Tuesday, March 31, 2009

I am a WINNER!

I am sooo excited! My favorite site for learning hosts Free Fabric Friday every Friday and I won!!! Got to LOVE the random generator! This is what I won...


It is a Charm Pack of fabulous fabric by Moda! There are 40 5" squares of goodness for my sewing pleasure! I can't WAIT to get it! Thank you Sew, Mama, Sew! You are invaluable to me! Since I started my sewing odyssey, you have been my "go to" site for learning! You have taught, you have given, and you have linked me to other FABULOUS moms who sew! I so appreciate all you do! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!! Now what to make? I have some time to think about that so until later...

Monday, March 30, 2009

Easter Outfit

I finished the Boy's Easter outfit on time!! I like the way it turned out. I wasn't wild about the patterns I had because they all had two front pieces that sewed up the middle. I didn't want to take any chances with that because I was monogramming the center front.
I had one that I bought so I decided to try my hand at making my own pattern from an already existing article of clothing. I liked that it snapped on one side, because frankly buttons give me fits. I always seem to place them in the wrong place! I guess if I were to do them more I would be more comfortable with them. Oh well. The next issue I had was the snap crotch. Thankfully, you can't see the errors because they are all on the inside! All in all it was a good experience and I feel I will be more confident when making the next one. So now, I'm off to finishing up dresses for the girls. Also this week, I will be posting all of the items I've been doing to get ready for the upcoming Strawberry Festival. Some things have already been added to the slide shows on the left. Until later...

Sunday, March 29, 2009

My First Blog Swap!!

I am so excited about the recent Towel Swap I participated in. Donna at Clicketyclak was our gracious hostess who received the towels and sent them on to their new homes with a little something extra tucked inside...

Aren't they fabulous? Terri made the towel, and I absolutely love it. It is something that I would never think of making for myself but is so SPRING! It looks like she combined several single designs into one big one! Ingenious! Unfortunately I couldn't find a link anywhere for Terri, so if you are out there reading this please respond!! If not, thank you, thank you!!

And Donna! Wow! The checkbook cover and note pad are so darling! Ms. Priss is already trying to take the notepad from me! She loves butterflies & dragonflies, but then again show me a 6 year old girl who doesn't!! I did not know that you made all of these on your embroidery machine until I read it on Allie's blog! Amazing! Allie got my towel, check it out at its new home on her blog, here. She seems very sweet, and makes fabulous quilts!

I feel very satisfied and ready to do more swaps! I will be watching the blogs I frequent and maybe one day I'll try hosting my own!! Until later...

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Kimono-style Robe complete

I finished it! I took my sweet time with this one and not really happy with the turn out. The sizing was not quite right, and I think I put the ties in the wrong place. Ms. Priss loves it so it can't be all bad, but I am afraid she won't be able to wear it very long because of the sizing issue!
Here are the problems I encountered. First off, satin is hard to sew. This was my first attempt serging it and sewing an actual garment with satin so I know that had a lot to do with the sizing. Next, I wanted a liner for the robe and I chose flannel, since that is the backing on the middle child's satin material. I wasn't quite sure how to put it all together and decided to "wing" it. I cut all of the pieces then serged the satin and flannel with right sides facing. Turned, pressed, then top stitched the sleeve openings and down the length of the two front openings. Then I sewed the bias strips only on the diagonal cuts for the ties. I put the bias ties in under the arms as I sewed it all together, but moved the inside tie lower because it didn't seem to "lay" right. As you can see in the picture, I probably need to move the outside tie down also since the top looks floppy(?). I serged the bottom hem and left it at that. All in all it came out ok and I learned alot while I was doing it. I will be doing the middle child's next and I think it will be a little easier since it is flannel-backed satin. That will, at least, eliminate a step.

I was invited to a "grown-up" gathering this week. I had a great time! My awesome man kept all three children while I engaged in adult conversation for 2 hours!! What bliss. I was so excited to be invited somewhere that I whipped up a small token of appreciation for the hostess. Her daughter is a cheerleader for LSU so the choice on what to make was obvious...
It is a Cocktail towel for the bar or tailgating! Notice how the letters are "tipsy"? The font is too cute, I got it from my favorite embroidery site, Sew Forum! I didn't want to leave the back of the embroidery showing, so I added another strip of material on the back of the towel.

