Nursery Project #1

Ok! I've officially taken a few pictures of the nursery fabric and begun project #1, the crib bumper! YAY!

I've got almost all the pieces cut out (except for the shorty pieces for ties) and am going to start in on covering the piping that will go along the top edge. I find it interesting that it takes me so much longer to measure, layout, measure some more, and finally cut pieces of fabric. I know that part of my issue is that I really don't want to make a mistake on my measurements (done plenty of that in the past!) and the other part is that I have a self-healing cutting mat that is only 12" by 18" and a guide that is only 18" long.

"Why not get a bigger cutting mat and larger ruler/guide" you ask? Well, these tools are not very wallet friendly. I know, I know, I'll use them for literally every project from now to the end of time... But alas, I haven't really got $50 extra dollars lying around to buy a nice big cutting mat and an extra $20 or so to buy the clear ruler/guide... Sigh... If only I could actually sell projects to make some extra cash I'd be able to get these essential tools. But onward I must press for the sake of getting projects completed!

Ok, here are a couple of pictures of my nursery fabric!

Nursery Fabric!

Jarred and I have officially picked out fabric for the nursery! YAY!!!!!

Yesterday, Jarred surprised me by taking me to the nearest Hobby Lobby (almost 30 miles away!) and said that we should get that fabric I happened to like so much.  He had yet to see it; I had seen it in the HL down where his parents live, but I didn't want to buy it until he had the chance to see it too.

We trekked straight back to the fabric department and I zeroed in on "THE COLLECTION" that I felt was most appropriate for our nursery.  Jarred saw it, Jarred said he liked it, Jarred started asking questions. Well, the questions he was asking were hard to answer! He asked things like, "how much is the fabric", "how much do you need", "you do know how much you need, right?", etc.  While I didn't know exact amounts of material needed, I needed a couple of minutes to calculate out what I thought I needed. (With the HL being nearly 30 miles away on little bitty two-lane roads, I didn't want to miscalculate and have to drive back over for some oversight on my part!)

Jarred roamed the HL and found the model airplane aisle. Good, he was occupied while I took the time to add up what all I'd need. After about 5 minutes, I came up with my figures and shared them with Jarred. All I can say is that it was a very good thing the fabric was 30% off, otherwise, I'm positive we wouldn't have purchased it! I told him I would need 5 yards of each fabric. We get to the cutting table and Jarred throws into the mix, "make it 6, we don't want to be short". LOL, he's too much! I just adore him!

So, now that I have the fabric home and laundered, I have to iron it out so I can start working on my projects! YAY!  I don't have any photos of the fabric just yet, but I will post some once I have everything ironed and some good lighting!

Lindsey

New Materials!

Well, I'm excited! As I sit here in my childhood bedroom, perched upon my "Princess Bed" (100+ years old, gorgeous hand carved wooden framed bed), I am dreaming of all the fun I'm going to have when I get back to PA!  I'm visiting my parents in Texas for a week, and am half way through it already... gosh! Where has the time gone!?! 

My mom knows just how much I'm into sewing right now and went out and found me some awesome projects to work on.  She found a bolt of fabric that has "My First Faith Story" printed on it that I get to make a quilted book out of... my kid's FIRST BOOK!!!! So exciting to me! She also got me some adorable baby flannel to make a blanket.  She told me that she had been given a blanket with almost the exact same pattern on it when I  was born! So special!

I've also got an non-baby project that I get to work on.  Momma wants some new throw pillows for her bed and found some that she is in LOVE with in the Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts book.  She asked me if I'd like to make them, and of course I said yes! I get to play with my sewing machine! Score!

I don't have any pictures of the fabrics yet, but after Saturday, I plan on taking some and posting them!

Yay for new projects!

Lindsey

picnik.com!

So I had never heard of this particular website before... I was visiting "Homemade by Jill"'s blog and she had this great tutorial up about what it is and how to use it!  Basically it's a photo editing website you can use for free, or you can choose to pay a monthly subscription and get loads of premium stuff to play with. 

