Hairbands

I completed a project this weekend that I have been wanting to try since the summer. I saw this headband in my sewing store weeks ago and knew it would be fun to try. I have taken pictures of it so that you can see up close what I did. This band I made matches the 4-ruffle capris that I made for my granddaughter last weekend. I hope you can see in the picture that I cut 5 circles of cloth the same size (using as a model the top of a jar of jelly). I cut 1 smaller circle and ran a gathering thread around the edge of it. When you pull the gather thread around the smaller circle the cloth will gather up and pull to the center. 
Take 4 of the circles you have cut. Fold each one, edge to edge, until you have a fourth of the circle you started with. Lay each of these 4 side-by-side on top of the 5th circle you cut that is still flat. Sew these in the center with a zig-zag stitch on your machine, just enough to attach them to the flat circle underneath. You will not see the zig-zag stitches after you finish so do not worry! Now attach the gathered circle in the center of your folded circles, gathered side out. Zig-zag attach again. Choose a cute button to put in the center of this and sew it down to attach it. You are through! I had to guess the length of headband to put my "flower" on but I used a piece of elastic so that it will flex to my granddaughter's head. I love the colors and think it will be cute with her matching capris. Try it and see what cute variations you can come up with!

Still Sewing and Celebrating!

I am continuing my celebration of National Sewing Month with a few new finished projects this weekend. I was able to get my granddaughter's ruffed Capri pants put together...and by the way, ALL of those ruffles you see on the legs were HAND RUFFLED...whew! There are 8 in all so I was doing LOTS of football watching while I ruffled yesterday. They are from a new pattern by "Rosie Posie" that you see pictured. This pattern was so much like the Portobello Pixie pattern that I already had that I probably could have used the Portobello Pixie one but, as a true seamstress, when I see a new pattern I really want to try it. This new pattern had one more ruffle so if you like that go with it. Little girls look so cute in ruffles and seem to love them so all of that labor is worth it to me. I serged the raw edge on each ruffle with my roll hem foot and I would DEFINITELY advise that...it was a HUGE time saver. 
The diaper cloths you see pictured are for a new grandmother friend of mine. I wanted her to have cute "girly" burp cloths to use when her first granddaughter arrives next week. I LOVE making these...they are so easy and useful. You cannot have enough and every new Mom needs a bunch those first weeks and months. I love "dolling" them up with trims and ribbons. Buy the Gerber brand cloth diapers at Target or WalMart...make certain they are the cloths with the double panel down the center...that is where your cloth will be sewn on. Then choose a cute ribbon or rick-rack to sew down the edge of the cloth where it meets the diaper. They are adorable with a monogram on them but my machine will not do that...yet! Maybe I can look forward to doing that one day to my burp cloths!
Happy sewing and creating!

My Sewing Weekend

My weekend is done and I feel so productive. I completed all of the garments on my list and I am thrilled! I made four pair of pants for my grandson, a john-john suit for him and a skirt for my granddaughter. I am very pleased with the outcome...and that is a great feeling when you try a new pattern and hope it looks as cute as the picture. I posted earlier a picture of the skirt pattern so give it a try of you like it...it really does take longer to cut it out than it takes to make it! I think it needs a little embellishing on the front as I did with a piece of rick rack and a button. 
The pants I made are from a pattern I posted this summer that I use for all of my grandson's pants. I really like it and it can be made with cargo pockets or back pockets. They take no time to make....and if you use a serger your work will be cut in half! They are made from the "Britches and Bloomers" pattern. I used the car fabric and gingham lining to make a pair of the pants and I think they turned out to be my favorite.  
I used the Collars pattern that I also posted this summer to make the car cloth john-john suit. I lined it with orange/green gingham. It is a great pattern...always makes up so easily and so quickly...and looks so professional when you get through. 
I have celebrated National Sewing Month this weekend....YEAH! Happy creating to you!


