Off into the wildnerness

Before:

Good Lord, what have I gotten myself into?!

Grumblings and other maladies

It's hot. Even for me, who loves the heat and loves to step out of an air-conditioned room into the 90 plus temperatures.

Our oven isn't working. The range is, but no oven. So I've been dragging the toaster oven in when I need to bake and setting it up on the counter. Tonight my girls and I made chocolate chip cookie dough, then split it in thirds and each added our own ingredients. I added: chocolate chips. They added: honey, peanut butter, blueberries, almond extract, peanuts, shortening, and possibly other ingredients that I didn't see go in.....we took turns popping them into the toaster oven, and voila - dinner for 3. Yep. It's now 10:30 and I'm eating cookies and finishing off the bottle of Chianti. (I can't drink more than a glass and 1/2, so don't have visions of me passed out on the sofa with drool coming out of the corner of my mouth. I'm just a lightweight)

It's hot - did I say that? The swamp cooler just doesn't seem to be taking the edge off these days.

I acquired a basket for my bike, from my uncle. I'm thrilled - I hope now to ride to the store more often, and throw in my projects that I couldn't haul while riding otherwise. I made a custom-sized crate/basket cover from Laura Gunn's free tutorial. I just love it! I told a few people I'll next be getting a little dog to ride in the basket, and maybe a giant parrot to sit on my shoulder while I ride through the neighborhood (no offense to the man-about-town who rides around NE ABQ on his bicycle (tricycle?) with a zoo full of animals about him.)

The girls and I rode to the store tonight so they could pick out fabric for pants - I'm making Claire the Little Smarty Pants - Bermuda Shorts version. Jane wants lounge pants - not too wide-legged, though. I love it when they are in the mood for some hand-made clothes.....as they get older they don't as often want them. So I'm taking their interest and running with it!

My family (and I) leave Friday to backpack for 2 nights with my brother-in-law and our niece Jenn and her family. I haven't backpacked since college, when I went w/my then boyfriend, in the Grand Tetons. But I digress. I'm a bit nervous - we car camp often, where there's a cooler on hand, and an outhouse, and a source of water. Let me just be frank - I dread most having to poo in a hole in the ground. There, I've said it. I'll take an outhouse swarming with flies anyday - it's just this whole inhumane thing about digging a hole and doing your business and then burying it. INHUMANE, I said! And on that note, I bid you goodnight, and happy sewing, and enjoy your flush toilets this weekend.

Is my wife at Hip Stitch?!

We had our 1st call from a husband looking for his wife on Saturday. I just love that he'd think to call Hip Stitch to find her! Who is she? Why Delia, of course - one of our very favorite people (I know I say that about a lot of you, but it's true) Delia 1st came to our store a few months back. She's one of those people who just lights up a room when she walks in. Delia doesn't just enter a room - she glides in, she dances in, she just makes an entrance. And it's not a showy "look at me" entrance. She just radiates happiness and joy. We're blessed to know her. So John, you can call the store anytime looking for her (by the way, she showed up about an hour after he called!)

I made another pair of Wide Leg Lounge Pants yesterday - I had been wearing my other pair waaay to much. I took a picture, but then left the camera at the store today. That and the Cabo Halter, will be posted soon. I loved making the halter so much that I'm going to offer a class for it in August, if anyone else would like to join me in making another!

I had a little class last week for two 9 yr. old girls to make lounge pants. They were so adorable! (the pants and the girls) Here's a picture I took w/my cell phone camera, so it's not great quality:

My girl Jane made a Tie Skirt - she got the idea/inspiration at the Offcenter Arts' Fiber Fanfare Fashion Show - that's a mouthful! One of the artists there creates outfits and purses from men's ties.

Back from Girl Scout camp with my daughter and her troop....1st order of business - laundry. We went for 3 nights, outside of Cuba (got to see some hippies in town for the Rainbow Gathering - what an experience that was for a group of 9 yr. old girls!)
All in all, a great time - we rode horses, learned archery, ate more than our share of s'mores, hiked to some breathtaking views of New Mexico, and came home dirty, smelly and full of great memories.
Then, on to our anniversary party! Thursday at the store we had goodies to eat all day long (homemade cookies brought in by Julie and scones from scratch from Peg), giveaways, pick-your-own-discount, and loads of fun. We just keep pinching ourselves that we've been here one whole year!
Customer Katherine came in yesterday wearing her newly-made rainhat and matching tote bag, out of Anna Maria Horner's laminated fabric (which we can't get any more of...) Here's a picture of them - so cute!

