Sunny Days

This was the color of the sky today, so naturally I spent a good amount of the day outside. 66 degrees and sunny was the forecast. I started off inside, cutting some fabric. I am working on making some napkins to sell, but you will see more of those later.  Around noon I was asked if I wanted to hang in Delores Park, so I grabbed my knitting and Frida and headed down the hill. 

So we spent about two hours knitting and chatting in the park and then headed back over to his apartment. This particular friend of mine has a very nice shirt collection and I had brought my bowties with me.  He was the prefect model for them. I'm working on putting together a little "look-book" or "leave-behind" for clients that I am trying to sell to. One of my goals for this year is to get my products into actual stores.  I have a few in mind that I feel have a similar aesthetic to mine, so hopefully in the next week I will have everything ready and put together to make appointments with some of these stores and show them my stuff. This is one of my favorite shirt/bowtie combinations of the day. I just love the two different floral prints contrasting, yet complimenting each other at the same time.

Yum Yum

Tonight I made a delicious dinner that was also pretty healthy. We've been trying to eat healthier this year, but I was getting tired of salad almost every night. So naturally I went to seafood as our next stop. Shrimp was on sale at whole foods so I thought I would go for this tasty and flavorful dish, which was pretty too. It started with cooking some garlic and red chili flakes. Anything that starts with those two ingredients is going to be good in my book. Then there's some chopped basil and tomatoes and you serve the whole thing over some orzo pasta. Tonight was also the first night that I used my new orange pot that I found at garage sale last week. The bright orange color is great, but I love that is has the wooden handle so it is easy to grab and move. Is this making you hungry? You can find the recipe here. Enjoy! (Sorry there is no final photo of it all together, I got too excited and was a little too hungry that I ate it before snapping a photo)

Textile Fun

It is like my birthday is never ending. I got this awesome book from my mom in the mail the other day and am sooo excited to start exploring it.  Even with just a quick flip through, I know I'm going to be learning a lot and getting inspired. Not only is it giving you a history of the textiles in this book, you are getting instructions on how to make some of them. It shows you all different embroidery stitches and beading techniques.  I could sit for hours and embroider fabric. (I'm sure my boyfriend isn't as excited as I am. Hand stitching to him is more of a chore then a pleasure in life.) I'll let you know what fun things I come up with as I dive in deeper into this great book. Thanks mom!

Hat Model Extraordinaire

Over winter break a couple of my friends went up to Mendocino County for a quick get away. I got sent this picture of one them modeling a hat I made on this awesome glass beach they found.  The whole beach is apparently filled with sea glass of different colors. It is a must see mecca for mosaic enthusiasts. Looking for a great hat for a weekend getaway? You know where to go. You can find this hat and some more in different colors and patterns at Needle in the Fog on Etsy.

Custom Notebook

Yesterday I was enjoying a "crafternoon" with my good friend from Paper Whales. She carves her own stamps into wonderful little shapes and hand stamps them on notebooks like pictured above, but she also does greeting cards, planners, and tote bags. I really enjoy the simplicity of the grey background with the white ink, so I kindly asked her to ad my shop name to the top of this one. You should check out Paper Whales on Etsy. Maybe she will personalize something for you too!

A Day in the Life

So this morning started out as a dreary rainy day, so I started it out with some sewing. But really, when you have a view like this to enjoy while working, I can't complain. Twin Peaks and Sutro Tower are just fine SF sites to see everyday.

In the afternoons, a couple times a week, I take this little cutie, Cody, out for a long walk. He's a sweet heart and always a good excuse to go exploring around the city.

Today we came across Kite Hill. 

It started off with very dense foliage and small paths all around.

Then the hill starts to peak through the trees.

And we made it to the top! Now you get where Needle in the Fog came from?

Further on with our walk we came across Acme Alley.

Which was this! I love San Francisco and its hidden staircases throughout the city. Especially when they look so inviting like these do. So of course we walked down them. And there you have it, a typical day in the life of me.

