treat your tootsies with a free pattern

i truly meant to post this last night…but i have to admit that once my “seat” hit a seat i was done for!  i hope you all had a wonderful thanksgiving and that those of you who participate in black friday are finding some amazing deals.  as for me, i cherish the friday after thanksgiving since my house is still relatively clean, there are tons of leftovers so i don’t have to cook, and the day is wide open….free to sew, knit, read, or do absolutely nothing at all!!

so, about this free pattern.  i was invited to help danica at sew liberated build, man and disassemble her booth at fall quilt market.  it was a fantastic experience!  we had also been asked by shannon fabrics to teach a schoolhouse session class.  as a part of that class, danica asked me to design some smallish pattern that used some of shannon fabrics great fabrics and this slipper pattern is the result.

this pair was my prototype.  unfortunately i didn’t take any pictures of the ones i made for the booth.  what i love about this pattern is that you can change it up easily….using a plain exterior?  add some embroidery.  add rice-rac or trim around the top edge, add some buttons, or even piece your exterior fabric for a quilted look.

shannon’s cuddle suede is perfect for the soles.  i used regular cotton on this pair, but used the suede for all the other samples and much prefer it.  it’s easy to work with and gives a natural bit of “grip”.  since it’s hard to adhere fusible interfacings to the suede i simply cut the interfacing, placed it on the wrong side of the suede and added a few rows of stitching to hold it in place.  the interior used their cuddle fabric (softness beyond belief!) and the exteriors were cotton and double gauze.

i originally used fleece and batting in the soles, but have since discovered 2 great alternatives.  soft and stable by Annie’s, and flex-foam by pellon. all my holiday gift slippers will use one of these to add just a bit more padding.

i hope you enjoy the pattern.  to download it, go to our tutorials page and click on the highlighted text. it’s graded for 5 sizes (the medium is size 7) so you can make a pair for yourself and everyone on your gift list!  i’d love to see pictures of all the completed slippers…hope you’ll share!

kim

 

 

 

A simple advent calendar

When I was growing up, our Advent calendar was a little wall hanging with pockets. The top was a snowcovered house and there was a little mouse that we moved from pocket to pocket as we neared Christmas.

My parents still put that calendar out every year, so this year I started thinking about some ways to celebrate Advent at our house and remind us to take time to enjoy the season. I came across this post on A Beautiful Mess and decided to do something similar.

We have some sections of weathered fencing left over from fencing our backyard, so I pulled a few boards off of one scrap piece and cut them to length. My tree is about 3 1/2 feet high and the “branches” are about 12″, 15″ and 21″ or so.

I knew I didn’t want the kids to have chocolate every day (a whole month of daily chocolate might be enough to make me put them out with the cat), and I also didn’t want to amass 24 (x 2 kids, so 48, ugh) little toys to unwrap every day, so I settled on activities that we can do together each day, scheduling the activities to coincide with my work schedule and other obligations.

I glued and stapled regular sized clothespins to the boards and used a big punch to make red and green paper “ornaments” that I wrote activities on. Each day we’ll take down that day’s ornament, do the activity and replace it with a pretty metallic paper ornament as we count down to Christmas. 

If you’re looking for ideas of what to do with your kids, here’s a post I wrote for our library listing many of the activities we will be doing. Some of them are specific to our area, but most communities have similar things going on at this time of year.

Happy Thanksgiving! We’re thankful to all of you who take the time to stop over to our corner of the internet.

-Elizabeth

cider house in corduroy

 

it’s been a mild fall, but lately we’ve had a few days with just a bit of nip in the air…perfect weather for a new cider house jacket!!  the brushed cotton one i made for the photo shoot was just a bit too big, although i think it will be great with a sweater.  but i wanted one to wear to quilt market and for fall days just like the ones we’ve been experiencing.  so i made a corduroy version….and i love it!!

i’ve had this corduroy in my stash for a while, just waiting for the right pattern.  i fell in love with the color and the print and hoped that it would work well for the cider house jacket.  i began the jacket, but then decided that it needed just a little something to show off the seam lines…my favorite detail of the jacket.  so i added a tiny bit of lining fabric in each seam and it worked!!  i sort of forgot to lengthen the sleeve….i “need” a nice long sleeve, so instead of finishing the sleeve facing ‘correctly’, i turned it back leaving just a bit showing on the outside (to match the seam lines of course!).  again, it worked!

i like it best with black jeans…makes that blue really pop!  but it goes with everything and it’s going to see a lot of wear.

have a wonderful thanksgiving.  preparations here have begun and i’m so looking forward to it.  i have so much to be thankful for.  stop by friday for a sweet surprise…something to help you check off a few of those gifts on your list, or maybe just to pamper yourself.

kim

 

Uncle Sam-style Blank Slate Patterns Basic Blazer

Does anyone else get just a little bit paralyzed with all of the costume possibilities for a baby or toddler? I am one of those people who gets a little overwhelmed by Chinese restaurant menus that are 10 pages long, so when it came to Jack’s first Halloween a few years ago… well… it went something like this. “He would be the most adorable little Han Solo! But he could be a little lion! But what about a scarecrow! Or one of the hobbits! ….”

