Singer 421G

This is a my newest machine, and my first German-made singer. I picked it up at a thrift store for $25.00. It has a fold-up bed, and it's a free arm too! Plus it has all the cool stitches that my 401 has. There's a little storage compartment in the bed too! I'm pretty thrilled!


The free-arm-



The little compartment-


Cute little cam-bobbin storage.

Busy, Busy!

Kisun is helping me make berry scones for our guests. She likes to press the berries in the dough. Such a big helper! This is her new smile.

This is a fisher price scene I discovered yesterday. Interesting.


Some babies.

Sun through the rain

I woke up this morning to find some pretty amazing weather. The sun was beaming through pouring rain. It was almost surreal. I took these pictures, but they don't really capture how it was.

Alright, where were we?

Oh, that's right, sewing. Another vintage pattern, circa, oh, maybe late 70's, early 80's?
It's a Betsey Johnson design, and I'm assuming it's the Betsey Johnson.


Yes, the sleeves are poofy. They are intended to be poofy. Whether I am "intended" to wear poofy clothes is another matter, though.



I like the round neck yoke. I used the longer length option in the pattern.

All in all, I'm happy with it. I'm not sure it's something I'd pick out, but it's fun and theatrical, and it turned out exactly like the pattern cover. The fabric is vintage, picked up at a yard sale last weekend. I like the way it fits, even if it is a little mu-mu-ish.

Saves me the trip.

I learned today that Alaska is a staging ground for the end times. You know, rapture. Apparently, when the world ends and God calls us all home, Alaska is going to be where the faithful flock to wait out the chaos until heaven's ready. This explains so much! I'm planning on having a hot dog cart, and working the crowds.

I'm not religious, but this is what I think. When God calls us home, he's going to have something worked out. Like a shuttle, or maybe he'll set up campgrounds with showers or something. And, ummm, also? I'm pretty sure he's got other things to worry about besides setting up a natural gas pipeline.

My other thought is that when all the pseudo-Christians get up there, I want to see them explain themselves and why they were above loving thy neighbors, turning their cheek, and doing unto others as they wanted for themselves. Oh, and thy shalt not covet, or murder. Killing people is murder. Capital Punishment is murder. Bombing a family because they have a similar name to someone who may or may not have had connections to terrorism- ummm....murder by stupidity and carelessness. It's hypocritical to value the life of an unborn child, and simultaneously devalue the life of those whom you decide deserve death for whatever reason.

Someone please explain to me where Jesus said its fine to kill someone if you think they may pose some risk to you at some undefined point in the future. Explain to me where he said it's fine to hate people because their choices are "wrong" by your standards.

Standing up and saying that the war in Iraq is a holy war against evil is doing exactly what extremists do- because it's an extremist view, and one that poses just as much danger to the American way of life as extremists in other religions.

I found this darling pattern at my friend's antique store and thought I'd give it a go. No matter that it's a size 7, and I have a size 2 little monkey- this can be her kindy dress. For once, I'm prepared.


This is my first try at darts and pleats, and the plackets were a little tough to figure out, but once I did it was pretty easy. The pleats hang a little wonky in places. I think I could have pinned it a little more securely to keep everything even.

I'm happy with it, and I learned a lot. I got the fabric at Walmart of all places- It's pretty, even though it seems to fray a lot, although that may be because I pleated and re-pleated this dress around 5 times.

I had fun using my new featherweight for about half of this dress. I pulled out the 301 when things got big. The hem is over 100 inches of hand blind stitched goodness. I'm going to hunt for more vintage patterns in Kisun's size today.

A day in the life, part I

My average morning starts at around 6:30. I have a few different menus, but this one is a favorite.

Berry scones- the key to good scones is both massive amounts of butter and cream, and also the minimum of mixing the dough, even to the point where it's a tad crumbly.

Good ole' scrambled eggs.

Reindeer sausages.

Melon- usually with blueberries, but alas, we were out.


The table, set by my dear Ted.


So that's the "breakfast" in "bed and breakfast." Stay tuned for the "bed" part.

Bristol Palin preggo?

I still love you Sarah. I never have and never will vote for you, but you can come over for tea anytime!