My New Sewing Studio!!

My pattern cabinets that I painted blue. They hold so much stuff.




I love this corner!


Cutting table #1



Cutting table #2



My sewing tin collection.


I love these plastic drawers for all the sewing feet, tools and little things that we sewers need. They are all labeled and it is so easy to find things.



This is the foyer closet right outside the studio. I use this shoe holder to organize my scraps by color.


Ta Da! I'm finally unveiling my new studio. I need to make this post short because a good friend is coming to town to spend a few days sewing with me. I am so blessed to have such a nice room to work. I will be working on gifts for my girls and helping my friend make a tote back for her little dog.

The studio is what was the formal living room, which we would have never used. I am so lucky to have two full sized cutting tables. I really found I needed more cutting table space than sewing table space. I have a Grand Quilter that I use when I quilt, an embroidery machine and a serger. I also have about 10 computerized Brother machines that I use for my students. They are all alike and it makes teaching easier. I hope you enjoying seeing my favorite room in the house. I am off to sew.
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Oh...and my knee is much better. Yay!

Happy Sewing!!
Susan

More Hand Quilting and a Busted Knee

Here is the matching quilt for my Rooster quilt. Normally, I would be happy that I have had time to hand quilt, however, the reason I could get this quilted is that my knee went out on me Monday afternoon. It is a reacurring injury and it came back at a terrible time. Monday I woke up early (I wake up early all the time now, because George has to go into his new job early)I cleaned the house from top to bottom, grocery shopped with the very "talkative" eight year old in tow, completed the paper work to join the local homeschool support group and made beef stew and cornbread...all by 3:00 in the afternoon. Silly me, reported my extremely productive day to my friends on Facebook. A friend of mine actually made a comment about my blue stretchy suit with the big red S on my chest. I was feeling kind of super womanish...til I was putting the stew on the table a dinner and all of the sudden, that excruciating pain shot through my knee and I knew I was done. I have been in bed every since. I tried to walk a little on Tuesday and it was the same painful experience. So, I have been following my hubby's instructions and have stayed in bed. This "bed sentence" is particularly difficult since I have a good friend traveling four hours to spend the weekend with me. I am going to help her re-learn how to sew. She was so helpful during our move and I wanted everything to be special for her. We really can't postpone the trip because she and her husband are missionaries in Astonia and she is only in Florida on furlough. I haven't even told her about my knee. I am just praying that it miraculously mends in time. They are coming tomorrow and I will be giving orders to my girls from bed today. I need some things from the store, so I may venture out and have them push me in a wheel chair. Doesn't that sound like an adventure?? I will let you know how it all turns out. In the mean time, please pray for quick healing of my knee.

Happy Sewing!
Susan

Some Easy Hand Quilting

As I have been unpacking and organizing my stash, I am really finding some goodies. I have lots of empty walls in our new house that need something on them. My stash is really going to help me out with that problem. I found this Rooster cheater panel and a matching Sunflower panel that will look perfect on my kitchen all. I decided to hand quilt them. Hand quilting is so relaxing. I love hand work. Since I didn't have to spend time piecing them, I am doing a little extra quilting. It has been sew fun.

I only have about 6 more boxes to unpack to have my studio put together. I can't wait to show you. It is just gorgeous.I have a girl friend coming to town this weekend and I am going to help her make a doggie bag...a bag to carry her tiny dog in. Lori, helped us pack for our move and I really want to spoil her when she comes. I am getting the studio all ready and we are going to sew to our heart's content. She is bringing her youngest son and I have alreay recruited my daughter's to keep him busy playing so his mom and I can sew. While she works on her doggie bag, I need to get busy with Christmas gifts. I will try to make all the girls and George a new pair of flanel pjs. I found lots of flannel in my stash. I just love being able to 'shop' from my own studio.




My mail is finally getting transerred from the old house and I received the newest issue of Quick Quilts today. I am so excited to have some eye candy to look at tonight.

Good night and Happy sewing!
Susan

My Christmas List is Growing!

This is the time of the year, we are telling our girls to make Christmas lists. Things are going to be tight and I am hoping that I can make them a lot of things from my stash. George and I have had a lot of expenses with moving and such, so we will be worrying about the kids and not ourselves. However, I am starting to wish there was a Santa. I really want a Accuquilt Go Cutter.

My next obsession is the Australian embroidery/quilting patterns that I see on so many quilting blogs.I especially like Homespun magazine. I love it.


There are certainly lots of great 'toys' for us sewing/quilting fans. My list is growing everyday. What's on your list?

