laeroport

a peek into the workshop

Since time and materials trump cash on hand this holiday season, here are two little things I've been working on and loving.  First:

This one is now done and I a.) wish it was for me, and 2.) wish they made the pattern in my size.  I hope someone else likes it as much as I do.

And second:

I've had that piece of floral sheet for years, hoarding it for the perfect thing because I loved it so much I didn't want to give it up.  I hope I am not alone in that boat.  This gift is not done, but I've been working on it in my odd quiet moments, like during my Girl Scout service unit meeting.  Those meetings are so much quicker when my hands are busy.

There is more, but they will have to wait.

What are you making?  And are you loving it?

Recap #8 - school sewing

We had our school carnival last spring, which included a basket auction, so I sewed a few things to be included.

Aidin's class sponsored a K-State/KU basket.  Although it nearly gave me hives, I bought one yard of K-State fabric and sewed a K-State tote bag and coffee cuff.  It is lined with black.  I also donated a KU t-shirt to offset all that purple.

Horrible picture.  I think I took it with Aidin's camera.

Eliot's class sponsored a cooking basket.  I made two crocheted dish cloths, two potholders and two aprons - one in parent size and the other child sized.   I  refused to go with any local team colors on this one.

I liked the potholders.  It made me think I should make some new potholders for myself, but of course, I haven't.

Hey ho.

Recap #7 - some more sewing

I have been busy making little things, none of which have been stressful or time consuming.  Which is why they are easy to forget lest I document.

I made some pincushions from the One Yard Wonders book.  Quick, easy, and cute.  I made a batch of them to congratulate my Bronze Award girls on a job well done.  Another one with the Union Jack went to Stacy,  the winner of a Royal Wedding name drawing on facebook. Silly, but fun.

 

Teachers got coffee cuffs again at the end of the year. 

Eliot's friend, Kaylah, got an apron and my niece, Clare, got a potholder with cash stuffed inside.  I didn't embroider the cupcake - it was something I received years ago in an embroidered patch swap.  I was happy to finally find the right use for it.

 

I've currently got three different embroidery projects on the go.  One of them might see completion in the next week or so.

And thanks for the kid-gift suggestions.  I think part of my dilemma is not knowing what to give as we move up the age scale to tweens and teens.  My own internal struggle with being the mother of a ten year old is no small part of the problem.  And on that front, perhaps I am not alone. :)

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Yo, Daddy-O.  We interrupt our regularly scheduled program to attend the school 50's themed sock hop in honor of the 50th day of school. 

Back tomorrow with more sewing.  Happy 11/11/11 Veteran's Day Friday.

Recap #6 - some sewing

Please bear with me while I record, for my own memory, what I gave to which kid this year......

I made Aidin a 10 shirt for her birthday.  Per her request, there were a lot of different tens on it.  Ten, to be precise.

When two of Aidin's friends turned 10, she made shirts for Macy and Olivia, too.

 

There were birthday bags, too, for Aidin's friend, Amya,

and Eliot's friends, Blake and Max.

  
And for Eliot's friend, Lyric, who already has a tote bag and pencil roll, a t-shirt, and a robot, I made a towel (given along with a boogie board) for his indoor pool party birthday.  He was wrapped up in it when we left the party, so I'm taking that as a win.

And for all of the above gifts, I did not purchase one bit of fabric.  Stash busting has been in full effect.  In fact, the only fabric I've bought all year was a yard of K-State fabric for a school fundraiser (I'll have to find those photos to blog about) and for a special request birthday gift for the nephew. 

More sewing tomorrow..... but in the meantime, I could use some new kid birthday gift suggestions.  Any ideas?

swoonworthy embroidery

I have been swooning over the new Penguin Threads Classic Editions.  These first three by Jillian Tamaki have made me all wanty.  Combine classic literature and beautiful embroidery and I'm hooked.

And now there's word that there will be three more byRachell Sumpter.

