When the Sewing Gets Tough.....

Well world.....I have completely halted in my sewing.  I have literally done everything else but sew for the past two weeks.  Oh mojo where have you gone?  I guess everyone gets into funks like these....I have read it many times on the blog-o-spheres.  Also there is a lot going on right now in my non sewing world that I feel really guilty just locking myself in my little cave and ignoring the world.  Crunch time is upon me though and I have only a few more weeks till the craft fair and my loot is not what I would like it to be....I actually think I'm nervous about this.  Poor Billy, he has tried my last couple days off to get me in there to sew, because he doesn't want me to freak out and not have anything to bring to the craft fair.  He's a good man, he got annoyed at me yesterday though because I got up when I set my alarm, and then just decided to read all day....whoops.  It was an incredibly relaxing day though.

I think my mojo has gone because I'm nervous.  Normally I could care less about what people think, I have always had the curse/blessing of beating to my own little drum and very rarely caring if that rhythm marched along with anyone else's.  Now though I'm starting to feel like my gypsy wares will be inadequate and not as beautiful as others.  I guess I never wanted anyone to buy anything of mine before, so now I guess others opinions matter?  My normal behavior would be to just be happy about what I made and be proud of it, and if people didn't like it, screw them....but I don't think that would go over well with costumers.....ha ha or my sister wouldn't be happy with me telling people to shove it and scaring patrons and buyers away.  This whole selling thing is an adjustment, I dislike criticism because I feel like sometimes what people want from you, there's no earthly way you can achieve it, and if I'm happy what should it matter what others think....this is uncomfortable terrain for me, needing people to like my stuff so I can in fact turn a profit.

Anyway, something funny happened. I made this library print skirt, of the easy peasy skirt pattern variety, I have mentioned it before.  Well I got this fabric from spoonflower and its super comfy and durable, I have worn that skirt so many times, just because it washes so well.  I was walking around shopping at the MCX (Marine Corps Exchange....for anyone who doesn't know its like a big department store here on the Marine Corps base we live on, I'm addicted to it, if you do your research you can get some great things for way cheap) in my library skirt, minding my own business and I caught someone staring at me...and I'm from northern NJ, I immediately went on the defensive, walking the other direction.  Unfortunately this same girl was blocking my path back out of that section and I had to back track right past her, I attempted to ignore her by looking at a rack of clearly not my style short shorts, my ruse did not work.  She stopped me, very politely, and apologized for staring for so long, and that it seemed like she was staring at my butt, but she wasn't....she was only staring because she wanted to tell me how lovely my skirt was!  She wanted to know where she could buy one, called over her friend to look, they gushed.....color me flattered!  And I felt ridiculously silly for how NJ I acted.  I keep forgetting people are friendly down here (especially on base)...not everyone is out to steal your wallet.  I spoke to her for a little while she wanted to know about the fabric because of how different it was and complimented me on how I didn't mind wearing bold colors, saying she wasn't that brave. The skirt is bright bold colors and I paired it with an orange tank and matching blue 3/4 length sleeve cardigan, it looked pretty cute, if you don't mind wearing loud colors.  I told her about spoonflower and how this skirt was super easy to make if she knew how to sew, which she did!  It made my week.  It definitely amped me up for my Oct-Oct Garment Challenge (side note I need to think of a better name for that challenge...any ideas?) I have put on myself.  I guess that's slightly self indulgent reason to be happy about a garment challenge, prospective compliments, but what a kick ass feeling to have someone really like what you made!  Clearly I don't go out fishing for compliments, I don't deal so well with people staring at me, but I guess if I start making and wearing my own clothes I will have to adjust.

Finally here is a picture of the skirt:

I had another run in, with a person following me in JoAnn's.  I was waiting on line to get my Pets Alive fabric cut for the fundraiser Gertie is doing, I have so far made 9 bandannas, I have cut out about 6 more to do the Adopt Me ones on, and then I'll be shipping them off...but I may keep one for Libby and Iceman...they came out super cute.
Here is Iceman reluctantly posing with one on, I clearly interrupted something because he has about 6 different toys on the bed right now:

