Love the fabric. Love the sweater. LOVE the shoes and handbag. Dang, I love every bit of it. But where oh where did you get those shoes? I need some of those!

I can't wait to see the finished dress. I really need to learn how to sew.

Awesome everything! You remind and inspire me, I have pattern, fabric and notions for two skirts, time to get the sewing machine out.

That's it! I am spending my lunch hour at the fabric store tomorrow!

The shoes are last season Aigner, I think I got them at DSW. Don't you love my helpers? Especially Bob, peering through my handbag!!!

Lovely! And where do you get the Dr. Bronners' eucalyptus soap? I am so lazy about washing my wood floors...yours look great!

SO funny! Just like at my house - I making fused plastic re-useable shopping totes for all my friends for Christmas, so I'm starting now (hello, multi-step time-consuming project). I'm going totally green by making the handles out of fabric from dresses I found at my local thrift store (so everything is reused and recycled, well, except for the thread). My cats have laid on the dresses, the plastic bags, the cutting surface, you name it, they've laid on it! Cat hair comes free with these bags, I guess! Bonus!

Ahh, brings back the days of high school clothing class. Maybe I should drag out the ol' sewing machine again...

I go to L.A. often on business, so I've gotten to know it over the years. One of my friends took me to Michael Levine, and I LOVE it! Don't they also carry knitting stuff?

You're going to look so beautiful!!

I get the same type of "help" from my cats when I'm winding yarn or drop a ball of yarn on the floor while knitting. They are so helpy and I guess I'm just not as appreciative as I should be. There's nothing like knitting with yarn full of cat spit!

Love the fabric!

I love it! Brown and pink (or blue) rock my face off. The fabric is GREAT. You're going to be adorable. And tres chic

I can offer you a 70 pound chocolate lab and 25 pound corgi who are also VERY helpful in the laying down-supervising-helping-being cute department.

Ace ALWAYS helps me...he's the "feline paperweight"!!

Beautiful fabric!!

LOVE the fabric, as well as the helpful cats! (Looks like my house at 7am, with Grace helping me read the paper by laying right on "Brewster Rockit, Space Guy.") That dress is going to be beautiful!

LOL I have 3 very um... "helpful" cats myself

Adorable outfit - you'll be the center of wedding guest attention. And aren't cats the best seamstress assistants? Mine help all the time by putting extra claw holes in the pattern pieces - for ventillation, I suppose. They also make great weights in case you don't want to pin the pattern pieces to the fabric - simply plop cat on pattern piece, then cut around cat! Works every time. Michael Levine has awesome fabric, not to mention awesome yarn. I try to avoid the place on my lunch break when I can - too tempting to buy cool stuff, but nice to know it's there in case the need arises. Have fun at the wedding.

Oh yeah, cat help. That would be the reason why I'm completely reorganizing my house. I'm moving my studio space from an open area on one level to a room with a door on another level. There is only so much "help" I can stand to have.

Love the fabric choice BTW. That's a fantastic combo you've got going there and you will look lovely!

Liza {who's given up trying to avoid cat help when it comes to her knitting}

I've just taken delivery of a new sewing machine, and am now even more inspired... ~x~

I decided long ago that all directions for everything should begin with "lock cats in another room."

Oh Laurie, what a gorgeous pattern & fabric! Please keep us posted on your progress! I also love to sew and yes, I have two feline assistants who are always ready to pounce on crinkly pattern pieces, slide across the floor on my meticulously-laid-out fabric, terrify me by flirting with my needles and scissors...need I say more?

Love the outfit and photos, and your helpers!! So cute, thanks for the smile! And good luck with the dress- I have had plans for a cute laura ashley dress that I cut out a YEAR ago, now just need to actually sew everything together... someday... :)

I have no idea how people who don't live near the LA garment district manage to sew--I could never find anything at the evil JoAnne's. Michael Levine is the best. Also, excellent choice in shoes--I have the pewter version of those bronze bad girls.

