Winter into Spring

It was mass production mode at my little sewing corner yesterday.  Peter requested a new hoodie since his was getting too small (he has grown 2 1/2 inches since we last measured him).  As we were picking out the colors everyone got jealous so I promised them each their own.

The pattern is from the Japanese over lock kids book. It is sized 90-140 so I had to grade 150 for James. Mine was from the adult Japanese over lock book and I love the comfortable fit! We used old T-shirts we had on hand but had to send Paul to Old Navy Clearance to fill in the gaps. An XXL men's t-shirt at $5 is worth it when you can sew two kids' shirts out of it. It also makes for quick sewing when you already have the hems and sleeves finished.

This is a great shirt for changing temperatures.

 

Spelt Tortillas

Paul knows I am not wooed by flowers, chocolate or jewels, instead he gets me really useful tools and gadgets.  This tortilla press was a gift for our 10 year wedding anniversary and it has gotten much use since then.

We have tried corn, black bean, wheat, multi-grain, and spelt tortillas. So far the spelt are our favorite because of the rich nutty flavor. Super frugal mom just posted her recipe and it is much like our original recipe but you just replace the water with buttermilk. We loved the results because the tortillas spread out so thin. As long as I have buttermilk on hand I will do it her way.

We typically make 30+ tortillas for the week and store them wrapped in the fridge and just toss them on a hot skillet just before eating.

Here's the recipe:

3 cups flour (spelt, wheat or any combo)
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup oil
1 cup water (or buttermilk)

Japanese sewing books

Japanese sewing books are what got me sewing again after years of trying to work on ill fitting patterns and also being too lazy to draft my own. I love the simplicity in both the design and construction, they don't mess around with random steps. Thank you Marie' for the introduction and thank you to your family members who have found space in their suitcases for me.

You don't have to go to Japan though to get them. There are a bunch on ebay, etsy, and supperbuzzy.

As for translation anyone with basic sewing knowledge can figure it out just by looking at the drawings. It is also helpful to memorize certain words like "back", and "front". I trace the patterns with either Swedish tracing paper or medical lab paper (much cheaper).

I don't think I could pick out my favorites because I like different styles from each of them. I am working on a bunch for Spring/Summer and will post them as they are finished. Most of my sewing projects are from these books or drafted off their basic patterns.

Are you drinking enough water?

I wasn't sure if we all were drinking enough water so I printed this chart off to keep track.  The kids had so much fun with it they surpassed their daily requirements.  It was a good lesson in data collecting and also health.  I'm just glad there were no accidents like the week I introduced them to Sigg bottles. 

I got the idea from the Nourish Your Kids newsletter - check them out.

Peter discovered that water can also be a nice snack and shared this recipe with William:
"Just get a cup and fill it with water then jam it in the freezer for a week"
It sounds simple enough but jamming it in the freezer is the challenge

Business Casual Baby

Here is another one for Henry.  The collared shirt is from an Old Navy T but the overalls are Paul's old khakis.  It is lined in a striped knit from the fabric fairy and finished with brown snaps.  

Paul added the blackberry to complete the business casual look.  Notice he is "working" on the bottle.
 
The patterns are from this book.  I admit I have not been reading as much as the boys because most my favorite books are in Japanese but I spend a lot of time flipping through them dreaming about what I will make next.  Marie' has helped me acquire quite a collection so it may be worth blogging my winter reading (or just looking) book list as well.     

Holes

Marie' asked what my boys have been reading this winter.  The most recent one was Louis Sachar's Holes, hence the digging of huge holes on our back garden terraces.  Digging holes was a great activity for my boys keeping them busy, making them feel productive, and mixing up our soil.  So far no treasures and I told them to stay clear of the rat grave.

Before this year the boys were so hung up on non-fiction but I am happy they are finally reading more than just facts. Here is a list of the other books they have enjoyed this winter:

-The Great Brain series by John Dennis Fitzgerald

-Harry Potter series (I finally thought James was old enough to finish it but William has only read 3)

-Caleb's Choice by G. Clifton Wisler

-Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World by Jennifer Armstrong

-True Stories of the Second World War Usborne books

-Escape from Warsaw

-King Arthur and the Tales from the Round Table by Andrew Lang

-Freddy and the Perilous Adventure by Walter Brooks

-Ribsy by Beverly Cleary

-The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary

-Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

-Stuart Little by E.B. White

-The Paddington Bear series

I'm always on the look out for great books for boys.   Meg is always posting about great books for kids and I especially liked this list she posted from National Geographic.  I will put them on my yard sale list and hope to come across a few.  In the meantime though does anyone have any other recommendations?

From scraps to shirt

This was assembled from all the scraps I couldn't bear to toss after a few of my other refashioning projects.  The gray was originally a long knit patagonia skirt picked up from a yard sale and then used as the lining of these pants.  The orange was originally an Old Navy T then went to Peter's hoodie, and the blue was also an Old Navy T then cut into something you may see finished by the weekend.  

Baby clothes are ideal for scraps and refashioning because you don't need much fabric.  You could also use them for doll clothes.  That sets up a bit of a dilemma for me.  I want to whittle down my fabric collection but it is hard to do so when I'm saving every scrap.  My bins are starting to look like garbage - tell me what you do with you scraps.

I was happy Marie' liked my last clean out of scraps and I can't wait to see what she does with them.