Older sewing

In October I made a curtain for the master bathroom. I have been wanting to decorate with some denim and buttons for ages, so I just did it. It took very little time but looks so cute.

From Projects

I really wanted the buttons to be random. I dumped a big handful of buttons from my button jar and sorted out the ones with shanks. Then, without looking I picked some up and placed them along the bottom edge. When I was satisfied, I quit. That simple. Here is the boring, time-consuming part. I had to pick up each button and rub a bit of glue stick on it and put it back. Then all that was left to do was sew each button in place. I tried hand sewing. HaHaHaHa!! That was not going to happen. Waaaaaay too many buttons. The machine made quick work of it. Here is a close-up of the buttons along the bottom edge.

From Projects

Stats:

1.5 yds out

many old buttons out

Christmas dresses 2010 part 4

They are done! Mr. Ed took pictures, but I don't have them yet. Everybody looked so stinking cute in the clothes. The vest from Scientific Seamstress was made for I, and he looked adorable! L, H, and O got the Sunny Scallop dress from Stop Staring. E got McCall's 6123. She liked having a more grown-up looking dress. All the girls had the shrug from Jalie.

The sewing was all done about 1 in the morning Sat/Sun after Thanksgiving. The shrugs were last and the easiest. I definitely want to make more of them.

Stats:

27 yards out! Whoohoo!

1 vest

4.875 McC 6123, including muslin

17.625 Stop Staring, including muslins

3.5 Jalie 2558, including muslin

Christmas dresses 2010 part 3

I have made more muslins than I usually do for these. I made one for O's to see if the pattern ran true to size and to see how it went together. The instructions are awful! I also made a muslin of the shrug for her. Those are so, so easy to put together! Then, I had to make a muslin for E's dress because I wanted it to fit.

L grew some after her measurements were taken and after I had cut out and partially sewn her dress. The front and back are all one piece, so that required more fabric. Good thing the online stores still had some.

Construction required a lot of bias strips and a lot of strips for ruffles. I made almost 4 yards of bias tape, over 5 yards of green ruffles, and about 3 yards of green print ruffle. Some of the bias tape is left over. It's cute and not Christmasy so I'll use it later on something else. None of the green ruffle is left over. The green print ruffle is left over because it just didn't look right with the dresses. I'll put it somewhere.

Stats:

yardage in 2.5 yds

November project links

This woman has amazing plans for making everything! http://ana-white.com/category/plans/page/19

Cowl-neck shirt re-fashion.

Make-up bag. Saved in patterns.

Free coloring pages for kids.

Here are some felt leaves that I would like to make.

A set of count-down blocks. The original is for Christmas, but I think they would be cool for birthdays or how-many-more-days-until-daddy-comes-home times.

This is a pattern for an unusual bib. Great gift idea.

Pipe-cleaners, who knew? Cover them and they make neat bendy gifts for use as hair bows, bracelets, etc. Done 12/10/10

Zipper pouch made with measuring tapes.

Doll clothes from dollar store underwear. How do people think of this?

This tiny, matching-game quilt is amazing. Amazing! Must make.

Fabric bowl covers. Her site has many ideas for crafts.

Leather bows for headbands.

edited to show completion

Christmas dresses 2010 part 2

Today I bought the fabric. Lots of it. Twenty-three yards! I'll get to sewing it as soon as it all gets out of the washer.

A completed project

Finally! Something off of my to-do list! I made a table cloth for our kitchen table. I used the red heavyweight vinyl that I got from WM off the $2 rack. I have some leftover. I didn't do anything fancy to it because I just wanted to get it on the table. All I did was zig-zag around the edges.

Pictures to follow.

Stats:

2.25 yd out

Miscellaneous

I've been sewing and crafting a lot of little things. Some useful, some not so much. Since I'm trying to keep a record of that sort of thing I'll post it.

From Family '10

This is a bucket handle cover that I made on Mimi's machine. The machine is partially visible in the background. What a cool gift! I have no idea how old it is. "Made in West Germany" is written on the front under the brand name. Pfaff is a really good brand. This one is all metal and very sturdy. Mister Ed at PPQ cleaned it and made sure it runs. I've been using it since then.

From Projects

This is a necklace I made from a Lego (tm) brick. J loves it. We made a bunch and gave them out at his b'day party.

