Accomplishments

Feeling rather accomplished lately. Why does this make me nervous? What am I forgetting? As you can guess, I am not used to feeling like I am ahead of the game. Especially as a new mother, especially as a seamstress. However, it has been four weeks of regular gym work outs (thank you Fitocracy!) and almost a month of marking things off my sewing goals list!

I am not bragging, so don’t be fooled by my joyous over-confidence. I whipped up some overdue holiday gifts for some sewing pals of mine, using the fabulous pinch frame purse tutorial on Petite Purls by Rashida Coleman-Hale. To be honest, I had the tutorial saved on my phone for ages, and had purchased the frames on Etsy in 2010 – eep! It feels so good to use these frames.

Sewing for gifts is something I do and somehow also complain about often. It’s hard for me (maybe everyone?!) to know what people might enjoy. However, when I remembered that my stash had these fun frames I knew I would have to give the tutorial a try.

And because I have four frames, I whipped up one for myself first, to make sure I had the process down right.

And, maybe not surprisingly, it didn’t go well. I thought I would be fancy and use linen for the frame casing. Apparently, it had completely escaped me that linen has thick fibers and is actually not very thin compared to quilting cottons. So the frame doesn’t actually close well. It won’t drop my phone, but coins it probably would lose. I do really love this scrap of Echino fabric I had, so it isn’t a complete toss.

The tutorial is fast and easy to follow. The process is more simple than it seems. I suggest making a few for yourself in all sizes! The one above holds sunglasses easily!

I made one for Sew Your Own Way in Tula Pink:

One in a kelly green for Nerdy Sewist:

And one in Echino for Mermaid Sews:

I do hope they enjoy their new homes! The frames are such a delight to use and make a professional product. I bought mine here.

I managed to sneak in something not on the list (oh no!) a handmade clutch for my niece turning 13! Happy Birthday lady! I used Anna Maria Horner’s voile and velveteen. It came out just lovely if I do say so myself.

She seems quite pleased, but honestly, turning 13 is probably one of the best birthdays ever.

I have other things in the works, and a couple of things completed but not yet documented. I can tell you now, though, is that I am getting even more excited about making myself clothes!

Hope you are all having wonderful experiences too!

Love,

MaLora

PS: My real big accomplishment is that my almost 18 month old son gave me a real kiss today. It never occurred to me to teach him to kiss, and he just did it all on his own. I am blown away by the joy of love. Below are the boys of Team Erickson.

May Day Giveaway!

A beautiful day in Seattle had me indoors, whipping up three fun little zipper pouches for the Sew Mama Sew May Day Giveaway! As I am heading off for a mini-vacation, I am posting this today. The official day is May 23, and I am happy to accept all entries until Midnight, May 25th. Enter to win a lovely handmade zipper pouch by me – just leave a comment below with your choice!

A zipper pouch is the ultimate bag, perfect for travel or for sorting, storage or decoration, a zipper pouch can carry a lot. I use them for sorting art supplies, cosmetics, bike tools, accessories, sewing notions, and more. I love them, and enjoy making them, and hope you will enjoy the three up for grabs below. To enter, just comment below. Don’t forget to leave your email address, so I can contact the winners. I will also post the winners on May 26th.

1. Ruffles

I had a lot of fun with Ruffles. The collection works together so beautifully, and cheers me up when I see it. Inside is a pocket “Hey, good lookin’, what you got cookin’?” and the back has decorate stain red stitching across the border of the red/yellow fabrics. The light sky blue zipper is a nice smooth finish. The pouch is slightly narrow, 1″ deep, but 10″ across at the bottom so it will hold a great deal while still fitting easily inside a messenger bag.

2. The Bike Bag

The echino bicycle fabric is choice for summer. The green blue hues complement  a sunny yellow linen lining with green accents. One side has a large pocket that fits my iPhone and cards. This one would make an awesome companion for day bicycling trips, easily holding tools and a spare tire along with your essentials.  In this photo you can see the boxy shape of the bottom of the zipper pouch.

