Sewing Swag WINNERS!

Tags

blogging, Giveaway, patterns, project, projects, sew exhausted, sewing, Simplicity, vintage patterns

I would first like to start out and just thank everyone again who entered for reading Sew Exhausted and thank you all for all the wonderful comments! I have enjoyed reading every single one of them. They sure make me smile! 🙂

And now to the good stuff…

I wanted to rent out Catja’s kitty but he seems to be booked pretty solidly so I asked my eldest daughter Kadi if her birds- Akua and Milo would like to play along.

Meet Milo…

This is when he was a baby. He was only 2 and a half months old! (He was still in the store in Texas where Kadi fell in love with him and HAD to bring him home!) Milo is a sweetie!

And Akua has been with us a few months longer. She is about a year old and Kadi adopted her from another family. She is a brightly colored conure!

And here are some pics of Akua and her mommy!

ANYWAY… I bet you are ready to see who our little birdies chose!?

I actually was very concerned about getting them to WANT to play along but she had a very clever idea. A and M LOVE sunflower seeds. So we took pieces of paper and wrote the name of everyone who wanted to enter on a piece of paper. Then we set them all out in a neat circle with a sunflower seed on top. (I did not set in any order or know who was where. I just randomly set them down!)

If you had just commented without choosing a number you were eligible for all 4. Otherwise if a # was stated it went to that person- (hope that makes sense!)

At first they just sat there… Then Akua tried to “escape” the circle. We put her back and after a minute or 2 they realized there were SEEDS there! 😀

And here are our winners…

Giveaway #1 The winner is Anne W! Anne takes home the lovely floral fabric and the pattern size of her choice!

Giveaway #2  The winner is KSGentry! Three fabulous patterns to add to her collection!

Giveaway #3 The Winner is ElaineOC. Another three patterns! Hope you can use them!

Giveaway #4  The Winner is Kim! I am excited to see what you decide to do with this!

CONGRATULATIONS to all the winners!!! And thank you to EVERYONE who entered! I really wanted to send you ALL something! If you could either DM me your address on TWITTER (SewExhausted) OR email me sewexhausted@ g mail I will get your sewing swag in the mail. 🙂

I am thinking Milo and Akua are very pleased with themselves…

Hugs!

Laurie

Cool! A Giveaway!

Tags

blogging, easy sewing projects, fabrics, fashion, Giveaway, patterns, projects, sewing, vintage patterns

I have so many things to celebrate this month.. A year of it being just me… a year of blogging… a year of getting back to sewing and finding that sewing is definitely MY thing… a year of finding more of myself… a year of creating and getting excited about something again… a year of making new friends… and dang I could keep going but I will stop there!

I told myself when SewExhausted hit 10,000 views we would have a giveaway. Well, that time has come and here I am with even more to celebrate! And actually in the last week or 2 we have shot well over the 10K mark so I am lagging! But it seemed like a perfect month for it to land. We started the blog 3 years ago but it was pretty much ignored for 2 of those years. Last October though we got going “for reals.” And here we are! 🙂

FIRST.. THANK YOU to everyone who has ever read one of Sew Exhausted’s posts. I could not have this giveaway with out you! I truly enjoy writing and sewing, and being able to share what I create is just pretty darn cool. (This is where I thank the internet! lol)  Just being a part of the blogging world has been a joy. I LOVE to read blogs and see what you are making. I also get ideas and feel challenged to do better with my sewing when I read what you are up to, or cheer you on, or learn something new from you. Seeing you on Twitter, or Facebook, or Instagram makes my day! Joining in with you on various sew-alongs and challenges is great fun too. I finished TWO vintage dresses this last month because of you guys. 😀

Here is what I have for you. And if I could ask one thing it would make it all the grander. (I saw this recently on someone else’s blog for their anniversary giveaway and really liked it!) If you would like to be in the drawing, when you comment, please tell me one thing you like about my blog, and a suggestion on a way I could improve. (I know there is ALWAYS room for improvement!)

