Thursday, May 31, 2007

for mimi


My good friends, Alec and Gwynne's daughter, Mimi is turning 1 and her party is this Sunday. I appliqued a bird from that Alexander Henry fabric onto a green American Apparel dress.
Hey...check me out on the Sew Mama Sew blog today where I used the fabric on that bird skirt.
I have a few other handmade things for little Mimi as well. Last year when her Mama was still pregnant I made this for her. The kitty is from a Sublime Stitching pattern.

Little M just loves Mimi and he says Mimi all the time. It's very cute. He gave her kisses last time he saw her. We've been talking about her party for 2 weeks already. He's very excited.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

embracing yellow


Yellow and all shades of green are really tickling my fancy lately. Chartreuse, soft yellow, mustard, forest green, pale green, gray green... I've also become even more obsessed with fabric. Now what is it about yellow..a color for years I hated. Even saying yellow sounds weird to me. It's just an odd sounding word. Did I inherit color choices - likes/dislikes from my Mom? Betsy (my Mom) is all about red, white and blue. I always teased her about this calling her Betsy Ross. Seriously though if you look at photos of her and me you will see we have a natural propensity towards red & blue and then our pattern of choice would have to be plaid what with her being Scottish and me being a child of the 70's it's not a surprise. Yellow is a color I just never got excited about until now. I did paint my last kitchen a soft butter yellow which I alternately hated and loved but, here I am embracing yellow. I'm not quite ready to wear it as a solid color until I find the exact right shade. A skirt with yellow in it like my bird skirt is good though.
Onto fabric, I've been accumulating fabric this year like a squirrel hoarding acorns.
This fabric above I bought at Mackey Blue, my new place of residence on Wednesday evenings from 7-9 beginning a week from today and where some of my items for sale reside. I want to use the flower tablecloth for a framing project but, am struggling because it's too pretty to cut even though I don't have the right table for it at the moment. The other fabric is so cute too but, that I can easily cut as it has no original purpose- the watering cans, veggies and flowers against that yellow is just so sunny and summer. It would make good kitchen and table linens. Karen, the owner of Mackey Blue also had it in a green color way but, I was more drawn to the yellow.
I'm still holding strong onto my red though. My close friends who read this will know what I'm taking about.

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

a twirly skirt


My new twirly skirt made using the house on hill road pattern adapted for an adult. The fabrics are the American Jane Building Blocks Bows and Moda Dots. It was very simple to make and now I think I will go twirl around on the grass somewhere like a ballerina on top of a music box. More photos here and here

Monday, May 28, 2007

all kinds of owl buttons in here


A few weeks ago, my Great Aunt Janet passed at the age of 95. Although we were very sad, she was very ill and she passed while unaware. She is remembered with great love and kindness which she shared with all. She had the sweetest smile you've ever seen. She danced at my wedding in 2001 and kept up her hair appointments and dressed up no matter what. She also was an amazing seamstress and crafter and made this beautiful junior bridesmaid dress for me for a family wedding. I can't remember the material. I am trying to find this dress again through relatives but, it was long and cream colored with dusty pink flowers and green leaves and a beautiful green velvet ribbon. I wore it for her grand-daughter Janet Lynn's wedding. She worked as a milliner and always made beautiful things. This weekend I learned that she made the 2 large, room-sized braided rag rugs that were in her home. Her nieces remember her sitting on the floor braiding it.
I loved her a great deal. Her daughter, Mary-Jane gave me this bag of buttons that belonged to her on Saturday while my Mom and I were visiting her cousins tea house in Avon-by-the Sea, NJ. Of course, I love it not only for the great owl embroidery but because it was hers and I will treasure it. When I use the buttons inside they will be for projects for the family and extended relatives. A little bit of her with each garment I make or mend.

Friday, May 25, 2007

birds, babies + some flowers

In my 'studio' also known as the bedroom I've got a lot going on.
These sparrows are for applique projects.



These metal flowers are just too pretty not to look at. I forgot all about them and then remembered that last night. I love when that happens...when you rediscover treasures you put away.




And baby stuff, lots of baby projects. Here is one of them- little brown shoes...



Have a happy Memorial Day weekend!