Today is the 4th of July - a day off from selling fabric and sewing - no wait, I did sew this morning. I made the Cabo Halter - pictures to come. I love it, but forgot to check Amy Butler's website for pattern corrections before cutting fabric, and lo and behold, didn't have enough. Her website called for 1/4 yd. more than what was on the pattern, so I ended up having to cut almost 7/8 yd. more - ARGH. Live and learn.

Heather and I and about 20 of my husband's side of the family (he's one of 7 - there are no small gatherings) gathered last night at the Isotopes game for the 3rd of July fireworks. Such a fun night - seated around us were Hip Stitch customers, Trader Joe's shoppers (Heather remembers all the faces she encounters), and gals who hadn't yet been to the store but told us they've heard all about Hip Stitch. It made us feel so good about what our little store is all about....a gathering space on so many levels. Speaking of which, the planning is in place for a gathering to remember Heather and Stephanie - date to be announced soon...

And finally, Robyn's latest post had me laughing out loud last night. I want some of Dee Dee's Frito Pie, but can't help but wonder who she is and what's that all about?!

Grieving

Two tragedies struck Albuquerque in the last few days, hitting close to home in the art/knitting/sewing circles of our town. Stephanie Anderson, who was shot during the Denny's robbery, was an artist who worked with Offcenter Arts. Heather Reu, who was killed while bicycling Monday night, was a mom to 4 young children, customer at Hip Stitch, sewed, knit, and as we've been hearing the stories coming in to the store, was an amazing, energetic woman.

I'm in such a state of shock and not understanding the senseless-ness of it all. Why them? Why did this have to happen? I can't even begin to feel for what their families are going through.

For now, while we all go through this feelings of helplessness and grief, we at Hip Stitch are working to arrange a day here at the store where friends and acquaintances can come and grieve together and remember these 2 women, whose lives were cut so unbearably short.

Weekender Bag and more

I'm getting an urge to make yet another Weekender Bag - I've made 2 so far - the 1st was for me, and I didn't use Timtex, which gives it the right stiffness, so it's floppier than I like it. The 2nd was for my friend Lisa, and I did it the right way, breaking many a needle along the way, but loving the finished product. I just love this bag, and it's definitely worth the arduous process in making it.

Here's the wallet that Julie shared her pattern and I made! I just love it, and immediately transferred out of my old wallet when I was done making it. My girls like to count how many items I have in my purse that are made out of Hip Stitch fabrics - about 5, including my purse itself.

This morning at the store, it felt like Cheers when the regulars walk into the bar - Kara, Delia, Kelena, Vanessa, Ann - all came in to sew at different times, and we all shared what's being made (this and this mostly) and it was just so fun to share our mutual love for fabrics and sewing! Vanessa has been making the sandwich wraps from Sewing Green, a book which we hope to carry soon. Ann has set up an etsy shop for her purses, totes, aprons and re-usable snack bags, but is getting so many word-of-mouth custom orders that she barely has time to keep her store stocked! Imagine if we could complete wipe out the demand for plastic zip bags and all use handmade bags over and over - it's a lofty goal, but we've each got to do our part!

Speaking of re-using, Hip Stitch is participating in a fashion show at Offcenter Arts, as part of their Fiber Fanfare next Friday, June 19. Fliers are at our store and around town - this center is an incredibly positive force in the community, providing space and supplies for anyone to come create. Fiber Fanfare will be an evening of storytelling, art on display and for sale, refreshments, and the fashion show - we'll be supplies models and outfits - both newly created with our fabrics, and recycled with t-shirts and plastic bags. Is that enough of a teaser? Come on down! (if nothing else, enjoy a good belly laugh at my attempt at runway modeling - something I've never done before and never will again - but it's for a good cause!)

And lastly (I know, mom, I shouldn't begin a sentence with 'and'), I really want to make what Robyn's making - Simplicity 3750 (scroll down and she has a picture of the pattern) I'll wait and get your review, Robyn, before I dive in. It looks like a great summer top.

Gettin' Jiggy Wit It...

...this skirt, that is:

Kim helped me pick out and lay out the design on my thrift store skirt to transform it into something totally unique! How fun was that?!

Memorial Day Monday, my family went up to Tent Rocks National Monument - a short drive from Albuquerque, out near Cochiti Lake. Why, oh why, had we never gone there before? It was absolutely stunning - this was at the end of the hike going up and up and up:
This was the view along the way up, and then down again:

In store news, we're putting a lot of fabric on sale for ONE WEEK ONLY starting this SATURDAY, JUNE 6 (does this look like a commercial for a car dealership?). We need/want to order more fabric, but need to clear out some of the current bolts. So come on down - this is an offer you won't want to miss! ONE WEEK ONLY!

And the title - Gettin' Jiggy Wit It - was a song I recently downloaded onto our IPod Shuffle, by Will Smith. I'm groovin' to it lately....