Who should pay?

I'm glad the House didn't pass the financial bailout. I don't want to pay for the gross negligence and financial stupidity of the mortgage companies who lent money to credit risks and homeowners who bought houses they couldn't afford. I don't see how it will affect me if the mortgage companies go out of business, and if these people lose their homes. They shouldn't own those homes, because they can't afford them.

When we were pre-approved for a mortgage almost three years ago, the bank gave us a figure of $200,000. I didn't have a job. My husband's salary was in the low 50's. And we had no down payment. So we were supposed to be able, according to the bank, to make a payment of $1500 + a month with a monthly income of $3,000 net per month. Half our income. I laughed. These were experts, trying to sell us a loan that they knew we could not pay without grave financial hardship.

Too many people did not make this calculation. They believed that the bank could not possibly be wrong. Banks are in the business of making money, and everything they tell you should be taken with the same grain of salt you would use if you were buying a car or a suit or groceries.

So how did it turn out for us? I got a job, we bought a house at less than the pre-approved amount, and we only spend what we have. Do you know how you do that? You don't use credit. I have a credit card. I use it to buy plane tickets for which we will be reiumbursed. That's it. No fancy dinners, no shoes, no Jaguars, no nothing. That's how we got a house in the first place, and that's how we keep it, month after month, for thirty years. I'm proud of my house. I love it. And I'm proud of myself and my husband, for paying every bill every month for 6 years so we could have it.

Sewing for Baby 2

Bonpoint make some gorgeous stuff, no doubt. But $200 for a baby dress is impractical. I would be afraid to put it on her, for one.

This one is cute, and would be super simple to sew - a few rectangles and some embroidery and you're done. They did it in wool, but a nice light cotton or linen would be pretty.



I love this cute little coat. Mccalls 5697 or Simplicity 6846 will make almost the exact same thing, but only in children's sizes. Burda 9944 is a close approximation for babies - just put buttons on where the ribbon ties are.

Paris, here we come

My husband is going to Paris the first week in December to sit on a PhD defense committee, and Jack and I have decided to tag along. I love to travel to places where there are people we know; we get hospitality and so much insider information. I have been thinking, though - Jack isn't going to go for three hour trips through the Louvre, or looking at picturesque monuments all day. In fact, I think the reason he wants to go is because I told him how good the croissants and ice cream are there. That's okay with me, I'm a big fan of croissants (and macarons, and pain au chocolat, and lemon tart, and chocolate mousse) myself. I have also been to Paris before and seen many lovely things, and this is Jack's first trip, so I am looking for some kid-friendly things to do. The hubbie will be at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, so I guess I'll start in that vicinity and work outwards (fortunately, Jack loves public transportation. He thought the electric buses in Vancouver were the last word in cool)

The museum is in the 5th arrondisement, on the Left Bank, close to the Seine, Notre Dame and the Luxembourg Gardens. The Jardin de Plantes, a botanical garden, is in front, along with a small zoo.

So:
E. Dehillerin (French kitchen shop)
Pierre Herme
Laduree
Berthillon (aforementioned ice cream)
Luxembourg Gardens
Jardin de Plantes & zoo
Montemartre (I missed it on my last trip)
Bonpoint (children's clothing boutique) outlet at 42 Rue de l'Universite
Louvre - 18 and under are free

Sewing for Baby

Four panels of redwork embroidery for a wall hanging for the nursery.

Baby clothing patterns

Print cottons for baby clothes

Kimono made from an antique linen pillowcase with a satin ribbon tie. From a pattern in Everything for Baby

Baby Mary Janes in natural linen and cotton gingham and floral print, pattern from For Sweet Baby

Closeup detail of button closure.

Crafty Purchases

Purchased today at AC Moore, which just revamped its yarn dept. Four different kinds of sock yarn! A huge clearance section with lots of nice stuff, not just the horrible furry novelty yarns.
3 skeins of Moda Dea Bamboo Wool in Chili Pepper Red to make a cabled cardigan for the little one on the way.

Paper Autumn Leaves, to string on twine and wind around the banister. A good craft for Jack and I tomorrow night.

feltworks felted wool balls, to use in a baby mobile with cloth birds and bugs. I got the idea from For Sweet Baby, a Japanese sewing book. I have no idea how to felt little balls of wool, though, so I was super excited to find them ready made.

Purchased at Target:

Dot crib sheet (middle) and dot dust ruffle (bottom) to match my crib bumper(top), handmade when I was pregnant with Jack.

Flickr Favorites

1. another corner, 2. Beautiful flowers, 3. Dresser Top, 4. B is for Bird, 5. Treeology art quilt 2/3, 6. Elephants Up Close, 7. Hellblaue Details, 8. kitchen close up, 9. mia's night light

Knitting for Baby

My newest niece, Emma Lucy, was born yesterday. I started this sweater for her back in April, and I put in an hour or so last night weaving in ends and adding silk ties. It's ready to go with a china cup and bowl set and a pair of little shoes. The pattern is Lion Brand Little Luxury Kimono, and the yarn is Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk DK in Nest Egg.

This scarf is for Audrey, the 8 month old baby of a friend. She tried to learn to knit, but was too busy, so I promised to make a scarf out of this pretty Elann Baby Silk (baby alpaca & silk) in Raspberry. The pattern is Irish Hiking Scarf, available for free on Ravelry. I'm completely in love with that velvet ribbon (Rose Pink, from M & J Trim in NYC, they mail order if you can't get there.)

Sewing World

I recently made a change in my sewing setup. It's in the basement, although it's nicer than that sounds since our basement is 1. finished, with a carpet and fireplace and 2. It has sliding glass doors out to the backyard. So it's a pretty nice big room down there. I used to have my sewing table next to the doors, and it felt creepy to have the black expanse of glass at night (I only have time to sew at night). Also, the room was too big. I felt lost in it.

I hung a curtain dividing the room in half. I moved my table over by the fireplace, put down a nice rug, set up the ironing board, and it's great. I went down last night and Monday night and sewed. I feel cozy instead of overwhelmed by the space. I still would love to have a light-filled attic studio with white curtains and a great view, but honestly, attics are hot in the summer and freezing in the winter, and our attic is unfinished at this point. I'm making do with what I've got, which is a lot, and I'm thankful for it.


The two projects I'm working on are:
Simplicity 4119

This is just about finished except for the hem, one side of the zipper and a portion of the inside lining. It will be nice for a summer wedding with a rose-colored pashmina and silver shoes.
Burda 9752

This blouse is about half done.