Hey there! I do hope that your Solstice weekend was good. Can you believe that it's almost July 4th?
I'm very pleased to be a contributor over at the Oliver and S blog today, where I'm sharing a tutorial for adding an iron-on image to your Playtime Leggings. Head on over to read all about it.
I'll be back here later this week to share some pictures from our town's summer solstice pageant. Until then, have a great week!
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One of the great things about living in Northeastern Minnesota is having easy access to wild places.
We've had this vintage trailer for a couple of years but haven't yet had enough time or energy to get it rolling. Last week we brought it to a campground way up in the woods where the raspberries, bears, moose and eagles are plentiful.
It felt good to unplug. Mr. Moody commuted to work all week from our remote campsite while the kids and I luxuriated in half mile hikes that took two hours; browsing blueberry patches, squashing rosehips and trying in vain to catch crayfish.
We watched two young eagles all week that had nested above a campsite nearby. We saw them eating. We heard them screeching.
One morning, the kids and I watched a group of French-speaking young people solemnly wade, knee-deep, into the water to spread something that must have been a loved-one's ashes.
We read stacks of books and wrote some of our own.
She painted.
I knitted.
We laughed.
We made friends with our good neighbors, who serenaded us with their accordian in the afternoons.
For awhile, I pretended that I would always have these long days with my littles.
And the days were so good.
Joining both the Frontier Dreams and Small Things readers today.
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To celebrate the season with the long days we are running through the wet woods. We are building with the stones on the beach. We are eating all things fried and sweet. We are not weeding our garden.
At night, I've been fretting about the jungled garden. About all of the fresh, homemade meals that I did not make. About the time that they'll spend away from me come fall.
But our ordinary scattered, summer ramblings are extraordinarily joyful. I am lucky.
Our romp on the beach early this week was unexpectedly chilly. So, when my daughter asked if she could use the sweater that I was knitting, in the spirit of this summer of no structure, I agreed. I tore the yarn that would tangle it and looped up the ends so that they wouldn't slow her down. Can you spy the circulars still dangling from the half finished sleeve?
Earlier in the month, I had the good fortune of winning a giveaway on the Gypsy Forest blog. It included Heather Ross's new book and a precious little bundle of her fabrics.
I'm hoping to finish up my daughter's Livie Sweater and to begin this book. Have you read it?
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I've been hearing about Nettie. Have you? Nettie is this great new bodysuit pattern by Heather Lou of the Closet Case Files. This pattern was right up my alley for so many reasons but primarily because I have invested a small fortune in those slinky little "body con" tops from Free People and the like. Many of them are too print or straptastic for me but others are just the perfect thing to layer over leggings or under a big sweater. I discovered them while I was pregnant and they have become a staple. It's time to make my own. As I mentioned, the Nettie in it's true form is a bodysuit with several different sleeve length or neck options. It can also be made as a dress. I made two this past weekend. This was the second one and I decided to toy with the shape a bit.
I wanted a dress with a bit of ease over my middle. I wanted the hem to curve up on the sides. In order to achieve this, I decided where I wanted the bodice to hit my waist (this took a couple of try's) and then I drew a curved line with the highest point on the hip and the lowest point on the abdomen or fold line. I cut the bodice away from the skirt on this new line. I mimicked this same shape on the skirt piece for the hem.
Then, I cut out the new, shortened bodice as directed. But when I cut out the curvy skirt piece, I moved the pattern piece six inches from the fold - adding 12 new inches of fabric for gathering. Does that make sense? Here is a close up of the hack job. I am a fool and left my tension at it's highest after gathering the skirt - so most of the garment was sewn at this tension grrrrr!! But I still really like it. I'd be happy to take pictures of my altered pattern pieces if it's useful to anyone. More Nettie's to come!
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How did it go, dear friends? Were you treated well? Did you meet the day with an open mind and with your whole heart?
We had a very peaceful weekend. I tried to unchain myself from the sewing room and I managed to do so for at least a couple of hours of daylight:)
I was given a gift certificate for yarn from my daughter and it will be this to use for another go at the Lila. My first attempt is over here.
We had our picture taken as a family.
Many of the businesses in town are seasonal and we patronize them with glee when they open in the spring. We had dinner out.
We played beauty shop (and when I say "we," I mean my sister, with my daughter - I am no good at all the-things-girl, but she is!)