Anyway, I am standing looking up differences between "stretch thread" and "nylon thread" so I could figure out which I needed for a knit project I have ready, I was looking it up on my iPad while I was waiting to have my number called, I always use my iPad at JoAnn's because I keep my list and coupons on it.  You know when you can just sense people staring a hole through you, I was tapping through pages and couldn't take that feeling any more so I casually turned to look around and there was this tiny little woman staring at my iPad. Then she came up after we locked eyes and tapped me on the shoulder, a complete personal space violation and I was not happy.  Again, its the deep routed northern NJ in me I was ready to make some snide remark, as my mouth was opening to say something not nice her husband jumped in and apologized.  It was so bizarre, so I let her speak.  She actually really liked my iPad Speck case that I had.  Its from the interwebs and I did tons of research on it because I have hated every case I got for my iPad except this one.  I loved it so much I got the same case for my Kindle.  I told her this, she wanted to touch the case and wanted the website I got it from, and basically I got the witness stand interrogation about this case.  Her husband kept apologizing, I eventually found the whole thing so funny.  I indulged her since I actually did do quite a bit of research before buying I had known all the cases she mentioned that she bought and didn't like.  She thanked me and as she was walking away I heard her telling her husband that they needed to get on a computer to get one, and how "see she has a Kindle and an iPad, its not crazy".  Props to that man for being in JoAnn's in the middle of the afternoon, and then putting up with his seriously quirky wife, he wins the husband gold star award for that.  After they left the lady waiting in front of me for fabric cutting, who was on her lunch break and just needed a yard of fabric so I let her go in front of me, commented on how odd that was that the woman came up to me.  And I felt like saying well you told me just a few minutes ago about how you come here at lunch and all about the quilts you are making, even though I didn't ask.  I have decided I am not going to JoAnn's alone anymore, but I don't think that will last very long...Halloween is coming and I don't think I can keep myself out, so I will have to suck it up and be nice.

Lastly I FINALLY purchased this fabric  because my best friend liked it just as much as I did and wanted a little zipper up pencil case for her to use at work...I of course obliged because I have been dying to have an excuse to buy it...thanks Dawn!  I can't wait for it to come in....I think I may make a skirt out of it too, because you know I didn't just buy the fat quarter I needed to make the zip pouch...how could I resist?!

Alright perhaps today I can make a couple things...I have to run some errands before work and then hopefully have a decent Monday night in the ER....although Mondays are always crazy, which really I don't mind, one day I will collect up all the stories I hear and make a book. As long as I can look back and laugh at it, I know I'm doing the job I love.  After tonight I have a 3 day sew a thon planned.  I plan to get everything I need to get done for the craft-fair done now so that I'm not scrambling to get it ready the night before. In 10 days we start a two week vacation and I'm super excited about going!  Part of the trip is just back home to hang out with family and friends....the other half is to Disney for the Food and Wine Festival and Not So Scary...this is my absolute favorite time of year to go to Disney, seriously. I am excited!

Hope you all have a good Monday....Lets hope my mojo comes back for the next 3 days and I kill all the projects i have very neatly lined up to begin.

PS:  Have you seen the new sewing cave in its completeness....I love it more than the basement I had.  Looky loo:

Where the magic happens...lol!  Notice my Owl Cork board....thanks mom :) And I switched it up and turned the peg board length wise, its working out better this direction.

My table from amazon....It collapses down to night stand size so it's perfect when there are guests.  Now its up halfway holding all my projects to complete and a cutting board. Also my Tardis fabric swatches that I got on spoonflower so I know what each fabric feels like....and as I try to think of what I could possibly use Tardis fabric for....I'm thinking a skirt for comic con next year.....

the view from the door, it's much smaller than the basement but much more functional, and not nearly as many temperature swings.

That's Bula, with my dress on her that I made last Christmas, that I LOVE.  The red sticking out the bottom is the hem that fell out :(  I have to fix that up so I can wear it again this winter.  That's my new ironing board and iron (not 100% happy with it, so I will continue to research a much better sewing iron) and my newly acquired ham roll, or whatever its called....and my bookcase filled with notions and patterns.  In the corner is my little vintage sewing box I painted my favorite color teal and houses some of the non-essential for daily sewing things I don't use that much.

And the best sign ever! :)

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Craft fair status

So I have made a few wine bottle holders of the Christmas variety that I thought came out super cute, so I thought I would post them.

