Bluebirdbaby

Five and a half hours later...

The little one is spending her first weekend away at Baba's, so I have been working ever since I woke up this morning. I changed the yoke from the original vintage pattern and added more height to the straps, but with no model to try it on, I'm not quite sure if it's perfect yet. This is the final design, complete with vintage trim on a navy linen/cotton blend. I think it looks quite handsome! It will be in the shop next week along with the spring floral jackets.

Enjoy your weekend!

Back in the Saddle Again

Well, it's been ages since I've sewed. I actually had to dust off the sewing machine! We had a rainy day here on Monday and a chilly day yesterday, so I was more motivated to get back to business. With my goal to dress the little one in mostly handmade this summer, I decided to test out a new pattern on her. I bought a vintage overall pattern a couple weeks ago because I really wanted to add a pair to my shop. All the overall patterns I've seen are essentially the same thing, but I liked how this one had a solid top bib, instead of the entire front being made from two separate pieces.

This pair was made out of the salt and pepper denim (I have loads of this because of an order mix-up) and some vintage buttons. The vintage trim was one of the freebies in my Sew, Mama, Sew order. I think they're cute and they fit perfectly. The fabric is practically impossible to photograph. These photos really don't do it justice.

I wanted to add some to my shop, with a slightly modified fit in a lovely linen. My friend Heather gave me the idea when I asked her what would be good for some little lads. I loved her idea of having a linen pair of short-alls for the boys for special occasions! Does anyone know the copyright laws on vintage patterns? I was under the assumption that they were okay to use if you altered them a little. This is from the early 70's and the package has nothing stating "for personal use only". If it is legal, it might take me some time to get these in the shop. The pattern is one size and I think I would offer these from 6 months-2T, so I would have to do some resizing. But if anyone knows the copyright laws on vintage patterns, I would love to be informed! Thanks!

Making

I've spent little time in the green room lately. Really little. The weather has been beautiful, so why would I want to spend my time in a tiny, dark room with no fresh air? But a couple of weeks ago I finished another design for the shop. This morning was the first time I actually got a picture of it in action. It's a long style "bolero" jacket that is perfect for spring and on chilly summer nights. It's reversible too. I still have some kinks to work out in the sleeves, as well as making the pattern in a couple of other sizes (these will be available in 6 mo.-2T), and I need to drastically reduce the number of hours I worked on this to make them available for the shop. But hopefully in the next month the listing will be up. I also plan on making one more suited for the boys out of a navy linen/cotton blend. I am having such a difficult time finding a good boyish cotton print. Any ideas?

I learned how to needle felt this morning. A big thanks to my friend for teaching me. I made this "spring fairy" doll for our nature table. I still have to work on her face and I'm making an apron to go over her dress. It was a very fun process and quite easy to do! I think my next project will be a bird mobile. The little one would like that...

We also made our first batch of ice cream today. We purchased an electric ice cream maker yesterday so we could regularly make ice cream. The little one and I can't do dairy or sugar, so store-bought ice cream is out. We made our first batch using half almond milk and rice milk, sliced almonds, crushed dark chocolate bits, and maple syrup instead of sugar. It was marvelous!

I hope your days are filled with warmth and sunshine! Until next time...

Limited Edition Growing Shorts

Still enjoying my computer break, but I wanted to let you all know that there are some lovely new shorts in the shop. Because of how they are designed, they will last for two seasons! See more about them here.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Everything Bag Tutorial

It's up! You'll see a link to it (click on the photo of the bag) on the left hand side of my blog! Phew...that took me a good afternoon to do. I found it a very interesting process to verbalize exactly how I put a bag together. Normally I don't think about it, I just do it.
So if my wording isn't clear, or you find a mistake, or you need help, just e-mail me. My new e-mail is erin@shopbluebirdbaby.com

Of course, if you do make the bag I would love to see the finished product. So e-mail me or leave me a comment with the link to your blog or photo!

I'm taking a bit of a breather the next couple of days. I've got more pattern work to do and fabric searching. Be well!

I'm Beat

I've got the bag tutorial all ready to go, but I have no idea how to even make a tutorial with Typepad! Does anyone know? And if so, can you e-mail me with the details? It would be much appreciated.

It's been a hectic weekend with little sleep. Apparently we can cross salmon off the little one's menu. A night of constant awakenings from her left both of us pretty tired. So I don't have the energy to post about much. But I would like to say that the pleated denim shorts are now available in the shop. I'm so happy I finally found the perfect weight denim. The store I get most of my apparel fabric from has slim pickings when it comes to denim. Usually one light weight denim, a couple of medium weights, and a lot of heavy weights. So when I saw this medium weight denim that didn't scream 1980's to me, I snatched up all that was left, knowing it would be perfect for these shorts.

