Only problem being, she and her friend Lilah really didn’t want to spend time just hanging out either. They weren’t up for playing but the idea of just hanging made them both a little anxious. Too much pressure to just be. And to figure out what to do with their conversations and their hands and their hearts too.

As they got together this week, they decided they would each bring their sewing machines, pick a project, and get busy. They pondered all kinds of great patterns and projects out there – including a few sneak previews they got from our upcoming Future Craft Collective book Make Stuff Together. They strolled through One Yard Wonders which has lots of great small projects to peruse.They poured over Lotta Jansdotter’s Simple Sewing book too which we all love to drool over.

Finally, they decided they’d create their own. And, rather than each work on their own project, they would work together on a strip quilt lap blanket so that they could each have one on their respective summer airplane trips.They’d make one this week and then another next week (thereby guaranteeing some more time together too!)

Craft Out!!

They had a great time, as you can plainly see. And they made a beautiful blanket too that each one will have to always remind each other of their friendship – even when they’re traveling in opposite directions.

What we saw as mothers, were two girls seguing into the next portion of their developmental selves and their friendship too. The girls were both able to see how they are moving into that land that rests squarely between being little and being big. And they came up with a perfect new term for the kind of plan-oriented time they want to have with each other while they live in this land they’re in: A Craft Out.Not a play date. Not a hang out. But a Craft Out.

So, if you’ve got a pre-teen in the house and she’s trying to ease into this new life of hers, maybe she’d want to plan such time with a friend too. They can get together not to play, not to hang out, but to craft out. Together.

So, here it is, their very beautiful rendition of the Future Craft Collective Summer Center…

I’d rewrite it but really, when I read what we wrote about it last year, I realize it’s all said and need not be said again. Here’s a few highlights…

With this project, it is our greatest intention to help ease you and your kids into the transition, while simultaneously helping you get intentional about the open-ended summer months ahead.

We created the Summer Center as a place where the family can come on a lazy or crazy formless summer day to get ideas, prompts, and inspiration towards what to do next. It’s also a place to put intentions and schedule activities for the three school-less months that make up summer.

So get on over to Craftzine for parts one and two of the Summer Family Center. Whether you’re doing camps or going campless this summer, this banner can hold it all.

It sounds super easy of course. And really it is. But it’s also super cool and a great way to get through the rest of winter time without spending some bucks on some new shirts. Even here in Texas we’re having an elongated long-sleeve season with temps a full 10-20 degrees below normal. Brrrrrrrr. We’re not used to this down here!

All you need to get started is a sewing machine and a couple of short sleeve tees.

Find two that match. Or don't. Whichever you prefer.

If you like cap sleeves, whack them off. Or leave them. Your call.

try to get a basic measurement of the distance of the seam that joins the body of the tee to the sleeve. then half that measurement , add 1/2" for seam allowance, and use that number to draw a line from the center of the tee that will be your long sleeves down to just under the armpit of the tee, then make a line that goes down to the bottom of the tee shirt and tapers in.

hard to see here, but i folded the top sleeve piece in half lengthwise in order to get a mirror image to complete the sleeve piece. trace and cut. the bottom hem of the shirt will now be your wrist hem. so you want the length that your sleeve tapers to at the bottom to equal the diameter that you would like the wrist of your sleeve to be, minus 1/2 in seam allowance on either side.

fold both sleeve pieces in half lenghwise, right side in, and stitch up the underarm seam. i used my serger here, but a zig zag stitch (for stretch) would also work.

fold your tee shirt inside out. stuff the sleeve of your teeshirt (the one that came attatched to it, not the one we're going to add) INSIDE the shirt, so that you are looking at the bodice of the tee shirt and can see the shoulder seam, but the sleeve is tucked inside. now you will take one of your new long sleeves, flip the underarm seam so that it is on the INSIDE of the sleeve, then stuff the whole thing inside the tee shirt where you have already stuffed the existing short sleeve, wrist side first. line up the underarm seam of your new sleeve with the underarm seam of your existing sleeve, then match the sleeves all the way around the diameter of the sleeve opening. zig zag new sleeve to existing sleeve.

when you are done stitching, your layers of sleeve and tee shirt should basically look like this. (keep in mind this tee shirt is INSIDE OUT).

do the same thing to the other sleeve, then turn it all right side out! voila.

At school, Kathie made a beautiful banner to remind folks to stay local in their consumption. It’s called “100 mile holiday” and offers up ideas for keeping it close to home this season. The board celebrates all the amazing craftsfolk, artists and artisans here in Austin – of which there are many, many, many! And many fairs too at which to see their amazing wares. We’ll be adding more info as we find it around town.

We’re making lots of things at our house – lots of paintings and drawings and a little sewing and baking too. We’ve got our Advent calendar up with it six branches representing each of us and this year, in addition to the trinket that gets hung on the tree, I’ve added little notes to the pockets with some suggestions of things the kids can do to spread the joy. Things such as writing a note to Grandma or to their single Aunt who lives in a group home. Making drawings and bringing them over to our amazing neighbor next door. Making a bed for someone else without telling or doing some other secret good deed. Depending on the mood of the recipient they’ve been received (randomly) quite well. Only one scuffle of “I don’t feel like drawing!!!” at which point I informed said child that these were merely suggestions, not obligations.

I finished up a couple of holiday mama craft nights too which were super fun – some Advent calendar making and some card making using all recycled or thrifted materials. Even the beautiful box of linen envelopes I was able to get from the thriftstore! We all had a great time playing with all the die cuts from various items pulled from the recycling bin: envelopes, cereal boxes, brown paper bags and beer boxes. (see that little Sierra Nevada star?)

The calendars turned out to be a really satisfying project too – all hand sewn with burlap and various vintage and found fabrics. These calendars were inspired by one that we had growing up that was made by my aunt. It was one of the cherished pieces of our Christmas season and is still being used today by one of my nieces, probably 40 years after its creation. I’ve been lucky enough to get a few pictures of the ones made in our workshop…

This is Clair's amazing calendar and beautiful daughter

Angel's lovely 3 trees

One of the many things I love about these calendars is that they allow a family to celebrate the entire season as opposed to focusing on just one day. In addition, you get to dig out all those little beads, baubles and broken pieces of jewelry from the bottom of your jewelry box that you’ve loved too much to throw away! And they are given new life as decorations on the tree.

We’d love to hear what you’re doing in your house. What are you making? How do you celebrate? What are your favorite family rituals and traditions? We’re always looking to add a few more to the mix.

With that in mind I’m putting a few Collective Craft nights on the calendar between now and Thanksgiving – because we all know how the best laid plans for making during that time of year can get pushed aside if not claimed and calendared. We’ll have a few nights of holiday card making using family photos as the base for some very creative collage fun. We’ll have a 2 part craft night making Advent calendars – counting down to whatever your family celebrates that time of year, be it Christmas, Solstice, Hannukah, Festivus, the New Year or whatever.

Advent by Sarah Bork Hamilton

There’s also talk of a possible costume making craft night organized by a very amazing costume maker in town so stay tuned. And come back soon for dates and other important details. These craft nights have been super fun so far and I am really looking forward to hosting some more.

Thanks Audrey and Bridget! (And Mom Corinna too!)You guys did a beautiful job! And we really appreciate you sending us the pics to share on our blog. If you have some project photos of your own, we’d love for you to send them our way. We love coming up with the projects and we love feedback even more.