Thanks to everyone who left comments and emails about my embroidery machine questions! It really was helpful and gave me some things to mull over! While daydreaming about machines this morning, I realized.... it's almost time for back to school (2 1/2 weeks) and I haven't sewn a lick for Taylor this year. In part it's due to our busy summer, but it also has a lot to do with the fact there are very few patterns for teens (not to mention the fact teen friendly fabrics are difficult to come across). I may eventually just sew up some hoodies as this seems to be one of Taylor's staples when the weather (eventually) turns cool.

Are you skipping the back to school sewing or are you whipping up some goodies for your kids before the first day arrives? (I'd love to hear what you're making!) In the mean time, I leave you a parting shot of Taylor's stunt group at cheer camp this year - she had a great time this week, but is horribly sore this morning.

Stick a fork in me, I'm done with my latest swap! I finished up the large item in The Office Swap - a cute little messenger style bag. While the bag doesn't look like something that you would see in a themed swap, when my partner opens up the inside.... she'll see a "Property of Dunder Mifflin" tag on the flap. I think that it keeps the bag functional (so she can use it for everyday use), but at the same time it's fun and keeps the theme of the swap.

As for the bag pattern, I used Sew What! Bags's DJ bag. I have to admit that I didn't follow the directions - I glanced over them, but didn't notice anything unique to construction so I just put it together as I have other bags with a similar style. The one thing this bag is missing is interfacing. The directions didn't call for it and seeing that I didn't have enough on hand, I didn't bother. Consequently, it's a lot floppier than what I would have liked. I probably won't be making this particular bag again (I think I have other patterns that I like better), but I will definitely be using this fabric combination again - I just love this material with the faux suede!

By the way, Happy Valentines day!

I managed to make a nice dent into my DJ bag project, but I have to admit, I made a mistaking using the material I did for the lining. While it matches perfectly color-wise, the fabric is a pain to work with - it stretches, moves around, and never did cut nicely. Now I know why it was in a Fabric Mart freebie bundle..... no one wanted it! Now I just need to put everything together and work on the image transfer for the inside of the bag.

With this project almost finished, I've been planning ahead for my next projects.... and shopping. Built by Wendy Dresses was released yesterday and I've been itching to get it since I saw she was coming out with a new title. Both U-Handbag and Angry Chicken had previews\reviews of the book and now I want it more - even though I don't wear a lot of dresses. Seeing that the book is under $25 at Amazon, this also means I 'need' another title (for free shipping) and have been mulling over a few books. I had Sewing Clothes Kids Love, but after reading some reviews, I see that it only includes 2 patterns for boys (bummer) so I've crossed that off my list, but have been seriously considering Cath Kidson's Make! Anyone have this book? I'd really like SEW! but it doesn't appear that Amazon (the store, not independent sellers) has this title yet. Any other suggestions before I decide to place an order?

Seeing that I'm on a roll with completing swap items, I thought it was time to start on my third and 'largest' project. I've been mulling it over for quite some time - taking into consideration my partner's requests, wist items, and preferences. One thing she wanted was a purse, but I really couldn't come up with something that was Office themed so I've decided to go with a bag. Instead of turning to a TNT pattern, I decided to head to the bookshelf and settled on Sew What! Bags's DJ Bag - a boxy, messenger style bag.

I've opted to use a fun, floral print (with darker colors) for the main panels of the bag, a faux suede for the strap, sides and bottom of the bag, and a beige\yellow mystery fiber for the lining (I can't help myself to use it because it coordinates so well). I plan on making an iron on with "Property of Duder Mifflin" for the inside lining flap - my goal is to keep this bag functional enough for everyday use, but fun so it looks like she 'took' the bag from The Office. I've already got all my pieces cut and ready to go - now it's time for some sewing!

If you're ever looking for a nice, quick gift to give, try this tea wallet tutorial (I'm thinking teacher gifts). This was an easy to follow, simple to construct project that went together in under an hour. Of course, I always seem to complicate projects like these by doing something like..... using printable fabric paper. I'll spare you the details on finding an image, getting it to print correctly, etc. because that whole process didn't go so well. The fabric sheets didn't sew up very nice either - I would say top stitching is not recommended (neither is making a mistake because it's likely that your needle will make a permanent hole). Overall, I like the way it turned out, I'll just be using 'real' fabric next time! By the way, the Peach Iced Tea quote is from an episode of the Office.

It came, it came, it came! My Christmas Stocking swap package arrived in the mail! Check out all the fun goodies inside!

Not only was there an adorable stocking (in some of my favorite colors), but some of the most amazing goodies from my Wist and questionnaire! In fact there was just about something for everyone! It's hard to see from the photo, but included in my package was a name plaque that she painted for Taylor (Taylor was amazed at her painting skills, there are some very intricate designs around her name that don't show up on the photo), a sign for Bret (that reads "a fisherman lives here with the catch of his life"), an apron with the most adorable coffee print, a mug cozy and hand painted mug that reads "French Roast and Hazelnut" (she knows my love of coffee and my favorite flavors!), a fabulous Jack Skellington (from a Nightmare Before Christmas) ornament, a planner to keep myself organized next year, some pretty pink velvet ribbon, and Wonder Woman ribbon (I'm saving this for just the right project)!

