Defeat - Challenge - Procrastination

Remember the freebie thing in a previous blog? No more. Last night I was rifling through fabric and patterns, trying to decide what I wanted to do next. I still have that bandanna print fabric that I love but can't quite decide what to do with. I want something comfy yet stylish. No ruffles... This is bandanna print we're talkin' about!

What I was really doing is procrastinating. I should have been taking the last pics I need to open my etsy store. I'll be adding items in a bit... on my lunch break most likely (if I don't run down to Joanns for some light colored denim). I need to take pics of a few things and everything will be listed. I made this punk princess tutu the other night in an attempt to destash a bit. I've had this tulle for at least 6 months and the ribbon was left over from when I was decorating my daughters bedroom. It's mostly black tulle with a little bit of bright pink tulle and two different shades of skinny pink ribbon. I made it long, but I'm willing to shorten it for whoever orders it. Unfortunately I can't take pics of it on my daughter because she'd fall so deeply in love with it there's no way she'd let me sell it lol.

I also need to take some pics of a couple of pillowcase dresses (one being the vintage one, the other is one I made out of boredom) and I remade the "baby dress" that turned out to be a toddler top.... I adjusted the measurements accordingly (and emailed mccalls asking them to not use giant baby measurements when configuring patterns lol).

So.... the pattern that almost defeated me.... I saw the bag sitting on top of the dresser. It was laughing at me and saying "Ha ha, I beat you!" It did not win. I whipped it out, said to hell with the pattern directions, and did it like I thought it should be done. About an hour later I had the bodice all sewn together perfectly (it was nothing but cut fabric before). I sewed the lining to the bodice front on all four sides after I attached the fronts and backs. I turned everything right side out and started pinning it together the way the finished product should look, trying different things to get all of the raw edges hidden within the lining. YAY it worked!!! I high fived myself. I sooo rocked! The skirt shouldn't be much of a challenge.... it's the zipper I'm worried about. I've never done a zipper before!

Now I'm going to get a little psychological for a minute.... I think one of the reasons I enjoy sewing so much is because of the challenge. My job is mundane, house stuff doesn't change much (except for the complicated dinner from time to time), but sewing..... there's always something new to try, something I haven't yet learned, different ways to do things, it's challenging. I love it. It keeps my brain turning, because otherwise it might turn to mush from all of the SSDD.

Sorry... no pics of finished products to post today. Maybe later. I'm going to post another blog after I finish posting items on my lunch break.... an announcement about the store opening.

So much for a baby dress!

I did the baby outfit mentioned below. This pattern must be intended for giant babies. I did size 0-3 months and LOOK, it fits my size 4T daughter as a top! It might fit 18-24 months as a dress, but definately not a 0-3 month old baby. Darn. I was really hoping to do something for a baby too! I guess I'll be using this pattern to make toddler tops instead. I'll have to modify it a bit, but I think it'll work out nicely as a top. The one Kaytlin is wearing is really more like a 3T, it's a bit snug around the chest.

Here she is... wild hair and all. This pic is weird.... she doesn't even look like this!

This is more like her. This was last night. She wasn't feeling very good. She had to stay home with me today because yesterday when I picked her up she had a fever. Today she's been alright... low or no fever, but her school won't allow kids to come within 24 hours of having a fever. I understand, I just hope she's okay to go tomorrow!

I'm very proud.... I have finally mastered merging the elastic casing with the front of tops!! It took me a while to figure out how to cover them, and even when I'm working with a lined top I'd still have a little spot at the top of the seam where it'd be ugly (elastic, 3-4 layers of fabric, etc). So YAY me! I figured it out!

Busy weekend sewing - Etsy store prep

Wow I can’t believe I’m getting so close to opening my store! I’ve finished four outfits and I’m doing my first baby outfit tonight. I’m hoping smaller=less work! Lol.

