** CLOSED ** Fabric Friday Giveaway!

Oh my gosh! I almost forgot about Fabric Friday Giveaway!  Terrible of me.  Sorry.

Today is Fabric Friday Giveaway!

 Every other Friday I hold a giveaway for some fabric!  The type and kind vary but the results are still awesome! Free fabric for YOU!!!

Today's Fabric Friday Giveaway are TWO cute patterned fabrics as shown below.  The first is a very soft and lightweight cotton.  It is a mint color with white hearts.  There is 1 yard of 43 inches wide for this fabric.  The other is also a cotton and is also lightweight.  It is white with red strawberries and green stems; There is 1/2 yard of 49 inch wide for this fabric they have been pre-washed. 100% cotton. These two fabrics are vintage to boot!  

Specifics, Rules, etc....
1. Giveaway is open from Friday, June 29th, 2012 to Monday July 2nd, 2012 at 9am central time. 
2. Giveaway is open to anyone, anywhere in the world
3. Random number generator will determine the winner at that time and will be posted on the blog 

To enter: 
1. You must leave a comment on this post answering the below question.  Thanks and good luck!

I would love for you to follow my blog, but it is not required for this giveaway!

Today's Question is:  Do you participate in sewing challenges?  If so, what is your favorite type of sewing challenge?

Thanks and good luck!

Simplicity 2046 (aka 2738) ~ More PJ's! (3 sets)

I got the idea to lay 3 different fabrics down and cut out the simplicity 2046 PJ pattern from all 3 at once.  I was so optimistic!  Mr. T loves his other PJ's in this pattern so I picked a cute squirrel pattern for his pajamas.  Miss K really needs some new pajamas so I picked out an adorable yellow fabric with flowers and ladybugs on it.  She picked a super soft pink fabric with roses on it.  I figured since she fits in most his clothes that the PJs would fit her.  That was my first mistake of many to follow!
I cut the top out of the fabric and then went to do the shorts..... I didn't have enough of the roses or ladybugs for the shorts.  Oh no!  I jumped on fabric.com and ordered some lime green and bright yellow double sided flannel fabric for her shorts.  In my chaos, I only ordered 1/2 yard..... it came and I realized it was not enough. BOO! Back to fabric.com to order a yard of each; but this time I had to order another yard of the squirrel fabric too because I somehow messed up the shorts. UGH!

So I finally got everything together, cut and sewn.  Miss K's pajamas are huge on her. . . Mr. T loves his.  Me on the other hand? I'm just glad to be done with the ordeal. LOL.

I still have to add the sleeves and buttons to the rose ones.   

 I love this squirrel pattern!

 They really do fit Mr. T well! (too bad he doesn't want ladybug or rose pj's too!)

Fabric:
Pink roses from clearance rack at Hancocks ~ 1.5 yards (needed 2) $3.50
Fabric.com Comfy Double Napped Flannel Lemon Tree ~ 1.5 yards (needed 1) $8.97
Total for those pj's = $12.47

Yellow Ladybugs from clearance at Hancocks ~ 1.5 yards (needed 2) $2.50
Fabric.com Comfy Double Napped Flannel Lime ~ 1.5 yards (needed 1) $8.97
Total for those pj's = $11.47

Squirrel Fabric:
Mother Nature Flannel Forest Friends Boy Blue ~ 3 yards (needed 2) $17.94
Total for those pj's = $17.94


In conclusion, I spent way too much on these pj's.  It was my own fault from my mistakes.
I spent $41.88; I should have spent $23.96 (which would have been $7.99 each pj).  Lesson learned. Buy more yardage right away.  I didn't guesstimate the right amounts.

This week's list

It's Monday again; which means it's time for This Week's List!
I did a great job last week plugging through my list!
I managed to finish:
Oliver + S Ice Cream Dress (second attempt)
Upcycled dad's old tee to a tank top for Mr. T
Hawaiian plastic bag holder
3 pajamas are done too I just need to take pics and post
and I made 4 of the 6 pillows I wanted too!

Talk about a productive week!

So this week I plan on:

1. Finishing the owl stuffie and tutorial! ~ this is a priority since I've been putting it off

2. Make View D on New Look 6054 out of the cutest linen blend - a skirt

3. Make View D on New Look 6871 - a tank top





That is all I'm planning this week.  A nice short list.  In addition to it being Mr. T's birthday yesterday, we have visitors Monday-Wednesday so I'm sure I"ll be busy with them.

