It's possible that I'm a little bit obsessed, but I took my new patterns for KCWC for a test drive this weekend. Since I'm feeling rather ambitious about what I want to accomplish in that week I figured I ought to get it out of the way. Especially because when I'm trying something new, I like to have as much time as possible to make mistakes, throw things around, hurl curses at fabric, thread and bobbins, dance it out, and get back down to business, you know? Not the most efficient use of a dedicated week.

I'm so glad I tried this one out ahead of time. I used the pattern pieces, but chucked the directions in favor of something faster and easier. There was added trickiness though, as this pattern has European sizing. I am now aware that 5 is rather wider than European children of his height, in other words, this shirt is skin tight. It's awfully cute though. I'm definitely looking forward to making several roomier versions.

These were supposed to be shorts, but I vastly underestimated the shortness of the Stinko's legs. These barely clear his ankles! Otherwise they fit great though, so we'll just be bringing back the knickerbockers for dudes this Summer...
Love this fabric? Yeah you do! I got it at the FiberSwap at our local art center last Fall. It clearly used to be curtains, and then someone cut it into pieces to make a shirt out of it, but didn't. And now it's mine! I just adore it- 100% cotton, excellent pants weight, wish I had tons more of it!

Oof! Sorry for the brief absence- I was kind of taking some advice from Joy the Baker. In a lovely post (I'll try to find it for you) she wrote with advice for bloggers, she recommended (and I'm paraphrasing here) don't do it unless you love it, only write about it if you're passionate about it, etc. The last part of this week has been gray and gloomy and I've been living silently in my head wishing that there was at least some fluffy Summer TV to sit comatose in front of...
But now I'm better. Yay!
And I've been thinking- as excited and plan-y as I've been getting ready for KCWC 2012, perhaps 5 shouldn't be the sole recipient of such an effort. Maybe I should do the same thing for myself! So, if nothing else (and I really do hope to make these for real), I have below a list of projects I would love to take a week and make for myself.

We attended the annual Finlandia University Student Fashion Show last night and there were two super basic sloper skirts that had been dyed or screenprinted and I loved them. I have a small stash of quilting fabric that I've been meaning to use on special "me" projects and now that I've finally realized slip on shirts made from quilting fabric make me look like a refrigerator I can make sweet skirts! This pic is from a Burda tutorial, click on the picture to go to it.

I am a racerback girl, all the way. I won't even buy a bra that doesn't at least have a racerback conversion option- serious, no? Anna from Noodlehead has a fantastic tutorial for making your own tanks and I'm pretty sure I need to get up on it. Again, click on the picture to go to the source.

Dee from Dee-Constructed made this super cool sweatshirt to blazer conversion and I can't imagine wanting to wear any other blazer more. I also happen to have a few extra sweatshirts from my sweat-dress, good to go! Click on the pic to read what she has to say about it (and a bunch of other good stuff too).

I've often marveled at both the complexity and simplicity of ladies underoos- I mean really, just try and tell me you'll buy your underwear anywhere. Yeah, I didn't think so, you, just like me, probably have 2 maybe 3 stores or brands that actually fit and don't ride up. At the same time, it's just a little piece of jersey (or something fancier if you're someone fancier...). Picoli Piselli has a pretty fab tutorial for making your own knickers and I for one am inspired. Go ahead, click on the picture, I know you want to.

This is just a necklace from Anthropologie, but I found the concept very inspiring (if not the $500 price tag) I even bought some pom pom trim so I'd be ready if the urge struck. Their version has rick rack, cord, gold chain, velvet ribbon, and even rhinestones I think, but you could use so many different things that could be found in a craft room...

I've had these on my todo list for a while. I love the idea of machine  washable slippers. I hate slippers- mostly because they make your feet sweat, and then your feet stink, and then your slippers stink, and then bad things happen. Well, at least mine do. So these babies can just go in with the laundry, before they stink me all up. Also, I have some Anna Maria Horner flannel that is actually shouting my name. Really. It's kind of annoying, but reassuring in a weird way.

