SouleMama

stitching in blue

Two rainy days in a row meant we couldn't get back out to that beautiful vat of dye. But we did manage just a little bit of sewing with all that blue that's coming in. After washing all the pieces, we enjoyed ourselves a little bit of oohing and aahing over a sort of show-and-tell - everyone so proud of their work and their beautiful indigo pieces. What fun. And then, we set to work on some sewing. Annabel got a quick skirt from one of the pieces - it was once the bottom part of a vintage cotton slip skirt. With a simple elastic band and that fun indigo pattern, she's got herself a twirly skirt now. One can never have too many twirly skirts.

And then, after everyone was tucked into bed, I eagerly slipped right on into my happy place in my studio - at the machine, audiobook on the speakers, and scissors in my hand. Almost all of these pieces are former pieces of clothing - some of my beloved linen and hemp skirts and dresses that just didn't fit anymore or were ready to otherwise move onto a different incarnation, and thus were deconstructed before dyeing. I wasn't sure where the sewing with all of these random pieces would go, and even after two log cabin squares, I still wasn't certain I should keep going. Was it too "tie-dye"? Too blue? Would a quilt of it be too much, and maybe I should go with pillows instead? But the third square, with the pop of that sweet pink 'moon'? That sealed the deal. I think I'm onto the start of a quilt now, and I'm excited. If I'm to make this the size I'm thinking about - for a Queen size bed, I'll need 30 of these squares. And in that case, I'm going to need to just a bit more blue to make it happen. It's a very good thing that the sun shines brightly this morning, and that indigo vat is at the ready. Now, for a quick search through my closet/fabric stash/linen shelf and I've got myself a quilt in progress.

a pretty frock

I had the great and unexpected pleasure of meeting Miss Dottie Angel (Tif) this spring, when she came out to our knit night while I was in Bellingham, Washington. I've long admired her work, her writing, her everything, since first introduced to her - way back in the day in the when we both had just begun our blogs. Witty, clever, smart, funny, beautiful, kind and everything in between. Meeting her? Well, that only increased my adoration for her tenfold. She's a pretty special one, that lady. And I'm so glad to have made her acquaintance in the real world too.

Her dress pattern, sold now by Simplicity Patterns, is out in the world for all to enjoy a bit of that style she's so loved for, and I was ever so glad to pick up my very own copy recently and get sewing. This is a dress style I love - sweet, comfortable, farm-girlish, totally adaptable and oh-so-versatile. I chose a Cotton + Steel fabric (in lawn) for the dress, and some scraps of Liberty and vintage cotton (from an old 1800's dress shirt) for the pockets. A few old buttons at the top (the lace collar, in the end, just didn't feel right - maybe next time). The pattern came together quite smoothly, and fits - I think - just right for me. (That said, I had some trouble with the sleeves and ended up improvising a bit on my own. Erin has a really great pattern review here that's helpful.) I love this dress. I really do. It feels like a dress I can wear everyday and feel comfortable and pretty in, and for that I am glad. I have more planned. A whole lot more, actually.

I know when sewing a pattern, I love seeing photographs of it actually being worn, and you'll notice a lack of that above. Ah! What a struggle. I've addressed this here before in bits and pieces, but oh boy, it's a hard one for me to wrap my words around. I am quite accustomed to criticism - it is the nature of the beast in this writing format that I use. It's easy to hide behind anonymous words on the internet, and after all these years I am quite adept at letting it roll. It is never really about me.  My parenting, my food decisions, my choice in music, the way in which I earn a living, whatever it may be - criticism is someone else's feelings about those things being voiced and in general, I'm able to remember that. But body snark? Oh my. While it still may be true (that it is never really about me) it's one of the most unkind forms of snark, I'm certain, and  I'm simultaneously repulsed, saddened, heartbroken, hurt and angered about it each and every time I see it happening - to me or anyone else. As for me, it happens each and every time I share a photograph of myself. Truly. Don't we have enough of that in our own heads?  I am not exempt from feeling the sting. I am, after all, a woman living in this time when each day there are thousands of messages about how my body, as it is, is not enough. That I should stop the aging that is happening. That, despite being healthy where I am, I should lose weight. I definitely need "toning". Or maybe I should paint on some eyebrows? On and on. And while I think we need to work hard to erase those sources of cultural pressure and criticism, and seek out body-positive messages for ourselves and our children...there's also an element of protection that we must give ourselves. This body of mine - the one that has birthed five human beings, and treated me with good health and much joy for 38 years - is one that I want to cushion in love and acceptance. And for me, for today at least, that just might mean not putting myself - or rather photographs of myself - in a space which doesn't feel safe. I guess it's as simple as that. And I bring all of this up, not for sympathy or reassurance, but so that you know precisely why that dress is photographed on a hanger up above. And so that I may say - let us never, ever - never, ever - say unkind things about each others bodies, shall we? Not about a celebrity, a friend or an enemy - or ourselves. Not in person, not behind someone's back, and no, not even on the anonymous internet. 

Well now, I fear I ruined a perfectly good pretty frock story with all of that chatter, but I hope you understand. And I hope today, you too are wearing something that makes you feel as beautiful as you are (because, of course, you are beautiful). 

baskets full of...everything

We got a letter yesterday. And to her credit, it was dated many days ago, so I think there may be something going on with the camp mail. But regardless of the delay, I was so happy to receive it. It was short and sweet, but told me everything I needed to hear. Her sense of humor as silly as ever, and reassurance that 'camp is great!''. Ah, we feel much better. 

And her room redo is plugging along. All the painting is done, and now things are getting put back together. My great storage solution that I'm putting into place for all of her crafty things is, of course, rope baskets. So far, I have stitched up no less than 800 feet of clothesline rope, and gone through so many spools of thread that Annabel nearly has an entire checkers game ready to go (I'm glad she's playing with them, but oh this has me longing for the basket of empty wooden spools that we played with for hours upon hours at my grandmother's house). Most of the baskets are "natural", though I did do some painting on rope for one, and there's been some colorful stitching as well. I'm having fun with them, stitching away and listening to an audio book all the while. Thank you for all the amazing suggestions yesterday, by the way. I added many to my queue and ended up starting Life After Life by Kate Atkinson. A few hours in and I'm enjoying it so much. 