I finally decided that I had to narrow it down somehow, so he has been something related to his name every year: a jack-o-lantern at 11 months, a Jack in the box at 23 months and a Jack of all trades this year.

I decided to continue the practice this year for Samuel, so I put together a little Uncle Sam outfit for him using Blank Slate Patterns’ Basic Blazer.*

He was not super impressed the night of the Fall Festival at church and is crying in the only semi-decent picture I got of the whole costume (I made a red bow tie out and white beard out of fleece that clipped to his shirt collar), so we had a photo shoot last week in our bedded-down garden (because: STRAW!!).

The jacket is made out of polar fleece with a red striped cotton lining. I’m wishing I would have interfaced the collar pieces since the cotton tends to bunch up a bit (I was in a hurry (surprise) and didn’t have interfacing handy at the time). I think next time I make this jacket I may play with the shape of the collar a bit since it’s fairly thin in the back and wants to stand up instead of rolling over (perhaps the lining facing needs to be just a smidgen bigger than the main fabric to give it enough room to roll? Or it may have just been the thickness of the fleece that was the problem), but I love the look of the jacket and want to make more.

I chose fleece more for warmth than fashion, but it actually works really well for this pattern. The shape of the jacket is crisp enough to still look suit-y while being more comfortable than a suiting fabric would have been.

To complete the look I printed an “I Want You!” logo, cut it in a circle, and glued it to cardboard and a pin back.

Lovely pattern, Melissa!

Our interview with Melissa is here if you’d like to read it.

-Elizabeth

* I purchased the pattern and was not compensated in any way for this review. 

book review: the little spark

i’m not as good at book reviews as elizabeth, and i rarely read “self-help” style books.  but The Little Spark, 30 Ways to Ignite Your Creativity by carrie bloomston was a recommended read, so i picked up the only copy at my local barnes & noble.  i’ll admit right up front that i haven’t complete ALL the assignments, but carrie pointed out at the beginning of the book that you could plow straight through or take them in any order.

in carrier’s words “this book is an interactive workbook designed to help you step into a creative life through engaging exercises, fun activities, inspirational images and motivating ideas.”  and that it is!  there are snippets of success stories, beautiful images, tons of encouragement and some truly interesting exercises.

carrie states “The Spark is your creativity, and you were born with it. We all were. Humans have always felt its pull.”  true words.  we all have it…whether we use it to create art, food, shelter or even technology.  “your desire to make things is bigger than you.”

the exercises within this book urge you to “just start”, help you create a space to do that, teach you how to dispel your fears, and trust yourself.

my favorite quote from the book is “nothing you need to know is in this book or any other.”  “Everything you need is within you.”

pick up a copy…you’ll find your spark.

kim

disclaimer: i purchased this book on a whim.  my ruminations and recommendation was not influenced by or paid for by the author or distributor.

New ironing table!

When I was in college and just after I worked in a few costume shops for the college theater, a local light opera, and a nearby university. I learned a lot about sewing and drafting during that time, but the thing that has stuck with me over the years was the furniture the shops were equipped with that made everything about sewing and creating such a breeze.

First there were the cutting tables. Made of plywood and two by fours with an MDF top so we could use rotary cutters without damaging anything, they were standing height or a little above (maybe 40″ high? Higher than kitchen counters) and they were wonderful to work on. They even had a lower deck to store supplies and rest one foot on while you were working.

And then there was the ironing table. Not an ironing board. Nothing so flimsy. An ironing table, the size of a kitchen table and padded and stretched with muslin for easy yardage pressing. We had sleeve boards and tailor’s hams for sleeves and fiddly bits, but for the most part it was just 3’x4′ of pure ironing surface. (12 SQUARE FEET OF IRONING POTENTIAL.) Not to make a big deal out of it, but it made an impression.

So when I saw this old workbench sitting by my neighbors’ curb I knew what it wanted to be.

I had a sample of fabulous sunset orange paint on hand that has been waiting for the perfect project and a scrap of the most adorable woodland fabric that was waiting for a chance to shine.

I’m sure that the shelves will be more heavily laden than this shortly (and I’m dreaming of matching crates or baskets to prettify it), but for now this is making my heart beat a little faster every time I enter the studio.

And look at all that surface area. It makes me want to iron All the Things.

If you are hankering to make your own ironing table, I just stretched two layers of cotton batting across the part of the table I wanted to cover and stapled it to the underside of the tabletop, covered it with one layer of muslin and stapled that and it was done. I will never fight with a flimsy ironing board again.

