sewtakeahike

Sugar cookie awakening

                                                                                  

Just look at the "professional" results one can achieve with a ziploc bag and icing!  NOT!  I was enchanted with the *thought* of making roll out sugar cookies and icing them and everything.  Now, I'm not so sure I will ever do this again, so I had to take a picture for posterity.  For a cookie that is called a "simple" sugar cookie, these really took a lot of time.  I feel kind of guilty spending 3 hours on making and decorating cookies that were gone in a jif.  Am I just a slow poke or do they just take that much time??

another burp cloth tutorial

               

I can hear you now, "not another burp cloth tutorial!!".  There are so many resources out there already for making burp cloths, but seriously, it was completely unavoidable.  I was recently admonished by Lisa to get my embroidery unit for my sewing machine out and start using it.  I've only had the thing for a little over 1 1/2 years and  have just been too busy making things that really matter, like clothes and bags.  I'M JUST KIDDING!!  In all seriousness though, I never have been a big embellisher when I make things.  I have always been drawn to "clean and simple".  However, I decided to heed the encouragement I was receiving and figure the "thing" out.  I started out small with this little bug (just look at those little bug eyes!)

 

on some flannel. See?  So that's what's making THIS burp cloth so special!

                                                    

"The burp cloth"

                                       

Materials:

• cloth diaper (with thick part down the middle)-washed and dried
• 18X13 piece of flannel (the size of diaper) embroidered to your liking
• 64 inches bias tape

First, pin WRONG sides of flannel and diaper together

            

then baste stitch a scant 1/4 inch from edges

Now sew on your bias tape with this tutorial and you are done!

                  

                     

Now look what you've gone and done Lisa!  I just finished this wee cupcake (by machine applique)

and I'm daydreaming of all the possibilities!

happy days

The last week and a half has been full of time with Mom and Dad, picking apples, apple pie, homemade ice cream, laughing, gifts, friends and family, gingersnap cookies, welsh rabbit, homegrown tomatoes, vintage cookbooks and absolutely no sewing or crafting.  It was so good. 

apparently Bouncer thinks the only safe place is ON the mower!

                                                                  

making homemade ice cream is tricky business

                                                                  

lovely gifts from Sarah, just because...            

                              

and some prints and a pillow from Teresa's giveaway

                     

I feel like the luckiest woman alive!!

Completed projects

                           

Have I mentioned before that I love to sew?  Just in case you didn't remember, here are a few projects I finished recently.  The first one is a wrap blouse that was initially a dress.  I cut it out a while back and finally finished it up yesterday.  The pattern I used is New Look 6674, view A.  I made the wrap dress thinking that I would just have to wait to wear it until next spring/summer, but when I saw how cute it turned out, I just knew I wouldn't be able to wait to wear it.  I ended up cutting off about 13 inches from the skirt and making it into a blouse instead.  I really love the gathered sleeves on this pattern!

                                                    

Next up, I made a bag out of some material I've had earmarked to make a large tote out of for a while.  The lining is a vintage sheet, and the straps are leather.  I just kind of made the pattern up as I went along on this one.  I really love how it ended up but I think if I were to make another, I would add some interfacing to give it some form.  It looks great on my shoulder but when I put it down, it is just a big puddle of a bag. 

                         

You may remember this next one from here.  This one started out as a little black dress.  Once I tried it on, I  realized it looked more like a moo moo on me than a "little black dress".  I had to plan B it, and salvage it into a nighty.  I added the ruffle at the bottom and it really is fabulous now.  My husband even said it looks cute without my prompting, so THAT ladies, is a huge success in my book!

                                     

I hope you all have an inspired and uplifting week!

Sweets from the sweet

I have my sewing/crafting room back and it better than it ever was.  I have spent some time in the last week since our guest room turned back into my sewing room, reorganizing and cleaning things out.  It's so clean and organized I almost don't want to start a new project.... oh wait, I already did!  I have a wrap dress on my dress form right now that I'm working on.  It's a little late for summer wear, but I figure by next spring/summer, it'll be ready to go.

So what I really wanted to post about today is a couple of awards I have received lately.  Firstly, if you look up at the right hand corner of my blog under the banner, you'll see a Cotton Spice award.  Sweet Karen over at Cotton Spice emailed me a couple weeks ago to see if I would be willing to be a small part of her quarterly quilting magazine by allowing her to post a blurb about my blog and tutorials I have in her September issue.  Of course I said yes, so if you click on the award, it will take you to the September issue of Cotton Spice which will be available mid-September.  Thank-you so much Karen for the honor!!

This is an award I received from Suzanne over at 4thelovesof.  What a super sweetie!  I have just recently "met" Suzanne but what I know about her so far makes me think how lovely a neighbor she must be.  Suzanne crochets AND knits and that's a real winner in my book!

I'm going to follow suit and pass this along to some bloggers that I don't currently know, but enjoy visiting their blogs immensely!  Here they are:

Jessica at jump up and down- I love looking at Jessica's photos, they are so inspiring, bright  and vivid.  Oh, and she is tremendous with her sewing machine!

Kay at pretty with ribbons- Kay also has great photos and um, she sews too!  (I see a trend here, do you?)

Jona at stop staring and start sewing- has an AWESOME sewing room!  Geez, the fabric!  So obviously, she sews as well and I seriously have fabric envy!

and

Kate at two little banshees who makes the CUTEST softies EVER!!  Just look at 'em!  She seriously is one gifted girl with her sewing machine.  Oh, and she takes fabulous photos as well!

Ok girls, if you are so inclined, here are "the rules"

1. Put the award on your blog.
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you and say something nice about them.
3. Name at least 4 fellow bloggers for this award.
4. Add links for the recipients.
5. Leave a comment to let the recipients know they have received the award.

Have a great weekend!

~Penny