However, two of my absolute favorites deserve photos of their own:

A Zero (also from the Nightmare Before Christmas) stuffie! She said this was her first attempt at making a stuffie and I have a hard time believing it - she did an amazing job on this one!

The most amazingly knitted intarsia scarf - The Dark Illusion. The photo really doesn't do this scarf justice because it is totally fabulous and is very cool to see in person. I've been wanting this particular scarf for 2 years and am so excited that someone could make it for me - now I'll just be fighting over it with Taylor. I wonder when it's going to snow again so I can wear it?

Thank you once again to my wonderful partner! We absolutely love all of our presents!!

Let the Christmas festivities begin..... I just mailed off my Stocking Swap package yesterday! (Marie, please don't read on - there's spoilers ahead)

Here's a shot of the 'before\after' wrapping, etc.:

Inside my partner's package was everything I've been working on for the last month and a half (can you believe it's been that long?): The GIANT stocking, two mini baskets filled with Kansas candies, magnet, and lint brush for her dogs), "His and Hers" box bags (his filled with candies, hers with some mini bath goodies), plush dog toys, a pajama set and with matching slippers, and a monster covered copy of Cables Untangled.

With this swap finished and sent, I'm ready to get back to my own pajama sewing..... now to decide which one do I want to start first?

For quite some time I've been talking about and sewing up items for my Christmas Stocking swap and with the completion of the stocking yesterday..... I'm finally done!

This was a stocking panel that I purchased from Fabric.com and quilted. Considering it was a panel, I must admit, there seemed to be a lot of work involved (it was all the quilting I suppose). The finished project is HUGE (I think I could easily fit Easton inside, although he might be a bit too heavy to hang from the mantel), although it's a perfect size to stuff a majority of my partner's gifts inside. Now I just need to gather everything I've made, wrap it, and make sure my box is large enough to send in!

With all this Christmas sewing finished, I'm really starting to get into the holiday sewing spirit.... I wonder what I should start next?

I love it when the mail arrives and brings..... packages! My swap partner for the week of baby onesies sent 5 fun shirts for Easton:

Included in my package was an applique car shirt (it's hard to see in the photo, but there are little men driving racecars on it), a BAM onesie, a Halloween themed pullover, and my two favorite a firetruck striped shirt (not only do I love stripes, but the applique and stitching are adorable), and a shirt and 'tie'! I've been wanting to make one of these for ages, and am thrilled to finally have one! Of course, nothing shows off these onesies like an action shot (too bad Easton wasn't as thrilled to pose for them):

I've been plugging away at items for my Christmas Stocking Swap, the other night I completed (what I think will be) the last 'gift'.

An embellished shirt to go with the flannel pajamas that I'm sending my partner! I'm really pleased with the finished look, let's hope she feels the same way (and it all fits!). And guess what? I have one set finished for the pajama sew along! Don't forget entering gives you a chance to win a copy of One-Yard Wonders">One Yard Wonders and some fabric to complete some of the projects in the book!

Now I just have the stocking to finish up and I believe that this swap will be complete. Unfortunately, that is going to have to wait..... Halloween is just 14 days away and I really need to get started on Taylor's Halloween costume. Guess what I'll be doing today?

Ever since I got Weekend Sewing, there's been one project that I've been meaning to make.....

the Guest Room Slippers. My latest swap gave me the excuse to finally sew them up!

These little ballet flats match the pajama bottoms I recently made for my swap partner - I did a bit of 'fussy cutting' to get some of the cute little characters on the toes, used the same material for the lining, and skipped the rick rack. So what were my impressions of this pattern?

Overall, it's not a hard pattern to sew up, although it requires some hand sewing at the end (which I don't care for). The hardest part, (IMHO), is trying to evenly attach the rickrack - after several attempts, I just gave up and decided to scrap it.... it looks scratchy anyway! The thing I found most surprising was how long it took to sew this set up. While the sewing at the machine isn't time consuming, attaching the felted sole of the shoe is (unless you're fast at hand stitches). I had envisioned making several sets of these as Christmas gifts, but because they took longer than expected to make, I'm rethinking my holiday presents. Any suggestions on a ballet type slipper that is made predominately with a machine?

I love having a good hour or two to sew - not only is it therapeutic, but productive as well...... (Keep reading for more details. Everyone except Marie, because this one is for you!)

These are the flannel pajama bottoms I made for my Stocking Swap partner (after I work on embellishing the shirt, you can chalk this as one set done for the Pajama Sew Along) - and if you're wondering, she is not elfen sized... they are shorts. Why shorts? One word, shrinkage! I had purchased just enough material to make McCall 3019, but after washing the material I found that it had shrunk considerably. Thankfully, my partner lives in a warm weather state so shorts seemed like a good save.

While I've made this pattern several times, this is the first time for the shorts. Frankly, I'm a bit disappointed with the way they turned out - they are really too long (IMHO). I'm hoping that she's taller than me otherwise they'll fall right below her knees.

I managed to finish off the last few shirts for my Week of Baby Onesies swap. I sat on these for quite awhile since my partner wanted something Christmasy for her 3 children (a set of boy\girl twins and a baby girl) and never could come up with a good idea. I finally got inspired the other night and decided to make something that might work for some cute holiday op photos:

If you're interested in either monograming some items or spelling out a holiday message like I did, Skip To My Lou has a wonderful, free alphabet set.

