Sewing Sunday

This pretty apron is the "Emmeline Apron" from Montessori By Hand. I've had this green fabric for a while and was inspired by these fabric combinations to make my own. The great thing about the apron is that it is reversible - two in one!! The reverse side is a polka dot print that didn't photograph too well, but you get the basic idea.


Making the apron was appropriate since I did a bit of baking this weekend (too bad I made the apron AFTER the baking was done!!). Friday night Jeff's parents came over for dinner, and we celebrated his mom's birthday. I made these Carrot Cupcakes from the latest issue of Everyday Food (find recipe here.

Coat Sew-Along

Well, I've signed up to sew my most ambitious project to date - a winter coat. I've wanted to sew a coat for a while, I've had some fabric for over a year now and the pattern too, I just haven't gotten up the nerve to start it out. Then I read on Marji's blog about a blogging sew-along she was putting together. It appealed to me because it is structured to spread out the work between now and September. So in June we will fit a muslin, July, cut and interline fabric, etc. I figure this way I won't get to overwhelmed and not ever finish. Plus there are tons of other sewing experts whose blogs I regularly read that are participating as well, so I will be asking a lot of questions. Marji has set the blog to private, so only members can see the posts, but I'll post my progress here as well.

I will be sewing Simplicity 4403, view A (the one on the far right)


My fabric is this wool houndstooth fabric I picked up from Cy Rudnick's fabric during their going out of business sale. It was such a steal - only $6 a yard, and the regular price was over $30/yard!!!


Now, I just need to pick up my other items, lining, buttons etc. I'll keep you updated!

Getting My Sewing Groove Back

After making so many bags for other people, I just found I wasn't motivated to sew. So, I took a little break from sewing and boy did I need it. Now, I'm feeling creative again, but wanted to start with something fairly easy. I've had this pattern (Simplicity 3877) sitting around for a while now. It only took me a few hours to make this afternoon, and while it needs some tweaking (neckline is a bit too wide, almost falls off my shoulders when I'm wearing it) I'm very happy with the result. I even wrote my first review on PatternReview - check it out here

Is it spring yet?

Boy, I'm tired of this cold weather. One day it is almost 50 degrees, the next 11. Crazy midwest weather. At least it provided some good picture taking opportunities.









My poor little potting bench just looks so lonely!!

Long weekend = project progress!

I decided to take Monday off since it was a holiday for Jeff. I used the extra time to get some projects finished off:

First up is a custom order for a diaper bag/changing pad. I'm really happy with how this turned out.



Then I finished a tote bag for my friend Erin. I'm going to have to make a bag for myself out of this giraffe print. I love it!!



Speaking of bags for myself, I'm tweaking a new design. My neighbor liked my regular tote bag, but wanted the strap long enough to wear cross-body. I whipped one up for her (forgot to take pictures) and liked it so much I made one for myself in a cool Michael Miller print I picked up.



This is a project I finished months ago but am finally getting around to posting pictures of. I knit a hat for Jeff as one of his Christmas presents, it was my first foray into knitting in the round and using double pointed needles.



Jeff wears it all the time, so I think its a hit. I think I'll knit one for myself, maybe in a pink/green combo.

Want. One.

Image from print addict

Not that I need a new hobby or anything, but I think I may have to buy myself a Gocco. What is a Gocco? Well, it is a really cool compact screenprinting system from Japan. You can take almost any image, make a photocopy, use the Gocco to create a screen, then print your image on whatever you'd like.

For a clip of the Gocco in action, visit etsy labs for a tutorial.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

I'm not a big v-day person, but that won't stop me from having some sweets. Our talented friend Erin opened up Dolce Baking Co a few months ago and Jeff picked up this little cake to have as dessert tonight. Can't wait to dig in.

Progress

Wow, is it February already? I cannot believe the first month of the year has already gone. Luckily, I do have some finished objects to show for my work, and I've actually done well with some of my resolutions!!

First up: Yoga Pants/Burda World Of Fashion/November 2007
I saw so many great reviews of this Burda WOF pattern that I bought the issue on ebay (see also: resolution # 1, only buy patterns with a project in mind). Now, this was my first WOF pattern and I was a little nervous. You need to trace out the pattern from the sheet first, then make your project. So I jumped right in and tracing wasn't all that bad.



Once I had the pattern pieces laid out, I tissue fit them and discovered a few alterations were needed. With I gift card I got for Christmas, I bought Fast Fit by Sandra Betzina and found it useful for this project (see also: resolution #3, learn to make pattern alterations).

The construction was super-easy, and thanks to the serger I'm using it was also very fast. This FO also fit into resolutions #2 and #4 as well. Not too bad. Maybe I should post more resolutions online!!!



I've also had a few more bag orders completed and delivered.




Here's a peek at some orders in progress.

Happy New Year!

