Branching out (times 3)

1)I don't refashion clothing that often, but this week I completed something quite darling for Diana. If you want to read more, click here:
Before:

After:

2)This time we tried sorbet.

Delish.

3) The Bosch arrived and works well.

CHANGE IS GOOD.

Visible Progress

Something I like about keeping a journal (or writing a blog), is being able to look back and see progress. Last September, I sewed in my first zipper. I came back to that project last night, and here is the final product. (The first one turned out a wee bit tiny). This one is just right.

I'm happy I finished. You may know that September is National Sewing Month . . . . my project this month is to finish up some UFO's (unfinished objects).

By next September, I will put some zippers into clothing . . . . Happy sewing Month!

entered!

I finished before the deadline and my photographer came home early enough to get me entered. If I make it to the voting rounds, I will let you know, because I will be needing votes.

And  . . . . I started a new blog:

mydesiretocreate.blogspot.com

skirt preview

I've been working on this . . . hoping to wear it somewhere next week? It shows up much better on her photo than I think I will get it to show up on mine. The brown is so dark that it's hard to see. (By the way, I didn't use a man's t-shirt. I tried, but didn't find anything at my Goodwill that I thought I could make into something wearable for me. Joann's has interlock on sale for 50%off--so I used that).

I have only sewn one knit item of clothing before--PJ's for Nathan. They turned out pretty well--he wears them.

The last time I sewed a skirt was when I was taking summer school between 3rd and 4th grade. I chose sewing, or my mom chose it for me?? No one remembers that far back. I am hopeful it's wearable. I don't have any shirts that match it either, so I might have to postpone wearing it until I can find (or make) something that matches. I want to enter this contest for making a spring top. I have a pattern, fabric(s) and ideas. All I need is time and the discipline to get it done.
 

Easter dress stress

(A lovely weekend spent mostly at home listening to Conference on Nathan's work laptop in the living room. Much better than crowded into the office on chairs pulled in from the dining table).

This year I didn't find my dream Easter dress, but I wore a blue sweater set with my favorite skirt. I also purchased 3 other skirt patterns in my size while I was searching, so hopefully one of them will turn out well soon. I sewed a lining for a skirt for myself this week as a practice run. It was AWFUL . . . . no photos, and I eliminated that pattern from the hopefuls. It was a great learning experience despite having nothing to show for it. I guess my learning will show up when I am able to construct something worth wearing.

Bryn wore her baptism dress. Caitlin wore a pink linen dress I found in Chicago, at a thrift store? I can't remember. The lace tore off the bottom and I replaced it with lace leftover from the baby girl blessing dress my mom made. Diana wore a new purple dress I made. I don't know if she will ever wear it again, because she tried very hard to get out of wearing it this morning. 

Later in the afternoon, she told me she liked it, so who knows?

It is Simplicity 5695, View D in a size 1. At least two of my sewing group friends have made this dress, and it always seems to run large. I overcorrected, because it is a touch too small.

Several weeks ago, our sewing lesson was about gathering. Our teacher demonstrated three techniques. Traditional--basting and pulling threads, using elastic thread to shirr fabric, and by using clear elastic. Her lesson gave me confidence to try again. It was much better this time. I am happy with it.

I felt comfortable with the pattern. It was right at my skill level. Sewing is not easy for me. I enjoy it in spite of that fact. Maybe, because of that fact?

****If you make this dress, be sure to make the elastic around the neck shorter than what the pattern indicates. I took off about 3 inches for this dress. 

Quick sewing

Happiness is  . . . . a quickly finished project.


This is the first time I've completed a sewing project within 24 hours of returning from the fabric store. I kind of like that feeling. I've made aprons like this several times before. This time I made it reversible and used contrasting fabric for the neck and waist ties. Success!

Baby girl quilt

 

Since starting my new part time job (nursing), my sewing machine has been running a lot less lately. This week I did have time to sew on some cub scout patches, however, I have resorted to showing off quilts from long ago. In this case, this quilt was sewn in the Fall of 2008, shortly after moving here. One of my friends was having her baby in November. I offered her a choice at her baby shower: 

either a gift card, or to help her sew a quilt for her first daughter. 