Yesterday we hit our city's Fall Festival parade. Taylor crutched off to meet her friends (did I mention that Taylor was on crutches?) and Easton enjoyed eating candy thrown into the streets (now how do I let him know that eating off of the street isn't acceptable any other time?). When we came home, I decided to tackle my sewing table - it looks so much better, but somehow all the piles have moved to the floors and chairs!

I also worked on a variety of projects including my Christmas Stocking swap partner's stocking (I'm over 1/2 way finished with it) and Easton's Halloween costume (look for the sidebar on this tonight along with an update on progress tomorrow). Today, however, I think I'm cleaning, making a rather large pot of chili, taking in some football, and tracing off the 'pants' for Easton's costume. How are you spending Sunday?

One thing that I love about swaps is that everyone in the family can get in on the action. This time around, it's a swap entirely for Easton - a week of baby onesies. My swap partner requested that I make shirts for each of her children, twins (boy and girl) and a baby girl. I had a ton of ideas for the twins, but I narrowed it down to these:

I also added a little 'thing' to the back of the shirt (right where the 'tag' sits):

Overall, I like the way they turned out, although I had a very difficult time finding two red solid shirts that would fit them - I wound up having to go up one size. I think that they might swim in these and am wondering if I should try to alter them a bit so that they would fit (I have no idea of their measurements) or just leave them and let the twins grow into them?

It seems like I'm on a roll for getting some projects finished up in my Christmas Stocking Swap as I have managed to finish one more fun gift.

Yes, it's another box bag. I can't help myself - I just love making these things. This version, however, is for my partner's husband (because I am a firm believer that everyone in the Christmas swap should get something) and is made from leather. I had purchased this cow hide from Fabric Mart quite awhile ago, but hadn't had a chance to use it. It's very stiff and it wasn't going to work for what I had originally envisioned, but it is perfect for project! I lined the bag using a tan Alexander Henry tattoo print - I just LOVE the way it turned out. In fact, I'm going to have a hard time giving this one up. Before I do, I plan on taking it with me today when I teach my box bag class - I think it would be nice to show how this bag can look made up with different materials.

Over the weekend I hope to start on the stocking itself. I had purchased some materials from Fabric.com just for this reason and it should show up today (more on that later)! I also hope to put up some book reviews on the site - I've gotten behind on posting them!

Some days, things go so wrong you just need some sewing therapy to make things better. Yesterday started off fine, but ended up a mess. The capper? I think Easton locked my keys in the car.... and Bret is out of town. If the keys aren't inside, then he's hidden them so well I won't be able to find them until we move again - which will be years and years from now. So after retreating to my sewing room, I came out with a quick little project for my Stocking Swap partner.

Stuffed dog toys! When I went to Hancock Fabrics last, they had a flyer with fleece ideas. I had picked one up (it entertained Easton while I shopped) and this was a project suggested by the book - although they recommended using Kwik Sew 3207. I couldn't imagine spending over $10 for a pattern that I could make myself, so I drew out a bone pattern and enlarged my version for the bigger bone. I actually think I made it too long, but hopefully it will work - where's a dog to test it out when you need one?

Thankfully, Bret comes home late tonight so we can unlock the car and (hopefully) find those keys! I guess since we're trapped at home today, I'll get some sewing time in.... and maybe some housecleaning.

I find swaps not only bring out my creative side, but also allows me to sew up things that I probably would have never thought of making if it weren't for the wishlist of my partner. Because 'planning' is one of my favorite parts of sewing (besides the actual sewing), I find myself spending hours daydreaming of things I might want to make and how I can go about sewing it up. My latest project is a prime example (so no peeking Marie!):

A Harry Potter Book of Monsters (you can get an idea of the inspiration book by checking out this 'toy' found on Amazon - but take a deep breath before you do, this plush is $49.99!). Actually, it's a book jacket for Cables Untangled - my partner had 'wisted' the blanket that appears on the front cover and since my knitting skills are not that advanced, I thought this was the next best thing (she also had listed a jacket cover similar this).

For this particular cover, I used a shaggy faux fur and a stretch paisley, brown knit that was a remnant from another project (in hindsight, I wish I had used a red or pink so it looked like the inside of a mouth when you opened it up) for the jacket flaps and lining. I opted to use a knit in these areas so it would have some stretch and fit snug over the book edges. The 'teeth' are made from a white felt and the tongue is from a felted wool sweater. From there I glued on some large googly eyes and used half circle felt pieces for eyelids.

All I can say is, "Thank goodness it's the weekend!" With Bret gone this week and so many activities every night (not to mention the homework), I've needed some sewing therapy.

Earlier in the week, I had picked up some supplies (although, I found myself shopping again this morning since I had forgotten a few things) for my Christmas Stocking Swap partner - and this morning, I have a few things to show for it (so no peeking Marie)

One of the items she had 'wisted' was a cute patchwork basket. It totally reminded me of Orange Flower's Fabric Basket pattern that I've been itching to make for months. I compared both tutorials and found that they were roughly the same size so I decided to use OF version since I thought that the fabric designs would get lost once they were cut up.

