Posted in My projects

Here it is, the picture of my latest creations.  The blouse is my first attempt at a full bust adjustment.  I'm glad I tried it as it did improve the fit some.  I'm still not completely happy with the fit but it's better then it would have been.  I may add a second dart going down and see if that helps some. 

Posted in My projects

I wrote recently that I've been working on reorganizing, cleaning and straightening up my sewing area.  Last week I hit an impasse.  I just had more stuff then I had places to put it all.  My solution was to tackle the box of mending jobs I'd been putting off.  I'm almost done and it didn't take me long.  I took some of the handwork with me to the library today.  I finished sewing buttons on a shirt and reattached a kitty's head.  After lunch I hand tacked a lace overlay on a dress to disguise the wear around the waist.  Now dd will be able to wear it.  I still need to hem dh's scrubs, put a new zipper in a dress, repair a ragdoll's overalls,  turn a pair of too short pants into shorts, hem a pair of cut offs, and replace missing buttons on two pairs of pants.  If I had just done these jobs right when they needed doing it would have been so much easier!  Once that's all done I will begin tackling my box of UFO's.  Some of the UFO's will end up being Christmas gifts this year.  Once I finish my Christmas gifts and UFO's I will have plenty of room to neatly store everything I have.  Well, until I accumulate more, lol!!   I remind dh that I did get rid of 1 1/2 bins of stuff, 95% of what I have was free and I've made beautiful things for nearly nothing because of my extensive stash.  He smiles and nods.

Posted in My projects

I parted with a 12 gallon bin of fabric today.  It was a variety of poly/cotton blend scraps, some sheer fabric I've decided I don't like and some other misc. stuff.  Since I was just gifted with 2-3 bins of new fabric I have a long way to go but it's a start.  I'm getting re-inspired as I go through my bins and re-sort them into new categories.  I can't wait to get finished and get back to sewing.  

Posted in My projects

I'm almost done with the quilt I started in November!  It's taken me forever.  I kept setting it aside to work on other projects.  I'm going to try and finish it tonight after I put the kids to bed.  Then I can get started on something else.  I'm really tired of this project. 

Posted in My projects

It was a little late but I finished Sarah's birthday dress a couple of weeks after her birthday.  She likes it and has worn it twice already.  I'm already planning another one for Easter!  Here she is in her new dress!

Here's a close-up view of the smocking and the embroidery on the collar.

Posted in My projects

I need to go on one of those trips where you work on all of your projects all day with lots of company!!  I've been trying to finish my ornaments for an ornament exchange, dd's dress and quillows for the neices and I'm just not having much luck.  I keep getting interrupted by life!  I have yet to start the gifts for my family in CA or here.  I need some serious time management changes!!  I'm going to start next year's gifts next month, lol!

Posted in My projects

I kept thinking I needed to blog about the present I made for Helen's 1st birthday but in all the busyness I kept forgetting.  Here it is!  I took a 24"x17" piece of flannel and a piece of silky fabric (content unknown, lol) of the same size and attached a ton of ribbons to the sides.  I used up quite a few of my small "useless" pieces of ribbon this way.  I folded the ribbons in half and basted them to one piece and then sewed the whole thing together right sides together leaving a small opening for turning.  I used a slip stitch to close the opening, washed and dried it and presented it to Helen.  It would make a wonderful new baby gift!  I'm putting it on my list of possibilities.  Here are some pictures.

Here's a view of both sides:

Here's a picture of the whole thing laid out flat.

 

Posted in My projects

Here are some pictures of the finished product.  It took a lot of work to figure out how to do it.  Once I figured it out, the sewing wasn't that hard.  I think it's a little small but it works and I'm really pleased that I figured it out!  Here it is on my cutting table.

  

Here's an action shot with mommy. Doesn't she look comfy?  I love those chubby legs, lol.

Here she is on daddy's back.  Dh was amazed at how comfy it was. He likes this a lot better then the ring sling!

 

 

Posted in My projects

I got my new dress all cut out and I've sewn the vest front overlay. I really wanted to wear it for Mother's day but I doubt I'll finish it by then. I have stuff to do all afternoon and I'll be gone most of tomorrow.  It's going to be so pretty! It's a fuschia, teal and black plaid with solid black contrast on the bodice. It is a nursing dress so it replaces the nursing dress that I butchered!