In other news, I dragged out our old matchbox cars from the loft. Stephen had a set and I had a set, so together there are plenty for the little one to pick through. She adores them and "drives" them all over the house. Such fun to watch.

And forget about crayons and paint....markers are much more fun. Crayons always ended up in the mouth and not on the paper, but not markers. She'll color sheet after sheet of paper with these. Her new favorite thing is to color on the wood floor. Luckily I've found with a bit of water, it will come right off. Getting it off her face, on the other hand, is a bit trickier!

Open!

Well, I know I hinted about updating the shop on Wednesday, but I went ahead and added things last night. The entire process for this update has taken so long and I've worked very hard. Not a day went by without me working away on a pattern. It's been over two months of constant tweaking, changing, throwing ideas out and welcoming new ones in, searching for just the right fabrics, and finally the testing (oh, that muslin...).

I hope these new items reflect the growth I've made with my sewing. Most of the patterns were from scratch, the others inspired by vintage patterns. The patterns took me the longest. I made up to five test pieces for a single pair of pants before I found the perfect fit. It was exhausting, but very rewarding in the end.

The little one graciously allowed me to try each item on her and snap away with my camera. (Of course, the animal cookies helped too.) So I have an actual child modeling my clothing! It's nice to see them in action and I think adds some playfulness to my shop. Each item is made to order, which is something I haven't done before, but I think it is a more practical process.

I have two more items I am adding this week, and more to follow! I'm thinking hard about some tops more suited to the little lads. So please keep checking back. I'll probably make a small announcement here when I do. Please hop on over to my shop and let me know what you think!

Something for me

The little one wasn't the only person to wear a handmade skirt on Easter. I dug out the Simplicity (I think) pattern that I used last summer for this skirt, figured out exactly what size I needed to make to get a proper fit, and an hour later I had a nice skirt to wear on Easter. I changed the location of the drawstrings, because I feel like putting them dead center attracts attention to your stomach and just feels odd. So I made thicker ties and placed them on the side instead.

It's beyond comfortable to wear and I really adore the fabric. I've already forgotten what designer it's by, but I bought it at my favorite local fabric store. I'm really into blacks and grays, so when I saw this print, I knew it would be perfect for a skirt.

The best part about it is it actually fits! I always tend to make things two sizes too big and find myself disappointed with the finished product. But this is a skirt I think I'll keep around for a long time. Now, for a shirt to go with it...

Post Sugar

Well, we had a lovely Easter. I hope you all did too. The little one and I headed down to spend the day with "Baba." She wore her mama-made Easter outfit. I think it was a hit and definitely "Elisabeth approved" which means many more shirts like this will be added to her summer wardrobe.

And who would guess it's actually a bed sheet? I love to repurpose things and limit the amount of new material I use. Although it's not always possible with the limited time I have for scouting out vintage material. But this floral pattern immediately caught my eye and inspired this lovely Easter ensemble.

Here is the little one modeling another tester for my spring/summer collection. The design will change a bit, but I finally found some denim chambray I liked after my other source fell through. The broom came in handy and kept my usual "very fast model" in a relatively moderate active state. This means about half of the pictures I took are actually in focus. Yay for small feats!

Spring Cleaning

So, remember that little post about spring being just around the corner? Well, I think I spoke too soon. It snowed all day yesterday. But I'm confident that buds on the trees and flowers poking through the soil aren't that far away. So in slight anticipation of warmer weather and lots of mud, I am having a week long spring sale in my shop starting today. Everything is 15% off. Stock up now for the next cold season! You will notice a new look too. I decided it was time for a change, so the blue "chicken" looking bird had to go. I'm currently working on getting my business cards finished before the next shop update. 

And remember the skirts that needed matching shirts? Well, I finished the shirts a couple of days ago. I was inspired by Ravenhill's dress and decided these would be the perfect summer shirts for my shop. So I dissected my Built By Wendy pattern, made some changes and came up with these two shirts. They were quite satisfying to make, so I'm excited about adding some tops to my shop.

No posting tomorrow. I'll be working in the green room every chance I get, so blogging will be put on the back burner until next week. Have a marvelous weekend!

Two Skirts and a Crown

One of Elisabeth's long time friends is turning two next week. Two! Elisabeth isn't far behind, as it was her half birthday yesterday (Stephen informed me of this), which seems so surreal to me. I felt Elisabeth's good friend needed a special gift, so I settled on a birthday crown. I delivered it a tad early when we got together for a play date last week. My usual experience with the little ones and crowns are they typically rip them off after the first fitting. Not this birthday girl...she wore it for a good hour, only taking it off when it was time to paint.

I'm sure a lot of you are familiar with the twirly skirt tutorial over at House on Hill Road. I stumbled upon it recently on flickr and decided I had to make one. So the birthday girl will be getting this twirly skirt at her party. A matching top will follow. I made the skirt of out linen, but since I had line dried it, the linen got rather stiff. I think after it's been through the dryer it will soften up. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out and thought the tutorial was super easy to follow. Although I did modify the measurements and I decided to leave off the tie.

One just wasn't enough, so I started on another for the little one. She'll find this in her Easter basket with a top made out of the same trim fabric, which is from a vintage sheet I found at a thrift shop last fall. I'm thinking a matching top along the lines of this.

And what would you all think of me putting together a tutorial for the "Everything Bag"? If there's enough interest, I would definitely be up for doing that. Probably within the next month or so because mama is needing a new bag about now. Okay, needing might not be the appropriate word here; wanting more like.
 

A Material Girl

I assure you that a lot of time has been logged in the green room lately. After finishing up the last of the custom orders (I am not taking anymore at this time, but have a waiting list), I quickly got to work on my spring collection. I figure I've probably spent around 12 hours so far just creating patterns and heavily modifying vintage ones. Searching for the perfect fabrics has taken me another four hours (and there's still more to do!) and then there's designing my new shop look, scouting for older models to test my clothing, and getting little goodies to include in packages ready. The above is another sneak peak of my first completed pattern using the actual material and not just muslin! Gosh, I am sick of muslin. It's so incredibly boring.

You see, the longer I sew (it's been a little over a year now) the more I learn. My ability to create an actual piece that I can hold in my hands from an idea in my head is getting easier and easier. I still have a long way to go, and pages in my notebook of ideas I can't quite make realities. But it's getting easier and I have confidence that if I keep at it, those harder things will soon become realities too. I hope this next shop update  (sometime in April, I hope...) will reflect the growth I've made with my sewing. The clothing will have a simple, sophisticated look, but I still keep all my principals in mind: comfort, sizing for cloth diapers, gender neutral, etc. I'm really, really getting excited about it and wish I could work all day, everyday for the next two weeks to get these things in my shop. So please excuse the delay. I do realize other people are much closer to spring than we are!

And a long-time blog reader from Portugal sent us a lovely package with some handmade goodies for both Elisabeth and I! What fun! The bookmark has really come in handy, since I was using a piece of tissue before. And the little one loves her new finger puppet and doll. Thanks Teresa! You'll be hearing from me shortly!

I hope you all have a terrific weekend! See you back here on Monday.

Weekend Work

Sketching

Swatches in the mail (oh, how I love denim chambray)

Making patterns

I hope you're all having a wonderful weekend!

Spring

Another test item emerged from the green room for a trial run on the little one. This particular design was inspired by a shirt a blog reader sent me that used to be her daughter's. How fun! These test pieces are made from muslin and whatever embellishments I have on hand. Little attention is paid to details when putting them together because I just need to see how the fit will be, so it goes quickly. The real deal will take much longer.

I wasn't planning on announcing every design I have for my spring shop update, but there is little else to report on, so I decided to give you one more sneak peak. This jacket will be made out of a linen blend. I am really loving the linen/cotton blends because they are much easier to wash than 100% linen and do not wrinkle as easily. Perfect for children's wear!

The little one seemed to like it, or maybe she was just overjoyed to see the camera pointing at her again. The jacket seemed to fit well and now I just have the task of making the pattern in five different sizes! But it's cute, isn't it?!

Testing, testing

Oh dear, I think I've gotten myself into a little mess. My brain just keeps spinning. I am finishing up the last of the custom orders and starting on another project that will be announced soon, but am also trying to find the time to design some spring clothing. My notebook is full of ideas. Just when I think I've settled on something, it changes yet again. Oh my mind...why can't I shut it off?

These pants were made in an amazing 20 minutes. No serging required because they are test pants. I simply cut the muslin, quickly sewed it together with the machine, made pockets out of whatever scraps I grabbed first and here we have some capri pants! Not exactly what I was going for. I was actually going to make bloomer type pants that hit just below the knee, but I didn't leave enough room for the elastic. So these finished pants inspired another design that I will attempt tonight. It.never.stops.

I've spent the last month looking for fabric that will feel right for my next shop update. I'm still searching and waiting for swatches to arrive in the mail. It's quite an exhausting process! But I have faith that the end result will satisfy me and hopefully won't take that long to reach. I do know that whatever pants or shirts end up coming out of the green room, the little one will be quite pleased to wear. So I guess that's all that matters.

Fit For a King and Queen

Some of my favorite things to make are the wool felt birthday crowns. There are a few that slipped by without being mentioned here, so I'd like to give them their debut. I don't know why I love making them so. Perhaps it's because with every stitch I imagine the years it will be worn, the parties it will be a part of, and the memories it will instill throughout a little one's childhood. It's quite magical and I feel honored to be the maker of each special crown.

I've gone back and forth with the idea to add them to my shop. I guess because each one is so unique and is often designed by the future wearer itself, that I have decided I would only take custom orders for them.

My goal is to make each one different. Kind of like my motto for clothing. Each child is different, so each crown should be too! Just by the colors the child picks out, I can often sense a style that would suit the wearer. It's fun to choose the stitching and trim that will compliment the wool felt.

Although I typically love accepting custom orders, I have to stop for the next month. I'm getting ready to order fabric for my spring line of clothing and am really concentrating on designs. But if you would like to place a custom order with me, I will gladly put you on a list to get started on after my next big shop update.

And don't forget... this afternoon at 2 p.m. EST, the shop will be updated with two lovely bags! Enjoy your Wednesday.

Week 3 (and other things)

Another one for the Six One Way project. Have I mentioned that in the past week the little one has gotten five new teeth (four being molars)?! Oh yes. Hence the middle picture of the Hyland's teething tablets.

So I have some news for you all. First, I was interviewed by a business opportunities weblog and you can find the interview here. It was a lot of fun to do and hopefully you will find some new tidbits you haven't read before.

I have a new website that is up and coming. ShopBluebirdbaby.com will be launched soon, but for now you can see the little "coming soon" banner I put together. A big thanks to Stephen for taking the time to do the programming for my new site! I'm really excited about it and hope it will provide people with more information about myself and my Bluebirdbaby goods.

And lastly, tomorrow (February 20th), at 2 p.m. EST, you will find two new additions to the shop. These "Everything Bags'' are perfect for so many things. They feature three interior pockets, a key ring to attach your keys, sturdy construction, and a lovely button closure. There will be two different bags in this style, so be sure to check in tomorrow for the update!

Jeans For My Girl

I bought heaps of material to make jeans using this pattern a couple of months ago. I will admit that all confidence I seemed to feel in the store when I found this pattern quickly seemed to disappear by the time I got it home. Jeans? For me? With buttons, a fly, and fancy pockets?! Surely I'm not that skilled with my sewing...

I'm becoming increasingly frustrated with trying to find clothes for the little one. I'm starting to dabble in shirts now because I can't find any in her size that I feel comfortable with her wearing. Jeans always seem to be too tight and not at all conducive to the amount of running, jumping, climbing, and dancing that goes on when wearing them.

So the other day I made these. The material is slightly stretchy and I always tend to make the legs wide so they are comfortable for her. The rise is big because I needed something to fit over her new cloth diapers that are a tad bulkier than the old ones. However, they were all in the wash when I took these pictures, so the pants look rather large over those slim disposables!

The pockets are my favorite part. With contrasting stitching and three red (this is all the festivity you'll see here for Valentine's Day!) vintage buttons, they really make these jeans special. And best of all, she thinks the pants are superb and we got many compliments on them while in town!

*I'd be happy to take custom orders for a pair like these! Just contact me at erin@bluebirdbabyslings.com*

Little Things From the Green Room

I had the pleasure of doing a swap with Lizz from ZooLooNaturals. The little one is so incredibly smitten with our dog Macaulay, but due to a slow paralysis of his hind legs, he is not able to join us upstairs very often. I can tell she misses him and it makes our time with him even more special. It's hard to witness the aging of a beloved pet. A big dog going on twelve, he is still like a puppy in every other way. I can tell he is confused and scared about his sudden fight to control his back legs, and it's so hard to sit by and watch knowing I can't do a thing about it. So Lizz agreed to do a custom wooden figure of Macaulay! I think the little one will be very excited about it and I can imagine the play that will ensue.

So for Lizz I made a custom pair of pants for her little one. The yellow print is a heavy cotton and I love the look of it with the brown corduroy. I also included a little something extra, but unfortunately forgot to photograph it before packing it up.

I've been promising an outfit for my niece in Utah. She's going on three now and her mother informed me that she only likes "comfy" clothes. So a soft pair of flannel pants and a matching cotton shirt should do the trick. The little one still loves her "squirrel" pants and insists on wearing them when our little visitor climbs up to the deck to eat the birdseed.

And isn't this shirt lovely? It's made with organic cotton by Speesees with a flock of birds on the front. It came from one of my favorite places: Edith & Edna in Portland. Above is the little one pointing to the birds. She loves it as much as I do. Now if only they came in bigger sizes...

A Little Brown Dress

Well, it's done. Finally. After about five hours of work. I apologize for the headless shots. I'm in a phase where I'm really disliking my hair. It had to be chopped off postpartum due to my hair loss and I'm still a tad bitter about it. But we're really not looking at my head here anyway, right? Let's focus on the dress. How do you like it with those dark brown tights and ballet flats? Kind of fitting I should be dressed in shades of brown for the Chocolate Festival Saturday night.

I'll admit, I'm not a good one with patterns. This was particularly challenging due to the neckband and sleeves. If you notice on the pattern I was going for the ties on the ends of the sleeves, but even after three tries I couldn't get them to fit up my arm after sewn. Did anyone else have this problem? I just cut them off and did my own thing. It works.

I successfully finished my first invisible zipper. Can't really see it there, can you? That would be a good thing. It called for a 20" zipper, but all I could find was a 16" zipper so I improvised a bit. The original length of the dress was about six inches longer when I started but I ended up making it shorter. I may take in the sides too for a more fitted look.

The back of the neckband ended up being slip stitched because I had no idea how else to finish it. It took me a good hour, but it's done and I think it will hold up better now.

I definitely think I will use this pattern again. Perhaps a shirt with the same style neckband. I think I need to shift away from solid linens to a subtle print. Just to mix things up a bit.

Have a wonderful weekend! See you back here on Monday.

Redo

I'm much too tired to do a typical post. It's been a week of lousy weather here and we're experiencing a bit of cabin fever. Cloudy days can really shift my mood. I feel lethargic, unproductive, unmotivated, and my mood tends to be on edge. But mostly I'm just tired.

I have managed to find the energy to work on the dress for Saturday. Above is a picture. Oh, the neckline... so much work. So many times did I take that apart and put it back together again thinking "this must be it; this has to work!" only to find out, once again, that I didn't do it correctly. I still have the inside to hand stitch into place, and I'm not really sure that's how it's supposed to be done. Pattern lingo and I (the one who typically makes everything up) don't mix. I'm thinking because I chose this brown linen that I either look like a monk or like I'm wearing a potato sack. Monk or not, it will be worn on Saturday after all this work. You'll get the full view tomorrow...

Oh, and how to you like the new look? I thought it was time for a banner change. I had a compilation of three winter scenes all ready to go, but after this week of lousy weather I decided I've had enough of winter! Pudgy little fingers playing the piano? Perfect, if I say so myself.

Stage Curtains DONE!

I just had to post a picture of the most massive project I've ever worked on. It's finally done and ready to be FedExed tomorrow. The curtains are not crooked, my camera was tilted. The shutter speed was so slow I could literally count to five before I heard the "click." But you get the idea...

*Big sigh of relief*

In the Green Room

About two weeks ago I was commissioned by someone in Colorado to make stage curtains. I picked out a beautiful dark green velvet with some gold trim, and have been working on them for a good week now. They are so long and wide that I've had trouble measuring, cutting, and sewing. Above is a picture of me sewing a finished edge, with a mass of fabric in my lap. It's been a good challenge figuring it all out.

I think the end result will look mighty impressive on the stage. They look like the real deal. I wanted the curtains to have a professional look to them in hopes that it will make the children performing feel extra special. They will be finished tonight and shipped out tomorrow to be up and ready for their first performance on Saturday. How exciting...a little bit of Bluebirdbaby on stage!

All of a sudden I've been bombarded with requests for birthday banners. I made one for Elisabeth's first birthday and decided to make an extra one for my shop shortly after. They take a good deal of time to make, so I haven't really had a chance to add anymore, but I've been more than happy to accept custom orders. I finished the one above last night and I think the birthday boy will be pleased with it.

And remember the dress that didn't fit? It's off to a new home, but I still haven't been able to find another one to replace it. I'm so particular now about clothing, so I've decided to make one. The only problem is the event is this Saturday night. I'm thinking that cute dress on the left, only a longer length. I have some light brown linen I picked up this weekend that I plan to use.

