From the category archives:

sewing

tension

April 18, 2011

The tension on my sewing machine was all messed up this weekend while I was in the middle of sewing a bajillion things. The upper thread kept showing through the bobbin thread no matter what tension I was using. I fiddled and changed needles and fabric and fiddled and re-threaded and fiddled.

And then I went to Google.

Found out it doesn’t necessarily mean that my tension setting is wrong. It could also be the little screw in the bobbin. I loosened it up a touch, and voila! Fixed.

It reminded me of life. Sometimes, we have tension in our lives, and we try and try and try to fix all of the things that we *think* are causing the tension. But sometimes, it’s a too tight screw inside that really needs loosening.

Anyway, once I got my machine fixed, I got into a groove and started sewing away.

I finished up another lazy day skirt for Emma and then decided to try my hand at some capri-length leggings from old t-shirts. And then, because I’m not crazy enough, I added a ruffle at the bottom of the leggings.

Okay, I’m not tooting my own horn here, but … aren’t they kind of perfect?

Skirt was from some fabric in my stash, ribbon was new ($1.50’ish) and red striped tee for leggings was $2.

Okay, I’m going to do it …

toot, toot!

While I had my ballpoint needle in my machine, I thought I’d cut up two $1 bin t-shirts from Goodwill and make a skirt with matching leggings.

I originally intended to do this tutorial, but my computer battery died while I was in the middle of figuring everything out, so I scratched that. I ended up making the leggings just like I did the previous pair and not attaching them to the skirt, because Emma mixes and matches like crazy, and I didn’t want to tie her down to one combo.

The “flowers” [if you can even call them that] were just strips of fabric wrapped around and then sewn on there willy nilly. No rhyme or reason.

And the skirt (with different leggings – see? I’m a smart mom!) was the first thing she put on this morning, and it stayed on all day. So that’s a winner in my book!

I also made some removable pillow covers out of Dwell dishtowels from Target (snore) and started working on Emma’s Easter dress. Yes, I realize Easter in in just a matter of days, but I aim to procrastinate.

I really really needed these few hours in a back bedroom sitting in front of my machines.

I also promised Erin a tutorial on the ruffled leggings, so I’ll try to get to that in the next week.

Also, I was telling my mom that I haven’t made anything for Lucy, yet [besides some crib sheets and a quilt] but it’s for mostly selfish reasons. She grows out of everything so fast, and I’m thinking that by the time I measure her, cut the fabric and then sew it all together, she’ll have grown and inch and a half. I think I’ll wait a bit before I go sewing her any clothes.

Okay, maybe just ONE skirt.

{ 32 comments }

never buying skirts again

April 14, 2011

in emma,sewing

if you sew and have a girl, you *must* use this lazy days skirt tutorial to make the cutest and easiest skirts ever.

I know what you’re thinking … I don’t sew that well.

Lucky for you, you don’t really have to!! I mean, if you can sew 4-5 straight lines, you’re good to go!

And since you’re just using the width of the fabric, you don’t need to buy that much of it! So they are inexpensive.

I am all about not spending a ton of money on kid’s clothes, because they grow out of them so fast and usually trash them in the meantime. But I’m sick of buying clothes that fall apart after 4 washings.

So these are a great alternative. I can whip up a couple while Lucy naps … and if I get so lucky as to have Emma napping at the same time, I can do more than a couple!

And the best part? I finally have a use for this vintage ribbon I’ve been collecting.

Hey, Erin … I’m talking to you! Alice needs a few of these, yes?

{ 20 comments }

a canned excuse

January 18, 2011

in lucy,sewing

I started on a baby quilt for Lucy on July 24. Almost exactly one month before she was born.

Obviously, I had planned on having it finished before she was born, and I might have actually done that had she not come 5 weeks early.

I may use that canned excuse for the rest of my life.

I’m sorry the house is a wreck. My baby came five weeks early.

I’m sorry I spent so much money at Target. My baby came five weeks early.

I’m sorry that I keep forgetting to {fill in the blank}. My baby … AHEM.

In the meantime, I’m sorry I didn’t get any pictures of Lucy with the quilt.

She’s currently napping.

She came five weeks early, ya know.

fabric used: Anna Maria Horner Folksy Flannels, MonaLuna Urban Blooms {tangerine polka dot} and solid flannel handmade binding

{ 24 comments }

it’s starting already …

August 25, 2010

in emma,sewing

I made a crib sheet out of the most dainty yellow and white seersucker for baby girl’s crib using this easy peasy tutorial (by the way, threading 80” of elastic around the sheet may or may not give you a hand cramp while you’re watching The Closer – just sayin’)

But I love the tutorial SO much that I’m absolutely going to make more. With more seersucker. Because I heart seersucker, especially in a Southern baby girl’s nursery.

And they really do fit like a dream without having to pull and tug and throw your back out (or in my case, put myself into labor) to get them over those crib mattresses.

Seriously, why are crib sheets so flippin’ HARD to put on!?

Oh … I’m thinking with the money I saved from making our own sheets and buying inexpensive white crib bumpers instead of a $$ crib set (which I did for Emma and have NO regrets), I can maybe get a 35mm lens so I can actually get a shot of the whole crib.

Anyway, when Emma came into the dining room while I was sewing the sheet to ask what I was making and “is it for me?” I knew I needed to whip up something for her. I’ve been making stuff for baby girl for so long that I’ve neglected our little monkey.

Enter the world’s easiest skirt.

[tutorial here]

Hint: use wider ribbon.

Since it’s the width of fabric (usually around 45”), it’s perfect for twirling and jumping … both of which Emma does a lot.

J’adore.

We’ve been struggling a little with the pending arrival of baby girl. Emma just doesn’t quite understand why she is not the center of attention anymore, so the least I can do is crank out something to make her feel special.

It’ll all work out.

{ 18 comments }

i’m fickle

April 9, 2010

in house,sewing

There are two things you should know about our house …

1. I’m constantly changing things around. I’ve had my office in about 12 different locations since I moved into this house. I’m currently wishing I could put my desk in front of the window, even though I know that the late afternoon sun shines right in my eyes when I do that. Anyway, I change my mind a lot. I read that people with a lot of disposable income overhaul their interior design every 5 years. That sounds like Heaven to me.

2. We are not shy about dirt. Emma plays outside every day, the dogs practically live outside during the day, Emma jumps on the couch and chairs and bed with her shoes on, she eats snacks on the couch, we eat a lot of our meals in the living room (but we’re working on that), and we’re just generally not overly careful with our messiness. So while I would absolutely LOVE to have a white couch, I know that would never ever ever happen. And also? Our cushions end up on the floor at least once a day for optimal jumping from couch to floor.

All of that to say, I decided today that I wanted different throw pillows for our couch, and due to our nature as a not-going-to-have-President-Obama-sitting-on-our-couch-anytime-soon kind of family, they had to be washable.

But I’m not a fan of washing pillows, because 9 times out of 10, the washer gets imbalanced and slings water all over the laundry room.

Enter removable throw pillow covers!

I sketched something out in my handy dandy moleskine, and the rest was easy!

I just used some pretty green dandelion’ish home dec fabric I bought on sale a long time ago, and it took all of about 15 minutes to make it.

The back is just some white home dec material I bought for a project way back when I overestimated yardage like crazy. I thought it would be cool to do a contrasting stitch on the “hems” but then I remembered … I don’t sew straight! Oh well. At least it’s just for us.