hello

Back from a shorter than expected blogging break. I'd been planning to take today off from the shop and spend it with Henry but our week got shifted around and he's at nursery school, leaving me with an empty and most welcome day to myself. I made an apron.

My love for aprons is still in full bloom. I have a dozen or so vintage-y ones picked up here and there over the last few years, and despite being asked on occasion, I really couldn't part with a single one. I love them all. And they're quite hard to find now for less than $20. So it's been on my to-do list for some time now, a range of vintage-inspired aprons sized for children. At the annual gift show last month I couldn't help but notice aprons of every style and fabric imaginable hanging so prettily on the booths of every textile exhibitor. I imagine you'll be seeing a lot of them in stores in the coming months. I thought that rather than go the mass-produced route, I'd like to make a few myself using a mix of new and recycled fabrics, which is in keeping with the thrifty spirit of women who made aprons from tea towels and flour sack cloth back in the 1940s. This one is a thriftshop pillowcase cut in half (so half of the cutting/sewing work is already done) with linen ties and waistband and a kangaroo-style pocket. I'd say about two hours from start to finish, longer than I'd planned and mostly my fault for trying to eyeball the waistband and then getting into all sorts of trouble with the ties not fitting smoothly. But overall I'm quite pleased with it. I'm not much of an embellisher, but I can see this one looking super cute with some pompom fringe or a touch of embroidery on a corner of the pocket.

The groovy pink floral apron, a late '60s model I suspect because it looks just like the kitchen wallpaper in the house I grew up in, was the inspiration, and I referenced Amy Karol's pattern for the pocket.

a clutch

"No kisses please. Only stickers. Because I am a robot."

I don't know what it means either, but that kid does make me laugh.

Two sewing books arrived on my doorstep this week: Amy Karol's, which you see here, and Amy Butler's which is also excellent but in a different way. I suggest both, as does amazon.ca, and if you're looking to spend $39 to get the free shipping then I also give Jessica Seinfeld's stealth vegetable cookbook a nod. The french toast with a dollop of sweet potato puree went over without a hitch this morning. I feel triumphant.

Back to sewing. A dear, wacky friend who happens to share my birthday is throwing a proper birthday bash tomorrow night. Guitar Hero has been mentioned. A keg might be involved. Maybe spin the bottle. I really couldn't say. Her parties are always a little off-kilter and always fun. I made this slouchy clutch to hold her gift. I love using beautiful fabric for wrapping. It's like a little gift in itself, don't you think? I followed the pattern for the Artsy Pouch, which happens to be the cover project, but I completely botched the lining part and had to improvise a folded over cuff to get it finished. I'm still happy with it. I liked the suggestion of cotton flannel lining to give it a nice poofy feel and bit of body. I also scaled the pattern up slightly, and ended up using about two quarter yards of fabric. A fabbo project for $8 and an hour's work I'd say.

I'm shuffling off to Buffalo for the day. Happy weekend friends.

just ducky

There's not much going on over here that would make for an interesting post, I'm afraid. Not that things aren't happening, mind you, but it's all kind of duck-like with lots of intrigue below the surface and calm waters above. Interesting is not an adjective I'd apply to my *situation* with Bell Canada, but if you're wondering, as Stella does, what it is I do all day, because you know, I don't actually work anymore so there is no good reason why we can't go see the Water Horse movie in the middle of the afternoon, you can see from my new Bell Canada blog, I've been spending a fair amount of time over at the someday-I'll-be-a-real-shop shop dealing with seriously uninteresting things. And not working.

So while I have nothing going on, I thought I'd introduce two bloggers who do. First up: Marta who makes beautiful journals and cards, and through Marta, I made the acquaintance of Melissa who, in addition to making beautiful crafty things and taking gorgeous photos of her kids, lives in Buffalo. I have no idea why that pleases me so but it does. Check these gals out. You'll be glad you did.

And with thanks to Melissa for the inspiration, there will be no more wadded balls of damp, possibly used (likely used) Kleenex in my coat pockets. Nosiree. I've gone upscale with one of those fancy-type tissue holders. Five minutes! Check the tutorial over here. I'm making a batch of these this afternoon and sending them to everyone we made sick over Christmas. This one is for my poor sis, who has yet to recover from whatever mondo bug was crawling around our house. Sorry A.