Cat's aren't the only ones that sit on things you're using. I knew a corgi that loved to sit on my fiance's notes back in the day.

darling shoes.

I can't sew! I am living through you vicariously. Your dress will be beautiful! Loved all the cat-helper pictures. :)

I hope it pleases you to know that my weekly foray into the Wonderful World of Wal-Mart included a stop in the fabric department and the purchase of two patterns, one for a wrap dress and one for a camp-shirt style dress. I can't remember the last time I wore a dress, but now I have to. Next stop, Joanne's for the fabric. I'll keep you posted.

You're going to be FABULOUS! I miss Michael Levine's but I'm conveniently located mere blocks from fabric row. Now why don't I sew more?

My cats are great helpers, too, especially Lila who likes to get in my lap when I'm at the computer. Try not to outshine the bride at that wedding. Your fabric and shoes are very nice.

And this is why I don't exercise. Too many 'helpers' of the furred variety.
It's going to be a totally cute look when it's all done!

Great outfit! i dont think that you could have gotten any more perfect fabric. Being a huge batik fan i applaud your choice. Have a great time in the creation of your attire and the modeling at the gala event. I hope we get to see you in your finery!

I love my fur helpers, they help me by eating my pattern pieces while I'm cutting out fabric. They also stand behind my sewing machine while I'm sewing and try to catch and eat the thread as it goes by. I usually sew in my Mom's studio much more peaceful at her house than at mine.

1) Your cat's always make my day. Thankyou for sharing them with me!

2) I've been good about keeping my unsolicited opinions to myself lately, but I am tempted to offer you my unsolicited ADVICE in regard to McCall's patterns. With your timeline, you might not have time for a do-over, so my unsolicited ADVICE (no opinions here) is to BASTE all your seams before you make any permanent seams. Try the basted dress on to FIT it and re-adjust if necessary. Good luck!

grace, your advice is tantalizing. as i too am thinking about sewing my own duds, why baste the mccalls patterns? are they different from others? i'm a n00b when it comes to sewing...

You are so going to rock that dress Laurie! I grew up with a mom who sewed our clothes, and yes I know how to sew,(I made my son's cloth diaper covers, how's that for being thrifty?!?) but I have way too many unfinished projects. I also stockpile yarn and fabric for the apocalypse, and I'm trying to declutter, so some Colorado Springs Freecycle members are going to be benefitting soon! I also have a helper, my son! He likes to add his special sauce (slobber) to everything I work on....It's lovely. Maybe after I've gotten the clutter and stockpiling under control, I'll make a dress too!

smokeyJoe, Grace is 100% right. McCalls patterns (like all patterns, in my opinion) fit each person differently. I never go by the pattern as a final guide, I usually cut the paper and do an impromptu measure against my body, then re-adjust as needed. Then I cut fabric. After I cut my fabric, I usually pin and fit to adjust. I'm not a big fan of basting, I pin faster than I baste so this is what works for me.

I always end up making alterations in the end to fit my shape since patterns usually cut for a B cup and I am a D+ and have been since high school. I have learned to love darts LOL.

The other thing -- patterns are NOT cut on ready-to-wear sizing. It is very common for a woman who wears a size 12 off the rack to need a 16 (or sometimes 18 if there's not a lot of ease) in a pattern. I know this drives folks insane. I always measure my body and compare that against the finished measurements printed on the pattern pieces. It's the only way I have ever managed to get a good fit from a manufactured pattern.

The floors look awesome! Have you tried the Tea Tree by Dr. Bronner? It smells rather awesome too. There is also a peppermint, rose, and almond too which might be nice as well and keep the house smelling awesome as well. You could use the Peppermint for the holiday hell. The rose when you want something summery. The almond for whenever.
I love having cat help especially when I am doing something that I need to do like read a book and cat decides to jump on lap and book as well.
You will have to include pictures of you wearing your latest creation with all the add ons like the bag and shoes.
Brown and pink sounds great. I personally dont like pink too much because when I wear it I look awful but with the brown I might be able to get away with it.

