tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55781848731740939562023-11-16T06:25:05.779-05:00Stitch-n-Thymereclaiming lost domestic artsMaggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028414273977350224noreply@blogger.comBlogger163125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578184873174093956.post-52076572436712908852015-03-22T19:11:00.001-04:002015-03-22T19:16:30.039-04:00Another door opens...
..and here is the key!
This lovely little key will unlock the new door of a soon-to-be brick and mortar shop that I am opening up in May/June of this year in Exeter, NH. Is it exciting? Yes. Am I ready? Getting there. Am I scared? Out of my mind!
I have been tossing this idea around for a few years, and I think the perfect space has become available. It is this location that has pushed me Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028414273977350224noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578184873174093956.post-63518917482809734822015-01-15T12:21:00.000-05:002015-01-15T12:21:03.467-05:00Refashioning Inspiration!
using "non-tradional" supplies to get the pleating right
Remember that wedding dress I helped my friend recreate using her mother's dress? Well, it was used in an article as a cool way to refashion your prom or wedding dress!! Exciting!
I got an email last fall ( I know, I know!!) letting me know it had been used and I am just now getting around to tell you all that I was featured. Good Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028414273977350224noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578184873174093956.post-81419523021892890542014-11-19T18:49:00.000-05:002014-11-19T18:49:23.826-05:00Wardrobe Architect: Worksheet 3
yay to the v-neck, nay to the turtleneck
Exploring Shapes
When I was little I remember having to wear turtlenecks in the winter. I grew up in New Hampshire, so winter spanned from October to March. I hated it. I was always pulling at the stupid polyester top in hopes of freeing my small confined neck. It felt so strangling. I will admit, it is a bit of a dramatic reaction to merely a shirt, Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028414273977350224noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578184873174093956.post-23899681348272386252014-11-06T11:28:00.001-05:002014-11-19T18:50:02.771-05:00Finished: Scout Maternity Hack
We talk a lot about selfish sewing out here in the sewing-blog world. I love to sew for myself, don't get me wrong, but sometimes it is fun to do it for others. Sometimes. Sadly since I sew at a snail's pace, it usually ends up arriving way past the original due date.
My sister asked to me in June to recreate a favorite knit t-shirt that she was having a hard time fitting into Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028414273977350224noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578184873174093956.post-48715432325158215062014-11-03T10:32:00.002-05:002014-11-06T11:29:08.485-05:00Finished: Whiskey River Archer
Hey, my first Archer, from Grainline Patterns! And my first long sleeve button-down for myself, first western shirt and my first Willie Nelson concert. So many firsts with this shirt, just wait!
You might recall this post, where I laid out my plans for the shirt, with all of my positive thinking. After I posted it, I had a full day to cut and sew this shirt, which surprisingly was Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028414273977350224noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578184873174093956.post-64876884631383030602014-11-01T16:24:00.001-04:002014-11-03T10:34:19.233-05:00Blog Hop + Bop(py)
Blog Hop: One fun blogger nominates two other fun bloggers to participate by answering a bunch of questions and then forwarding it on to two new bloggers. A way cooler version of a chain letter.
Boppy: A U-shaped coaster for holding your baby so that it does leave a water mark on your coffee table. Or something like that.
Let's start with the baby stuff first:
I am sure those that can Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028414273977350224noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578184873174093956.post-67820946170122262512014-10-29T10:15:00.000-04:002014-11-03T10:33:27.271-05:00Wardrobe Architect: Worksheet 2
perhaps an unknown start to my style from Rome 2011...
Defining Your Core Style
This week's exercise was about taking all the answers from the last excercise and boiling them down to a few words and images. I thought this would be pretty easy since I thought I had really narrowed it down with the last exercise, but I was (again) wrong.
I put together a list of words that defined my style. Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028414273977350224noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578184873174093956.post-8208975615698330582014-10-22T18:16:00.001-04:002014-10-29T10:16:52.455-04:00Finished: Knitted Baby Blanket
How cute is that? I have one sweater, one cardigan and one hat all on different needles, but look: I made a blanket! It is only a baby blanket (read:small), but still it is done and from these pictures, badly blocked. Hah!
My sister is having a baby in November and I really wanted to knit her something special for her baby shower. I scoured Ravelry starting in May and waded through many, manyMaggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028414273977350224noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578184873174093956.post-51166291804451661652014-10-12T13:03:00.000-04:002014-10-22T18:16:38.438-04:00Does Willie Nelson like pink?