Plus, the shorts challenge starts next week and I want to be rested and prepared for that!

Have a great week everyone!

10 years ago today....

My little man turns 10 years old today.  It is a happy day for him and a sad day for me.  They grow up way too quickly!  I wish I could keep him little for a good 20 years more :(  But alas it is time for him to turn another year older.

Mr. T is my oldest; he came first and has taught me a lot about how to be a mother and taught me so much about myself.  He is such a smart little man, I love watching his brain work.  For the first couple years of his life it was just me and him ~ being a single mom was tough but it was all worthwhile to make the best life for my little man. We've grown together and had lots of fun along the way.

So here's to you little man, I've enjoyed every moment of your life thus far and I can't wait to see what the future holds ~ I love you so much!

Happy 10th Bday!

Shorts on the Line ~ Summer Sew Along!

I was very happy this morning to see a new sewing challenge for me.  I tend to be more motivated when I have a "push" from a challenge.

Starting July 1st I will be participating in this fun challenge.  I am in desperate need of shorts!
You can find all of the wonderful details at imagine gnats who is hosting the challenge along with Designs by Sessa and small + friendly. 

Join me in their fun challenge!

Hawaiian plastic bag holder

I've had this cute Hawaiian fabric for a couple months now and wasn't sure what I wanted to do with it.  I decided yesterday that I would make it into an adorable kitchen plastic bag holder.  There is a nice pineapple in the middle of the bag and I think that fits perfectly with a kitchen as the pineapple means hospitality.
I finished her up last night and popped her into the Etsy shop.  Let's hope she finds a nice home soon.
Happy Friday everyone!

Upcycle ~ Dad's old tee to son's tank top!

I love when I can re-purpose an item.  It makes me feel so happy inside.  I've gotten quite the pile of things to re-purpose as well.... Some I have ideas for and some I'm clueless on but that is ok.  Today I pulled this old shirt out of the pile.  It is one of my husband's favorite from years ago but no longer fits him.

I used a pattern for this project even though I know I could wing it on my own, I still wanted an official pattern.  I picked McCall's 6099 (super easy pattern). 

(Picture from McCall's website)

My husband walked by as I was cutting up his shirt and he was all like "Oh no! My favorite shirt! What are you doing to it!"  I gently reminded him that it no longer fits him and proceeded to hack away :-)

2 pieces cut on the fold.  Sew the shoulders and side seams (I did this with the serger); then hem the neck, arm holes, and bottom.  BOOM!  That's it.  This took me all of 1/2 hour to do.  Mr. T is such a skinny-minny that it is a bit hard to find things that fit him right.  I can see that it drops way too low in the neckline so next time I will add 2 inches to the scoop part.  I also want it a bit longer on him so I will add 2 inches to the bottom.  

The pattern couldn't be any easier.  Super simple for anyone to make.  I like the shape of the tank on T (with the modifications I plan to make next time).  I made it in a size 8 because he wavers between an 8 and a 10. Since this one was my "test" one I think it will go nicely with his upcycled PJ shorts for bedtime!

Oliver + S Ice Cream Dress - Take Two!

You may remember that I completed the Oliver + S Ice Cream Dress first here in Pink and Purple.  I had a few issues with the pattern.  I'm not used to Oliver + S patterns and their directions seemed a bit odd to me. I went off the pictures a few times.  Well this second time around their directions still were weird to me.  I had to re-read a few a couple times to understand what they meant.  Either way I know the end result is so darn cute so I wanted to try again.  I used these cute patterns that I got from Fabric.com (love that place!).

Fabric:  Once Upon a Time Flowers Yellow/Periwinkle 100% cotton (FK-456 on fabric.com)
             Once Upon a Time Bugs Blue 100% cotton (FK-457 on fabric.com)

This time around I knew a bit more of what I was doing so it wasn't completely foreign to me; things went a bit smoother.  I followed the directions exactly for every step of View A, including using the double fabric on the bottom.  I think it makes the dress too heavy down there and wish I had stayed with the single thickness. Miss K likes it a lot and that is what matters most.  The dress fits her well but I know it will be too small in a month.  I feel that 2 tries of the pattern are enough for me and the dress is unique enough that she doesn't need anymore until she outgrows them.  I'm happy, she's happy.  It is an ok pattern in my book.

