The Euphoria (NOT) of Pleats
It probably won't surprise anyone to hear that a sciency person like myself ADORES the predictability and specificity of pleats. They're parallel and geometric! They're neat and controlled! And they're easy enough...
Maddie’s Wardrobe
Bittersweet Musings
In the course of collecting antique fabrics and trims, I sometimes buy something I love - only to discover later that it's not as useful as I'd hoped. The color doesn't flatter...
Hard Won Victories
It started with love at first sight . . . (doesn't it always?) The green dress in the above fashion plate caught my eye and next thing I knew, I was dreaming...
Magic in Unlikely Places
How much must I hate myself? Let me count the ways . . . It would be funny, really, if not for the angst it causes. I'm speaking of that subconscious place...
Guilty, Guilty, Guilty . . .
If there were cones of shame for sewing, I'd definitely deserve one right now. Because I cheated - on purpose. And it's not the first time. The trouble is, I value historic...
Maddie’s Modes de Paris
It's never good for the morale of the doll room to focus entirely on one project. It probably goes without saying that dolls, by nature, become petulant when new dresses stop appearing....
Why Bother?
It's hard to say which came first - my love affair with textiles or my descent into doll costuming mania. It's all a little bit blurry around the edges. However. What is...
Sticking Points
Sometimes a project gets set aside because I can't find my way to making a key decision. This is such a project. And yet, with the time for wearing short sleeved cotton...
Nothing Glamorous Happens on Picture Day
Maddie and I headed out to the garden this morning with high hopes of making something special happen. We had everything we needed - including a wonderful Manet poster to use for...
Desperately Seeking Frosting (and Sprinkles!)
Maddie's red sprigged summer dress has been nicknamed "the cupcake dress", for obvious reasons. I had to explain to the girls what cupcakes are. Now they all want me to stop sewing...