all buttoned up.

Matching Bikes

 
Lest you think we've abandoned the outdoors for the comfort of captain chairs and air-conditioning, I bring you proof otherwise.  We've been biking as much as possible since the weather turned, and thanking our good fortune to be able to cart all three children around with relative ease (the relative part has to do with sweat ratios).  My children are not featherweights. 

There is a new addition-- a Gary Fisher Simple City 3 speed that Paul purchased on sale at the Bike Gallery.  It's for me and it is so great.  It's so pretty looking that I feel a little self-conscious riding it.  My Nana's old, pink Huffy has finally bit the dust.  I will not miss trying to lift that thing up stairs-- it is also not a featherweight. 

I still need to get the basket off of the Huffy and I think we're going to put a bike seat on the back in case of a road rage emergency (hitting, biting, kicking in the bakfiets). This winter and spring have not been the easiest few months to get through and (besides coffee) getting on that bike and going has been the remedy.  Last night the house was a disaster, there was no dinner, and I just wanted to cry for all the laundry.  "Oh wait, let's go for a bike ride, and HEY!  Burritos!"  The pee smell was still here when I got back, but it was suddenly no big thing. 

I have three kids?  Some days I still get confused. 

I am going to sew up a new cover for that carseat this weekend... it's painful to look at.  We've got two more weeks of school, I have yet to eat a local strawberry (criminal), and Amy just lent me her copy of Rustic Fruit Desserts.   BRING IT. 

(*** Hey-- we're selling our Leggero Bike Trailer-- very similar to this one.  It fits two kids and their stuff and comes with a rain cover and an extra bike hookup so you can switch it between two bicycles easily.  If you're local and interested let me know and I can get you more info). 

Stitch Magazine and Going for Broke

Big doings over here in Crazy Town.

We went to look at a van out in the burgs this last weekend and we were able to buy it on the spot.  Hello, Air Conditioning!!  Sam was confused at first and said he missed being able to touch everybody but eventually came around when he felt the cool, cool breeze coming from his own personal vent.  Also, there was the matter of the cup holders.  

On the way home we bought a new stove.  It's been awhile... I made an inaugural rhubarb-raspberry crumble that was probably only mediocre, but really, the best thing I've tasted in a while.

If that wasn't enough excitement, copies of Stitch magazine arrived in the mail on Monday.  I have two projects in the Spring issue-- a summer hat featuring Liberty fabric, and a stenciled pillow.   Amy is in there too, and so is a great article written by Susan.  Stitch is such a quality publication and I feel very lucky to be in there. 

I've got a few things flung over my sewing machine chair waiting for me and this coming long weekend.  Thank you for all the thoughts about *finding the time*-- I hope you all know I didn't mean, "how do you do it all?", because good lord, I know that none of us really do (and if you do, then you win).  It's good to hear how you make time to do the things that matter to you.  I had a friend that put mopping the floor really high on that list because things were not right until she could get that done.  I can respect that.  I have a feeling that exercising should be bumped up a few places on my list.  I'm going to go sit in the new van with my rhubarb crumble and think on that a bit.

When I'm not sewing I think about sewing.

Mariko got back from Japan with the goods. She is my dealer.  For your viewing pleasure:

 

(ISBN 978-4-579-11234-0)

I know it looks like another version of the dresses I've been making but center front darts-- hello!-- the little things make all the difference. 

I don't think I need to explain why this coat is so great.  This is going to be trickier to sew (hell pockets) from the book/Japanese instructions, but I have a vintage pattern with similar pockets and if I can remember how I made them before, I'll be in business. 

How am I sewing these days?  I cannot give you a straight-forward answer.  I make it work.  I've stopped trying to get anything done while I'm home alone with the boys.  I used to be able to do things during naptime (and by "things" I mean working on things I like to do and not laundry/cleaning/feeding) but those days are gone for now.  I usually wait until dinner is done (we eat early, early, even if Paul's not home yet) and then I try to get an hour in while Wrestlemania is happening elsewhere.   We don't clean up until the crazies have gone to bed.  What kills me some days is that for every one thing I get done, I have five things I'm thinking/waititng/wishing I could try out.  All in good time. 

How do you do it? 

