While at Barnes and Noble the other day picking up Cooks Illustrated and Crochet Today (because it has the cutest acorn box pattern ever), I sat down in the craft section (cleverly placed right by the craft magazines) and leafed through a book that caught my eye, Patchwork Style. It's been out for a few months and I've read several reviews of it but it wasn't until I actually put my hands on it that I realized I kind of wanted to own it. I kind of want to sew again and it's been a long time. The last sewing projects I worked on were simple things like aprons and purses, made without putting the amount of care into them as I probably would now. A lot of projects in Patchwork Style are still simple as well but that very simplicity is so appealing.
A day or so later I was trying to catch up on a few blogs on my Google Reader and found that - after checking for posts from my friends - I was scrolling quickly to the bottom where a few blogs I've only recently started to read were listed. A lot of them are about sewing. Misako Mimoko, House on Hill Road, Junker Jane, Made By Petchy and mairuru - I think I have a blog crush on her. Look at these book covers and these little drawstring bags - all stitched by hand! I've read Posie Get Cozy for a long time and recently added a "love" tag to this post about her "sewing story." This makes me want to quilt. I bought a stash of quilting supplies and books several years ago but never really did anything with it. And I have squares for a crazy quilt that some long gone relative (a great great aunt?) started that I'm determined to finish some day.
If I ever get to Salisbury*, I'm going to live minutes from a great little fabric shop called Fabric Land (craziest website ever, I think). I think, when my things arrive (they're due August 30th and I'm a little afraid they might actually beat me there), I'm going to have to do a little fabric browsing (although I really should use what I have - when I consolidated for the move, my fabric stash filled two plastic bins but new fabric in a new country is so much more exciting), get out my machine and do a little sewing at my little blue desk (I don't actually have a blue desk but it's something else I have the urge to own).
And I also might have to stop by the bookstore for Patchwork Style - my suitcases are already overflowing but I'll bet I could at least squeeze it in my carry on....
*Small visa update - Friday Matt called the consulate in Chicago where my visa is being processed. He couldn't get a hold of a real person but the recording did say that they're having "technical difficulties" and visas have been delayed. Sigh. It's kind of good news to know that it hasn't been seven weeks just because they can't decide if they should allow me in the country or not but...it's still not great news.
