SouleMama

a beach bubble dress

It seems as though suddenly the weather has shifted and it's really and truly spring! I've been finding myself in the basement often - sorting through the stockpile of thrifted and saved-for-later kids clothes scrambling to find shorts, sandals, and short sleeve shirts. Then figuring out where the gaps are, and planning some sewing. I've been looking for a comfy, easy-to-wear, simple dress pattern for Adelaide - something we can throw on over her swimsuit, that will cover her shoulders a bit, and be comfortable to play in, too. The new patterns at Oliver + S caught my eye, so I gave the Bubble Dress a go this week (I purchased the pattern at Sew Mama Sew).

The pattern is categorized "Advanced Beginner" which I think is pretty right on. There were a few things I hadn't done before (understitching, for example), or that gave me pause when reading through the first time. But the directions are clear and easy to follow, and I think these 'extras' make for a better quality garment. The pattern calls for a lining (I used a mid-weight muslin) which gives it a great weight, and the bubble - oh, I love that loose elastic bubble.

I used it with one of my all-time favorite prints, red-kerchief girl (which I also used on a shirt for her last year). A few colorways are still available at Superbuzzy here.

Miraculously this week, our last bits of snow have melted, and it was warm enough for our first real spring beach visit. Ah...it felt so good to be back. Adelaide happily sported her new dress, which she told everyone she made (she did help sew the buttons on, so yes, I'm happy to have her claim it as her own creation). It wore well, protected her sweet skin from the sun, and seemed just perfect for romping about, picking up and piling rocks, and rolling in the sand - all the important work of the beach.

So, let's see. About three more of these ought to make Adelaide's summer "uniform" official. Then, on to some shorts for the boys.  A sunhat or two. Oh, and sandals for everyone. How is it that they all need sandals this year? If only I knew how to make sandals.

brought to you by the color yellow

It appears as though this blog is now officially brought to you by the color yellow. And French Knots. And dear friends who are kind enough to share their gorgeous linen stash (thank you, Jean!) when I really need it (yes, sometimes one really does need linen).

New pillows! With some vintage green doilies I picked up somewhere (can't remember), some french knots, and the back 'leaf' fabric also gifted from Jean (she says it was from Superbuzzy last year). The back is two overlapping panels, with some (handmade, because I'm addicted to making it) linen bias binding holding it all together.

Yes, I made some less than a year ago - in the very same colors, even. Oh, and I loved that Merrimekko fabric! But, unfortunately, the back fabric was white. The key word being "was" - in the very past tense. Now they're more a mash-up of jelly, crayon, and some good old-fashioned mold on top (from sitting on the basement floor waiting - for a very long time - to be washed. Nice.). The front pieces can and will be salvaged for something else, but the pillows needed to go.

The couch needs to go too, but I'm still holding out. Every single time I walk into a thrift or antique store, I visualize the perfect vintage couch, green velvet, please, with dark wood. Soft but not too squishy. And under $400. Hey, a girl can dream, can't she? These pillows will match that couch quite nicely. They're just waiting for it.

Then again, maybe I should ditch the couch(es) altogether and just make more pillows. And quilts. I have a feeling I could rally some family support for that idea...

A Shop Update

The Shop is Open!

Phew. I'm not very used to this sort of rushing about (kids are an entirely different kind of rushing about), so all of this makes me a little nervous. When you're done looking - if you're looking - come on back to settle in for a relaxed little chat, will you? I'd love that.

In the shop today:

Cards & Wrap - a set of four photo greeting cards with a 'needle work' theme, all together in a linen wrap, embroidered with bits of spring and lined with vintage cotton. While I'm not generally a fan of making lots of the same thing, these seem to be an exception - what with all the combinations of embroidery, bias binding (had to make my own - it's so addictive), and crispy vintage cotton prints. I made a big batch of these, so I hope that some of you that missed out on the holiday version will be able to find one today.

Linen Totes - because no shop update of mine is complete without at least a few of my favorite size bags.

Take-Along Spring Quilt - Oh, I do love making these. Linen, with embroidery, vintage doilies and patchwork on the back. (Though I do wish quilts were easier to photograph. Hmn.)

Ah....a little Early Spring shop update. I always have fun putting these updates together, but this time I especially loved dreaming about the spring season in which they'll likely be used. Spring - full of color, light, and picnics, beach trips and leisurely walks in the sun. That's what was on my mind as I put this collection of things together. The children have been preparing for tomorrow's first day of spring all week...and I guess, in my own way, this little shop update is one way that I do the same.

Thank you, friends, for looking ... and for your interest in and support of what I do!

Today, 12pm EST

Good morning!

There will be a Shop update today at 12pm, EST. I'll post here when it's up and ready, and to show you what I've been up to!

a march weekend in maine

March, Outside:

March, Inside:

We had a pretty little storm this weekend. I spent much of it with embroidery hoop in hand, stitching away. I'm fairly certain that at the end, my stitched french knots inside might have rivaled the fallen snowflakes outside. If only Calvin did invent that snowflake - counting machine this winter, we could be sure.

As a result of all that snow and all that stitching, I'm happy to tell you I'll be having a Shop Update this week. Wednesday, March 19th, at 12pm EST.

Wishing you a sunny (inside or outside) Monday!

studio doings

There are only a matter of days left on our Mama's-writing-a-book-sabattical. Amidst the soaking-up of family time before Papa goes back to work, I'm also trying to wrap up a bunch of things in my studio. Things like...

