look out - i will surely get "your goat"

I'm on day three of an incredibly calm productive stream of sewing. My secret? Very. Little. Internet. Time. I banned myself from the etsy forum, and I haven't looked back. I've finished 4 dresses, 2 tunics, 2 shirts and a few shirts. I've tried some new draping experiments and made some very different pieces from my norm. And even though it's snowy I churned out a few bright Spring dresses.

Oh, say, did I mention that I'm the spawn of Satan? I do searches for deconstructed clothing now and then to see what's out there. I just found this lovely piece of Reefer-Madness-esque propaganda from an LDS church "Image Integrity" site about the evils of deconstructed clothing. The best part:

Deconstructed clothes are purposely intended to visually communicate unwillingness to conform to looking "nice" as was once enjoyed. The looks are pridefully and immodestly, "in your face," for the purpose of getting attention, getting "your goat," or getting "the edge."

Wow, I feel so bad-ass now. I admit, at 43 I'm still mildly thrilled at being so misunderstood and judged. The best part is that they don't even seem to know what deconstructed means. It's sort of perfect.

For the record, I have nothing for or against the LDS church. Mr. Lentil holds a Philosophy degree and enjoys inviting their nice young elders in and chatting them up. Once a few of them shoveled our driveway. Plus, they put on a fantastic show.

if maple syrup, then Spring.

Here's the view today out the window of my work space. I sure feel silly making a bright celery green Spring dress. But Spring happens every year, right? Right?

it's a DIY thing.

My interview in the flagship edition of DIY City was posted today. DIY City is an online mag put out by the fine folks at DIYthing. Each issue will feature a city, and although I'm removed from New York City they were kind enough to squeeze me in. It's quite an impressive undertaking!

I was interviewed by designer Lori Sandstedt of lorimarsha. Lori's also a reconstructer and I'm a big fan of her work. I just love that so many people can reconstruct clothes and have completely different styles. Where I'm cottons, solids and earth-tones, Lori is laces, plaids and patterns, West Coast sunshine and ripe fruit. She makes clothing, handbags and gorgeous chunky jewelry. I'm happy to have Lori as part of my informal online support network. She asked some great questions and being the grand overthinker that I am, I got all carried away answering them. I do hope you'll read the interview.

one mission (like a salmon)

 Here's the dress I made from the orange and gray striped cotton. I had some matching salmon/orange thermal cotton and some super plush gray velour.

six impossible things

"Why, sometimes I've believed as many as
six impossible things before breakfast."
— The Queen, Alice in Wonderland

I set my toast plate down next to today's project (see yesterday's heinous drawing) and accidently made a fine photo opp. These colors please me. The darker blue-green is a velvet vintage skirt that will hopefully become a belt for this sweater. I got these small plates plus some cups and saucers years ago at the flea market.

I'm going to believe as many impossible things as I can today, including that my vote matters in today's presidential primary.

let us now praise good-humored self deprecation.

I think this speaks for itself.

Trust me, the real sweater will be three dimensional.

"I ain't scaret."

Today on my "day off" I accidently made a dress. As a big fan of all things gray (or grey) I've been enjoying mixing it with other colors. So I was happy to find this gray and salmon orange cotton jersey in teeny little stripes. I made it, along with some matching orange thermal cotton and gray jersey and velour, into a dress. It's all ripply and textured and has a hidden side pocket. When it's all washed and ready I'll post the finished product.

I sort of can't wait to sleep, get up and have the "real" work week begin. I have a bunch of stuff ready to list and a pile of new projects lined up to make. As the young boy who timidly tripped up our stairs for Halloween one year said "I ain't scaret."

sink in and tinker.

I've got a new wave of bag-making fever. I've made a few and plan to dig into my boxes of salvaged leather to make some more. For inspiration I dug through my archives to peek at some bags I made before I really got rolling on this whole full time maker/making gig.

These are three I made by a combination of weaving and sewing. The brown and purple one is made from wool and purple cotton jersey - it came out really well but I would never be patient enough to make another. I don't know how real weavers do what they do.

I also found a sort of bag-making manifesto called "dreams of bags" that I barely remember writing. As usual I was struggling with how to stay calm and get work done - ending with "sink in and tinker."

It's not a big mystery. You just have to sink in and tinker.

Why is this so hard to remember every morning?

ludwig ... let me count the ways

You'll have lemonade -

pink, and take afternoon naps.
Live with me, Ludwig.

Inspired by an etsy forum thread that called for us to write a haiku about something we covet, I wrote this poem for Ludwig. I admit, I am naturally suspicious of being a grown woman who is attracted to stuffed animals in the same way I distrust men with boy's names - the exception being Billy Collins. I guess I've just seen too many women wearing Disney sweatshirts. But this is different. I just know it is.

Ludwig was dreamed up and knit by Debi van Zyl, whose work and blog I am ever-so fond of. Her beasts make me happy. She makes paper things and mobiles too.