~colormaking~

Spring just keeps springing. We've had wet. And sun. And now humid. Like totally on summer or back to 40 degrees and raining.

Babies seem to be the new "in" thing to produce for my friends and relations . So I am making these adorable booties, a Norwegian pattern rewritten into a more workable style by me and now on Ravelry.

Someone turned 18 and for his surprise party, we were asked to wear sunglasses and bring a poem. Sylvan and I penned one in the style of the immortally wonderful John Burningham's Would You Rather? Here's a sample: 

Would you rather...

Swallow a tomato horn worm whole,

or chew it up first?

Kick your principal as hard as you can

or run naked through your school?

Still ever watchful of little feet.

Turns out the Beastie Boys make great music to sew by. I had a Pandora channel going and it was like a tour of 90s hiphop fun. In honor of the late MCA of course.

This was the fabric I couldn't leave the store without, at a spring visit to Alewives. I purchased 2 yards of this lovely Japanese cotton-linen fabric and will get TWO skirts out of the deal, shorter versions of Amy Butler's Barcelona A-line. Two skirts because one half of the vertical length of the fabric is the pretty birdies and the other side is a lovely garden with viney flowers.

Two yards of fabric, two adorable skirts. I always feel so awkward when people compliment me on my skirts, like "I'm just the person who knew an awesome fabric when I saw it and shelled out the money."

Well, OK, I made it too. But that's just following directions and Amy writes them well.

Thanks, Japanese fabric designers for making fabrics that inspire and delight me!

(Another post coming soon to cover the other parts of life like baseball games, friends being silly, and those red skates.)

~fabric therapy~

I see that I am right on target with my January Fabric Therapy trip to Alewives. This year, it is only just now looking snowy enough to pass as winter which I am loving. I also loved my bright sparkly ski through the forest this afternoon through the fluffiest sparkliest snow ever.

But still, the pull of fabric is strong in January. The need to see all that color and lusciousness. I went with the idea of making a birthday project for a February gal.

Once there, I started thinking about how I don't have a single winter skirt made by me. I went over to the corner of the shop where there is yummy colorful wool fabric. I admit to being a little bit afraid of working with wool fabric, a new sort of animal and all.

At first I was being boring and practical, looking at neutrals. But my eye kept going back to this nice vintage-y aqua and imagining a lovely toadstool and hedgehog appliqué. I recalled the Kate M. theory of ordering at restaurants which is that you can dispense with the notion that you "Should" get a particular something, and just get what you want. Goodbye boring and practical neutrals. Hello, aqua wool delight.

And then there was the impulse buy.

I spied this little layer cake while I was nearing checkout. Little foxies. Little toadstools. Little Red Riding Hood. I knew that if I left the store without it that I would have non-buyer's remorse AND that it would get scooped up by other sewists in less than a millisecond. Carrie B. and I once discovered the perfect vintage Astrakhan wool coat in a Goodwill in Chicago, left the store, quickly realized we made an abysmal choice, returned to the store and BAM. Gone. Poof.

It will make a throw-sized quilt, is decidedly girly, and you know what? I say great. I will even share it with the gents around this place if they care to be swathed in pink Red Riding Hood and little toadstools. To heck with neutrals.

If you have not become acquainted with Vi Hart, let me invite you to discover her inspirational math/art doodles. We all have a little crush on her.

Greening Your Laundry

new A-line skirt

with gorgeous linen Japanese fabric from Alewives

Seems like the word is getting round to bloggers in Maine about the goodness of homemade laundry soap. You may have read it here first, but look who else is on the homemade kick! And some laundry sweetness, as well as a CraftingMama shout-out, is here also on the blog of Little Bits and Bobbin (if you need to know how much I love this gal, check this post out. swoon.)

cleaning products:

homemade scouring powder and toilet-cleaning supplies

I am also pleased to tell you that on June 23rd, Wednesday @ 11 a.m., I will be giving a demo/talk about greening your laundry at the Birchwood Motel in Camden, ME. Read this post about how Jenny and Eric are making green choices for their local business: making their own laundry soap and installing a gorgeous new laundry line is just a start. Think about how awesome it would be to sleep on sun-dried sheets, laundered without chemicals, the next time you stay in a motel! The workshop is free and participants will go home with a sample (and laundry soap recipe), as well as resources about alternatives to chemicals in our homes.

To register, Friend/Like the Birchwood Motel on Facebook and leave your RSVP there!
New PJ pants around here. In the photo above, Sylvan models his new pair in a fabric called Hedgehog Love (also from Alewives). What is not to love about THAT? The sad news is that I underbought fabric for these, which means that I am not readily embracing the true size of this boy who was/is my baby.

