Ok, now I'm really back. And to prove it, a long and rambling post.

I've noticed a new trend on your blogrolls: time since last post.

This trend makes me nervous, because consistently, while others' updates read 10 minutes ago and 2 hours ago and 1 day ago, mine is more like 10 days ago and a year ago and it's been so long we think she's died.

So, I've been guilted into writing. That's not unusual, though, because it's generally an external force (guilt, deadline, mother, boss) that makes me buckle down and get to work. I'm not a self-starter, though I lie about that in job interviews. I'm not a multi-tasker, either, for what it's worth. And I don’t work well with others, and I don’t “love new challenges.” All lies for the sake of potential new bossman. Hopefully none of you ever want to hire me, because then I’ll have to delete this post.

Anyway, fear (another motivator) of losing my readers has forced me into action (left to my own devices - as you're probably learning - I'm astonishlingly sloth-like).

Also, summer's over, making it time to write. I’ve mentioned before that summer and I aren’t friends, and while that’s mostly because of its oppressive heat and the way I look in shorts (ick), it’s also because summer saps me of motivation. In my mind, I’m still a kid, so summertime is for sleeping late, going to the pool, reading magazines, watching movies and eating ice cream. It’s not – at least, in my confused brain - for working hard, writing thought-provoking blog entries, challenging myself to look hard at my feelings or anything that could/would take effort.

But early dusks and cool evenings are slowly taking over the relentless heat. In the mornings, I pull the quilt around me and sigh, finally comfortable after months of fitful, shallow sleep.

Fall heralds the return of my motivation, my industriousness. Not only do I have energy to make plans, I have the fortitude to follow through, to actually do things.

What am I going to do? I'm going to SEW.

Yep. Sew. Not climb, not hike or run, not train for ski season (though I hope to do a bit of that, too).

I want to make things out of the stacks and stacks of fabric I’m busy collecting. Want to see some of my favorites? (I’m trying to use lots of images because Buttah likes images and, let’s face it, I need to do what I can to retain readers at this point).

The new beautiful things I’m stockpiling:

1. The Yo Yo Elephant pattern, which yields both an adorable and floppy Yo Yo elephant doll as well as a stuffed elephant. All made from scraps and fat quarters.


I love it so and can't wait to make many, many of these for all my friends' new babies (it's like babies are Autumn's hottest accessory or something. Seriously, it's a damn epidemic). I've seen these Yo Yo dolls before, in fair trade catalogs and the like, and part of me feels bad - like by making these myself, I'm neglecting an indigenous woman of a sale of one of her dolls, but the truth is, mine will probably be so funny looking that my friends will buy the originals anyway, so as not to frighten their kids.

2. Alexander Henry's Daybreak fabric.


The beauty of this fabric so overwhelms me that I don't even know what to make out of it. Any suggestions? I think a nightgown could be fun. Or PJ pants. But I'd love to make something more creative, because it's such a unique and captivating print....

3. The lovely Swing Bag from the lovely Amy Butler.


It just seems perfect. Even Arnie thinks so.

4. This Bird Garland or Mobile.

The kind and adorable ladies at Philly's own Spool Sewing (cool name, huh? Their sister store, a knitting boutique, is called Loop) have generously provided this pattern for free on their website; it's so sweet it hurts my teeth, and best of all, you can create the little birds from fabric scraps and fat quarters. Bargain birds.

5. And here's my beautiful and inspirational collection of fabrics. (I hope to someday be a good enough sewer - hmmm, that spelling just doesn't look right... - to do these beautiful pieces justice.)

Brilliant fat quarters:

Pretty toiles and prints (note the Golden Retriever in the first fabric):


Um...more Daybreak in a different colorway (I'm a bit obsessed):

And some elegant embroidered pieces:

I'm so eager for the upcoming three-day weekend - the time of year that marks the end of summer and the return of fall. I'm going to sew, walk the dogs, knit, write, read and watch movies, and I. Cannot. Wait.

How are you celebrating the beginning of autumn? Also, I'd love some suggestions for sewing projects. I'm very much a beginner, but I'd love some ideas....