So what do I think about this online tutorial? The one thing that shocked me about this pattern is the size - it's so tiny! It seriously looks much larger in the photographs. I hadn't really paid attention to the cutting dimensions until I sat down to work on it, but once it's finished it comes out to be a 4 1/2 inch cube that's 4 inches high. Nice for tossing some keys into or some loose notions on your sewing table, but don't expect to store anything much larger. Overall the directions are fantastic and I love the finished look. The only thing that I would change if I would make this again is that I would lightly interface the lining - it's kind of loose on the inside. I might also play with the dimensions as well, it might be fun to make a nesting set of these as a holiday gift.

It's been a very long while since I participated in a Craftster swap (maybe 9 months or more). It's not that I haven't wanted to, but I found that I just haven't had the time. The other day I decided that I was going to make the time and joined the Christmas Stocking Swap (Round 5). This is probably one of my favorite themed swaps - not only do you sew up the stocking, but the goodies inside it! Plus it's always fun receiving your package and getting the chance to open presents early!

If your a member of Craftster and would like to join in the fun, you'd better hurry.... spots are filling up fast!

I was very excited when I opened my mailbox yesterday afternoon. Inside was my Bag of Talent Swap package from my partner:

I'm afraid the photo doesn't do the bag justice - it's absolutely gorgeous in person! My partner had adapted a pattern so that it has plenty of pockets for storage (here's a shot of the inside of the bag when it's open) and also included a matching covered notebook (with interior pockets) and cute s'more material. I love it! I think I'm going to get it ready for some outings this week with the kids - since Taylor is off almost all this week, I'm thinking we need to get out of the house and do some fun activities!

Before I get started sewing up my pants (or Burda top, I can't decide which should come first) I thought I had better finish up the rest of my Bag of Talent Swap package so I can mail it off before the due date.

This is just a simple drawstring bag that she can put dice into when she plays Killer Bunnies Quest for the Magic Carrot. I had a hard time finding a fabric with a small bunny print - this '30's bunny\bear reproduction was the closest I could find. Unfortunately, it looks as if most of the bunnies are covered up by the logo.

I had the opportunity to work on my Bag of Talent swap bag some more and am happy to report.... It's done! (no peeking Amy!)

Aside from using the cutting dimensions, I did not follow the directions on the website. The more I looked at them, the more I didn't like the way they were written (I didn't even see mention of what the seam allowances were, however from doing the math, it's 1/2 inch). However, after "winging it", I wish I would have just done it the way the tutorial described - I made myself a few issues during construction that I had to figure out (which contributed to the fact it took me longer to make this bag than what it should have). The biggest problem? Bulk. The material (twill and denim interfaced with a woven) combined with the Insulbrite created very bulky seams - especially around the zipper which made it very difficult to topstitch. If I had it to do over again, I would trim the Insulbrite (and Timtex\Peltex that the tutorial calls for when using quilting cottons) close to the stitching after construction.

Overall, I'm really pleased with the outcome. In fact, I'm wishing I could keep this one for myself! Next up, a small drawstring bag for my partner and then it's time to work on some clothing just for me!

TGIF! What a long week this has been. Bret's been out of town all week and I just haven't had the time or energy to get much sewing in. I am making steady progress on my swap partner's Bag of Talent, but not making as much progress as I had hoped. I'm crossing my fingers that I have an opportunity to work on it some more very soon.

In the mean time, I received my pincushion from my partner!

Isn't it cute? I love it's boxy-ness and the fact that she firmly stuffed it - it should keep it's shape for quite some time. I wish I would have taken a before photo because the pincushion was wrapped in cute little Japanese patchwork fabric! Thank you so much Kelly, I'm already putting it to good use and have pins ready to go for my next project!

I've started work on my partner's Bag of Talent....

and I have to say, I'm not thrilled with the directions (they seem a bit confusing, but maybe it will sort itself out as I start sewing more of the bag). I would have opted for a different pattern, but I already have everything cut out so I'm feeling stuck.

I have already made a slight change to the pattern - adding a utensil pocket to the lining of the bag. It's difficult to see in the photo below since the print is so busy (she likes skull fabric so I thought this would be a fun lining), but I made an interior pocket that can hold a fork, knife, and spoon with a larger area that will allow her to put in 'extras' like salt, pepper, hand sanitizer, etc. I always think these things just get lost inside lunch bags and keeps them out of the way when you're packing you lunch or snack.

This little birdie arrived in my mailbox over the weekend. It was a prize that I had won at From The Magpie's Nest and he's absolutely adorable! I love how this little bird is pieced together - I may have to think about making something similar next Christmas... can't you see one of these in all white and hanging on a tree?

I also started working on another Jalie 2805 - yes I know, another t-shirt. This one is for my mom who requested I sew one up for her. She's normally wears a lot of solid colored shirts so I'm taking a chance with this one and using a print, I'm crossing my fingers and hopes she likes it.

Lastly, it will come as no surprise to you that I have joined another swap. The Bag of Talent Swap has you create a themed tote, purse, or bag according to your partner's interests or hobbies. We were paired up with partners last week and I immediately got an idea of what I wanted to make..... (no peeking Amy)

My partner is a stay-at-home mom (so she's always on the go) who loves snacks and tomatoes (among other things). One of the bags she Wisted is an insulated zippered lunch bag - considering her interests, I thought this was a great tote for her. After scouring local shops for tomato fabric, I came up empty handed so I've opted for the Warhol tomato soup twill that I purchased in October and heavy indigo denim. I also picked up some Insulbright to keep items cool. I've never used this material before and was SHOCKED to see that Hobby Lobby was charging $24.99 a yard while Joann's was only $5.99. Anyone else notice the pricing difference at their local stores or do you think that Hobby Lobby was just mismarked?