Happy Sewing and Christmas planning, my friends!
Susan

What a Cool Day

I am almost finished unpacking and setting up my new studio. While going through my fabric, I have found lots of projects that I can't wait to start. I found two small cheater quilt panels, one with a Rooster and one with Sunflowers. They will fit perfectly on an empty wall in my kitchen. So, I decided to take a break and I began quilting the Rooster quilt. I also found some pre-printed cross stitch squares that I had gotten for my daughters to work on. I got Rachel, Rebecca and Hannah, my 12 year old twins and my eleven year old daughters started cross stitching their squares. It was really cool watching the three of them sit at the table and cross stitch. I also gave my 8 year old a new big box of fabric and it is now her private stash and she can use it whenever she wants. While the three girls were cross stitching and I was quilting, the eight year old was hand sewing Barbie clothes. In case you are counting, that is four daughters and I have five. Number five, the oldest daughter was in her room working on her novel. She is participating in a novel writing month 'thing'. I am very proud of all my girls.

A Sneak Peak of My New Studio

As I mentioned in an earlier post. We have moved into our new house, in our new town. We decided that I should set up my studio in the front formal dining room. It just made sense because we don't have furniture for that room and we didn't think the room would get used much as a living room. We had planned to use the back porch that was glassed in with all windows, until we found out that the 'glass' was actually 'plastic'. Now we will use that room as overflow entertaining space (that is when I unpack all the boxes that are out there).

I have been folding fabric all weekend. I decided to store my favorite fabric out where I can see it so that I will be inspired. Each piece of fabric on this particular shelf was purchased with a certain project in mind. I have loved seeing it all again. I can't wait to finish the room and get back to sewing. I was amazed at how much fabric I got on this shelf. I wish I knew how many yards it is. And of course, this is not all of it. My new husband is freaking out about it all, so I need to get to making it all into something as soon as possible. Well, enjoy the sneak peak. I will be back with more progress reports soon.

P.S. I did finish reading the "Quilter's Apprentice" and I loved it. I went to the library today and checked out "The Christmas Quilt". I am going to do my best to find time to read it.

Goodbye for now, my dear friends and Happy Sewing!!
Susan

You'll Never Guess....

You'll never guess what I did today? I read! I read for enjoyment! I read without interuption! To some of you this may seem like no big deal but to this homeschooling mom of 6, this is huge!! I'm hardly ever alone and I am the kind of reader who needs complete quiet or I cannot concentrate. Well, when the kids are home, there is no guiet, so I don't read. I think that's why I like sewing and quilting, because I don't have to have complete silence for that. Not that I would mind...but you get the picture.

My four younger kids went to visit my exhusband/their father for the weekend. My oldest daugther stayed with me and we went to get our new library cards, since moving to our new town. I browsed the shelves, not planning on getting anything for myself. I did find and cross stitch pattern book, that I got for some ornament ideas. Then I walked past the Elm Creek Quilts novels and I grabbed the first in the series, The Quilter's Apprentice. I have checked this book out numerous times but never had time to start it. I began reading it last night and I am more than halfway done. I will probably go check out the second one tomorrow. My girls will probably come home early, so I am not sure what kind of progress I will make on #2, but we'll see. I really like this book and it makes me want to get my sewing studio set up so I can quilt. I hope to get it set up this weekend. I will let you know.

Happy Sewing!
Susan

Planning my Christmas Sewing

Hi Friends,
My new hubby, my girls and I are moved into our new home and new town. Are we unpacked yet? No way! Is my new studio set up? Not a chance. However, we are on our way to getting settled. Our original plan had been for me to put my sewing studio in the "glassed in" back porch. When we got moved in, I realized the porch windows were not glass but plastic. I just thought it would be too humid to keep my expensive machines and such out there. I was very panicky for a while, wondering where I would be able to sew or put my stuff. Almost half of the moving truck was sewing or craft related. (Instead of using newspaper to wrap breakables and fill in boxes, we used fabric. It worked great.) I think my husband could sense my concerns and he suggested I turn the formal living room into my studio. We have a family room and a living room, but we only have one set of living furniture, anyway. It took a little while to wrap my mind around the idea, but now agree it is a good idea. Basically, it would have been wasted space because new furiture is not in the budget and then, how often would we really use a formal living room anyway.