Well, we are a few days into 2008, and I was thinking I should work on some resolutions. Not the usual resolutions you see, like eat better, workout, etc. I never seem to do those anyways. No, I want to make some sewing/crafting resolutions. I figure if I put them out here in black and white then I may be more apt to work on them. So, here goes:

1. Only buy patterns or fabric with a specific project in mind.
Last year I bought a LOT of patterns (note to self, just because the pattern is on sale for 99 cents doesn't mean you should buy it!!) and built up quite a fabric stash.

2. Sew more garments for myself
I have lots of patterns (see #1) but I seem to stick in the accessories realm. Time to make some wearable items!

3. Learn to make pattern alterations
This is the biggest reason I haven't ventured more into #2 above. The few garments I made fit me so poorly that I just quit trying.

4. Conquer my fear of knits
Again, did not have good results sewing on knit fabrics. My wonderful mother-in-law (Hi Kay!!) has loaned me her serger which I hope to use in this task.

5. Learn more about this blogging thing-y
I think there is so much more I could do with this blog. For instance, I'd like to have a sidebar with photos of my current projects. I know it is just a matter of doing some research, so I pledge to work on that more. Hey, I figured out how to make bold headings for this list. That is a start!!

6. Become better at digital photography
There are so many beautifully photographed blogs out there (see Heather Bailey and Anna Maria Horner ) and I'm just snapping pictures with my little camera and slapping them up on the internet. I'd like to learn some more about using light boxes and having better composed photos.

Ok, that is probably a good start. We'll see how good I do....

Holiday Favorites

This Christmas, I've been thinking a lot about holiday traditions. Maybe I'm just getting older, but I'm less focused on gifts/presents nowadays and more reflective and thinking about family and the holiday rituals I enjoy. Meg's blog got me thinking about this when she started her holiday swap. One of the requirements was to describe one of your family's traditions around the holidays and share it with your swap-mate. I really struggled to come up with anything, so I didn't sign up.

A few weeks after that, I was visiting with a friend about how I felt I didn't have any traditions and how bummed I was I didn't sign up for the swap. She reminded me that I do, in fact, have many traditions (isn't that what great friends are for?), One of them being the cookie baking marathon that she and I do together each year. So, after that conversation I became more obsersvant of my life, and realized that yes, I have some holiday traditions.

So, here are a few of my favorite holiday things:





These felt ornaments are at least 30 years old. My Grandma G. gave them to my parents when I was I child and they passed them on (I think I demanded them!!) to me when I got married. They were all handmade my a friend of my grandma's and the detail work on them is incredible. They make me smile when I hang them on my tree each year.



The only holiday show I watch each year is the Charlie Brown Christmas. I love the music and the message, and Jeff and I take time to drink our hot chocolate and watch it each year.



Speaking of hot chocolate, we enjoy it all the more thanks to my Waechtersbach Christmas tree mugs. My regulary dinnerware is plain white, so it is a lot of fun to get out these special plates and mugs.

I'm happy I took some time to pause this Christmas season and think about a few things that are really important to me. I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday!!

Now, Why Didn't I Think of That?

One of the blogs I regularly read is Heather Bailey , a talented fabric designer who has a beautifully photographed blog. For several months now, she has been hinting about something called trash ties that would be coming soon.

Well, she launched her new site for Trash Ties and of course I had to order some. I just love hair products and will have to try these out. Order by Dec 10th for Christmas delivery and use the coupon code ILOVETRASH to get 15% off

Happy Birthday to ME!

After all, what is a blog for if you can't shamelessly promote your own b-day?

Photo from Sprinkles Cupcakes

Last Friday of November Favorite Thing

I never read any Jane Austen in school. I actually didn't read Pride and Prejudice until after I had seen the 2005 movie version of the book. Once I saw it, I loved it. I read the book, watched the BBC miniseries and eventually my husband bought me the DVD. I know many on the internet are divided over which version (or which Mr. Darcy, more specifically) is better. Now, I am a huge Colin Firth fan but I loved the more recent version. I think it depends on which you saw first. So rent it, or read the book...whatever you choose I hope you love it too!!

Friday Favorite Thing (on Saturday!)

This week, as I was getting ready for Thanksgiving I made my grandma's recipie for cranberry relish. Growing up, grandma would always make this for me because she knew it was a favorite. After I got married, she sent me recipes for all of the things I loved that she made. This week's Friday Favorite is dedicated to Grandma G!!

Grandma's Cranberry Relish

1 package fresh cranberries (12 ounces)
2 - 3 apples (your choice, I like Braeburn)
1/4 cup crushed pineapple
1 cup sugar

Chop cranberries and apples in food processor. Combine in lage bowl with pineapple and sugar. Done!! It is best if made several hours before hand, will keep for a few days (it never lasts when I make it 'cause I eat it all up!)