Search This and Nani 2995.

I added a search function to the side bar and finally added dozens of posts to the "sewing clothes" category from the more ambiguous "sewing projects" tag.  You can now scroll through cringe-worthy posts of my early blouse attempts or view some poor self-portraiture.  Lucky Duckies.

The self timer shots might not be any better now, but I still forge ahead.  This is the same dress pattern from the last post (Simplcity 2995)-- just shortened 2" and no extras like plackets of pockets.  When I tried it on I tied a coral/orange (persimmon?) sash around the waist and it looked great.  But then I tried to move around in it and said sash moved around to some very un-great places.  I think I need a legitimate belt, or maybe an attached sash in the front that ties in the back.  I hate ties. 

Anyway: 

I was apparently feeling pensive at that moment.  The fabric is Nani Iro double gauze from a few years ago.  I cut it across the grain instead of with, so the whole dress took less than two yards.  I did not iron it for these photos.  I was worried that the double gauze wouldn't have enough give or movement, but so far so good.  It is a teensy bit sheer, but nothing that a half-slip won't make less skanky. 

I was going to wear it out tonight but dangit, Portland is doing the crazy weather, rain 16 times inbetween sunbreaks, today.  And there is a little wind (a lot of wind).  We made it out briefly to register Sam for Kindergarten this morning-- Hooray!  I am so excited for him.  I think they'll be a lot fewer tears out of both of us this September as opposed to last. 

Several Queries and Simplicity 2995

 

How are we feeling about threaded comments these days?  And denim?  How are we feeling about that?  First off-- I know the pattern number I gave for that last dress (2591) does not look like the dress I made, but I assure you that it is, pockets and all.  I should not have said anything about leaving out the zipper, because I like putting them in and anyone who can sew two straight lines can put in a zipper with little trouble.  Do not fear them.  All new commercial patterns will have detailed instructions on how to put them in, and there are photo step-outs all over the intranet (search for zipper tutorial and you should come up with some good ones).  In fact, if you have a favourite zipper (any kind) tutorial-- would you link to it in the comments?  That would be rad. 

Threaded comments--  I'm pretty okay with them.  They feel a lot more like a conversation than words floating into the air. I often read through my emails holding a baby and it goes something like this:

Amy says: "Very cute! I definitely like the shoulder coverage. I hate when my bra straps are sticking out. And may I also say, I hate when things are so low-cut that you have to wear a cami. It seems like everything is so low-cut now. End rant. Anyway, good good dress."

Meanwhile, I'm saying (often out loud), "I know, right??  Camisoles make everything so tricky and they ride up and I don't have time to coordinate TWO things.  I'm tempted to say BRING BACK THE LEOTARD." 

But of course, that never makes it onto the screen and worse, I don't get back through my emails when I'm two-handed to answer questions and respond properly.  So, you know, if you know the answer to someone's query, go forth and answer them.  Me and my self-talk-one-handedness thank you. 

Okay, now denim... This is very lightweight, cotton denim I bought for 2 dollars/yard last summer.  I made Sam some pants out of it and I washed and dried them twice weekly for a year before they started to rip through in the knees.  This will get worn less frequently, and maybe I won't dry it very often.  It also fades/bleeds a little, so I chose some thrifted poly/cotton for the pocket and shoulder tabs.  The pattern is Simplicity 2995 and BY GOD, I think I've found my new uniform.  It qualifies for several reasons:  it has a whole list of variations but really only three pattern pieces for the basic dress.  You can't get much easier than three pattern pieces.  It's darted in the front and has a decent shape in the back (it looks particularly rockin' with a belt), and Paul said some very nice things about it and me when I tried it on.  I'm working on another version which I will report and model on shortly.  I has a completely different look.  In other news-- Simplicity has come out with several patterns that actually contain B, C, and D cup alterations right on the pattern.  HELLO.  This is one more great step forward in making garment sewing more accessible for the beginning homesewer.

This weekend is ending up all right but it has had it's sucky moments.   I'm going to try and put it all to bed this evening-- maybe pancakes?  And Bob Newhart on Hulu?  He's my new answer to MTM.  Plus, he lives in Chicago which is where I'd like to be today.  Natch.