the sky is pink

... like daughter. This is another 3835 dress for me (and Simplicity 4206 for Spenser). Again, they were made from a thrifted sheet that has been hanging around for almost two years . It was a twin fitted sheet, so it was a little more challenging to make two dresses (hence the reason Spenser's is a little short). We have the matching dresses. She is now happy. Well, almost happy. One of the first things she said (after her enormous smile) was, "Where are my pockets?" (Please try your best to ignore my crazy-mad-scientist hair. I hadn't styled it before the photo and I told my husband not to get it in the photo ... Somehow it still got in.)

This weekend found us doing many things we love to do together. We went to a flea market first thing Saturday morning (scored some more vintage Pyrex ) and then headed out to go geocaching ... While the boys hunted for the cache, Spenser collected a dandelion bouquet. She found the biggest and brightest dandelions for her mother. Another cache led us to this local park. It was gorgeous. After logging our cache, the boys decided to wade through the water to this big rock. They jumped. They built dams. And they fell in the water 9,999 times. The four boys all received a young tree to plant in honor of Earth Day/Arbor Day. Since we already have so many trees on our property, we decided to plant them on the banks of a creek along our local walking path. Their survival rate is much higher here. And just yesterday I had to run into town. I am realizing that my vintage sheet stash is running dangerously low, so I had to just go peek to see what my options were. Glad I did. I scored the abo...

Saturday morning I awoke with an epiphany: I needed a new dress to go with my new yellow shoes to wear to church on Sunday. Although I have skirts in my closet that would look great, it was the shoes' maiden voyage and I couldn't be willy nilly and haphazardly grab a garment to wear. I quickly rummaged through my container of vintage sheets and found this one. It has perfect little lines of flowers running diagonally with hints of red, blue and yellow. It was "the one." We left the house early Saturday morning (to go to a flea market and go geocaching), so it wasn't until after giving the kids baths on Saturday night that I actually had time to sew, although I thought about it obsessed over it the entire day. It is the same Simplicity 3835 we've come to know and love. I used the shirt top (with elastic) and the dress bottom. I added an extra 5 inches or so to the length to make sure it was long enough for my long legs. It hits right below my knee (although i...

I'm totally getting my money's worth out of the $1.99 Simplicity 3835 pattern. Lately I've been contemplating making the tunic (mini dress), but couldn't decide which fabric to use. Vintage? Modern? One day I spied this vintage sheet in my stash and knew it was "the one." I thrifted it almost two years ago and was waiting for the "perfect" reason to cut it up. The pattern was a little more time-consuming and fiddly than the shirt. It involves a zipper and a neckband and facing. I handstitched the facing down because I couldn't figure out what the pattern was talking about and I just wanted it to be finished. It's okay. I don't know if I am "in love" with it. The neck area is a little close to my neck and throat and it verges on making me feel a teensy bit claustrophobic. And I wonder if I shouldn't have used/"wasted" the sheet on this project. Live and learn, my friends. Live and learn. In other happy news, look w...

I recently bought some pink linen online. It was hard to tell which colors were which when you are looking at a swatch of fabric in a photo. So I called customer service and this is what the lady told me to order. I didn't know what I was going to get until it arrived a few days later. It started with simple, pink linen cropped pants. Then I decided to add a cuff. And a button. At the time, I didn't know which fabric to use until I spied this old Amy Butler print that I've had hanging around for ... uh ... two years. (I have no idea what it is called, sorry.) After doing all the details on the pants, I realized she needed a new shirt to match. And, voila ! It all came together. Although the linen verges slightly on Pepto-Bismol , when paired with this pink and green fabric, it's toned down a bit. She likes it. She had been bugging me to finish it. She's wearing it now. I call that a success.

Yellow tissue paper flowers, yellow wheel, yellow school reminder, yellow tractor in fabric, lone yellow tulip, new belated-birthday yellow shoes, courtesy of my best girl, Kathie. And a better view.

