Funky Finds: Coming Together... Sorta

I went and picked up hangers, dress forms and a few other items Monday at American Fixture store in Dallas and ordered the dress form I really wanted that was not in stock. Thursday my dress form arrived and I am very happy with it! Saturday morning we had an Etsy Fort Worth Meeting to wrap up any loose ends for the Funky Finds. That afternoon I picked up my table, I got a six foot table that will be used for my machines when the FF is over. All was going well and falling into place until I woke up around 3:00 am Sunday morning with tons of stuff racing in my head: accepting credit cards, accepting checks, how much change do I need, what about my business cards, I still need more stock, what about walls, the tablecloth still needs made and yes, I DID still need a sign.

I crawled out of bed quietly and went into my studio and tried to figure some stuff out. I made of list of the items I most want to get made and included color and sizes, I decided no checks, credit cards I am checking with my bank today to see what they offer. I thought about paypal but they do not offer a credit card scanner and I am not sure about writing down all the info and then entering it in later. I looked at my business card again and made a few more changes and now feel ready to get them printed today, I should be able to get same day service if not Wednesday at the latest. Around 8:00 Sunday morning I came up with a great idea for a sign and it is almost done! I am so excited about it!!!! It will be reusable if I decided to do more shows later and can be changed quickly plus it is making use of a frame I have had sitting in the laundry room for years. I got part of the inspiration from a fellow Etsy Fort Worth Member, Original Youth.

Some of the things in my set-up needed some minor repairs and I needed to buy some "stuff" for my sign so off to Home-Depot we went. The next few hours were spent off and on working on my display and sign then the after a much needed nap I got to sewing again. I finished 22 headbands and one dress and bloomers set. I got 5 bonnets and 10 aprons half done before Ray convinced me to take a break and watch Monk on DVD with him. By 11:00 pm I was more than ready to fall asleep. I am not sure if it was just being physically tired or having some things finished but I slept pretty well and feel much calmer today. I am ready for a great week!

Bib Apron Giveaway

A few weeks ago I got a message via Etsy from Sandhya stating she had featured my bib apron on her blog. I must say I was very excited; it feels so good when someone likes your stuff enough to share it with others! Of course it is also one of my favorite items and one of the last ones my daughter modeled for me before leaving for college so I love the photo too!

Anyways, after looking around on her blog and noticing she was in the market for an apron I offered to give her an apron to giveaway and one to keep for herself.

Sanhya has several ways for you to enter the giveaway so head on over to her blog for all the details.

Funky Finds

I can hardly believe the Funky Finds spring fling in LESS than a month away. I feel so unprepared! This will be my first "show" and I am more than a little nervous! I have some things made but not nearly enough compared to what had wanted to have done. My goal is 200 items and I am not nearly there, I will not say what I have but it is fair to say it is probably less than half that.

I still need to make my clothing tags to put the prices on and I need to set up my display area and figure out exactly how I plan to set everything up in my little space. I have bought a clothing rack, I have two dress forms but still need to get at least one child size mannequin or dress form and I would like to get a banner or nice sign but that is not a big must. I do have my cricut and some vinyl so most likely what will happen is a few days before hand I will panic and make a sign that will do. Oh.... do I know myself too well or what? I guess that is good because at least I will not be surprised when the panic hits huh? I could save myself the grief and work on one now but that would take away from making clothes and ..... writing this post.

I do have some cool new "everyday" styles for spring and summer that I am very excited about showing especially since a few of them are made with my own patterns. They keep with a modest girly look that I think is very important but are fun and cute at the same time. I have no idea where the notion came to try and make girls look so cheap, especially little ones who have no say in how they dress. I want to cry when I see these little girls dressed to look like Hollywood divas. They just look sad!I have two new historical outfits I am working on also that I plan to take in a couple of sizes and then hopefully take orders for others.

My biggest goal for this show is to get my name out and bring an awareness to our website. E-bay is making some more big changes and of course it means higher cost to sellers and they are doing away with stores so I need to get as much traffic going to my website before that happens as I can. Also I would not mind making some money at the show but that is not my main focus this year.

