Decadence Apron

I've been sewing a LOT lately. I've just not taken the time to post pictures. I'm trying to remember now if I even took pictures of everything. I've made a tree skirt and a table runner using Moda's Jovial and another table runner from Moda's Grace. I also made a 241 Tote for College Girl's birthday using a patchwork of precious scraps from Moda's Arcadia. I need to shorten the strap on that.

Today I have an entry for the November installment of;

Just in time for Thanksgiving, a cute apron from Riley Blake's Decadence line.




By the time I finished sewing this afternoon there was no more daylight to take a decent picture by. Overhead lighting and flash was the best I could do.

I would love to start another project but it is just about impossible to do so. I have a clear space on my cutting table about a foot square. Ugh. Shoving the scraps from previous projects off to the side has finally caught up with me and I must take care of it before I proceed. There are scraps and pattern pieces and directions and tools. Actually, who knows what might be buried under the mess. I know it is going to look so good when it is cleared off and I will be inspired to create something new.

I'm happy to report that we are beginning to get snow. :)

Praise - for all the safe travels and great time with friends and family this past weekend (celebrating College Girl's 22nd birthday).

Prayers - for one of my nephews and a man from our church that are both in the hospital being treated for infections in their backs.

Celebrate Color - October

I almost forgot that entries need to be in by the 26th of the month for:

First off is this apron, made in Sandi Henderson's Meadowsweet and a coordinating Kona Cotton.





I am getting lots of sewing done lately and have more projects to show, I just haven't taken the time to take the pictures yet! I've made a TO DO list where I break each project down into steps. It is so rewarding to mark something off the list even if the entire project isn't done. I like to see all that I have accomplished in the last month or so.

Praise - another baby to join our church family in June!

Prayers - for College Girl. She is half way through fall quarter and has so much to do! Prayers for her challenges with one particular professor.

Just in time

I am such a procrastinator. I work well under the pressure of a deadline but I really don't know why I do it! I have the time. I know about things in plenty of time. Yet I wait.

I just finished this apron for a bridal shower being held tomorrow afternoon.


The bride-to-be likes green. I hope she likes this combination of Sandi Henderson's Meadowsweet. I also made a simple potholder to go with it. Maybe she'll try it on at the shower and I can get a better picture because I know this one is pretty bad. Taken at night with flash.

I would have waited until the morning to finish the apron but I really need to start on a cake that I am making for a different shower being held on Sunday.

Just realized that I didn't do my stash report for the week ending 3/27. I'll just add that week and this week together and report on Sunday.

I think I'll go make some quilt binding for that Aviary baby quilt. I might be able to get that finished tomorrow so that I can give that at the shower on Sunday. No worries if it doesn't happen though since I've chipped in on a big group gift.

Praise - for the safe travels of a young family in our church returning from Peru.

Prayers - For College Girl's final quarter of her junior year.

A finish, some decorations and a repair

I finished the last of the 6 aprons that needed to be done before Christmas. This one is also for an eight year old girl. Her mom wanted it sized a bit larger so that she could enjoy it for a few years. She loves pink and black. I hope she loves this;


The reverse side (two aprons in one!!)


I was having some trouble with my machine, I just could not get a beautiful stitch. I was pulling my hair out! Good thing the hammers are kept out in the shop because that was my next means of repair. Hubby even came in to take a look but could only offer sympathy. I dug out my other machine, a Brother and hoped that the stitch would be good enough for top-stitching. That is all I had to do to finish the apron and get it sent on its way. Hallelujah!!! The stitch looked great, the machine sewed like a champ. I top-stitched the apron, got it packaged up and went to bed (very early this morning!!)

While I was busy sewing yesterday, College Girl was hauling the Christmas decorations out of the shop and the garage. She did a great job decorating the house a bit.



She even put a small lit tree on the counter in the kitchen with all my little cookie cutter ornaments, the teeny rolling pin, sifter, colander and spatula. We still don't have the big tree, but hopefully tomorrow or Saturday for sure.

