Another project finished!

realize I am not doing as many projects as I had hoped. What I need to do now is figure out why. I enjoy the doing of the project. They do not take long, a couple hours usually.

At the end I have an apron, a nightie, seat cushions, or something else useful.

So why do I just not sit down and get it done? I have no clue. I do know I need a schedule. So beginning Monday I plan to implement one. I want to plan 2 hours of crafting a day.

Yesterday was a nice day, I actually made an apron yesterday. This material I have had for years. I bought it wanting to make a full length apron. I LOVE the fabric's theme and saw myself as Laura in it. Well I may not be Laura, but it did spur me on to getting homemaking things done this morning.

So here is my accomplishment from yesterday:

Beginning:

Iron:

Sew:

Tada:

What do you think? I love the homesteady feel of the pattern. 

The length goes to my ankles, just as most of my skirts do.

What have you created lately?

Keep on Sewin' y'all

Mission: New Nightie!

I love pretty nighties. I do not like paying $13 for them. I have not liked any I have seen for sale. I have a couple I enjoy. My solution? Take one apart (Thank you Judy!) and use it as a pattern for a new one. I have not had a new nightie in about 4 years, I think it is time, don't you?

What I had for my first trial attempt:

Sew Sew Sew:

Tada!

It is roomy and comfy and long enough to hide my knobby knees.

I have many projects ready to sew. I am hoping this week will be one where my sewing machine and I spend some true quality time together!

Keep Sewin' y'all!

The need? Chair cushions.

So for a few years we have had these wooden chairs. I love them however we play a lot of games... Like for hours on Saturday afternoon and they get well... HARD! I knew I needed chair cushion and a few months back I stumbled on the perfect fabric for them at a yard sale. Finally I began planning. I wanted them to have a removable cover so they could be washed when needed. I do not do zippers, yet any way. Then DS dropped off a couple of worn out pillows and the wheels began turning... I decided to make them as if I was making a bag and to use the ties that kept them in place as the closure. The end result was tested Saturday and was pronounced much better than the hard wooden seat! Now to stop the cats from undoing the bows on the ties...

The supplies:

The object, make chair cushions with a removable, washable cover. One that was easy peasy to get off and wash.

Cut:

Sew:

Sew:

TADA:

I washed the pillows then I cut the pillows in 1/2 and sewed up the end. 1/2 a pillow was just right for what I needed! It is fun to see things in my home, then look at boughten solutions and realize, hey I can make that! I love that word, boughten. I read it once long ago in a book about some one who had boughten teeth... and have loved it ever since.

So what have you made instead of bought for your home?

Keep Sewin' y'all!

Having some fun.

For the last couple weeks I have been in the dumps. I have no idea why just nothing appealed to me. I really dislike it when I get like that but hey, it happens so what do you do? Well if you are me you read... a LOT. Especially pioneer style books or Grace Livingston Hill books. You also listen to up beat hymns over and over and over again. Then one day, like today you wake up with a song on your lips and a bounce in your step and the urge to once again be creative.

I looked over the aprons I have made and decided to go for a bit of frill on this next one. This one became an experiment. I had a bland purple pattern cut already. So I dug into my stash of rick rack and laces and goodness knows what :

This is a 7 drawer chest. 6 of which are stuffed with rick rack and laces and who knows what all. There is more in the closet in a basket and in a box under the sewing table and... you get the idea.

This pile is what I began with:

Since this was an experiment and not up for sale I did it free hand and did not do all the ironing I do on ones for sale. I made a few mistakes in it too, probably because I did not preiron the seams.

Sew Sew Sew:

Tada:

This apron has the ties at the top, they cross over in the back and go through loops to tie at the waist. I have an apron in this style made for me by a sweet lady I have lost touch with. I love it but for 1 thing. It has no pockets. I need pockets. However I can never decide if I want deep or wide ones. (Great now that hymn is going through my head but I only know part of it! )

So on this apron I put one of each so I can see which I use most often.

I also used a combination of stitches, #1 and #3 on this.

For an extra bit of frill I added the vintage lace along the bottom. I know it is not real fancy but it satisfied my urge for a pretty apron. I got to sew and sing hymns and have a really happy morning!

What do you think?

Keep on sewin' y'all!

A very pretty finish!

I made this apron for my friend Roxy. She has 3 of the most adorable girls... so now I am thinking of doing a few trials in child sizes... 

I really loved the roses on this fabric. The color is just what a rose should be! As usual the seams are double folded for no fraying and the pockets are reinforced. 

Roxy told me yesterday that this apron has already stood a trial as she washed a stray kitty they found in their yard while wearing it!  

The beginning with an audience:

Iron Iron Iron...

                             

Sew Sew Sew...

Picking buttons...

Tada...

I am part of an apron group on yahoo. There are so many cool apron patterns out there! I want to make them all!

I am working on a schedule now that will give me a day each week to cut patterns, and then 3 days of sewing...

I also must begin planning and executing Christmas projects!

Keep on Sewin' y'all!

I am back.

I had another health scare with my Beloved but he is back on track now.

I have several aprons cut that I need to sew. Today however I decided to work on an idea that has been on my mind the last few days.

I read... a lot... and I enjoy fancy book marks. Some books like my Bibles have many places marked. You know certain scriptures just fill a need at any moment. Instead of turning pages to find them when needed I like to just open up to them.

I have a lot of scraps of this and that. I also have a ton of lace, binding and rick rack to find uses for.

So I began with this one fabric scrap in particular and decided I wanted a book mark out of it. I found a cool color to back it with and a lace I felt worked with the very busy pattern and away I went.

I began with this:

A Bit of fabric, some vintage feeling lace and a jean leg. 

Ironed:

Sewed:

And came up with this:

What do you think?

I have decided the jean material for the backing is too thick I think. It was hard to hold still going around the corners... I have 1 more bit of the busy fabric to use up and I have a different type of blue fabric I may try it with... 

Keep on sewin' ya'll!

Thursday Things

Since I have been under the weather all week I have not been able to sew. I have however done some digging in my sewing room. I discovered a few dish rags I knitted this winter. I knit in winter when it is too cold to go out and do other things.

I knit when I need quiet and prayer time too. There is something calming about picking up the needles and a skein of pretty yarn and just letting my heart talk to God while the needles do their work.

I was told I should put these on Etsy too. So I took pictures. They are very cheery. 

 

I have small hands and while sometimes I want a big dish rag some times I want a smaller one, easier to control too. They measure 5in x 5in. They take a shorter time to knit and less yarn too. I only use sugar and cream yarn for these. I do intend to make some bigger ones too, once I have more empty time on my needles!

I hope you like these!

Keeps sewin' (er knitting?) y'all!

Friday Finish!

Well this week I did not get much sewing done. Today I finally finished this LHOP apron. I loved this material, seriously it is too cute. Though the wobbly lines did not make it easy!

We began with this:

Iron Iron Iron:

Pin Pin Pin:

Sew Sew Sew:

Tada!

 The mistake:

Actually it is not really a mistake. I wanted to be certain the ties and straps were sewn in good and tight. It just showed up badly on this one spot, but is hidden well among the gathers!

Now from prior experience with this style I learned you need a button or something on the straps to hold them up. So I went with a big red button and a sewn loop.

I think the next time I do a LHOP apron I need to find some way to contrast the fabric. One so my eyes don't go buggy again and 2 because I think it would look better.

I have tons of lace and such, it is just deciding what lace is sweet but not too fancy to use on an apron.

3 Aprons done and ready to get final pictures for the Etsy store! I may actually get it open tomorrow!

Keep on Sewin' y'all