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Sanae Ishida

A crafty little atelier in a grey city

Happy Friday + Randomness

June 24, 2016

mmworkbook1

Happy Friday! Still plugging away at my various projects…I did, however, take a little jaunt into downtown to Drygoods Design on Wednesday to pick up a beauty of a book. The Merchant and Mills Workbook makes my neutral-loving heart sing. I want to make everything. Everything!

mmworkbook3

The instructions seem to be pretty sparse, which is okay with me since I don’t seem to follow instructions all that closely anyway.

Oh, the photography and styling of this book are so, so good. On a side note, I traded a watercolor from the Artwalk show I did at Drygoods for this lovely collection of patterns. One of the surprising benefits of the illustrations I’ve been doing is how handy they come in for bartering.

mmworkbook4

Must make this Saltmarsh skirt stat.

mmworkbook5

And this Bantam tank would be perfect to take with me to Michigan in a little over a week. Could I somehow locate a couple of hours to whip one up before July 3rd? Mayhaps…Rachel of House of Pinheiro did a fantastic review of the book here, and I love her version of the Bantam.

mmworkbook2

I’m heading back into the dungeon for more painting and crafting, but I leave you with a poem from K. Today is the last day of fourth grade! How did my baby become this poetry-spouting, guitar-playing, tween-y young lady?

splash in the water
play in the sun
bumble bees buzzing
    summer is fun!

ice cream and lemonade
no homework at all
no school to go to
   until the fall

Happy weekend!

Filed in: sewing resources • by sanae • 9 Comments

Comments

  1. greta clark

    June 24, 2016 at 5:19 am

    Looks like a great book–very useful garments. Suitable for lots of events. I cannot believe it is time for fifth grade either-I know that K will have a great summer!

    Reply
    • sanae

      June 26, 2016 at 9:45 am

      I really hope we have a good summer, Greta! I haven’t sewn but a few stitches here and there for the past few months and I really miss making clothes. I have high hopes for the coming months (let’s hope they’re not my famous last words…)

      Reply
  2. tameka

    June 24, 2016 at 6:50 am

    I want that book. I just love K’s haikus. Maybe a book in works for her too?

    Reply
    • sanae

      June 26, 2016 at 9:44 am

      It’s a great book, Tameka! I just love the simplicity of the designs, but more than anything the book itself is gorgeous. 🙂 As for K’s literary career, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone came knocking on our door with a book deal for her!

      Reply
  3. Ute

    June 24, 2016 at 12:40 pm

    So happy you picked up this gem of a book! I love my Bantam dresses and wore my Strides today! I want to make the Saltmarsh too and well, all the rest too…. Can’t wait to see your take on the patterns. Happy weekend to you too!

    Reply
    • sanae

      June 26, 2016 at 9:43 am

      Well, if you like it, it’s a keeper of a book! I hope you had a wonderful weekend, Ute!

      Reply
  4. Lucinda

    June 26, 2016 at 2:17 pm

    Love that you bartered your watercolors for this book! I do that sometimes with my girlfriend – sewn goods for haircuts from her – and am a fan. I know that Drygoods is a big supporter of your work:) Sounds like a delightful book; I hope you will find time to get your sewing in before your Michigan trip. It’s currently pretty hot here so that tank would be the perfect sewing project:) I so wish your MI location and mine were closer so we could hook up for another coffee date!

    Reply
  5. greta clark

    July 11, 2016 at 4:50 am

    I just looked up besotted and may belle. So gorgeous. How do you find these sites?

    Reply
    • sanae

      July 11, 2016 at 11:35 am

      Hi Greta,

      I stumbled upon Besotted through Pinterest and the ladies of the blog introduced me to Maybelle’s work. Tristan and Michelle (of Besotted) have impeccable taste :-).

      Reply

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The word that incites terror in most newbie sewing The word that incites terror in most newbie sewing enthusiasts: zippers. Now that I have a few years of sewing under my belt I’m less cowed by them, but there’s something about long, separating zippers that still makes me nervous. I powered through, however, and made this versatile twill hooded jacket originating from a @patterncouture_ zip-up hoodie pattern meant for knit fabrics that I modified a lot. I blogged about it! Link in bio if you’d like to see the different versions I created. 

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