dot to dot

Ah, a bit of progress on the hipster pattern. However small. I must keep in mind that even the tiniest bit of headway is still movement in towards the goal. Because right now I feel like I will never, ever get anything done.

Without having a block of time most days that is officially 'work time' (even though it was actually hijacked almost every day by children, appointments, and life) I am back to the 5 minutes here, 23 minutes there, nothing today but maybe tomorrow sewing and pattern making experience. It truly is a different work, more difficult, but sort of interesting in the challenge. The best part is being with the kids. The frustrating part is not actually getting thing else done.

I am coaching my frustrated brain into accepting a more relaxed and big picture reality. I visualize how small acts add up to big change. How tiny little steps take us far far away. How little stitches, taken one by one, will eventually become a quilt. The hope is that playing mind games with myself will help me cultivate a more zen approach. Or at least stop me from yanking out my own hair.

When I think of the sewing machine in the basement gathering dust or happen to catch sight of the new Ottobre that arrived in the mail a few days ago but I haven't properly looked through yet, when I see Smootch could use some new leggings and then get an idea for a hat that would be so very useful right now, and there is a pile of mending and the west coast quilt squares stacked up for embellishments, and wasn't I supposed to have a some stuff ready for a market new month?, and...

Breathe. Must remember to breathe.

Breathe and play with pointillism. Sitting down with the kids, doing some drawing (which both, thankfully, are very much into right now), I pick out images slowly with small dots, and think of how amazing those little pen taps add up to a whole picture. It's my meditation, an intersection between perspective and non-effort. For a brief moment, the urgency recedes and I am right there with the kids, my creativity, and my tiny efforts that stack up into accomplishment.

So I keep moving.

yarn creatures

I've recently had the coolest experience. Not only did I get to see some creative works based on a tutorial I've posted here on Indietutes - almost no one I know in the 3D world actually makes my patterns or tutorials so it blew me away a bit - but they were made by the children of a treasured long time friend that I now, with my latest relocation, have the pleasure of seeing on almost daily basis. We have known each other since a time when we not only couldn't even imagine having children, but really couldn't see past the end of the night. She was my art buddy and my party friend. Now we're all grown up and think ourselves very mature and whatnot. Drinking tea, crafting with our children, and tech talking about sergers.

I love it.

So, not only did this lovely lady and her crew make something from this site, but, I'm almost sure by the casual presentation, they didn't even make them as a favor to me.


And even better, to my absolute joy, the original craft was expanded upon and ventured beyond.


It is my highest hope that the projects on this blog be seen as the beginnings of possibility, not as complete endeavors presented for replication. Tutorials are merely launching points. And there is nothing better than to see how deep a creative dive will go.


I feel blessed to have seen and touched it in person.


Thank you old friend. My house for tea tomorrow?

passing by

Just a quick stop by today to say hello to y'all and thank you very much for your comments and messages I've been receiving this week. I love love love hearing about your projects and visiting blogs and am constantly blown away by all the smart and funny things I read about. Thank you thank you thank you!

I'll also officially say, though you probably have already figured it out, I've got nothing creative going on at the present. Other than the mental nimbleness needed to survive (flourish?) while caring for, educating, entertaining, putting up with small children all day every day. I'm back on the mom gig full time (and just getting used to not saying: 'I don't know, go ask daddy') now that The Man has a dream and needs to focus on something other than childcare. I like to support dreams. So I'm the woman on the spot.

Nevertheless, there is nothing like being with Smootch for stimulating the creative juices. It won't be long before we are back at it. Already, there is a list of materials we need to acquire (beg, borrow or steal) for various projects. To that end, does anyone know of a good substitute for craft foam? We require a colourful, weather proof (ish), slightly pliable but still sturdy material for a project. Perhaps colourful plastic bottles will do, but I'm afraid the edges will cut the wee fingers (and my big ones too).

So, I'll be back! With stuff :D Have a great day too.