I really love those cute little "v" pockets!

This Week's List

Wow!  Another week come and gone; it went so quickly!  I really didn't get anything done last week with the rummage sale and family stuff.  Boo :(   I still have half the PJ's sitting on my ironing board.....  I also have a second Oliver + S dress almost done.  I'll finish that cutie up today.  I did cut the fabric for some amazing pillows for the living room and Miss K's room.  I also have another grocery bag holder cut up.

This week is a bit less busy so I can get a lot done! Miss K has one summer school class all week and dance one day, add in 2 chiropractor visits and that is it!!  So here is my ambitious list this week:

1. Finish second Oliver + S dress with these two cute patterns

2. Finish the 3 sets of PJ's

3. Sew four 2 more pillows for living room and 2 for Miss K's room

4. Finish up sewing owl stuffie and get a tutorial up.

5. Make View D on New Look 6871 (just picked up today)     


6. Make View  on New Look 6054 out of the cutest linen blend

7. Make Mr. T some upcycled tank tops out of Dad's old Tee's

I think that should do it for this week.  Let's see how many I can get done!  It is supposed to be super, super hot here all week so inside sewing and movies are where it's at in my house.  I hope you all can tackle your lists this week too!

Fabric Friday Winner!!

Thanks to all of you who participated in this week's Fabric Friday Giveaway!  It was unanimous that cotton is the favorite type of fabric to sew.  I must say that I agree completely!!  Plus cotton has so many wonderful forms too!  I love sewing with cotton, especially flannel because it is soooo soft and fuzzy!

The winner this giveaway is .....

Elizabeth!!!

ElizabethJune 15, 2012 5:00 PM

My favorite fabric to sew with is cotton. It is what I use most!

Congrats to Elizabeth! You will receive an email from me shortly.  Please don't be discouraged if you did not win this time.  The next Fabric Friday Giveaway will be held on June 29th!  Thanks!

** CLOSED ** Fabric Friday Giveaway!

Do you know what today is? Fabric Friday Giveaway!  Every other Friday I hold a giveaway for some fabric!  Yay! The type and kind vary but the results are still awesome! Free fabric for YOU!!!

Today's Fabric Friday Giveaway are TWO cute patterned fabrics as shown below.  Stripes and hearts!  There is 1 yard of 43 inches wide for each fabric and they have been pre-washed. 100% cotton. One is green stripes and hearts, the other is blue stripes and hearts. These two are super soft too! Like last week, I picked these up from an elderly friend of mine so they may or may not be vintage.... sorry, I don't know for sure!  

Specifics, Rules, etc....
1. Giveaway is open from Friday, June 15th, 2012 to Monday June 18th, 2012 at 9am central time. 
2. Giveaway is open to anyone, anywhere in the world (as long as they are followers of the blog) 
3. Random number generator will determine the winner at that time and will be posted on the blog 

To enter: 
1. You must be a visible follower of this blog (top right side of blog there is a link to become a follower).  
2. You must leave a comment on this post answering the below question.  Thanks and good luck!

Today's Question is:  What is your favorite type of fabric to sew with?

Stuck in the Middle....

I can't believe it's Wednesday already!!  Where has the week gone!
I have 3 sets of PJ's in production and I'm also in the middle of a maxi-type interlock knit dress.
Mr. SunnySewing has been home Monday and today this week too.... he can be distracting when I'm trying to sew.  The last 3 days have been busy!
Mr. T came home from his vacation with grandma early on Monday.
Our super old barn was stripped of it's wood and came down today :( it was such a sad sight but it had to go.  The foundation in the back was sinking each year and it was a hazard.  I'll miss it.  My grandparents owned this house and land before us so it has history for me.
Ye Ole Barn

Miss K starts her dance class tomorrow and we also have been getting ready for our rummage sale this Fri and Sat. Whew!  Busy Busy.
Here is the 3 PJ's awaiting my finishing touches

They are from this pattern (which I love from Mr. T's other PJ's here).

So I just need to add sleeves, hem it up, add buttons, and then the shorts.

