Wed and Bless with Feathers

I was going through my fabric [how I love to go through my fabric]

and came across some scraps from my oldest sister, Ashley's wedding dress.

There wasn't enough to use as is, but I looked at the beautifully embroidered bits and had an idea.

Wouldn't it be a perfect way to use those scraps in a blessing dress?

And she just happens to be expecting her first daughter.

Perfect.

I cut out the feathers and sewed them down the front on a sheer overlay.

Can't wait to meet Baby Girl Baker!

The wedding dress

Haven't Been Feeling Well

I'm ignoring the laundry that needs to be folded and everything else around the house pining for my attention (except Azure, of course), sitting in bed looking at old photos.  This one was 3 1/2 years ago, when Azure was born.  That was our watermelon patch in Texas which did amazingly well, though we used the watermelons for jack-o-lanterns.  I made all their dresses to have an azure blue photo for Azure's birth announcement.  It wears me out looking at it.  They sure are cute, though, aren't they?

Don't Tell Me You Don't,

because I know you do.  You think, I can take a whole bunch of photos because it's digital, and I can just erase the ones that I don't like.  But then you don't, because you can't decide which ones aren't worthy of viewing ever again.  

Huh.  

Pearl chipped her permanent tooth at school.  Bless her heart.  Thankfully Dr. P (as she referred to him) fixed her right up and will match the sculpted tooth to the other one...as soon as they're both fully in.  

I'm so bad.  I can't even erase the blurry ones. (Don't you love her little chin?)

My dad thinks these are ramie.  I don't know.  He doesn't know for sure [do you, dad?] because neither of us know Korean.  Well, he has a few very impressive phrases that roll off his tongue, but, regardless, I made Pearl a jacket with this extraordinary fabric.  While we were visiting my parents in Korea, I snatched some of this [linen, ramie?] with admiration for every color.  My mom would ask every time I handed over the won, What are you going to make with this?  I would respond with a smile and a I don't know, but mostly with a smile while my mind began sketching the projects that would suit this rigid medium.  The fabric comes in very narrow widths [as in 14"!], so I had to cut out the back in two pieces and add a seam down the center.  Then, he, he, he!  then, after I finished sewing and was picking up the scraps, I hated to throw away such lovely threads, so I randomly twisted them into a rope and rolled them into flowers for a headband.  Every last scrap.  Easy Peasey Lemon Squeezy, as my baby dills would say. Ha!  

PS I don't conscientiously set out to make all clothing with bell sleeves for her, but they're certainly becoming on her, aren't they? 

On Sewing Wool

I chose such a THICK wool to make this jumper.  So thick that I had to edge stitch every single seam as well as do two rows of stitching around the neck and armholes.  Then I debated on the buttons--a navy?  No, yellow.  All different yellows.  Ryan agreed.  Olive loved the buttons.  She only wished they were on the front...perhaps she could just wear it backwards.  

I wouldn't be surprised one bit.

Those Japanese

have a good thing going.  

I need to learn their language.  I took 2 years in high school and all I can do is write a few characters, say My name is Katy, and count to 10.  Ryan, on the other hand, is fluent.  The baby dills think, after our trip to Japan, that he knows all languages.  Wait until we go to France.  Then who is going to be ordering the panini and crepes off the street and those melt in your mouth baguettes?  Who is going to navigate Le Metro and take us to the Louvre?  Where was I going with this, oh, yes.  The Japanese.  They have a pretty plethora of these books full of patterns.  And I don't use the word pretty lightly.  The only problem is there are very few translated into English.  Jordan, my sister, gave me one of these books for my birthday a couple of years ago and I opened it up thinking, no problemo.  Then I actually opened it up and could only pine after all the simple, yet sublime silhouettes I wanted to make, feeling overwhelmed with the patterns and directions.  I pulled it out again recently and even ordered two more of these books a couple weeks ago, determined to figure them out.  Success!  

Ryan and I poured over them last night, he'd point out things like "front" or "skirt".  Making progress.  At one moment, I pointed out a character to ask what it meant.  Ryan replied, "Katy, that's an English letter."  oh. Once I finally mapped out which pieces were needed (among 4 giant sheets of overlapping, foreign-written pattern pieces), I traced them and studied the how-to diagrams.  Some pieces I just had to measure out and cut.  Then I wondered what size I was even making.  90 cm?  Then I questioned whether or not the seam allowance was included.  That's when I turned to the internet.  If you've never discovered Purl Bee, now is the time.  I found a tutorial on reading these perfectly pretty puzzles and, VOILA!  

First use of my Korean buttons

My conclusion. 

