A recent quilt.

A recent quilt. Not that I started it recently. This was in the box with the crocs for a long time. But now it is with the little guy it was always intended for!

 Inspired by one of my favorite Denyse Schmidt quilts, the Lazy Gal quilt.

A Flock of Crocs

A flock of Crocs sounds catchier than "A Float of Crocodiles". I looked it up and here is a whole list of what various groups of animals are called. Go see. Pretty interesting!

These crocs or gators were made over a really long time period, for 5 awesome little guys we know and love. They were fun and when I got sick sat in a box unfinished for an embarrassing amount of time. The green fabric is terry cloth it ripped and frayed a lot which is probably prevented me from finishing them quickly, always setting them aside to repair them before they were even finished. I finally surged the last one which made it a whole different game. The first time I made this pattern I used green fleece. So note to self, serge the terry cloth or use fleece.

It makes me remember the first one of these I made for my buddy Elijah was only 3 when I made it for him. I have he privilege this year to carpool with his family. He is now so much older, even sitting next to me in the passenger seat talking to me about basketball, April Fools jokes, and music. The 5 crocs above were all made for friends that are 4 and younger, one of which just turned 1! I can't wait to see them all grow

Long winter

When they started, there was nothing green on the ground or in the trees. As we all know, this long winter wore most of us out. I needed color and yarn therapy.

I started doing math of what I would need to turn these into a full size blanket. I was getting ahead of my self again. I wasn't enjoying the process and it somehow made winter seem even more dreary. So I threw away my sketch with the math on it and just started making flowers again.

These flowers started on the night of the Oscars and the pile gets added to every now and then. Not sure where this project is going. The girls like to ohh and ahh over them, stacking them, rearranging them.  They snag a few here and there, making them into medals or rugs for their doll house. Just like exposing them to good books or music, it is fun to expose them to yarn and fabric and all that comes with making with those things.

Getting Ahead of Myself

I am really good at getting ahead of myself. Starting yarn and sewing projects before my skills are developed for them, heavy books that aren't a good match for this season of life I am in,  pinterest parenting ideas that don't even go with the personalities in my family, and many other things I daydream of and start before I was actually ready to do them.

These English paper pieced flowers are a great example of me getting in my own way. Started in 2011, I read and read about it. Inspired by the quilts my grandma had on the twin beds in her guest room. I hand cut about hundreds of tiny hexagons and the papers. And I wasn't ready for it. I couldn't get in the rhythm needed to baste the fabric around each paper, couldn't get the stitches fine enough to piece them together and not show on the other side. I picked up these tiny hexagons last week and they are coming together now.

It's similar to watching my 4 year old try to make a rainbow loom bracelet over and over again, but just not quite ready for it. She loved the process of trying as much as the final product.

Around the start of the year, my resolution was to- slow down, be more careful, think things through. Don't get ahead of myself.

Slow Stitching, something I am very thankful for these days.  Slowing down and enjoying the process in making, I keep reading slow stitching compared to the slow food movement.

Slowing down. I think it is something a lot of us are craving.

Kid's Clothes Week: day 3

 This was the practice dress I made using the bodice pattern I made.

It was a quick sew where I didn't even change out the thread. I just made it quick with stuff I had on hand and tried a quick A-line skirt. I used a random sage green zipper and the pockets are totally different sizes and wiggly. These pictures are really dark, but I wanted to post every day this week so you get what you get!

I kind of love it in a retro Sound of Music kind of way. The little one it was made for saw and isn't sure, but I think her brown or pink sweater and her cowboy boots I can convince her. Also it reminds me a little of this dress I pinned quite a while ago. 

SO imagine this bodice in blue satin with a long straighter skirt without the pockets and no binding on the neck for Wendy Darling. Stay Tuned.

Kid's Clothes Week: Day 2

Yesterday I made a practice dress to make sure the bodice that I randomly drafted from a sundress would work for Maggie's Wendy Darling dress. This is for 2 reasons. One, I can't find my pattern and vaguely remember packing some sewing stuff I thought I didn't need for now and put it up for long term storage, and two because I am a detail oriented obsessed and I noticed that neckline is boat neck. Most dresses that have puff sleeves don't have that kind of neck line! So I did what I do and added an unnecessary task of making this pattern from scratch. I actually enjoy this kind of stuff.