I also made this swank pillow case for my sister whose a librarian and I got this awesome fabric on spoon flower that I made a skirt out of, any way this was the pillowcase I made her. Later if I can remember I will try to get some shots of the library print skirt. I made it to wear in craft fair day, since it's being hosted at a library!!

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Crafty Craftness

Hello all,

I'm a terrible blogger, clearly.  I get caught up working and doing lots of things that I forget to update this site.

I have been getting all my things together for the craft fair.  Things are looking good :).  I can't wait.  I feel like I will never get it all done for then.  Once the craft fair is over whatever I don't sell, I am going to put up on etsy to get that store going.

I have also decided that starting in October I am having a goal of one new project a month of a garment....ahh.  This is scary to me.  I have become a master of the easy peasy skirt, but I'd love to slowly start making staples in my wardrobe myself.  So from October-October I will have made at the minimum 12 projects that I could wear.

I have also decided to attempt to go back to knitting....I taught myself to knit a while back and it was my way into sewing.  And I have left it at the wayside even though I have  found such great peace in sitting and knitting.  It makes feel not so guilty when I'm laying around and watching TV.

Stay tuned dear readers.  I have also decided to make my own shopping bags to put my swag in I hopefully will sell.  I'm very excited about a custom stamp I ordered from etsy so I can personalize all the bags.  It worked out to be way cheap to orders some recycled brown shopping bags and a stamper, than paying for the design to be printed right on to the bag.  Hopefully that comes soon so I can start stamping up some bags to bring with me.  I also plan on using the stamp if I sell stuff on etsy and have to ship it. I made the investment because I really really hope I can start making lots more things and sell the heck out of them :)

Hope this day finds you well....Happy Thursday!

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Thank Heaven for Little Girls

I was able to make an easy peasy skirt for a friend of mine's little girl.  I am now on a kick.  It came out so darn cute, and my friend Allie is quite talented with bows (she's going to be at the craft fair in September as well) made a matching bow.  I have to get her to have her daughter model the skirt, because I can't believe how adorable it is.  She picked out this fabric that has cupcakes all over it, perfect!  I'm thinking I will whip up a bunch for the fair, it went very quickly on such a small scale! I'm currently working on one for a slightly older little girl to see how the proportions come out, and maybe I can convince allie to make a matching hair bow for it tomorrow :).....stay tuned for photos.


In other news, am I the only un-American person that doesn't really care all that much about the Olympics?  I like winter way better than summer....and the only sports I wanted to watch was table tennis and synchronized swimming and they are on at such weird hours...anyway... Happy Olympics to whoever is watching!

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Joing this decade.

I have decided to revamp my website (hope you like) and also start this sewing girl into this century. I finally have a facebook page, and an etsy shop.
Stop by an like my stuff when I get it in full swing :)
Etsy:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/CaitieBGood

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/caitie.b.goodshop

I am all moved into the new place.....and my new sewing room is set up--- woot!

Now I am going to be selling some stuff at a craft fair hosted by my sister's libary and I have to get cracking on the sewing since the technology took me all darn day!

Enjoy!

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It's been over a month...sorry, its a long one!

Hello there interweb friends.  It has been over a month since I posted and I actually accomplished quite a few things.

First on a personal note....it might be a while before another update (but maybe not...we shall see how it goes). I'm very sad, we have had an ongoing epic war with the people we rent from and it looks like we lost, and I'm trying to lose gracefully--this is a new concept for me, I usually win or get what I want, but this time I've lost my gumption I guess and I have no plans on fighting, Billy said he will take over. I'm leaving this to him and fate and well the USMC. I guess being married to the marines is really awesome sometimes and really really sucks sometimes, I feel like military people get screwed a lot more frequently than regular folk, and their isn't much we can do about it, at least all I have to worry about is a dog and not kids, I'd be freaking out so much more than I was today if I had kiddos to worry about.

The result of the war: we might be homeless in less than 60 days. Yep. Oh blog-o-sphere, I wonder sometimes if this is the universe's way of testing my resilience? I mean I guess I'm tough, I've overcome every obstacle put in front of me and succeeded, I have very few regrets when it comes to big life decisions.  Recently though, the universe has been rough on my soul.  Between some other personal issues and some sad cases at work, that really have wretched my heart, I'm having a hard time keeping up the feisty cheery front.  I think there's only so much sadness someone should have to see in a month, I am well over my quota for the year I think.  I know being a nurse, and an ER nurse at that, it comes with the territory sometimes, but usually my personal life is great and I don't have to worry about home stuff too....these past few months have been battering me from just every angle, and well quite frankly it sucks. I stick out my tongue at you universe and give you a raspberry! You deserve it, sorry.  I'd moon you, but you already have a moon, so that's overkill.

