Playing with fabric and so much more!

This week I am on vacation, Yay! Nothing big planned, just sort of letting it flow. The weather seams to be the mistress of my time and efforts.

We started the weekend with a trip to Cape Cod to visit family and attend a memorial service. It was lovely and the weather horrid. Then it was Easter Sunday and Brunch at my daughter's in Massachusetts. I have been cooking away and made crumb cake for that, yum!

As you can see from my pics I have been playing with some other options for another collage tee.  I decided on the center black and brown grouping and got it all together. It is finished. I wore it to the service, which was sudden so no pics yet but I will get them for you. These tops are rather potato chip-y as it is hard to do just one. I think my next project may be a kimono along the same collage type of styling. Here is a pic of the inside of the top which I did not line this time, just serged it all to happiness.

I've gotten some bird watching done. This pileated woodpecker spent THREE hours on the trees you see in this pic right outside our bedroom window with his mate. What a site to see him chop away at making his big square holes in the tree and chucking out hunks of wood like an avian chain saw, amazing! Just yesterday we had a bald eagle fly by chasing a crow about ten feet above the ground behind the house. We never lack for entertainment from Mother Nature and we love that. In case you don't know, pileated woodpeckers are huge, the size of a large duck.

Aside from birdwatching and sewing and travelling I've been enjoying cooking, A LOT. Last week we did a quick day trip to Stonewall Kitchens in Maine where you can sample and taste your way through 300 of their products. My favorite was the lemon pear marmalade and loving marmalade I was determined to come home and try to make it. I couldn't find a recipe anywhere but I've made lots of marmalade lately and it came out wonderfully. I simply made my favorite pear jam and then a recipe of lemon marmalade and cooked the two together at the end, divine!

The dark pieces you see are whole cloves, my grandmother's secret to great pear preserves! Don't tell!

What vacation would be any fun without a bit of shopping? I have minutes from my home a large and really well curated quilting fabric store. It carries garment fabrics as well but does not market them. They are high quality and I really like their goods. Many are from Japan and the vibe is very Marcy Tilton and more. Also close by my home is the famous huge Keepsake Quilting. I've been numerous times over the years and very recently. Frankly, I was disappointed. It was just boring, IMO, and very different from the way it was under the original owners. I have no desire to go back, just big and boring. This smaller, albeit three stories, store you just can't get enough of and the merchandise turns quickly so I can go every couple of weeks and see new products. It is called Quilted Threads and they have a great website as well. While there I purchased some hand dyed wool pieces, so vivid.

I can't wait to use them on some winter wear.

For sewing that I want to do now I purchased this GORGEOUS cross dyed 100% linen. I forgot to check to see where it came from. It is really really nice quality and was reasonably priced in the teens. I have to go pattern hunting now for this one. I am thinking a loose summery dress to beat the heat in.

Plans are on the burner for another Next Level Sewing post, this one on hems most likely and redoing my pants sloper. My bod has really changed over the past year and I need pants that fit desperately. I have gone shopping and just am so unsatisfied with the fit and quality I am finding, ugh. I know I am  not alone. So I am only half way through my vakay week at home. Great weather --- I will be outside. Not so great --- down to the workroom I go.  Happy Sewing!...........Bunny