She really liked it, but thinks her daughter will steal it when she goes. I finished the boy's Easter john john, and I received my towel and "surprise" from clicketyclak's Kitchen towel swap. I love it and will be posting about it later. Right now, I am going to put away laundry and get some cleaning done so I don't feel too guilty when I start back sewing next week! Until later...

Monday, March 23, 2009

Last Weeks Creations

We had a wedding this past weekend, so last week I focused on embroidering. I monogrammed the happy couple's place mat and napkin set, and threw in a kitchen towel to complete the set.


This was a registry item, and the bride chose white as the accent color. I like the way it came out, although black is hard to embroider on especially with white because of the uncertainty that the embroidery will come out.

Next up, a bib for the baby of the couple. The tux design is from Sew Forum. It worked up fast and was a well digitized design. I also needed something for The Boy since I didn't get anything formal for him, so I tried an applique also acquired from Sew Forum.



The tux bib is on vinyl with a corduroy backing, and the tie bib is all corduroy. Since these were mostly decorative I didn't think it needed heavy absorption on the backing. But the tie bib did a good job keeping the white shirt underneath it clean and dry.

I also finished up some items for the upcoming Strawberry Festival that I will feature in another post once I get all of the items done. I have put everything in the slideshows on the left for more detailed views.

In other news, Donna from Cliketyclak received my towel and will be sending the one I get in return soon. I can't wait since she is also including a "surprise"! I will post when I get it!

This week, I will be working on a "john john" for The Boy for Easter. I have several patterns, but am not crazy about them, so I am attempting to "draft" one from an existing outfit. Wish me luck! Until later...

Thursday, March 19, 2009

While I was blogging...

This happened!



So that is why I haven't been back this week!! Children, so much FUN!!! I have been going strong in my sewing room this week and will have some stuff to show off soon. I finished the kitchen towel for the first blog swap I am participating in and she should be getting it soon. Donna emailed me to say she received a towel yesterday, so that might be the one I get in return! I am excited to see what it will be! In the meantime, here is the one I sent! I am hoping that it is ok. And the recipient will be happy with it!

Isn't the little bird the sweetest? I got it from one of the generous givers on Sew Forum! I love that site! So the colors aren't the brightest, springiest colors but it still isn't "officially" Spring so I thought I would keep it cool, with the blues and browns and just a little purple thrown in. I so need to learn about color combinations! I've read everything, but still am so scared to put blues with oranges!! That whole "this color compliments this," and "these are on the opposite of the spectrum". I am in awe of the outfits and children's clothes others have made, the bold fabric combos are just fabulous. I feel my stuff is so plain compared to what I've seen! I am determined to learn how to mix and accent and just know what goes with what!!
Well, I am trying to learn from my mistakes by not staying too long in my blog world, so I will end this post. If I am not back tomorrow, I will post all of my new creations on Monday! Until later....
P.S. If you've noticed, I have been adding more blogs on the left under The People I've Learned From. If you have some time, check them out! Not everything on their blogs are about sewing, some are simple crafts you can do with your kids, or recipes, or project ideas for parties or holidays!

Monday, March 16, 2009

My fabric stash

So as you might not know, I frequent the Sew, Mama, Sew! blog, and they have been showing all of these beautifully organized sewing rooms! Well, mine is not!! So this weekend, I decided to do something about it.


This is the result of my Saturday! Part one of my sewing room organization. Now I feel ready to start creating again! I still have to do parts 2-4, but at least my fabric is organized! This week I will be doing mostly monogramming. I have a ton of embroidering to do! First up is a kitchen towel. I am participating in my first blog swap! I thought I would start off slow and an embroidered kitchen towel seemed like a quick and easy thing to test my newbie swapping skills on. It is being organized by a new blog that I've started to follow, clicketyclak. I wanted to do it last week, but just didn't get around to it, with all of the "school" stuff going on. Now that the BBQ is over and was an awesome success, I can get back to creating. I have a few things to do for a wedding this coming weekend, and some things for the upcoming Strawberry Festival. I am also going to attempt a raincoat or poncho with some cute vinyl I have. April showers are coming soon, and by the looks of the weather today may already be here!

