Enjoying the Small Things

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i sew.

September 10, 2009 By Kelle

so, that’s about as true of a statement as ‘i know vince vaughn’ because i saw him once standing in a plaid shirt on the corner of michigan and ontario in chicago one summer when he was filming the breakup. (and, for the record…i said ‘hi,’ he said ‘hi’ back and i think he winked at me. or maybe he had something in his eye, but there was some definite twitchage going on. and, although security nearly had to pick me up and move me aside, i tell you…he winked.)

i’ve wanted to say ‘i sew’ for a very long time. have all these ideas in my head of little outfits for her i’ve wanted to design. choosing my own fabrics. quilts, curtains, little bonnets for little heads. i imagine sitting in the breakfast room, one foot on the sewing machine pedal, the other stretched out to rock the foot of a cradle with a sleeping baby (let’s just say for the sake of imagery and for the sake of when this far-fetched vision might actually come to fruition, it’s baby #5…or maybe #15…because i am part dugger, you know), and sipping tea while the needle whirs away, locking up the seams of some lovely waverly print or a buttery cotton for a nice little dress.

of course, my imaginary life seldom arranges perfectly with my real one and, being that i detest following directions, sewing something that turns out half-way decent could be difficult. (which is why i decided not to audition for project runway. ‘cuz i swear, i once considered it–for a split second–before i remembered it’s kind of about knowing how to sew. and i don’t.)

but then i found out about these patterns that have a magic little four-letter word stamped on them…

easy.

of course that’s not to say i still didn’t rip out seams or curse when the bias tape got all locked up on a nasty curve (that statement, of course, thrown in just so i can sound cool saying ‘bias tape’ to all you sew folks. i’ve never said ‘bias tape’ in my life, i don’t know what it is and i still don’t know why you need it, but it feels full-blown authentic to say it. next week, if you’re lucky, i might casually throw in an ‘edgestitch,’ a ‘placket’ here and there…maybe some ‘interfacing’ if i get a little crazy. this coming from one who laughs every time i say ‘bobbin’. seriously, say it. bobbin, bobbin, bobbin. it’s funny.)

so anyway, with all said, i may not sew in the plural sense but i sew-‘ed’. once. yesterday…and i made a little dress for my girl all by myself. followed a pattern and everything.

mama was here to help, but she knew i wanted to say i did it by myself and was very good to lead and not take over…

ready? my first ever sewing creation.

(and adoring black tights lately. we’d wear them with everything if it wasn’t a hundred degrees outside)

(and i’m aware that last button is a little skee-jawed, thank you)

and i’d really like her to wear it every day and shout to the world ‘i made this,’ but then again the really cool sewers–you know, the ones who don’t force the word ‘bias tape’ or giggle at ‘bobbin’–they play it cool, right? like they wait until someone asks where you got the dress and then they look down and mumble something like, ‘oh this old thing? i threw it together with some old scraps.’
i’m working on it. ‘cuz someday, i’m gunna be a cool sewer. i promise.

in the meantime, i can take pictures. and i don’t giggle at ‘aperature’ or ‘white balance’ either, just so you know.

last night, sweet lil’ mover and shaker, devon, graced the lense. an almost-tyke who wanted to go-go-go, so we snapped-snapped-snapped as fast as we could before he was out of focus.

and he, like most other florida tots, did not like our prickly naples grass.

…but he sure did love his daddy…

so there you have it. not a seamstress. but loving new challanges…and my sweet little who will don her mama dress for day 2 today.

i sew! i sew! i sew!

Filed Under: Make Stuff 17 Comments

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Comments

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  1. Nicole says

    September 10, 2009 at 1:04 pm

    Ah! Look at you and your bias tape, ya seamstress you!! Well done!! Check out the whole grain baby patterns on etsy, they’re super-cute, mod, and easy, I think you’ll like ’em.

    Reply
  2. Heidi Lee says

    September 10, 2009 at 1:12 pm

    HOLY SMOKERS!!! YOU SEW!!!!

    I love the dress!!

    I won’t attempt to even LOOK at sewing machine. Your so rockin.

    Reply
  3. dig this chick says

    September 10, 2009 at 1:26 pm

    you sew! you sew! nice work friend. I am really impressed. It’s addictive…and if you can manage one foot on a pedal and another on a cradle then you are super woman. The dress is adorable.

    Reply
  4. Amy says

    September 10, 2009 at 2:24 pm

    That is one cute dress!

