The best laid plans

Well, I had big plans for you all tonight, but they did not pan out, unfortunately.

I am putting the binding on a very special quilt that I cannot show you yet but that I will show you very soon and I had every intention of documenting the binding and posting a tutorial in my sidebar.

People are always coming into the store and they have their quilts all quilted or tied and they look at me and say "What do I do now? How do you put on the binding?"

I know these people are expecting a quick and easy answer: a five minute jobby, but anyone who has ever actually put a binding on their quilt knows that this is not a five minute endeavor.

There are special folds and special stitches and a couple of very important steps to remember and while binding is not hard (I repeat: binding is not hard!) you have to go in the right order and you have to know the tricks.

My friends May and Kristine have both taken binding pictures on their I-phones and made their very own tutorials and I always thought that a good binding tutorial would save a lot of time and heartbreak for some of you out there (including me!) and I thought that today was the day that the tutorial was gonna happen.

BUT.

But the batteries died in my camera (and I was too lazy to find new ones).

But I realized I could not find my rotary cutter (and was too lazy to go over to the store to get another one).

But I happened to find some leftover binding from another project that was already made and the perfect amount and the perfect color for this particular quilt (rendering the making of new binding unnecessary).

So there is the story of how you missed out on a binding tutorial tonight.

It is my day off, after all.


BUT.

But I have every intention of posting a binding tutorial here very, very soon.

But I had a great time putting the binding on while I watched Sense and Sensibility (which never gets old and it was a beautiful day outside and I probably should have gone for a walk or done something healthy like that instead of watching a movie and eating popcorn and drinking chocolate milk).

But I have now boiled the potatoes dry so I've really got to go (knew I shouldn't have had that glass of wine before dinner!)

Thanks and I will be back again soon!

XO,

Rhea at Alewives

Post Super Bowl Post

So... I don't know the first thang about Football.

But I do like the Super Bowl.

I like the commercials.

And I like the halftime show.

I really liked when Bruce Springsteen was the halftime show.

And Tom Petty.

But my favorite halftime show of all time, ever, hands-down, no contest was U2.

(I do believe the Edge is the cutest thing to ever wear a skull cap.)

And I thought the Who were pretty good this year.

They didn't rock my world, but they were pretty good.

And Pete Townshend reminds me of my Uncle Paul.

(Dad, tell me you don't see a resemblance: the two were separated at birth!)

Anyways...

So far this year my favorite commercial was the one for Dodge where the men say that they will do all of these girly things for their lady-friends, including "watching all of your vampire tv shows."

That smacked of reality.

Wahbout you???

What were your favorite parts of the Super Bowl this year?

(I don't even mind if they are Football related!)

XO,

Rhea at Alewives

Pina Coladas and the Travel Channel

We have gotten some seriously cool new Japanese fabrics in today.

Not Koi and not Cranes and there is no metallic in sight.

Not that kind of Japanese, but contemporary Japanese.

I love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love these new fabrics.

Expensive as all get out?

Yes.

But a little goes a long way.

Except with the Nani Iro prints.

They are so beautiful they break my heart.

There's no way to control yourself with those fabrics: they are begging to be made in to a garment or two or three.

What a GORgeous Liverpool dress this print would make.

In other news, Ollie and I needed a little pick-me-up tonight (February blahs), so we went to the Yellowfront Store and bought ingredients to make Pina Coladas.

Now we are chillin' like a villain, sipping the fruits of our labors and watching the Travel Channel.

"Most Extreme Water Parks."

I do believe we're gonna make it.

See you again soon!

XO,

Rhea

Checking in: "L" style

Loving: our new Liverpool Dress sample (GREAT job, Tammy! You really stepped up and this has been getting SO SO SO much attention: people love the voile!)













Listening: to Gaby Moreno (she opened for Ani last weekend and they were both, ahhh, how do you say... amazing!)

















Looking: forward to this fabric coming in (It's Nani Iro and it's fabulous and I have BIG plans for this, reader, BIG plans!)













Linking: to this (because I just think it is so darn cool.)

Liking: my new earrings and scarf from Darling&Delisle (Note to self: make sure my friends and family know that I want the words "Crazy Scarf Lady" on my epitaph).

Laughing: at this preview with Ollie (Whatever you do, just leave it at the preview. Under no circumstances are you to rent the movie... heed my warning and learn from our mistakes.)

Longing: for Spring and Summer to get here sooner rather than later (What did the Groundhog say???).

Looking: at this while I fold my laundry (almost sorta kinda makes it fun-ish! I have to admit that it won't be as entertaining without Ping around!)

Learning: all about Asian textiles when I went to Intara Wut today (they have just opened a gorgeous new shop on Main St. in Wiscasset and the husband/wife team who own the place are our new neighbors here in the Mills, too! Cannot recommend it highly enough!)

Leaving: the blog now to eat some garlicky mashed potatoes that Ollie made (bad-breath-ville, here I come!)


XO,

Rhea

Heather Ross fans, listen up!!!

After reading this post over at True Up last year, I thought I would never get to make an announcement like this.

BUT.

I was pleasantly surprised when I saw Heather's blog tonight.


Is it too early to call this the fabric story of the year???

Heather Ross announced today that there will be a sequel to her uber-popular Far Far Away line of fabrics for Kokka.

(The following images are pictures from her fantastic blog, which if you aren't currently reading on a regular basis you really should be as it is more often hilarious-er than anything else out there...)




















I'm not sure, but I assume that these, too, will be printed on double-gauze, and if you haven't dipped your toe in the delicious pool of fabulousness that is double-gauze, what are you waiting for?

These fabrics build upon the original Far Far Away colors so the possibilities for mixing and matching will be great.





















Needless to say, I am thrilled with these prints and think they are gorgeous.

Not just the colors (which seem a hint more "grown up" than the first line), but the designs as well.

I can't wait to see more of Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, even the Lilies-of-the-Valley have me all aflutter!














I think it is a safe assumption that we will be carrying the entire line, which is due out in the Spring (but, don't be surprised or disappointed if it's more like early Summer).


Heather also hinted that she has good news about some of her older, discontinued lines as well.

2010, it is only January and you have been so good to me!

XO,

Rhea

PS ... While perusing the Kokka site this evening, I noticed that some of the original Far Far Away prints have been discontinued (ack!). We currently have most of these in stock, so you may want to get them while you can!

Guns, Wedding Gowns and Cold Beer

I went to Hussey's today and tried on my very first dress.

It was funny.

I don't think I'm a "wedding dress" wedding dress kind of gal.

I will probably get my dress from the parties/bridesmaid section of J. Crew.

Trying on a wedding dress at Hussey's is something every Maine gal should do, though.

Their slogan is "Guns, Wedding Gowns and Cold Beer."

Check that off the list.

Afterwards Ollie and I each got a red hot dog and ate it in the car in the parking lot while Reuben drooled and was all up in our business.

It was a pretty good day.

XO,

Rhea

I didn't even buy any cookies...

Good evening from a dark and stormy Midcoast Maine,

This afternoon we had some little visitors at the shop.



















The Girl Scouts from Edgecomb Eddy School came over to make Valentines Totes with Yo Yo and button flower embellishments.

They were all so cute.

And so patient.

Here's a little Girl Scout equation for you:

11 girls + 3 machines + 1 me + 1 mom + 0 malfunctions= we were very lucky.

Thanks ladies: come back anytime!

(Just bring me some Thin Mints, mmmkay?)


















XO,

Rhea

P.S. Don't they look proud? I was proud.