Hand-made hand-me-down

Here is my darling baby in his christening gown-- the gown that was made for his great-great Grandfather. In all those generations, I'm the only girl to wear it-- we are few and far between on my dad's side. We had a quiet weekend-- Grady moved about half a ton of those two tons of pea gravel in his miniature John Deere front-loader, I dug and played in the dirt and painted (and cut out that seersucker I said I would) and we had a lovely long lunch with Adam's parents after the baptism. I cannot WAIT to show you what fell out of the suitcase my mom brought back from my grandmother's in New Mexico. That woman has some serious thrift-store ju-ju, I tell you.

Why I'm Smiling

Only one coat to go in the dining room. The color? Love. It.The first of four gallery-size prints going up in the hallway. I am very lucky to know two awesome children's photographers-- they did some spectacular pictures of John Harper and Grady when the little guy was born. I hemmed and hawed about buying the prints-- it was a LOT of money for us-- but I'm so glad I did. This one makes me smile every time I go by--it's the work of the very, very talented Andrea Halsey.

My yard

My boys.

Mr. JH will be four whole months old next week, and big brother Grady has learned about a dozen plant names and spends a good bit of time checking them out every day.

Mommy:"Oh, the Sweet William is opening up!" Grady: "No, Mommy, that's the di-an-fus." Well, excuse me.

More good things: my mom is coming in for a long weekend, we are baptising John Harper in his Great-Great-Grandfather's christening gown on Sunday, I'm getting two tons of pea gravel, 10 bags of composted manure and 40 bags of mulch to finish up the front yard. Full days. Wonderful days. Days full of wonderful-- and all the same to you-- wonderful weekend, everyone!

There will be pants!

I'm issuing myself a challenge, of sorts. By putting it out there that I WILL begin some of these pants I have been intending to make for the boys, I will be shamed/guilted/coaxed into actually beginning them. This not-so-little stack of fabrics is all the stuff I've been hoarding away planning to make pants with-- so there is a lot to work with is all I'm saying. I know where to begin-- the grey seersucker on the left. Hanna has some too-cute (and too-expensive) seersucker deck pants this season-- so if I spend about an hour, I should have a couple of pairs for the boys to wear to our Derby Party next Saturday. You will probably hear a lot more about said party in the upcoming days-- I look forward to it all year. My mint is coming up and I can already taste the juleps now...

I had to post this because to get this shot I had to open my dining room window, lean waaaaaay out (I even raised the screen, so I really was leaning out!) and just kinda aim and shoot. To appreciate it you need to know that a) I live in one of the original "zero lot-line" neigborhoods from the 20's (I prefer to think of it as a front-porch neighborhood, but the truth is I can lean out my dining room window and almost touch the neighbor's house and b) I realized right after I got this shot that they were, um, kinda showing the house to their would-be buyer while I was leaning out the window pointing a camera at their house. Whoops.

Constant Companions

These two things are my constant companions of late. I am being totally serious when I say I think I've given myself carpal tunnel or have developed arthritis-- or both. Because I'm painting my dining room-- all three coats of it-- with that 2 inch cut brush. That should tell you an awful lot about me-- namely that although I'm willing to shave a serious portion off my weekly grocery budget in order to buy fabric, I am too cheap to invest in an $8 paintbrush. I hate rollers-- they eat up paint and fling microscopic drops everywhere-- and I hate taping, so I always have a good cut-brush on hand. Unfortunately, I can't find any of my other brushes, so I've done my hour of painting a night with this puppy. Only about 9 more hours of painting to go...oy. But I shall survive, and I really hope I still like this color when I'm finished, because it ain't changing anytime soon.
And the coffee. If you spend any time with me, you know I drink way, way more than is good for me. Like 4 cups a day more than I probably should. I'm a late-night girl, but I've found that gargantuan nursling+molar-cutting toddler+dumb sunrise-lovin' dog=early bedtime/no productivity OR serious caffeine addiction. I choose the later.

