Rob recently set up shop on Etsy. I love his books (I get them as gifts all the time…)
Monthly Archive for November, 2007
I have been clicking around on Etsy a bit more these days, looking for presents and checking out some wonderful art:
Bead Woven Leopard Animal Print Bracelet by MistyRidgeBeads.
Drunk Circus Dress by desirapesta. I love this dress. Click over to Etsy and check out all the views. I know the perfect person for this dress (other than moi.) You must also check out the other items listed, like this Belted Katamari, The Oh Blouse.
Limited Edition Sopu Wrap Skirt by finnbiskit. More wonderful pieces in this shop.
I am so in love with this Pleated Top by treehouse28. I also love the ruffled skirt.
Makes me want to fill up my sketch book, shop and make more clothes. Good stuff out there. Buy handmade.
These are the words I heard this morning while dropping Iz off at her little school. I really appreciate that she’s ready for me to go, but Now? I’m not ready. I enjoy the little “free”time (spent at the lounge, or paying bills, shopping, etc), but I love spending time with her. I’m glad she loves her school and her friends and can play and function without me. But when she says those words, I just want to hug her and cover her with kisses and hold on just a little longer.
It’s been super cold at my house. There is no insulation in the crawlspace under our 200+ year old holey-frickin-moley farm house, so perhaps you know or can imagine what the floor may feel like. It took me a year to realize that was the reason Iz always wanted uppies in the winter time. So today at LuckyStitches we made wool felt slippers:
We drafted our own patterns from our own feet. I didn’t used to be a pattern person. When I was in school, I’d make my own clothes and clothes for my roommate before we’d go out. I’d cut bodices, sleeves, pants, skirts, all without a pattern. Then, after several years of intensive patternmaking, I’ve come to LOVE making patterns for things. I love it when things look good and have a great fit!
The orange and pink slippers were made with wonderful thick wool felt. They are comfy and warm. I think these will be the first of many. I think family members and friends will be knocking down the door…
These are mine (note the stars):
I don’t think you know this about me (except for those of you that have gone shoe shopping with me), but I have EEE wide feet. What this really means is that NONE OF MY SHOES FIT. ever. IT SUCKS! Shoe shopping is, while I try to keep a chin up and hopeful, one of the most devastating things I’ve ever done. I can literally leave a shoe store in tears because NOTHING FITS, not even the ugly shoes. sad, but so true.
Anyway, I made these slippers, and they fit. I added stars to remind me of the left and right.
I added a layer of fleece to the sole. They are warmer than I could have imagined.
With a few dabs of fabric paint, I added grippers to my slippers.
I might have to add a few pairs to my list for Christmas presents. They are fun, and would work with old sweaters and blankets too. I think my next pair will have even another layer for the sole, just for a bit more cushy-ness.
On another note, tonight was the first part of the Christmas Tree Skirt class. Below is the winner of the BostonMamas.com LuckyStitches certificate, using her dollars wisely. She’s starting this really great business around her ideas and sewing (maybe more on that later…), so we talked about that for a while, then got busy working on our skirts.
What I came to realize from our talk about Christmas Tree Skirts, is that they are so much more than the 2 pieces of hot pink satin I’ve been draping around our trees for years. Rather, they are an opportunity for family tradition and memories. While they are displayed for just a few weeks, they can come to mean so much in a lifetime.
Years ago, I started making my own Christmas cards (I can’t believe I don’t have any pictures!!! argh). It started out of necessity really, I was a college student, completely broke, but wanting all my family and friends to know that I have been thinking of them throughout the year. Being in art school, I had tons of supplies, and my beau at the time (now my husband) was handy with the paint and paper, and he helped me make the cards. I think we made 30 that year. So every year since (barring the year I was pregnant, and the past 2 years), we’ve made our cards.
