I have about 15 posts currently in draft form, but generally have had little energy (or nerve?) to hit publish.  Soon.

In other news I have decided that markers, washable or not, are the devil, and consequently I think we will become a crayon/pencil house only.  I'm hoping that that will significantly reduce the amount of time I spend scrubbing walls/cupboards/counters/floors/children, and contribute to my sanity and well-being.

So sorry markers.  You were colourful and provocative, but you are going the way of glitter and toys with batteries that only play one song over and over again.

So whatever happened to that summer dress I was working on with my friend, Nathalie?  Well, it's currently in pieces in a brown paper bag - the languishing of a garment unfinished before school started.  That and I have made so many mistakes on this dress that now I'm feeling weak-kneed about finishing it. But now that we're in the swing of things, I might just have a regular day to sew - Thursdays (which is tomorrow) and I thought, what a good day to keep working on the dress!

And then it rained.

And all I wanted to do was curl up in a window seat somewhere with a cup of Earl Grey and read a book, ala Anne of Green Gables.

Lesendes Mädchen - Otto Scholderer - 1883

It is so very hard to want to sew a summer dress with it is nippy and wet out, but I might just make myself.  (Then next on the list, a white gown with a copper sash...)

We are huge fans of the Take Away shows at our house.  Here is one that has sparked our imaginations recently.

Happy Friday

School started this week - I have two in school now so it makes for a little more coordination and planning, especially with a toddler!  So at the end of a big week, I was quite cheered to find this video show up in my reader via A Cup of Jo.  I hope it cheers you too!

90's dress

I finished it a while back but neglected to take pictures until we went on vacation a few weeks ago.  Back into the swing of things with school starting, I thought I should show you the results.

Project 1 in the 8/100 Project was this one, Vogue 9479:

The white dotted Kaufman fabric I used was a bit sheer, so while the bodice was self-lined, I had to line the skirt also.  Fortunately I had enough fabric!

 It is, of course, still too big for her, but that didn't keep her from grabbing it every time it got a wash, often before I could iron it.

The invisible zipper was completely unnecessary.  I could have saved myself a ton of trouble trying to line up seams, but I learned a lot about handling an invisible zipper with a lining, and it does give a lovely clean finish.

The pattern itself was easy to follow.  The only trouble I ran into was finding a 16" white zipper - my local fabric store didn't sell any in that size - I went with a 14" instead and can't notice a difference. Being from the 90's it was fairly challenge-less, apart from my self-imposed invisible zipper, and in the end, not really distinguishable as being from that decade, but I think I'm ok with that. :)

Sewing In Art

I've always found the way sewing (and other crafts) have been portrayed in media a fascinating thing.  Many other bloggers have looked at the changing face of sewing over the last century or so, and I've very briefly touched on it here, but I thought it might be fun to look at sewing even further back than that - through art.

So the first installment in the "Sewing In Art" series:

(source)

This is a book scan from the Tacuina Sanitatis, a 14th century book on health and well being.  The description reads "Linen Clothing".  

The fabric, if it's proportional looks to be a very narrow bolt - and look at the size of those shears!  Also, proportionally, the figures sitting and sewing seem to be smaller than the ones standing.  I wonder if this signifies status or importance.  Notice that the girl sitting with her back to us in the green dress is wearing her differently to the other women.  I wonder if she is younger, perhaps some kind of apprentice?

See lady standing in the white gown?  I wondered at first if she was a teacher, but I think she's the customer!  The fabric of her dress looks similar to the fabric on the table, and the stuff being worked on by the seated ladies.

Now if I can just figure out why this house of couture is perched on the edge of a cliff! ;)

So... what do you see in this picture?

Extra Read

I had the pleasure recently of doing a guest post over at Only Handmade.  Check it out!