I've got a light fixture hopefully coming in the mail today, and that pouf to make, maybe tonight. There might be some rug shopping to happen still. After that, it's just more baskets needed for this room. And of course, one little girl to fill it up and hopefully love it all. Soon.

for gathering....everything

I had such fun making this new skirt for Adelaide. When I saw the pattern, the Gathered Skirt for All Ages, appear on Purl Bee last week, I knew I'd be making one and likely more. And well, one is made and surely there are more to come. It was a fun pattern, easy to follow, and the way the pockets come together is super clever. And that's the best thing of all - those deep, big pockets! My girls love collecting all manner of things and while often a basket is in hand, not always is there something handy for storing their goods on a collecting journey. This skirt is perfect for that and I have no doubt that every time it comes through the laundry pile, I'll be pulling out pinecones, rocks, cat treats and who knows what else. (The fabric is Midnight Flora by Cloud 9.)

Adelaide was thrilled to wake up to the surprise of a new skirt (it's one of my very favorite Mama things to do - that morning surprise of something I made in the night). She insisted we cut a bit of matching fabric for her hair to put in her recent favorite milk maid braids. Then we went on a little rock hunt (she's got a thing for rocks these days), a stop to notice the daffodils, and then for a snuggle with her lamb, Thalia. After that, she was called away by Papa for morning chores, and as she skipped off merrily, she stopped quickly to turn over her shoulder and say, "thanks for the skirt Mom!". 

Ah, so much love. Love for my girl, growing into a beautiful young lady with such a big heart and open eyes. And love for the act of making things for my nearest and dearest, one of the ways I show them just how much I love them.

sewing, these days

There has not been much sewing with anything but clothesline of late, and even that, nothing at all this week. I'm feeling the very strong and timely pull out of doors, and into the garden. Tomorrow, we pick up this year's fruit tree additions and after that, it's full-on garden for a while. 

But, with a little girl like the one above, frequently opening my fabric closet door (excuse the state of it....I do so love that closets have doors, don't you?) and asking "what about this one? or this one? Oooh....this would make me a nice dress!" - it sure is hard to stay from the sewing machine.

And so, I've snuck in just a little bit of stitching. I put these prayer flag panels together, that I made in Bali, and hung it up over our bed. I keep that room relatively clutter free and quite empty on the walls - I love the little pop of color this adds. It inspired my girls to make some of their own, and they've been crafting up a storm making a banner for Ani's garden cottage. Sweet, sweet.

And....I did dive on into a new quilt project! I've been looking at this lovely pile of vintage sarongs that I brought home from Bali, pondering what to do with them. Dresses for the girls? Pillows? A new quilt for MY bed? That's what I landed on. A king sized (eek!) patchwork quilt. I've never made anything this big;. I'm pretty sure the quilting at the end is going to need to be outsourced to save both my machine and my sanity. But in the meantime, I'm enjoying stitching the pieces together, remembering my time in Bali, and looking forward to wrapping up in bed with it soon enough.

And? there's just enough leftover fabric for a dress or two. Someone is very happy about that.

flowers & bowls

Adelaide has been making tissue paper flowers for days. We've run out of tissue paper twice, and are about to run out of ceiling space from which to hang them. The floor of the library, her bedroom and subsequently every room in the house that someone then walks through - is littered with the tiny scraps of colorful paper that she snips off the ends of the flowers to get them just right. She's got ideas of color schemes, combinations and just how and where to hang them and what might come next. She wants to perfect a dahlia. I love watching these swirls of creativity in the kids, watching how fully they get swept up into focusing on just one thing. The freedom to dive so fully into something calling to them - no matter how big or small. The knowledge that it won't last forever. And the immense satisfaction at following that swirl of energy and creating something. 

This may be something I understand. In the past twenty-four hours, I've been bit by the rope sewing bug. It's been creeping in for a while - first I saw Erin's creations, and then Maya's, and then I found this amazing man, and well, I knew it wouldn't be long before I had to try too. It just looked like too much fun (and it is). I checked out the CreativeBug tutorial, and set to work on giving it a try with the rope I had on hand. And then......I went to the local hardware store to clean them out of clothesline rope, and promptly emptied four spools of thread (they suck up thread, these things!), and then declared "Popcorn for dinner!" so that I could keep going. And well, just like my Adelaide and her flowers, I'm scheming and dreaming and planning a whole lot of things. Maybe soon we'll have more rope bowls and baskets than we'll ever need. At which time I'll turn to someone else in the house to figure out a creative use for them. No doubt someone here could come up with something...

one more, for the road

Fresh off the sewing machine and straight into my luggage, this one! (After a brief stop on the wall for a photograph, that is.) This is another Wiksten Tank, made in the tunic length and sewn with April Rhodes voile. I adjust the pattern slightly this time (since the last ones I made), using one size at the top and grading it down to another at the hips (I can't fault my hips - they've been good to me!). I do think next time I should try a full bust alteration (another Mama body part that has been oh so good to me, and therefore deserves some properly fitting clothes, I'm thinking), but I just didn't have time to try that for the first time on this one. No matter, I am thinking that this is going to be just perfect over a bathing suit, or with a tank underneath and a skirt. Bathing suits, tanks, skirts, sandals...I can hardly believe all this talk! There is so much snow outside my door right now, I can hardly remember green. I think my body will be in complete shock when it encounters the sunshine of Bali....in just a matter of hours (well, a lot of hours....because, after all, it is all the way on the other side of the world! Not exactly a hop, skip, and a jump as we say).

I'm excited to share this adventure with you here, upon my return (though I might be popping onto Instagram from time to time while I'm there). And Steve is eager, I think, to share his own Papa adventures here at home, flying solo while I'm gone. Expect to see him popping in once in a while in my absence. And wish him well, would you? Though I know he's got this. 

Ah....to adventure!

dressmaking day

Another ski day for the big kids, another dressmaking day with Ani! Though the calendar tells us this season is winding down, the snow outside says we've still got a bit more time. Spring skiing is so good.....and spring dressmaking? Also fabulous. There's no better time for making summer dresses!

