Showing posts with label sewing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sewing. Show all posts

Thursday, January 31, 2013

How To - My first big sewing project. A blanket for the boy!

ok I am a very beginner seamstress... I've made a dozen pillows...some baby wipes and a hairband. BUT my son has been driving me nuts for a blanket of out 2 fabrics he picked back in the fall. so to shut him up (yep I said it) I made it today.

He had picked these 2 fabrics



The batman panel was great. I bought it from ebay. And the hot rod fabric is from alexander henry....I know they don't match at all but it's my son's quilt and I told him he could pick what he wanted. and it actually looks really cute together.


So At walmart I picked up some baby blanket batting. it comes folded in a flat big piece. The panel for my son's blanket was 35"x43" so I left 1/2 inch for thread as i'm still not a great perfect line sew-er. So I had to cut my hot rod fabric and batting to the same dimensions...easy enough!

I used this GREAT hobo mom blog for guidlines http://www.hobomama.com/2010/12/sew-cozy-throw-blanket.html


it seemed easy enough... just that it's big and kinda bulky. After pinning than repining the 3 fabrics together (yep I pinned it wrong the first time) I got sewing...I checked repeatedly that I was not going over the edge of the fabric...(which I was at one point..) so I guess in an amateur move I just back stitched all the way back and kept going in a BETTER straight line down the blanket. I will admit that I think I stretched the batting so I had this...ummmmm "overlap" or :wave of extra fabric" BUT batting is very forgiving. I simply flattened the batting along the blanket with my arm, pinned down the overlap and sewed a second seam and it worked out fine and didn't add much bulk at all. I do know I should have ripped the seam and redid it all, however if I did not get this blanket done I would either go deaf from the boy asking if it was done...or stop and put it all away. I thankfully remembered to leave a space open to flip it inside right. Than finished off the open part with a "ladder stitch" ooooooo fancy


I had already poked out the corners with my finger (and you thought I forgot)


I must say it was probably a rather crude way of making my first blanket, but I must say myself...it looks great...and I didn't need to go buy one.... It was also GREAT practice in the "sewing under kids pressure" department. My son adores it, and it will be going on the plane with us soon. The best part of making my first big project is I now know what not to do the next time. I also learned how to break my neeedle and am now going thru sewing withdraw until I get to the sewing shop tomorrow. So with that I leave you be.


I never thought i'd see the day where I could do all this.... With the help of an amazing and encouraging friend and seamstress pam, who has an AMAZING etsy shop st http://www.etsy.com/shop/PKStuff (and I have alot of her awesome stuff)  

a great beginner sewing tutorial I got at http://www.etsy.com/shop/CranberryWay

a naggin son and a genuine desire to learn I got thru it... I'm eager to gt onto the new projects I have planned and cut already! And about those broken needles......well I burned alot of food learning to cook too! 
I'm no longer afraid to sew and it also helped alot with self confidence knowing that in my ADHD mind if I just prepare first and have it all ready the actually put together part is easy peasy


This is his "MOM!!!! i'm trying to play my games" Face!

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Another week another mail bag call!

ahhhhh it's been such a great week!

hot, sticky but full of mail

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm   where to start 

first of all before I forget we have added to out bath line and candles line

I have come up with the best detox bath ever  only 3 ingerdients  essential oil 100% pure and blended (orange,grapefruit,lavender,black pepper but not in that order) Dead sea salt and french green clay....mmmmmmmmm it's so nice. and after you feel all sleepy, not just because of the lavender but the green clay draws so much out of your body in the way of impurities.


than I used the same relaxing sensual essential oils and started a pretty gray candle line of votives and melts, even some in flower shapes

 





So onto mail week!

I got my great as always package from http://www.etsy.com/shop/DragonflyExpression . She makes THE most beautiful paper flowers, the same ones I have used in my jewelry.... I got these




Than I got a package from http://www.etsy.com/shop/pinkdottedowl full of yummy goodness  butterfly scrub soaps, twist up soaps, and lemmongrass fluff soap....great stuff and super shipping. her page is full of stuff!




I caved and bought a heartsy deal for a stitch of mine. http://www.etsy.com/shop/astitchofmine I love beautiful mats and runners for tables and I so quickly fell in love with  this beautiful neat blue and yellow table runner that is perfect in our house I just love it and it is sooooo well made





It's always a joyfull day when my orders arrive from PKSTUFF http://www.etsy.com/shop/PKStuff

She's awesome funny and way talented.. Everything is always made perfectly and she's even done some custom pieces for me
so I got

LOVE!!! and it fits in my organizer





well it seems I was self spoiled this week but it's still STILL because of the postal strike!   although it's been fun the last few weeks getting all my backlogged orders.




SO I guess it will soon be onto school shopping and starting to put xmas stuff away!


Well we'll catch up next week......hopefully sooner and it won't be so hot!!!!!  



feel free to share your thoughts, or if you've purchased from any of the shops in my blog ad your own opinions.....I love to hear from readers!