Have any of you been to shows before? Any tips you can give a newbie? Anything to watch out for or be sure to do/take?

Etsy Treasury

I think this monkey is too cute. I know it is for kids but I want to get it for our lab Cisco. He would love swinging it around. I can just see the legs slapping him in the head! He loves stuff like this!

This monkey and a few other items from Etsy Fort Worth can be found in this treasury.

Decorative Couture Piecing

Threads Magazine has a cool technique that I thought some of you may want to try. It involves piecing fabric without disrupting the flow of the lightweight fabric.

I have never tried anything like this but definetly want to once I get some free time.

Branding

What happens when you see golden arches, an apple with a bite out of it, initials hp, or a cow named Elsie? You pretty much instantly know the product. Why is that? It is because of successful branding. These companies spent/spend millions to make sure we know who they are without even reading their names. What mom hasn't been in the car and drove past McDonald's and heard their child cry out "I want McDonald's". Is it because their two year old is a genius and can read, no it is because of branding!

While these companies can afford it what is a small business or a cottage industry to do? While I may not have millions or even thousands to spend on marketing with a little creativity and work I can still brand myself and so can every other home based business.

Hearts & Home has been open for about 6 years but it was only within the last 2.5 years that I began trying to build up our name and develop a repeat customer base. In that time I have found some things that really work and I have found other things that were expensive and offered almost no return.

Monday I will share a little more about getting started on marketing including some quick, simple and almost free ways to get your name out. Wednesday I will share a tutorial that most cottage businesses that have a physical product will want to be sure to stop back by for. Friday I will share some for keeping track of customers and how to encourage repeat business from them.

I am Featured!

I am so excited; one of the hardest things about trying to "make it" selling your wares is exposure. Like most crafters I have a very limited marketing budget (read that to say almost 0). So free exposure is always great and to be honest it makes ya feel good to get noticed!

In case you have not noticed the Funky Finds buttons on my side bar and the notice on our shops front page Hearts & Home will be at the 2010 Funky Finds Spring Fling that is being held in Fort Worth on March 13th. This will be my first time to actually set-up and sale in a physical location and I am very excited but even more nervous!

I am trying to get lots of stuff sewed up but every time I get something made it sells off our site or e-bay. I know this is good problem but I am worried I will not have enough stuff to fill my booth. My mom stopped by this evening and showed me some of the stuff she is working on for me and the doll dresses she is making are wonderful! I am very thankful she agreed to help me! My mom did craft shows while I was growing up so I am sure she will be a big help as I get ready!

I have so much about Hearts & Home I want to share with you but I need to work on our menu for next week and on a cute dress I am making!

By the way, the pretty young lady wearing the bib apron that is featured above is my daughter.

Homemade Spray Starch

Do you have any idea what spray starch is made of? Well I did not until a week or so ago. It is made from water and cornstarch; basically that is it. I have been out for a few months and just cannot seem to remember to buy it or when I do the cost is crazy and I do not have a coupon on me. Another reason I hate buying it is the aerosol cans always clog up on me. Alas…. what's a girl to do; make her own of course. Which is precisely what I did last week and I have to say I am pretty impressed with the results it is giving me!

Homemade Spray Starch Recipe

Ingredients
1-3 tbsp. corn starch
2 cups of cold water
Plastic spray bottle


1. Pour 1 cup of water into a sauce pan and turn on medium heat

2. Add 1 tbsp. cornstarch to the other cup of water. Stir well and add to the sauce pan. Heat until dissolved but do not allow it to boil!

3. Once it cools completely pour it into a plastic spray bottle. One that sprays with a fine mist works best for this.

4. Shake well before each use. Spray onto clothes and iron. Add more corn starch-up to 3 tablespoons-for a harder starched effect.

Freebies and Giveaways

Today the Internet is packed with lots of giveaways and freebies!

Add on I found: Gift tags. I plan to make mine this year with my Cricut but I may also print a few of these.


Money saving mom is one of my all time favorite websites and today she is giving away "stuff" all day!