This week, we found our pattern in Linen, Wool, Cotton Kids by Akiko Mano. It is such a delight to see these Japanese patterns and styles we love so much translated into English! Oh, the sewing becomes so much easier when you can read the words, yes! Annabel chose dress B - the Dual Yoke Dress. We used a Robert Kaufman chambray for the main dress, with a vintage print from my stash for the yoke and inside bias. 

It all came together smoothly - it's just the right kind of pattern for dressmaking day. Not too fussy, and with fairly quick results for my young helper. And at the end of the day, just like every other time before, she stood at the door waiting for everyone to come in and notice her new dress. The one she made, of course. The routine seems to never get old....for either of us.

Tuesday's Dress

Thank you, truly, for the incredibly kind and generous words you left on my last post! What a gift those are, and a beautiful reminder to me of what this is all about. Thank you, thank you! 

As expected, and as demanded by the little miss, we made a new dress on Tuesday while the big kids were playing on the mountain. We went for a Suzanne, a dress I've made so many times over the years. She picked out this yummy fabric - Briar Rose Strawberry Green by Heather Ross. And though the pattern doesn't need buttons, button searching and button selecting is an important part of the process of 'making a dress' for Ani, and so we put two buttons on there just because. I altered the pattern just a bit to include elastic at the shoulders, which helps keep them in place a bit better. 

There are only a few more ski days left, which honestly is a very good thing. This little girls dresser drawers are overflowing with her dresses! Ah, but I do so love our Tuesdays together. And despite those dresser drawers, I don't think I could ever say no to "Let's make a dress, Mama!!". 

clothes for mom

As you probably have noticed, I've done a lot of sewing these past few weeks. Traditionally, this time of year is so focused on knitting for me - in front of the fire, staying cozy. But as my grandmother - the very one who taught me how to sew - was fading, I felt myself pulled to the studio and my machine almost constantly. I spent an afternoon with my Nana last week, and in a moment of amazing lucidity, we had a conversation that I'll never forget as long as I live (and I can only hope and dream to have similar clear and real conversations at the end of my own life). I was able to not only tell her I loved her, but to thank her for all the things she taught me. That moment was such a blessing, such a gift. And I went home, tearful and happy and sad too, and straight to my sewing machine once again. It has been the way I've been able to connect to her, remember her, and comfort myself, in these past few weeks. Sewing day and night whenever I had an extra moment - with children at my feet/on my lap/in my ear, and sometimes without. Just the thing I needed to be doing.

And as a result...I've got a whole lot of newly stitched clothing around here. A lot for the kids, some of which you've seen. And some for me too, which honestly is more needed than the clothes for the littles, who have plenty. My body - as many of you might well understand - is changing of late. After fourteen years of pregnancy and breastfeeding and carrying a baby or a toddler on my back or in a sling or on my hip....my body is, once again, all my own. The thing is, it is quite entirely a different body than before all that, because nearly forty years old is very different than the early twenties. I've been thinking about this a lot, and talking about it a lot with friends as well - of the same age and in the same position. I'm currently reading Women In Clothes and fascinated by it. I think it truly reflects the diversity of thought that we, as women, have about our clothing and our changing bodies....and interestingly, other women's bodies too. A similar diversity of thought, opinion and emotion is reflected in the comments here each time I post a photograph of something I've made for myself. Flattering, gentle, kind, opinionated, and sometimes emotionally charged. We do have strong feelings about clothing, don't we? Or rather, the bodies that the clothing is covering? Why do we care so much what other women wear? What we wear, even? And what exactly does 'flattering' mean, anyway? So different for us all - and I have to believe our opinions on the matter are as beautifully different as we all are. 

Forgive my all-over-the-place thoughts about this rather huge subject, but this is something that has been on my mind a lot of late and I don't think I'm done thinking and talking about it quite yet. I don't know precisely where I'm going with all of this today, except to say that recently I made myself some new shirts. The tanks are Wiksten Tanks and the shirt is a Scout Tee (lengthened a bit). I like them all very much. The fabrics feel good, and I chose some of my favorite prints. I am comfortable wearing these. And just like the dress I made last week, I feel like 'me' when I wear them. And sometimes, well, sometimes it's just as simple as that. 

the shirt dress

(Thanks, Calvin, for the photos!)

Sewing for Mama is an entirely different matter than all those adorable dresses, pants and skirts that - no matter the shape of the garment - look adorable on the little bodies of children. But still, I stay determined to keep giving sewing for myself a go, even if I hit a few fails along the way. I'm not calling this one a fail, exactly. Not really at all. Though the very first I tried it on and looked in the mirror, I thought, huh....I just made a hospital johnny! Then I walked out of the room and Annabel excitedly asked if I was going to play Annie with her. As in orphan Annie, from the original movie, wearing, um, rags. So yeah...not a great start in reception to this dress I was so excited to have made. But then....I kept it on. And, oh, it just might be the most comfortable thing ever! 

It's The Dress Shirt by Merchant & Mills (with a Robert Kaufman chambray, purchased from Z Fabrics). "The dress shirt is relaxed, loose, and absurdly comfortable. Its signature silhouette is inspired by a classic gentleman's shirt." says the pattern envelope. I made only slight tweaks to the pattern - french seams and a blind hem because I love them, and I lengthened the sides of the hem to make it more dress-like and less shirt-like (I'm not sure about that decision and might go back and redo the hem, actually). I was extremely pleased with the pattern - the instructions were just right and it all came together smoothly. I do regret not adding pockets. Next time - and I do think there will be a next time - pockets, for sure (and then it would be the perfect garden dress!).

I thought about adding some shirring to the back, to pull it in just a bit around the waist, or maybe a belt, or a button band or something to avoid the shapelessness of it, but then again, that's the point of this dress. And truth be told, after wearing it for just a little while, I'm perfectly pleased with it as is for the moment. "Absurdly comfortable." Yes, that exactly.

Tuesdays with Ani (but warmer this time!)

All these summer dresses on my Tuesdays with Ani have been lovely in the making, but gosh, they make me cold when I see her wearing them - usually sans sweater or socks, as many of you have pointed out, and I know very well! There are plenty of long sleeved dresses and woolen tights and cute slippers to be found around here, but amazingly, that's not what she prefers. And the reality is - all of my children have done that - the cold really doesn't bother them, and she'll be just fine. Even if it makes me want to put another pair of socks on myself (on top of the two I already wear under my slippers each day) just by looking at them. I blame/credit their Papa and his Scandinavian/Northern Maine blood! 

