Seams of Life

keeping warm

The air here has finally cooled and its crispness nips at our ears when we go outside. Fall is absolutely here. Time for sweaters, hats, and mits; soups, apple pies, and pumpkins; quilts, flannel, and wool; all things warm, comforting, and homey.

Oh my, how I love this season!

For a little handmade warmth I've again turned to Handmade Home for inspiration. I used Amanda's family sweater hat pattern to make this hat and I used the remaining sweater arms to make the wrist warmers.

It couldn't have been easier, just cut and sew then add a bit of embelishment. For the wrist warmers I simply cut a small hole for the thumbs and did a straight seam on the inside to make them fit Carlee's tiny arms more snug. I embroidered a few "lazy daisies" ( the only embroidery stitch I know) to pretty them up. Now I'm searching for more sweaters to warm the heads of my other children.

If I'm quiet in this space from time to time it's only because I'm enjoying the busy-ness (football and festivals) of the season or I'm keeping warm at home with my little family.

 

a birthday gift...

 

for a little niece that just turned 1. Everything came from my stash, Erin Michael's Monkey'n Round fabric was bought about two years ago and I've been waiting for the right project to use it. The quilt blocks are the disappearing nine pattern that I've used before. Quick and easy birthday gift that I hope will be hugged, slept on and loved for a long time.

peasant dress

 

I made this sweet peasant dress from this tutorial today. When I first read the tutorial it seemed a bit daunting but the dress actually came together much easier than I expected. I've been wanting to make a peasant blouse forever and found the tutorial after doing a Google search.

 

The fit still needs a little tweaking. For some reason the top just doesn't hang right and I suspect it maybe the cut of the sleeves throwing the whole thing off.

 

It still came out sweet though and the whole project only took two hours tops. I plan to make more using lightweight flannel so the girls can wear them as night gowns

During our "photo shoot" Carlee discovered that these flowers smell minty. Even more sweetness to end my day.

pocket skirts

 

Or skirts with pockets. I finally cut into my Eric Morris fat quarters bought way back when. I don't buy designer fabric very often and when I do I hold onto to it waiting for that special project to come along.

After holding onto these pretty prints for so long, I finally decided that I had to see them walking around, fullfilling their purpose. So I cut them into pockets and sewed them on skirts for my little girls.

 

Now I get to see these prints in action, holding tiny fists and fists full of blackberries.

 

summer skirts

I'd like to say that I've been sewing away during my month long blog break, but sadly, I have not. Instead I've been using my spare time to finish up my last full quarter of school and work in our gardens. I have been dreaming of sewing though. This weekend I made time to sew up some summer skirts for my girls.

It was actually almost a necessity. I'm trying very hard to stay in a budget and the girls' summer wardrobe was really lacking. I wanted to reuse their jeans but do more than just cut them off and hem them. Since my 4 year old refuses to wear anything other than dresses and skirts right now, I turned them into skirts. I also cut off the bottom of an old button down shirt and made a skirt out of it too. Then I used a little linen and bias tape to make the last skirt. And wa-la, free summer clothes. Everything came from my stash. And here they are in action.

 

Dave would be proud. I've also been making my own laundry detergent for a few months now. I found the recipe here and even though I was skeptical at first, it really works. Better than anything I've used in the past actually. Plus it feels good, pioneer like, to be able to make something that I need in everyday life.

Handmade Swap

I needed a sewing project that had a deadline attatched to ensure I would finish it so I joined the "handmade handbag" swap over at Swap-bot. This is the bag I made.

 

My partner likes the color blue and on my search for a blue print, I fell in love with this one. I didn't save the slevedge but I remember is said 'Bohemian" so it is possibly from Robert Kaufman's Bohemian Rhapsody line.

I used linen for the neutral fabric and the wooden beaded handles are from my stash. I have five pairs of these handles that I picked up on clearance about a year ago. I have been waiting for a project to use them in.

 

I did pleats on the sides of the print. Just a small detail but it gave the bag a little something special.

I really hope my partner enjoys this bag. I am enjoying the sasifaction of completing a project, a rare event for me.

roll with me

A little handmade gift for a 3 year old nephew's birthday.

 

 Tutorial can be found here.

Tis the year for a simple Christmas

Less than a week till Christmas and I'm not feeling the usually anxiety that goes along with the season. Its mostly because I decided not to stress out this year by spending less and doing less. This year is purely about being with family and enjoying the many blessings in my life.

Deciding to have a simple Christmas has ironically turned out to be quite productive for me. I've completed two handmade gifts (I'll post pics after they are given) and nine handmade gifts that my Mom asked me to make. I guess once I the pressure of finishing something in time is lifted (if I finished them great, if not thats ok too) I'm able to work better.

 

These are the last 4 of 9 jars I made for Mom to give as gifts. They contain a plastic bag dispenser and a little candy. The plastic bag dispenser (I don't have a shorter name for it) is basically a tube with elastic at both ends and its used to store those plastic shopping bags so they can be reused. She needed 6 for her nurses at the dialysis center and 3 for the ladies at her beauty shop.

I also had time to stiffen these little treasures I bought at the thrift store.

 

They were all flattened and stuffed in a plastic baggie. I dipped them in watered down Elmer's glue and let them dry so they would hold their bell shape. I love them. Each one is done in a different stitch. I know someone somewhere spent a lot of time crocheting these little gems.

 

getting my "sew legs" back

Its seems as though its been a lifetime since I've sewn anything. Today I did a quick little project to get my "sew legs" back. I used fabric from my stash that I bought at a thrift store. It has to be circa 1970 something. It is pre-quilted and there was only enough to make a small blanket.

 

I sandwiched it with some more vintage fabric that I bought at the same time and used some bias tape from my stash. It makes a pretty groovy little picnic blanket for the girls.

 

I've been really busy with school and haven't had much time for any creativity. My brain is crammed with Economics and I'm anxiety ridden over a big research paper thats due in a few weeks. I know it will all be worth it when that degree is in my hand but this weekend I just want to focus on my sewing machine and that long list of sweet little sewing projects that keeps getting put off.

what I've been up to

Finished a pair of lounge pants for my son and have one more pair on the "to do" list.

Continued two WIP.

 

 

Done a few crafty fall things with kids.

 

And have been enjoing the beautiful fall weather every chance I can.

 

I've also been posting bunches of pictures to my Flickr blog instead of here. Sometimes thats just easier.