Shop for freebies is a great site to sign up for because daily they send you a reminder to check out that days deals. The great thing about this site is the layout, on the side you can click choose categories for offers you would like.

Become a fan of International Delight coffee creamer on Facebook and they will give you a coupon for a free pint! We use lots of coffee creamer so I was very excited about this one.

Jessica Sprague has lots of digital scrap booking giveaways going including one free class. I have taken a few of her classes and they are very well laid out and easy to understand. Even if you are not a digital scrapbooker she has great ideas that you could use for cards, photo editing and crafts.

You can make this has lots of free patterns and craft ideas on their site as well as some very reasonably priced patterns.

Whataburger is hosting a 12 days of Christmas giveaway and are sending out e-mail coupons good for a free item every other day!

You can sign up here for a free Pillsbury 2010 calendar

Oriental Trading Co also has a free 2010 calendar you can sign up for here We received one from them last year and it was pretty cute.

Button Button Who's Got the Button

Like most people who sew or craft I have a stash of buttons, ones that fell off clothes, came with clothes and many that I bought because they were just to cute and I knew I could use them on something. I still have some little animal shaped ones I bought when Sydney was about 7 or 8. I also have a jar of buttons that is filled with dainty antique buttons that I will probably never use but love looking at.

I got to thinking about all these button a few days ago when I was at Joann's picking up some fabric. While at the cutting counter a lady was discussing how she wished making buttonholes was not so hard, then maybe she would actually sew more and wear the things she made. She said her machine had a setting for it but no matter what she did they came out just awful. As she spoke I thought back to the many times I thought the same thing. When Sydney was little I made her a dress, I think it was her 6th birthday, I got so frustrated trying to do buttonholes by hand, my machine did not do them, I sewed on snaps then placed a button on top to hide it. I am so ashamed to admit that but that's where I was.

My current machine does have a buttonhole feature and after some practice I learnt how to use it and now days I hardly think twice about making them. They do not always come out perfect but I am not ashamed to have someone look closely at them either. One of the best resources I found on making them was this pdf from You Can Make This. It is a free e-book from their site that includes lots of tips and some practice sheets and lots of pictures.

Don't let something as small as a buttonhole keep you from creating beautiful clothing!

Free Sewing Patterns

I enjoy sewing but it can get expensive especially when it comes to patterns. My rule of thumb is to only buy them when the are on sale but even better is to find them for free.

Simplicity has a section of their website with free projects and patterns. You do have to sign up to access it but even that is free. They also have a classroom section with tips and a few videos. Remember they will be using Simplicity brand everything but usually what holds true for one brand is the same for others.

Another site I shared with you last year has added a few new patterns and still has last years cute fall and Christmas patterns available. You can find them here on the McCall's website. They do not have as many as Simplicity but most of what they have it cute and the directions for the ones I looked at and used were pretty straight forward.

You Can Make This is another great site with free patterns and tutorials. They also have a huge selection of patterns for sale at pretty reasonable prices.

Happy sewing!

Quilt Pictures

I really did plan on putting these up sooner but Sydney has been taking her camera every where trying to get last minute photos with friends. So without further ado here are some of the pictures we have taken.

Squares Cut

You can see more here.

Quilt Pictures coming

Well first let me say it is not done and probably will not be done by Saturday when we leave but I will get some pictures of what is done up later tonight. Problem is we took the pictures on Syds camera and I have no idea where her cord is and we use different usb cables and cards in our cameras. Not to mention she often has her camera with her.

Repair Your Sewing Machine Yourself

If you have ever had to take your machine in for repairs you know it can be costly. A few years back I was sewing 2 layers of heavy denim on my serger, missed a pin and threw my timing off. A $150 mistake, the garment I was making did not come close to covering the cost of the repair.

Often times after paying for repairs or maintenance I have wished that I knew how to make them myself, that was until finding this e-book. In it you learn machine repair and maintenance. I rarely promoted things like this on my blog but the normal cost of this e-book is $69.00 and right now it is on sale for $39.95 and includes a bonus bundle of other e-books for FREE and comes with a money back guarantee. Since I have three machines and have paid $60-$75 per machine for yearly maintenance even at the normal cost this book pays for itself!