I stole the design from a JCPenney catalog of cute baby things. She chose the fabrics, and we cut, ironed, and sewed it together. Honestly, she did most of the work. All I can remember sewing is putting the horizontal rows together, and the binding. (Oh how I love hand-sewing the binding to the back side). She tied the quilt with her mom after the baby was born. The backing fabric is the same as the binding. I love how it turned out, I would use this design again. It is easy to find 3 coordinating fabrics you love, cut squares and sew them up. It was fun to work on it together.

Doll quilt

This Christmas, Bryn asked Santa Claus for a doll bed. She received a piece of foam and some pieces of flannel. This is what she envisioned and I worked on. It is done, and hopefully will still be around when she has a daughter. She said it is for Emily, the Cabbage patch doll who was mine and came home with us from Wyoming this summer.

The photo doesn't show the back, but it is the same green color as the petals on the flowers, which has a tie-dyed effect to it. The binding is the same color pink as the center of the middle flower.

This close up is to show the blanket stitch on the appliqued flower.
New skills: applique, blanket stitch

Using a twin needle

Today I learned how to use a twin needle.

When Bryn was Diana size (3T at the moment), I bought a shirt from JCPenney on clearance for $2.77. Unbelieveable sale. But I've never liked it, because of the sleeves--they had an extra flouncy part at the bottom. The flounce was always a problem. This fall when I tried it on Diana, she told me she didn't want to wear it. As in "NEVER, MOM!"
I guess we aren't a very flouncy family.

I couldn't get rid of it, though, so I decided to try something else with it. This morning, I got rid of the flounce and hemmed the sleeves using the twin needle. After working out the kinks, ie, "How do you thread this thing with 2 threads?" it was delightful and I will be using it to repair a few other T-shirts whose hems have come loose. (My mending pile is large and contains clothes that are outgrown or discarded before repaired. It is inevitably tossed in a random box right before we move. Hoping to eliminate it by our Ft. Collins move). If you plan to purchase a twin needle for working on knit fabrics, make sure you purchase the "Stretch" variety.

This is what the shirt looks like now. Not perfect, but a great trick to have up your sleeve. Pun intended.

Close up of the sleeve. Better now. And she told me she wants to wear it tomorrow. We'll see, at first she thought I was making it short sleeved.

p.s. Does reading about sewing bore you? Please share your opinion, either in comments or in an email to me.

Buttoned Up

Last night at Sewing, I stitched on the button to Bryn's dress. It's done and ready to wear! And I have time to spare. It is only the 4th dress I've ever made, and I feel happy about how it turned out. I still have lots of progress to make, but am glad to have a functional, completed project.

The first two dresses are unwearable.
The first stained when I left it soaking in OxyClean too long (so sad, and my own fault). It would have been OK, but the color on the embroidery thread bled onto the fabric. 
I'm not pleased with the gathering at the waistline on the second. Perhaps I will fix it if my baby is a girl so she can wear it at 18 months. If not, I will probably get rid of it in our move.
The 3rd is Bryn's blue dress I worked on earlier this year. It is unfinished due to the changes I need to make in the neckline, but the plan is to finish it for her birthday. It is too tight going over her head and needs hemming.

New skills: Please skip if sewing bores you or you don't want so much detail.
This time I used a catchstitch to hem the dress. It looks good and has some flexibility built in. I learned how to cover a button with fabric, and finished a few days before the deadline (which might be the best part of the whole project). This was the first "special occasion" fabric I've ever used, and the first time to use a serger to finish the hemline. I used a new stitch on my serger, the 4 thread safety stitch, and appreciate the "safety" of this stitch. I.E. you can mess up with it and still be OK, you have some seam allowance left over in case you need to pick something out. I basted the side seams and sleeves before sewing them in, due to my serger anxiety, and it worked really well. Great idea to baste something you are scared to sew--I've never really used basting before, but I will in the future. 