Speaking of coffee, while I was in self-imposed exile last week, I actually had a reading at my favorite local coffe shop that I forgot to mention. A bunch of my old MFA buddies--including my dear husband--and I read on Saturday night. I switched out writing for sewing a while back-- I can pick it up and put it down so much more easily than a poem-- but I still miss it. So now what I really need is just one more hour in the day.... the constant refrain of motherhood, alas.

BREAK: Down:Out:Through

It's been a while, huh? First, let me thank ya'll for not leaving mocking comments after my last post-- because yes, it was totally going to happen that I was going to spend the morning with John Harper and two 2 year olds and they were going to try on clothes and let me take their pictures. Yes, of course. Although that morning actually went amazingly well, later that day I hit one of those little roadblocks that life throws up periodically, and spent the rest of the week rubbing my figuratively goose-egged head and feeling sorry for myself. But that has passed, and I'm happy to be back behind the camera and the sewing machine. And the computer, of course. Here are our seedlings-- aren't they wonderful? They are growing like crazy, and keep flinging bits of dirt out of the shells as they burst through with such force. I don't really have words for how much I love plants-- only a little bit less than my children. I'm hoping to get these in the ground in a week or so-- the big guys up front are peas for our vine-covered teepee. If anybody has done anything like that before, clue me in. We bought a willow frame thingy and I'm debating if I should do some sweet potato vines, as well? One of Grady's favorite poems is "The Butterbean Tent" from our ancient Childcraft Mother Goose, and we are going to try our best to replicate it (I will blog about that book some day. The 1953 edition; it is one of my all-time favorite books.)

Look at this beauty-- old, old iris that I dug out from the undergrowth in Durham. I began with a pailful-- they multiply by about 50% every year, and I'm ready to dig and share with the neighbors this year. I've never grown lilac before-- this one is right by the garden gate. Spy the bee in there? We are fascinated with bees around here. I so wish I had a few more hours in the day and a few more hands-- I would definitely get a hive for our backyard.And my final note of optimism-- 20 yards of new elastic. I find that I get much more into the pants-making when I'm freshly stocked. And some new fabric for my Moby Cozies-- because who wants to lug around 5 yards of jersy knit in your purse? I'm gifting all my preggo friends with a Moby and a Cozie to match. And Amy Butler and Heather Bailey are cross-polinating like mad in the studio these days. Can't wait to see what this week will bring!

Big pile o'clothes

This totally non-artful and poorly lit picture is what I did with my summer vacation. Or the hour after the baby went to bed. Or something like that. I'm tired again, so I'm kinda blathering right now.

I finished up the handsewing on this little pile of garmets-- all except the button holes on the jacket. I've learned through sad experience not to buttonhole after 9 pm. It never turns out well.

I'm watching a friend's daughter tomorrow (three kids under three? Yikes!) and we are supposedly hitting the park, but I am going to try to convince Camille that she really wants to model for me while I take pictures. Grady is just so not into that (and we discovered this morning when he tried on that hot pink number for me that surprisingly, pink makes him look even more like a boy than before. Odd.) I'm hoping she has big feet, because I have the greatest pair of Satch and Sol boots I want her to wear-- Grady's big, galumphing size 9's. If you don't already get the Satch and Sol mailer, go sign up right now. 20% off for newsletter recepients right now. Our boots are so beautiful I hate for Grady to actually wear them anywhere but for dressup, but they look like they would totally hold up well. But I digress. So tonight-- sleep. Tomorrow-- pictures of children wearing things I've made. I know you're all as excited as I am.

Saved by the Amazing, Wonderful, Spectacular Play-dough Lady

Boy, am I ever tired. With a capitol T and three exclamation marks tired. I spent all weekend outside in the dirt-- I pretty much moved the entire backyard garden to the front yard. No biggie. We're making way for a veggie garden in the back, but boy, howdy this was a lot of work.

