Woodland Creatures

So here is a little thing I finally finished up with the snap purchase from the Depot. It's made with lovely soft corduroy and lined with windproof grey fleece. The red accent fabric is Echino, of course. I brought it to the show on Friday, and was amazed by the response! It's the first piece I've really embellished the heck out of. I waffled whether it was over the top.


It came home with me that night, but I got a call on Monday from a gal who "couldn't stop thinking about it." It was a teary goodbye, but I know it went to a good home.

Feliz Navidad

Oh, don't ask about my resistance to the beautiful stack of fabric and trim, because it withered against Trillium's timely sew along.* So the tantalizing pics from my last post have since been transformed into my first Feliz. Mimi is loving the ruffles and spin promise of the dress, and I confess it hits my fru-fru bone as well. I will snap some pics of her modeling just as soon as possible! Although I was intimidated by this pattern to begin with, after going through the tutorial (and I skipped ahead a bit, I confess) it just clicked and I could finally understand the bits I thought were confusing. So here it is!

Front

Back

*Since I finished the dress I have also finished several other projects as well, so there super-ego!

Work and WORK

Because let's face it, studio time is work time, right? But there's work, like these things
to get ready for this show, then there's WORK. Like this pile of goodies over here that keeps distracting me. So far I have been very good about ignoring it. But it's pull is growing...

Go Leanne.

What a happy ending for the Portland girl who proved herself the most innovative and consistent designer on this season's Project Runway. Kudos, Leanne. I was pulling for you since day one.

Garden Party Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Hello, Sweet Readers. You can assume that since I haven't posted in a bit that I've taken the summer off. Ha! Well, not exactly. I've been deep in the blog-o-sphere on a mission just for you. Finding really cool new sites, from amazing people who are just slightly more talented than you and I, let's face it, Dear Reader. So you need to follow me in a bit, to a wonderful new site called Grosgrain. Isn't the name cute, even? This amazing woman sews her daughters dresses and then GIVES THEM AWAY. It's true. Why don't you all check it out and see if you can't win some genius? I am...

Garden Party Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Total Convert

So my friend has been trying to convince me for several years now that I need to watch this show called "Project Runway." Perhaps you've heard of it? Well, quite frankly it has always struck me as just another reality TV show with trite actors in contrived situations designed solely for the ads in between its scanty content. (I actually will take the gloves off when it comes to reality tv.)
However, I watched the first episode of the new season today, thanks to her persistence and a cool thing having to do with digital cable and fast forwarding through commercials. Wow. I never thought I'd say it but I am hooked. Throughout the entire rabbit and possum bedtime story I was contriving my own trip through the drugstore culling items for the perfect dress. I hate to say it, but I care about these people. Is it because they are more supportive, more honest, more talented, more real than on other reality shows? Maybe.
What I do know is that I will be back. I'm a total Runway convert. Thanks Jenna.

Work a Day

Aside from a trip to our hidden treasure thrift store this morning to pick up our lovely stereo cabinet, today was an uninterruped workday. For B that meant turning soil and planting beans and tomatoes. For the kiddos, mad bike riding in the driveway and umbrella forts. For me, a long, and productive studio day.

I've been wanting to make reversible sun hats for the summer. But how to present the label and sizing? Well, I've been keeping this in mind, and decided to give it a whirl. Here's the reveal:

I tried the same technique on several different mediums, since the twill tape idea was good for sew-in labels, but not great for the foldies that I wanted. It was a bit bulky when folded. I rifled through the trims drawer and found a few other possibilities. From the top there's the twill tape, then a narrow white satin seam binding (vintage!), the same in pink, and an ivory single fold bias tape.

The twill tape was awesome, but bulky. The seam binding was quite lovely, folded nicely, and it appears the glossy paper residue absorbs better into these (surprise), so they are softer and more professional looking. The corners are sharper, however, but since these won't be against the skin I think it's okay. The single fold bias was very soft as well, but much narrower than the others so I ended up taking quite a bit off the edges of the label. They also feel "unfinished" to me, like the sides need to be topstitched closed.

I did a bunch in twill tape and seam binding, and am now going to sew them in to reversible hats on a trial basis to see if one out performs the other. Good times.

Oh, it was also a very productive day for sewing hats! Some new styles to be unveiled soon... Stay tuned!

Featured Etsy Artist

So you all know how much this girl loves vintage. But what about yellow? Do you know that I also adore sunny, happy yellow? Imagine my love for these, that are listed in Cozy's shop! Sunny yellow meets vintage style in a totally functional kitchen cloth. Love it!! Cozy is this month's featured Etsy blogger! Thanks for all you do, Cozy!

What's up?

I realize now that I've been sick since my son started Kindergarten almost nine months ago. I can't wait until summer break, when we can ignore the allure of other children and their germs. *sniffle*

There has been much blog slacking on my part lately. I'm sure you've showed up here at nine every morning, with your coffee, only to be disappointed. Well, lookee here at what little twink has been up to:

ASUO Street Faire
Meet Your Maker

Have I told you all how much I love seeing kids wearing their twink togs? Quite simply, it makes me happy to see the lovely hats and clothes running free in their new habitats. For example. Megan, the other Megan I mean, the one who co-organizes this ambitious project, purchased my favorite new hat for her own gorgeous girl, and shares here. Thanks!!

