This Week in My Haven: No. 21
This week in my haven was encouraging. I started the week by visiting a shop where I might be able to sell my products locally. Then a quote from me was featured on the Instagram account for the Made in Chicago Market. Finally (and most exciting to me), the look-alike dolly that I made Joanna got a very positive reaction. I hope that something encouraging happened to you this week too!
Shop announcements: More new items are being added every week!
The shop is full of handmade goodies-- from floral placemats to placemats you can color!
I will be adding more to my website as soon as I can about ordering a look-alike doll like the one Joanna has in the photo below. If you can’t wait though, please reach out! (I’d rather be sewing than working on my website anyway.)
Joanna holding her look-alike dolly that I made using free motion applique.
What I’m thinking about: How one little thing leads to another. I tried doing free motion applique for the first time about a month ago because I wanted to test out a feature of my new Bernette sewing machine that my old one didn’t have. I enjoyed it so much that I kept playing around with it when I had free time. Now, only a few short weeks later, it has become a sewing technique that I want to practice almost daily and it might just lead to a new product line for Haven Handmade.
What I’m making: I cut out a garment sewing project for myself! As I mentioned, I picked out some new fabrics from the Vogue Fabrics Store in Evanston, Illinois recently. I decided to cut into the red bamboo jersey knit first to make the Orosi top pattern from Sew Beautiful by Kennis Wong. I have my serger all set up and ready to sew!
What I’m cooking: I tried preserved lemons for the first time ever this week. Have you ever tried them? If so, what’s your favorite way to use them? I wasn’t at all sure what to do with them, but decided that I’d try making a little aioli-type condiment to go with fish one night this week. It turned out so tasty! Basically, it was like replacing the pickle relish in tartar sauce with minced preserved lemon. That’s my recipe recommendation for the week--try preserved lemons!
What I’m reading: I finished reading Kopp Sisters on the March by Amy Stewart, and loved it just as much as I loved the first four books of the series. My next read was picked for me by Third Coast Comics, the comic shop that Peter and Joanna frequent regularly. I had ordered some comics for them as a surprise, and, as I don’t read comic books normally, I asked the owner to mail me what he thought they would like. As a surprise, he included one for me! So, I started reading The Umbrella Academy. So far, I’m enjoying the story, even though it does take a different type of concentration to read comics. There is a TV series based on the comics too. Have you read this comic book series or watched the show? What did you think?
I’m about ready for a three day weekend to begin, but not before I log a couple more hours at my sewing machine. I wish you a warm, safe weekend!
(Disclosure: I do not receive any compensation for the recommendations or reviews I post here. All opinions are my own.)
