Category: on my work table

paintings to stitch, the hexie quilt and nude rag doll news

April 18, 2020

by annwood

Every day starts with stitching owls and castles and swans etc. and making scrap hexies. I chose a few images from the daily paintings to print on linen and stitch and I love stitching them, I find it hypnotic. It’s a free style situation – choosing lines or details to highlight and embellish. I’ve only been using 3 stitches – back stitch, satin and french knots.

You can find the stitch paintings in the shop.

When I finish these I’ll keep them in the hoops and hang them in a little group – I’ll show you how to do that soon. I’m using DMC floss – the six strand stuff – separating one, two or three strands.

I love this blue bug gentleman, where is he going? Who are those flowers for? And I love the little french knot flowers for his bouquet. I used two strands of thread for these.

french knots:

Bring the needle through the fabric where you would like the knot. Hold the thread tight about and inch from the fabric with your other hand. Place your needle in front of the tight floss – be sure it’s in front – not behind.

Wind the floss around the needle twice (or once for a tiny knot), Don’t twirl the needle to wind the floss – wind it around the needle with your non-needle hand,

Keep the tension of the floss and put the needle back in right next to (not in the same hole – but very close to it) where you began. Keep the thread tight with your non-needle hand and pull the coil downward towards your fabric. Pull the needle through to finish the knot.

hexie update:

I add a few every day- I’m moving from the multicolor scrap area into a pale section and starting a dark blue group too, Lots of people are making hexies! Check out #hexiesforsanity to see. And I found a printable sheet of templates here.

Scandalous doll pattern update: Just about there and it is awesome. The hard part for me was the head – I changed my mind over and over but finally settled on a solution I’m super happy with. Stay tuned. And get some fabric – muslin or any light cotton.

What are you working on? Come across any cool projects, recipes, awesome books or ideas you’d like to share? Please leave them in the comments.

the hexie project

April 8, 2020

by annwood

It’s a perfect plan, here’s why: You can do it in bed, all you need are some scraps, the most basic sewing ability and paper. Plus it has a calming effect, for me anyway. The first thought was to use only pale, small prints. But then the idea of playing with scale and color was appealing – using large prints in these little hexies. That dissolved into abandoning all constraints and going with a fully random assemblage – no planning, no thought, inviting serendipity.

I also didn’t really have a plan for what they would become, that evolved too. At first I thought I’d patch a quilt with them- I love it when hexies or groups of them just turn up somewhere. And I used a few in my mending.

I like making them so much though I want a legit hexie project. The current plan is to just keep going and going. Instead of a fully random situation I’ve begun to plan some color transitions and shapes and lines, still taking a meandering, “yes and approach” and not laying out a design beforehand.

The idea of approaching a hexie project in a painterly and abstract way is super duper appealing to me. It’s also super duper appealing that it will take an immense amount of time over days, months, years…

They are simple to make. There are tons of detailed hexie (english paper piecing) methods, tutorials, tips and ideas on the interwebs to explore, I’ll give you some basics on my process here. I started with template paper that was precut and later made my own paper templates using magazine pages. My shape is 2 inches at the widest point. Place the paper on your fabric and cut about 3/8th of an inch from the edge.

Fold one side over the edge and finger press the fold.

Fold an adjacent side down, finger press the edge and stitch through the fold to hold it in place. Don’t stitch through the paper.

Keep your needle attached and fold down the next side and finger press the edge.

Stitch that fold and continue around until all 6 sides are basted.

After I get a bunch I press them. To stitch them together place 2 with the right sides together and whip stitch the edge. Keep adding hexies stitching one edge at a time.

After a bunch are assembled I’ve been pressing the whole thing and taking the paper out to use again – snipping out a couple stitches and using my needle to lift out the paper. This may be controversial…. I think you’re supposed to leave them in until it’s finished. Feel free to share your opinion.

resource – find printable hexie templates here.