And now to the giveaways.

Giveaway #1- I have this fabric and pattern from Simplicity. 3 and 1/2 yards will do up ANY of these views in any of the sizes. (Just let me know which pattern size you want me to mail you if you are the winner!)

Giveaway #2 Three patterns in sizes 6-14. I love the flowy dress on the right. It would make a pretty spring dress or something pretty for a special occasion. The pattern with the skirts has some great options!

Giveaway #3 Three patterns in sizes 8-18. The middle one I have carried around for years but still never used it. I adore foofy skirts… but realize they just don’t look good on me. But I know they look fab on quite a few of you!

Giveaway #4 One yard of this plummy Marc Jacobs quilted suede. It is 60 wide so if you are in to vests it would make a GREAT one- or maybe a pencil skirt? It for sure will make a great suede bag. That is what I am doing with the other yard! You can use the pattern I included or use on of your choice if you are the winner!

Leave your comments and let me know which giveaways you like. If you want to be in for all 4 that’s good too! I will be drawing next week on the 11th so be sure to check back after that. I will also ship ANYWHERE.

OH- and another thing. Most bloggers I know love comments, and I am no exception to the rule. I get really excited when someone takes the time to leave an idea or suggestion, a compliment or an observation. I try to always respond. 🙂 To date I have 746 comments- of course half of those are mine but I really wanted to give one of my “comment makers” a gift as well. Those comments sure can make your day when you have posted something new whether it’s an epic fail or a fabulous success or even a cry for HELP.  🙂 My top commentor is Gjeometry! She has commented 38 times on my posts!

I’d also like to thank  SewingForFun  who comes in at 23 comments, Pretty Grievances  and my flicker sewing friend Shar who come in tied at 21 comments. Thank you so much ladies!

Whew… giving stuff away is fun and exhausting! And I have not even done the drawing yet!

Finally, I wanted to mention something else. For those of you that have been a reader for the last year you may wonder where Kerrielee (my sewing partner in crime and cousin) has been. You also know she is a momma to 5 kiddos 2-18 years old. Welllll… she and her hubby are in the process of adding #6 so she has been taking a break. I hope she isn’t too busy to come back, and I hope I will suffice for now!

xoxo Laurie

PS… I think I will do this EVERY October… it is MOST fun!

PPS. I have another Anna dress finished and an exciting new project. (Well, it is exciting to me anyway!) I will share soon!

Mrs. Teapot and an OOOPS… #FallForCotton

Tags

challenge, clothing, fabrics, Fall for Cotton, fashion, patterns, sew exhausted, Vintage, vintage dress, vintage patterns

I live on the West Coast, and it is 8:32 PM PDT. I figure I am good to go and will make the Fall For Cotton deadline. Right? I never thought about time differences and just knew I needed to be up by midnight- But midnight my time is good I hope!

I finished Holly’s vintage Fall For Cotton dress last week and you can read all about it here. Mine was next (although I squeezed in an Anna dress in between for my class reunion). My Fall For Cotton Vintage pattern came from Vintage Martini and I thought it was a great dress and would be suitable for me. It is Butterick 9499, and when I googled it, I got varying dates so am not certain. It is either late 1950’s or early 1960’s. Thoughts?

I went with a green cotton broadcloth, keeping in with the Fall For Cotton Challenge. I bought this a while back, and paid $1.99 a yard for it- which means this dress cost me about $10 bucks to make. 🙂

Cotton… I gotta say it needs same spray starch and a better pressing than I was able to give it. The dress was ready yesterday, but I had noone to take pics! Hence the barely made deadline!

