all buttoned up.

not much, you?

My friend Megan called me the other morning while standing over a pile of old fabric at the Bins.  She had a feeling they were *treasures* and would I  want them, and of course she understands almost more than anyone I know how *treasures* can be such a subjective designation... she is a good friend.  She bought the six or seven pounds of scraps and dropped them off home for me.  I got rid of about a third of them-- all the solids and all the uglies.  Most of them are tiny pieces and triangles all from the 50s through the late 70s (near as I can tell) along with a few pieced blocks (craftsmanship was not this person's strong suit), and of course all the best bits are the tiniest. 

***

I finished up my first Blurb picture book yesterday.  I ended up scanning in a bunch of film for it so we'll see how that goes.  It took me longer than I had expected and the auto formating on the font had me wearing a hole into the table with my mouse.  I checked the forums for help on this issue, and came up empty.  Curses.  The deadline for Christmas ordering is near the beginning of December, so I'll try to give a full report before then.  Anybody have any general tips?

I've been making Norwegian Apple Cake a lot, as well as Amy's Lazy Lemon Ginger Cake from Mailorder 3.   I made both things for a get-together the other night and someone said, " oh, they look so good like you bought them-- but from one of those fancy rustic bakeries".  Hah!  Fancy Rustic.  They are quick to make and are easy to do a day ahead of time.  Speaking of the Chicken, she sent me home with some Pumpkin Leek soup the other day with the words, "You are going to set up a pumpkin altar after you are through".  She was not exaggerating. 

What else?   Susan posted pictures of her forthcoming book today.  I am really excited about this one.  It's so outside of what I *do*, that I can't wait to give it a go.  Plus she's rad.  Go ahead and slap it into your pre-order cart and look forward to some Spring jewelry making. 

Okay. Back to work!!  I don't want to panic anybody, but it's almost November. 

The Waiting Bag

I am really happy to have this one out of my brain and I'm even happier that it came out to resemble what my brain had in mind. 

• The handles are lined with quilt batting, so no cutting into my shoulder and it's BIG-- 15"tall by 22"wide with a 6" base.
• The large interior pocket is split down the middle and lined with terry cloth to absorb bottle leaks and sippy cup condensation.
• There is a bit of timtex interfacing in the very bottom to make it a little sturdier.
• It matches my Uniform Studio scarf. 
• Finally-- the sides snap out (kind of like the boxed bags from last fall) for more room if'n it needs to be more like a plane carry-on and less of a bag-about-town.
  

If you want to try to put one together here is a picture of the bottom panel to give you some ideas.  So yes, we're still waiting for a call about BBF.  Our process has been relatively quick so far and we know that whatever happiness awaits us, there is also a great deal of loss inherent in the adoption process.  I think about that a lot.  Waiting is not very difficult-- being patient or better yet, being thankful during the waiting is trickier.  It's important though.  Desperately important.  Anything less and I start to feel selfish and anxious and lord knows I don't need any help in those arenas.  I have low days, but then I need to get off my ass and get moving or get sewing or planting or SOMETHING-- and then count it all joy. 

So. Thank You-- whether or not you realize it, you make darn good waiting company. 

the bottles get tubes, too.

I bought some glass bottles and silently forgave myself for letting Sam chew on oodles and oodles of bad plastic during his short life. 

The knit comes from small scraps I got ages ago, and both sizes of bottles just need one size of tube, since you can just double back the fabric on itself for the small ones.  It helps keep things nice and snug on the little ones, too.  So.  Now no knocking into each other in the bag, no condensation or weird dribbling, and no slipping out of big brother's hands.  Unless they are thrown, which would not surprise me at all. 

here and there and thank you

We were on bikes last month and we were greeted by some men, also on bikes, at an intersection.  As we passed Paul asked if they had called me "Baby".  He was laughing and not at all indignant (which is a fairly good indication of how our relationship works) and I answered him something like, "No, but I'd rather that than ma'am or whatever-- makes me feel like I've still got something more than awaiting perimenopause going on". 