The Up-cycled Onesie Dress: A How To

Featured Etsy Artist

Congratulations, Stormy! StormyDesigns is the Etsy shop chosen for the first ever, Etsy Bloggers Street Team monthly featured artist. Stormy works with polymer clay to create one of a kind jewelry and object d'art for her Etsy store. You can learn more about Stormy at her blog.

Here is my favorite, of course, because I can see these on a cute little summer jacket... for a girl who like bugs.

Land of the Lost

Aside from being my FAVORITE show as a kid, it was my dwelling place last week while I weathered and recovered from the Alice of flu bugs, with lots of Chukka. A nice Sleestack brought me juice.

Anyway, it's nice to be back.

Gratifying

It wasn't instant gratification, but after running out of the hang tags that Abe and Eran made for me, I needed to come up with an alternative. These were easy, and actually pretty fun to make. About 40 of them were finished before the stash ribbon was gone. I hope that red satin doesn't upstage whatever it's hanging against.

It Doesn't Pay To Make Predictions.

Oh Neil Finn, how right you are. Four Seasons In One Day pretty much sums up April around here, in a sentimental nutshell. I can forgive April, the fickle lady, though, because my anniversary is this month! It's true, this month will mark six years of wedded bills. I mean bliss.

And though the rumors of my dad showing up at the ceremony with his shotgun aren't exactly accurate (it was a .22), it is true I didn't get to toast the event with champagne. Six years and a happy family later I have no regrets.

As if April needed anything more than an anniversary and her own natural beauty, last year the family grew by two fabulous Taurus boys. My brother and my husband's brother became proud Papa's within two weeks of each other. We'll be making the long haul up to P-Town in a couple of weeks to celebrate with the nevvies. I have just one question for you kids: Why couldn't your birthday coincide with the 40% off sale at Fabric Depot? Just a thought.

I'll leave you all with a picture of idyllic Easter. I realize it's still March in this photo, but not much has changed. It might be a little colder now. This was Easter, in Boring. What you can't see in the picture very clearly is the SIDEWAYS RAIN. And the enormous snow-capped mountain, of course.

What's the Opposite of Foreshadowing?

Here is the promised Lisann, amazingly it's finished. The top is a modified Hannah from Farbenmix as well. Check out this flower, isn't it sweet? I found this tutorial online.

Rainy Day Foreshadowing

I got these gorgeous Ginger Blossom fabrics in the mail yesterday, along with this new Michael Miller bias tape. The colors remind me of pussywillows and magnolias--the surest signs of spring I know. Check out the Lisann pattern in the very background there. I think that's what they call foreshadowing...

Good Etsy Street Team meeting last night, there was some talk of setting up a Saturday Market booth. Only three weeks until Market starts, maybe it's time to hop off the fence? Hop on the hyperlinks?

Working, Cross My Heart

Rick rack is my favorite notion. Especially vintage--which is why I cull through the craft section of every thrift store I pop into. I love the labels, colors, and the quality is AMAZING.

This is some from my extensive collection. I was getting ready to sew it on something cute and diminutive today, when unwanted pink halos hovered before my eyes. Although the package swears it's colorfast and will stand up to boiling (!) or my money back, who at Nufashond would I write to for a "reasonable reimbursement for my labor and materials used?" So I pre-washed it. Now it's hanging to dry in the studio. And guess what? It was colorfast!

Oh, and check out the props in the latest issue of small. And look here. That's my name, really small, right above Wee Wonderfuls! My life is complete now.

More Sewing Obsession

I love to create originals for my etsy shop, but when it comes to sewing for myself (gasp! no really, sometimes I DO!!) I tend to get ahem, obsessive. So when I saw this post about a modified Weekender and another self-proclaimed obsessive sewer I had to share. To see more of her chronicled journey through the angst and joy of obsessive sewing, visit her blog.

Easter Preview

Quite a bit of excitement yesterday as I shipped some items to a photo shoot in Brooklyn! I only hope they make it there in time to be included. USPS said 3 pm Friday guaranteed. But the hubs swears nobody in NYC works past noon on Fridays. Here are some of the things I included...

The Great Northwest

The kids and I had such a great time today! eugenemom came over with her two boys to enjoy the sunshine. I was showing her a couple of things I had finished up, when her two year old joined us. She looked at him, I looked at her, and viola! The Great Northwest has life! I haven't posted any of these sweaters in my shop yet...maybe soon. He really likes this one. Thanks, guys, for the fabulous day.

Happy Valentine's Day

I love custom orders. I just did two that were SO much fun. It feels good to be able to move on to something else too. I've also been catching some glimpses of fabrics that want to be together. The result? Farbenmix Oona with AH City Park and a nice vintage cotton. The tiny deer applique was traced and resized.

My first instinct was to make it reversible. After reflecting on my limited supply of vintage fabric, I went with just a facing. This is a size three, well a 98/104, and it fits my girl fine over a shirt and it will make a great sundress. Gotta love versatility. Here's a close up of little deer. I'm working on more kids hats now, with an "Old Fashioned" feel. More on that forthcoming...

All Work.

It seems, as an artist/ crafter (I haven't decided which yet), that the real work begins after the creating bit. For example, it takes a couple of hours to cut out and make a new hat for my etsy shop. Oooh. Fun with fabric and cutting and sewing!! That should be it. In a perfect world, maybe. But then there's photographing, editing, listing. And networking. Marketing. More uploading. Whew. By the end of the process, I've spent three hours in front of my computer! All work, I tell you!

Let's be honest. It's all kind of fun.