When I came out in all my glory yesterday my youngest told me I looked like Mrs. Teapot. My eldest told me I looked like the lady who had a bunch of stuff in her suitcase. Ahhh, children! I let them BOTH know I felt like Beavers mother. (And I received blank stares) 🙂

I like the dress for the most part. The cuffs are fantastic… I covered my own buttons for both cuffs. The 2 buttons on the bodice came from my button jar. The belt is dreadful. I am going to make my own belt and make a few changes to the dress. I love the dress but I am not sure the pleated skirt is flattering to my shape. I am thinking about removing the skirt and making it an a-line skirt. I love the bodice and the collar though. And I really like the shade of green. 😀

I do have to confess to an “ooops.” I did not notice it until I was buttoning up the cuffs for picture time! I put one of the cuffs on backwards! Not sure where my head was at that moment but I guess I will have to remove it and see if I can fix it. I may have to make a whole new cuff though!

And this is my Fall For Cotton/ Mrs. Teapot/ Vintage dress. Should I change the skirt out to an a-line? And do you use spray starch to iron your 100% cotton dresses?

OH! By the way, this dress also takes care of one of my Sewlutions from Jan 1, 2013. I wanted to make 2 vintage dresses for myself in 2013… WHEW!

~Laurie

#FallForCotton – A Vintage Dress and a Classic Car Show…

Tags

100% cotton, daughters, Fall for Cotton, patterns, sew exhausted, sewing, Simplicity 4432, Vintage, vintage dress, vintage pattern, vintage patterns, vintage sewing

When the Fall For Cotton Vintage pattern challenge was announced a while back I hopped on board for 3 reasons.

#1- I love vintage patterns and have a ton! (And if you have a ton you should use them if you can!)

#2- I love cotton. It is simple, feels nice, and comes in all kinds of prints, colors and designs.

#3- I LOVE sewing with the sewing community! It’s like an international sewing bee where we get to support and be supported!

And I also decided 2 things. I was going to make a dress for Holly out of a vintage pattern that has been at the top of the stack for ages now… And I was going to make myself one too… Because “The Mistress Demands” that I do. Wellll, actually I made a sewlution (New Years Sewing Resolution) back in January and it involved TWO vintage dresses and a coat. To my chagrin I am not even close to completing that and this year SPED by so fast I am still trying to catch up! I must say though that the “Keeper of the Jar” is a hard taskmaster when you have not started what should have been started. We were chastised just this past week. But I will persevere regardless of the fact I only have 100 days left. (Hey, that actually isn’t too bad!)

But for now, here is a really LOVELY dress if I do say so myself for my middle daughter Holly. I couldn’t resist turning this picture in to a vintage pic!

Holly is 18 years old and just graduated from high school. She is attending the Junior college in our area and is majoring in Theater Arts. She is also taking sign language. She would like to be a high school teacher down the road and teach drama and sign and maybe have a community theater on the side. (Unless she makes it BIG in the acting world and in that case she will buy me the BEST sewing machine there is to buy!)

For this dress I used a vintage pattern in keeping with the Fall for Cotton Challenge. We were able to choose a pattern or look from the 20’s to 70’s. From what I could glean on the internet (and correct me if I am wrong) this pattern is from the early 60’s. It is Simplicity pattern #4432.

I used 100% cotton of course! It was a piece of fabric I fell in love with on my recent trip to Oregon. It was on the clearance table and another 50% off so I paid a total of $9 for the whole piece! As soon as I saw it I KNEW it was going to be this dress and it was going to be for Holly. 🙂

The inside is fully lined with a white cotton. It actually started out as a light weight car cover my grandma gave to my mom, and my mom was going to get rid of. It was so soft I said NO! I can use that cotton fabric for lining! And I did!

To take the pictures I took Holly to “Cruisin’ Grand.” In our town, every Friday night from April through September the old classic cars gather up and down the street, musicians come out, and people come to look at the cars, eat, and have a fun friday night. I knew it would make a perfect backdrop for Holly’s classic dress!

Isn’t Holly a doll? Haha… She totally got in to the fun of it. While we were taking pictures a woman came up to me and said Holly looks so girly and feminine and pretty! She said it was so nice to see a young person dressed like that and she thanked us for for bringing back great memories of when she used to have dresses just like that! 🙂

As you can see we had tons of fun modeling with all of the cool cars from all different eras. (ha! 20’s to 70’s are allowed! Just like our challenge!)