This is the greatest post, Laurie. Beautiful fabric and I am sure the finished ensemble will be wedding-perfect! How could it not be with your talents ably assisted, or is it abetted, by the feline crew! Being a quilter and sewer myself, I lnow just how important it is for all work to be thoroughly inspected by my curious Ms. Graysea.
Just curious....are any of your kitties obsessed with eating plastic?? We have a serious issue with it at my house!

You're inspiring me to get my sewing machine back from my friend's house where it's been living for several years now. I'm a scrapbooker and I have three furry helpers too. Why do they always want to help when I'm using sharp scissors - aren't they afraid for thier whiskers or tails?

Fabulous everything! I love that fabric. I, too, chose a simple pattern to get back into sewing: potholders!

BTW, I just finished reading your book last night. I really enjoyed it: so real. It's not nice to experience some of the lows you described, but it is almost inevitable, so it is nice to know you're not the only one who felt so badly.

I'll recommend it to a co-worker who's getting divorced. She also has 4 cats, but, alas, she doesn't knit. But who knows? Maybe she'll take it up.

You are so ready for Project Runway, girl! I'm thinking you should carry the Soba in the perty pink handbag with you.

I have the same sewing mat thingy, except my Bob cat has eaten chunks out of it, and all my patterns have tape tape tape on them.

Isn't it so interesting and so helpful the way that cats think that anything on the floor is for them to sit on. We actually have a small cardboard box that has become a permanent part of our living room. After it came in the mail and we unpacked it, it ended up on the floor and the cat decided that it was her favorite thing to sit on.

*laugh* It looks just like my house whenever I try to do a project - - kitty babies everywhere, trying to "help" me out!

Don't know how I ever got anything done before I had them . . . :-)

How do you finish your seams -- serger?

LOVE cat helpers! My cat, Bucca, puts his paw on top of whatever book I happen to be reading and give me a look as if to say - Hello?! The most handsome cat is standing on you. Pay attention to me, for crying out loud!!

Don't they shred the pattern thingie, though?

There are worse things to be addicted to besides batik!

Your outfit is shaping up as way cute. I hope you will show us the final result!

I call my cats "supervisors" or "inspectors". The fiance put together a new TV stand from Target last night and all the kitties had to get inside and on top to make sure everything was done properly before it was marked "complete". Silly kitties, you just have to love them.

DAMN....those shoes are YUM!!!

Jenny -- no serger. I am old fashioned and have a VERY basic sewing machine with two stitches -- straight and zigzag! I usually use whatever seam finishing method works for the fabric. I don't think I'll have time to make enclosed seams this time though, so I'll have to fake it with another method. I am a total seam finishing geek.

Marcia -- my cats do not eat plastic but one LOVES to chew on photographs. Weirdos.

Oooo! You clever Crazy Auntie! Loving the fabric and all the fashiony bits you have to accompany it. Can't wait to see the finished item and please give someone else your camera at the wedding so we can see you all prettied up. Please?

Why is it, that when there is any stray piece of paper on the floor, a cat must come and sit upon it? Is it a dominance kind of thing? Like their showing that paper who's in charge? My cat does this every time there is paper on the floor. I always wonder why she does it...

Okay...I love your outfit that you've got going with your dress in the making. Very, very cool. I love all that pink...that purse is way too cool. Will you please tell us where you got it? I'd love to have one like it...!

That pattern is so cute and will look great in that fabric. My mom used to sew, I wish I had picked it up - I'd love to get a couple of basic dress patterns and just do them in different colors/prints.

My cats also love to help, especially when I'm knitting or using the computer. Or ironing.

My cat likes to help me read the newspaper! How would I do it without him?!

