Chris surprised me with these earrings I’d been wanting. He stopped by PGF and after a hilarious interlude with Britt and Rosemary in which they couldn’t find them due to their different organizational styles, the earrings were procured. Chris found me working away in my studio and handed me the little box (isn’t it so cute and tiny?). The earrings have a skinny chain on it that you pull through your ear… it was a little weird feeling at first. I like them a lot, they look really cool.

Thank you for the wonderful surprise, Chris :)

If you’re living in the Pacific Northwest, you feel my pain. Summer has been pretty lackluster. But I’m pretending it’s really hot outside and oh man, doesn’t that lemonade taste so good after such a long, hot day? Yep. Or more iced mochas, which I’ve been drinking a good bit. I thought I’d just post a bunch of pictures of what I’m making and am generally doing (when I’m not zoning out on the internet or watching second run blockbusters, ’cause going to second run theaters is how I roll [unless it has to do with magical schools and a bespectacled whiny boy]).

Geez, I can run on. Here are the pictures:

I’m working on a sweet summer dress. Still need to make one more of those tank tops. I ran out of steam after cutting out the green cotton/silk fabric. I’ll get to it soon.

My mom picked out this stretch silk fabric at Gail K Fabrics, and commissioned me to make one of my gathered neck tops for her. I’m seeing her in a week, so I’ve got to finish this real quick, it’s halfway done right now. I used some of the excess fabric to make a little headband tie (not pictured because I haven’t actually worn it outside the house).

Also from Gail K is this linen/cotton panel. My sister wants me to make this dress for her. I went ahead and made a hideous muslin out of several leftover fabrics.

I’ve started these damn socks four or five times already! I don’t know what the deal is. Starting a sock makes me feel debilitated. I have counting issues, but once those are over with the knitting zooms by (sometimes). I’m using this fun pattern. After reading Elly’s sweater post I borrowed “Knitting Without Tears” from the library. Oh man! I love Elizabeth Zimmerman so much now. She has such a delightful writing style. Have you read any of her books? I think I’m going to try to make that sweater next. Probably in grey, to match all my other grey sweaters…

After living in this house for 9 months it was about time to hang up some neglected pictures. So I got some real strong picture rail hooks and heavy duty fishing line and got to it. I’ve also arranged some books on their invisible bookcase, the floor.

More berry picking. More berry eating.

I’ve been working in the front yard quite a bit, planting new flowers and digging up the dead ones. Sigh. Happily most of the things I planted have lived and are growing up strong. I’m still not sure what’s a weed until it blooms, and then I yank it out, toss it into the growing yard debris pile, and berate myself for not remembering how it looked. This flower gardening is a process and I am slowly, slowly learning how to do it. There’s lots of trial and error, yard envy, yet there’s a strong sense of satisfaction when I walk barefoot amongst the weeds and flowers, picking a bouquet haphazardly from the blooms.

Well, as you can see, I’m taking my time about finishing things. I bet you have lists longer than mine! What are you up to this summer? Basking in the sunshine and thinking I’m crazy for knitting with wool in the middle of July? Do you have any good summery music suggestions? I’m looking for a good summer soundtrack, or just any good music. Alright then, I’ll stop jabbering now. :)

The other day I whipped up this apron out of fabric remnants. You’ll recognize the blue linen as from the tank top I recently made. It came together nicely, perhaps too much, as I don’t want to get it dirty!

I like the little bow in the front.

Maybe I’ll just wear it when I’m cleaning dishes, not working with things that stain, like berries. Are you like that? Make something functional, but you love it so you don’t want to actually use it?

My mom just sent me some Hawaiian florals she’s had since the 80s. Any idea what to do with them? I have about two yards of each. I’m not really sure I can rock this in a shirt pattern. I was thinking pajama pants or something along those lines. But I am totally open to think about some other options!

Fill your glass with however much cold brew coffee you want, preferably not a whole lot. Then pull out some chocolate milk (milk with chocolate syrup works, too):

Fill it up. I always go right to the brim except when I put some ice in there to make it extra cool, as I did this time.

My friend Liza once worked in a coffee shop where they had coffee ice cubes. This is a pretty cool idea. I might try it for my iced mochas. Enjoy!

p.s. I did make a shirt out of that buffalo plaid & wore it later that night. I’m loving that pattern!

Seriously. I’ve made these three so far and am making two more. They are quick(ish) to make and can be multi-seasonal. The black polka dot & the navy and white (I think the color bled because the white is very blue) are 100% silk. The light blue in the middle is 100% linen. What’s great is the pattern I made only requires a yard, or less if it’s a wide bolt. So $15 for a yard of fabric that equals a tank in a short amount of time is pretty reasonable. I guess the trade off is spending the time to make it instead of going to a store to purchase something ready made.

I put pockets on two of the shirts. I couldn’t get the stripes to match up without losing my mind, so I left it plain.

The shirts would’ve been faster to make had I serged the seams, instead I went for French seams because they are just so nice. The neck, arm holes, and hem are all rolled hems. That takes a lot of ironing, but it looks nice. I didn’t feel like fooling with bias binding, or again with serging.

