Christmas

I didn't make any gifts this year, but Asha got a beautiful coat completed with a hat, a hand warmer, and gaiters for her doll from Aunt Kim. The coat is fully lined and the details are amazing. There is nothing that tickles my sewing fancy more than gifts like this. Thank you, Kim! You are the best!

Scott got me some sewing books. I didn't know I wanted them, but I haven't been able to put them down. There is so much more to learn. He also got me some Project Runaway DVDs. I love it that he likes to watch them with me.

I got some fabric from Japan that I can't wait to turn into clothes. They are mostly lawn and double gauge for spring and summer.

Here is a glimpse of our crazy Christmas morning. Quinn is sporting the safety goggles from the Black and Decker Junior power tool set Santa got him from Costco. Quinn usually doesn't play with toys (He prefers kitchen gadgets and electronics we forget to put away.), but this authentic looking set has fooled him. The sounds the drills and saws make are pretty real, and Santa got a bargain for only $20.

We had a special Christmas dinner with Scott's parents and Scott's sister's family. Scott made roasted duck, oyster dressing, butternut squash risotto, and ginger cake topped with whipped cream for dessert. Everything was just delicious, and we had a great evening together.

Ski Trip

After eight years of having babies, we made it to the slopes this week.

Pictures and video here.

My sister's wedding

Everything was perfect and absolutely beautiful.

Here they are in the elevator of Hotel New Otani, on the way to the wedding breakfast.

In front of the Tokyo Temple.

My parents sitting down to get ready for some family pictures.

Dress details.

I am so thankful I could be there to witness it.

"Turtle Hood" Pullover

My baby sister is getting married, and I am leaving on Thursday for Tokyo to attend the wedding.

Alison suggested I sew something comfortable to wear on the plane, and this is what I came up with. It feels like pajamas, and that is just what I will need on the 11 hour flight.

pattern: Turtle Hood pullover from hibi+

size: medium (I am a large on the Japanese size chart, an 8 in the US, but this medium fits OK as long as I don't wear anything bulky underneath. The sleeves could have been a little longer.

fabric: juicy Couture cable grey velour from Fabric Fairy

Merry Christmas

Winter coat for Kai - Oliver and S, school days jacket and coat

He is so happy that he has been wearing it since nine this morning.

Pattern: Oliver and S, school days jacket and coat (link to the pattern here)

Their blog had great fabric suggestions for their patterns. I have bought two more patterns from them, and can't wait to get to work. Here is a Flickr group where you can see what other people have made using Oliver and S patterns.

Size: 4

Kai took after his father, and is very lean. Although he will be five in May, the measurements suggested I make a four. I am glad I did.

Fabric:

outer- thick dark denim with some stretch (Wal-mart, $3/yard) I should have bought the rest of the bolt. It was sold out when I went back. That was after I washed what I bought and decided I really liked it.

lining- thick fleece (the kind you see on sporty pull-overs) This one came from a fleece warehouse in seattle that has since closed. Since I wasn't sewing much back when Scott's sister took me there, I just picked up a kitchen garbage bag sized remnant bag for $10. I am proud to say that the piece I used for this coat was the last piece of that bag, and now it is all gone. It only took me 11 years and 9 moves.

lining for the hood- fine wale corduroy from the RS closet clean-out.

Christmas Dress

This dress had been on my sewing planner since summer, but I didn't get to it until the day before the first Sunday of December. Talk about procrastination, and thank goodness it was a quick project.

What makes this dress unique is cutting the fabric on the bias. I love the slimming silhouette and how it moves.

The book tells you to roughly cut the main pieces out, hang them on a hanger over-night to let it stretch on the bias, and then cut it out exactly. I should have taken that seriously. I did 4 hours. The wool stretched another third of an inch while Asha was wearing it, and covered the ruffles more than my liking. I am going to take the blind stitches out and hem it shorter for the full effect.

Pattern: Style D-1 of "Concert and recital dresses for sisters" (link here)

Size: 130

Fabric: The grey wool came from the thrift store. You can't beat $2.37 for 3 yards. The black satin used for the lining and the ruffles came from Joann's.