I'm crazy about plaid, especially in the fall. When this sweet Built by Wendy pattern came out a few years ago, it was all over the sewing blogosphere. I attempted my own version at the time, but as a newbie at sewing, the dress looked like a train wreck. It was humongous, and I couldn't figure out how to construct the neck facing so I ended up trying a contrast binding that is completely frayed and awfully stretched out now. The hem is uneven, the gathers...well, you get the idea. If ... Read more
Japanese Pattern Books – Part 2
Many months ago, I posted a round-up of my japanese pattern books for kids. It's proven to be very helpful for me to have it listed in one place, and I have to include a few more books I've added to my library since then. I've made a lot of clothes for K from these books, but I still have so many more patterns to try! For today, I thought it would be fun to list the Japanese pattern/sewing books I own for adults. I don't have nearly as many -- just four, if I don't count the Simple Modern ... Read more
Easy California Rolls
On days when I want a light dinner, I turn to California Rolls. The typical California Roll is what I would call "inside out" with the rice on the outside; however, that involves using plastic wrap around the sushi rolling mat, and that's just too much work. My version is a cheater style, and it requires just seven ingredients and 10 minutes if the rice is ready to go: Japanese rice (short-grain sticky rice) Sushi vinegar Imitation crabmeat English (or Japanese or Persian) ... Read more
Monday Outfit: Stripes + Khaki
Good morning! I hope you had a wonderful weekend and that you're feeling ready for the week. Mine was fairly mellow and filled with a lot of family time and the rare date night while K went over a friend's house for a pretend sleepover (basically a night-time playdate; a new trend I've been noticing). This Monday outfit has everything I adore including stripes, linen, neutrals, and comfortable stylishness. Shall we start with the insanely cute top? I'm not afraid to extoll the virtues of ... Read more
Happy Friday + Randomness
Happy Friday, my friends! So, this has been a bit of a crazy week, and I'm glad that it's the weekend. One of the major highlights of my week was a doctor's visit, as odd as that may sound. I've mentioned before that I have a health condition, and this requires that I get blood tests and check-ups approximately every three months. In many ways, it's felt like a science experiment for about a year. When I last wrote about all the positive lifestyle changes I made back in January, things were ... Read more