But still, a Mama can always keep trying, can't she? And so, last Tuesday morning, I laid out the pattern for some pajamas (K157 by Ellie Mae Designs, a McCall pattern) and all the flannel I had on my shelves. I pitched this as a 'night dress'....and she was into it. We had to get a little creative about the fabric pieces, as I didn't have enough of any of the flannel to make it in just one fabric, but I kind of like the contrast and combination of fabrics (it's an old Munki Munki red print and Anna Maria Horner in the floral). 

This one took a little more time and effort than the dresses we've been cranking out in a couple of hours. But no worries, she was happy to help along as much as she could, sing The Sound of Music over and over, and stop for frequent breaks of milk and popcorn. And mostly - as she likes to do - to talk a non-stop constant stream of dialogue with the full attention of Mama (have I mentioned that this girl does not stop talking? Ever? Surely I have.) A ladybug button was carefully selected, and at the end of the day, this little one had a new dress to show everyone (and I felt a little warmer looking at her). First to Gram's room with a grand announcement of "ta-da!" followed by a demonstration of the twirling effect. And then, to the rest of our family as they arrived in the door later that night from skiing. Though this time, she was tricky and tried to disguise herself. Oh, my girl. She's something. 

back-to-basics

I've been sneaking in a lot of little sewing in the past few weeks. Some simple skirts for Adelaide, and simple pants for both Harper and Annabel. Simple being the operative word in all them. I love this kind of sewing - so utilitarian, not fussy, incredibly useful and very satisfying. Adelaide was reading The Creative Family last week (I know, a funny thing!), and came across the instructions for a pair of baby pants (for her) made from the fabric of an adult's tee shirt. "Mom, look! These look just like the ones you made for Ani yesterday!" 

Yes, yes. I have been making simple pants for a very long time, and really, I think they were my introduction to kids sewing. I love a fancy dress every now and then (wait till you see what Ani and I made this week on ski day!), and I think it's rather remarkable what's happened to the children's sewing pattern world in the past ten years - so many options and so much beauty! All of that is lovely, but I really think this kind of simple kids sewing is my favorite, and the one I am happy to keep returning to so long as my children's closets still require it. Quite frankly, it is the kind of sewing that fits just right into my life and my days. Pulling a piece of fabric off my shelves, pulling out an old and familiar two-piece pattern drafted long ago, stitching it all together in the moments between laundry or as I'm waiting for the chicken to roast or whatever the case may be, and having something fresh and totally functional at the end. Something that isn't too precious to wear in a pile of dirt or a chicken coop, or painting in the library. Something I won't be sad - but rather excited - to see coming out of the laundry with stains and tears and signs of wear. While my older two boys are past the point of Mama made pants (it's okay...I have memories of their whole childhood running around in them!), I'm happily stitching away for the three littles who still will let me. 

Another Tuesday, Another Dress (or two)

Last week's ski day (for everyone else), during which I was home alone with Ani, we went right to the studio after breakfast. The night before, I had laid out a few options for her.  She - being the girl I love and have come to know - decided that she wanted to mix things up well beyond those simple choices. She chose two fabrics and one ribbon. And so it was. (The pattern, again, is Geranium from Made By Rae.)

On this day, our sewing time was interrupted frequently and often - by animals in need, meals to be prepared, other projects that she wanted in on. That meant that sewing her dress took the better part of the day. It was a lovely day, a special day, a day with my baby girl that I hope I never forget. And when everyone walked in the door, tired after a day on the slopes slugging through all the fresh powder on the mountain, she had something new that SHE had made to show them. And true to form, they were good sports and honored her excitement by showing theirs. She went to bed happy as a three year old could be - a three year old, the youngest of five children, who had just spent a day alone with her Mama and her Gram. Happy girl, indeed.

But me? I had a lovely day, I really did. It was delightful. But somehow all that sewing - interrupted as it was - only served to make me want to sew more. Just the very second that I had the youngest tucked into bed, I went right back into my studio. And all alone, with the door closed and an audio book playing, I cranked out a another dress, start to finish. The exact same pattern that I had made earlier in the day, but without the interruptions. It felt so good. So good. And when that was done, I could finally crash into bed feeling a little more satisfied. 

And my little girl? She woke up to ANOTHER new dress (that SHE had somehow miraculously made in the night, while she slept!). And well, it doesn't get much better than that. Success for all.

blizzard quilting

 

I spent a good part of our storm time quilting. I thought I'd just get started and stop when we lost power. But we never did, and so I kept quilting, diving into Ezra's quilt. You might remember I finished Calvin's, made from his baby clothes, a few months ago. I have the fabric for everyone's quilts cut up into piles of 4 inch squares, at the ready. I think I'll end up adding more to Harper and Annabel's, but I feel like the older three kids quilt piles are really 'done' and ready for what comes next. I realized, as I got started with the top piecing, that I'm going to have to get creative with the way I use those four inch squares. While it would be fine for them to all have a similar looking patchwork quilt, I have a feeling I'm going to be incredibly bored making essentially the same quilt over and over. Since I had already started putting Ezra's into strips before this realization, I decided to just add a piece of sold fabric between the rows, and put it a bit on the diagonal. For Adelaide's, I'm considering making triangles out of those squares and coming up with some blocks. I've got time before I need to sort out the last two.

Once again, I am loving this sentimental, memory-lane process of this kind of quilting - the memories that come flooding back as I see each piece of fabric, the thought of them growing as they are. I was showing Ezra the state of his and remarked on the presence of so much plaid. "Yeah, Mom....I'm a plaid kinda guy, don't you know?". Well, I guess I did, but now I really do. While some pieces everyone certainly shares (the slings I cut up, the clothing that got passed from one down to another), I'm really excited to see how differently these quilts end up looking from one another. Just like my kids themselves, - from the same place, with the same materials, and yet as unique and different and individual as they can be. Oh, this is so much fun....