So if you are interested in learning to fix your own machine or know someone who would head on over to his site and get this before the price goes back up.

Mother Daughter Quilt- Memories in the Making

When Sydney first announced last week that she wanted to make a quilt before she left, which is in about a month I thought she was crazy. However it sounded like fun and I knew it would be another great opportunity to spend time with her and make some precious memories for each of us. So my next few post will most likely be quilt updates and include some tips or things to avoid that you may find useful.

So far we have bought our fabric (minus the backing) and cut our squares. For fabric we bought 25 fat quarters in bright colors of Syd's choosing.

To cut them we lined up stacks of 4-5 and used our cutting mat, rotary cutter, ruler and a homemade cardboard template and simply started cutting. We divided it into two cutting sessions and split the cutting so neither of us wore our hand out. It went very fast with the rotary cutter!

Sydney is currently working on the pattern. I wanted her to lay it out since she will be the one cuddling up with it each night.


Tip: Always use a cutting mat when using a rotary cutter and line up your fabric. Being off even a small amount can change how every thing lines up.

New Apron

We have a new apron in our Etsy shop. It is made from some super tasty looking fabric! Every time I see it I instantly want mint chocolate chip ice cream!

My goal at the start of the month was to make an item a day and although that has not worked out I am happy with the items I am getting in there including a cute little sundress made from white fabric and accented with pink and blue flowers.

Here a little there a little. Are you working on anything special? If you have time leave a comment and tell us about it or leave a link so others can visit your shop.

Keeping Your Sewing Machine Going

I have heard so many people say they have a love hate relationship with their sewing machine and to be honest I have even said it.

There you are sewing along, all is right in the world and then all of a sudden you have a mess. The sewing machine is eating your fabric or you find a big wad of thread on the underside of your beautiful dress.

Screaming is what first comes to mind then you contemplate seeing if your machine can fly. I can defiantly feel your pain. I feel so bad when I here Syd sewing along and then I hear a rrrrr come form her room followed by mommmm, my machine has died....again.

Most of the time the problems we face with our beloved machines can be avoided with some basic preventive measures.

1. Keep your needles changed and use quality needles.
2. Keep your machine clean, inside and out. For the outside I use a cloth that has been lightly sprayed with Lysol. The easiest way I have found to clean the inside is with a lint brush and vacuum. I have an attachment kit that sucks away the lint build up. Be sure to also keep under your needle plate clean. Usually you just have to unscrew two screws, lift up the plate and vacuum but check your manual first.
3. Use quality thread. Cheap thread breaks and produces LOTS of lint over time.
4. Wind your bobbin carefully and correctly.
5. Check your owner's manual to see if your machine needs oiled. My old serger did but my new one does not. If in doubt check with a dealer. They often times can tell you over the phone.
6. Keep your machine covered when not in use. You can purchase machine covers at Joann's or you can make one :)
7. Avoid sewing over needles. It can mess with the timing.
8. Avoid overworking your machine. Most home machines were not made to sew three to four layers of denim, no matter how bad you want it to.
9. Get your machine checked at least every two years. You will be surprised how much better it runs after a tune-up. After all you would not consider driving your car for years without an oil change or tune up; your machine should be no different.

Car Wreck Equals SALE

Well Sydney got her car a few weeks ago and last night on the way home she was in a wreck. She is fine and so is the gentleman who hit her however he was in a fairly big pick-up so as you can imagine her car is not ok.

Since Syd is working hard towards college and staying out of debt I want to try to help her and you at the same time so I am having a sale. I have listed lots of new items in my Etsy shop and on e-bay and for the next week if you purchase two items and mention this post in the payment section I will give you FREE shipping. If you buy three items I will give you free shipping and a free gift. I have given Sydney permission to use any and all of my fabric and trims so what she makes will be total profit towards her car. All together Sydney needs to raise about $1,500; I feel confident with some hard work she can do it. She is a great seamstress and knitter and as I type this she is hard at work making some darling pinafore and mop cap sets for toddlers so you will want to be sure to check out our shops over the next few days. Here is a link to her Etsy Shop. You can also see a preview of her work in my sidebar.