Long winded repair story ahead -
So Thursday is the day that the sewing machine repair guy from a podunkier town drives to our podunk town and works out of the little craft store. I thought they opened at 10. I woke up just before 9 (hey, I stayed up till the wee hours!) and thought to give them a call to see if their hours were on a message at least. If I couldn't get the machine fixed there I would have to drive 1.5 hours to the Bernina dealer, but they were OPEN!! The repair guy was there!! I asked to speak to him and he said he planned on leaving in about 45 minutes. I told him to hang on I would be there just as fast as I could. Oh my! I had to get dressed, do SOMETHING with my hair, get my machine packed up and drive the 30 minutes to the store. I got there about 47 minutes after speaking with him on the phone. He was waiting for me. I showed him my test piece of fabric and the rows and rows of AWFUL looking stitches. He opened up the bobbin compartment, took out the bobbin case and said, "Well there's your problem. Look at how loose this thread is. This little screw needs to be turned." WHAT??? That's it?? WHY was that not one of the options in the trouble shooting section of the manual. Have I ever mentioned that I think the manual is SORELY lacking? I think I have mentioned it. Anyway, it is. Sorely lacking. The repair man didn't even have his tools with him today (he forgot them when he went back into his shop to get something else) but he was able to tighten the screw with his fingernail. He then stitched a couple of rows, adjusted the top tension (which I had fiddled with endlessly last night) and sewed two rows of GORGEOUS stitches! I almost grabbed him and kissed him. I asked him to solve my buttonhole problem then. He attempted to make a buttonhole and I was actually glad that it FAILED for him too. That elimated the possibility that it was all my fault. He tried to update it but the manual that he had was, say it with me, SORELY LACKING! You got it! I told him no worries as I had no buttonholes in my immediate future and I would bring it back in after Christmas. I said I would call him at his shop on a Wednesday to make sure he had his tool and a better manual for the buttonhole problem. I got out my wallet and was ready to empty it at his feet and he said NO CHARGE! Merry Christmas. I can hardly wait to sew something!

Praise - College boy is FINISHED with this semester!! The repair man was able to fix my machine.

Prayers - College Boy plans to drive home tonight after a filmfest. 6 Hours, in the middle of nowhere for most of the trip. Dark, snow, mountain pass, ice, deer, elk.

Another finish

and yet still more to do.

I loved working with Moda's Bliss. It's so cheery! This apron is for an eight year old girl.

This was a combination of two different patterns since I didn't have one that would do the trick.

The buttonhole foot on my machine would NOT work. I've had this problem before and was able to overcome it but this time I couldn't. The thing is, I attempt buttonholes so infrequently that I forgot all about the problem when I took my machine in. Wahhhhh! THEN I had the worst time sewing on two buttons. BY HAND! It was all a thread problem and when I switched threads things went smoothly.

Praise - College Girl is HOME for Christmas break! Lady from church still does not have a firm diagnosis but she seems to be handling it all well. She is in a wheelchair at this point.

Prayers - continued prayers for the lady from church. College Boy has one more final and then a 6 hour drive home on snowy roads, sometime Thursday night.

Met the challenge

and then some! Not very often that I am an overachiever (take today for instance) but I was able to meet the One Week One Thing Challenge and actually make something else too!

The two table runners;


These were mailed and well received.


Upcycled sweater pillow;
Those are VINTAGE buttons on the side. I have a big jar of buttons that belonged to my mom. These were all on the card still and the price - 79 cents. For FIVE buttons!

Close-up of the flowers.


BONUS project;

this is for one of College Girl's roomies for Christmas. I'm working on the other one today.

Praise - BOTH of my college kids got back to school safely. Thank you, Lord! They both said it was an easier trip than the one home. We had a great time and it was hard to say good-bye.

Prayers - It is soon the end of a quarter for College Girl and the semester for College Boy - they need stamina, good health, good use of their time, good recall for their tests.

Bridal Shower Gift

We have a wedding to attend in July. We've known the groom and his family for quite a few years. We met the bride very briefly at a wedding two summers ago. College girl and I could not attend the shower unfortunately. I made this on Thursday, got it in the mail the same day and hopefully it arrived in time for the Sunday afternoon shower.



Fabric is Ava Rose by Tanya Whelan. Pattern is from Retro Aprons by Cindy Taylor Oates. It goes together so nicely. It is my 'go to' quick gift apron of choice.

