Hello from Seattle!

The Everyday

We are finally nice and settled (nevermind we have no pictures up on the wall yet). We moved a little over a month ago and we love it here. I haven’t felt this at home in a new city since moving to Austin, Texas. Everyone I’ve met so far has been super welcoming and I have yet to encounter the Seattle Freeze. *Knocks wood* I’ve lost count of all the random conversations I’ve had with friendly strangers. Maybe all the sunny weather lately has perked everyone up. No matter. The cheerfulness is infectious and makes me feel very content and happy we made the move here.

So what have we been up to since moving? Other than unpacking, we’ve been exploring the city: going to the zoo, the nearby lake and beach, or just walking around our neighborhood.

We also joined one of the local co-op pre-schools. We were part of one in California and Ollie loved it. I was a bit hesitant at joining one again because I found it hard to socialize at the last school. But not at current one. All the parents have come and introduced themselves and their little ones to us. Our first day went swimmingly. He keeps asking to go back! We’ve also been hanging out with some moms and kids from a couple of the mom groups I’ve joined. Knowing locals helps the settling-in transition so much. Takes the guesswork out of where to shop/eat/play, or what pediatrician/general doctor/dentist to go to. I can see us building a wonderful foundation for our family here. Can you tell I’m super happy about our decision to move here?

Sewing-wise

I met up with some lovely local sewing bloggers since arriving: GMarie, Wearable Muslin, Bird and Bicycle and Sew Well. Soon we’ll be meeting for sewing circle and I cannot wait. It’s nice to have sewing friends nearby for some good chatting, eating, fitting, and sewing. That’s something that I miss a lot about living in London; the ease of getting together with sewing friends. I wasn’t a fan of driving in California so I rarely made it to meetups in the city. Driving here is A LOT less stressful so I can see a lot more sewing get-togethers in my future.

My sewing space is mostly unpacked and organized. Some of the little bits still need sorting. But once I’m done I plan to share it because, why not?

Inspired by an American Sewing Guild meeting yesterday, I started sewing a much-needed basic, the Grainline Studios Linden sweatshirt.

Before moving, I purged my closet, leaving me a few pieces I can comfortably wear every day. After noting the gaps in my closet, I wrote up a sewing list and schedule in hopes of having a nice wardrobe by the end of summer. I’m sticking to basics for now; I don’t have enough and that’s what I need.

I also designed some pretty fabric using one of Ollie’s paintings. I intend to make a shift dress for Mother’s Day. I think I am going to go with the top right hand print in a cotton poplin.

Below is a picture of the swatches. The left-hand one is cotton poplin with a bigger print. The right-hand one is silky faille with a much smaller print. Initially I wanted something as brilliant as his painting but I changed my mind. Using a bigger image produced a very pretty watercolor effect. I love the idea of the print looking soft and light.

So that’s me now: exploring, making friends, and working on kicking up that sewing productivity. That’s my new Seattle normal and I love it.