My New Baby

My 30920 Singer Sewing Machine that I got for my 18th birthday has left this world.  I would like to say a few words in remembrance, if you will.

I would like to apologize for using you to sew miles of canvas.  I think that was the beginning of the problem that lead to your ultimate demise.  I will say, however, that the canvas projects (Christmas of 2008) turned out excellent.

Thank you for sew many years of love.  You helped me make many a masterpiece- as defined by yours truly.  I think my greatest masterpiece thus far was Hexy McQueen.

Thank you for my introduction to sewing.  I will always remember you!  I will never forget that you were a slant footed Singer and your final screech that made me put you to your final rest.  We have spent many hours together and, although you really did suck, I love you!

That being said, meet my newest darling, my Bernina 380 sewing computer! I am spoiled.  Brian let me get the BIG BOY, as he called HER.   Now that I think of it, I don't really miss my singer that much.  Why would I?

Can you say dual spool and bobbin winder, 87 specialty stitches, automatic buttonhole, 4 alphabets, automatic needle threader (which you have to be a registered rocket surgeon-you're welcome- to figure out...or search YOUTUBE for instructions), and that does not even begin to describe the beauty of my little darling.

Too many words, must go sew.  Later.

Baby Shower Get Up

I threw a baby shower for my friend, Kayla.  She is having a baby girl in a month or so.  I love the table!  It turned out so stinkin' cute!  I wish I would have gotten close ups of some of the things. I made cake plates with bunting around the bottom and the cutest baby shoes filled with candy.  I must say, my Silhouette is the ballz.  I am still getting the hang of it, but I am getting it little by little.  And the bunting on the window turned out so sweet!  I still don't know how we fit 20 people into my dinky living room, but we did!  The apple pie was TO DIE FOR!

I also made the sweetest baby booties for the baby girl.  I forgot to post pix so I will post them at a later time.

mad men.

I made this dress this weekend.  I used New Look pattern 6869.  I have been watching Mad Men (a little Jon Hamm, anyone, anyone) and was inspired to make this dress.  I cut it out on Thursday sewed most of it together on Friday and finished on Saturday during nap time.  loving how it turned out.
the fabric is just a $4.00/yd cotton twill that i found at Hancock's.  I was gonna go with a wool/cotton mix but figured that i could go back and make this dress again with the expensive crap.  
I, as always, learned a few thingies.
1.  Line the bodice with a light material.  seriously.  I lined it with the same fabric I used on the rest and it made for a very, very VERY thick collar.
2.  Follow the directions.
3.  Read the directions.
4.  Invisible zipper foot.  Holy crap, the greatest invention ever.  EVER!  I did not even know this thing existed till yesterday.  Life changing.  It only cost $2.40 at Joann.  
5.  Put in my first vent.
6.  I need a dress form.
7.  UNDERSTITCHING.  
8.  I am pretty sure that the directions were translated from Mandarin Chinese.   
9.  Dang, my calves look good in this dress:)
10.  Zippers- I kill 'em.


My confidence in dress making is definitely getting better.  I am a pro at darts (16 for this dress) and sleeves.  I ended up putting in four sleeves (two for each copy- the outside that you see and the lined bodice).  I am pretty pro at collars, but my confidence is not quite there, you know?

It's My Birthday Too, Yah!

Instead of singing the generic and boring birthday song, we sing The Beatles version of the Birthday song, complete with dancing and booty shakin'.  Rad's Bday is Jan. 3 and mine is the 8th so we get to do it twice in one week! 

For Rad's Bday I made him a Birthday hat.  It was super easy.  In fact, I used a cardboard Bday hat as a pattern to make this fabric hat.  I used my silhouette machine to make the appliquéd 3 on the hat and on his rosette pin.  I also made the pompom!  He wore his little Bday outfit all day and it was so stinking sweet.  I am gonna make him one every year until he tells me that he is too cool for it.  He was pretty pumped for the firetrucks, dump trucks, space ships, race cars and trains!

Hopefully soon I will have a Bday hat tutorial ready to go for all yuz!

Baby Shower Invite

I made this invitation for my friend's baby shower this weekend!   

