good?


And everyone else—happy sewing!

Messy Kid Bib...Sorta

How many of you have messy eaters at your house? Right. And how many of you actually use bibs? Right. I was one of those mamas who felt like bibs didn't really work. You know, they only protect that little bit of shirt underneath the bib, and sometimes baby even manages to get food there too. So I would either strip the babe down and let her/him eat in a diaper or just sigh and throw their clothes into the hamper (like six times a day).

Ok, well now I have three kids, so that doesn't really work anymore (if it ever did!). Enter the solution: the Messy Kid Bib from Little things to Sew. Large enough to cover the whole front of the baby! Now we're talking! I liked it right away.

However, I couldn't resist making a few changes to the pattern based on past experience, and lack of a few components.

First off I didn't have any velcro handy, which I wouldn't have used anyway. I can understand why parents like velcro on bibs (easy on) but in this house it also proves to be a minor problem (easy off!). The bibs with velcro tabs never stay on for long (we're talking seconds here). So I knew I wanted to go old school and used small snap on the first bib. When that also proved no match for a determined baby, I switched to buttons, which work like a charm.

And then there was the pocket. I know that they are supposed to collect stray bits of food, but at this stage in her life, Norah isn't about to be so limited. She's a thrower, so food ends up everywhere, rendering that cute little pocket useless. (A dog, on the other hand, would be a great asset around here.)

Ok then.

Next up: iron-on vinyl. Way cool. And although I'll probably use it for some other project, I decided against it here. Basically I figured it would be easier to just throw the bibs into the wash with the kitchen towels. I can completely see the argument against this plan, however, so feel free to pipe up and change my mind.

And finally, the super adorable binding. That I definitely would have done, but I was too impatient to make my own and didn't have anything cute on hand. So there you go.

She's still a messy kid, but at least her clothes are kept clean just that little bit longer.

Happy sewing!