Moving

OK, I did it! I have officially moved the tumbling blocks blog off blogger and over here: http://tumblingblocks.net/blog/. Please come visit, and if you would, indulge me by updating your bloglines, favorites, etc. Thanks!

See you there.

a flower pocket apron

The month's Tie One On theme, the pocket, was too irresistible. So here we have a pocket. I love patchwork so much. Of course, it's terribly cute and traditionally the way to use up scraps. But in sewing in modern times, it's also the way to make favorite fabrics stretch out and last. I'm guessing buying fabric for no reason and hoarding it is a fairly modern thing, right?

My mom is visiting this week, and we are busy having fun. It's totally possible that we'll be a little crafty, but who knows. I'll be back before too long.

Dorie

composter

We hosted my dad out here this weekend. It was his first time out to Illinois, and it was great to see him. While he was here, he helped me set up this compost bin. We are one step closer to throwing out stuff responsibly. Thanks Dad!

The wallpaper in the guest room all came down before Dad got here, and there were only a couple plaster holes in the ceiling for him to sleep under. As a whole, the room was much, much better than it had been. I did forget to clean on the ceiling fan blades though, so when my dad turned it on he got a big puff of ceiling crud. Oops!

Did you see that July is bag month over at Sew Mama Sew? Looks neat... It also reminds me that I've got a project for you all that's been backlogged in the works for quite some time. Remember the Frounchess bag? I've got a pattern worked up for it, and I just need to get it into deliverable form so I can post it for you. It was supposed to be my blogiversary gift to the world, but um, that was back in April.

Pastry Chick or Muesli Girl?

Such was the question posed to me by Kirsten when I commented on her post about joining the Breakfast Sunday flickr group.

Oh, I am such a pastry chick, and Sunday breakfasts are especially likely to contain a baked good of some kind. On Saturday I get up and get going--too much to conquer in the weekend to bother baking breakfast. But on Sunday, we're a little more relaxed, and I really think that one of the best little things in life is Sunday coffee and a scone. I also LOVE donuts, and I know I've mentioned this before because at least one person has found this blog by searching for a "donut sewing pattern", and I've never made one of those. Maybe I should?

I plan on spending most of today looking at the above. That is our guest room ceiling and some of the 6 layers of wallpaper that are stuck to it. That's right, there are 6 layers on the ceiling. And check out this scrap:

Yes, that means that at some point, this room was red wallpaper from floor through ceiling. Wow. We are expecting some much-anticipated company in the next couple weeks (Dad, Mom) and the goal is to have a welcoming guest room, rather than something that makes them feel like they're really part of the renovation process. Elbow grease!

knitting is slow

I've been around, I've just been knitting. I am such a slow knitter that it makes craft life a little dull. Plus, nothing I'm knitting right now is for me. It's all surprises for others, so this wadded-up hunk of knitting photo is all you're going to get. whoo-hoo!

I've also been working on getting my new blog site ready, and I think I'll be able to make the move really soon. So exciting--but also a little nerve-racking. If anything goes wrong I can't blame blogger, just myself. Things that will be great about the new blog include: I'll have your email, the layout will accommodate flickr's medium size horizontal photos, easy support for categories, blah. blah, blah.

Oh, here's something fun-- I signed on for Bitter Betty's Hand Printed Fabric Swap, and my mind is churning trying to decide what I'm going to print. Right now, I'm thinking white ink and turquoise background.

more on the LJ sunhat + I tried one of these

So, the lotta jansdotter sunhat:
I found the pattern easy to follow, and I think that most people who have done a bit of sewing would find it so as well. But here's the thing--you have to have a bit of distrust of any garment that comes in one size only. Obviously, it won't fit everybody. I have what I think is a pretty much medium-size head, and it was just slightly too small for me. As in, I could wear it, but it felt a little tight. To my big-headed friends, and you know who you are, this hat is not for you, unless you don't mind re-sketching the pattern.

I bought the book for the hat more than anything else because it looked just right. The brim doesn't go out too far or down too long. It is just so.

I finally tried one of Blair's flowers. They are fun and quite easy. This one went to Beebs' teacher as an end of the year present. The year is over, man.

and in their glorious absence we go into the sun

After a lot of fretting on my part, I am now happy to confirm that the bugs will not be coming to my neck of the woods this year. We are too far south. I still have another 6 years until ours come up, and I will take that as fair warning. For all of you who are dealing with cicadas right now and are hating it, I am with you in spirit if not in actual proximity to a cicada.

On to better things. This is the Lotta Jansdotter sunhat, made for my mother's mother, Lib. My grandmother has worn a hat when out in the sun for as long as I can recall, and I thought she would like this simple style. She likes things that are pretty in a functional way, and not pink. The hat is natural linen with a blue and green flower lining that came from a bedsheet. My grandmother and flowered bedsheets are funny because of this:

When my grandmother was about to marry my grandfather, her mother (Posey) sat her down and explained that she should never buy flowered bedsheets because men don't like flowered bedsheets. My grandmother thought, well OK--she didn't have any real, pressing desire to have flowered bedsheets. She got married, had children and whenever she needed bedsheets, she picked ones without flowers. Until one day when my grandfather was helping make the bed he said, "do you think we could get some flowered sheets sometime? I really like flowered sheets."

Ahem. When I make this hat for myself, it will be a little bit bigger in the crown.