-Elizabeth

wooly goodness

it’s november…almost mid november, and aside from the occasional sweater, no wool has been required.  it’s been a lovely warm fall and it’s been glorious!  but…i know that cooler weather has to be coming soon because the urge to sit and knit has grown to strong to ignore.  and so, the ritual of sticks and string (and a glass of wine) has returned.  i knit year round, but there’s something about fall that makes that wooly goodness even more enjoyable.  could it be because it’s dark already when i return home in the evening?  or is it some inborn need to protect loves ones from the cold?  who knows, and frankly, who cares?  just hand me my needles and don’t talk while i’m counting stitches!!!

i wear hand knit socks….a LOT!!  so socks are my go-to knitting.  easy to pick up and stitch in the car…at appointments…while waiting for bread to bake.  i love me a good heel flap!!  now that’s not a sentence you hear every day.  there’s just something magical and sometimes mystical about how a sock is made.  as soon as i cast off a pair, i cast on another….no such thing as too many socks, after all, they do wear out eventually!

a peek inside part of my sock drawer…don’t judge!!  i wear them all!!

these two pair just came off the needles…and a pink pair took their place.

i noticed that i lean toward earthy colors and decided to go a bit “wild”.  yep, i’m weird like that.

but it’s not all socks.  i have several sweaters in my closet too…and too many scarves to make sense…and another favorite being fingerless mitts.

but this winter and next spring there are a couple of babies joining the family.  they too must be kept warm, so little bitty sweaters are on the needles too.

not quite finished, and definitely not yet blocked.  my absolute favorite baby sweater pattern. another evening to finish the second sleeve, a quick dunk, some drying time and a couple of dear little buttons is all this one needs and i’ll be on to the next.

any knitters out there?  socks, sweaters, scarves, mitts…what’s your favorite item to knit?  do you need wine and m&m’s to make the evening complete?

just one (or two) more rows and i’ll make dinner….i promise!

kim

In praise of less

So I get that minimalism isn’t a new thing. Everyone on the planet has Marie Kondo-d their houses, we all read Apartment Therapy‘s tips for living in small spaces, we know to rid our lives of clutter… we’re on it.  Nothing in this post is anything that hasn’t been said before, it’s just a testimonial to the power of less.*

But you guys.

Earlier this week, my almost 3 year old and I went toe-to-toe over picking up his toys before naptime. Now, we live in a 484 square foot house, so it’s not like we own a ton of toys to begin with. And a couple months ago (in my Marie Kondo/ Simplicity Parenting fervor) I gathered up all of our toys and sorted out half or more of them to put away in the garage because I noticed that Jack was arranging his toys in rows instead of actually playing with them (a sign that he had too many according to Simplicity Parenting).

But when Jack refused to help pick up his toys earlier this week I issued an ultimatum: pick up your toys or they’re going away. He called my bluff and said he wanted them gone.

So they are.

I’m not a monster. They’re in the garage with all the other toys that are put away. The only things I left out are the books**, a Thomas the Train track and trains, a Clipo set from Grandma that has seen some play lately (mostly from the 15 month old who likes to empty and refill the bucket, but whatever), a stacking rings set, one Hess truck and our wooden blocks. 

But you guys.

They’re playing with all of it.

And they’re playing *nicely* with all of it. And not just dumping it all out and leaving it or lining it up in rows that can’t be touched.

And when it’s time to clean up it takes less than a minute and there are no tears as long as Jack can “be-tend that I’m a big cuhWAIN and I’m YOADing sings!” (… say it out loud. You’ll get it.)

So as the holidays approach and you’re bombarded with advertisements for All The Things, consider this a nudge in a different direction. If a kid adores one truck, 10 more aren’t going to make him 10x happier. But fewer options available to him will lead to more focused, deeper play. I’ve seen it.

And don’t worry. He’ll still have the pleasure of strewing every toy in the house around the living room. It will just be less likely to make both of you cry.

– Elizabeth

* No affiliate links in this post, just stuff I’ve used or read or liked.

** Half of our books are also put away, ready to be pulled out when we’re bored with this set.

Book review: Sew Organized for the Busy Girl

Ok, so the fact that I am posting this at 7pm instead of 7am as I intended suggests that this is an appropriate book for me, but have you guys come across Heidi Staples’ Sew Organized for the Busy Girl yet?*

It came through the library the other day and the cover caught my eye, so I checked it out. I love Heidi’s comment in the introduction: “Whether we like it or not, life is going to be busy… and thus is not necessarily a bad thing. It becomes bad when we let the craziness hijack our lives so completely that we don’t leave any room for the things that bring us joy. We need joy. Life becomes boring and utterly depressing without it.”

She makes a case for why we should make time to sew, then offers tips on creating a sewing space and instructions for  twelve cute sewing projects including a couple of clutches, a doll set, pillows, quilts and a sweet little sewing kit. Her quiz for discovering your “workspace personality” and her organization tips make my wannabe Type A heart happy. (I am a dyed in the wool type B, but I envy my Type A friends their organization if not their anxiety levels.)  My first project will be the Girl Friday sewing case.

The book led me to Heidi’s blog (which is new to me- am I the only one who doesn’t know about Fabric Mutt?), and I love her eye for color and fabric choices.

If you’re in the mood for some sewing inspiration, check out Sew Organized for the Busy Girl and make time for your joy.  Well done, Heidi!

*Note: I was not given a book or compensated in any way for this review, I just like this book and think you might, too!

-Elizabeth