I’m still working away on my hubby’s new winter jacket – my work table is a sea of camouflage prints and polar fleece at the moment
Because I want to make this jacket warm enough to be useful for the entire winter, I’m actually layering an extra piece of fabric into the middle.

For this particular jacket, I’m using a layer of fleece in between the top layer of cotton twill and the quilted nylon lining.  I simply treat the twill and fleece as one layer of fabric as I stitch the jacket together.
Adding an extra layer of fabric for …read more

There is something so satisfying about a pile of neatly stacked pattern pieces, all cut out and ready to sew.
Maybe it’s just me, but there’s something exciting about the first couple of stages of any sewing project.  That little pile of fabric has so much potential…

Of course – as fabric sometimes has a mind of it’s own – it can also turn into something a lot more frustrating too!
But for now, let’s keep on the positive side of things.  Okay, so it’s not quite ready to sew yet.  It needs to be interfaced, marked and pinned.
And let’s not forget reading …read more

Okay, I admit it – it may be pushing it a little to try and dry fabric outside at this time of the year…
At least in my chilly neck of the woods!
The sun is shining and there’s a light breeze today, so hopefully that’s enough to at least get this heap of fabric started drying:

There’s just something about the smell and feel of fabric that’s had a chance to dry outside in the sunlight and air.
Don’t get me wrong – if it’s fabric that will be made into a garment that will ever go through the dryer, it gets thoroughly …read more

Today’s photo for Wordy Wednesday is a stack of receiving blankets that I just finished sewing.
There is something so satisfying in seeing a project all sewn and completed – especially when they’re as cute as these are!

One of my habits in the sewing room is to end up with quite a few UFOs (UnFinished Objects) in various states of done-ness.  I’m not sure why, but that just seems to be how to work.  Maybe I just get bored too easily?
I’m trying to get my sewing slate cleaned off before I tackle anything else… and that included getting these blankets hemmed.  …read more

I’ve been trying very hard to not bore everyone silly with baby projects here, but I just had to share my latest find
I picked up a half-yard of this adorable print the other day at one of my favorite quilt shops:

I love how the colors work with the other pastel prints I had previously put together for one of the baby quilts.  The plan is to cut apart some of the motifs and then “frame” them with fabric to use in the quilt.
I’ll share another picture when it’s a little further along…
image: C Findlay-Harder

I went Wordy Wednesday for my Food/Nutrition post and I think I’m going to do the same here. Wordy Wednesday is the wordy bloggers answer to Wordless Wednesday.
Today, I’ve got my daughter, Sarah, eating a cupcake at my sister-in-law’s 30th birthday this past weekend.  She’s got pink sparkles on her face and her hair is wet from the pool.  She obviously had a blast.

Sarah is 11 and she is going into the 6th grade in about a month. She’s my youngest - she’s quite a bit younger than her next oldest sibling, Bay, who is turning 17 in a couple of weeks.
The …read more

I’ve noticed a version of Wordless Wednesday that some people are calling Wordy Wednesday. As a long time fan and sometimes participator of the Word-less version, I think think it’s time I give Word-y a try.
Here’s a shot of my tomatoes…
 
I started my garden early and was all set to go the all-natural GroGood way, but nothing was really happening and my front patio smelled like cow poop. Yuck. Dear neighbors, I am so very sorry.
I broke down and bought the MiracleGro plant food. It always works for me. I have a limited space and there’s only so much you …read more

The lilacs are in full bloom right now and are making the neighborhood smell absolutely amazing.  Seriously, I wish there was smell-o-vision for blogs – the photo just doesn’t do them justice.

So how would you create a piece of fiber art based on this photo?
You could always go for the literal approach, and make a photo transfer on fabric.  It could be accented all kinds of different ways, from free-motion embroidery to paint.
How about cutting out fabric leaves and flowers and using raw-edge applique to attach them to the background?
You could even go really detailed and hand-embroider it.  What about …read more

As summer starts to heat up, grown ups pull out fans, crank up the AC and flop down in a chair. Kids? They figure out how to have fun, even when it is hot. After all, this is their summer vacation we’re talking about! So, how do they stay cool?

Water balloon fights – I hate picking up balloon bits everywhere and worry a bird will eat a missed bit by accident, but kids love water balloons.
Sponge fights – Most of the time, I convince the kids to have a sponge fight instead. They soak small sponge squares in cold water …read more

I think one of the best Father’s Day activities is simply going fishing together. I was very fond of fishing when I was a little girl. (Of course, I wanted someone else to put that sweet little worm on the hook or I tried to fish with bread as bait!) If you don’t know what to do for your dad this year, why not pack a picnic basket, grab some rods and head to a free fishing spot for a day of slightly smelly and wet fun on the water?
If you don’t know where you can fish for free in …read more