Not an old dog but I can learn new tricks

So I'm taking this online sewing class right now. (I know, how do you take a sewing class online? Videos people, videos.)  Its a 5 week course on learning the basics of sewing kids clothes.  I've done quite a lot of sewing over the last 3 years but I was mostly making it up as I went along (sorry to those of you who received handmade gifts during that time, but its true) and I recently realized that I haven't really done a lot of sewing for my own family.  So I decided it was high time I learned what the heck I was doing and took a class.  I'm really loving it.  The blog style class is a little hard to follow occasionally (like when the teacher loses her voice and has to post pictures instead of videos) and sometimes I want to throw those stupid half-made pants out the window   take a break but overall it has really been good for me.  I've developed a lot more confidence in my ability and learned some pretty cool tricks/techniques along the way,  I've fallen in love with sewing again (I just turned a pile of nothin into the cutest little dress/skirt/pants/pinafore, etc.) and my little Pumpkin is honored and thrilled to sport her made-by-mama duds.  In fact, she frequently tries to sneak them out of the hamper so she can wear them  six 2 days in a row.  She even tried to convince me today that it was, indeed, okay to wear a pinafore to your ballet class. (She's possibly obsessed with the pinafore because a certain hippo in a certain library book is made to wear one throughout the story.)  I now find myself itching to finish up my chores at night (or skip them all together) so that I can head upstairs to create some little something.  I've even been making things not required by the class.  Last night it was a quick nightgown fashioned from one of daddy's old t-shirts and tonight it was a tiny utility apron constructed of some very flowery fabric in hopes of making tomorrows task of bathroom cleaning a little more exciting for the helper.  We'll see how it goes.  As for me, I'm already thinking ahead to the next thing.  Perhaps my "sewing projects" bin may one day get emptied after all.

Susie Seamstress

So I got a sewing machine for Christmas a couple years ago from my mother-in-law at my request and then it sat in a closet, in a box for over a year. Then my friend had a baby and I decided it was time to bust it out and I completed my first baby quilt unassisted (well my mom did provide some technical assistance via the phone) which basically means I tied it and bound it. In the past I would pick out the material, put it on frames and tie it and then hand it to my mom the next time I saw her and offer to trade a bathroom cleaning for an hour of her sitting at the the sewing machine to "finish it" for me. But this one I did on my own, there are many boo-boos throughout the quilt to prove it.

And since then, I've been bit by the sewing bug and I keep getting these urges to be all domestic and stuff and well, sew things. I am by no means a pro; in fact I'm barely to the point of allowing my completed projects to be viewed with the light on. But because I love ya so much I've decided to show you some of the things I've completed recently. You don't even have to turn off the light!


Front and back of a baby quilt for my new niece Lucy.


My first attempt at baby burp rags with towel fabric on the back. Yes I am aware that they are not even rectangles. Thanks for pointing that out.


A queen size quilt I made as a going away present for my friend Monica. Grams helped me tie it and Gramps helped tack it to the frames so I made them be in the picture. Aren't they cute?


A very tired Pumpkin modeling my most recent project: a kids size apron. That right there is the first ruffle I've ever done. Don't look too closely.

So that is some of the stuff I've been up to lately. Now I'm planning out all my homemade Christmas gifts. We'll see what unfolds. (Note: I am fully aware that I stink at putting up photos on here and making them look all nice and cool with the text that goes around them and such. It's on my to-do list to improve in this area. At this point I'm lucky that there are pictures on the blog. So bear with me!)

The Laundry Chronicles - Edition 1

This morning hubs came out and said “now is hemming pants one you do?” I am not the accomplished seamstress that some of you may imagine, despite the kick-butt headbands I churn out for the hairless Pumpkin. Due to this fact, I have let my husband know what things I DO sew (or attempt at least) and the things I DON’T sew (button holes for example). Remarkably for him (considering the don’t list is about 4x as long as the do) I will attempt a hem here and there but I couldn’t help but think, “why in the world do you need pants hemmed this morning?” and I said as much, to which he responded “because I don’t have any clean pants to wear to work and I can’t wear these unless they’re hemmed.” Hmmmmmm…….I knew there was a reason I was going to put that load of laundry in yesterday instead of sitting down at my computer to……….blog! (I wonder what task I’m not getting done at this very moment due to writing this post; it’s probably not that important!) Did I mention I really hate laundry? Luckily there was a pair of his work pants sitting atop the laundry basket completely slightly hardly mixed with the REALLY dirty stuff at all) and they were mostly just wadded up in a ball wrinkled. So into the dryer they went after having been spritzed with the slightest amount (the whole bottle) of water. Needless to say, I think hubs left the house a little perturbed but I thought he looked ravishing! (I have a thing for men in soiled duds). Well gotta run, it’s time to switch the laundry!!!