I made my first, very own original design! Yay! I had a vision and made it come true. I did use a pattern for the denim part of the top and the denim part of the capris, but the rest is my own. The pattern for the denim part of the top is actually a pattern for a dress… I just improvised. I am so proud and I love the way it turned out!!

I made my first pillowcase dress last night. It’s the real deal…. Made from an actual vintage pillowcase. It was really easy too. I’ve got two of these pillowcases and I would love to do a mommy-daughter thing with them, or something for siblings! I haven’t taken pics yet because my model was sleeping when I finished it. This’ll be going in my etsy store. I need to figure out what decade they’re from. They look pretty old…. I’m guessing 60’s-70’s. Probably 60’s. I got them from a flea an’tique store. I love those places!! Oh I could just spend hours in there.

So far, here’s what I’ve got for my etsy store-

1) Purple gingham shirred top sizes newborn - all child sizes. I could do adult sizes too…. Maybe another time. Wait, that’s a great idea! Too bad I’m not smokin’ hot or I’d make one for myself to model! Maybe I could have a friend model it for me. This is an original design too... but I can't call it my own.

2) Skulls and roses three piece outfit (there’s a batching hair bow, but I haven’t taken pics of it yet). I’m still debating on a price tag for this. Sizes 18m-4T… not positive on the sizes, I’ll have to double check (pictured above)
3) Froggy outfit sizes 18m-4T… not positive about the sizes again. BTW I'm not sure why it's poking out so much in this pic.

4) Vintage pillowcase dresses. These seriously could be sizes newborn to adult size Large.
5) The baby dress and undies I’ll be making tonight. Alexander Henry apples+pears fabric. It’s going to be so cute!
6) Pillowcase dress from this cute purple flannel fabric I got.
7) Here’s some items I’m adding for bulk… I’m ready to open the store but I’ve only got a handful of things ready.
* Cute pin cushions (which may or may not sell… if you can sew you can figure out how to make one fairly easily... and only someone who sews really has a pin cushion… so this may not work out, but oh well it’s a great use of my scraps!
* Multi-purpose fabric bags (I love these. They’re very “green” and can be used for anything from groceries, on-the-go moms, etc.).
* Made to match (for the few outfits I’ll have posted): D-ring belt, head scarf, shorts, capris.

I’ve got a lot of other fabric just waiting to be sewn, but I’m really ready to get this store cranked up!


I'm not sure if I've posted this pic before.... this is my daughters '08 Valentines Day outfit. I won't be making anymore holiday-specific clothing (except Christmas), she only got to wear this twice! I say 'except Christmas' because Christmas now starts in mid-November lol.

Just one little rant - I was DIEING to get this fabric print from Sandi Henderson's new line, but I had to wait a few days after it debuted to buy it. Well, it's SOLD OUT EVERYWHERE!! :-( Oh well, I'll give it a week and try again.

Boutiques & Currently working on...

Maybe I’m just crazy, but I always seem to have the perfect pattern but not the fabric I want to make it with…. Or a gorgeous fabric but I don’t have the pattern I want to use with it. This drives me soooooo crazy!! I have so many unused patterns I’ve picked up here and there on sale. A LOT. Last night I picked out a fabric I wanted to work with that I really think is going to turn into something really cute. I started digging through the patterns because I just KNEW I had purchased this one particular pattern. Well it was nowhere to be found and my stuff is uber-organized so I must be mistaken. I was really disappointed because I could just SEE the finished product in my mind. It is so cute too! So I decided to use this other fabric that’s really scraps from another project to test out this halter dress/top and matching shorts for my daughter. I thought about making folded ruffles for the bottom of the shorts, but since the top ties around the neck and has a gathered look I thought that might not match so well. I’m having trouble figuring out the stupid pattern though…. it just doesn’t seem to be matching up right… and I HATE patterns that don’t come with an elastic guide, but rather they say something like “cut elastic at a comfortable length.” I know what’s comfortable on my daughter and I know her measurements like the back of my hand, but if I want to sell this to other people I’m just going to have to estimate and hope it’s not too tight or loose. Sheesh. I guess that’s what ya get for a $3 pattern!