Rainy day here. I need to go to town but I was hoping to avoid the rain. I've already done my work for the day. Could press seams on the blocks I made on Friday. Could bake cookies. Could work on VBS stuff. I love rainy days (but not when I need to go to town).

Praise - for RAIN! I love when God waters our part of the earth for us. Everything looks so fresh and green.

Prayers - for my part in VBS. That my attitude would be glorifying to God and that I would think of each child there as His child.

Well at least I was busy!

I was keeping busy all last week SEWING! When I wasn't working I was trying to stay on task at the sewing machine. A friend was going to a craft fair for the first time and talked me into sharing the table with her. Good thing this is podunk and I didn't need hundreds of items. I think.
Anyway, I made 4 children's aprons, 2 women's half aprons, two scarves and one purse (to add to the one purse I already had on hand). Here is the purse that I made;
the front

and the back

Repurposed from the Hunky Dory skirt that Corrie at Quilt Taffy offered up. Pattern is by Craft Apple.

So I sewed and sewed and wished for more time. I stayed up until 2 getting everything ready the night before. Met my friend at 7:45AM and went to the podunk community center to set up. The fair was from 9 - 1. That was the longest 4 hours of my life. Painfully long hours. Most of the traffic we had was the other vendors. 16 of them. It didn't help that it was pouring outside, or they hadn't advertised much. I sold one children's apron. My friend didn't sell anything. I know I should never say never but...

I didn't hear from the lady that received the POSH quilt all week. I was sure that her hubby didn't give it to her and it was sitting in the back of his truck all week. I wondered about it for a couple of days and then I let it go. I knew it had all come together in God's timing and He was still in control. On Sunday, during the Sunday school opening, the woman came up and gave me a big hug and with tears in her eyes thanked me for the quilt. She said she cried her eyes out when she read the note I had enclosed with it and she tried to call but each time she picked up the phone she would start crying. She knew that she wanted to talk to me and not send an email so she decided to just wait. All is good. Praise the Lord!

Praise - Since Thursday the 6th, three babies have been born into our church family!! Two first time parents.

Prayers - for the babies and parents to make the big adjustment,for the parents to rely on the Lord for wisdom and knowledge and patience. Also for the two ladies that are due within the next 4 weeks.

Progress Report

Three of my February projects are FINISHED! Not having a lovely model here is frustrating, you'll have to use your imagination.

This apron is for a friend. Fabric is Halfway Cafe by Cosmo Cricket for Andover;
Again, this was using Jona's tutorial found here.

Hello Kitty apron and potholder. I realize the photo isn't great but how am I going to take a picture of a teeny apron with no model? I just love how it came out though and I had just enough ric rac to frame the skirt.

I used Meg's tutorial for the Montessori Child's Apron at her blog, Sew Liberated.

A picture of the other project has been sent to Kelly.

Praise - that I have made good use of my days off of work!

Prayers - another mid-term for college girl today.

First February Fabric Friday

New month and new logo for the Charming Girls (and now guys) Quilt Club!


First of all here are the potholders that I sent off yesterday to help raise some money for my friend's Relay for Life team. All Valentine themed so I hope she can sell those this coming week.

The same friend had this sent to me to make an apron for her niece. Isn't it soooo cute?
So that is ONE project for February.

This fabric arrived today. I am going to make a baby boy quilt with it. Not sure if that will get done this month or not.

It is the All Star Collection by Riley Blake and My Mind's Eye. This was a line of scrapbook paper before it became a fabric line.

Some close-ups of some of the prints;




This fabric arrived today as well. Also Riley Blake, part of the Wheels collection.


This is my favorite from this line;

This will also be a baby boy's quilt.

All of a sudden our church has 5 pregnant young moms and the pastor's daughter in law who attends a church a few miles away is also pregnant! So far we have two girls and one boy on the way. The other three won't be finding out ahead of time.

I have some other projects for February so I hope to get photos and post those on Saturday.

Praise - that college girl made it through mid-terms with great scores.

Prayers - for those in the east that are dealing with all that snow that they don't know what to do with.