Anyway universe, you have silly and sick sense of fun, to really say "surprise you have no place to live in 60 days with 18 months left on your husbands contract" is kind of a lot to swallow, not to mention I just finally got this place into something I like.  Ugh! We are keeping our fingers crossed that our few plans work out, but the expense of an unexpected move means no extra projects for me....even if I can save $300 when I go to JoAnn's.  Anyway if you pray or if you don't just keep us in your thoughts that things work out for us without putting us in the poverty line.  Maybe the universe really just wants us to move back to NJ....way to tell us universe....you could have just asked us on an episode of jersey shore or something...sheesh.

Okay personal ranting aside, I have been a crazy seamstress and have two projects ready to sew up tomorrow (if I'm not wallowing in too much self pity, or looking at rentals..again)

Things on my list I can cross off? Well a lot!  I still have made no progress on my Mom's quilt....I'm seriously overwhelmed by it now....I still have no clue why it sucks the sewing mojo right out of me, but alas it does.  Tomorrow afternoon maybe I will listen to my audio book (Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter....yes I'm still a geek, and yes I enjoy it emensly, I listened to it my whole solo car ride back from NJ last weekend and I didn't even realize how quickly I got home....I'd also like to think Iceman enjoyed it because he sat very calmly the whole time and kept eyeballing the speakers) and try to accomplish the last two rows...that's a good 3 hours of work. Ugh.

Here's the rundown....ready (I don't think you are...)

1. Emergency gift for my sister...SUCCESS! AN SO DAMN CUTE....if I do say so myself!  I will be keeping this in my quick to whip up projects for gifts in the future...or for my imaginary etsy store. The little apron is a pocket too....I could not believe how easy it was to make, took about maybe 1.5 hours, including cutting (but not including how long it took me to figure out how to enlarge the pattern on the computer and wasting about 10 sheets of paper...the simple things elude me occasionally--that was total operator error lol)The tutorial was pretty good and I highly reccomend it for anyone with a basic level of sewing skill! Also this was an ALMOST free project.....The pink is from a stash of like $400 worth of fabric and notions I got on craigslist for $80 and it was all in new condition, most with the stickers still on from the store, lace ribbon and lace tie, from a stash stolen from Grandma (sorry!). Then less than $1 (if you do the math) to supple the tiny piece of fabric for the apron, and the bias tape again from the craigslist stash.  I'd estimate it cost me less than 5 bucks to make....hooray craigslist, and grandmas!

2.  T-shirt quilt for my sister. We were supposed to sew two quilts, but my sister conned me into sewing her quilt for her.  It was my first every t-shirt quilt and I sorta just made it up as I went along and I have to say it came out awesome.

Steff "trying it out"

She didn't believe me that it was the perfect size for couch potato time....it was!

It's just about as tall as me...

Better shot, I have to say this is something I will definitely repeat when me and the hubster clean out our t-shirts....its such a great idea.  So I used an idea I found on the interwebs for t-shirt quilts that instead of binding them (which proves to be slightly unstable around the edges unless you add an edge and fusible interfacing and blah blah--I was too lazy--) you make it like a GIANT pillow case.  I did that and well I hand sewed it closed with the bane of my existence slip stitch and I think it came out so cute, I'm getting better at slip stitch, it doesn't look like frankenstein's scars anymore!  The back is the ultra warm ultra soft microfiber fleece I got ON SALE at joannes, so I didn't need to add batting which also made the whole thing go so fast, and only cost about $14 for the cost of the fleece, which I way over bought because I suck at measuring.  I used a total of maybe 2.5 yards so it really was only about $10.  If you want really basic instructions to make it, message me or leave a comment....if you can sew straight lines and cut out squares you can make this in a weekend!  I will give it to my sister, this was a really good idea, except she was supposed to learn how to sew and somehow even though I'm 28 she still is able to boss me around hmpf, and I did it for her! It was a good learning experience though.

