Pillowcases finished

For the last 3 days I've spent a lot of time stuck in my bedroom sewing gifts for my children as well as nieces and nephews.

I am making pillowcases and homemade play dough for my niece and nephews this year. I used a pattern from the One Million Pillowcase challenge - I used this easy roll up pattern.

MIA

Wow! I can't believe how long it's been since I've blogged. I tend to use facebook more since it's faster and easier to upload pictures and say what I want to say. However, facebook seems to be doing some creepy things lately, leading me to want to use my blog for that stuff instead.

Right now I'm in crazy cram mode. I have 5 stockings I'm frantically trying to sew for the girls' as their Christmas Eve gifts, (usually it's jammies). I'm also making some ornaments, and crocheting 2 blankets and some dishcloths. Each day seems to be flowing by like it's on fast forward. I am also hosting Christmas Eve dinner at our new home this year and I've not even begun to think about preparing for that. I've decided to not send out our annual family picture and Christmas card this year, because I have no picture and no cards, and I can't see where I'm going to fit it in.

Kiley, August and Haley are all playing extended season soccer this year and it's keeping us busier than usual for this time of year.

I have many other things and pictures to share, and I'll try to get that up as soon as possible.

Merry Christmas.

Recent Stuff

We are certainly enjoying the start of our summer vacation, a little too much perhaps. The girls and I have all been sleeping in a little extra and without all of the places we have to go during the week it's been nice to relax a little.

August just finished her quilting project. She and Kiley took quilting in 4H this year. She made a wall hanging with hexagons. She worked very hard on it, even staying up late at night to get it all done. She did a great job. Tomorrow we are dropping it off at the county fair grounds. She is hoping to win a ribbon, I think she has a good chance.

I received a wonderful housewarming gift in the mail this week. My sweet Mammy bought the KitchenAid Mixer I wanted. I really wanted the mixer in Ice color. It's gorgeous, cheery and sort of retro looking. I can't wait to try it out. Doesn't it look lovely?

In other news, I joined the gym with my Mama. We went down there last Sunday afternoon and signed up for a membership. It's only $10 a month and right around the corner from my house. We also got some personal training sessions, of which we've already done 2. The trainer, a very nice woman, was certainly sweet and easy our first session. By the second session she was tough and pushed us further than we thought we could go. It was wonderful and I'm feeling better. I am working on getting rid of about 35 lbs. It's been hanging around too long and it's starting to scare me. We have a history of heart related problems in my family and I need to get my body fat percentage down.

I also am in the middle of doing the Cabbage Soup Diet, where you make a cabbage soup, more like a veggie stew with cabbage. You can eat as much of it as you want for 7 days. Each day has another item you can eat along with the soup. It's meant to be a jump start type of program that helps to get rid of cravings for sugar and bad carbs, with the promise of some weight loss after. I'm hoping it will help gear me toward better healthier food choices and habits. I'm hoping with the gym and eating better that I can get rid of my extra 35 in the next year. So far I'm down 3.5 lbs.

Tomorrow the 10th is our 5th wedding anniversary. Our kids are all going to my Dad and Step-Mom's house for the night. We are planning on going out for sushi. It's been so long since we've had sushi, I am really looking forward to it, and some time alone.

Coin Purses

I made the cutest little coin purses for Mother's Day this year; they were so easy to make. I'm planning on doing a tutorial soon. I had found a couple of DIY instructions and changed it to fit my own preferences. Here are a couple of pictures of the ones I made.  

And the Sewing Continues...

I've been sewing this week. I really love it and wish I had more time to do it. Today I sewed a new nursing cover. Here is the link Nursing Cover Roll-Up.

Today's Sewing Project

I sewed this baby blanket today. Check it out over on my craft blog. It turned out so cute!

Here is the link: Minky Baby Blanket

Rolling Right Along - Colored Pencil - Crayon Roll...

Making Christmas and birthday gifts has been my goal this year. Here is one easy gift I am making and the directions on how to make it.

Sweetie Pie: Rolling Right Along - Colored Pencil - Crayon Roll...:

Thanksgiving Decorations: Stuffed fabric pumpkins

I made some decorations for Thanksgiving this year. Here is the post link to my craft blog.

Sweetie Pie: Thanksgiving Decorations: Stuffed fabric pumpkins:

Here Fishy Fishy Fishy!

This is the fishing game I made for my friends little boy. The post is linked below to my craft blog.

Sweetie Pie: Here Fishy Fishy Fishy!

Golf Towels for my Dad

My dads birthday just passed. It was nice to spend the day with him and the family. I'm always puzzled about what to get him for his birthday. My sisters and I usually resolve to buying him yet another golf shirt or peanut brittle. Since I've been in a sewing and crafting mood lately I wanted to make him something special instead of the usual gift.

I found a fantastic tutorial for golf towels on Junie Moon's blog. This is such a nice golf towel, it's double layered and has a pocket sewn in for cleaning balls or club heads. I found some other patterns for golf towels but these were by far the nicest.

I purchased way too much fabric. I was way off on my calculations. I bought a yard of each fabric, and probably only needed a half yard for each. I made two towels and had enough left over to make two more. Adam said he would like a towel for his golf bag so at least I didn't waste the chenille.

Here is my version of Junie's golf towels.

