Cute little Japanese open-backed tunic

Cute little Japanese open-backed tunic, originally uploaded by flanmela.

okay, so this is old (from this summer) but if i don't post about it, i'll forget i ever did it. it was a gift for the middle bug's best buddy. i hope i see her in it someday!

thanksgiving napkins

thanksgiving napkins, originally uploaded by flanmela.

i have discovered, since i began sewing, a very surprising fact: i love ironing. and this project is *the* project for ironing lovers!

i saw this post on purlbee awhile ago and promptly went out to my local fabric shop a bought 2 yds of linen and some fall-themed half yard pieces. it's taken me a while to actually do the sewing, but once i started, it only took 2 hrs to make the 10 napkins. here they are:

there is a lot of pressing, but i've discovered that i enjoy the pre-sewing process as much, if not more, than the sewing itself. and the results are really lovely. thanks, purlbee!

blanket for grandbaby!

Blanket for James, originally uploaded by flanmela.

not my grandbaby... but since i don't know the parents, only the grandparents (hi mike and tammy!), i'm calling him a grandbaby. it's a very simple blanket, maybe even a playmat because it has a pretty thick batting (polar fleece).

here's the front (very cute print...)



i'm sending it out today, with well wishes to the new family of three!

christmas nightgown

christmas nightgown, originally uploaded by flanmela.

i finished (well, nearly) the middle bug's christmas nightgown and she loves it. it may be a touch small around the chest, but i'll just adjust the placement of the buttons.

i'm making two more of these (shorter versions) for middle bug and her friend -- who we're spending the weekend with.

boys pjs to come!

Christmas pjs in progress

Christmas pjs in progress, originally uploaded by flanmela.

i've started the kids' christmas pjs. i'm hoping to have them done by thanksgiving, so as to enjoy them for the entire month of december.

but, that being said, i'm using a vintage pattern for the middle bug's nightgown and -- while it's long enough for a 7 year old (she's 4 and the pattern's for a 4yo), the neck circumference barely fits around my wrist. kids from the 50s must have been very tall with very small necks. or they just were all chokey in their pjs.

so, i might be tacking the collar down, as i've done in this picture. or maybe i'll just leave the top button undone.

either way, i think i'm going to finish this tomorrow and will love it. the boys get pants in co-ordinating plaid flannel. god, how i love willing (if ambivalent) participants!

best madeliene bump yet

Best madeliene bump yet, originally uploaded by flanmela.

i've been sort of obsessed with making madelienes lately -- i've made all sorts: traditional, chestnut flour, almond flour. i've made them using a traditional genoise base, heavy butter batter w/ no leavening agent, and a cheater version with baking powder added.

these are my chocolate madelienes and, of all of the ones i've made, they have the best "bump". the recipe comes from my favorite resource -- king arthur's flour company. there's no leavening agent -- just hyper-whipped eggs, beaten with the sugar until they're light yellow and ribbony.

they are delicious. just ask my kids.

loving the little house dress!

loving the little house dress!, originally uploaded by flanmela.

i was just looking through my pictures and saw this one. i love it.

flippy skirt

IMG_9899, originally uploaded by flanmela.

it's taken her a while, but the middle monster (aka, miss fashion thing) finally is into wearing this skirt. the biggest problem with it, to her mind, is that it has "ties! NOT TIES!" my strategy is to keep the ties out of sight when putting it on her.

anyway, the skirt is made from echino double gauze and from a pattern in one of my favorite japanese sewing book -- nani iro. i think it's adorable.