I’m working on it every morning, marking these strange moments with hexies. I so recommend it. If you’d like to join me use #hexiesforsanity on instagram. Make something small, make something big, make a design or go free form or both – that could be awesome. I’ll be updating you regularly on my progress.

Onward,
ann

PS – if the idea appeals to you but you’re not on instagram let me know in the comments – I’ll try to put together another sharing option.

PPS – If you have tips for making and assembling hexies please share in the comments.

Be sure to check the comments for great tips!

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house for a mouse : make mini chandeliers and a bed

March 26, 2020

by annwood

Making a cozy house for nice mice: part 2 – the bedroom

If you haven’t checked out Part 1 find it right here.

The Admiral escorts Mrs. Croft off to bed.

Of course they need a bedroom too, a cozy escape from the trials of the day. The tutorial for their dear little wire bed is here.

*some links are affiliate links – meaning I get a tiny commission if you purchase through the links – they are marked with an asterisk

The fancy chandeliers are made from vintage beads and buttons and *24 gauge wire. Any wire small enough to fit through your beads will work. Improvise and work with what you’ve got – that is the spirit of the mouse house. I didn’t have a ton of beads – I gave most of them away a while ago – what was I thinking… So I took apart a couple vintage earrings, found a few glass buttons and beads and some tiny plastic seed beads.

I’ve got some tips below to get you started:

Make a circle of beads on your wire – whatever size you like. Twist 3 or four wires onto the ring – with a short end and a long end.

I used four wires – spaced out pretty evenly around the circle of beads.

Add a bead or button to the short ends and curl them up.

extreme mending and how to make a front bustle and scrap binding

February 29, 2020

by annwood

The Second Annual International Scrap Festival comes to a close today! Thanks to everybody who participated – you can checkout some of the swaps and projects here. I’m already planning the 2021 festival…

You can’t have a scrap festival without talking about mending. I love my mended sleeves and knees, it has nothing to do with being practical or frugal, although I am both of those things. Pretty much. I get nostalgic and attached about clothes and the practice itself, the mending, the meandering stitches and serendipitous layers, is a daily meditation for me.

And I like an interesting hem, not sure why, but it might be at least in part because I’m pretty short (you may not have noticed this because I project quite tall). The hitched up skirt has a little lengthening effect. And it fits right in with my middle age art lady personal style ( #contemporaryhollyhobby). I stumbled onto the front bustle, or bustled hem idea idea while mending this dress.

The first bustle was a simple button and loop. I’ve just button bustled my ancient and beloved cal patch smock. The mending on this smock is so extreme it will eventually be nothing but mends.

I have a flannel shirt (purchased for 25 cents at the Herkimer NY Goodwill) that’s like that too – just can’t let it go. Plus it keeps getting more interesting. The edges near the buttons were shredded so I made edge binding from scraps.

Check out this tutorial on how to make your own. It’s super easy. And it begins with “iron your scraps” so you know it’s a winner. I’m making a bunch of this for frayed pillowcase edges too.

Back to the bustles. I tried a different method on an antique linen nightgown I got in France last year (it started out ivory – I dyed it blue with woad).

make a bustled hem

I’m using a strip of cotton fabric that’s about 3 inches wide. You can make it any length you like – depending on how bustled you want to be. I made the cord from very light weight fabric – you could also use ribbon or twill tape, any sort of cord you like. I started with about 30 inches of cord and trimmed it .

Fold the side edges under and press, then folded the top and bottom edges over twice and pressed. Pin the piece to the skirt.

Sew a U shaped channel in the center – about one half inch wide. Sew the long sides down as well- I used a tiny whip stitch along the edge. Be sure to leave the top and bottom edges open.

Use a large needle to thread the cord through from the top.

Come out at the bottom and go back in and come out at the top again. Once the cord is in you can stitch the bottom closed (being careful not to catch the cord) or just leave it open – I left it open.

Trim the cord and knot the ends. You are bustled! If you bustle a hem I’d love to see – use #contemporaryhollyhobby on instagram.