PS...I must add this. My clever daughter had some adorable labels made for me for my birthday to put in the clothes I make for my grandkids. The last picture is of the labels...I LOVE them and feel so special using them! Cute, huh?!

"My Favorite Skirt" pattern

My labels!

Celebrating National Sewing Month...or a good excuse to SEW!!

I am now deeply into teaching my math courses at the high school where I work...and desperately missing the creative juices that seem to flow so freely when I am not busy trying to prepare lessons and grade papers. So...a sweet young friend, Kim, reminded me last week that it is National Sewing Month and I felt I should take this weekend to celebrate! It also helps that my sweet grandchildren need clothes for these "it is too warm to be fall but we need something besides summer clothes to wear" days. I got busy last night cutting out the patterns and was thrilled to wake up this morning to rain...another GREAT excuse to sew all day today as I welcomed in the SEC football season. I LOVE SEC football and it is wonderful company while I sew away in my bonus room. My husband has gotten accustomed to my screams coming from upstairs when my chosen team scores. He learned early that it was NOT me sewing a needle into my finger...even though I have done that, too!
Here are some early pictures of the cloth and patterns that I am using. I will get back to you as soon as I put the finishing touches on everything. The 3 cloths pictures together are for a skirt I am making for my 4 year old granddaughter. I cannot wait to see how it turns out! The brown cloth with cars, motorcycles and bikes is for a pair of pants and john-john suit for my 2 year old grandson. Be back soon to give you the results!!

Henrietta the Turtle

I started school this week. I know that soon my weekends will be filled with grading papers and studying lots of lesson plans...so today I wanted to venture off that path and create before school takes too much of my time. Since summer is on its way out and the weather says fall is a long time coming I decided to do something that I have never done before...make a pincushion! I saw this Heather Bailey pattern too many times in various stores until I finally succumbed to this cute turtle and brought the pattern home. I had plenty of fun scraps to use so I knew she would have lots of color on her. I loved the way she turned out...except that the stuffing is a whole lot harder than you would think. I bought a bag of polyester stuffing and tried my best to get it to move into the tiny corners of her feet and tail. It was difficult as the stuffing did not want to stay there. I have cut out another and will try some new tricks on the next one. Notice how in the picture below she tends to lean toward the front of her body...just a special quirk I guess to make her truly my creation! We will see if I can correct that on my next try. Happy sewing! 

Fun Hair Clips

It is 150 degrees outside so I decided this was a good day to get crafty. I treat these days like a snow day...just stay inside and get busy. I copied my smart friend Lindsey and went to this tutorial to get some help to create these cute hair clips. I am very happy with the way mine turned out...just could not get the circles I cut out to tuck one inside the other as well as the pictures in the tutorial did. If this happens to you just use your scissors and trim the circle as I did. I used my hot glue gun to help cut down on a lot of the work. Hope you get inspired...have fun!

Summer Berry Delight Dessert

I must share this wonderful recipe. I hope you will enjoy it as much as we have. It is full of the beautiful berries that we are finding so abundant this time of year. It seems that anywhere you shop blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries are easy to find. I have found the berries you see in this dessert at Sam's Wholesale club but they are in every grocery store that I have shopped in over the past few weeks. I used fat-free Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk and fat-free Cool Whip...the Cool Whip pictured is a 12 oz. tub but the 8 oz. is really what you need. Angel food cakes are very easy to find made in most grocery bakeries. My husband, who is not a fat-free fan, LOVED this dessert so I think your men will think it is delicious. The green dish I put the dessert in was found at Tuesday Morning...I like it because it has a lid for it and is easy to store in the refrigerator. This dish would be beautifully presented in a clear trifle dish. It really is low-calorie...I do not feel guilty eating it and is so easy and fast to make. Bon Appetit!