I have been working a little at a temporary job and have been really busy. Now, I need to start my Christmas sewing. I need to make pj bottoms for my girls, a few quilts and some purses for the girls also. I hope to have my studio set up and unpacked by the end of the weekend. I will let you know what I plan to sew first. I have missed my blogging friends so much and I am looking forward to getting back in the groove.
Blessings,
Susan

Packing and Purging

Well, moving day is less than two weeks away. We have found a house to rent in Orange Park, Florida. My husband has a job waiting and I have several opportunities to pursue. We just need to get there. The last couple of weeks we have been having yard sales and now we are packing and purging. I have accumulated so much stuff in the last 9 years of living in this house. A lot of this stuff is pretty easy to part with and I am constantly quoting my new mantra, "less is more". However, as a sewer....I have accumulated SEW much stuff and that is not as easy to let go of. I am sure many of you can relate. I look at patterns, notions and fabric and see future projects and works of art. Thankfully, there is a room in the new house that I can use as a studio. I have been very spoiled to have such a large studio in this house and I was just sick at the thought of losing it.

Today, I am going to begin to tackle my studio. I have plastic drawers labeled with notions and sewing tools. I have found boxes and boxes of loose sewing items to put in the drawers. I pray at the end of the day, I will see a lot of progress. The kids are at their dad's for a few days and I am trying to get as much done as I can before they come home.

Back to packing and purging.
Happy Sewing!!
Susan

My Next Project

Hi Guys. Sorry I have been gone so long. There is still a lot going on in my life and will fill you in soon. I am still selling a lot of belongings, many of them, sewing related. Most of them I am listing on ebay. If you want to look I am Flmomof6 on ebay.

Now...on to my latest project. I am having "purse issues". It seems the purse I carry is either too small and I can't zip it or it is too large and all of my stuff gets lost in the bottom and I can't find anything. I really need a small bag for days that I am traveling light, one that I can take when I travel. Just big enough for tickets, I.D., credit card and maybe my phone. Well, I came across a really cute mini messenger bag at All The People Quilt. It is a free download, so hop on over and get one for yourself.I will post a pic of mine as soon as I get finished. I can't wait to jump into my scrap pile for this project.

Happy Sewing!
Susan

Kid Stuff

This was made by the Birthday girl herself, my new eight year old.


This was made by my artistic 12 year old. I think I will get her into cake decorating.

After playing around with fondant and practicing making cakes, I had some different colors of fondant that I didn't need. So, in an effort to abate boredom at our house, I let the girls use it like play dough. They had a lot of fun with it. I had to remind them that they couldn't eat it at this point. ;-)

My Baby is 8 Today

My youngest daughter is 8 years old today. Where does the time go? I made her cake. It is my second attempt at fondant and my first attempt at layers. I am pretty happy with it.

Playing Catch Up

I finally got my potholders finished and packaged. Very, very late. I feel terrible and have apologized to the recipient. I think they are cute and cheery. I am showing you pics of them. I would show you the ones I received, except, I didnt receive any. Oh well.

Now I am off for more 'catching up'

Happy Sewing!
Susn

My First Practice Cake

I have decided to try my hand a cake decorating. We have so many birthdays during the year with five daughters and if I could make pretty cakes, I would make more for special occasions and holidays. I have wanted to take the Wilton class, but havent been able to make it work with my schedule yet. So I used my Michael's coupons and started collecting supplies and have been watching You Tube videos. This is my first try at fondant. My youngest daughter's birthday is in a few days and I hope to make her one with several layers, just to prove I can do it. I just wanted to share it with you. It was really fun.

Happy Sewing...and baking...lol,
Susan

I am So Behind

I wish I could tell you all that is going on in my life right now. Unfortunatley, I can't. I will in the coming months, so stay tuned. Right now I am drowning in my 'to do' list. I have lost 2 verizon emails that I have had for over 10 years. I lost them in the divorce too, It just took a year for it to take affect. I had no idea, of everything that was connected to those emails. So, if you have been trying to reach me and couldn't, that is why.

I also have packages still in my car, that need mailing. Oh my goodness, I am behind in everything. I have to leave in a few days to go to Pennsylvania to be a bridesmaid for a good friend's wedding. I still dont even know how I am going to pay for food and lodging. I bought my non-refundable airline tickets and have paid for my car rental, but the ex is still way behind in child support and I am struggling to say the least. I havent finished making my dress for this event either.

I have a daughter's birthday coming up. A sewing summer camp to plan at my local Hancock's and much, much more. I wish I could tell you all, but there are some prying eyes who read my blog and I don't want to share some things in my life with him.

