Today is a Great Day

Today is a Great Day as the universe shares a little space for a new life to emerge and begin its journey.

I am so excited. My sister is having her baby TODAY!!! I have been holding out posting anything about the project I have been working on because it's for her. And I didn't want her to see it posted here first and spoil the surprise. But since she is at the hospital as I write this, I can safely assume she will not be on the computer for the next week or so until I can give it to her (I think she will be a little preoccupied).

Now, to prepare you for the unveiling of the blanket I would like to tell you how difficult it was for me to make it. I didn't have a pattern so I had to comprise my own measurements, seam allowance and overall construction. It would have been a breeze for a well seasoned sewer/seamstress but not for me. However, I completed it, and I am proud of myself for that.

The blanket is Doggies and Dots: one side is dots with a doggie border and the other side is doggies with a dot border.

P.S. I just got a text: the baby is 6 lbs 10 oz. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm an Auntie!!!!!

My New Invention

I went to my local fabric store and scoured the clearance area looking for an inexpensive fabric to use for a new skirt pattern. It's a highwaisted, gathered skirt with pockets (I love pockets in skirts and dresses). I found this ethnic print that I liked, but it felt like raincoat material. So, I am calling it the 'Skirt Slicker', since I can wear it out during wet weather and not have to worry about getting drenched if I forget my raincoat (Hmm, I wonder if there's a market for these?).



The skirt wasn't too difficult to make, and the pockets were a breeze. I did have to lay the material out on the floor because the pattern had to be cut single layer (because of the 'nap'), but other than that it was easy.

The next skirt I made was super easy. I'm going to make another one when I get my sewing machine back from the shop. I used a free pattern I found online and the fabric was on sale, so the total cost to make it was only $8.00 (that includes thread, zipper, fabric, interfacing, and the free pattern)! You can't beat that. I really like the seersucker, plaid fabric (quintessential summer style) I'm planning on wearing it to the first BBQ of the summer.



Enjoy your weekend!

Milk and Sugar

Now that my sewing machine is out of commission (for the time being), I will take this time to post photos of the skirts I have already completed.

The skirt below is the very first piece I sewed. It is a simple A-line skirt, and the pattern is labeled "Very Easy", however, it is NOT very easy to someone who has never sewn before. With the tutelage of Erin (our instructor) we completed our skirts in about 9 hours in class. She taught us what all the symbols on the pattern meant, how to pin and cut out the pattern, and translated what the instructions were talking about in each step. I highly recommend taking at least one class if you have never sewn before. It helped me tremendously and now I am able to follow instructions for new patterns I'm working on.

So, the fabric I chose for my first skirt was a light blue and white seersucker (great summer fabric) and white lacy stuff for the bottom trim. I wanted the trim to go behind the hem and just peek out the bottom, I thought this would give the skirt a little bit of a vintage feel. I liked the way it turned out, but I should wear a slip or petticoat under it in the day light hours, otherwise you will see my undies.



I wore this outfit to my boyfriends birthday dinner, we went to a fab sushi place and sat in one of the private rooms (super fun). The top is from none other than... yes you guessed it, Anthropologie! I paired my couture skirt and designer top with a little grey cardigan (from Zara)and yellow cutout flats (by Ciao Bella).



Oh yeah, the title of this post is 'Milk and Sugar', here's why I chose that title: Through its etymology, seersucker gives us a glimpse into the history of India. The word came into English from Hindi sīrsakar, which had been borrowed from the Persian compound shīroshakar, meaning literally "milk and sugar" but used figuratively for a striped linen garment.

Hiccup in My New Project

My worst nightmare (I am being overly dramatic) came true.

As I was finishing the raw edges of my newly purchased fabric, it happened... My sewing machine (which has seen very little use over it's many years of existence) started to behave oddly.

The tiny light bulb, that casts its beam onto the newly constructed stitches, began to flicker ever so slightly. The machine began to buck and vibrate as I was making a simple zigzag stitch along the edge of the fabric.

So, I eased up on the foot peddle until the needle came to a halt. When I attempted to start sewing again nothing happened. The needle wouldn't go up and down, and when I tried to switch to a different stitch the needle position wouldn't move (my machine is computerized)! I was devastated!

So, the next day I took it to the shop to be looked at/repaired. Hoping it would be a quick fix, I waited patiently for them to call and say something had come loose and needed tightening, or a thread got stuck and caused the machine to seize up.

But no, the repairperson called today to tell me a transformer blew and it would cost $300!!!! I could buy another machine for that much, I was shocked to say the least. And to top it off, I wouldn't get my precious machine (I have grown so fond of it in such a short time) for 10-14 days!

A little piece of advice to all you new, expert, or somewhere in-between sewers use a surge protector with your sewing machine, it could have prevented this $300 mistake....

I'm sharing this beautiful picture that took my mind off my broken machine.

When Life Gives you Lemons, Make an Apron!

Oh, I just wanted to add a picture of the newest apron I made. I whipped it up last night using the remaining fabric from my first apron! I mostly used the lemon print fabric and used the green polka-dots fabric for the flounce...

Let the Sewing Begin...

I know, I know. The title of my blog is 'Zen in the Art of Sewing', however, there has been no mention of zen or sewing so far. This is because of my complete obsession and infatuation with Anthropologie. Now that I have pulled myself out of the drunken comatose that Anthropologie puts me in every time I browse through the gorgeous items on their website, I am now ready to share with you my sewing projects.

The first gift I made is going to my Mom. She is one of the main reasons I am now sewing. She finally gave me her fabulous Husqvarna sewing machine that previously had taken up permanent residence in her dusky garage in California.



So, thank you so much for trusting that I would use the sewing machine you passed on to me.



My Mom's favorite color is yellow, so this adorable lemon print fabric was screaming at me to make an apron out of it. I didn't think twice about buying the lemon print, but finding the contrasting fabric to match was a little tricky. I thought the green and white polka-dot fabric was just the right color to match the green stems of the lemons! So, this is how is turned out. I would say, "Let me know what you all think" but there is no one reading... So, maybe one day someone will stumble upon this blog and give me there two-cents on the first apron I sewed.