Final Finish for November

This is for a friend that loves cardinals. Her birthday is in a couple of weeks. I used Jona's Apron in an Hour Tutorial. I have a fat quarter left so I might make a hot pad or maybe trim a kitchen towel to go with the apron.


The only thing left on my November list is NOT going to get done. It isn't even going to get started! I'm pretty pleased with the progress made this month and I'm already thinking about what I want to work on for December.

We had a great visit with College Girl. It was a short trip for her but she will be home again in two weeks for Christmas break. All of the Thanksgiving leftovers are gone now so I guess I need to start cooking again tomorrow.

Praise - college girls travels were safe and she is back at school and already busy studying.

Prayers - for my son and the final day of deer hunting season tomorrow, that he would be safe.

SEWN Giveaway WINNER!

I couldn't wait and I figured that you might want to know before midnight PST too!!

The winner of the apron is A JOYFUL CHAOS!

A Joyful Chaos said...
I am now a follower.

Please post here and I will email you for your mailing information.

Thanks so much everyone for coming by and entering and special thanks for those that have become followers of my blog. I hope that we get to know each other a bit in the posts to come.

I am coming up on my ONE YEAR Blogiversary and I am close to my 100th post...just sayin'. You might want to check back in, again, just sayin'

SEWN Giveaway Update

I just wanted you to see which fabrics I used for the apron I am giving away for the SEWN Launch party.




Won't THAT cheer up your kitchen? Remember to go to the May 31st post to comment for the giveaway. Thanks for visiting and come back often. :D

All SEWN Up!

I've decided to join in the SEWN launch giveaway. I am excited to see what exciting things the website will have for those of us that are interested in all things sewing related.



I am having trouble getting that link to take you to where you might want to go, try this
http://www.thelastpiece.net/ . That link will show you a list of all participating bloggers - go to the second page on that blog. The SEWN link at the top right will take you to the site.

I am going to giveaway a half apron made using Jona's tutorial. You will get ONE entry for a comment here and you will get ANOTHER entry if you become a follower of my blog and leave a comment telling me that you have done so. Your comment must have a way to notify you via email, otherwise I will have to draw again.

Winner will be drawn on Monday, June 8th and I will notify the winner by email as well as post here.

Swine Flu roots discovered!

I can see how this was clearly the beginning of the Swine Flu outbreak and panic. This innocent child had no idea what was put into motion after this simple act of love. Does anyone else find it hilarious that the parent grabbed the camera instead of the child??? Must not have been a first child. Gives me shivvers just to look at it. My sister may have to cancel her vacation to Mexico in a few weeks and if that is the case this child may want to go into hiding. Just sayin'.


Did anyone else think that The Wizard of Oz was one scary, freaky movie?? No?? Well it was really just those MONKEYS! Hubby and I both thought that it was a scary movie to see as children and so we didn't let our kids watch it when they were little. Well then they weren't so little anymore but it was kind of a family joke at that point so they still did not watch it until they were both in high school, I think. Of course they did NOT think it was scary in the least and rolled their eyes at us even when the monkeys were doing their thing. They've lived a sheltered life, what do they know about scary anyway? Besides the house falling on the Wicked Witch of the East, and Glinda's entrances and exits, my favorite part of the movie was when the Wicked Witch of the West rides her broom over the Emerald City and writes SURRENDER DOROTHY. When I saw this fabric:

I knew that I had to do SOMETHING with it. I saw it online but when I ordered it they informed me it was out of stock. I had them give me this print instead;

Today I went to the local craft store and they had the Surrender Dorothy fabric! WOO HOO! I got a fat quarter. I THINK I am going to make a small purse for my sister. I'm not even sure if she will carry it. Her family gave her a license plate frame that says 'My other car is a broom' ! Nice gift huh?? I have a picture of her riding a broom around my property in her pajamas. I thought she just might carry a little purse that says Surrender Dorothy on it. I'm going to use the Ruby Slippers as lining. My other option is a half apron. Hmmmmm, maybe she would get more use out of that.

* * * * * *

I sure hope I didn't shock anyone by posting three days in a row. No harm meant.

* * * * * *

Praise-the guys had a safe time unloading the trailer although they were gone way longer than they anticipated.

Prayers - I have nursery duty tomorrow. 'nuff said.

