Catching up...

I hadn't expected on being away for so long! When I'm gone this long you can be sure that I'm...
-exhausted
-caring for sick child(ren)
-working on custom orders
-caring for teething toddlers
-very tired (aka exhausted)
-messing up craft projects (a tunic that turned out way too big)

I've been doing all these thing the last few weeks, I even took a break from crafting. Then I had to get to work on this guy for my Q's birthday on Saturday (7 years old!?). He's going to love this alien/monster/creature. I'm glad I found a project to use up some acrylic from the yarn stash. And he's soooo soft!
These mitts I finished yesterday (cruddy pictures) I love the fit and they're wool so they'll be so warm. I made them from a recycled sweater and I'll be making more for sure. I'm even storming up ideas how to make a pair that Rowan can't get off. I need to make them fast, I'm sure we'll get a dumping of snow anytime and she doesn't have any proper snow mittens.

A funny mitten story...I started working on these and then realized I'd made two left handed mittens. My partner was there when I'd realized my mistake and he laughed at me (it's not *that* hard a mistake to make!) he said my only option would be to make two more right hand mitts, so then I'd have two pairs of mittens. So I still need to finish them right hand mittens up, this seems an awful like a project that won't ever get finished.

I've been sewing pads too, which I haven't been doing much of so it seems a little remarkable to be showing these off. These two 12.5" pads are topped with bamboo velour. They're for a trade and I'll pop them in the mail on Monday.

I was so excited to get a custom order for these minky topped pads that I sewed them up right away. They're all 11" and have hidden PUL.

Now, I've been wanting to share my Christmas craft list with you, hopefully I can squeeze this in while the little one naps :) Some gifts I just keep changing my mind on, particularly my gifts for my sisters.

One thing I really want to get made is a Waldorf style doll for Rowan. I bought this pattern and I'm hoping to get started on the doll next week. I've read through the pattern and it's very clear and helpful. I want to be able to take my time and make her as perfect as I possibly can, if I rush on this it won't be pretty and I'll be so disappointed. I discovered you can buy pre-formed Waldorf heads, how clever. Laying in bed last night I wondered if I should've gone that route, but I already have all the fabric to start from scratch so that's what I'll do (this time).

The rest of the gifts are pretty simple....

-pj's for both the boys (I already have a pair for Rowan thanks to a trade)

-oven mitts and a doll sling for Rowan

-some new holiday bunting flags (need to get these done soon, I'm tired of looking at my fall theme flags)

-gifts for my sisters (potholders, t-shirt totes, mitts, bunting flags???? I'm not positive yet!)

That list isn't as scary as I thought, I'll be more things added I suppose. I need to figure something out for the teachers but those gifts might just be bought this year.

phew, is that my longest post ever?

How to Grow Pajamas

As mentioned in a recent post I recently re-sized some pj's for my son. I can't take credit for this idea, I happened upon some pj's years ago in a bag of hand me downs that were my nephews. One of my sisters grandmotherly in-laws had used this trick on a pair of pajamas, genius I thought and stored it away. It's probably a depression era trick.

I should have taken some pictures along the way, but I didn't so hopefully these pictures help...it's very simple to do. The idea is just to add length to the body, arms and legs.

In our house kids tend to grow taller faster than anything else. So the jammies still fit in the waist but they get too short in the arms and legs and tummies catch a cool breeze.

Soooo, onto some instructions


-find some similar matching (or not) fabric. Try to use a similar weight of fabric as the original jammies are. (these pj's are flannel and I used microfleece, it worked fine)

-cut into the pj's. Just a single straight cut across each arm and leg and across the torso of the shirt. You're not removing any fabric here, just cutting straight across to allow you to insert the new fabric.

-using the pj's for sizing cut the fabric inserts, add about 1/4" to allow for seaming along the sides too. Make the fabric as long as you need, I'd say I cut mine in the range of 3" and that's giving my son plenty more room to grow.

-sew along any side seams on your fabric inserts

-next pin your new fabric into the pj's and sew them in (see the top photo)


That's it! It would've been easy enough to go buy some new pj's (but honestly I'd have rather not!). These pajamas were thrifted and my son has been wearing them for about two years, now they'll last another stretch and likely be handed on to a nephew.