Thursday, May 24, 2007

big flowers dress


It really feels like summer today. Time to pull out this dress I made some years ago with really cool vintage fabric. Thing is it's too big on top but I'm nervous about taking it in. Should I, shouldn't I? Hmmm....

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

a miranda july video



I liked watching this
maybe you will too.

miranda july + blonde redhead + mike mills

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

martha stewart pillowcase bag

This month's Martha Steart Living features a pillowcase bag that was super easy to make. I had a pink pillowcase from Ikea I never used so, I decided to give that a go.
Here is the one in the magazine and here is mine.


















I think it will be good to bring along to the beach, a quick jaunt to the store, the farmer's market..that sort of thing.

hi there mr. squirrel



I've been wanting to try intartia (or jacquard) forever. My friend Anna gave me a quick how-to about a month ago. I thought I'd forget but, after a few tries I was doing it. It's super easy too. The only problem is that it took longer then it should because of the twisted yarns. Since I was carrying the yarn not in use at the time in the back throughout the knitted piece and I had to keep wrapping it behind it made the yarns twist like crazy so I had to keep untwisting after almost every row. I'm sure there is a better way. The pattern is from this book that I got for my birthday.



He's super cute, don't you think? I'm thinking a scarf for Little M for the Fall maybe with some black stripes in it too.

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Mackey Blue + Me

Display 1


Display 2




I've been keeping a secret since Wednesday night and today I've decided to let it out. Phew!
My items will now be for sale at Mackey Blue... right here in Hoboken, NJ. The address is 1200 Washington Street and it is actually btw. Washington and Bloomfield Street.
I'm so excited about this little venture. Karen is so awesome and her store is so great. You may remember I gushed about it here.
Today, I dropped off my first batch of items and set it up and learned about working at the store because I will also be working there Wednesday nights from 7-9 starting the first week of June. Currently, she is open Saturdays from 10-7 and most Sundays. She is one busy gal with a full time job in addition to her store. Adding Wednesdays is good for her and good for me because I get out of the house and have the pleasure of being in her store and around all the lovelies in it. Of course, I will be meeting the customers and it will be like meet the designer too. I'm going to add inventory over the next few weeks and we will see how it goes.
Right now, I have button bobbies, a millinery brooch, a velvet button pin, a few flower pins, a garland and 2 pairs of booties. I will be adding more items soon. Some applique'd onesies should be there next week and hopefully, some for us girls too.

Here are a few more photos from inside the store.




Hope the rest of your weekend is lovely. I'm heading to the Joseph Cornell show in Chelsea soon.

xoxo

Thursday, May 17, 2007

knit headband



I knit up this headband with Blue Sky Alpaca's silk and alpaca blend in this vibrant summer shade of green. This is a further attempt (see bobbies) to do something with my hair which is so unruly in the summer. To begin with, I have thick, long hair which I wind up wearing pulled back most of the time esp. in summer + add a toddler which makes it necessary to go back so it doesn't get pulled..that doesn't mean it still can't be pretty.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

for the table




A new table runner for our dining room table made with Japanese import fabric from a Purl fat quarter. I used 2 of the quarters and combined them with the result of a simple patchwork runner. I love the patterns which are the Abeille Clover and Spots in pink. The fabric feels and looks so good: it is 85% cotton, double layer voile with waffle weave texture.

These are the 2 fabric swatches used. The clover is in the middle with the spots on either side.


Monday, May 14, 2007

a sewing project you can do on a car trip


On Saturday, I brought along a little sewing project to do in the car. I'm not into car rides over an hour. I'm a bit impatient. The only time I can deal with driving longer is at night. I easily get car-sick: windy roads, stop and go traffic, heat..almost anything sets off the queasies. I most certainly can't knit in the car which is so sad because I really don't like to be idle but, I learned that a simple sewing project like this one was totally doable. Yay! I had been looking for something in my closet with a peter pan collar but, I only had this beautiful red vintage blouse with a small peter pan collar (must do something about this!) and I didn't want to sew the buttons on that.
This little jacket seemed like a good alternative to embellish with buttons so here it is and I love it!

Sunday, May 13, 2007

5..4..3.. 2.. 1 Blast Off !


