Sewing for Boys Sew Alongs!

Last weekend, I ran a 5K, one I do each year as a fundraiser for the hospital that performed my son's open-heart surgery. It's a big day.

It was bigger this year. Because it coincided with an indie craft fair! I was in things-I-love-about-life heaven. I dragged my husband there, me still wearing my sweaty running clothes -- except I took my tights off and put on a skirt. So I was really wearing a sweaty tank, two different colored sports bras, a flowy skirt and wait for it..... tennis shoes! Kind of embarrassing to look at cute artist wares looking like that sort of hot mess.

And of course, I happened to meet cool people. Of course.

First I met Emily from the blog EmmmyLizzzie! She was wandering outside waiting to go in; so were we. She noticed my 241 tote, and KNEW it was a 241 tote. Then she said, "I love Heather Ross fabric!" And that's when I was like, wow, she is my people. Then I was blown away to realize I recognized HER bag, the Showoff Bag from Made by Rae. Not just any bag -- this one! Because she was a pattern tester. I am such a sewing nerd, that this was like meeting a movie star or something. Her bag was famous!

We proceeded inside and I dragged my husband through three floors of cuteness. I really wanted many things, but wow, shopping with your ahem frugal husband really puts a damper on things. But there was one thing I just had to get -- the Sewing for Boys book by Karen LePage and Shelly Figueroa. I'd wanted it anyway and was thinking of asking for it for Christmas, but then I had my second total-sewing-nerd moment when I realized Karen was there, selling the books herself! How much cooler is it to buy the book from the author, talk to her about it and thumb through the rack of clothes she's selling from the book than to buy it from Amazon.com? Um, so cool! And she signed it for me.

I will indeed keep rocking the crafty goodness, Karen!

All of this is the lead-up to this: Karen is hosting a sew-along from the book over on her blog, One Girl Circus. The Treasure Pants! (Anna just made them here.) I really want to take part but am unprepared. And staring down a Halloween-costume deadline. But I wanted to spread the word in case you didn't know!

And guess what else?

I will be co-hosting another sew along from the book next week! Leila from the blog Three Dresses and I decided over on Twitter to make The Henry Shirt. It's adorbs. (Here's one cute one I found via Google.) I have my fabric, the main fabric anyway. We're ready to go, but will wait for you to get ready to join us. The Sew Along should begin middle of next week! I have never attempted a shirt for my kids. I have never even made a button hole! But it's OK, we can figure it out together.

Care to join us?