I was going to get a sewing post up today, but then my washing machine flooded, so that kind of killed my photographing mojo. I'm still in the mood to talk about maternity fashion, though, and, lo and behold, ModCloth is having a flash sale today that includes a couple of my most-worn pieces. So, since half of my friends seem to be expecting (and half of my siblings definitely are) let's chat!
We'll start with the ones I own. This is my first time due in the summer, so I knew I wanted some light and breezy pieces. The Back Road Ramble Tunic fits the bill with it's lightweight cotton lawn fabric. I found it (in blue, at least) to be opaque enough not to need a cami, but some reviewers disagreed, so be warned. The top button is a little lower than I'd like, so I'm planning to swipe one from the cuffs to raise the neckline a tad. The great thing is that it will provide nursing access, so I plan to get a lot of use out of this one all year round. I purchased one size up from my usual, and I think I'll be able to wear this one till the bitter end.
I have this one in the (discontinued) mustard, and I'm not sure I'd pay more than sale price, as it lacks pockets and a lining. The fabric is decently heavy, though, so it's probably okay without a slip, unless you find yourself having VPL issues. I bought a large (actual waistband measurement, 30.5"), and it has plenty of length and fullness to wear it hiked up around my rib cage. and looks great with a cute elastic belt. I wasn't sure how I felt about the high-waisted look at first, but the fact that I can keep using a lot of my button-down blouses—either tucking in the unbutton-able portion or tying it in a cute knot at the waistband—has me sold. It drapes nicely, too, so it doesn't add a bulk where you already have plenty.
Okay, now we're moving into less-sure territory, but these seem like reasonable bets. Some of the reviewers complained that this top made them look pregnant, which tends to be a good sign if you're looking for something to wear while actually pregnant. The length runs about the same as the Back Road Ramble Tunic above, so it should work well, providing it's roomy enough. Might be worth checking in with one of their stylists if you're curious. The Pam Breeze-ly Tunic is in a similar vein, though some of the reviews on the green complained that the fabric was high-maintenance.
Last is the one that most tempts me. I've seen this one well-reviewed elsewhere (Gertie the sewing blogger/author wears hers all the time), and since it's two full circle skirts stacked together, the sale price is pushing it really close to "cheaper than I could make it" territory, especially when you account for the pain and suffering of hemming two circle skirts. It runs a tad shorter than the Bugle Joy skirt above, so if you are tall or like your skirts longer, you might want to pull out a tape measure to make sure it's what you're looking for. The review photos look deliciously swirly!
So, what other great non-maternity maternity pieces have you spotted lately? I've been into maxis lately, which are usually not my style at all, but I'm liking having a little length to balance out the extra width!
While it can be stressful in some ways (flying solo with preschoolers for extra-long Masses), the fact that DH works for the Church often suits my procrastinating self just fine. While the (amazing) domestic church goddesses are posting their Paschal candle projects or recipes for empty-tomb cookies, I have a legit excuse to say, "Hmm. We're in survival mode. But, hey, fifty days of Easter!"
-2-
Not kidding about the survival mode. DH worked during Palm Sunday Mass, and then I saw him for 10 waking minutes out of 64 hours from Sunday night to Wednesday evening. Just go ahead and remember to say a big thank you to your priests, musicians, sacristans, etc. during Holy Week. If you've never seen it from the planning side before, it's intense, y'all.
-3-
For all that, I could probably get some crafts done, but I have this insane urge to sew new Easter clothes (then again, Bean got a new three-piece suit and tie, exactly how he wanted them, for $23). I just wrote kind of a mega-post on that, so for the best way to sew a boys' bow tie and other minutiae, head on over there.
-4-
For all the domestic slacking, we do do the liturgical side of things pretty intensely. I've always said I'd rather take a kid (maybe not a baby) to a three-hour liturgy with darkness/fire/processions/sprinkling/etc, than a regular Sunday Mass without a lot of effort put into it, and I have yet to be proved wrong on that. We read the stories out of our children's Bible and talked a little bit about what they'd see beforehand, but mostly I just let the liturgy do its thing, and was rewarded with reactions like an audible gasp when the deacon announced the first "Alleluia," or a bit of smart-alekry when I'd told him we wouldn't hear the pipe organ on Good Friday, and then they did use it to give the singers their pitches. But at least I knew he was paying attention.
-5-
So, what did we actually get done around here? Well, for the first time in a decade or more, I actually braided palms on Palm Sunday. There was the one year of shame where I meant to, then forgot they were in the back of the fridge and they got slimy, but I didn't want to just toss them because they were blessed, and I didn't want to admit my mistake to DH, so I had to try to sneakily find a place to bury them in the yard where he wouldn't notice them. So, this time, I just snagged some (presumably unblessed) from the basket after Mass, and did the blessed ones first, and I'll put them all in the same arrangement once they're dry. So, it's half a sacramental, anyway.
