madmommy

Mother's Day Shopping Spree

Ok, technically today is not Mother's Day. At least, not the "official" day.
But it might as well have been, because I had a tremendous treat.

For Mother's Day, hubby and munchkin gave me cards and chocolate. Better yet, he also told me he'd ordered the ruffler foot attachment for my sewing machine. Oh, and here's $50 to blow on fabric. And I thought he wasn't paying attention! Apparently, after I came back Saturday morning from a (cancelled) sewing class at our local sewing machine shop, he and the munchkin went back and placed the order for the attachment (after hearing me talk about it for "at least two months").

But, this being Kansas, no fabric stores are open on Sunday. And he had to work late yesterday.

Today, I ran out of the school, jumped in my car, and drove 20 minutes north to this wonderful, wonderful quilt store, the Button Hole in McPherson, KS. Seventh heaven...aisles of fabric, patterns, notions, and a coffee shop attached! I didn't know where to start. But we do have a rodeo coming up this weekend, so my first priority was finding an appropriate western shirt pattern and fabric for the munchkin. The pattern I chose is the Kwik Sew 3146.

Here's the haul I finally ended up carting out the door.

And to think, this place has been here all along...

I Quilt Pink for the Cure

Today was our high school's quilt show (isn't that cool! I've never heard of a school that had a quilting class before). This year's theme was Quilt Pink for the Cure. The students all proudly displayed their quilts, and a class quilt done in white, black, and pink is being raffled off. All proceeds are going to breast cancer research.

I've talked (numerous times) about the patterns at You Can Make This!, and I received special permission to create a She Loves Me Knot handbag to donate to the silent auction at the quilt show.

I thought it appropriate that the handbag should be in the same colors, as well as having some pink ribbon fabric incorporated. Let's hope it does well in the auction!

Here's the munchkin enjoying the event...

I'm not sure what Daddy will have to say about the pink beads, but I guess the munchkin is secure enough in his manliness to carry it off!

Late Saturday Night...Or is it Early Sunday Morning?

So I finally picked up the last notions I needed to make the She Loves Me...She Loves Me Knot handbag from You Can Make This. Ok, so maybe I'm addicted to their super easy to understand patterns that look utterly professional when completed. Maybe I'm just trying to let the big pattern companies know that, I do not like to sew from printed instructions (i.e. words only and precious few diagrams). At least with the YCMT patterns, they come with a pdf file full of actual photos of what your project should look like at any given moment. And no little triangle things to cut out on the flimsy pattern paper. Who thought of those, anyway?

So here she is, my new spring handbag...

This actually took me much longer to create than I anticipated. Not because of the pattern. But because, in my search for the perfect fabric, I had to go through my stash. And then you have to loving look at each small scrap, every fat quarter, every inherited piece of cloth and explain why it's been so long since you've last talked (ok, maybe this is just me). So, when I had about three different choices for fabrics, I realize at the last moment that I'm shy a few bits. More digging, more matching. I think the searching, the pressing, the cutting, and adhering the fusible fleece and fusible lining took the most time. Actual creation was very easy.

I think I'd actually sew more often if it wasn't for washing new fabrics, pressing them, organizing them, and then cutting out patterns and fabric. I'm just in it for the sewing. In my perfect world, I would hire someone whose sole job would be to iron, press, and cut. Then I could just sit at my machine and whip up all sorts of wonderful things!

Yeah, right after I hire that professional maid!

What did you do this weekend?

Flower Power

What do you do when you're dying to sew cute little girls' pants?

Find yourself a little girl! (Munchkin, obviously, is a little boy)

These pants will soon be on their way to Texas, to the granddaughter of one of our teachers at school.

Any excuse to sew something pink...

Embroidery Love

The mail-lady just dropped this off for me today...

Soulemama had talked of this book several times, but I couldn't purchase it from Superbuzzy, where she originally found it.  And I now have to admit, I have no idea how to use YesAsia or Amazon Japan to find these books, even knowing the ISBN (which, for this book, is 4-8347-2421-2).  It seems the further I get into the site, the less english there is.  Can someone please get me a dummies guide for this?

Thankfully, I found a copy at this ebay seller.  She is so sweet and the package took only a week to arrive.

My newest obsession (as my hubby would put it) is purchasing a bento box.  I'd really like to find a nice one for starting back to work, and with my new dietary changes, I think having smaller portions of a variety of foods will help.  Last night I stumbled upon this cute daily video blog, called Bento TV.   The host has over 100 episodes, each only a few minutes long.  Some are recipes, others are purely informative.  And I'm loving Biggie's blog, which features "speed bento" tips (she has a preschool child and also prepares lunch for herself and her husband).

Hope your week is going well!

An Apology to My Hubby (and his computer)

Ok.  I owe my hubby and his computer apologies.  It seems the problems uploading photos rested with the camera.  Dead batteries means no info on the memory card, which means the computer fails to recognize the card exists.  Kind of snobbish if you ask me, but that's the way of computers, lol!

So, without further ado, my Lotta Jansdotter Simple Tote...

(by the way, I can't remember who sent me the great fabric I used for this tote...please email me if it's you!)

