the evolution of a skirt

People out there in internet land are amazingly talented and creative. Check this out- I have to make one of these soon. I just copy ideas (and spend too much time searching for them on other blogs) but some people blow me away with their ability to make something out of an item that seems to have no more life.

I bought three XL ladies skirts at Goodwill last week, with the hopes of turning them into summer clothes for Sweet A. She doesn't have much for the warmer weather (if it ever comes!) and I had the urge to sew for her. Two are cotton, and the middle one is a knit. I spent about $11 total.



I chopped up one of the skirts, which happened to be lined (more coordinating fabric!) and made a little tiered skirt with a contrasting lining, which doesn't really show in the pictures. Sorry they're blurry- she doesn't stop moving. Then I used this great tutorial to make her a matching shirt from an old t-shirt. I will probably re-make it since the tutorial looks much cuter and mine ended up looking a little like a bikini top on a toddler...I should have actually followed the directions.
There was even enough for Darling, her doll, to get a skirt. (She named her Darling because as she says, "Daddy calls me darling.")

Always a good sign when they don't want to take it off...
I may try to follow a real pattern for the other two, but I'm totally inspired to pull out some lifeless t-shirts and try to make them into something fun. (Probably not undergarments, but I guess if times get tough I'll know how.)

Transforming meals

My friend, Kate, has a good habit of pressing readers to think through hard social issues, and recently gave me the heads up about a new show, featuring Jamie Oliver aka The Naked Chef. He gave a prize-winning TED talk about the colossal effects of generations of poor eating habits in America, and what he is doing to reverse the trend. (As a side note, she introduced me to TED talks in the first place; yet another evidence of her surpassing coolness in my eyes.)

After watching TED talk I found myself heartened to think that someone (especially a male...not to mention a famous, endearing male with an accent) with a winsome personality is finally taking action to cause a stir about obesity and the surmounting food problem in America. While I don't believe that government is responsible to get us out of this fat, sinking boat, I do wonder how much responsibility they bear for creating the crisis in the first place. If millions of children eat two meals a day at school x 180 days of the year, and the food they are given is killing them, the responsibility lies in the hands of the adults (I'd say parents, he suggests Mrs. Obama & Co.). Turning a blind eye to the problem because my children will never be in a public school is not a loving response (although it is nice to know I'm not exacerbating the problem). Who knew that teaching someone to cook could transform lives? Very informative talk, and worth the 20 minutes.

my next crazy project

Toothpaste.

The natural stuff I buy is expensive and filled with a list of ingredients I've never heard of, so I think I'll give this a whirl. My Mom sent me the link, of all people!

I have a few prettier projects planned for this week as well. More to come.