A Jaunt

For the past two years, my husband has given me sewing classes in the city for Christmas. It really is a fantastic gift as I end up with a lovely visit to NYC, an always inspiring class and I usually pick myself up a really good, good coffee. I really like heading into the city...I like the energy and the pace...for a short while.

This year, he sent me off on my merry way to Purl Soho. Oh the joy! The shop itself is so amazing I couldn't even purchase fabric...just stare. And, that place is hopping. If ever there was a need for evidence that crafting is making a comeback, Purl Soho would provide the proof. I took a class in pattern-making for clothing. It was taught by Cal Patch, who is wonderfully down-to-earth and essentially feels that most clothes are not made for most bodies and that even most sewing patterns are not made for most bodies. She really de-mystifies the whole process of measuring a cylindrical body shape and then transferring that into a 2-dimensional pattern.
I bought her book before class and I briefly read it but the class itself is going to really help me to fully use the book and really start making my own patterns. I'm not sure I would have been bold enough to dive into pattern-making without the class, to be honest. I would recommend the book on its own, I think. (One small thing holding me back is that I'm not always sure what fabric to use for clothing. I'm unsatisfied with how wrinkly and lightweight quilting cotton is but don't want to use denim or corduroy for everything. It seems that my own clothes are something different...a heavier cotton? a blend of fabrics? I mean I wear a lot of jersey knit but even my cottons are different from what I can usually find in the average fabric store. Anyone got any thoughts on this? I see things referred to as cotton poplin. Got any idea what that is?)

In the class we made individual patterns for an a-line skirt and a shift dress.
This dress is not the one I made a pattern for, it's a bit too advanced at this point but isn't it incredible! Very inspiring for sure. I can't wait to get started.

Magic Cleaning Potion

A few weeks back we ran out of laundry detergent and I looked at my Green Clean book for a laundry detergent recipe. It was so easy, I laughed out loud. *mix equal parts washing soda and borax.* We've been using that and it seems to work fine.

Then we ran out of dishwasher soap and I looked in the handy guide for a recipe and found...you guessed it...*mix equal parts washing soda and borax.* So, the same simple cleaner that cleans our clothes, also cleans our dishes. It's like magic in its simplicity.

My husband is a little skeptical and keeps wondering whether it is really getting things "clean". But, what does "clean" really mean? Everything "looks" as clean as it did with a store-bought cleaner? I'd love any thoughts on this question. What are we trying to accomplish when we clean? Eliminating germs, tidying up? What all is involved in "clean"? We may be staging a clean test in the coming weeks as I'm determined to convince him that "complicated" and "clean" are not the same thing.

a polyester situation

Hoping everyone had a happy thanksgiving. It occurred to me as I buzzed around cooking, happy as a clam, that NOTHING beats a holiday centered around food and thankfulness. None of the expectations that accompany Christmas, just a nice meal giving thanks to those we love. This year I gave thanks for my dear Grandmother who passed. In great Norwegian tradition we indulged in lefse (like a potato crepe) from the recipe she has passed down. Filled with warm butter and sugar it evokes every holiday memory I have ever experienced and this year was my son's first bite! Oh, the joys of tradition and the pull of lineage.
Along those lines I recently inherited this beautiful fabric from Grandma's sewing scraps. Trouble is, and you may have already guessed this, it's polyester. Not the thinner, drapy kind of polyester, the thick, real, from-the-70s kind of polyester. But, other than that, it really is lovely and I'm dying to use it for something. So, I'm asking...any ideas friends?

Color on my mind

Been thinking about color alot lately. Not only are gardens in bloom, which is always inspiring, but as I think about future sewing projects I can't help but think about some of my color mistakes and regrets. So, I'm paying more attention to the neighborhood's hot spandex pink azaleas and irises so deep blue they are nearly purple. I started to take some pictures as I walked around our neighborhood on the days when the baby will only sleep in the bjorn.

And, while I think it's about color, it's also about tone, which is something I've never been as good at identifying. Some colors are so BRIGHT.

And, some are more MUTED.

And, then there are things that seem inbetween.

I don't have an art degree and I'm mostly mentally exploring this as I browse blogs and flickr pictures but I decided to pull together a color wheel of fabric scraps to sit by my crafting space (Anna Maria has a similar one in her book Seams to Me). So, now, when I see something nice I try to think of its various locations on the color wheel. But, that isn't really helping me decide for my own purposes. I'm still going on gut as I pick fabrics for a project. And, I have a big question WHAT ABOUT BROWN? Sometimes brown is such a nice compliment to a good blue or pink or anything really. But, it doesn't really have a place on the color wheel. I get that white and black don't either so is brown like that? It goes with everything? Anyone shed some light on this? And, any ideas on tone would be great, too.

Repurpose and Refresh

I've been enjoying using old fabric for a new purpose lately. Did finish this Ikea curtain apron for my mother and entered it into the Angry Chicken tie-one-on apron making group--the theme this time is pie making apron (deadline is July 1st, join in it's an easy way to get creative with your stash), which is why this little lovely has an extra blue pocket in the front...for your cherry pitter or whatnot. The other fabric is all vintage from my stash, which always feels good.