 

I used chenille fabric instead of terry. I chose a cotton print fabric for the other side. It has playing cards printed on it. If you know my dad, you know he loves playing cards and golf. The gift ties two hobbies into one. These came out super nice. I was impressed with the quality compared to the ones they sell at the store. It cost about $10 to make both towels. I borrowed the grommet tool.

New Dress Sewing Project

I was looking online the other day for fun dress sewing project ideas for the girls. I came across this tutorial to make a little girls dress from a man's button shirt. It don't know about you, but I thought this was super adorable. I found a cute women's button dress shirt at our churches rummage sale and thought it may be perfect for this project. I paid about 10 cents for the shirt.

I'm not going to write a tutorial on this, but I am posting progress photos. I did change a few things. I did my straps differently and I changed the top trim and bottom hem. It was a little bit of work, but I'm sure the next one will go a lot faster. And, I'll definitely have to make a second one because both of the little girls are deciding who is going to wear this one and which day's they'll wear it. They are so cute.

This was a woman size large shirt. It had a funny blue snap that had been added at the top. I'm assuming it was because the buttons didn't go high enough to make it modest, but the snap didn't match the other yellow buttons. So I was able to make my first button hole. It's not that great looking but it works. It was a pain trying to get that snap off.

Here are the pictures. I'm thinking the dress is about a size 4/5 ish.

The shirt

The shirt, cut up

Tracing and cutting dress shape

The back of the shirt is the front of the dress

You can sort of see the blue snap at the top. The front of the shirt is the back of the dress.

Button hole and button in place of the snap

Making the straps

Straps and trim on the front of the dress.

Bottom trim hem

Lovely lace to finish the bottom

Patiently waiting for her dress. Here is the finished front

And, the finished back.

Here she is. Emily with her cute dress.

I just love the back. It's so cute!

This was a fun project. I can't wait to make another one.

Nursing Cover Tutorial

To go along with the baby dress gift I also wanted to make something for the Mama. I love those nursing covers I've seen in the store. They are sort of expensive. I found this tutorial and used it as a guide. I did change a few things.

Her instructions say to use 3/4 yd of fabric. I bought the 3/4 yard and it was too short. The instructions say to cut the body of the cover 38"W x 28"L and 3/4 yard is only 27" already too short, then when you wash it it's even shorter. I ended up wasting money on buying that 3/4 yard because I had to go back and get a full yard.  I think I'm going to make some cute place mats with the fabric I couldn't use. One other change is, she used terry cloth for the corner pocket/wipe, I used flannel instead. It was cheaper than terry cloth, at $4.99 a yard, whereas the terry was $12.99 a yard.

I used most the dimensions that were specified in the tutorial:

Here is what you will need:

3/4 of a yard  1 yard of heavier weight or home decor weight cotton material. (be sure to check the bolt to see if it is washable. Several of the ones I saw were dry clean only)

Two 1" D-rings (These are a little small and I think next time I'll use 1.5")

15" of boning (I found this at Joann's, but you will have to buy 1/4 yd, they don't sell by the inch)

coordinating thread (I used Gutermann)

1/4 yd. flannel material (can also use terry cloth)





From your material you will cut:


-one rectangle that is 28" x 38" (the body of the cover)


-one rectangle that is 4 1/2" x 27" (the strap)


-one small rectangle that is 6" x 5" (this piece holds the d-rings in place).


From your flannel or terry cloth you will cut:
-one 7"x7" square.

All seam allowances are 1/4", unless otherwise noted.

I picked this super cute summery flip flop fabric

Making the strap:

Use the 4 1/2" x 27" piece and fold lengthwise with the right sides together and pin.

Start sewing with the short end 1/4" seam. Pivot at the corner, sew down the long side. Don't sew the other short end closed.

Trim the corners. I went back through and did a zigzag stitch along the seam allowance to reinforce. (I don't own a serger)

Turn the strap right side out, press and set aside to use later.

Making the D ring holder:

Fold lengthwise, right sides together and sew along the long edge. The short sides don't need to be sewn.

Turn right side out and press.  Set to the side.

I pressed mine so that the sewn seam was down the middle.

Making the cover:

Fold along the bottom of the cover 1/4" and press. Do the same with the two short sides, fold in 1/4" and press.

Now fold your flannel (terry cloth) diagonal into a triangle

Place it at the corner (I put mine at the right hand side), folded edge out. 

Fold over the bottom edge another 1/4" press and pin in place.

Sew along the bottom edge of the cover, about 3/8".

Now sew the shorter side, start with the end that doesn't have the flannel. Backstitch at the end.

Repeat and sew the other side to create a corner without the flannel.

Putting together the top of the cover:

Fold the top raw edge of the cover over 3/4" and press. Fold over again 1" and press.

Take your piece of boning so that it curves upward. Place it inside the fold right in the middle

 

Pin to hold the boning in place

Get your D ring holder and slide both D rings on and fold in half. I did a zigzag stitch along the raw edges. Tuck it under the folded fabric on the left side of the boning and pin into place.

Also get the strap and do the same. Zigzag along the raw edge, then tuck under the folded fabric to the right of the boning and pin in place. Sew along the top fold at 1/4" from the inside, backstitch at both ends.

Next  fold the D-ring holder up so that the D-rings are above the top edge of the cover. Starting at the top outside edge, stitch across the top, pivot and stitch down the side, then pivot again and stitch across the bottom, stay stitching at beginning and end. This will secure it.

Do the same with the strap.

I also sewed the ends of the top hem closed.

And.... Presto... All finished. Looks nice!