We’ve always used things from our stash, but sometimes complemented them with tin and velvet and beads and cellophane. I would start thinking about cards after every new year, try to get started during the summer, but never really start until mid-December. For the few years while this has been on hiatus (due in large part to becoming a mom and figuring life out again), I so wanted to make cards. I think about family and friends all the time, but I’m not as fabulous at keeping in touch, and I always feel like these cards are my way of saying, “I’ve been thinking about you all year long…”
It’s been on my little wish list to start again this year. So, now that it is after Thanksgiving, I thought it would be a good time to start. It’s a family affair. We’re making cards, working on them after dinner. The list has grown to well over 100. Tonight we started prepping, cutting and painting cardboard stars. Everything is from around the house. The only thing we’re buying this year are the stamps.
It was a lot of fun. I think Iz is about the age where memories stick around. I love that we can do things like this as a family. Family traditions are so important and can be loads of fun. I get pretty giddy thinking about the memories we are making as a family and wonder what Iz will remember and cherish. I love the holiday season. I love taking the time to make things that will let our family and friends know that we are thinking of them. I can’t wait to do more tomorrow night.
For Diners open Thanksgiving morning so we can have breakfast on our long trip. And for whipped cream on a mug of hot chocolate.
For chewing gum.
For the timer on cameras – so I could make it into the picture (after a few tries…)
For cousins that love music and ballet.
For large family gatherings.
For sleepers at every family gathering.
For lunch with Pop Pop.
For cookie dough and good friends.
Monday night a bunch of bag (and lucky) stitchers got together at LuckyStitches for a little Sew-A-Bration. It was the launch day in Florence for The Bag Share. Florence Hardware, Leather & Lace and Cooper’s Corners all now participate in The Bag Share. So there was much to celebrate. With pizza, yummy soup and a bunch of other goodies all to sustain sewers, we stitched up more bags to contribute to the cause. Fabric had been donated, a bunch of machines were on hand, people were busy and the machines were humming. Oh, how I love the sound of sewing machines. The next Bag Sew at LuckyStitches is Dec 5, 6pm-9pm. Hope you can make it. We have so many bags to make!
Ok…this is all you’ll get to see until my swapping gang gets theirs in the mail.
I love swaps, because I love getting surprises in the mail! It’s tons of fun. It’s hard for me to not check the Flickr page to see what people are making (ok, I do, but I don’t check names, I don’t want to know what I’m getting until it arrives in my mail box!).
Anyway, this little lovely is again made with items I have on hand. It’s my promise this holiday to do only handmade (I’ll buy some handmade…but I’ll make most of it). It’s a fun challenge, plus, the moola is always tight, and although I LOVE to shop, making things certainly does add meaning to it all!
Ok – so no more in the blog about ornaments ’till my swappers get theirs in the mail.
Ok, first – if you are a local yokel – than please visit me Monday night, 11/19 at LuckyStitches 6pm-8:30pm for a Sew-A-Bration. We’ll be sewing up more bags for the Florence Bag Share which launches the same day (celebration). So come on down! Bring a dish to share, a machine to sew and fabric will be available for bags. If you have questions: info(at)luckystitches.com or 413.695.3092 Hope to stitch it up!
On to regularly scheduled business. The latest round of newbie sewers finished their messenger bags this weekend. I know you’ve probably heard me say this before, but I just have to tell you again. Hearing these guys and gals tell me that there is no way this is going to work and be a bag, then watch as their faces light up when they turn their bags out (we sew linings into them). It’s just so freakin’ precious! I love it. I also really love that each person is able to make their bags their OWN individual bags. All the choices are their own, including what to appliqué, how many pockets, inside pockets, length of strap, closure. I really want people to leave knowing that they can really turn what they are working on into something original, even if it is from a pattern. fun right?
We practice a bunch of different things, just so people can become familiar with their machine. I encourage pressing all the buttons, levers, turning all the knobs, trying all the widths and lengths. Everyone brings different types of fabrics (above is a thick fleece – she’s using a cool fish print and a fun stitch on her new to her (but previously owned) machine and came up with something that looked like seaweed.