So that's my Mom's Clothing Week Challenge fantasy, basically a whole outfit, head to toe. We'll see what actually gets made. Meanwhile, I have at least 16 projects picked out to make for 5...

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the last two weeks, what with the socializing and trying to do regular things when Winter is only half over and all I want to do is read in bed with hot chocolate and all, I have hoarded a few precious productive moments here and there for me and me alone! I have this incurable desire to make myself dresses, all the time. Which is more than a little crazy because I can't even wear dresses most of the time when someone (ahem, 5) will desperately need to nurse at any minute. So. Dresses.

I really wanted to take another crack at this Lola pattern (see my first attempt here)- mess with the sizing, the sleeves, and the fabric weight. I made this version out of two T-shirts and am just pleased as punch with it. It's kinda short, so I have to wear pants under it, but that's okay because then I am always nurse-able. You may have noticed that the stripes don't line up at one of the seams. I did try to line them up (which is unusual for me) and I know that some of you would be driven crazy by this kind of thing, but it just doesn't get to me. It's one of those very special powers that I have, like ignoring dirty dishes, or stepping over things that I put in front of the door to remind myself to take somewhere...

I also squeezed in a pillowcase top for myself! It's actually made from a pillowcase. A lovely, thrifted, fifty cent pillowcase.
Fred was mystified when I bought said pillowcase months ago. First, we don't need any more pillowcases at home, and second, he could not imagine me wearing anything so girly.

I love it. It reminds me of grandmothers and teacups and houses where all the beds have handmade quilts on them.

5 and I are leaving tomorrow for a rather long visit with my parents, so I will be posting from beautiful Madison, WI!

One of the most important things that my husband and I have in common is that we are both complete and unapologetic dorks. We are not terribly romantic nor are we cool enough to reject such notions altogether. It's clear that we are not alone.

I love the NPR valentines (find them here), I sent some last year, but this one kind of embodies everything I love about my marriage. We occasionally listen to the news on NPR during the week, but mostly, it's our Sunday.
We drop everything to do the puzzle with Will Shortz at 10:40.
I sing along with the guest musicians and Fred laughs at the stupid jokes on Prairie Home Companion.
I get most of my current events knowledge from Wait Wait Don't Tell Me .
Etc etc.
But the best part is the sponsors. Guessing which shows were sponsored in part by Lumber Liquidators and what completely random sounding things each foundation supports (preventing homelessness, tooth decay, child abuse, and nuclear weapons..?) Worthy causes all, I'm super not trash talking, we are just fascinated by what these philanthropists hold nearest and dearest.

I also made Fred one of these super cool pixelated popup heart cards, but on macho granite-y looking paper. And instead of writing a deep and meaningful message, I let 5 color on it.

Keeping with the spirit of dork love, we sent each other Declarations of Romantic Intent from the Bureau of Communication. They have all kinds of fun forms you can fill out and send.

Most years we try pretty hard to have a nice V-Day without spending very much. We have found we enjoy it more if we just make each other a little something and spend an evening together.

I know it's such a cliche, but since we became parents, the moments we share with each other as a couple tend to become few and far between. It makes this holiday a lovely excuse to drop everything, even if only for a few hours, to obsess over this man with whom I plan to spend the rest of my life.

Somebody has a birthday coming up.
I won't tell you who, because I want it to be a surprise.
And really, who wouldn't want to be surprised by a pair of bird wings for their birthday?

These were really fun to make, and even more fun trying to get 5 to help me figure out the ergonomics.
The best part?
I happened to have a ton of these feather shapes already! I hardly had to cut any new ones at all!

They were inspired by these. Great tutorial too. I didn't really use it, but, that's just how I roll.

Then I saw that the wings that inspired my wings were in turn inspired by these wings!
For grownups!
So go make yourself some wings!
The main difference between mine and these other two is that instead of ribbon around the neck, I used elastic shoulder straps to hold them on. No choking. Yay!