Then I refashioned the fabric from these curtains that we no longer need after our house work. I turned it into an art smock for the little man, complete with a front pocket with his name.
This also uses the pattern from Bend the Rules (that book is incredible) and will hopefully come in handy as our little guy ONLY wants to paint these days, coloring is so for one year olds.

Finally, I sewed this design onto a skirt, cut off a Lotta Jansdotter t-shirt I bought ages ago that somehow (I can't imagine how?) grew too small and one portion had a stain. So I cut out what I liked and used the rest. The skirt is a basic jersey from J.Crew, also really old, possibly 5 years but stretchy so I don't have the same problem. This was my first successful sewing with jersey and the interfacing under the design made it easier. Seems tricky to get it so the fabric doesn't pucker up and go wonky. Any advice? I've got about 10 onesies I'd like to reconfigure when I do finally figure this one out.

Green, Black, Mean and Nice

It's done!! Here is the kitchen and play area part of our house addition:

We absolutely love it and spend almost all of our time there. It's sunny and warm and welcoming and it sure it alot easier to be inspired in the kitchen when you have more than 7 inches of countertop to work with!

It all came together pretty well, too. The day before I went into labor we completed our house addition project, town inspections and all. We were pleased as punch with the timing (awfully nice not to have workmen in the house during the newborn days!) but our timeline pushed us to make some quick decisions and, as a result, we strayed from some of our goals.

The first goal was to be GREEN. With this book tucked under our arm, we hoped to have a green project. In some respects, we were able to do this: 1) we used no-VOC paint, 2) put in a no-glue cork floor, 3) used an old door, original to the house for the powder room door, 4) bought all energy-star appliances including an oven that houses two separate compartments allowing us to heat a small space most of the time rather than heat a whole oven, 5) installed a skylight to minimize the need for turning on lights 6) all windows are two-pane and airtight and 7) we installed a low-flow toilet in the powder room.

The second goal being NICE. I've spent alot of time doing research on worker's rights for my job and was determined that our construction work be ethical as well as support small business as much as possible. Along these lines we 1) bought our main lights from schoolhouse electric, a portland-based small business 2) hired a contactor, who, despite being more costly, had a solid reputation and worked with a solid crew that reassured us he wasn't likely to hire a subcontractor more likely to shirk day laborers (a common practice in the construction trades) and 3) bought our cabinets from a local cabinet-maker (though I don't know where the wood was sourced from).

On the mean and black side: I spent WAY too much time and money at superstores like Lowes, Home Depot and Lumber Liquidators, which are terrible for the small-town hardware stores and craftsman-type companies I grew up with and love. At times, our budget and timeline just didn't allow for other options. Our contractor also didn't sort and recycle our house waste (green options were mostly new to him) and the plumber did not leave enough time to super-insulate the pipes. Also, we ended up going with a granite countertop for the island portion of the kitchen...in part because it is so useful for baking purposes and because it was the less-expensive option compared to silestone/corian, etc. But, it was a reluctant choice as there are serious environmental and ethical issues associated with the mining of granite. Unfortunately, many times the nicer, greener choice was so much more expensive and difficult to find. For example, i was excited to use natural linoleum--a great green product but the only place that sells it in our area charges what it would cost to install a marble floor! We simply couldn't afford it.

All in all, I would give us a grade of B- in the "Green and Nice". While we are unlikely to undertake something like this again, I'm wondering if anyone has any tips. I know we could have done better if we had more time to look into more salvaging options or really work with the contractor about green options. But, as it is, we came in just under the wire. Anyone have any tips for nicer, greener options?

Welcome Little Critters!

Our contractor warned us but it has still been difficult to swallow. The work on the house has eliminated most of the grass in both the front and back of our lawn. It also means my beloved hydrangea bush looks like a pile of flattened sticks. It's all replaced with the red clayish mud characteristic of this area. They will be flattening the ground so that what used to include dips and holes will be level, just without any life.

The flip side is that we have an unprecedented opportunity to recreate our lawn, which really needed the help. As winter drags on I can't help but start thinking of spring. Who knows what we will accomplish with two little ones this spring but we did find this. The National Wildlife Federation will certify your lawn (no matter how small) as a Wildlife Habitat. As they put it:

All you need to do is provide elements from each of the following areas:
Food Sources - For example: Native plants, seeds, fruits, nuts, berries, nectar
Water Sources - For example: Birdbath, pond, water garden, stream
Places for Cover - For example: Thicket, rockpile, birdhouse
Places to Raise Young - For example: Dense shrubs, vegetation, nesting box, pond
Sustainable Gardening - For example: Mulch, compost, rain garden, chemical-free fertilizer

You pay the NWF $15 and they send you a little certification sign for your lawn as well as their magazine.

