Still talkin' about pockets

I could stuff a lot of eggs in this pocket. In fact I might be able to fit in the entire hen.

Natalie Chanin corset tank with self-drafted western yoke

I have made several things inspired by the Alabama Stitch Book. When I looked back through my photos I only managed to come up with the circle wrap skirt and the western corset. I did not use the slow stitch method. On both of these occasions I stitched the applique by machine. I am a huge fan of stitching by hand. In fact I find myself gravitating toward a project that I can complete from the porch.
I feel a need to slow everything down just a bit, and breathe.

About pockets...

I put pockets in everything I make. In the past (for some insane reason) I sometimes skipped this step. Then you try to put your money/keys in your pocket and - oops no pocket. Then the only logical next step is to put it/them in your bra. Then you have to hand your 10 year old son the keys to open the car door. Apparently your lightning quick reflexes aren't what they used to be and he realizes where the keys just came from.
"I am so not touching those keys."
"You do realize that you were breastfed , right?"
Now he's claiming that he's scarred for life. I'm not sure if it's from the breastfeeding or handling the keys that had briefly hung out in my bra.

The skirt that this pocket belongs to is also here, and here.

Day 14

This is the dress I did not wear today. Unless you count the million times I tried it on. Then I waded it up and jumped up and down on it. I didn't really jump on it, but I did hurl a couple of expletives in its general direction.
As I am breezing right through my Me-Made-May wardrobe , I thought that I would try to add to it. This dress has been hanging out in the back of my closet waiting for a refashion. I made sooo... many mistakes today. It should have been fairly simple.
I am walking away. Maybe tomorrow when I'm not so frustrated I'll work it out.

Blue Moon Farm

this is Miss Halle guarding her udder from the vicious Nubian attack goats

Miss Halle's classroom went on a field trip to Blue Moon Farm today. The farm had several stations set up that showed the process (soil, seed, water, light, etc.) that different plants go through, before they produce the vegetables that you recognize on your dinner table.

At one point during the day her teacher was telling me about Nature Deficit Disorder. Which if I understand it correctly - is a theory that children are experiencing behavioral problems associated with the lack of time outdoors. There is no connection with the earth: therefore no responsibility for environmental stewardship.
Scary.

On a much lighter note, I am still hanging in there for Me-Made-May. I made this apron skirt with a pocket large enough for egg collecting. The fact that I do not own one chicken,
just a technicality.

Happy Mothers Day

Mom was a refashonista before the label was even coined. Way back, before it was even trendy. She tells me that she made my dresses fit my sisters after I had outgrown them.
The gingham dress that I'm wearing was made from a vintage pattern. The pattern had several different collar options. You could change the collar and sleeve combo and come up with several different looks. Or you could add rick-rack monograms and completely shake things up. hmm... gingham/rick-rack I'm sensing a trend here.

You might even use drapery fabric and a white collar to totally change the look.

Everything I know I learned from you, apparently I'm just a chip off the old block.
Happy Mothers Day mom, you're still a trendsetter in my book.

Every good photo shoot (anthropologie) needs a little token male eye candy.

Day 10 or Hot Patterns Deco Vibe Flippy Skirt

Once I lost the derriere defining trim, I decided that I really like this skirt.
Funny, some ideas in theory fall short in implementation.
Still hanging in there; day ten, Me-Made-May.

Green

Hello green.
I took this photo yesterday, and woke to three inches of snow on the ground this morning. Maybe I'm being a tad hasty with this herald to Spring.

We took a walk today (in our mud boots) and talked about celebrating earth day everyday. So...happy earth day today and everyday.

Thoughts of warmer weather have me dreaming of vintage inspired dresses. And aprons. And apron skirts with pockets that are large enough to hold chicken eggs.

The windiest day ever...

skirt from vintage bark cloth
self drafted pattern

In our household we have the same conversation every Spring.
Usually it goes something like this.

I can't believe how windy it is. I think this is the worst windy day ever.

Did you forget how windy it was last Spring?

Yeah, but this year it's worse. It's serious windy out there.

You said that last year.

Noooo... it's definitely windier.

You've just forgotten how windy it gets here in the Spring.

I'm serious. What in the world are we going to talk about when we're a couple of oldsters? I am pretty sure you only get a certain amount of this kind of dialog. Once you've used it up, that's it.

I had planned on a little gardening.
Then I realized I'd gone out on the windiest day ever....

Zipper debate

I was prompted to share my thoughts regarding zippers when I read this post. Gertie addresses the invisible zipper issue.

Here's my official position. When I put a zipper in the side seam, I reach for an invisible zip. As hard as I try I cannot keep everything as flat as I'd like with any other method of insertion. I have tried. Believe me I've tried, because I hate invisible zippers. I love them in concept, but hate the plastic teeth and find them very poorly made. I'd choose a vintage zipper over new every time. Besides they come in such yummy colors. How about poppy, tango, mignonette, temple gold, moss green, frosty blue, devil red, mulberry, toast....

Steel grey, a perfect match.

Dear Daryl,

In downtown Ridgeway there is a thrift store. Mom and I were passing by on our way to Grand Junction. I had her stop, just for a minute.

We went our separate ways, mom over to the kitchen stuff, me elbow deep in the fabric bin. This particular bin had several shelves, and there was already someone looking things over. Of course I'm hoping she hasn't already found the vintage fabric. I finally come up for air and notice my surroundings, checking out my competition for the vintage fabric, and it's none other than Daryl Hannah. yeah.

Trying my best to appear nonchalant and unaffected - only knocking a couple of things over on the way - I make my way back to mom in the kitchen section. So the following is the story as I remember it. Mom, feel free to add anything (or defend yourself) , I'm happy to edit.

"Mom, Daryl Hannah is in the store. She's over in the fabric section shopping." Mom very unruffled and matter of fact, hands me a random piece of handwork (see photo) that she's already found lying somewhere in the store and says, "Take this over and have her sign it." Now, I'm not going to bore you with the details/dialog of the argument that ensued. Suffice it to say that she won, she always does. Dragging my feet I go back over to ask Daryl for her autograph, something I would never have imagined doing, not in a million years.

"Excuse me Daryl, do you see that women over there in the kitchen section? That's my mother. She's a quilter. She sent me over with this fabric, hoping that you would autograph it for her. She plans on making a quilt around it. You know, with the dog image in the center the other blocks radiating out from that, blah, blah, blahbiddy, blah." Oh the agony. I'm sure she was wondering, will this never end. Then she signed it, she really signed it. I'm sure that it had something to do with shutting me up.

Back to mom in the kitchen section. She witnessed the entire interaction. She then hands me another piece of fabric. She is quite sure that once I've had time to think about it, I'm going to want an autograph of my own. "Don't even think about it, you can't have mine," she says. "Mom, why didn't you have me take them both over in the first place?" Now she's laughing, "I didn't think it was Daryl Hannah. I've been over here just crackin' up, thinking that you were asking a complete stranger for Daryl Hannahs autograph."

So you might be thinking that this is the punchline. Nope, not even close.

I went back over and asked for another autograph!!

Thank you Daryl Hannah, you're very gracious.