Tuesdays with Ani

We sat at the breakfast table, catching our breath after the flurry and frenzy that is getting everyone out the door on a ski day. She was more than happy to say goodbye, and didn't waste a moment of her own breathe in silence (she's not a fan of silence, this one). "Well...." she began, issuing our tasks for the day, knowing that on this special day she really is in charge, "first let's make dresses, then make playdough, and sing The Sound of Music, and make cookies, and...." she continued, rattling off a list of her favorites. We are only a few weeks into this year's ski season, but she knows exactly what to expect - and what to ask for - on those rare days when it is just us three ladies at home together all day, Annabel, Gram and I. She is not shy in relishing it, and honestly neither am I. I've watched four others go off to join the crew on the mountain and I know just how quickly it goes. These solo days are so precious and I treasure them.

Breakfast was brought into my studio because she had to get started right away on those dresses - "so many dresses, all the dresses, Mama!".  Okay, baby girl, twist my arm? Delightful....one on one time in my studio making something. I pulled out a few new fabric purchases that I was excited about working with, but she went to the shelves, poked around, and pulled out this vintage velvet floral. Honestly, I'm surprised it was still there - each and every time I purge my fabric shelves this piece ends up nearly in the donation pile but something about it always makes me put it back. I guess I was waiting for this dress. We got to work, as she helped me with every step of the process and kept a constant dialogue going the whole time (that's my Ani). 

A few hours later, she had herself a new dress. The fabric vintage, the pattern Geranium, which I've made several times now, but this was the first time I did it with pleats and pockets instead of the gathers. (And below, the hat is one I made for Adelaide from Amy Karol's first book Bend the Rules Sewing and the sweater is Little Buds.) We made our way through a few more things on her to do list, including an impromptu jumping on everyone's beds (because they weren't home to say no) and then she said "Oh! let's go show all the animals my new dress!" Ah....such a nice time in the sunshine in the pasture we had! And we both agree that they all loved her new dress too, especially Jane.

Late in the evening, when the crew arrived home - happy, tired, and filled up from their day of powdery fun - she presented herself at the door, awaiting their attention to her new dress. Thankfully, despite everyone's tired and hungry feelings, they noticed, and gave her just what she was after. Beaming, she told them she made it, and that I helped. As we sat around the dinner table reconnecting after a day apart, I looked around to see everyone shiny and glowing from their day. And I started to think about what we could do next Tuesday....though I'm sure Ani has some thoughts of her own and she'll be more than glad to share them with me. 

a winter quilt

It's done! My wintry quilt, begun with some gifted dyed tea towels, mixed together with a whole lot of white fabric, a lightweight batting, and quilted with sashiko stitches. I love, love, love the finished result - it feels, as some of you mentioned when I first shared it, like the winter snow and sky.

The sashiko stitching was incredibly fun and meditative. Until, that is, I misplaced both the sashiko needle and leather thimble. After scouring the floors on my hands and knees and enlisting everyone else to help too, I even went so far as to dissect the vacuum cleaner bag in hopes of finding them (now that's a fun task). No luck. And there was nothing meditative about it after that. Lesson learned - the right tools for the job really matter! I eventually did find that needle (guess where I put it? In the pin cushion! Oh golly....), and made myself a make-do thimble out of a scrap of leather and some elastic. I got back in the groove of stitching, and finished her up late last night. I haven't washed it yet, and I'm a little worried about doing so. All that white fabric, and dyed towels and blue cotton thread. Maybe some dye fixative would be a good idea? Hmn.  

Until I sort that out, this wintry quilt is now in the mix of throw blankets all over the house - dragged from room to room and lap to lap for some extra cozy where ever it's needed. And each time I see it, I'm reminded of the sweet gift that started it all, the meditation of those stitches, and the beautiful stark, fresh white winter landscape outside our door.

a new quilt for the new year

This project began with this lovely set of tea towels, a hostess gift from a sweet and talented 13 year old friend of ours. I was hesitant to put them into our cycle of kitchen towels, knowing just how quickly they'd get trashed. Too pretty for that, I thought. And so, instead, I started cutting. I didn't know exactly where I was going with this when I started cutting. I had originally thought pillow covers, but then headed towards a quilt. A simple quilt with lots and lots of white. Lots of white. Really, unlike me, this quilt. But oh, once the top was done I was happy with the decision.

A layer of batting and a backing of all white, without any binding. Oh the white! And now I'm moving onto the quilting part, by hand, with sashiko stitches. It's my first time ever doing so, and everything I've heard about this method of stitching true. It is deeply meditative. And just the very best way to spend the last hours of a day, unwinding and settling down....with a warm quilt on my lap, no less! 

the first of five

It's finished! Calvin's quilt, the first of five in my adventure to do something special with all those baby clothes I've been saving. Each and every square has a story, or a memory. His favorite dress up play clothes, clothes that I made for him, some clothes he even made himself, and bits of the baby sling we carried him in too. Ah, so many memories in this hodgepodge of a quilt! 

(The quilt in progress here and here.) The squares are four inches, and together, it makes a decent throw size. I wanted something that could be cozied up with on the couch, or dragged from room to room, and definitely not precious or fussy. Special in the materials, but comfortable in the use. 

I had talked about saving this for his fourteenth birthday in January. But late on the night I finished it, I pulled it out of the dryer, brought it upstairs, and put it right on top of my lanky, grown up sleeping baby. And that seemed like just the right thing to do with it. I woke in the morning to that stretched out kid at my bedside, with this blanket wrapped around his shoulders. "Thanks, Mommy!" he said sleepily. Not Ma, or Mom....but Mommy. Ah! And that's the best kind of payment I could ask for making such a thing. Now....onto the next.

stitching for my (not so) baby

My epic barn clean out continues. From an entire wall of totes with children's clothes (12? 15? I can't remember), I am down to just three now. Two are full of clothes that are currently in-between sizes of my five babes, but will soon fit one or another. And one - that's right - just one is full of baby and toddler clothes too precious to donate, too special to cut. They're for saving. (To fully disclose, handknits live in another place entirely so there is a wee bit more I have stashed. But still, major improvement!) I'm so pleased with the progress. And so pleased that I've been able to find a few moments here and there to start stitching on the first one - for Calvin, my nearly fourteen year old (not so) baby.