I set up an account just to see what all the fuss was about and I discovered that I could totally have a BLAST with this little website!  I've made a button with a helicopter on it and a blank recipe card that I can print out and put in my recipe box!  So much fun to play with!  I encourage you to check it out.  Jill has an extremely helpful tutorial on her blog: handmadebyjill.blogspot.com.  Check it out!

P.S. Here's what I've played with so far:

Super fun, no?  I think I could take the recipe card really far and make my own stationary set, note cards, to do lists, etc! Wouldn't those be super cute gifts! I think so!

Ok, it's not like I sewed anything, but I was still creating fun stuff and just HAD to share!

Hop onto picnik.com and play!

First Few Baby Projects!

I have completed the first of what I hope to be many baby projects!

Thus far, I have 4 burp cloths and 4 wash cloths/cloth wipes... We're still trying to decide if cloth or disposable will be the avenue we take, but here are the burp cloths!

They have a ragged edge so I didn't have to deal with turning rounded corners and closing up a finished product... Much easier!

Burp Cloth Fabric #1                        Burp Cloth Fabric #2

Completed Burp Cloths

Inspiration Has Struck in a Big Way!!!

Well, I haven't posted here in nearly 4 months... I know, I know... Shame on me! But I have returned! I'll give a quick recap of what I've been up to.

At the end of  February, I made a pair of silky pj pants and matching robe for my friend Charlotte's lingere party right before her wedding.  I was *shocked* that I was able to make a pair of pants and robe, let alone out of a very difficult fabric to work with! Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures of my handiwork... again, shame on me!

I then stopped sewing for quite some time.  My grandmother gave me supplies to learn how to embroider and I decided to pick up the hoop and learn something new! Well, I have learned quite a bit through trial and error (much more error than trial!) and am now becoming much more comfortable with the technique!  I'll take some photos soon and post them.

My most recent accomplishment was a birthday gift for my friend Jessica.  She's a fashionista who is able to find adorable clothes at amazing prices! So when I was thinking about what I wanted to give her, I drew a blank.  I wandered up to JoAnn Fabrics (something I do frequently to become inspired) and inspiration struck! I'd make her something!

I found a cute pattern for some handbags that also had some accessories.  So I made her a make-up bag, tissue holder, and key fob.  I was super excited because I was able to complete all 3 projects in record time for me! That meant I started on Friday night, finished on Saturday morning, and gave them to her Sunday lunch time!  Of course, in true me fashion, I forgot to take pictures before giving them to her... shame shame shame on me!

Fortunately, I really love the pattern that I bought so I plan on making more of the accessories and a handbag or two when I get motivated to go back to the store and get more interfacing...

As for right now, I'm super inspired to make all kinds of baby things!  Currently, Jarred and I are starting our 20th week of our first pregnancy! SUPER EXCITED!!!  And now I have been hit by the baby sewing projects bug!  I want to make a sling, nursing cover, changing pad, wipe box, diaper bag, etc... (all matching or coordinating!) And I keep finding more and more that I want to make for our little one!  We won't be finding out what the baby is until (s)he is born so that limits some of the creativity, but our good friends Andy and Heather are due 15 days before us (yay!!!) and are having a precious bundle of pink! So if I must make girly things it will be ok, even if we are blessed with a little man!

Ok, time to focus and get to working on some of these inspired ideas!

Lindsey

Material Deficit

Alas! I'm out of fabric! What am I to do? I've made two sets of my "Jumpin' Java Apron Set" and completely enjoyed every minute of that. However, I feel a small little empty place inside because my sewing machine is packed away in it's case... Ugh...

I really wish that I could sell those two sets so I could purchase more material. I have SO many projects just tumbling around in my head! I found many different fabrics that would work so well with my ideas... There is a really fresh and sophisticated fabric that has hot pink gerbera dasies on a black-on-black polka-dot fabric that would be perfect for a short robe and pajama pant...

My idea book is really full, my material stash is super empty. And truly, the only reason I want to sell my creations is to be able to buy more fabric to keep sewing! Well, at church there is a Quilting Club, so I may just have to join that to be able to pull out my beloved sewing machine until I'm able to get more material.

Ok, enough sulking... time to get back to daily chores.  Thanks for listening all!

Lindsey