Neckwear

Today was a pretty productive day.  I went on over to my studio space and cut out a bunch of men's neckwear.  Bow ties and Neckties.  I'm getting ready for a pop up shop over in Oakland on Saturday. I know my name is not on the flyer, I was a late comer, but if you are in the bay area, come by and check it out.  There will be lots of great local artists and drinks and snacks! And if you aren't in the bay area I will be posting any items that don't sell on Etsy. 

Vintage Beauty

This past weekend I had an awesome birthday, spent hanging out with my friends. But one of the amazing things I received was this vintage spool with some twine and these little vintage scissors. I am a collector of old and awesome things (as you can tell from my sewing machine) and I really feel like this ads to my collection. I'm so happy about it and can't wait to find the perfect spot up on a shelf or on my desk for all to see. I'm also pretty excited for my next gift to give, for it will be tied in perfectly with some of this twine. Cheers to 2013!

Pig of the Month

I thought it might be fun to have a monthly post. Something for my followers to look forward to.  So, since I have so many pig figurines, I thought why not? Here is to my first "Pig of the Month". Pigs were my favorite animal growing up, I really wanted a pet one. So, in liking pigs so much, figurines were always an easy go-to present for me.  And I am not complaining. I must have gotten this little guy years ago from my mom, he doesn't have much of a back story but I think he's my favorite.  I really like the way his legs dangle off the edge of a table.  His most popular spot is above my bedroom door.

Also, I just want to be sure everyone knows I love all things pig.  They are super cute and great pets, but they are also super delicious and I don't think I could have enough bacon in my life!

Silk Scarves

Keeping with the theme of neck accessories, lately I've been working on these beautiful, soft and flowing silk scarves.  All the edges are hand stitched with silk thread. If you are a hand sewer, I highly suggest silk thread. It makes all the difference, never knots, and is just really beautiful. I love the colors and prints on both of these. These are great for the start of spring, when the weather starts warming up, but you still want a little something around your neck.  Check them out on Etsy at Needle in the Fog!

Cowls

 Chunky Cowl

Short cowl

So, I'm sure the majority of you who are reading my blog at the moment, have seen these cowls a lot, but, for those newbies out there, these are two styles of cowls I knit and sell on Etsy. The Chunky cowl, is one of my favorites, mainly because I love the elegance the braided look has, and it really does drape so nicely around the neck, while keeping you warm at the same time! The short cowl is more of my everyday, throw around the neck and walk out the door kind of cowl. No muss, no fuss.  I also find that if you are living in a drafty cold SF apartment, it's a great one to wear while doing things around the house.  Keeping you from having to worry about loose ends getting caught in vacuum cleaners, being dipped into sauces, or anything of the sort.  So if you're looking for warmth, comfort, fashion and function all wrapped into one, check out Needle in the Fog on Etsy.

Socks

So, I've really been into socks lately.  I mean when you wear them everyday how can you not be? But this one brand, in particular, has really got my feet dancing.  They are made in Japan by Anonymous Ism, and not only do they have awesome designs and colors, they are super soft, and even have a little cushion to them, making walking around this hilly city that much easier.  I found mine at Mill Mercantile in Noe Valley.  You should check them out if you're in the neighborhood.

French Seams

 All the pattern pieces cut out and numbered.

Part way sewn. Slowly coming together.

The finished product.

This is a dress I made this past summer for a wedding I attended. You can see I went a bit crazy with the french seams. (Click on the photo to enlarge and see the detail)  I really like the simplicity on the silhouette mixed with the complexity of the construction.  I feel that you will find that a lot with my work.  Plus, this whole dress was made with my wonderful Singer! (P.S. that fabulous looking man standing next me also made his own suit)

Singer

So I got this awesome Singer Featherweight from my grandmas friend, Mrs. Mortenson back in 2007. It was just before I had moved to San Francisco to start design school.  It is probably one of my most favorite things I own, and if I'm not hand sewing (something I love to do) then I will most likely be using this machine.  It makes a beautiful, simple straight stitch, and has yet to give up on me.  And it looks great too!!