me? an award? i'm so honored!

About a month ago I was honored by Dani Jayne of One Small Stitch with a Liebster Award! So what's I Liebster Award? (I asked the same thing...) After a little Google-ing I've learned it's a informal award in the blog-o-sphere passed along from blogger to blogger. I've found a few different variations of the rules, but here are the guidelines that Dani posted April 20th when she nominated sew rachel!:

"So, as I understand it, the Liebster Award is given to bloggers with less than 200 followers. I need to answer  the 10 questions set by Helen [who nominated One Small Stitch], then nominate another 10 bloggers, again with less than 200 followers, and give them another 10 questions. What a fantastic way to share the love!" 

How neat is that?!?! I guess the first order of business is the answer some questions...


1. Why did you start sewing?
My mom always sewed. She made a lot of our clothes when we were little, and doll cloths, and toys, and quilts. So I started "creating" at a pretty young age.  I liked to create anything out of anything (and kinda still do).  The first thing I remember sewing was a hand puppet in my 1st grade class.  I really picked it back up again last summer when I decided to make a party dress for my wedding. Here are a few pics of that dress from a photo shoot up on the blueberry fields behind our house, and a pic from the post-wedding BBQ with friends. I worked so hard on it, with all of this ruched, and gathered burn-out chiffon on satin lining. WHAT WAS I THINKING? It actually came out really well and gave me the confidence to start sewing again and start this blog! In retrospect, there are so many things I've learned since that dress. I didn't even know to finish seams!

I have to make a shout out to Andrew Davis for taking absolutely beautiful photos at my wedding! If you are looking for a photographer in New England, I HIGHLY recommend him! http://www.andrewdavisweddings.com/

2. What's your favourite part of sewing/making?
I just love that feeling when the right fabric combines with the perfect pattern and you create something even better than you expected! Or when you finial master a new technique that elevates your final product, like recently when I learned how to make a narrow hem.

3. And least favourite?
Easy. Two things: First, when you've spent all this time cutting and sewing, and then when you are finally 90% finished and can really try it on for the first time, and it looks terrible on you. Part of this is due to the fact that my figure has changed a little in the past year, and I have to re-learn what styles look good on me. I'm also learning to try out new patterns with inexpensive fabrics first, or make a muslin. And second, I hate hemming. BUT the more tricks and techniques I learn the less I dislike it.

4. Who is your muse/style idol/style inspiration/style crush? Can be real or fictional. Famous or civilian.
Tough question. With this whole making-my-own-cloths-thing, part of it is about trying to figure out what MY style really is. I'm inspired by many different bloggers who seam to have really figured that out for themselves.

5. What is your favourite make?
Just one? Even with all it's flaws, it may be that party dress for my wedding.

6. And least proud?
I don't think "least proud" is the right term, but I do have my fair share of items abandoned mid-way through. Maybe my first big disappointment was late 2012 when I was trying to make a party dress, and decided to completely change the pattern without any knowledge on how to actually do that...

The fabric was really beautiful so hopefully I can reuse it for another project.

7. What's your sewing/making bete noire? Your biggest challenge, or the thing you've been putting off?
I pledged this spring to make pants and a jacket. I tried making pants and abandoned them after they were 80% constructed and I was having problems fitting (I didn't know you could even have a baggy knee, much less how to fix it!). I've picked up a couple of simpler pant patterns to try next. I haven't even started a jacket.

8. Where do you find inspiration?
Sometimes I see things on Pinterest. Sometime I'll see something in the mall or Modcloth.com. I often get inspired by other blogger's makes. Most of the time I'm first inspired by either a fabric or pattern that speaks to me, and then I search for fabric or pattern to complete it.

9. Do you have any other hobbies, other than sewing/making?
I'm also an artist, primarily printmaking and painting. I like to grow, cook and eat good food. We're kinda foodies up here in Portland, Maine. I like to camp and hike. I take classes whenever I can, and I like to create pretty much all kinds of things.

10. What is your sewing set up? Do you have a dedicated sewing space? Are you relegated to a corner of the living room?
I've recently converted 1/2 of a unused back bedroom in our apartment into a sewing space! It's got a folding table for cutting, a tabletop ironing board right there and handy, my sewing machine in the window, and big plastic drawers underneath for fabric and patterns. It's always a mess, but that's ok because it's still very functional, and because that mess is no longer in my dining room!

And now for my nominees! I'm going by the bloglovin.com stats for the under 200 follower requirement. Looking through my own bloglovin list, I'm finding that many of the blogs I read don't fit that requirement! So I may not have 10 nominees, but I do have:

Suzy Bee Sews - Just stumbled up her blog while researching Sewaholic's new Tofino Pants. What beautiful makes! Check out this Rose Peplum Trench!

Sew Me Love - Just squeezing by with 199 bloglovin.com followers! I love her style! This dress stands out in my mind.

We Sew Retro - Here is a fun new blog I've discovered where a whole group of sewers share vintage inspired sewing from all decades.

Manic Pop - Here is a blogger with great personal style, and on top of that she makes almost all her own patterns!

Sew, Cook, Laugh and Live - My mother sent me a link to a post on her blog. Jos is a woman who takes part in all kinds of creative endeavors, and I totally dig that.

Check them out!