    Reply
  5. Poppa says

    September 10, 2009 at 2:47 pm

    So, I see you sew. I run. I have the shoes. But I must say, that is one sassy dress. Ask your mother about the dress she almost completed for homecoming her freshman year of college. The hem was yet to be done…so masking tape completed the project and her only worry as she walked across the basketball court with only a spotlight on her lighting the arena, was that she would become “untaped” and leave a trailing tail of tape. I am duly impressed with the dress and the daughter who created it. Sew and sew, dear one, sew and sew. I am afraid you will soon be crocheting those little dresses for the dolls old ladies make to cover an extra roll of toilet tissue, sitting on the back of the comode. Yes, there are frontiers in crafting that should be left uncharted. Snaps on the little guy photos!

    Reply
  6. Leah says

    September 10, 2009 at 4:02 pm

    You are too cute! The dress is beautiful and by the looks of it, it appears you’ve already mastered the art of sewing!! Good luck!

    Reply
  7. Heidi says

    September 10, 2009 at 4:29 pm

    that dress…i am amazed. one minute you are at joanns choosing fabric, and THE NEXT DAY it is complete and being modeled by lainey.

    you are amazing and so is that dress. it truly is a beautiful dress. i would buy that dress.

    love the pics…the last two with daddy are my faves. adorable!

    Reply
  8. Tammy B says

    September 10, 2009 at 9:43 pm

    You sew, that’s cool. I’ve never touched a sewing machine, and like many other things I would like to do, I know I would never get around to actually using it if I had one. Kinda like my ‘lil table top loom sitting downstairs. I am still doing the knitting thing. My projects take twice as long for me to do them as April does hers – but I’m truckin’ along.

    Congrats on the sewing. Lainey’s dress is super cute. I would buy that one too. But since I like it, Madeleine would probably never pick it out. The girl is very stubborn when it comes to what she will wear. The more outlandish – the better!

    Reply
  9. abbey bernardi says

    September 10, 2009 at 9:43 pm

    once again you are quite the inspiration Kelle. I have had so many dreams of learning to sew, maybe i will venture getting some lessons from my grandma : ) Love the dress, it’s perfect!!

    Reply
  10. Sarah W. says

    September 10, 2009 at 11:25 pm

    You freakin’ kill me Kelle! I laughed right out loud at the ‘bias tape’ comment. That dress is adorable and you are amazing. Reading your posts brightens my day…even on the brightest days. You rock!

    Reply
  11. Anonymous says

    September 11, 2009 at 12:08 am

    You sew!
    You create, you love, you inspire…..
    Don’t ever change……

    Reply
  12. April says

    September 11, 2009 at 2:09 am

    an inspiration you ARE. i have my bernina guide in front of me as i type this comment! i want to sew, there’s just not enough time in the day!

    g’nite, friend…

    Reply
  13. Rachel says

    September 11, 2009 at 2:21 am

    “oh, this old thing…” LOL! I’ve been saving up for a machine and can’t wait to create! you were in such an awesome~funny mood when you wrote this! your pals Dig and Nicole Owens sure know how to inspire us to start sewing. Love the dress! Love it! and it looks like Lainey loved it too!

    Reply
  14. mrc-w says

    September 11, 2009 at 3:52 am

    Nice work, Kelle! The hardest part about sewing is threading the sewing-machine needle and filling the bobbins (tee-hee) – and you can already do that part! The dress is really cute too. Now you can hang out in the cool “sewing notions” section of JoAnn Fabrics 🙂

    Reply
  15. Lisa Y. says

    September 12, 2009 at 1:13 pm

    I SO love this post!!! I will never be able to sew…actually got an F in sewing in middle school home ec. Never been able to get past that. SO…I’m proud of you. Love you to pieces and hope to see you soon.

    Reply
  16. Tisha says

    September 13, 2009 at 6:28 pm

    ok so i love that you have a sewing machine but are just now sewing. i, too, have a sewing machine which very rarely gets used. i like to think that thanks to your mama, i felt that to be a proper homemaker i had to have one in my house. thanks krissy!

    Reply
  17. the Lola Letters says

    February 18, 2010 at 5:08 pm

    Oh that dress is divine!!!!!

    I found your blog two days ago, and I have to admit, I come here several times a day and read deeper and deeper and deeper. The world through your eyes is just beautiful.

    After 5 years of trying (and aching and crying and struggling) to get baby #2 on the way, I am FINALLY 15 weeks along and life is feeling pretty amazing.

    I can identify with so many of the emotions you felt while pregnant! (like being sad to see your “one on one” time with Lainey end, but excited about a new chapter…) Feeling that a lot lately.

    But wow, I just had to write and GUSH! You are amazing, and your daughters really are just beyond perfect!

    ~Lola
    The Lola Letters
    Communal Global

    Reply

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