Paper Piano

Earthgirl just read a book with a little origami in it.  So she grabbed a piece of paper and made a piano.

Pretty cool, huh?

The book: Ellie McDoodle, New Kid in School, by Ruth McNally Barshaw.

Q. How are taxes like a poem?

A. Both happen in April!

Last April I posted about Gregory K.'s month-long celebration of childrens' poetry. (Coincidentally, I shared a little Haiku there)  This year, he is at it again!  Go visit his 30 Poets/30 Days.  The poems are not just fun for children.  My favorites so far:  Praying Mantis, Dancing Fingers, Ch-ch-ch-check, Please,and Move Out.

Gregory K. introduced me (so to speak) to Miss Rumphius.  Her Reverso challenge results just blow me away.  I don't think I can make any sense upside down, but these poets do.
  

In memory of Romeo, the potted cat of the Haiku

Silver

1985

1996

1998

2000

 Later in 2000

2004

 

2010
 
 

Here's lookin' at you - right over the reading glasses!

One Pattern; Three Dresses (so far)

Last year, Earthgirl wanted a short dress she could wear over leggings.  We found Simplicity 3546, and made this dress. 

March 2009

I learned a few lessons about the pattern from the first version.  Earthgirl is slender, so I cut the pattern about a size 8-10 length with size 6-7 width.  Even so, the dress is plenty wide, and the neckline is too low and wide.  She must always wear a little cami under the mini-dress.  Nevertheless, we love it.  In fact, some of this fabric made it's way into her lapquilt stack. 

Then we made a sleeveless version for Easter/Piano Recital.  (It looks even better ironed. )

April 2009

This time we pulled the dress in even a little slimmer, and cut the neck higher. I also decided to line the whole dress, preventing a whole year of sighs and whines about wearing a slip.   One problem I encountered was that making the neckline that small, with no opening, makes for a tight fit pulling the dress over her head.  If I make this neckline again, I'll make a little slit in back to be fastened with a loop and button. 

The other tricky part of using this fabric is placing the flowers nicely.  The dress just looks better with a centered flower on front bodice.  The back bodice does not look as nice.  I'm glad I had cut it out first and noticed that fact.  A year later, this dress still fits. 

This year, I made the slit-neck version for Cousin's wedding/Easter/Piano Recital/maybe other Cousin's wedding, too (we are experiencing a rash of Earthgirl's grown-up cousins getting married.  We love it!)

Easter 2010

If Earthgirl had a hat like her friend, she wouldn't squint :)

Earthgirl wanted non-gathered cap sleeves for this one, so I folded up the long-sleeve pattern piece.  After fiddling with last year's big flowers, I did not want that kind of situation again, but it turned out this fabric presented the same problem - there are some big flowers on it that can look kind of funny if placed badly on the front bodice.  I fiddled and wiggled pattern pieces to get the top bodice pieces to have mostly the smaller motifs.

I still want to make the version with longer ruffle-edge sleeves, maybe in winter colors next fall.  This has been a fun pattern.  It really gets the creative juices flowing for us.  We are not the only ones - check out what Creative Chicks did with this pattern.

Spring Break!

Hope you have had a blessed Easter.