Absence

I apologize for my sudden absence. Things are moving too quickly for me to keep up right now. I will be back with you next Monday, August 9th, with some awesome news! Enjoy your weekend!

Upcycled, Recycled, Reclaimed, Pre-loved

No matter what you want to call them, it all means the same thing. And here is why I love pre-loved clothing, especially for kids.

1. It's a good investment. Let's face it, most kids outgrow clothes long before the clothes are worn out. By taking secondhand finds and making them into new products, I can provide unique handmade items at a lower price. And that means more people get to Support the Handmade Movement!
2. It feels good. The clothes are softer. The chemicals have been washed out over and over again. Soft baby clothes for soft baby skin.
   
3. It's good for the environment. Keep passing it around and keep it out of the trash.

All this week I am posting upcycled shirts and onesies with fun appliques or your choice of monograms, both for gift giving and general wear. Please note that I carefully inspect all items for wear-beyond-repair.

Fun Times Photo

We are still having a tough time around here. Or at least I am. So allow us to distract you by remembering what fun times we have had this summer! Thankfully Lil Hoot has been very kind to her Mama with extra hugs. I have been busy with lots of prep work for when my sewing machine returns at the end of the week. So hold on to your socks, I'll be posting like crazy next week!

Toddler Shortalls

It continued to be a challenging week but thanks to a friend I was still able to get some sewing done. I have lots of fabric cut for clothing and this pair of shortalls was at the top of my stack. Lil Hoot decided she didn't wish to model the vintage pair of pink Garanimals upon which I based my design...so this is the best shot:

I honestly didn't change much from the original style-wise. I kept the ruffles on the straps because I feel they add a touch of whimsy. I used a smaller button that matched better with the polka dots, but otherwise I kept true to the original. I made several modifications regarding construction of the garment but I will spare you those boring details.

I used Aqua Dot fabric by Michael Miller and enlarged the pattern slightly to fit 24m/2T. I can provide specific measurements to anyone concerned about fit. Additional sizes are available upon request. On sale in my shop now as Aqua Polka Dot Shortalls.

Outside Circumstances

Sometimes, no matter how I try, things do not go the way I have planned. I'm not in charge of the universe though (thankfully) so I have to roll with the punches. I haven't any new products completed to show you this week, despite my best efforts because my brand spankin' new machine is in the shop. I will spare you the details but it should be back in a few days, or I will be getting another machine to replace it. In the meantime I'm cutting patterns like a storm and working with my old machine on current orders.

I also have the unfortunate experience of poison ivy on my forearm (don't worry the oils are gone and it is no longer contagious). I have never had it before and we aren't exactly sure how I got it this time. I pulled some weeds all over the yard last week but we have looked all over and have not found anything that looks poisonous. It could be that Hoot Dog wandered through some on a recent walk, so he got a bath last night just in case. (He was none to pleased.) Big Hoot has it too but only on his ears. (How odd is that?) So far so good for Lil Hoot.

Oh, but for my birthday I received two awesome presents - a new laptop from Big Hoot, which means you all will be seeing a lot more embroidery options in the near future! And a cutting table from my mom, which means a lot fewer back aches and no more cutting on the floor. I can't wait to show you all the new items I have planned - look for lots of new clothes coming soon!