It took me longer to figure out the pattern than it did sewing it, but now I have a whole new world of patterns for my hungry fingers.

I think working in centimeters is dainty and becoming.  Those ugly old inches are awkward and confusing.

Turns out, size 90 cm is just right for Azure, though I was actually aiming for Clover Pie.

Next time.

Swatchee Project II

claoth

Variegated Verge

This neutral colored skirt is my own design.  It's made of a beautifully draping Pendleton wool with baby wale corduroy swatchees as part of the pleating.  I wanted something asymmetrical, but nothing too distracting from the variegated verge. 

Swatchee Project I

This is my own design.  I had the skirt concept, but then decided to make it into a jumper.  It's made from some Pendleton wool I've had since high school (no moth holes!)  I lined the entire thing except for the waistband and straps, which will only be touching her shirt anyway.  I used crochet thread for the hand stitching, which I really like the sheen of, though it's harder to pull through than embroidery thread.  The hem is faced to give it a smooth finish.  The pockets?  Korean Swatchees, of course! (which were also sewn on by hand, but with matching thread.)

This Little Piggie...

...got a new dress.

The pattern I used for this dress came from Amy Butler's Little Stitches for Little Ones.  Any review you read about Amy Butler's patterns will include many (angry, frustrated) comments about how vague her instructions are.  I have to agree that they aren't like the typical commercial patterns you buy, as she doesn't include step-by-step photos/drawings, but she does have written instructions that, if you're an intermediate seamstress, you can figure it out.  The only change I made was the contrasting cuffs--I lengthened them and added a "V" instead of just a slit.  I would also recommend making diaper covers to match.  The fabric is Japanese and, yes, you recognize my red linen.  I used every scrap I had on this project.

  I wish fabric was like biscuit dough and I could gather every bit, make a ball, and roll it out again for more.  

Sewing Project 11

This little number is quite becoming on Divine. However, she's currently snuggled up in her jammies, watching Thumbelina, running a fever of 101.2, she informs me, as she took her own temperature. What a self sufficient child.

Some patterns are more forgiving than others. This one requires exactness in transferring marks and sewing details, especially for the placket. I enjoyed making it, though I'm ready for something with reduced rigorousness. BUT, I'm getting ready for a little evening of sewing for anyone {local} wanting some sewing help, so my next project will have some simmering to do before I get to it. A Sewing Soiree. Can't wait.

Sewing Project 6

photos taken by Divine

my first attempt with printing on fabric

.Linen.

.Simplicity.

.Whimsical.

this is a patented design 2009

Sewing Project 1

It's "C" Week In Kindergarten and Wednesday is the day to bring something to share that starts with a C. So Olive brought Clover, of course! I made her a skirt from some leftover corduroy of a shirt I made years ago, the top from some linen, and the big C came from scraps of this project. Glass vintage buttons--vintage because I got them from the button collection I inherited from my mom, which she inherited from her mom. I used this pattern, although, I changed the orientation of the skirt, because I just happened to match the stripes on the seams and I loved the way the seam looked in front instead of the side.

More on Spices: A Good Peppering

I have all these ideas for projects in my head that need to get out.  The problem is I have a variety of projects that I started and for whatever reason didn't finish.  So, I've decided to do some peppering.  Peppering in my unfinished with those that I'd like to begin.  I started this particular skirt years ago.  The problem was, the finished product was too short.  So what would happen was:  I would pull it out, try it on, think "I've got to fix this somehow," put it back, repeat following year.  I couldn't bring myself to giving it away with all the time I had put into the embroidery and I couldn't lengthen the actual skirt.  So this was my solution.  Add something to the lining, underneath.  I added the tulle and second layer of silk.  I like how the panels of the skirt mimic petals of a sunflower.  The flowers embroidered on silk are also out of silk with seed beads for the center.

Unfinished skirt, finished.

Now, back to the projects in my head.  Oh, and picking up the kids, and making dinner, and....

An asymmetrical high-waisted sailor-inspired skirt

How's that for a title?

When we were in NY, I found a pair of wool sailor pants and longingly fingered them, knowing I'd never wear them in Florida. When Jordan was here a couple weeks ago, we found some really cute sailor pants at Anthropologie.  They were still full price, so again I bid them farewell.  I resolved that I was simply going to have to make a pair, but this skirt evolved instead.

I'm glad it did.

3 Months Old

blessing dress made from the same fabric I made my wedding dress

wrapped in a blanket made by the hands of her grandma great(not pictured)

held by hands of those with authority

given a name symbolic of nature's beauty and freshness

blessed with gifts from God

surrounded by loved ones