I took a class on palm braiding as a kid, so I only needed a refresher, but it seems like the internet tutorials on the subject (in English, anyway) are surprisingly sparse. Would it be of interest to anyone if I got some strips of construction paper and put together some instructions before next year?
A photo posted by Emily MacMichael (@emilynd06) on
Bean and I got around to dyeing Easter eggs Monday and Tuesday. Pastels aren't really thrilling to anyone in this house, so we used the Greek method of coloring the eggs with onion skins, bright red to represent the blood of Christ. I actually did an Easter basket this year, but most of the candy was from grandparents, and I have yet to find a good home for the knitting I dumped out of said basket...
A photo posted by Emily MacMichael (@emilynd06) on
Feasting on Easter itself was really important to us, though, since we'd gone vegetarian for Lent, and because Monday was another long work day. Brunch included some really fantastic Polish sausage and mackowiec brought by my folks. Dinner was the highly traditional grilled pork chops with applesauce (and NO vegetables!), followed by homemade vanilla bean ice cream and strawberry rhubarb pie.
So, what do you do for Easter? We've got a bit of time and energy, and fourty-five more days to fill here!
We went to the Vigil, so, the only model shot you get for Easter is a bad post-Mass phone picture (with everyone still awake, though!)
Bean's jacket and vest are Burda 9781, with the pants being a bit of a frankenstein between that pattern and a flat-front one. There aren't exactly a lot of boy's suit patterns on the market, so you take what you can get, but there are definitely some tweaks in order for this one. I added a back vent (because, um, little boys move). The pattern runs from size 3-9, but there's a lot of differences in proportion between those extremes, so don't assume that the sleeve length is going to work (and the sleeve is tapered, so the side seam will need adjusting if the length does). The pants, for some reason, don't have elastic, darts, or belt loops (I added the latter two), so unless you have suspenders, one of those is going to be a must. Something I'd like to play with in future versions is to lower the roll line on the jacket, so that you can actually see the vest. Still, it's a decent foundation to work from, with a side panel and two-piece sleeves, like a real suit.
I used Jo-Ann's Grey Heather suiting for the jacket and pants. It was >$6/yd and easy to work with, but it had the unanticipated problem of being kind of slick, and he has trouble staying on laps in those pants, so be warned. The vest was their Linen Look (which actually contains more linen than some of the fabrics simply labeled "linen"... yeah.) in the required "reddish red" color. (I convinced him that an entire red suit might be a bit much, which is why he must never see this picture.) He's also been requesting a flower tie for months, and he was delighted to find this print in the quilting section. The pattern I used (which really ties, but has a hook on the back so you only need tie it once) seems to have disappeared behind a paywall, but might I humbly suggest that even if you go the three rectangles route for a bow tie, you cut the tie part on the bias? I've done both, and even though it uses more fabric, it's worth it because it stays much perkier.
L to R: Straight-grain, bias, real bow.
Peanut's jacket is the same one he wore last Easter, and the vest and tie are hand-me-downs from Bean. (He usually hates ties, but surprisingly, he was really delighted to have a bow tie like big brother, and insisted on wearing it around the house all afternoon when I tried it on him.) Knickers were from this pattern, I just cut them down to a 4" finished inseam and pleated the bottom edges to fit into a cuff.
Cap, with willing model.
He also got a matching gatsby cap from Burda 9507 (Simplicity's site has been seriously messed up since they redid it a couple months ago, so I'm honestly not sure if this is still in print.) I've been trying to find a good formula for stiffening cap bills. Kroger has oval-shaped ice cream cartons that I cut apart for baby hats, but he's decidedly toddler size. This time I tried cotton batting quilted between two layers of home dec interfacing, and it was okay, but I'd still prefer stiffer. I'm thinking buckram glued to craft foam for the next round? The fabric for both of these was a mystery synthetic herringbone mill end. A nice spring print, but pressing was nearly useless, and it needed a lot of top stitching to lie nicely. The hat turned out to be a good call, since we were standing outside in the wind for quite a while waiting for the Easter fire.
I played around with some dresses for me, but none of them were quite working out (too pregnant for this one, not pregnant enough for this), so in then end I just wore one of the dresses that has been in circulation among my sisters, along with a new hat I pulled together from Etsy supplies. This, along with the myriad stains my other spring coats have accumulated, gave me the push to finally haul out those fabrics I bought two years ago (really, that's a pretty short time in my stash),
The pattern is basically a lengthened version of Vogue 1037, with some more coat-ish details (hand-warmer pockets and a vent) imported from an OOP coat pattern I had handy. I still have to finish some details like sewing covered snaps on under the buttons, but as I couldn't close them anyway, it wasn't high on my list. The fabric is a stretch sateen that works reasonably well for the application, but can kind of resist pressing (I don't recommend it for set-in sleeves!) The body is lined in a quilting print that makes me happy every time I look at it, with actual lining fabric in the sleeves, so I can get them on! I found the green buttons on clearance at the same time as I was buying the fabric, but there were only four of them, so I added brooch-like vintage button on the top, which inspired the choice to use snaps instead of buttonholes (probably a good move, as stretch fabric buttonholes tend to get wonky-looking with use).
