Apron Tutorial (kind of)

Recently Emma had to play a farmer in a skit for our library.  I looked everywhere for overalls in her size and couldn't find them.  The lady directing the skit had a little apron that Emma could borrow.  There was only one problem-it had John Deere fabric and there's no way Popie (my dad) could let his granddaughter wear John Deere.  He's all about Farmall (It's a Southern thing-everybody has their own preference of tractors-kind of like picking a football team).  What's a girl to do???  Make an apron in Farmall colors!

I went through the stash in my sewing room and found all the items I would need:

1 pair of old blue jeans(my size-or the size I wish I still wore)

about a 1/4 yard of red mini check fabric*

about a 1/4 yard of burlap*

Heat bond

*you may need more/less fabric.  I'm terrible at estimating quantities of fabric.

I cut the jeans apart right around the side (hip) seams and about an inch below the back pockets.  I used my Go! Baby (an amazing invention) to cut strips, 2 1/2 inches wide, of the red mini check fabric and also of the burlap.  For Emma, I needed 2 pieces around 45 inches of the red for the belt and 50 inches of the burlap for the ruffle.

Place the 2 belt pieces right sides together and sew both long sides and one short side (1/4 in seams).  Turn, iron and sew the one open side-tucking raw edges in.  I slid it through the belt loops and got it centered.  Then I sewed it to the jeans at both outside edges to keep it from slipping out.

I wanted the apron to look 'shabby chic' (more shabby than chic!) so I didn't finish the edges of the burlap ruffle.  I just eyeballed where the gathers (pleats, tucks, whatever you may call them) should go.  I sewed the raw edge of the burlap right to the top of the jeans.  I did go back and zigzag the edge so it wouldn't fray too much.  Gosh I love burlap!

For the hearts, I used my Go! Baby again, cutting 2 different sizes and applying Head Bond to all 4 hearts.  After ironing those on the pockets the little apron was finished!  

Emma proudly wore it with the Farmall t-shirt that Popie had given her which made everybody happy!

Here's a Farmall tractor like the ones my dad collects and restores.

WIP-a Christmas Quilt

I bought this fabric while we were in Canada this year in November.  Unfortunately,  I haven't had a lot of time to work on it since we got home . Now it's crunch time because I just have to have it done for my party.    The girls and I have an ornament exchange party every year. This year it will be on the 19th. I'm determined to have the quilt finished by that day and displayed in the living room. We shall see....

A Colonial Dress

I'm finally getting around to posting the picture of Emma's colonial dress. She loves it and wears it often. After church on Easter Sunday she came home and changed into her beloved dress before hunting eggs. I'm glad it's a favorite and hope it gets lots of wear.

Mail time (sewing books)

Look what came in the mail for me:

I'm so excited and can't wait to get started! I've been wanting to sew clothes for myself. I think these 2 books( The Colette Sewing Handbook and Sew Serendipity) will be the perfect way to start.

Small Blog Meet and Fresh Sewing Day

Lily over at Lily's Quilts is celebrating her Blogaversary. She is so creative and kind. I know you would enjoy looking at all the beautiful things she's made. While you're there you can sign up for the Fresh Sewing Day. Grab the button and let others see what you've been sewing. Also, if you have less than 50 followers like me, you can get a button for the Small Blog Meet. Those of us with smaller blogs can get to know each other. I've gotten to know several great people by doing this. Just click on the buttons on the right in my sidebar.

Liesl's Dancing Dress-my latest project

After many minutes with the seam ripper and a couple of trips to the fabric store....here it is! Grace asked for Liesl's Dancing Dress pattern from Vision Forum for Christmas this year. She then asked 'me' to make it for her. One problem...it has a zipper. I've only put in one zipper before. Maybe two problems...it also involves organza. I believe this fabric should come with a warning: Could Be Hazardous to Your Health! Anyway, I put it off and put it off until there was just a week before she needed. She wanted so badly to have to wear to the Father/Daughter Retreat. Now I had to rush. 4 days a week when we finish school, we have to get ready to leave for extra curricular activities. One of those days we're actually gone all day. Our little school moved to the sewing room! LOL!

