I'm a Little Hedgehog

Have you ever heard of Thun? I hadn't. I suspect it may be categorized as a Precious Moments-type of collector thing, but I was taken in by the stuff. After much deliberation, I bought myself a hedgehog. Check out the catalog for more cuteness.

What I've Been Reading

Okay, I feel better. Thanks for waiting for me! I still don't feel great, but if I wait until I feel great, it could be a while. So here goes...


The Help by Kathryn Stockett - Yes, it's as good as everyone says it is. Get yourself on the reserves list at the library and read it. You'll like it.






The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger - Wow, I've had a copy of this on my shelf forever, but every time I read the cover, I thought, "Time travel? That's going to be confusing. I can't cope with that right now." I finally decided to just dive in. While I enjoyed it, I can't say I really followed all its intricacies. Check out the eerie drawings by Niffenegger at her website. Spoooooky.

Evan's Gate by Rhys Bowen - I went back to basics after all that confusing time travel stuff.


Miss Buncle's Book by D. E. Stevenson - I thought this story was friggin' adorable. Miss Buncle writes a book (anonymously) about all the people in her village. A very honest book. I loved it. Unfortunately, I didn't have this vintage edition, nor did I have one of those beautiful Persephone Books editions. No, mine was goofy-looking, large-print edition from the 1980s. I felt a little strange carrying it around, but it was worth it.





Made from Scratch: Discovering the Pleasures of a Handmade Life by Jenna Woginrich - I thought this was going to be more artsy craftsy, but instead it was about beekeeping, chickens, etc. I liked how she encourages people to take even small steps towards self-sufficiency.

Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen - Okay, I found a Bowen series I don't like. At all. Boo!

Cheerful Weather for the Wedding by Julia Strachey - I've had good luck with the Persephone Classics so far, but I'm afraid this one went over my head. I'm sure if I knew more about the time period it would be wonderfully wry, but, well, I don't.

Mrs. Tim Gets a Job by D. E. Stevenson - Not as good as Miss Buncle. I want to read more about Miss Buncle. Mrs. Tim, I'm not so sure.

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella - Not bad. A notch above your average chick lit. Reminded me of a Cecelia Ahern book.

Gerry posting on DP's behalf...no bull!

Good Morning, all! Susan has come down with a bug as of Monday morning and has been too sick to even look at her email, blog, etc. She asked me to post a quick note for her to let everyone know that she will be back to posting in a day or 2.

Creative Hands - Happi Coat

Okay, look past the patchwork. It looks like someone took my blankie and made a coat. Just think about the basic idea and try to picture it made of something more...sedate.


See? That's not so different from Heather Ross's kimono dress from Weekend Sewing!

Creative Hands - Felt Fruit

Little felt fruits. Adorable. I have nothing to add. (I did leave this picture extra big, so you can click it and see lots more detail.)

Creative Hands - Hedgehogs

This picture is a tease, because they don't include patterns for all these animals (those toucans!), but hey, we're clever, we can figure them out! They do include patterns for Augustus and Marmaduke, the hedgehogs.

Okay, they aren't as easy to make as my hedgies, but if you don't have a car wash mitt handy, they'll do! That little purple guy is basically a pom pom with a head stuck on it. Christmas ornament, anyone?

Creative Hands - Dotty Idea

As much as I love polka dots, I never would have thought to embellish them with embroidery. The book suggests using this in a small area such as a yoke or bib. How about on a skirt, scattered here and there?

Creative Hands - Handy Handbag

Look familiar? I mean if you take away all the fringe and the opera glasses? Yep, it's that handbag with the slip-through handle! And you thought we invented that idea in this century!

Creative Hands - Patchy Lion

Remember my Patches? Here's the leonine version! RAAAAWWR!

Creative Hands - Love Token

Wow, I don't know if I'd have pegged this pipe smoker as someone who'd wear a leather cuff, but the seventies were a crazy time, I guess. Oh wait, the book calls this a love token. --smothered giggles-- In any event, I like the idea of a small, easy leather project. Recycle an old leather handbag, maybe?