I still have tons of this froggy print fabric and the top took literally less than ½ yard and I think I have almost 2 yards left. So if it turns out cute it’ll be going in the etsy store for sure. I’m not crazy about it, but if it sells great…. I just hate to have unused fabric laying around. I bought this one teal colored fabric MONTHS ago to make placemats and a table runner for our dining room. Well, we decided to paint the dining room a different color. I have no use for this fabric…. And it’s dec weight so I can’t use it for clothing either. I thought about making some coasters (saw a tutorial somewhere) but honestly the fabric just doesn’t go with anything in my house! I got it on sale, so I’m not really out much $$... I just hate waste. Hopefully I’ll think of something to use it for eventually. ANYWAYS! Back to the outfits…. Froggy print top, coordinating green fabric for the shorts, and maybe a ruffle across the bottom of the shorts in the froggy fabric.

Here’s another bad habit I have – I buy cheapie fabric to make random stuff with and I have no problem cutting it into a million pieces and throwing it away if things don’t turn out as planned…. But I buy the good stuff and it just sits there in my little basket. It’s like I’m afraid to mess it up because it’s so pretty and kinda expensive. I need to get OVER THIS!! Even if it is moderately expensive, it still really isn’t that much… it just seems like it because it’s much more expensive than some fabrics.

I’m pleased to report that I’ve been browsing websites of Atlanta area upscale boutiques and frankly there are A WHOLE LOT of Cafemom Etsy Moms who do sooooo much cuter things!! Honestly! Even the ones who haven’t been doing it for long or who don’t sell verrry expensive clothes. I’m talking about the pillowcase dresses, diaper bags, hairbows, etc…. If you have no idea what/who I’m talking about, click over to the link to the Cafemom Etsy Moms street team, it’s on the right of this page.

Ebay Strike

Watch the video on youtube, spread the word, and resist the urge to buy or sell on ebay Feb. 18-25. It's insane. I wasn't going to sell on ebay until I was making substancial profit per sale due to high seller fees, and now this.... even HIGHER fees. I wish I would have heard about this sooner.

Check out this blog to get info on the etsy blackout. I just looked and there are 300something items already.

We need to stick together and root for the underdog on this one.... the sellers.

My First Trashion

I just thought of my first Trashion.....

When we bought our house, the owners left most of the curtains.... and they were NOT my style. These curtains were in the office. They're so not my style so much that I took them down and don't even have curtains in the office for now. Here's a pic of the curtains. Look to the far right... purple and light blue/teal-ish That's the best shot I've got of them on my PC and I still need to find my USB cord. Goodbye curtains, hello peasant dress for Kaytlin!

(BTW- this is a pic of the house when we first looked at it, not our stuff)

I shirred yesterday/today. I finished the shirt today. It turned out so adorable! It was so much less complicated than I expected! It just bunched right up. One tutorial said I would need to gather it.... no way. It turned out so perfect! I'm going to make a matching belt and head scarf, so I'll post pics tomorrow/Sunday after I finish that part of it (even if I have to use Matt's camera on his phone). I used Sandi Hendersons tutorial (AKA Portobellapixie).

Overspending, giving up, freebie, and shirring

Yesterday evening I realized something…. I have spent too much money in too short a time period on fabric, patterns, and sewing needs. It’s becoming a compulsion and I need to get a grip on it! I keep all of my goodies in our guest room, since it is the least used room in the house. Last night I was looking for a new pack of bobbins I bought last week. I checked in the dresser drawer where it should have been, not there. I checked all three of the shopping bags that were on top of the dresser, not there. I checked the shopping bag that I had hidden in the bonus room, not there. I checked the bag I had stashed in the downstairs closet, not there. I was going crazy looking for these bobbins. Then I realized something…. I had three bags of new unused stuff on the dresser, then two other bags of new unused stuff HIDDEN in my house. This doesn’t even include the big pile of neatly folded unused fabric sitting in a basket on the dresser, or the huge neat stack of unused patterns in the dresser. I have made a goal for myself- NO MORE buying fabric or patterns (regardless of how deeply discounted they might be) until I do something with at least 1/3 of what I have lying around my house!