3. BULA the dressform, although smurfette is in the running because boy she is blue!....is still her working name and I dressed her up in MY finest made by me dress.  This probably deserves a post all of its own but alas dear readers I have been promising for months now to show you a finished dress....and viola! I'm pretty proud of my first ever tailored garment....as you can see I still didn't hem the lining straight it's peeking out the bottom.  I made it red though because that's fun. The belt is from a craft fair, I lover it. Bula is my size and it looks big because well this dress is also a little bit big on me, I was so nervous about it being too small that I accidentally added like an 1/8 inch all around making the dress about 1.5 inches bigger than the size it was supposed to be...who knew! It was a good learning experience though and I was consistent on my extra 1/8 inch all around so at least its well porportioned...if not just slighly large in the chest lol

here's the pattern I used....You can see I used exactly what they suggested....It was the perfect New Year's Eve dress though! It has pockets! I got this idea from my idol Gertie and while I thought making a dress would be WAY more complex, it wasn't and I can't wait to dive into the world of dress making...yay. Its super satisfying. Not to mention a strange body shape like mine makes dresses not a pleasure to buy off the rack in stores.

4. My quilt also got finished....it didn't get done over the same weekend, but it got done all the same. And well I love it...."If Caitlin was a quilt this is what she'd be" That's what I named it.  Billy just laughs at me, but he agreed.  I was SO proud of how straight i sewed it, I have come quite a long way from not really being able to match up seams well, and not really getting why 1/2 inch and 1/4 inch seam allowances mattered....or how to even figure out where the line is on my sewing machine.  I do know of one purchase I would like to make in the near future and its the magnetic seam guide that goes on the throat plate of the machine....or if anyone has an extra one that they would like to give me....I wouldn't say no :) Its a very inexpensive item ($3 at joann's, I might just break down and order it tomorrow with some tailor's chalk paper stuff so I can get on with my clothes sewing.....but I feel guilty buying anything considering our impending homelessness and all....a magnetic seam guide will not protect my family and I from the rain....sigh!)

 Look at how Divine the straight lines look...and those pies look yummy even upside down. Dear Fabric.com stop having amazing fabric and sales!

 This is the front before I put the back on....I did it the same way I made the t-shirt quilt and it was really easy! I used a really pretty so soft mustard yellow microfiber fleece.  And its so toasty warm.  The peace signs, owls, trees,  nesting dolls, mushrooms, paisley, and peace birds (last block of the first,third,fifth row) are from a sweet sale at joannn's and then the cupcakes, damask pink, and purple peacocks are from a sweet sale on Fabric.com.  They suck for having such cute prints.  Its like my sampler...I really need to make an apron from the pie fabric though.

I'm obviously disturbing his beauty sleep.

Tada!, just some plain old squares....but I really like it!

It's Iceman tested and approved!

5. I also made about 6 pillows from this Library Book print I finally found for my mom (again all hail Fabric.com).  She needs to take a photo of the pillows I made her for her....LIBRARY lol  They look so darn cute in there.  But I had leftovers and made 2 little guys for my sister's new office.  She is a library director...so It was kind of perfect.

They match so well!

I also finished up 2(!) Easy peasy skirts....I shall put them on bula today and photograph.  I also made two dog collars, which were really easy, I need to get the mutts to model for me.  And a stuffed animal for my nephew's christening that I of course forgot to take a picture of....maybe I will be able to get a photo of him with it, the pattern said bear but it turned out looking like a really really cute hippo lol in the softest cordory.

It seems like I accomplished everything but the two things I still have on my list.  Tomorrow is easy peasy skirt day for my friend because I just feel guilty about it now and since all the gifts for easter and stuff are out of the way, I basically have no excuse.

I also broke down and bought one of those craftsy online classes....its for Diane Rupp's booke SEW everything workshop, which I already owned so I thought it made sense.  It teaches the envelope pillow (which I have clearly mastered....but I still learned a few things from the video) The other thing on it is the skirt in her book, but it claims that once you can make this skirt you can make any skirt from a pattern.  We shall see. It's a pencil skirt with lining and I plan on it being my month of may projects (well it was that before we found out about the homelessness thing lol)  So it might be ongoing over a few months :(.  If I can successfully complete it though I will FINALLY break down and by my very favorite person Gertie (from gertie's guide to better sewing blog) bombshell dress and suit classes.

