Christmas Fabrics

My mother-in-law and I have started an annual tradition of going to the fabric store a few days after Christmas to stock up on holiday fabrics while it is all on clearance. This year I decided that I am going to make Christmas table runners for the female relatives for next Christmas. I have a whole year to work on them and I would like to plan to complete them while I’m still in the Christmas spirit and while there is snow on the ground. My first purchase was for eight Christmas gifts (see picture on left, below). Then my mother-in-law reminded

30 December 2012 1 Comment

Come A Little Closer, My Ultralock!

One week today and it’s Christmas Eve!!! I’m getting excited. The tree is up and we keep finding decorations to place around. I’m sure that there is a bin of decorations missing as we can’t find the Christmas hats and tomorrow is wear a Christmas hat day for the kids at their school. Thank goodness for 24 hour shops to quick up an inexpensive one (or two). Likely would have needed to buy new ones anyway as little heads have gotten bigger. Shopping is 95% done and wrapped. We’ll need to review the Christmas list tomorrow and go get those

18 December 2012 2 Comments

Slowed to A Halt

I have been stricken by “viral bronchitis” since the second week of September. It has completely eaten all of my energy and motivation for doing anything. I finally went to the doctor and he said since it is viral there is nothing to give me but to let it work it’s way through my system. It could be until the end of October to do leave me! Weight loss/healthy eating/exercising kaput. Organizing with the Home Organizing 101 challenge has been half-heartedly attempted. Sewing projects, well I did have an ambitious to do list here but without energy I barely crossed

14 October 2012 No Comments

Princess Tiana A-Line Dress

It feels great to cross off items from my list. This weekend I finished a Princess Tiana A-line dress using the Butterick 3860 pattern. This is the particular dress view that I used from the Butterick 3860 pattern. I’m very thankful to fabric divas for sharing how to finish home-made clothes with professional finishing techniques. I really believe the quality of the clothes I have been making for the children with these tips are looking less “homemade” and more professional. One favourite tip I have learned is to use a top-stitch. It makes the fabric stay in place better while

17 September 2012 No Comments

Monkey Business (Housecoat)

I *FINALLY* completed a housecoat made of the adorable pink monkey fabric I bought with the intention of making Christmas pajamas two Christmases ago – yep, Christmas 2010 it was to be for, then 2011 and then, well, better to be done before Christmas 2012 approached (100 days until Christmas doesn’t officially come until Sunday so I’m going with the done-well-in-advance of Christmas 2012 theory). I got hung up on the belt loops (there are no instructions on the pattern and I for some reason could not get my head around it). If you, too, need help with belt loops

14 September 2012 2 Comments

Children’s Halloween Costumes

Have you started to think about Halloween costumes for your children? In August when I purchased a stack of patterns to sew (see them here), I stumbled across some adorable Halloween costumes. Butterick Pattern 3244 Travis is convinced he will be the astronaut. I think this is absolutely adorable!! Ava is somewhere between them all. Since it’s mid-September already, I’m going to make a concerted effort to finish the clothes pile before I go out and buy material for the Halloween items. So far I have 90% of a housecoat for Ava cut out (thanks to my Mom for helping

11 September 2012 2 Comments

My New Sewing Projects

My sister-in-law is visiting from the Middle East. We have a common interest of quilting. We took an opportunity to visit the local fabric shops to see what sweet deals we could score. I found some very sweet patterns for Ava and myself. I was very disappointed in the lack of boys patterns for Travis. If you know of any, please let me know!! Here are the patterns I purchased and plan to work on next week. Butterick Pattern B3860 Butterick Pattern B4593 I’d like to make Ava one of these adorable skirts for her first day of school –

19 August 2012 No Comments

Kids, The Garage and Sewing Project Update

Holy heat wave here in Southern Ontario. When it’s hot out my brain gets mushy and I come up with little that is worthy of mentioning on the blog, especially since I don’t accomplish much when I’m too hot. Summer holidays have started this week for the children. Ava is now going into Grade 1 and Travis will enter full time Junior Kindergarten in September. I remember thinking when Travis was a baby that September 2012 would be so far away and here we are approaching it in a few months. Good thing about him being a January baby is

6 July 2012 No Comments

Skirt Inspiration

I have been so inspired by the May Small Projects Sew-Along! I got a fair amount of my list done and have added a few more projects. I’m also going to make a June Small Sewing Projects list on my Crafts Page if you want to see how I’m making out. I did make myself two skirts with the remaining bits of fabric from Ava’s capris. I only had barely enough to cover my hips. I like the skirts but they are more straight and I prefer an a-line flowing dress for my body type and for the heat of

6 June 2012 1 Comment

Sewing Creations – Reveal!

I finally got a chance to upload some photos of my creations. This first one is a cowgirl skirt. I was able to find adjustable elastic so if they need to make it smaller you just pull the elastic and put the notch over the button. Here is T-man’s Toy Story shorts that he also wears as pajamas. He wouldn’t let me adjust the waistband to stand straighter. The “Mom, I have to do a pushup for your blog photos!” pose. I got this fabric when I was in the US for a dance competition with Ava. It’s awesome. You

1 June 2012 No Comments

Category: sewing