PS – There has been serious naked lady rag doll progress – The pattern is almost done – I’m in the tiny adjustment/improvement stage. This process involves making tons of dolls and some of those, in various states of dress, will be in the shop soon.

the big 2019 review and what’s coming for 2020 : predictions, wishes and plans

January 16, 2020

by annwood

let’s start with what’s new

The second annual international scrap festival is in the works and it’s expanding to an entire month. February will officially and forever be International Scrap Month. That’s one of the nice things about inventing a festival, you get to be the boss of everything and do stuff like that. If you have met me then you know I have freakishly strong hands and I like to be the boss of everything.
*The magic fabric above is courtesy of my Brooklyn neighbor Sri threads. There is more about it at the bottom of the post

Stay tuned for details, I’m gathering a bunch of cool projects for scraps and creating a couple new tutorials for you.

And I wonder what you think of a scrap swap? Is that something you’d be interested in participating in? Tell me in the comments please. If you’re into it I’ll try to hook you up.

I’ve just added part 2 – embroidering the details to the bat appliqué – find it here.

More about what’s coming up in a minute – let’s look back

2019 went by so fast. And negativity bias is real. When I looked back my first thought was – what happened? I only made one new pdf sewing pattern and one new booklet for the shop. It seemed like an extremely unproductive year but then I scrolled through the year of blog posts and saw I published a record breaking 13 free tutorials. That was not my plan but it is what I did. Here’s the list in the order they appeared:

needle book
easy rag doll shoes
dollhouse fireplace
tiny dishes
little pants
doll bed
doll quilt
straw doll hat
bat -updated!
paper boat
penny rug
paper swan box
wax paper crystal ornaments

I’m already working on more tutorials for this year. You’ll see the first couple during the February Scrap Festival.

a couple other 2019 highlights:

*365 little paintings – I stuck to it, didn’t miss a single day. I found a rhythm and I feel like a voice is emerging. And I’ve kept going with the daily practice, still making a little painting (or drawing) everyday. I put them in the shop about every 6 weeks and there will be a new batch on Tuesday 1/21.

*And I made a paper ship installation at the Squam Art Retreat and taught workshops in Los Angeles, New Hampshire, Vermont, France and Kentucky. Such a big year.

what’s coming in 2020

In addition to planning the second annual scrap festival January is for organizing and finishing. I get very spring cleany in January – do you? There are too many unfinished projects and too many piles of things waiting to be sorted. I’m tackling those things first.

And by the time you’re reading this, I will be deeply focused on getting new sewing patterns across the finish line: the large scandalously nude rag doll, captain charmley (currently headless above) and the crow. Probably not in that order. And news is coming soon on 2020 Workshops – I’ll be in France in June and July and at Squam (spring session) in New Hampshire but those are both waitlist situations. You can join me in Vermont in March though for a super cozy workshop with French General and there will be more workshop dates for the fall very soon, I’m working out logistics now.

predictions, wishes

Looking ahead – I think and hope in 2020 we will see a resurgence of blogging. Blogging like it used to be. So many disappeared into social media. I love seeing people’s creative lives and homes. If you have a favorite blog please share it in the comments – I’d love to see. I also think smaller networks will continue to emerge – online meeting places where conversations happen and algorithms don’t choose for us.

And for me: there are all sorts of things I’d like to make this year and things I’d like to try – like printing fabric and sewing more clothes. I’ve got lots of ideas percolating and I bet you do too. My biggest wish for 2020 is margin. Putting some space between things. I’m very happy in just about everything I do as long as I don’t have to rush. I’m making a rule for myself to never rush again. I will definitely fail at this but I’m trying anyway, keeping it at the front of my mind when I’m planning things. I think it’s a discipline and will take practice. And I also believe it’s a choice.
I hope your year is full of ideas and projects and lots of time to make things.