Our poor roses somehow missed their fall pruning (gee, wonder what we were up to then?) and after being unceremoniously and brutally cut back, uprooted and transplanted, my arms now look like I've been fighting cougars. And the cougars won. But the yard will soon be looking wonderful, and we are getting some much-needed rain right now. See me embracing the rain? I am embracing the rain (she says through set lips and gritted teeth.)

The air around here is pretty blue right now-- I've had a date with my sewing machine tonight, and she's just not treating me like she used to. Or perhaps one should not sew when one this bone-weary. So I put away my rolling cutter and came out here to check in with you lovely chickas-- I've missed getting to peek in on every body's blogs over the last few days. The small fry are all ear-infected again, and it's been kinda hard to get to the computer. And speaking of rolling cutters-- you wanna know the eight words you never want to hear your two-year-old utter when you are up to your ears in a white sauce? "You never, never, NEVER touch dat wolling cutter!" Well, at least he is still small enough to rat himself out-- woe betide me when he gets old enough to keep his mouth shut.

So if you actually read the title of my post, back to that. I was saved today by the Amazing, Wonderful, Spectacular Play-Dough Lady. That is what she shall heretofore be known as around here, because not only is her product top notch, but her timing is impeccable. (Remember that ear infection I mentioned? And the rain? And the three long hours between the end of nap and when Daddy gets home? Yup.) I read about this Etsy seller a while back on LittlegirlPearl and just had to order. In this economy, it might seem frivolous to pay good money for something you can make at home so easily-- but I really admire clever marketing and a witty sales pitch, and I could not resist ordering a subscription. So today the first of our tins of dough arrived in the mail. And it was worth every penny. And I love that she imprints the top of the dough with her fingerprint so that you will remember, as she puts it, that it was made by "a real, live person." How cool. I love that you are surprised by the color each month, and I love that this batch was an awesome neon yellow. Among the things it has already become: a dinosaur, Peter Rabbit, Charlie the Dog, and Tyler Hansbrough, who, according to Grady, is carb-loading (I kid you not) and his plate of spaghetti dinner. Rock on, Play-dough lady. Rock on.

::Sewing with friends::

The contents of this little bowl represent two whole hours of my time-- just the sewing, not the cutting out. And I very artfully disguised just how little they look like eggs-- and just how much they look like something I might have sewn when I was about 5 years old. Way, way, wonky. But I love them, and I loved those two hours spent sewing with friends.

Nearly a year ago, a group of women from my parenting group began to gather to sew. Once a month we haul our machines and our children into each other's homes and spend a few hours working. There is always a "project" chosen, but sometimes we bring whatever we are working on, and sometimes, like today, someone comes who has never sewn a stitch and is beginning at the very, very beginning. What fun today to see this giant, beautiful case opened to reveal a truly antique machine-- I'm guessing it was one of the first electric models made-- in pristine condition, and to see it's owner's daughter-- it's new owner-- take her first stitches, ever. These little gatherings remind me of hearing my grandmother talk about quilting bees-- now I really get what that time of fellowship and handwork meant for her. I don't know if children attended-- I'm sure they did, as there was certainly no such thing as a "babysitter," unless you count the (not much) older children. I would imagine that her hand was steadier and her train of thoughts more logical as she worked and watched her brood, but maybe not. No matter, though. I came away from this afternoon happy, with an egg for each boy. And one for me, too boot.

A lovely, lovely Easter to you all!

When I was a little kid....

I'm reminded so frequently right now of the words from a song from my teaching days-- "when I was a little kid, not so long ago, I had to learn a lot of stuff I didn't even know...but remember the seed in the little paper cup, first the root grows down and then the plant grows up." Such a simple way to put it, but something I believe in so firmly-- so much of the work of childhood-- of self-hood, really, begins deep down, on the inside, in places we can't see with our eyes. The child is built from the inside out. In these these tiny mirrors, who have not yet learned to hide their thoughts and feelings, what you see on the outside is a reflection, verbatim, of what is on the inside.

