getting crafty

A few months ago I decided I needed a new hobby, because...you know...planning an intercontinental move really leaves you with way too much free time. Not. None the less, my friend Krissy is this incredible seamstress and I kept seeing all the beautiful creations she would make and I wanted to be able to do that too. My mom was also a really gifted sewer, but as a kid I was too intimidated by her hulking Singer machine to do much more than stare at it and be afraid. Now 20-odd years later, I was still intimidated but decided to give it a bash anyway. Plus, I love the word "bobbin". Say it with me now! Bobbin bobbin bobbin. Using a sewing machine gives you good reason to say "bobbin" lots. My sis-in-law Kate knows a children's song about bobbins, but sadly I sang it too much and I am now forbidden to utter it in our home.

It turns out, I'm not half bad at this sewing business. I started off slowly (i.e. sew one piece of fabric onto another piece of fabric, wrap it up nicely, and give it to my pregnant friend saying "I made you this beeeeeeautiful burp cloth!"). As the birthdays and babies keep on coming in our lives, I've gotten better. The most recent winners are:

Finnegan fox: present for our nephew's 2nd birthday (to accompany a copy of Dr. Seuss' "Fox in Socks")

baby jackets, most of which are accompanied by matching kimono shoes

Japanese obi-style hot/cold pack: warm the flax seed pack in the microwave or chill it in the freezer, slip it into the pocket, tie it around your waist, and voila! 

re-usable snack packs: cute nylon-lined (so they are easily washable) bags of various sizes with a velcro closure. great for using up fabric scraps and reducing our use of ziploc bags.