With all this deadline sewing, I really focused on what I could do by machine, which means I successfully bagged two jacket linings, with vents! I couldn't find a tutorial for the vent part, which meant a bit of flipping back and forth to get it right, but they're both hanging nicely. I may go back in and hand-stitch a few details, like sleeve hems, now that I can do it at a more relaxed pace, but overall, I'm pretty pleased with all the projects. Hooray for new skills!
The boys' favorite cartoon had a movie
come out this summer, so, in honor of that, they went as Shaun the Sheep and Bitzer the Sheepdog. Bean was very particular about getting all the accessories screen-accurate. Peanut just liked the excuse to "baa" at everyone and everything.
Having tails for a day: also a big hit.
{2}
I wanted to dress up, too, but I wasn't really feeling the full-on costume thing, so I went for something a little more subtle (the only time that word will ever be applied to this outfit). I forgot to take a picture, so until I update the post, here's a handy infographic:
I didn't wear it with the matching accessories, but we have tickets to opening day, so maybe then? (Too much for a matinee?)
{3}
For All Saints we kept it pretty simple, but we did switch out our usual evening prayers to the Litany of the Saints, with a Communion of Saints joining us, thanks to our lovely blocks from Almond Rod Toys (she's going to be closing up shop soon in order to fill her Christmas orders, so if you want anything, head over there soon!)
{4}
Our family All Souls' tradition is to go to the noon Mass that the bishop always says at the Catholic cemetery, and take a prayerful walk around the grounds before dad heads back to the office. We had amazing weather this year, and both of the grown-ups had made it to Confession recently, so plenary indulgences for us! Pretty fantastic!
{5}
We've been scrambling to get our grilling fix in before it gets too cold, so we've had spareribs (This is my go-to recipe, which we tinker with quite a lot. This batch was a franken-sauce of half-bottles from the fridge, with hickory chips on the grill.), burgers (with these buns; easier than running to the store, and surprisingly good even a couple days later), and pork chops (no recipe needed, just make sure they're over an inch thick and don't cook them past 145°). I think we're well-satisfied and ready to start soup-bingeing instead.
{6}
Both boys have been very into letters and numbers recently, with Bean reading his first few words, so I seized the moment and snagged this box at JoAnn, let Bean paint the inside his favorite color ("reddish red"), and poured in a layer of salt for him to trace letters in. Feeling very Montessori for the $3 and not-too-much time we put into it.
A photo posted by Emily MacMichael (@emilynd06) on
Had a bit of Amazon birthday cash, so I finally got the pasta machine I've been dreaming of. (When I opened the box, I think I heard angels singing.) The Bean was even more excited than I was for something with "machine" right in the name to be showing up at the door. Our meatless Lent game just got upped exponentially. The best part is that The Bean is just a little practice short of being able to do it all himself.
What's the quickest way to kill your router? Get a phone plan that relies on Wi-Fi for your data (I love it otherwise, though!). It means my computer time has been spent on catching up with what others are sharing, rather than writing myself. But until we get things up and running, here's a little picture dump for you!
{pretty}
The house is far from pretty after two weeks of vacation, but these are all straight from my garden, so I just go and stare at them instead of the laundry. The gladiolas are almost as big as my hand!
{funny}
Every couple of years, our hen-and-chicks attempt to contact the mothership.
Bean tells me this is his, "Hey, this tea is not sweet!" face. Welcome back to the North, kid.
{happy}
We recently had this clock passed down to us from my husband's family. Having the hours chimed reminds me of being back at Notre Dame where the Basilica bells were always in earshot. Time to teach the troops the Angelus!
It's amazing what two weeks of neglect will do for a garden
This pumpkin plant was maybe a foot across when we left; yesterday I had to pull over a foot of it out of the lawn and back into the garden!
{real}
What's good for the goose is good for the gander, as they say, so the weed situation is getting more than a little out of hand. Not pictured: any interior shots. Those are a little too real right now.
Pictured: Not something I planted, standing next to a good-sized pepper.
The "peony plumps", as Bean calls them, have finally burst into bloom, and the first two flowers were lying on the ground, so I felt no compunction about cutting them and bringing them inside. The bushes are a literal heirloom variety, having been taken from my grandmother's.
{happy}
Coffee ice cream. I'd been making mostly Jeni's Splendid
recipes, and I'd kind of forgotten the wonders of custard. Now I just need a friend on a diet to pawn off all these egg whites on.
