Monday, April 13, 2015

Send A Softie and Springtime Snapshots


Happy spring!

Let's sit awhile and chat (or "visit", as I've learned is said here in the US). I've missed you guys! This blog is about sewing and cardboard and general child-related adventures, both manic and sweet, but it is also about me and you and the things we are learning. So, what's new with you?

On my end, I have three biggish projects on the sewing table.

One is Menagerie, as you all know. And I took a very short hiatus from it last week, to work on project number two (see next para). But I returned to it today, and I'm making headway in editing the hundreds of photos! 

Project number two is a fun surprise that will go on sale very soon, fingers crossed. 

I think you will like it! It is a box full of useful fabric, is all I feel like saying right now. I've just finished sewing samples to check yardage and quality and durability and other QC-things, but it's close to completion, and then I will share more news.

The third thing is that bag-zipper tutorial series on which I've been desperate to embark since December. See- I've been zipper shopping around the world (okay, just Singapore and Minnesota) in preparation for it:

Sometimes the best things have to be put on hold for a little while, is how I rationalize my frustration at not being able to start yet. I love it when I find a niche in SewingTutorialBlogland that hasn't yet been filled, and I get to write my own angle on it. I tell myself that someday, when my girls are older and reading this blog for instruction (rather than the mere amusement it currently provides them), they will enjoy the weird, concept-heavy lessons therein and understand why their mother had those rabid seasons when all she did was sketch and cut and photograph and sew bizarre bits of things for weeks on end.

And finally, here's an encouragement to anyone who'd like to sew something to bless someone:


You can read more about the motivation behind it, as well as how-tos, here, but in a nutshell:
  • This is a soft toy donation drive that benefits kids in foster care.
  • The deadline is April 30  2015.
  • The team at Sew Mama Sew will be presenting these donated softies at the National Association of Foster Parents convention in June.
  • Send in new hand-made softies - fabric, crocheted, knitted, etc, for girls and boys, and little kids through teens.
  • Do not send in store-bought softies, unless they were themselves artisan hand-made.
  • Do not send in old or used softies.
  • Send in as many softies as you like, to the address on the SMS info page here.
  • Each softie you send in gets you an entry into a drawing for a beautiful Bamboletta doll (see it on the SMS info page as well).

5 comments:

  1. I thought of you as I sewed 24 life sized penguins in 4 different species for my daughter's first grade class. The kids "helped" with some cutting and watched me sew up the stuffing holes. Yea, it was a project and a half. Thank goodness my mom was in town to help with the craziness. By the way, an emperor penguin in about the same height as a first grader.

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  2. You're doing an amazing job on everything! Keep going, keep going..... !!!!

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  3. I'm excited to hear that project #2 is going forward! My house is stop motion central, although DH took apart our computer so the project is slightly on hold until he gets it put back together. Pom pom creatures are also being made.

    Thanks for the softie donation deadline reminder!

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  4. Still anxiously awaiting the softie pattern

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  5. I've just visited your blog for the first time in a while and discovered the menagerie! What a brilliant idea. I'm anxiously awaiting the pattern too...

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