Signed, sealed, delivered, they're yours!

I can't say enough to thank you for all your kind thoughts and comments in response to my last post which I did not begin with the intent of pouring out quite so much. It just came as I wrote, and I left it there. Someone said something about how good that overly emotional time of pregnancy can be for you, like catharsis, and I agree, wholeheartedly. I'm not too much of a dweller, but often feel that there are times and thoughts that deserve to be noted by saying or writing outloud, good or bad, it helps me move on....uh so moving on.

The patterns! Land sakes, we've been shipping and shipping and shipping to lots of shops around the globe, and happy to say (if you're not already in the know) that the goods are in our shop now too. I really, really hope everyone enjoys these patterns, they were a lot of work to put together, but can say I'm pleased as punch. I've already begun a flickr group for them, so join in the fun should you choose, and please share how its sewing! You can report any booboos to me there too, and I'll send out band-aids asap. We've had such a great response that its already time to send in the 2nd print run, so we can fix any typos on the next round.

And to answer a few inquiries regarding the chair/pillow/blanket/yarn from my last post:

Armchair: a $5 dollar find a garage sale that we promptly snatched up and had covered with this fabric, with piping and back buttons in this fabric, which is the same as the curtain panels. We have 2 of these chairs actually (an entire 10$ worth), and love them.

Crochet Pillow: I highly recommend this book, as it is like an encycolpedia of endless crochet techniques, and shapes and forms. The pillow was a self guided thingermaggigin that combines several things that I learned form that book.

Ripple Blanket: clearly not a new thing, as there have been so many gorgeous ones shared over the past few years on several blogs and groups. Again, I taught myself to do this stitch from that fab-y book, although I amended a stitch that looked more zigzag-like to have softer turns. Essentially this amounted to combining and decreasing dc instead of skipping them....

Yarn: Most everything you need to know about these glorious cottons, you can get from this post.

Okay kids, coffee, laundry, cleaning, yardwork, recycling and ignoring all those things (save coffee) is calling me ~ enjoy your weekend! xoxo, Anna

Maybe my favorite word: Beginning

Juliana, Jeff and I were able to sneak just the 3 (erh, I guess I count as 2, so 4) of us to Manhattan for several days while the rest had farm days at Grandma's house over spring break. Consider this my excuse note for the blog principal. Main intention being getting an early look at Parsons for Juliana, but, of course mixed in with plenty of eating, shopping, training, cabbing, with the bonus of spending every night with my brother George and his family on Long Island. And the double-dog bonus of getting to eat my brother's homecooked meals at each day's end. But it was a beginning of sorts. The beginning of taking a proactive approach to finding a college home for the big bub. This is new. We can talk all we want, but move, and fly, and gather information books, and talk with counselors, and tour? Really? Are we sure? Okay.



The trip was filled with such a range of emotions, most of them excitement and promise and interest. But please. I really don't mean to dote on the teenage-mom-now-has-teenage-daughter and has-found-herself-pregnant-and-filled-with-misty-eyed-ironic-thoughts theme but, spare me another will you? Standing in the welcome center at the school I found a few people sort of staring at me, or the 3 of us, like maybe they were trying to figure it out. I asked Jeff why he thought people were kind of looking, and he casually blamed it on my belly. Which, naturally, transported me back to the welcome center at Ringling where I was the subject of several stares aimed at my mid section, only I was the enrolling student pregnant with the young woman I now had next to me who was soaking in the whole scene in the middle of Greenwich Village. And it made me giggle and, of course, share the thought with my cohorts.



Later in the day, when we had moved on to the part where my back was aching, my feet were swelling, and I wobbled towards anything that smelled good, (I think they call this shopping but I seem to have forgotten how that's done lately, unless you could say I was furniture shopping as I seemed to be looking for chairs everywhere we went) Jeff and I found ourselves in a coffee shop. No Juliana. We had all sort of reprogrammed ourselves after a few hours to allow her some lingering interludes in this or that store on her own, armed with the map in her blackberry and only a few calls to us with phrases like, "I walked all the way up to 7th and didn't see UO!" and with replies from me, like "that's because you walked right past it before you even reached 6th - open your eyes, bub - we'll meet you there in about 30 minutes" And in that span, sitting there, just us, I realized what we were really at the beginning of. Seeing her off. And I confessed into my sweet husband's eyes that whether she travels 10 miles down the road or 950 miles up the country, I will bite into a bitterness in those days. You can hardly say my nest will be empty, still fuller than most, but new, and the beginning of something else. Maybe the beginning of her. Just like she was the beginning of me.



