The Liebster Blog Award - or, what the heck is "The Liebster Blog Award"??

So I got a note from the very talented sisters, Ashley and Emily - the brains behind Frances Suzanne.  Their blog is one of my favorites.  They are amazingly talented, creative, and extremely humble!  They discuss even their sewing fails, which I think a lot of bloggers seem to gloss over.  It makes me like them, and know that I'd really like them in real life!

They nominated me for the Liebster.  They gave a great explanation of the "award" on their blog but you can just Google it and read about it.

The Liebster Blog Award
 

Here's the rules (which I will most likely break....):

The Rules:
1. You must post 11 random things about yourself.
2. Answer the questions that the nominator set for you.

3. Create 11 questions for the people you nominate.
4. Choose 11 new blogs you love and link them in your post.
5. Please leave me a comment on this post with the URL to your Liebster post so I can learn more about you!

So, without further ado, here I go:

11 random things:

1.  I played college basketball even though I'm only 5'2" tall.  One of my prized possessions is my trophy that I earned for most improved player.  I'm #32.  In the front - cause I'm short!

2.  I've never once colored my hair.
3.   I make amazing meatballs.
4.  I own at least 10 Boston Celtics shirts and 5 Boston Celtics sweatshirts.  And, I wear them all the time.
5.  I was a serious tomboy.  Still am.
6.  I can't stay up late.  Never could.  Bedtime is 10:00 at the very latest.
7.  I'm a fabric hoarder.  Surprised?
8.   My older kids used to be "actors" when we lived in Canada.  They were in The Santa Clause with Tim Allen.  My son is in the green shirt and my daughter is the little one in the front.

9.   I played clarinet, saxophone, oboe, and baritone horn in high school.
10.  I work full time, run a small fabric business, have a 3 year old.  And, I'm seriously considering going back to school and changing careers!
11.  I have a hard time thinking of 11 random things!

So now, the next step is to answer the questions from Ashley and Emily:

11 questions for fellow Leibster award recipients:
1. What are your top five ‘must-read’ blogs?
2. Do you have a phobia? And if so – what is it?
3. What is your favorite fabric? This might be a certain designer’s look, or a particular style / texture you are drawn to....
4. What is your most tried and true pattern in your stash?
5. What is your dream job?
6. Share a tradition that you and your family enjoy.
7. Name one thing sewing-related that you haven’t tried…but want to learn how to do.
8. What is your favorite month of the year and why?
9. If you had the opportunity to do a guest post, what series would you want to participate in….or, on which site would you like to guest post?
10. Where do you get your sewing inspiration (be specific – for example: a particular pinterest board, blog, children’s retail, etc.)?
11. What has been your greatest “sewing find” to date?

1.  My top 5 blogs I read are:
          1.  True Up - this blog is an absolute MUST read if you have interest in fabric.  I get so much information from her.  
 
          2.  Cluck Cluck Sew - this goes to something I can't do, but want to - quilt!  It seems so daunting to make a quilt.  I keep reading quilt blogs thinking I'm going to take the plunge.  I have one tutorial picked out that I think I just might try.  We'll see...
 
          3.  LA Kids Market - this is a place that I go to keep up to date with trends in children's clothing, and to get inspiration for things I sew.  
 
          4.  Aneela Hoey's blog - again, more quilting envy.  Plus, I just love her fabric lines!
 
          5.  Oliver + S Blog - I'd say this one is self-explanatory, considering 99% of the stuff I sew is from their patterns.

2.  Phobias:  Bugs.  And losing my kids.  I have recurring dreams that I've lost or forgotten one of my kids someplace.  Not like I've ever done that....maybe it's just a mom thing.

3.  Favorite Fabric:    Corduroy.  Reminds me of the fall.  Even though I sadly live in a place where there is no fall....I love to sew with it, it's durable, soft, wears well.

4.  Tried and True Pattern:   It's two really - first off, the Ice Cream dress by Oliver + S.
I've made several Ice Cream dresses and tops.  It's easy, comfortable to wear, and it lets you showcase the fabric you choose beautifully.  Then, the drawstring bag pattern in the book "Little Things to Sew".  It's made a great gift bag for all the parties my daughter has been going to with her pre-school friends.  And, it's a great way to use up cute fabric scraps. 