You would think that I love to punish myself. I am, yet again, giving myself another deadline before a vacation. I am leaving on Tuesday for San Antonio to see my sister, but while I am there I am going to see...can you guess? Willie Nelson! I bet you smarty-pants probably figured out by my super mysterious post title. I can't get anything past you.
Now. Let's talk Western Shirts.
SimilarMaggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028414273977350224noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578184873174093956.post-50843427738325592172014-10-08T16:57:00.000-04:002014-10-12T13:06:43.486-04:00Wardrobe Architect: Worksheet 1
both my grandmothers in their early 20's
Making Style More Personal
Taking my history, philosophy, location, body issues and culture into consideration is the first week's exercise for the Wardrobe Architect by Colette. This, as I assume will happen with most of these worksheets, was much harder for me to do than I thought. Since all my answers would take a super long post, I am only Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028414273977350224noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578184873174093956.post-41389118029253403352014-10-01T11:55:00.000-04:002014-10-12T13:07:02.304-04:00A Door Closes....
from our trip to the Banfi Estate in 2011
I am no longer a cheesemonger.
I sold my cheese and wine business to a former customer and her sister. They will now take over the daily needs of my fromage-and-vino-loving customers in the small city of Dover, NH. It had been just shy of ten years and it was time for a change. What does this mean? Honestly— I don't know. What I do know is this:Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028414273977350224noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578184873174093956.post-3159590218460884922014-08-04T09:08:00.002-04:002014-10-12T13:06:05.408-04:00A Thoughtful Process: Wardrobe Architect Project
Unless you are an avid reader of sewing blogs like I am, it is possible that you missed this great series on Colette earlier this year, the Wardrobe Architect. I read it every week inspired, yet wasn't able to find the time or the steam to actually see the project through. Then this happened this morning:
I woke up. Showered. Went to my closet. I stood there looking at the clothes that hungMaggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028414273977350224noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578184873174093956.post-47056781790874467682014-03-28T14:43:00.000-04:002014-10-12T13:05:01.489-04:00Butterick 5970: Hook & Eye Hell
It has been awhile since I last posted. Sigh. You know, I seem to start a post with that sentence so much that it almost doesn't need to be written anymore. You good with that? Good. Here we go.
I was recently asked to help a friend out by sewing her daughter a costume for an upcoming school history competition. I happily said yes and started researching for ideas. The character she was Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028414273977350224noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578184873174093956.post-37973626884000554572013-11-14T15:57:00.000-05:002014-03-28T14:43:22.311-04:00Finished: The Barbecue Dress
This dress has been done for a little bit. What do I mean by a little bit? Well, how about over two years. Gasp! Yes, I am officially the worst sewing blogger there is.
I sewed it up in April 2011 while we were living in Rome. We decided to throw a real American style barbecue for the student, who were homesick by that time of the semester, and I wanted a fun cotton dress to go along Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028414273977350224noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578184873174093956.post-73292176159040875312013-11-11T20:57:00.001-05:002013-11-14T15:57:51.278-05:00Update: Where the *%&@! am I?
Right here, I swear! You don't believe me do you. I probably wouldn't either, if I were you. My last post in (cough, cough) August I talked about how I was going to be back in the blogging/sewing saddle. Such lies, apparently ;)
So what the bleep have I been doing all this time??
This:
And this:
Are you shocked? I am.
Let me give you the full rundown.
You may have noticed (or Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028414273977350224noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578184873174093956.post-72874751076031056022013-08-26T10:16:00.000-04:002013-11-11T20:57:35.203-05:00Finished: Engagement Dress
I made this last summer. I know, it has been a long time coming, eh?
I started to make it a week before my sister's engagement party. Sounds like me, right? Hah! Sunni was throwing a sew along one day and then big box Joanns had a 99¢ sale on the exact pattern the next day! It was fate right? Obviously. I searched through my stash fabric and settled on another great silk crepe de chine fromMaggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028414273977350224noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578184873174093956.post-66896274655340699342013-07-01T14:21:00.000-04:002013-08-26T10:17:49.119-04:00Week Some-Number: Summer Check In :)
photos by this lovely couple
Wait...wouldn't the week be 26? Half-way through the year? Hmmmm....