I have a new quilt order! Someone really liked my latest "boy" version of the LSU quilt and would like one for a new baby coming in May. It will be slightly different, because I TRY not to make them all look alike! So again, I am starting my week with a positive attitude about how much I will accomplish! We will see the reality as the week progresses. Until later...

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Giving Back to the School

My daughter's school has an Annual BBQ Fundraiser every year. The PTC works very hard to make it happen from finding sponsors, to cooking the dinners and rounding up volunteers to serve, hand out, then clean up. All of the money made goes right back into the school. They've made enough in the past to buy new playground equipment, update the computers, and give teachers an "allowance" to provide supplemental classroom needs. They do a truly amazing job, so when I was asked to help provide something for the big ticket sellers I was very excited. Here is what we came up with. Twin girls were at the top of the list so here is what they get:


Next up was a boy who loves baseball, this is his reward:


The prizes were just picked up and will be given today. Congratulations and good job to the winners, and thank you to all of the moms and dads for the awesome job they do. Our school is better for all you give! Until later...

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Paying tribute to the HOMETOWN!

I've got to say...if you haven't had strawberries from Ponchatoula, you don't know what you are missing! While I was home this past weekend, I picked up a flat:

These things are HUGE! Look...



And you can tell by the color on the inside that they are sweet. No WATER berries here!

I look forward to this time of year. Every year. AND it is still early in the season, so when I go home again I can get ANOTHER flat, because this one will be gone! Well, that's all I have to say today! I just wanted to let everyone know that it is time to get yourself to Ponchatoula and get some STRAWBERRIES! And if you can't, you can always pick up a gallon of Kleinpeter Strawberry ice cream, because they are using Ponchatoula strawberries now! Because, obviously, they are the BEST! Until later...

Monday, March 9, 2009

Starting the week, positively

Just a quick update, the tu-tu tree found a home at Baby Rossie in Hammond! Let's hope spring will bring out the baby DIVAS!
In other news, we welcome a new baby into the family! She is beautiful and so tiny! Here is her "welcome to the world" gift from her favorite Aunt:

I love Sew Forum, digitizers offer a lot of free embroidery designs for us to test and I have greatly enlarged my designs because of them. BIG THANK YOU!

We also had a birthday party this weekend. Here is the gift of choice. Yes another hooded towel! Kids and moms love them! I will be doing another by request of "lil miss" for her birthday in April.

I still have not finished the kimono style robe I am making for the girls, but I am being positive for the week knowing that I will get them done soon. I was asked this morning to do some Tshirts for the BIG ticket sellers from the annual BBQ fund raiser at Ms Priss's school! I have been slacking alot this school year since I have two at home so I am happy to do what I can, when I can. And I will be finishing up some bibs for the upcoming Strawberry Festival in Ponchatoula. See, positive attitude! I did some bibs for St. Patrick's Day for family babies, they came out cute I think. Again, the generous people at Sew Forum helped me out with this one! I thought it was very clever!


I know the pictures are not very good, but they say "Who's your Paddy?" Too funny! Hopefully I will be back later this week with some new items to post. Until later...

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Anybody interested in a Tu-tu tree?

Unfortunately the CPSI Act has claimed the life of a local business. My Cutie Patootie has chosen not to renew her lease and closed up shop! This was the consignment shop that was so generous enough to feature some of my tu-tus. She decided that it would be too hard for her small business to keep up with the new law's ever changing list of items you can sell, trade, or give away to children under 12! Even though the law was delayed for a year, now that it is out there and "known", businesses and individuals are still liable for all products sold and "those" people are already putting their lawyers back on speed dial.


So back to my question...

Because of the middle child's illness, I did not get much accomplished this past weekend! So I will be working hard this week to finish up a few items needed for this coming weekend. I am doing another hooded towel for a gift, but this time will be doing a machine embroidered applique. Also a few bibs for St. Patrick's Day, I couldn't resist, the saying is hilarious. I am also currently working on a pattern from Habitual for the girls. It is for a Kimono style top, but I am extending it to be a robe. Can't wait to see how it turns out! I will try to post as I get things done, but with this crazy spring weather I never know who will get sick next! Until later...