baby booties

I made some of these booties just now, while Sophia was sleeping...something she rarely does on her own latley...
they turned out really cute, but I don't think there's any way that they are going to fit her chubby feet.... I didn't enlarge the pattern large enough I think... I should have had the forethought to have the pattern ready before she napped and to test the sole on her foot- oh well....
now I have no more wool felt, only craft felt- and so no more booties will be made before Easter at least.... :(

Pumpkin my mom made

IMG_4546, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

love fall decorations..
especially my new fall decoration, this little guy.
My mom made him for me... isn't he cute?

The best thing of all? When Halloween is over, you can turn him around like this...

and he'll carry you straight to Thanksgiving.

$3 window mistreatment

$3 window mistreatment, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

Inspired by Nester, here are my $3 window mistreatments... $6 for the pair.

I'd wanted to put something on our kitchen windows for a while... my sewing machine doesn't like me though, and then the baby was born... how on earth was I going to sew a "curtain" under those conditions? (think I can cram any more links in there??)

Using free fabric leftover from a school project (a group of us were put in charge of designing a porch area for... some event here in town- I was somehow put in charge of sewing up all of the pillows and cushions), a glue gun, fabric tacks, 'L' brackets, and wood that was here at the house- I created these in a day.

my mistreatment tools, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

Granted the fabric isn't exactly what I had in mind... I'd wanted something that had a white background- with designs in red, blue, green and yellow/orange (never could find it)... I still like the mistreatments quite a bit.

little how to:

I glued the hem with hot glue

nailed the fabric to a piece of wood that was 4 inches wider than my window, folding it like a present in the corners

screwed the "L" brackets to the wood

screwed the treatment to the wall

baptismal gown

IMG_3549, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

My sewing machine is on the fritz- and while it could be a user error, I'm suspecting it's the machine... I've tried EVERYTHING I know how to fix it... any how- since my mom's machine had wonky stitch length, and since she hadn't used it in quite a while and couldn't find the instruction book... we ended going to my aunt's house to make this dress again- though slightly modified.

IMG_3560, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

It's much longer than the pattern originally specified- but that's because it's a baptismal gown...

IMG_3558, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

the top was made from fabric leftover from my First Communion dress

IMG_3536, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

and the bottom was actual fabric from my First Communion dress. It was a difficult decision to use the fabric from the dress- a dress my grandmother made for me. But in the end, it makes this little dress more special and uses something that would otherwise have been sitting in the closet turning yellow, never to be used again because of it's frilly-nes and outdated style.

And the winner is...

small dress, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

So when I'd told my mom that I was going to go get some fabric, and she responded by "I'm just going to go and look in my stash in the basement"... I thought she meant like 'NOW I'm going'... and so once I got started on this, I could not, did not stop. It helped that Erik was up until 11:30 also- playing World of Warcraft.

Again, FREE pattern here, found via here.

The race is ON

Itty Bitty Baby Dress, originally uploaded by madebyrae.

So, from sew mamma sew I found this FREE pattern from Made by Rae for a small baby dress. I showed the pattern to my mom, and now we're in a race to see who can finish first. I may win since I've been excited about making something, ANYTHING for some time now- then again, she is a more seasoned seamstress, who has actually MADE clothing before... and I'm planning on trying to make it reversable. Hey- if you have to sew a lining as well, it may as well serve some purose other than to just be comfortable... :)

freshcut chair padding

fresh cut chair padding, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

To go along with the lamp, I took this wicker chair that I rescued from the trash. I've had it since back in the portrait studio days, and have just been unable to let it go. There's something so appealing to me about small furniture- such a cuteness to it that I can not resist.

The chair was scratched pretty badly, and as you can see, is missing the decorative wicker trim that once was across the bottom (or can you tell that it's missing...?). It also had a warning sticker on the seat of it- you know, one of those silly things companies have to put on there "no standing, this is a chair, this is a prop" sort of thing. After a new coat of spray paint, I think she looks pretty good, don't you?

I made a pattern for myself by tracing the shape of the seat on some newspaper, and then by giving myself a 1 inch seam/ stuffing allowance. I added in some ribbon on the back to make it able to attach to the chair. It's a bit puffy now, but after a few good sits from a little bottom (mine is too big, or I'd be hanging out here often) it should flatten out a bit.

another task to check off the list... 9 more to go... for this room.

a crazy question from me

big boy bed, originally uploaded by Hillary Lang.

Because you know, when you don’t jump on the ball and do something, you just over think it…

Do you use quilts/ comforters in the summer?? Is it an individual preference thing you think, or a learned thing?? Matthew kind of uses his comforter now… but not really really… Erik and I are both the same in that we prefer to have some sort of blanket with some weight to it over us no matter what the temperature… me, I could live with the duvet year round, but Erik gets too hot and so we end up switching to our ‘coverlet/ quilt’ thing until he gets upset about it slipping off of the bed always… and then we switch to… well, I don’t know what it’s called… like a really thick sheet… which leaves me wanting more (I feel more protected, more safe with a heavier blanket over me…) but whatever… so since I’m over thinking this quilt/ duvet cover with race cars (maybe in an attempt to talk myself out of making it?) I’m worrying about its practicality and usage. Matthew never really did like blankets over his feet… one when he’s in the car, now, yes… one over his head when he was a baby, yep. but even when he was a baby in my belly, no blankets, thanks… I’d have to sleep with a blanket for my feet, and another for my top half… belly uncovered, even in the middle of winter.

OK- so if you can, post a comment and let me know how you sleep at night, and if the changing of the seasons changes that... and maybe I'll get brave and start thins thing any way... you just hate to put so much work and thought into something (and learning too- I've never really appliqued before) especially when your in an emotionally shaky state... but enough rambling on and on about it...

photo from Hillary's blog (wee wonderfuls)... my inspiration for what I want to try to make, but I promise a complete coincidence in the child's book shelf and color, and future IKEAshelves... though I did choose the stripey IKEA boxes because she had them...

Bengal's baby blanket

Bengal's baby blanket, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

Sent to a little friend of ours far away- Can't wait to meet you in person Thomas, you're really cute in the pictures we see!

I'm in love

oscar's duvet cover, originally uploaded by Hillary Lang.

I doubt I'm as talented as Hillary- but I really want to try to make a duvet cover/ quilt similar to this one.

Complete!

and just in time- we're leavung to go to my in-law's house on Saturday, so this can be gifted before we're gone and enjoyed before Santa comes. I'm interested to see the reactions of our little friends when they open it. It comes in a case, so most likely a "what is it?" will come first. :)

choices, choices

Which do you like better, the brown or the blue?

A quilting I will go

This is what I've been working on... thus far I think the most difficult part was shopping for the fabric with my (almost) 2 year old in tow. There were way too many cool things in the fabric shop for him to look at. All that's left is making and sewing on the binding... can't loose my sewing drive now!! Back to work I go!