I’ve been having more fun with college sweatshirts.
I’ve been playing around with men’s dress shirts.
I tried mending a nylon jersey decal. Not easy.
that’s how i roll
Another little Mother’s Day gift for me: a rolled hem foot. The other night I sat down to make some tea towels and expected to have a whole stack to show you. I didn’t realize there would be such a learning curve! It was like learning to use my machine all over again. I think I’ve got the sides down, but the corners are still giving me a little bit of trouble. So, here’s my one tea towel.
I found this fabric in my stash while I was hunting for something else. It was originally for a sewing machine cover, but when I washed it, it got super soft. It feels like a linen/cotton blend, but I’m pretty sure it’s just cotton. The colors match my kitchen perfectly. Check out those beautiful hems!
I couldn’t have gotten this far without this awesome tutorial from the Sewing Divas. I think once I get the hang of it, this little foot is going to be a big time saver for me!
stash: Having the right tool for the job can make life so much easier. It will pay for itself in productivity.
last minute fun
I don’t know how moms handle serious kid schedules. We hardly ever have anything on our calendar and always seem busy. Maybe it’s because we do a lot of things spur of the moment. I’ll be at knitting group and Lisa will say, “Let’s go to the zoo tomorrow!” I’ll realize we’re almost out of Chloe’s medicine and within an hour we’re on an “animal adventure” at the vet.
Today, I was reading my very long to-do list and checking email when I got a message from Lauren. “Want to walk to the park with us this morning?” To-do list? Park? Of course, we went to the park. Afterward, Bella and I went out to lunch. She loves eating at the Super Target coffee shop.
Life is busy and we always seem like we’re on the go. I couldn’t imagine actually having scheduled plans, too. Hmmm… maybe we’d just be less spur of the moment-y. I kind of like it this way, though. I never know what each day is going to bring.
new inspiration
I bought these books for myself for Mother’s Day. I had flipped through the pages of Patchwork Style at knitting group enough times that I felt I should just buy it already. They didn’t have a copy of Linen, Wool, Cotton at the bookstore, so I ordered it sight unseen. Well, I had seen a few pics of some of the pages around blogland.
I was really drawn to the organic feel of Patchwork Style. It reminded me of how I felt when I discovered David Carson. Bend the rules of grid and symmetry. Expose your raw edges. Cut things up and paste them back in a different order. Designers either loved him or hated him. I was inspired by him to think in new ways. That’s how this book makes me feel about sewing.
Contrast that with Linen, Wool, Cotton. The beauty here is in its simplicity. Focus on that one, special, important detail. A lot of European graphic design is like that. Embrace your grid. Use your white space. Order and simplicity lead to elegance.
Both of these books have turned my thoughts about sewing upside down. Previously I’d been focused on learning and constructing. Now my head is full of fresh ideas. It’s overwhelming. I don’t know where to begin. I figured the best place to start would be writing it all down. Next step: getting out the sketch pad.
stash: Some books you just can’t check out of the library. They inspire you so much that you have to own them. There are free patterns from both over at MakeGoodBooks. I can’t wait to see Carefree Clothes for Girls!
giveaway winner!
First off, I am overwhelmed by all of your sweet comments on my tote bag. It makes me happy to see everyone getting inspired to reuse, recycle and repurpose! I’m slowly working my way through all the comments and visiting all of your websites. Y’all are so crafty!
So, on to the winner: Karen Squared! Congrats, Karen!
I finished up the other tote bags in this series and they are listed in my etsy shop. I love them so much! I keep thinking I should save one for myself. If you want one, better buy it soon before I change my mind!
I’m thinking that the coffee sleeve of the month giveaway might become a tote bag of the month giveaway. How does everyone feel about that?