My Spring Line

Last weekend Julie and Peter were up here visiting, and Julie and I did some shopping at H&M. I found a cute skirt and two blouses (well, the same blouse, in two different colors). I also saw a bunch of other cute blouses, and remembered I have a really cool brown and aqua Amy Butler print that I wanted to make into a skirt.

Wednesday I go back to H&M to exchange one of the blouses (I had bought a 10 and a 12, and needed the 12. Unfortunately, they didn't have a white one in 12), and brought my skirt fabrics (yes, plural) with me. I found 3 more blouses, and now I have the beginnings of my 'Spring Line':
First, my blouses. I have a cute brown eyelet (may have to go back and get the white), a striped aqua wrap, and a brown wrap. (I have this in black too, and am waiting for them to get it in the proper size in white. I'm not the only one that buys every color of something I like, am I?)

The skirt fabrics. On the left is the AB print, and then an aqua stripe (left over from this bag). I will make these into New Look 6596, using the stripe as a small ruffle on the bottom. The middle fabric is probably going to be made into a skirt like Beki's. The last two fabrics will also be a skirt, with the diagonal stripe used as a 1/2" binding on the hem. I haven't decided which of the previous two skirt patterns I'll use for this one.

Between these three skirts and three blouses, plus the brown skirt I bought last weekend, and then the white wrap blouse I'll go pick up, I have a nice little spring fling going on. Hey, it's almost like a SWAP! These will be great for kicking around in. All that is needed is to order some linings, and then .... SHOE SHOPPING!! :D I'm thinking some sort of brown flat, because even though I love heels, those aren't terribly practical for walking to the library, or biking to the park.

Signe Chanel

Last fall my SIL tivo'd this series for me (it was on the Sundance Channel). I found out today, via one of the blogs (final fashion) in my bloglines subscription that all the episodes are now on YouTube. It looks like the episodes have been broken up into short segments, I'm assuming to minimize download time. Do go have a look -- I really enjoyed the peek into a haute couture house.

New Vogue Patterns

I actually don't look at the new patterns much -- I have enough as it is, but there are quite a few I like in this latest batch:

This one is a definite yes, because it is a Miyake.

I like this one a lot too -- though I so don't have the lifestyle for this. What I do have is some gorgeous red duppioni, with peep toe heels that match. :)

This Anna Sui dress is darling, but I'm not sure how it will look on someone with an actual bustline.

Dramatic! I love the sleeved blouse, but again, how will it look on someone who is fuller than a B cup? I actually would get some use out of something like this -- I could wear it to church with a tweed skirt. The sleeveless versions are v. pretty too, however I know they'd feel maternity to me.

I suppose I'll keep my eye out for when Vogues go to $3.99, and pick up the Miyake for sure.

Books

One thing I love as much as fabric/fiber arts (and shoes but we won't go there now), is books. It is not possible to have too many books, is it? I am blessed to live in a city with a great library system. I can search the entire county system online, reserve my books, tell them which library to send them to, and get an email when they arrive. Is that great or what? Lots of times I look up books on Amazon, and then open up another browser window to check if the library has it. I love it.

Right now I have Organizing Your Craft Space checked out (I picked it up on Friday), and I think I'll have to buy this one. Some great inspiration and ideas. You can get it as a bundle with Where Women Create, which the library system doesn't have yet, but I have heard good things about that book as well. My friend Jennifer has been getting into Precious Metal Clay, so I have about 4 books on that checked out, with 2 more coming. David thinks the PMC is really really cool, so I'm sure we have a new hobby. Can you imagine -- you could MAKE the perfect buttons for that perfect jacket!

One more site I want to share with you: Library Elf. This is a fantastic site. It keeps track of all the library cards you enter into their system. Both my older two boys have their own library cards, and I have mine. When we go to the library, we all check out multiple books. We also go at least once a week. I used to get on the CountyCat and check each card, manually entering each number, logging in, checking the list, logging out, entering the next number, etc. Well, Library Elf takes care of all that for me! It emails me 3 days before books are due, emails me when holds are ready for pickup, emails me if we have overdue books and each email has a consolidated list of all the books that are checked out, ready for pickup, etc. ALL the books, for each of our cards. Do check it out (hee hee, little pun there), and if your library system is there, consider signing up; it's free and has been wonderful for us.

Ooooh, pretty!!

Today I thought I would show you some of my sewing pretties. I like pretty things, and nice tools, and my opinion is you should have the best and enjoy it too. I know I could use a bamboo stick, but isn't this rosewood stiletto prettier? (I got it from Wendy Schoen Designs. She carries a lot of pretty needlework tools) The thimble holder I found in a local yarn shop. The pinwheel was made for me by my friend Terri, in Australia. The dragonfly is embroidered onto silk duppioni. The other side is plain. Isn't it just darling? Calvin likes it a lot too, and likes to take it and play with it.

Here are my embroidery scissors. Terri gave me the scissors with the tassels for Christmas this year. It was so much fun opening the box ("Ooh! Ooh! Pretty!"). She made the tassels, and also gave me a book on tassel making. I hope to get some ones made for my regular shears. The cheetah enameled embroidery scissors were a treat to myself a few years ago. I love animal prints, need I say more?

The little tin is where I keep my extra pins (I have a pincushion, but it's boring. I hope to make a dress form pincushion someday). It's cute, with designs on the inside as well as the outside -- the boys always like to find the little mice hiding in the straw on the inside. Terri also made the stumpwork butterfly in the jar lid. I use the jar to keep my open safety pins for quilt work. She loves to embroider (she also sent a stumpwork berry design that I need to make into something. Or just frame it), and I really wish she didn't live on the other side of the planet. I would love to sit with her and have her teach me all the pretty embroidery.

I like to sit and do handwork, and the pretty tools just make it that much more pleasureable for me. Terri -- thank you so much for all the lovely things. They remind me of you every day, and put a smile on my face. :)