Wee Wonderfuls

a-ha! of course it's Martha!

I found that wrap skirt I want to make (thanks Victoria!). It's from the new book, Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts

Thanks Potter Craft for sending me a copy of this giant book of Martha awesomeness. At first glance, I'm deeply in love. Here are two more of my favorites. I need to make this dress out of shirt...

and holy cow, this coverlet! I'm wondering if this design is the solution to my many little mismatched star/pinwheels quilt problem. maybe one big star is the answer.

The pattern pieces are on a CD. Interesting, huh? I'm going to investigate that and will report back.

I have one more "I want to sew this" post left and then I'm going to shut up and get to it!

outing for chicago area naturalists

Have you been here? The Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum at Benedictine University in Lisle? We just went there for a field trip with Oscar's class and what a fun place! If you like dead stuffed stuff, which we do. It's super tiny but it is crammed full of treasures. I often think these small scale places are much better with little kids. Less exhausting for Mom at least. It's like a squished up, concentrated version of a trip to the Field Museum.

I kiss him on his ear Mom

Phoebe and I made a pink bear for one of our favorite little girl's 6th birthday.

supers

**update** The first batch is sold out now. We have a few more projects cued up for the printer but will reprint these again, within a month or so.

The Super X-Stitchettes are now up in the shop. And guess what, they're a printed actual real-life thing! Our delay in getting these out was that we wanted to (finally) try out the new fancy printer we bought last year. And although it gave us our share of headaches, as any printing seems to do, we are so pleased with the postcard sized prints. They look great! Just like actual stitched linen. It's a nice little something something to stick in a frame while you work on the actual cross stitch.

Since we're printing these ourselves we have pretty limited availability. That's the downside to going real over pdf but oh it feels so great to have a smooth pretty postcard in your hands. And to get real mail! Can't beat that.

The pattern includes the postcard, the stitch chart of the 4 heros and a full alphabet so you can personalize them.

Olle Eksell

I'm trying to find pretty pictures to make me happy today. This new book (Olle Eksell: Swedish Graphic Designer) of mine seems to be doing the trick. Also a little depressing though since I can't seem to find two spare minutes for a creative thought.

I pretty much want every book PIE books publishes. I need books about food packaging and front doors and vintage fabrics and design collections with limited colors. !!!

brings May sewing

I'm making plans for the kids clothes week challenge. Not like Phoebe needs another stinkin thing but I have tons of fabric I bought just for her that I need to sew into something. I also want to try sewing for myself again. I saw a cute wrap skirt somewhere that had some sort of casing waistband with a big huge tie. Ring any bells with anyone?

kids art is cool

I worked the school art fair recently. I had a hard time hanging the stuff and not shoving it into my bag.

really, can you blame me?

hello!

Hi blog. Sorry. I have been stunned into silence by the beauty of Spring. But soon all these tulips and flowering trees will lose their petals and I'll be able to focus again.

(edited)

roster change

My order of Nani Iro from Matatabi arrived this week. It's gone to the top of the pile. I want to pick up that Simplicity 4206 and also I've been looking around at inspiration... the floral would make a great romper and man do I love this dress. While I hunt for paint splatter fabric maybe this would be a cute style for the stripey print, but I don't know if I can make that bubble skirt. Does Simplicity have a pattern for that?!

What is not making the roster is this pinwheel quilt. I'm giving up on it. Every time I think I have it, I lose it again. 2 squares which match beautifully and another 2, but those 4 won't match up at all. I just don't have the brain power for it right now. I think I'm going to start over with the same fabrics and some nice even rectangles.

picnic quilt I can't bear to take outside

Today, another project from the stack... I finished piecing the picnic quilt I was working on (I think I blogged about this, gingham and kokka strawberries). I had two big pieces of vintage chenille bedspread that I sewed together and used as the backing and then I quilted it with little ties on the gingham. Oh, I love it so. It's an awesome heavy weight and the nubby backing is so great. Very satisfying! It's supposed to be for picnics and sit on the dirty ground or damp grass. I don't know if I can do it. I couldn't even take it outside for photos. But it does roll up to be perfect bike basket size so what the heck, it'll look cute with grass stains.