Lately / March 2026
hellooo, my friends!
Welcome to my little haven of making, where I share a few of the things that have been making me feel better in these dark days.
Honestly, every single artist and creative person I know has been struggling with how to create in this political climate, which is the normal, correct response to the near-constant onslaught of crises, and the tsunami of disruption, disinformation and lies we’ve been forced to endure from this administration. And now, this war…**bangs head against desk.* It’s overwhelming, which is of course precisely the point; it’s daunting to try to mentally overcome the dissonance of trying to work, parent, or just function normally in this environment, let alone create joyfully.
It always helps me to remember that I’m not alone, that there are so many awesome, everyday people fighting back in small and big ways, and that reminds me: don’t forget to sign up for the next protest next weekend!! I can personally attest (baby’s first protest was almost exactly a year ago) that nothing makes you feel better quite like standing up to tyranny with thousands of other people who feel the same way you do. Plus, you will never regret opposing a war.
Another thing that always helps me recalibrate is time outdoors. Last month Mr Rae and I celebrated our anniversary weekend (22 years!!) at a sweet little town on Lake Michigan, New Buffalo. We lucked out with some beautiful (unseasonable) weather for mid-February, and we took walks along the still-frozen lake and spent an afternoon hiking in the dunes under beautiful skies and surrounded by gorgeous scenery. Ah, Michigan, you’re such a showoff.
Here are a few other things I’ve been into and up to…
MAKING
I’m in the middle of sewing a Cambia Top by Sew Like with some of my “vintage” Anna Maria voile. Romy is awesome (she’s helped me test out a few patterns) and I love her fun pattern designs. This one has the coolest removable sleeves and I can’t wait to wear it — it’s going to be perfect for spring.
I took another pottery class with my friend Maria at the local art center and I’m pretty happy with my first attempt at a mug:
I’m stitching my way through my next Pattern Club Sampler, and I found some pretty lemon yellow Noro yarn at a cute little clothing and yarn shop (Goods and Heroes) on our trip that I’m turning into another Ranunculus. I’m a little worried I won’t have enough yarn for the sleeves? Nothing to be done but keep knitting.
I used my projector to create 1/2-size samples for my next pattern — it’s less sewing/fabric and the little mini samples help me verify that all the pieces fit together correctly. The pattern is a new pajama pant and shorts pattern I’m calling “Jasper” based on Luna that I’m developing for the workshop I’m teaching in Minnesota in August along with Susana McDonnell. Aren’t these little shot-cotton samples cute?!?
Speaking of workshops in August, I’m also delighted that I’ll be teaching once again be teaching at A Gathering of Stitches in Maine next summer for Slow Fashion August, where I am excited to be teaching a workshop on Pocket Power along with fellow instructors Jessica Marquez and Atsushi Futatsuya. There is exactly ONE SPOT LEFT so if you missed the registration you are in luck!! Get it quick before it’s gone!
For those of you who won’t be able to travel to sew with me this year, I’m teaching my online Patchwork Garment and Shirring with Elastic thread classes again this spring over on Pattern Review if you’d like to join us — the classes are all listed here.
READING
All five of the novels I’ve read this year so far have been fantastic and I’ll happily recommend:- The Names, Wreck, The Ministry of Time, Broken Country…all awesome. But I want to take a minute to shout out Everyone is Lying to You, a book which feels timely given the subject matter: it’s Gone Girl but make it Trad Wives, and the message is very much about the disconnect between what we see online, and real life. As someone who spent many of my early years of motherhood sharing (maybe oversharing?) snippets of my everyday life and photos my kids with strangers, and someone who has watched the TradWife obsession with equal parts fascination and horror, this book resonated deeply. It’s also funny and suspenseful and a page turner, so there’s that.
I also picked up Creative Mending at my local bookshop; I’m hoping to use it to add some fun details to a pair of worn out jeans that would have otherwise ended up in my scrap bin.
A few other things I can’t stop thinking about:
How much does it really cost to make a digital sewing pattern?
The Last Surviving Sea Silk Seamstress
What happens to the people who survive the end of the world?
Can a forest have constitutional rights?
Men are the Secondary Sex (viva la Matriarchy!!)
Finally, I want to recommend you check out Fix the News, a weekly email digest full of stories that will help restore your faith in humanity. Trust me on this one!
Oh and I got a haircut. It’s much shorter, and I love it.
Ok, I’ve spent enough time on this for today and my boss really isn’t paying me nearly enough to do this. It’s time to sign off and take the puppy for a little walk in the sunshine.
Love and virtual hugs,
Rae
PS. See all of my Friday update posts here, sign up for my Studio Notes Newsletter here or my local Sew Ann Arbor emails here, and get my posts delivered to you by email via Substack here.