My bag has arrived!

I had an e-mail from Ruth the other day. My bag has arrived!
I made her something "so nice, you would like to keep it yourself", as part of the Spring Suprise Swap.

I am pleased with the result, but initally, I liked to make a zippered pouch into the lining. Even with the aid of my sewing teacher, I had no luck and after spending two lessons in vain, I quit that option. So now there's just a simple pocket on the inside, although lined with a piece of blue silk.

To complete the outfit, I also made a keychain and a tissueholder. For the keychain, I used the fabric of the straps and some felt. The tulip matches the tulips on the bag. The bird on the tissueholder is an applique.

Since I had never made these items before, I had to experiment a bit with sizes and construction. I came up with my bankcard as an ideal size for the keychain.

For the holder, I used an example given by me a long time ago by Mirre from KissKus.

I added two fat quarters of fabric,

wrapped it all up, wrote a cart,

and off it went.

I'm told the bag is now a home for a new crochet project of Ruth. (She teaches at her collegues, too.) What a great match from the both of us.

007 ready for action

007 ready for action
Originally uploaded by oddwise

Here's a copy of a post I made for Flickr.
I made this first spring pant for Pelle this year, using pattern nr. 26, 'the Sean C. pants', from the Ottobre magazine nr. 4, from 2009.
It was a bit of a gamble. I loved the old-fashioned look of this pattern, but it is not something the boys in his class will wear. He's not influenced by that, but I am - a bit.
Now I'm so glad I followed through. I love this look on him. In stead of using elastic I made him some cuffs around the ankles.
The fabric was donated to me, and is a kind of softish denim. Perfect for this spring weather: not to warm, not to cold.

I'm going to make another one for him, the green fabric is being washed right now.

Gifts

This week I received my Spring Surprise. I swapped with Ruth, who lives all the way in South Carolina. And look what I got! 2 fat quarters of fabric and a hat she crocheted herself.

Can you see the butterflies?
I really like it. The fit is perfect and it gives me a real summery feeling.
My parcel is on it’s way to the States, I hope she will receive it soon.
It certainly was nice to do the swap, because I did something different than just sewing clothes from a pattern. (But it has to remain a secret for now.)

I also won a giveaway at VanMarieke, so the postwoman gave me this deco-tape.


Lovely to use, and experiment with. I found out that my wrapping skills can do with some more practice, so it’s a perfect gift. Dank je wel, Marieke!

Today was a wonderful warm day. Finally spring is arriving here. I yearn to sew some pants for my boy. A few weeks ago, a woman I’ve know from the Speel-o-theek
gave me many fabrics and I love to use them.

Thomas the train tote

Just a small post to show you a tote I made last week. Because we have a Thomas addict in the house, I made him this bag to carry his fruit and drink, to school.
I ordered the fabric in England, and it took a month ! to get here.
But I love the bright colours.




This is Mark, showing it off. And as it fits Mark, you can tell that the tote became rather big and is not that practical. But Pelle wants to take it to school, so I'm glad he likes it. (And I can always make a pillowcase off it when he's borred with it).

I'm really busy with the spring suprise swap (see logo on the right).
Here's a sneekpeak.


I already spend 2 lessons at sewing class to finish it, but had bad luck. This week I will finish it and sent it to the States. Barely in time. I have more time to post after Friday.

And thank you so much for your kind comments on my first bloganniversary. I carry on.

A year of blogging

Yesterday, this blog was one year old.
I started off with the idea to showcase my home sewn clothes for Pelle and to advocate sewing for boys. Because I love my own creations and wanted to show how nice it can be to make something for little men that is not the ordinary, ugly store bought. I hoped someone would share my taste. For colours, for appliqués, for images that, I think, will appeal to a child far more than the unimaginative clothes that little boys are supposed to wear if it depends on the industry. I wanted to provide some inspiration, by showing stuff made by others, too.
And I also wanted to write about my daily life in this village. Things I would love to read on other blogs. Share my love for the nature around us, for the beauty and happiness encountered everyday, here in this place on earth.
These where my plans, my ‘mission’. But after a year of blogging, I want to revise that.
Because honesty, I’m not very talented as it goes for sewing. I often struggle behind the machine, wanting things to go easier, faster, smoother. And there already are so many inspirational blogs. I don’t think I can add much to that. So I keep showing my stuff, but it would be the mean reason for blogging anymore.

