My Second Friday Night Sew In

Happy Saturday everyone!  I am anxious to share what I made for my FNSI project.  First I want to say how awesome this sew in idea is.  It is so simple but it is like making an appointment to do something you love-awesome!  It is sponsored by Handmade by Heidi and Crafty Vegas Mom-thanks ladies.  Now onto my project. 

I made this scarf with some gorgeous fabric strips I won from Susanne at Make.Share.Give.  I instantly fell in love with the fabric.  I found the pattern for this boho chic scarf at Daisy Janie.  It was kind of tedious but I enjoyed the placement of the patterns and deciding what looked good together.  I discovered(as if I didn't already know) that I am not the straightest sewer and that I didn't enjoy dealing with small seam allowances but I am happy with the finished product.  Thanks again Susanne for the beautiful strips you sent me. 

Now this next segment is not for you excellent quilters.  You may want to look away.  I will understand.  This picture will probably assault your eyes and sense of proportion.  I was up mighty late last night completing that scarf.  I had my sister in law over for dinner and she and I got chatting and had a few glasses of wine, so I didn't get started until 7:30.  Also, I didn't prep my project as Heidi suggested. (notice how I am making all kinds of excuses)  Well, I love the fabric Susanne gave me so much, I didn't want to waste a bit of it, so I thought I would be clever and make coasters.  Apparently, one should not attempt to follow a quilt pattern at 1:00 am especially if that person is not a good straight sewer or able to deal with small seam allowances.  Well, here it is:

   I intended to make several to replace the plain cork coasters in my bedroom, but I stopped at that one.  Yeah, I know.  It is a little "off".  Oh well, Maybe I will give another one a try when I am well rested! 

I hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend and have a great week.  Take care.  Nancy

Some Little Projects

Hi everyone and I hope this weekend was a good one for you all.  I had fun today working on several small projects.  For starters, I made this watchband with a very free-form ruffle.  I used this tutorial from Cluck Cluck Sew.  I can't wait to make more of them.  I got the watch face from my local craft store on sale for $6.50.  I have seen some pretty colored faces on Etsy.  The possibilities are endless! 

 I also made another one of these cute puzzle bags.  It was requested by a friend for her niece.  They really are fun to make.  So far, I have mostly used cute buttons with the shanks snipped off as the prizes to spy inside.  When they are on sale, it isn't too bad price-wise; but I would prefer 3-dimensional items to put inside.   I am on the lookout for some of those for the next one I make.

  Lastly, I made this cute ruffled sunglasses case that I found on Positively Splendid blog.  I love these totally informal ruffles that you gather as you sew.  I made another scalloped totebag in reds that I plan on donating with this matching case for a raffle to add to a scholarship fund named for a friend who passed away recently.  I have so many sunglasses and glasses for that matter that need cute and protective cases.  I think I will wander the craft blogs looking for different tutorials to make all different styles for my glasses/sunglasses protection.  I also have a million books to look through for ideas.  Little projects like these are so rewarding.

 I leave you this evening with a picture of my Mickey when she was sleeping.  Look at those rabbit feet!  She is priceless. 

I am so looking forward to next Friday night's Sew In.  I have several projects in mind.  I will have to decide which one I will sew.  Take care and have a wonderful week.   Nancy  

Food and Drink Thumbs Up and a Cautionary Tale

Hi everyone and happy Sunday evening.  I am going to begin by telling you about some wonderful food and drink ideas I found on blogs.  First, I tried a hot strawberry drink I found on Joyful Homemaking.

I am not usually a huge fan of artificial strawberry flavor, but the addition of other ingredients and making it hot made this drink a welcome change from tea or hot chocolate.  I served it with a breakfast-for-dinner meal and it went over big.  It also made a relaxing hot drink to sip while I perused my craft books trying to remember which one had my project for today in it!  I also made Heidi's sloppy Joe's.  I don't eat hamburger so I can't say personally but my family was extremely enthusiastic about these.  They sure smelled amazing and they were super easy to prepare.  They are on the "make again soon" roster! 

Now onto the cautionary tale.  I don't know about you guys, but crafting keeps me sane.  I tend to get anxious over things and sewing  or painting or knitting(you get the point) keeps me quite a bit calmer.  It gives me such a fulfilled sense.  I usually spend all day Sunday in my craft room working on whatever project is on my radar that week.  I also like to have a finished project at the end of the session.  It isn't always possible but most of the time, I select a project that can be finished in that amount of time.  I mentioned last week, I feel rather stressed with everything that my youngest son has going on right now.  I have quite a few appointments this coming week as well as work and the usuals that we all do day-to-day.   Today I got up extremely early so I could get my chores done and get an early start in my craft room.  I was feeling particulary stressed and anxious to get in there.  Well, one thing led to another and it was almost 2:00 by the time I got in there.  I tried to rush getting started and almost ruined my project.  It required a walking foot be put on my machine.  I only used this foot once before and put it on wrong.  My quilting bunched all up and I had to remove 2 rows(which made me more frustrated) and I still finished with it installed wrong.  I caught it on the second project.  So, I guess the morals of this story are: make time for what you need to feel good even if you have to lock your door and tune everyone out and when you do get a chance to do what makes you happy, take your time and enjoy it no matter how long you can spend doing it.

    So here is what I made.  They are curling iron cozies.  I made two because I also use a curling brush.  When I was off for the week, hubs and I went away for the night.  I had to wait for my curling iron and brush to cool and I just put them loose in my toiletry bag.  I thought this would be nicer.  It has Insulbrite batting so it is practical.  The black check one is quilted perfectly.  The star one is my bunched and puckered quilt job.  Can I live with the imperfection?  Not happily, but yeah.  Oh and I got the instructions in Sew the Perfect Gift.  Don't they look like cute Barbie sleeping bags?  I would have so used them for that as a kid! 

Well, I hope you have a great week.  The weather here is supposed to be off-the-chart crazy.  It was in the 20's today and snowed a little last night.  Wednesday it is supposed to be in the 50's.  Go figure!  Take care.  Nancy