Last night I threw in the towel on a dress I had been making for Kaytlin (and to put in my etsy store). That stinkin pattern made me SO MAD! It was honestly the stupidest pattern I had ever used. It was for five different dresses (three completely different dresses with two variations). The directions were not “To make dress A…” “To make dress B…” etc… they were all piled in together. There were so many pictures and NO order that I just got so irritated. I put the cut/partially sewn fabric and the pattern in a walmart bag. I’m not sure what I’m going to do with it…. Maybe pass it on to someone else who could use it and actually understand this pattern. It probably wasn’t the pattern; it’s more likely that it was my attention span. So…. If anyone wants this pattern, let me know. It’s for sizes ½-4, the fabric has been cut to a size 4, but it could be trimmed down if necessary. The fabric is a bright floral print…. It’s the flower print on this item from babykaysboutique.etsy.com. There’s a pic of the pattern too. It’s cut for the striped dress, but could also be the green one if you’ve got some lace. If you want it, you can have it… just pay shipping $4.60 for priority to the 48 states, less for parcel post, more for international AK or HI.

On to the rest of the evening…. I finally tried shirring. I bought 5 yards of this purple gingham check fabric. It went so much easier than I expected!!! It takes a little time to thread the elastic onto the bobbin, and it didn’t last long (I did 2 ½ rows with one bobbin, going across a 33” piece). It was easy though, and It just ruffles right up. I saw one tut that says to pull the threads, but I tried that and it didn’t work. The tutorial on portabello pixies blog says to steam it (no thread pulling), so I’m going to try that. Pulling the thread was a bit of a pain. I’ll be finishing the dress today if all goes as planned.

BTW- still looking for my USB cord for my camera. I think I might just buy a new one.

And I love how she used shirring in this top

Horay for Fridays! My plans for the weekend? Hmm... a sitter on Saturday night. Could it mean a romantic evening? Or uninterrupted sewing all night? lol.... probably the sewing since hubs is so busy working on constructing a website for the company he works for. As for tonight, I plan to finish up the shirred dress. It'll be pretty simple since it's my first time shirring.... I don't want to get into anything complicated just yet.

Tutorial: How to make a simple duvet cover

I’m going to use this white down comforter as an example…. And this red toile bedding set to give you a visual (I’m a visual person). The white comforter is from walmart.com and the red toile bedding set is from http://www.delectablyyours.com/.

It’s 90” wide X 98” long

Supplies/tools:

* For Facing- two cuts of toile, three yards in length each

* For Backing- one queen size sheet in white/cream/or other coordinating color (for this example, a deep red would be great) (or same amount of muslin or other fabric as mentioned above)

* A mans tape measure (since most of our dressmakers tape measures aren’t long enough… this will keep it easy)

* Thick grosgrain ribbon or similar (for tieing the duvet to the cover so it doesn’t shift around inside the cover)

* Pins etc…. the usual sewing must haves.

~~ We’ll be using a 1” seam allowance

Step 1: What do you want it to look like? Use the google image search to find coordinating colors you like (for the lining, bed skirt, shams, etc…. if you choose to do those as well)

Step 2: Measuring. Measure the length and width of the comforter/duvet/etc you’ll be using the duvet cover on and adjust needed yardage etc if your comforter is wider/longer than this example.

* Calculate how thick the comforter is, you’ll add twice that to the width of the cover width (so if the comforter is about 1” loft/thickness, add two inches to how wide you need the width to be. So now instead of the width of the cover being 90”, it’s 92” plus a 1” seam allowance on each side…. So a total of 94” wide.