The ripple went with me all the way there and back and has ended up to be a larger blanket than I had originally planned. But rather than just a blanket for baby, I thought it should be a blanket for us. To warm the two of us during sleepless nights when the house is just ours. I don't know why its taken me so long to learn, but each new life in this house is also the beginning of a new family, a new mother, a new father. And each new phase of our children's lives seems a chance to either cry over the one that was traded out or cheer on the first steps on a new path. You can call it optimism, but I am thinking of it these days as simply emotional survival.

And thank you so much for letting me say so. xo,AM

You may have this dance!

Here she is! The Folk Dance quilt pattern is ready for downloading, printing, cutting, sewing, backing, quilting and binding! Got a few spare weeks? Me either.

But I'm excited to share this pattern with you nonetheless. The pdf is linked over there in the sidebar at the top of the other quilt patterns and also on the products/sewing page of my website. You must be told too, that making these sorts of updates to my website without calling Jeff, makes me so happy. Not nearly as happy as it makes him, but happy.

I have seen zigzag quilts cut and assembled a few different ways, a few googles and likely you would too. Often they are squares made up of two right triangles, and the zigzag lines just appear based on which way you turn and alternate the square as you go. My pattern is based on an antique quilt that I came across (which of course I can't find now) that was just vertical columns of larger right triangles alternating their color and direction. Then all the columns are sewn in straight vertical seams. Either method gets you the same visual result, I just liked the idea of less cutting, and also less piecing, and thought you might too. With this method you also don't have to break up the visual imagery of the fabric quite as much if you are wanting each "stripe" to be of the same fabric.

And maybe none of this makes any sense, but will make perfect sense once you've looked at the pattern. Hoping so anyway. The pattern details how to assemble the top and leaves it up to you for your favorite way of backing, binding, etc. There are several spots online to find out this info, and also my book details my methods for backing and binding in the tutorials section.

Mine will get some handquilting along every zig and zag, at a pace yet to be determined. I'll share that with you as I go. Overall I am just very excited about the look of these zigzags, with this collection of fabrics in particular. There is something kind of silly but serious about it all at once. And the movement is something akin to the charm of a ripple crochet pattern maybe. Oh I've started one of those with the new yarns. Yea, like I mentioned, pace yet to be determined.

Oh, and YES we will put up some quilt kits in the shop next week for both palettes of Good Folks for you. Have fun! xoxo,AM

Dancing the Zig

Rounding out her new skills, Isabela helped me with some layer pinning on the "Folk Dance" quilt. Eleni helped too, but quickly became more interested in the case of T-pins.

On my hands and knees, I was reminded of being 19 and preg with Juliana (who affectionately refers to me as "Preg" these days so I have a hard time ever finishing the word anymore). I was attending the Ringling School of Art & Design and had taken on a painting to earn some extra money. I was commissioned by my former HS drama teacher (who swore on my acting potential) back home and it was for a 3x5' watercolor of orchids. Thats big. Anyway, if you've ever stretched watercolor paper, you know that its ideal to staple it to a wooden board after its been soaked, er that's one method anyway. After securing a roll of heavy duty watercolor paper in the appropriate size, I embarked on figuring out what to staple the paper to and where I would find the space for this in my tiny little dorm room. Now mind you, as a pregnant art student, in addition to constantly being asked to model for figure drawings, I also had bestowed upon me a certain amount of mmmm sympathy(?) er- respect(?) er something- was never really quite sure. Maybe just attention. Mostly good. Nonetheless, I summoned my floor's room advisor for help and she let me in on a little secret. An unoccupied dorm room on my hall where I could work on the painting. At Ringling, our dorms, old as they were, formally acted as a swank hotel from the 20's era complete with stucco outer walls and hardwood floors and other charms inside. I had found my wood to staple my painting to.

Simple and ideal as that sounds, spending every night for a month on your 7 mos pregnant hands and knees on a hard wood floor working on a painting, was not so ideal. I don't care how young you are. But the important thing to me now, and then, was that I had a purpose. I wanted to make enough money to buy Jeff an acoustic guitar (have I bragged of his talent?) for Christmas which was coming only weeks away. So there was no question as to whether I was going to do it, the question was just how. And I found a way. Bruised knees, aching back, tired and all.

