Lest y’all think I’m idle, here’s proof I’m not.
This handmade mandala was sent from Peru, and I stitched it onto a generic tee. But the shirt rode up in the arms, and I am not a pit stain fashionista.
So I made new raglan sleeves using this scrap of mesh, and a lower neckline bound in a silk jersey scrap that I use for precious projects. 
And then I went to party with all my handmade bags.
Just a little project I did on a Saturday morning. It’s nice to have a favorite old shirt feel new again.
In any day, my schedule may include sewing at home, meeting with clients, and running errands on bike. What kind of outfit is appropriate and comfortable for all these activities? I’m developing ‘professional pajama’ style, for creative professionals who work from home. It’s going to be a movement!
The first entry into this bold new category of dress code is a camisole. I drafted the pattern and jumped right in with this sample. It was fun to make, and gave me lots of ideas for a second top, in terms of design and process.
The rayon drawstring pants are also part of this comfy fashion lifestyle.
I was so happy with the first top that I immediately made a second. I got more ambitious for the back, but unfortunately sewed the center back panels together along the wrong side. Since the jersey is so stretchy the design still works, but I was going for a neater fit. Next time!
Both versions are made mostly from scrap jerseys I’ve saved from other projects, and a few fabrics I have stashed away in my cabinet. Some of the seaming is structurally motivated, and some of it was designed for the small and odd-shaped scraps available. The cups are lined with a second layer of jersey, and I used 1/4″ elastic at the underbust seam to offer a bit of support.
It’s been tank-top weather in LA since February, and these two tops have been in heavy rotation. They go with everything, are very comfortable, and feel ‘me’. Posting these tops together makes it easy to see the design evolution, and it makes me excited for what else this can become!
As always, thanks go to my husband for the photography.
Immediately after my niece received her hoodie, almost-7-year-old Kaden requested one of his own and I got to deliver it in person.
He drew me this picture of poop, pee, and diarrhea. Later we played in the park, and pretended that dogs were poo monsters and the only way for us to be safe was to climb the sprawling oak trees. He has a slight lisp, and hearing him scream “POO MONTHTUZZ!” was equally adorable and hilarious.
I drafted the pattern myself and it just fits him. I would have preferred for it to be a little roomier, but it fits him now and it will fit a different kid next year, when I will have to make a new jacket for the little guy. Like his sister’s, this hoodie is made from all remnants and stashed fabrics. The shell is lycra, the lining is snuggle fleece, the pockets and hood are minky, and the hood is trimmed in faux fur.
I also gave him (and his sister) some of my painted goggles that look cool but are rather worthless at Burning Man. And he lost his front tooth that night! The other front tooth popped out a few days later.
He slept with this hoodie on their first night together, so that’s a good sign (Bloppy Bloppy was also jammin’ on the top bunk).
My niece is almost 13 and definitely no longer a little girl who likes to cuddle and be 100% sweet (though of course I am very proud of the smart and talented teen she is becoming), so it was really awesome to spend time with my nephew while he still is a little boy who will let me kiss his head and just be silly. What sweethearts!
