Successful Sew-In

I am such a happy girl :)

I have baby doll and her quilt done.  I can't wait for my great niece to get her and love her as much as I do.

Still have a dress and PJs to make, but that won't take very long.

Hope you are all having a creative weekend,

Thanks for stopping by.

Another Friday Sew-In

I mentioned last week that I'm giving myself a weekly day to just sew and craft.  I know most serious crafters do it every day, all day - lucky you!! Unfortunately, that doesn't happen for me for a lot of reasons.  This week I only had two days to myself and because of the holiday this week and being under the weather last week, I spent those days (Monday and Tuesday) cleaning and preparing for the holiday.  Newton only had two days of school this week and Honey Do was home on Thursday.

My sew-in list is the same as last week:

Rag doll - she's all put together, just needs some hair and clothing
Doll clothes - outfits are cut out, one is half finished
Doll quilt - few more rows of quilting, then binding
Charlotte pin cushions (x2) - both are cut out; one is half done

I managed to get the baby afghan I've been working on finished, as well as the snowmen stitcheries.

Here is the link for the "Let It Snow".  The other one I found on Pinterest and made a slight design change by having this one say "Just Chillin'" instead of "Just Chill".

I had yarn leftover from the afghan.  Instead of putting it into a scrap afghan, I decided to make a couple of dish cloths.

I have a couple of others that were made for me as gifts, so I thought I'd give it a try.

And finally, I ordered a new to me book - 

I discovered "Tilda" awhile ago on Pinterest.  I'm not sure what I would do without Pinterest.  I originally borrowed the book from the library.  That's how I shop these days.  I check the library first.  If I really like the book, then I order it for my personal library.  Cuts down on impulse buying and I use my limited space more wisely and efficiently because I only purchase what I really want.  So a little light reading for me this weekend as well.

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative weekend.

2014

I know that we are just celebrating Thanksgiving here in the U.S.  I'm not very familiar with other cultures, so I don't know if you have a thanksgiving or a similar celebration.  If you do, I wish you many blessings of this holiday season. And even if you don't have a Thanksgiving per se, I'm sure many of you, like me, take time to count your blessings on a pretty regular basis.  We really do have so much to be grateful for.

Monday, I posted these projects as my weekend sew-in finishes (at least as far as the stitching portion is concerned).  I got a sweet comment from a follower and have asked for more information on the "Let It Snow".  Apparently it's part of a set of 12.  I didn't know that.

I found both images on Pinterest.  I'd like to give the designer credit for it.

Weekend Sew-in: The Results

Friday I told you I was having a personal weekend sew-in.

Here's the to-do list:

Rag doll
Doll clothes
Doll quilt
Snowman stitcheries (x2)
Baby afghan
Charlotte pin cushions (x2)

This is a pretty ambitious list of things to accomplish.  I didn't take into consideration that I hadn't felt well all last week.  Nothing major, just enough to hinder me.

So I spent Saturday afternoon with Sister.  She was crocheting the cutest little animals I've ever seen.

She's making them for her sister-in-law's baby daughter.

So while Sister crocheted, I stitched on the snowmen I started last month when Honey Do and I went away for the weekend.  I haven't put much focus on my projects due to the loss of one of our beloved pups - searching where ever I could.

I finally finished them this weekend.  I've done a set before that I've given to Sister and BFF.  I'm thinking about making small wall hangings out of these.  They are not a top priority but I want to finish them by the end of January.

A follower of my blog said she might be interested in the designs.  I found these on Pinterest, copied the images to a WORD file and expanded them to enlarge.  I stitched them in a variegated blue and am very pleased with the results.  (Sorry about the wrinkles, I didn't take the time to iron them before photographing.)

From stitchery, I moved on to the rag doll.  I started sewing her up on Friday evening.  I managed to squeak out a little time between Newton leaving and Honey Do getting home.  Saturday I stuffed legs and arms.  Today, I have a finished baby :)

She doesn't have hair yet.  I'm hoping to get that done on Tuesday.

I did get her a face.  I am absolutely thrilled with the end result.  I sent a copy to Sister, she wants to make her next.  

I've started making her clothes and she'll have rompers to wear tomorrow.  They are about half finished. 

This is her quilt :)  The machine quilting is almost finished and that leaves only the binding to finish this sweet little project.

I managed to put in a little time on the Charlotte pin cushion, but not enough.  I'll continue to work on her in between projects.  I haven't decided if she'll be a gift yet or not.

The baby afghan is coming along, and I usually only work on that in the evening when I'm watching television.

I wasn't able to stay off the computer as much as I wanted.  I'll work on my self-discipline, that's the only reason the computer takes over all my time.  Between Facebook and Pinterest.  Although, I'm getting additional ideas from both resources, not that I really need any new projects.

Thanks for stopping by, encouraging me.

Wishing you a creative day.

Weekend Sew-In

My plans for today got changed due to circumstances beyond my control.  I started out angry because I feel like I'm always have to make that sacrifice - my time.  When I get behind on my chores, no one helps me get caught up.  Fortunately, lately, when I've gotten in a rut with my sewing I have had help.  Sister came last Friday and helped me finish the pile of receiving blankets that I had only put a small dent in.

I got up this morning and decided I wasn't going to be upset all day because I couldn't do what I had planned (which wasn't all that fun anyway - laundry, clean house, etc.).  I've decided to have my own personal weekend sew-in. :)  I've spent most of this month unmotivated.  There were factors to that end:  the loss of one of my dogs, family stuff, illness, just plain not into it - no motivation.  It's a good thing my blog isn't my livelihood because we'd be having a going out of business sale !!

So, Sister was my motivation this past week and since she sweetly spent time helping me get things done I can move on.  The blankets and other items have been presented to our niece and her husband.  My sewing tables are relatively clean and allowing me space to begin some new projects.