Do you hear that? It's the whir of my sewing machine! Now that the holidays are over and everything has settled down around here, I'm able to sit in front of my machine and work on some projects. The first, the pincushion for my latest swap (so no peeking Kelly).

I was inspired to make this pincushion after browsing on the internet and stumbling across January 2009's Cotton Time magazine. Inside was what looked like cactus pincushions! Since I couldn't quite tell how they made their version, I winged it. For mine, I created one of Whip Up's flower pincushions in a mottled green material. I made fewer petals than what the tutorial instructed (to keep it cactus like) and used a fun fur yarn inside each section to give it a needle look. I hot glued everything inside a flower pot and topped it off with a wire flower.

I liked it so much (it looks more like a cactus in person than what my photography depicts), I even made one for myself!

Remember The Office swap that I participated in awhile back and was flaked on? A wonderful Craftster moderator (the swap organizer also flaked on the whole group) set me up with a great angel and my package arrived today - just in time for Christmas (in fact, she wrapped everything, too). Not only did she create this awesome Dwight stuffie from my Wist, but she also made something for each of the kids. For Easton she made a bib with the quote "The Schrutes make thirsty babies." For Taylor, she made a Toby plush (one of her favorite characters). The rest of the package included a DWIGHT t-shirt, a Schrutebucks necklace, and a "I'm dreaming of a Dwight Christmas" ornament (I love it). Here's the rest of the goodies:

I think this will be the last time I use parcel post. I mailed my Stocking Swap partner's package last week and it still hasn't arrived just arrived, while she mailed me mine on Saturday and it arrived.... yesterday!!! Just look at all the goodies inside:

Carrie created an adorable stocking and matching bear stuffie for Easton. She also included a set of Christmas Weeble Wabbles... Easton tasted tested them both out and likes them all!

Last year Carrie made Taylor a stocking, so this year she sewed her up an adorable Hello Kitty bag and two matching ornaments. She also made Taylor a beautiful headband that she didn't take off until bedtime. Also included in the bag were several other goodies including nail art, fun pins, a Christmas Wish List, and holiday socks (no doubt she'll wear those tomorrow).

I wasn't left out of the swap package either. Carrie made me a cupcake pincushion - which is funny because I had originally planned to make the same one for her before I decided to make this one. She also sewed me up a gorgeous purse (I'm going to be transfering everything to it tonight), and sent a pretty Biltmore ornament and fun Pimp Stitch tree kit! Lastly, she made a magnetic Bingo Christmas Countdown. I think it should be a fun and different way to start off the holiday season. T

After looking at all my swap items, I felt like I needed to add something else.....

So I made my partner a scarf! I can't take too much credit for the fun cutout designs - this was a pre-printed kit that I cut out to achieve this look. I wish I had more of these, although they wouldn't be great for really cold weather (my partner lives in Florida so this shouldn't be too much of a concern), they sure are cute.

With everything complete, it was time to make the stocking. Since one of my partner's favorite fabrics is a Christmas toile, I decided to make a simple looking stocking to 'showcase' the fabric. I was really inspired by this Amy Butler pattern, so I decided to make something similar. For the body I used a white (non-pill) fleece and for the lining and cuff a home decor toile print. It looked a bit plain so I added a 'toe' and 'heal' to one side of the fabric (that way if she's interested in a simpler stocking she can flip to the other side).

So, without further ado, here's everything ready to go:

Now I can't wait for her to receive the package and start unwrapping!

Between making the modifications that I mentioned in yesterday's post and burning the midnight oil, I was able to finish my large swap item.....

Eliminating most of the zippered pockets and the interlining (which requires basting canvas to all the pieces of the bag) saved quite a bit of time. Overall the bag itself is soft and not as stiff as the original version, but the firmness of the exterior (it's a stiff twill) helps give the bag lots of support.

The lining is a bit on the thin side and if I had to do it again, I would have selected something firmer or at least interfaced the pieces - it sags a bit because of the heaviness of the hanging tool pocket.

I added a few purchased items to finish this gift off - a pen and pad and some "Crafty Girl" mints. Now I'm thinking that I need to make one of these for myself......

Don't forget today is the LAST day to enter the Jalie pants pattern giveaway!

Before I get started, don't forget to enter the Jalie 2561 giveaway. I'll be drawing a name on Thursday, so there's only a few days to sign up.

Now, to the sewing...... The other day that my swap package is due Friday - which means that I really need to get my rear in gear and finish everything up (no peeking Carrie).

Since so many of my items are small to medium size, I wanted to make something large. Originally, I was going to sew her a big Hello Kitty doll, but I decided on something more functional.... a messenger bag. I went round and round as to what pattern to use and finally decided on Amy Butler's messenger (you can see my original version that I made 2 years ago here).

Before starting this project, I made a few modifications:

Since I was going to use the Warhol soup print as the main design I thought that I should tone down the print a bit with contrasting (solid) sides. I also made the strap a solid as well.

