Wedding Belles: Part 2

When searching for apron fabrics, I always try to avoid lighter colours and steer entirely clear from whites. Who would want a white apron? As I found out, there is one person that would... a bride. Sheri contacted me following her tasting with some serious anxiety about spilling on her beautiful gown. Totally understandable and a pretty wedding-worthy apron is such a great solution!
 
 

It's also great to work with a customer that knows what she wants, especially when it comes to custom designs. It makes my job so much easier. Ivory cotton, pleating, v-neck halter, eyelet lace. I think I met all of her criteria, plus have it serve it's protective purpose. Just please spare me the details if you spill a plate of pasta in your lap, ok, Sheri?
I'm thrilled with how this turned out and will most definitely offer it for purchase in the shop in the future. If you're interested before I get a chance to do that, feel free to contact me.

 

Good luck this weekend, Sheri, and thanks again!

Wedding Belles: Part 1

As you know, my monogrammed totes have become quite popular with brides. I have always really enjoyed the experience and find it incredibly touching to be a part of so many weddings! So lately I've been trying to think of other products that will appeal to brides. Luckily for me, I was recently approached by two very creative brides-to-be who had great ideas for special custom pieces of the non-tote variety. I accepted the challenge.

First up were eight dressing gowns for Kayla and her bridal party.

This bride took a huge leap of faith when she trusted me for this project. Not only was it for one of the biggest days of her life, but it was also a gift for some of the most important women in her life. Plus, I have never made dressing gowns before and I haven't used some of these skills (like setting sleeves) since I was a teenager! Bless you, Kayla. And thank god I work well under pressure.
The fabric is a cotton voile by Valori Wells, which is a beautiful, soft, lightweight cotton. It feels almost like a matte silk, and it is a dream to work with. Aren't the colours stunning too? I had never worked with voile before and now I can't wait to get my hands on more! The pattern was modified from BurdaStyle #7297.
I was on an extremely tight deadline for these (4 days!), so unfortunately I don't have any model shots. What you see here is all I managed to shoot in the hour I had before they were picked up. Talk about making it under the wire, eh? Phew. Fingers crossed that the bride caught some professional photos of the robes in action on the big day.
Now for the big question... will I offer these robes as a regular item in my shop? I still have to make a few tweaks to the pattern and make some adjustments to cut down on time, but I'm definitely considering it. What do you think? Is this something you would be interested in?

The Newsroom

Have you been watching that show? It's pretty legendary. Get on that.

But there's more to life than TV and, as it turns out, the world doesn't stop turning when I stop blogging. Imagine that? So today I've got a bunch of newsy bits to share with you before we get back to our regular crafty program, if that's alright with you. I had a little fun with Photoshop while I was at it. :)


Now don't panic... it's temporary. After an entire spring and summer of planning, our kitchen renovation is finally happening! Our home, which also happens to be my workplace, will be a tad chaotic for the next couple weeks and I'd rather not be running between the sewing machine and a dusty kitchen, sewing with screwdrivers and sending out aprons with pockets of drywall crumbs. You understand.

Plus, I'm already starting to feel pressure to start preparing for the holidays, so I'm also going to try and use this little time off to get myself a little more organized for that. I hope to be back in business for the start of September, but please forgive me if I need a little more time. You know how these things go.


Just because my shop will be closed, doesn't mean I'll be disappearing. I still plan on blogging, facebooking and twittering as much (or as little) as usual. Also, don't forget that I still teach monthly sewing classes in Hamilton at Needlework. This Sunday, August 26th from 10 to 2, I'll be teaching some lovely crafters how to make a reversible apron. There are still a couple spots left, if you want to join us. And on September 19th, I'm teaching something new, a fabulously feminine retro apron. You'll have the option of making either a full or half style, depending on what you're comfortable with, or have time for. I can't stress how great classes at Needlework are — you can find out more by visiting the Needlework website here. {Side note: while visiting the classes page, take a look at the wild-looking girl in white in the photo. That's me making leather mocassins. Don't judge... it was tough work.}


And last but not least, it's time to hand in those hexies we've been busily hand-sewing all summer. What do you think of my final product? It's grown a little since you last saw it here. I love it, and have to admit, I got pretty possessive for awhile there and wanted to keep it for myself. I'm pretty used to this feeling though — I want to keep everything new that I sew — so I'm getting good at recognizing it and letting go. We were supposed to learn sharing in kindergarten, right? Meh.

Supercrawl is September 14-15, so the Beehive is asking everyone to submit their pieces by the end of the month. There are lots of locations where you can drop them off, like here and here. Have a beer while you're at it.

My little brother is getting married September 15th, so I won't be able to attend and see my beautiful hexies in action, adorning the buildings of James St. North. Feel free to paparazzi them... but only if you agree to share.

Happy Birthday, Julia!


Womens Apron / light bl...
$35.00
eat sign kitchen decor ...
$58.00
Mastering the Art of Fr...
$74.90
Moulds Wonderful collec...
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Rustic Juicer
$40.00
Eaton Raspberry 1908 US...
$19.89
Vintage Avocado Green B...
$34.99
Kitchen Towels. Tea Tow...
$29.00
Baking is SEXY Ladies P...
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Peanut Butter Chocolate...
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1/2oz Bay Laurel whole ...
$1.69
HomeMade Cookie & Bread...
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DIY Kit - vanilla extra...
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Pear painting 4x4, Mini...
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Vintage Corning Ware Du...
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Vintage Wood Recipe Box...
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“The best way to execute French cooking is to get good and loaded and whack the hell out of a chicken. Bon appétit.” -- Julia Child

Today would by Julia Child's 100th birthday and a kind Etsian has included me in a Julia-themed treasury to celebrate! I've been a fan ever since I read My Life in France and Mikey J made me butter chicken from Mastering the Art of French Cooking (mmm), so this was a special treasury treat today. Thanks, Michela!

What the heck is a treasury, you ask? If you're picturing me digging in the backyard for a big wooden box with a patch over one eye, you're way off. Treasuries are member-curated collections of Etsy items, usually around a theme. Well-curated treasuries are often chosen by Etsy admin to feature on the home page and in their various email newsletters, so any time that I'm featured somewhere on Etsy, you can bet a beautiful treasury is behind it. I always consider it an honor to be included in them and encourage you to check them out here. It's like Pinterest, but all Etsy!

Now I feel like baking. Too bad all my baking supplies are packed up in preparation for our kitchen reno. If I've been a little absent this summer, now you know why. I can't wait for it to be done and life to return to normal! In the meantime, I'll calm myself with dreams of decorating it.