I, too, went through a batik phase a few years ago. Made a whole mess of summer skirts. So versatile! Can't wait to see how your dress turns out!

If there is a single piece of paper on the floor, our cat Nehemiah is the first to make sure that it stays put. Trying to read through a 16 lb cat is no easier.

Dude, we are not playing "hot lava".

Best.Shoes.EVER!!

Maybe that's why I never get any sewing done - I have no cat helpers!

I am lucky to have two in-house book reviewers. If neither of them deem my literature worthy to sit on while I am trying to read it must be junk!

Nice fabric. I have a bunch of batik from when I lived in Asia. You've given me an idea!

I hope we'll get a picture of you modeling the dress when you're done! I've moved my sewing machine to a spare room for a "sewing room" but so far have only practiced.
On a somber note - My 9 year old cat Chuckie Finster has been missing since last Wednesday evening. I'm getting sadder by the day.

I really really love your pink bag! The whole outfit is going to be super cute.

My cat always helps with projects, particularly work I bring home, by trying to sit on the keyboard while I'm typing. It always starts with a single paw, and then she starts inching over. Greatly adds to productivity. She also decimates my garden and promptly barfs. So she's an excellent assistant all the way around.

Delurking to say: I have that pattern! It was my go-to dress pattern for years until I ran out of time to sew. I've made everything from flowery mini-dresses to long garden-prty dresses to a slinky little black number and they all turned out great! I eliminated the back zip after the first version since I don't like my dresses skin tight and just pulled it over my head.

Love your fabric, you cats, your blog...

Laurie, I went to the Dr. Bronner's website and saw soaps for personal use..where is the stuff you bought to do your floors? Or is it one and the same? Is that even possible? I am trying to get hubby to STOP cleaning floors with poisonous Pine Sol. Smells horrible and makes the floor wicked slippery - kinda fun to see felines and canine make their way across it, though.... hee hee.

I LOVE those Batik prints . . . I made a slew of cloth grocery bags with them!

Sobakowa makes a better door than a window.

Hahaha! I knit, I sew, I bead... and so forth and so forth. The cats help with all of it!

As I type, there is a kitten in my lap and her father is attempting to test the keys, to assure they are in working order, of course.

Love the dress, REALLY love the bag!

The crinkling of pattern tissue is like the whirring of a can of tuna being opened, cats are honor-bound to participate :)

I love those colors- I wish I had the guts to wear a pink that vibrant. You're going to look great!

This is great... the dress will be good with brown also, to make it less festive for work or whatever. I'm a big fan of brown & pink - good for your coloring also!

I was thinking of you today, because I found a really awesome tutorial online to make your own fabric shopping bags that fold up into little patches. I've made two already. They are easy and awesome and fold up to fit in your glove box or purse! Is there a way to send you linkage?

Hey, I think the cat in the back is lifting your wallet out of your purse....if a bunch of new cat toys show up at the house you better check the credit card reciepts!

I love the outfit! Your helpers look familiar. my calico cat, Emma, loves to help me in my sewing room. She likes to stand between me and the sewing machine, and hold down my fabric while I'm cutting strips for quilts. Amazingly, none of my 5 cats help with my knitting so much.

I also have a half-Siamese cat named Blue, who looks a bit like your angel Roy and loves bacon [see the April 20, 2008 blog entry for a picture]. I know it's coming up on a year since you lost Roy, so consider yourself hugged. I still get teary about my cat Lucky, and she's been gone 5 years now. :-(

Every worthwhile project should have at least one furry supervisor!

I definitely can't read pattern instructions that are under my kitty. If I had the right x-ray goggles, I'd mail them to you so you could make sure to see all of those fancy pants instructions (or in this case, fancy dress)!

Oh I love love love those shoes! I searched online but could only find these: http://www.zappos.com/n/p/p/7331838.html which I bought, but I would have rather bought the ones you have with the cute buckle! That outfit will look so adorable.

