Go ahead, melt your mother’s heart on your way to some other universe

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She’s wearing hand-embroidered badges on a vintage sweater with knitted-in blue strawberries. (I think that’s what they are!)

To my secret sorrow (well, not so secret any more now, is it? Hi, kids!) my daughters have never been all that keen on making stuff.

Knitting? Meh. The older one made a luscious merino & cashmere scarf for an old boyfriend, and that was the sum of her knitting interest, at least for now.

Sewing? The younger one mastered basic machine skills when she tackled a cotton tank top, but the rest of the sewing projects she planned are still uncut.

Weaving? Both of them have spent a week at my summer weaving camp, but neither one is begging me to bring home the vintage 36″ LeClerc counterbalance loom and wedge it in the spare room.

So you can imagine my delight when the younger one, loafing around the house on a week’s school vacation and binging on episode after episode of a British TV show featuring the 10th and 11th incarnations of a certain Time Lord, decided she was also going to make some nifty little badges. Just for the fun of it. Take a look!


Spring cleaning in Easter-egg plaid

Apron is modeled by a vintage Acme adjustable dress form, size Junior. I haven't been that size since I was eleven.

Apron is modeled by a vintage Acme adjustable dress form, size Junior. I haven’t been that size since I was eleven.

Some of these spring days are a little dreary. April showers, you know? But chores still have to be done.

This vintage (1960s? 1970s?) apron cheers me right up. Cinderella would have loved it.

It’s bluebird-approved! Here’s why.


Month of Makeovers Day 18: On Halloween Pins & Needles!

thumbnailI started my afterschool sewing classes this week. That means I get to play around with wool, cotton, thread, pins, needles, scissors, and ideas with a bunch of elementary school kids who don’t bring any of my neurotically grown-up “Make It Perfect Or It’s No Good!” vibe to the party.

I’ve learned a lot about creativity from these little people! Read the rest of this entry »