15 years later...

...I've finished a table runner. This is the only project I've ever designed myself, down to researching quotes and songs about Virginia until I found the one that seemed just right. And the birds are still merrily singing away.

The Pom-Pom Scarf

I placed an order for linen and pom-poms the minute I saw this scarf posted on The Purl Bee. I have mixed feelings about Purl. I adore their projects, but when I finally got to visit the shop in NYC one year, the staff wasn't as warm as I'd imagined they'd be. Maybe it was just the naivetee of a small-town girl in the big city, I don't know.

My finished scarf didn't earn the seal of approval around here ("Really, Mom? Pom-poms?") but those tiny red balls are just so dang cheerful, I'm finding it hard to resist.

Slinky Success

I'm always surprised by what catches Olivia's eye at the fabric store. Fabrics I don't even see, perhaps because I've automatically ruled them out without a second thought. But she was so in love with this funky, slinky knit that I picked up a set of ballpoint needles and agreed to give it a try. And what a happy surprise--smooth, quick sewing. I didn't have to finish the inside seams because the knit doesn't seem inclined to unravel, and I used a zig-zag stitch for a simple rolled hem on the legs. The pattern is Simplicity 3553 (same one we used for our sewing day last year), and the doll pants are from Simplicity 7069.

A Fab Mag and a Cute Cozy

I found myself with a few precious extra minutes at the local Joann store recently and happened upon a treasure of a magazine. It was a bit more expensive than others, but the dear little kit on the front (yes! it came with a kit!) put it over the top as far as I was concerned. I took the magazine to bed with me and marked page after page of fabulous ideas, but only after stitching up the gadget cozy last night.

Four Months' Worth of Posts...All Rolled into One

I came here to find those old Airstream links (still in love with Loobylu's afghans in campers photo set), and it hit me that I haven't posted in ages. Here's what I've been busy with...

Crocheted fingerless gloves for Susan:














Stitched an "RB" monogram onto a linen towel for Gina:














Made a hat for Deuce's trip to Latvia:














Finally turned my HomeSweet fabric into a pillow for the living room:














Hosted a 40th Anniversary dinner for Mom and Dad:


















Made a happy discovery:


















Adopted a handsome betta fish:














Got my own baby chicks!














And grew a corgi. Zeke will be 1 year old next week.

Napkins for Karen

I found this fantastic vintage '70s fabric on clearance during a ladies' weekend in St. Michaels, Md., a few years ago. Couldn't make myself cut into for the longest time, but when dinner napkins showed up on my SIL's birthday wish list, I knew what I had to do. They'll be perfect with Karen's famous homemade bread and broccoli-cheese soup. Which, by the way, is one of my favorite meals. Karen. If you're reading this.

A Sewing Lesson

During Christmas break, we invited three girls over for a sewing lesson. My niece received a sewing machine for Christmas and was eager to break it in, and two of my daughter's best friends are also interested in sewing. We used Simplicity pattern 3553 (Learn to Sew series) and some fun flannel from JoAnn Fabrics. Four hours (and one glass of wine) later, they modeled the result:










Every single one of us was tickled with those pants. I'm not sure I'd do it again with so many girls at once (four little lead feet on those pedals had me kinda stressed), but it was a wonderful feeling to see them so excited about sewing.

Car Caddy, Part II

My SIL read my last post(!) and sweetly sent a photo of Milo's car caddy.

The Missing Car Caddy and a Pillowcase

I was just enjoying Homemade by Jill's latest post, when I realized I never posted pictures of the Cozy Car Caddy I made from her
tutorial. Apparently I didn't photograph it, which is a bummer because I was tickled with how it turned out. I carried it around the house for a couple of days and forced everyone to admire before surrendering it to Milo at his birthday party. Anyway, check the tutorial out if you're so inclined; this would make a great Christmas gift for a little guy or gal who loves small cars.

Instead of Milo's car caddy, I leave you with a pillowcase I embroidered.

Doll Clothes: I'm Hooked

Well, I held out for two years. Those tiny patterns for 18" doll clothes struck me as awfully tedious and a little intimidating. Last Christmas, Mom surprised each of her older granddaughters with a full wardrobe of adorable, homemade clothes for their American Girl dolls, and I gratefully thought "Better her than me!" But after seeing the pre-printed fabric pattern kits on Spoonflower today, I finally got the urge to give it a try. Of course I'd picked up a few Simplicity doll clothes patterns years ago during one of JoAnn's $1 pattern sales, so all we had to do was select the fabric from my stash, and an hour later, a dress was born.


















Totally gratifying. I see many more of these in my future.

Welcoming Baby Boys

We've been busy welcoming baby boys to the world. I made the Beatles outfit for baby Julien, and Snoopy for baby Jordan. The crocheted cotton caps are another pattern from Polka Dot Posh, and the pants are Made by Rae's Big Butt Baby Pants.

Pilot's leash

I made this leash for a friend's dog, Pilot, using Anna Maria Horner's tutorial. The "Play Ball!" ribbon came from our local Michael's craft store.

Monogramming everything in sight

The Great May Giveaway ends today! If you're here from Sew, Mama, Sew! and you'd like to enter my drawing, please click down to the previous post and leave a comment there. It's been fabulous hearing from so many people and discovering all sorts of delightful new blogs to admire.

I posted quite a while ago about the coffee cozies I was working on. Typically, they ended up being set aside for a just bit (okay, it's been almost a year!)...but I finally finished two as gifts for some friends. I packaged each one with a Starbucks card and sent them off yesterday, along with a custom order for a baby named Eleanor.

Towels for Mom

My mother requested more towels for Mothers Day. Here's what I gave her yesterday, hot off the sewing machine just before she arrived for our dinner out.














I'm spending my MD evening in a hotel on a business trip but received lots of pampering and love before leaving home this afternoon.

I hope all moms had a wonderful day!

Thanks, Mother Nature!

We've been walloped with snow here in Virginia, leading to one cancellation after another. The happy result: more time to sew. I finished our kitchen curtains yesterday and did a commissioned onesie this morning.

What happened?

It appears I needed all of January to get my blogging act back together after the holidays and a trip to Disney World. I don't know how an entire month flew by just like that, but so it did.

Last night I finished a quilt for my nephew. I've also spent the past few weeks crocheting a couple hats; starting and then unravelling a pair of crocheted socks (I've yet to find the perfect pattern for that); and making crock after crock of homemade soup--one of my favorite comfort foods for the winter months.

Here's Milo's quilt. It's quite late (he'll be 2 in June) but hopefully he won't hold it against me.

Neglectful

Yeesh, three weeks since my last post. No excuses for the blog neglect, but I can say I've been busy in the sewing room. Lots to show soon...

For now, here's a work in progress. This was my first time using a walking foot and I'm already in love with that little contraption.














And these little pouches are going to become dryer sachets.

Our pets lean to the left

Every member of our family believes that healthcare should be a fundamental right for all citizens, not just a privilege for the few who can afford it. Our Savannah is modeling one of ten bandanas I sewed last night for a local fundraiser.


















And Violet, our "Democat," offers her endorsement as well.

Olivia skirt

For the first day of first grade, I made this super-easy skirt for "my" Olivia using the free Lazy Day Skirt pattern at oliver + s and Olivia (the Pig) fabrics from Andover, purchased a few years ago. Here are some newer fabrics in the line.

Monogrammed Pillowcases

I've just completed this half of a set of commissioned pillowcases. The monogram is from Aunt Martha's Three Alphabets, and the peacock fabric used for the pillowcase is Hoffman Challenge 2008.