AficanKelli recently posted about shopping using cloth totes, to be more eco-friendly, so this will probably be one of many that I sew.  I even shopped at our local farmer's market today! (However, I forgot the tote, and sheepishly had to accept my purchases in plastic bags, sigh.)

Although I am generally pleased with the patterns in the book, they can sometimes seem a little vague, especially for a book that is geared for all levels.  This tote is considered a simple project, but I often found myself pondering just what the instructions meant.  It's possible I'm so used to the very inclusive directions found in most of the big-name pattern makers that I'm unable to let go a little and think for myself, so I am treating this as an exercise in non-type A behavior.

Last night I had a little time to myself while hubby's sister came and babysat for the munchkin.  I quickly headed over to the local bookstore with every intention of buying Amy Karol's new book, Bend the Rules Sewing, which has received so many rave reviews on other blogs.  Horrors, they didn't have it.  Ordering it would take a few weeks.  I can get it through Amazon faster than that!  Or just head to Wichita one of these days, except I'm driving our pickup right now (hubby has the car) and gas being as high as it is, forget it!  So I'm not sure what I'll do next. 

Oh yes, one more thing...I'm looking for a new digital camera.  Any recommendations?

About That Apron...

Funny thing.  I was Googling the name of the company on the apron, wondering if they were still in business (Hudson Cream).  All the time thinking they were a creamery.  Duh, the top of the bag says Stafford County Flour Mills. 

Turns out they are "one of the last independent flour mills in the country".  Here's a short quote from their website...

"Hudson Cream flour is made using a "short patent" milling process, a method   that was much more common a century ago than today. The difference is that   in short patent milling the wheat is ground more times and sifted with   finer-meshed sieves than in standard milling. Also, the short patent process   sifts away more by-product, leaving only the heart of the wheat kernel to   make Hudson Cream flour. The result is a flour that is smoother in texture   and produces baked goods that are consistently light and fluffy."

Guess I'll have to find some and give it a whirl!

Where to Start...

I have several patterns and yards of fabric upstairs, waiting patiently for me to come create something.  But I feel I have sewer's block.  Like writer's block.  I don't know how or where to get started.  I guess having a two month sewing break (unintended but necessary due to moving) has really thrown me off.

I had hoped that by purchasing Lotta Jansdotter's book (yes, I went ahead and bought hers too, even after deciding I wouldn't yesterday) I'd be on my way to completing a project.  There are just too many good projects there, on the web, and in my box of patterns to decide where to start.  Maybe an apron for the newest Tie One On, then on to a summer top or sunhat.  Hmm.  Maybe tomorrow I'll have some photos to show for it!

Got My Machine Back!

Well, with hubby leaving for three weeks starting Saturday, I made the decision to dig deep into our storage unit and attempt to find my sewing machine and supplies.  Little did I know how difficult a job it would become!  91 degrees, 100% humidity, and everything I wanted was literally in the furthest corner, under mounds of boxes of things like Christmas supplies and camping equipment, not to mention an unused high chair and the wine rack that hasn't yet made it's way here.  But I did it, and now I can finally get back into my groove!

To celebrate, I ran into Barnes and Noble with the intention of buying Lotta Jansdotter's Simple Sewing book, and came out instead with Simple Sewing with a French Twist by Celine Dupuy.  I still intend to buy Lotta's book, but I felt that many of the projects were similar to Amy Butler's In Stitches, which I already own.  Anyone have any feelings on this?

I'm not sure what I'm going to embark upon first, but I think a sun hat will definitely be near the top of the list.  For some reason, my hair, which was once fairly straight with a slight wave, has gotten curly.  I mean really, really curly.  And humidity doesn't help.  Neither do any of the products I've spent a small fortune upon.  So in a few weeks my favorite hairstylist is going to try straightening it chemically.  I really didn't want to do that, but my hair is completely unmanageable.  So until then, cute sun hat it is!

Look Who's Sewing

It certainly has been awhile since I've sewn anything (December, I think, when I made my own bra).  January was a busy month, and February has been blah.  Just blah.  Not to mention, my hubby and I switched offices/craft rooms which are completely across the house from each other, so you get the idea.  Munchkin is in the throes of the "Terrible Two's" at age 20 months, and I'm lucky I'm doing this much, lol!

I still have to sew the heart to the shirt, after the munchkin gets up from his nap.  This will be for him to wear when daddy gets home.

Friday is vacation day!  Yay!  We're on our way to Wisconsin to see my folks and I'm like a little kid.  Thank goodness for Lunesta, or I'd probably not be sleeping very well.  A big thanks to everyone for their advice on what to shop for at Trader Joe's.  We don't have any here in Kansas, like a lot of things.  Sigh.  However, I am thankful that the weather here is usually warm enough to wear spring clothes when it's actually spring, instead of having to wait until late June!

I'm hoping to get into some more crafting and sewing when I get back, especially catching up with the Wee Wonderfuls Make-a-Long story, and some new clothes for the munchkin, plus finish an Ottobre pattern long-sleeved t-shirt I started last month for myself and never finished.  Lots of stuff in the line-up...I think with the warmer weather *hopefully* coming in March and the longer days, I'll be up to more craftiness.