What's up next? Some secret Christmas sewing. Must get started!

Eye Candy

I frequently feel a need for color therapy. Nothing works quite as well as a trip to the fabric store, but looking through my own fabric can work wonders too. The fabric came from my mom's stash, one of my favorite places to shop (or just window shop). Thanks, Mom!


This is called a Box Pouch, and there is an online tutorial for it if you want the link here.

It went together really quickly and is nice to have a zipper that is more functional than the last one I did. If you've never sewn in a zipper, this is a great place to begin. I started and finished all today, from shopping to completing! I love a finished project.

Tonight at our sewing group, I cut out the pieces for the final baptism dress, so that is moving along as well. You might not see it until after the baptism, but you will probably get a report when it is complete.

P.S. a little SEWING TIP:
At our last sewing meeting, our teacher said that we should change needles with each new sewing project. She sews a lot, and so probably needs to change that often. I don't sew nearly as much as she does, but figured since I couldn't remember the last time I changed a needle, it was time. I put in the new needle for Bryn's blue dress, and noticed a big difference.

the DRESS part 1

Background: Eight years ago, I was pregnant and did not find out the gender of my child. When SHE was born, I decided I would sew her a blessing dress. Less than a week after her delivery, I was at Joann's buying fabric and a dress pattern. What was I thinking? A few days later, (the night before her blessing, when the dress wasn't finished), I stayed up late next to my mom as she sewed the dress. I think I only sewed one seam, and even that might be generous.

Having my first daughter made me want to be able to sew dresses for her. Specifically modest clothing that is also cute. I set a goal to sew her one dress each year.

Fast forward eight years, to 2009. In that time, TWO dresses have been sewn, and only ONE for that daughter. Nevertheless, time moves on and we are planning a December baptism. Once again, I am pregnant with a child of unknown gender . . not that much has changed. Bryn will have a dress sewn by my two hands, and my mom will not be finishing it the night before. Due to my current pregnant and highly emotional state, I will not be either, it must be done in advance.

That said, last night I finished (almost) Bryn's prototype baptism dress. I didn't get the hem done. This morning I sent her to school with the dress on a hanger so she could wear it for school pictures. She did, though the strings hanging off the ends at the bottom bothered not only her, her teacher offered to trim them for her.

"My mom is still sewing it and I might get in trouble, so please don't," Bryn told her. I wish I could have been there.

Here it is.


New skills: I sewed my first darts and set in sleeves! The sleeves were easier than the darts. It might be that because of the elastic gather in the sleeve, the mistakes on the sleeve don't show? Darts in an of themselves don't seem so tricky. The trick is trying to match the second dart to exactly the same size and shape as the first.

Isn't she lovely?



The icing on the cake is that if my baby is a girl, she has a dress already waiting for her in the closet. Thanks, Mom.

First Zipper(s)

Looking back at September, it's been a busy month. We've had ups, downs, ins and outs. We've celebrated birthdays and successfully transitioned back to school, begun flag-football practices and experienced head lice. Remodeling our church building began on Sunday, and someone cut Diana's "curlies." Many of these things we hope to remember, and others we hope fade to the dark recesses of our memories.

At the beginning of the month, I decided I needed a new wallet. When I was booted from the house yesterday at naptime for a realtor, I went to the fabric store. Grumpily booted. Very grumpily booted. I bought 2 zippers and 1/8th of a yard of some very cute batik quilted fabric. This morning when stress called my name at 3:00 a.m., I got up to spend a little creative energy.

The biggest accomplishment I made was placing my first 2 zippers! I've always been scared of them, but our teacher at Relief Society showed how to quickly put them in, and I thought I should try it out. The first one took 30 minutes or so, but the second was much quicker. I tried copying my worn out wallet. It is just the right size for a few essential cards, a little cash, and a separate coin pocket. I ended up with a slightly smaller version, and all in all I am pleased with it.