Shoe box to treasure chest gift wrapping

We arrived at our new home on Thursday of last week and the first thing we did was pack up and take off. Our friend's girl had a party on Saturday to celebrate her 3rd birthday. With an unusual bit of foresight, we actually had picked up her gift before we left the island in Victoria, this sweet little pair of chucks:


Which came in it's own little sturdy box:


All I had to do was wrap the gift. Simple and quick, paper and bow. Or even just buy one of those paper bag monstrosities. Do you think that I could just do the job and get on with the thousand and one other things that are needed to do when you move to a whole different province?

No. But, really, who can resist pimping a shoebox?

Have cardboard, will glue.

Treasure Chest from Shoe Box

Cut out a rectangle of cardboard (which happens to bend well) that is the width of the box lid by the length x 1.5 (or so).

The sides of the box lid are cut from a pasta box (cereal boxes are the same weight) using a bowl to make a rounded edge.

Cutting out about 1/2" away from the intended lid side will give you enough extra cardboard to attach it to the box. Bend the extra cardboard away from the main area. Make small clips to smoothly bend away the rounded bit.

Now, down to business.

Glue down the bottom of the sides to the lid.

Let glue dry thoroughly.

Attach the top piece, using glue on the flaps to secure it to the sides.

At this point it is helpful to have paint, foil, or some sort of appropriate paper to cover the box. However, if you are like me, out of time and supplies, just make the most basic of decorations to suggest treasure chesty-ness.

Then stock with stickers, felts, and other goodies for the intended recipient to embellish the cardboard chest herself.

Give to birthday child. Pretend like you meant it to be like this all along.

Viola, two gifts in one.

while in transit...

Things to Do while Riding in a Car

(Complied by Smootch and company)

a) Get out of car

b) Sing songs

c) Play eye spy

d) Have sticker puppet shows


e) Look at books

f) Count trees

g) Jam


h) Make fart noises

i) Snack

j) Have mama read outloud

k) Play peek a boo


l) Nap

m) Chit chat

n) Make up lists

Surprise Bags for our Rolling Party

We are moving! Well, right now, I'm not. Right now it's 10:30 at night and I've just checked into a hotel and am trying to chill out with one child asleep and another watching Treehouse. I've also got one seriously traumatized kitty (after he did something he very much did not want to do in his travel kennel and it took us awhile to get to him to get cleaned up) and another who seems to be doing pretty good, sniffing the corners of the room. There is also a man, munching down some curry and talking back to Go Diego Go (which is why he is not normally allowed to watch children's programs). It's peaceful, in an odd way, and I'm glad to not actually be in motion for awhile.

The drive today was relatively short, just a few hours in the car, with a ferry ride in between jaunts, but long enough that I got to try out my 'Surprise Bag' system for Happy Traveling Children. The idea came about from the discussion in the comments from this post last year, when contemplating a mere 8 hour car ride (ha, we thought that was rough!) We've got two whole days of travel coming up, so I'm pleased my Surprise Bag test run today went pretty well well.

The Surprise Bags are just ziploc bags filled with a few items and an enticing snack, dispersed every hour or two along the car ride (depending how everyone is feeling). I called them Surprise Bags for our Rolling Party to try to set a mood of adventure and fun, rather than the usual, "Oh, crap, not another looooong car ride!" I get from the kids.

Today the kids ended up with two bags each, one shortly after we left home after the whole day of waiting around while their parents frantically got rid of most of their belongings (again), cleaned and settled up with the landlords. Plus the hundred and one little stops around town (mailing one package to our new home - roller skates, in case you are curious) and dropping off our modem, etc. It's all so tedious for me, I can't imagine how it feels to a five year old.

