Success!

I believe I have successful sewn objects worthy of gift giving!!
I'm calling this my "Fall 2010 Baby Collection"... :)

Here is the first set - a small blanket (around 26"x36"), a bigger one (42"x48") - I really should measure them, and 2 bibs.

The 2nd set - one big blanket (42"x48") and a bib.

Just the green bib...the backing is the tye dye material in the pic following...

...the blanket...I liked the addition of the polkadotted material...

The big blanket from the first...

and the 2 bibs...one is smaller than the other, and this pic shows both sides of each...

and the smaller blanket, the first one I actually made...then I realized "wow. thats small!"... but then I was thinking in a stroller or car seat it would be great, why would you want all that 'extra blanket' when you could have a compact one!

Staycation

What a stupid word! Really, it means "too broke to go anywhere but you don't want to seem like a loser at work so you take your PTO time to stay at home".

That's what I'll be doing next week...and as tomorrow is Friday...it is something I am looking forward to.

Next week I plan to:
clean
sew
knit
sew
sew
cook
go to farmer market(s)
knit
cook
sew
finish my book
spend lots of time with my boys

Sounds fulfilling to me!!

My first quilt...FAIL.

Never use cheap materials.
When I bought the material for my first baby quilt, I was thinking 'cheap'. It would be a test, trial and error, certainly there would be many errors along the way. Well, it came out pretty OK. Not the greatest quilt, a crooked stitch here, one or two more there, the blocks didn't alway line up, but otherwise, it looked pretty good. I decided to wash it...and now lets say the dogs have a new quilt! :}

It separated in placed from the binding around the quilt and even some of the seams in between the blocks ripped. I'm contributing it all to cheap materials, which there were. So, I let it dry and then I sewed it just to have it be in one solid piece again - which means there are now stitches where there shouldn't be, but its together, and Spike and Stoli can decide who gets to lay on it.

Today's lesson: buy good materials.

:)

My first quilt

Not the greatest pic since it's from my phone, but here it is, my first every baby quilt sewed by me! It won't win any prizes but it's not too shabby for just learning how to sew!

...almost...there....

Just finished my science final exam!!!! And...just ... about...finished...with...school!! Rocked the exam with a 94!

Sunday

This is a sewing machine table Dad got for me...I have to rearrange my space to make it work...which I will, because I do think this will be sturdier than the table I am currently using (seen in background).

This is Stoli outside sitting on my lap. Stoli loves to be outside. Even if it is 100 degrees out (which it wasn't tonight, I'm just saying...) One thing I realized with Stoli - we can both sit outside for long periods of time and just listen and look. We both will just sit there and we'll hear a bird, and we both look simutaneously. It's funny. He loves watching birds. Occasionally he'll run after one, but for the most part, he'll just sit and watch....and listen. Unlike Spike - who comes out, does what he has to do then goes back in. Just like M. Spike and M have no interest outside. Me and Stoli - we like the outside. :)

Ok...this is a cool, HEAVY, metal "I don't know what"...plant stand maybe, but I saw it over at my folks', something my dad picked up at a yard sale for $3...I liked it..he said I could have it. It works great as a side table as seen in the pic above! I'm thinking of painting it...black maybe, a real shiny black? I don't know... I have to think about it. It's really heavy...

Close up of the detail....

Tote bag

I did successfully sew a tote bag! It is almost darn near perfect too, I 'd say! It's for A. I gave it to her today. She seemed happy.

The front is one pattern, the back and handles are another , and the lining is another as well. It's cute. And not bad for the 2nd one I've ever made. I even made rounded bottom corners! Go me!

Phoenixville Farmer's Market

What a find! A & I checked out the Phoenixvile Farmer's Market today....and we give it an A! It's open May through November, and draws alot of people and their dogs (which I love!). I got dog treats, cup cakes, cookies, bread, goat cheese, wine, tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes!, peppers, cucs, onion, zuchinni, peaches, pears and plums! Everything looks beautiful and from what I've tasted already; delicious as well! I'm definitely going back! BUY FRESH. BUY LOCAL. :)

Crooked Stitches

Crooked Stitches. That's the name of my line of handsewed items I will sell someday and make millions from. The little red and black bag I made the other day. It started out larger than the end result, but I finished it after drinking a bottle of wine and let's just say that sewing and drinking don't mix. I had to make a few "adjustments" along the way.

These are two I made a few weeks back. They're drawstring bags and quite cute. Still in the practice practice practice stage of sewing so stitches aren't always straight, along with a few other minor things.

Never. Sew. Drunk.

This is sewing right side against wrong side, which is WRONG! This is what happens when you drink a little bottle of wine and then jump on the sewing machine. NOT GOOD!