* Adjusting the length depends on the type of closure you want (envelope, buttons, ties, etc… I personally think ties are the easiest to do, so that’s what we’re going to do in this example. Add 2” to the length of the comforter (same reason as above) and add another 3 inches for the closure and 1” for the HEM around the top of the closure….. So we’re adding a total of 6” to the overall length of the facing….. Grand total length of the facing = 105” (length of facing fabric = 108”)

Step 3: Stitch the facing. Trim 3” off the bottom of the toile fabric, you won’t have to adjust the length of the facing again. Stitch the two 3 yard pieces of toile together using a 1” seam allowance, right sides together of course…. This is the front.

Step 4: Lay your lining sheet right side up on the floor; lay the toile right side down on top of the sheet.

Step 5: Match the toile top 4” above the top of the sheet lining (check and make sure the direction of the toile is going the right way….. you want the 4” overhang part to be for the top, so check and make sure your print is going the right way). Pin the top in place. Doing it this way will prevent you from having to hem the top of the sheet.

Step 6: Pin the sides of the cover. Since the width is a total of 94” (including seam allowance) and the fabric itself is 108”, pin the fabric 7” from the edge of the toile (so you’ll be cutting off 7” from each side). Before or after you’ve pinned it, you should use something (dressmakers chalk, ink pen , etc) to draw the line on the fabric so you know where to trim the excess. Check your lines to make sure the width is 94” from top to bottom (check every 6” or so). Trim the excess from the sides; use the line as your indicator on where to cut.

Step 7: Pin the bottom. Since you’ve already established the width, pinning the bottom will be a sinch. After you’ve pinned it, trim the excess lining fabric.

Step 8: Sew it all together. I’d do the bottom first, then the sides. Remember to use 1” seam allowances.

Step 9: Adding the ribbon. You can add as many as you think you’ll need. I used four on mine (two on the bottom, two on the top… about 4-6” long each). Sew the ribbon onto your seam allowance. Back stitch and stitch over it again a few times to make sure it’s good and secure. Some duvets come with ties already in them. If yours doesn’t have them, follow this step again sewing a ribbon onto the corners of the comforter/duvet.

Step 10: The closure. Sew 8 tie strips using the fabric, I’d say ½” wide by 6” long. To do this you’ll want to cut a piece of fabric 2” wide, fold it in half, then fold under the raw edges. Basically you’re making bias tape except sewing the edges together. You can use your scraps to make these. Hem the end of the toile (1” seam allowance). Determine how far apart the strips should be. I’d say place one 12” before the corner on each side then two toward the middle (math says these should be placed 34” away from the ones near the corners…). On the toile side, sew four of the strips 3” before the end of the fabric, on the right side. Sew the strips onto the lining, right at the edge, on the wrong side.

Now you’re done. Your excess toile fabric will be tucked under the lining fabric (so the duvet doesn’t show) at the closure. Scraps could be used to make coordinating pillows. If you buy extra fabric to make pillows/shams/valances with, get it cut separately from the cover fabric so you won’t have to worry about cutting it.

If you’re good with measuring, this will be easy. It sounds like a lot, but it’s really not…. I just went into a lot of detail. This is also posted at kaytiebugs.blogspot.com. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!!! Have fun!

As for yesterdays little to-do list... I didn't get to any of it. Not even sewing! I got home from work a little later than usual. Traffic was horrible. Then I had to go to the grocery store which I planned on doing on the way home but I didn't have my debit card on me. Hubby told me to go ahead and get a lot of groceries. By the time I got home from the grocery store it was 8:00!! I cooked Salmon, which I LOVE, but we were out of foil so I had to bake it... it tastes MUCH better off the grill. We had some cheezy tortelinis too. Yum! I picked up some Alli at the grocery store. I'm going to start it tomorrow because today is Valentines day, so of course there will be lots of fatty foods.

Random thoughts of the day...

Vocabulary lesson of the day - Bias grain: Bias is the diagonal grain of the fabric…. Not the width, not the length, crossways.

What did I discover today: I need a walking foot.

