Evan just helped me finish my very first alphabet poster, which should arrive in 3-5 business days. :)

But I’m so excited that I’m sharing it now.  I ordered an 11 x 14, and if the print turns out well, then I’ll order more for the shop.  Oh, I can’t wait!  Those fundamental bits of the English language bring out the giddy college student in me.

Well…

Maybe the 1st grader with safety scissors.

P.S. Thank you, whoever nominated Thimbly Things for the Okie Blog Awards!  I feel so honored.  Good luck to all the nominees!

This is my fourth project from Cal Patch’s Design-it-Yourself Clothes.  [Note: I love Cal, not only for writing the best “craft” book ever, but also for talking to me as I work my way through it.  She understands pattern-making and delights in seeing others “get it.”  Thank you, Cal!]

This is just about the most basic dress one can make.  I think that next time I make it, I’ll make the waist a wee bit higher.  And perhaps the neckline would benefit from a slight sweetheart shape.

[Click on this photo to see it on Flickr and read my notes.]

I kind of want to make a strapless version of this.  But that’s a whole different deal.  I need boning or elastic or something else to make that work.  (Cal?)

This is a simple sundress.

With pockets.  Of course.   And the fabric is the reverse side of the denim I used for this debacle.  I remembered that when purchasing the denim, I actually fell in love with the wrong side of the fabric.  So I decided to use it!

I like it.

Now.  Bring on the sun! :)

P.S. See what Flossie Teacakes has made from the book too.  She’s amazing!

Hi everyone!  Valentine’s Day is coming soon, and I have an extra “I LOVE US” photograph.  It’s a 4″ x 6″ with thin white borders.  Perfect to give a special friend (or yourself!).

So why not share the love with an old-fashioned GIVEAWAY?!?  After all, it has been a while.  And I do love us.

Leave a comment on this post before Tuesday, February 9th at noon CST, and I’ll randomly select a winner (from the U.S. or Canada).

Good luck! <3

EDIT: True Random Number Generator Result: 4

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And the winner is LISA from Suck it Up, Princess!!!  Lucky girl. : )  I’ll be sending you an email to get your address ASAP.  Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway!

What’s inspiring me now…

1. crochet vintage, 2. Smitten on wall, 3. I’ll Give You All I Can…, 4. love is beautiful, 5. 4., 6. Fairy Stories, 7. Untitled, 8. Workspace, 9. cupboard, 10. textile pattern, 11. Pink Vanilla Meringue, 12. Spools, 13. Wednesday Jan 27 2010, 14. The Magic Green Bike, 15. Inspiration, 16. Kitchen, 17. After 3, 18. Over Sized, “I Feel Pretty” Bow Brooch, 19. final nesting spot, 20. Untitled, 21. Untitled, 22. Untitled, 23. daily wear 01-22-10, 24. ROUND, 25. ＊cupcake #1

Created with fd’s Flickr Toys

Hello!  And welcome to the alphabet. :)  I’m working on some ABC prints for the shop.  Until then, I’ve just listed a couple more photographs:

Budding Branches 4 x 6

Vintage Buttons 4 x 6

Rae, Dana, and a slew of other fabulous bloggers are helping to “Celebrate the Boy” all February.  And guess what?  I’ve been asked to contribute!  Afterall, I do have a boy.  And he needs celebrating.

Here’s an example of this sweet child’s life:

That is Jacob.  Note that he is surrounded by pinks and florals of various sorts.  He can often be found hugging baby dolls and drinking from tiny teacups…

or trying on broken Cinderella gear, mommy’s boots, or heart-shaped sunglasses.  Not that he doesn’t love cars or balls or roaring at us or whatever.  But he is surrounded by girliness.

Thus, it will be refreshing to focus on The Boy for a bit.  There will be tons of ideas, tutorials, round-ups, etc. over at Made by Rae and MADE.   And all in celebration of our little men!

I’ll be sharing a tutorial on how to make a soft toy.  What will that be?  I have some ideas brewing, but I’d love to hear from you!  What would you like to see?  Something I’ve made in the past?  Something fresh?

Pirates?

Tell me!  I’ve got a couple weeks to pull my bit together, and I LOVE HEARING FROM YOU! :)

Today, the clouds are bright, fluffy, and a bit cheerful.  They seem to be filtering the sun so it doesn’t melt the beautiful snow too fast.

Thanks for thinking of us through the storm!  I’ll be back on Monday with an announcement…

And I’m not pregnant if that’s what you’re thinking. ;)

P.S. I just listed another Keep Calm and Carry On 5 x 7.  Happy Saturday!

P.P.S.  Those icicles pictured yesterday are now as long as 2.5 ft.  Yikes.

So I guess we’re alright for now.

Here’s the view from our kitchen window:

What you see here is snow falling on ice.  And some very long icicles forming on the neighbor’s house.

If we do lose power, we’ll be eating peanut butter or spinach & avocado on pita bread with oranges and cold-brewed coffee (Oh yeah, I’d better grind it up while I can!). We’ll bundle up in blankets, color in coloring books, and play Scrabble.

For now, I’d better take advantage of the hot water, the stove, and the coffee grinder.

Stay warm & safe, friends!

I have about 23 tabs open in my window.  Which is precisely why Evan and I have our own windows on the computer.  I don’t want to drive him nuts.  But I digress.

What can I say?  I’m a bit of a collector.  And there’s so much inspiring me right now that I simply must share some of it.

• Jackson, Johnston & Roe. - lovely spring collection in all the right colors
• Happy Tape
• Baby Bean Vintage Daywear - everything I would make/buy for Emily if she wore clothes
• Simon Page’s amazing posters
• Miss Mabel
• Simple handmade puzzle toy by mer mag
• Orchid Grey’s hair styling expertise
• Chai tea concentrate love from everyone’s favorite Chicken
• This pouf I can’t buy unless I move to Denmark
• Saltwater
• And to round off the collection, A Collection a Day

I have Cal Patch to thank (again) for this little Basic Tee.  I drafted a pattern for this using my measurements, her instructions, and a healthy dose of trial-and-error to get the right fit.  I know I’ve said this already, but I highly recommend her book.

My biggest (and really the only) mistake was measuring too far across my shoulders.  I have broad shoulders for my small frame, but my shirts do not need to be as broad as I measured.  So the first pattern draft looked bizarre.  Can you tell?  That shoulder is ridiculous.  But I had no idea.

I even compared it to a shirt that fits me (from GAP), but didn’t get the hint that I was way off.  Until I sewed the entire shirt together…

And the tops of my shoulders were drooping down to my biceps.  I did not take pictures. :)

Then came the seam ripper.

I took 2 inches off the width of my shoulders.   Thankfully, the sleeves didn’t need to be changed, and since I had too much fabric, I just cut off the excess and reinserted the sleeves.

And Voila!

I added sleevebands to the ends of the sleeves instead of finishing them with a double-turned hem.  I simply measured the width of the ends of my sleeves and made a rectangle that width (plus seam allowances) and the height I wanted the bands (x 2).  Then I sewed the bands up their sides, folded them wrong sides facing, and then attached them to the raw edges of the sleeves.

Now that I’ve taken pictures of myself in the shirt, I can see that the shoulder angle is a bit off.  Since I changed the armholes, the shoulder angle needed to be adjusted too.  But I had already sewn reinforcement and was too lazy to pick out all those stitches.  Thus, I think that ever-so-slight angle problem is causing the slight bunching near my underarms.  At least, I think that’s the problem.

Cal?

P.S. You can see what others are making from Design-it-Yourself in the Flickr Group. :)