1 Angel food cake
1 can fat-free Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
1 8 oz tub of fat-free Cool Whip
1 carton lemon or vanilla fat-free yogurt.....(I use the lemon)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 cup washed and drained blueberries, sliced strawberries and blackberries...be flexible if one of these is not available and use more of another

Tear the Angel food cake into small pieces. Layer your dish with these pieces. The next layer is 1 cup of the fresh berry mix. The next layer is one half of the yogurt, lemon juice, cool whip, Eagle Brand milk and lemon rind mix. Start over with the cake and continue to layer until with the berries and yogurt mix until everything is gone. Garnish with some berries.

 

"Lakelin" Jumper Pattern

With school starting tomorrow for me I am quickly trying to complete some projects that I started last week. This is the "Lakelin" Children's Corner pattern that I mentioned sewing for my granddaughter. I love this fabric in soft corduroy and hope that she will too. I must admit that sewing a corduroy jumper in 98 degrees of August seems crazy but I will be so happy that I did this when October rolls around. I have pictured the jumper in two photos...front and back. The back is the side with the buttons. I love the chocolate brown rickrack....and as I sew it on I see how much these trims add to the final look of a garment. They are trouble but soooo worth it! The hem will be completed after she tries it on for length. The majority of this jumper was done with my serger...if you have one use it, especially for the "gut work". They are a tremendous time-saver!

Random Ivy Advice

This is a side-road blog. I am moving away from sewing and want to pass on some good advice someone passed on to me...in hopes that this will help you. I LOVE ivy topiaries! I think they look so good in my home- as a centerpiece, on a coffee table...I just like the way they look. They come in all shapes and sizes and can be such fun. I have lost so many of these after I bring them home to those tiny aphids or mites that must live in my home...YIKES!...and they take residence on the leaves. A few days later the leaves are yellow and fall off, thus the certain death of my topiary. I have tried insect spray for the plant, only to find that I spray too late and the plant is already too infested. For one more try.....hope springs eternal!...I bought a beautiful topiary at the Asheville Farmer's Market....very inexpensive...and brought it home. These are available at Lowe's, Home Depot, places you would never think to look. I asked the lady that sold me the topiary what to do about the bugs and she told me to use "Leaf Shine". She said it not only puts that nice shine on your leaf but keeps the bugs from attaching to the leaf, thus blocking the bug from ruining the plant. YES! I am trying it and hope that I will keep my new topiary alive until Christmas and use it for my centerpiece. I will let you know how it turns out! The topiary is pictured below.

Fun Fabric to Share

It must be a hundred degrees in the shade and back to school sales are everywhere. No wonder it is hard to get inspired! I was in Nashville yesterday passing my grandchildren back to their Mom and took advantage of the time I had to drop in and see some fabric. It is SO HARD to shop for corduroy in this heat...I think it was 102 degrees there yesterday!...but I know that this is the best time to shop. This cloth is so cute and I know it will not last long. I found this navy blue corduroy at the Children's Corner store with a golf embroidery design on it. It is made by Fabric Finders out of Florence, Alabama (I LOVE their cloth...cute every time!!!) We have lots of golfers in this family so I knew this would be a hit. I will use the "Britches and Bloomers" pattern for my grandson's pants....this is the pattern mentioned earlier. He will be so cute in his "golfing pants"....and as I tell you this I am actually dreaming of cooler days!

Sweet Baby Things

This blog will be a change from older kids clothes into baby things. If you are like me there is always a baby shower in my future and I love creating something on my own for a gift if I have time. I have found an incredible Children's Corner pattern that is many designs in one....it is actually a baby layette. It has a gown, bib, blanket, cap....all in this one pattern. I bought it for the gown that is a breeze to make, serger or no serger. This pattern is wonderful because they are so specific in the directions. My daughter wanted some sweet newborn knit gowns for her babies so I began to research patterns looking for one that would work. This one happened to have a layette with it. The gown directions are very easy to follow and even tell you the sewing machine settings to use as you put it together...YES! It really looks good when you finish and is so much softer than store-bought if you are lucky and can find the Sea Island knits to use. They are incredible...just cost a little more but are such a good investment. They wash wonderfully...and these will be washed many times!...and are as soft as a baby's skin. As I looked over the pattern I wondered why in the world they would include a blanket pattern...I mean, does a blanket really need a pattern?! To my surprise I tried one...and it was my favorite layette item in the group! They give you these sewing machine settings to use on the blanket edges and it makes your blanket look professionally done when you are through. Who wouldn't love that! The other benefit is that you are able to make the blanket any size you like when you cut it out and that is a plus. My daughter liked them big so that she could swaddle her babies. Some of the store-bought receiving blankets draw up in the dryer and are too small after a few washings. The blankets take no time to do and are a great homemade gift that you will be so proud to give. I found some wonderful flannel at Textiles Fabrics in Nashville at 50% off this summer and bought enough to make some blankets for gifts. Give it a try...I hope you will be as pleased as I was! The pattern is pictured below.

