Dreaming of owls and dolphins.

I would like to make Pelle a duvet (if that's how it's called - a sheetcase for his bedblanket), someday, when I have the time. I'm always on the lookout for some nice fabric that will look great for the pachworklike thing I have in mind. So when I saw the lime little owls in the Etsy shop of Mafe Maria I bought them. Thank you, Maria, I really love them!The stripy fabrics are old shirts of Mark. I like to recycle and have a part of Pelle's dad there, too. The dolphins where on sale in Germany and the zoo-animals I bought from Marieke. I'll add more fabrics to the collection, if I'll come across them.
Someday my boy will sleep under them and have beautiful dreams.

Welterusten, Pelle. Je bent het liefste jongetje van de hele wereld!

Ria.

T-shirt week, last part

This is the last of the series. Here are some blue and brown T's.


From RachelMom. This one is a pattern from Ottobre. She used a mix of new and old fabrics. The sleeves for instance, are from an old T-shirt of her husband.




From Anisito. This is how Pelle must feel, most of the time.



This one I made myself, last summer. Also made from different fabrics.
I bought the stripy knit when I was pregnant but never used it untill 3 1/2 years later.
The brown knit is from a PJ from my father-in-law. The patch is from the fatquarter shop. Unfortunately I was not so pleased with the slimfit from Farbenmix. It's long but not baggy, and I don't like Pelle to wear a tight fit.
Now the T is to small for him anyway. If you'd like it, let me know in the comment, or e-mail me, then you'll get it for free (you can find my e-mail adress below my profile).
It's a little washed and worn, but if you don't mind that you're more than welcome. I'd rather give it a second change than throw it away in the garbage. It's size 86-92, wearable by a child who's 2 or a skinny 3 years old. You can see the back here.

I wish you a very pleasant weekend. Mine is starting this afternoon with a meeting called Zen and Wine. Interesting huh? Meditate first, get drunk afterwards. Buddah will smile in heaven.

Ria

T-shirt week, part 3

More inspiration and lovely T's to look at.




This one is from Janssendesigns. She makes a lot of recycled T's (and more) with bright colours.
I also love the Ooga Booga fabric. Maybe I'm going to buy some in the States. I think this is a perfect way to use it: not the whole T, as that might make it look more like a PJ, but just a little touch.


Here's another example of a great match of fabrics, I think. This one is from Treehousetogs.


Somehow, I think 3 pieces each time for each post are nice. Not so overwhelming. Getting enough attention to make an imprint in your mind. And then someday, certain images blend together and you create you own piece.

So here's the last one for today.


This one is from Little Overcoat. She's all into recycling shirts and has 90 ! on her photostream on Flickr.

And now I have to return to my neglected child, who is at this moment demolishing my sewing machine.

T-shirt week, part 2.

Felix
Originally uploaded by Mafe Maria

This lovely T is made by Mafe Maria. Don't you just love it? It's called Felix.
She used a reverse applique technique. The T-shirt is for sale in her Etsy Shop. She made some other fabulous T-s, too. And some very special hats, so check her out.
Oh, that boy! Is there a new philosopher arising?

Here below is a T from Dieselaluna. That woman sews faster than she breathes. She mostly sews for girls, but made some nice boys wear, too.

And finaly, the last T for this post.

This doggy one is made by Tarapatices.

Beautiful T-shirts, part 1

Here are some of the T-shirts I realy like. I didn't make them myself. Just click on the photo and you are directed to the Flickr page. This one is from Fancy Pants Customs.



This one is from Rocket Mum


This one is from lizardslittleluxuries. She's made the spider T from last years summer issue of Ottobre. The spider is a combination of an applique and machine embrodery (the web).

Hope you are inspired, too.

Ria

Oh Africa

Yesterday evening I saw an episode on the BBC of "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency". It's based on a series of books from Alexander McCall Smith and I'd like to share my enthusiasm with you. The books are funny, heart-warming and moving and are set in Botswana. Being overwhelmed with sad images about wars, starvation and other disasters from that continent it was such a relieve to read about normal daily life in a country that is stable and fairly wealthy.

The brave Mma Ramotswe encounters many problems in her agency and solves them in her own specific way. But it's not only the cases she solves, her homely life and that off the others around her is portrait in such warm African colours, you constantly smile. Or shed a tear, sometimes.

Of course the serie is different, because you miss the thoughts of the people. But they have a merit on there own and are certainly funny to watch. So if you want a bright, humurous taste of African life, you should surely tune in to the BBC on sundayevening.

(En een tip voor de Nederlanders: Ik schakel altijd de ondertiteling in, teletextpagina 888, dat maakt het makkelijker te volgen.)

Oh Africa, Africa, Africa. I hope to see more of you, someday.

Ria

Blue pants

This weekend I finished a pant for Pelle. It's made from a babyrib corduroy, which I used before. Although I love the brightness of the colours, I'm not entirely satisfied. I used a pattern from the 2008 summerissue of Ottobre (the aqua pants) because I liked the hippieces.

