i'm alive!

you can now find my gnomes at the super-cute brand-new dilly dally kids on commercial drive here in vancouver!

owner claire hutch runs the cutest place. it's beautiful inside, full of inspiring fun stuff - i really wanted to travel back in time to kindergarten just being there!

(also, post serves purpose to prove that i'm still alive.  october was busy and interesting.  keep tuned in - rejigging ahead and news about holiday events!)

grand opening: spool of thread

had to swing past the fab new sewing lounge spool of thread today for their official grand opening.

i'm sure i wasn't alone in singing "hallelujah!" from the corner of fraser and 15th! there is much to sing about: a shop full of hand-picked fabrics and a space where you can drop in and sew by the hour - six machines, room to move, tools of the trade and a welcoming, bright, modern atmosphere. they offer classes too, from sewing 101 to a variety of project-specific workshops. and looking at the row of gleaming machines, i had such an urge to hold a crafternoon in the space!

of course, i had to leave with a little something... cream fabric with aqua dashes for the back of a quilt-in-the-making and some lovely hatched charcoal fabric - possibly, hopefully a skirt for yours truly. or many dresses for little girls. ;-) i suspect i will be going back for more very soon, and a class to boot.

because i like a challenge?

i just ordered my first japanese sewing book! the first in japanese, that is - i have several translated books but this is my first crack at deciphering a pattern without the advantage of a language i'm familiar with... it's the pochee special boys and girls clothes from pomadour24.

my theory - and let's see if this actually holds water - is that since i'm not a pattern-reader but am a visual learner i should be able to figure it out based on the pictures. we'll see about that! ;-)

i can't wait to see it in person. oh, so many little bits of clothing to make for cole and our various other baby friends.

buttons!

if you're in the vancouver area and in need of some vintage buttons, have i got the store for you.

button button just reopened! their new gastown location is a cute little place, tucked up on the second floor of a heritage building at 318 homer street.

first of all, i could barely get over my excitement when i first stepped in the door; they have pound bags of fun buttons for $4! and there's every kind of vintage button you could ask for - wood, glass, abelone, plastic and bakelite, rhinestone and more - displayed in adorable yellow drawers, shelves and tables. they even have organized-by-colour drawers of orphan buttons for just ten cents each. where on earth can you get anything for ten cents nowadays?

i don't collect buttons - i buy them to use in projects like coffee cozies, barrettes and plushies, but i can definitely see how one can get started down the road to amassing a huge collection...