Well I finally finished Tiger Pup’s Seven-Day Forecast series! I thought I would post the others here for a fun little recap. Be sure to click on each image as it takes you to the original blog post – everything from how to make your own hemp dish scrubbie, photography from my Portland neighborhood, a friendship bracelet swap and more!
What have you created lately? A delicious meal? Perhaps a handmade gift? A sewn pair of pants? Do tell.
Happy Friday!
I’ve been feeling under the weather this week, which I’ll post more about later (as I’m trying all of these natural remedies which my body is responding really well to). In the meantime, here are bits o’ randomness for your viewing pleasure. The embroidery above is from Tiger Pup’s Seven-Day Forecast series. These past few months I’ve been embroidering my brains out and haven’t really shown the fruits of my labor, so I’m planning to pepper them in here and there.
This tea towel was embroidered using a Martha’s Colonial pattern. I seem to be too lazy to retrieve the actual pattern number, but I probably got it here, here, here, or here.
And I’ve been meaning to share this bizarre/awesome/mildly offensive pizza experience we had awhile back.
Lonesome’s Pizza is crazy delicious and absolutely unique. They include a DVD of an indie filmmaker, CD of an unknown artist or obscure artwork with the pie. I think it makes for fun conversation and an interesting way to er…”expose” yourself to new things. This particular box contains experimental art from a dude in Japan.
Whew. Going to rest up some more and I’ll post in a handful of days. A little birdie told me a little something of mine might be featured…
My two year-old nephew is one of the bravest people that I know. Perhaps the bravest. He is currently recovering from open heart surgery, his second open heart in one year, his fourth heart procedure overall. This kid, I tell you, is incredible.
My nephew, decorating a telescope at Baby’s first birthday (which I promise to post about very soon)
When the surgery date was tentatively set, my mind started swirling with ideas of what I could make for him, to ease the pain, to provide him with comfort, to bring a smile to his little face. I dreamed up a doll. One that was small enough that he could easily play with in the hospital bed, with a funny face and that resembles him, ever so slightly. When I purchased Anna Maria Horner’s (beautifully brilliant) book, Handmade Beginnings, I was thrilled to find a pattern for a little baby doll tucked inside. Perfect.
Meet Garth.
Garth is a name variation of Darth. Darth Vader to be precise. Of which my nephew is currently obsessed with. I had planned to illustrate a little book to go along with Garth, but I beyond suck at drawing, so it just didn’t work out.
This is the very first thing that I have machine-sewn on my own in over a decade. And mind you, I was just sewing pillows before that. I ended up ripping out the stitches twice in entirety and three times on one of the arms. I think I may have improved since I made this nearly a month ago, which is kind of exciting.
I took liberty to veer off the embroidery details that the book suggests.
I’m not quite sure this is what Anna Maria had in mind. It’s a bit creepy, I realize. It turned out creepier than I had envisioned and I worried that it might scare my nephew. But you know what? Open heart surgery is freaking scary dude. And recovery is as well. And quite frankly, this is what his chest looks like. In fact, my little doll is an incredibly watered down version of what he’s going through. And plus he’s tough as all hell.
Instead of making the gorgeous patchwork swaddle blanket as the book suggests, I used a large burp cloth that I had on hand, that was actually my nephew’s when he was a baby. I thought he might take comfort in that somehow.
Because I was sick right before his surgery, I wasn’t able to visit my nephew in the hospital and give him the doll, which completely sucked. But I like to think that it’s even more special now as he moves through the healing process. My sister said he might need to beat the crap out of it; I hope he does.
P.S. – This kid has a long recovery ahead of him and unfortunately, more surgeries will be needed down the road. Doernbecher Children’s Hospital does amazing things for children and their families. They have quite frankly saved my nephew’s life. A beautiful quilt was given to my nephew during his stay, through Project Linus. Once I’m a bit better at this sewing thing, I plan to donate one as well, through Downey Quilts for Kids. And there are many other ways to give, if sewing isn’t your thang. Peace.
As you may remember, I decided to participate in Amy’s newest apron-making project. This go-around the theme was “circus.” And this is my interpretation of that.
Kitschy? Absolutely! Colorful? Please and thank you. Embroidered? You better believe it!
This is the very first machine-sewn apparel piece that I have completed since sewing a vest with my mother when I was in the THIRD GRADE. No joke. To say that I am a sewing novice is a gross understatement. Even after taking a sewing class this summer, the apron took me quite literally the entire day and evening to complete. By the time I got to the waistband I was so cross-eyed and delirious I couldn’t make heads or tails of the instructions. I kept hearing Tim Gunn’s voice saying “make it work!” So it’s not totally finished and sewn in the back. I’ll definitely need to solicit help from my mom to re-do the waistband properly.
I could pick apart this apron and clearly it has a myriad of flaws, but I will not. And while I did sort of hate life towards the end of the project, I really enjoyed the overall process. I enjoyed day-dreaming about which pattern to use, which trimmings, the color, pattern, fabric, etc. I thoroughly enjoyed having virtually the entire day to myself, listening to music, breeze coming through the open window and most importantly, practicing a newly learned skill.
Now on to the next project!
What projects have you been working on lately? Or have waiting in the wings?
Update: I forgot to mention that I used Butterick pattern B5474 to make this apron. I used a combination of Apron B and D, with slight modifications.
So…I’m still around! We recently got back from a trip to the coast (Florence, Oregon in case you were wondering – lots of incredible farm fresh food, sea air, embroidering, Trivial Pursuit, some sand boarding, great family fun time!) and I’ve been in crunch mode gearing up for Baby’s first birthday*. I’ve been so immersed in glue and newspaper and scissors flying at every spare moment I have (which is barely any with a teething/*this close* to walking babe). I started out with these grand plans in my head, but as the party is almost here, I have to get real. Somehow I don’t think I’ll have time to replace our backyard with a giant lake, willow trees and a sailboat. Rats. Or hand make all of the 10,000 presents I had planned. Double rats. I promise to take pictures of the big day, as I have created quite a lot…at least it feels that way. I’m particularly happy that I’ve managed to use a lot of re-purposed materials. Cheap (or in some instances free!) and eco-friendly. In the interim, I’ll show you something else that I have been working on:
I am loosely participating in Amy’s newest Tie One On circus apron theme. I’ve selected fabric, a pattern and cut it all out. I’ve embroidered these lovely elephants for the pockets (free, fabulous pattern from So September) and my next step is to sew.it.all.together. This week at sewing class was the first time we actually started sewing. Like, on fabric, real fabric, with the intention of creating a bathrobe. I’m completely intimidated by clearing off enough space and sewing the apron by myself, in my home…for whatever reason I feel like I’ll need a huge chunk of uninterrupted time to concentrate and swear and stuff of that nature, and that’s just not realistic. Submissions are due by September 5; still time to participate if you’re up for the challange. We’ll see if I make it.
* If you’ve read this far, dang, thanks. Here’s some more blathering: this summer has been freaking weird. As soon as the weather changed and the air conditioner flicked on, I was bombarded with all of these smells and memories of last summer. That long, miserably hot, incredibly bizarre, intense summer. Honestly, this summer I almost felt pregnant again, as if re-living Summer 2009. I’ve been hormonal and nostalgic and sleep deprived, still sleep deprived. This year. Wow. This long, but not at all long, crazy, joyful, painful, hard, awesome, freaking ohmygod year. I could write a novel, but I’ll stop here. I just freaking love my baby love so freaking fiercely. I cannot believe he’ll be ONE tomorrow. One. *sigh*
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