Today’s inspiration: The Amy Butlers, Erin Murphys, and Joel Dewberrys of this world were not born with a big name… they started at the bottom just like everyone else.

Things I love today -
http://www.babylulu.com/products/fall07/prodLarge/531376.jpg
http://s7ondemand1.scene7.com/is/image/Gymboree/140032022?$240x305$
http://s7ondemand1.scene7.com/is/image/Gymboree/140031325?$240x305$

Blessing of the day: I found out yesterday that I’ve been paying my mortgage a month ahead of time as long as we’ve lived in the house! Whew! I thought we were a week BEHIND! Then I found a $50 in one of the desk drawers in the office.

Things I WILL accomplish today - work out for at least 30 minutes (yay, like I have a choice); do some LAUNDRY; start piecing together the first dress to go on etsy.

Note about the first etsy dress: I thought this was going to be a lot more simple than it has turned out to be!!! I like patterns that have minimal pieces to cut because I HATE cutting! I hate cutting out the pattern, I hate figuring out piece placement, I hate that my sewing table is not as big as I wish it were (not like I have the space for much bigger anyways), I just hate cutting!! However I have fallen madly in love with the fabric. It was hanging off the end of my sewing table last night... a good 2-3 feet was dangling just above the floor. I got to take a really good look at it as a whole. I think it would make some awesome pillows for Kaytlin's room... maybe a duvet cover since she needs a new one (thanks to her dad for MACHINE WASHING her down comforter, now we need a new duvet and cover).

Done with the randomness now.... hopefully I'll find my USB cord soon so I can load some recent and current projects!

Prepwork for opening online shop

I have so many things to do before I start adding items to my etsy store.

1) Make sew-in tags (see previous post for tutorial)… time to get busy!
2) Make hang tags… I bought some index cards and made the image, now I just need to test out the printer settings. It's pretty simple. Maybe I'll come up with some care instructions, print those out on sticker labels, and stick it to the back of the tag.

3) Sew items! I want to list at least 4-5 new things initially and add to it from there. I started working on this cute dress last night with a criss-cross bodice. The fabric is a really pretty floral print…. Not too pastel, not too bright. I also bought some other awesome fabric to start my etsy store with – bandana print, hyacinth pink/lilac/violet print, soft cream and wine red heirloom print (*LOVE* this print… but whatever I use it for will have to have to be lined because it’s a little see through), lavender and white stripes, pretty eyelet that I hate to cut…. Geez I’ve stocked up on so much in such a short time period that I can’t even remember what all I’ve got!

4) Learn how to shirr…. I’ve read a tut, now I just need to practice on some scraps.

5) Here’s a few other random ideas I’ve had to throw in the store – pin cushions, I refuse to toss scraps so I think I may have figured out something useful to do with them; an apron… I want to make some for me and Kaytlin anyways; Bibs… but this doesn’t really interest me… maybe this will be a made to match on a baby outfit. I thought about making a tutu or two. They’re so stinkin easy and often very overpriced. In my shop, items will be priced according to how much effort they took, not how popular they are. A lot of tutus are super easy and can be put together in a couple of hours or less; plus, tulle is really cheap… even “good” tulle.

6) Made to match – I want to include some “made to match” headbands, scarves, and belts (the sash kind that tie). Maybe I’ll post something for “made to match” jeans instead of doing jeans and a top as an outfit. I did these pants for my daughters Valentines outfit and it was such a PAIN!!! I’m sure the second time I do it, it’ll be much easier since I have done it once before and learned what NOT to do lol.

7) Buy some baby patterns! I have two that start with size ½… but what exactly is a size 1/2?

8) Find size charts. I know my daughters sizes and measurements, but if you told me your child wore a 2T I’d have no idea what pattern size to use without knowing the chest/waist measurements.

9) Find a pillowcase dress tutorial. Everyone sells these, I just want to find a tut so I can make one for Kaytlin. If that goes well, we’ll see about selling them. I hear they’re pretty easy, but sizing it without actually seeing the child is kinda scary since there’s no paper pattern to follow.