Anyway, I just wanted to share some of the items in the Surprise Bags:

a) a familiar book, a new character toy, and a little bag of animal crackers
b) a new book, a handheld mirror (seriously great idea), and some pretzels
c) some yarn for finger knitting (or just tangling for Birdie), a notepad and pencil, and a soy milk drink
d) kazoo, colouring page and a couple of crayons and, some corn crisps
e) a favorite toy, a little puzzle or wind-up toy, and a few small cookies
f) stickers, binoculars, and gum

And so on. I have enough items for 15 bags for each child: little action figures, slimy insects, lacing boards, and all sorts of fodder for imaginations. Since most of the new books and toys actually come from the thrift store, each one no more than 10 cents (I find the novelty is the payoff for most toys, new or second hand, so as long as it's new to the child, where I get it from doesn't matter), it was surprisingly inexpensive. I have the bags all separated and coordinated, so that each child gets an individualized to taste and age Surprise, but similar in activity to the other child.

At the end of the day, all the toys and clutter are picked up and squirreled away to be recycled into another Surprise Bag the next day or later or at least stashed out of the way so that the the morning begins fresh, without the feeling of being overwhelmed and hedged in with stuff all around. I plan to let them get good and bored before I even bring out the first bag tomorrow. All the better to help them appreciate the small things as they come.

Hope your morning is filled with fun and yummy surprises too :)

think: cake

I have a whole night of work ahead of me, now that the children are finally asleep. Tomorrow is go day. We are hoping to catch the ferry before the sun goes down. I am doing my best to not wig out. To sooth myself, I'm thinking about cake. When not packing or trying to absorb as much goodness from this island before I leave, I am getting my creative fix with episodes of Aces of Cakes* on Surf the Channel and reading Laura "Don't call me Cake Lady" from Piece of Cake blog.



If you haven't been over to this sweet mama's blog yet, go now.

I'm going to pack now.

*I only just discovered this amazing show while in the hotel in Victoria - we do not have a tv regularly, so we are often woefully out of touch.

unraveling life

Thirty four hours until moving day. I am feeling such a sense of loss, getting rid of my fabrics and notions, sending the handmades away to the thrift store, slimming the collection of children's drawings and sculptures down to just a few transportable items. There is oddly not much work to be done physically (though we are having a garage sale right now, so I wouldn't say we've gotten off lightly), but emotionally this move is taking its toll. Birdie has been growing increasingly frantic at our changing and ridding, becoming a bit more unglued every time another item is put into a box. Today, when I was taking a few toys out to the garage sale area, he grabbed a hold of his beloved toy vacuum and hid in the corner with it. Splam! is the sound of guilt knocking dents into my heart.

And then I found this:


That is the unraveling back of Birdie's favorite sweater. It's not wearable anymore. And the moving preparations have dulled my creativity to the point where I can not think my way through to fixable solution. I am left with the dilemma of whether to pack this broken sweater with us, taking up precious space and possibility outing another, more wearable sweater, in hopes of being able to resuscitate it on the other side somehow? Or do I accept the inevitable, pull the plug, and hope that Birdie's fragile sense of order and familiarity isn't too firmly attached to this particular garment. (Splam!)

I know that when one door closes another one opens. Birdie doesn't know. He's not yet even two years old. He'll stand at the closed door all day and beat his fists against it until someone picks him up, gives him a cuddle, and carries him over to the open door. He'll figure it out eventually. I know. Shoolk! is the sound of my big girl shield deflecting the guilt bombs.

Until we manage to get through the door, there is cocoa for both of us.

pattern shop update

Just wanted to give everyone a quick update on the paper pattern situation in the shop. I am holding off doing any printing until after our relocation and settling in. Perhaps mid-April or so I will have fresh copies nicely printed up for your sewing pleasure. There are a few Lace Up Dresses left and lots of the Revolutions Frock (I just reprinted those not too long ago). I have sold completely out of paper copies of the Tiered Patchwork Twirler, but you can still find possess the pattern in PDF format. There are, however, only two copies left of the Revolutions Frock in sizes 5-8 (and there is no PDF version) so if you want a copy soon, now is your best time :)


I will be doing my best to keep up with the patterns during this transition (including the birthing of the hipsters for slim preschoolers pattern - no, that's not the official name), though there may be a day or two of disruption with the move, depending really on how fast we can get internet connected in our new place. My posting here will also be a bit sketchy through that time too. On the upside, if you get bored with me not providing any new tutorials for awhile, you can always skim down the left hand side of this page and see if there are any ideas over there that you haven't tried yet. I haven't met anyone who has done them all yet ;) And there is patterns in the shop if you would like a more structured sewing project, the purchase of which is also a fantastic way to support this blog.

