Stockings...

Here are the Christmas stockings I upgraded. I found a super cute idea at Pleasant Home where you take a pre-made stocking and turn it into something adorable. Now, I have wanted to make stocking for the fearsome threesome for years, but have just never got around to it. Well, this was too cute not to try...sooo.....I went to my local quilt shop, found some cute Christmas fat quarters and came up with....







I love the way the turned out...in fact next year a matching tree skirt may be in order. But then again, it took me several years to make stockings. So it may be a while.

Christmas Gifts Part 1 ...

Yes it is February. Yes, I am finally posting about the handmade Christmas gifts. Maybe if I get caught up, I can keep it up...right? We'll see.

Margaret Bag for my Mom



Messenger Bag from The New Handmade by Cassie Barden




Action Shot



Margaret Bag for FIL's Other

Black Corduroy Jumper

I have had this made for a while. I am just finally getting around to posting it.


I love this corduroy. I used New Look Pattern 6845 for this dress. I made this pattern last year too. It really is easy and adorable. I love the way the skirt lays. The most difficult part is the zipper, but who likes zippers?

Crayon Folio

Our family took a mini vacation during the Thanksgiving Holidays. We traveled five hours in a car with a 9,6, and 4 year old. As most parents know, this is always trying. So I spent some time looking for things to keep them busy in the car. We have gameboys for each of them, but those only seem to last so long. Then, I found this wonderful pattern by Gingercake for a Crayon Art Folio. I knew it couldn't hurt to take some along.



So three of these were made for the kiddos.


This was for Sweet Pea. The pattern was easy to follow and the whole project did not take much time to put together.


For the boys, I did not add the handles. I felt this made them look more "manly". Less like a purse.


AJ decided he wanted colored pencils instead of crayons.

I have to admit the long drive went well. The kids still did their share of crabbing and whining, mostly the 4 year old, but I loved having another option to keep them busy. The folios store the crayons and paper right there together so we were not looking for lost crayons continually. It was awesome. Thanks Gingercake!

Fall Margaret Bag

With the golden colors, falling leaves and dropping temperatures, my purses we just not working for me. It was time. Time for a new purse that is. Since I love my other ones so much. I had to make a Margaret Bag.


Here is the latest edition to my purse collection.
This one was made out of brown corduroy.


The lining is a off white print with various shades of tan and blue. I felt this broke up the darkness of the brown.


I covered a button with a scrap of the lining fabric.


closer view of the lining


Over all I am extremely pleased with this purse. I love the combination of fabrics. I love the feel of the corduroy. But, honestly, I do not think I will use corduroy again for this bag. The thickness of the fabric made it difficult to manipulate under my machine. Let me tell you, making the button loop was awful!!!
Then the button.... I had originally picked out a dark brown button to use with the corduroy, but once the bag was sewn together, I could tell the brown button would just get lost in the rest of the brown. The fabric button works great, but is a tad big for my button loop. The loop has a difficult time sliding over the button. Of course this could be a purely friction problem. My other Margaret bags have plastic buttons. If I would have used a smaller button, it would have eliminated this problem.

Jumper #1 for Sweet Pea

I finished some church clothes for Sweet Pea this last week.


brown corduroy jumper with matching fabric flower hairbow.
I loved this fabric, and whole thing turned out super cute.


close up of the flower embellisment

I used this tutorial for the flower. They were much easier than I thought and really accented the outfit.


I tried to get a picture of her modeling the set....but she was upset that I would not let her 'gankey' (blanket) in the picture. It would have covered up the dress....oh well.

Jammies!!!

I have been working on jammies for the kiddos....They love them. It is always difficult sewing for boys...but jammie pants have been a huge hit over here.


All three in their new jammies.


a monkey set for Sweet Pea
I really was not too happy with the neck on this set. It was huge. I had to dart the back to get it to stay on her shoulders. The pants are also very big and I even took them in. Evidently, she is smaller than an extra small. The good news is that Sweet Pea thinks they are awesome. Oh...and I love the sleeves.


So I take all three of them to the fabric store to get the fabric for these jammies. I let them pick. They love doing that. and Sweet Pea picks this pink camo. Not the cute monkeys. Not the flowers. Not any other super cute print I could find. No....pink camo....ugh. But as you can see...she likes it.

I have a hard time getting pictures of the boys. They always want to do something goofy...OH well....

Another Puppet Theater

This one was for my friends daughter. Her dd was at the party for my other friends little girl and really liked this puppet stage, so I had to make her one, too.


I really like the way this one turned out. Instead of ball trim, I added an extra two inches of coordinating fabric to the valances, and used the valance fabric for the ties.


I also lined this case. The original patterned did not call for a lined case, but I feel that the lining gives it a better weight and feel.

The recipient was well pleased...and so was I.

My Messenger...

I finished my bag for me!!! It was really quite easy. The most difficult part was the cutting. I hate cutting.


I used a pattern from the book The New Handmade by Cassie Barden.