The cutting, at first, was difficult.  More than a few times I went to Steve with a teeny tiny onesie in my hands and tears in my eyes, to ask his advice, "cut or save?" Where will it be better enjoyed?" he sweetly and patiently answered each time, though I don't think he recognized many of the things at all. A sentimental guy, to be sure, so perhaps we don't all associate with textiles in the same way! With time, I got a bit ruthless about the cutting. Because while that adorably-striped blue and white onesie with a gentian violet stain on it (from treating thrush) evoked strong memories from me .... I realized that to my future adult son (or his partner), it might really just appear to be a stained Gap onesie from 2001, which - in fact - it was. Cut, cut, cut - much more sentimental, much more useful as a small square in a quilt that will keep him cozy and feeling loved. Ah....what a process this has been. 

I'm using a wide mix of fabrics for this quilt - it's a true hodgepodge and nothing is perfect about any of it. There may be some funk in the lines, and I'm trying to just roll with that. It's fun, really - this mix of things to be stitching with all at once. For the jersey fabrics, I'm using squares of fusible interfacing to keep the pieces from getting too stretchy. That, and I just discovered - right in front of my eyes (literally), the Super Stretch stitch on my sewing machine (more specifically, it's number 9 on my Bernina Aurora 430). Between those two things, it's been easy to incorporate jersey into the cottons, fleece, and other fabrics this quilt will be made of.

I'm in no rush to get this quilt finished, or the others. In fact, I think the littlest ones I'd like to continue gathering fabric for, maybe even for a few more years. The older boys piles feel more 'done' to me, and I suppose that's a result of their age. Firmly in the teen years with the baby, toddler, and early childhood years behind them - along with the clothes they wore. Maybe I'll finish Calvin's before his birthday in January, and maybe it would be nice to hand Ezra his on his thirteenth birthday. It seems a wonderful way to carry - literally - a bit of the silliness, fun, warmth and love of their early years with them whenever they might need it. Yes, I like that. I hope they do too.

piles of fabric

There has been a wall - a literal wall - of storage totes in my barn, all full of children's clothing. All appropriately labeled by size (as any Virgo Mama would do). I started these totes when Calvin was just a babe, picking things up here and there at thrift shops and yard sales, and as hand me downs. Storing things away for later that were too big, and tucking things that were too small into totes for the next Soule baby. These bins - this wall of totes - have moved from one house to another, and more importantly, have carried me through clothing five children. There are handmades and thoroughly-stained clothes and a whole lot of memories tucked into those boxes. But oh, it is time for them to go. Or at the very least, for them to be consolidated. I made myself a goal bringing all of the newborn to 3 year old clothing (where miss Annabel is at right now) into one neat and tidy tote, full of clean and folded clothes of the most special sort that I just cannot part with. One tote. Not six. One tote that I shall save and pour over as an old woman. One tote that I shall pass on to some poor daughter-in-law someday who will wonder why on earth I'm crying over a box of stained and dirty baby clothes from the early 2000's. One tote that holds just so much memory for me, and maybe, them too. 

Because I am such a sentimental Mama, this purging project of course has prompted a sewing project I have been thinking about and for years and years. I always knew that I'd want to make a quilt from their baby clothes. I just didn't know when or how I'd be able to do it. I'm a sentimental fool about these things, I really am. Each textile evoking so much memory for me - bringing me right back to those earlier days. Memories of when they wore them and what they were doing. What they were like at that age. Who they've become. Oh my - what a process sorting through these boxes has been! As I sort, I've been separating as such - those in good enough shape to be passed on (though very little successfully survived five children!), those headed for the rag bag, those very few pieces just too precious for anything but tucking away, and the majority of things - those memory-triggering pieces that are just right for cutting up and being made into a special quilt, one for each child.

I have to take it slowly, this whole process. It's an emotional one, I am not embarrassed to say. Some of these pieces have been so hard for me to cut into. But what good are they doing sitting in a box in a barn? Most not in any shape to be worn again? Oh, as hard as it is, I am treasuring this process dearly, pulling out and remembering, cutting and planning. Laughing, telling stories, and sharing it with the kids who seem particularly interested in this sewing I'm doing, joining in to help press and cut and pile and claim pieces for their own pile.  I wasn't sure how that would work, either, since so many of these things they ALL wore - who's quilt would they belong to? I first started sorting the squares by color but quickly realized that sorting by child made far more sense. Sometimes they each end up with a piece of something, sometimes something really calls out to be one or the other, and many I made for someone in particular. One of the slings we carried them in, a baby blanket, and all those little clothes. This and that from their early days.

Quickly, the piles have grown and become enough to make each of them a throw size blanket, perhaps even a twin. I don't know when I'll get to the stitching. I might just tuck each pile into a bag of its own for a while until I'm ready to begin the next part of the process. For now, I happily have a much emptier barn, one tote full of extra special handmades and precious clothing to save, and those five wonderful piles of fabric that hold so much meaning, ready to be transformed into something useful, special and new altogether.

Growing So Fast

Growing. So. Fast. These lambs, of course. From afar (okay, and without my glasses on) it's nearly impossible to tell them apart from their mothers now. But my love of a girl, Adelaide? She's growing too. She'll be nine years old later this summer. My heart bursts at the thought - in pride at who she is and how much I love her, excitement to see her growing and becoming even more herself every single day, and in sorrow at how fast it's going. Sigh. My sweet, sweet girl. 

That sweet girl got herself a new dress, courtesy of my Liberty fabric splurge at Purl Soho. The dress pattern is a quick and simple Geranium from Made by Rae. With some lovely little vintage buttons down the back, and a laced kerchief to match. She's thrilled with it - though truth be told she's an easy one to please. A new dress, a snuggle with the lambs, a heart-to-heart in a patch of clover. The important things. 

liberty love

Despite the fact that it was not anywhere near where we were staying, or in any way a part of our reason for being in the city, it seemed entirely wrong to go all the way to New York City and not stop by Purl Soho. I wanted to see the shop, of course, but what I really wanted was to see that wall of Liberty. Oh! Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. And a seriously difficult decision making process as well, in coming home with just a few little precious pieces. But eventually I did manage to narrow it down (thanks to the fabulous shop help who encouraged me to pull the bolts down, open them up, touch it all, yes!). The pinks and purples for Annabel, the blue and red for Adelaide and the middle one for me. That grey, blue and yellow? I had no idea how much I could love a piece of fabric until it was opened up there on the cutting counter. Those are my favorite colors, and I think I'd like to dive on into that one and live there - in the fabric. Is that so strange? I have no idea what I could possibly make with that piece (a yard and a half) that could do it justice. So i'll just think on it a bit longer while I continue to admire it.