Also we would appreciate your prayers as we try to get everything handled that goes along with a wreck. This is her first one and she is a bit shaken so if you have time stop by her blog and leave her some encouragement!

Skirted Culottes

I just added skirted culottes to my Etsy shop! I have had these on our website and sold them to friends but for some reason had never gotten them listed on Etsy.

I have the skirted culottes with a zippered waist or for little girls I have an elastic waist option. This is extremely helpful for little girls who want to dress themselves and for potty breaks.

If you have never seen skirted culottes you have to take a look. Unlike traditional pleated culottes these look like an a-line skirt in the front and back and have modest slits that make doing everyday activities a breeze. When you run or participate in sports these do not fly up.

My daughter Sydney loves these especially in the summer and she even wears them to work! The pair in the picture are made from a light weight denim fabric and match everything just like a denim skirt.

Latest Sewing Creations

Over the last few weeks I have not gotten much sewing done because of my back but I wanted to share what I have been working on. Some of these things will be making an aperance in my e-bay and etsy store.





This is a quilted pincushion I made for Sydney with some scrap fabric from an apron.












Little girls pinafore apron that ties slips over the head and ties on the sides.










Ladies Apron made from some cute fabric I picked up a few weeks ago for 50% off at Joann's. I love the contrasting fabric.









This is a fun and bubbly fabric, as soon as I saw it I had to get it. The back side of it is lined with solid black fabric.

Please excuse the brown skirt, I know it does not match but it is what my dress form has on right now.












Little girls corduroy jumper and a shirt made with some fabric I have had stashed for over a year. The shirt is about two sizes smaller than the jumper but the jumper looked bare without something under it. The shirt still needs the buttons put on but I have not found any I really like. I may just go with some plain ones.

Free Pattern

McCall's has a new free pattern! You can find it here

I have been looking for a spring wreath for the front door but I think I am going to make this instead.

You can find many other free crafty patterns here

Cleaning out Patterns

Well, I have come to a very big break through in my addiction. After much contemplating I weeded out some patterns that have never been used from my collection. Some of these are ones I bought and decided not to make and some are ones people gave me and for various reasons I cannot use.

I have decided this year to really get rid of a lot of the excess I have around the house so I will also be cleaning out my art cabinet later this week that holds all my craft notions, scrapbook stuff and who knows what else. I am ashamed to think of how much money has been spent on things I never got around to using. I may even go through my fabric stash actually that should be stashes.

Anyways if you are interested in some good deals be sure to check out my Etsy shop and my e-bay shop. If you find several things and want to work out a deal let me know, I really want these things to go to people who can and will use them and I want to get them out of my sewing area quickly.


Again be sure to check my shops often because I will be adding stuff frequently over the next few weeks.

Thank You Karen...

I was totally spoiled by my sassy apron partner Karen! I received So much fun Stuff from her. Thank you Karen!

My package included an apron, two cookie cutters, two pot holders, a dish towel, a wooden candy cane, hot chocolate, and sprinkles.



This candy cane is now hanging on the knob of my china cabinet making it look very festive!

I also got this cute apron that is called a French flea market apron. I can hardly wait to make some cookies using the recipes and goodies she sent me!

Sassy Apron

Sydney and I participated in the Sassy Apron Swap this past month and had a great time! This was a first for both of us and we had a great time.

At first I had a hard time picking fabric because I kept thinking about some fabric I had at home and wanted to find something close to it. Finally I came to the conclusion that since that fabric kept coming to mind that I should just go ahead and use it. Part of me felt like I needed to go and buy something just for the swap but in the end I was glad I use the gingerbread man fabric.

The theme was holiday/winter so this fabric fit perfectly to me and my partner likes to cook/bake. I also sent a gingerbread man cookie cutter and Christmas tree ornament. I truly had a great time putting this together for her and hope to participate in another swap soon.

