Monday, September 27, 2010

Oh Sure! Let Me Just Rearrange My Life, Because THAT Sounds Fun!

Last Saturday, an online friend commented on something I said, and she included the words: Kids Clothes Week Challenge.

Wait.  That's in the spring, right?  Although she did say that she was hoping to organize a fall challenge week, too.  But I haven't looked at her blog lately.  I should look.

And there, on Sunday evening, after very little thought and a great deal of excitement, I decided to join.

Sew one hour a day for one week.  Okay, sure, I'm all over that!  But one hour seems puny, I'll make it 2 a day.  Or 10.  That's right, I said 10.  It was very, very hard to do my household duties every morning before I could turn my sewing machine & iron back on.  And I neglected things like keeping the floor swept and deep cleaning.  And folding laundry.  Really, who needs to fold clothes when you can just make new ones?!

Monday evening, I sat down and finalized my pattern choices and picked out fabrics from my stash.  My goal was to not need to buy any new fabric.  This would make my sewing more bearable for J.  Because you know I neglected him, too.  Then, I started tracing patterns, pinning, and cutting.

Tuesday, J, Saxton, & I went south to get remodel supplies.  Since we ate lunch at the pizza joint in the mall, I decided to run down to JoAnn's and see if they had anything I could use to recover the Mustang's back seat.  They did not.  However, I did spend $1.20 on some knit ribbing for some shirts I wanted to make Saxton.  That night, I finished traing, cutting, & pinning, and then, I began some very minor sewing.

Wednesday, I down to business.  I sewed everything enmass.  Iron & sew.  Iron & sew.  Clip curved seams.  I finished both of Saxton's 90 minute shirts.



Thursday, I continued in my mad woman manner.  That evening, I completed a pair of pants for Saxton & the Oliver + s Pop Over Sun Dress for Korra.  I Finished all but the button holes & buttons on 2 Oliver + s Sailboat Shirts for Korra.  I decided to do all the button holes on everything at once, when everything else is done.









 
Friday, I was L-A-Z-Y.  Well, actually, I had to run some errands and be a good wife and mother.  But then I sat down in the afternoon with a romance novel, and, well, it was good to be unproductive for a change.  I had to stay up to do some diaper laundry, so I sewed away, and I finish Saxton's red wool pants.



Then, on Saturday morning, the kids & I left town, met J at work, and went south for half a day.  When we got home, we did the Saturday things that make being a family fun and chilled.  Once the kids were in bed, I thought about turning the sewing machine & iron back on, and getting back to work, but I got sucked into Facebook and sleeping instead. 

This left Sunday.  Day 7 of the Kids Clothes Week Challenge.  I knew I HAD to finish what I started.  If I didn't, they would get set to the side, while I moved on to other projects.  I know me.  First, I finished putting the Oliver + s Playdate Dress together.  I had plans to applique this fun pumpkin made out of 5 different patterns on it, but when I got it all cut out and ironed onto the interfacing, I decided it was too overbearing for the dress.  So, I hung the dress up as done, but knew I wasn't really.

The last item waiting to be finished was the the Oliver + s Puppet Show Dress.  and actually, it's still not done.  I have to finish the hem (by hand) and sewing on the rest of the buttons.  But it's *almost* done.

A little bit of inspiration later, I decided to add a little weenie dog applique to the Play Date dress, and I LOVE IT!

Oliver + s Play Date Dress




Oliver + s Puppet Show Dress



Call me crazy (because I am, I know) and join myself & 400+ other sewists this spring, to do it all again!


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Sunday, September 19, 2010

Six Months of Silence, Part 1

Almost to the day!  EEP!

My husband will tell you that I've not been so silent in real life. In fact, I keep waiting to wake with masking tape over my mouth, just so he can get a word in edge-wise.  *blush*

I've been really, REALLY busy.  I created a new blog (more on that later), knit a LOT, got my sewing machine fully repaired (& sewed a LOT), chased Saxton, saw a dance recital, took kids to cheer camp & scout camp, cooked out, grew a couple gardens, worked on the front porch, created a nest for me, got a puppy(!!!), canned like a mad woman, turned 30, discovered my dresser on fire, dealt with the stress of a short notice remodel, made Korra's back to school wardrobe, hosted Canning Camp, and much, much more.

Well, enough excuses.  Because I left you all alone, I decided make a special post.  You see, because I like to sew, and my husband likes when I sew cheap, I've rounded up quite the collection of free children's clothing tutorials and patterns.  But what fun is having a collection if you can't share it???  Not much.  so I'm sharing.

Enjoy!

BOYS:


























 












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