10) Buy my serger… I need to hurry up and do my taxes so I can get my refund and buy it. At the same time, I plan to buy a couple of yards of Amy Butler. I *heart* her!!!

11) FIND USB CORD FOR DIGITAL CAMERA!!!! Sheesh…. I have so many pics I really need to load but I can’t find the darn cord!!

12) Stock up on a few bubble-wrap lined envelopes.

SHEESH! It sounds like a lot more work than I imagined it to be!

How to make your own custom clothing tags!!

I'm sure quilters already know about this but.... You can buy inkjet fabric sheets from various places like craft stores (it's on the joann website for $14... time to whip out that 40% off coupon!), walmart carries it too (I got mine $12 for three sheets). It's not cheap, but it's cheaper than buying the ones for sale on etsy or other independent sites. Here's a link over to the HP website where they give clear directions on how to print on the paper.

Here's how to make your own inkjet fabric sheets (might come out a little cheaper... but IMO it's worth the time saved to just spend the extra on the ready-made sheets).

I'm going to write some helpful hints below as the guide is not intended for printing labels/tags, just printing on the fabric paper in general.

Here's a how-to for making the labels...

1) Determine the size of label you want. You can measure labels on various things for size ideas. For the example, I'm going to use 3/4" by 1 1/2"

2) Create your label design using paint or whatever you're familiar with (or just type your name in a cute color/font) You might want to add a border around the entire image so you know where to cut (so that everything stays centered)

3) So now you've got your logo made. Open a new paint window, set the attributes to 8 1/2" X 11". Copy your original image and paste it onto your new document. Paste four across the top row. Copy that row and paste it over and over until you fill the page (this is a full page... 40 tags)

4) Go to "File" then "Page Setup" and make sure your settings are like this- Print a test page on plain paper to see how it'll turn out.

5) Follow the HP instructions above to print using the fabric (very simple... about the same as using paper, easy). SAVE your documents so you don't have to do all this next time!!

Now that you've printed your label, you're ready to use it! How will you use it? There are raw edges! For now, I'm going to applique it on. If you wanted to have the kind that folds and goes into your hem, you'd just double the length of your image and fold it when finished... then you'd only have raw edges on the sides, but you could add a seam allowance to the edges if you'd like. I'm sticking to the basics for now. Also, if you really wanted to get crafty, you could print care instructions/size info on the reverse side of your foldable tag. I think that's everything! *whew*

My very first real blog...

I've blogged before... on sites like myspace... but I've never just had my own blog. I decided to start one because 1) I really enjoy reading other crafters blogs about there projects, tutorials, etc. 2) I could seriously talk all day long about sewing and crafts. 3) I need a place to write it all down! I use three and a half computers.... my work computer, my pc at home, my laptop at home, and an iPhone... so I am constantly emailing myself links, pictures, etc. that I see on the internet.

So... a little about me. I LOVE to sew, I'm a mom to a 4 year old little girl, I work full time, I'm a wife to my college student/full time working hubby, hmm... am I the only one who finds it hard to describe themself?

Right now I have a million things I want to sew. Note: I'm not yet one of those sewing gals with hoards of fabric, trims, etc... although I wish I were. I do, however, sew pretty much constantly. I buy fabric as needed (but I will stock up on patterns whenever Joanns or Hobby Lobby marks them down to $1 each!). I just splurged and bought a bunch that were on sale... and I have no idea what I'm going to do with them. I bought some ribbon, elastic thread, and this pretty trim... so I'll be shirring some of it, making at least one pillowcase dress, and maybe even pull out one of my many stashed patterns and make something with them. I also want to make a scrappy pin cushion. Right now, my # 1 sewing priority is to finish my friends baby shower gift, I have already made a puppet wash cloth and a quilt. I have to make the lined basket and hooded towels by this Friday... TWO DAYS! It won't take much. I don't have a pattern for these either.

Okay, time to clock back in from my lunch break!