Connie B - you made me cry! I didn't know about Roy so I went to the archives and scrolled through till I found Laurie's post. I am now sitting here with teary eyes. I am sorry for both of you that you have lost such wonderful, loving members of your family. That being said - how fortunate for them to have been part of such warm, kindhearted people as yourselves. I love the kittons (what my son used to call them when he was a baby) and love to see what they are up to on a daily basis. Hugs to you both.

I love the colors of the dress and I like all the accessories that you are pairing it with.

I laughed out loud at all the "help" you were getting from the cats. My cat tends to help only when things are really important, must do now, must not have cat hair on them.

I use Dr. Bronner's for just about EVERYTHING. It keeps my skin clear, you can do laundry if you need to AND IT GETS BLOOD OUT OF CLOTHES!!! It's the best. seriously. Just sayin'. You can get it at Walgreens usually, along with all the health food places

We only have one cat, and it is truly amazing how attentive he becomes when I am sewing. The slippery the fabric, the more he tries to 'help' when I am pinning. Oh, and yes, he knows who is allergic to him and will head straight for them. Of course, he does not like stupid people, hisses at them.

Beth I use it for everything too!! LOVE Dr. Bronner! But I have always used the peppermint flavor and now I am hooked on the eucalyptus for housecleaning. I refilled all my hand soap pumps with a mix of Dr. B's peppermint soap & water and it makes my hands smell awesome and doesn't dry my skin! I swear I use it everywhere. It is the best!

Also the real Dr. Bronner escaped from a mental asylum before becoming the soap czar and I just think that is awesome right there. I love crazy people.

When you learn how to use your X-ray vision to read through cats, can you teach me? I could be reading off a post-it note and my cats will come creeping out just to sit on top of it.

All right, now I really need to learn to sew. You know those really really super-easy knitting tutorials that you do? Could you do one of those for sewing? Seriously. I am all checked out on most things knitterly (all right, still a little shaky on sweaters), but petrified of sewing.

This last week my 6 cats and I worked very hard at putting together silk bouquets and boutineers for a wedding. The bride will be happy to know that I was able to salvage enough of the chewed on ribbon and flung in to the air carnations and draped over their head and stuck to their tail tule that I was able to finish the job. Now I will spend tonight picking cat hair out of the flowers so that I can give them to the wedding party tomorrow.

The best part of this is that I know full well that if I WANTED them to sit on tule or run around with silk flowers hanging out of their mouth...I couldn't pay them to do so.

Cats are so helpful. Really. I'm serious. They always know just where to be and what to do. I always feel so grateful when they sit on top of my papers, walk across my computer, stick their heads in my cup of tea, try to eat my food, throw up on the carpet, make a mess of their litter box, throw up on the carpet, run outside and make me chase them, throw up grass on the carpet from when they ran outside, run up catastrophic vet bills, cry incessantly when I'm on the phone, throw up when I'm on the phone so I can't get to them in time to move them elsewhere, assist in every way that they aren't even remotely needed, demand to have the bathroom tap turned on and then ignore it, leave cat hair everywhere...in comparison I just feel lost. I have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing. Then again, I'm not in charge here I'm just on staff.

Love the fabric and lucky you to have such a great fabric store nearby. I just cut out a sundress out of some green batik that makes me think I'd look like a mermaid. Snort..not! I was told once, by someone who knew that sort of thing, that your pattern is one of the best lines ever. Almost everyone looks good in that style. One of my cats just HAS to help me everytime I get my sewing machine out. Once I was sewing some rather heavy fabric and concentrating quite hard. Suddenly there was a large lump right in front of the needle. I thought the fabric had gotten wadded up but in reality it was Mercy's paw! I guess she thought she'd help me keep it in line. Shew-ee, scary!

Maybe you already know this but I had to share anyway. My husband and I recently went on vacation in Bali and while there we went to a little shop and saw how batik fabric is hand made. It is a pretty intricate process that involves steady hands, wax and reverse dying. Tres cool - and just thought I would share since you are spreading all the batik love.

