Sewing and Going

Time is getting away from me. Today marks Wednesday, which feels like Sunday because I cannot keep track of much lately. Work and home and Life keep blurring, leaving me feeling occasionally off kilter and occasionally very blessed.

Things settled down really quickly with the boys and the beds. We changed the room set up, took off the side of the cribs first and placed the floor mattress between their cribs as we have all bamboo floors with a rare rug here or there. The mattress was a must; when I moved it into its new position, Owen freaked out thinking I was taking it out of the room. It is where I once laid with them as infants when they needed me to pat them back to sleep during their all too short naps. It is where they jump and roll. And now, it is where they sleep. Every night, without fail. We can place them in their beds, but that is where they cry and shuffle about. Once they arrange themselves on the floor mattress, Mace's head tucked into Owen's chest, with their blankies nested all about, well, that is it. We are not needed any more. We leave the room quietly, no protests made, no plaintive cries, No "mommy mommy daddy daddy". Actually, no nothing until the next morning. For many many days now. Which is totally tripping me out. Wondering why we waited so long.


The plan is for toddler beds pushed together to see if that works for them. If not, IKEA for one good sized bed where I am pretty sure they will sleep until they decide they need their own space. It should not strike me as odd, I like sleeping with Tim. A warm body, my warm body, his feet close and familiar and needed when I wake breathless from one of my strange winding dreams that make all too much sense. It does not bother me a bit that they sleep together. I slept with siblings for years due to many many siblings and a smallish sized home.

(Tonight is the first night of truly converted beds...we will just have to see how that goes. They were lights out at 715 with a good nap...crossing fingers).

Seeing as the theme of this post is beds, I have a few things in the works for these growing boys and their beds. Last week, I posted a set of the pieces I was working into a duvet cover. I like simple and I am finding I am not sure I like quilting. I mean, I like the result, but I have to find the patience to create the quilt. This is a good way to work on my piecing and quilting and patience. I cut rectangles of fabric in a proportion I liked, arranged and shot a few photos to check for balance. Whatever, I cannot say I understand color theory, I just liked what I saw.

Then I staggered the strips and sewed away to make the top of the duvet cover. The pieced top is done, needing a border and light muslin backing to hide seam fraying.


The border is a nice olivey color, picked by Tim, in a sturdy Kona cotton. These are built to last, as I hope they will use them from bed to bed, it seems like they are giving it a positive verdict so far. Though they may end up sharing a bed, they will have a separate blankie for when they need a little space.



I could not bear to leave our bed lacking some hand sewn love so I pulled out some more Ross fabrics and sewed up a pair of pillowcases for us. I love the Matroyshka pattern from her West Hills collection; the sweet dolls in so many sizes, all the same pleasantly rounded shape.


I used the pattern from her book, a very simple approach spiced up by a stripe of pretty fabric. Of course, I did not have the called for 1 and 1/8 yard, so I just used the 1 yard per pillowcase I had on hand. I also never read instructions correctly and made the accent strip a little thicker (because I skipped referring back to the pattern and my mind said I had to cut a 4" strip, resulting in much more presence to the strip. I like it).


The blue is Tim's, a concession to his maleness (since I am insisting he sleep with dollies all night long).

That would make the pink mine.


My current sewing frenzy was brought on by my imminent departure tomorrow morning, a solo trip to see the sisters waaay up North in Humboldt. I have been yearning for some time with them. Not the stolen minutes between wrangling the twins, but time to talk in depth and play with my niece and help my talented little sister at her booth at the Benbow Arts Festival. And watch my other gorgeous sister perform with her west African Dance Troupe. I am excited, but a little apprehension now builds as the day comes closer. Planning what to bring, what podcasts to put on the Ipod for the quiet 10 hour drive, fantasizing a little about sleeping in, worrying a little about leaving for four days. Not worrying about Tim with them, just me being without them for the time. That must be why I am sewing things to leave with them. So they can feel Mama all night long, warming them, supporting them, loving them.

And though I am a little worried I am also grabbing any and all projects I might get to during the long hours in absence of constant responsibility, and during that 10 hour drive home that will be done by my sister and her lovely partner Michael.

So, rental car picked up (snappy little Ford Focus, makes me feel so collegey), check. Laundry in and down jacket packed (highs of 55 up there. Brrrrr), check. And video or two uploaded for when I have a total meltdown from missing their loveliness, check. Enjoy.





These kids are my life, I am betting the next five days are going to reinforce that, but also bring other wonders too.