From Projects

This is a towel that I wanted to salvage. My MIL made me some towels years ago. They were pretty because she embroidered on them, but they were kind of useless in the drying-things department since she made them from muslin. I cut off some of the raggedy edges. Then, I got a piece of scrap from the stash (L's '05 Easter dress) and sewed them together. It isn't the prettiest towel, but it makes me smile because I used scrap and increased its functionality.

yardage out is about .5 yd

More later.

Christmas dresses 2010 part 1

I picked a dress for Christmas dresses. O wants the scallop-edged one. E will probably have a different pattern but use the same fabrics the other girls use. Now to pick out the fabric.

From Pattern Catalog

Fun stuff...

...is not happening here.

From Family '10

The passing of Charlie's grandmother has us all a bit behind. I do not like feeling behind in school. I get grumpy about their work. The kids don't like to be behind.

We are back in PE and Latin this year. E will get high school credit for Latin this year. I love Mrs. Peterson. I don't feel like she rushes E, but E still manages to get a lot done. E enjoys languages, though, and it comes easy to her. Math is a whole 'nother (awful) ballgame. ELHO are in PE. J didn't want to do it. He isn't big into sports and never seemed to connect with the other boys at The Oaks.

I still have sewing stuff all over my living room and in the back of the van. Mimi's sewing room was just boxed and given to me. I love to see the projects she enjoyed and the love she put into them. I just don't love the disorganized mess it is. Hundreds of spools of thread, dozens of zippers, piles of fabric, and way-too-many buttons. Some of the stuff is not usable because cotton breaks down over time. The girls and I have many projects planned with the rest though.

Mimi had 5 children, 12 grandchildren (including Charlie), and 27 great-grandchildren (including my 6). Only one other family member sewed! I want to pass on my love for sewing and crafting. It's not just about the special feeling when I make something that somebody else likes. It's practical. I mend to save money. I sew for others to make money or trade for other things we need. I spend less money on gifts for other people. My children better not let me hear that they paid someone else to sew on a button or hem a pair of pants for them. I would feel like they missed some important childhood training.

More later. Work is calling.

August Project Links

This is one way to make corner bookmarks. All my readers would love these. Paper or fabric.

A tray decorated with bottle caps.

L wants a clear binder pouch.

Button necklace tutes here and here.

Paper flower tute. I can put these on many, many things.

We want to make zipper flowers with some of the zippers we have gotten. Here is one way.

Another scrappy fabric flower idea.

This is a cool way to reuse toilet paper rolls. Makes gift boxes.

Modified bento box quilt square.

Moda has this note card and note pad. Gift idea. Done 12/9/10!

DIY reading game using paint chips.

edited to show completed project

Fabric stats

This is tax-free weekend in SC. My favorite place to buy fabric also had 10% off everything in the store. Of course I had to get something. I got 2 FQ's and 2 1-yard pieces. I hope to make something for Charlie for his birthday. Tomorrow. Not gonna happen on time. A free motion foot also just fell into my hands. It needs some testing later. I've been dying to get one for a while.

J had his birthday party today. We made a bunch of Lego-shaped candy and necklaces out of Lego pieces. H Wand and E Woodall came to play with him. They played Lego and Nerf for 2 hours.

July 2010 project links

Circle skirt tute. E wants one so bad!

Crayon initials gift idea.

Peek-a-boo bag lets you see what's in the bag.

Tute for re-purposing long sleeves to short sleeves.

Adorable flag shirts to make.

Pieced A-line skirt tute.

Scarf made from 5 FQ's. Really cute gift idea.

Scrapbuster quilt square.

Prudent baby capelet collar pattern piece. Good for making capes and such.

Hanging fabric baskets tute.

Eyeglass case tute.

Fancy laptop sleeve tute.

Lap quilt.

Other crafts

E, L, and H have been doing latch hooks. They really like it. I just wish that they would finish them. Finishing projects is harder than it looks at our house.

Completed sewing

I made many coasters this spring. It took a long time because I just did a bit at a time. I gave 4 to Miss Tish for O's last speech appt. I gave 8 to Mimi for a belated birthday gift. I also gave 4 to Hayden for her hope chest birthday. I loved the bright colors. All from the stash!

From Projects

stats:
1.5 yds out
tons of thread
1.5 yds of batting

Jacob's cape

This cape took a very long time.

I made McCall's 4703. It's a nice little girls cape pattern. With much planning, sweating, and alteration it was done. He is quite happy with it. I'm happy it was a lot of fabric out.

Stats:

8 yards of fabric

2 big black snaps for the closure

tons of black thread

Itty bitty clothes

I've been making clothes from the doll clothes book L and I got on her birthday.

