CHICKPEA SEWING STUDIO

Red Post

  I decided to try my hand at dying some white wool with Kool-Aid yesterday. The wool was meant for yet another pair of Bella Mitten's ( I am on my fourth right now), but I thought that nobody wants to wear white gloves and show off dirty paws. My first attempt looked like a blood soaked mess, and frankly it sort of turned my vegetarian stomach. After a quick moment of despair followed by a put-yourself-together-moment followed by a shopping trip I tried adding grape to the mix and bingo! This pair will be lined with super soft something, cashmere maybe, as spotted here.

To keep the red theme going I just finished this amazing book, and red is the color of my eyes. Still I would read it again and again just to find all the quotes I want to plaster on my walls. And I was wrong before, some people like to wear white gloves, if you read it you'll know what I mean.

Iron-on transfers: a failed attempt and a good book.

I was tempted last week into buying two book of iron-transfers. They were cheap enough and the designs super cute. I came home with Sukie and Iron Me On. Today I gave it a go on the back of an old t-shirt and to say that it didn't work out is putting it mildly. There are many thing that I would do differently, the first one of which would be to pin the transfer to the fabric somehow. Next time will be on white muslin too. This was pretty annoying but I decided that since the T-shirt was already ruined I should try again to see how much more ink was in the transfer, we shall never know because I lost interest and went back to the terrific book captivating my time lately. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is no contest one of the funniest thing I have ever read, a paraphrase of the original with added bloodlust. The scariest thing for me was the habit of all the character to vomit (modestly) in their cupped hands. That really put me off, other than that nothing but an incredibly ferocious heroine!

The best might be the Study Questions at the end. Here are a few to make you smile hard:

2. Is Mr. collins merely too fat and stupid to notice his wife's gradual transformation into a zombie, or could there be another explanation for his failure to acknowledge the problem? If so, what might that explanation be? How might his occupation (as a pastor) relate to his denial of the obvious, or his decision to hang himself?

7. Does Mrs Bennet have a single redeeming quality?

8. Vomit plays an important role in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Mrs Bennet frequently vomits when she is nervous, coachmen vomit in disgust when the witness zombies feasting on corpses, even the steady Elizabeth can't help but vomit at the sight of Charlotte lapping up her own bloody pus. Do the authors mean for this regurgitation to symbolize something greater, or is it a cheap device to get laughs?

I sincerely hope that Seth Grahame-Smith will not stop here. He owes it to himself to continue trashing classic literature in such way as to make me read it!

A really good book day

Yesterday's mail was brilliant! I received two packages full of great reads. First my hardback copies of the Mortal Instruments, I was so excited about finally reading the last installment that I swear I could hear Mac Chimes in the backgrounds. The box also contained Quilts, BABY! a quilting book filled with modern and irresistible baby quilts. I will be making this one for sure, it's by Syko one of my very favorite artists.

Because the book fairies really favored me yesterday I received another package from BBF ( Best Blog Friend) Karin that contained along with some fabric a charming Japanese Zakka book. Those are sweeter than chocolate in my opinion!

More Marie-Claire

This article features ideas to use great children drawing that deserve better than the fridge. I think it's really sweet. Pictures can be enlarged by clicking.

Felt planes inspired by little boys and a giant embroidered fish, these could be my next projects!

Cardboard frames:

 

and a charming quilt:

Marie-Claire Idees, spring issue

The spring issue of Marie Claire idees is out! and let me tell you: I think it's the best one ever. My mom sent me a copy as she always does, but a friend mentioned to me that she saw December copies in the magazine section of Barnes & Noble. So maybe you don't need French relatives after all...

I scanned a few ages for you, you should be able to click on them to enlarge.

These pages illustrate kitchen dec, using enlargement of common or regional brand logo. The first picture made me smile, Alsa is the brand of baking powder everybody uses there, I had forgotten about it...

a fromage table:

a dairy fridge:

and finally a melange of idees... I love the yogurt box stool, for my 9 year old birthday my mom took me Saint Malo, I think she let me have Coca Cola, good times!

That's it for now, I will be back with more very shortly!

Fashion re-make

Meet my strapless-dress-no-more. It's from the after Christmas sale rack at the Gap. Blue silk and all ruffly. Love at first sight. Unfortunately I was mistaken once again ( this has happened before) in thinking I can pull it off, wearing something strapless. I have the shoulders for it but lack the most important detail, the things between the neck and the belly button. So here you have it, it wasn't staying up and frustration ensued.
I had been thinking about Fashion Remake a lot, without acting on it. But after this great success (I think) I am looking at everything I own with scissors in my eyes, dangerous times!

In short, I removed a row of ruffles, cut through both the dress and the lining. With the dress/skirt right side facing and the lining on top wrong side facing I sewed a 1/2" seam at the top. I flipped the lining back inside. Ironed the new waist neatly and sewed a 3/4" from it creating a casing. You have to leave an opening for the elastic (woven 1/2"). Once the elastic is in place sew it ( no knots please!). Hand stitch the opening shut and voila!

