Ready, Set, Sew!

I am back from my final business trip of the season, which is really exciting. Now my schedule is cleared for lots of sewing projects. I am feeling some pressure of the holiday deadlines, but I am determined to push through!

It’s hard to believe that Christmas is coming so quickly. While I am focused on Christmas for gift-giving purposes, I am also concentrating on Thanksgiving, since my entire family will be visiting! I started looking at new recipes and can’t wait for their boisterous arrival in less than two weeks!

I realize I have to put away the “To Nat, From Nat” projects for a while. The beautiful new “Love” fabric I bought from Amy Butler to make a new bag will have to wait until January as will the cute Favorite Things’ nightgown that I cut out a few weeks ago. It’s time to embrace elfdom!

New Sewing Fun!

I was so excited to receive my copy of One-Yard Wonders by Rebecca Yaker and Patricia Hoskins in the mail today via Amazon. I have been wanting to get my hands on this since my coworker brought back from BEA a promotional brochure about the book. There is something super-appealing about the purpose of this book. Now I can buy a yard of a cute fabric without a particular project in mind and know I will find something to do with it.

I haven’t had much time to read through it yet, but I am already eyeing up the oven mitt and hot pads, the quilted circles shoulder bag, the not-ugly car trash bag, and the origami organizer, just to name a few cute patterns from this terrific project-filled book.

I hope to post finished projects and review the patterns from the book in coming months, so stay tuned!

Finished: Favorite Things’ Sleep Well Pajama Pants

After a super-fun weekend with my good friend Emily, I am excited to write and show off my new pajama pants. After purchasing this fun  “Gothic Flower” fabric from Patty Young’s Mezzanine line made by Michael Miller Fabrics last month, I finally got around to stitching it up using Favorite Things’ “Sleep Well” pajama pattern.

My friend and I each made a pair of the pj bottoms, which we promptly lounged in all weekend.

Click to read more about how they came together.

Heather Bailey Felt

I am excited to share photos of the Heather Bailey felt I received in the mail yesterday. She debuted the product line in September, and it features rich colors of felt that no mass-produced felt sold at a chain craft store could compete with. When I saw the felt in Heather’s newsletter last month, I went into overdrive thinking of felt projects.

My Heather Bailey Felt Is Here!

Low and behold, I had an idea for a project (which I can’t disclose here since I’ll be making it for a family member/friend). I started the project last night and look forward to working on it throughout the coming weeks. I also bought some fall colors in hopes that I could construct a fun decoration for Thanksgiving, since my whole family will be visiting and it could contribute to our festive mood. Anyway, we’ll see . . .

All Rolled Up

Here are the pics of the beautiful felts. I ordered lots of colors: Blueberry, Cherry Pie, Dark Chocolate, Fairy Pool, Ginger Root, Marigold, Mustard Seed, Peacock, Pumpkin Pie, Strawberry, Smooch, and Winter Sage.

Some of My Colors

I’ll be sure to display the finished projects featuring these lovely felts and I look forward to ordering more!

Sew & Stow & Other Happenings

The Inside of My Supply Case

In addition to my Halloween Table Runner, I finished another project this weekend: a supply case for all my sewing essentials. I am preparing to travel frequently in the coming months, so it is important that I have the proper travel accessories to bring my crafty projects along. I saw this cute and practical supply case on One Pretty Thing, who found it via Crafster.org. The easy, step-by-step pattern can be found here.

The Supply Case All Rolled Up!

In other happenings, I have several new projects underway and have a few busy weeks ahead of me:

• I can’t wait for my Heather Bailey felt to get here so I can start a few fun and festive projects;
• I have gone a little yarn crazy and am knitting scarves like there is no tomorrow;
• I am leaving for Frankfurt for a week on Monday;
• my birthday is two weeks away from today;
• I am seeing my BFF in three weeks!

Also, there have been a lot of not-so-nice things going on, so please keep Emily & her broken foot, Sharon & her mom, and all those unemployed who are looking for work in your thoughts. But on a cheerful note, congrats to our friends Sam & Charissa who told us they are expecting. Lots of excitement for them!

Halloween Table Runner and a Great Weekend

Halloween Table Runner

I finshed the Halloween table runner today, which has been in the works for some time. I used Amy Butler’s Truest Triangle Table Runner pattern, which worked out well for my novelty print decor. I am happy with the results and think it looks nice underneath the Halloween tree.

Table Runner Fabric Close Up

We had a splendid weekend eating harvest-inspired foods and even had our first fall chili! Looking forward to more cool-weather weekends enjoying company and eating!

Fun Weekend & New Projects

Though it’s Wednesday night, I wanted to take some time to reflect on the wonderful weekend I spent with my mom. Since we live 2,000 miles away from each other, spending four days together is a real luxury.

While she was here we shopped, ate, and laughed. Some of the highlights were touring Peddlers’ Village in Bucks County, PA, buying items at my local fabric and yarn stores, and eating out, including at the City Tavern in Center City. I felt like I was on a staycation with her, enjoying the fun local activities available in the Philadelphia area. She also enjoyed drinking beers from Yards brewery with my husband, as they just released their Ales of the Revolution bottles.

My First Knitting Project in Several Months

While we visited and relaxed, I got started on several new projects. I’ve started knitting again in preparation for my week-long trip to Frankfurt, where I’ll need something tactile to do. Since I haven’t been too interested in knitting in some time, I was completely oblivious to the totally awesome website Ravelry. I also purchased fabric and corresponding patterns for pajamas. I hope to stitch up some pjs before the end of the year, but, unfortunetly, I am not in time for the PJ sew-along on Sew, Mama, Sew! But thanks to that website for getting the project idea in my head!

Finished: Amy Butler Kimono

Amy Butler August Fields Kimono

After a really nice weekend with my mom in town, I am excited to post the finished Amy Butler Kimono. I sewed one of these for myself last winter, but I hadn’t started my “finished” series on the blog yet. So I’ll write about this as if it were my first attempt.

This project has been on my plate for some time. When in Minneapolis for Memorial Day weekend this year, my mom and I purchased materials at Crafty Planet to make a project for one another. My mom wanted me to make the Amy Butler Kimono because she had seen a picture of mine and I think dreamed of lounging in a fashionable, yet comfortable, outfit. I was nervous when she picked out a fabric from the Amy Butler August Fields collection since it is home-dec weight, but I managed to put the project together with few problems. Plus, the home-dec fabric will be good for winter.

When I made my kimono in winter, I shortened it a lot after reading several blogs that complained about the finished length of the kimono. However, knowing my mom is much taller than me, I decided to follow the measurements as given. I was also excited to custom-tailor the sleeves for her because she has long arms.

Overall, I think she is very pleased with the finished product. However, she still has to finish her end of the bargain. Mom, I am waiting for those fingerless gloves!

Click to read more about the project.

Last Stand

I finished my last yo-yo pillow. While I still love the project, I am ready to move on to other patterns.

Another Yo-Yo Pillow

The humidity is over here and it looks like a perfect weekend to host my mom! Can’t wait for some good times.

Finished: Amy Butler Sleeping Mask

We’ve got a bit of an Indian summer tonight, so I decided to sit down at my sewing table and whip out an Amy Butler Sleeping Mask. I have been eying up this up for some time and this was the perfect night to work on the project.

Amy Butler Sleeping Mask

I love the fabric on the mask, although I don’t know whose pattern it is since I bought an unmarked fat quarter. Nonetheless, I can’t wait to start using it for upcoming travel!

Click to read more about what I learned when sewing this project.