Sunday, June 18, 2017

The Little Garden of Earthly Delights




My little garden is such a happy place right now! It is home to a few garden snakes, a little tree frog here and there, a toad and of course the birds that flit and twitter about the maple tree and splash around in the bird bath.



 The Buddha reigns peacefully over it all and truly does lend a sense of peace and wellness to the place.

Inside the happiness continues.



 A couple of months ago I ordered a second standing inkle loom from To Ply Fiber Arts. Debbie does amazing decorative woodwork on her looms and I had asked if she could do hummingbirds.



It took a little while to work out a pattern and then I decided I wanted light and dark woods, something a little different. This beauty is what arrived last Thursday.



I had her warped and weaving on Friday. She's the downstairs inkle, within easy travel distance of the TV chair. ;-)

A new warp is FINALLY being wound for Nick the Macomber. Hemp and linen bath towels in natural, bleached and bright lime green! Fun stuff.





The pillowcase warp weaves on, this one will have the wide hem in blue with the body of the case in the natural.



 All these cases will be natural with different colored hems. The Henry's 10/2 is very soft and should be lovely.

Some really new patterns have hit the sewing room. I haven't ordered a Hot Patterns pattern in forever.
Nothing appealed enough to me and I have had a hate love relationship with this pattern company. When they work they are great, when they don't it's a fitting nightmare. But I liked this retro pattern enough to give it a go.



 I love a raglan sleeve and the details could be awfully fun in the right fabric. A muslin is cut and waiting.

The second pattern to hit the market is this Cashmerette pattern.



 This is my first foray with this pattern company. I not only muslined this up but I got it sewn too.





Since I was doing a muslin I decided to go the whole enchilada and add a sleeve too. It will extend the pattern use for me a lot. It worked up beautifully, the facing fit like a glove, the instructions are great and hey ladies, they have cup sizing for C right through H and sizes 12-28. Nice huh? It needs a bit of tweaking but I'm going to enjoy this pattern a lot I think.

Besides the above test run tunic, a lovely pale yellow linen top and new black linen pants made the leap from sewing basket to closet.





 I drafted this top a little differently when I had it on the sewing table, giving it just a touch of needed shaping.

Lastly, some pretty fabrics hit the sewing salon.



These are all Moda Crossweave cotton and they are super to work with. I have 3 yards of each of these colors just waiting to become something beautiful.

Did That Just Happen?

Such a horrible week we just went through, where to start? Maybe we should all just reflect on the loss of life this week around the globe? sigh....

Lets go with a story that hasn't gotten much coverage but may have a huge impact for everyone who takes civil rights for granted.

And hooray for Oregon for leading the way on the gender front.

Finally, this fun piece about the Taronga Zoo. Enjoy!

Parting shot: Play Day! These girls play rough and loud.






12 comments:

Michelle said...

Oh my; handwoven bath towels sound so decadent! Love your title and its inspiration, too.

Martha said...

I like your pretty new pieces a lot. Do you use the Moda crossweave for clothing? The colors are certainly great.

Theresa said...

Michelle, I still think handwoven kitchen towels are decadent. I've used heavy linen fabric for towels in the bathroom and we love them, so it was a "why not?" moment.

Martha, The Cashmerette is a lovely pattern, the fabric I used a nice one but in a horrid color for me. Yes,I use the Moda crosswise for garments. It makes up a wonderful light garment with decent drape. The hand varies a bit from color to color due to dyes. BTW, there is little shrinkage in these fabrics.

LA said...

You just gotta love Jacks!!!! They sure do make you smile! I love it when you find a new pattern that just works for you...and, that new one seems to fit the bill!

Anonymous said...

Your lovely garden area with the peaceful Buddha is very inviting to look at. Namaste.

Cindie said...

I love how your garden is looking. Fun sewing going on!

Susan McShannon-Monteith said...

A visit to your blog always gives me a sense of happiness as I see those sweet Jacks frolicking about.
Love the top especially the way you finished the back.
As for Oregon and its moving forward in regards to equal rights for all... it must be its close proximity to Canada that has given it the vision to see that the rights we have here north of your border are rights to be shared by everyone, every human being on this earth in fact!!!
Enjoy your new toy...

S xx

Peg Cherre said...

That new standing inkle loom surely is a thing of beauty! I can't imagine that I'd weave enough on it in the years I have left to justify, even to myself, purchasing it, so I'm glad you do!

Love the way the Cashmerette looks, but don't know if I'd really like to wear that back. Would have to wear something underneath, as on your mannequin, which always ends up affecting both fit and drape.

So glad the dogs seem to have fully recovered.

Sharon said...

I'm spending quite a bit of time at the printmaking studio this summer and we get to talking while working. Today talk gravitated to the health of the Union, wondering if in fact a dissolution might be coming. Dixie seems to have taken over the Whitehouse. Texas fired the first salvo. Brexit USA ?

Leigh in Portland (we are not burning down) said...

I've got half a dozen of the HotPatterns, and have yet to make up a single one. From what I hear they've gotten a lot better since the beginning. Glad the pups are feeling better. Love the loom!

Mary said...

Those towels will be gorgeous! LOve the new tops you have made, and look forward to seeing more of your creativity. xoxoxo, TSAB

Judy said...

What a lovely garden! It must be peaceful to wander through, taking in the flowers. Your weaving projects sound so good, from the hemp towels to the handwoven pillowcases. Luxurious items from a handweaver, that's what I'm talking about!!