And here is the stubborn to sew maxi-type dress from the interlock knit.  It is really, really hard to sew but I'm going to conquer it!

And here is the pattern it is from. M5893, View C (the hot pink one)

All that is left is the bottom hem and the middle elastic and she is complete!

I really hope you all are having a great start to your week!

Weekly To-Do List

Sigh.  Last week's list didn't get very completed!  I finished one thing.  That's it.  Oh well, sometimes things go that way.  I did get the 3 sets of Pj's cut and ready to go; however I found I didn't have enough fabric for the shorts so I am waiting for my order from fabric.com to finish them.  I did get my Tropicana Maxi Skirt fabric on Thursday but was busy with other things.  So on to this week's list:

1. Finish the 3 sets of PJ's for Miss K and Mr. T (switching to 2 for K and 1 for T)
2. make the Tropicana Maxi Skirt (FREE download!) from Hot Patterns at Fabric.com
3. make another Oliver + S Ice Cream dress for Miss K from the adorable fabric that came today - very summery and little bugs :-)
4. Make some more lovely grocery bag holders for the Etsy shop. 
5. Make that darn tank top from pattern Butterick B4800 already!  It's 90 up here all week!

I think that list will do for me this week.  Miss K also starts her Tap/Dance class this week, summer school and swimming lessons start next week. I hope you all get what's on your To-Do list done this week!

Freezer Paper Stencils ~ Step by Step

I love freezer paper stencils!  They are fun, easy, and a really cool way to get a design on something.  I especially like them because my kids whine for certain characters on their shirts and sometimes they are hard to find or too expensive.  Here is a step by step tutorial on how easy it is to do a freezer paper stencil.

What you will need:
Freezer paper
Xacto knife
Iron
Piece of something you want to make the stencil on
Paint brush
Fabric Paint (below is what I use)
Jacquard Lumiere Metallic Acrylic Paint 2.25 Ounces

 printer and computer if you are not drawing your own stencil

Step 1: Find a stencil that you wish to use.  You can draw one yourself or find one on your computer.  My kids are in love with "The Regular Show" so I looked up Rigby and here is what I found:  

(I googled Rigby stencil).

Step 2: Cut a piece of your freezer paper to 8 1/2 x 11 inches and place in your printer.  All printers are different so you need to place it so that it will print on the paper side, not the shiny side; for me this is up.  Print the image on your paper

Step 3: Use the Xacto knife to cut out all the black parts.  Be very careful in the little tiny parts.  I left a bit more black in some of those teeny parts by his arm and eyes. 

Step 4: Get your fabric ready, I'll be using a T-shirt.  I ironed the front down nice so there were no bumps or wrinkles where my picture would go.  This is just a plain tee from Wal-Mart. 

 Step 5: Place your freezer paper, paper side up, on your fabric.  (now there is some debate on this step...)  I place my iron directly on my freezer paper because it sticks faster and better in my opinion.  I use it on the silk setting (or medium).  What I do is PRESS the iron down right on top of the paper in sections for 2-3 seconds and then lift up.  I do not move the iron back and forth - this may mess up your freezer paper.  

Continue pressing the paper down until it is all stuck.  (the other option is to place a cloth over the freezer paper and press on top of that with the iron, I found this did not stick my paper to the shirt).

 Step 6: ** Important ** place a piece of freezer paper on the backside so paint won't leak through.  For me this is inside the shirt and you want it shiny side up to the project.  Now I start painting the holes of the freezer paper with the fabric paint.  You want a nice coat, but not too thick.  

I use a cheap craft paint brush and some shiny brown fabric paint for $0.99 from Hobby Lobby.  Make sure it is "Fabric Paint"

Step 7: Wait for your paint to dry.  This took about 3-4 hours for my project. Last time it took longer so just check it with your finger.  A little bit of tack on the paint is ok as long as you are careful.  When the paint is dry, slowly peel off all the freezer paper from the fabric.  The small spots were fun to peel off..... the large pieces were fast and easy.  

Step 8: Ta Da!  Now you have a really cute *and cheap* design on a piece of fabric!  And it was fast too!

Here is another of our Freezer Stencil Projects: 

Zelda and the Wolf 

I completed Rigby in about 4 hours I'd say and then Miss K wore it to the carnival last night! It was a blast because it was not as hot at night and all the lights are magical!