I have two more tanks to make. The blue is a silk cotton blend from Mill End, and the black buffalo check is cotton from Better Bargains for like a dollar. Sweet. I’m thinking about doing something to the blue fabric to spice it up somehow, but I dunno, I kind of like the simplicity which makes it so versatile.

Darsh wanted in on the photoshoot. He loves the camera. And sitting on my fabric.

Or like this:

I remember that from middle school, where it was supposed to be feminine to hold your hand the first way, and masculine the second way. I don’t think it really means anything now, tho! I couldn’t decide which color to do so I used all three of my new American Apparel colors: Summer Peach, Mouse, and Office. Huh. I don’t really get why the blue is Office. Whatever. It’s just fun to experiment!

I’ve been reading a lot of blogs for a few years. Many of them packed with beautiful photos and ideas. I’ve recently been trimming back my list because I’ve started to feel overwhelmed. So much creativity instead of being inspiring actually makes me feel crippled. Do you know what I mean? I begin to compare myself to how productive and amazing these other women are, instead of separating myself from the equation.

I found that I also get addicted to reading blogs and just being on the internet too long. Time becomes inconsequential and I end up using that precious time to be “inspired” rather than do the creative things I think of. So many amazing women are out there blogging and I feel like I have to keep up somehow. Yikes! That definitely doesn’t work.

So I’m paring down my list some more, and allocating more time to hanging out in my studio. I got rid of a few social networking sites I belonged to and things already feel better. What kinds of things work for you to keep you from being distracted? How do you feel about blog reading and creativity? Is it really possible to be too inspired?

It was nice and hot (for here, low 80s, not hot like the rest of the country). I could see Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Ranier all looming in the distance it was so clear. I love summery days like this. It felt so good to soak up the sun and laugh with friends.

We picked so many berries at the one farm we didn’t make it to any of the other u-pick farms. The road was dusty and I kicked up my fair share.

I’m so happy it feels like summer, I can’t tell you. Winter just lasted way too long this year. Yay for summer breezes, lemonade, fresh berries, and all kinds of summer fun!

I used my trusty shirt pattern (the one I made up awhile ago) and added a bib inset for the lace, which I hand sewed to the fabric. On the hem, however, I used my machine. I think it works both ways. Unfortunately the lace didn’t quite match up at the sides, so I sewed three buttons on it to disguise this mistake (not pictured). It’s one of my favorite parts now. I’d thought about adding some detail to the sleeves, but in the end I think they look best plain.

This pattern has worked out really well for me. I like having a basic shirt pattern that can easily be modified. Yesterday I found some navy and white stripe silk I’m going to use. Hopefully I’ll have the day to myself tomorrow with time to make a sleeveless shirt out of it, possibly with a pocket. Let ya know.

Tre anni! Tres annos! Three years! Way to go :)

Hi! Just a little note from me to everyone enjoying summer: you are so lucky! Yesterday Portland weather set a record for the lowest high (that sounds weird). It didn’t even reach 60. It has been raining a ton, but it hasn’t rained today (yet). I finally got a proper rain jacket and it’s seeing some good use. This post isn’t really about anything except me wishing it was warm and sunny.

Recently, I was looking through a really inspiring book, Rare Bird of Fashion: The Irreverent Iris Apfel. It’s from a collection exhibited at the Peabody Essex Museum. The book is chock full of amazing combinations of Iris’ clothing.

She was quoted as saying, “Most people say take one off; I say add one on.” I really loved that because I’ve subscribed to the former for a long time. And it makes me feel bland. I’m going to try to add one on. Probably won’t be carrying birdcages around or wearing five heavy bracelets, but finding other ways to add some spice to my outfits.

Much of her clothing is from her travels, as well as being designer. Instead of playing it safe, she put together some really outrageous outfits. But you know what? I can really see how it worked for her. I don’t think it’s necessary to have a big budget to put together something amazing. Just some imagination and feeling comfortable with what you’re wearing.

There are some more pictures from the exhibit still on PEM’s website, as well as an interactive section where you can put together some of your own Iris inspired outfits.

I went to Britex at the beginning of my trip, entering just as they opened on Monday. I roamed each floor looking at all the different fabrics, notions, ribbons, and remnants. In the remnant section I met quite a character. She’s an older salesperson who told me some really zany things about her family. Usually when this happens, I feel the urge to run away, but I decided to let myself take in the situation and accept how strange it was. This may or may not have led me to scurry off without buying anything.

Towards the end of my trip I went back to Britex. Again, I took my time looking at everything. I really wanted to find something special. There are so many beautiful fabrics, but nothing that really struck me that I had to have. I met another older salesperson named Toshiko. She was so nice! She guided me to several bolts of handwoven fabric, which we ended up talking about for a long time.

In the end, I ended up buying this indigo cotton. It was handwoven in Africa by a group of women. I got the rest of the bolt, almost two yards. It’s only 26″ wide, but I think I can make a skirt out of it. Maybe add some wooden buttons.

