Liesl Gibson

I have sewed almost every piece of this dress incorrectly — to the wrong other piece, backwards, inside out …

I was going to attempt to make a less poofy sleeve by using the pattern from the croquet dress sleeve of the same size. (When the Garden Party dress was introduced Lisel said she started with the Croquet dress pattern.) Only attempting this because A) I’m working with a little extra fabric B) I can always make it sleeveless.

Will let you know how…[Read more]

I was going to attempt to make a less poofy sleeve by using the pattern from the croquet dress sleeve of the same size. (When the Garden Party dress was introduced Lisel said she started with the Croquet dress pattern.) Only attempting this because A) I’m working with a little extra fabric B) I can always make it sleeveless.

Will let you know how…[Read more]

I’m at the part where I need to decide whether to add the sash to the Fairy Tale dress. Wish I could teleport you gals here to give me your opinions!

I’m at the part where I need to decide whether to add the sash to the Fairy Tale dress. Wish I could teleport you gals here to give me your opinions!

Thanks to continuing insomnia, my sewing has been very productive. Tonight I finished the Art Museum trousers (just need to try them on the boy tomorrow and then I can install elastic and hem). Tonight I also made a new maternity tshirt by lengthening the Maria Denmark Kimono tee pattern. I came upstairs because it is nearly 1 a.m. but I don’t…[Read more]

Thanks to continuing insomnia, my sewing has been very productive. Tonight I finished the Art Museum trousers (just need to try them on the boy tomorrow and then I can install elastic and hem). Tonight I also made a new maternity tshirt by lengthening the Maria Denmark Kimono tee pattern. I came upstairs because it is nearly 1 a.m. but I don’t…[Read more]

@cybele I hope that grieving so close to this holiday will be somehow spiritually reviving and comforting. My daughter’s first birthday was the day after my grandfather’s funeral. It was enormously helpful to connect death with new life in that way.

@Todd that’s a wonderful poem! He’s got it right.

My MIL took my kid out for an Easter egg hunt…[Read more]

@sarvi your Persian New Year in the park experience reminded me of one of my favorite Carl Sandburg poems from 1916.

Happiness

I asked the professors who teach the meaning of life to tell me what is happiness.
And I went to famous executives who boss the work of thousands of men.
They all shook their heads and gave me a smile as though I was…

[Read more]

We are going to my husband’s father’s home. It is a small town about 3 hours away from us.

We have the wake, then Easter, then the funeral. Blergh! Oh well, such is the cycle of life and death.

It isn’t quite the normal Easter for us. Nothing quite brings into focus that element of faith about death and rebirth when you have a funeral right…[Read more]

Oh Jay, I am sorry. If it were in my power to make it ok, I would. I am sorry I can’t.

Oh Jay, I am sorry. If it were in my power to make it ok, I would. I am sorry I can’t.

I am so very sorry for your loss Jay and I think of you often Masha.

I am so very sorry for your loss Jay and I think of you often Masha.

I have been meaning to try carbon paper but haven’t done it yet. I do have a tracing wheel inherited from my grandmother and I find that for a lot of fabrics, I can just trace over the pattern onto the fabric, without any carbon paper or other ink-leaving device, and the divots left by the wheel are deep enough for me to see the line when I am…[Read more]

Armenians and Iranians are very very similar! I am quite sure I’ve seen some of those picnics 🙂

I’m so sorry to hear that Jay. My mother died of cancer last year and I did not make it home in time either. I felt very helpless and really devastated that I was not able to be there for her at the end. I hope your trip home and your visit to her family is able to provide some small measure of comfort. Hugs to you.