For Mumma's Day, Little M got his spaceboy and I got a gift certificate for a much needed massage. Big M is really into saying epaulettes. It is quite a fun word, no?

Happy Mother's Day everyone.

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Loretta Lux & Davina Zagury

Loretta Lux and Davina Zagury are two photographers whose work with children and childhood I really admire.

I own two of Davina's doll images and would love to obtain more of her work. I am very fond of her images and her series entitled, Reminisences. And, I would absolutely love to have her photograph Little M.
-I can't grab any of her images so you will have to go and take a look-

Then, there is Loretta Lux





The dreamy, ethereal way in which the children all look like they are in fairy tales is so amazing. The children dressed in vintage clothing all portray this real, yet imaginary image.



I'm so sad I missed her recent show at The Guggenheim but, silly me, I actually didn't know about it until it was too late.

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

spring bobbies





I made some more button bobbies last week and have added a few of them to my Etsy shop. These are covered with vintage fabric and it is the same fabric used in a few of the pincushions also listed on Etsy here and here.

I like how in the 1st and 3rd ones it is bits and pieces of the fabric and that they look a bit abstract.

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

this and that




This: tweed wool on the outside, cotton flannel on the inside: toddler scarf, need to add button and buttonhole. making more of these.

That: Ranunculus. Oh, how I love thee.

Monday, May 7, 2007

heidi apron


I feel like running through the Swiss Alps singing "Doe a Deer a Female Deer, Ray a Pocket Full of Sun, Me a Name I call Myself, Fa(r) a long long way to go, Sew, A needle pulling thread....." . Then later milking some cows, churning some butter and then tumbling down the hill with Jack. Sounds like a good day, right?
I think Little M would have fun doing this with his Mama. I suppose I would need to make him a little German boy outfit complete with lederhosen. I would so love to see him in that.



















Seriously though I had SO much fun sewing up this apron yesterday...I just went into it recklessly not measuring or anything..crazy I know. I will admit I did cut around a vintage half apron for general sizing but that is it. I used one of my ribbons from the trim spree I had last week on the front. I think the fabric and ribbon look amazing together. The pocket is made from wool felt. Underneath the apron is a red wrap skirt I made a few years back when I was taking a sewing class. Add braids, and I'm Heidi. Oh, and clogs of course.


Friday, May 4, 2007

stripey



Stripey is quite new and a little side project I've been doing in my downtime when I'm 'relaxing.'
It is knitted in seed stitch and I had all the yarn on hand from previous projects. I only knit in quality yarns so these are all manos del uruguay, rowan & morehouse farm merino. It is quite an unusual color combination choice for me but, I quite like the way they play off each other; the lights, brights and dark yarns seem to balance each other out. The stripes don't repeat in the same way either which I think give it a sense of spontaneity. Stripey is very textural and super soft. The stripes are uneven because of the different yarns- some are thicker or thinner than others.
It took about an hour and 1/4 to weave in the ends - the most tedious part of the project.

Thursday, May 3, 2007

ribbons and trims, oh my!



I went a little crazy at M & J Trims the other day. I blew half my allowance on ribbons and trims. I felt like a kid in a candy store. I'm really digging the ships and the lace at the moment and those flowers...wow. I also bought some handles for purses.

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

patches, toys and boys

After seeing Amy's post about Heat n' Bond Lite and how it was a fast easy project great for little ones and might I add quite a groove (excuse me I was looking at a hippy cookbook yesterday) for the big kid in us grown-ups as well, I thought I'd give it a shot.
It was super easy and I did these in like 10 minutes. I liked it better than the last time I did applique for Little M.





Yup, what's more exciting to a little boy then trucks, guitars and trees. Little M (like most boys) gets super excited about trucks and buses..big wheels..you get the idea. He is also very fond of the guitar. And, trees! well he likes to go up and sort of slap/hug them with both hands. I think he's trying to see if he can push them over. So far, no luck. Looking at this photo of them folded it is quite clear I've never got to The Gap school of folding. I am not a very precise folder although I did watch Martha do it once on tv.


Also, on the table is spaceboy.



He's been neglected for about a week and a half. I cut him out on Easter morning, then started sewing him about a week later and then kind of forgot about him. Hopefully, he doesn't mind too much.