Since they were short and baggy, I lengthened them and also made them slimmer. The fit is good, but I think they're missing something. So next time I'm going to change the pockets by making them larger and probably will add some more. Or maybe add a hammerstrip. I"ll see.

(I'm not satisfied with my pictures, either. Somehow they're not that sharp. Also have to see what I can do about that).

Maybe it looks like I'm whipping up one piece after another, but that's not true. Since I was expirimenting a bit with the pattern and in general I'm not that fast, it took me a few evenings to make this. I'm always amazed by the women who make things like this in a few houres. No, not me. But I'm getting there, stich after stich.

I'm planning a T-shirt week, next week. Showing T-shirts from other women for inspiration.

Have to make the right connextion to Flickr, but already had some help from Mafe Maria for that. So stay tuned after the break.

Wishing you a good sundayevening and some sound sleep,

Ria.

Missing you

Lieve Jan,

I still have all your letters.
Isn’t that the phrase? All the letters you wrote to me from Africa. When I read them I feel you’re getting a bit closer.
We were so young in the 80s. I went to college and was all involved in my study. You went away, wouldn’t stay in Holland. You wanted to broaden your horizon, wanted more freedom. I stayed here, of course.
But we had our plans, our dreams. Biking trough America, biking through Afrika. Camping, like we did in France and in Greece.
How I would have loved to see us both grow older, meeting our spouses, sharing our lives and childhood memories. To see you getting balder, but keeping your laugh and every other caracteristic. Being a part of Pelle’s life.
It wasn’t meant to be. Today it’s already 23 years ago when I landed in Africa and a man in a car, whom I never met before said “he already died”. Deep inside I already knew that.
Your motorbike hit another car. You died in the hospital.
Dear brother, I miss you.

For Jan Oddens, born 7-7-1961 deceased 21-3-1986

Early Work

I still have a lot to learn, about Blogger. Like how do I place text in between the photos and how do I change their order? I don't think the Help-area is very helpfull at all! In stead of showing the basics they talk about advanced use of things I don't need.

Well, having this off my chest, onto a lighter note. And a tender and joyfull one.

Because this is how my sewing career for Pelle began. One off the first things I made for him were the green overalls. They're made from a babyrib corduroy. For the pockets and the - how do you call them? strapps? - I used a little piece of fabric I picked up at a furnitureshop years and years ago. The pattern is from a Burda childrens edition.

I also made him a hat to go along. He's wearing that on the first picture, when he was about 5 months old. I carry that picture in my purse so I can look at it often. It still makes my heart smile.

The sweater is an Ottobre pattern. The first of a series I made. Pelle has never worn it though. At that time I didn't know how to attach the cuffs and neckborder properly, so I couldn't pull it over his head. And I didn't like the way the crown came out. I had no other proper fabric to use but a broad corduroy. (Unimaginable now, since I now have so much fabric! )

I keep it as a dear memory. Not only for the sweater itself, but also for the excitement I felt preparing the applique and figuring out how I could do it and buying the right materials, like a set of fabricmarkers and Vliesofix. The yellow on the squid is not painted, but drawn by a permanent marker. I thought that was a smart solution, if I say so myself.

Wishing you I lot of fun with your creations, whatever they are,

Ria

Cycling

This is the cover of a booklet Mark made himself. He's going to climb the Alpe d'Huez in France this summer. The booklet is meant to preserve notes about the experience.

I'm married to a man who loves to watch sport and absolutely knows everything about the NBA (basketball in the States) in the 70ties and 80ties. But now it's a whole new ballgame. The Alpe d'Heuz is a famous mountain where the pro's cycle their way to the top in the Tour the France. Many Dutch racers have won there. And now it's up to dear husband. He's strong, so he'll make it. Zet hem op, Mark!

Is this the mother of little white fish?

Yesterday I finished the sweater I was talking about Friday. I used the pattern before, it's from Ottobre. I adjusted it a bit, at the sleeves and neck. I didn't intend to colourblock it, but I run out of the darker green velours, so I combined it with a lighter one. I still think one dark green front would make the applique come out stronger but nevertheless I'm pleased with the result.

Ria

Watching and Loving it

Yesterday night I saw this wonderfull movie, Atonement. Whaw, what impressive. I loved the image-language. So typically English. Where else can you run through a tunnel of green foliage near a mansion? The music grabbed my, too. I can imagine it must be even more overwhelming when you are in the theater.

The story is about an upperclass girl and the son of her housemaid, who fall in love. (Did I already say "typically English"?) A false acccusation of the younger sister tears them apart.

And as this sounds like a simple lovestory, what gives it so much more depth is the way the different perspectives are shown. And the utter surrealism of war. So stunningly encaptured.

I've never read anything from Ian McEwan, but that won't take long. I'm anxious to start. I mean, I've got lots of time, apart from blogging and sewing. Don't I?

