Latest Project? Sew Grateful:Day 4

So the final Day of Sew Grateful Week was supposed to be a day to share your current project.  I have taken a break from actual sewing after finishing my Princess Dress and the Infinity Scarf to develop my blog and prepare for some new sewing projects.  I began this blog just five weeks ago, so I've taken a little time to get the design down and create some posts and prepare interviews, etc.  There are still things I am trying to do (HTML is not my friend), but I am pretty happy with it so far.  I'll be posting my first interview this weekend, and then I'm diving into several sewing projects, so I hope you'll subscribe or stop back soon.   Beside developing the blog, I've been printing pdf patterns, selecting fabric, purchasing a new serger (I'll have to update my other serger post!) and making other preparations for my upcoming projects.  Starting this weekend, I'll be completing a pattern test for Heidi and Finn Patterns and joining a Sew-Along with Candy Castle Patterns, along with about 7 other projects on my stack.  So, I guess my "latest project" is my blog - which I am happy to share with you, but I am eager to get back in to the real sewing!

Sharing Resources: Sew Grateful Day 3

Today, as part of the Sew Grateful Week, is a day to share resources.  I myself don't have much to offer - but you can see my video review of BobbinSaver and my take on an Infinity Scarf Tutorial.  If you haven't seen this link yet, you have to see the beautiful construction paper dresses constructed by a four-year-old and her mom.

Photo Credit http://instagram.com/2sisters_angie

But, I wanted to share two tutorials I've used in the last year or two to complete a couple of my favorite projects.

The first is for a Ruffled Crib Skirt Tutorial from Amy at Positively Splendid.  Her blog is super cool with beautiful projects and lots of great ideas.  I found her when I was looking for bedding ideas when I was expecting my daughter.  The crib skirt was exactly what I was looking for, and the tutorial was very easy to follow.  She uses a serger to do a rolled hem on the ruffle edges, but I didn't have that option at the time and hemmed all the layers.  I was so excited with my finished skirt - but I am having trouble locating my pictures, so I'll have to share them another time.

Photo Courtesy of Amy at PositivelySplendid.com

The second resource I want to share is my favorite bow tie tutorial at OneSassyHousewife.blogspot.com.  What I like best about this tutorial is that she does a folded bow tie, so it looks more authentic.  Instead of one square of fabric with a band in the middle, you make a long rectangle and fold it in thirds, then add the band in the middle.  I am also partial to adjustable neck wear, as opposed to velcro or similar options.  With three boys, I want the things I make to fit as many kids for as long as possible.  This tutorial not only uses the adjustable hardware, but also reveals the only place on the planet I've ever been able to find the hardware (at Wawak - and its cheap!).  She gives lots of pictures, so its easy to follow along.  I made four matching bow ties, and a coordinating pair of suspenders for a family wedding this summer, so all the boy cousins could match.  For a few bow ties, I increased the width of the bow tie for a fuller look.

I hope one of these resources is as helpful to you as they were to me.  I am very grateful for all the sharing of ideas, patterns, tutorials, advice, and encouragement in the online sewing community!

Reflections: Sew Grateful Day Two

As I reflect on sewing through my past - both my mother and grandmothers were early examples of sewing and craftiness.  Decades before Pinterest or even the internet, I remember my mother sewing Easter outfits for herself, teaching a friend and me to sew little purses, making a beautiful felt advent calendar that I think my brothers and I would probably fight over even to this day, and creating fun Halloween costumes.  She even whipped up a few skirts for my mission trip to Mexico in high school.  This was in addition to beautiful cross-stitch pieces and crochet projects.  I don't think of my mom as sewing a ton, but she was certainly good at every project she made and set an example of creativity and enjoying time making hand-made items.  She is also the one who taught me the basics of sewing, like following a pattern and operating a sewing machine. My mom's mom was quite a seamstress, from what I hear, and has a beautiful sewing table that I believe my grandpa built for her.  I remember some paisley matching vests she made for my cousin and me during the early 90s.  Although my dad's mom passed away when I was in third grade, I remember her making latch-hook rugs and teaching me to knit (which I forgot, then relearned later in college).  She is also the person who bought me my first sewing machine for Christmas one year - I was probably 7 or so.

