Sewing Haven

I did it!

2010-11-08T20:01:00.000-08:00

I just had my first Craft show with some of my American Girl Size Sewing. I have wanted to do this for a while now. It was so much fun! I am already planning for the next one!

I also have opened my ESTY shop called Ardently Admire- a quote from one of my all time favorite books. I have some of the dresses that I made for the craft show for sale there also.

Tomorrow my job is to send an email to Liberty Jane Clothing and get everything all linked up!

Doll quilt Swap 9!

2010-06-14T09:46:00.000-07:00

I just got my partner for DQS9. I have looked at her blog, and at her flicker, and am deep in thought as to what to make. As usual I have an idea of what to make, but I am not sure if it fits my partner's taste.

My partner like traditional patterns, but I think she is my partner because she likes one of my quilts that is NOT a traditional pattern- I don't think I do traditional patterns...

I am going to make something that I have been thinking about- and that I would want in my sewing room- yes I am going to make one for me too.

I finished the pincushion swap that I am in. I am going to wait until next week to send it out so that it does not get to my partner too early.

Soccer Season Ends

2009-12-01T18:52:00.000-08:00

Soccer is over for the Tiger Lilies, but I had the best ever season! My soccer players were the best, and the parents were very supportive. It makes me want to coach again next year!

I made AG soccer outfits using jerseys from a previous season, they turned out so cool...it has made me think about re-purposing all kinds of clothes....

DQS7

2009-07-23T19:45:00.000-07:00

To my swap partner: I will love what you make. The favorites that I mark in flicker are often things that I want to make for other people so that might not give you the best ideas... please make what you want to try...stretch yourself and that will be the best quilt!

I do love moose, and so does my little one. I play the cello and the violin. I am going back to teaching 8th grade math in September. I sew because I like the challenge, I sew what I can't buy...time and love...

2009-05-10T12:09:00.000-07:00

I found this site while looking for comic book cells for my son. I am going to use the color wheel template to make a small color wheel quilt. I need to draw the template and add the seams etc.

Oliver+S 2+2 Blouse, 2nd try

2009-05-08T16:54:00.000-07:00

I finished my short sleeve version of the Oliver + S blouse.

I found that I needed to move the fabric patch up a bit on the front of the shirt. When the bottom of the piece is closer to the gathering it is easier to sew evenly. If you look a t the picture you can see the blue mark below the patch.

I also sewed down the seams 1/8" in the direction that I wanted them to lay. I used an overcast to finish off the edges before I sewed the pieces together.

The best way to contact me is through my flicker account, if you wold like the pdf pattern.

2+2 Blouse

2009-05-07T08:56:00.000-07:00

I have bee working on making a 18" doll pattern to match the wonderful Oliver+ S 2+2 blouse. The pattern went together very nice.

I worked on the front of the doll pattern first. I needed a way to make the small patch at the front of the blouse small for the doll size. The pincushion caddies that I have been making uses foil to make a nice circle for the bottom of the caddy. I thought that this might work for the small patch.

First I cut a piece from a recycled cereal box a scant 1"x2 5/8", then I cut the fabric 1 1/2"x 3 1/8" (about 1/4" larger on all sides) and put them on top a piece of foil that was approximately 1/4" larger an all sides. Then I tightly folded the foil on the long sides and then the short sides.

Then iron it. The foil is very hot after and needs to cool before taking the little package apart.
After taking the cardboard out I used wash away wonder tape to tape the patch down before top stitching it.It worked great. I am going to try making the patch this way for the next girls size that I make. For me the corners came out better that turning the fabric.
I am still working on the pattern for the doll size, but it should be done soon. I need to round the bottom of the shirt. I am going to make a Bitty Baby pattern also. My daughter just got one and she asked if this shirt was for her baby Emma doll.

Pin cushion caddy

2009-04-28T09:12:00.000-07:00

Free is sometimes scary to me. I often feel that I get what I pay for. I printed out the pin cushion caddy pattern a while ago, but did not make it. I found the pattern again and decided to toss the pattern or make it. So I gave it a try.

The directions are good, but some of the measurements are off to me. I do not under stand why a pattern would say to sew something with 3/8 seam allowance and then "if they don't fit well together, you may need to adjust the seam allowance" WHAT! There are eight seams to adjust! Then another part of the pattern has a 1/2 seam allowance but it has an interfacing piece that is 11 1/2, and a base piece that is 12. If these measurement are correct then there is not enough of the base piece for the seam.

My try at this is done, and I have two nice pincushions, but they don't look much like the picture example on the pattern instructions.

Found a new thrill

2009-04-16T08:39:00.000-07:00

I finished my first ever hand sewn garment. It is as if I did not eve now that something could be made without a sewing machine. I have already started on my next project or two. I can't wait to make a jacket and a dress. I just need to find patterns that I like.

The plain quilt?

2009-03-04T09:12:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I finished this quilt to give to one of my daughter's friends. I was going to just make a small doll quilt, but then I had all of this fabric, and since my massive clean up I actually know where it is.

When I finished the quilt I washed it to get the horrid glue from this batting that I will never buy again (but at least I used up what I had).

When I spread the quilt out to take a picture of it, I mistakenly asked my son "What do you think?"

He said "it is very plain"

"Thanks Kid"... I replied, not sure if the steam from my head was visible.

Quilts to make list

2009-02-22T18:51:00.000-08:00

There are so many quilts that I want to make:

Dresden Plate doll quilt like this.

Eclipse from fun quilts.

Snippets tutorial is here.

Zig Zag Quilt from Purl Bee.

Amish Zig Zag here.

This amazing pillow or something like it.

This will look great in the front room.

Just found this spectrum doll quilt, and there is a link somewhere on this blog to a doll quilt wall and how to make a doll pillow and pillow case...need to find the link but it disappeared...

Valentines Day Skirt

2009-02-14T10:28:00.000-08:00

I managed to make a skirt for Paige to wear to school on Friday. I did not decide what to make until the day before at about 1:00...I am just glad that it went together so quick...She was very excited about exchanging the Valentines. When she got home she poured over her box for hours, reading each one.

The most important Part of the skirt to her is the pockets.

Color Wheel Quilt #1 Done

2009-02-09T08:50:00.000-08:00

This went together very easily. It looks like it would be difficult but it is really not. I think the most painful part was the three hours in the fabric store pulling all of the bolts from the wall and then looking at the clerk when I came up to have it cut. I bought 1/4 of a yard of each...yes it was all on sale at the time...I did use a bit from my stash, and there were a few that I bought that I did not use.

I have started the next two together. I am going to add a border to one of them to make it into a bed quilt.

Color Wheel Quilt Top- Now on to the Quilting

2009-02-03T19:27:00.000-08:00

I just finished the first of what will be three color wheel quilts. I have not decided what I am going to do for the back, if it is just going to be white, or if I want do do something else... the pieces for the color wheel part of the other two quilts are cut out and ready to go.

Doll Friends- soon to be parted

2009-01-27T16:21:00.000-08:00

I just finished up the second of my Matryoshka dolls. The pattern is from a magazine that I found at Jo Ann's. The original is in felt, but I did not have red felt. The pattern does not turn out like the picture so I fiddled with it a bit and got better results the second time. I might try it one more time to get it just right.

Paige's First Quilt Design

2009-01-25T19:33:00.000-08:00

When I am sewing and Paige is around, she always asks if I have any scraps that she can have. I wanted to try to do something constructive with all the little pieces, so I had her design a quilt. She told me where she wanted things and I sewed them on the quilt for her.

I love it that she did not want everything perfect and she did wanted to use all of the little pieces that were around. The one quilt square is left over from a quilt that I made her when she was about six months old. She found the extra square and had been playing with it for about a week before we started this quilt. I think she has a better eye for design than me...

Wee Wonderfuls -The first of many I hope...

2009-01-25T18:38:00.000-08:00

I am ready to put my little quilt on the wall. This is the first tied quilt I have done but I am sure to do more. It was a very quick embroidery. I did the quilt in six threads, but this seems a lot. I changed the color of the girls hair, mine all have shads of brown. The girl with the yellow shirt on has the eyes different than the other two, so she looks like she is giggling. I added a bit of pink to each of the girls. The first one has pink stripes in her scarf, the second one has a pink beret, and the third one has a pink heart. The small quilt was not my idea it came from here.

Sugar City Village Frock

2009-01-20T15:37:00.000-08:00

The pattern is from a blog Sugar City. I started it before the holidays and then put it away to become a UFO. I got it out about a week ago and did not read through the instructions again. I ended up sewing the sleeves on for the neck gathering and then had to take them off of course, and that was a days sewing wasted. I added a hem facing instead of just turning up the corduroy and I really like the way that it turned out.

Directions for "18 Doll Headband

2009-01-07T11:48:00.001-08:00

I hate using hair ties in the dolls hair, so here is a easy head band to make.

Australian Smocking and Embroidery #85 What Went Wrong

2009-01-05T20:20:00.000-08:00

These are my photos of "What Went Wrong" with the AS&E #85 Tea for Two Dresses. The doll dress that I made has a ribbon hem that was not part of the original pattern. When I was making the dress the night before the party... It was about 11:00 when I got to the hem on the dress... and there was not enough fabric... first I panicked... and then I remembered making the Lazy Days Skirt and the dress was saved.

Tea for Three Dresses

2009-01-03T22:20:00.000-08:00

These are my dresses for the Birthday party at the American Girl doll store. We had a great time. I just love that place. The Dresses are from AS&E #85, but there is a mistake in the directions for the doll pattern, so my doll dress has a ribbon hem.

Grayson's PJ's

2008-12-17T11:57:00.000-08:00

This is my first try at making a doll pattern. Paige was just thrilled with the matching PJ's for her doll. Send me an email at smeegool@yahoo.com with doll pattern in the subject and I will send the pdf to you.

Almost Oliver + S pajama pants

2008-12-08T09:38:00.000-08:00

This is my first try at major pattern alteration. The Bedtime Story Pajamas have a nice fit which the big pattern companies can't seem to deliver. I wanted to make a similar style for my son but the Oliver + S pattern does not have a big enough size.

Using a Sew easy pattern, I took at least 5 inches off the vertical waist of the pants for these. The leg opening is a bit big on this first pair, so the next pair will have a smaller leg opening.

Oliver + S Pajamas

2008-12-04T10:45:00.000-08:00

The top and pants for the PJ's are done. This is my first oliver+s pattern Bedtime Story Pajamas that I have finished, although I purchased a couple of other patterns.

After measuring my daughter carefully I made a size 6, the pattern runs a little small for my taste, so next time I will make it bigger. I had to cut at least three inches from the pant legs for my stubby little one, and about the same amount for the sleeves.

Here is a picture of the top open. The pajamas have a Kimono top which meas that thy tie in two places. I was not sure how my daughter would like the tie on the inside, but the first thing she said was that she could not feel it. I hope it stays that way.

I do not have a serger, so the 1/2 inch seams are finished with a three-step zigzag overcasting.

The pattern has a great tip, to put a bit of ribbon in the back to help when putting them on.

I also put a satin binding around the hem of the pants, instead of just folding them up.

Tea Towels

2008-12-03T15:30:00.000-08:00

I just love these trees, they are such a happy tree family. The design is from Nini Makes

Purple Ponies Season Finally

2008-11-22T12:50:00.000-08:00

I have been coaching my kids soccer teams and making the banner for a few years now.

I really do try to keep things simple, but it is very difficult when it involves fabric and such. At the end of the season it seems like such a waste to fold up the banner and put it in the garage to be tossed at a latter date. A few years ago I started to "wonder under" the part of the banner with the players name on it, and I would make a iron on of the team picture to put on a pillow case for each player.

This year I just wanted to try something a bit different. I made pillow cases and machine appliqued the name part of the banner on each.

Twilight the Bag

2008-11-17T14:38:00.000-08:00

About a week ago I got it in my head to read the Twilight book that will be a movie coming out November 21. My middle school students had been trying to get me to read it for years now but I was just not interested.

I read it and I really liked it. So while I was waiting for the rest of the books to come from amazon, I decided to design and embroider a bag. The embroidery designs, and the bag design are my first!

So here is the result. This is truly my guilty pleasure.

AS&E Babycakes

2008-11-08T08:31:00.000-08:00

The marathon bishop dress is over. I just did not plan the start to must be done by well. I ended up doing most of the work in about three or four days. By the time the dress was done I was sick of it!

Gaara Costume

2008-10-31T15:18:00.000-07:00

The best Gaara costume ever (OK so I made it, but still it is cool).

Caramel Apples- No sewing needed!

2008-10-19T16:53:00.000-07:00

These are my caramel apples that I made! It was my first try ever making candy, They are not perfect but the kids are eating them without complaint! The recipe is from a wonderful blog:

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/caramel-apples-recipe.html

Candy Corn Dress

2008-10-14T19:46:00.001-07:00

I was excited to make this dress for my daughter. When I went to pick out buttons she wanted the jack-o lantern buttons. I could not find any candy corn buttons at the time, this was July or so. I finished the dress today 10/14. I also put up the Halloween lights and decorations outside. When I went to pick my daughter up from school, I took her with me to the hardware store to buy a black light for out front. At the check out they had candy corn. I bought some and gave her a few. That was when she told me she had never had the candy before- oops! Well she likes the candy and the dress now.

Gidget AS&E # 62

2008-09-03T18:13:00.000-07:00

Yes I got it done before the first day of school. Next will be the banner for her soccer team. I should have got to work on it today, with only Thursday and Friday left it will be a lot of work.