Phew....busy month.  And if I still have a home for the next month I hope to keep sewing....otherwise I sacrifice the sewing cave for just a plain old bedroom from whatever place we can rent out....tears, I loved my little world. I just keep saying 18 more months and no more moving around.

hopefully back soon....if not I will be posting from maybe new digs---tears!

ON a lighter note....we won first place at our easter egg contest. My sister threw a wonderful easter party and billy and I kicked some serious butt with our entry.  He wante d to go all out....and I couldn't stop him, it came out fantastic....Its called "eggry birds" lol

 Almost all put together

 putting it together, before the slingshot

After the slingshot, the yellow bird was my fav....but Billy was in charge of the birds and he did one heck of job....our kids are gonna have awesome school projects (as long as its angry bird replicas lol) Good thing I had my sewing stuff with me, because that's my elastic and pins he used to make a sling shot (oh and a real tree branch..."For authenticity cait")

 Invading my mother's kitchen for the afternoon....but it was worth it!

 I was in charge of set decoration....billy painted that brick by hand though. I made all the popscile towers...oh yea and all the bolders from modeling clay...and that tiny little TNT box lol.

 Theres the scene

 Pig Carnage

 Side view! My failed attempt at making the crow was so bad, so he went into the carnage pile, he knocked a pig though woho

These pesky pigs were my job, and I think I did a great job....they still make me laugh, a lot.

Good morning!

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Easy Peasy Skirt (Really!!!)

Well  I am just on a roll.  I couldn't sleep because I felt like crap and I kept reading blogs on blogs about how easy it is to make a skirt.  After my 2 attempts at the 20 min skirt with only one successful outcome (neither taking only 20 mins...damn you ruffles) I thought I was hopeless unless I was using a pattern. This made me sad, I always wanted to be like "Oh let me whip up my little (imaginary) girl a skirt for {insert whatever special occasion here}"  My dreams were dashed...then...

Low and behold the interwebs never ceases to have exactly what I needed.

http://punkinpattern.blogspot.com/2012/01/easy-peasy-skirts.html

Well I wouldn't say it was the easiest thing in the world to make, the envelope pillow is that; I think this comes in a close second. I kept thinking I was doing something wrong because it seemed way to easy to make....I even finished all my raw edges and that's just beyond fancy for a day-to-day skirt.

I was originally planning on making an Easter 20 min. skirt.  I couldn't resist the tacky egg fabric and thought, why not wear it to an Easter dinner.  I think I may make it from this tutorial though.  Mostly because this skirt had the option to add pockets.  I base most of my purchases on whether or not there are pockets in them....and here I am whipping up little inseam pockets.  This is the only part of the skirt that came out funky.  I used way too thin fabric for the pockets and my tension got all wonky.  Plus I thought I was a know it all and could make the shape of the pocket myself from looking at it on the computer.  I totally screwed it up and the pockets are there by for midget hands, smaller than mine...the pockets can hold a cellphone and chap stick comfortably, so despite totally messing them up, I think that makes them successful!

I'm also really excited because I FINALLY got my dress form!  At 75% off...oh yea.  I hate being patient, but this time it was worth it.  I haven't thought of a name for her.  I'm thinking Marge the Barge, or Bula.  I will see what she strikes me as when I put her together today.

So here is one terrible photo of the skirt.  It's 4am give me a break.  And yes my husband's Marine undershirt just happened to be the only thing I had that complemented it.  I promise to take some more photos of it with a decent camera tomorrow....maybe on Margey (or Bula...I don't know) Along with finally photographing my dress from New Years.

Its the cutest mushroom print ever, I'm obsessed with it!

Cutting block:

1.  I still can't get my act together with this deer quilt.  I need to finish it! I think I was intimidated by the actual quilting process.  I spent a stuffy nose, can't sleep because I can't stop coughing night ingesting every youtube video I could find on beginner quilting. I have some renewed confidence.  My deadline is by April 21st...good luck to me.

