Thursday, December 31, 2009

Happy New Year!


"Valentine" jammy set
Originally uploaded by I Will Fly design
Happy New Year everyone! I hope 2010 is kind to us all, and brings you happiness and comfort.
Speaking of the old and the new, here is my newest concept, sweet matching sets of tops and bloomers to wear as PJs or lounge around the house in. i wanted to try this idea out a while ago when I found some pink plaid in the fabric shop. Unfortunately, every time I went back and looked at the pink fabric I liked it less and less. So I waited until this cute black/white/red plaid came in and looked at it for a few weeks to make sure I still liked it before I bought it. In the end, I am glad I waited. Looking at the pink stuff now I just don't like it at all!
Included in my model portrait of these cute PJs is Velvee, my beloved velveteen rabbit toy that was a gift from my father for Christmas when I was about 6. That bunny has been through a lot of tough times with me, and is almost entirely made out of mending stitches now. As well as my mother's no-nonsense whip stitches and my grandmother's nurse-perfect cross stitches, this rabbit is a study in my own sewing progression. From my first clumsy stitches over a torn seam when I was about 8 to my invisible reattachment of an ear when I was in college. I slept with this bunny every night until I was married (at which point my husband and his two cats took up most of the bed) and to me he's probably the most precious thing I own.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Side projects


Rarity bottle necklace
Originally uploaded by I Will Fly design
We're closing in on holidays, here, and my proverbial sewing dance card is full, full, full. I just got a custom order today for a jacket that needs to be in Southern CA for Christmas! I went out and stood in the rain for an hour (waiting for a bus) to get the fabric. I washed it when I got home to pre-shrink it and it is now drip-drying in my bathroom. I sure hope it dries out quickly so I can start on it tomorrow!

On the side I made this little necklace pendant out of a tiny glass bottle charm, seven faceted diamonds, and a hummingbird feather. I was going to sell it but realized that no one else would think it's as cool as I do.
Here's the story:
I found a hummingbird feather on the feeder one day, and as I had never seen one before I was pretty delighted. I put it in this tiny bottle for safe-keeping until I could think of something to do with it. I decided to leave it there and the only thing I could think of that would be as tiny and precious as the little feather was loose diamonds. I robbed the stones out of a ring I had bought myself many years ago that broke not long after I began wearing it (razzafrakin'!).
getting the diamonds out was WAY harder than I thought it would be. I ended up breaking one (oops) and one popped out and got lost somewhere on the workroom floor (I guess I will just vacuum that up some day. There is something so opulent about vacuuming diamonds off the carpet). I couldn't get the last two stones out of the ring, but I managed to get out about .36ct total.
The feather is almost certainly from an Anna's hummingbird (year round residents of the trees around my midtown apartment) and looks grey most of the time but flashes a brilliant metallic green if you turn it to the light just right.