Friday Favorite Thing

In an effort to have more frequent blog postings, I decided to have a recurring theme. You know, some blogs do "Flickr Fridays" or "Flashback Fridays", we'll I'm going to do Friday Favorite things where I'll post some of my very favorite things, hence the title!!

My first Favorite Thing are my Ugg slippers. I know,Ugg's are SO out, but I love these slippers.

This is actually my second pair, my first pair lasting about 3 years before I pretty much wore them out. From around November to March, if I'm at home, I'm wearing my Uggs. O.k., there was that one time I wore them to the grocery store, but that is it, I swear!! Don't judge me :) My feet are always so cold, and these slippers keep them nice and warm.

My Big Adventure

Today I participated in my first craft fair. My office has an annual holiday bazaar where associates and others can come in and sell their wares. I didn't know what to expect, or if people would actually pay money for what I made. I'm really pleased with the turnout. I made up a few samples in a shoulder bag and a tote, along with a couple smaller sized cosmetic bags. I brought in the fabric I had so folks could customize their bags with their own fabric choices. That turned out to be the big draw, most people went over to my fabric stash and oohed and aaahed, and that allowed me to get started on the selling. Here's a snapshot of my "booth"

Getting ready for the sale wore me out!! I worked on my samples all weekend along with my marketing materials (name, business cards, etc.) I've only gotten about 4 hours of sleep the last few nights getting ready. Jeff joked about the "sweatshop" I was working in.

I got orders for about 12 bags, so the work in the sweatshop will continue so I can have them ready by Christmas.

I also set up a storefront on etsy, check it out here I've only got one item on there now, but I hope to get more listed soon. In case you were wondering, KikiBoo is the name of one of my cats, so yes, I named my business after a kitty!!

Kauai Photos!

I added a slideshow to the sidebar with some of our vacation photos. There are too many to add to the blog...if you'd like to see them all go here

San Francisco

Getting ready for our upcoming trip, I was reflecting on our last out-of-town getaway to San Francisco. We went for my birthday in December of last year (wow - 9 months since a vacation...I NEED to get out of town!!) and had a wonderful time. Since I was looking through our photos, I thought I'd share a bit of our trip to SFO.

One of the most fun things we did was take the ferry over to Sausalito to see the town and drive to Muir woods. We started out at the Ferry Marketplace, a beautiful re-done bulding with many local merchants selling food. We were there so early no one was open yet!

Most of the ferry activity was boats bringing people TO San Francisco, so our trip only had maybe 10 people on it.

The ride over gave many photo opportunities of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Muir Woods was so quiet and peaceful, I could have sat there for hours!!

Since we rented a car in Sausalito for the day, we ventured around to a great lookout over the Pacific.

And took the obligatory picture in front of the bridge.

We bought a trolley pass, so spent plenty of time going up and down the hills of the city.

A guide book had mentioned some off the beaten path stops not everyone knows about. One such place was Macondray Lane. Walking up to it, Jeff swore I was lost, but when we turned the corner and saw this little magical enclave of houses, he knew I was right. What a beautiful place. Wonder what the houses cost there??

We also walked down Lombard Street (easier than walking up!!)

Upon a friend's recommendation, we visited the Japanese garden at Golden Gate Park.

What a great trip! It was fun reliving it here for you.

Busy Weekend

Or, 2 Shirts, 2 Skirts and a headband!

With vacation coming up, I thought I'd see if I could sew a few things for my trip. After many hours of work, I'm mostly pleased

This is a pattern I've had for a while but been hesitant to try because it uses knits. Knits don't like me. I do fine with the seams, it is the finishing (hems, neckline, etc) that gives me the most problem. I had this really soft knit I got for like 2 bucks at Hancock's from the remmnant table I thought I'd try. It went together really fast and was fairly easy, but the neckline hem is wavy, like most of the knit projects I try.


I saw this shirt popping up on so many blogs I had to try it. I read that it ran big, and I didn't want it to look like a tent on me (not very flattering) so I cut it a size smaller than my usual. It is plenty snug, so it was a good thing I used some leftover fabric I had. I'll try reworking again. I think it will be very cute when I get it right.


This project started out being inspired by the fabric. I thought it was very Lilly Pulitzer-like print that would make a good skirt. I used a pattern from the book Sew What Skirts and made a wrap skirt. Very happy with how this one turned out.



My second skirt was again inspired by fabric. I saw this madras plaid at the store and thought it looked like a JCrew skirt I had seen. I also used the Sew What Skirts book on this one.


Since I had fabric leftover, I thought a headband would complete my preppy look. Heather Bailey has a free pattern on her website that makes really cute, easy headbands. A few minutes after cutting, viola...a headband.



I also had a great helper during my sewing marathon. Why do cats like fabric so much?!?!?