A sewing project I’m currently working on is a matched wallet, bag, and key fob. If those go well, I may also make an iPad case, too. So far, the wallet and fob are done:
I don’t normally go all matchy-matchy with my accessories (at least on purpose). This all evolved out of the bag project (more on that later). Because I had an excess of coordinating fat quarters–bought the wrong set, initially–I figured it wouldn’t hurt to create a unified collection. Plus, I needed a new wallet.
I wanted to approach this design project with a certain amount of planning.
Draft of the wallet’s interior:
Exterior:
Pattern pieces all cut out:
Key fob pattern pieces:
Here is today’s Advent stocking:
Advent Stocking: Dec. 2
Each stocking will have a little red or green card with a thought or activity for each day. I don’t have them all planned yet, but today’s is about writing a letter to Santa, but also making a list of people we want to give gifts to and what we want to make for them.
Of course, they all have chocolate of some sort :). Today’s also has a little Christmas pencil set complete with pencil, pencil sharpener, notepad, eraser, and ruler.
tagged: Advent, Christmas, Craft, felt, Sewing, stockings
One highlight of the Christmas/Advent season is the inspiration it lends towards the creative. Of course, this inspiration comes at the same time as all the other preparations for the season so it becomes something of a challenge to find the time–more so than normal it seems.
Last year for Advent I made a set of 24 mini stockings for days 1 – 24 of December. The project was mostly finished in that there are 24 stockings made and about half of them are decorated. I hope this year I can get the other half decorated. Here is the one for today, December 1:
Advent Stocking: Dec. 1
The stockings are made with cream and blue felt. The stitching is a blanket-type machine stitch with red rayon embroidery thread. The stockings alternate colors: odd numbers are cream with blue cuffs and even numbers are blue with cream cuffs.
More on this project tomorrow…
tagged: Advent, Christmas, Craft, felt, Sewing, stockings
Today is day one of the Stash Reduction contest at PatternReview. com (the contest ends July 31). To help keep me focused, I made a list of some things I intend to make for this contest:
- A flirty wrap skirt similar to this one. Trying to work out the pattern for this now.
- At least one summery dress. Haven’t decide on a style yet
- At least two sun hats: one for me and one for Kiddo
- A couple of knit tops: one in turquoise and one in lavender
- A bathing suit
- A preppy, Ralph Lauren-ish jacket if I have enough of the fabric. If I don’t it will likely be overalls for Kiddo
- Valences for the living room windows.
- A collection of bags: a large tote, tea bags, a tote for recyclables, a lunch bag, storage bags for projects, a hanging pocket for holding scissors and shears near my sewing machine, a toiletries bag for Kiddo, and storage bags for the backseat of my car.
- A small collection of toys: puppets and bean bags. Possibly a play mat of some sort to go with the bean bags. Possibly a puppet theater or theater curtains. And of course, storage bags for all.
- A teepee for Kiddo (already got the PVC pipe from Freecycle)
This is a pretty ambitious list for me. I have two other non-stash projects that will take up some time plus a two week vacation in the middle of the contest. But the point is to have fun and try to reduce the stash collection. Watch for updates on progress here.
tagged: pattern review, Projects, Sewing, stash contest
Summer is pretty much here for me. Kiddo is done with preschool and my spring quarter is over in less than two weeks. We have a couple of trips planned for this summer and in addition to those, I’ve created a list of things I want to do/accomplish before September:
- Do fun things with Kiddo. He will turn 4 this summer and can do so much more this summer. I’m excited about the possibilities. I expect us to spend a lot of time in our bathing suits.
- Participate in Pattern Review.com’s 2008 Stash Reduction Contest. Big motivator to use up the fabric I already have. I hope I will be able to get a lot done with this.
- Bring some love and attention to this site: post more, update the design, promote the site.
- Develop our emergency plan. This is something I’ve been planning to work on for some time. Now that I’ve written it down, I really plan to focus on it.
- Keep up with the vegetable garden. Maybe actually do crop rotation. First to go into the planter: grape tomatoes, basil, carrots (2 kinds), green beans, sweet peppers, and sugar baby watermelon. The watermelon will take some thinking: I’m hoping to grow them vertically which itself isn’t a problem. Heavy fruits are a problem so I’ll need to design some watermelon bras and figure out some way to suspend them. Should be interesting.
That’s it for now. I’m never short of projects so I’m sure I’ll think of something else. Oh yeah, did I mention we’re heading out to Yellowstone for a week?
tagged: emergency plan, garden, gardening, plans, Projects, Sewing, site design, Site Development, summer, vacation, yellowstone