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WIP: Man Woobie

February 3rd, 2012 — 10:45am

Thrifted: five men’s dress shirts in various muted shades.

Assembled: a quick quilt top, from 11″ squares cut from the larger sections of the shirts.

Quilted: with grey perle cotton.

In progress: but honestly, not really loving it as much as I’d like.  Something’s not quite right.  There seems to be a very fine line between “muted and manly” and “unattractive,” and I think this one has its foot firmly planted on that line.  I wanted to do something that was outside my comfort zone–which is to say, that wasn’t electric-bright colors and whimsical dots–and this certainly is.  As a result, it’s harder for me to evaluate whether I’ve achieved success.

The plan: to keep pushing on through, in the hopes that when I get to the other side, I won’t hate it but rather that something will reveal itself to me.  My default, fall back plan is that if the hand quilting fails to capture my imagination and redeem the palette (which I admit is so far outside of my own Spring palette that I can’t be sure I even know the names of these colors), I’ll take out the hand quilting and machine quilt in a wide chevron.  Because everyone loves a chevron.

Other options I considered for this project:

  • all flannel shirts
  • all seams flat fell, with no backing or batting–just a single layer of flannel with reinforced seams
  • larger pieces cut as wedges from the sleeves, then assembled at angles
  • whole-cloth man quilt, made from a single cut of flannel

12 comments » |Posted under

Valentine Gifts for Man Folks, Update

February 1st, 2012 — 5:30pm

You guys had some pretty great ideas.  For my choosing, I had these:

  • garbage bag for car
  • bento-y lunch kit in tweed
  • steering wheel cover
  • leather “bracelets”
  • manly placemats & napkins
  • skinny ties
  • boxers (silk and otherwise, as well as something called a “willy warmer”)
  • scarf with built-in iPhone pocket
  • anatomically correct heart embroidery (on anything, other than an actual heart, I assume)
  • padded kindle cover, preferably with nerd theme
  • slippers
  • embroidered hankies
  • long, lean hoodie
  • t-shirt quilt
  • wallet with secret love note pocket inside
  • desktop organizer
  • hand-embroidered note inside the pocket of his favorite suit
  • cuff wallet
  • warm hat & gloves with a small heart applique or embroidery
  • “man woobie”
  • manly bag for manly things
  • pajama pants with or without robe
  • MP3 pillow with pocket
  • bag for wet swimsuits, for traveling
  • cord roll-up for traveling
  • travel shoe bags
  • lined men’s toiletry kit

I mean, really some GREAT ideas that bring lots of images to mind of a happy, crafty Valentine’s Day.  I’ve narrowed the choices down to three for the tutorial I’ll be posting on Monday–but there are a bunch of tutorials out there that can be adapted to make some of the stuff listed above, so I think I’ll do a little rounding-up while I’m at it.  If you’re looking for a gift to make for your manly man, stay tuned!

6 comments » |Posted under

Heather Ross Sewing Retreat in Palm Springs

January 31st, 2012 — 2:48pm

A weekend at the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs with Heather Ross, Anna Maria Horner, Denyse Schmidt, Gretchen Hirsch, and twenty other amazing ladies.  All on sewing machines.  It was heavenly.

I think I was most surprised at how lovely and collegial everyone was.  The older I get, the harder I find it to make friends, and there are no words for how downright friendly each and every one of these women was.  Just open and interested and kind and smart and sassy and funny–oh, my gosh, SO FUNNY.

And it seemed as though every one of them had something so cool going on, such interesting lives and amazing accomplishments, in so many fields.  Jane lives right here in Atlanta and raises backyard chickens and makes the prettiest quilts.  Kristen is a federal agent and was making pants for her enviable figure.  Rachel is working on a deal with Bernina and is consulting for J. Crew and Anthropologie (!).  Josie teaches middle school science and can knit like a fiend.  Jean makes the most delectable modern quilts, and also is a vet with a heart of absolute gold–plus she has the most amazing dog ever.  Annabel teaches kids to sew from her home studio and has a book coming out early next year.  Emily takes such gorgeous photos and makes wedding dreams come true (plus she has a baby due in the summer!).  Just a really impressive group of women, across the board.

And then there were the instructors.  Heather Ross, of course, who is everything you already know her to be but also the best hugger in the world, and such a humble and kind and generous person.  And Anna Maria, who is both brilliant and talented but also funny and thoughtful and welcoming.  Denyse Schmidt, who easily has the most gentle manner I have recently experienced, and who was truly interested and intrigued in every project she saw this weekend (not least of which was Tony Danza).  Gretchen Hirsch, better known as Gertie, who has a delicious, dry sense of humor and a keen eye, and who is sharp as a tack, crazy talented, plus adventurous and engaging and maybe a bit of an enabler (like I was really going to order the LAMB, for heaven’s sake).  Every one of them there with a spirit of camraderie–not just with one another, but with all of us, too.