But a dress for my baby girl was an easy decision. A simple Suzanne, using two of the fabrics together. I've been adding some small elastic to the shoulders when I make this pattern lately - to keep it up on the shoulders. But not wanting to put elastic on this one, I opted to make a smaller size at the top, and just lengthen the dress an extra two inches.

It is a rare moment when Annabel wears anything other than a bathing suit these days, but every once in a while I can convince her to put something else over the bathing suit. A light, easy, flowy dress is just the thing for those rare moments. 

Ah...now back to daydreaming about what to stitch next.

for the table

Why yes, I did just share with you four photographs of perhaps the simplest sewing project ever. I took even more. I couldn't help it - this is exactly the kind of useful sewing that gets me especially excited. Practical, utilitarian, and everyday useful. Yes.

I used practically every last bit of linen on my fabric shelves, pieces of this or that left over from other projects - anything big enough to make an 18 inch square from. A simple hem on each side, and a 'fancy' sewing machine stitch along the hems. Easy peasy. Especially with a quiet studio to myself, a good book in my ears (Flight Behaviour by Barbara Kingsolver), and a glass of wine at my side. It was easy to get lost in the rhythmic motion of simply cutting, pressing, stitching. Cut. Press. Stitch. And before I knew it, I had a stack of thirty brand new mama-made napkins to join us at the table. A simple pleasure to make and use. 

collaborating

Ever since the last time we made fabric from Adelaide's art, periodically she'll slip me a piece of watercolor paper with "this might make a good fabric, don't you think?". In fact, there is an entire folder in my studio of Adelaide's "this might make a good fabric" art. A month ago, I pulled one out, scanned it, cleaned it up just a bit in Photoshop and sent it off to Spoonflower to surprise Adelaide with some more of her very own fabric. She was thrilled when it showed up - a bit of Kona Cotton and some Linen-Cotton Canvas. Sweetly, the first thing she wanted to make was something for her sister. So we worked together on a dress - (yes, another) from the Geranium pattern. She chose just the right buttons and proudly gave it to her little sister. "A horsie dress for you!!" she declared, and suddenly I realized that the gift was entirely connected to Adelaide's ongoing efforts to nurture a love of horses in her little sister, which by all accounts appears to be working.

She saved the linen-cotton fabric for something for herself. She's been perusing patterns, and piling up ribbons and buttons for a few days. She'll periodically switch them out for something else, as she gets closer to deciding just what it is we're going to make with it. Whatever it is will be wonderful, I am certain, with her very own horse fabric. And I will absolutely love and cherish making it with her. 

spring celebration

Well, hello there! I have missed you! If you've stopped by in the past couple of days you likely found no blog at all. My blogging platform, Typepad, has been under a DDoS attack. Frustrating for all involved, to say the least. But I'm grateful for the team's hard work in getting everything restored and stable (and pleased that in nearly ten years of blogging, an outtage of this length has never happened before!). There's a chance things might be a little funky still today - I'm not certain that comments are fully functional yet, but hopefully all will be well soon.

Thank you for your patience! I enjoyed keeping up with you on Instagram and Twitter in the blog's absence, but oh, this place is my online home, to be sure. It's good to be back up and running, and able to post the little pieces of life that we share together here. Food and farm, babies and kids, and yarn and fabric. As I intended to tell you on Monday morning.....

Eastover dinner with friends at Broadturn Farm (where I hear there are just a few summer CSA shares left, for those of you local and lucky enough to enjoy it!). A blissful day in the sunshine spent celebrating spring and the spring holidays with friends new and old. That's just what we all needed, and just what we got this glorious weekend. New dresses and bow ties, too, for those willing to wear them for the ocassion. The girls, Geranium dresses, and the Sunday Best Bow Tie for Harper.

A day with friends in the sunshine, amazing food, new duds, chocolate bunnies for breakfast, and somehow I even got a photograph of all five of my children clean and smiling. A glorious day, indeed.

books + quilt + sunshine

Thank you for all the wonderful book selections in the last post! If you're looking for a good read, do check those comments out. I found myself diving into The Handmaid's Tale which I read so long ago (in college perhaps?) that I barely remembered anything about it. Claire Danes is the narrator, and does it beautifully. It matters greatly, the narrator, on these audiobooks. I may have been a little entranced because I found myself - once again - staying up past my bedtime listening to an audio book and sewing. But it was good. Time alone, at the end of the day, finishing up a project - it's soul-filling, to be sure and always worth being a little sleepy the next morning. Refreshed and sleepy, I think is how it goes.

 

 

I put the finishing touches on this quilt I've been working on here and there (you can see the beginnings of the quilt here). It is all Lotta Jansdotter, from her Glimma collection. It's backed in a heavy white muslin, with Dream Wool batting. I tied the quilt, rather than quilting it by machine. And the binding I made with leftover bits of the fabric, pieced together. Since I didn't have any kind of plan when beginning this quilt, the measurements are not standard to anything - I simply stopped when I ran out of fabric. It's a 'throw size' let's say.

Finished, now it lives in the library. Next to my studio, it's the chilliest room in the house. But oh, that morning sun that shines through there is delightful and hard to resist. I often found the kids bundled up in there with this, that, or another blanket from elsewhere in the house, happily snuggled in for a read. Now there's a dedicated 'library' blanket, which makes us all happy. Sunshine, books and a quilt? Yes, please.

party shoes, please

It happened a few weeks ago. As I was putting snow boots on my usually easy to please and flexible two year old, something shifted. Sitting there on the bench looking at me with boots ready to slip on her feet, Annabel paused, then firmly put up one hand. "Wait, Mama. Party shoes, please." And then proceeded to get up, and dig around in the depths of her shoe basket, coming up with the shiniest of patent leather shoes. We compromised a bit, wearing the boots out to the car, but bringing along the red shoes for inside wear. And she hasn't taken them off since. They are her replacement for slippers at the moment, and they are her balance to the snow boots. She - among many others I imagine (myself included) - is quite over the snow boots. 