5.  My Dream Job: I actually have my dream job pretty much.  I'm an investigator, and it allows me to be nosy, snoop in other people's business....and, actually help people.  It's challenging and fun.  My next dream job would be to own a fabric shop, and I'm working on that one too.....slowly, but surely!

6.  Tradition: We don't have a ton of traditions necessarily, but every year, I make the kids fleece pajamas for Christmas.....now, I had to make some for girlfriends/boyfriends, so this year I had to make 6 pairs....I may be re-thinking this one....

7.  Sewing Thing I Haven't Tried But Want To:  Quilt!!!  Really, I'm going to do it.

8.  Favorite Month:  September.  I used to love back to school shopping, corduroy pants, leaves falling.  Unfortunately, now I live in California, and we don't have fall.  I did see a few leaves on the ground the other day....

9.  Guest Post?:  I already did one guest post for "Skirting the Issue" regarding foster care.  It's an issue my family feels strongly about as we adopted our youngest from the Los Angeles County Foster Care system.  So, really, I'd like to blog more about that issue.

10.  Sewing Inspiration:  Two retail shops that I get inspiration from are The Wooden Soldier and  Hanna Anderssen.  These are two pretty polar opposite shops, but  I like the quality of their workmanship in their garments.

11.  Greatest "Sewing Find":  This one was easy.  When I was a girl, I had an aunt who sewed all my clothes.  Some day, I'd really like  to do a blog post about her, but anyways, I found a pattern that I KNOW she used to make a dress for me.  This is me, about 10 years old:

 

I picked this fabric - it was purple velveteen.  Here's the pattern that I found on Etsy:

 

It's a size 8, and you bet that Julia will be wearing this in purple velvet whether she likes it or not!

Here's the new and/or small blogs that I read that haven't already been Liebster-ized

1.  Froo & Boo 
2.   Elephant in the Study:
3.  Sweet Pea and Pumkins 

I don't really have 11 to note because Emily and Ashley took the ones I already read!!

Thanks for the Liebster.....you like me, you really like me! 

Kokka Paris Walk 2+2

One of the first patterns that I got from Oliver + S was the 2+2.  I've sewed several tops, plus the skirt.  In fact, I even bought the larger size range already because I knew it was such a versatile top and skirt pattern that I'd get a ton of use out of it.

When I first saw this fabric while buying for my shop from the Kokka distributor, I knew that I loved it and what I wanted to make with it.  I thought that it would make a wonderful 2+2 top, with denim accents, hopefully worn by my child with some jeans, or at least a jean skirt.  I love the little silhouette of the woman walking her dog.....

The fabric is a Kokka linen cotton blend - it's not heavy, but not real, real lightweight - kind of a middle weight fabric.  I used a light weight denim that I got from Joann's on sale - I've used this light denim quite a bit - really, I should just but about 10 yards next time it goes on sale...

I really like the way it came out, except, I really should have added a few inches to the length.  This is a 3T, and I've been using the 3T size but adding about 2-3 inches on all my recent projects.

Every time I sew an Oliver + S pattern again, I do a little bit better - on my prior attempts with this top, the area under the patch (which is gathered) ended up with uneven pleats.  This time, I took a bit more time and it looks more like gathers.   It's the little things.....

I let Julia sew the buttons on with me.  She already says that she wants to learn to sew, which makes me very happy.

Some modeled photos:

So ends my first sewing project of the New Year.....much, much more to come!!

A Hanukkah Show Playdate....

My daughter goes to a Jewish pre-school.  We're actually no religion, but certainly celebrate Christmas....so, she needed something to wear for the annual Hanukkah show - which will feature Julia's rendition of "Latkes and Applesauce" along with her classmates...sneak preview here:

Click here to watch the video:  Julia sings...

I wanted to make her a dress using the Playdate Dress pattern from Oliver + S.  I made her one previously, and she hated it.  So, not to be deterred, I tried it again:

 

It's made from very dark navy blue stretch velvet left over from my gymnastic leotard making days....the yoke is linen, with a lace insert.  I considered doing embroidery on the yoke, but I'm glad I didn't.  I don't even have buttons for it, and I may just leave it like this.