Personally, I am not a fan of messenger bags. I don't like to wear my purse strap across my chest, but that is just me. If I were to make it again, I would cut down the strap and just make it like a tote bag with a flap for a cover.


Here is a glimpse of the bag with the flap open. I do love the pockets.

I will definitely be making it again!!

A birthday gift...

My friends little girl had a birthday this last summer, and I whipped up this puppet theater for her. I got the pattern out of Amy Karol's Bend the Rules Sewing book.

It was much simpler to make that I first thought it would be.


The pattern includes a matching case pattern so that you can roll the theater up when you are not using it and store it away. The case also makes the perfect wrapping paper I think.


The button on the case was given to me by the birthday girl. I thought it was fitting to use it on the case.

By the way, she loved it.

Just because they were sooo much fun...

I had to make another one.



This one is uses two coordinating fabrics.


and I added a small pocket on the inside.

and look I even have a navy blue mini notebook to match.

Hmmm.....wonder who I will give this one to?

It does coordinate with one of these bags....

Notebook Covers

Okay...so I found this super cute mini composition books while looking for school supplies for my kids.

Aren't they adorable?


I knew that they had to have a cover.

So I spent hours this weekend working on some sort of cover for them.

And this is what I came up with.



I made one for each of the kids and one for me that matches my Margaret Bag.



The inside.

I must say. It takes a while to actually make something you see in your head. Following a pattern is so much easier. But I think it was well worth the experience.

The kids love them. I love mine.

Now I may have to work on a cover for the full size Composition books I purchased.

Sewing for the Boys...

For some reason, it is just not as fun to sew for the boys. I guess because the embellishments you can do for girls things are just...well...girlier. Is that a word?

When shopping, my little men just put up with my fabric addiction. It was just something they have to survive. They don't like it, but they put up with it. They do it to make me happy. Okay, it may be because I am Mom and do not give them much of a choice. And then, while doing a routine fabric run, AJ found some flame fabric and asked me to make him a wallet. Who could refuse that? TA also chose a pattern he liked and the results were these:

Simple wallets
I had to learn to do snaps for these and it was not that difficult.
I will be making more.


Aprons
I know, but they are man aprons right?
What can I say? I have a problem.

and


Shorts

I will be on the lookout to make more things for them. They were so excited when I was finished.

New Capri Set

I can't tell you how much fun I have been having lately sewing. I don't know. It has just been a blast. I just finished this Capri set for Sweet Pea.

I made a mistake on the top. The pattern I was using had the option for a two tiered or three tiered top. I wanted the three tiered option. So I cut out the fabric, sewed the bottom and middle tier together and was pinning the bodice when I realized that I cut the wrong middle tier out. The middle tier was supposed to be about 5 inches shorter. What was I to do? Nothing. I just went with it. It was the best mistake I have ever made.

It fits her perfectly, and looks like it was meant to be that way.

action shot

Makes me want to make another one....How many capri sets does one girl need?

May I introduce you to.....

The Margaret Bag

Lola, this really cool and crafty friend of mine, found this bag pattern and made herself a diaper bag. Well, when I saw it I knew I needed one too...hmmm...or maybe two too. So here they are. Holynickel's Margaret Bags...

First up the Pink one. A girl has to have a pink purse. Why you ask? Because I decided. I found this fabric and thought it would be perfect. The print is really too big for me to make into clothes for Sweet Pea. But in the bag it is wonderful....at least I think so.

The next one...well...it is for the Birds....Super adorable white birds that is with yellow flowers.



And...did you see the button? I happened to find the perfect yellow and black button. The amazing thing was that this pattern was not that difficult to do. The instructions were easy to follow. It was really surprising for me.

I know I already have 2 of these, but, you know, if the right fabric presents itself, a few more maybe in my future.

BTW...you can make your own Margaret Bag. Just click on the link at the top of the page and get sewing. Did I mention the tutorial is free?

Sweet Pea's After Easter Dress

Okay, I know this is a tad late. Honestly, this dress was finished for her to wear the week after Easter, but her mother forgot to take her picture.

This was supposed to be for her Easter dress, but as I was making it. I came across one that I liked better. Hence, the after Easter dress.

It turned out great.

Can you guess....

What this is?

Why a very eco-friendly shopping bag of course.

Now if I can just remember to use them...ugh.

2 new baby baskets...

I made baby baskets for Sweet Pea and her best friend E. for their birthdays.

This one was for Sweet Pea.


We also got her a baby doll to fit in it, and baby accessories for her diaper bag.


and for E.



I bought the baby basket pattern from Meg at Boutique NutMeg Designs. The quilt patterns came from the net, and the little tote was adapted from Bend the Rules Sewing by Amy Karol.

Sweet Pea had her very first birthday party invitation from preschool. I thought long and hard about what to get this little friend for her birthday and couldn't resist making a new apron.

close up of the two fabrics

We also bought some cookie mixes and muffin mixes and made it a themed present.
I am really liking the black and white if I don't say so myself. hmmm...May need to work on a couple for the two of us.