The dress was very simple. It did not call for lining but I wanted to fully line it so she didn’t have to go looking for a slip every time she wanted to wear it. The skirt is very full and spins! Always a good thing in a skirt! 🙂

This car is from 1963-  probably around the same year as the dress I made!

I will be starting on a Fall For Cotton dress for myself on Monday. I have a pretty dark solid green cotton. Fingers crossed I get it finished in time! This Friday night will be the last Cruisin’ Grand for the summer. Maybe I will take my pics amongst the classic cars as well! In the meantime I will leave you with some more pics of Holly and Grand Avenue on a summer night!

~Laurie

Vintage Pattern Loveliness

Tags

dress, easy sewing projects, fabric, Fall for Cotton, patterns, sew exhausted, sewing, sewing vintage clothing, Vintage, vintage dress, vintage patterns, vintage sewing patterns

I LOVE Vintage… There is something about certain bygone eras that speak to my soul. The 1920’s, after World War 1, when everything seemed to change. From music, to dancing, to the fashions! Everything seemed so “relaxed” and fun in the 20’s. Like “Darling, throw on your dancing shoes and long beads and lets go kick up our heels and dance the Charleston!” And did you know that “flagpole sitting” became popular in the 20’s?

The 40’s and 50’s are the years I am drawn to the most. I love how feminine and classy the women were during these years. If you look at any movie star pictures from this time period you see glamour and style. I love the full skirts, the fabulous bright colors that became popular in the 50’s, and did you know this decade brought about the evolution of the bikini! (Although it did not become popular until 1963- but that’s a different story!)

The 60’s and 70’s brought about a much freer and easier feeling. Short skirts, gogo boots, bikinis, and later in the decade (and on in to the 70’s) the hippie movement introduced bell bottoms, batik and tye-dye, and a decidedly more “bohemian” look. I really like that look as well. There is something about those long flowy dresses and drippy sleeves!

That was actually a pretty brief overview of fashion. VERY BRIEF! There is SO much more about fashion and trends that happened during these eras, but if I discussed them all I would not get to share my pattern loveliness with you! So, here it goes. 🙂

I have lots of vintage sewing patterns. Way too many to put into a post. So, I pulled what I would like to make over the next year. (And with my Sewing ADD- which I KNOW is an actual malady, the patterns in my queue can and probably will change)

I recently picked up 8 new patterns from Vintage Martini for EXCELLENT prices. If you like Vintage patterns you NEED to get over there as he has marked ALL of his prices down. I snagged a few 60’s patterns for $1 each!

The 2 on your left are from VM… the other 2 are mine. But I’d really like to make these for my middle daughter Holly. She would look GREAT in them and enjoys this era.

I have to make several more “jammies” for myself before the year is over as it was one of my resolutions. I really like this nightie, the short sleeved one on the left- and am hoping to make it in a soft lace and cotton lawn.

This dress is a 1940’s pattern. I love the clean lines and the detailing. I actually had a dress very similar to this in the 80’s in emerald green with gold buttons. I would love to try my hand at making this in those same colors.

This little 50’s pattern is one I will hopefully make for next Spring/ Summer. I love everything about it and every article of clothing pictured. The blouse, skirt and shorts are all on my list! They just want me to make a picnic lunch, lay my quilt out on the grass, pour myself a glass of lemonade and relax under a tree with a good book. I see gingham and florals and red or blue in my future!

Here is some more vintage loveliness… and another dress pattern I would like to tackle for next Spring. I love the tiered skirt and simplicity of the bodice. This one will take some grading up but I plan on attempting SewBrooke’s method. If you have not read about her experimenting with grading and ratios you should definitely hop over. You will learn a lot!