Late Friday night I sewed. Joe was out of town, the little ones were asleep. The bigger two were awake but playing PS2 and computer games. It was as quiet as it was gonna get. When I was recently de-stashing and organizing my fabric , I ran across this curtain that I had made a few years ago for our computer room. We aren't using it anymore and I decided I should just make something else with it. I put it in the use-immediately-or-get-rid-of pile (which works amazingly well, by the way) and straightaway it was transformed into springy baby pants. I would call them "cropped," but I wonder if that is more of a girly term. I've seen "beach pants" around, so perhaps that is what they are called for boys. Striped beach pants with red bias trim and a matching onesie. I wanted a red bird, but found a duck shape that I tried to make look more like a bird than a duck. And I failed. All of my children called it a duck. It feels so Maria von Trapp to be making clot...

On Friday I received a surprise package in the mail from Amandajean . She sent this beautiful apron with all of my favorite fabrics and color combinations. Cherries. Gingham. Polka Dots. Aqua and Red. It is so amazingly personalized for me. I love every inch of it. I really do. And it's perfectly sewn. Thanks, again, Amandajean, it was a lovely surprise. On Saturday morning I ventured out to my first flea market of the year. There aren't too many flea markets ever in my area, so when I saw a sign that there is a flea market for three consecutive Saturdays (starting this past Saturday), I knew I had to go. Even if it meant that Joe was out of town and I had five of my six in tow. The kids were amazing. It helped that the weather was nice and that it was a smallish flea market. We were able to go through it in about an hour's time. I found this little green chest made of solid wood. It's going to be repainted (red, maybe) and I'm going to switch out the knobs (glas...

I have been needing a new tote. Okay, not really. How about I've been wanting a new tote? Does that sound more realistic? I've had the strawberry sheet on my mind all week. Must. Use. It. Up. In fact, I've used so much, I've started to use bits and pieces of the fitted sheet, which is worn in some spots, so not as usable as the pristine flat sheet. Anyway, where was I? Oh, totes ! Yes, I needed wanted a new tote, so I decided what is more summery than a strawberry tote with vintage gingham? Oh, it so reminds me of a summer picnic. I can barely stand it. I lined the totes in a large, vintage gingham and placed a small pocket in mine. After I made one for myself, a certain little girl in the house declared she needed one, too. I made her handles from the gingham so she can tell them apart. I am certain that she would try to claim my larger tote if they were identical. And then last night (after bedtime) I made some lounge pants for her. She submitted her request for a ...

I have a Strawberry Shortcake song in my head, "Jammin' jammin' strawberry jammin.'" I don't know if it's from Spenser's CD or a DVD (or perhaps both). Anyway, it must be Strawberry Week over here because I just noticed that all of my posts thus far are strawberry related. (Hmm. Note to self: I must come up with something for tomorrow.) On Sunday after church I was looking for some family time. We decided to make strawberry jam. I had received a free sample of a no-cook pectin so it involved very little effort. Wash. Cut. Stir. Refrigerate. Four sets of kids' hands armed with child-friendly knives and it was finished in no time... Which left time for sampling (before allowing it to set for 24 hours) and ... playing.

Back around Thanksgiving, I found this kid's baking set from Bed, Bath & Beyond (sorry, I can't find it on their website). I bought it for her for Christmas, but she was already getting so much, I decided to hold it back for a special day. It had a tacky, plastic apron inside, which really will not do for me, so ... ... on Saturday afternoon I sewed a little apron for Spenser. I used some of the vintage fabric I received last year. It has tiny red strawberries on it. So sweet. I used a pattern ( Simplicity 8916 ) that had a vintagy feel to go along with the look I wanted. So yesterday was the "special" day. Nothing extra special about it. As soon as I put Sawyer down for his nap, I gave her the gifts. We made chocolate chip cookies. We didn't make the cookies from scratch. We used the "scoop and bake" kind. This was one of her first baking experiences and I didn't want to overwhelm her. Plus, we could eat all the cookie dough we pleased ....

Shortly after yesterday morning's second breakfast we welcomed a new arrival in our home. A serger. As I pulled it out of the box, Spenser and Sawyer were just as amazed as I was. They wanted to poke it and touch it (as if it were really a baby). I have been considering buying one for over a year and finally took the plunge. I know nothing about sergers. Nothing. At. All. I don't know how many threads to use. I don't know what setting to use. I don't think the tension is correct, but I don't know. And I don't want to fiddle with the tension. I don't know when to serge. Or when not to serge. To serge or not to serge. That is the question. The threading was pretty easy. Believe it or not. I've heard nightmares about that. And it even comes with a pair of tweezers for fingers that don't like to grab small threads. Like mine. After the threading, it only seemed natural to take it for a spin ... Voila! PJ bottoms using the strawberry sheet .