I'm thinking of this a lot because we have now entered what many refer to as the "terrible two's." But as a Montessorian, I just can't believe in this. All my trainning and years of experience have taught me that when you see negative behaviors, it is the environment, and very often the adult, who needs correction, not the child, who is just existing in the only way they are able. I see in my child daily the conflict between powerlessness and a desire to achieve. It doesn't always come out in pretty ways, this need for independence. And I am not always my best self when responding. But I belive--to my core-- that children will live out whatever is expected of them. If we set the bar high, they will reach it-- with delight and joy. If it is low-- well, how would you respond to someone who believed you weak and incapable? Children are no different.

As I go through all the daily struggles of a mother of very young children, it is so easy to get caught up in the hard moments-- the dog has made another mess, the naked child is screaming and we are (again) late, the baby is hungry, the laundry is threatning to bury us all. But it is in these moments that it is most important that I stop, breathe, reboot. If I remember to give Grady the control he can handle ("are you sitting on your bottom?" rather than "sit down! Stop! You are behaving horribly at the table!") our day will be smoother, and he will be one step closer to internalizing--"normalizing" was Montessori's word for it--the world, and his place in it. Peace-- our goal-- inside and out. Peace to you--on this day and all others.

Observation

It's true what they say about the best laid plans... I had so many--some skirts cut out, my painting project, and evening of Ellen Bryant Voight with friends from my MFA...and then my little stinker had to start turning blue on me. John Harper has already had one nice, long stay in the hospital for pnemonia at 4 weeks, and then he had to go and turn this lovely shade of Carolina Blue (go Heels!) when we were getting his cough checked out Monday evening. So off to the hospital we went for a night of "observation." If you've ever been lucky enough to be the mommy of an "observed" baby you know that it is really hospital-speak for "no sleep for you!" So when we were released today-- he's perfectly healthy, just apparently feeling extra-supportive of his Daddy's team or something-- I was too sleepy to sew a straight line and had to come up with Plan B.

Here is plan B

It's a bit late, but we are finally getting our seedling started. Grady helped me with these--we really had more fun that I would have expected. Except for when he ate the potting soil (please tell me other people's kids do stuff like this. I mean, I know we were spooning it and all, but really? Eating dirt? What's the appeal, I ask you?)

I love the look of concentration on his face as he works. So serious, so deeply, deeply involved in every task. He's right on the cusp of capability-- there is so much he can do, and that delights him, and yet still so much that is hard and frustrating and just beyond his abilties. I try to take every opportunity to give him the chance at small successes, and I strive-- sometimes more gracefully than others-- to help him ride the frustration out, and channel all that drive and energy and purpose into something that he will find rewarding instead of daunting. It's hard work, this parenting business. Strength and patience and calm to all of us who are together on this journey.
Abd this work-- such fun for small hands. We hatch from eggs! Did you know that all these wonderful, diverse beings began as eggs? Naturally, he's most excited about the dinosaur. All boy, that one. I'm hoping to find a few minutes to craft some of these to house his wee creatures-- so much better than plastic!

You be the judge

Well, I'm kinda happy right now. A wonderful, sun-filled weekend at my in-laws house (read: no dishes, laundry, or vaccumming for me) a few hours of work in my yard when I returned, and the happiness of knowing that people liked my little tutorial. Thank you so much to Rachel at One Pretty Thing for featuring it, and to Anne at Craft Gossip for picking it up, as well. Enjoy those pants, ladies. I am telling you, as soon as I get Grady off in the mornings I come home, re-heat my abandoned cup of coffee, slip into my Naptime Pants and get to work. And that elastic waistband-- well, let's just say that it is making it kind of hard for me to remember that I really should only eat gelatto once a day if I want my pre-baby clothes to fit any time soon...

Now, tell me what do you think about this?Sophisticated of sideshow? This is my test wall in my dining room--Swiss Coffee and Jade Satin. (And note my not-so-subtle plea for comments here. Seriously, they just make my day. My motto is you can never have too many flowers or too many friends, so please, let me know you've stopped by so I can find you out there in blog-o-world.)