Truth is, I've been feeling okay leaving the house these days-- in part to your lovely comments about style, and knowing that *trying* to feel good about how I look or dress does make a difference.  So.  Thank you.  You make a girl feel all right.  And in the spirit of trying, I'm turning it back on my house and its clutter and dust and general claustrophobic inducing pre-winter state.  Ikea?  I'm coming for you. 

We got a new rug there which, after reading Courtney's post about Flor, I'm totally rethinking.  At any rate, it's white and since Sam eats a fair amount at his little table in our dining room-turned-playroom he and I both needed something to keep Mrs. Red Sauce McScreamy (me) at bay.  The squares are just 4 by 6 1/2" and they were quilted together with batting and brushed canvas.  I stayed away from white fabric and I figure the busyness will hide the many, many, many stains that are heading straight for it. 

I'm also reworking the kitchen quilt which will be the  last thing I make for this house before I turn my sights on Christmas giving and making.   Nearly a year later, Sam's kitchen is still a center piece of his play (it also acts as the scene for disastrous car and train crashes), and is a constant reminder of how rad it can be to give and receive handmade gifts. 

faux socks but not leg warmers

In an effort to curb my rampaging wantiness, I've been forcing myself to keep on trucking with what I have and get back to Making rather than Buying.  You know, because the boots (these are 10 year-old   Fluevogs , and my new ones are Camper "Spirals"), make me want to buy cute tights and sweeter socks and more skirts, blah blah blah (the rest of the socks, etc in my boot/skirt pictures are all knee-highs from Target.  Some from this year, some not).  I have horrible feet with all sorts of weird issues that are exaggerated with colder weather (*cough*justlikemymother*cough*) and what feels the best on are nasty white athletic socks.  Not Cute At All.

Who's afraid to sew with knits??  This is a quick little project that will get you used to stitching up the stretchy stuff. 

Make a tube.  Sew the tube up the side using a long straight stitch.  Go ahead and sew in two rows right next to each other if you're nervous about unraveling.  The key here is to measure the tube around your knee (or wherever you want it to land) VERY TIGHTLY then pin it, slip it off and sew straight down.  If you need to curve it down around your ankles you can alter them after a quick try on.  Mine stretched down over my socks and up past my knees.  I wore them out today and they didn't fall down or ride up (you might attach an elastic stirrup on the bottom if you're really nervous.  It's probably a good idea to use a knit with a bit of spandex or lycra, and if you're going in for a stripe, make sure to match them at the back seam.

(inside out)

I have extra material for Sam and BBF ones and Hello?! it saves me from my burning guilt/desire to learn to knit this year.  This girl needs to put the smack down on any more frustration causing hobbies, you know what I mean? 

hoodie with plant prop

I wear some kind of cardigan or hooded sweatshirt almost every day.  I have evolved somewhat since high school/college and nowadays the cardigans usually fit, and the hoodies don't always skateboard/band logos on them.  I have a couple of favourites that are looking old and very nasty (coffee/formula stains, armpit holes) but that fit me so well, I'm sad to let them go.  They are cotton and wonderful to wash and little boys with texture sensitivities don't mind touching them.  So I tried to replicate one. 

The first go was a disaster.  The fit was fine but unlike professional manufacturers, I lacked the tools to add the appropriate ribbing at the hips and the sweet knit bias that makes the neckline look so cute.  So it sat in the crap pile and I stewed and tried a few different (awful) solutions until it hit me that a hood might be the right thing-- it would give the too-cute fabric a little edge and keep it unstructured without making it look sloppy and unfinished.

 

I cut my old cardigan apart after marking the sleeves at regular intervals.  The cardigan pieces act as a pattern, and the markings help me set in the sleeves properly.

Sewing it together without a serger wasn't too tricky-- long straight stitches and a needle suitable for knits make everything easier. 

After the body was together, I measured the neckline for the base of the hood, then traced the hood profile from a hooded sweatshirt I have.  No pockets this time and I couldn't find a separating zipper that was lightweight enough.  I may still add that if I find one. 