A few new projects

Oh the list is long don't you know. Projects to do, for myself and for others. Mostly for others. I finished up the set of aprons from the Marcus Al Fresco fabric and sent those off to the recipient. Yes I took pictures but they are still on the camera. Now I am working on a duvet cover for my son. Not a quilt. :( I think he figured a quilt would take me way too long so he opted for a duvet cover. I am measuring twice or three times and then cutting once. It makes me nervous sometimes cutting BIG pieces of fabric. I just cut the second piece and I am second guessing my cut, so I had to take a break away from it.

Boys - they are just wired so differently! I had in mind what I might use for a quilt for my son someday. Huh, I was wayyyyyy off! Everything I showed him was turned down. Then we started looking at images online, together. In contrast to his sister who would have trouble narrowing it down, he had trouble finding something he really liked. We finally found an abstract image - circles in various colors. I got some Kona Cotton one of the colors for borders and backing. When the print fabric arrived we were BOTH disappointed. The images shown were sooo much larger online than in person. Now granted the image did not have a ruler next to it but I was familiar with other fabrics on the site and knew how the scale was with those. We figured all of these circles were going to be MUCH larger than they actually are. I was really bummed that we went through all of that and then he still did not get what he really wanted. He says he is fine with it though. He is more easy going about things like that than I am. My son has been so anxious for me to get to work on this though, asking me constantly if I was done with the aprons that I told him HAD to be done first.

I am thinking I can really make some headway with the duvet cover tomorrow. I am going to the gym first thing and then to get some matching thread and some buttons. I would be really excited if I could actually start and finish it tomorrow. My reasons - #1 to shock my son and #2 so that I can scrapbook the rest of the weekend!

Since I don't want to post without pictures (so Des will be able to follow along) I will show you what came in the mail yesterday. Two pieces from Michael Miller's new Tattoo Parlour line. Someone who just loves tattoos wants an apron and I might make a purse/tote bag as well.
Isn't it pretty???

Okay, off to bed so that I can get up early and get to the gym. I skipped the gym today. The workout that I got on Monday and Tuesday about killed me. I was so sore last night it was difficult to fall asleep.

Prayers - for my son as he has started his second semester of college classes, that he would maintain good study habits and a good attitude towards his classes. For my college girl and her 2nd quarter of classes and specifically her prayer project. Praise God for the opportunities He has given to my children to attend college.

So we need a larger angel

but my son has always been partial to this one for some reason. I don't even care if there is an angel on top of the tree but he always wants this one up there. She looks so teeny up there and it all looks out of proportion.
At the peak the ceiling is 13.5', my son who is trimming the tree there is 6'5". I TOLD you the tree was big!

We are still enduring BITTERLY cold temperatures. Right now, at 11pm it is ONE degree. Today was beautiful though, sunny and blue skies, with a high of maybe 12. At least it wasn't windy. I went out in the shop to find a piece of fabric to use for curtains for my son's room. OH.MY. It was really cold out there! I was all bundled up but that didn't seem to help at all.

In our last house my huge stash of fabric was stored in the garage, which never froze or had moisture in it. I assumed the shop was going to be the same but the walls behind my boxes of fabric had ice on them (or a heavy frost) so when that melts....ugh. I am thinking I have to get that fabric OUT OF THERE! But where am I going to put it??? That is going to be my project this coming week I think. Make some room in here for it. It is going to be a complete hassle to find anything if it is in here. The closet goes way back in and the boxes are going to have to be stacked to the ceiling - so to find anything it will mean taking out all of the boxes because you and I both know whatever it is you want, it is always in the very last box. :) I am not thrilled about this and I didn't need a new project.

I finished another apron this morning and got it off in the mail for a after Christmas birthday. I made it out of that cute Alexander Henry Starling fabric that I got on Black Friday.

I haven't been getting much sleep lately so it is off to bed for me. No Sunday school tomorrow so we can sleep in a bit. Christmas caroling tomorrow night at the LifeCare center. We usually go carolling in a neighborhood and I am so glad that we have other plans. It is WAY to cold for that nonsense.

Praise - the college girls got home safely. What an ordeal that was. Prayers for my friend who is selling a house and has an interested party.