Spring Top #1

Sewing has become one of my go to hobbies because it is easy to start and stop (due to short naps) and can be done even when the weather outside is unwelcoming.  I follow several sewing blogs, one of which is Made By Rae.  I have followed several of her tutorials and have made some really cute items.  Maybe one day I will blog about some of them and share some photos.

This past Monday, Rae launched the Spring Top Sewalong 2012 and I decided I would try to make some tops for myself.  My first top is based on one of Rae's own patterns, Spring Ruffle Top, that she shared over at SewMamaSew.

Here is my top: 

The fabric I used is Indian Flower, "Small Packed Flower/Gold" by Legacy Studio that I found in the clearance bin at Beverly's.  The white is some fabric from Joann's that I had leftover from a quilt. I would say that getting the straps set correctly was probably the most time consuming part of this pattern.  It also gave me a chance to try out making ruffles on my new serger, which worked fantastically.

I have already started my second top and I look forward to trying out some new techniques.

My First Sampler Quilt

First, I need to start out with a little history. My husband gave me a sewing machine for Christmas in 2006. I had never used one before, so I started out slowly with a simple patchwork rag quilt. Over the course of that first year I made a total of 5 quilts:

In 2008, I made another baby quilt and a few other small projects. We moved to Loomis this year, so sewing took a backseat to other activities.

In 2009, I did not make any quilts. Being the first full year in our new home, I spent a lot of time on other projects.

At some point over the course of this 3 year period, I came across this sampler quilt. It was for Debbie Mumm's 20th Anniversary. I had bought and cut all the fabric, but had only managed to assemble three of the blocks. This summer, I decided to pull it out and finish it. Here is the finished product:

Each block is 12.5 inches with the log cabin style strips bordering two sides of each block. Here are close-ups of a couple of blocks. I tried some freehand machine quilting as you can see on the left borders.

Overall, I am very pleased with this quilt. It is the most challenging I have completed thus far and I was able to learn some new techniques. I am already planning my next one!

Clothespin Apron

We don't use a dryer for our clothes. We hang them on an umbrella clothesline (2 in fact!). One of the challenges I have faced when hanging the laundry is trying to line up the clothes with the pins that are already on the line. Of course, I am trying to maximize the clothesline utilization so this is a critical activity. After nearly 2 years of this method, I decided to make a clothespin apron.

Using the leg from an old pair of jeans and some leftover curtain fabric, I created this apron. It is similar to the half-apron design I made a couple of years ago. My apron is based on the one featured here. I have been using it for about 2 weeks and so far it has worked out well. It should also make the clothespins last longer since they are not exposed to the elements 100% of the time.

Scrapbook for Dad

Our Dad is retiring after 33 years of teaching. Tomorrow is his last day. In honor of his retirement, my mom, sister, and I put together a scrapbook. My mom brought over all the photos and together, the three of selected the ones to use. After getting copies made, we started assembling the pages. Here is our rough layout:


This was my first experience with scrap booking. My sister has done a little, but she was frequently occupied with this roaring monster who wouldn't take a nap. So, we just made it up as we went along. I found my rotary cutter and cutting mat to be invaluable tools along the way. Additionally, I had purchased a scrapbook kit several years ago (that had yet to be put to use) which made the whole process much easier. A special thank you to my husband for proofreading and checking the layout of the pages before final assembly. Here are a few of the final pages:



Overall, I think scrap booking could be a fun pastime. Although, I don't know where I will find the time with the vegetable garden, chickens, and orchards to tend to.

A Merry Little Book

While browsing through the fabric section, I came across a printed panel that could be assembled into a children's book. The story is an abbreviated version of A Merry Little Christmas by Mary Englebreit. This was the first time I had ever seen such a panel. I immediately decided to make one of the fabric books for my niece for Christmas. The directions were fairly clear, but I adapted them slightly to save time.

I did not cut out the panels on the outside edge. Instead, I cut in the middle between the two panels. After making the 3 quilt sandwiches, I sewed the pieces together making sure to leave an opening for turning. Before turning, I trimmed the excess fabric and batting with my rotary cutter and mat. I also cut the corners off to reduce the fabric that would bunch up when turned.

Once the fabric was turned, I pressed each piece to flatten the seams. I also pressed the seams of the opening inward to make it easier to sew. Using an invisible slip stitch, I hand sewed the openings closed then pressed the seams again.

Lining up the 3 "pages" was a little challenging since they weren't exactly the same size (I am certain this was due to the panel printing, not my sewing skills). Once the binding was sewn the only thing left to do was to write my niece's name on the back cover.

The book is really cute and I think my niece will enjoy chewing on it.

Reversible Apron

After taking the week of Thanksgiving off (and having a great time), I woke up Monday morning with a sore throat. Yep, I had finally caught whatever bug was going around. I already bought fabric to make sister in law #1 this cute reversible half-apron for her birthday. After recuperating for a couple of days, I was feeling well enough to sew. I managed to make the apron and even added some pockets to one side (not from the original design). This was the first time I made pockets and was happy with the results. They are a little difficult to see since I used the same fabric as the background. By the way, she really liked the apron.