And as always, thanks for showing up here – it makes all things possible,
ann

PS – Fabric is almost always where I start, and often fabrics that finds me. The glorious fabric at the top of the post appeared on my doorstep, a magical gift from Sri Threads. So much to think about, color combinations I would never have thought of, mending by other hands, all sorts of serendipity and endless places to start. You can see more of it on my instagram story today and check out the Sri Threads instagram feed here – there is lots of inspiration there.

PPS – Don’t forget to tell me about the scrap swap – if it’s something you’d like to participate in please let me know in the comments and I’ll get to work on it.

scrap flowers and cardinals on my work table

November 6, 2019

by annwood

Is there a color, or colors you have a hard time working with? For me it’s red. It’s not that I don’t like red, it just hardly ever seems to find its way in to anything. Until lately, all of a sudden lots of rich red scraps have been turning up (or maybe I’ve just started noticing them) and my worktable is covered with magnificent reds and crimsons.

I’m working on two projects to share at the Sugar House Retreat in March. a cardinal, and a fabric necklace. The cardinal is made from the songbird sewing pattern with a few modifications. I love all the varieties of red and pink that turn up in cardinals and I’m working on a few.

The necklace is a scrap project, most of them collected in France this summer. It’s a jump in without a plan sort of process, step one is just cutting some circles. I’m adding little bits of green too. I like the idea of using color as a starting point and a constraint and I’ll probably use the scrap necklace project ro experiment in other shades. I’ve started collecting some teal scraps for another.

If you’d like to join me in Vermont for the Sugar harvest and lots of projects, exploring and fantastic food and friends you can find more details here. It’s a small and super friendly retreat. I had a fantastic time last year and you can checkout some images from that here. Or checkout out #warmbrookbarn on instagram.

abandoned quilt tops and stitched crows

October 15, 2019

by annwood

It has some great moments and some highly questionable choices (worn towels…). All of it is very nostalgic for me.

I’m always on the look out for vintage or antique quilt tops. They are frequently super cheap and a great source for unusual little bits of fabric, perfect for all sorts of small projects (including doll quilts). Or if you find something with no objectionable moments or issues you can take it across the quilt finish line. The quilt above (found on ebay) was probably assembled in the 70’s and has lots of sweet calicos. Another I found recently is pale and has a mix of small turn of the century and depression era prints salvaged from garments. Both are coming to workshops in LA with me.

I’m using the older quilt for needle book pages. I’ve been stitching up lots for the class. You wouldn’t think machine sewing a ton of rectangles would be appealing but it is. I’ll probably get over it but right now I can’t get enough. It’s peaceful and satisfying to stack up the finished pages. Also I’m thinking of offering the pre-sewn, ready to embellish pages as a kit this winter – what do you think?

Besides needle books we will be making paper ships, beetles, mushrooms and crows. I’m bringing lots of old garments to work with.

I wonder what they talk about – somebody seems pretty bossy…

a paper ship installation and other notes from the forest

September 20, 2019

by annwood

It was a pretty cozy situation, hanging out by the fire watching paper vessels turn in the breeze. And that’s what I wanted to make. A cozy situation, a daydreaming place for anybody who chose to partake. A situation I think Mr. Roger’s would approve of. That is my barometer for lots of things – “what would Mr. Rogers think of this? What would Mr. Rogers do about this?” It never steers me wrong.

(photo by awesome @bailey.b.raha)

And the world needs more paper ships. This is my firm belief. I made lots of paper ships and boats over the last couple months to bring to the Squam Art Retreat. I hung an installation of them in the sweet little library, it’s my favorite room at the camp.

The smaller boats are quick and easy to make and I’ve made you a tutorial and templates for making your own. You can find that right here. And I’m teaching the larger ships in a workshop in October.

I love the retreat and I love that giant forest and I made the artwork for the tote bag this year! So happy with how it turned out.

And it was an exceptionally good year for mushrooms at Squam Lake. Big colorful mushrooms kept popping up all over the place. This one was just right for sheltering a tiny lady. You can find the free pattern for her little jacket and hat right here. Bundle up somebody little. It comes in Mr. socks size too.