I drew it then used Photoshop to enhance it.  I am loving drawing my own designs, scanning them in to CS4 and going to town.  So much stinking fun!  I also love the simplicity and joy of the bunting that is sooooo trendy these days.  I usually stay away from trends, but I couldn't help myself!  Stay tuned for the decorations and gift that I made Kayla!

Big Boss

I finished Big Boss in time for Christmas this year!  The best part was that my sister April hadn't a clue that she was getting it on THE BIG DAY.

The circles were a huge pain in the butt, but (ha!) I would probably do it again!  I got the pattern from Quilts 'n More Fall 2010.  I used my own colors but stole their pattern.  For the quilting I just did a simple stitch in the ditch (sitd) and then did some free motion circles in the white circles.  I am still a rookie at FM but it was fun nevertheless.  I am loving the pink binding!  And for added comfort I used flannel for the back.  It is super Awesome!

Looking Back at 2010

Last year, around this time I made a list of things I wanted to do, both personal and craft projects.  I have not looked at the list for a LONG time so I thought I would go through it and see how I did on my listicle.

1. Going to Beautify my life. If I had to sum up what I want to accomplish this year in one word, it would be Beautify. Please see numbers 2-10.

2. Finish hand stitching the binding on my quilt. Sidenote: I have approximately 25 more minutes to spend stitching till I am done. I am sure this will be checked off this list by sundown Saturday night.

3. Ruffle necklaces. CHECK!!! I will post pix later.

4. Wedding quilt. I am not gonna say who this is for, but it might be for a sister. That is getting married in May. Her name starts with a J.

5. Civil War quilt for Mom. She loves Americana, I have tons of Civil War fabric. Seems to be the logical thing to do. I did not finish this one, but I made her a sweet Tree of Life quilted wall-hanging.

6. April's quilt entitled "Lady Madonna" by Abby Lane Quilts. Pattern and fabric in hand. Time to follow. I did not finish this one but I did make her an even better quilt.  Please see Big Boss.

7. Camera straps using my FAIL quilt blocks. Unfortunately I have plenty of them. Hey, I am a beginner, albeit an ADVANCED beginner. I have two awesome people in mind who will be recieving these gems. ONe of said people lurks my blog all the time and also happens to live above me. The other one is related to me.

8. Scripture cases for neighbor and for sister. Perhaps one for myself.

9. Christmas scrapbook. Today I got all the pix edited and filed. Now I just have to print and glue.

10. Start quilt for 10th anniversary. I will need all the time I can get. I do have the fabric and a design in mind. I am going to do the friendship braid quilt with scattered various star blocks that I am learning to make in said ADVANCED beginner quilt class.

11. Write letters to all of the people in my life, past and present that I love. You know those people you meet that you just, you know, LOVE? Those special peep's you are certain you knew in another life? I also have a running list of those people. I really do love listicles. I also love adding "isticles" to anything with a "st". It just makes me laugh. I did not write letters.  I actually told two of those people on my list how much I love them!  I think that's even better than a letter!

12. Abby Lane purse. It is just awesome. AWESOME.  I totally failed at this one, though.  It's done but it needs some work.  Add to listicle for 2010.

13. Make a patchwork bag for Apypoo. This one'll be easy. Hopefully.  It was her Birthday purse!

14. Felty robot for Konrad. Again, fabric/pattern in hand. Now all I need is time and maybe two more hands. Nope.  Didn't have time!

15. Grow two, maybe three more hands. Still working on this one.  No, I don't mean baby hands either:)

16. Keep running. That's not really a goal. I PNWD this one.  I ran my butt of in 2010.  Literally.  I have no butt.

17. Make felty picnic set for kiddies. They will love it!  This one can be copied and pasted onto my 2011 list, especially cuz the kidz are getting a kitchen when we move into our house in AZ.  Yup.  It shall be done!

Let's not even mention all the really cool things that i did/made in 2010 that were not on my ORIGINAL LIST.  I can be spontaneous.  I am still trying to make a list for 2011 and I'm sure it will be most excellent!

Peace.