a new direction

Ah, spring. What is it about being able to smell the earth that makes me feel like anything is possible? Well, just in time, because I'm ready to dive deeper into things I really love to do and I'd rather have that "anything is possible" feeling than trepidation- uh, duh! So, here it is: I'm in my studio, I have the TWIST Fair to look forward to, a very large project is on the brink of actually existing (it will rock my world but mum is the word right now, and no, it is not a new baby), and I'm just generally feeling like tidying up my career path. Family Fun provides me with loads of space and opportunity to develop kid's crafts so I think it is time to treat One Golden Apple here as my home for sharing my sewing inspiration, projects , and products. Maybe a kid's craft will be thrown into the mix now and then. Sometimes they are too much fun not to share.

Enter the spring green wool jersey dress with a little touch of smocking on the front.


I am dying of how pretty this fabric is. It is a lightweight jersey- soft, soft, soft- and that green! I don't know where this dress is headed. It might go to my Etsy shop, or Twist, or maybe live in my own closet. I've been branching out from my beloved jersey, however, and my "New Line" of skirts and dresses will include some crisp stretch poplin, stretch lawn, and printed woven fabrics. Stay tuned. As I start to step up production and documentation, this is where you'll be able to hear about it and see it. There will still be tutorials and maybe even a giveaway soon.

My Linen Bag

I am excited to share this bag because I LOVE IT!  I've been thinking of a bag like this for a while now, with some fabulous Japanese sewing book in the back of my mind as inspiration.  It is a tote with some angles and my new silk screen design and sturdy over stitching in a turquoisey blue.  Here,  see what I mean.

I kept the selvage edge as it came, frayed but unable to fray any further, with a red thread running across.  How could I hide it!?

And the straps are roughly stitched in an intentional sort of way, adding what I think is an interesting detail, but also makes this bag so easy to make without a pattern or fuss, not to mention making it strong and sturdy.

I think I have come to sewing in the right era.  The art of designing things is more fluid and open ended- sort of an anything goes philosophy.  My dear friend's mother, who has a beautiful and magical touch with the things she makes, says that what you sew should be able to be worn inside out because it should be that well finished.  That is the era she was reared in with her sewing machine or needle and thread.  I would have run away screaming, it is so diametrically opposed to how I am able and willing to do things.  I want things finished nicely, I do, but my self-imposed rules are quite a bit different.  I like raw edges.  I like my stitching to show.  I like to take what could be a mistake and turn into into a cool detail.  I am not always successful with what might be a willy nilly approach, but when it works, even I love it.  The rest is chalked up to the learning process, which has it's good points.  I do love to sew!

I am going to make some more bags like this one and sell them in my ETSY shop.  Just click on My Etsy Shop above and see what I have there.  I am always making new things, so keep checking.  

I am thrilled to announce that The Crafty Crow is posting my Spring Birdy project, as seen in my last posting.  I hope it is my first of many on that fabulous site.  Let me know what you think of the tutorial and if it is clear.

a New Year's first post

A Happy New Year. My first post, which I am realizing is the manifestation of some unspoken- until now- resolution for the expanse of a year that is placed before me. Why not? I am a person who is forever up for improvements and seeking inspiration wherever it may bubble up. I have found so much of that inspiration in the blogesphere and want to add my thoughts and experience to the conversation.

I live in a home a super-duper creative types. My husband, a man spilling over with vision and ideas, a 9 year old daughter whose art and writing never ceases to floor me, and a 4 year old son who can create personae with boas, tutus, swords and hard hats like no other I've seen (I imagine those flamboyant costumes are generally isolated to the privacy of people's homes).



My family (well, my husband) is in the process of starting up a hard cider business. We have a 38 acre orchard and have planted 1500 trees desirable for hard cider. We acquired the orchard about 5 years ago, planted the new block of cider trees this past spring('08), and used our recently erected 100 year old cider press for the first time a few weeks ago (with apples we bought from an orchardist in Vermont who had the varieties we wanted). It was a great! A huge step in the whole story and now my cider obsessed man, Jonathan, has about 100 gallons of juice to ferment into something truly beautiful. Really, his cider is goo-ood. Take a look at our press and a bit of the process.Check out my little shop on www.etsy.com called a golden apple. I have been making skirts out of 100% cotton jersey fabric cut from clothing I bought at the Salvation Army. I decorate them by doing reverse applique and they are the most comfortable and flattering things ever (not to mention super cute!). Here are a few pictures of them.