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

Goodies in the Mail

Today I received a package from Cyndi at Bluebirdswing. I won two patterns from her on her give away last week. Today I got my package and she threw in some extra goodies: three gorgeous fat quarters, and a key fob. I love them. Thanks so much Cyndi!

More good news today. My client who I am making the drapes for, called today and she is going out of town for spring break, so I have another week to finish my drapes. Now I may try to make my youngest daughter an Easter dress before now and Sunday.

I went to Walgreens today and spend $17.00, but saved $25.00. Then I went to Publix and spent $5.00 and saved $6.00. That makes my total savings of $140.00 for the week by using coupons. My favorite deal of the week was one I found today at Publix. I had a manufacturer coupon for $1.50 off of Biz Bleach and I had a store coupon for $1.00 of Biz Bleach. The total price of the Bleach was $3.49 which means I bought it for 99 cents. I was very excited about that. Biz is great for soaking things you think cannot be saved. Just last week I had to soak some white fabric that had mildew stains on it from a leak in my studio. It was almost 4 yards of good fabric and I really didn't want to throw it away. I had to soak it for 4 days. But it all came out except a 2" area that I can cut around.

Now, to top of my good news for the day, I found a coupon for a buy one get one dinner at one of my favorite resturants. I told my boyfriend about it and he is taking me tonight. Woo hoo.....goodies in the mail, saving more money and dinner out. This has been a good day.

Happy sewing and saving my friends,
Susan