And won't these new ballet flats go swell with it? Not entirely practical for a snow and ice covered wintry Maine, but they are very comfortable. Now if I can only finish the dress in time...

A Bluebird Bag Giveaway

Have I bored you enough with craftless posts?! After my last shop update I needed a moment to breathe. I've been very fortunate to have some custom orders roll in, so I've been busily working on those and haven't had much time for anything else. A month ago I got this idea to make a sturdy canvas bag with a bluebird on it. I am not in need of another bag, but still felt like I had to get this idea out of my head and make it a reality.

Two lessons were learned doing this:
1) My serger definitely has issues with thick material
2) All cotton webbing is not the same

But, I am pleased with the end result. It's not perfect by any means, but so very functional. A trip to the farmer's market, toting books home from the library, lugging around diapers and sippy cups...it's the perfect bag for any of these.

I hand painted the "bluebird on a wire." I was very fortunate to find cotton webbing online that matched exactly.  My color choices were really about what I had on hand, but then again, I love chocolate brown and blue together. Stephen thought I was a bit loony for choosing these colors, but I assured him they were "in." (They are, right?)

The cotton webbing was a find on Etsy. I was under the impression that all cotton webbing was of the same thickness. Oh no, not this stuff. It's like a band of steel runs through it. It's so incredibly thick!! There was no way I could do my usual "turn under and finish edge" deal, so I had to serge the ends to keep them from fraying. Again, serger was not happy. Even my trusty pal seemed to put up a fight.

And guess what? It's "Elisabeth approved" and I think she will be sad to see it go. But it will go to a new home next Wednesday morning. Just leave a comment on this post by next Tuesday 9 p.m. EST. And who knows...there may be more things in the bag too!

And totally off topic, but I know there are some vintage Pyrex lovers out there. I picked 8 of these cute tea cups up months ago. When I brought them home Stephen rolled his eyes and they've been sitting unused ever since. So the first person to e-mail me at erin@bluebirdbabyslings.com will get them.  Taken.Thanks! I'll even pay for shipping.

Have a great weekend!!

All Done

Finally everything is finished. I've really enjoyed making every item for the shop update this afternoon (at 2 p.m.EST!).

I finished another batch of pants over the weekend. I even made two extra for the little one. She's had a growth spurt in the last three weeks and desperately needed some. I like the look of the elastic around the ankles, and really love how it keeps the pant cuffs from dragging in the mud or snow. These "Mad For Plaid" pants are perfect for play.

And her favorites: the "Dream of Green" cords with that great Japanese heavy cotton tree print on the knees.

I thought I should have a little "Maine" fun and whipped these up. The plaid knee patches were a find in a thrift shop on the coast of Maine. The title of the pants pretty much sums up how I feel about them: The "Wicked Good Pants."

And I updated my Etsy profile which will provide you with a little information about the thinking behind my children's clothing designs.

There might be some quiet posting this week as I begin to start on custom orders. Enjoy the day!

Shop Update

*Due to the time difference, I have moved the update to 2 p.m. EST. I hope this works for more people!!*

The shop will be updated on Monday, January 21st, at 9 a.m. 2 p.m. EST. Please note that the time has changed from my previous announcement.

And what will be in this update, you ask? Well, cargo pants for the little ones and bigger kids too, wool felt barrettes, and possibly another set of pants if I find the time this weekend to finish them. Here's a glimpse of the goods:

As always, each item in this shop update is unique. No two are alike. I spent a lot of time choosing trim for the pants and embroidering a coordinating design on the linen cargo pockets. I am very happy with the end result and hope you will be too! The wool felt barrettes were inspired by the one I made the little one months ago. I wanted something soft and gentle on her head and couldn't find any that fit our style. Each barrette is hand stitched and topped with a vintage button.

I hope to see you Monday morning at 9 a.m. EST! There will be another shop update in mid-late February with clothing for the ladies, diaper bags, and more.

I hope your weekend is filled with creativity, fun, and lots of chocolate!!