3. The (mini) Carpet Bag

The (mini) Carpet Bag is my favorite. Luxurious fabrics, rich deep gold and reds, a sturdy build and a girthy middle, this little zipper pouch will hold a great deal. It’s a bit smaller than the others, 8″ across the top but around 3″ deep so it has a true pouch appearance. The fabric is lustrous in the light, revealing intense hues that make me think of Persian rugs or Turkish food or luxury.

To see even more photos (I do love my sewing table!) check out my flickr here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/birdandbicycle

To Enter:

Comment on my blog with the number of the bag(s) you’d like to receive. Yes, you can say any combination, but only one comment per person. I will draw a winner on May 26th. I am happy to ship internationally as well, and if you are also participating in the May Day Blog Giveaway, leave me a note – I’d love to see what you’re making as well. These three lovely little zip pouches were all handmade by me, in my Ballard home, today, during the nicest sunny day in Spring thus far. Each bag will have some extra some goodies in it as well!

Thank you for checking out my blog, and for participating in Sew Mama Sew’s May Giveaway Day! I am off for a much needed vacation, visiting Kansas and family for the first time. (I am hoping for lightning and storms!)

Love,

MaLora

UPDATE: May 26th – Giveaway is now closed. Thank you to everyone for checking out my blog!

My Fabric Crush

I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate.
Julia Child

I take these words to heart. I see the things I make as small steps to being a seamstress, a constructionist, an architect, a builder. I take my tools and make until something is complete, until the something I’ve completed can be used. Utility is a strong part of my practice. I believe in having things that are useful. This limits my project choices. This limits my fabric selections. But, these limitations give me the challenge to make things that will be used, and not just hang in my closet with the Banana Republic suit I’ve never even worn.

I’m that girl in the craft room asking “why are we making felt flowers again?” and “will I really wear another a-line skirt?” and “i don’t want to make pajama pants – i want to make a custom swing coat with a lining and pockets and a standing collar!” and this is why I don’t make friends. So my practicality is both my friend and foe. I live for the challenges, and warp and weft my way across my choices of construction.

My fabric crushes start with my surroundings. I see a color and start to notice it in places unexpected. Right now I obsess over the color rainbow that appears in the stormy sky of Seattle or the fog over Shilshole in Ballard. I see the complexity, and want to build that fabric crush into a new winter coat, and a wool skirt, and a scarf to match. I’m thinking about suiting fabrics in deep wools, a pink-grey, a yellow-grey, a rainbow of grey!

The colorful reflection on Puget Sound is gorgeous! I love the mix of grey with a rainbow in blue, green, yellow... every color so dark but so vibrant.

My partner sees color, and throws his whole being into it. He loves Etsuko Furuya and every time we hit up Fabric Crush or Stitches, he beelines for the Japanese import section. As a graphic designer, he understands color and repetition, and picks out the best of both.  I delight in showing him the designers I love (I’m talking to you, Tula Pink) and seeing what he thinks will make the best of the fabric.

So when I decided to whip up a couple of lunch bags, to keep our snacks compact inside our messenger bags, he knew what he wanted before I could say “Echino.” The fabric for both came from Fabric Crush, my favorite store in Wallingford. Their selection is very modern and their staff overly friendly.  They carry mostly quilting cottons, and I am hoping they expand their knit jersey and apparel choices soon!

We often bring snacks, instead of a formal "lunch" to work. We are constant nibblers. At restaurants, I am often the one who orders three appetizers instead of 1 entree. Take me to a tapas bar and I'm in heaven!

I love french seams! Don't you? So easy and yet, strong! Perfect for unlined bags.

I can’t help but think of Ratatat every time I see Etsuko Furuya’s fabrics. Listen: Wildcat

The french knots are tiny as I am still trying to get the hang of them. They start to fade and disappear as they drift north above the heart. At my wedding, our vows included lines from e e cummings "i carry our heart" - for this reason, I stitch hearts on things that I see everyday. I carry his heart, I carry it in my heart.

I had some embroidery thread on hand, and went over my machine stitches to thicken up the red line. You can see the shine of the rayon thread! I love the drama of the deep red on such a rich orange!

So tell me, what is your fabric crush? What hides in your stash, that you are secreting away for a special occasion?

PS: What are your favorite fabric stores to shop at? Let’s crush out together!