Do Lists Ever Get Shorter?

There are so many things I want to sew right now. I'm aching to reconnect with my sewing machine. The last thing I did with it was mending. Poor thing. My poor soul. I need more. Here's a list of things I want to make:

Halloween or at least Fall themed garlands and banners/flags
Shoulder bags - oh I have this gorgeous purple and blue fabrics from the quilt shop that are washed and waiting to be cut and sewn
Table runners - and no, not just because you (Mom) mentioned you wanted some last time I was home
Rainbow placemats
Rainbow baby book
Rainbow quilt
Rainbow purses and shoulder bags
Baby quilt - maybe 2???

Long story on the baby quilt. I bought gender netural fabrics at the quilt shop during their Fat Quarter Friday sales a long time ago in hopes of making a quilt for my 2nd baby. Oh, did I forget to mention I'm pregnant? Surprise! Actually I believe most of my faithful Seamingly Sarah readers already know this tiny little detail based on the fact that you know me in real life and/or are related to me. Gotta love family support! For those of you who have never seen my face, well thanks for reading the occassional sewing rambles of a stranger. I appreciate your faith in me.

Back to the baby quilt story. I go back to the quilt shop for another sale. Decide the previous gender neutral fabric I bought had too many flowers in the print. I decide to purchase all new fabrics - hey, it was a sale people, a sale - and make this for my gender surprise baby. We're not finding out the gender by the way. So now I have enough fabric for two baby blankets. What's a girl to do besides day dream about sewing them?

I forsee a vacation day coming up.

Calling Anyone Who's Ever Owned A Purse...

I don't own purses.

Okay, scratch that. I own two purses and both are in my daughter's dress up box right now. She puts them over both her shoulders and pretends to be me and go to work. Then she comes "home" and gives me a kiss. I love her.

Side note over.

To clarify I do not USE purses. I have all these rainbow blocks and one set is begging to be turned into purses, or maybe the right term is a clutch? But what do you as the consumer and daily purse user like in a purse? Do you want a wrist strap or a shoulder strap? Zippers or snaps? Interior pockets? With a bottom so it stands up? Stiff with some structure or floppy? I'm lost.

Help a girl out and leave a comment.

Creating for Your Toddler

Let's tally up the scores:

Color/rainbow book with hand embroidered message on the back

 FAIL - she looked at it once

Double sided magic cape with the two colors she chose

FAIL - she's worn it twice, on the front, and calls it a bib

 

Princess costume, labored over and loved by mommy

FAIL - I still can't get her to try it on

 

Carboard box house that took 2 minutes to make

SUCCESS - she spent hours putting toys in through the roof in order to see them fall out of the bottom

Conclusion: why do I continue to put in hours of sewing for her?

Jane Austen Anyone?

I think the Jane Austen novel I am reading right now is seeping into my subconscious. I sat down this weekend with a pattern for a princess costume and some pink fabric. My previous experience with patterns has been less than enjoyable (lets just go ahead and say it was heinous). I unfolded the pattern and saw that it was too big for my 2 year old. Being less than enthused to use a pattern to begin with I opted to make something up.

Scary, I know. Just in time for Halloween.

But I ended up loving it! Doesn't it look like a dress from a romantic novel by Ms. Jane Austen? In all honesty I had to make the top twice and had more tucks than I anticipated, but I made it up in my head and I think it came out quite well. I've always been scared to approach sewing clothes, but I'm feeling bold and envigorated.

New Item in the Shop

Not only did I finish the red bag, but I finally got decent photos of it, uploaded the photos to the computer, editted said photos and listed it all on Etsy. Yeah! I feel tired just typing that all out. But at least I have a finished product after all of that work on the rainbow project. Remind me not to look at the pile of other rainbow quilt blocks sitting on my sewing table. I need a break.

 

Enjoy!

Finally!

 There was such a cloud hanging over me. I was sitting down and doing so much sewing, but it felt like procrastinating. I was avoiding opening up the screen printing and block printing kits I had bought and my sewing pile was benefitting from it. But this past weekend I finally did it. I opened up those boxes and decided right away to not attempt the screen printing yet and not carve my own block! Instead I dug up my old stamps and just experimented with the inks and composition.

I just wanted to get my hands dirty and try it. So I did.



I have a million more ideas flowing through my head now and an impatient toddler that wants my attention. Gotta go. Enjoy!

Loving my Sewing Machine

So I mentioned making a date with my sewing machine and a vacuum earlier. I also mentioned I'd explain that a little bit better. Maybe some of you are already well aware of this trick, maybe some are not. But I saw on the internet once (God Bless the internet) a little trick to help speed up cleaning the lint out of your sewing machine. It was a long time ago, otherwise I'd try and find the link to the original site.

But moving on...Obviously all that friction with cloth and thread starts to build up some lint in the crevices of a sewing machine. Especially down in the bobbin casing area. It's recommended that after each well sized project you clean out all that lint and lubricate all the vital parts of the sewing machine. It's been...well it's been many well sized projects since I gave my sewing machine a good clean out and rub down. She deserves better.

So the trick is to take the end of your vacuum (with no attachment), some masking tape and a straw.

Use the masking tape to adhere the straw to the end of the vacuum cleaner hose and keep suction. Then bend that plastic sucker into all the nooks and crannies you can. Afterwards I put the soft brush attachment on and go over the whole exterior of the sewing machine.

I then read my sewing machine guide book like it's the bible and put machine oil in all the right parts. I keep a rag on hand to wipe away any excess oil.

There you have it. Keep your fingers crossed that I'll have something more exciting and photo worthy for your viewing next time!

Squeezing in One More Project

Okay, I'll admit it, I snuck one more project in before giving the sewing machine a spa day!

And before you start wondering if I changed my daughter's name (for those of you who know her name), this cape is not for my off spring, but for a friend of hers.

Red Bag is Complete!!!

Oh yeah! I did it. All by myself. I finished it. It's done. Yeah, yeah, yeah!

(imagine snoopy dance for enhanced visual pleasure)

Can you tell I'm excited to have finished the red bag?

I hope to have some photos for here and have it listed in the shop as soon as I can.

Now I have a date with my sewing machine and a vacuum cleaner.

What?

I'll give details later.

And I'll be giving my sewing machine a wee break so I can try out some fabric printing.

Wish me luck!

Red Bag Continued...

Well I couldn't do it. I just couldn't put that light brown liner in the red bag. So I went shopping. Such a hardship, I know...And after some shopping (and sisterly advice, thanks Kathy!) I found a liner and pocket fabric that I think will suit the red bag much better.

What do you think? The print is the liner and the solid dark red is for the pockets. I even found red fabric straps!!! I like how the dark red compliments, but doesn't match the red bag, yet there is plenty of white to keep the interior of the bag light and airy. Especially important when you're routing around in there for your keys or wallet, but then again, maybe you should've been using the pockets I put in!

I've washed, dried and ironed the fabric. Now I just need to sit down and cut and sew! Wish me luck.