Challenge Met

I found some time to finish up my upcycling challenge. The projects piling up were starting to drive me batty! I've been going a little crazy making fun bath mats lately. I took the rest of my towel and cut it to size, serged the edges and appliqued these mushrooms on them.
I finished up the family cloth too, I think I did about nine of these circles. I only intended on making 4 or 5, but then I thought with the youngest being close to two years old (and hopefully getting some great ideas about using the potty) I may need some extras.

I still have some of the flannel and velour left but I put it away with my fabrics. I thought it would make adorable doll pajamas someday.

I dug out some flannel to make some pajama pants (for me!!) and I've also got a pair of my sons pj's out that need to be made bigger. I'll show you how to grow your pj's next week. Do you have any crafty ideas for the weekend?

new pants from old pants

I got one thing made from my pile, of course I'd like to have gotten more done by now but the little one is sprouting more new molars and has me exhausted. The projects are piling up on my work space.
So these little pants are what I made. I find it hard to find comfy, simple, warm pants that fit over cloth diapers so I've been making most of her pants. I made them from the red velour pants, and there's still fabric to use up.

I also made some new family cloth wipes from some of the flannel pj pants and the towel, I still need to serge most of them though so I'll get a picture later on. I'm a little stumped as to make from the remaining fabrics....a bath mat maybe?

Being Mindful

It's been a busy couple of weeks since I last posted. I remember saying that my next post would include a holiday craft to do list, but I've barely even thought about that (which isn't a good sign with all the gift crafting I'll need to do this year). What has been piling up in my bedroom and sewing area for a long time is clothing that I've been meaning to re-purpose. I decided to challenge myself this week and see what I could make from these three things (just a small dent into my pile!) In the picture are a pair of women's red velour yoga pants that I thrifted for $1, a pair of women's flannel pj pants that have always been too short for me but I love the mushrooms print, and a worn out orange towel.


Re-purposing and altering clothes has become something I've been thinking about more and more. I donate a lot of things we're not using or have outgrown but sometimes I love the print or the fabric (often because it's useful ie: velour & terry are super absorbent). Another reason I've been doing more re-purposing is economic, I just need to. It also feels like the environmental and ethical thing to do since it creates less demand on manufacturing, creating and transporting fabrics and goods. And sometimes I'd rather create what we need with things we have on hand rather than make a trip into town for something we 'need'.
I have managed to get started on creating some new goodies from these items and I'm hoping to get back this week to post them. One thing I'm still learning is to have patience when you're taking an item apart. Look at the notions I scored from the flannel pj pants...elastic, some trim, and a wooden button. There's also a sneak peek at at least one thing I'm making from these things, can you guess what they are?

Upcycled Star Wars Style

I sewed these bibs up yesterday, they turned out amazing! I also made a couple of non Star Wars bibs for my youngest (she's over due for some top quality mama made bibs!). Anyways, the Star Wars bibs have been added to my Etsy shop. I'm sure when my three guys see these bibs they'll insist that their sister/daughter is their rightful owner, so somebody go grab them!

A vintage pillowcase dress

My aunts are avid thrift shoppers with a weakness for vintage linens. This pillowcase was one of their finds, and I've hung onto it knowing I'd have a use for it someday.

This project was so easy and so fast. There's lots of tutorials out there on how to sew one up here's the one I used
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art55523.asp

This pattern uses elastic across the chest and bias tape to close up the raw edges around the arms and create the ties. It turned out perfectly and this will fit our little girl for a long time since it starts off as a dress and can be used as a shirt as she grows. You can put a shirt under them too for cooler weather. Versatile clothes are the best. I've got a few more vintage pillowcases I'll be making into dresses.

just a tip, this pillowcase had some little stains on it but I washed it and hung it in the sun and the stains are gone.

While I was searching for a tutorial for the little dress I re-discovered this site http://sewmamasew.com/tutorials.php#i6 it's loaded with sewing information and inspirational sewing projects. I love this idea for a patch http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/?p=922 it's making me want to put away my knitting needles for a while and do some hand sewing.

Freshly collected (and just washed) eggs.