Basic Sewing II - Girl's Dress

What is it about little girls that makes everyone get their girly-girl on? All of a sudden, even the most diehard tomboy holdout surrenders to the pink and frothy when faced with a baby girl. Or more specifically, little girl dresses. And really who can resist - all that insane cuteness. Bring on the poufy!



For my second sewing class with Ondrea, we set out to make view C. Quite possibly the cutest of the cute. Nothing sweeter than a Peter Pan collar and puffy sleeves.

I thought long and hard about the fabric selection. I wanted something that would toughen up the dress, give it a little bit of an edge. Skull and crossbones? Too subversive. Palm trees? Too Lily Pulitzer. In the end, I settled on this modish flower print in very girly colors with just enough Merrimekko to make me happy.


Did my two year old niece like it?




I think she did. Almost as much as the little bird I made from the scraps - that's what she's holding in the pictures. I was planning to make a whole bunch for a bird mobile. But someone stole all my birdies.


New Look 6309
Easy Dress for Kids

Fabric: from Joanne's

Bird pattern: free from Spool's blog. See sidebar for a linky to the pattern.

Sewing Lessons

When I was in middle school, I made a pair of madras shorts from a pattern that was reassuringly marked "easy". It was easy and it felt exhilarating to make something that I could actually wear. I wore those shorts to shreds and sadly they are no longer in my possession. However, I still have the baby blanket that I made soon after. Actually, my mom made. Once she saw that I was interested in sewing, she decided to take over. She had been a seamstress and had taken sewing lessons when she was younger. She vetoed my fabric choices (alternating pink and blue squares) and insisted on a blue gingham coordinated with with a blue floral print. She tut-tutted my sloppy stitches and noted where my squares didn't completely match up. When I wanted to finish the blanket with a simple binding, she usurped the blanket and sewed up the matching ruffle herself. In retrospect, her color choices were probably more tasteful and the ruffle did give it a very nice finished look. However, I lost interest in sewing with that blanket. A hobby that required me to spend any more time with my overbearing mother was clearly not the hobby for me.

Years later, I bought myself a sewing machine with the vague ambition of throwing together some curtains and pillows for my new apartment. I used it a few times and then let it sit in its case gathering dust. When I started knitting again, I thought about sewing but never got motivated enough to dig out my Kenmore. I couldn't remember how to thread the machine anymore and the manual had always been an intimidating read.

And then a few months ago, I happened to walk by a vacuum and sewing machine store. Why do vacuums and sewing machines go together? "Hi, I'm looking to replace my old Miele. Oh, is that a Babylock Imagine serger you have there? It just so happens that in addition to vacuuming, I do all the mending too." There was a sign in the window about sewing lessons. Sometimes I act impulsively with good results. I signed up for Basic Sewing: Make a fun Apron! Here's a picture.


An action shot:

I got reacquainted with my sewing machine and found that I could still drudge up dormant knowledge stuffed into the Home Ec file in my brain. Sewing was fun again.

The class was taught by a hipster girl just recently graduated from FIT in NYC. She has a PhD in pattern making or something like that. She also has a cool name: Ondrea Bonvecchio (but alas she has no website or blog that I could reference here. You'll have to email me if you want her contact info).

As for the apron, I'm quite pleased with it. I spent hours at Joann's until I finally settled on this fabric printed with cartoony trees in colors that make me smile. However, I did make one huge uncorrectable error. I cut the pattern out upside down.


Oops. However, I figured it was okay and I could live with it. Here is my rationale: when I'm wearing the apron and I happen to look down, the trees are right side up. Brilliant!

If I were to make this apron again, I would use a heavier weight fabric - maybe a decorator weight or even an oilcloth. The calico cotton I used was just too flimsy. But overall, a great first project. Next up: Basic Sewing II: Make a little girl's dress.


Laura's Sewing and Vacuum (they don't have a website either)
3958 Northlake Boulevard, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
561-799-5228

McCall's pattern 2947
Misses apron
View F

Fabric: Print was marked "Made exclusively for Joann's"
Pocket and bias straps made from solid quilting cotton also purchased from Joann's.

Broken Hearted

I really miss Harry. I think about him every day. My therapist Terri says this is the price one pays for love. I wish I could say that I pay it willingly but it's kind of rough missing him so much. The other day I had a minor meltdown when I was cleaning his nose smudges off the glass patio doors. One minute I'm spraying Windex. The next minute I'm sobbing so hard that I have to sit on the floor.

Grief is painful. But necessary; I can't imagine not grieving for Harry. I keep telling myself that the loss I feel is a testament to the friendship. The greater the friendship, the greater the loss. But sometimes the grief is so intense that I wonder how I'll get through it.

