Hi, I'm Lynn Harris. I learned to sew from my mother when I was very young and was encouraged by my grandmother, who always told me that anything I made was the “most beautiful thing” she had ever seen.
I take inspiration from my husband and three amazing children. We live in Michigan where we grow vegetables and raise chickens. I enjoy many kinds of needlework and love to knit, spin, embroider, and browse my collection of vintage children’s books.
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1972 at the St Louis Zoo. I'm wearing my FAVORITE summer outfit, a reversible sun dress with matching panties. It can also be seen here at the Grand Canyon. My oldest sister had some cool shorts on that trip. They must have gotten worn out before they were passed on to me because I don't remember wearing them.
1972 was also the year of the fluffy yarn pony ties.
These photos must have been taken early in the day - before the incident with the door to the aviary in which I lost a toenail.
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Are you familiar with Fat Quarterly Magazine? It is a great ezine that is CRAMMED full of projects and ideas. The new issue is all about kids.
Miss P and I took on the designer challenge in this new issue and Miss P sewed a skirt out of Woodland Tails by Sheri McCulley Studios for Riley Blake Fabrics.
I also wrote up a few tips on how to teach sewing to kids.
We are thrilled to be part of such a great new magazine. Fat Quarterly Issue 9 - Kids. You can get yours at the end of the week.
edit to add. This magazine is 121 pages of awesome with NO advertisements!! A great value.
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I've been getting into the spring swing this week by sewing up some beautiful bluebird fabric from Cloud9 fabrics. Michelle sent me this selection from the new Alegria line for a quilt to take to Quilt Market in Kansas City. This fabric line was designed by Geninne D Zlatkis. I have been following Geninne on flicker for quite a while and was thrilled when she teamed up with Cloud9.
The pattern Michelle requested for the quilt is great for showing off the larger scale bluebird print.
The top is finished and I pin basted it last night. Now I'm trying to decide on a quilting plan for it.
I think the bluebird print would make pretty curtains. The color is really beautiful.
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1975 Modeling handmade clothes - don't you love the school shoes and knee socks?
My oldest sister is wearing a dress she made of wool plaid. I remember thinking she worked really hard to get the plaids matched at the seams. She entered it in the Make it Yourself with Wool competition as well as the 4-H dress revue. I am wearing a pinafore and dress made by her as well. I LOVED that outfit and could hardly wait for her to outgrow it. My middle sister is wearing a lovely dress she made out of a mushroom print fabric.
Fabrics from the two outfits on the left can be seen in my first quilt. Go have a look; it's a riot of 70's prints. I finished that quilt in 1976 just in time for the bicentennial celebrations. It even won a big rosette ribon at one of the local fairs that summer!
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(Photo taken at sunrise on Wind Rock - near Blacksburg, Virginia)
“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature -- the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.”
― Rachel Carson
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I've been quilting on this quilt the last few days. I thought I'd share a little of my method while I'm taking a wee break.
First I made a cardboard template for the center spine of the feather that goes in each block.
The sewing plan for these is to work on one row of triangles at a time completing one triangle before progressing to the next.
First, I sew the center spine towards me. Next, I free stitch the right side feather lobes working away from me. When I get to the far point of the feather I start sewing the lobes on the left side of the spine. The lobes are shaped so that they fill the triangle space. I have gotten a lot of practice with this the last few days. I suggest that you get out a pencil and paper and practice a bit before trying it with the sewing machine; that will help you get the feather shapes that you want.
I hope to finish the feather quilting this weekend and share the completed quilt later in the week.
edit: When stitching the spine, sew with the fabric moving away as you would sew a seam. For the first side of feather lobes the fabric will move toward you as the feather lobes are stitched going away. I hope that makes sense....
Here's an in progress photo that may help.
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Here's a little peek at some of the sewing I did yesterday.
Two weeks away from the machine was a long time.
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After our canoe trip in Maryland we traveled to Norfolk, Virginia and visited the Botanical Garden there. We reached azalea overload there but also saw many other interesting sights and beautiful flowers in bloom.
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