In Amy's original pattern design, there are a number of zippers and pockets. I eliminated most of them except the interior 'tool pocket' which is both zippered and has compartments for storing items.

Since my exterior fabrics are on the stiff side, I eliminated the canvas interlining. I thought that this would help keep things from getting too bulky and eliminate some frustration.

After making my changes and cutting out all the fabrics, all I had time for was creating the hanging tool pocket. Here's what I have so far:

Yes, I did it again. I joined another swap. Not only am I addicted to hem, but pincushions as well. That's why the latest pincushion swap grabbed my attention. Swap partners were only announced a few days ago, but I was so motivated to get crafting that I'm already finished! Fortuantely for me, one thing my partner wanted was a cupcake... so I made another version of the Sew Pretty Homestyle pattern. This time I made the top of the pincushion in a pretty pink wool felt and added glass bead 'sprinkles'. I topped it off with two 'lolly' pins. Now I just need a box to ship and I'm ready to send!

I also made another gift for my Christmas Stocking swap partner, Carrie. This stuffed bird ornament can be found in Last Minute Quilted & Patchwork Gifts and comes together pretty quickly. I think if you had the time, you could decorate an entire tree with these cuties using your scrap fabrics!

I knew that I wanted to make several of these for Christmas gifts this year, but now that I have one under my belt, I definitely want to make more! However, seeing that this one is a swap gift, I'm saving the photo for the next page (so no peeking, Carrie)....

Overall the directions are o.k., but I found a few parts more difficult to understand - thankfully, there are lots of photos so I was able to get an idea of the steps I had questions on. Here's a few things I learned:

1) Heavier weight interfacing will give a nice body to the bag. For this one, I used a woven - it's soft, yet firm enough to retain it's shape.

2) The hardest part of the instructions to understand was creating the box effect. I couldn't make the 'triangle' shape so I used this method of squaring off the corners. I found the 1 1/2 inches was just he right size.

3) The inside of the bag is unfinished on each end. If you're looking for a 'clean' look on the inside you might want to think about using a serger or enclosing the seams with bias tape.

Be prepared to see more of these in the future - they will definitely make a fabulous gift!

I seem to really be on a roll sewing up items for my Christmas Stocking swap. My latest creation...

is something a bit on the smaller scale:

Carrie collects Blythe dolls. I know that one of the best parts about owning a Blythe is the ability to dress her up in cute clothes. So to celebrate the season I sewed up a Santa hat and skirt set for her doll. For those interested, I used this tutorial for the hat and found the measurements for the skirt here. To round out this package, I ordered a fun Re-Ment miniature. I think I could easily become addicted to these tiny toys - they remind me of the pieces I used to set up in my Barbie Dream House when I was a kid.

I spent some time n the sewing room yeserday and managed to come up with one more item for my Christmas stocking swap....

I figured you can't have pins without having something to stick them into so I created Carrie a new pincushion. Keeping with a 'sweet' theme, I decided on sewing up a large cupcake (from Sew Pretty Christmas Homestyle)

This seems to be a good size pincushion for either decoration or for regular use and I love the fact that it's weighted down with poly-pellets. I may have to keep this pattern in mind for my next Pincushion Swap.

While Bret and Taylor took advantage of the beautiful day we had yesterday and went fishing, Easton and I went shopping for some swap supplies (so no peeking Carrie!).....

For quite some time now, I've been drooling over the gorgeous pin toppers at shops like GigiMinor (I even purchased a cute Starbucks pin a little over a month ago). So, for my latest swap, I set out to make my own:

Since I'm not very experienced with polymer clay, I opted to make simple, swirled Christmas lollies. For the most part, they turned out fairly well, although I think that they could use a bit more white in most of them. I also learned several things:

1) Regular dressmaking pins really aren't long enough. The only thing that I can figure that would give me the length are hand sewing needles.

2) Finished pins really need some 'shine'. I used some spray acrylic to protect the surface and give it a bit of a gloss.

Do you know those signs that football players break through at games after they announce the team? Well, that's how I spent most of my 'creative energy' yesterday! I did save just enough to finish one more swap item.

Temporary tattoos! First off let me say, finding realistic tattoo images on the internet was difficult (most were already on skin and I wanted a white background to all the pictures) - I had the best success when I searched for "tattoo flash". Consequently, almost all the images I used were cartoons or related to my partner's son's favorite video games (drat, no sewing related themes).

As far as the product goes itself, it's not exactly what I expected. I suppose when I thought of temporary tattoos I envisioned the kind you stick on your skin and wet until it releases. However, the inkjet temporary tattoos are thin plastic sheets that you print on, cut, peel off the backing and place the sticky side on your body (which makes sense, how would you ever be able to make the kind you wet at home?). They are easy to make and simple to place on your skin (although be careful peeling the backing because the plastic easily tears), but are not as realistic looking as the kind you might buy in stores since it has more of a shine to it. It's a great product for kids, but if you're looking to fool you friends then you might want to try something else. Here's Easton modeling a "tattoo sticker":

Between our schedule this weekend and company, I wasn't able to work on Halloween costumes. I did however work in a small project for my Christmas Stocking swap package.

