Doting on Deirdre: sewing

Showing posts with label sewing. Show all posts

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Farm Girl Sewing and Garden Updates

This week went by in flash. These three kids keep me on my toes for sure, but I don't mind. I am loving this new busy full life of ours.

I did however get to steal away a few hours in my sewing room during nap time. I was determined to sew something for Deirdre since as I was sorting out seasonal clothes and I saw that she grew out of two of the dresses I've made for her- which really saddens me.

But thankfully Mommy can sew more and I had some very cute fabric on hand to sew something for my farm girl. I especially love this fabric because we own a Dominique hen, who is black with white polka dots. The result was the above dress. I used Oliver and S's free pop-over sundress pattern. You can find the link to the pattern here.

I think I can now say that I am past being a beginner sewer. However this dress was easy. It took me two hours from cutting to finish. I highly recommend it as a beginner project. It is even easier than a pillowcase dress. I even sewed in some ribbon to the dress yoke for some added flare.

Above you can also see our new family rhythm watercolor chart. The kids helped me paint it. So far it is working wonderfully for us. I was inspired by Becca's chart here on her blog, Chocolate Eyes.

I hope you all had a great week too. Below is an update on our fairy garden. It is coming along nicely. Now all we have to do is keep the deer out!

Cheers,

Nicole

PS: Does anyone know of any good summer craft swaps going on? I'd love to join one.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

The Stash

The Stash!

I was recently given an enormous amount of fabric and patterns by a two very dear friends Linnea and her daughter Rachael. She actually is my mother-in-law's best friend, but I claim her and Rachael as my own and as another long distance mother and sister. One can never have too many adopted mothers and sisters.

Needless to say I have great great plans for my 'stash'. More quilts, dresses, pillows, drapes, aprons, pajamas, table runners. I can barely contain myself I am just that excited about it. It also means that my sweet hard working husband does not need to worry about me buying for fabric for a long time! Double win.

The cowboy quilt I just made used gorgeous cowboys prints from the 'stash'. I am very happy with it and I cannot wait to get it back from the quilting shop. Its Jonas' baby quilt. I know that it is sad that it is his 'baby' quilt and he is already 1 1/2 but I did not quilt when he was a baby. :) At least he is getting his sooner that his sister got hers. Deirdre did not get her baby quilt until she was three!

Deirdre's Strawberry Flower Fairy 'Baby' Quilt

A simple outline quilt with a double front and back panel. The back is the Alphabet Fairies.

At any rate I have narrowed my sewing to do list to three projects for the next two weeks.

-Oliver and S Storytime Pajamas

-Oliver and S Seashore Sun Dress

-Summer Table Runner

On another very positive note, Craig and I did a walk-through today of the house we hope to rent staring in August for the next 3 years. The rent is higher than we pay now so we will have to cut back..a lot. But we both absolutely love the house, the yard (its huge!!!), the neighborhood, and the school (if we go the school route eventually- not at least until 1st grade). So here is hoping it all works out. Please pray for discernment for us in the meantime. We will keep you posted!!!

Where the crafting, scrapbooking, and sewing magic happens.

I love my cricut!

My 3rd child, my brother sewing machine!

Daily Verse:

We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. – Psalm 33:20-21 (NIV)

PS: Yes in the first photo above the stash, that is a dagger. Its a Berber's dagger from Morocco. I did not know where else to put it! I brought it back- in my backpack- for Craig. It is still sharp too.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

A Homemade Easter!

Dressed Up!

Yes I know, its about a month and a half late! I have a good excuse though. We recently got a new computer (yay) but all my Easter photos we on the old one, thus the delay. It is not much fun to blog about homemade Easter baskets if -well- you have no pictures of them, right?

OK so here are the finished results!

Jonas' (Left) and Deirdre's (Right)

Deirdre's up close

Jonas' Up Close

So happy!

Very Excited- He knew exactly what to do!

Bunny

Sharing the wealth

Ah so yes. Many hours of love were put into making these baskets. They both were old and ugly thrifted wicker baskets that needed a lot of TLC. I sanded and painted them yellow with a shimmer finish. Then I made matching peach and green Peter Rabbit basket liners. I stole the idea from the new pottery barn liners, which were a ridiculous $25 each, and made my own version! All together the baskets and liner cost me $15. Yes thats right $15. For the paint, fabric, baskets, and all!

As for the contents the only things that I bought outright new were the chocolates, modeling wax, and crayons. So they are not 100% homemade, but I am sorry, I can't do that just yet and nor do I want to. I love Lindt chocolates and I am not interested in making crayons or wax. So there ;)

The books are all used that I got in a thrift store for 50 cents each. They were in brand new condition. I think my best finds were all three of the "Pat the Bunny" series books as well as two vintage Beatrix Potter hardback books. I know right, perfect for Easter time?

Now for my pride and joy, the knitted animals! For Easter I knitted 2 bunnies, 1 lamb, a chicken & chick, a duck & duckling, and a goose. I also sewed 2 tomatoes and two strawberries It took me a few days to a week per animal to finish. I used The "Knitted Animals" book by Anne-Dorthe Grigaff. She is an awesome writer. Her instructions were clear and easy. As a beginner I really appreciated that. I also learned the rest of my basics from her gradually by using all the different patterns. Truly a must-have for knitting play animals for kids.

So at any rate I feel it was a huge success and personal victory for me. I set out to have a handmade Easter, and I did it. My children watched me knitting all those weeks before and were so intrigued and excited. It warmed my heart to hear my daughter asking to learn to knit and requesting em to make her more "babies". All the oohs and ahhhs from her as they came alive on my needles were very encouraging!

After the easter basket opening was all done she remarked, "Mommy, I love it when you knit things for us. They're soo "pree-cious"!

Ah so that my friends if why I felt/feel it is important to have homemade holiday and gifts- when one can do it. They come from the heart and instill a sense of appreciation of effort as well as dissuasion of consumerism. A win-win in my book!

Daily Verse: (Today it is a favorite quote!)

“The child must know that he is a miracle, that since the beginning of the world there hasn’t been, and until the end of the world there will not be, another child like him.”-Pablo Cascals

Monday, May 23, 2011

Quilts Galore

This November my loving husband got me a sewing machine for my birthday. I was ecstatic since it was a complete surprise and also because I had asked for one! Since then I have been slowly learning how to sew with lots of help from my mother-in-law Pam. During winter break and earlier this spring (when I was not so busy with school) I sewed a lot! I made my first quilt, softie tomatoes and strawberries, 2 pillowcases dresses, a pillow cover, bibs, a blanket, and 2 table runners.

But alas my steam puttered out as well as my time and I had to put other projects on hold. But now since I am no longer in school- and hopefully will never have to go back again-I have the time and money to start again in earnest :) So in the past week I have finished 2 quilts and have sent them off to be machine quilted. I am quite happy with them and will post finished pictures when I get them back. Now I have two new oliver and s patterns beckoning me and a log cabin quilt class in June!