Considering we already compost and have a bat house I figure that we can easily incorporate these other ideas into our plans for the yard. Unfortunately, I've had a hard time finding much information on plants native to New Jersey. The only sticking point. Any ideas for where to search?

Gift Ideas

So...we've been going around and around for awhile about handmade/homemade gifts for the hard-to-get-gifts-for folks in your life. I happened upon Sew, Mama, Sew!'s amazing lists of gifts for practically all the folks in your life. Here are just a few links. Be sure to visit the blog for more ideas. I hope they inspire!

College Students

Dads

Sports Fans

Bookworms

Grandparents

Other ideas out there? Leave a comment. We'd love to hear what your holiday gift-giving ideas are!

This one's for my mom.

I just love how easy and fun the artsy clutch is. This one is made from scraps of natural linen and some of my vintage loot. The interior and the binding is made out of a linen top bought at the thrift store. I decided to do a binding because I put in heavy-ish quilt batting to give it some structure and it was a bit too much for the linen interior fabric. Now, I just have to make something to put inside the clutch!

Also, a much needed call for advice. I'm still at a loss about man gift. The suggestions I've gotten have been great...homemade biscotti and coffee; male toiletry bags; and tote bags for grocery shopping. All of which are great for my husband but the other males are the kind of men that eat big slabs of meat and only want a Barnes and Noble gift certificate. Is it a cop out to buy gift cards and then sew a nice holder for it? The little voice in my head says YES, which might mean I become a cop out. Yikes. See, I need help? Any more thoughts on handmade male gifts?

Hmm, I'm thinking...

A browse around Chickpea Sewing Studio has seriously piqued my interest in the idea of a birthing quilt. I love her idea of having something made specifically for the purposes of the birth process, not just a quilt for the baby after it arrives.

I've been amazingly blessed by having two groups of friends and family that pulled together baby quilts for my first son, which we treasure to no end and I always make my own for the little bundle. But the birthing quilt seems like a nice something for me to grip in the crisp reality of labor.

We are planning a natural birth in the hospital like last time, (a compromise because I'm skittish about home but our local hospital has low,low rates of natural, non-medicated births) with the same amazing doula (not a compromise, she's incredible), who did manage to turn the delivery room into a relaxing and ambient room most of the time. (My favorite part about her website is the Christopher Robin quote, "You're braver than you believe. Stronger than you seem. And, smarter than you think." Right, mamas?)

I think a birthing quilt could serve an interesting and unique role before, during, and after. Truly something there from home. Maybe with fabric scraps from the baby's quilt, maybe scraps gathered from friends and loved ones? I'm thinking something like this zig-zag quilt from A Quilt is Nice. Has anyone else done anything like this? I'd be curious about what was most appreciated "in the moment" or, in my case the "many,many moments that turn in many, many hours".

Pillow Making Advice

I want to tackle some falling apart pillows in our TV room and make them prettier using the flower print fabrics in this shot. Trouble is, I can't decide what is going to look best.

This style of pillow below from sprout design. This would give a simple look and show the full effect of the fabric (it is a nice design, not well highlighted in my picture). Or I could try to add cording to the edge but still a similar idea to this one. Or..

A design like this from Oh Fransson! . I mean not so busy, maybe just use the blue dot fabric in addition to the flower fabric but jazz it up a little. Without all the patchwork she has. So, not really like this photo but having the double border that she has. Thoughts on this? I'm looking for a soothing, elegant feel to the room. (Realize it would have been useful to show the room but it's just too embarassing.)

Machine sewing needles

I have been having some trouble with my machine lately. It is skipping stitches and bunching in random places. Sometimes it helps when I stop and re-thread my machine, but I am wondering if I am just doing something silly or wrong. What do you ladies know about machine needles? Should I be more diligent about changing them? Also, is there a rule of thumb (or thimble?) about when to use what kind of needle? How about thread? Are there certain projects when I should use synthetic (polyester) or cotton? Does any of this really make a difference, or might there be something wrong with my machine?

Front Porch Advice

So, we got this great front porch furniture from Target. I love it, it was inexpensive and turns our front porch in a whole additional room in the house. Most nights we eat our here and Cal loves to play out here. It's great. The only problem is, nothing matches. I thought about recovering the furniture because it has such an old-fashioned design and is kind of itchy (it's that outdoor-style fabric that isn't soft AT ALL). But, given the cost of heavy-duty fabric (a cost I am recently all too familiar with, see post below) I was thinking I might switch gears and try to make a rug from old scraps. Any thoughts, advice, rug tutorials, or furniture recovery tips! I honestly might have enough leftover fabric from the curtain craziness going on but that project will take years given my new fears so I can't count on that. Help!

Cherries Anyone?

Anyone know how to dry cherries? We've got a bumper crop about to explode all over our driveway and I'd like to save as many as I can, but don't know how. If you send me some advice, I'll send you a packet of dried goodness when they are ready :)

Of course any good pie, scone or other cherry recipes are welcome too!

ps. These are tart cherries, but I don't know what varietal they are. (Is varietal a word?)