Vannacht heb ik bovenstaande film gezien. Zo indrukwekkend. En echt Engels, qua vorm en inhoud. Het begon al met de eerste scene, waar de prachtige muziek je meteen in de film zuigt. De beelden zijn prachtig, als in een kostuumdrama, maar dan met veel meer dynamiek en dubbele lagen, want je ziet verschillende perspectieven. Dat van een jong meisje, van twee geliefden, en op het eind van de oude schrijfster, die ooit het jonge meisje was. De beelden over Duinkerken in de oorlog zijn surrealistisch en geven de absurditeit van die dagen weer. Als je meer over het verhaal wilt lezen moet je even de link naar Wikepedia volgen, aan het begin van het bericht.

Ik ben erg nieuwsgierig geworden naar de romans van Ian McEwan, die het boek van deze film geschreven heeft. Moet makkelijk kunnen, naast het bloggen, naaien, opvoeden, de huishouding. Romans lezen :-)

Plans for the spring

We have a beautifull childrens's book called Little White Fish. It's about a little fish who searches his mother and meets seecreatures. "Is this the mother of little white fish? No, this is the snail. And the snail is yellow". So Pelle learned a lot about the colours.

And now I'm intending to sew 5 different velours sweater for him, each with an applique of one of the creatures. I'm starting with a green shirt, to accompany a pant I sewed in September. I hope that one is still long enough to wear. It's not that thick, so it should be nice for him now the weather is getting warmer.

I hope to show you the results this weekend.

Ria

Will everything be allright?

Sometimes I worry about Pelle. I want him to be a normal child, growing up in a lovely home and developing like a beautiful flower. Petal by petal unfolding, revealing his beautiful soul. But he’s not like a flower. Sometimes it feels like he’s stuck somewhere. Like nothing new is happening and he keeps repeating himself, over and over again.
If I compare him with other 3-years old, he seems so young. Not interacting with other children, living in his own world of busses and carparts. And then I worry. Will he be able to catch up? To really unfold? To show all of what’s inside him to the world? To share?
I love him so much and he makes me so vulnerable. Sometimes a have a bad day thinking there’s something wrong with his development. I dissapear into a cloud of sorrow and fears for the future. That happens every once in a while.
Most off the times I can let it go. I take a leap of faith and trust the future. Rely on the flow of life with all it’s goodness. But sometimes that’s harder to do, like today. So be it. That’s life.

Ria

Treats from Scandinavia, part two

This is a picture from the first Ottobre magazine I ever saw. I fell in love with the little fellow wearing his overall. It was in the summer of 2005 and as I was pregnant, I started to look for nice things I could make for the baby. I can so recall standing in the local bookstore and scrolling to all the pages with childrens wear. Bright and colourfull, with lots of stuff for boys. In that bookstore my love for the Finnish magazine was born.

At the time I thought I wasn't skilled enough to sew the overalls. In the meantime I've learned a lot, simply by doing it. Piece after piece you build up skills and confidence behind the machine. Now I'm able to make this. I have to choose a different pattern now, because Pelle's to big for this. But I definately keep the lion.

Ria

Treats from Scandinavia

So you feel that you have a mission: making sewing for boys more popular. Providing inspiration. And starting a blog would be a good idea. But then again, all those thoughts get in your way, faint fears about never ever being able to get away from the computer again, have to learn a new and difficult computerlanguage and not having time left to sew. Tired off your own excuses you make yourself a promise when you enter a give-away: if I win this, I'll have to start.

And than it happens: Astrid from http://www.connectingthedots.dk/ e-mails you that you've won her bib! So now you know that time is ready.

Right above is her wonderfull gift. Thanks again Astrid!

And then there was another sweet suprise from Scandanavia.

Sundayevening Mark and I saw the movie: As it is in Heaven. Funny and soft, light and warm. About a musician who starts to conduct the churchchoir in his native village. He releases all kinds of emotions among the members.

It's also about tuning in to your own sound. It's there to find in the world. You just have to listen.

I hope you will hear you're own music, too.

Ria

My first post

Hello everyone,

After years of reading everybody's elses posts and blogs, I want to make own.

Why? Because I want to show my love for sewing for my boy. It all started with frustration about the lack of bright, colourfull clothes for boys, here in Holland. If they excist, they also have ugly prints or are unaffordable. So after years where my sewingmachine and me hardy spoke to each other we're now babbling away every week. I'd like to share the results and also want to be an advocate for sewing for boys. It can give you so much fun and fullfilment (and, I admit, some frustration too, sometimes).

And I'm also planning to write about my daily life in a Dutch village, books and movies, things that inspire me. Sending myself into the world. I hope you enjoy it.

The pants above are green linen. I used a pattern from the fabulous Ottobre magazine and made them for Eastern 2007. Pelle looked so good in them! Now he can't wear them anymore and I sold them on a second-hand clothing fare, last Friday. I was so pleased someone liked them!