the gals wanted skirts

I am so happy to say that Twist was super fun and successful for me. It seems like everyone wanted a new skirt for the warm weather and, well, WOW, how fun is it to see folks walk away with something I made? I've been thinking about which direction to go lately with the whole making clothes thing, and though I'm still not sure, I do know that selling to retail stores seems to make zero sense for someone like me. First, I can't see how I could charge enough to make any money at all, and second, you miss out on what I just described above. I like to talk to people and see them loving something I made. Is that vanity? Probably- and I admit it. But it's more than that too, though I can't quite name it. Now, I just need to decide how many shows I want to do and if I can spend the time needed to build up inventory when I have so many other projects going that require a lot. I'm open to anyone's thoughts. See, I just want more comments- because I'm vain!

Anyhoo, I had a new set-up at Twist which was a vast improvement to the last time, but still needs some tweaking. I decided to make a sign after hearing that it would cost $100 to have one printed! Yea, right. A roll of freezer paper, the font from my business cards (and blog banner), some canvas and some paint was all it required and it was done in an hour or so. A good reminder that i should assume I can make it first, then head further out in the world if I need help. This is what I did:

1) I printed full page letters in my font.
2) I traced said letters onto a long piece of freezer paper so they spelled out "one golden apple".
3) I cut letters out of freezer paper with a craft knife.
4) I ironed freezer paper to white canvas.
5) I applied paint where those cut letters were stuck, let it dry, and peeled off the freezer paper. Perfect!
6) I painted my logo with a paintbrush and freezer paper stenciled the apple on the tree.
7) I machine stitched around the periphery in a meandering sort of way, as I am wont to do.

time to sew

Although I have been sort of insane with preparations for Twist, I have loved sewing late into the night and for so many hours at a time. I actually find it easier to find inspiration with both hours of making things behind me and with the promise of more hours to come. I never find it boring, though sometimes I make stupid mistakes when I get a bit sleepy- really stupid mistakes. I had a few nights of only a few hours of sleep in a row and was very impressed with myself for feeling pretty ok, and then last night my body flipped me the bird and I slept for no less than 12 hours! Any parents out there remember the last time they did that? Me neither. Then I went to band practice tonight and my voice was super rough, though not in that good Lucinda Williams way, and I thought that maybe I'm really not as young as I perceive myself to be (because I'm not) and that I better take care or things will easily head south (as some things may have done already, if you know what I mean).

In short, I love having time to sew or make anything. It has been so sunny and hot and there is a mockingbird who sings through the night, and the flowers on the autumn olive are so sweet smelling, as are the lilacs, and things are looking pretty dang bright. I have good news to share with you next week. I know I keep saying there is news a-coming, but I can almost announce it now, so just letting you know that I can almost tell you something helps me manage my unabashed excitement.

Come to Twist! Buy something pretty. Oh, and have a look at another reason why Spring is so completely fabulous. You saw them last year, these morels from under our old trees. They are so photogenic that here they are again this year. Again, we ate them on toasts with herbed goat cheese and I could have cried they were so good.

Spring Twist Fair

I have simply been too busy to blog about anything, but I do want everyone around to remember that next weekend, May 7-8 is the Twist Fair and I will be showing and selling there. I sure hope you will come on by and say hello. Skirts were the most popular item last time, so I have focused on them- besides, everyone wants a new skirt in the spring- but I will have some dresses, table runners, and other bits and bobs too. I'll try to post a few teasers. xo

spring flower table runner

Now that I have allowed fusible webbing into my sewing life, I really can just throw the pins out- never liked them anyway. Nothing ever stayed in position and I always pricked my finger. I hate pricking my finger so much that I'd rather have blood drawn from my veins any day over having my finger pricked. But, Wonder Under, my fusible webbing of choice, helped me make this pretty appliqued table runner lickety split- sans blood, sweat, or tears.


I fused the "wonder under" to the back of some fabric, drew flowers on the paper side of the "wonder under", cut them out, then pressed them onto my linen with a hot iron. From there, sewing with my feed dog down, I was able to free motion scribble around the edge of the fabric without the flower annoyingly changing position. It was fun, fast, and I am in love with the results. I'm going to make a bunch of these for Twist.

umbrella skirt

Ah, what a gorgeous day we had. After the kids gorged themselves on Easter basket loot, they ran around (and around) and I got a chance to do a little sewing. And this is one of the things I made. The fabric came from a blousey tunic I purchased at the Salvation Army recently. It is a drapey jersey in a great color with little dots that reminded me of raindrops. I haven't made any new silk screens lately, and though I was tempted to just cut something from freezer paper, I decided to use the last of my drawing fluid to make this image of an umbrella- perfect for the raindrops, right?

I'm not posting a tutorial, but if you are interested in learning how to make a similar skirt and a silkscreen using the drawing fluid method, look at this post, and these for directions on both the skirt making and the silk screen methods. Both are really easy and very satisfying- really, very!

Here is a closer look, or, another angle:

This will be going to TWIST.

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.

the (almost) unbearable lightness of skiing

I went skiing. I had an epiphany of sorts as my legs burned and I skied through it. Even for those of you who know me, you might not know what a huge part of my life skiing filled when I was growing up. Since leaving home, skiing has been infrequent and since living in Ireland and then here on the East Coast, 12 years passed with only one small minute on the slopes when Ava was 4 (and I brought Jonny to the top of the mountain for the view and then he actually stopped talking to me for a couple days since he wasn't actually ready for it- being his first ever time skiing). My bad.

Maybe my profound experience on the mountain last week has more to do with who I am as a mama than the actual act of skiing, though I think it was probably a combo deal. First, there is nothing else that can duplicate the feeling of flying and that is what skiing , at it's best, feels like to me. Then, there was the small fact that I was skiing alone- no kids- with a dear friend who was my perfect ski mate and that was all I was meant to be doing. I had no other responsibilities. No other things pulling me in any way. I was free to ski. It actually felt like a retreat and I realized that I would take it over a spa ANY DAY!

The epiphany then? Simple. I need to ski more, or, find other ways to play that make me feel like a kid again- free and easy and strong. It sounds so easy, but I am a conflicted sort of person. I always want to be with my children and husband. I don't like to miss out and I love to be with them. I also really need a healthy dose of solitude for happiness but rarely get or take it. I could easily complain about the money, which is most certainly a factor (skiing can be expensive, we all know), but it has been more of an inability to find my own space to play so fully that is to blame.

This is a ramble, but the reason I decided to post these thoughts is because I did wonder- last Thursday as I rode up the lift with aching teeth from the cold wind hitting my permagrin- what do other dedicated mothers do to relax and recharge and get needed space from the beautiful intensity and demands of a family? What do you do?