I also decided that I wanted to have this sheer blue over the solid blue. To make it more, I don't know, Shimmery? Dreamy? Floaty? Those are all Maggieisms. So yes. You would think I am making her a wedding gown or prom dress when I make these details so ridiculous, and not a dress that is going to be destroyed in our church's Trunk or Treat bouncy castle (true story, that happened to her Little Red dress last year) But aw well. I truly love this stuff and figuring it all out. And I love seeing the girls check on how it's going, telling me what they are going to sew when I let them use the machine one day.

 So here is where I underline the pattern pieces after reading this tutorial. Stayed tuned!

Kid's Clothes Week!

It is Kid's Clothes Week again! It is one of my favorite sewing challanges and is pretty easy to participate.

So today, I need to start turning my pile of fabric into a Wendy Darling dress and a Tiger Lilly dress. Trunk or Treat & Trick or Treat here we come!

PS (I already have made the Tiger Lilly wig and can't wait to show it to you!)

Zinnia birthday dress using the Oliver+S Roller Skate Pattern

Fabric and flower inspiration chosen by the birthday girl.

Pattern:  Oliver+S Roller skate Dress Pattern

I used quilting cotton (she chose because it looked like seeds) and hand embroidered zinnias onto the border.

I had never use an Oliver + S pattern before this, but will try many more. They are so well written. I lined this with a pink kona cotton. My favorite part of this pattern is the cap sleeves and the elastic on the A line waist. I have 3 more of these cut out and ready to sew up.

Z I N N I A S

This is the first time in my adult life I have successfully grown zinnias. The seeds finally got enough water from me and above and finally weren't eaten by squirrels. Me and my little gals grew zinnias and they are beautiful. And they keep coming.

I remember dad and I planting them every summer as a kid. Dad is now a master gardener, but then, then I was just a kid and he was just my dad. Standing in front of the split rail fence he told me to water them well and say a prayer for them.

Thanks dad for teaching me young to pray for the little things and the big things.

Yarn Journal: Granny Square blanket of many colors

Quite a while ago I was inspired by Erin of House on Hill Road and her blanket and I referred to her posts and pictures of it often.

 I started the granny square blanket last summer in June 2012 and finished it early this spring 2013 and kept forgetting to journal it. I took this yarn to Hawaii, Florida a few times (our home away from home), car pool lines, dance class, friends houses, and everywhere in between. As I began planning it I knew I wanted to be a dark denim blue and for it to be a blanket of many colors*.

 I choose the main blue first and then bought many acrylic brights and a few wool super wash yarns to match the shade and the colors we already had in the room. I did not keep track of all the colors. Sorry! I can say I bought everything at our local Joann's, Michael's and Dee's Crafts. 

 I know a few great wonderful yarn crafters and artists and many of them take great pride in using great wool yarns. This allergic gal just couldn't do it. One of the red yarns, one of the yellow yarns, and a couple of the blues are a beautiful wool I got from Dee's Crafts and every day I used them I had a reaction on my hands. But napping under the blanket hasn't been a problem for me (it does make D and Mike sneeze, so they can't use it), so maybe just running the yarn through my hand repeatedly is the kicker for me.

That being said I do look forward to to trying other kinds of yarns in the future. Cotton, linen and alpaca yarns seem like great possibilities for other projects. 

Having made a granny square baby blanket for my niece where I sewed those squares together traditionally, I knew I wanted a different method for this project after I read about "joining as you go". I link to that method below.

Project details-

70 Granny square of 5 stripes in each square plus main color. I learned how to make a granny square several years ago, but here is a great tutorial if you want to learn. 12 different patterns of squares, there are some that I made 8 each of and some I made only 4 of. I just made my favorite patterns more often, winging it as I went. 