When we moved into this house, I transported all my fabrics and colors from my teeny, tiny, east-facing, window-filled cottage-- all buttery yellows, mellow greens and cranberry reds. Very French country. But here, in these (somewhat) larger rooms, all shaded by our fab porches and with mostly southern and northern light, the yellows looked egad awful. And blue, which I've never been a huge fan of inside, suddenly looked amazing. So I'm experimenting with all different kinds of blue all through the house. Do you like it or loathe it? I think I kinda love it-- it's inspired by these art pieces, which are probably my most favorite posession. It stinks that it will take at least 3 coats to make it look good, though-- good thing the white under the chair rail is finished, but I guess I know where my late nights will be taking me this week. I'm trying to convince my husband that he needs to let me paint all the dining room furniture white-- I don't think I'll win that battle. But I'll let you know if I do.

I have so many unfinished projects on my back burner right now. And some of them are actually going to be exchanged for cold, hard cash (that I will promptly return not to my bank account, but here) so I really should get to work. So if you see me out lollygagging around in the sunshine, tell me to get back in and start sewing. And I'll be sure to post pictures of them-- telling you I will is great motivation to get crackin', no?

For which there are no words...

My feelings after spending a fleeting hour surrounded by all my favorite friends-- up-close and in the flesh. Amy, Joel, Heather, Heather, Anna Maria, a little more Amy.... yes, friends, I made it to fabric-a-holics heaven. Karen Gray has opened her shop. It took me a just a little more than 48 hours from the time the doors opened to get there, and I'm still floating on my fabric high.

Here's everybody all together-- Amy, Heathers (in the plural--Ross and Bailey, you know,) and my ever-lasting love, Joel Dewberry. And sorry for the stinky lighting-- would you believe it's raining around here? Who woulda thunk it.It's hard around here to get your physical hands on these designers-- and I'm here to tell you, on-line just does not do this stuff justice. When places carry it, it tends to be the "cuter" parts of the lines, but Karen has all the super-delux, totally sophisticated stuff-- dazzleing. I had promised I would be good to the old bank account, and really, I was, but mostly b/c I took a friend along and we were too busy talking to get down to the really serious business of selection. Woe betide me on the day I go back alone with more than an hour to spend. I am 100% certain that I must come home with yards and yards and yards of this apple-green JD that totally chanels Kwid-- but I'll save that little surprise for next week. Let's just say there's a poll in your future, gentle readers.

Roll call! Up first, a little Amy Butler. Those two on the right are home-dec weight, just dying to become a fab bag I have in my noggin.

And a little Pop Garden from Heather Bailey-- this stuff is hard to winnow down, because it's really like jumping into the jumbo-size Crayola 64 count box-- so fun and vibrant. These really, really want to become a twirly skirt for a sweet little girl.

A little love for my boys-- some Joel in an orange (Grady's fave) awning stripe. I see more matching sets in our future.And not to leave the girls out-- some pink Joel. These are also destined for skirt-hood, but I bought extra of that top print. I can just see it sassing up the oh-so-timeless black toile I'm using for my new niece's coat-- can't you just imagine that delicious pink lining flashing when she twirls (granted, she isn't set to be born for a few days here yet, but someday she will twirl, and one must celebrate the arrival of the first girl in 26 years, musn't one? I'll be making that coat to keep for later.)Where is Heather Ross, you say? You saw her in that top post-- those fishies and frogs-- oh, my. This is what happens when you tell your husband he can delete anything on the camera not of the kids so that he can take a picture of the baby blowing yet another spit bubble. If you are a fan, make sure you go buy it up while you still can-- I have it on good authority that this season's line will be her last. Boo, hoo, but you better believe I'll stock up before it hits $40 a yard on Etsy.

Tutorial? What tutorial?