The day I return from my trip to Pennsylvania I am beginning the HCG diet. I read about it years ago in Kevin Trudea's book, The Diet Cure. I was disappointed back then because HCG wasn't readlily available in the U.S. without going to a costly clinic and without taking injections. I have now found out (from users on You Tube) that it can be taken sublinqually and obtained very inexpensively, if you order from the right pharmacy. I have spent many hours researching it and I believe it is safe and worth a try. I don't want to take up space on this blog to discus that, but I will probablly document it on another blog. I will give you that link if I do.

Well,it is 5:30 am on Saturday, I had better get started on all I need to do. One step at a time. That is what I keep telling myself.

Happy Sewing, Friends!
Susan

And The Winner Is......

I want to thank everyone who stopped by and entered my give away. I wish I had prizes for all of you. I am planning more give aways in the future. I am also planning more tutorials and free patterns. I hope you will all come by often.

My youngest daughter's first assignment this morning was do be my 'live number generator". Isn't she a cute one?

And the winner is Happy Cottage Quilter. Congratulations! I will get your goodies in the mail asap.



I have a lot of errands to run today, but I really want to sew. I am gonna get back to my string quilt. I would like to get this finished so I can get it on my daughter's bed. I am also planning on painting a mural on the walls in her room. I will be sharing this with you.

Happy Sewing!
Susan

Another Finish

I started making a laptop bag for my oldest daughter back in March. It was for her birthday. Her boyfriend actually gave her the laptop. She picked out the fabric and told me how she wanted it. I made my own pattern. It is not perfect, but I know how I would change things next time. I love getting things off my "to finish" list. This weekend has been busy and productive. I made a dress, flip flops and finished this bag. Yahoo! I think I will get back to working on my string quilt this week.

Happy Sewing, my friends!
Susan

Matching Flip Flops

I wanted to Faith to have some matching flip flops to wear with her new dress, so I whipped these up last night. I will be making a tutorial showing how I made these soon. I think she will look so cute wearing these to church today.

Happy Sewing!
Susan

My Birthday Sewing.

For my Birthday, I just wanted some 'fun sewing' time. No sewing for clients, no sewing class samples and no teaching. I just wanted to sew what I wanted to sew. I went to Joann's on Friday night and paid full price....yes, full price for the fabric and the pattern. I never do that. Oh well. It was my birthday. I sewed some yesterday, after I finally finished the "drapery redo". I sewed til late last night, then finished today. Tonight I made some matching flip flops. I will be making a tutorial for them soon. I am so happy she will get to wear it to church in the morning.

Don't forget to enter my give away if you haven't all ready.

I'm off to bed. Good night friends,
Susan

The dress is Simplicity 2677 (I think)

100th Post Give Away

I know I have been gone a while. I have been dealing with some new situations in my life. I have been having night time anxiety attacks, something I have never had before. I have done some research and I believe it is one of my lovely pre-menopausal symptoms. Fun, I know. Speaking of menopause...today is my Birthday. I am 47 years young today. Even more reason for a give away. I can't believe that this is my 100th post.

For my give away I am giving a really nice Fat Quarter Book, a Machine Embroidery Magazine (complete with patterns), two new spools of thread, a really cute purse pin, a new pack of quilting safety pins, 5 fat quarters and a purse pattern. Here is how you can enter:

1. Post a comment telling me you would like to enter.

2. Become one of my followers and comment telling me that you are a follower and get another entry.

3. Mention my give away on your blog and link to mine an you will get two additional entries.

So, it is possible to get your name entered four times. Good luck to everyone. Be sure you leave a way for me to contact you.

I will hold the drawing a week from today.

Now I am heading to my sewing studio for some fun sewing.

Happy Sewing my friends.

We're Planning a Tea Party

One of my daughters is turning eleven this week. She asked if she could have a tea party for her birthday party. After thinking about it, I decided that a tea party is a very economical party to have. We are borrowing plates, cups and tea pots from a friend. We are making finger foods and tea. I think we have enough stuff around the house to decorate the table. The party is going to be this Saturday. I will be sure and post photos.

Now, for those of you have been following my blog, you are not going to believe this. Those drapes that I was commissioned to make and took me over a month to finish... Well....they are BACK!!! Yes, Back! The client had her husband measure the old drapes and guess what? He measured them wrong. The rod pocket was supposed to be 3" but he wrote down 2". I am so glad that I got it in writing. Thankfully there was a little fabric left over. Now I have to "unsew" the rod pocket and add a strip of fabric to the back and make the pocket bigger. Oh well, atleast it wasnt my fault. That would have been awful.