Whatever. Anyway.
It is the first of July already! Wow! I am not really sure how that happened but it did. It has been a little while since I last posted, so I wanted to put up something to let you know that I am still here and desperately missing writing and sewing for my little Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028414273977350224noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578184873174093956.post-31023592006039289672013-05-17T10:49:00.000-04:002013-07-01T14:39:44.506-04:00Week 17, 18 19....
This is what is left of my sewing room!
I might have mentioned before, we were in the process of putting our little condo on the market. As of Sunday it is now up and for sale! This means hopefully a new house for us, which of course means a new sewing room. Yay! For the past few weekends contractors came in to paint and fix, we also have painted, packed, cleaned and got our junk stuff outMaggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028414273977350224noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578184873174093956.post-77685306926395942012013-04-17T15:14:00.002-04:002013-05-17T10:51:01.569-04:00Week 16: Multicrafting
Hello, my sewing pals! Sorry this is a little later than usual this week.
First off I just want to say this: As you know I live about an hour north of Boston and have grown up watching and hearing about the Boston Marathon. It always announced the real start of Spring in New England for me. Unfortunately it will never be the same again. Thankfully, everyone I know that was there Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028414273977350224noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578184873174093956.post-29630048996046444422013-04-09T22:22:00.001-04:002013-04-17T15:15:09.599-04:00Boston Colette Party
On Saturday I had the pleasure of going to the Colette cocktail party that was hosted by Grey's Fabric in Boston. It was a great time and I got to meet the lovely Sarai, who was nice enough to sign my Colette Sewing Handbook. The room was filled with all types of beautifully sewn Laurels, Violets, Peonies and my own Meringue. My favorites of the night were two Laurels, the first a navy Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028414273977350224noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578184873174093956.post-84824945382678407892013-04-08T13:52:00.000-04:002013-04-09T22:23:28.123-04:00Week 15: Spring has sprung!
From the flower vendor near my shop
Finally! New Hampshire it is starting to get warm. It is even supposed to get up to 70 degrees tomorrow! That is very exciting news indeed. The weather is fickle here when it comes to spring and an April snow storm is not unlikely, but it seems like we have finally turned the corner towards warmth and sunshine.
As excited as I am about this week, let's Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028414273977350224noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578184873174093956.post-62650916095481026182013-04-06T11:49:00.002-04:002013-04-08T13:53:18.781-04:00Just a muslin.
Another crappy phone photo, sorry!
Wearable muslin? Okay, let's be honest. It is a dress.
You know what else I made this week. A muslin. An actual from muslin, or calico if it pleases you, muslin. That was on Thursday morning. I knew I wasn't going to wear that tonight to the big Colette event in Boston, but I thought I would just do a test run. Then I tweaked the pattern. Then I decided, Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028414273977350224noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578184873174093956.post-6711618773494857842013-04-02T17:47:00.001-04:002013-04-06T11:49:46.748-04:00Week 14: Colette
This week was going to be another lazy week, but then I found out that Sarai from Colette patterns is going to be in Boston on Saturday, April 6th! Yay!! So, I switched my schedule so that I am now free to mosey on down to Bean-town and meet this fabulous pattern maker. Obviously I need something to wear. Obviously. Enter, Laurel, the new shift pattern from Colette.
Now, I can already Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028414273977350224noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578184873174093956.post-69540340504778875292013-03-29T10:33:00.000-04:002013-04-02T17:48:03.445-04:00Finished: Bridal Shower Ensemble!
Finally! Actual photos of work done :) It took me the majority of last week to finish these two pieces! The skirt is Simplicity 1717, an Amazing Fit pattern. The skirt I thought I would be in love with, but the muslin actually turned out better than the final skirt. When I finished, the waistband seemed about an inch too big. At the time it was too late to fix it. I should have tried it onMaggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028414273977350224noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578184873174093956.post-14445230193746199592013-03-27T12:31:00.001-04:002013-03-29T10:33:36.892-04:00Week 13: Review and Relax
sneak peek of the finished top
I know I just kind of fell of the edge of the blogging world last week, but I was a good little worker bee! I did finish my entire outfit for the Bridal shower. Just in time. Literally. I was finishing the last stitches of the bow in my bra and skivvies Sunday morning right before I put it on to leave! These past couple of days I have been trying to wade Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028414273977350224noreply@blogger.com7