Posted in My projects

Today I helped dd work on a 4-H project and dug through my fabric stash for new project ideas.  I chose some fabric for a new project.  I'm making a dress for me!  I've been having a really hard time with my meager wardrobe lately so I decided that I need a new dress.  I also found some fabric to make myself a new skirt.  I will be making dd a blouse from the same fabric.  She informed that she would make sure she didn't wear the blouse on the same day as I wear the skirt, lol!  I'm hoping to have the dress done to wear on Mother's day but unless my dc are especially helpful and cooperative this week it won't happen.  I will post photos when I'm done!! 

Posted in My projects

I finished up my first mei tai!!  I'm not perfectly happy with it yet but it was a learning experience.  I think I would like it to be narrower.  I think my next carrier is definetely going to be an onbuhimo. I really don't like the strap around my waist.  She really likes being on my back!!  I may try to get a better picture tomorrow.

 

Posted in My projects

I'm currently working on my first mei tai (pronounced may tie). It might end up being an onbuhimo.  I'm still making up my mind. I found some chambray in my stash that I'm using.  I'm using an old mattress cover for the shoulder padding. I've got most of the pieces cut out and the first strap sewn up. I had to quit when the baby woke up from her nap. I'll be able to wear her on my back once I finish it and I can get a lot more done!!  I love my ring slings but when she's strapped to my front she gets in the way while cooking, etc. Also, at 9 months old she's getting awfully heavy!!

Posted in My projects

I joined a learning to smock yahoo group last month and now I'm behind!  I don't have a pleater so I have to do my pleats by hand. It's very time consuming and monotonous.  The fabric is plaid so at least I didn't have to mark it this time.  The smocking plate has daisies on it and is really cute. The fabric is a red and white plaid with white daisies strewn across it.  I have a Sew Beautiful issue from a year or so ago with a really cute prairie jumper that is smocked and that's what I'm going to make.  My 7 yr. old is soooo excited about it.  She saw me working on the pleating today and told her brother that she was going to have the "prettiest dress in the whole world".  I doubt that, but it will be cute if I can do a nice job.  Be watching for photos of the finished project in 3-4 months.

Posted in My projects

After many ripped seams and several different tries I finally gave up on the lined ring sling I was making for my sister.  I got another piece of fabric that's heavier and started over again. I finished the whole thing in less then 2 hours. I think that I'll need bigger rings or narrower pieces of fabric to use muslin as a lining. The sling looks nice. It's a green and white stripe with green rings. It's still a little stiff so I may wash and dry it before sending it off to CA. Here's hoping my package arrives before my nephew does!!  Here's a picture of my dd trying it out for her cousin.

Here's a detail of the shoulder and rings.

Posted in My projects

I tried to post my project pictures here to no avail. I'm giving up for now. Here are the links to the pictures in my yahoo photo album.

This is my nursing gown. I used an Elizabeth Lee pattern which I enlarged to fit. I hand embroidered the bodice. http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/juditupp/detail?.dir=84b4&.dnm=d5c5.jpg&.src=ph

Here is the dress that I made for the baby. I used a romper pattern from Simplicity that I converted to a dress pattern. I made up my own design for the smocking. I used Martha Pullen's Joy of Smocking as a guide for the stitches. I had to add some detail to the skirt to make it long enough. I started it when I was still pregnant and finished it in February. http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/juditupp/detail?.dir=84b4&.dnm=8d0a.jpg&.src=ph

Here are 2 pictures of the dress I made for my oldest at Christmas. I had to cut out the sleeves as the contrasting fabric was too scratchy for her. She refuses to wear it without a jacket, lol. I may purchase some different fabric and put in new sleeves for her. She looks just beautiful in it.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/juditupp/detail?.dir=84b4&.dnm=3484.jpg&.src=ph

Here's the second one. This picture shows the handkerchief hem detail a little better.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/juditupp/detail?.dir=84b4&.dnm=4f99.jpg&.src=ph

Posted in My projects

I always have several projects going at once. I'm the classic sidetracked home executive. My current projects are a nursing gown and wool diaper covers. As soon as I finish the nightgown I'm going to start an Asian style baby carrier. I would like to wear Helen on my back and I just can't get her back there with a wrap. I'm continually thankful that God has gifted me with sewing skills. I can't count the times that knowing how to sew has blessed our family.