From Projects

Here is a picture of L's doll wearing the pretty dress she picked out and H's doll wearing the tankini that looks like shorts and a top. E's doll also got a dress, and H's doll got a cute shorts and shirt combo.

Here are the stats:

.75 yd fabric out (the new FQ's we bought with the book)

3 snaps

.5 yd of Bruton lace

.5 yd of elastic

1 old button

Miscellaneous

I've been sewing and cooking quite a bit this week. It makes up for quite a mess. I've also been packing up as many dust catchers as possible. I want it to save us money and teach us contentment.

More sewing done

Another princess gets her dress! I made Simplicity 2993 for L using some PPQ fabric. I also made the purse/bag to go with it. It took every bit of one of the fabrics and most of the other fabric. I made her a size 10 grading to a 16 length. It is perfect. I also used some old lace and 4 D-rings that have been hanging around. Yay, me!

She wore the dress to PPQ on her b'day. We talked to Miss Robin. We left the store with 2 single FQ's, a scrap bag, a little pack of 5 FQ's, and a book of doll dress patterns (Love to Dress Up) to use up some of that fabric.

Stats:

3.25 yds out, 1.75 yds in.

.75 yd eyelet lace

finished up a spool of thread

A princess dress

E just *loves* her new birthday dress! It is McCall's 5547 view A with D length. The halter makes her feel all grown up, I guess. She keeps twirling in it. That was 2.5 yds out. I got her an FQ at PPQ today for another .25 yds in the stash.

Now I am trying to make a top or a dress for myself. I think Amy Butler's Lotus Cami is next.

Birthday dress

Another b'day dress is done. I made Simplicity 9497 for H. It turned out really cute using the fabric from PPQ. Three yards moved out of the stash. I did get 3 FQ's, though, on H's birthday.

Fabric

I bought some fabric at PPQ for H's birthday dress. That's 4 yds into the pile. For the party we had last weekend, we used a lot of srap and stash for crowns and party hats. That was another idea from this book. All the kids like the projects in there. That was 2.5 yds off the pile.

Yuck

Life's been nasty lately.

Much of nothing

I have gotten next to nothing done. I ripped apart and re-sewed my Amy Butler Barcelona skirt to take in the waist. I finally cut out J's cape - incorrectly! Now I have new fabric for it waiting to be cut. I found the fabric and pattern for I's birthday shirt. I have also found a bunch of fabrics for coasters for Mimi.

2009

Here is a list of what I managed to get done in 2009. Not too shabby, I guess. I have a few things to finish from last year before I can jump into 2010 sewing.

Completed sewing projects

• *AB 028 for me
• *McCall's 4797 for me
• *3852 for J
• *Common Sense 409GP for ELHO
• *Simplicity 2907 for I
• *four pillow case dresses
• *puppet bag for E
• *beanbags for CCC
• *modesty belly band for L
• *TMD 161 for me
• *AB 016 for Mitch and Kris
• *Simplicity 2898 for me
• *teen bra
• *ironing board cover
• *Simplicity 5223 for H
• *Bible cover for C
• *bag for J
• *quilt for J
• *pocket purse for L
• *felt flags for church
• *2 quilted handle covers
• *10 princess pouches
• *Simplicity 9846 for L
• *Simplicity 5234 for E
• *McCall's 9354 for I
• *brown luggage tag
• *pocket purse from Vanilla House Designs
• *square pincushion
• *princess pouch for H
• *fabric covered boards for hallway
• *b'day dress for O, H
• *spider toy for I
• *bag for I
• *fleece blanket for E, I, O, H, L
• *sling for Leah

Non-Sewing, Mending, Altering

• *shortened 5 jeans
• *resewed neckline on olive shirt
• *patched tiered dress
• *blanket stitch around cowboy vest
• *curtains for Beth H.
• *2 pr pants to shorts for Beth H.
• *mended pants for Mrs. Peterson
• *elastic in shirt for Mrs. Peterson
• *mended slit in E's pillowcase skirt
• *mended J's spider

I also got a good bit of my stash sorted and folded. I don't think that I will be able to completely finish that until we move. I have a lot of fabric.

Stats:

• - Yardage out: 76.375 yds
• + Yardage in: 53.05 yds, 1 charm pack, 1 layer cake
• = I don't know how many counted yards

I want to make 100 yards out this year. I also want to get comfortable doing reviews for PR. My UFO/WIP list is huge. I want to pare it down considerably.