my new favorite

we spent the day running around williamsburg and visiting shops. i finally got to experience sweet william. a brilliant children's store that carries my dolls. it was lovely. so many perfectly sweet/edgy clothes, toys, accessories. owner bronagh staley has a beautiful vision. i was so inspired when i left i drew all through dinner and on the train back to long island. the drawing i posted is one of many new dolls that will be added to my line. oh how i wish i had a sewing machine in my pocket. i'll have to wait till i get back to my studio before anything can be realized. i'm thinking hot pink corduroy and a tinie tiny floral print for the inside of the ears. i also have several bolts of delicious velvet. mmmmm velvet bunny of super cuteness!
time to get back to drawing. i want to figure out a spindle peacock.
love love happy holidays!

knitting on the plane

knitting my new favorite accessory on my flight to jfk. i making a cowl using 3 different strands of habu yarn. a really lofty hand spun silk, linen flag, and a silk/mohair mini boucle. i have 5" to go.

mushies for maude

this little batch of lovelies is at maude. i just dropped them off today, along with 4 of the sweetest sweet faced girls. if you need any last minute special somethings head to kentucky street in down town petaluma.

tinie tiny mushies

i just finished a batch of little mushroom men. they are so cute. if i get all of my other projects done....i'll get to make more.

spindle pony

a bundle of sweet faced girls

just finished stitching the last mouth and eye. 9 fresh little faces. a handful of these darlings will find themselves in brooklyn at sweet william. i used every colour of linen i had in my stash. bits of antique kimono cloth and vintage italian silk ties make their clothes. how i love these soft and sweet little girls. they would have been my most favorite doll as a small child.

pom-pons=happiness

i heart pom-pons. i especially love teeny-tiny ones. and if they happen to contain any hot pink, i simply explode with joy!

moving..........lonely ironing board.

so it has been awhile since i've posted. i've been packing. i moved my studio yesterday and organized it today. sort of. our apartment isn't going to be ready in time so for a week i will have a live work space. yikes!
i had a very productive day. i got a batch of mushroom men stuffed and all of my fabric arranged by colour:) i still have a few things to bring over. i'll keep you posted on anything exciting that happens.
i watched the goats eat outside my window today while i sewed. i have an even prettier view. little girl is guarding the space. oh happiness.
i'm a very lucky girl.

patterns for natural dye book

hello hello. i've been busy knitting the last two days and listening to the rain and wind blow. i'm very lucky. i have the great fortune to be writing four knitting pattens for a natural dye book. this is a taste of what is to come. i'll post more info in a couple of days. enjoy.

kitties and mushies for nested

i have great big batch of cute boxed up and ready for an adventure. these little darlings are headed to north carolina. nested is a beautiful shop located in carborro. jenny does an amazing job of collecting unique and well designed products to make your home, well.....your home.

sweet faced girls

i finished these 2 lovelies this morning. i've been meaning to make more for quite some time. i think i just didn't have the right fabric.
i went to one of my favorite thrift stores and scored a really pretty silk tie with tiny flowers on it. as soon as i got home i harvested the fabric. i went through my antique kimono fabric and picked out something pretty. patterns out ans scissors at the ready i cut the last of that linen, and poof..... with a needle and thread i stitched some sweet little eyes and called them done.

pile of kitties

just finished sewing up a pile of kitty skins. it's a batch of bright cotton velvets and corduroy with a dash of foiled linen. i should be posting there progress through out the week. i'm really excited about all the colour. most of the fabric i scored at scrap. i love being able to reuse fabric that otherwise would end up in the landfill. alright back to stuffing and embroidering.

hot pink

just thought i would share this perfect hot pink skein of wool with you.
i heart it. some point soon it will be transformed into pom-pons.
don't worry i'll post pictures.

production

so i've been busily working on 2 very cute patterns for another softie book. it will be published in australia like the other 2. i know it is going to be a good one. the other softies books are super. this one is all about hand sewing and geared towards children. i have everything ready to ship off tomorrow. i really want to show pictures but i don't want to spoil the surprise.
other then that today i spent most of my time doing production sewing for jess brown. i got another bag full of dolls done. soon they will be dressed and off to adventure in the world.
the lighting isn't any good in my sewing room so i'll have to wait till morning to take pictures of the new spindle mushrooms. i heart them:) they are very noodle-y!

something for sweet william

this little batch of darlings is headed to brooklyn. i've introduced a few new colours to create this cheerful bunch. if there is one that you love and must have stop over at sweet william and give them a squeeze.

mushroom family

oh! how i love these guys. i tried something new to keep it interesting. i mixed in some new fabrics. scraps of course hemp, brown velvet, and foiled linen go nicely with the wool felt. i added 2 new shapes also. the tall spindly mushrooms in the back. i think i'm very close to having 27 different mushroom shapes. big happy family.

owls, cats, and spindle ponies.

i've spent the last couple of days sewing, sewing, sewing, and sewing a little more. i try to post a new batch of soft sculpture as soon as they get completed.
i'm so pleased with the colours of this batch. it always makes me smile when i see them all together.
there is more to come shortly. i have a bunch of mushrooms in the works and some sweet faced girls. i'll try to get them done while is still shining.