Please treat yourself to Sylvia Bourstein's "What we Nurture".
And watch this, it only takes a second.
Happy Mother's Day, however it finds you.
P.S. My son's green polka dot hat was made from Leila and Ben's Little Cap Pattern for the freshly released issue of STYLO magazine
Joining Frontier Dreams readers today over here.
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I wish you could hear what she sounded like. I know that we all feel like this. And I'm glad for it.
Is there any greater pleasure than the sound of your little one's voice at its most hopeful?
I tore myself away from the machine for a moment today in order to capture these pants and my girl. And she wanted to walk for awhile. And I obliged.
We leapt over rushing rivers and considered the clouds. We spent almost an hour chatting with a neighbor and her dogs. I know that it's not unusual. I do. But it is the very best. And it bears repeating.
There was coffee spilled. There was dirty work that no one wanted to do. I doubled my alotted caloric intake. And there was my bad attitude. My feeling like, I don't belong here (even though I've almost always been here).
But there was playing at the park too. Leaning on a dear friend. Chatting with a nine-year-old that ran up to tell me he remembered trick-or-treating at my house. And a second neighbor stopping by to talk about vintage campers.
The pants are Parsley's with pintucks and cargo pockets. The fabric is Garden Party Tango available online here. It's one of those prints that I would never have noticed, had I not been in the shop. I would never have chosen it from an online source. But I really love it. It has a great vintage vibe. And I have no worries about its being splattered with mud.
The top is yet another Flashback (I can't help it) with a curved hem. The fabric is to die for and I got it from here. Of course it's gone now:(
I talked about the sweater that she's wearing here. And the hat here.
How's the stitching going for you? Is it warm where you are?
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If all goes as planned - this bird bag, featuring an original print by Mr. Moody, will be in the shop on Monday morning. Good luck Anton, at this weekend's fat bike birkie!
Some baby goats too. These guys are sans drawstrings and have stubbier horns and tinier ears than their big brothers.
They're made using a buttery gray double knit and upcycled fleece.
They're sewn, not serged and made to weather many a pretend-play session. Perfect for crossing the bridge and scaling the hillside in search of spring's greener pastures. Enjoy 20% off on anything in the shop through next Friday with the code: SPRING20.
Now offering international shipping:)
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Friday - Friday already? Well, I haven't gotten to everything on my list... But that's ok. This may be my swan song. Oh, who am I kidding? I'm not done yet! It has been getting a little Lord of the Flies style around here... Luckily and just in time my magic-baking friend surprised my kids with these this morning. They were over the moon.
This here is the Pippa Peplum (with a lot of modifications) and the Go-To Leggings with some equestrian accents.
Historically, most of the kids clothing that I have made has been made using recycled threads. I like to do it that way. It's practical and intentional. I do love good fabric too, though. And it was a treat to use something so modern and spunky. All of the fabrics are from here. If you're in Minnesota, it's worth the trip. The place is a bit untamed, fabric crammed everywhere and often there is no fiber content on the bolts... You cut your own yardage. The notion buckets go on forever!
The leggings are made out of a heavy weight knit and are accented using the same fabric hat I used for this getup. I used this tutorial to make the patches for the pants except I changed the size of the patches. I also cut the patches in half so that I could sew them in while I was sewing up the seam of the pants. The alternative is to hand stitch them on after the pants have been assembled. I think that it looks fine this way though too. The patches were quick to add and are well worth the effort. I love these pants and (squeal) the girl likes them too!
The top is the Pippa Peplum. It's a very sweet, quick pattern but I couldn't help but monkey it up. I added long sleeves, cut the skirt in one piece instead of two and added a traditional neckband instead of using the facings. The neck was too loose for us but that may have been a result of this wacky fabric. I used elastic thread in the bobbin as suggested. I also took almost 2 inches off of the length of the skirt but again, I think that I ended up needing to do this because of the weird, slippery fabric.
I had planned to add an exposed zipper, like on the Ethereal Dress that I made. But the fabric and application just wasn't right. I still plan to hem or cuff the sleeves but she wanted to put it right on and I was happy to oblige. I expect both of these pieces to get worn a lot. Win!
Again, the lighting leaves something to be desired but it's just too cold still to go out into the light without a snowsuit on. Here's a picture of the fabric that I think more accurately represents the colors.
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