Happy Friday! I did it!! I submitted the entire manuscript for book #2 yesterday afternoon, and I am zonked. I’ve been getting up extra early in the mornings in an attempt to capitalize on my brain power (I’ve learned that I can’t function after 4pm anymore…aging, it’s a topic that’s taking up a big chunk of mental space these days. I feel the urge to start talking about Pinochle and I don’t even know what that is). I have to send out a HUGE shout out to all the pattern testers — personal thanks are included in the book, but you all did such an amazing, thorough job, I can’t thank you enough! This whole book has been a series of massive collaborations, and I’m so grateful.
What you see above is a project from the book that I had to sadly remove because it wasn’t beginner friendly enough (actually, my instructions weren’t very clear and I decided I could live without it. Pity, since my friend George took some photos with great light like the one above). I love it even though it shows that I should really get better undergarments. This top also happens to be the most worn clothing item during my unofficial Me-Made-May month. I did okay with wearing handmades…I totally forgot about it three days out of the month when I never made it out of my Old Navy T-shirt + yoga pants combo, but otherwise, I was pleasantly surprised that I naturally reach for my self-made clothes.
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I’m certain that K said some deeply profound and witty things, but the question is, what were they? I hope to remember eventually. See earlier comment on aging.
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86 degrees
The weather report predicts
Wha-a-a-a-t?
It’s going to be a sweltering late spring weekend here in Seattle since our house is always at least 10 degrees hotter than it is outside. I better bust out with the fans and some summer clothes. Have a wonderful weekend, all!
Huge congratulations to you for all your hard work.
Thank you, Sarah! I spoke a little too soon as my editor promptly sent the manuscript back with more edits :-). Off I go to continue working on it!
Wonderful job! A great way to begin your weekend too. It must be a huge relief to finish book two. Congratulations!
Thanks so much for the encouraging words, Max! I should probably clarify that this was only the text portion that was (mostly) completed since I still have to submit the photography and updated illustrations, but the end feels VERY near!!
Congratulations, Sanae! You did it! Hope you can enjoy a relaxing weekend after what must have been a mammoth effort. Oh, and I really like the top – pity it didn’t make it into the book.
Ah well, I made quite a few of these tops as prototypes and I now get to enjoy them, so no major losses, I say! Thank you, Marisa!
Congratulations! I LOVE the top you’re wearing in that photo- it’s perfect! Hopefully you can make it into a free standing pattern sometime! Looking forward to the book.
Love the enthusiastic feedback, Jane! Thanks so much! It’s a beloved top, but of course I know it’s not everyone’s style and I was very adamant about making the book as beginner friendly as possible, so it was a good decision I think. I just might offer up a pattern of the top here on the blog!
Please do! If you charge for it we can have the pattern AND add to the Save The Blog Fund lol.
Haha! The Save The Blog fund is very ambitious but I have high hopes :-). Thanks Kathryn!
Congratulations again! Two books in one year. Amazing!
Sanae, can you explain what Stylo is, for those of us who don’t understand how it works? It looks like an on-line magazine but I can not figure out how to get directions and copy for the projects or even how to pay for it.
I want to make your little dolls!
Ok, I figured it out……its a magazine of images from bloggers and makers and artists, and it’s free, and clicking on the images leads you to the creator of the image. And it’s gorgeous.
Do I have that right? AND I FOUND YOUR TUTORIAL.:) awesome.
So glad you figured it out, Annelieke! Isn’t STYLO fabulous? The photography and the entire composition of the magazine is eye candy overload. Did you know that Celina Bailey almost singlehandedly assembles the magazine’s layout?? I’m in awe.
It is incredible. I don’t know how I missed it but am so glad to have located it on the web!
The first thing I noticed was the huge smile and that means a big sigh of relief. Enjoy your weekend since you deserve it. Hopefully my comments were useful and I’ll send some pictures your way when I get a chance to photograph them.
Yay you did it, congratulations! Love the top too. Enjoy your weekend x
Thanks so much Karen! I hope the book arrives on your doorstep soon! xo
It caaaame! We love it, I have emailed you! Thank you xx
Yay!!!!! So glad, Karen! I’m always a little suspicious whether the packages send out will actually reach their destination so I’m relieved when they do!
Congratulations!
The top looks great! Maybe for a future publication?
Haha, we’ll see if the publisher will let me do any more books with my, um, ever-changing schedule with this one! It’s been an incredible experience though, and I truly hope there are more books in the future!
Yes!!! GO Sanae! Congratulations and have a fantastic not that hot weekend!
The heat hasn’t been nearly as roasting as we expected, Maria. So happy! Thank you for the good vibes, and I’ve been enjoying my weekend despite having to work a little more on the manuscript!
You did it! Awesome. Great top, too – I can see why you grab it regularly. I am right there with you on the aging and memory thing. Hope you do something fun to celebrate this weekend!
Sigh. Aging has been a big theme around here lately, and I have many, many thoughts about it. Mostly good though :). Thank you, Beccy!
Gah! Send some of your creative zesty energy this way! You’re on fire!
Sophie, you’ve got zesty creative energy oozing from your pores, woman! I’ve been wanting to visit Australia so much lately, and if I ever make it out to your part of the world, we must meet up, ok?
Congratulations, Sanae! You can now enjoy this lovely (but Hot!) weekend! I hope you get some R&R and recharge those brain cells.
I’m sorry this top didn’t get included but glad that everything else did!
Thank you so much for your helpful input on everything, Melissa, and I did have to cut a few other things out (in addition to the beginner-friendly issue, I am WAY over on word-count so I had to snip and reduce the scope of some projects here and there). I’ve been having a lovely weekend, thank you, and I hope you have been too! 🙂
What a feeling of accomplishment, Sanae! It was fun to be a tiny part of this since I’ve never done pattern testing before. I may have to look into doing more of that. Happy deadline meeting!
Thanks so much for your help and for going above and beyond! I got the final final edits in for all the text in time, so I feel like a huge weight has been lifted. 🙂
So proud of you! There’s so much hard work involved in writing a book of any kind, but with all the drawings and patterns and actual writing…I bow down to your perseverance!! I love the shirt and maybe one day you can do a tutorial on the blog? It’s just my kind of shirt 🙂
So awesome!!
Thanks Alana!!! So happy to get your incredibly thorough help on pattern testing! And yes, I’ll have to figure out how to salvage the shirt pattern somehow :-).
Ah! Gorgeous!
Thanks much, Asmita!!