Happy weekend all!

QB 1 : Sand dollars

I actually embellished a quilt square today! I actually thought I might be making it all up, given my recent track record, this Island quilt idea destined to hit the top of a very deep pile of unfinished projects. But, aha!, here she be! I'm feeling like it's not terrifically pretty, but it's done, and in my world right now, that earns it a gold metal.

I can thank the stomach flu for helping me get started. Today, when Birdie went for a nap and Smootch did her thing, I was feeling waaay too ill to run around 'getting stuff done' (which always only gets half done or, worse, undone before supper). Instead, I sat my nauseous body down on a chair and piled out my thread.

It did not help when The Man walked in, looked at the quilt block, and said, 'Oh, look, kids! Mommy's sewing anuses again.' But, still, it works. Sandy butts really do remind me of this Island, given all the beach side diaper changes I've done :)

I'm going to go now and try to get better since we have a trip to Victoria scheduled, including an extended visit to the bug zoo. Victoria is a vegan paradise, so I must definitely be better by lunch tomorrow. Cheers, all!

squares and drama

Last night almost half of the squares needed for my Island quilt were cut while watching the first part of Stand By Me. Remember that movie? When I was younger, I thought it all excitingly dramatic with evil-adults-vs.-righteous-children, and deliciously angst ridden. Last night, I was still quite entertained, mostly with seeing very young versions of very famous actors, but mainly I was thinking, 'Oh, icky! So the drama!' I have enough melodrama in my life right now, thank you. Angst isn't nearly as exciting and attractive viewed from this side of parenthood.

Anyway [she suddenly remembers she is writing a crafting blog], we, The Man and I, cut squares. Most of them are from button down men's shirts, who's arms had been previously sacrificed to make sleevy pants. Here is 180 six inch squares (with only another 200 to go).


Thanks to everyone yesterday who shared links to great quilting blogs. I had a look through and, man, the talent out there truly blows me away. Not only are the quilts amazing, but the presentation is art in itself. Quilters always strike me as a fairly zen group. It takes a lot of patience to put together a quilt. Patience, forethought, planning, and tenacity. All admirable characteristics I wish I grow more of in myself.

I always feel a strange mix of admiration and inadequacy when viewing some of the more polished blogs written by crafty women with children at home. It's intimidating, sharing space on the internet with the likes of Anna Maria Horner, Amanda Soule, and Amy from Habitual. They are all multi-talented ladies, being accomplished crafters, writers, designers, photographers, parents, and, hell, they're pretty good looking too! I am grateful for the small peeks into their worlds they provide through their blogs, sharing their inspirations, projects, homes, and children with us.

Looking at my own life and crafty efforts after reading their blogs, well... blah. I usually have to give myself a little pep talk. I remind myself that a blog is, by it's very nature, a staged production, and that I can not know all that goes on behind the curtains. It's not an intentionally deceptive, or at least not deceitfully so, it's just the nature of the medium, it's the need for privacy, it's because a blog is art in itself. A blog is a spotlight on a part of a life, viewed through many filters, embellished, and then edited. In many ways it is a fantasy, lots of wishful thinking on the bloggers' part, and also a confession or testimonial. Life isn't a blog and a blog isn't a life.

Besides, what if these phenomenal crafty ladies actually shared all their tedious daily struggles with me? What if they told me about every parenting screw up, not just the funny ones, but the dark ones too? What if they shared the ways in which they've been damaged by their parents and their struggles to nurture their inner children or find themselves or come to grips with their sketchy pasts? I'd be thinking, 'Oh, icky! So the drama! Shut up and show me the fabric!'

