Tops

Christmas in Mexico, New Year’s in Los Angeles

My last post (check it out here) left off with us in Yuma, on the way to Mexico for Christmas. Heading south of the Border as a family is something I’ve wanted to do for a while- but it seemed that the fear of the unknown always stood in our way- where to cross, where…

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Tempo Runs!

Our bodies are remarkably smart, and tend to adapt quickly to routine. When I first started running I had one pace- and I trained at that pace during every. single. run. While I developed great physical endurance from all the time on my feet, my race times didn’t budge, because I wasn’t challenging my body…

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A Sewing Hedgehog…

You know that game people play at weddings, where they shout out a certain number of years of marriage, increasing it gradually, until there is only one couple that is still left standing? No matter how long you’ve been married (we are going on 16 years!) there is always someone who has been hitched longer…

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More Fall Athletics…

As some of you may know, we are trying to figure out, as a family, how we can make travel a more regular part of our lives. While the naysayers suggested that this year’s epic Summer Trip (see parts One, Two, Three and Four on the blog), in which we spent two months traveling the…

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A Right of Passage…

After taking most of the summer off, I’ve been getting back into the swing of sewing and testing this fall,  and the Knoxville top is my latest project. I almost passed this one up, because I already own a couple other knot/twist patterns, but I’m so glad I didn’t, because that over sized cowl is…

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New Fall Cardigans…

When I was a kid, I used to divide my closet between “summer” and “winter” clothes. Despite living in California, where the seasons were typically pretty mild, I enjoyed having a stark division in my closet, and had strict rules about not wearing “winter” clothes in the summer, and visa versa. Looking back on it,…

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Work-In-Progress-Dance Mom and her “Acro Bat!”

I have to admit, I don’t always make the best dance mom. I  seldom (or ever) remember to bring a post dance snack, often forget the pink water bottle and grab the ugly green one by mistake, and have even been known (gasp!) to let my daughter walk outside in her ballet shoes (she’s just…

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Falling for Fall: 3 Simple Knit tops to Make the Transition Seamless

It feels like we just wrapped up summer (oh wait…we did! With last week’s blog post!) but with the kids in school and the leaves starting to turn, it’s already time to starting focusing our attention on Fall, and the invigorating sewing opportunities that come with the advent of a new season. Over the past…

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Summer Road Trip Part IV: Mesa Verde, Alamosa, Denver, and Dinosaur!

Hello again! Today I’m sharing the 4th installment in my Summer Travel Sewing series, covering our visits through Mesa Verde, Denver, and Dinosaur National Monument in Colorado. (missed the first two in this series? Here’s Part I and Part II,  and Part III). If you recall my last post, I left off in Monument Valley, roasting in…

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Tested: Clara Wrap Top

I’ve been wanting to try a little wrap top for ages, but couldn’t find the right pattern. Years ago, I tried the Papercut Coppelia wrap top, and had a few serious fitting issues that I was unable to resolve at the time, being a beginner sewist. So, when Greenstyle, one of my favorite pattern companies,…

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