Spring Cleaning

By now you know what a sewing fanatic I am. As a result, I have accumulated a veritable truckload of fabrics, yarns, and trims - most of which have travelled all over the world with us through various moves, gathering new companions along the way. I've decided I NEED to get it cleared out, the stuff is overtaking my home and our lives. Rather than throw it all out or just give it away, I've decided that my girls and I would use it. The only trouble is that there are so many pretty pieces, so many possibilities that it's hard to settle on what to do and where to start.

We've got to keep it simple, so we're starting with things like toddler pillows in lovely Asian fabrics and going on to use up bolts of fabrics for pretty lined blankets - not proper quilts mind you, that's not a skill I've yet managed to hone. Then we'll be knitting little hats and diaper soakers from the remainders of our yarns. Much of it will be sold at yard sales, flea markets, or online, but some of it is also set aside for donating locally.

All the fabric will be used for a good purpose - and I'll have a TIDY HOUSE!

New Life for Vintage Linens

Oh how I love vintage textiles. It's a shame they are often packed away and not used. I've always been a fan of salvaging antique linens for making quilts. I've heard about making blouses, dresses and accessories from damaged vintage textiles, but I've been completely enchanted by the idea of making portrait dresses from antique pillowcases. It's not a new idea, but one whose time - at least for me - has come.

Most often, the little dresses are sleeveless sundresses, but they can be made with sleeves of any length. In fact, I believe the original design called for sleeves. In addition to baby and toddler dresses, cami tops for older girls, even maternity tops can be made from pillowcases. You can also make beautiful little bloomers or capri pants from the cases. With the extra precious antique linens, you'll certainly want to create a keepsake garment, probably for a special portrait.

You'll want to look for pillowcases that are embroidered and or trimmed with crocheted lace. There are so many lovely choices from white-on-white to pastel to brights. It's all in what you like best! Vintage pillowcases are fairly inexpensive and sometimes you can find exquisite quality pure linen slips, or ones with hand crocheted lace edings, and scalloped hems.

You can also purchase new linens and embellish them yourself with embroidery, beadwork, laces (handmade or purchased). You can make sleeved garments, choose gorgeous ribbons for ties, or make ties from offcuts of the piece.

Your little princess will look heavenly and your grandmother's favorite linen's will be so happy to be loved once again!

Our second home

I wanted to share a beautiful photo of the church in the village where we lived in England. Yes, it really is this beautiful. This is St. Mary the Virgin in the village of Woodditton, near the famous racing town of Newmarket. There are two roads through the village, intersecting each other at right angles. We lived further down the road (about a mile) from where this photo was taken. We could clearly hear the bellringers practicing every Tuesday night, and again Sunday morning.

Being so near a racing town, the village is a collection of stud farms, including the National Stud. We lived in a semi-detached on Woodditton Stud, which was owned by a man from Singapore. Our neighbors were the al-Maktoums and relations of the Aga Khan. We had the chance to look inside one of their barns, which was reached by a public footpath. The horses' digs were posher than our own!

There's nothing quite like watching the horses and jockeys run up the Severals every morning as you pass through town (Newmarket that is). It's a pleasure to stop for them crossing the road just to get a look at such magnificent animals! We'd go back in a heartbeat.

Griping about Gas Prices?

Try living in another country. We spent three wonderful years in England, where gas was right around the $5/gal USD mark.

Brits drive more fuel efficient cars to begin with. You won't find many gas guzzlers for sale on the car lots. When we were there, there were lots of Mini Coopers (the ORIGINAL ones!), small cars and some very cool three-wheeled cars. We had an American minivan and an Austin Montego (British). The minivan made us look like Americans - or delivery persons.

In addition to higher fuel prices, Brits pay FAR higher income taxes - 40% at our income level, an exhorbitant sales tax called VAT between 17.5 and 21%, and families must purchase a semi-annual or annual television license. B/W television cost $50-60 USD and color television ran nearly $200 USD. It is a criminal offense to operate a television in Britain with out a license. If you are found guilty, the fine is about $3000 USD.

Brits don't indulge in many of the luxuries Americans take for granted. A holiday (vacation) is a bigger deal in the UK than it is in America. Little gadgets such as fancy radios, GPS, home computers are (or were) rarities. Expensive shoes (like sneakers) would never be purchased for most children, let alone logo apparel. Kids wear uniform to school. Clothing is generally less expensive and much better made - a super value. Of course there are some more well-to-do families who certainly indulge in electronic gadgets, designer duds, and large fuel-hungry vehicles - we never met any of those families... The folks we knew would a whole lot rather have friends to a meal in their homes than almost anything else.

Luxury can be a subjective notion, however. One cheap 'luxury' I enjoyed in the UK was home delivery of milk (and other dairy items). It didn't cost me any more than running to the shops and the nice milkman came long in his electric float 3 times a week with fresh milk (in glass bottles), yogurt, cream, butter, bread, and ocassionally ice cream. I felt like a princess. It had been a VERY long time since we'd had a milkman in our US hometown!