A Small Detail

Anyone who has placed a custom order with me knows I am a speedy worker. I'll usually have the finished product mailed the next day. I've always been this way. I remember being in grade school and finishing my tests a full twenty minutes before anyone else. In high school I used to double check, triple check, and fidget around before finally standing up from my seat. Of course, the class would be staring at me with that "how the heck did you do that so quickly?" look, while I started having doubts that I somehow missed a few pages. So when I get e-mails from my much appreciated blog readers asking when the next shop update is, I find myself in an unusual position. You see, I could have updated it long ago if it weren't for a small detail:

My serger. It's been giving me issues from, well, the beginning. Oh, there's that usual serger temperament going on. You know, the one where even if the room is too humid it seems to stop working. But it's gotten to the point where I serge an inch, have to re-thread everything, serge another inch, re-thread, and repeat. It takes me forever to finish something and usually the end result is not that pretty.

So when I sat down to work Friday night feeling mighty good about getting some things done (along with some DMB, G&B, and a good glass of merlot) and found out my serger would not cooperate, I realized that something is going to have to give. I spent an hour re-threading it over and over. I finally gave up. See those tissues next to my serger in the picture above? Yea, those were definitely needed. I had a little meltdown.

So my serger is no longer in use. This means my planned next shop update is either heavily modified or postponed until I figure something out. Remember my sewing machine giving me trouble a while back? That put a large dent in my savings and a new serger is not even in the picture. One step at a time though, right?

I've managed to come up with some other things that will be finished soon for the shop. I worked on them a bit yesterday and felt that old feeling of satisfaction and productivity return. I dipped into my wool felt stash.

Took a look through my vintage buttons.

And am close to finishing a few (okay, more than a few...) accessories for the little ones which will hopefully make an appearance next Monday, the 21st at 11 a.m. EST.

Thank you for your patience. If anyone has suggestions on a good, not-so-pricey serger, I would greatly appreciate your thoughts.

A Date

I should probably start off by saying Stephen and I have not been on a date (or out alone for that matter) since the little one was born. That is, if you don't count two weeks ago when we went to dinner at a friend's house down the street. But a real date, including food someone else cooked for you in a nice restaurant, and a play at a local theater is really what we need. And that's exactly what we'll get come tomorrow night.

One look through my closet revealed that my "nice" clothes are all for playing gigs; black pants or skirts, white shirts. I needed something special. I remembered the Simplicity pattern #3835 which I attempted last summer with pretty swell results. So I thought I would try it again, only with a little tweaking.

I used brown linen for most of the shirt and a great little blue textured print I found at my favorite fabric store. I added about two inches to the sleeve length and am very glad I did. I tend to dislike when shirt sleeves end right at my elbow.

I serged everything so there would be no raw edges. I ended up taking it in after, but overall the fit is good and I'm pleased. The neckline is perfect. Not too wide that I would be fidgeting with it all evening, and I love the fact that I can either dress it up or down depending on my mood.

Now I just have to find (or make) something to go with it...

Have a lovely weekend! See you back here on Monday.

Another One

About a week ago I was asked to donate something to the annual "Chocolate Festival" auction next month in town. I agreed and it got me thinking about a new bag design. I think they were rather surprised when I arrived to drop off my donation yesterday. What can I say? When I get an idea, it's usually only about a day or two before I have to make it a reality.

The "Everything Bag" can be used for, well, everything. I wanted to design something that was aesthetically pleasing and eye catching. So I chose an Amy Butler print with a modern and simplistic look. I think it went beautifully with the gray corduroy. It's almost the same dimensions as my diaper bag so it can be used for a diaper bag, or for a larger handbag.

I used a vintage button from my stash. I used the same loop technique as on the diaper bag because I like how the bag won't flop open when set down.

There are three pockets inside. One has a "key ring" so your keys don't get lost at the bottom of the bag. Thanks to a special order where someone requested this, I think I just may have to put one in every bag now. I'm really pleased with how it turned out. What do you think? Is it shop worthy? I think there may be more in the near future...

And just something you can be sure to see going on around here lately. I've been using my precious sewing time while the little one naps to read. Read! Ah, I haven't done this for ages it seems. Sure, little bits here and there, but none of this actual "finishing" of books. Now that the little one is getting older and doesn't need to be in my lap all the time, I can get in a few minute here and there. This book is absolutely amazing. Mesmerizing more like. I have three pages until I'm done. I've learned so, so much. You must check it out. Most certainly worth every penny, but check your local library too.

And some wintry scenes from another warm day yesterday can be found here.

Time

More and more I am finding that I can't exactly make all the ideas floating around in my head a reality. I have two notebooks, scattered with clothing designs for both adults and children, and just can't seem to make them work. Or more often than not, I settle for the "not quite." It's frustrating. My new sewing machine has been a blessing, but my serger is not meant for everyday use and it's beginning to show the effects; on itself and on my clothing.