On the other, he used some pink satin to appliqué a one-eyed robot demon guy onto his black corduroy bag. It’s so cool! The thread he brought was a little thick, so experimenting with all these things were really fun, and what a cool surprise it was for these to become actual bags they can use.
and what lovely “LuckyStitches poses”!
Oh – on to the next…I’m working fast and furious to finish up the JanFebMar 2008 schedule. Fingers crossed, I can finish tonight! I’ll be repeating some classes, like Sewing Machine 101 (that will happen every month), Jeans and a few others, and there’s some cool stuff for the late winter and early spring. A coat class, a skirt class, a wrap dress class. Some pattern-making 101 classes, like Full Bust Adjustment and Sewing Patterns 101. I’m also introducing a Homeschooling Sewing Series. That actually starts in December. It’s starting to fill up, so if your are interested, please register sooner than later. I’m also thinking of running the winter hat class again. I so LOVE the pattern I made, it’s perfect for kids and adults. So many projects and only 3 months…
Whew. Tons going on. LOTS of sewing too! (yippeee for me!) The machines have been humming at LuckyStitches. We’ve been making so much fun stuff over the last few weeks, I can hardly stand it (I had to lie down to type this…).
I’m super proud of all the projects and each and every LuckyStitcher, so note that these are all mentioned in no particular order.
Pajamas
I didn’t take pictures of the other pjs, but they are really cute, one pair of flannel lined pants (lined with flannel…oh SO warm!) and another sweet striped tunic and pants, also made from flannel. Now…this might seem selfish – but it really was unintentional, but I have pictures of what I’ve been working on:
Here’s my initial purchase:
I really LOVE the pattern. I fell in love with the illustration of the kids in PJs especially the one modeling the style (C) I’m making for Iz. I love it so much, I want to frame it. Nerdy? Dorky? Geeky? Perhaps…am I gushing?
and I love the buttons (more geekdom…). Stars make my heart pitter patter a bit faster than normal and I found these:
Here’s the first pair (I’m making three…) finished:
On Iz (ugh, I CAN’T stand that wood paneling. It made Elmo pass out..)
Iz LOVES her PJs. “Oh Mama, I love them, they are stupendous and so soft!” She’s been using the camera – and here’s her self portrait:
Sewing Machine 101
I know, where’s the sewing machine? Well I can’t wait to show you the messenger bags these LuckyStitchers are making. Here we put in a magnetic snap, but wait till it’s finished and you’ll see her appliqué, bag, zipper pouch…all practicing all the fun stuff we talked about the first class. Let me tell you, these guys and gals are getting LOTS of practice threading machines, making patterns, sewing seams, topstitching, and they have become best friends with Mademoiselle Seam Ripper. After this weekend, I’ll have proper pictures of finished messenger bags, proof that they have learned how to use their sewing machines!
Make A Pattern From Your Clothes
How many times have you found something wonderful that you can’t wear anymore because the fabric has fallen apart? Yoga pants, a favorite hoodie and a J Crew summer dress can now all be made again, out of favorite fabric, season after season. Everyone learned how to make patterns from their clothes (either leaving them whole or cutting them apart). Can’t wait to see what they want to make next…
Sewing With Fleece
I had actually intended this class to work with squares, circles and rectangles of fleece, embellish with appliqué, but it turned into SEW MUCH MORE. I quickly demonstrated how to draft a pattern of a hat, I always want people to leave learning every aspect of each project, so I always try to help them through the creative process of making something from conception (sketch and pattern) to completion (sewn article). So we drafted a pattern and worked with a few different types of fleece. I LOVE the hats:
My endangered species hat.
I made this one this morning. Hmmm. I might have to make a pattern available. It’s so easy and quick! I made this one in less than an hour.
I’ve been working on the LuckyStitches Messenger Bag Pattern. I took pictures explaining the whole process, and I can’t stand them. Except for a few…but it’s back to the drawing board (or cutting table) to pick some different fabrics that would photograph better.
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