Summer

As an academic professional, I spend Labor Day through Easter dreaming of Summer. 15 glorious weeks they give me to do as I fancy. 15 weeks of knitting and sewing, swimming and running, picking cherries and making jam, hanging with friends. Hanging with my girls.

But, as a woman who is clinically incapable of sitting still, of shirking responsibility, or of turning down chances to make extra money, I have accepted an offer to teach summer school this year. My enticing 15 weeks have been whittled down to 5. My camping trip to Northeast Georgia? Up in smoke. The remote possibility of passing through the Bonnaroo Music Festival on our way? A fantasy.

And so, I've been busy this last week. I guess I have a lot to cram into 5 weeks. And as a special follow up to my mother's day post yesterday, you can read the fine print below. My kids definitely don't appreciate me nearly as much as they should.

An oldie but goodie. This is the first sweater I ever made for Bela, about 3 years ago. I ran out of green yarn, did a horrendous job of seaming it, and never sewed a button on. So I blocked it, cleaned it up, and put a nice big green button on it for Mae. 

She hates it.

 This sweater was from a pattern called Sweet Peasy. It is knit in a rayon/silk blend, in a bright, coral color that Bela usually loves. I added sweet green glass buttons.

She hates it. It's too big on her shoulders. 

Another set of cute little buttons. And look! I can finally make button holes, thanks to my pink Janome. 
I started this spring coat a year and a half ago. For Bela. But I couldn't put the buttons in, so it sat and sat. Now it's Mae's.

She politely rejected it. She likes her raincoat better. 

Rejects

I'm dying over how cute these are. I made them from a japanese pattern. In japanese. It took me way longer than it should take anyone to sew a pair of shorts, but now I get it. So cute, I wish I had some for me.

Bela won't wear these. She says they look like 'boy shorts'. I assured her boys do not wear cute pink striped seersucker shorts. She looked at me like I was stupid. 

My lovely friend Karen gave me this fabric, from Japan. A cute linen print. She made a twirly sun dress for her daughter Una out of this. Mae loved it. So, I made her this skirt, note the cute gingham bias tape trim. I found it at JoAnn's and had to have it. 

I must admit that Mae loves this and wore it today.

While Karen was sewing Una's sundress over here last week, I got inspired. Mae demanded a twirly dress with multiple tiers, just like Una's. For Bela I made this one with a simple bodice and full skirt.

She hates it. It's "too big". 

 I also finished this beauty I'd set aside awhile ago. Just needed to find the right contrast fabric for the neck binding and tie. Cute, right?

She hates the sleeves. 

 Here is the twirly, multi-tiered dress that Mae demanded.

She hates it. It's not the same fabric as Una's. 

 And finally, an old skirt of mine I wore in those few awkward post-partum weeks after Mae was born. I cut it up and put a cotton/hemp jersey waistband on it for Bela. It was originally too big for her so I made it smaller the other day. And guess what?

She loves it.