one shabby chick

Words

Lately I've been so inspired by all the word posters on Pinterest.

So I though I'd make a couple into pillows for the craft fair.

I used Cosmo Cricket's Alphabet fabric for most of the letters - a few I drew free-hand.

Then I fused them on to the pillow front, got out some black thread and traced around each letter.

The other words I drew using a washable fabric marker and then free-motion quilted them using a tiny zig-zag stitch.

I used Happier by Deena Rutter on the backs and the woodgrain fabric on the front is by Kyla May.

I made up a couple totes too - after I was done I wished I had put the words onto a white background and then attached them to the tote..oh well!

Jess keeps showing all these awesome little pouches and bags in her Flickr stream so last night I bought a few patterns and made up my own little clutch.

Now I want to make a million more! These patterns are so cute and the author lets you sell things from her patterns which is even better (and she has a sale until 4/20 so all patterns are only $5.00).

Only problem was my printer ran out of ink so I have to wait to try out the other patterns.

The girls and I have been sick (me - sore throat, Baby Girl - fever and cough, Bela - stomach flu) so we didn't do much yesterday besides watch movies (and I sewed).

Looks like more of the same today....

Mind is full

My mind is full of ideas to work on...I should probably write them all down and then get to them one at a time - but isn't it more fun to have 2 million projects going on at the same time?!

I made up another tutorial - and have a few more in mind to do as well. I'll post it next week but here's a sneak peek...

can anyone guess what it is? (and be specific - there is a prize if anyone gets it right)

Need to finish quilting this one and have it bound before Saturday...

One of the ladies in our church (who is a long-arm quilter and has given us all quilt classes before) has started a new quilting class and we are a doing traditional Hawaiian wall quilt - all hand-quilted and needle-turned applique.

I wasn't going to go (it's free too - how could I pass that up!) but my friend talked me into it and I was so happy I went. We are meeting at her house which is just about 5 minutes away and there are about 8 of us....I can't wait to show you all the progress each week.

Here's my pattern and I'm basting it on right now. We will get started on applique next week.

oops - and I almost forgot to mention (sorry to toot my own horn so much these last couple of days!)....my very first treasury! Guess it does pay to actually put stuff in your Etsy shop :-)

I must work better under pressure

So the sewing mojo has somewhat returned.

Spent yesterday afternoon finishing up my Urban Home Goods swap goodies:

and had to make a few alteration since I totally zoned out when putting the ties on and only put 4 when I should have put 8....

and I ended up not needing the two top ties anyway so I cut those off and made two fabric-covered buttons instead so now my partner can just wind the ribbon around them to secure her cover on her machine.

So here they all are - ready to be shipped out on Tuesday.

I also finished up the front to my Doll Quilt - I'm really excited with how this came out:

Just have to bind it after we get home from the soccer games today.

Oh, and here's the label - practiced my free-motion handwriting again:

Moved

So yesterday I moved all my fabric so it would be closer to where I actually sew.

When I re-arranged my room a few weeks ago, I put the shelf with all the fabric in an awkward place and was feeling like I couldn't really get to things easily.

So now I can't buy anymore fabric since nothing else will fit - LOL!

I have a bunch of random things today:

I am looking for a good pattern/idea to use for November for A Notion or Two - I'm using LOVE by Amy Butler...

Anyone have any great ideas/links?

I also got an email today about giving away some sets of these stamps on my blog - I'll set up a post when they get here - fun right?!

Bought myself a few embroidery patterns from this cute shop to make for this swap....I love the princess and the pea - it's so cute!

How cute are these pumpkin kits?

And we are definitely doing this art project for our next Art co-op class. I'm going to read the book and then we can all make our own "wild things". I first saw it here - always amazing ideas!

OK I need to stop playing with this new toy and actually go sew - my list is getting longer and longer!

Quilting Bee

I ended up getting this machine for Bela me and think it will be great to teach her on.

But for right now I'm sewing away on it.

I finally finished Nadia's block (sorry Nadia!)....

I was going to do even more embroidery in the dark grey squares but then decided against it.

I'm also done with Oiyi's heart block.

I only took a sneak peek since I need to wait until tomorrow to take more pictures - it's too dark right now.

We just got home from a "Star Wars" 6th birthday - complete with Yoda Soda, Hoth Dogs and Jabba Jiggles (jello). She had named all the food - it was really cute.

They had built a big fort-like structure (the Millenium Falcon) out of huge cardboard boxes too. The kids had a blast.

I'm pretty excited to get started on some bigger sewing projects although we need to start school again so I'll just have to work on them when I can.

Taking a break

.....from my sewing machine (only for a few minutes then it's back to the grind).

I have spent the morning sewing up these...tops for little dresses.

These patterns are absolutely the best (plus they are so darn cute too).

I finished up the pants last night - 8 pairs - two each of sizes 2, 4, 6 and 8. I'm doing the same with the dresses.

Bela has embroidered some little critters and I've helped sew them up into little door hangers. She's selling them at the craft fair with me.

I just have to finish sewing them up (she stuffed them today).

Ok off to the sewing machine again...

Tea time and table runners

I was busy sewing away on the table runners today when I caught a glimpse of this and had to get the camera.

 

How cute and creative (pouring the juice into her tea cup!).

I vaguely remember being asked if they could have a juice and snack but did not realize they would turn it into this.

Oh, the joy of a big box (and a willing sibling)!

I powered away on the table runners today.

I serged the rest and have them all hemmed too - now on to the ribbon. I asked the bride and she doesn't care if I iron them on or sew so I'm thinking the ironing will be faster. I'll have to try it out tomorrow and see.

And, I finished my Common Threads block (sorta).

Somehow I kept thinking it was supposed to be an 11"-11.5" block - nope, 12.5". And I don't have enough fabric left to fix it - I emailed Liz and she said it was ok to send it like this so that's what I'm going to do.

And last night at my quilt class I started on the Garden Party quilt....can't wait to get the table runners done so I can get back to fun, non-commitment sewing. 

A Hedgie Hello

The zoo was fun...and tiring. I'm trying to work up the energy to go sew Baby Girl's quilt some more.

I started this last night. I got some fun embroidery patterns in the mail a few weeks ago and ironed a couple out yesterday so if I had some spare minutes I could work on them.

The Black Apple ones are so cute! I think I'll incorporate the little guy and girl into a wedding quilt I'm making (I haven't started on it yet but I have until middle of Sept.) for the "table-runner" bride.