Time to Regroup...Again

I wish I could say that my cutting table was nice and neat as it was when I took these pics, but sadly that is not the case. It is time to clean it off and get started on new projects. I am blessed to be starting a new custom sewing job this weekend. It's just a few small curtains but I am grateful.
Especially since George lost his job on Monday. He had only been at this job about a month, and we thought things were going great. The owner really surprised us when he said business was too slow to keep an employee and he had to go back to being a one man operation. This is the 3rd job that George has had since we moved here 8 months ago. And I also had a job as a hairstylist that didn't work out. We are not sure why we are having these false starts, but God is good and we know he will provide.

Other than the job situation, we are very happy in our new town. My oldest
daughter and I sing in the praise band and are singing solos at church. My younger girls and George love our church as well. George is a new Christian and it's so exciting see him get involved and learning. Our church is a group of very loving people and I am convinced that God brought us here for our church.

Well,I'd better go straighten my studio and get ready for my new projects.

Happy Sewing!
Susan

Thrift Store Treasures

A girl friend and I went thrifting the other day. We hit all the Goodwills and Salvation Armys we could find. I found an adorable dress...but sadly it is way too small for me. I did, however, fall madly in love with the fabric. So, I paid $6 for the dress which I should be able to retrieve about 1 1/2 of fabric. You will be seeing this fabric re-purposed very soon. I have found a green and black fabric to go with it, but I am looking for the perfect pink. My mind is spinning with ideas for this fabric.

This little Japanese tshirt is brand new and still has the Japanese tag on it. Well, I think it is Japanese...could be Chinese. Anyway, these little Geisha girls have been all over sewing blogs. I am planning to make a pillow out of it to sell in my still empty Etsy store. :( Oh I have made plenty of stuff to sell on Etsy, I just haven't taken the time to list it yet.

As I write this I am dealing with allergies. I love spring but it doesn't love me. Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Sewing!!
Susan

A Recycled Yard Quilt

I purchased this Fall yard decoration at Joann's last winter. It was marked down 90% because it was after season. I think I paid $2.20 for it. I didn't care for the sunflower but I sure wanted the wrought iron frame. I have been wanting to make seasonal yard flags/quilts but the plain frames were running between $25 and $30. This was the perfect solution.

Yesterday, I sketched out a design, grabbed my scraps and went to town. I think it turned out great. I can't wait to make more.

Happy Sewing!!
Susan

National Quilting Day and a Free Pattern

Happy National Quilting Day. I hope you all get spend a little time sewing or quilting today. Due to family obligations, I won't be in the studio today, however, I hope to celebrate next week. I still want make something "Springish' or "Eastery". I have been designing a table runner in my head. Hopefully, I will get it out of my head and onto fabric soon.

In celebration of the day, the NQA is offering a free quilt pattern. You can find it here.

Gotta Make One of These

I have been saving so much money by couponing. Sometimes it gets difficult to juggle my coupons and my list. I have a large 3 ring binder but I don't always like to take it. I usually plan for one store at a time and take the correct coupons with me. This little coupon lanyard is exactly what I need. Thank you sew4home.com

for the idea. Click on the link here.


Happy Sewing!
Susan

Crafty Like Mommy

As a mom, I look at it as a compliment when my girls follow in my footsteps (atleast my good footsteps). This is my youngest daughter, Faith. She is so very crafty. She is constantly designing Barbie clothes, making projects out of duct tape, scraps of fabric and anything else she can get her hands on. This particular day Faith had taken her paints outside and was painting a family of rocks. (smile). I think I will begin having some more sewing lessons with Faith, she certainly seems ready.

My oldest daughter made me very happy last week. She took one of my student sewing machines in her room, very secretly. When she emerged, she had single handedly converted a pair of black dress pants into a pencil skirt to wear to church. It looked really good. I guess she did pay attention when I gave her sewing lessons. It makes this "sewing Mom" very proud.

Happy Sewing!
Susan

Stitchery Give Away

I found this really pretty stitchery give away on a really cute blog.
you can find it here

.
Happy Sewing and Stitching!
Susan

Some Finished Projects

This is a camera bag that I made for my daughter, Rebecca.



I made this table cloth and table runner.



This is a twin sized quilt that I made for my daughter, Hannah. I used my 30's prints and she has an appreication for them too. I loved this gift the best.



This is a mug rug and luggage tag that I made for my girls to give to their Dad, a big UT fan.



These are yo yo ornaments I made for the Martha Pullen Fan Club ornament exchange.

I did a lot of sewing in December for Christmas. Many of them I didn't even show you yet. Now, I'm playing catch up. Some of the pics aren't very clear because they were taken with my iphone. In addition, I embroidered several fleece blankets, I made another daughter an oversized bag out of a cat print. Hopefully, I will come across those pics someday. As you can see, I was pretty productive in December. I would sure like to finish the month of March in the same manner.

Happy Sewing!
Susan

Sneak Peek of Baby Gifts

I made these for a new mommy friend of mine. All this pink has made me miss my five girls being babies. They grow up so fast.

I have too many new projects running around in my head. I have determined to get a few more finished before the week is up. I'll keep you posted.

Happy Sewing!!
Susan

Sewing For Easter

Yesterday, I made an oversize bag for a new mommy. I will post pictures after I give it to her. Today, I am thinking I really want to make something for Easter, maybe a table runner. I got some Easter fabric from my stash and I found these Easter embroidery designs that I got from Emblibrary a few years ago. I am always behind on holidays. After Christmas, I always think I should keep sewing from December 26th on, just so I will be ahead the next year. Allie has a great Christmas Thru the Year thing going on, that I hope to join this month. But for today, I am thinking Easter.

I am really enjoying being home with my girls again. That two month stint that I worked at the salon has given my a new found respect for the gift of being a stay at home mom. Of course it was very easy to walk away from since I didn't make any money. Regardless, it rebooted my love for being home. I am working on schedules and ideas to begin teaching sewing again. I am also praying for a way to one day purchase a long arm quilter and quilt for others from home. God will just have to drop one in my lap, but I have seen him do bigger things in my life alone.

I'm off to my studio.
Happy Sewing!!
Susan

In The Works

I have a new baby quilt in my head. It's for a "not yet born" baby boy. I was at Walmart the other day (yes ours still sells fabric). They had this adorable Dinosaur fabric AND it's the good stuff. It feel like high quality quilt fabric. It wasn't there usual $2 a yard stuff, it was just under $5 a yard. I just fell in love with it and the coordinating brown fabric. Then I went to Emblibrary and found a couple of dinosaur embroidery designs that match pretty well. I have been playing with one of the designs, but after 3 trial runs, I can't get the last satin stitch to cover the applique fabric enough to be comfortable putting in a baby quilt that will be washed over and over. I think I will change techniques and trim the design after the first outline stitch is made. I was following Emblibrary's directions and cutting out the dinosaur and the laying it on the outline stitch. If that doesn't work I will ditch the design. I will keep you posted on this quilt.

Today I embroidered another baby's name on a purchased fleece blanket. I have a friend at church who just had a very premature baby girl. I like to give new mommies something with their baby's full name on it. It makes it seem somehow more real to see the new person's name in print. I am also going to make them a quilted bag, also from cute fabric I found at walmart. It's not the same qood quality but it will be good for a bag.

Anyway, my studio is a mess at the moment. You know what that means? That means I have been busy planning and scheming with a little actual sewing going on.

I hope my friends out there in blogland are getting some sewing done as well. Until then....
Take care and Happy Sewing!!
Susan