I'd like to say things went smoothly, but that's not quite the case. I should have made a muslin of the bodice like the pattern said, but NO, I was in too big of a hurry. Instead I ended up having to go buy more fabric and make a second bodice because the first was too small. Always follow instructions! Then I didn't put the zipper in as smoothly as I'd like, so out it came.

The good thing is the dress got finished in time and fit perfectly. Grace was pleased with it and looks absolutely lovely in it! Thanks to her I pushed myself to try something new that I thought was beyond my capabilities. I still can't believe I made it!

A Colonial Dress-my WIP

I've been away from my blog for a bit...actually longer than I thought. Never fear, I wasn't sitting here twiddling my thumbs. We've been busy with school and our usual activities. Mary got her driving permit; Grace got braces; the puppies are now a month old.

In the midst of all this, Emma has been begging me to make a dress for her. She picked out this pattern at a sale a while back. She really wanted me to make this dress for the Father/Daughter Retreat this month. I found enough (well almost enough-I rigged it a little) fabric in my stash. Only one thing (besides time) was holding me back...the zipper. Yes, I'm a grown woman who's sewn for many years, yet I'm afraid of installing zippers. That is until I found this tutorial. She made installing an invisible zipper actually easy.

The dress is almost complete now. I just have to sew in the eye and hook and clip all the loose threads. I even made a little hoop skirt to go underneath to make it a bit fuller. Hopefully I will be able to post a pick of the completed project soon.

My Christmas Gift

I got the most amazing gift from my husband for Christmas! A Go Cutter! (actually I got the Go Baby). Not only is it cute (really it is! It even has a little pink carrying bag), but I know it will save me so much time with my quilting. I can't wait to try one of the many free projects that came with it. The New (sewing) year is looking very bright!

Mannequin (pin cushion)

I finally got around to sewing these beautiful mannequins! They're supposed to be pin cushions but these are just to look pretty in my girls rooms. They're so easy to make with only a fat quarter, candle stick , button and mini ornament. There's a wonderful video tutorial here. I made mine from candlesticks that were my husband's grandmothers. She was my dear friend and always had these candlesticks sitting on her kitchen table. I spray painted them to match the girl's rooms. The buttons are also from her collection. Now my little ladies will have a gift made by mom but full of memories of great-grandmother.

Homemade ornaments

I'm having my annual ornament exchange party today. I'm so excited. This year I decided to make some ornaments to give away as door prizes. So easy and so cute!

More baskets

Each year when we go to Canada I like to take handmade gifts for my friends. This year I decided to make everyone more of these cute baskets. I found the tutorial on Ayumi's blog. I loved using all the different colors and patterns. Once we arrived in Canada I baked cookies to fill each basket.

Birthday sewing

October is the month when 2 of my dearest friends have their birthdays. Here's what I made for Sandy- a little basket with handmade soaps and a pin cushion/scrap bag to sit on her sewing table. One gift finished-one more to go.

Cathedral Windows-WIP

Here's my feeble attempt at Cathedral Windows. Don't laugh! It was actually easier than I thought. Granted I haven't perfected it yet, but I did have fun trying. Thanks to this blog, I had step by step instructions.

When I showed my husband my work, he showered me in praise. This should have made me smile, but instead tears flowed down my cheeks. Why? Because I have regrets. You see, my Granny used to make these squares. The last few years I've wondered how they were made and what the name was. Granny passed away 11 years ago. She did all kinds of little sewing projects-quilting, clothes, yo-yo's, etc. She taught me how to hem but that's all the sewing I learned from her. I just never asked. I'm sure she would have been glad to show me. At the time I had 2 little girls and just wasn't interested in sewing. Now I am. I so wish she was here to show me how to make these squares. To smile when I finished one correctly. To help me choose fabric. But, at least now I've learned. I can make something that my Granny worked on. I can teach my girls. I know my Granny is smiling down at me. I know she's proud.

