Three Kitchen Fairies

Alabama Stitch and Printing by Hand

 

During the Holiday break, while everybody around here was busy playing Wii, I got myself a little something on line. These two books are to die for..."Alabama Stitch" beautiful projects, stories of the happiness in sewing tradition, and astonishing pictures.  I can't wait to make this skirt. Isn't it marvelous? The more I look through the book the more I want to make the projects. The fact is, that sometimes buying clothing is kind of frustrating for me. I think I have more of a personal style, or a comfort zone, or maybe it's that I have to fix everything I buy. I'm kind of short (5'2",)  but this skirt will for sure do...

 

"Printing by hand" by Lena Corwin will be the cure for my decaying printing skills. I've been missing the etching press for a long time and I really don't see it coming back any time soon. This book is all about printing, stamping, silk screening...on fabric. What can be better than that.  Looking through its pages I feel like grasping air after a big cry, like there is hope for me...so dramatic.

 

On a different note, I want to thank you all for your hugs and get well wishes for Fairy #2. She is much better now, talking, and smiling much more. Thank you lovely ladies!!

That's all for today, my girls are done with their tv show, so back to reality.

P.                                        

Work in [very slow] progress

 

Everything is moving slow around here, typical for the end of January. Fairy #2 is getting better. And Fairy #3 will be four years old by the end of the week. I'm sewing a "Birthday outfit" for her. She requested a t-shirt with four 'mouses' and a 'skinny' skirt. So here I'm sewing during the times that they are feeling well entertained by themselves, which is rarely happening.

The giveaway business: Katy is organizing a humongous giveaway for the weekend (Wednesday, February 4th) and I'm joining in. The details here. It will be fun, so why not postpone my personal giveaway to make this one first.

Ciao for now.

P.

Sunday Stash 8

I thought I wouldn't be able to post my "Sunday stash" today...it's been kind of rough weekend with a sick child at home, and two more full of energy. My poor baby (fairy #2) has been having a bad cold that has made her asthma react worse than I have ever seen it. We made it to the doctor's office right before she would have to go directly into the ER. She is on oral steroids and inhalers, getting better little by little.                                                                                                                      Yesterday I decided to take a break, and left my husband in charge. Guess where I went? The fabric store. I got some white fabric for my wagon wheels quilt, and also got these combination of blue, red and white. It's kind of different of what I usually buy, I like it.                                                      Click here for more Sunday Stash.

I'll be back in a couple of days with a giveaway. Have a great week!

P.

Recycling...

 

As a household with three little girls, my husband and I agreed to the three R's: Re-new, re-use, re-cycle. This not only helps our budget, but also makes most pieces of the girl's wardrobe special. Like this sweater. It was bought three years ago in Argentina. Is a good quality sweater but we know is Clara's sweater. I decided to renew it, and it went lsort of like this...

   

felted wool brooch and fabric covered buttons. I still can decide between the brown buttons or the fabric covered ones. Which one should I leave??? Any suggestions?

P.

PS: I'm done with my forty wagon wheels!!

More felt...

 

A friend of mine gave me a bag full of felted wool scraps. I've been loving every little piece of it. Each one has so much potential...

 

Maybe a brooch, or some ponytails. Or, literally, just for fun...

 

One more:

 

Tomorrow I'll let you know if I was able to be somehow [craft-wise] productive.

P.

Our New President.

"The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness." excerpts from President Barack Obama's speech.

I can not tell you the excitement of watching President Barack Obama taking over the presidency of our country. I can feel the fulfillment of "the dream," I can see that my vote counted, that I'm somehow helping make history...I told my girls "you are living it, you will tell your grandkids the story of the first African- American President..." We applauded in the living room, danced, and celebrated.

God bless America!!

P.

Sunday stash 7

 

It's really cold outside, but at the fabric store it's already spring. Three months more of frigid temperatures and the spring cottons are already in. And the wool felt is all the way at the back of the store. I've never done anything with felt in my sewing life, so why not give it a try. The colors I found were so bright I couldn't resist...

Happy Sunday Stash!!

P.

Almost four...

 

This year January is kind of slow around here. The weather is dreadful. I've been keeping my preschooler at home protected from the below 0 Fahrenheit degrees windshield. I have spent most of this week's mornings playing with her, drawing, and talking of course. The conversation this month is all about her upcoming birthday, she will be four years old in a couple of weeks. "Mom, can you sew a t-shirt with four 'mouses' for my birthday? "

Due to our well spent time together I have not been able to make it to the sewing table. In the meantime we'll be just planning her birthday, and drawing 'mouses' for her t-shirt, enjoying the bad weather, and the last days of having a three year old girl.

P.

20 wheels to go...

 

Some people are into hexagons, some are into squares. This time I'm into circles.

 

The quilt I'm making this time is for my youngest daughter. It's going to be made mostly out of scraps, and a few fat quarters.  The "wagon wheels" are to be applique onto white 12" by 12" pieces of white fabric that has a tiny lighter white print. 

I drew a diagram of what I have to do. This is the way I reason with my ideas. I've been cutting the little pieces of fabric for each circle since Christmas and I think I have enough to play with. 20 wheels are already made and I have 20 more to go. A friend of mine, who lovingly claims to be my daughter's godmother, is going to help me with the applique. Hopefully this quilt will be done like in four months, that's what it usually takes me. I have a plan now, I just have to stick to it.

Wish me luck!!

P.

Sunday Stash 6

 

I've been thinking of a trip to the fabric store, even buying from etsy, but I haven't found the time to do so. As I was going through my fabric stash this morning looking for something to show you, I found some treasures. Two panels of the Wizard of Oz fabric. I love this movie, in fact I can count it as one of my favorites.

 

And these three cuts of fabrics have been in my stash since last year. I bought them during our last summer vacation at a little quilting store in Elk Rapids, MI. Maybe this year they will turn into something cute and beautiful...

More Sunday stash here.

Have a great week!!

P.