new books!

I am a book NUT! New books, old books, library books - doesn't matter to me - they are all fabulous. My most-used conversation starter is, "So, what are you reading now?" I have stopped and talked with total strangers on airplanes, beaches, pool decks, trains, etc. about a book they have in their hands. Talking with complete strangers is WAAAYYYY out of my comfort zone, but when the topic is books, I seem to have no problem running my mouth.

These are the newest additions to my sewing library. I first learned about the skirts title from Venus de Hilo. She makes the cutest skirts mostly from patterns she has created on her own, and this is one of the titles she mentions in her blog, so I had to get my hands on it.

My first skirt project from the book will be made with this lovely purple floral fabric I found in the bargain bin at my local Jo Ann's...

I'm thinking it will become this fun summer wrap-skirt...

The bags book was primarily purchased for my daughter and her budding bag business. She already has fabric cut out (from her stash! can you believe that a thirteen-year-old has a stash?) to make this messenger type bag...

So, what are you reading these days? I'd love to hear your recommendations!

the sweatshop is OPEN

Since my sewing room was moved upstairs from the basement last fall, I have made an important discovery... it gets very HOT in a second floor, west-facing room with lots of task-lighting, an iron and two sewing machines running! My 13 year old daughter has her sewing machine set up across the table from mine and we have been busy.

Last summer she decided to launch a bag-making business, and she has taken and filled several orders since then. Most recently she made this Amy Butler Frenchy bag (the smaller version) that her aunt ordered...

She also whipped up this Terry Atkinson "Zippy Strippy" cosmetic bag for herself and plans to make several more as Christmas gifts for friends.

Thanks to my outstanding nephew, she also has a website under development: http://www.daisydesignsbynatalie.com/.

My eldest daughter participated in a summer fashion design program last month at a nearby college. For one week they held a mini "Project Runway" with each student designing a red-carpet dress for Scarlett Johanssen (sp?). Two designs were chosen by the faculty, and then two teams of 9 students created patterns, cut, and sewed the dresses for a portfolio show held on the weekend. Caroline's design was not chosen, but she did a LOT of the sewing on this dress...

I surely wish that I could hear what Elsie has to say about these two wonderful girls of mine! I am so proud of them!!

And now we've got to figure out how to get a third machine into that sewing room, because none of us wants to be left out when the creativity is flowing. I think we're going to need a bigger room... and an auxiliary air-conditioner :)

I may have been a bit too literal...

but here is the backing (so far) for my Kaffe Crayon Box quilt. Get it? Crayons and coloring books... More Kona charcoal will be added to all four sides to complete this backing. Or maybe it will just become another quilt :)

Have a spectacular weekend!!