And what about the accounts of the happy daily life? Well, I had a hard time feeling it, this last year. I expressed my worries about Pelle, my struggle with him being different and being labeled (autistic), because I simply had to. Writing it down made it tangible. Sending my grief out in the world, although nobody might read it, helped.
These are the posts that lie very dear to my heart, and I intend to write more from that source.
Telling you what really touches me, sharing my emotional journey.
And where am I now? Traveling the road of acceptance. Because I know that only there lies true happiness, for me. Accepting this lovely boy in everything he is. Seeing his soul shine. If I can do that, if I can open up to everything he brings, I feel a connection that goes beyond language and behavior. Then I experience a joy that, like a glass of soda, bubbles up and makes me feel alive.
So that’s where I stand right now. Feeling happiness returning to me.

I want to thank you so much for reading this blog, making comments, or sending me supportive e-mail. For making a connection. I stay in touch,

Love, Ria

Garment of February

It is funny how this blog works for me. In Dutch we have a saying literary translated says: stick behind the door. I can’t come up with an English equivalent, but I mean this: it forces me to do things I otherwise would postpone or won’t do at all. Because I feel I have to show you things, to keep you interested. There are people in the webspace waiting for new posts. You, dear readers. I want to please you and make a versatile and interesting place, here in the corner of www.
So after the thrill of the skirt that fitted so good, I said to you that I would make a garment for myself each month. The aim: building up a pattern collection for clothes that fit me like a glove. Making simple adjustments each time, for sleeves, or necklines, or extra plaids, or wider legs to keep the fun, but relying on a good sound construction.
And now February comes to a close so I feel obliged to show you the dress I have been working on for this month. It’s from a knit with a flockprint I bought in Utrecht. Each Saturday there’s a great fabric market there with more than 50 stalls. You are in paradise, there. (I sometimes dream of fabrics, really!).

But the dress. I’m not satisfied. The fabric is so good, and the pattern (# 9 from Ottobre 2009/ 5) might be good for me, but something went wrong.
A: the elastic I used is to broad (couldn’t find the one the mag called for and bought this on advise of the shopkeeper. Not a good advise).



So it bulks on the sides and is annoying to wear, because it won’t stay flat.



B. The front is to wide. It makes my waist disappear. I think the elastic is too wide.

Otherwise I’m pleased, with the back and the sleeves (had to cut them in two pieces and slightly widened the lower sleeve).

I hope my sewing teacher will come up with a solution and I can finish it. (I keep the neckline as high as possible, because I think that’s more comfortable) and will make a hem below the knee so it's a bit more sassy.

And the garment of March? That will have to be something easy, because I want to work on my springsuprise swap. But I have to say, I’m very tempted, tempted by the Loveliness dress from the recent Ottobre. I think I found the perfect muslin for it, yesterday. (I’ve been reorganizing my stash).

Life is a coctail.

Last week, I’ve been reading the biography of a famous Dutch woman, called Annie M.G. Schmidt. When you are from the States, of from Ireland, or Denmark, or any other country outside Holland, chances are that you never heard of her. That’s because her work never has been translated very much, being so very, very Dutch.
Annie M.G. was our queen of light verse. She wrote numerous songs, tales, and funny, naughty, rhythmical children prose. But she also is a part of our collective memory because of all the songs she composed for television series and musicals. Mark really likes to listen to her songs, because it brings back so many memories. (And that’s how I learned to appreciate her even more, through Marks enthusiasm).
When she was already in her 70’s she became a great television personality ass well, because she told so many funny stories about her life and sparkled with humor.
Because off her unique voice (and not have been reading her biography then) I assumed that her life would be unique, too. That of a great artist. I was very curious and anxious to watch the television series based of her life, broadcasted in January and February. For 7 weeks, I watched every episode. And was disappointed. The actress portraying her older years, only made her look grumpy and ironic, very one-dimensional. I missed the genuine fun she embodied for me. I really think that was a flaw in the script.
But what’s more, my expectations were not fulfilled. Because her live didn’t sparkle at all. She had her ups and downs, just like everybody else. It was her imagination and her work that fueled her vitality and lust for life, not her own history. And it was mirrored in the series: the scenes about her youth and marriage dragged on to long and were boring, but the fantastic parts, be it dancing people going to church, her library invaded by a German soldier (a story she made up), her songs performed in a circus tent, her deceased husband acting as a censor, 70-years old Annie dancing with the movers, these were fun to watch.
I would love to learn from Annie. Adding fantasy and humor in your life. Making it light and fun. Mixing it all together like a sumptuous cocktail. Annie, santé.