And this is my all time FAVORITE pattern that I just received (again from Vintage Martini and for just $6!) I want to make it NOW and will most likely use this one for the new just announced Vintage sewing challenge “Fall for Cotton” put on by Rochelle from Lucky Lucille and Tasha of By Gum By Golly.

I hope I can find the RIGHT fabric to go with it. That is always part of the challenge when sewing up a vintage garment- well, any garment for that matter! Because the challenge is to use 100% cotton, I should have quite a bit too choose from! There are cotton sales all over right now! (Fabric.com has quite a selection for $4.95 a yard!)

I guess I will get back to finishing up my UFO’s so I can start sewing some of these babies up. Hopefully I will see you soon with some finished lovelies!

~Laurie

Sewing Camp

Tags

clothing, dress, easy sewing projects, fabric, fabrics, fashion, patterns, project, projects, sew exhausted, sewing, Vintage, vintage patterns, Vogue 8577

Camp… Do you remember going to camp as a kid? I was only able to go a few times during my childhood but those few times were awesome! When I was 14 I went to camp and focused on Astronomy for a whole week. I learned all about the constellations, took night hikes to view the stars and had a grand old time bonding with my fellow Astronomers. Fun times for sure!

As an adult some times we just don’t get to do some of those fun things we enjoyed as children. Mainly I suppose because we have so many responsibilities. Work… kids… households to maintain… Sometimes life can get a bit overwhelming! Well, a few weeks ago I realized I had 192 vacation/PTO hours collected. And upon doing a quick search of my employee handbook, and realizing I was going to start losing some of them if I did not use them,  I put in a request for a week off.

With no place to go, and funds being a bit too tight for gallivanting off to all those dream places on my list,  I decided to enjoy a blissful week at home. And because my 3 daughters are of an age where they do not require me to keep an eagle eye on them, I get to focus on me and what I enjoy doing.

And what could be better than a week of sewing?

I am just starting to come off a dry spell sewing wise. I found myself having trouble dredging up enough energy to sit at my machine and make something- and frankly that feeling lasted for close to 2 months! But, today I  finished a  little halter sundress for Holly- It is quite pretty if I do say so myself! And I am chomping at the bit to start on something new!

So, tonight I started choosing a few more “I have to make this” projects I have wanted to make. I have high hopes I will be able to finish all of these during “Sewing Camp.” AND I have high hopes I will be able to enjoy some time at the beach, walking and hiking, drinking some beers with my friends, and spending some quality time with my girls.

Up first, and I confess I already have it laid out and the pattern pieces ready to cut, is this little number for Juliette. I think this color is going to look amazing on her! I plan on doing the short version of C and can hopefully find some pretty white daisy buttons for it.

Then  I have this marvelous coat. Yes, it is from the 90’s era and I just adore it. The shorter coat in the top right is the view I plan on using. I got this pattern and a few others from the wonderful Katie at Kadiddlehopper thanks to a Twitter conversation we were having one day. She mailed them to me when I expressed interest. THANKS Katie! The fabric is a light weight plum colored wool/ rayon. Because I live in California I do not need thick, heavy, warm coats. But I LOVE coats and think this will be a nice one that I will actually be able to use in the “dead” of a Southern California winter. 😉

This pattern also came from Katie. I have a pretty floral challis that I think will be perfect for it. Ooo- I am so excited to have this skirt! I had a similar pattern way back in the 90’s I loved- and wore a lot. It has a solid black background and I’d like to find a short sweater type pattern that buttons in the back to make in black to go with it. (The one with the pattern shows a little skin and I am pretty certain I need to keep my skin covered!)