Several women have been great encouragements to me through the years in my sewing.  About 10 years ago, I asked a woman (Jeri) at my church in Ohio if she would teach me to sew better.  She took time over several weeks to help me select a pattern, go shopping for fabric, and put together a lined dress that I wore for my husband's seminary graduation.  I appreciate not only the time she took to teach me more sewing, but also to share with me more about her life and family.

Another woman who has been a great encouragement to me is from our church here in Indiana (Barb).  She is very experienced and now runs a wonderful sewing school (Stitchin Time).  She has helped me on several projects, but I always think of her as the one who has boosted my confidence the most in my ability to sew.  She reminds me that if you make a mistake you can always use your seam ripper and start over.  For a long time I was nearly paralyzed by a fear that I would mess up.  Or that I would get in to it and make a mess of things.  It started with something as simple as hemming maternity jeans.  Recently, she encouraged me to go ahead and replace a fabric trim in a crib bumper that I wanted to modify.  I was so afraid I'd end up with a bunch of fabric and no crib bumper in the end.  But she gave me the boost, and then showed (and did) the final sewing of the new fabric in to place.  I was learning that not only could I actually do some of the things I dreamed of, I enjoyed it to!

I have other friends and family who have recently loaned me machines that have been huge boosts to my sewing confidence and skill.  And now that I've lately gotten and great new machine of my own and joined in with the online sewing community, I am even more encouraged and excited and inspired to sew.  I am learning new things all the time, and only held up by my time now, instead of confidence.  I'd say the two biggest influences from the online community are the resources and reviews for learning about new patterns and techniques, and sew-a-longs, which not only encourage me to get a project done by the imposed (and helpful) time schedule, but also provide dialogue with other sewists and inspiration as you see others' ideas come together.  I also appreciate how easy it is to get opinions, hints on patterns to use, ideas, and help through the online community - no matter what hour of the day or night it is!

And don't forget about my giveaway, if you haven't entered already.  You can enter through Friday, February 28.

Grateful for Giveaways! (Sew Grateful Day One)

Day One of Sew Grateful Week is Giveaway Day!  I am grateful for all the opportunities to win patterns, gift certificates, machines, fabric - you name it, in the online sewing world.  I am also grateful for simple storage solutions that help keep my sewing sundries from taking over the house, or becoming a jumbled mess.  The BobbinSaver is one of those great products - so that is what I am offering this week to my friends in the sewing community.

The Bobbin Saver is a simple solution for bobbin storage.  Unlike plastic cases, it doesn't have part that will break or crack.  Who wants a plastic bobbin case with a cracked cover or a broken hinge, or worse yet, one that isn't broken and doesn't stay closed anyway?  Also, the bobbins stay in the ring, even if the ring is dropped on the floor.  No doors to fall open and let bobbins fall out and get tangled!  You can easily see your bobbins at-a-glance, and it works for both plastic and metal bobbins (unlike the magnetic bobbin catchers).  Each BobbinSaver holds at least 20 bobbins.  You can place the Bobbin Saver upside down (so bobbins are down, and plastic ring is up), if you want to prevent dust from accumulating on your threaded bobbins.

I can purchase the Bobbin Saver for less than $7 at my local Dealer/Repair Shop, which is cheaper than the amazon.com price for one.  Wawak has a great price on them, assuming they are the same item.  The listing says they are made by Grabbit.

You can enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter entry form below.  Giveaway is for one (1) BobbinSaver and shipping (yes, if you win, I will go ahead and ship internationally!).  It will run from Monday, February 24 through Friday, February 28, and I will announce and contact the winner on Saturday March 1.  Good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway