Onsie Gift

A very simple one this time. A simple onsie for a mom who has nothing. A friend of mine has a friend that is pregnant and recently gotten married. She has nothing so my friend threw her an impromptu shower and invited a bunch of us from church. So Friday afternoon I threw together a onsie, pulled a blanket off the shelf that I had "just in case" for a gift and wrapped them up.

The onsie only took me 3 hours from start of cutting to finishing of snaps (which I did backwards because I was talking while I did it LOL) It shouldn't have taken me that long but of course I got the chance to play with my new toy again so I had a leisurely afternoon of play. It was really just for practice on my coverstitch and I decided if it turned out alright, I'd gift it along with the blanket. Other than the snaps snapping front over back instead of back over front it was gift quality. The fabric was  a bit thin too but it'll be fine for the 3 weeks that the baby fits into it Ha!

Sad part is..... 3 hours straight in the sewing room = 3 days of back pain. I have GOT to learn to spread it out in smaller increments!!! *sigh* I have two more gifts to make this week for new mama's at church. I plan to do 20 minutes here and 20 minutes there....

It is Ottobre 3/2013 #3 "Baby Whale" raglan-sleeve bodysuit, size 56

Mario Vest

It turned out quite a bit better using sweatshirt fleece vs. the last one out of polar fleece. I made the same size - 146 and once again it's a #34 Donald our of 6/2010.

He loves it - that's all that matter.....

Funny how once you know how something goes together it tends to go better. Ha!

Polar Fleece Vest

 I'm not real overly proud of this make but I have to blog it so I remember what it is and what I did. I also don't mind showing a bit of what the new Coverstitch machine is capable of.

This is Ottobre 6/2010's Donald #34 hooded sweater-knit vest in size 146. The reason I am not overly proud of it is because it was designed for sweater knit so when I tried to do it out of thick polar fleece there was a lot of thickness to get through often times.

Also it is fully lined so you virtually sew the silly thing inside out. You go into an opening like the armhole and sew other parts and then the armhole gets sewn up in two separate steps. This is quite interesting! I was quite befuddled at first but finally figured it out - quite by accident but you didn't hear that from me.

The little guy loves it, as does his younger brother who begged and begged for me to make him one!! I told him I would but not of polar fleece. I happened to have a piece of regular sweatshirt fleece in my stash that was almost enough. I could not fit the sleeve bands so they will be contrasting. I hope it works. That's in the sewing room now.......

It wasn't a hit with me but it was certainly a hit with him!! He wore it none stop for almost two weeks before he finally admitted that maybe it needed to be washed. It was originally planned to be an extra layer under his winter coat that seems rather thin this year. But it's become more personal than that, to him.

Birthday Cape

I had to wait until M received her birthday gift in the mail from me before I could blog about this. Hope you had a wonderful birthday M and that you will think of me each time you wear your cape! I love you!!

This is the Go To Pattern Cape for Women in size XL in the regular length but with petite sizing for where the arm holes are placed. My friend wanted it longer but she's vertically challenged so I needed to adjust it to a petite for the armholes.

I wish that M lived closer and I'd have her model it for some pictures! Maybe I can get her to send me some pictures of her in it to add to the blog :-)

Go To has the same cape in girls sizes. My Little Miss claims she wants one too!! We shall see... so many projects.... so little time. Really it's only so little time because my back still won't let me sew too long each day :-( Hoping to get the cutting table raised a bit soon too which will be wonderful. I SO need to learn not to hunch when I'm sewing  LOL

Baby Abel

A dear sweet friend had a baby last month and we had a baby shower for her at our church. I made this little outfit but had forgotten to take pictures. I asked her to send me some of the baby in the outfit!! Even better to have the real live model!!

I love how the pacifier matches his outfit!!

Mom says he likes his outfit even though he is making faces LOL

So adorable!!!

I used Ottobre Blue Rain Bodysuit #1 in 4/2015, size 62. And #2 Baggy Bottom sweatpants in 4/2015 also, size 62. Both were out of interlock from my stash. Mama says he's 10# 2oz in this picture and the size 62 looks to fit fairly well with just a bit of growing room!

First Coverstitch Project - denim skirt

I've been wanting a cover stitch machine for a long time! I do so much with knits and with a new grand baby on the way too - I know it will be getting tons of use!! So last weekend while at the Creative Sewing Expo I got one for a fairly decent price. Way off retail. It's a floor model from a local dealer, plus a show special so it was lower even than I had hoped. I came right home and ordered a couple binder attachments from ebay too but they haven't arrived yet.

It's a Babylock BLCS-2..... I'm in love.... I can't wait to see all I can do with the three wonderful machines I have now!!! I looked at updating my serger with one that would cover stitch but decided against that. I wanted a separate machine that I didn't have to switch back and forth on. Besides I actually love my 20 year old serger. It needs a new upper blade but still runs like a champ!

After playing with it for a few days to familiarize myself, I tackled just a simple denim skirt. I was planning on doing one floor length but I'd have to alter a pattern for that. I just went with Simplicity 2184 (size 20) which is my favorite denim skirt in my closet right now. The one in the closet is beginning to show some wear so I thought I'd play around with my new toy and make something that will be needed soon.

Just a simple elastic waist skirt that will be perfect for a work skirt around the farm too.

Here's a close up of my triple cover stitch

The pattern calls for cutting on the bias but I was using fabric from another skirt that I had made that turned out to be a wadder. There was enough fabric to make this one out of that one if I went straight on grain. So that's what I did.

Expect to see more sewing since I've spent the next two years clothing budget on my new "toy" so I'll have to be making most of our clothes again for a while...... LOL

I made a baby outfit recently too but forgot to take a picture before I gave it as a gift. Hopefully the new mom will send me a picture, with baby in the outfit even! When she does..... I'll post it too.

White Tank copied

I managed to trace off my first pattern from RTW this summer. It turned out great!!! I wore it so much - I plan to make many more, especially since last weekend Hubby bought me a coverstitch machine!! Whoohoo!!!

Anyone remember Weekender Wear from back in the late 80's and early 90's? I had two tank tops left from way back then!! They were SO well made and lasted that long!!! I wore them hard too. Well they are since defunct and out of business. I couldn't even find any items on ebay. So I thought it was high time I tried to trace off a pattern and see how I could do.

The neckline is much more modest than they look in the pictures. I also added several inches to the length just to make it more versatile. Can't wait to use my CS to make more!!!

Forest Green Skirt

I have been sewing a bit here and there over the past few months but never get to blogging any of the projects. So in order to get caught up I'm just going to "plunk" a few right in a row here. Hopefully I can make the pictures work.

Here is a Forest Green skirt that I made for myself last spring. I used the "Country Skirt" pattern that I've had in my stash for a long time. It's the same pattern that I used for the black calico skirt that I made a while back.

Here's a close up of the waistband. It turned out okay and it fits but I'm not head over heals in love with the skirt.

Fabric was sportswear that I had in my stash, from my fabric fairy I believe.

Gathered Skirt for All Ages from Purlbee.com

Yes, it's true I have pretty much not sewn anything for almost a year. Daughter #1 got engaged in November as canning season was ending and they set a date of February 8 so we got right to work. We sewed up some table cloths and centerpieces for the wedding but I never took any pictures. When the wedding was done, I tried to find a new routine and rhythm to life and the first week of April my back went out - BAD! Worst it's ever been. I've been to the chiropractor and sat on the couch for weeks trying to heal it.

Today I was finally able to finish up a skirt for Little Miss that I started the week before my back went out. It's the Gathered Skirt for All Ages by Purlbee that I read about on Soulmama's blog. Gave it a try! Love it! So does she! I'm thinking I might even try one for myself but I'm wondering if it will make my butt look big(ger) LOL

For her I sewed the 10-11 year size in width but the 12 year size in length. She's a tall one that one! The fabric is a cotton twill that I had in my stash. It was just on the border of being too heavy weight. I wouldn't go any heavier on the fabric or it will turn out lookin like a big umbrella!

She loves it and it went together quite easily so I'm thinking a few more are in our future.

I have one other item that I began some time this winter that hopefully I'll be able to finish now too. It's a hunter green skirt for myself. I've gotten a few Ottobre mags in the mail these past months and they are so temping. Hoping that I'll be able to sew a bit here and there without hurting. Hoping I never have to give up my sewing. Still wondering how I'll help hubby keep up with the weeding this summer but.....

"Flamingo" sleeveless top

This will forever be known as the "Flamingo" shirt! LOL I had to have hubby stop by the fabric store to buy thread to match and he brought me home a spool of "Flamingo" of which the clerk gave him a deal on - I guess I need to send him on my fabric store errands more often LOL

Ottobre 2/2006 #4 Sleeveless blouse - size Eu. 46 with alterations to the front darts after this picture was taken. I did redraft the darts on the traced pattern for next time too. Lowered 'em just a bit.

Fabric: Salmon ("Flamingo") sportswear from stash. 

I can not remember where it came from.

It fits well and I like it especially after I lowered the darts :-)

I'm in love with Ottobre!!

Raglan T's

Just a couple t-shirts - still need to make more!!! My camera is junk!! These look SO much better in real life!!!

Ottobre 3/2013 - #39 Beisbol raglan T-shirts - size 140 and 134