Long Jumpsuits for Boys

Collars Pattern, "Will"

I wanted to add a post about my favorite jumpsuit pattern for little boys. When you sew, as many of you know, you are always on the search for a better pattern, so that when you make it the next time all will go smoother. Collars has a pattern that in my opinion, has the best jumpsuit. It is called "Will". If you follow their directions to the letter...and you will see what I mean as the turning of the lining gets really confusing...it turns out beautifully. When I invest my time I want it to be worth my effort, and this pattern proves worthy! The short jumpsuit is just as good. I love having something that works out for me every time and this pattern does. I have pictured it above.

I bought this cute trucks, tractors and cars print to line a corduroy jumpsuit for my grandson this fall. I have seen this done and I am going to try...there are so many cute jumpsuits with an applique on the front taken from the lining design. I hope to applique on the front of my grandson's jumpsuit a truck I cut out of the cloth pictured above and use it...such a simple idea that turns out so well. I have noticed that the appliques do not need to be polished and finished with a fat, thick zigzag stitch every time.....just a simple straight stitch done on the outer edge of the design suits just as well. I will send a picture as soon as I get it done!

Little Boy's Pants

I promised a blog on pants for little boys after posting some ideas for little girls. I have bought for my grandson corduroy I found at the Textiles Store in Nashville this summer that was 50% off so I am inspired to get him ready for Fall. I have found a wonderful pattern that I have pictured below that has worked well for me. I do not want the pants to be too plain but do want them easy to sew. I think this "Britches and Bloomers" pattern does both...it gives you an option for cargo pockets to dress them up a bit and it has a wonderfully easy method of putting the hem in. If you decide to buy this pattern you will also receive a good pattern for a little girl's pant with a single ruffle...I just think for the time I prefer the Portobello Pixie pattern for girls to this one. Try it and see which you prefer. I am dreading the day when I cannot use this boy's pant pattern because it has been so easy and quick to use. Try the cargo pockets and the back pockets...they really look cute on those fat little legs and bottoms! Another plus....I have made these pants in madras and they turn out just as well as the corduroy.

Britches and Bloomers Pant Pattern

 

Sewing for the Fall

I am a high school math teacher and school starts soon...so I am trying to use my last weeks before I am very busy to get some sewing done. This is another wonderfully creative and fun skill that my two Moms encouraged me to enjoy. I was furious when my Mom took two weeks of my summer as a 10 year-old and made me take a sewing class at the local Singer store. If I had only known then how much I would draw from those two weeks of learned skills for the rest of my life. Thanks Mom!

I am getting numerous emails advertising fabric sales. I went to Textiles Fabric store in Nashville last month and bought lots of corduroy for my grandson and granddaughter...all at 50%! I know it is early but I will be so glad when Fall and Winter come and my purchases were made on such a good sale. I have a favorite pants pattern that I use for my granddaughter. She loves ruffles as I do and these pants sew easily and give you a nice finished product. They also fit well. The labor is in the ruffling but is well worth the time and trouble. They sew with a panel between each ruffle that makes the pants fall on her leg just perfectly. The pant is by Portobello Pixie and you can see the pattern pictured here. There are 4 different options in this pattern so I think it is worth the purchase to get so many variations in one. It also covers lots of sizes.

