I remember this same feeling last year as I prepared for the book launch of Little K. Full of anticipation and bursting with ideas, terribly intent on creating elaborate behind-the-scenes blog posts and the whole shebang.
But all I have for you today is a work-in-progress shot, making it look ever-so-slightly less mundane with some shallow depth of field photography of a cool print fabric and even cooler pair of Gingher shears.
Easter was a big success, though we had to delay the egg hunt due to the pouring rain. Luckily, a sliver of sunshine and a respite between showers gave the kids just enough time to find the dozens and dozens of eggs we hid.
I felt a little sad because I realized that this is the first year that I didn’t make an Easter outfit for K. I’ve hardly sewn for her these past few months. Her closet and dresser are overflowing with RTW hand-me-downs from our neighbor and she rarely wears the clothes I’ve made her now. She keeps asking me when I’ll take her shopping so she can choose clothes that she wants. I’m told that the clothes I sew are never “quite right,” which I can understand. I knew this was coming, and I thought I was prepared, but I’m still a bit deflated. She’ll come around again, I know, and I’m going to build up my couture skills for prom-dress-making in the meantime. Wait. By the time she’s in high school, maybe school dances will be held somewhere in the universe so my time might be better spent studying space suit engineering and design.
So what you see here is something I’m making for myself. A nice and stretchy and comfy top if all goes well. One of the benefits of sewing in my bedroom is that the bed provides ample surface area to spread out fabric pieces. I hope I’ll get around to finishing it this week. Things are revving up on the book promotions front and I’m doing everything I can to keep up.
I will most likely post a little more erratically this upcoming week and beyond, but I’m incorrigible and my brain is firing up more and more ideas, begging me to make them happen. We shall see…
I like this fabric. And stretchy!! double good. I was thumbing through Lotta D’s new book online. And she has a top similar to the ones you made last week. Yours is a little shorter, which I like better. But, she had also designed a cute a line skirt of the same fabric. I thought you could make a cute skirt and have a professional looking outfit for your get togethers. I loved the romper you made last year, VERY flattering–so i think a little skirt would be cute. Make it a short skirt! I am telling you this because you have nothing else to do (haha). And also, if I had to go to a professional meeting, I would have to wear my yoga pants. All I’ve got right now.
Oh yes, I’ve heard that the Esme top is popular. I think I’d have to make them look pretty casual though since I vowed never to have to go into a “professional” setting if I can help it :-). The good thing is that in Seattle, you can show up pretty much anywhere in jeans — maybe even a pair of nice yoga pants ;-). Thanks, Greta!
get K. to take a look at the Blaverry website — Christie has some great “tween” patterns. My eldest (almost 11) particularly likes the Decklyn jacket I made for her.
Oooh, Mel, I think you’re onto something there! The clothes look like they would totally be K-approved :-). The Decklyn jacket is so cool, I want one for myself!!
I was about 13 when I really got excited to sew for clothes for myself. Partially because we didn’t have a lot of money for department store shopping, and partly because my taste was… “off the beaten path,” shall we say? Anyway, do you think K has any inclination to sew for herself? It would be so fun to see what her ideas would be.
It’s so funny that you should mention that Kristin because I tried to get K to sew (I tried to teach her myself, which didn’t go over so well, so she took a class), but she just didn’t take to it. She’s all about music and not much else so I left it at that. She did make me a couple of cute bags and pouches from the class, so that was awesome!
I can relate somewhat to how you are feeling with K not wanting to wear her handmades- my newly turned 5 year old usually loves anything I sew for her, but lately has been preferring the RTW items she has (purchased by her grandma’s) with Minnie Mouse or Elsa on them. I made her an Easter Dress that I was quite proud of, but on Easter morning, she preferred to wear a RTW Elsa nightmare looking dress (purple, with a big puffy tulle skirt, big Elsa face on the front- tacky!). Her sisters and brother are still young enough that they don’t really care what I put on them, so I guess I’ve still got awhile before they start getting picky…
Ha, it’s always the outfits with the characters plastered all over that the kids reach for! Those days of compliant dressing were so fun, but I also love seeing K develop her own sense of style. Thanks Kelly!
After reading this I tried to scroll back to the last oitfit you made for K. I went back 3 pages! Oh! Things are changing! I hope you are ok with it.
Thanks Max! It’s so interesting because now that K sees me making things for myself, she’s starting to ask me to make clothes for her again. The tide is turning earlier than I thought :-)!!