Playing. I made this lightbox a few months ago with these instructions, and am just now really getting the chance to experiment with it - in conjunction with my flash (though, I think I need a diffuser). It's trickier than I thought. Did you see Seedpod's Still Life Project in completion?  Gorgeous, gorgeous - and all shot in a lightbox, which is inspiring me to keep trying.

Scouting. For bits and pieces for the book photo shoots I'm doing this month. Okay, wait. Pause. Am I seriously antiquing because I need to? Oh my. This could be dangerous.

Making. Back to my beloved little quilts for April's gallery show. I love working on these - so much. I'll share all of them when the set is complete in a week or so. Do you think I might have been inspired by green week?

Loving. My frequent visitors and helpers - and the impromptu pant-making (or button-stacking, or fabric-choosing) sessions they request. By far, it's my favorite studio doing.

for his collections

Recently, Calvin and I made these Wall Pockets together (he was the idea boy, I was the 'make it happen' girl). It's for holding all manner of useful things like cardboard pieces, rubberbands, corks and wood chips. Pieces of wire, bread bands, string, tape, toilet paper rolls and on and on. Things that were taken apart from other things, and lie in waiting until they're made into something else. And then, sometimes something else yet again. He's a repurposer and a maker of things. And a collector of all the 'stuff' with which to make things.

I sandwiched it all together as a quilt, essentially - with red linen on the front, a grey cotton on the back, and cotton batting in the middle, which I thought would give it a bit more heft. The loops on the top are bias binding. The pockets are all linen and stitched on a few times - because you never know which pocket might hold the precious marble collection. There's some embroidery (which you saw a peek of here), which is all from this Clover pattern. The other linen - with the farm theme - was a gift from a reader, and I'm so over-the-top in love with it. I know I've stumbled upon it somewhere online in another colorway, but I'm sorry that I don't remember. (found it - it's Dutch Countryside, and SuperBuzzy has it here).

Lately, Calvin's been drawing elaborate plans for his future bedroom/workshop 'on the farm'. The design sounds dreamy to me - a long workshop table, racks on the wall, and lots of shelves. And with wonder and excitement at all the possibilities such a room might hold, he describes it as "full of nails, cardboard, rope, fabric and a sewing machine!". Oh, this kid.

But in the meantime - until he gets his workshop - he very graciously (for the most part) shares space with the rest of us, and this little wall pocket helps to contain some of the stuff. He's decided he likes it best on the end of his bunk bed - where he can wake up, and reach over for his materials and start making things before even getting out of bed. Huh, I think I get that.

the "Second" Syndrome

I think these curtains have already had their blog debut - in sneaky bits here and here. But here they are in all their simple curtain glory. I made them right before (hours before?) our Christmas morning brunch, though I sat on the fabric (all 10 yards of it - my goodness) for a few months before that. It's from Denyse Schmidt's Katie Jump Rope line. Love that line.

I've always felt rather ambivalent about having curtains in this room - it's so lovely to see clearly outside, but in the winter it always feels a little bare. So my intent was to make these for the winter months. I made them floor length, which I love, and I hope means that wherever our 'home' may be in the future, I'll be able to find a window in which they fit. Otherwise, I've got 10 yards of fabric I love with which to play. Not a bad option, either.

And now let me show you the second window in this room. Oh, Right. There is no second set of curtains. Did I mention that I finished that first one on December 24th? Ah, yes. For two months I've put off finishing this project. It feels like the second sock. Or legwarmer. Or mitten. All of which I have a problem with, clearly. That second bootie, sock, curtain - whatever - is always a little bit of a hump that I need some pushing to get through. It's my personal crafting hurdle, if you will. The Second Syndrome.

At dinner a few evenings ago, Ezra took a nice deep breath and announced his revelation to the table, "Mama! There's only one curtain in here!"

Okay, okay. I'm sufficiently pushed now. The curtain is coming.

year no. 3

Of course, she got her dress. You knew she'd get the dress, right?  After her not-so-subtle plea, she never let up (such is the plight of the youngest child), asking each and every time she popped into my studio, "You makin' my Christmas dress, Mama?" followed by an incredulous "Why?!" whenever the answer was 'not yet'. When it was finally complete and I tried it on her, her immediate response was, 'My no like it. Take it off." Oh, yes, that's just what she did. Thankfully though, with the allure of new tights on Christmas morning (it's official that all my kids think tights are the most fabulous clothing article of all. And if I had tights with snowflakes on them I would have to agree), she happily wore the dress long enough for Christmas brunch, and even for one more party after that. Yay!

The fabric is by Maywood Studio. The pattern is a vintage one. I eliminated the lace, and added a little bit of baby rickrack instead. Because red baby rickrack belongs with the holidays as much as eggnog does, as far as I'm concerned. I can't resist these things.

And to continue our matchy holiday outfit tradition for the third year in a row, I made myself this apron. The pattern is the Apron Overlay from the Amy Butler Barcelona Skirt pattern. It's a great pattern - easy to follow and quick to whip up, and I was quite happy to wear it Christmas morning, but I'm not such a fan of how it fit - perhaps my sizing was off. Or perhaps my waist has moved. Surely it was the pattern. Ahem.

I know I swore a zillion times over before having children, that I would never do this matching clothes thing to my kids. But whatever, I'll happily eat those words now and continue sewing for just a few moments of fun, silly, and sweet with my baby girl. We like it.

studio reds

This weekend:

Number of packages of red rickrack used: 2.5
Number of red spools of thread used: 2
Number of red velvet cupcakes (from Two Fat Cats) devoured: Just one. But oh-so-good.