I decided to make something for my swap partner's son, but I had no idea it was going to be so tough crafting for a 7 year old boy! After some thought, I settled on turning one of his favorite games into a shirt:

For this one, I used a the video game logo on the front and the box photo for the image on the back - I thought it looked more 'ready to wear' that way. I have one more project that I'm working on for him and am crossing my fingers that it will work out!

I'm really not sure how I've managed to find the time, but somehow, I finished my last project for The Office Swap....

For my last project, I made a notepad holder (with Office themed paper and pens inside). I didn't have a pattern for this one, but I've made something similar in the past so I had some idea how I wanted to construct it - and the changes I need to make if I decide to try this again.

First I made the pocket. One thing I changed from my prior version is the size and shape - the triangular pocket wasn't large enough to hold anything effectively so I opted for a more rectangular version. I was really pleased with how it turned out. Unfortunately, I spent so much time fiddling with the design that I completely forgot to interface it. Next, I made the interior slot that the back of the notepad fits through. For this area, I used a welt pocket technique - it's a nice way to produce a finished look to the inside of the notepad. Lastly, I sewed the right lining and the front together, inserted Peltex (to give it shape), and topstitched. I am now wishing I had some sort of closure for this notebook (I'm thinking ribbon ties or a round elastic and button) and added another layer of Peltex on the inside to make it a bit stiffer. I'm keeping both of these in mind - I think that I'll be making more of these in the future.... maybe as Christmas presents.

To finish up this post, I'll leave you with a parting shot of my package. In addition to all the items I've made, I'm also including 'rubber band ball' filled with gum and Dwight's green recorder (so long as it fits in the package, I need to send this one to Australia!):

One of the things I like best about swaps is the fact that I get to try out techniques and products that I typically wouldn't sew with. For my latest swap, I used iron-on vinyl.....

to make coasters:

To make these, I printed off images (The Office themed, of course) onto colorfast printer fabric (just in case liquid leaked through the underside), then ironed the vinyl on top of it. I backed them with flannel and sandwiched some fleece in between the layers. Since I just 'winged' this project, I learned a few things along the way: 1) Once you fuse the vinyl to the fabric, it takes on a different texture - oddly enough, it's almost paper-like (this could also be due to the fact I'm using printable fabric and not a standard cotton). So, when you turn your project right side out, it crinkles and wrinkles and ironing it won't take them back out. If I would make these over again, I think I wouldn't bother making finished edges by sewing wrong sides together, instead I'd use bias tape so turning the project right side out would be eliminated. 2) You don't need a Teflon foot to topstitch the vinyl!

I'd also like to thank everyone for all the nice comments on yesterday's dolls - I hope my partner enjoys them!

Anyone catch NBC's Thursday night's lineup last night? In honor of one of my favorite shows returning to primetime, I want you to meet the characters from The Office (The Office Swap spoilers ahead):

My partner wanted Jim and Pam dolls, but seeing that doll making is not my forte, I decided to take a different route. Originally, I wanted to use 'real' photographs of the characters, but finding quality, full-size images was next to impossible. Instead, I settled on a cute "South Park"-ish style Jim, Pam, Dwight, and Angela. After fiddling with the size and color hues, I printed them off on fabric sheets, sewed, and stuffed them. Even thought they turned out pretty cute, I thought they needed something to bring it all together - a container of some sort. That's when I pulled out a canvas mini bag and decided to embellish it. Unfortunately, my first attempt wasn't so successful:

In the back of my mind, I knew that I might have problems with the iron on transfers I had made given that the canvas\twill had so much texture to it. After much pressing, the top photo is the best that I could get it to look. So, I went back to the drawing board and decided to use a transfer for dark fabrics (you peel the image off the paper sheet and iron them directly onto the fabric. Consequently, they are much thicker than 'regular' iron-ons). I cut the image larger than the original so everything was covered up - the image on the bottom is the end result. So, I learned something new - transfers for dark fabrics are great to use with textured material as well! Oh yes, and here's the back of the mini-tote (with the stuffies inside):

First off, thanks to everyone for all the wonderful birthday wishes. I had a nice day - we went to brunch, ate some cake, Bret saved us from a snake in the yard... I even had the chance to make it into the sewing room for a bit. One thing I worked on was an item for my Office swap package.

One thing my partner wanted was a Schrute Farms Beets shirt. Here's my version:

Unfortunately, I had to use a white shirt (apparently, Michael's carries every color under the rainbow except gray) so it's a bit different than the inspiration. However, it's not a bad 'knock-off'. To give it the spray paint look I used Simply Spray and some oil board lettering stencils. This is my third time working with this product and although it gave me the 'overspray' results I was looking for (although a bit too much), I'm not sure how much I'll be using it in the future. I still find it hard to control the amount of paint that is dispensed and the excess paint pools on top of the stencils horribly. It was fine for this shirt but I can't see how to fix this problem if I was looking to make something 'clean' looking. Anyone have some experience with this product that can give me a few pointers?

After a bit of a scare from the post office (I had a delivery confirmation that said my package had arrived, but I had not received anything in my mailbox), I'm happy to report my Baby Swap package safely made it to my doorstep yesterday. I have to say, I was not disappointed! Here's what I received

An absolutely adorable diaper bag! Not only is it exceptionally made, but it was inspired by one of my Wists - the XPOSED! bag (baby themed of course). The reverse side is in a beautiful print which is also in the interior (my partner even sent me the rest of the material!). She also made another item from my Wist - Monster Kitty...he's even more adorable in person. Lastly, she made Easton a "Born to Rock" tee. With the cool weather we've been having, he'll be sporting this shirt soon. An absolutely fabulous package - I'm so happy that the post office didn't lose it!