Not much sewing going on in the studio today. The girls and I weeded the front flower bed. I am hoping to make the birthday girl and new dress for the tea party. I already have the fabric and the pattern, now all I need is more time.

What I've Been Up To

One of my student's Quilt As You Go Baby Quilt

Yesterday, I taught my Quilt As You Go Baby Quilt pattern at Fabric Warehouse in Lakeland, Florida. I truly, truly love teaching sewing and quilting. I have done so many things in my life. I have been a Barber/Stylist, Tupperware Executive Manager, Preschool teacher and of course Stay at Home Mom/Home Educator. I have finally found what I want to do long term, teach sewing and quilting and design patterns. I just love it. The people that you meet are so nice and I just love what I do.

I am still planning my UFO Challenge and looking for the perfect gifts. I promise to get back to you soon about the details.


The inspiration dress for a patchwork dress for my little girl


Now that I am have finished that drapery order. I am planning my next projects. I am still working on my dresden plates quilt and planning some more projects with Dresden Plates. I want to teach a Dresden plates class this summer. I am also wanting to sew for my girls. My youngest is almost 8 years old and I am quickly going to run out of little girls to sew for. I have planned so many dresses in the past that never came to be and I just want to make the time to sew for them more.
I am showing a picture of a dress that I saw in a Children's store last year. The picture is not that great, as I took it with my Iphone. I hope you can see it well enough. It is a patchwork design on the bias and the yoke is made with wide grossgrain ribbon. This is my inspiration for a dress I am planning. I actually went out and bought fabric and ribbon right after I saw this dress. I just need to adapt a pattern to make it work. I think it is going to be fun to make. Well, I guess I should stop blogging and go give the girls their school assignments for the day and get in the studio.

Happy Sewing!!
Susan

HOORAY!!

Yes, there is laughter and singing and if I wasn't so darn tired, I'd be doing the Happy Dance. I have finally finished that big drapery order. They were four 80" X 80panels made with heavy upholstery fabric with a pattern that was not completely uniform. They involved lots of crawling around on my hands and knees. Even though I am grateful for the work, I am thrilled to have them finished and going to their new home. While I was working on these, I was thinking about all the Unfinished projects I have aka UFOs. So I have decided to have a UFO Challenge. I figure that lots of my sewing friends have plenty of UFOs too.

I had my talented 16 year old daughter make me a cute blog button for the event. She is so talented. Kids these days. The button is not hooked up yet. But be thinking about the projects you want to finish and I will have the details, including some prizes in a few days.

Now, I am heading to bed and feeling relieved to have these drapes finished.

Good night,
Susan

Making Progress

I worked on my drapery order for an 1 1/2 hours tonight. I have one panel completely finished except for hemming. I am going to hem them when I am finished with all four panels. I was running short on fabric, so hemming may be difficult. To reward myself for working on drapes I allowed myself a little quilting time and I worked on my dresden plate wall quilt. I am still not sure what I am doing for borders yet. I think I will sleep on it.

Dresden Plates

Today I got to get back to work on my Dresden Plates quilt. This quilt will only have four blocks. It is going to hang on a wall in my studio. These blocks are really fun to make. I should have the quilt finished in a few days.

I am making good progress on my drapery order. I worked on them for almost 4 hours last night. I have the hardest part done. I barely have enough fabric to get all four panesl to the right length. They will have short hems for sure.

Happy Sewing,
Susan

Happy Easter

I would like to wish you all and your families a wonderful Easter. My God richly bless you.

Susan

Potholder Pass 2

I received my potholders from Sara at www.atthecoverbridge.blogspot.com and I love them. They match my kitchen really well. She also sent a pin cushion and some recipe cards. Thank you so much, Sara!

I went shopping for grocries for Easter dinner and just some things we needed. I used coupons combined with sales again and I saved another 67.80. I saved 57.58 at Winn Dixie and 10.22 at CVS. That brings this week's total to 207.80. It takes some time and effort but I think it is well worth it and we are eating better than we would without shopping this way. I like to look at is as making money, after all if I saved it and it was stuff we were going to have to buy anyway, then it is making money. So this week, I made about what I would if I worked fulltime at a minimum wage job. Not too bad for my first week.

I hope to spend some time in my studio tomorrow. I decided not to make my youngest an Easter dress. I think making a dress in one day would be kind of stressful especially with all the interuptions from the kids. I think I am gonna get back to my dresden plate quilt. I am making it to hang in my studio and it is kind of fun sewing. I will work atleast an hour or two on the drapes just to prove I am responsible.

Happy Sewing!
Susan