After I made my strawberry skirt , Spenser immediately began asking where her strawberry skirt was. I had a little sewing time on Saturday afternoon and decided it was time. I used the twirly skirt tutorial again . It makes a cute skirt, although it's a little time consuming and fiddly. I paired the strawberries with, what else? Red polka dots. (It was between dots and red gingham.)

More de-stashing sewing. Here are two pairs of cropped pants for Spenser. The top pair was made from a little swatch of woven (vintage?) fabric that Beki sent me for my birthday. It was in the make-it-soon-or-Spenser-won't-be-able-to-fit-into-it-anymore pile. The lower pair was made from a striped, thrifted pillowcase that was definitely in the make-immediately-or-get-rid-of pile. These pants are so simple to make. They are a great way to use up fabric.

I'm in the throes of spring de-cluttering and de-stashing. Clothing and fabric. When I was going through my bins of fabric, I organized and sorted (see dots ), and put some aside for immediate future projects and some to give to my two young nieces who are learning to sew. I thrifted this pillowcase a year or two ago with the intention of making it into a skirt. I had forgotten about it and as I picked up each piece of fabric or pillowcase or sheet, I asked myself, "Why did I buy this? Do I love this? Am I going to use this? If yes, how soon?" The pillowcase was thrown into the "make immediately or get rid of pile." And, guess what! It was made immediately into the pillowcase skirt it was destined to become. There are a few more things I've already made from the "make immediately or get rid of pile." (It feels really good.) But you should see the "get rid of" pile. That's enormous.

I love dots. And there you have it.

Well, I made another Simplicity 3835. It's from a thrifted sheet that I bought years ago. This time I made a couple of changes to it. First I scooped the neckline a little. I thought it might be better for spring/summer (if warmer weather ever gets here). Then I made the sleeves a little longer and the casing a little higher and hoped for a more ruffly sleeve cuff. That didn't happen. I guess I didn't make the sleeve wide enough for my desired effect. And do not (I repeat do not ) attempt to slightly taper the bottom of the shirt. Even though it looks slightly maternity-ish, there is a reason for it. It's called bust. If you try to narrow the waist/hip area of the shirt, you will not be able to fit it over your chest. Just trust me on that one. This is one of those shirts that I think looks better on the hanger. And sadly, it doesn't look so great there either. P.S. Lori is that the sheet from your parents' bed?

On Friday night I sewed a new dress for Spenser ( Simplicity 4767 , view A). It is sewn from a thrifted sheet I picked up last week. It has sweet little bugs and butterflies on it. It's springy. And feminine. And looks comfy. She will have more ... No doubt about it.

I never quite feel good enough to sew for other people. And I definitely don't think I'm good enough to take a garment and alter it in any way. On Sunday when a girl at church asked me if I could add sleeves to a sleeveless dress for her sweet 16 birthday party, I was a little hesitant (because of my lack of skills) but told her to bring the dress on Wednesday for me to look at it. With just her description and not having seen the dress, I could completely envision the dress with and without sleeves. When I got a phone call from the mother a few days later (stating the party was Friday, tonight), I decided I would pick up the dress Wednesday morning and do some mock-up sleeves to show them that night. Thankfully, both Spenser and Sawyer fell asleep on the way home from town and I was able to put together three sleeve choices. We went with the cap sleeve, in matching black organza, with elastic in the cuff. (The white elastic I have actually showed through the organza so I ...

I've had a crappy few days. Sawyer is being treated for pneumonia and ear issues. Spenser has had a cold with fever this week. Mason started with a random and sudden ear ache one night at dinner and again at bedtime, but it was gone by morning. And was fine for two days until the other ear felt left out and decided it wanted some attention at midnight. Repeatedly. And then it was fine the next day. And now Mason is coughing. And I think Carter is claiming that he has a cough, too. Although I haven't heard him. I had back and knee aches earlier in the week. And as soon as they were better I had a very sudden neck spasm that almost left me sitting on the sofa all day. That only lasted a day and the back and knee started back up and today it's the neck and knee. I think. I don't even know. Or maybe it's the neck, back, and knee. Whatever. I know it's an ibuprofen day for me again. (And did I mention that Joe is out of town?) All I know is that I've wiped mo...