Speaking of that mischievous cat I ran into some of the Socks cousin’s on a path, it was a happy meeting for everybody. You just never know who you might meet. As usual I was so busy being in the forest I hardly took any photos but you can find more images from the Squam Art Retreat right here.

In other news : The Owl Booklet starts shipping today! It turned out even better than I expected and I’m excited for you to get it. Thanks so much to everybody who pre-ordered. The first printing is just about sold out and there are more on the way.

applique bat : a free template and tutorial – how to make really pointy points

August 30, 2019

by annwood

It’s like boiling eggs, there are tons of different methods for getting sharp applique points. I’ve been messing around with a bat shape and working out the point situation. And I made you a template and a little tutorial because I’m nice like that.

Bats sure are pointy, they are like the applique sharp point olympics. Before we dive into that I want to show you a couple other ideas that I think would make cool embroidery or applique projects. I’m especially exited to try that green house. I think it will be my first spoonflower print. I’ve been wanting to try that for ages. The details of the house and little cat etc. could be embroidered. What do you think?

download the bat template

I think it helps to read through all the steps once before beginning. I’ll get you started with the points and curves today and be back on Sunday with more. The points took some practice for me but once I got going it want faster than I expected. Also I mostly laid it flat to take photos but found it easier to do the points especially with it draped over my knee.

1. Trace the stitch line on the template onto freezer paper.

2. Place the pattern on a piece of folded fabric. Use a cotton that’s light weight and not ravely. Tip: Use some spray starch to make the fabric a bit stiff. It helps a lot. You can even make your own spray starch if you like.

3. I cut the template in half before placing it shiny side down on the right side of the cut out fabric. Cutting it made it easier to match up all those points and the center can absorb any margin of error rather than the edges or points. Iron it to the fabric. I pinned it to a piece of vintage linen. It conveniently covers a couple spots and holes. You’ll want to use a ton of pins.

4. I’m beginning on one of the long curves. Make a small knot at the end of the thread and insert your needle from underneath. Come out at the edge of the freezer paper. You will need to make some little clips along the curve. Clip as you go in little sections. Don’t do all the clipping first. Clip to just before the edge of the paper. Don’t clip too close to the points – leave about an inch.

5. Use your needle and finger to fold the edge under and begin stitching with very tiny stitches.

6. Notice I have left about an inch of unclipped fabric before the point. Stop stitching here.

7. Tuck the fabric under the side of the point you are working on and stitch, stop about 1/4 inch before the point.

8. Fold the tip under as shown – with the folded edge flat.

9. Make a couple tiny stitches at the point.

10. For the next step I found it way easier to pick the work up off the table. Take out the pin and use your finger or the needle to fold the other side of the point down and under. Stitch down the side of the point, put the pin back in and then clip in the curve to continue towards the next point.

11. When all your points are stitched clip on each side of the head.

12. Turn the edge of the wing under and stitch. Leave the head unstitched. Clip on each side of the bottom of the bat body too – stitch on each side of the wing and tuck in the edges around the little end of the body and stitch.

13. Cut two little teardrop shapes for ears.

14. Tuck one side of the head under.

15. Fold one of the ear shapes and tuck it in on one side of the head. Stitch it in place. Repeat for the other side. Finally tuck in the edge at the top of the head and stitch.

There will be a part 2 soon for the embroidered and applique details. If you give the bat a try please use tag #annwoodpattern on instagram – I’d love to see!

click here for part 2

experiments in paper and lovely old handwork

August 16, 2019

by annwood

One of the benefits of being prolific is the mistakes and failures don’t phase you. They are just information. My process is deeply iterative. I try and fail and try again, adjusting and experimenting endlessly. I love being right in the middle of that process and it can go on for years.

The ships are like that, the paper mache ships and lately paper ships. Endless experiments and all sorts of failures and all sorts of discoveries. Discoveries and innovations that can only come (I think) from that kind of process.