Anyway [she suddenly remembers she is writing a crafty blog and not on a therapist's couch], my insistent children believe I am supposed to be taking them to the parrot refuge instead of sitting here blogging. I shall have to return to the my messy, angsty life now. Until tomorrow...

*******************************

Ps., in order to make up for my obviously staged photo above (I took the squares outside to get a clear shot in good light, seeing as I live in a dark cave, and I did move the sea shells closer, and I did pick them off the ground and restack them when Birdie pushed them over the railing, after saying a very nasty word) I shall do my own part to promote a bit of realism in blogging by telling you that I am still in my pajamas... from yesterday morning. Ahem.

Q is for Quilt

I've been casting around a bit for some inspiration. Do yourself a favor: Do not google 'amazing quilts' unless you've got some extra time to be awestruck. Set aside an hour or two first.

The Man and I (because he's wanted to make a quilt with me for years - I swear he's not a made up guy) have been thinking we want to do a tumbler design. I'm not sure though. Do you think that small embroidered scenes would be odd on the tumbler shape? I'm inclined to just stick to regular (classic!) squares. Maybe tumblers for the next one and then tumbling blocks for the next and then...

I love the geometrics. And I can see how quilting can become very addictive.

As for the hand sewn embellishments, I've been staring at inspirations for years. Smootch favors books that are illustrated with fabric (as in, in fabric originally, then photographed for the book). Her current library find is Mrs. Moon Lullabies for Bedtime. We spend hours looking through these books. Sometimes we even read them :D

I can't wait to get going. All this packing and organizing is bumming me out. Anybody know of any inspiring (all take funny too!) quilting blogs?

feet: get moving

Yesterday I put the dust cover on my sewing machine and packed my serger up into a box-bag combo that will hopefully help it survive yet another cross province move. Our little family has decided to get along, away from this beautiful island, in order to be closer to our extended families. We love it here. Let me say that again: we LOVE it here. But, small children need grandparents and aunties and uncles and cousins. They really do. And The Man and I could use some familiar faces and, frankly, a babysitter every once in awhile. So, Alberta bound we are.

We will be leaving the same way we came: with our two kids, two cats, one car and one roof rack. This next week is dedicated to once again de-stuffing our lives. We`ve secured a house in our new town, which is already furnished: we are learning the ways of the nomads.


Just because I`ve put away the machines does not mean I am taking another blog break. Frankly, taking a `rest` from the creative stuff is not particularly peaceful. I feel the need to create things the same way I feel the need to eat food and nap about two-ish. I`m sure I`m not the only one around here that feels that way :D

During this transition I will be taking on something completely new: a quilt! I have never done a quilt. Weird, huh? I plan on just cutting out and stitching together a thousand or so squares with some of the miles of fabric I have managed to accumulate during our time on the island. For the next few weeks, after I manage to get the squares cut out (seems like a good time to enlist The Man`s help), I will be embellishing some of them with thread, floss, beads, whatever, to remind me of this paradise and encourage me to come back to visit. I will have to hand sew the embellishments - a challenge for me - but I can do it during the drive and when the kids are playing together. I will also be finishing the slimster hipsters pattern and get it out there to you very soon :)

Now, on with the adventure.

me and my army, that's who

These trousers used to be a lone curtain panel that I found in a thrift store for a dollar. I simply could not leave behind a pre-pintucked sheet of quality fabric that nobody was going to want since there was only one of its kind. My heart told me to take the stray home and give it a new life.

So, I did, and then it sat in my stash for months while I tried to figure out exactly what to do with khaki cotton. I mean, I sew for kids. It's not really their thing. They usually want to wear day-glow green, garnish pink and vein popping orange. They generally do not try to blend in with the greenery.


But, when the curtain, tired of being ignored, said, 'Trousers!' to me, I obeyed. The curtain was lovingly laid flat, chopped up, and transformed into two pairs of pants. Birdie's is the Birdie Britches pattern and the other is from the Name-Yet-To-Be-Announced hipsters for slim kids. Since both patterns are just a one piece cut plus pockets, they lent themselves well to the already established pintucks.


