There are few things that say "Summer!" to me like a new comfy skirt. Summertime at The Works will most likely find me trying to sew as many as possible. This pattern may just be my new favorite!

I purchased this "It's a Wrap!" pattern from Indygo Junction and the fabric (they're both by Denyse Schmidt) at Purl Patchwork. I made a nearly frantic run there almost two weeks ago. Something in the air was whispering to me, "Must. Make. Skirt!" After I finally got around to washing the fabric, the skirt only took an hour to make - about 15 minutes to cut out and 45 minutes to sew. The pattern didn't call for it, but I bought contrasting fabric and made the skirt reversible.

I finished it on Monday morning before going to meet Jill for an afternoon of crafty shopping. We went to Daytona Trimmings (where I bought buttons for my pink sweater) and Mood (where I bought still more fabric.) Sadly there are no pictures. I think we were both too addled by the heat to have the forethought to document our day.

pillow cases
Originally uploaded by Needleworks, Inc.

The last time I was home, I went rummaging through my grandmother's stash of hand embroidered goods. She has, literally, a stash. She has so much, that all of it is just secreted away in the drawers of dressers in rooms that nobody uses anymore.
My mom told me that she was afraid that no one would want them. No one? What about me? I want them! I snatched up as many as I could carry and humbly asked if I could take them home.
There they are - the black and orange ones. They're pillow covers and they just happen to match my silly couch from Ikea, which has orange flowers all over. Let me tell you, it's not easy to find pillows to match a couch that has orange flowers all over it.
The green ones are from a Jonathan Adler warehouse sale. I rushed over there on the last day praying that there would be something left, when I saw those gorgeous apple green needlepoint pillow covers. They were mine! At 80% off!
How perfectly they compliment my grandmother's pillow cases! I love the combination of old and new. It makes me so happy! (What's old is new again.)

Oh man, this really is a nice sweater. Is that an eyelit pattern in the ribbing?

Oooh, this is so-ft. Aw, man. This is really, really soft.

No, I don't think I will get up so that you can take a picture of youself in it. Sorry.

It's that time of year again. They're showing movies in Bryant Park. What, with having to get there at 4:30pm to secure a spot and the movie not starting until sundown, there's a lot of knitting to be done!

That pink blob in the foreground there is the project I started nearly a month ago. I was on the last stretch yesterday when the heat and the chilled rose got the best of me. It's almost finished, though, and I can't wait to share it with you!

I also made a little pilgrimage to Purl Patchwork last Friday, hot on the heels of Ravi, Jen and Ruth! I'll share my purchases there very soon!

(P.S. My apologies to the girl bending over in front of me while I was taking my picture. How unfortunate!)

Just a little silliness for your Friday afternoon! Me, Jill and Beverly at The Point - picture taken with Bev's MacBook. Happy Weekend everybody!

These two lovelies are my latest acquisitions. I purchased them from The Black Apple, whose blog and work I adore.

I feel as though these two are me, at different points in my life. They even look like me a little bit. I was definitely that girl with the braids and the little dress who had to adjust the way she approached the world. The older one is me in High School Me, who had to adjust the way she approached people. I'm slightly shocked at how personal they are and though they may seem harsh, the words in these drawings are lessons that really resonate for me.

I love the fragile, slightly sad quality of The Black Apple's drawing and paintings. These two will have a special place in my little world. Hopefully I'll have them framed soon and will be able to share them with you!

*sigh* It's such a delicious day here at The Works. For the first time in before I can remember, I've had two days off in a row. I am so happy.

I slept in, walked to the corner to get bagels and made a big pot of coffee. I've been catching up on all of your blogs and munching on strawberries from the Green Market, while Master P watches The Food Network in the background. This, my friends, is my idea of a great day.


Oh, I should tell you about this amazing little bag. It was made for me by the incredible Barbara Kerr. Barbara can do anything. She knits and crochets and sews and cooks and she lives on a boat. She is unequivocally generous and giving. She inspires me and encourages me and teaches me. I find myself surprised to have found a mentor, at my age. I guess my age isn't really old, but it's been a while since someone has come along who is everything that Barbara is. As a child, you are learning new things every day and every adult you meet is a teacher is some way. When you finish with school, you kind of figure you've stopped learning. At least you aren't learning at the same rate, especially if you don't try to challenge yourself.
Barbara not only challenges herself, but gently pushes you to do new things as well. And, well, that's what a mentor should do. No?

My New York age is 24

This New York age puts you-generally speaking-into the young category. That's what you were hoping for, right? Run and tell your friends. Then get drunk (as usual). Then sleep it off. Then pop an Adderall. Then come back and consider experimenting with a more mature type of New York life (just once in a while). Have you ever been to the Village Vanguard or the Living Theatre? Eaten at Elaine's? Taken a date to Michael Feinstein? Before you laugh, check 'em out and see what old-school NYC experiences you can add to the new.

Does your age reflect how you're living? Let us know.

What's your New York age? Take the Time Out New York quiz and find out!

i am quite shocked by how hip TONY thinks I am. Who knew?

My dears, I have so much to share with you and, at the same time, nothing to share. How's that?

I had a online shopping fit a little while ago and have been waiting (not so) patiently for orders to arrive. Everyday I run home, (OK, I'm not exactly running after 14 hours of work) to see if the lovely packages have arrived. Every day, for nearly two weeks, I was disappointed.

Finally, yesterday, three (yes, three!) things that I was waiting for, finally appeared! But I have not had time to take pictures (and one you don't really want a picture of) but I could wait to share with you!

#1: Much awaited check from freelancing job! Whew. Why is always such a relief when that money rolls in, even though you know it's on its way?

#2: Apparently, the only style t-shirt from American Apparel that they do not sell in the stores that are on every stree corner in NYC.

#3: Something amazing from The Black Apple.

More details and sharing this weekend. When I have time to breathe.

I can't believe how incredibly whiny that last post was! Someone should have taken me firmly by the shoulders and shook some sense into me! My life is often punctuated by days where I feel "less than". It's just who I am. I'm an Eeyore, where some people are a Pooh. So, I accept this in my adult years. Whatever.

On to bigger and brighter things!

• I'm cutting out the pattern for my dress today. A very, very wise person told me that I should set small goals for myself so that I don't feel overwhelmed. So instead of thinking, "Oh man, I'll never get that dress made!" I think, "Today I will cut out the pattern."
• I finished work early yesterday and went to the green market. You know it's Summertime when Needleworks, Inc. starts obsessing about fresh produce and begins posting about food more than crafting. (Though, is cooking a type of "craft"? Discuss amongst yourselves.) These radishes will be part of a salad with cucumbers. Served along with cold asparagus soup and poached salmon with yogurt sauce. Yum!
• I made a Crafting To Do List. Because I love lists and because it somehow helps me get things done. Go figure.
• I'm obsessed with this, this and this!