Workforce has been on strike!

Well, at least 50% of it.
And really, not by choice.
It's called getting sick.
Crummy sick.
Not get out of bed for 2 days sick.

If you know me,
that means really, really sick.

I never stop.
That's just how I am.
For me to run a fever,
its gotta be bad.

So, for the past 2.5 days,
no sewing has been happening on my part.
Thankfully, I have another 50% of the workforce
still up & running.

THANK GOD FOR ANDREA!

The problem is thaat 50% is down.
That translates in to 50% cut in production.
And then there is the catch up time.
The next couple of days of not being completely back to full throttle.

But I am almost there.
Thankfully, this happened while
{SIG} is shut down for new orders.
Cuz no way could I have answered emails,
tended to orders,
looked up fabrics,
invoiced anyone,
or anything else that falls under my umbrella to do.

I did appreciate the down time.
I did not appreciate the fever.
The aches.
The pains.
The headache.
The sore throat.

Thankyaverymuch!

Hopefully I will be fully mended tomorrow.
For now, it is bedtime.
Gotta preserve the body.

XOXO,
Astrid

The Creative Process

Normally, it starts w/ me posting some gorgeous fabric.
This one caught my eye immediately.
Tea Garden by Dena Designs...


I've said it before.
The photo never does the fabric justice.

Kimberly loved this fabric.
And that is the next step.
Getting commissioned to do something.

This particular fabric was slated to become a knot dress.
Three times over.
Yep, for triplet girls.

And then Miss Natasha sends it to me.
This is what I get.


From there, I get to sketching.
Yes, sketching.
I actually do it.
It is my blueprint.
This is the sketch to Kimberly's dresses.


And that pretty Pfaff,
that's my new machine.
Fefe Pfaff to you.

From there,
it is time for the fabric to talk to me.
I have to figure out the bodice first.
Then the shuffling begins.
Fabrics get tossed back & forth.
Put with one & then the other.


It is a matter of letting them get to know one another.
To find what looks good.
Cohesive but different enough to stand alone.

Then the sewing process begins.
In this case,
it took 3 days.
Only b/c I had a very sick little girl yesterday.
And b/c we switched the kids to big beds.
(yep, busy weekend)
Otherwise, maybe 1.5 days.

As it comes together,
there are minor adjustments.
That's how the cookie crumbles.
Some shifting in fabric,
not much.

When the last stitch is sewn.
The last piece is pressed.
The knots are knotted.
I sigh a big sigh of relief...



And can't believe the end result.
Sometimes I wonder where this came from.
Me?
I just sewed that?
Impossible.
Some ghost of years past must have taken over.
I swear!

XOXO,
Astrid

Dr. Seuss LOVE

We are big Dr. Seuss fans.
So big that the kids' b-day party theme is Dr. Seuss.
And I had to share the Seuss LOVE.
Robert Kaufman did an amazing job.
I'm so lucky to be able to work w/ this fabric.

I paired these gorgeous prints w/ an awesome bowling shirt pattern.
The Scientific Seamstress provided me the pattern.
Very clear, precise instructions.
LOVE THEM.

There are 2 different lines.
Celebrating Seuss.
Cat in the Hat.

The end result, after the fabric talked to me.
This is the Cat in the Hat along w/ Thing 1 & Thing 2.
Gorgeous.
But I am a HUGE.FAN. of the aqua/red combo.
It's my thang.


This 2nd shirt is from the black & white print from Celebrating Seuss.
Pair it w/ the aqua eggs.
Perfect.
Love the pop of color.
And it helps that my boy has this in the same print w/ red eggs.
(see below for his shirt)



Ian (my boy) will be wearing his Seuss shirt & matching pants
for the big b-day party.


This is the back of both the red egg & aqua egg shirts.


This fabric is just too fabulous!

XOXO,
Astrid

Bonjour Take 2

I told you that I would show you.
And here it is.
Pretty as pretty can be!

Paired w/ a black shirt,
it is the perfect outfit for summer.
And the {SIG} bloom is a great way to finish the outfit.
Or, Mommy can wear it to match!

XOXO,
Astrid