It is, however, slightly too small for daily use of my frequently used cards, so I will be re-attempting soon--(I have leftover fabric & the desire to try again). In the mean time, I have 3 girls who will probably fight over it and find lots of things smaller than a health insurance card to place inside.

Finished!

It's done! 9:30 am Friday, Sept 18th!


More than once I asked Nathan why I didn't just BUY a cute apron instead. He assured me that I was learning useful skills and that the first time we do ANYTHING it isn't easy.

I guess I have been doing a lot of the same things over and over again,
Wake up
Lunches
Kids to school
Home again for housework or
Shopping
Lunch
Nap
Kids home from school
Dinner
Flag football/scouts/or Enrichment
Scripture study
Crash into bed
Repeat
and getting out of my comfort zone was uncomfortable.

It was not easy. The ties were particularly tricky. Sewing with black fabric is a little bit like knitting with black yarn . . . it's hard to see exactly what you are doing, and I don't have the right marking tools.
I learned a lot:
what "understitching" is
how to use interfacing
my very first V-neckline
why marking your fabric can save you a LOT of time

I bought a seam guide, (If you don't have one yet--spend $1.50 and get one--it's the best sewing money I've spent in recent memory).

I got through this apron with a lot of help from a friend in my ward who was making one, too. She's great and answered many questions and let me look at her apron a handful of times until I understood how the pieces fit together.

I am keeping the pattern, but think this one will last me a long time. In the meantime, I can't wait to use it at dinner! Now, what is for dinner?

Remember when you see this photo that I today I am 24 weeks pregnant!

Fabric Ribbon

Last Saturday I went to a baby shower. When I woke up, I realized I didn't have any ribbon in the house. So I made this ribbon with leftover fabric from my pajamas. It was an idea I took from reading a sewing blog, MADE. So cute, used up something I already had at home, took about 3 minutes, and saved me a trip to the store for ribbon. What more could I want?

Enrichment Sewing Group Begins

My ward has members who work in medicine. Because of the hospital, it is a mecca for medical training, from Texas A & M Med school, to residencies, fellowships, and physicians. (Ward is our church's name for congregation). It's been great for us to have a support system of other people who understand medicine's demands, and who relate to our stresses of taking call, student loan debt, and the long road of medical training.

One lady in my ward, who happens to be a pediatrician and stay at home mom, is also a sewing genius. When she decided to start a sewing Enrichment class, I signed up early. She also has her own sewing blog and loves to talk sewing, I've already learned a lot from talking to her and seeing what is coming out of her machine every day.

"Enrichment" is the name given to women's meetings designed with the purpose of improving the woman's life: spiritually, physically, mentally, etc. I've attended classes on improving communication, cooking, financial management, knitting, chocolate dipping(very popular), parenting, how to give a haircut, and now sew to name a few. I love enrichment!

I counted 11 machines going last night, it sounded like a sweatshop. Each person who was there finished at least one pillow, so I would say it was a success!

This is last night's finished project for me: a pillow for Caitlin's bed. She and Bryn have matching quilts I got on a great sale at Target last winter. Bryn would like to sew her own pillow now, she came with me last night.


The next project is skirts, so stay tuned. In the meantime, I will be working on this cute apron pattern, Butterick 4945, View D, in black and white.

Sweet dreams

A long time coming . . . .

I bought this fabric over 1000 miles away and at least 2 years ago. I planned to make my own PJ's after making and giving Nathan some for Christmas. Needless to say, this project is one I am happy to cross off my list. My goal was to make something I would wear. I figured PJ's were a good place to start, because no one will see them except my family.

Now, you've seen them, so I consider you family.

Happy finished 1st serger project! Buying thread for #2 tomorrow!

End of School parties

What would you do the last day of school?

If you are my kids, you've been watching movies for the last week and a half. Today was a pizza party, and tomorrow is the last half day. I wonder what they will watch tomorrow??

