bits and pieces

I can't believe that it's only Monday.  It seems like it's been a long week already!  It's hard taking care of a baby and a toddler while dealing with my autistic older sister.  She has Aspergers Syndrome.  Which means that living with her is like living with a spoiled five year old that has no concept of the fact that there are other people except as an ends to their own wants.  Yes, there are usually tantrums involved.  It's just how her brain is hardwired and there's really nothing we can do to change it.  There are early intervention programs now but there weren't any 35 years ago when it could have helped.  Heck, Aspergers Syndrome hadn't been discovered then.  Just think--that 'weird' person you knew who didn't relate to other people at all could have really been on the Autism Spectrum.

I'm getting frustrated with the lack of sewing going on.

On the bright side, however, I figured out how to replicate my next project in a smaller size.  It's Butterick 7637 from the 30s.

I asked around over on the Martha Pullen forums and the nice people over there hooked me up with a Honeycomb Smocking tutorial.  (Where better to ask about smocking?) Apparently, there is more than one kind of smocking.  Who knew?  When I think smocking, I think of the English smocking that you get from high-end stores or do yourself.  I'd never heard of either "honeycomb" smocking or "American" smocking.

Well, you learn something new all the time!  I made a trip to the Store-that-should-not-be-named for Pearl cotton and a darning needle, so I'll be set when I finally finish the project I'm still working on.  The Knott's dots I ordered came in, too, and I'm following several pleaters on ebay.  I'm going to learn how to smock if it kills me.  ;) The cuteness factor of my nieces' clothes depend on it!  And, well, I can both embroider and cross-stitch, so it shouldn't be too hard, right?