Matching Dishtowels

Here are the matching dishtowels for the Friday Night Apron. I did these a little differently than the first ones I tried. I took the feedsack dishtowels that I bought at Target and cut them in half and trimmed off all the selvage edges. Then I put a binding around the raw edges. This is a 1 inch binding, but I think I will do a 3/4" next time. This one was too big. I just put a rectangle of matching fabric about 2-3 inches up from the bottom. I didn't measure, just eyeballed it LOL I am not sure if I am liking this or not, I am planning on trying something different, just not sure what yet. My SIL loved the gift : )

Long time no blog LOL

I was doing so good for several weeks, but it has been awhile since my last post. I went out of town for a ladies retreat, and when I got back it took me a few weeks to get back in the groove of things. I almost hate taking trips because it is always so hard for me to get back to my regular routine. I am such a creature of habit, that I don't do well when that routine gets messed up. While I was away in Gulf Shores, Alabama for the weekend, my amazing dh took all 7 (yes I said ALL 7!!!) kids tent camping. What a man! I wouldn't have attempted that in a million years, but Chad is super laid back, he and the kids had a great time. They didn't have the camera, so no pictures : ( They only came back with a few cuts and bruises, nothing serious LOL

Since I was in a funk, I havn't gotten much sewing done. However, I did finish this apron for my SIL, Gloria's birthday. I am also making some matching dishtowels, but I am not quite finished with those yet. Will take pictures when I am. This is the Friday Night Apron from Vanilla House Designs. I have made it before for one of my best girlfriends. When my SIL, who is also one of my best friends, saw it she requested one for her birthday : )

Here I am modeling the apron, it is also reversible.



Here is a closeup of the front side pocket





Savannah got these pictures of Ava "helping" me sew last night LOL She always does this, it is cute until she starts pulling on my project and hitting all of the machines buttons LOL She was being pretty good last night, thank goodness. She will also take any scrap fabric she can find and lay it out like she is doing something with it, then she picks it up again and starts all over. She mimics me, it is so cute, I am sure she will be a sewer one day. Her older sisters already enjoy sewing and are getting quite good at it. I will have to share some of their projects soon. All three older girls each have their own sewing machines, but always want to sew on mine. I think it is because my much more expensive machine sews so much more smoothly. I wish less expensive machines weren't so jumpy, it makes it hard for beginning sewers to get good results. However, I can't afford a $700 machine for everyone in the house LOL





Anyway, I seem to be back in the groove with life, so hopefully I will have more posts soon! I have LOTS of projects that I need to get done!

New Furniture

We finally bought some new living room furniture. It was so time, my old furniture was almost 12 years old and was in horrible shape. I stupidly bought off white couches, I don't know what I was thinking! I only had 3 small children at the time, and didn't realize what they could do to white furniture LOL Well, it was brownish gray after a few years. I slipcovered it, but it was just DONE.

I was very careful while looking this time around. I got a great heavy duty fabric in a dirt hiding brownish green color. Yes, I learned my lesson : ) They also have low arms and a cool, modern curved front to it. I love it! We also got a special stain retardant on it and they will replace anything that can't be removed, they will even replace a cushion if you accidentally cut the fabric or tear it. Can't beat that for an extra $100, especially when you have 7 children sitting on this furniture LOL It always amazes me the different ways my children can find to destroy my stuff!

Oh, and the sofa is kind of messed up in the front where it curves in, so they have ordered me a new one. I am just keeping this one until my new one comes in. If anyone lives in South Louisiana, I highly recommend O'Halloran's Furniture. Beautiful furniture and GREAT customer service!


Here is the sofa. See, you can see how it is messed up in the front.



Here is the love seat.

Signs of Spring

I walked outside Saturday morning to see this beautiful iris! These are from my Mom's garden, this is their second year in my yard. I called her, and hers aren't blooming yet, this one was an early bird. None of the others are ready to bloom, so this one was special : ) I LOVE spring!

Oh, and my camera took great pictures, I have been having trouble getting them to come out clear, especially when I used the zoom. Problem is, I don't know what I did to get them to come out LOL Hope I can do it again!

Morning Walk

We have a really beautiful neighborhood to walk in. It is one of the older neighborhoods in the city where we live, so there are lots of beautiful, old, mature trees. It is dark when we start our walk, so we always get to see the sunrise.

I love how the light looks coming through the mostly bare branches on this one.
A camellia bush in a neighbor's yard shedding it's petals.

We always see something new, even though we follow basically the same path every day. I have started bringing my camera every morning. Sometimes I get great shots, but usually they are fuzzy or the lighting isn't quite right. I love photography, but am not so great at it. I don't really have a clue what I am doing, so that probably explains my less than perfect pictures. Maybe practice makes perfect. I enjoy the practicing : )

New fabric and patterns

On Saturday, I took a trip to Joanns for the President's Day sale. I only planned on buying some bias tape makers but of course ended up buying more : ) They had their Simplicity patterns on sale for $1.00 each and their clearance fabric was 1/2 off the clearance price! Who can pass that up?! I found these 3 great Project Runway patterns, very cute and stylish and I will be able to use some of the fabric I am expecting from my fabric coop. I never really dress up, so these styles are perfect for me. Hoping to get a cute summer top wardrobe from these : ) I also grabbed this knit matte jersey print for $2.50 a yard, regularly $12.99!!!

