Two Snazzy Coin Purses

Some fun with zippers and ladybug fabric.

Sweet Bag for...me!

I made this bag last summer and cannot remember right now where I found the pattern. But it was rather easy to follow and I really had a good time making my first "complicated" bag (meaning, several pieces of fabric and learning a few things as I went - like how to do that nifty braided handle!).

The top picture is without the hanging things (obviously), but I felt the bag looked too big when I put it on my arm.

So I continued on with the pattern and made these hanging things and sewed them on.

I'm not in love with the hanging things...but it decreases the bag's size so it feels less cumbersome.

Still, I have to admit...in the year since I've made this bag, I've probably only used it a handful of times. I don't know...I think maybe the colors are too bold for me. Anyway, I had fun making it and maybe it'll work it's way down from my closet shelf again sometime.

Sewing Machine Cozy!

On a recent afternoon, I was feeling crafty and my son wanted to sew (ie, play with the pins. Yes, I know this sounds kind of dangerous, but he knows to be careful and I enjoy hearing about the pins' trips and the imaginary places they go -- on the fabric! ha!) Anyway, I wanted something quick to make so I thought this might be fun - a sewing machine cozy! I used the book Sew Darn Cute for instructions on how to make one and decided to use the vintage sheet my mom gave me (see how I used this fabric for a baby girl dress on an earlier post!).

I used some trim that I had in my stash to finish it off. And I like how it looks. Much better than the red scrap of flannel I've been tossing over it for the past two years!

This is my sewing desk and all-purpose craft corner. The desk was my Gramma D.'s and has its own history and various stories that go with it. But I will say that many letters have been written at this desk. Many children have hidden underneath it (including my mother!) and I'm sure many items have been sewn here as well, long before I began.

Baby Girl Pants

Oh, I wish these turned out better. I used regular cotton fabric for the pant, and quilter's cotton for the cuffs (the same fabric I used for the baptismal dress; see earlier post). The pants were easy to make, but there's no give in the material and my daughter outgrew them after I washed them once. (Oops, forgot to pre-wash the fabric!). Next time, I will try some knit fabric. Still learning the ropes, here.

Oh, and I didn't bother ironing the pants for this picture as I got them out of the wash and realized I'd probably never use them again! Darn.

Another Baby Girl Dress

I liked the dress so much (see previous post), that I decided to make another with my own vintage fabrics (read: old bedsheets that my mom gave me). I used the dress from the kit for my pattern (tracing onto paper) and I used the sheet edging to make the ribbons.

I really like this dress because it's so soft -- the sheets had been washed so many times. The only thing I would've done differently is somehow fix the ribbons because one side of each is fraying (didn't anticipate that). Oh well, live and learn!

The bonus feature about this dress is when my daughter outgrows it, I could use it as a shirt with leggings or with pants underneath! Yay! I love versatile clothing.

Baby Girl Dress

For my birthday, my husband bought me this dress kit from an Etsy shop called Little Fish Big Pond. The kit came with pre-cut designer fabric, ribbon, and instructions. I think the dress came out pretty well!