I confess, it’s not what I thought I was looking for, but I think it is a special fabric. Before I do anything to it, I’ve got to make it colorfast as it isn’t right now. That’ll entail some research as I’ve never done it. Once I’ve finished that, I’ll post about it here. I’m so glad I got to go to Britex, to explore that store and see so many beautiful fabrics. If you have any tips on making fabric colorfast, I’d love to hear them!

The last full day in San Francisco was undeniably the best day. My legs had almost completely recovered, I was no longer feeling miserable, and I bought some fabric at Britex (more on that later). Chris and I headed toward the Mission. It was so colorful and the signs were really amazing. I loved the color combinations and the old signs, the colorful houses and murals. The wrestling masks were pretty cool, too.

We ate at this place for lunch:

Then for dessert we went to this place which we gave a big thumbs up:

They had some crazy flavors. Just check out their website for an idea. I had salt & pepper ice cream, which tasted like creamy salt and pepper, and was tasty. I paired it with chocolate and smoked sea salt. Oh boy that was delicious! It had a salted caramel taste to it that was just amazing.

I had to wear my shades because it was so sunny! And because I like them (even if they are trendy and cheap). Anyway, Chris got a stout ice cream paired with a Vietnamese coffee scoop. Those were very tasty as well. I snuck a few tastes in when he asked me to hold it while he went inside for a second. No ice cream is safe with me.

It was really beautiful all week in San Francisco. It was nice to be warm and get some sun after those twenty something days of rain we had in Portland. And it was great to come home to the same warm weather! Here are some random shots from a few of my hobble-walks.

I thought this cigar man was creepy:

I’m back from my San Francisco trip. So glad to be home! After walking a day in flats up and down hills for six hours, I spent the next three days in shin agony. I’ve never had shin splints, but I think I had them this week. So I didn’t get around to doing quite as much as I’d hoped. I did manage to hobble to the market Tuesday morning (as well as Saturday, a much busier scene). Miette was a really cute little stall full of treats. I had a chocolate lavender macaron and a chocolate caramel. Yummy times.

Sarai just updated her shop a couple of days ago with her newest patterns! You can see them here and here. Aren’t they so pretty? I was lucky enough to be a part of the photoshoot. The model wearing the Eclair dress is holding my Metaphysical Poets book from this post. Pretty cool! It was lots of fun being a part of the whole process.

I went to a couple of estate sales this past weekend and found some cute things. I think I might use this Hawaiian purse on my upcoming trip to San Francisco. Speaking of, anyone have places I must visit while I’m there? I’m definitely going to Britex. It’s #1 on my list.

I already have plans for some of this lace. When I came home from my trip I found a bunch of fabric I forgot that I bought at an estate sale! It was a nice surprise. Or a reminder that I’m losing my mind. I’m going with nice surprise. There’s some navy rayon that looks like raw silk, and I’m planning to make a shirt with it and layer some of this lace on it. I’m pretty excited about it, so I’ll probably finish it soon.

This fan is so neat! It’s that green I love so much, and it actually works. I found it in the attic at an estate sale. That was the most precarious situation. There were people crouched down in the attic digging through boxes because the people who ran the sale didn’t bring it down. Sheesh. I’m glad I braved the wooden ladder to find this treasure, tho :)

Lastly, I found a fifty cent copy of Howl. The book that supposedly started the beat movement. I won’t lie, I was hoping I could sell it at Powell’s because I saw a copy of the book for $1600 in their rare books section (they have books for over $20,000!!!). However, that was a first edition, and this is an 8th edition. Also, do you like how I paired the book with that fluffy creature? She’s a great model.

You may think that I am an extremely outgoing person, friendly to all, constantly talking to strangers. If you think this, you are confused. When Anthony walked into the store, on his cell phone, I turned to my sister (not aforementioned, sorry, WB, but I’m mentioning you here, so you’re not written out of this story) and I said in a false whisper, “THAT IS ANTHONY! FROM PROJECT RUNWAY!” Then I scampered off to tell my mom, who was as enthusiastic as I.

My mom said, let’s go meet him. I said, heck no. So, she made a beeline for him once he was off his phone. I hid behind a large stack of fabric bolts. By hid, I mean I ducked down, intensely interested in some linen-cotton fabric. She said, “Anthony, I loved you on the show and just wanted to say I hope you’re doing really well right now.” She was going to leave it at that but he turned and was very engaging, in his outgoing and friendly way. He’s got a voice that will carry, so I could hear him talking, if not my mom. Then all of the sudden, “CAAAAIIIIITTTTTLLIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN” rang across the room. Yes, Anthony Williams called my name.

I popped up from my fabric barricade, and with a blushing face, went to meet him. Momma told him I was hiding. Thanks! To make a long story short, he was really friendly, effusive, talked to us for a few minutes, and allowed us both to get shots with him on my mom’s camera. I loved this guy on the show, and will continue to do so!

P.S. I did buy that stripey fabric in the photo.