Please excuse the crooked photo, it was late when I got one of my kiddos to snap it.

Sense and Sensablity E-patterns

Jennie Chancey owner of Sense and Sensibility patterns has just converted most of her patterns into ePatterns. If you have never been to her site you have got to get over there.

Her patterns are beautiful, elegant and best of all modest.

Gingerbread Men

The one major draw back to having a daughter who works at Joann's is that I am always in there! Yes I know I could drop her off at the door and not go in but that seems soooo wrong.

So, while I was in there a few days ago I found this scrumptious fabric and darling buttons. I plan to make a little girl's pinafore from it trimmed/accented with a khaki or cream color fabric.

I am also thinking about including a recipe and cookie cutter along with it when I list it in my etsy shop.


I do not have a plan yet for the snowmen buttons yet but I feel very confident I will find something to do with them. Maybe a white apron trimmed in black with one of these placed on each pocket? How about a white and black fleece jacket or cape with these as the buttons for a little girl? It's funny the things that can come to mind as I type.



Well I am off to clean house, play with the kids and then sew.

And The Winners Are.....

I was so excited to see how many people participated in my giveaway, thank you to everyone who took the time to visit my blog and leave a comment.


To ensure fairness I used Random integer

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

18 11 Timestamp: 2008-10-04 01:28:33 UTC

That would be Christy And Paige


Congrats to both of you, I will be contacting you shortly!

WHat I Have Been Up To

Well, it sure has been a busy 2 weeks for me! We started back to school, my husband started some home improvement projects, and then I got flooded with sewing orders. All in all things have gone pretty smooth. God has definitely answered my prayer for energy and a clam spirit, often I get grumpy when I feel overwhelmed, but not this time. It was definitely God answering prayer because even when I felt overwhelmed a quick prayer helped!

So... here is some of what I did.

Some elastic waisted culottes for a friends little girl. I could not find a pattern that would fit her (she is tiny) so for the first time I made my own pattern!

I also made some I made her some solid black ones and a pair of pink ones that have brown polka dots but did not get pictures. They are adorable!








Some gowns I sold on e-bay. I saved the quality too low so the images are not great but you get the idea. The other one is the first image of this post.



I also made a pinafore, some mop caps and bonnet sets.

Be Back Soon

Good news, bad news.

Good news, I have lots of sewing orders this week. About three times as many.

Bad news, I am not sure how I will get them all done and take care of the daily stuff. So... I will probaly not be posting for a few days.

Have a great week!

Free Sewing Patterns

One of the expensive things about sewing can be acquiring good patterns. I often try to get mine for $1.00 or less. I stock up when they go one sale and watch the Internet for free ones. Well, tonight I was in search of some crafty fall patterns and came across these.

Right now if you visit McCall's Pattern Co site you can receive 10 free patterns just for visiting and entering your e-mail address. Click on link above and then enter your e-mail address; once you do the page will refresh from images only to including the patterns as pdf's. The patterns include easy to understand directions and pictures that guide you step by step .

I am planning on making the pumpkin and gourds for either a dinning room table center piece or to put on our fireplace hearth.

I bought Sydney some nice Gingher scissors for Christmas so I think I will make her this case to keep them in.

Butterick has some free patterns here I like the winter wreath idea.

So, how do you aquire your craft stock pile? When do you start your holiday crafts?

Sewing Is Not Just For Grandmas! Part 2

In Part One of this series we established anyone can sew. In this post, as promised, I am sharing some tips, book recommendations and helpful links.

First some helpful tips I wish someone, anyone, had given me.

1. Start small- if you have never sewn do not start off trying to make a dress that has a collar and zips up in the back.

2. Choose an easy to follow pattern, Simplicity's are very to easy to use and have great directions as do some McCalls and Buttericks. Save Vogue patterns for latter.

2. Read ALL the directions first, then actually follow them.

3. Use the best quality products you can afford. If you watch for sales and coupons you can set up a basic sewing basket with quality product for the same price you would for cheap ones that will fall apart or deliver inferior results.