Fabric From Nigeria

2008-08-05T14:48:00.001-07:00

My brother just got back from Nigeria. I had asked him to bring me back some fabric, thinking that he never would. I am not even sure he would know where to buy fabric here at home. The fabric is so awesome! Now I just need to find a pattern to use it. There are four different types each precut/prepackaged to six yards.

Denim Does Pleat

2008-07-20T17:52:00.000-07:00

I wanted to start my next project while I get myself mentally ready to do the seven button holes. I found an AS&E dress that is denim. I knew that I had some in my stash from when I made a "Elmo" dress. I found the denim, but it was not as light weight as I had wanted. I went to Jo Ann's, but they did not have anything different (which makes sense, I am sure I got it there before). I decided to try to pleat it.

After running a small piece through without thread, I threaded the 24 needles and ran the fabric through. I made sure to take the pleats off the needles about every five that got stacked on. It is only a panel that is 25 inches across, but it can be done.

Narrow Hem Foot

2008-07-14T23:10:00.000-07:00

The work continues on GIDGET, AS&E #62. I neglected most of the house work to make some real progress with my sewing. I thought I was doing so well until I realized that I made the two back panels identical. To correct my error I had to rip out the two rows of gather stitches, iron the panel out flat and then redo it correctly.

It is amazing the amount of fabric that goes into a dress like this. I used my 5mm narrow hem foot to finish both sides of the hem frill. For this amount of fabric I can't imagine how to do it other wise. The sewing imp was about and I ran out of bobbin thread at a bad time! I also learned that I needed to clip the corners of the seems in order for the fabric to get through the foot. From necessity I learned if that it is not too hard to take out a small section, iron and fold the fabric correctly, and then sew a straight stitch again. I also got practice on putting the fabric back into the foot to continue sewing.

After using the foot I went to the Viking web site to get the English instructions on how to use the foot.

5 mm Narrow Hem Foot

411 85 17-45

Stitch a narrow hem in medium weight fabrics. Suitable for napkin edges, curtains, ruffles. Straight stitch, length 2.5 to 3 (Can be used with decorative stitches) Snap on foot.

Stitch a narrow hem in very lightweight fabrics such as silk scarves, batiste napkins, shirt hems, ruffles and lingerie.
Straight stitch, length 2. Snap on Narrow Hem Foot.
1. Press a double hem (the width of the tunnel on the underside of the foot) in the first inch of the hem.
2. Place under the presser foot and stitch several stitches along the edge of the hem. 3. Stop with the needle in the fabric, raise the presser foot and pull the fabric edge up into the scroll/guide on the foot.
Lower the presser foot, continue to sew. Do not help the fabric edge to roll, simply hold it vertically.

The Legend of Zelda Quilt -Link

2008-07-10T12:46:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite quilts that I have made. I entered it in the Los Angeles County Fair and it did not win anything. I was very disappointed. When I thought about it though it is one of the quilts that I have made that gets used. The Blue ribbon quilts that I have made are folded up and not as well loved.

I did the next step at last!

2008-07-09T20:25:00.001-07:00

Yes! The sewing machine needle did hit my project today! It is a small miracle since I have been trying to make a moment in my day to sew. It seems that the time I set aside to sew is sucked up by something different everyday. To day it was trying to take care of the dental bill that should have been paid by the insurance MONTHS ago.

I did put the straps on the front bodice and connected the smocking. It was all good until I realized that the bodice has a rounded bottom edge and the smocking was straight so the bottom does not look 'right' to me. It did take my two tries on one side and three tries on the other side to get the straps to match up right.

Smocking Ribbon Weave

2008-07-09T13:11:00.000-07:00

This is one of the smocked dresses. It has ribbon weaved through the smoking. It is calico fabric with growth tucks along the bottom. There is a big bow in the back.

A look back to look forward...

2008-07-08T20:51:00.001-07:00

I am looking at some of the Bishop dress that I have made in the past in anticipation of teaching a beginning smocking class. This Bishop dress was the first project that I made after learning some stitches. I am not sure how many times that my Daughter got to wear it, but I do know that it was not enough.

This Bishop has very complex smocking. I am going to do it again in a larger size and with lite material and dark floss.

Blocking Smocking

2008-07-08T15:40:00.000-07:00

I am currently working on a sun dress for my daughter. It is Gidget form AS&E Issue #62. I have finished the smocking and am starting on the dress construction. I wanted to try a hand pleated dress since that is one of the more assessable types of pleating for people who want to learn to smock.