After a big sewing jag, I plant myself on the couch. And try to avoid thinking about all the things I told myself I would do after all the sewing was over. Unfortunately not doing things gives you more time to dream up new things and remember even more things you said you’d do. So while I haven’t been here I’ve been furiously writing to do lists. Most of them involve pretty boring spring cleaning stuff like, clean out the spice rack. woo hoo! The glamorous life of me! But I dug out my old sewing to do list and added some new stuff to it (and crossed things off!). I realized last weekend, that had it not been for this blog I don’t think I would have made nearly as much stuff as I have this past year. I have my own little cheer squad here. Who wouldn’t want that? So thank you, thank you to everyone for your comments. They have pushed me to learn more and make more and think more creatively about what I am doing. I’m coming up on my 100th post and the 1000th comment, both are ridiculous and exciting, so there will be a giveaway soon. Until then, I thought if I actually posted my to do list, I would be motivated to do some of it. Feel free to share some or all of your “to make” lists in the comments.

The chair doesn’t have anything to do with this post. It’s just a bomb chair I got for $5 at the dig and save (how come no one told me they had furniture?).

to make

plush airplane or maybe helicopter

patchwork dolls with patchwork faces

animal dolls with mustaches and clothes and patterned all over (one down!)

modern felt book

dress for me, and a shirt and if those work then some pants

pillowcase pants for my kids

hats for everyone

hem all the curtains in the whole damn house

make all new throw pillows because I can’t stand looking at the ones we have any more

mend the enormous pile of clothes to mend

quilts, plural

clean up the hole my studio has become (aids in the making of things)

more sewing books

a nicer, cleaner website

*edited to add*

pajama pants from amy butler’s in stitches

three blind mice

the dish and the spoon

recover chairs, plural

stamped placemats

cover tin cans with linen (damn you, cotton friend)

another house mobile

robes for the kids from vintage towels

I finished sewing a few things for the sale and I thought I’d pop in and show you. The bears are made from felted sweaters and printed cotton. I drew a simple bear then stitched, stuffed, and sewed on the features. Easy peasy. The denim and cashmere one is my favorite. I think it would be perfect for a little baby boy, but I have no idea if people will even buy these. I’m not much of a shopper (except for thrift stores and target) so I don’t really know what people buy or how much they pay for things. So how much would you pay for a bear like this ? They are a little under a foot tall (1 foot = 30 cm), machine washable, and super soft.

These are all the pillowcase dresses I’ve finished so far, but there are a few more cut and ready to go in my studio. I wasn’t going to make so many, but a showed a few to my friends and they were quite taken with them, so I whipped up some more. It doesn’t hurt that they are dead easy to make. And you can make them to fit girls from 6 months to 5 or 6 years old. For these I’m thinking 16 dollars a pop, what do you think? I haven’t sold stuff from a booth since my lemonade days, so I’m a little nervous about all of this. Tagging, pricing, talking up the things I’ve made. And this sale is the first of it’s kind so there could be a couple people there or hundreds. Nobody knows.

My whole family was struck with the flu this past weekend.  It was pretty crappy and we are finally crawling out of the dark flu hole.  Luckily there was one 40 degree day where we could open all the windows and get some fresh air, but now it’s back down to 10 where I now believe it will stay forever.  The flu was just another thing that got in between me and my mobile–february was just packed with those thing, dammit.  It’s now officially half done and as soon as I get my hands on a glue gun, I’ll finish it up and pack it off.   It’s four tiny houses: a cottage, an ice house, a barn, and a plain ol’ house.  I knew I wanted to do houses and I was first inspired by a sardine box .  I was planning to make them all out of packaging, but after an hour wandering through the grocery store I discovered there is a lot of ugly packaging.  Then I thought I could use the fusible timtex I had and the houses would have looked really nice in all natural linen, but they had no windows which was a little weird.  I could have embroidered all the details on, but I was late with the mobile already.  Then I found this amazing site and was back to thinking about paper.  So after another hour spent in the foreign territory of decorative paper, I thought I have books coming out my ears at home why don’t I just use one of them.   I found a great old Dr. Spock baby book which is perfect because my partner just had a baby (hint! hint!).  I mod podged the pages to either side of poster board, then cut out the details and folded it up.

I feel bad that I’m late on my own swap, but my creative process is particularly slow and I’m happy with how all the houses turned out.  There are more pictures on my flickr account and be sure to stop by the mobile swap group to see all the procrastinator’s mobiles (they are my people) and just the amazing variety of work that’s there.  I’m for sure going to host another mobile swap next January, so if you missed this one don’t worry.  I should probably start working on that one now just so I finish in time.

I’ve been thinking about this project for a while. All my hand sewing supplies are jammed into a crappy bag my husband got at some conference and it’s gotten so bad that I can’t even bear to look at it much less sort it out. I wanted something where everything I needed would be there when I had a minute to sew (and most of the time it is literally a minute). I just wanted to open it up and sew. Immediately a book came to mind and then I thought of these reader’s digest books. We have a couple (back to basics is my favorite) and you can get them at any thrift store. And low and behold next time I went there was this DIY one waiting for me. I was a little nervous at first because it looked like there might be a ridiculous amount of measuring involved, but there really wasn’t and it came together pretty quickly.

On the left there is one removable embroidery floss card, with spots for 4 more (it was getting late) and a big wonky pocket underneath.  In the middle there is a little ribbon to tie a small scissors.  On the right there are some pockets for pencils and a big scissors or glasses, a pincushion, and under the pincushion is a needle book. I think I may make a few more of these just so I can get it right and maybe even to sell (if you think there are people who would buy them).   I think the big pocket should be two pockets that snap close and the needle book needs a snap or some kind of closure too. I have to totally redo the embroidery floss cards because they were a pain the the butt, but I like that they are removable.  Is there something you would add?  It is too matchy matchy? Should I use different fabrics for everything?  I need some feedback over here.

If you are here you already know, but I’ll tell you anyway, I have a new website!  My husband set it up for me as an early birthday present (thank you dear).  It looks just the same, I know, but there will be changes in the future.  Nothing huge, as my style sheet knowledge is not huge, but at least I can make it more my own.  It’s funny how a blog like this can start to feel like another home–granted one that is always clean and quiet and where things magically get done.  The picture above is of my real home.  I found this little tabletop kitchen at a thrift store near my mom’s house.  It was very lovingly designed and handmade by someone and I snatched it up for 5 bucks.  We don’t have enough space for the full on, pimped out kitchens kids have nowadays, but my kids love it.