I have plans for that jersey, as well as for this one!
I picked up this knit print for $2.50 as well. And I bought this pattern for both of them. There wasn't quite 2 yards of the flower print, so I am making the sleeveless wrap top with it. I have all the pieces cut out, just need to sew them together. Easier said than done considering I have never sewn with Matte Jersey. It is very silky and drapey and was a pain in the butt to cut! It didn't help that I didn't have any ball point pins. Picked some up yesterday at Walmart, so that should help my frustration level. I am determined though, I have tops made in this fabric and they are so flattering, it covers a multitude of sins LOL Wish me luck! If the top turns out decently, I am going to make the wrap dress with the brown jersey. I figure if it is a disaster, I am not out much money and I at least tried. If it does work out, I am gonna be sewing a crapload of Matte Jersey : D


Lastly, I bought the fashion cotton fabric to go with this Amy Butler pattern.


I actually have a beautiful black and white print that I want to make this with, but before I cut up my expensive fabric I wanted to try it out on something less expensive. I really don't like sewing muslins, but realized recently that I REALLY should! More about that later in the post. However, I cannot spend that much of my precious sewing time making something that I can't actually wear because I used some awful cheap fabric. So I was on the hunt for some bargain fabric that was wearable. I was so excited to find this, I got it for $1.50 a yard!!!! It was regularly like $9 a yard. And it is fashion cotton, not the cheap quilting cotton that they sell at Joann's, so I think it will make a really cute top.

I was really happy with my shopping trip, I got some really great bargains! I brought Sydney and Isabella with me and they got some cute doll patterns and fabric. They are doing so well learning to sew using these doll patterns. I barely have to help them anymore. Before I know it they will be sewing their own clothes. I really want my girls to have a love for sewing and all things crafty. They also know how to knit.

Here is Isabella wearing this little shrug I made for her, she wore it to church Sunday.

And now for my sizing, non muslin sewing mess up. I bought this great shirting fabric and Vogue pattern to make a shirt dress. I love this style, comfortable and classic. I made view A.




Well, this was my first time sewing a Vogue pattern. I always made a size 12 in other patterns and since the measurements were the same on this pattern, I made a size 12. I don't know if Vogue's sizing is smaller or if it was just this kind of dress, but after all my hard work, I go to try the dress on and guess what? IT DOESN'T FIT!!!! I could get it on and button it, but there was major gappage at the buttons, so NOT flattering. If I suck in and don't breathe it looks great, but I think I am gonna have to breathe :< I really wanted to cry, because while sucking in the dress looks so good! I am gonna make another one in a size 14, but I can't find this fabric anymore. The good news is that I have a skinny minny friend that this will fit perfectly and look great on, so my loss is her gain : ) At least the dress won't go to waste.

Here is a picture of the dress, which really doesn't do it justice, it looks totally different on. On, it looks like the picture on the pattern. I will take another picture with my girlfriend wearing it, so you can see how flattering it is. I am also going to make a tie belt out of the extra fabric. Oh, and the painting in the corner of the picture was done by said skinny minny friend. She gave it to me for my birthday last year, isn't it beautiful?! She is extremely talented.

Walking again

In September, my dh Chad and I started walking every morning for exercise. For 3 months straight we got up at least 5 out of 7 mornings a week at 5:45 am and would walk 2-3 miles. We did this for two reasons, first because we want to be healthy and second because we are getting older and the weight is getting harder to control. I am by no means fat, and I really don't want to lose more than 5 pounds. Even though I weigh a good 15 pounds more than I used to 5 years ago, I was really too skinny then. I look much healthier now. I just REALLY need to tone up. Having 7 children, with 4 of them weighing in at 9 1/2 to 10 lbs at birth really does a number on your body LOL Anyway, in addition to looking better, we felt GREAT! I didn't realize how sluggish I was, the walking gave me so much more energy, which I desperately need ; ) Well, the holidays rolled around and while we did pretty good through Thanksgiving and into December, we got off track around Christmas. We intended to start back up in January, but kids got sick, we got lazy and here we are the middle of February feeling like crap and looking thick around the middle again.

So, Monday morning we got up at 6:00 am, somehow that extra 15 minutes of sleep made this more doable LOL and started walking again. I can't believe how much better I felt with just that one walk. I am even in a better mood during the day, I can take alot more whining and fighting from the kids before I start yelling :D We even got up this morning with the temps in the upper 30's. I know that is warm to you Northerners, but down here in South Louisiana that is freezing LOL Hopefully we are back on track, I really enjoy Chad's company too, we can talk without any interruptions, which is rare with 7 children. When we get back to the house, the coffee is ready and we sit and drink it together while watching the morning news. A very nice way to start the day before the kids get up, Chad goes off to work, and I prepare for the craziness of homeschooling. Now let's see if we can keep this up in July and August when the morning temps will be around 80 degrees and the humidity 100% LOL The not so great part of living this far down south.

Oh, and here is a pillow I made to go with this home decorating project. This is just the cover because I am waiting on the pillow forms to go on sale. It is 24" by 24", looks bigger than I thought it would, glad I didn't go any bigger. I think I may add some hand embroidery purlsoho style to the brown panels, havn't decided yet. I put a zipper in so that I can take it off and wash it. It is always better if I can wash things, they tend to get dirty in my house for some reason : / I plan on making a couple more pillows in different sizes. The will go on my fireplace and hopefully not the floor.