The rag doll I mentioned yesterday is now cut out and partially sewn.

This is the beginning of a dress.  I also cut out pajamas, a romper and blocks for a doll size quilt.

My want to begin something new on Monday - Christmas gifts.

So my goals for this weekend sew-in:

rag doll

doll clothes

doll quilt

snowman stitcheries (2)

Charlotte pin cushions (2)

baby afghan

and NO computer - except to watch a movie or two.

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative weekend.

Life gets in the way

So I'm getting a rude awakening today - -

 Thanksgiving is next week !!!!

I'm thinking I still have a couple of weeks - where did November go?  Did anyone else loose it?  Did anyone find it??  I feel like I've been on another planet and haven't been keeping up.  

So since I'm so far behind, the project for my third and fourth grade Sunday School class will be done this weekend.  Thank goodness, I am ready for that.  Just.  I worked on it yesterday and finished it up today.

It's not anything big or fancy, but it definitely gets the message across and it's never to soon to teach gratitude.  The leaves say:  Thankful for:  _______________ (fill in the blank).  Prep was easy.  I cut out all the circles and put them in baggies so all the children will need to do is color.  I wanted to punch them out, but my punch was too small and I was too impatient to go and purchase a larger punch, so I cut :)

Christmas sewing has begun.  Life got in the way today and none of the things I planned to do were feasible.  So I dropped back and punted.  I have been wanting to make a doll.  I have had this pattern for a number of years (20+ - I said a number, big smile).  I've made rag dolls in the past and absolutely love them.  I admire the people who make porcelain dolls and all kinds of other fancy.  They are gorgeous and the artistry is amazing.  But I like a doll that can be carried and loved and played with.

Rag dolls do that.  My great niece is 3 years old, this is the perfect doll for that age.  Nothing too small and fussy.  Big and lovable - -

20 inches.

I transferred the paper pattern to non-fusible interfacing and cut her out of muslin.  I pinned as much as I could to make sewer a little faster.

Here are some of my fabric choices for clothing.  I'm not going to make too many.  The doll pattern has a romper.  I thought I would make her a dress and some pajamas.  Maybe a doll quilt if I have time before Christmas.

Here's your link - Blog hop.

Michelle at Quilting Gallery is hosting.  Enjoy.

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative day.

Taz helping my make my bed :)

Friday Night Sew-In/Catch - Up

Who doesn't love a nice big block of time to get some crafting done?

Friday Night Sew-In is just the excuse I needed to get motivated :)  I started with a movie, well actually a television series - Legend of the Seeker.

Then I prepared a couple of patterns for sewing.  The patterns had multiple sizes, so I had to choose the one I needed.

This one is for a pooch named Valerie.

This is for doll clothes for a baby doll for a special little girl.

Both will be Christmas gifts.  Next step, choosing fabrics and start sewing !!  There's just a little over a month until Christmas !!!!  I know I'm not ready.

Once that was done, I moved on to an afghan I've been working on.  I made one for my niece for Christmas for the new baby coming.  This one is for me :)

This is a project that will just get done as I go.  The yarn comes in large skeins that are regularly priced at $10.00 each.  So I wait for coupons to come in the mail or it to go on sale before I buy the next skein.  So when I ran out, I moved on to the next project. . .

This baby afghan will be for my great nephew that was born in August.  These are also large skeins, but I already had them.  I'm trying really hard to use supplies that I already have.  It's a good excuse to not spend any more money, but not just financially frugal, I'm trying to clean up my supplies so I only use what I have and have what I need.  Space is becoming an extinct commodity in my home.  So it's time for some serious purging and holiday gifts are the perfect time for that.

These are the receiving blankets and baby quilt for the new little guy coming sometime in December.  For some reason the doctors are having a really hard time pinning down a due date.  My niece has a very good idea when this little guy should be coming and is hoping before Christmas so we can celebrate with him, too.  

So Sister and I did shopping and sewing; invited Oma (German for grandma - Omama is great-grandma) and on Saturday we invaded  invited ourselves for an impromtu baby shower :)

"That's a lot of stuff" :) - she wasn't complaining.

The proud, happy new parents.

Proud Papa playing with nephew (this one was born in August).

Great-Aunt, Oma, Big Sister (new nephew belongs to her).

We all had a very nice visit.  My niece's husband is a real sweetheart, I love her 7-year old son to death, I don't get to see my nieces near enough (they live about an hour away).  My niece and her husband purchased their home - it's actually a "trailer".  I was amazed at how big it was and nicely laid out.  She has plenty of room.  Eventually, they hope to move it to their own land.  Right now they are renting the lot in a trailer park.  So happy for her.  She's waited a long time for Mr. Right.

Sunday was a slow, quiet day.  I was already started to not feel well and that has kicked in full-force over-night with a sore throat and chills.  I'm not getting much done, but I did manage to finish a scrap afghan I've been working on.

I keep saying it, but I need to get the Christmas gifts rolling.  Maybe Wednesday. I'm going to finish watching my movie and try to get warm.  We're expecting snow this coming weekend. It's going to be a long winter if I'm going to spend it ill and cold all the time.

Thanks for stopping by.

Wishing you a creative day.

(Image taken from internet)

FNSI

I got to spend another day with Sister :)  What fun we had.

All the receiving blankets are sewn, wrapped and ready to give to the new babies :)  Also included are the quilts I made a couple of months ago.  Sister took the day off to spend with Mom for her birthday today, but Mom had other plans so we celebrated yesterday.  And we got all this done today.  So very happy.

It's that time of the month again.  What are you working on?  I'm going to try and finish the baby afghan and if I need something else to do I'm going to start working on fleece blankets for the great nephews for Christmas.

Well, off to work I go . . . 

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative weekend.