The ruffle I took out became a flower for the waist and the two remaining ruffles on the top will definitely be picked out soon! Here is a vintag-ed picture of the skirt on the animal:

Forgive me for the grimy white Tee, it was late and very poorly lit in the room.

On the Coin Quilt front, I am overjoyed that so many of you want to join us, this is going to be wonderful! For the quilting newbies this is the ideal project, don't be scared and maybe use that tutorial from Moda I talked about yesterday.
I have been changing my mind on the colorway for the quilt many time over. I am staying with the original idea of the Last minute patchwork quilt, but with straight coins. Instead of Mendocino in blue and brown I switched to pinks and consequently had to order a lot more from Etsy this morning, poor me. This seller and this seller.

Ok I know this is the longest post ever but I must add that this book is terrific! I just can't put it down. It's french, we really made endless cakes like those with my mom growing up.

Finally, I promise, did you know The Fray has a new album out. Which I am ashamed to say I have been listening to on youtube. Tonight I will go to a coinstar and exchange our stash of coins for an Itunes voucher, best thing those coins ever did for me.

Book Review: Stray Sock Sewing

Finn and I took advantage of the good Joann Christmas coupon yesterday and got ourselves a really charming book I had heard nothing about. It's a real 'Coup de coeur" of mine.

 Stray Sock Sewing by Daniel could be the best sock softy book out there. The author is a Taiwanese man ( have you noticed howt most sock artists are men? is it because their feet stink so much?). The softies are beyond cute and unexpected. The book as many more creatures than patterns which can be a bit disappointing but it teaches all the skills necessary to not only make them all but also to make them your own. Check it out!

Well said... Bye!

Book review: Part trois

The Left Bank Look: Easy Parisian-Chic Projects For Your Home and Clothes. By Anne Hubert

In this book you'll find mostly ideas for transferring images of shoes and underwear to fabric, bed linens cushions that sort of thing. The book also has a section on transforming T-shirt that does have some yummy ideas. Mostly I was not terribly inspired and I still wonder what is so Rive Gauche about it, starting at "why translate the title and make it obscure enough even a French gal has to think about it twice?"

There was one project I liked in there, a pin made with old divorced earrings and what not. 

I made one of those with a La droguerie Kit last year, I bought it on the Right Bank...or is it Rive Droite ^_^

In conclusion, a nice library read I am not running to Jo-Ann's for... Sorry! I promise to be more excited about the next review.

SPARE CHANGE SWAP IS CLOSED!!! If you left a comment and have not received any emails from me it is not 'normal', please let me know ASAP.

Book Review: Part deux

With a slight delay, I am about to mini-review Amy Butler's new book, Little Stitches for Little Ones, but first I would like to take a moment to share with you an exciting yet upsetting news:

Yesterday my friend Sara pointed to me that The NY Times published an update to the No-Knead bread recipe, with video and all. Promptly I go take a look and while the video is playing I notice something strange... One of the pictures used in the segment is eerily familiar. Wait a minute! it one of mine, posted on the noknead Flickr group. That really was a rush! even if 1. that is not my best bread picture, this one and this one look tastier and 2. I got absolutely no credit for it! I mean not even the slightest hint of a note about where the pictures came from... So what can I say: I am happily disappointed or is it disappointedly happy?

Back to Amy Butler's new volume, and a volume it is! thick and full of stuff. The lay-out and look is similar to IN-Stitches, her first book, but this time it's all about babies. And here is the problem. Many of the projects in the book, such are crib bumper pads, fabric covered foam changing station are looking fabulous but would take much more free time to make than a mom would ever have. So if your baby is yet to be born or you are an auntie/grandma this book is for you, but if like me you have a seven month old tot, then many of the projects will be obsolete. You might be left to wonder: "what was I thinking buying this?". I guess I can always dream that one day the time will appear to tackle this adorable monkey laundry bag:

picture from www.amybutlerdesign.com

Next reviews... Selection from France! The Left Bank Look, Marie Claire Idee and Remake Restyle Reuse.

Fall Book Review, Part 1

Typepad O I despise you! I just lost an almost finished post full of pictures and such... AAAAHHHH! So one more time:

Zakka Sewing, 25 Japanese projects for the household by Therese Laskey + Chika Mori

Think about all the Cotton Times goodness with instructions in English, pure crafty bliss...

The projects are for all skill levels and a few even use leather. I must say I am a little intimidated by that medium, for some it could be replaced by oil cloth. My favorites are a house shaped camera cozy, a bunny pouch, a cushion cover and a linen basket.

Would I buy it again now I know?

YES, even without a coupon ^_^

Tomorrow's review: Amy Butler's Little stitches for little ones