In other news, I received my Alabama Stitch Book that I won in the Sewer-Sewist's contest! I've only had a chance to glance through it, but I'm hoping things will quite down tomorrow and I'll be able to sit down and read through it (although we are also going to attempt to make our own beer, too).

If you've been reading the last few posts, you know that I've spent the better part of the week working on a LARGE item for my baby and newborn swap. I'm happy to say - it's finished!

Thankfully, the rest of the bag was put together without any real problems. Since the brocade was heavily interfaced, sewing it didn't give me many issues (although it did appear to 'shrink' if I ironed it too much) and I think using this material makes the bag very striking. Since it's not a mid-weight fabric the bag doesn't hold it's shape as well as the one in the book, but my partner loves red and black brocade so I don't think she'll mind that it's not nearly as boxy.

Overall, I like the design of the Everything Bag. It's well thought out and is different than anything else that I've seen. However, this is not a bag for beginners! It definitely helps having some purse\bag making experience behind you before attempting this project. Will I be making this one again? Probably not, I'm leaning more toward the "Modern Diaper Bag" now that I have this one behind me (you can see a great version at sewer-sewist).

Some tips if you plan on making the Everything Bag for yourself:

1) Cut precisely, double check your measurements.

2) To achieve a look like the photograph in the book, try, as much as possible, to follow the recommended materials list. This includes using a mid-weight fabric and fusible Peltex (if you can't find fusible, then baste the layers together).

3) Reading the directions before you work on your bag. If you have difficulty with a step, try a mock up with some scrap material or baste as you go. This may save you some frustration if you need to rip out stitching!

After the difficulty I had working with the Everything Bag's divider panel the other day, I really wasn't looking forward to tackling the lining (warning: swap spoiler's ahead, so no peeking if you're my partner).

Thankfully, things went together a bit more smoothly and I was able to put the entire lining together in an evening:

Let me stress - cut precisely! I think that I was a bit off on my pocket panels (I may have added an inch to the length?) because it looks as if my pockets will come up much higher than the photograph in the book. By the time I realized this, I had sewn most of the lining together and decided against ripping it all apart. Hopefully, this won't effect my sewing later on. I believe the hardest part is over - the rest of the bag should whip up fairly quickly!

Have you ever worked on a project that you swear is cursed? I think I may have found one..... (swap spoilers ahead)

I spent the greater part of an evening attempting to figure out step 1 to the Everything Bag. Even though I finally finished the divider panel, I didn't follow the directions - mostly because I really had a hard time figuring out what I needed to do initially. I think if I had to do it over again, I could correctly assemble the divider, but don't quote me on it! Here's where I left off:

Why the difficulty? I think there's several reasons, some of which are my fault:

1) According to the book, the Everything Bag is a 4 out 5 on the difficulty scale (so not the easiest project, but not the hardest either). I think that going into this project, I really underestimated how hard this bag would be to construct. There's nothing like going into something thinking it will be easy to sew and finding out otherwise midway into the project.

2) Sloppy cutting. I'll admit it, I didn't take as much time carefully cutting out each piece and each layer. Preciseness makes a difference. Oh yes, and make sure you have enough material for the lining - I didn't measure my stashed lining fabric only to find out that I didn't have enough for the divider. Thankfully, I had some red material on hand and was able to make one from a complementary color.

3) The directions (or at least the ones for the panel) are difficult to understand. Even though I kept reading them over, I never fully understood what I needed to do. I'm not sure if this is the directions fault, or if adding a 'floating' divider panel to a bag is such a new (and foreign) concept that I need to try it a few times before I 'get it'.

4) Substitution of materials. The material list calls for fusible Peltex to make the inner divider panel stiff. As much as I tried to find some, my local storesjust didn't have it at the time, so I used 'regular' Peltex and some quilting spray adhesive. This isn't really a great substitution (the quilting spray doesn't really stick well and will eventually 'slide' around) and caused a bit of a headache. Looking back on it, I should have just taken the time to baste the layers of Peltex together!

What do you craft when your swap partner is a James Bond fan?

Bond themed onesies!

Over the weekend, I had time to finish one more project. A second set of baby booties (warning swap spoilers ahead):

This round is for my baby and newborn swap partner, but I did manage to trace off a larger size for Easton and intend on making a set for Halloween. I also started cutting material for the 'large' swap item - Amy Butler's Everything Bag from Little Stitches. I've been itching to make this project for awhile now and I thought a swap was a good excuse to try it. So far, the brocade has not been fun to work with... and I haven't even started sewing it!

Thanks to some extended nap times this week, I was able to start my baby swap package (so no peeking of you're my partner).

One of the themes she liked was teddy bears - believe it or not, I had looked at my local stores and never found anything, so I went with another one she liked.... rubber ducks. Jackpot! I found 'just the right' fabric in the nursery section of Joann's and went to work on a 'themed' grouping of items:

So far, I have a burp rag, bib, and an embellished onesie. I intend on finishing up the set with a pair of baby booties and a rubber ducky soap.