But I will. Grief is universal. Talking to my friend Stacey I complained that every good dog story ends the same tear-jerking way. Stacey reminded me that it's not just dog stories; it's every story.

I've found that certain things help. Seeing other dogs, petting them, watching them play sometimes brings tears to my eyes but always a smile too. Swimming in the ocean helps. Floating on my back while the waves bob me up and down, I find it easy to enter into a meditative state. I feel completely in the moment. No past to burden me, no future to worry me. Yoga helps in the same way although lately it's been hard to get myself to the mat. Sometimes my yoga practice is like that - quiet, dormant.

Writing helps. So does reading, cooking, knitting, and daydreaming. I've been spending a lot of time at the sewing machine lately, puzzling over different seam finishes and whatnot. It's both soothing and satisfying to dream up something and then sit down and make it.

Harry used to get upset with me when I cried too loudly. It alarmed him. He would nudge me with his nose and then bark at me, as if to say, "Come on, already! That's quite enough now. Let's go for a walk!"

Goodbye old friend

Our best buddy Harry passed away last week. He died in my arms, my face buried in his fur. The Yarn Widower was there too with his hand resting on his head. I don't think Harry quite knew what was going on as he had been confused for a while so I pray that he wasn't feeling too much pain and that he knew he was loved and cherished.

Harry was fifteen. Old for a Jack Russell. Along with his canine dementia, he had spinal cord impingement and was unable to walk without help. In the last week or so, he couldn't get up or even stand. I like to think that we helped him as best we could. But he cried a lot. Even with the pain medication.

Two months ago, the Yarn Widower built him a wheelchair so he could still get outside and go for his walks. It gave Harry enough support so that we could mosey over to the fire hydrant and he could mark it as his. He seemed to like it, I think. He would patiently wait to be strapped in so he could gad about.


Nice wheels, Mister H!

He'd always been such an active guy. True to his terrier nature, he could chase the ball with the best of them. Often he would tire me out before he'd even dream of quitting. I think his eyesight and back legs failed him before his enthusiasm for the hunt waned. Squirrels and tennis balls the world over have less to fear now that Harry is gone.

He was a great friend and confidante. He made me happy when not much in this world made me happy. He chased away my loneliness and fear. He gave me comfort and unlimited love. I will always be grateful for him. No matter how much sadness I feel at his loss, I thank whatever gods may be for sending Harry my way. Rest well, sweet Harry. We'll meet again in the next life.

Harry Kim Schmidt
1994-2009

Sea Grass Clapotis

I started this project back in October when the Yarn Widower first asked me if I wanted to live in South Florida. Sure, why not? But what do Floridians knit? A brief polling of my DC Stitch-n-Bitch came up with: tank tops and bikinis. Tank tops are fine. I'll reserve judgement on knitting a bikini for now.

But what about scarves? Not the thick woolly muffler kind. I was thinking more the thin wispy breathable kind. And I already had just the perfect yarn for it.

Pattern: Clapotis
Yarn: Tili Thomas Voile de la Mer in color Forest
Silk and SeaCell
Needles: US2

The yarn is actually much more beautiful than my paltry photography skills allow. It's a lustrous combination of soft greens, browns and dark beige. It reminds me of the plantlife that grows along beaches.

This is my Move to Florida Scarf. I worked on it before, during and after the move. This is also the project that I brought on the long drive from Philly-DC-Atlanta-North Palm Beach. When I wasn't driving or holding Harry in my lap, I would knit a few rows before I fell asleep. It was a nice feeling - having the Yarn Widower in the seat next to me, Harry sitting in the back and this yarn flowing through my hands.

That was more like a sabbatical...

Moving into a new house is fun and exciting. But also hard (stripping yucky wallpaper) and time-consuming (again, yucky wallpaper). Now the walls are painted, most of our stuff is unpacked and it's finally starting to look like Our Place.

Our sewing room/guest room mid-intervention - damn you, wallpaper border!


And after

Ah, now I can relax by the pool.


And enjoy the view.

Bloggin' on hiatus while moving

It's true - the Yarn Widower went and got himself a job in North Palm Beach Florida. He's asked me to come along and seeing how we're married and all, I very graciously said yes. I forgot how much of a hassle moving can be. Note to self, moving is a Big Deal. Lots of coordinating, strategizing and negotiating. Not to mention the packing, the cleaning, obtaining new digs while unloading old place. This is all fine and good except it leaves little time/energy for knitting or writing. Enough to make a girl cranky.

I'm thinking of asking the Yarn Widower for a raise. Or at least a new Nikon D40.