The challenge was to actually get the kids to like the dull green trousers and want to wear them. I pulled out a few of my tricks, added their favorite colours, some iron-on shiny stars (my kids are nuts about stars), and - the ultimate - made them matching. Well, sort of matching.


The embellishments are supposed to be suggestive of the military, with decorations, stars, and the chevron rank along the backside. (Disclaimer: For those who are in the know military-wise, please don't ride me over my very wrong use of stars and chevrons. This is military chic, not actual military.) The ribbon decorations are actually the cut off edges of someone's quilting I found at The Free Store (a whole bag of lovely, colourful scraps). I really just folded under the edges and sewed on. Couldn't be easier.


I was initally going to stitch on three chevrons for a Sergent's rank, but I sort of got lazy. The Man pointed out that one chevron was for a Private rank. I said, "You mean I made Private Pants?" The Man just gave me a look and rolled his eyes. I don't know when that guy lost his sense of humor, but I had a good giggle about it.

In all, the whole project was incredibly fast and easy and satisfying. I got a silly joke in, had some fun with embellishments, and the children like dressing up all matchy matchy. I feel like I've gotten away with something.


Have a fantastic weekend all!

label me proud to be handmade

And I'm back. Well, back-ish.

Thank you to all who have sent me supportive messages.
This past week I have nearly entirely (not so much) avoided any blogging, sewing, or cleaning of house. I've take a few naps, got some walks in and some extra roller skating practice (very good for head clearing, particularly while falling). I did make a couple pairs of trousers (which I hope to wiggle the kids into tomorrow to take some photos) but I make trousers almost reflectively, the same way other people make dinner, so it doesn't really count. (Plus, the trousers have a really funny name, that I'm dying to share with you, so it's even more Okay.)

I would love to say my little rest was restful, but it wasn't actually. For our little family, it turned out to be a of Serious Discussion. Of Figuring Things Out. A time to Make Plans. (Can you tell I've been reading A.A. Milne lately?) A time to philosophize about how life is like a see-saw that goes up and down (true balance is boring), but every time one side dips to the ground it lands a slightly off kilter, moving the entire see-saw into ever new territory. Sort of like an unbalanced washing machine on the spin cycle.

So, some upcoming changes. I think I should put a disclaimer on my life that goes something to the effect of 'This person retains the right to change her mind at any point. Expect sudden lane changes and wide turns.' I know this blog needs something like that too :)

But, enough about me for now. There is lots of time for that later. Let's talk about You now and about what you are doing to let other people know who You are.

I had a question come up by email a couple days ago about where to buy quality and affordable clothing labels for handmade clothes. The actual need was for good information on the numerous companies offering woven label making services. I couldn't help because I am a major slacker when it comes to actually producing handmades for others and will never make enough to justify purchasing personalized labels.

(I do, however, use size labels. I found mine on Ebay, very inexpensive, and incredibly helpful for the few items I do sell to others, for my kids to know who's pants are who's [still, they get mixed up more often than is accidental, thanks to Smootch The Trouser Thief], and for anyone who inherits my children's clothes.


They are a bit boring, but useful to me.)

I have seen, though, some truly excellent labels in handmade garments made by more serious producers and even other dabblers such as myself. The labels certainly add a bit of polish to a handmade garment and, I think, shows pride in a job well done. I love seeing them.

So, for those of You who sew labels onto your garments, would you mind helping out fellow purveyor of the handmade? Where is a quality place to buy clothing labels? Anything to watch out for? What is your favorite type of label?

Any and all help is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

all day play

It's easy to dismiss the imaginative devotion that is parenting. I try to pause every once in awhile and give myself a little credit for the creative workout that is the average day with children.

Today I was...

seamstress
chauffeur
tickle monster
story teller
diplomat
paper mermaid surgeon

bad guy
good fairy
judge, jury, and warden
conductor
insurrector of ants


gracious hostess
maker of mama-made chai
invisible
waitress
zoo keeper
architect

nutritionist
personal shopper
dj
referee
tea party attendee
optometrist