I’ve been playing with paper I found in France. I went to tons of spectacular flea markets with French General. My main objective was finding paper for the ship class this October (update -this workshop was in 2019). These antique booklets are ideal and I got lots of them – the colors and quality of the paper are perfect. Totally worth the schlepping. And Kaari (French General) found wonderful old letters, ghost messages traveling time.

This antique wallpaper and these gorgeous old pattern tracings were French flea market finds too. I’m thinking of making ships with the tracings. And maybe framing a couple. The wallpaper I love just as it is.

My other paper project involves making lots and lots of smaller paper ship and boat experiments. I’m going to hang them as in installation later this year, more on that soon. It’s daydreamy work, I do my best thinking when my hands are busy.

And I’m making a ton of them so I feel improvisational and uninhibited about trying stuff. It’s a “yes and” unedited process, one thing does lead to another if you let it. I’ve been working on them every day for a while and like the cardboard horse project years ago the growing fleet is surprising me. I love looking at them. That was my original impetus for making the paper mache ships – to live with them, to look at them, it was a thing I wanted in the world. There is a full tutorial for the small paper boats coming soon (early September- ish). They are fast, easy and magic so be on the lookout for interesting paper.

And old linen:

My mother always collected fabric for me, even when I didn’t know I needed it. And apparently she still is, with perfect timing. My sister Catherine sent me this bundle of hand stitched linens she found in our Mom’s things, mostly collected at the flea markets she haunted almost every weekend. They are exquisite.

They even smell good, they smell like they should. I’m keeping almost all of them in tact, making pillow covers, stuff like that. So much beautiful handwork. There are a couple with a lot of damage I’ll make needle books with and incorporate into some applique experiments.

traveling stitch experiments, little paint boxes and something to read

August 2, 2019

by annwood

The trick is to not have a plan, choose a scrap of fabric and then choose another, a “yes and” sort of process, just see where it goes. Maybe it goes nowhere at all. It doesn’t matter. I like to take these little experiments with me, it’s good road sewing, gentle and meandering summer sewing. It’s also easy to pick up when I don’t really feel like doing anything at all but not doing anything has become awkward… This engages my curiosity very quickly and gets my wheels turning again.

Some of the experiments will become amulets and I think some may be part of a needle book. I can’t stop making needle books. And I can’t believe I didn’t make one for myself until this year. It’s so handy, always ready to go with everything I need in it. Plus the aesthetic appeal, it feels good in my hand and I love to look at it. Have you made one? Here are some more from the workshops in France.

I’m making a bigger version for traveling with larger projects. I used a piece of printer paper as a template for the page I’m working on – adding 1/4 inch seam allowance.

It’s ideal for owl and songbird wings, pinning all the little parts to a page. And maybe I need one for my paint brushes and pencils too.

*FYI – some of the links below are affiliate links – meaning I get a small commission if you purchase through the link.

I’ve held onto my daily painting/drawing/collage habit (it’s mostly painting). Today makes 214 consecutive days. It’s firmly engrained in my routine and still a huge pain in the a** some times. Having a plan for making them while traveling has helped and there are a couple little tools that made a difference. Champagne cocktails did not help (I was pretty much done when the champagne showed up though). I bring a little rag for wiping brushes and a small pad of 140 pound hot pressed paper. And lately I put a little mustard jar in my bag when I go – for water and I can mix color in the little lid.

The pocket water color box is awesome. Historically water color is not my favorite, not by itself anyway. But I also don’t like traveling with lots of tubes of acrylic. So I bring a couple basic acrylics and mix them with the water colors. The box came with a little brush that you can put water in the barrel of. I thought this was ridiculous and gimmicky and almost didn’t try it. It is so good. The water is easy to control and the quality of the brush is excellent. I just ordered a set with different sizes here. And you can get the rectangle watercolor box here for about $12 bucks. I paid almost $30…. I also bought a little round stackable box in Toulouse. I couldn’t resist the stacked circles. You can find it here.