Portobello Pixie Ruffled Pant Pattern

I have a picture below of the corduroy that I bought for my granddaughter that will be made into these pants. The pink patterned cord is a Michael Miller piece that will be a jumper for her to wear with leggings. I am using the "Lakelin" Children's Corner pattern....and I love their patterns...for this jumper and will show you a picture as soon as it is completed. I found this piece of cloth at a store in Asheville, NC called Waechter's Silk Shop. Take an opportunity to visit this wonderful store if you are in that area. I LOVE to browse these shops!

Happy sewing!

PS....more about little boys clothes tomorrow.

Enjoying the Fruit of Summer

My father-in-law was a farmer. He loved the land and anything it produced. He passed that love on to me as  newlywed in South Carolina when my husband and I moved there in 1977. Summer was a wonderful time to be invited to his and Jamye's kitchen. Harris would get an invitation to glean a farmer's peach trees or plum trees. He was always kind enough to take me along and he and Jamye would share the bounty with me. I was enchanted as I watched them freeze and can these gorgeous summer crops. One of these was plums. There in her South Carolina kitchen Jamye taught me how to make plum jelly. I thought it would be so hard...how would it ever setup? How would I get that juice out of the plum? Could I destroy this basket full of plums by ruining the jelly and waste that good fruit? Jamye assured me I was capable of following the Sure-Jell recipe....and a treasure of this delicious sweet spread was born! I rekindled that desire again this week at the Farmer's Market in Asheville, NC. PLEASE take advantage of this incredible market if you are ever nearby. I bought a beautiful basket of wild plums...you want to use the small tart ones, not the larger red ones....the tart mixed with all of the sugar in the jelly makes for a much better flavor. I bought a peach basket full.....which yielded an incredible amount of juice. I was able to make 32 half-pint jars of plum jelly and freeze two 5 1/2 cup recipes of juice to make jelly later if I want...like I will ever need to after making 32 jars!
I would encourage you to give this a try. What a feeling of accomplishment to see that red juice become gifts to share with your family and friends! Let's face it...anything you produce with your hands out of love is a gift from the heart!

If you are interested I will tell you now that juicing the plums is the hardest part...if you consider that hard. Put the washed plums in a large dutch oven. Cover them with water...just enough to cover. Too much water will dilute your plum juice. Put them over high heat and watch the plums burst as the water boils...and there is your juice! Allow the plums to cool in the juice bath. Strain the plums in a colander. If you want just juice lay a piece of cheesecloth (buy this at the paint store) over your colander. If you want some meat from your plums in your jelly strain without the cheescloth. Your juice is now ready to use. It takes 5 1/2 c. of juice and 6 c. of sugar for 9 half-pint jars. Follow the Sure-Jell recipe for cooked jelly. It really is very easy to follow. You can buy really cute jars at any WalMart that will make your jelly into beautiful gifts to give. What a great feeling to share this labor of love with others...and it tastes great!


PS...I was always intimidated by the "hot bath" some cooks use to seal their jelly with after making it. Don't be! Buy a block of Gulf brand paraffin (it is at Kroger with other canning supplies) and melt it by blocks very carefully over heat. Pour a thin layer over each cooled jar of jelly. The paraffin will seal the top of the jelly and keep it from spoiling. Now put the lid on and you are done!

A New Adventure

Today, thanks to my sweet daughter Beth, I am entering the world of blogging. I am attempting this only because I have enjoyed so many other blogs and hope mine will be fun for you to read as well. I have been so blessed in my life to be influenced by two mothers...Helen and Jamye. They have lovingly shared so much of themselves with me that I want to do the same for someone else...maybe you. I am amazed that a million times a day I find myself in the middle of an activity I would never have attempted except that these two ladies were always there for me, encouraging me and urging me on to do anything I dreamed to do. If I can do the same for you this blog will be worth every word I write. I also think it is cool to share ideas that make life easier and fun. So here goes!