sew excited

ok i know that's a really bad pun in the title, but i'm trying to stay awake here, people. :) lots of coffee and the discipline of writing a blog first thing in the morning (ok not first thing--i've been up since 7) hopefully will help give me the boost i need to finish up another editing project today.

i had a few things i needed to "fix" kristi style this morning on my machine, so while i had it out i thought i would take a picture just to prove i DO have one. my mother is an amazing seamstress--she used to make clothes for me all the time when i was little; now she makes curtain, bedskirts, you name it, she can sew it.

when i got to 10th grade, i thought i would try my own hand at sewing and took a "home ec" class for a semester. after all, i had been watching my mom sew for years and years; how hard could it be really? well...i soon found out i wasn't really born with the genetic propensity for the sewing arts like my mom is...i made a dress (you know, the jumper-style one that was so in style in the late eighties, at least in the south? complete with ankle-length skirt with gathered waistline--awesome!). i ended up sewing the skirt on sideways, so that the seam went right down the front. by the time i did that, though, i was so frustrated with the entire experience that i didn't even care--i just left it like that and never wore the thing.

so today, i own a sewing machine because my kids have these itsy bitsy waists, and before a couple of years ago you couldn't find the adjustable waist pants very easily. i pretty much just sew straight lines. that's it--no patterns, no cool projects. i am very inspired when i see what other people are making (take a look at this and this), but i just don't have any confidence that i can move past the (well almost straight) lines i sew. maybe someday...

well, as for the "excitement" alluded to in the post title, i completely forgot that i hadn't posted any pictures of the scarf i finished for aedan:

the second picture is a little fuzzy, but i took it because the yarn actually has flecks of purple and red throughout it; i just think it's beautiful. hopefully it shows up in the posting so you can appreciate it too!

you can't laugh at me for knitting scarfs while sitting in the air-conditioned house making plans to go to the beach on good friday--even if my kids never get to wear these "for real" (and i hope they do), it's so cute to see them running around the house wearing them!

i wanted to try my hand at knitting a washcloth next (thanks to amy for her inspiration for this idea), but when i asked gillian if it would be ok to hold off on yet ANOTHER scarf for her highness, she said, "no mom, i really think i want another one right now." dumb question to ask a 6-year-old girl...if she wants another accessory. so here's what i started last night:

my very favorite color is pink, and this particular pink is so beautiful to me. i'm making the scarf only 12 stitches (is that what you call them?) across, so it will be super thin. this kills two birds with one stone, so to speak: it will look just amazing on gillian because she's so tall and thin, and i can hopefully finish it very quickly and move on to the washcloths i want to make!

as for those washcloths, they will just be plain jane stitches like the one i'm doing here for this scarf. i always do this when i learn something new--i'm really afraid to branch out and try something else. i have no idea how to read patterns or do other types of stitches, but i think even a regular knitted washcloth would look so great next to my other, Target-bought ones! :)

ok just one more thought, and i promise i'll shut up. (this is what happens when i don't get sleep for 8 months...i just ramble on forever.)

do you ever feel like doing these projects with your hands is what keeps you sane? i never had this kind of outlet until recently, but taking photos, knitting, caring for my orchids, trying new recipes, (like this amazing turkey and roasted red pepper meatloaf i just made monday night), but i honestly think it keeps me from completely sinking to the bottom of the ocean that is my life right now. thanks to everyone who provides me the inspiration to try these new things and to dream big!