4. Use decent thread and change your needles frequently. Most machine problems can be solved by either re-threading the machine or changing the needle.

5. Take your time- if you become frustrated get up and walk away from the project.

6. Keep your pincushion near you while sewing

7. Avoid sewing over pins.

8. When using a seam ripper go slow, getting to the other end of a seam is not an Olympic event. I can not tell you how many times I went through the fabric, ruining an item before I realized the few minutes it saved to go fast was not worth it!

9. Designate your fabric scissors as fabric ONLY.

10. Wash and dry your fabric prior to cutting it in the same manner as it will be in the finished projects. Meaning if you are making a skirt out of denim do not prewash the fabric by hand, use your washer and dryer.

Now for some fun and helpful links:

This link is for Singer but the tips and videos on using accessory feet will be the same for most machines Singer sewing Tips. I use to be afraid to try my different machine feet, then one day I had some free time and decided I was going to learn how to use the ruffling and gathering feet. I found this link for the ruffler and I am not sure now where I found the gathering feet instructions but it was equally easy to learn to use.

Looking for a way to save on machine repairs? Click Here for a easy to understand e-book that will save you hundreds of dollars and lots of time. I honestly can not think of anything as frustrating, sewing wise, as when you need to get a project done and you have machine issues. It happened last year to me in the middle of an order for 15 pair of culottes. Three days and over $100 later I got my machine back, not any more thanks to this book.

Intimidated by zippers or need help with other garment construction issues, check out The Sewing Room.

Threads site is full of ideas, tips and fun projects.

Simplicity has their pattern catalog online along with many shortcuts. I often browse their catalog online making notes of patterns I want prior to heading to Jo Ann's. It saves me time and I do not have to wait to look at the in store catalog. Never a fun thing when he are on sale!

And here are a few of my favorite books.

Bend The Rules Sewing

Sewing For Dummies This book is great and well laid out!

Sew What! Skirts If you enjoy skirts this is the best book! It shows you how to make some cute and modest skirts and teaches you how to make your own pattern.

Looking for a book that covers EVERYTHING? This is the one, New Complete Guide to Sewing
Got any tips you would like to share or favorite links, just leave them in the comments section.

Sewing Is Not Just For Grandmas! Part 1

Many people avoid sewing or stick to simple projects because they fear their machine or never learned to sew. I think somehow the message has been sent that if your grandma or mother did not teach you to sew you are doomed to never thread a needle or feel the adrenaline rush from a sewing machine peddle under your lead foot.

Well, I am here to set the record straight. For the most part no one taught me to sew, I got a cheap machine and began playing with it. I made some funny looking things but I had fun and refused to give up! In a few months my kids were willing to wear what I made and after a year they were asking for me to make things.

Truly, if I can do it anyone can. Get yourself a decent machine that can do a few stitches and has a one step buttonhole. You do not have to break the bank but get the best that you can afford, check out some sewing videos or books from the library, grab some scrap fabric from the remnant bin and start playing.

You can even dig some stuff out of your closet that you don't wear and play around with it on the machine. This post is from my daughter's blog where she explained how to turn an old pair of jeans into a modest and cute skirt. Seriously, you can do so much if you will allow yourself to.

Draw some straight lines and practice sewing down them. Pillows are great first projects as are a-line skirts with either an elastic or drawstring waist. Remember it does not have to be perfect!

Just be creative and have fun, after all sewing is not just for grandmas!

Tomorrow I will post part two which will include some tips, book recommendations and some of my favorite links.

For now I am off to sew~!

My Latest Creations

Here are a few pictures of some of my latest sewing creations. The first one is a lady's drawstring skirt with a sash that makes a beautiful bow in the back. I had so much fun making it that over the past week I have made two more out of different fabric. The skirt has a 180" sweep however since my mannequin is only wearing a regular slip not hoop it is hard to get a good idea of just how full this skirt is.




Next is a little girls pioneer dress. It has a ruffle on the bottom and matching bonnet. I love long full dresses, especially on little girls.

The ladies and girls set are listed on e-bay in auction format starting at .99 each plus shipping. You can see all my items in my e-bay store if interested.

