Sewing for a Trip

We're going back to San Diego for a 5 day cruise to Cabo and then we're staying in So. Cal for a few extra days so we can take the girls to Disneyland, the San Diego Zoo and visit some relatives. So I'm sewing up a storm for the girls. I love to dress my daughters (ages almost 3 y/o & just turned 4 y/o) in matching clothing. I also think girls should dress like girls and encourage them to wear dresses whenever possible. I know that they aren't going to be very cooperative for much longer so I'm enjoying it and taking advantage of it while it lasts.

I wish my camera was working because I'd post pictures of what I've made for them. I made them two adorable shifts out of this bright turqoise blue fabric with bumble bees on it. I have also made my youngest a really cute capri outfit that is all blinged out. The two halter dresses I made turned out better than I thought they would & I'm letting them wear them now since it's so darn hot here lately.

My mom bought some "Strawberry Shortcake" fabric for me to make dresses for the trip. Now I'm not a big fan of "character prints" to begin with. I hate advertising other people's companies with my work but since grandma bought it I'll make the dresses. I really think they'll come out looking cute. And my girls love Strawberry Shortcake so I know they will be happy.

I made myself a surplice top and I have another one cut out and waiting to be sewn (need to finish the Strawberry Shortcake dresses first). I have been looking ALL OVER the place for a decent tiered peasant skirt, and although I see people wearing them everywhere, I can't find one in a store to save my life. So I'm going to have to get my butt in gear and get some gauze fabric & sew one up for myself. I just really don't like to do gathers/ruffles, especially on that large of a scale. Oh well, I guess I better suck it up and get sewing.

At least I'm feeling better. Now it's just a matter of finding the time. It's so difficult to sew when the girls are awake because they get into my buttons and bias tape supplies and just make a big ol' mess of everything. 3 uninterrupted days is all I'm asking for.

I'm sick

Allergy season has hit me hard and struck me down with a case of Bronchitis that I can't shake. Unfortunately I have had to temporarily close my shop until I can get control over the coughing.
I really miss my sewing machines.

Bunko Apron - March

I have started to make an apron as the bunko prize every month (we each bring a prize) but I'm starting to wonder if I'll become too predictable. Anyway, I thought it might be fun to post pictures of the aprons here.

This was this months (March). I call it my tribute to Brini Maxwell. I plan to make another one or two to put in my Etsy shop. It's very retro 60's (again, made out of the seizure enducing fabric). I made it into a reversible number with giant ric rak. It's sight of retro beauty if I don't say so myself.

To Flounce or Not To Flounce, That is The Question

Every once in a great while I can find a good quality fabric at a certain big box store that I prefer not to buy fabric from. But I saw this fabric that had a good hand and I recognized the brand and it was at a KILLER price so I couldn't turn it down. I bought 4 yards of this stuff. Now this is not exactly the kind of fabric I would normally pick. Too much pink. Frankly, when I look at it for too long it gives me a headache. Really. Anyway, I finally decided to do something with this fabric because, according to Pantone, it has all the 'in' colors right now. So I get my sunglasses out and start cutting. I'm still hating this fabric. I decided to make my "Hollywood" apron out of it (Marilyn Monroe style, halter top, full skirt with a flounce). I put it on my dress form and stood back to look at it before I had pinned the flounce to it (I always do a rough pin to see if I want to make changes per the fabric). Low and behold, I liked it. It kind of reminds me of something Florence Henderson would have worn while she was cooking for the Partridge Family. Hmmmmm, I wonder what it'll look like with the flounce. Well, the flounce just ruined it. I hate the flounce. So, I'm making it like a mini skirt without the flounce and I'm going lime green ric rak crazy with it. I'm also making a reversible half apron out of it (reversible side in solid lime green with hot pink large ric rak) for my bunko group gift. I've grown kind of fond of this seizure inducing fabric. Here's the pic of the rough pin with the ric rak (yeah, I'm going to have to re-cut the halter pieces because the centers of the flowers look like nipples...ha ha).

Bluebird of Happiness

So my new thing is painting polymer clay pendants. I'm into making "bluebirds of happiness" right now and I'd like to introduce you to "Henrietta". I think she's quite lovely. She's a little uneven but that is part of her charm (to me at least). I need to have my friend Laurie come over and show me how to make them into actual pendants since I know absolutely zip about making jewelry. You'd think by now, with all the craft jumping I do, I'd know how to string necklaces. But I don't.

Anyway, this is Henrietta (I will take a better picture to upload, that is really fuzzy. She's actually quite adorable)

I finished it!!!

Behold..."Heidi, Fully Loaded"

I think they turned out cute

We have two little girl birthday parties to go to tomorrow. So I took a break from working on my newest apron design, "Heidi, Fully Loaded" (it even has a pocket for a flask...pictures soon), and made a couple of art smocks. I made them identical. I think they turned out kinda cute. Tiffany blue with black trim and gold lettering "I'm the next big thing" with rhinestones for added bling. I kind of want one for myself now. I'm adding in a pack of art paper and some paints for the gift.

