second lesson learned...

I am still sewing.

I have more fabric.

It is too hot to do anything outside.

I cut yet another skirt out of my FAVORITE fabric so far. This old fashioned, granny paisley.

Love, Love, Love!!!

Did I mention I LOVE this fabric?

Makes me think of sitting on the front porch swing (who has one of those anymore? I think I need one!) on a hot muggy afternoon where there are lots of fluffy white clouds and you just know it's going to rain, sipping a sweating glass of homemade lemonade with mint leaves floating around.

Anyway, I got sidetracked.....

There wasn't enough of this fabric that I absolutely am in love with to make my skirt. So I had to get super creative. I ended up making the waist band half the width (heigth) it is supposed to be.....

now wouldn't you know I like it better this way than on all the other skirts I have finished???

lessons learned

So I have had a little extra free time lately. Actually a lot of extra time with kids out of school and Matthew driving (another topic for another day).

So I have been sewing.

I had a lot of fabric (I love fabric) in my sewing box that I hadn't done anything with in years. Just fold, move, re-fold, move again. There were some patterns in there too. So I got busy.

I cut and sewed 4 (yes, four!) skirts. The problem was I did all of them start to finish and only after they were all done did I decide they were too big. I know so sad, but better than too small!

So to fix them I had to completely tear them appart - did I mention I used the smallest possible stitch? ugh! I manages to rip one appart and get it back together....the other three are still sitting and I have moved on.

Today I decide to try again, with new fabric. I cut down the pattern two sizes, because that seemed about right.....

after much sucking in of the stomach and wiggling, I got it on,

then I had to take it off over my head!

oh well, I have more fabric and this time I just sewed one. with a little more modification the next skirt should be perfect!

Latest sewing project.....

Flipping thru a craft magazine one afternoon at the library I came across a darling pattern for a tote bag. Just lots of little squares and rectangles sewn together - super simple. So I headed off to JoAnn's to get fabric (such a HARD thing to do!). I am trying to get out of my neutral rut so I picked this fun red, black and white theme with a few cherries on top! Makes me think of Mickey & Minnie Mouse and DISNEYLAND!

here are the squares cut and ready to sew...

finished tote........

I used the red & white dot for the tote

bottom, ends, lining and handles!

I like it so much I am going to have to make another one!

Make-up bag v1.2

I liked Katie's make-up brush bag soooo much I had to make myself one too......of course I sewed the ribbon tie on the wrong end, but I love it anyway! Rainy days = lots of finished crafts!

Days of the week......

Another project I stitched up for the little bit of wall above my kitchen window....

Humm the "Adams Family Theme"......

There's Sunday and there's Monday......

there's Tuesday and there's Wednesday......

there's Thursday and there's Friday......


and then there's Saturday......


days of the week (snap, snap)
days of the week (snap,snap)
days of the week, days of the week, days if the week (snap, snap)!

Once I got all the chickens stitched we were on a hunt for frames.....finally after going to four different Walmarts, seven frames that all match!

Sew cute....

stitching all finished.....

added a cute red & white ticking stripe border
and pillow backing

I just finished another cute little project!

I have had this stitchery pattern for quite a while and have never gotten around to making it (thought with all the colors it would take too long). Anyway with all the down time between Katie's waterpolo games at her tournaments I was able to finish it in only a couple days! I should do more things like this - I really enjoy making things for our home.....

Look what I made....

How cute is this??!!

A quick easy (once I figured out the ric-rak, thanks Mindy!) solution for storing Katie's make-up brushes! I like this so much I think I am going to have to make one for myself too! The hard part is deciding on fabric!! I adapted a pattern for storing 16 crayons that I found on the internet, then I added the contrast stitching (instead of just the white thread from the machine) using three strands of embroidery floss to spice it up.

The pattern instructions and lots of other fun projects can be found at skiptomylou.org