I ain’t afraid of no quilts…
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I ain’t afraid of no quilts…


In Bikram yoga (umm…haven’t been in years…but still assimilating the wisdom- does that count?) So…in Bikram as you are attempting to do your first backward bend of the day, the instructor is saying, rather loudly, “Go back, fall back, way back, more back, way back… more back…” And that is what I am hearing in my head as I attempt this first quilt. “Don’t think, just go.” I have to surrender to the process and know I might fail but just go for it. If I think too much I will be veering towards what we call in this house masterpiece syndrome. That is when you think everything you do has to be good enough to go in the Guggenheim. Masterpiece syndrome is the enemy or art…the enemy of creation because it makes one judgmental, critical and distanced from the pure expressiveness and joy of the creative act. It puts too much pressure on making stuff. read more

June 30, 2010
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sunday sewing…
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sunday sewing…


I asked my son if he wanted to sew something with me. First, he drew the plan. And then he said it could be a t-shirt. I have a fresh stack of new fabrics ready to go for my first quilt project (and it happens to be for him)- he chose the placement of the fabrics in his design and we made it happen. He had an old plain t-shirt that worked. He got to push the gas pedal 🙂 Glee. Delight. SPEED! (Note to moms: hard to maintain even tone and cool temper when your child’s foot is controlling the speed of the needle and your fingers are so close…gentle, loving voice becomes rather sharp in this situation…a la drill sergeant…feels like the fuzzy feel-goodness thwarted temporarily by said momentary tone.) I thought he would want to sew the cotton patchwork down to the shirt but he told me that he is the designer and I am the sewer.

June 13, 2010
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On deck…
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On deck…


My first crafting super-hero was without a doubt, Lotta Jansdotter. I think that my crush is almost a decade old now. I just love her simple, clear aesthetic…her earthy palette…the gentle and quirky nature-inspired drawings she prints on her textiles. I once, long ago, even had one of her aprons but it is gone- (you can read about my love of the apron from my Ode to the Apron post here.) I have her stationary, cards, etc. In fact, she is really no longer my crafting super-hero…simply because I have loved her for so long that I now have many new craft crushes. But I would say she is part of my foundation. I am going to make her Simple Dress for my baby girl. And I am using her lovely fabric. The pattern is in her book Simple Sewing for Baby. read more

June 4, 2010
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LEGO sewing machine
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LEGO sewing machine

The reality is, we spend most of our hours at the LEGO table..at least two hours a day: Lately, I have been making gardens—carrot trucks, flower vendors—anything natural—because LEGOs are so completely unnatural. I like the contrast. Big boy has been making vehicles. He tends to be more into movable creations than static ones—everything is on wheels…or pontoons…or is a spaceship…or floats…or is made of ice. These days it is all about the little LEGO people. Today, he asked me if I would be the husband. I agreed. I am sad that he now says “wife,” because for the longest time he said it “life.” “I’ll be the husband, you be the life.”

So, while I was there today safeguarding baby girl from ingesting the ten thousand eatable things, I made this sewing machine. Notice the throat plate and feed dogs? And then I used the inside of the smallest wheel for the flywheel- it really turns. There is a spool of red thread on top (I like that it is sitting loosely on a tiny black car antenna…as if the tensioner would adjust the tension just like on a real machine). And one tiny grey light makes the bobbin winder. But the best part is the needle/presser foot—it actually looks real—it is a tiny upside down hammer. The LEGO people have tiny tools. I think it is a Bernina activa 220- what with all the buttons and the computer screen… read more

June 2, 2010
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Summer is here…what to do?
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Summer is here…what to do?

S-U-M-M-E-R. Suuummmmer. I love summer, always have…but what to do with kids in the desert heat?

We have a plan: A Face A Day. Found stuff, drawn, glued, painted…whatever. We will make a face every day. This is one from our first batch: OK- now that covers about 12 minutes of each day (including clean-up)…now what? If you have any other good ideas please share!

May 24, 2010
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on pins + needles
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on pins + needles






For Mother’s Day, I made these little novels for the mamas in my life who love to sew. They are little books with flannel pages for storing sewing needles and are inspired by the sweet pattern in Joelle Hoverson’s book Last Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts. See hers and some other pages from her book here. Hers are made from lovely plant-dyed wool felt. I didn’t have any so I improvised with plain wool felt and made a few in denim. My favorite one is the modern one…with the thread drawing on the cover. (I am so keeping that one!) Hoverson, FYI, is the owner of PURLsoho in NYC. read more

May 9, 2010
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Zakka-style Ikea High Chair Hack
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Zakka-style Ikea High Chair Hack



Whew…that is a mouthful! Zakka-style Ikea high chair hack (or mod.) But that is just what I did for our high chair. Basically, it is a padded slipcover…but really it it is a glorified pot-holder custom-tailored to the seat back. The plastic is so hard for a little baby’s head…just learning to sit up and eat all at the same time…so I thought I would make it softer. My friend, J, liked it so much she wanted one, too. Hers is in lovely soft greens. You can see more Ikea hacks here and another slipcover for a high chair here. read more

April 30, 2010
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Ode to the Apron
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Ode to the Apron



I am and always have been a huge fan of the apron. An apron says, “I am a maker of things.” An apron says, “I am working.” Put on an apron and you are automatically up to something good: welding, baking, pottery, painting, cooking, cobbling, carving, caning, canning, you name it. An apron speaks of industry and creativity…it says, “I am going to make a mess because I am creative, and yet I am thinking ahead and trying not to get this mess on my clothes.” I have always liked the idea of the person who walks around carrying an umbrella on the if-come of rain. I am not that person. I schlep usually under-dressed children around with me in the rain…not if-come umbrellas. But I like the idea that in wearing my apron I consummate that umbrella idea…because I have planned ahead. My clothes would-have been ruined…would-have been splattered…but they are not. read more

April 24, 2010
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Birdie Sling in Oilcloth
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Birdie Sling in Oilcloth

Just finished my Amy Butler Birdie Sling in oilcloth and it is super-cute. It feels good on my shoulder…not too big or too heavy. And because I had sewn Amy Butler’s Nappy Bag as my diaper bag, the pattern was very familiar. Otherwise, the whole pattern-reading thing is sometimes like reading Russian…or any cyrillic language, really. I can get stuck reading one thing over and over and the words just won’t make it to my brain to inspire any action…I begin to think things like, “what is the facing…but then what is the band?” That is why I like to take classes…because we are all in it together and the teacher is our language interpreter- sort of a sewing support group. Plus I always love the ladies in the classes (and occasional man…a father and his tween daughter- so cool!) And have I mentioned how I love my local fabric shop, Bernina Connection? I learn so much from all the women- the staff and the teachers and my fellow sewers. For me, it is all about the little things, like where to place one’s hand when using a rotary cutter…or how to pin something. Or how to true-up my grain by folding the selvages together. Such tiny things, but they all add up.

April 8, 2010
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