Number of Colors 13 different colors ** (Again, so sorry I do not know the names of the colors- those labels are long gone)

3 reds

1 orange

2 yellows

2 greens

5 blues which include the main color that were all a variation on denim blue, turquoise, or robins egg or similar.

I connected the squares with the method of joining squares as you go.

Have you made a granny square blanket? Or have you made a project with granny squares?

_______________________________________________

*Theater nerds enjoy this crazy awful/crazy awesome version of Joseph's coat of many colors here and Dolly fans enjoy your coat of many colors here).

**I once overheard someone in a fabric store say that you should have at least 13 kinds of fabrics or yarns in a blanket to have enough diversity to look at and it has stuck with me. So funny that I so often try to stick to that rule.

Birthday Dress

Over the last week I made the Simplicity 2444 pattern to wear on my birthday. I used "It's a Hoot" by Moda quilting cotton that I bought a year or two ago at our local quilt shop, Among Friends Quilt Shop. After using this fabric print in quite a few patch work projects I only had 1 and 7/8 yards left. The original pattern calls for about 3 and 3/8 yards of fabric. I had to strategically cut out the top pieces and then made a gathered skirt using every bit of the yardage I had left.

Despite the generous gather and because of the grain line, it was still a bit short for me to wear comfortably, so I bought a similar colored broadcloth at my local chain store, Joann's  the next day to make the border/hem. Because the background color is off white, it is lined with an off white lining I had in my stash. The zipper is done as a hand picked zipper, my first ever, which I learned via my Craftsy course I just watched this summer,  "The Couture Dress, with Susan Khalje".

Dear Dorothy and Maggie, (Who is your dad today?)

May 4th, 2013,

Dear Dorothy (age 5) and Maggie (age 4),

15 years ago this month I graduated from Floyd Central and about that same time, down the hill, a guy at New Albany that I had noticed at a few outings graduated too. We fell in love that summer. We got engaged and married the next Christmas (December 1999). We started college together and girls, so. so. so. much happened after that.

Since that time your dad faithfully led our family, pointing me to Christ, supporting me and getting me through college, loving me and serving me in lots and lots of sickness, at one time working 6 jobs at once for several months to pay our rent, and raising you two beautiful little babies into sweet little girls. 

He took an unlikely path to where we are today... he was a guy with musical talent in guitar and an itch to be a part of a different kind of church.  Our plan was not figured out and was not to be a pastor and pastor's wife, but it was obviously God's plan and we are thankful for it. For the last 13 of those years he has been walking along our dear friend, Daniel's side at Sojourn serving in many positions and helping create many of the ministries that have morphed into what they are today. He has helped run 2 building campaigns, produced 13 worship albums, published 2 books, and pastored many in our church and friends around the country.

 

He has invested in his team, his friends, me and you all...working 50-70 work weeks for many of those years.

And in the last 2 years he went to school at full time at night to finish his bachelor's degree. To finish up his degree and to show you both it can be done.

It almost broke us. Full time school. Full time executive pastor. Full time dad. Full time husband. 

None of it was easy. He took an unlikely path and worked hard for where he is.

Dorothy and Maggie, this is the kind of man you look for when you look for a husband. A hard working man that wants to learn; and more than that takes care of his family; and yet above all else loves God and follows Christ (more than guitars, a great story, great food, and even us- his family).

This is who your dad is on May 4th, 2013.  He loves Jesus. He is an author, Sojourn exec pastor, record producer, guitar player, foodie, OUR guy, and

a graduate.

Love,

~ your mama

Sewing Journal April, 2013

An Easter dress with a very twirly circle skirt and a Peter Pan collar. She told me, "This skirt, it is all I wanted." Ha! I made it with a fabric she picked from Jo-ann's and the collar was a beautiful scrap of pink chambray I got at Purl Soho in NYC that I wished I had yards of. The pattern was Butterick B5877. My sweet old machine hates making button holes so they aren't as pretty as I like, but you can't tell when it's on. This was my first Peter Pan collar and now I want them on everything.