Yesterday I decided to celebrate my last naptime peace and quiet with a little sewing. We found out Nathan has a Priesthood training meeting when the scheduled serger class is, so I figured I could ask for a little extra help to figure out my serger by myself, if I skip the class and send him to the meeting. But I can't skip the class and have my serger sit idly collecting dust.

My goal: Thread the serger
My time limit: About 50 minutes

I did not make it or come anywhere close to it. BUT, finally last night while Nathan ate his dinner at the sewing machine table next to me, I got it to work. He missed dinner and I couldn't sit at the table any longer by the time he arrived. (That table, anyway).

I am pretty sure I made every possible mistake. Which means I never have to make those mistakes again. Tonight when I boldly switched threads from black to white, that whole process took 10 minutes. So thankful it will never be my first time again! The next step is to cut out the fabric for the pattern I am wanting to experiment with . . . . . maybe tomorrow, during the little break I get during morning cartoons in the post-breakfast peace and quiet . . . .



I promise never to show a threaded machine on my blog again, (unless it takes me over an hour).

Selective posting & Rewards

I began to realize about two months ago, that the accounting class would not be enough hours to renew my license, so I signed up for another class. I have been much more quiet about this one--that's my selective posting. I only write the details I want to share.

Yesterday, I finished the other class! It was a one credit class on how to get student cooperation. It was interesting, easy, and quick to finish. It made me think a lot about my parenting skills, things I am good at, and things I am not.

It was all about rewards and punishments. After thinking about them long and hard, I decide to buy some Smarties to eliminate one of my greatest daily struggles: getting Diana buckled into her car seat. It worked like magic on the way home from the store today. What do you think? I decided it was worth the price of a Smartie to not have to fight her every time--we have enough battles throughout the day over what she can and cannot do. I hope her price won't go up over time. It would be great if she would value what I do: getting in the car quickly to move on to the next thing. FOR NOW, she doesn't, so a little sugar is helping. We'll see how I feel about it as time passes. What do you think?

All that is left to re-certify is to get my transcript when my grades are posted, send it and some other forms in, pay $90, and wait for them to send me a new teaching certificate. I will be so happy for that--an active certificate for three years.

Now, my celebrating! In the middle of accounting, I bought a serger. I was looking for Craigslist for about a month to find just what I wanted.
Used
Within my price range
A good brand
After searching for a short period of time, I found that many sellers of sergers bought them or received them as gifts and never used them. So I added that to my list:
Used, but not really used.

It didn't take long to find one--and it has been sitting in my room ever since. It was my prize for finishing recertification (see, I am rewarding myself here, maybe rewards do work). It is part of my goal this year to sew something I actually would wear. On June 13th, I will be in Austin for a class on how to use it.

After that, I might disappear into my sewing space and never return! As you can see in the photo, I probably won't be gone very long before someone finds me.

Latest sewing project(s)

During some spare moments when I was procrastinating Accounting, I was working on these:

Bryn and I worked on baby quilts for church to donate to the NICU. All that we did was sew and tie them, they were already cut for us. Cutting is my least favorite part of any sewing. I finished handsewing them on Saturday, they've been around a little over a month.



More cub Scout patches: no photo of these, but I did sew on Andrew's Bobcat.

And this wallhanging for my sister in law, Sarah. She picked the colors, I picked the pattern, called Buckeye Beauty, (which seemed like the obvious choice since they live in Ohio). It took me much longer than anticipated, (largely due to the procrastination problem previously mentioned), but I am happy with it.

I like to learn something new, or challenge myself in a new way. This is more blocks than I've done before, and I learned a new trick for the half-square triangles. It is also the first quilt I've made without a border. I have three favorite parts about it--
1. Thinking about Sarah while I made it.
2. The contrasts between darks and lights
3. The bold stroke of orange--it is the most striking color in the quilt, and brighter than most colors I've used before. I also was advised against using it, but love how it turned out--it adds a little more life.
4. Ok, I thought of one more--I like following the line of squares diagonally across the quilt with my eyes.



ps Have I mentioned lately how I wouldn't mind being locked in my room with my sewing machine?