Making Gifts

I love making gifts for people. Here is a gift pack I made for a friend. She is all about animal prints. This tote has a hot pink lining with 6 pockets inside and 2 outside. I find it funny how people like different things. Some people would not carry this tote bag if their life depended on it. While others would find this the perfect tote. Fun and wild!
This tote is rather easy. Simply measure 5 inches by 12 inches cut 2 for the top. 6 inches x 12" for the bottom (you then cut out 2 inch squares from either corner on the bottom). The black strips between the zebra print are 1 1/2" x 6" cut 4 of these. The zebra print measures 4" x 6" cut out six of these. Next you would follow the placement of all by looking at my picture.
The lining is made by laying the tote panel down on the lining fabric and using it as a pattern cut out the lining. Add interfacing if you like to make it a bit stiffer. Handles get sandwiched between the outer tote and the lining. This is the accessories I made to go with the tote. A checkbook cover, a large change purse and a travel tissue pack cover. The inside of all also has the hot pink lining. The pattern for the change pursre and the checkbook cover are my own. How hard is it to measure a checkbook cover and copy the dimensions. The change purse was basically measure your zipper and add length to the bottom. The tissue pack cover came from doing a google search. There are tons of free directions for all 3 items on line. Google and search. It sometimes takes a bit to look through a lot of sites but it is always worth the effort.

You Gotta Love Aprons

I needed an apron. Or did I just want one?

Anyway I decided to make one. I used 2 different but matching fabrics. I cut the apron panel on the fold 18" wide by 20" long. I cut 5 pieces from contrasting fabric the length of fabric by 3 inches. I then started at the left hand corner and measured up 6" and across 6" then rounded the corner off. I did a gathering stitch on the top of the apron panel. Hemmed together 3 of the strips and ran a gathering stitch across that strip. I then hemmed the apron panel and attached the gathered strip around the hemmed bottom. I then sewed the 2 other strips together and pinned and sewed this strip to the top of the apron panel. Folded it over and made my belted tie.

I also added a small pocket to the front of the apron.

I think it turned out really cute but I think next time I will make it shorter.

It turned out looking like a longer version of a french maid apron.

Kinda retro and kicky.

A Baby is coming

We found out a couple of weeks ago my niece is going to have a baby.

It's always so exciting to find out someone you love is having a baby. I have 4 beautiful grandchildren 2 girls ages 11 and 18 months and 2 boys ages 9 and 6. I am blessed that they are healthy wonder active children. Who love to laugh, cry fight and have fun.

Anyway I thought I'd get started on making her some bibs, burps and other things. I also found a really cute tutorial on making booties for babies too. http://stardustshoes.blogspot.com

So here is a picture of the first one I made. I wanted to see how difficult it was going to be and how big it was after it was finished. Okay so now I guess I better make the second one. Huh?

Easter Dinner

Here she is in the outfit I made her. Doing her best at removing the headband before I could focus the camera. Hubs and I went to my daughter's for Easter dinner. Her in laws came too.
We made ham, potato salad, mashed potatoes, deviled eggs,baked beans, corn, carrots, gravy and chocolate cake. Funny, Anna (daughter's mother in law) made the same exact thing. All that food for 6 adults and 3 children. We didn't make a dent in all that food. Looks like it's leftovers for the rest of the week.

Tried a Boutique Style Look

Made my youngest granddaughter a boutique style outfit.

It took about 5 hours to make. It wouldn't have took that long but I was using the serger and broke a thread. Now I have had this serger for over 2 years but never pulled it out of the box until recently. It sat on my sewing table for weeks before I got brave enough to use it.

So when the thread broke I spent about 30 minutes trying to rethread it. I never did get it threaded. I guess I'll try again in a day or two.

The brown fabric I have had for about a year. I was going to make a pair of pants but really didn't get into it. The flower print is a searsucker from Walmart. I only had a 1/2 yard of it.

I appliqued the little heart in the middle of the shirt/dress. I am not a real good appliquer. If you up close you could see a tad bit of raggy edge to the heart.

Oh well, it's an original.

The pattern is "It's So Easy" 2684. But I modified it quite alot.

My Take Everything with me Tote

Here is my "Take Everything With Me" Tote I made this weekend. The first picture is the inside, the second pic is the outside. Although it is reversible. I only made pockets for the inside. Hubs and I usually have the grandkids on the weekends and we usually take them places. I needed a new large tote to carry a few diapers, water bottles, a few toys, my stuff ect... I decided I didn't want the usual square tote so I drafted out this pattern and added a few things to it like the border on top, a draw string and the pockets. I am a bit odd some times but I enjoy sewing.

Next I will be making a new purse with matching check book cover and change purse.

Finished My Spring Time Quilt

Well, I finished the spring time quilt just in time to give it to hubs for Easter. Not perfect by far but .... The first picture is the back showing the stitching. You reall can't see the stitching on the front but I hand stitched the center panel and then machine stitched the strips around the outside of panel. I think I like the look of the hand stitching better than the machine stitching.

I used a walking foot on the quilt. It's the first time I've ever used one. I really liked using it. It didn't grap the fabric like a regular foot does.