 

Naturally, there was, like, a serious TON of fabric.  More than half of us confessed that we’d taken clothing OUT of our suitcases to make room for more supplies.  For my part, I cut out the squares for my Tony Danza quilt, and then fiddled with the pattern a bit to break it into 36 12.5″ blocks.  Of which I sewed three in Palm Springs–which is practically 10%, so I am thrilled.  I also did a little hand quilting on my sampler quilt and finished hand-sewing in the lining of my LBD, which I didn’t finish in time to wear on my date but will SO be wearing this Saturday when hubs and I go out.  Very successful weekend for me–if you don’t consider the fact that now I have 25+ people who have seen the beginnings of Tony Danza and will now be holding me fully accountable to bring the project to completion.  When Heather Ross and Denyse Schmidt take photos of your quilt project with their cell phones, and Denyse tells you, “I CAN’T WAIT to see the Tony Danza quilt finished!” you get your fingers moving and make you a quilt.  The world demands it.

And as if all that wasn’t enough, there was the sheer exquisiteness of the setting.  Southern California, 78 degrees, sparkling pool water for our exclusive use, Butter the Greatest Dog Ever, citrus trees outside your room, the hippest hipster hotel, it was all so lovely.  So relaxing.  Dreamy.

I am already dreaming of going back next year, if only to see that puppy face again.  Oh, who am I kidding? It’s to hang tough with my fabulous new sewing friends and soak up some mid-winter sunshine.  To get some inspiration and to make some connections and to recharge tired batteries.  To eat great food and to swim and to gaze at the peaks in the distance, framed against a crystal clear sky.  (And to see that puppy face again.)

More photos on Flickr.

 

16 comments » |Posted under

Palm Springs

January 28th, 2012 — 11:50am

I am here for the weekend.

Two words: Tony Danza.

2 comments » |Posted under

Contest: Valentine’s Day Sewing Project to Make for Your Man

January 23rd, 2012 — 2:36pm

 

When you break it down, there really aren’t that many holidays you can’t celebrate with a little something you sewed.  But that gets trickier when you’re making a gift to give for that holiday.  And it is further complicated when the recipient is a dude and the holiday involves much pink and fluffiness.

Take Valentine’s Day.  I don’t get super serious about Valentine’s Day, not really, but a card is nice, maybe some flowers.  Then we can all move on.  Some folks get a little more into it, and they enjoy a meal out, maybe some tickets, something commemorative.  Right on.  I’d love to make something for my husband this year, but let’s just get it out on the table: I won’t be making him the pillow above.  It’s precious and would be super fun to make, but there is no way in creation that my husband would put this on our bed.  Or in his office.  Although I’d love to have a photo of that, just for kicks.

I’ve dug around the World Wide Internet Web a bit today, seeing if there were some great projects out there, and pickings are pretty slim, ladies.  Not much to be had in the sew-for-my-man-but-not-pink-and-fluffy-or-likely-to-make-him-hide-it-in-a-drawer-so-he-won’t-have-to-hurt-my-feelings department.  I doubt he’s going to do much with a heart-shaped…well, much of anything, actually.  He’s a very sensitive and affectionate guy, but he’s not at all pink and fluffy.

So my question is this: what do you sew for a MAN when you’re sewing for Valentine’s Day?  I would be thrilled to have some suggestions, but I think we can do better: how’s about we make a game of it?  Leave your suggestion in the comments for a man-friendly sewing project to give as a gift this Valentine’s Day, and I’ll pick the funnest one* to work up a tutorial, to be posted on the blog for FREE before the big day rolls around.  Sound fun?  I don’t have any idea what to expect, but I know y’all have some amazing ideas–I say, share one that you’ve got floating around and haven’t figured out how to make yet, and I’ll do the math for you!  Or maybe there’s one that you feel ought to be out there in the world, but you’re not in the place to make it–let me do the work.  We’re all winners!

Comments will be open through Friday, when I’ll announce the chosen idea and begin working on the tutorial.  Tutorial will be posted by February 6.

Oh, and let’s keep it PG-13, if we can, y’all.  You’re all very nice girls, but some of the articles I read while researching this little project were a tad…ahem…specific.  I think we can do classy, witty AND crafty, don’t you?

 

*This is totally subjective and based on what materials I have on hand/what I think will make for a fun project–but I’m open to informal voting in the comments, too, so let me know your idea and feel free to give a shout-out if you see someone else’s that rocks!

 

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