Laurie, those colors rock! You'll look fabulous.

My late, great, mini bull terrier loved to participate in the sewing process by grabbing a piece of the pattern in her mouth and dashing around the house with it. Fortunately, she was a pig dog, so all I had to do was drop a biscuit in front of her and I got my pattern back.

PS. Am currently using Dr. Bronner's Hemp and Lavender as shower scrub and loving the smell. Well, not currently as in "writing this post in the shower", but currently as in "this month."

Hello all. I am a flag-waving American citizen who somehow landed in the Middle East and Iam looking for a way out. :( (its a long story with lots of sordid details: cheating spouse, dysfunctional inlaws, deceipt and underhandedness...it might make a very interesting movie. :) Anyway, hello to everyone and I look forward to sharing my international experiences withall of you in the coming months.

Yeah for you! Isn't batik the greatest thing since sliced bread? If you want to see great batik, go to Thailand! If you don't love it there, I'll eat my hat!!! Great food, beautiful cloth and nice people. What more could you ask for? But go in January or Febuary... it's hotter than blue blazes the rest of the year.

I guess your McCall's 5137 is a popular pattern:
http://behindtheseams.wordpress.com/2006/05/

I've made that pattern before ... it was quite easy, especially given that princess seams tend to be my sewing nemesis, but it had -so- much ease. The size I picked based on my measurements went over my head without using the zipper at all and probably would fit one and a half of me!

Your fabric's cuter, though.

Oh you will be the belle of the ball!

And with all those cat helpers, you should be finished already ;-)

What a great dress you are making! I'm jealous because I can only sew square, flat things. And thanks for the tip about using Dr. Bronner's on your floor! I've been using Vinegar and water, and I hate the house smelling like Easter Eggs. Eucalyptus would be much better.

I find cats take the "supervisor" position vs the helper unless of course it was a paperweight you were needing.
Good to see some sewing going on I think it deserves the same revival as knitting.

Egads... I have to make a flower girl dress next week and hadn't even thought about the "help" my felines might be...

Hi Laurie,
Great, it sounds like you know what you are doing! I can't wait to see the finished dress. I adore batik fabrics.

Smokeyjoe, ditto what Laurie said about fitting (measuring and pinning). My primary concerns with McCalls patterns is the amount of ease, which is not always stated on the pattern. It has caused me problems when I follow the measurements chart on the back (sized different than ready to wear sizes) and yet the finished product doesn't fit like the pictures. It has always been an issue of TOO MUCH ease, rather than not enough. I also am a D so I share Laurie's bust modification needs.

There are web sites out there that can help the newbies - Pattern Review and Burdastyle are great.

There is something about the irresistable sound of tissue paper patterns that make cats want to help so much........I'm jealous of your fabric AND grocery store shopping options. We aint got BUPKIS in these here parts.... the two local W-marts decided to AX the craft departments( but now I can get groceriest there whatevs!)Happy wedding attending( i have 2 to got to also..don't these people realize its easier and cheaper for everyone involved to just shack up ??)Sheeseh....

Laurie, I definitely want to see pics of you in your dress - heck, the whole ensemble! I love the fabric and how you've coordinated everything.

Seriously cute pinks. I'm IN LOVE with that purse. My cats help just as much as yours do! Their favorite game is "Dart under the fabric as I cut it". It make sewing SO easy.

Pink and brown are the best colors ever!

Love the whole outfit, especially the DKNY shrug. Girl, you've come a long way from the "cardigan of constant sorrow". I too have a trio of cat designer assistants, including one who can unthread a serger with his tail in a lickety-split second. The more expensive the fabric, the more attracted the kitties are to it. I was lucky enough to win a shiny fancy new Bernina last week in a Quilt Shop Hop here, but alas, no time to sew, maybe Sunday. Can't wait to see the finished outfit.