The store is open.

Did I mention I have a shop? It's true. You can check it out here.

pretty pony

i was taking a break from production and drew up this little fellow. i think he has a very sweet face. i think i'll add some more stitching before i call him finished. he will go up for sale in my shop soon. hope you enjoy him as much as i do.

Hooray!!!

My new site is very nearly complete! H-Luv.com

Heading back to California tomorrow.

mushrooms for bubble

they are finally finished. a brand new batch of tiny mushrooms. they will accompany me to n.y.c. tomorrow. we are of to bubble with jess brown. i designed these tiny mushrooms to go with her oh so very sweet girls. i'll take some pictures of the booth and post them once i'm there. i saw part of the dollies dressed and they were of course stunning.
one of them had a dress i would die for.
that is all for now. enjoy these little fellows. they are just the beginning.

a simple thing

this morning i've been buzzing around the house catching up. i've been sick the past couple of days. but oh how i finally feel human again.
i was winding some lace weight bamboo and as i took it off the ball winder i thought....what a beautiful simple thing this is. so i thought i would share. i love finding beauty in every day objects.

tiny shawls

i'm sitting in the omaha airport waiting to fly back to s.f. i had a wonderful week with friends and family in south dokota and iowa. my grandmother turned 93! she is the reason why i do what i do.
to pass time which there seems to me more of out here i knit tiny shawls for jess brown's sweet little dollies.

little mushroom men and friends

hello hello. these are my oh so small mushroom men that are designed to pair up with jess brown's rag dolls. if are un familiar with jess brown designs you should check her out. she makes the most beautiful sweet girls ever...and there are lovely boys too.
i'm in the process of drawing up a few more shapes. they will be available in august.
they will be made primarily out of this lovely natural cotton, a variety of linen, felt, and maybe some antique silk and liberty fabric.

kitty cats

these are my new batch. this is some of the wonderful fabric i got at scrap.

birhtday cake

so i don't have pictures of kitty cats. instead i have a beautiful cake for a wonderful friend. happy birthday sandi.

mushrooms N-Q

i've just finished some new mushrooms. there are now mushroom men A-Q. that is quite a few. i have 9 more drawings to go. then there will be a family photo. i can hardly wait.
thank you everyone for loving them:)

bits of very pretty

this some antique kimono fabric i found at my secret store. i love it.

inspiration

friday i went to the city and this is what i found at scrap. if you have never been..it is quite a trip. there is a lot to look at at. scrap is what it sounds like. a warehouse full of scraps. fabric, glass, metal bits, thread, paper. it is a bit overwhelming. but if you stay focused you can find all sorts of linen and cotton and bias tape, and some lovely brown velvet.
all of what you see will become owls, and kitties. it makes me happy:)
if all goes well i'll have some pictures later today.

one sleepy eyed girl

so this it. she is finished......it maybe a couple of days before i get the painting done.

1,2,3.......girls with sleepy eyes

drawings into patterns.

drawing in maude

today when i was at work i mostly knit and looked at the sunshine outside. i finished my third elizabeth zimmerman baby surprise jacket. i need to weave in the ends and sew the two sleeve seems. when those final details are done i'll take a picture and share.
i also started drawing russian dolls. i think they would make very pretty something in fabric.
i'm playing around with the idea of doing several series. starting with mushrooms a-z.
they would of course start with a drawing.....turn into a doll.....and then become a painting. what do you think?
i'm starting after i've finished my dinner. which i'm eating now.
see you soon.

new mushrooms

there are a few new shapes that have been added to the assortment. see if you can pick them out.

mushroom family

oh boy! i have had he most wonderful week. i took the mushroom men to maude on friday. i had such a positive response that as soon as i got done with work on saturday i started a whole new batch. cute as they may be on their own....in a cluster nestled on the couch they totally make me die. so here are some pictures of happy mushroom families.
enjoy!

my favorite mushroom man

spores of cuteness

i just finished 6 new mushroom men. all different shapes and sizes. oh how i would love to keep them all.
they are to maude with me tomorrow along with 5 new kitties. i will miss them.
i have 5 more on my work table. they will have to wait to sunday when i have time to play with my piles of felt.