WIP Wednesday - Breaking in the Crafting Space

After the headbands, I wanted to do more sewing!!  I found a new way to use up my flannel, baby burp cloths!  These are faster than the Flannel Eater blankets, but use less of my stash.  There are a ton of tutorials online for the patterns but I found measurements from this Simply Designing pattern and then modified it a little.  As long as my serging doesn't go crooked, they go super fast and only one tail to finish...otherwise they get a little special...

The silver stars are glittery, but they should soften up more with each wash

Baby Knit Headbands

I finally had a chance to plug in the serger and try out my new sewing studio!  It's not even halfway set up, but I am running out of time to get stuff made for my new niece (due any day now!) and I was itching to try out the new set up!

Hopefully they fit and stay on!

Teddy Bear Lovey by One and Two Company - and a pattern review.

For a recent baby shower, I purchased the pattern for this adorable bear lovey.  Since this was for a baby shower, I had no time to procrastinate like usual...  The blanket took me forever, but I'm also a slow hooker.  ;)  And since I somehow did manage to procrastinate, I never had time to get glamour shots!

He's waving hello!

WIP Wednesday - Cuteness overload!

I'm lucky to be a tester for the designer at MichigeekDesigns and she is coming out with some ADORABLE stuff!  And also witty, geeky stuff...another favorite of mine!

As soon as I saw these, they got to jump the line of designs waiting to be stitched on my machine.  And I'm trying to decide just how many I can stick on my keys... I love the cute Neko Atsume game they are based on!  You can find the file to make your own HERE, or buy the finished ones HERE!

Awwww!

WIP Wednesday - Another Flannel Eater and Other Craziness!

One of my many WIP's is this embroidered flannel blanket that I've been meaning to finish for several months.... and now it's at the top of the list!

My choices for the 4 cut layer colors on top of the light blue front.  Patterns won't matter once it's cut!

Mermaid Tails For EVERYONE! Plus an Open Back Tutorial!

The most useful tutorial I found this winter was the FREE Made for Mermaids mermaid tail pattern/tutorial.  It is seriously a fast sew, and turns out super cute!  The pattern includes sizes for small and large child sized, but if you leave the tail open, and do the band so it folds up, it will fit even small adults!  I ended up making 7 total, 1 doll, 2 child, 2 small adult, and 2 adult with open backs. 

My first attempt - I did the doll sized one so I could make sure I understood the pattern!

Faux Chenille Blanket - aka the Flannel Eater

So I'll admit that I have a flannel problem...it's so soft and cute that I just can't resist on the Black Friday sales!!  I've used it for a few things over the years, the back of quilts (Star Wars and a 1600 pink one), pj pants, a few swaddled animals....and that's about it.  Since I can't seem to stop buying it, I finally decided to try embroidering some flannel and turning it into receiving blankets.  I got them embroidered...and that was as far as I got.

Then I ran across a tutorial for faux chenille blankets and decided it was a perfect way to use up my stash!  I ordered a tool from amazon (seriously worth the money if you plan on making more than one!)

The amazing tool, just a few cuts into the project.

Baby Jayne Hat. Pretty Cunning, don'tcha think?

I planned on making a hat for my nephew when he was born...a few months ago...but never got around to it.  Then my Sister in Law reminded me that she needed it, and requested a detachable beard.  So he can match his Dad.  Yes, my brother requested a hat to wear in Florida, when driving around in his little convertible.  He's special.  ;)  I can't wait to see pictures of the 2 of them in their hats and beards, but I'm really hoping it will fit since my 6 year old also can wear it!  Good thing my nephew is a big boy!

Bearded lady.

UFO/WIP Wednesday - Not Quite Crunch Time...Yet.

There's still PLENTY of time until Christmas, so I don't need to start gifts yet...or so I keep telling myself!

This week's WIP is the new Bella II purse.  You can find it HERE!  I have it all cut and interfaced, so now it's time for the fun sewing part!  As soon as I can find time...


FoxField fabric is awesome!  And crazy!

 

WIP Wednesday, UFO Challenge, Pick a Pocket Sew Along - Over Halfway through August!

How is everyone doing on their UFO pile?  I admit...mine is crawling along.  Now that the quilt top is finished, and I'm on track for the Pick A Pocket Wallet sew along, I feel like I'll have a little breathing room to work on the loveys.  Recently I decided to reorganize my sewing storage area and ran across MANY more UFO's....so I need to finish these so I can get started on the rest I found!  I have one arm, hair, and putting it all together left for the 2 loveys.

Pick a Pocket Sew Along:
Still working on the wallets...I have them interfaced, the tabs sewn (but not top-stitched or snaps on) and started working on the first zippered pocket.  After half an hour of trying to make sure I had the zippered pocket the right way...I think I finally figured it out!  I hope anyway...

 

WIP Wednesday - UFO Challenge Week 1

I received a lot of good feedback on the UFO challenge - I'm not the only person that has a stash of unfinished projects!  I picked out my first 2 to finish, some princess and Elsa inspired loveys!  All they need is arms, one needs hair, and then sewn together.  I think I dropped them because the thick yarn doesn't make good sleeves, and the thin is pretty but kept breaking on me!  I WILL finish them!

Disembodied heads are only slightly creepy...

Crochet Princesses and Weeping Angels - Loveys!

What is a Lovey? It's a little something you can love, like a blanket or a doll, or BOTH!  Ever since I made Tinkerbell, I've been planning on making more of these to stock for craft fairs (and possibly Etsy), but they take a little time to make and put together.  I think I've finally gotten fast enough to make more than one a year, so time to go crazy! 

First up is a Purple princess, for a friend that is having her first in just a few weeks!  So excited for her!

(I don't like embroidering the faces, I'm always worried I'll screw them up...)

Teeny Tiny Tins of CUTENESS!

I've always loved small stuff, in high school I even collected miniature ceramic figures we'd find on vacation.  I had a tiny pail of spilled milk with a kitten lapping it that was one of my favorites.  I haven't seen those around much lately (Maybe because I don't seem to go on vacation to places that have them?) but I still love 'little' things.  These tins fill my 'teeny' need and they are something that can actually be played with, not just admired and dusted!  Using my embroidery machine to make them is just a bonus because I just pick the materials and read a book while it goes to work!  I found the patterns at Sewing for Sarah on Etsy.

(Three of the designs, next time I think the finger puppet animals and mermaid might need some applique!)

WIP Wednesday - Still more of the Sugar and Spice bag!

Yep, still working on my bag.  I haven't had much time yet this week to finish it, but I WILL finish it!  It taunts me every time I walk past the table.  I've checked the straps to make sure they will be a good length, started cleaning off the ironing board (and then piling more stuff on it and cleaning it off again), and haven't lost the rivets (again), so it's just a matter of sitting down and finishing!

(I figured everyone was getting tired of the purse pictures since they aren't really changing much right now)

Relatively Fast Crochet - Cowls and Tutus

I am always looking for crochet patterns that are cute, easy to do, and fast.  I'm not the world's slowest hooker, but I'm definitely not the fastest either!  Last winter I started making the Ava cowls, which use bulky yarn to work up fast and are also super soft and cuddly.  I was able to finish them in just a few trips in the car on the way home from work.  (I like to pretend I'm being productive so I hate to just sit in a car without my hands doing something.)

(A lovely grey with matching button)

All things Tinkerbell....

One of my best friends is having a little girl and the nursery is going to be Tinkerbell.  (Really, she already had a Tink room and that became the nursery.)  She couldn't find a crib set in the stores, so she asked for a blanket.  I found a panel and made a super easy and fun blanket for her, but that wasn't enough Tink!