Having a plan for the bad times is the most important thing. And accepting them. The strength of the habit helps in those times. It helps a lot. It helped in the airport in Paris after flying overnight. I was unspeakably tired and it was unspeakably hot. Being intrigued by the new little box of colors and the fancy water brush helped too. A little novelty in the mix never hurts.

I’ll leave you with the annual melancholy pool photo, a couple questions and a book recommendation.

Questions:

How do you feel about embroidery and applique patterns? I’ve had some ideas swirling around for awhile, bats, houses, botanical designs. I’m thinking of putting together some patterns and kits. What do you think? Leave a comment below please.

And the book:

I just finished The Writing Life by Annie Dillard (this is an affiliate link too). Magnificent. It’s shockingly beautiful and I didn’t want it to end. Now I’m reading a Room Of One’s Own. What are you reading? What’s on your summer book list? Please leave a comment if you feel like sharing.

Hamish Bowles’ Paris Apartment

PS- There will be lots of new little paintings in the shop on Tuesday 8/6 – noonish – NY time. If you are on the list for new artwork you will get an email when they are up. If you aren’t sure if you’re on the list send me a message and I’ll check for you.

experiments in garment sewing and the inevitable matching doll outfits

June 14, 2019

by annwood

This was bound to happen eventually… The doll and my blouse are made from a recently acquired vintage dress. Somebody lovely gave me an awesome bag of depression era dresses.

PS – There is a pattern for the elegant rag doll and soldier doll coming soon.

*This post contains affiliate links – meaning I get a small commission if you purchase through the links.

Do you sew garments? I’ve been wanting to try forever. My only adult experience was an apron/dress several years ago. It took forever and I immediately spilled bleach on it. I always meant to try again though and I kept seeing a photo of a blouse on pinterest that I loved, loved as in had to have it. It was pattern B from The Stylish Dress Book. I changed the neckline and added that little bow. Really I think my Mother added that bow, asserting herself from the beyond. It’s just the sort of thing she would do.

I learned a lot making it. Using fabric from the skirt of the sheer, vintage silk chiffon dress added a ton of difficulty. Slippery… Never again. And because it was so sheer I had to do french seams. But now I’m totally sold on french seams, so tidy and not difficult. You can find a tutorial for sewing french seams here.

I loved the simple styles in this book and found the instructions straightforward and easy to follow. The sizing and fit were hard and I had to combine sizes to make it work for me.

I also made top D from another of the vintage dresses (you might recognize the print from one of the tiny rag dolls new dresses). Again with changes. I skipped the buttons, raised the neckline and added gathering. I love it. The construction of it is super simple and I like the easy sleeve.

Here I am. Loving my just finished shirt and feeling deeply awkward about photographing myself in it. Feeling super happy about making a shirt myself won though. Pretty much.

I’m working on a dress version of pattern D now. I’m all lit up with learning and plan to sew lots more garments. There are several more in the book I want to try.

You can get the book here (I get a small commission if you do). If you try it be prepared to make muslin versions first to work out sizing.

Green has been turning up a lot lately. In non-garment sewing I’m making an owl and songbird from an Edwardian bodice and green velvet dress. I’m taking them with me to work on in France. I’ve got ambitious hand sewing plans for that trip, these guys, toadstools, seedpods, amulets – all sorts of things.

I’m officially in full on pre-departure frenzy right now and should probably stop sewing clothes. This week I tried watering globes for my plants. I wasn’t all that optimistic about them but I’m a week in and they’re working out surprisingly well, I’m going to get a bunch more before I leave.

It’s important to saturate the soil and then make a hole with a stick, tamping down the dirt so it’s not loose. The first time I put them in the plants weren’t saturated enough and the water ran right out. I think the globes will get my dear plant friends through the few days they’ll be on their own. You can find the watering globes here (this is an affiliate link – I get a small commission if you use it to purchase). And if you’ve got other automatic plant watering ideas I’d love to hear.