Vogue 8577 has also been lurking up at the top of my pattern pile waiting for it’s turn. I have a few shirt dress style patterns but want to try this one. I am not 100% certain it will look good on me. Those pockets are located right at my biggest problem area- But I am going to give it a go anyway. I have a very nice olive colored broadcloth and plan on adding red buttons. Yes, I can guarantee I will be sporting a pair of red pumps when I wear this dress. And I am breaking out of my little self imposed box with this olive dress. I have always liked the color but never owned anything olive. Olive and red… makes me smile! 😀

Finally, I have this ITY print in a dark navy, off- white and red that has been at the top of my fabric pile. If all goes as planned I hope to have a maxi dress accented with a red solid hanging in my closet by the end of Summer Sewing Camp.

I have more I would like to do but I did not want to overwhelm myself. The whole point of vacation is to relax and have fun. If I finish all of these and have time to spare I will gladly start on another project. After all, I have PLENTY waiting in the wings!

Take care! ~Laurie

Sew For Victory- Late but complete…and made from a sheet!

Tags

1940's vintage pattern, easy sewing projects, fabric, Family, patterns, projects, retro, sew exhausted, Sew For Victory, Vintage, vintage dress, vintage pattern, vintage patterns

I finished. Late. I do not know what I was thinking. I KNEW April 1, but it did not click that April 1 was passed. Ah well. I am finished with my blouse, and I am pleased with it.

My pattern was a 1940’s blouse pattern I bought off Etsy from Vintage Girl. It came to me all the way from the UK, but I had to have it… I fell in love with the sleeves! Initially I was going to make the long sleeved collar one with the great cuffs, but the more I looked, the more I wanted to do View 3. And so I did!

I had a lot of trouble getting started. Mainly because I could not find a fabric I wanted. And when I finally found an aqua poplin I liked at Fashion Fabrics, it was time to pay the rent and I could not spare the cash. So in true #SewForVictory spirit I spotted an unused purple sheet in my garage and BINGO! It became my blouse!

See? Aren’t those sleeves great? Although, oops, they seem to require a bit more pressing! I am wondering if I should add the shoulder pads. I KNOW they were the thing in the 40’s… and 80’s… Hmmm- do you think they will be back any time soon? I think the shoulder seam would be in the perfect spot WITH the shoulder pads. I may try it out!

The pattern was pretty easy! I was surprised, because I admit I was very hesitant to begin. I looked at those completely blank pattern pieces with punched holes scattered throughout, and ONE page of directions for several days before I even got the courage to start… and finally I just dived in! And it wasn’t bad at all. As a matter of fact the manner in which they did the collars was very simple! And despite there being quite a few darts, once I had marked and pinned them all they went in easily! And I really like all the darts and tucks. They add a nice fit! So feminine!

On a side note- No pattern pieces were harmed in the making of this blouse. 😀

Inside I used all french seams. Oh how I LOVE the look of the inside of a garment with french seams. I put up the hem by hand using hem tape (lace)… I think the inside looks almost as nice as the outside!

I was also worried about the button holes. It has been years since I have done any, and frankly using my daughters $80 sewing machine (mine is still broken) made me wonder if my whole blouse would become a wadder once I tried fighting with it. BUT they went in without a hitch! Easy as pie… I covered buttons because I wanted a nice clean look.

When I was finished I got out the dye. The color of the sheet was a wishy washy kind of purple and I wanted to deepen it so I bought purple dye, and added in a bit of blue. I think the color turned out perfect! BTW- Purple is HARD to photograph! It is a deeper purple than the one below- It is more like the first pic of me…

I wanted to look like the girl on the pattern but my hair is too long so I pulled it back… BUT I did add a black ribbon as a tie. 😀 I am very happy with my blouse and absolutely WILL wear it! Probably sans the ribbon tie!

I think this is a blouse I will make again. I would change the length of the blouse- I would add on a few inches I think. I would LOVE to have a dressy long sleeved one made from silk charmeuse… and I am still pining after a pretty aqua cotton poplin blouse- maybe the short sleeve one for a springy/ summery top.