(here are a couple of Granny's Cathedral Window squares)

Sewing Saturday

This has been one of those days where so many things have gone wrong. Major things. Sometimes you have to laugh so you don't cry! In my case, I decided to throw myself into sewing. Sewing makes it all better. I had been wanting to try this tutorial. It was so fast and easy! Now I have one Christmas present made. So many more to go.

Dresden...skirt?

So, I want to be a quilter. I honestly thought this would be an easy task. I've sewn for years now. Some little quilting projects I've attempted have turned out pretty well. Not perfect mind you, but workable.

This past week I've spent a lot of time drooling over my favorite quilting blogs. I happened upon a tutorial for a Dresden plate. How beautiful! All the pretty fabrics with rounded edges carefully placed together to make a circle. As I read the instructions, I thought "I can do this" . She really does make is look easy.

Saturday was the day. I pulled out my scraps and started cutting. I was amazed at how smoothly it was going. Then I sewed the sections together. Hmm...it wasn't quite laying flat. Maybe if I sewed a bit more here...Nope. Finally in frustration I put it all down. I couldn't believe I'd spent all that time and had nothing to show for it. I hate to waste time and I really dislike wasting fabric.

This was still on my mind Sunday afternoon. Another thing about me-I don't give up easily. I went back to my sewing room and started again with this little piece of fabric. The result...

A Dresden skirt for Emma's doll! I think it looks just lovely!

Now, if anyone can give me pointers on how to make my Dresden plate properly, so that it will lay flat, I would greatly appreciate it. :) Until then I think I'll stick with the 9 patch!

A good find

I love to shop at thrift stores! My girls and I try to go every week. We've managed to find lots of good deals on everything from clothes and everyday china to toys and sewing supplies. Our latest find was this little doll bed for Emma. It was only $3.99! It even came with the mattress. We cleaned it all up then went through my scrap fabric. In a short time I had whipped up this bedding that perfectly matches Emma's room. Emma loves it and I think her doll does too!

Little tags

One of the fun things about girls is that they love to be surrounded by friends. It seems we're always planning playdates or going to parties. Sometimes I run out of ideas for gifts for all the different parties and holidays. This time we decided on a little purse (what girl doesn't need a new purse) with a bit of a spin.

I love to sew these little tags. Usually I attach them with ribbon. This time I decided to add a ring so that they could be removed and put on different bags. Emma has one that I keep on her backpack but can change it over to her dance bag or even her duffle bag when we travel.

I made this cute 'paperdoll' tag for a baby shower. The fabric was some I'd saved after making a dress for Emma when she was a toddler.

Have I shown you this???

Welcome friends to what I think of as the loveliest room in my home-my little sewing room. Some people call there's a studio but mine is a plain and simple sewing room. I wanted it to feel like you were walking into your Grandmother's attic. My love of old things is evident. I especially cherish those pieces with lots of memories. Around my room you'll find a quilt my grandmother made, a quilt made by Mark's great-grandmother, linens from Mark's grandmother, a table my father-in-law used for years and refinished for us and the christening gown I made.

The cradle at the foot of the wrought iron bed holds years worth of sewing magazines that I just can't part with.

If you happen to be counting, yes there are 3 sewing machines in my room. You see I share this room with my girls. I love to have them come in and sew with me.

I adore having pretty things to store all my clutter in. :) Around the room are hat boxes, baskets-both wicker and metal and an antique armoire that was my grandfather's.

I treasure my little room with the warm, yellow walls and the big window that lets the afternoon sun shine through. It's a perfect space to create in-surrounded by my girls and so many memories.

May Day Giveaway!!!!!

It's here! My first every May Day Giveaway! It's a zig-zag doll quilt-printed on one side, solid white on the other.

To win:

Follow me and leave a message. It's so simple.

I'll let my 7 year old daughter pick a number which will be the winner. Thanks so much for visiting. Please come back again.

Sneak peek...

Visit on Monday for the May Day Giveaway!