CHICKPEA SEWING STUDIO

On Saturday I found this pair of corduroys from JCrew on their sale rack for $15. the fit is perfect which is a complete rarity, as they are cropped for tall regular women they fit perfectly my short petite frame. The color however, well you see for yourselves and pick a word. They needed toning down, and being almost free they were worth the risk.

Rit lets you choose between stovetop and washing machine, but our German front loader seems ill equiped for this task. I had to go with the pot and dearly wish it had been larger. What can easily contain a skein of yarn to dye will not let a stiff garment move around freely.

I am surprised and overjoyed with the results, the Rit Color Remover really works wonders and the results are mostly even. The pants actually look as if they have been proffessionally distressed as opposed to stirred around on the stove top. The color also looks like the petals of a peach rose much like these new pants from Anthropologie...

Finn got easily unlisted to take a few pictures of the final product, making the cat extremely uneasy. Never mind thought, we had all kind of backbreaking-color-clashing-blurry-fun!

Some sweaters you can't let go of. This one has been with me for over four years, it stretched over my belly as I gained 50lbs while carrying Finn, and then shrunk back again to be a pair of black leggings best friend. But lately it's only good to sleep in as it has acquired three unexplained holes (#@@!!&).

When I read about the Stella Neptune Cashmere patches I thought why not? there is nothing to loose at this point ( except $12 w/ free shipping). They are three patches in each bags and three holes on my sweater, a match made in heaven. Last night I gave it a go:

First you find out how you want to arrange your patches and pins them:

Then turn the sweater inside out and press for a while. I had to turn my iron up a little and I was a little worried but absolutely nothing unpleasant happened. You right the sweater back to the outside, remove the pins and press even longer (still needlessly worried by that point). Et Voila!

Perfect patches and a sweater with some personality. I will use again for certain since I just bought a " new with tag" cashmere Garnet Hill cardigan for a song on Ebay with a little hole in the sleeve.

From the envelope I learned that the tags are made of recycled cashmere (sweaters?) in America.

With all the worry about Thomas' health lately (he is almost completely recovered now and shows only minor rashes that are almost cute in their polka dotty way), we had a very low key Mother's day. Our tiny american family got together and made individual pizza using the dough I made in the morning with my ever living sourdough starter. You can find a video about the recipe on Breadtopia. Pizza and Champagne, perfect combo.  I asked Thomas repetitively when the flower delivery truck was coming, almost managing to keep a strait face. I think he took it seriously though, lol.

Mother's day presents are surprisingly just as nice two weeks later, as I discovered today when presented with two pairs of refurbished Frye boots in my size. I believe I squeaked then plopped to the floor while simultaneously removing my socks and shoes to try them on. This is the first pair, shown here with a mix of denim and pasty knees.

That minuscule white spot could be why Nordstrom was letting them go for 23% of the original price, but I'd like to think it's because they were meant for me, you know, to suit my feet and my wallet, hum I mean Thomas' wallet. The second pair is just as nice, the same model in fact, but much shorter. Not as affordable since Thomas had to pay 29% of the original price but somehow he managed even though he wasn't there. Shown below with the same pinkish-hued knees.

A pair of Frye boots is to me as ice cream is to Finn, the more the merrier. The boy always says, 'Mama, I need a lot' and kiddo did mama get a lot! I had never bought a refurbished pair before and from what I can tell that mean they were returned to the store. When I look at them they remind me of my philosophy with cars, I like myself a new car but want someone else to be responsible for the first dent, so I don't buy it new, just barely kind of used. Same with those boots, I can wear them to their death now that they have their first scuff, white spot, whichever...

I dedicate this post to my friend K who has the coolest pink, purple and silver hair, and who encourages me to write and to my friend S, because she calls me a 'fashion plate'. One is a mom and one is not but they are my BFFs all the same.