I dare say she's onto something with the shiny reds this time of year, smart girl. She's quite pleased with them, and herself in them. And she's reminding and encouraging me at the moment to continue my own version of wearing shiny new red shoes, which is something to the effect of this broken record - Snowing (Winter) Outside, Sewing (Spring) Inside. It's a happy distraction. Like shiny new shoes.

The latest results of that are above. A Suzanne for my niece, a favorite pattern of mine as you know, but this time I added a bit of elastic to the side shoulders. This pattern does have a wide neck, which works well for the layering that we usually do with it, but I'm thinking my niece will wear this as a summer sundress, so I hope a bit of elastic will help keep the sleeves on the shoulders (and thank you to the reader who suggested that last time I mentioned Suzanne!).

And secondly, to perfectly match those shiny red shoes, a new Geranium dress for spring, with some Denyse Schmidt Shelburne Falls fabric. I added a tie at the side seams for the back (I love tied-at-the-back dresses on my little girls), but otherwise followed that great (and versatile) pattern. Adelaide has requested a matching dress for them to wear to our annual Spring celebration with friends in a few weeks. I think I can accommodate. 

Meanwhile, we have so much snow out there that our fencing is well, laughable - to the goats anyway. They were practically at the breakfast table this morning, having simply stepped right over the fence, because the snow is so high and hard enough to walk on now. So I guess I'd better wrap this post up, and go have a laugh with those goats, as I round them up one more time this morning. I'm going to need to sew a summer dress today, I think.

Enjoy the start to your own week, friends!

 

on the way to spring

It continues to feel very much like winter out there. And I continue to be forcing spring on the inside - even if only by sewing. If my February was all about the yarn and needles, then my March is, without a doubt, all about the fabric and thread. Just as soon as it stops snowing, just as soon as I can wear something besides snow boots and mud gear, I'm going to have myself a brand new spring wardrobe as a result of all this hoping-for-spring sewing that's happening. 

This week I gave Made By Rae's Ruby another go, but this time, as shorter tops (last week I made them dress length). I continued with the center pleat (versus the gathers), blind hems, and lined tunics. Sleeveless tops! I can barely imagine, but oh, I do look forward to the day I'll be able to wear these in the garden. In the garden! I'm getting excited. (The pink double gauze is Nani Iro, and the pink, grey and green print is quite a few years old and I'm sorry I can't remember the name of it nor where it's from). 

Then, I tried a new Citronille pattern - in adult sizing, and in English to boot. This particular pattern is Meg, and it's made with a little bit of Anna Maria Horner's Field Study and a soft, lightweight corduroy ("baby wale") that drapes just beautifully. It is a little bit '1970's art teacher', this peasant top, but I'm going to roll with it. Who doesn't love a 1970's art teacher? Exactly! Rolling with it. Just as soon as spring rolls around, that is. Which ought to happen any day now. Yes, indeed. 

springtime jinx

New Englanders, I'm sorry to say that I may have jinxed us. I was feeling so hopeful there for a while - what with the tree tapping for maple syrup, and the official lamb watching beginning, and the start of the snow melting. I may have gotten a bit ahead of myself, I dare say.

What did you do, crazy lady?

It started with the sheep. After consulting with a few other (much more experienced) local Shetland sheep farmers, we realized that many are shearing right now or already have. When I looked closer at the girls, I began to see some shedding (check here for super interesting info on rooing), and that - combined with the impending births and therefore our need to crutch anyway - all pushed us over the edge for an impromptu shearing session this weeked. What can I say. We follow the herd. Sheepishly. Ahem.

(I assure you they are fine. They are hardy. It may be snowing, but it isn't terribly cold. Plus, they've got heat in their barn to access whenever they'd like.)

But it didn't stop at the girls' haircuts. Oh no. I got all springy with my sewing. Voile, lightweight cotton, no arms - I decided to sew myself the beginnings of a new spring wardrobe! Oh golly. And do you know what I got for all of that?

This. I got this. More snow. A whole lot more snow. A great big amount of snow. Not suitable for anyone out there without a coat - neither sheep nor shepherdess.

Sigh.

This is Ruby, a dress/top pattern from Made By Rae. And I made myself no less than three. This first one is made with a bit of lightweight corduroy (purchased at Z Fabrics), and Anna Maria's voile. I envisioned wearing it in the summertime, with a slip underneath. And clogs. Maybe a silk headscarf. But you know, wool tights and a sweater for now - whatever.

(I added a yoke lining to the tunic on this one, per the video instructions - a bonus I'm glad I took the time to create.)

On a roll, I quickly moved onto another, this time with some Nani Iro I've had tucked away for a rainy (snowy) day. Also with a yoke lining, and with a blind hem because I adore blind hems (I really do). Otherwise? True to the pattern and quite happily so.

(Before someone asks - because someone always does - the sheep are the only pregnant ladies in this post.)

(My best advice for getting sheep to love you - scooch down, be quiet, pretend you don't care, and wait. It works, I tell you.)

  

(Would you look at the size of those flakes?)

And then I made a third one, and decided to get all tricky with it. I was excited, really...to customize it to just what I wanted, starting with such a great basic pattern. First, I scooped the neck a bit lower than given in the pattern. I added the lining to this one too. Then, I added pockets, because who doesn't love pockets? I also added about an inch width to it, giving it a bit more flow at the bottom hem. And lastly, I decided to try a double, center pleat at the top, rather than the gather called for in the pattern - thinking the pleat might possibly be more flattering to my breastfeeding-for-thirteen-years body. I think it works, but I'm not certain. All I do know is that it is incredibly comfortable, and that goes a very long way in my fashion book. This one is in a Denyse Schmidt fabric - I think from Katie Jump Rope. It's cotton, but a really lovely weight of a quilting cotton.

Well. That's that. It looks like there are a few of us here, eager for some springtime clothes. Soon, girls. Soon.