Learning from a Pattern

I am teaching myself to sew, using a pattern now. I was working on making a little "smock" (for lack of a better term) for my little bit. I was working with a couple of patterns provided free online, but they where not sized like I needed them to be. In order to save the material I had, I was using fleece. Let me just say that crafting with fleece is AWSOME. You can cut it and not have to worry about finishing. Also, I got the fleece by buying a blanket from Walmart for $4.

My mother came over one day while little bit was running around with a fleece invention on. She told me to just go get a pattern. FINE. Never having used one before, I jumped right in. Well, I had to resew the seams a couple of times as I adjusted the size and length. In the end, I got what I wanted. I even sewed buttonholes. (Picture to come later.)

To top this off, I have been decorating for Christmas. We have the tree set up in the big living room, but our fire place is in the den. This makes decorating, easily, a whole house affair. Well, not this year. My 1 1/2 year old is Miss Distructo!! She keeps taking the decorations off the tree. Pulling on anything that hangs. Overall, making this year a "minimalist" decoration year. I love to put the cards we receive on the wall and made a couple of paper trees to decorate. (Picture to come...and if wanted, pattern as well.)

Here is the patten I made. I place the paper on the back side of my scrapbooking paper that is folded in half. The pattern should be 11 inches tall. I cut out three trees. I am not sure if you can tell from the picture, but two trees only have one side glued while the last tree is glued to the other two. I also shrunk the pattern so that it was only 5 inches tall, cut out four trees and glued all of them together so that it stands on a table top.

Finally, I purchased a desk from craigslist for $15. I cannot keep taking up our dining room table to sew. The desk is in a bad way. I need to sand and paint. I hope to get started this Saturday. I really would love to get it into our room before the end of the year.

Like always, I have some picture to upload of things I have done and a list of "to do" as long as ever. Updates on these to come as I find the time to upload the pics. Uploaded pictures on 12/22/09.

Too Cute Not to Try

I am steadily working on my sewing. I finished converting a 3-6 month dress into a cute skirt for my 18 month old. I made it up as I went, so it by no way looks "professional." Considering her shirts are long enough to cover the top, it looks really cute. I may have to post a picture.

Last year I made my son one of those fleece blankets that require no sewing, but a lot of knots. I have the fleece to make my daughter one as well. This will be the project for next weekend; especially since the fleece has been in my house for a year now.

I have found that fleece is wonderful. You can cut it and do not really have to finish the edges. It will not fray. With that in mind, I came accross this blog: Mad Quilter. She states that the pattern she is providing is for 6 month olds. Well, my 18 month old is pettite. She had a doctor's appointment last week and is now up to the shocking weight of 20 lbs 5 oz. With that said, I make the smock out of a red fleece blanket I purchased at Wal Mart on sale for $4.00. It looks so cute. I have to take a picture...like always... I am considering making a second one as a christmas present for a friend. Now to find out how to adjust a pattern to a larger size. Got to love the internet!! :)

TO DO LIST

I posted my TO DO LIST in October. Let me just update it:

1. Finish the flower mobile for my little girl's room.
2. Transform 4 onsies into t-shirts. (I hate the snaps on the bottom.)
3. Transform a couple of dresses into skirts.
4. Make pair of baby jeans from some of mine that ripped.
5. Finish 4 sets of baby leggings.
6. Do wall art for my baby girl's room.
7. Finish some hair bows. I have more I am making, but did get the ones I wanted done.
8. Edit and upload pictures to Walgreens to print. Also never ending, but got caught up.
9. Scan high school and jr high pictures.
10. Get the wireless router to work. (HATE working on this problem.)
 
YAY!!!! Not bad at all. I should post a list of "projects" I would like to try. That one might actually be really interesting. Maybe another day.
 
As for now, I will enjoy my almost completed list.

Serious Sewing

Yesterday I finished a sewing project I started a few weeks ago. I found a great pattern for a purse at this blog: Artsy-crafty babe.

What is true of all people who have been sewing for a while...and know what they are doing...they make everything seem easy. Such is the case with this bag. I thought, sure I can do that. Well, I can, but it does not look as good as hers.

I am very proud of myself for starting and finishing a project I found challenging. I did not give up or decide to do something else. (I did leave off doing the "darts" on the bag...but maybe next time.) When I look at my finished project, I can see all the flaws. But then again, I guess that's what makes it truly mine. One more thing, it actually has pockets on the inside; on both sides. I did foget to add those before I put the lining together, but then again, what fun would it have been if I had done it the easy way. (I thought of something after I posted this: Maybe if I had picked a different fabric, not stripes, this would have easier. I spent so much time making sure the stripes matched up and where centered.)

BOWS BOWS BOWS

Today has been a really good day. Watched some really great football. Spent some great time with the family. And got to sit and make some bows.

I am so glad I have a little girl to dress up. I think there is nothing sweeter than seeing her cute grin with a bow in her hair. I still have a bunch of bows to finish, but was able to make quite a few.

Of course, I have not loaded the pictures yet....but hey, that's something to look forward to. (UPDATE 11/9/09: Pictures uploaded - some of what I got done.)

Sewing and more stuff done

I have finished the baby leggings. I have finished the flower mobile. I have finished the wall art for my daughter's room. While I have finished these, I still have more to do.

Also, I can't help but start a new project while the rest are not done. I have purchased the material to make a purse. Depending on how it turns out and how difficult it is, I am hoping to make some for Christmas.

I was at the dollar store the other day. They had these really cute thermal shirts, but only 2T and 3T. Knowing that they might run small, I purchased one of each. I got the idea from a blog...which I can't find now, but will update later. Turns out the 2T fits.

I cut one up to make ruffles...since they are all the rage. I kept changing my mind on adding them as a shirt front or around the collar. Well, the collar won. I also added a ruffle flower on the lower side of the shirt.

DONE - Flower Mobile

I finished the flower mobile!!!!!!

It took longer than a couple of naps and I ended up needing to cut more flowers then I thought, but it is finished.

The cost was minimal:

$4.00 for the plant stand at Big Lots. (which is the top)

$2.00 for sticky squares at the dollar store (in stead of using glue)

$0.00 for the white paper

$0.00 for the dental floss (I used the samples my dentist gave me)

I am so happy with the result.

I purchased felt at the dollar store, who knows, I may make another one.