Just put soemthing of greater importance down and the cat will move. Works all the time in our house...

I'm glad to see that you, too, have to deal with helpful feline friends when cutting out fabric. It makes sewing so much more of an adventure!

I thought we were the only people who watched the deadliest catch. Why do you live so far away? We could eat cheetos and watch it together.

I have made dozens (yes really!) of princess line dresses, it's my top fave, flattering and comfy style which will accommodate my generous boosom (with a leetle pattern tweakage) without making all points below look as if they've come in a spare wedding marquee. I really love the fabric you chose, and your accessories. And good feline help is hard to find, also hard to move when it sits on the directions.

Oh my!! I wish I could figure out how to send you pictures me trying to make my son a tote bag with a 113 lb Rottweiler laying across the material. No matter what I'm doing when I try to sew whenever I turn around she's laying across whatever I'm using and she is hard to move!! It's hysterical and I know you'd think I'd get some sort of table to work on, but I grew up cutting out patterns on the floor and I guess I'll never change.

I love your outfit especially the scarf tied on the bag. I've tried the scarf-on-the-bag trick to try to look effortlessly cool (like it does on your bag) but I can never get the knot quite right so it ends up looking like I just tied a scarf on a bag. Not really the effect I'm going for...

Could you share how you tie your knots?

I can't wait to see how it all turns out! I love the fabric and pattern. Those shoes are divine.

When I used to lay out fabric on the floor while making quilts my part Maine Coon Pickles would immediately sit on it, and we couldn't get him to budge for anything. I guess he thought everything I made was for him!

Love that print! MW

I love the fabric and I'm green with envy that you're able to sew.

I can't sew worth crap.

ooohhh... so that purple-y one is a hippydippy dress... no wonder I liked it so much! This one's very nice too though.

Cats are indeed helpful. With my Siamese cat, Murphy, I used to read the newspaper on the floor, with two sections open at the same time. I'd read one section until he claimed it, and then I'd shift to the other section (for as long as possible...).

This was twenty-plus years ago; I'm not sure my brain could handle that story-hopping today! Thankfully, beagles are not nearly so helpful...

I found Dr. Bronner's at Target! Which is really great for someone who doesn't live anywhere near a Whole Foods or Trader Joe's (blast the Midwest :))

One of these days I'm going to learn how to sew....

I can't wait to see the finished product!

Laurie, I read your book three times, loved it more each time. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who has over-helpful cats! We can't knit, sew, or crochet anything in my house without having cat spit or fur on or in it. Helpful, aren't they? Especially when you're moving furniture? I can't let one of our cats near my yarn, because she has a bad habit of biting through it. But we love them, and they make excellent lapwarmers in the winter.

I've never commented before after reading your site for quite some time, but I wanted to say you can also get Dr. Bronner's at REI if there isn't a Whole Foods near you (like me, so sad). X-ray vision certainly would be helpful with cats around! Mine like to sit on paper too...what is up with that?

Oh, so glad I came by here today for a visit - always cheers me up! Your kitty Soba looks just like my Muse kitty from long ago - maybe she got reincarnated and she is now giving you much joy and LOTS of sewing assistance. I get the same assistance from my longhaired girl Charlene. I think cat hairs stitched into the seams are the height of fashion!

So happy to see sewing here - one of my personal vices. Any new relationship advice, dear Aunt Purl? My latest online Romeo just sent me an email clearly intended for his OTHER "sweetheart" by mistake. Oh joy. Good thing there's cats and dog around here to comfort me... and perhaps dousing myself in Dr. Bronners would also help... I'm off to Trader Joe's!

WHY do cats do this?!? WHY???

i absolutely love your blog. i think your pink and brown outfit will be lovely for the wedding. so love all your cats and their photos with your funny comments. my cat, lily, is also a great helper when i'm cutting fabric and sometimes when i'm knitting. have a great weekend.