2.  This week I might make the skirt for my friend's little girl with this new pattern, I'm glad I found it!  I want to try a french seem, it looks easy but totally classy. I have a lot to do though....but since this was actually really easy now that I put it together very slowly once, I don't think it will take too much time, but sewing efforts are being diverted...see #3

3.  Emergency gift for my sister....Its something she is going to give as part of a themed Bridal Shower gift (no pressure lol)  I'm thinking I am going to make this....its flippin adorable and seems incredibly easy
http://madewithlovebyhannah.com/WordPress/?p=136

Anyway, going to go try to see if my congestion will quiet down a little so I can sleep.

P.S. So I was home in NJ with the husband so he could take the FDNY exam.  And I originally brought up my stuff to work on deer quilt and to help my sister cut out more parts of her quilt for the "Crazy Quilting Cousins" Weekend.  Neither one of those happened, and I was persnickety with myself because I was like, why on earth did I drag all this stuff here and not even mend a hem.  Usually I sew when I can't sleep and since usually my insomnia is 3 levels down and doesn't disturb anyone but the spiders, today I had a challenge.  I had just the basement kitchen to do my work (very quietly), and well I did it!  In the photo you can see, yes my sewing machine is on the kitchen counter.  I proved to myself I need the size of closet to make things in....but man it made me so happy that I have a sewing cave, even if its slightly sub-Arctic in there sometimes!

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The almost 20 minute skirt...take 2

Well.  I did it x3!  The first 20 minute skirt was a complete failure, sorta.  It was way too long and I was way too frustrated to hem it up.  But It proved to be quite the learning experience.  I realized what I was doing totally wrong and that while stealing thread from my grandmother was cheap, the thread is just as old as she is I think, because it was breaking so easily.  So much for stealing from Nancy Pants...I think that was her way of getting back at me for "acquiring" her sewing stuff.  I will not even grace this blog with a photo of the terrible first attempt.

I will however put on here attempt #2.....I made this for the sole purpose of St. Patrick's Day.  Billy actually picked the fabric and all in this skirt cost less than $12, including the very horrible first attempt.  Not too shabby. I think it came out quite cute (and yes shamrock tights are completely appropiate on St. Patty's day)

I even made another that I have been wearing the hell out of, but for some reason can't seem to remember to photograph it.  I need a dress-form in the worst way.  I hate modeling and also I need something to help me do fittings.  Anyway I have agreed to make a little girl version of this in leopard print for a friend at work...off to JoAnn's I go to hunt me down some leopards and get going on that skirt.  I bet it will come out so cute I will want one.

I think I have a problem.  I am so happy to complete a project I have such a difficult time parting with it!  I am working on that.  It's all about time management I think.  If I can divide up my time equally between things for me and things for others I think I'd have a lot less hard of a time parting with handmades.

Anyway....stay tuned for more photos of more skirts and more projects.  The other skirt was in the nesting doll pattern seen below on the left. I freakin am in love with the print, so springy.  As part of my sister's birthday gift I made her some wine cozies...and got crazy and made the one on the left reversible.  Look at me breaking the rules of a pattern.

I also keep forgetting to post my amazing new years dress that I made with my lovely lovely teacher at my private lessons in the city.  I just have to hem the lining properly and the dress is re-wearable! It's so hard to believe to me that I actually made that....it gives me confidence to keep sewing from patterns.  

Stay tuned, I might be able to convince the husband to take photos this weekend.

And I can't remember if I mentioned my new stash.  

1.  I found that craigslist is the bane of my existence and that fabric hoarders are EVERYWHERE.  I got about $300 worth of fabric and notions for $75, I did have to drive kind of far away to get it, but it was a fun trip with the hubster and puppy.  I got really lost in culpepper and i flashed back to many years ago when I was almost arrested there....this was way before we moved down and it is such a small world that we would wind up living down here.

2. Damn you national craft month at JoAnn...I hoarded up my coupons and bought only what I truly needed fabric wise....the rest of my coupons I spent on frames for the Husband's take over of my sewing cave (tears).  He wants it back.  I offered to help "man" the place up.  Anyway I saved $211 with my coupons and strategic buying day.  It was a lot of fun and I am going to have a pretty awesome cousin's quilt. I can't wait I'm so excited.

On the sewing block:  

At least 10 more of the 20 min skirts...they rock.

Mom's Quilt (I must persevere...I will not be thwarted by a real quilt)

Cousin's quilt (more on this to come lol)

Fun vintage apron

Pajamas

Corsets and Renn Fair outfit......I am going to need a lot of time and research on this.

Good morning dear readers :)

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