Myrinda (FabricHound) Birthday Coupon!

It's Myrinda's birthday but the gift is for us! Use code "mybirthday" for 20% off today only!

I can't wait to order stuff later on!

Beach Therapy

I love where I live. I grew up in New Jersey and going 'down the shore' was always an ordeal. There was always traffic. Expensive parking on peoples lawns (yup, they will let you park there all day - if you pay them). Etc.


Living on the North Shore of Massachusetts has given me a new appreciation for the beach. We are 20 - 30 minutes from countless beaches. I love them all. They all offer different habitats for my kids to explore. And, after breathing in the salt air, frolicking in the barely tolerable water, and digging in the sand food tastes better and kids sleep better.

Today we found a moon snail.

Mussels.

And, as we were leaving, we passed this woman who was playing her violin on the beach.

Hope y'all are enjoying some fabulous weather and perhaps some beach therapy yourselves...

Q & A - Sewing Machine Meme

Sew Mama Sew is having a sewing machine month! They asked people to answer some questions on their blog sooo - here I go.

What brand and model do you have? BabyLock Quest

How long have you had it? One Year this month.

How much does that machine cost (approximately)? $1,000

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)? Clothes, quilts, aprons, reusable bags, crayon rolls, etc.

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get? - I sew in spurts. I'll sew a lot for a few months (Autumn / Winter) and less in summer since my sewing room is the attic. Wear and tear - quite a bit. When I sew I sew for a few hours at a time.

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name? I LOVE my machine. I went into the shop where I purchased this convinced I was going to get a different brand. After trying this one out there was no turning back. It is fabulous. She doew not currently have a name but now I think I should ask my children to name her.

What features does your machine have that work well for you?

Lots of lightbulbs to illuminate my sewing. I had Lasik done a few years ago and really appreciate extra lighting at night.

A stop / start button that I can use if I disconnect my foot pedal. I have actually used this feature when using the faux embroidery letters on this machine. It's fun.

The auto-lock button. The machine will automatically sew three locking stitches and then stop automatically. LOVE IT.

An independent bobbin winder on top.

It came with a bunch of feet. I have used most of them.

It came with an extension table.

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine? It did not have a 1/4 inch foot so I had to buy a different ankle and a different foot and have to unscrew the one ankle to switch out to the 1/4 inch foot and it's ankle. AND the machine does not tell you when you are low on bobbin thread. So- you'll be sewing a quilt or a piece of clothing and eventually will figure out you are out of bobbin thread.

Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it! UMMMMM - my husband gave me a certain amount of money from our tax refund and said I could spend it on anything I wanted. I got this.

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why? Absolutely. It is a great machine to use. Easy to use. Easy to trouble shoot. Easy to thread. Easy to oil the bobbin area. LOVE IT. The independent button winder is amazing. See list of features I love above.

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine? Do you like how it runs? Take it for a test drive. Bring something that you would sew at home into the shop to try out and see if it has the features you need. If you use a 1/4 inch foot a lot and a machine doesn't come with one that would not be the machine you would want to purchase.

Do you have a dream machine? No. I'm really happy with this one.

Fabric & Pattern Testing

I've been testing a pattern (see below post) for Wondermommy. Actually - it's an amazingly versatile pattern. But, all my little one wanted me to make from it was a skirt.

It had to be pink with flowers on it according to my daughter.

I only had one fabric that remotely fit that description. It was pink with small white flowers and blue birds scattered on it. A very cute fabric. So, I made the skirt and showed her the final result. Her response was less than spectacular. She told me she hated it. She told me to take the birds off of the skirt. She didn't want birds.

OKAY...Her older sister was so much more gracious and asked if she could wear it instead. That she liked the fabric. Kids!

We went to a fabric store and this is the fabric she picked out.

You can't really tell in the photo but there are purple dots - of pollen (?) on the flowers. I'm hoping the reaction to a skirt made out of this fabric is a tad more enthusiastic.

I'm A Pattern Tester!

Wondermommy picked me to be a pattern tester for her skants pattern! (Oh - wait - skants - well, you all know what a skort is. A skirt and short combo. Well, skants are a pants and skirt combo.)

She first posted about skants a few months ago and I was immediately smitten. My daughters love to wear skorts and frequently wear pants with a skort on top to get the skants look. The issue, of course, is a bulky bottom! I know my girls will love to wear these and I'm so excited that I get to test the pattern.

Thanks Wondermommy!