I would like to thank Rochelle of LuckyLucille for hosting Sew For Victory (and apologize for being late!) What a great opportunity for us to peruse all the wonderful clothing, learn about what the sacrifices the women made during the war- like working at jobs that typically men held and holding the families together. During my research just seeing the changes in styles from the early to the mid to the late forties was an education! I definitely have a greater appreciation for my grandma! My grandpa was a soldier in the Marines for many years! I definitely enjoyed this foray into that period of time and plan on participating again next year!

That is my grandad! He was a career Marine and joined up in the early 1940’s… Later on he became a recruiter and recruited my mom and several of his sons! 🙂

And that concludes Sew For Victory… Better late than never I hope!

Tomorrow- I will post my David Bowie inspired blouse… Yes, I have been slightly BUSY!

Laurie

ONE HUNDRED HOURS

Tags

challenge, clothing, easy sewing projects, fabric, patterns, projects, quilt, quilting, sew exhausted, sewing, sewing vintage clothing, vintage patterns

Halloooo… and YES- you read that correctly.

I have been mulling this over in my mind for the last week or so. And I discussed it with Kerrielee on one of our 4 mile walks… AND, WELL, I am thinking I can do this! I am thinking WE can do it! Kerrielee took a little convincing, but once I broke it down for her, she thought it COULD be doable. And why not give it a shot? If we only make it to 92 hours, well HEY! That is 92 hours of sewing!

Oh the things we could make! And you know we all have PLENTY to make! A never ending list!

So, this month, we are going to sew for 100 hours. 😀 And that is 100 hours each. We will keep a little tally going in the sidebar in case you want to check on our progress.

The nice thing is we already sew 8 plus hours on Saturday together, and about 5 hours on Drink and Sew Thursday… That leaves 22 days in April- each day 2.27 hours. I just made it an even 2 and a half hours a day.

The truth is it will be easier for me. I have older chilluns. I have a full time job but I work 5 AM to 1:30 PM. At 1:30 Kerrielee and I meet for our 4 mile walk and then I pick up 1 child, my youngest, from school. (She is all of 16!) Off to dance classes she goes and I am free. Sometimes until 9 PM at night! What do I normally do with that time? Ummm- well, I confess I have made great friends with my Roku and Netflix account. Do you know how many GREAT series’ there are out there I have never watched? I watched over 100 episodes of ALIAS! Just finished Season 5 of Mad Men… Watched Lost Girl, Criminal Minds, Warehouse 13, and well, the list goes on and on. I think I can easily find 2.5 hours per day!

Kerrielee on the other hand has a 2 year old at home and 4 other kiddos she gets to care for. AND the hubby– lets not forget the husband. And to top it all off she is caring for her mom too. So, it will be much more of a challenge for her- BUT I will cheer her on. 🙂

So- On our marks, get set… and GO! Let the sewing begin!

Laurie and Kerrielee

PS. We do have a lot of March projects to share- we will do a little March roundup in a few days… AND I have completed my Bowie Sew-A-Long project- I just need to take pics! 😀

By Hook or By Crook… and a Tribute…

Tags

daughters, fabric, patterns, projects, sew exhausted, sewing, sewing vintage clothing, Vintage, vintage patterns

Hallooo friends…

Well, I have returned from Oregon– A little early due to the demise of my daughters parrot- which broke her heart. Aussie was a wonderful member of our family and I will miss seeing him perched on Kadi’s head, squawking every time I take the blow dryer out, trying to sneak under the bathroom door when I take a shower, and welcoming us home.

We did send him off in style… A brand new pot, messages, his fave snacks for his journey, and a beautiful blue hibiscus tree… (That is him just asleep btw!) Oh, and we played Somewhere Over the Rainbow for him too…

Anyway, Now I am BACK! And I need to get back in to the groove. So, last night I organized some of my “stuff” and found I definitely have some things to finish up and some things I better get started on! Here is what I have coming up- and by hook or by crook, some way some how, I am going to get these done! Before March is OVER!