Did I say something about a tutorial for last Wednesday? I totally meant this Thursday. Now you know how I do math-- a week plus one=right on time. So here it is-- the tutorial for my super-easy, super-comfy, totally rad Naptime Pants. These require just about one hour and only the most basic sewing knowledge-- if you can turn on your machine and passed Kindergarten (ie-- handle scissors) you will succeed. Happy sewing!

Cutting out your pants:
1.) Download and cut out your pattern pieces and the directions. These will tell you how to determine your sizing.
2.) Lay the sheet RIGHT SIDE UP on a large, flat surface (I used my living room floor.)
3.) Starting at the decorative (wider) hem, fold the long edge of the sheet over so that you have a double-thickness rectangle that is the correct width for your size. (I made a M, so my rectangle was 16” wide.)
4.) Measure the length of your pants according to the sizing chart. Mark and cut out the rectangle, keeping fabric folded. Repeat. You will now have two rectangles of fabric. (I'm 5'4", so for my pants I made the rectangles 44 inches long.)5.) Lay the rectangles out so that both legs open to the same direction.
6.) On the open side of your rectangle, measure the inseam length, mark and cut. (Again, for my pants in a size M, I measured UP 26” from my hem, marked, measured in 2 inches and cut out a rectangle of fabric that is 26”x2”.) Repeat. (In the photo, I've already done the next step, as well. Don't fret. It will all be explained!)7.) Lay pattern piece A on the open edge of one rectangle 6 inches down from the top of the fabric (the top of your rectangle is the cut edge, not the hemmed edge.) Pin in place and cut out around pattern, cutting all the way up to the top of the fabric. Repeat for the other rectangle.8.) Cutting at a downward angle, trim the small piece of fabric between the “J” you just cut out and the inseam. This will cause the fabric to form a point. (Because I'm goofy this step is shown in the above photo.)
9.) Important: Now turn one of the rectangles over, so that the rectangles are now open on OPPOSITE sides. Lay pattern piece B onto the top FRONT edge of one rectangle. Pin and cut through ONLY THE TOP LAYER of fabric. Repeat on the other rectangle. This is going to create the FRONT of the pants—the longer side will be the BACK when they are all put together. It should look like this when you are finished.Sewing your pants:
1.) Make sure your pants are folded so that the WRONG sides are together. Working on one rectangle at a time, sew the inseam together (the longest, straight part of the open edges) using a 5/8” seam allowance. Finish the seam (either by overcastting, zig-zagging or using pinking shears). Trim seam. 2.) If you've never sewed pants before, this is definitely the trickiest part to visualize-- and it's even trickier to photograph. Just remember that you are trying to make sure the RIGHT SIDES of the fabric are touching.
After you have sewed up the inseams on both pairs of pants, turn ONE leg right-side out. Slip this leg into the other leg, matching the seams. This will create one long tube with the right sides of the fabric touching. The top of the two rectangles will form a U-shape. Pin the edges together, sew, finish and trim the seam. 3.) Pull the legs out, and turn the pants wrong-side out. Using your iron, turn down and press the open edges ¼”. Now fold the pressed side over another inch and press. This makes a little tunnel with a nice finished edge, which is called the “casing.” It is where your elastic will go. This photo shows how the edge should look when you get to the front (lower) part of the pants.4.) Stitching just above the bottom fold of the casing, sew all the way around the pants, stopping about 1” before you get to the end. This leaves space for you to work the elastic through.
5.) Pin a safety pin to one end of your elastic. Thread this end through your casing. Sew the two ends of the elastic together using a zig-zag stitch, trim, and sew the opening you left closed.
6.) Put on your new pants, marvel at your thriftiness and amazing vintage style, and get yourself promptly off for a well-deserved nap!

(The fine print: I'm so happy to share my ideas with you-- but of course, since they are my ideas only I can market and sell them. Make as many pairs as you like, but please don't reproduce my designs for retail sale. I would love for you to share this pattern with your friends-- but be a sweetie and send the link to my site instead of my printed pattern and directions. Thanks so much for playing nicely!)