I also made each of my boys a pair of pajama pants but they do not want the world to know what they sleep in so alas no pictures of those.

Helpful Sewing Hints

I had planned to post some recent projects today but I have several orders I am trying to fill and we have church tonight so it will have to wait until Friday or Saturday. Meanwhile here are a few of my favorite links. I often turn to these sites when I need to look up a technique I do not use often or for faster and better ways of doing the routine things. Remember you are never too old to learn!

Looking for quick tips to improve your skills or develop some? Visit Threads Scroll to the bottom and you will find: 20 Ways to Improve Your Sewing

Even if you do not have one of their machine Check out the Husqvarna/Viking website...click on Education and then The Sewing Room. It is a very useful website with many helpful hints and how to's.

Enjoy, and if you have any helpful sewing or crafts sites be sure to leave them in the comments section.

Making The Most Of Your Patterns

Earlier this week I confessed to having a pattern addiction. Under comments Emily asked a great question…..Do you trace your patterns onto other paper before you cut them so you can make them in various sizes?

The answer is a great big YES!! Patterns are expensive if you do not get them on sale and even on sale if you need multiple sizes it adds up fast. Since I sew for fun and profit and my daughter has yet to stop growing I need multiple sizes of almost all my patterns! The other reason I copy my patterns is that the manufactures often discontinue patterns and once it is wore out or messed up you are out of luck.

Is it legal? Yes, if you do not share the pattern with anyone.

Since almost all patterns come in multiple sizes per envelope you can really get a lot for your money if you are careful. All you have to do is purchase some blank pattern paper or tissue paper. I have also heard of people using interfacing but that seems too expensive to me or newspaper, too messy and I hate the smell of newspaper.

Iron your uncut patter or cut pattern you are trying to save one you already use. Lay it out on a table or someplace you have plenty of room to work. Lay your blank pattern paper on top and weigh it down. Now all you do is trace the pattern marks with a marker or pencil. Be careful not to tear the pattern, it is delicate. Make sure to transfer all the markings you will need including size. Walla, you now have a copy of your original in as many sizes as you would like.

Another thing I have done is to cut out all my skirt and culottes patterns onto thick fabric that I found in the discount section. I then place my markings on the fabric and serge around the edges to prevent fraying. Both of these techniques work great and save you money. Works for me. Looking for tips? Visit Rocks In My Dryer

Feeding My Addiction.....Patterns

I am freely admitting to all of blogdom that I have an addiction... I am addicted to fabric and patterns! Joann's knows my weakness and every so often they run great sales that I am unable to resist. This week-end Simplicity patterns are .99 each with a limit of 10. I know what you are thinking... can she even find 10 she needs or likes? I could probably find 20 or more despite the fact that I have 6 plastic storage boxes full of them. In my defense they are neatly organized on a shelf and yes, I still need more!

I think the only thing that keeps my husband from seeking professional help is that I am able to make money from it and keep daughter and myself clothed in some pretty cute stuff most of the time.

Seriously though, I do love patterns but only buy them when they are on sale;the frugal woman in me just can not spend full price on a pattern. The image in the top corner is one of the patterns I bought today. I hope to get it made up next week and listed on Etsy and e-bay and also make Sydney one with a higher neck line. She loves dresses like this and they have such a feminine look to them!

This is another pattern I bought today, I love making baby clothes! I bought some floral fabric and ribbon a few weeks ago in the clearance section that I think is going to make an adorable set.

All together I bought 6 patterns all on sale for .99 each, 10 yards of elastic that I had a 40% off coupon for, 2 yards of denim weavers cloth with 40% off coupon and one cone of thread that I also had a 40% off coupon for. My total was $19.19, a great deal in my opinion considering each pattern will be used over and over, the outfit made from the weavers cloth has already sold for $15.00 and finally my addiction has been satisfied at least until they run another pattern sale.

I will try to get some pictures posted when I finish these.

How about you, got anything that makes you weak in the knees when it goes on sale?

Looking to see who else got great deals this week while shopping? Visit Money Saving Mom