Category Archives: Sewing

Love Bird Bag

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We recently went on vacation to celebrate our first anniversary. Two nights before we left on vacation I got the notion that I absolutely needed a new bag to transport my delicates in. I found some adorable bird fabric that I picked up at Quilt Trends and then was stuck trying to find a fabric to coordinate with it. Thankfully I signed up for the Pink Chalk Fabrics Monthly Solids Club. I grabbed all the greens, found one that matched the green in the birds fabric closely and then got the fabric washed up before going to bed. The next morning I was able to cut the fabric and sew most of the bag together before work.

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After work I put the finishing touches on it and found a ribbon to use in place of the ones I’d made that morning. I couldn’t quite figure out how to turn them right side out and didn’t have time to have anyone show me how to do it before I left. I ended up using some leftover ribbon from my wedding dress which worked out really well!

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I basically cobbled together these two patterns: Easy Drawstring Bag and Lined Drawstring Bag making them the size I wanted. Then I decided to add coordinating pockets on the insides. I really, really like how the seams look from the lined tutorial, it also made it a lot easier for me to add in the pockets.

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Once I got home and went to knit night they showed me how to turn the ribbons right side out and I was able to take FO shots. :D I am still toying with whether or not I want to square off the bottom like she does in the Purl Bee tutorial. Maybe on the next one. :)

Elephant Dress

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My niece turned three on Monday and on Saturday we had a party for her. I decided I wanted to make a pillow case dress for her out of some awesome orange elephant print the boy noticed when we were at Sew to Speak earlier this summer. I have a little thing going where I give her some kind of elephant for the holidays, so this print definitely played off that theme.

I made the ballet neck dress pattern from one yard wonders. The pattern uses an entire yard of fabric to start with and then utilizes elastic to gather the fabric to give it shape. While cutting it I sometimes wondered if I would just be making a tunic for myself. :) Since it seemed so large and because I wasn’t sure at what length to hem it I had my sister bring my niece over for a little try-on. Once we got over her confusion of thinking it was a nightgown and that she had to go to bed; she decided she wanted to help me pin the dress with the “sharps”.

Pinning with the sharps

Helping me pin her dress

Since that wasn’t overly helpful :) I took a measurement and hemmed up the fabric later. I hemmed it without cutting the length off so the dress can be let out in the future. I also sewed the waist band a little lower so it would be more of a drop waist for now (can you even really have a drop waist on a toddler?) and then will be in a better spot for her next summer and the following. I also used the bias tape I made for the waist and put it on the sleeve caps to clean up my poor hand sewing. Shhh!

Modeling the dress

Modeling her new dress

At the party she tried the dress on for me and I think it turned out pretty cute. :) I also think it will fit much better next summer, but that’s ok, this summer – I am sad to say – is almost over. If I were to make it again, I would probably consider cutting the fabric down to the dimensions of a standard or queen pillowcase and then work from that rectangle. A yard of fabric turns out to be as big as or possibly bigger than a King pillowcase. Who knew?

Playing with her new helicopters

Playing with her new helicopters

 

Summer Projects

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In May, the boy started a new job closer to home that allows him to have more time at home on a daily basis, which has just been wonderful. In June they switched his schedule to Sun-Thurs so now he has Fridays off. Since they switched his schedule he’s been spending most Fridays (and Saturdays) with his dad working on a project in our backyard.

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Shed with dormer window - almost done!

Tonight they will finish the last two little trim work things for the outside. I am quite pleased with the two of them, they built the entire shed from scratch and some pictures of what we all liked. The next step is for the boy and I to figure out the layout of the inside and get the shelves, loft and work bench built. I am really looking forward to having a workshop space for us to work on projects for the house.

I will say though that seeing the shed go up made me stop to think about the amount of stuff we’ve accumulated (especially me) since we moved into this house three years ago. I decided it was past time for me to do some de-cluttering. So for starters I have a very lazy gal destash going on over at Ravelry. I put prices on several yarns that I doubt I will get around to knitting in the next year or two so that they may find homes where someone has a more immediate need or use for them. :)

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Yarns for Destash over on Raverly

In other news, I am working on some languishing WIPs in a couple different mediums. I finished binding off Manu on Saturday then wove in the ends and blocked it on Sunday (it’s still drying). I finished spinning and plying up Garland yesterday – the last fiber I was working on for Tour de Fleece in July. I washed and whacked it this morning so it’s drying right now. I am also trying to knock out my WIP bin in the sewing room which includes a dress for my niece’s upcoming birthday and a duvet cover for our bed that I have had all the materials for, for umm at least two years…my how the time flies! :D

Christmas crafts

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Peanut the Elephant at my house.

For Christmas this year, I didn’t feel like I was making a whole lot of handmade gifts. Just a few small items for my nieces. My mother ended up asking for a blender cover to place over her tea mug rack to prevent the grease build up from the stove. I decided that could pretty easily be made so I decided to take it on as well. I finished everything with plenty of time. Well, ok so I was sewing the hem on my mother’s cover Christmas Eve that was purely due to procrastination on my part. :)

Mom's new Tea Mug cover, performing its duty.

For my niece S I made two hats, and a patchwork elephant. She wasn’t as keen on the hats when she opened them Christmas morning but she is wearing them so that works for me. :)

My niece S sporting her new snow pants from Uncle and the hat from me. :)

However, her response to the elephant was beyond cute. First she squealed with delight, then she threw herself with the elephant into her uncle’s lap, then rocked back and forth hugging the elephant. Finally, she declared “pillow!” Which isn’t entirely accurate but I’ll take it. If she continues that kind of response for the things I make her there’s a very good chance this auntie will have a lot of projects in her future!

My niece S clutching her new elephant! :)

For my other niece T, I made the Ishbel beret to wear over her darling little curls. I haven’t seen her yet but hope to deliver her gift this weekend and snag a picture of her wearing it.

More organizing and housekeeping

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Today wasn’t a very awesome bloggable day. I had a grumbly tummy most of the day which I decided to combat with an hour nap after work. The nap was good especially since I had a puppy to snuggle with. After the nap I got the boy’s birthday presents all wrapped up so he won’t accidentally find them in my cleaning frenzy. I also started to get things around for a finishing party we’re having in two weeks. I even grabbed my mending box out of the closet to see what all needed to be taken care of. It turns out I had a brown pantsuit, brown slacks, 2 black sweaters, a blue top and a red turtle neck that would all be very useful things to wear right now just hanging out in the mending box. I think I will go ahead and see if I can’t get on the ball and get those fixed up. Heck I can’t even locate the problem on one of the black sweaters.

After that discovery and my second or third (doh!) moment of the week I decided to focus on sending out requests for donations for Sticks N Stitches. Keep your fingers crossed that I am not the only one going into work tom’w! ;) Hopefully we’ll hear back soon.