If only I could find more time to sew

I am putting the finishing touches on a new apron design. I am absolutely in love with this new design. It has everything I've ever wanted/needed in an apron. But I can never find the time to just sit down and finish the darn thing. I am soclose to being done (I just need to attach the top to the bottom via the waistband, which is already done by basting, it just needs to be serged). I really really really hope my kids take a good nap today so I can go upstairs and finish that apron and then work out the dimensions to make a pattern for it (I know, do it backwards again Karen) and get it listed on Etsy. It's so stinking cute too. It's with that cute fabric that I picked up at Poppy's.

Oh, and I ordered some ridiculously expensive Prada fabric online. I can't wait to get that. I don't know exactly what I'm going to do with it. I think I might make one of these aprons out of it. Once it gets here I'll have a better idea. But it was soooooo pretty I just couldn't turn it down.

Well, off to be a mom again. John has tomorrow off. I watch Addison tomorrow morning but hopefully in the afternoon I can get some sewing in. Perhaps I can finish those damn ruffles too. Ugh, I just dread those.

Seam Ripper Gnomes

I swear there are little seam ripper gnomes that live in my sewing studio that steal all the seam rippers when I'm not looking. I must have 6 seam rippers but I can never find one when I need one. Expensive seam rippers, cheap seam rippers, it doesn't seem to matter they disappear as soon as they are out of my sight, never to be seen again.

Fricken Fracken Ruffles

I got a little time to myself yesterday and headed upstairs to my sewing room. With good intentions I decided I was going to work on those darned ruffles again. I ironed the hems and they were all prepared to be sewn. I have decided to put green ric rac on the orange ruffle layer. I begin to sew the hem to the orange ruffle and wouldn't you know it, tension problems! Ugh! And it's on THAT machine that I am experiencing the tension problems.

This is the machine that I put away for almost 20 years and almost gave up on sewing completely because it gave me such problems with tension. But I recently decided to give it another chance when I found it while cleaning out the garage to prepare for a yard sale. It still had some old fabric with a big wad of thread attached to it. The taste of frustration came flooding back into my mouth when I saw the mess. I clearly remember the swearing I did at that machine right before putting it away that last time. Oh the troubles that machine gave me. But, I felt pity for it. I dusted it off, cleaned it and oiled it. I changed it's needle (now long dull) and fiddled with it. It purred like a kitten and I haven't had a problem with it at all since (except going thru multiple layers (I need an old time Singer, badly, for that). I have grown to love that machine recently.

The feed dogs in my other machine are acting kind of finicky right now so using that one is out of the question. I am baby sitting today and hubby is working all day so I won't have a chance to get upstairs to sew today and by the time hubby gets home I'll be too tired to deal with tension issues. I'm itching to get this apron done. Tomorrow morning I will march upstairs to tackle and win this tension war. Wish me luck & pray for me. I can use all the help I can get! (I'm considering buying that low end Bernina that's on sale at Hancock's, I bet it would sew through multiple layers better than my current machines do.)

Score!

It's it beautiful? I picked up 2 yards of this beauty at a local quilt shop. (Poppy's Quilt 'n Sew in Georgetown). It has the most wonderful and vibrant colors. I know exactly how I'm going to use it. I just can't bring myself to cut it yet. I washed it already so there's 1/2 of the commitment. Keep watching for the upcoming aprons!

I Have Decided I Don't Like Ruffles

Ruffles are a pain. Time consuming. I'm not patient. I'm working on a new apron for Angry Chicken's Tie One On Apron http://angrychicken.typepad.com/tieoneon/ Creativity Challenge (theme: Havana Nights). I found a really beautiful fabric at JoAnn's that just screeeeeamed Cuba to me (ok, maybe it did more of a whisper but I'm going to make it screeeeeaaaaamm CUBA. I will, I swear). I'm doing a Carmen Miranda style full-apron with 3 rows of ruffles at the skirt. 15 yards of pain in the butt, time consuming ruffles. Perhaps it's the gathering that I despise. I think I get it right and then I step back and look at the whole ruffle and it's all bunched up and wonky on one side and perfectly smooth & flat in spots on the other side. Oh well, it will be worth the effort when it's done (I hope). If it turns out well I might end up making a few more to put in my Etsy shop. The picture is of the bottom of the apron. The top will be similar to my Hollywood apron design. Right now it just has one row of yellow ruffles but I plan on putting two additional ruffle rows, one in orange and the top row in red (you can see my crude markings for the other two rows on the skirt). I haven't decided yet on what color I am going to use for the waistband and ties. I'm thinking red but that might be a little gaudy...but then again isn't that what makes it fun? I'm hoping to work on this apron some more next week. I'll update pictures as I complete steps.