Last Slice of Summer

Today's the last day of summer and I hope everyone had a great season.  It's strangely grey outside in NYC but I'm thinking back over the last few months and these Citrus Coasters I made from the Purl bee.

Here's the process going backwards.  
I still want to make them in all of the summery colors.

So simple and so cheerful. 

I have the pink grapefruit at work to brighten my desk.

It was finished in the car 

on the way to Philly for a weekend getaway.

It was easier to do the pinning at home first

and most of the cutting too.

The spring felt bundle from Purl Soho has all these great colors.

Thanks, summer...

I think I'm ready to welcome autumn tomorrow.

Yes I Can!

Happy "Thread the Needle Day, dedicated not only to the act of sewing but also to overcoming something difficult.  My beautiful sewing machine has been threaded for a while, but today I finally used it to sew.  My Mom made all of my childhood Halloween costumes: a black cat, pink princess and of course, Wonder Woman. There was also Princess Leia (no, not gold bikini Leia) and Spider-Man for my brother.

I've been trying to learn for some time now, so here's how it went:

- August 2009 - January 2010: gifts!  Received Amy Butler's book, In Stitches from my Aunt Liz, a beautiful Singer machine from my parents and Anna Maria Horner's book, Seams to Me from my encouraging friend Gypsy who says I should just go for it!  Still the fear...

- March 2010: fabric!  Bought a beautiful packet of fabric from Purl Soho and considered its possibilities

- April 2010 - July 2010: party!  Attended Martha Stewart's sewing party to launch their new Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts, checked out Purl Soho's big move to a bright, new space, went to lots of craft fairs, then vacationed in DC:

and Philly.

- and today, July 25th, finally sewed some stitches! and a chart to test the different widths and lengths of my machine.

These stitches don't amount to much yet, but someday they'll all be straight and my fabric won't pucker.  Someday I'll be able to thread the machine without using a chart.  Someday when I step on the peddle it won't take off in a frantic whirl and I'll fall into an easy rhythm.  And someday...maybe someday I'll be able to sew like my Mom.