Creative Hands - Fairy Tale Wallhanging

We tease my cat about being the princess and the pea, because she won't lie down on a blanket until every crease and fold is smoothed out of it. Hmm, maybe I could change that to a kitty princess up there on the pile of mattresses?

I like how loose this is. If someone told me to make an applique picture of the princess and the pea, I'd be measuring everything out and agonizing over lining things up, etc. But this is so appealing precisely because it's not perfect. And I love the simple finishing with the two rings at the corners. Ideas, ideas.

P.S. How 'bout that chamber pot!

Creative Hands - Apple Motif

I love this apple! The book presents it as a pattern for a crewelwork pillow, and I'll tell you right now...that isn't going to happen in my lifetime! But as an applique? Cute!

Creative Hands - Clothespin Apron

"You won't look dreary on wash day in this cheerful apron." No, but it will look like it's Christmas all year 'round! I'm not thrilled with the color scheme, but I like the basic idea of the top layer forming the pocket. The instructions call for just 3/4 yard of each fabric, so it's a good project for remnants or pricier designer fabrics.

And don't worry...I won't try to make it into a skirt!

Creative Hands

A visit to the thrift shop back in March yielded this set of books: Greystone's Creative Hands, The Complete Knitting, Dressmaking, and Needlecraft Guide. Twenty two volumes in all, I think Gerry was a little horrified when he saw me piling them into my cart. Hey, at fifty cents each (they were $1, but half off), they were cheaper than magazines!

Unlike magazines, I will not be throwing these into the recycling bin. (Sorry, Gerry, they're sticking around.) The range of needlecrafts they cover is amazing! Besides knitting and crochet, there are all different kinds of embroidery projects, lace, chapters on tailoring, natural dyes, making lampshades (yikes!), applique, toy making...you name it. A lot of the projects are completely out of my league (I don't even know how to crochet), but many others have made it onto my to-do list.

See all those pages I've bookmarked? I'm going to share TEN of my favorites with you over the next several days. I may never get around to completing any of these projects, but they're too cute to keep to myself!

If You Need Me...

...I'll be in here. Books, snacks, and the air conditioner blowing right on me.

Three Hours To Spare

Done!

2 with cherries
1 floral
1 with skulls

Only 9 pm!

Click pic to see larger.

In the Works

Been dragging my feet on an order for four aprons. If I say I'm going to get them done tomorrow, will you hold me to it?

Too Weird?

Okay, so Julie from High Fiber Content (love that name!), questions the pocket in the center of a skirt thing. And I concur--it is a little strange, but not strange enough to stop me from trying it! With as many skirts as I have, I'm always looking for something new, so here's my version.

Of course I don't have Marimekko fabric lying around for making muslins. I used this green and white print once before, pre-blog, for a wrap skirt. In fact, that wrap skirt was the second or third thing I ever sewed, and I used the Sew What: Skirts book. I'm not the first one to say this, but that is a great book--very informative and not at all intimidating.

The one problem I have with that skirt is that I never know what to wear with it. I look awful in white, and matching the green would be kind of tough, so it just hangs in the closet, forgotten. To help with that, I used navy blue bias tape to finish the hem of the new skirt. It was either that or bright pink, and my husband picked the navy.

So, anyway, the whole point of this exercise was to try out that pocket. It was easy to replicate--all I had to do was cut two fronts and sew them together like so:


And here's the pocket in action! Just a spot to tuck a little something.

So is that weird? I guess it is, a little. How about some more views?

Overhead View:

Side View:
Jumping View!Too weird? Not weird at all? Just weird enough?

Thrift Shop Find Inspires Two Projects--Full Story at Eleven

Thrift shop find!

It was $5.90 and too small, but I bought it anyway.











Wouldn't you? It's so cheerful! I can use the fabric for something else. And that seam across the middle is intriguing.











Ah, it isn't just a seam--it's a pocket!













Now this is something I want to try....













And once I make a copy of the skirt, I can turn it into a new bag!