For the extra long-leggedy one, Jonas, I knew that I needed quantity. I used a pattern from Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross, Pajamas for Everyone, and I made the ADULT size Small. I thought, Oh Ho, I can just whack off a bunch of length and they'll fit him fine. Well, I am here to tell you that I did not do any chopping of any length. My 11 year-old boy who was/is my baby is also really the size of a small adult (in height, anyway). Wow.

Mothers Blessing

Some of us thought we had been transported to the south of France: the beautiful and delicious food, the picnic tables underneath the apple trees, a nicely sunny/shady yard, and the company of wise, beautiful women in abundance.

It was potluck Mothers Blessing for a dear friend, due to bring a new sweet girl into our midst any moment. The organizers of this event sent out a muslin square (hemmed!), so that we might embellish them with our wishes or prayers or inspiration. We each had a moment to introduce ourselves and show our squares, sharing wisdom or a funny story or a hope for the new baby and family.

There were a few babies to celebrate the occasion (we did remember not to eat them):

the dimpled hands?!

Even though I think there weren't supposed to be actual gifts, I always assume this doesn't apply to handmade items. So I shared some homemade laundry soap (new babies make lots of laundry and so do five other people!). And I made the Amy Butler Apron Overlay for her also.

Because I remember how you give birth and then that one pair of maternity pants (your favorite) is still the only thing that fits or feels comfortable and pretty soon you are. hating. those. pants! And the baby will throw up on them right as you are leaving the house, and what are you supposed to wear then?! So how perfect to have an apron that is REVERSIBLE, with small prints to disguise stains, something fun and feminine and pretty to spice up your postpartum wardrobe. It could be a whole new thing in women's fashion.

~Oh wait. Did I mention this was a party at which TWO types of quinoa salad AND beets were also served? My kind of party indeed. The kind of food women will prepare for each other and themselves when no one is around to complain.~

maybe the fun can stop soon?

Friday evening found our family at the Camden Yacht Club for the Summer Sailing Program's Awards dinner. Here are the knees of two friends, proud mamas of two seaworthy mates!

It was gorgeous and hot and blue skies, so we could almost forget those 6 weeks of gray fog and rain. When Jonas was NOT complaining about being out in a boat in that. What I was so amazed by is that by the end, he was sailing alone each day, and wow, yet another skill that I don't share! That still just sort of blows my mind! It's a great program and Jonas would sign up for all 8 weeks next year right now.

We picnicked outside, there were certificates for all. And some special sailors received recognition for their seamanship, hard work, dedication, helpfulness, and/or racing skills.

The side show was this little yummy ladybug and perhaps future blogger with her camera in hand. And a-d-o-r-a-b-l-e elbows!

So you (wait: I just had to kill a mosquito that landed on my finger as I typed. I know it had Buddha nature, but Oh Well.) caught a glimpse of my second Barcelona skirt...

with this fun, bright peony fabric. I suppose a better blogger than I could tell you the fabric designer, but I am just terrible at that. C'mon Rhea, help me out here. And photos soon will show you that I have QUILTED MY QUILT. Yes, by machine, not by hand because I actually wanted to have it done in my lifetime and hopefully by winter. So all that is left is the binding. I had a lovely lesson at Alewives with the super nice and patient Rina (former primary school teacher, can you picture it?) and I am hoping for more time with her to do the binding.

This is a gift I made for Miss Black and White polka dotted skirt, mentioned above. It's the Shop Around Town bag, not super heavy duty, but good for some library books, a visit to the farmer's market, or art store. It rolls up pretty small and can fit easily into a purse.
And the only photo missing from this post is:::

My boy, holding his silver Harbor Cup Award for excellent seamanship in the Intermediate class. Wow.

(And the title of this post is because sometimes, in August, in Maine, there is just so much fun all the time that I feel a little stretched at the seams. I mean, it's all good, but it's just all so much, all the time. I am more of a February type of gal, cozy at home, happy by the woodstove, happy to be in bed by 9, not a party animal. I'm taking some deep breaths.)

Voila la Skirt

It's done: the Amy Butler Barcelona Tiered Skirt. Yup, even the boring hemming part and snipping of stray threads.

I love it! And thanks to my friend Kim, (who let me try on her size M), the size is perfect. I even shaved off another half inch while sewing up the sides, so it's really perfect.

I feel pleasantly summery and girly trying it on, though I haven't worn it out yet. (I'm saving it for a date with the Mr. for its debut.) I feel proud of doing my first zipper! And proud of making a skirt with a liner! Hooray! I am already thinking of making the A-line skirt, and soon, before the summer of boundless sewing time is over... and I am reading textbooks again.

Anyone know what this unusual-smelling flower is that is suddenly rocketing out from my clump of Solomon's Seal? It's so pretty and delicate, though I am not sure I could take it inside my house.

Miss E. received her PJ pants with aplomb. I am afraid the colors are a bit washed out here, in life, they are more intense and groovy. I am eager for her next sleepover so I can do a true photo shoot!