I am FINISHING this darn Polka Dot Frock FIRST no matter what! I have sleeves, neck and hemming… And because it needs a slip and I decided NOT to line it- I am making a blue slip to go underneath- 🙂

This skirt is one I started on before I left for Oregon- I just need to do the waistband, zipper and hem… I made the longer version. I LOVE long skirts!

I WILL finish these 2 pairs of hip hop pants– black ones are Kadi’s and the brown ones are Juliette’s.

I would like to get this made for Holly for Easter– Do you think I am pushing it now?? FOCUS Laurie!!

This is my Sew For Victory pattern. I found it in the UK and HAVE to make this by April 1st. I LOVE this pattern and wanted some blouses so it seemed a no brainer. But now I can’t decide if I should make the long sleeve version with the 3 button cuffs or the most awesome sleeve version in View 3. I watched Romance on the High Seas with Doris Day and she had an aqua blouse on with those fab sleeves. Hers had buttons in the back but OH I fell in love with it! Guess I better decide quickly! Thoughts?

Sighhhh… One of my biggest problems is I have Sewing ADD… I have so many things I want to make, and I am constantly coming up with “OH, I want to make that” and so I get sidetracked. I hope I can follow my “rest of” March plan!

But I better get busy!!!!

~Laurie

What’s in Store for 2013?

Tags

2013, blogging, clothing, daughters, dress, fabric, Family, fashion, Goals, quilting, sewing, sewing vintage clothing, Vintage, vintage patterns

Hello friends and Happy New Year! First I’d like to thank everyone who has stopped by to visit. As a new blogger it has been very exciting to see the views accumulate and read the comments you make. I have also enjoyed getting to know a few of you and found so many great blogs, lots of good advice, and have appreciated the cheers along the way.

2012 was not the best year for me. I think every area of my life was hit in some way negatively- But… along the way I rediscovered my joy of sewing and have returned in a big way. I dusted off my machines and started going through my “stash.” Years ago I had switched to quilting, but after reading about the junky clothes polluting our world I really wanted to get back to sewing clothing. (Not that quilting is out of the picture- I have several I want to make this year! including a Beatles quilt!)

That was 8 weeks ago. I have not accomplished a lot- BUT I did make 4 new dresses, 3 skirts, a bunch of makeup brush holders, and finished a bunch of UFO’s like 5 pairs of pajama bottoms! And, I started blogging again! I have “met” some wonderful new people and my horizons have opened up. I feel so inspired and challenged at the same time! I want to be like these intelligent, creative, fun sewing bloggers! (not a bad goal right?)

So, here I am – entering the year 2013. I am so happy to say goodbye to 2012. I have 365 blank pages I get to discover! Bring it on!

Here are some of my goals. My main personal goal is to be who I want to be- Not who everyone else wants me to be. Yeah- it has taken me a LONG time to realize the importance of this. If you don’t like me- oh well. I like me! Yes! I can admit to that long time crush on Rick Springfield, that I have a love for Bubble Gum music, the fact that my bed is not made (horrors), and that I need to lose 30 pounds! (Oh, I AM going to lose 30 pounds this year!)

And I am going to sew up a storm! I have 2 vintage dresses on the horizon. I want to make a coat this year (shall it be the Minoru from Sewaholic or the Lady Gray from Collete?) I am going to make MYSELF some clothes. I am going to dust off my knitting needles and knit a pair of socks. I am also going to study fitting (so I can make properly fitted clothing) and I just bought a wonderful book on couture. I really want to challenge myself and grow as a seamstress!

Where do I start? Well, it IS January and I will be sewing up a a few items featuring animal print thanks to a challenge issued over at  Pretty Grievances. I am actually going to be REALLY ambitious (why not start the new year right!) and make something animal print for me and each of my girls! We will all be sporting jungle wear. I am purring with excitement already!!! (Oh, CAN I PURR with excitement? Is that possible?)

I hope you all have a blessed and happy 2013. I am looking forward to getting to know more of you and sharing with you in the upcoming year.

Take care! xoxoxo

PS. I just went and made my bed! 😉