It's a size 3 with about 3 inches added to the bottom.  A perfect fit.

Talk about hard to photograph.....

Anyways, here's a couple of modeled shots....I asked her if she'd like to wear it for her show on Friday, and she said yes.....so, we'll see!

Success on several counts....

I'm making a concerted effort to:

- use up fabric that I've had for more years than I want to own up to,
- use my machine's embroidery features,
- take into consideration Julia's "style" and what she likes and wants to wear (regardless of my "style")

This one worked for all three:

It's made from purple velour that I've had in a Tupperware bin in my garage for at least 17 years.  I know this because the tag from the moving company is still on the bin from when I moved from Canada to California in 1995!

I used the Oliver + S Class Picnic top pattern.  I saw this modification on Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/disdressed/6949853281/in/faves-janice4839/ made by the maker of the Oliver + S pattern, so I know it would totally work!  It's simply elongating the torso, and adding a ruffle.  Easy, except that she recommended that the ruffle should start halfway between the wearer's waist and hipbone - since I couldn't find either Julia's waist, nor hipbone, I kind of just punted!  It actually came out kind of long, but she loves it:

It spins!!!

Once a dress passes the spin test, and it has no tags to itch, and soft fabric, she might just wear it!  Time will tell!

I used some variegated thread to make the snowflakes - I was very pleased the way they came out.

I made this in a size 4, and since it's pretty long, I have hope that she may be able to wear it again next year....

I'm just about to get started with some Christmas sewing.....I have lots on my list, including a baby gift for one of my co-workers....should be a fun month!

Soft, Cozy, Bedtime Story PJ's

The Oliver + S Bedtime Story pajama pattern was one of the first I wanted, and of course was out of print before I discovered O+S patterns.  It took a while to hunt it down, then, for some reason, I never sewed them....

My kid actually needed pajamas since the weather FINALLY turned a bit cooler.  I chose some really sweet flannel from Riley Blake from their Alphabet Soup line.  I love the colors.

They are a size 3T, with plenty of room to grow.  I'm sure I can use this pattern for another year, and lengthen it before I need to buy the size up.

It really makes a huge difference getting flannel that is bit more expensive, rather than buying the crap sold at Joann's.  I've purchased flannel from there before - on sale - and it was a huge special - like $1.97 a yard or something.  Well, they got all pilly, and rough.  So, what was the point of saving a few dollars....

Here's the pajamas...

And, some modeled shots with the actual morning-hair!

She likes them - proclaimed them "soft and cozy" - and volunteered for photos.  What more can I ask?!

She is kind of a nut sometimes.....

Apple Picking Dress for the birthday girl!

So my daughter turned 3 this week.  It's seriously hard to believe that she's been on the planet 3 years.  Since she's the 4th (and for sure final) kid, I'm savoring every single minute with her.

I made her this dress last weekend from an Oliver + S pattern - the apple-picking dress in a size 3T with 4T length:

The fabric is corduroy, from Westminster fabric, from my shop.  It's really soft, and a nice shade of pink.

I really wanted it to be something that she liked - girly, spinning, pink, soft fabric.  So, I chose carefully.   I chose buttons carefully, and embellished with some variegated thread using my machine's decorative stitches.

Then, the weather turned 95 degrees....

So, she didn't wear the dress on her birthday, as planned.  We had a small family party.  Her brothers and sister chose gifts for her - her architect student brother bought her Legos, her gymnast sister bought her a Gymnast Dora doll, and her athlete, cool kid brother bought her jewelry and clothes.  Very appropriate gifts from her siblings, and she loved them all.  She also got an easel, Peppa Pig characters, and these boots and umbrella combo.

We managed to take some pictures this morning to send to the grandparents of the newly 3 year old girl....

She's not a big fan of the tie at the neck....for some reason, she is bothered by certain details and says they're scratchy, or uncomfortable.  I may have to think of some way to modify the neck closure on this, because it really is a beautifully put together pattern.  The placket is wonderful really.

So, more sewing for cooler weather this long weekend.....and, more walks at the lagoon for sure....