Sighting in the new definitely-not-a-toy, which a friend managed to snag for Bean. Looking forward to a night clear enough to see Saturn!
{funny}
When Mom won't set up the 'scope inside, you improvise.
Two Thanksgivings ago, we planted a bag of tulip bulbs from Aldi. These were stowaways. None of the tulips came back for a second year, but these are going crazy. I'll take it.
{real}
This was growing not only next to the house, but actually up under the siding. Add to that the mushrooms and wasps, and you'll forgive me if it seems the yard is out to get us this year.
This is what happens when some teenager fails to verify that he has a green arrow instead of a plain ol'green light before turning. Yay for not being at fault, I guess, but boo to not having a particularly drive-able car (the driver's seat belt is locked up) while everything gets sorted out.
(2)
My plan for tomorrow was to go to the farmer's market to get plants for my garden, and then take the boys to Free Comic Book Day (there will be Stormtroopers at our store!), but the other car is occupied, so I guess I'll stay home and sort through stuff for next weekend's garage sale, instead.
Anybody want a bunch of '90s era Praise and Worship CDs?
(3)
In my purging mood, I also hid pretty much every toy with over a half-dozen pieces. I don't want to get rid of the puzzles and blocks entirely, but the fact that they are no longer getting dumped and abandoned has increased my sanity sevenfold, even as the hallways fill with boxes as I hunt for things to sell off.
(4)
Bean's bedtime book for the past few weeks has been "Winnie the Pooh" and "The House at Pooh Corner". For a wonderful exposition of why you simply must read the books, see Kathryn's wonderful post. Meanwhile, I've been reading Milne's poetry to the boys on-and-off during the day. If you have yet to discover When We Were Very Young and Now We Are Six, do pick them up. There's a bit of Winnie-the-Pooh, but lots of other fun imaginitive tales and musings from Christopher Robin's nursery, along with doses of those tiny delightful naughtinesses that every child needs from time to time. ("If only I were King of Spain,/I'd take my hat off in the rain./If only I were King of France,/I wouldn't brush my hair for aunts.") Milne just got kids, man.
(5)
Next on the docket is Charlotte's Web, presuming it arrives. The tracking info looks something like this. But at least it's finally admit it was missent, so... progress!
(6)
Is anyone else's garden on a super late schedule this year? Because I'm starting to think that last year's tulips just decided not to be perennials. At least it's going to be a good year for the lilacs.
It's grilling season, and pork was $1.39/lb at Sam's, so it we made the family favorite Tacos al Pastor this week. If you use the guajillo chilis, they really aren't spicy at all, so it's a great family recipe, especially with the pineapple (except both my kids refused to eat the pineapple. Weirdos.) The epiphany I had this time was that the sauce is only enough to braise 3 lbs of meat at a time, but you can do as much as you want in batches (You'll probably want to skim some fat at the end, though). So there's another batch in the freezer for a day when it's too hot to simmer anything for two hours, but perfect weather for a quick sear on the grill. Yum!
I used Jo-Ann's Grey Heather suiting for the jacket and pants. It was >$6/yd and easy to work with, but it had the unanticipated problem of being kind of slick, and he has trouble staying on laps in those pants, so be warned. The vest was their Linen Look (which actually contains more linen than some of the fabrics simply labeled "linen"... yeah.) in the required "reddish red" color. (I convinced him that an entire red suit might be a bit much, which is why he must never see this picture.) He's also been requesting a flower tie for months, and he was delighted to find this print in the quilting section. The pattern I used (which really ties, but has a hook on the back so you only need tie it once) seems to have disappeared behind a paywall, but might I humbly suggest that even if you go the three rectangles route for a bow tie, you cut the tie part on the bias? I've done both, and even though it uses more fabric, it's worth it because it stays much perkier.
come out this summer, so, in honor of that, they went as Shaun the Sheep and Bitzer the Sheepdog. Bean was very particular about getting all the accessories screen-accurate. Peanut just liked the excuse to "baa" at everyone and everything.
I've been dreaming of. (When I opened the box, I think I heard angels singing.) The Bean was even more excited than I was for something with "machine" right in the name to be showing up at the door. Our meatless Lent game just got upped exponentially. The best part is that The Bean is just a little practice short of being able to do it all himself.
recipes, and I'd kind of forgotten the wonders of custard. Now I just need a friend on a diet to pawn off all these egg whites on.
and Now We Are Six
, do pick them up. There's a bit of Winnie-the-Pooh, but lots of other fun imaginitive tales and musings from Christopher Robin's nursery, along with doses of those tiny delightful naughtinesses that every child needs from time to time. ("If only I were King of Spain,/I'd take my hat off in the rain./If only I were King of France,/I wouldn't brush my hair for aunts.") Milne just got kids, man.