A difference in priorities... So the next time you feel the urge to complain about how much it's costing you to jump into your car and drive to the mall for a day of unbridled spending, give a thought to our friends overseas whose governments don't have the leveraging power to talk the price of oil down... Stay home and invite some friends for lunch instead.

Another Maternity Confection...

Oh, I LOVE this pattern. If you knit, this is a lovely maternity worthy top. Click the photo to go to the pattern. Look for beautiful natural fibre yarns at KnitPicks. The prices are great!

Happy knitting, Mama!

Maternity Wear Blues?

I hate maternity clothes. This is a problem since I'm frequently pregnant. I love beautiful clothes - classic, well-made clothes.

Each time I find I'm expecting, I figure that spending large sums for good maternity clothes will be a waste. Likewise, I suppose that spending the time to make my own will be time ill-spent (read, by the time I'm done, the baby will be here!). The women in my family have lost their fertility by their 30s due to rampant female ailments, so I am constantly surprised when we are blessed with another child!

I'm terribly fussy about what I wear. Being petite and comfortably average in girth, most of the styles are either too risque or make me look like a giant toddler with a pudgy tummy. Let's face it, I'm getting older now - all of 35. I can't dress like a 20 year old and be convincing (I'm fairly sure I don't want too).

I decided to take the plunge and sew my own maternity wardrobe. Now I didn't have much confidence in the availability of suitable patterns, mind you. Depressing usually. But THIS time I've found what I think is a perfect ensemble. I'm excited for once in my motherhood about the prospect of wearing maternity clothes. So I'm off to the fabric store for an orgy of textile purchasing. So pray I get it all done before October...

Glories of Lace

I used to think I was born in the wrong century... There's nothing sweeter than a little girl in a lacy dress. You can't get them anywhere nowadays - you have to sew them yourself - or find someone who can. Laces aren't as readily available either, let alone QUALITY laces. Whenever we visit England, I make a point to get to Nottingham where I can find the prettiest cotton net lace. I have a tiny stash here at the house for making Christening gowns.

The dress above (from Sew Beautiful Magazine) is a reproduction of the designer's grandmother's dress. She purchased netting and embroidered the lace pattern onto the garment by hand - a LOT of work. You can find pretty net lace on Martha Pullen's website. Unfortunately, the manufacturers in Nottingham haven't caught up to the 21st century - you actually have to go there in order to get some... Louise Verscheuren has gorgeous Belgian lace veils, mantillas and christening gowns. They are expensive, but worth every penny for a treasured heirloom. I bought a veil from her when our oldest made her First Communion, and it's been worn twice so far. I would be pleased to see all of our girls wear it again on their wedding days!

I'm hoping to make co-ordinating lacy outfits for the three girls and myself for a portrait later this year... stay tuned!

You know you're a Mama when...

A trip to the produce department - or for no apparent reason at all - you break into a rousing rendition of a Veggie Tales song. Another good sign is when you can perform an entire episode with your children (ranging in age from 1 year to 14 years...).

Sure makes a trip to the grocery interesting for the other shoppers!

... Or so I thought

Phew! What a wicked few weeks. No sooner had we got over our last round of illness than we plunged right into several more - including the mother of all stomach flus. We spent the entire Lenten season alternately sick at home and working like the dickens to catch up with lessons and work. I lost an entire day in hospital for severe dehydration. Fortunately, our littlest bundle will be just fine. Holy Week was a bit tentative, but we managed to attend every Mass and to perform on Easter Sunday. The bells were glorious. Unfortunately, I was still on shaky ground after two (yes two) Masses that morning and was too ill to prepare dinner. Brian was a trooper and somehow arranged something for the children to enjoy. We celebrated Easter on Wednesday with a beautiful lamb dinner. Thank goodness there are 50 days to choose from!

I'm now nearly 4 months pregnant and beginning to feel stirrings of life - especially when things get quiet. The children are excited and I'm once again the resident science specimen. In a very few weeks, we'll have our fetal survey and perhaps discover whether we're to gain a new daughter or son!

Despite the delays, the kids are all making astounding progress this year and are light years ahead of their public-schooled friends academically. We're preparing for summer camps - all are going in different directions this year. Two for horse camp, one for girl scout camp, and on for boy scout camp. It'll be a busy summer!

We've managed to clear the gardens in front of the house, removing two very unsightly and overgrown shrubs (which should have been removed years ago!). The bleeding hearts are asserting themselves and I'm looking forward to my remaining roses blooming in all their blushing glory. I hope this will be the year for a fence along the front yard - both for safety and aesthetics.

Happy spring! Let's hope it'll be a healthier one for all!