I'm going to try it again with some more repro knit I have.  Sewzannes is also a great place for sweet knits at great prices.  They are also super helpful.  I'm no longer a part of Superbuzzy and it's actually no longer in Portland at all.  Which is good, because I was neglecting Bolt  (who has a lot of great Japanese prints put out by Kokka) and the Depot.   I have a feeling you are going to start seeing a lot more Japanese imports at your local fabric store since the distributors are expanding their customer base and showing at places like the Quilt Market.  I'm sure a little friendly campaigning at your local store wouldn't hurt either. 

Oh!  The prop is from Garden Fever (on Fremont in NE) which is having a 25% off sale on Perennials.  I buy a lot of plants there and they always do really well-- much bigger and healthier than anything I get suckered into getting at the box stores. 

Sick

We went to Ikea this morning for some synthetic eggs and coffee.  The store has not taken very long to call down after the initial opening craziness.  Especially if you go on off-ish times, like for dinner or breakfast.  Every time we sit in the cafeteria and watch for planes coming in I think of Steph.  I guess it is October because they were putting up all the Christmas stuff today.  I don't mind when stuff goes up early and I sort of like those crazy year-round Christmas stores, I just don't usually buy anything.  But c'mon.  You're killing me with this stuff.  They also had green but I stuck to red and black and I feel like I should go back and get more so that I can wrap with this stuff for the rest of my life.  Pink ribbons with the black?  Oh, Man. 

I am not a very conscientous wrapper and I get all stingy and weird about it (not a big surprise considering my family at the holidays, "Don't rip it!  I'll take it if you don't want it.  Will the tape come off in one piece?") preferring to do kraft paper or 10th generation re-gifted bags.  But this-- this stuff makes me want to be a better person.  It's kind of sick.  Does anyone know who is doing Target's stuff this year?  I missed out on the the whole Tord thing last year, and I'm afraid that it will probably be another 10 years before something that good comes along again. 

Yes, I know, we are in October and for those of you crazy for Halloween ("not I", said the cat), Laurie is doing some crazy cute pumpkins  and Sarah has got some sweet sweet stuff up her sleeve.   I'll be happy when we're done with it though-- Christmas/Thanksgiving Decor is a lot better for my three year-old than the 6 foot ghouls they have hanging above the registers at our Walgreens.  Thanks for the nightmares, Folks. 

new boots so naturally, new skirt

I bought some boots.  They are Campers and I got them with a little discount and a pretty generous coupon online.  Thank you for all the suggestions.  I wanted to buy some in town, but it didn't happen and I spent far too much time researching (obsessing) so it was time...  I'm altogether too wanty these days.  It is not a good feeling really, and I'm prone to it big time in fall or during big transitions/unknowns-- all happening now, of course.  So I gave in, and look at me with the tag still on the boots!  I'm classy.

My sister is a thorough and magnificent thrift shopper who bought this material as part of a Size Nothing Whirling Dervish type Indian skirt.  We were lucky enough to grow up with alongside a lot of first and second generation Indian families, and along with the Mennos and the Euro ex-pats, thrifting is really something special where she lives.  I'm not so into batik, and I'm not sure if that's what this is exactly, but I love it. It's forest and asparagus greens with yellow on cotton.  I used the basic skirt pattern out of the Sew U book (size Large) with a zip up back and a tiny bit of mustard coloured bias tape around the hem.  I tried to do a whole underskirt thing with the same mustard fabric, ruffles and some brown cording but it was altogether too waffle house uniform for my liking.  So.  Simple is better this time. 

The cuff thing is actually a crochet swatch my aunt was trying to work out.  She's big into making doilies these days and this worked out to be perfect bracelet size (just added a button).  I've made these kinds of cuffs before using big pieces of ribbon and lace and either attaching them with snaps or with tiny hooks and eyes.  Handy-Dandy.

I'm still working on this pile of disasters, but was able to cross my contribution to Caterine's lovely Muslin Tote Swap.  This should have arrived in Maine for Tiffany today.  Unless maybe the post person was so blinded by the beauty of autumn that is happening in both Portlands right about now.  I wouldn't doubt it.