I went home for Christmas break, barely able to contain my excitement after spending weeks away from him (900 miles away, before we were married). He was meekly in awe of his guitar and he gave me a lovely dress. It was this really cool multi-paneled dress in all different prints that he somehow knew I would like, and I did, so much. Only I was 8 months pregnant and a maternity dress it was not. As soon as he left, I tried it on anyway, and cried. I cried at not being able to button all the buttons, and tried to stand certain ways in front of the mirror to imagine what the dress might look like once the belly was gone, and convince myself and the dress that it would work and would be just beautiful and just like a 19 year old.

After getting up from a much softer floor this morning(quilts are nicer to crawl on than watercolor paper and staples) I shared this story with Juliana who was hanging around in the studio before going to work. She couldn't believe that I had cried when I tried on the dress and I couldn't believe that my crying surprised her. Of course I cried. We then scoured the closets looking for the dress, 'cause she wanted to wear it today. Haven't come across it yet, but I know its around here somewhere. She did manage to find another that I had bought right after I had her, and wore that one instead. She looks beautiful in it.

And of course I cried!!!

"Folk Dance" quilt pattern coming tomorrow!
xo,Anna Maria

The past few & the next few

I've had some really lovely days here, despite how the week started. (Thanks for all your well-wishes, the foot and I are currently without further incident.) So many early mornings here start just like above. I try to get on the computer and plot out my day before most of the little people are awake. This one eventually stumbles in and transitions from asleep to awake just like that. One of the new studio features is the extremely cozy armchair+blanket+pillows situated in front of the drawing table. I think here is where I would typically say new pictures of the studio coming soon, but I'll skip saying that and then maybe they'll just happen on their own. But, seriously, soon.



I got the best phone call ever on Monday while I was in said waiting room. A call from my mom to see if I wanted some company for a few days. I think I said DUH. And then life just got great. (and it was going along fine before.) Someone to crochet and knit with, lunch with, shop with, pontificate on the size/shape of my belly without boredom with, and so on. There are so many someones here that are willing to do some of those things some of the time. But not someone who will do nothing but that with me all the time. Joy. And perhaps the best part of it all is how much I slow down and put work aside a bit when she visits. Thanks Mom.



Bela also got her first knitting lesson.



And has had several proud moments since. I love those teeth.



As for the next few days, the mom-withdrawal period, I have some sit-still plans of my own. My favorite local fabric shop is also now my favorite local yarn shop. Mom and I promptly went for a visit upon hearing this wonderful news and came up with an excuse to purchase a few piles of cotton. Aren't they so pretty?

As for my not so sit still plans, all the kids are home for Spring Break, I have a book signing tomorrow here (from 10-12 ~ come see me if you're around!), having tons more kids over for dinner and playtime on Sunday night, and more laundry and cleaning than I care to talk about.

N'case ya wanted to know. Enjoy your weekend! xoxo, Anna Maria

Barefoot & Pregnant & Consequences ~ as journaled by Isabela

Through one squinted, teary eye, I noticed her in the exam room chair scribbling in her journal, seemingly unbothered by my restrained mini-screams as the thing was being removed. You know, I'm pretty certain she giggled a little when I let out a wince as the local anesthetic (aka flaming needle of fire) went into the bottom of my foot. Call it pain pride, but I was sure to let the doctor know that I have indeed endured numerous natural child births. In fact, I think with less noise.

Anyone remember this (from waaaaay back)? And how funny that she journaled it this time, whereas last time I made a play-by-play illustrated story for you.

And what did I do as soon as we got home? Took off my shoes.

Do I learn? No. I don't.

I'm fine, thanks for asking. Dumb. But fine.

xo,Anna

Our color game

When bolts get thin enough to fold up and tuck in, I call in the experts.



Purple. Cinch.



Magenta/ Orange. Piece a cake.



Let's see. Brown/gold/magenta/pink.....makes, mmmm burgundy. Every 5 year old knows this.



Hmm. Stumped.



Oh, well done.



Next stack.

~New cabinet found here, comes in just about every width and height and with or without tempered glass doors (which are heavy so watch out when its empty and they're open!) We chose with, for upcoming curious (unfolding) baby hands. Assembly required and I found that here. Knobs found here. Prairie Blouse found here, which coincidentally young Adelaide seems to be enjoying today too.~

More soon, miss you guys! xo, Anna