My other project I can share right now (muhaha) is late birthday present for my tiny little Wonder Woman. I surprised her with super hero girl pajamas. I found this fabric at Jo-ann's and traced her American Apparel karate pants. We also made a patch for an old stained blue shirt and it covered and matched perfectly! Then she demonstrated Super Hero Karate.

What have you been sewing or making?

T-shirt dress tutorial

I have seen many versions of this on blogs and pinterest. I have made a few now and this is my process. Using Over and my iphone my 5 year old and I made a quick t-shirt dress and a tutorial.  This is written to someone who has finished seams and knows how to do a gathering stitch. If you don't you can follow the links I provide on how to do that. 

Target-t-shirt- $5 +

1/2 yard leopard floral crinkly silk- 3.50 +

the bonding time and the fact that she chose the fabric and colors

=$8.50 and way more likely to wear it because she was involved.

Wash your fabric and t-shirt to preshrink.

D was in love with this leopard floral fabric. I wouldn't have picked it, but I am learning that if I let my kids pick the fabric, they are WAY more likely to wear the finished product. 

(The shoes have nothing to do with the process, but I know Jessie has them too. Hi, Jessie!)

Ha, I have this pic upside down but already had put the text on. You get the idea. 

Here is a link on how to finish seams.

 Here is a great link for gathering.

 Press each seam and hem as you go and then the whole dress.

under 20 post.

Why do I make blogging so hard. I set lofty unrealistic expectations and then don't write when I am too tired to meet them. Time for another under 20 minute blog. This one is inspired by Mommy Coddle

Currently watching Zero Dark Thirty. Fascinating and sickening.

My husband's book and the record he produced came out in the last 2 weeks. Humbled. He is a smarty and a good at a lot. Here is an interview that tells a bit of what he has done in the last year.

I sewed 1 Easter dress and have the skirt of another done. It has been fun, but I don't have enough time! Below shows my beginnings plans for quilted Easter baskets. Even though I started early, life got in the way and I don't think they'll be done this year. Maybe by next?

I finally reached that point again in exercise where it makes me feel better instead of making me want to give up. As a result my RA is slightly more controlled. Slightly. Still gluten free which also helps. This may be a blessing. Going gluten free. I may blog more on that later....

Our friends Bryan and Chandra moved. We are so so blessed to have been in community with them for a few years. Bryan is a super coach and I think you should browse his blog for productivity and organizational growth, Brian Howard.

I have been re-watching Alias and Veronica Marrs. I love those both so much. AND THEN the Veronica Marrs movie went on Kickstarter and it is happening! What are you watching?

I just read on a sewing blog tonight about  Foyle's War and I am pretty sure I will watch it next week in marathon. Tell me if you do too!

XO blog friends.

Don't sew on the flu

I had sewing projects I REALLY wanted done by this week. 2 way overdue presents. A project for Mike and Easter dresses for my girls.

We have the flu. And it is brutal. So many symptoms. Mike has yet to get it, but the rest of us have.

I tried working on my projects a few 10 minutes installments here and there and I kept making mistakes. Too sick to think straight. Now I have a pile of projects that need redoing or reworking because I sewed with the flu.

So. I thought I show you fabric instead (some already shown on my Instagram). I think a bouquet of fabric sounds as lovely as a bouquet of flowers when you are sick. Mike Cosper, Send me fabric. I mean. I love you.

 A present...some patchwork...vague:)

 3 yards of this to sew for future 4 year old's birthday. Old man PJs and a dress or skirt.

 Spring dresses. I've got plans. 

Gotta get better. XOXO friends. 

Except not. Because you don't want this flu.

How a Batgirl costume was effortless compared to Supergirl.

A few weeks after Halloween, our sweet niece Lydia had a super hero birthday party. 

 I needed a costume for Maggie...

I didn't have it in me to make one like D's Supergirl Costume.

• Enter a Target boy's t-shirt with the Batman logo on it.
• A Target Harijuku Mini tutu skirt (I can't find the direct link, they must be sold out)
• One pair of black tights for legs
• One pair of black tights cut to cover boots 

And afterwards, she might wear that shirt. Twice a week for 3 months.

The birthday girl and her cousins. I will love this picture for so long.