I started sewing when I was pregnant. That wasn't too long ago and I really just got into it this past summer. That was the first time I attempted to stitch anything other than a straight line. Sometimes I have to remind myself where I'm coming from; that I haven't been doing this for long. My life path seems to be all over the place: music, organic farming (yes, I actually studied this in college),  graphic design (my original intent when entering college), creative writing, back to music, and now sewing. Currently I want to go to a design school and really learn my trade. But that doesn't quite seem to be in the picture.

So I settle for less than what I think know I can do. Sometimes I am not happy with the end result, although it usually is okay, it's just not what was in my head to begin with. And that's hard for me to deal with.

But with each new project I seem to learn a little bit more. That little bit seems to be enough to keep me going and keeps the ideas flowing. I suppose I'll take it. I have time to figure the rest out, right? Anyway, I've learned that with time, things will come. Case in point.

Production Has Begun

Well, here they are. The first things to be started and completed in the green room: lounge pants for mama and the little one. Thanks to Stephen for taking this lovely picture. I was much to lazy to deal with the tripod. I found this great flannel print at a deal I couldn't pass up.  However, I feel as though I should be headed out the door to one of my junior high sleepovers. That was about the last time I wore flannel printed pants.

I completely guessed on my pants. I traced a well-loved, comfy pair of sweats I wear almost daily (the lady at the fabric store thought I was nuts for doing this. "What? You don't use a pattern??!"), adjusted the rise a bit and ended up with a pair that is mildly comfortable. Next time I have to remember that my behind is a bit bigger than I thought.

The little one's turned out perfectly and are long enough to last through next year I hope.

She got quite the kick out of seeing mama putting her matching flannel pants on. I could tell she wasn't so sure she wanted to "share" pants. But after we both ran around the house a bit, she was willing to accept this new matching game. (I can't say matching will be a normal occurrence around here.)

But they're comfy and they're fun. They'll get a lot of use from us on our lazy Saturdays.

And a big thank you for all the kind and enthusiastic responses to yesterday's post. I really do love my new room and I'm so glad you are all fond of it too! I promise to keep you updated as the room finally is finished.

We Love Orange

Favorite clock

Snack

Fresh squeezed

Thrifted chair

Empty lunch bowl (Rice pasta and goat cheese. It was good.)

Custom order crown (Of course I had to test it.)

And definitely not orange, but a little sneak peak at the "big project" that has been underway for the last two months. Hopefully within the next couple of days I can show you the completed project. I'm waiting for a few finishing touches to arrive in the mail...

The Bag Lady

I admit, I can't go a month without making a new bag. I'm finally growing tired of the one I've been lugging around for three months. I've made other bags for myself since then, but none that qualify as a good "diaper bag." After I spotted this skirt on flickr and ended up making it, I finally found the link to her blog and ended up going back through the archives. We have very similar tastes and styles, so I was very excited when I found the link to her shoulder bag tutorial.

I made two for Christmas gifts. I love this fabric and had two yards of it in my stash. The first one was done following the tutorial exactly (except for the measurements on the top part of the bag) and I loved how it turned out. A bag that can be made in less than two hours? Perfect! The second one is for a knitter, so I wanted to lengthen the pattern so yarn and needles could fit comfortably inside. I was pleasantly surprised by how that turned out, so I decided to make one more.

Yesterday we stopped at my favorite little fabric store to discover some just arrived bolts. These prints are not something I would normally pick out, but I was drawn to the orange color and decided to go for it. I love the button and knew immediately I had to have it.

I used some fusible fleece for this bag. Since it would be carrying about five pounds of snacks, cloth diapers, a wallet, and sippy cups, I wanted it to be sturdy. I again fiddled with the pattern a bit and added a good five inches to the bottom.

It came out perfectly. I'm very happy with it. I made three pockets inside for sippy cups, keys, and other odds and ends. I believe a bag can never have too many pockets.

And the best part about it? I finished it during one nap and I even had time to eat lunch! I love when that happens.

The Dress

First, there was the vintage pattern spotted on Etsy...

Then the sorting of the pieces...

Cutting the pieces out...

A bit of sewing. A bit more of sewing. A lot of guessing and staying up late. Discovering my new, fancy sewing machine did not come with a buttonhole presser foot (what?!), so the almost completed holiday dress sits on a hanger waiting.

Of course, I couldn't wait until morning to take pictures, so you get this poorly lit sneak peak. The "slip dress" to go underneath is my next project. Let's hope there will be less guessing and more understanding of the 50's pattern lingo the next time around...

I hope your weekend is filled with crea