 Something to aspire to..... and add to my Christmas list.

baby things

Who can resist making baby things?  Not me.  My cousin is expecting a little boy in the near future, so I made a few things for her baby shower.

 
I love shopping my stash.  I have not bought fabric in close to a year.  I bought the firetruck flannel on sale a couple of years ago and I have had that red and white check forever.  I made a blanket which was determined by the size of the fabric.  It was big.  I hope baby Austin will still be using it well past babyhood.

The bib reverses to the check as well, and the ball was made from assorted scraps using my ball pattern on the sidebar.  I made the smaller one because it is a little quicker.  For being completely hand-sewn, they go together pretty fast, especially when sitting in front of the TV.  I also judge whether a scrap is too small to keep by the size of my pentagons.  I love using up special scraps on these balls - for this one I added in some red flannel and some black fleece.  I wish I'd had a kitty toy on hand to stick inside and give it a jingle.

 

What are you working on?

Thank you, Mr. Green

This school year has been pretty chaotic.  Especially for my eldest.  She was so fully invested in her old school, so moving and making true friends like she left behind has been difficult.  Add to that a teacher with cancer and the first semester was an emotional roller coaster.  They didn't know from day to day if Mrs. Morgan would be there or if there would be a substitute.  And when there was a substitute their imaginations got the best of them leading them to worry even more.

Her teacher decided to take a few months off to recover and get her energy back after chemo.  When we returned after the holidays they had a permanent, long term sub, Mr. Green.  And he was a godsend. 

The whole class was a stressed out bunch, but in walked this man who was fun and funny and let them go a little wild.  With is bald head and his white goatee and his wealth of life experience, he energized them and made them forget they were learning.  They played lots of games and performed a bunch of scientific experiments.  He made learning state capitols interesting.  And the change-up caused my kid to finally get long division.

And today was his last day.  And we are all a little sad.

 
So I made him a coffee cuff as a thank you, and presented it with a Starbucks card.

 

It seemed trivial and pathetic, but I really wanted to let him know what a difference he had made...  because the difference was enormous.

 
So, thanks, Mr. Green.  From all of us.

wee + wonderful

For me, discovery of the world of craft blogs was like falling down a rabbit hole, and the first white rabbit I chased was Hillary Lang and her Wee Wonderfuls blog.  Reading about her amazing creativity with cute nearly made my head explode.  And when she started publishing patterns, I jumped on board.  I have made more kitties and bunnies, bears and robots than I can count, and I've embroidered my fair share of Stitchettes.

When Hillary's book came out last fall, I had my copy at once.  It has been poured over and provided inspiration, but I hadn't gotten around to sewing any of the patterns from it until now.

This weekend we celebrated my niece Arya's 3rd birthday, so the night before the party I pulled out my book and got busy on the Tag-a-long doll.

Of course, I gave it my own spin.  I made the body out of the same fabric as the dress and made the dress removable with a split up the back and a snap at the center.  I also added a little tutu apron to match Arya's other gift, a girl-sized tutu.  I also used flannel for the arms and head instead of wool felt and fleece (recycled from a sleeper of Aidin's when she was a baby) instead of wool felt for the hair.

I love the fact that all the pattern pieces are right there in the back of the book, ready to trace without having to enlarge them.  From selecting the doll, tracing the pattern, finding the right fabrics, sewing and stuffing and making the clothes took just over 3 hours.  I embroidered the face after she was sewn, in the car on the way to the party.  Add another 15 minutes.  All in all, a very quick and very satisfying project.  Now Aidin wants one just like it.

 
This was actually the second project I'd sewn from the book, but the first since publication.  When I heard Hillary was working on a book, I offered to be a pattern tester and nearly two years ago I stitched up Katie Kitty.  I, of course, couldn't talk or blog about it at the time, but now that the book has been out for months, I'll give you a peek at her.

 

Cute, eh? Now, who else needs a doll?  I'm in the mood to make more.

Cheers, friends, and Happy March!

new

new town + new friends = new tote bags