Christmas Sewing Projects: Part One

I hope everyone had a truly wonderful, blessed Christmas! I know I did! So thankful for the wonderful time I had with family and friends as we celebrated the Savior's birth.

On Friday, December 13th (I know, Friday the 13th!), I submitted my last final for the semester and so began my one month vacation from school. That first Saturday was devoted to cleaning my house, as it had been poorly neglected over the past two weeks. Sunday I rested, while Monday began my mad dash to get all my Christmas projects and shopping done. My sewing projects kept me busy right up to Monday, December 23rd. It was my goal to be done that day, which I basically accomplished, except for a little hand sewing my mom asked me to do, which didn't take too long. So overall, last week was one busy week. Now I have some time to sit back and breathe and actually enjoy my vacation from school, as well as begin to share some of my Christmas projects, now that they are no longer a secret. :)

First up is my infinity scarves. I think I may be a little late to the program, but seriously, where have these beauties been all my life??? I LOVE infinity scarves! I made my first Girl Charlee fabric purchase specifically for these lovely creations.

These are only four of the ten I made. The others had already been gifted. For these scarves, I needed two yards of fabric each (because of the length); however, two yards made two scarves. The finished dimensions of these babies were approximately 14-inches wide and approximately 6-feet in circumference. I used a half inch seam allowance and my serger worked beautifully to sew these babies up, especially after my brilliant sewing friend Erin gave me the perfect tension setting for working with cotton jersey knit. (Thank you, Erin!) I have written it down and posted it to my serger! Well that was my first project! I hope to get pics of each of the recipients of these scarves wearing them. I actually have one of my grandma wearing hers. (My mom bought one of the scarves from me for a Christmas present to her mom)

Grandma with her children

She looks pretty classy in her new infinity scarf! Well that is the first of my Christmas sewing projects. I will share another tomorrow!

New Swoon Pattern: The Levi Utility Bag

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Guess what???? Swoon Sewing Patterns has released a new pattern! And the best part???? This one is for men! Hello to the Levi Utility Bag!

Have you been struggling to think of Christmas ideas for the men your life? I know I do! Why is it men are the hardest to shop for??? And they are definitely the hardest to sew for, since well most sewing patterns out there are for children and women. But thanks to Swoon, you can now add a sewing pattern for men to your collection of patterns! Yay!!!

I know I cannot wait to make a Levi! The testers have been showing off their creative versions of Levi for the past few weeks, and let me say, they are all amazing. And if you really don't want to sew for men or you don't have any men to sew for, Levi can transform into.... a Lucy or perhaps.... a Lily. ;) This utility bag can be a great tote for your crafting supplies! I know I usually just throw my yarn and needles into a plastic bag or into my backpack (which is already full of other stuff). It would be so nice to have a bag just for them!

Oh and did I mention this bag is a fairly quick sew? Nothing like Stella or Betty! So if you were intimidated by them, maybe try out Levi first to boost your confidence. Well don't wait any longer! Go here and get Levi today. Christmas is only 13 days away!!!

Happy Sewing! :)

Peek-A-Boo Surprise :)

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Hey Everyone! I have exciting news to share! Peek-a-Boo Patterns is having an AMAZING holiday sale! I went a little crazy with it myself (I bought five patterns or was that six??), as I am sure you will.
 Click here to visit Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop.                

Here is a cute video created by the lovely owner of Peek-a-Boo Patterns. It will give you a great preview of some of her amazing patterns before you head off to shop! I know it is hard to choose between all these lovely patterns, but don't worry! The more you buy the more you save! :) Happy Shopping Everyone! Also, this sale ends on Saturday, so make sure you don't miss out!
Click here to visit Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop.

   
                               

The Little Gentleman Tie and Bow Tie by Peek-a-Boo Patterns

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"It's the most wonderful time of the year!" I LOVE this time of year so very much for so many reasons! I love Thanksgiving! I love Christmas! I love New Years! I just LOVE the holidays. I love that we set aside a day to take a break from our busy lives to remember all the things we have to be thankful for, and there really are so many thing!. Thanksgiving really should be a year long celebration.

Christmas is my ultimate favorite holiday! Christmastime is truly magical, the season of hope. I have always felt this way since a child and I think it ultimately has to do with the fact that Christmas is the time to celebrate Christ's birth, a truly miraculous event and the greatest gift ever given to humankind.

For me, New Years is bittersweet. I always become reflective on New Years Eve as I say farewell to the past year and welcome in the new, reflecting on the past memories of the year and wondering what memories the new one holds.

With all that said, I am definitely in the holiday spirit! Ready to break out that Christmas music and decorate my apartment this weekend!

I am also ready to start working on those Christmas gifts!!! And speaking of which, I have to share a project I whipped up last Friday with one of my new Peek-a-Boo patterns. I sort of went on a pattern splurge last week! Haha but it was so worth it!!! Have you seen all the amazing new patterns that have been added over the past month????

Anyways, check out these adorable bow ties I made using the Little Gentleman Tie and Bow Tie pattern. Click here to view more details

Aren't these adorable??? (You'll recognize the fabric, as I used it for the small stripe on my Betty bag) I seriously LOVE this pattern! It results in perfect bows! And there are so many options to it. You can make the tie or bow ties in four different sizes. You can make a single bow tie (like mine) or you can make a stacked bow tie (which looks adorable!). You can use Velcro or snaps for the closure. I love the Velcro because it makes the neck width easily adjustable.

So cute!

This pattern is so easy to follow, with clear instructions and accompanying pictures. From cut to finish, these can easily be whipped up in an hour for newer sewers, and those expert sewers can probably whip them out in half that time. And these bow ties are excellent scrap buster projects!

They really are just perfect! And you might not be able to tell from the pics, but these bows are not floppy! They have great shape and structure! Interfacing is a wonder! I can't wait to make more of these and to try out the tie version of the pattern! I know some little gentlemen that need one of each! :)

Don't wait around! ;) Go get your Little Gentleman Tie and Bow Tie pattern today! :)

What a Betty!

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Today is a VERY special day! :) Well yes, it is my birthday, so of course, I am partial to this day! :) However, today is also Betty's birthday (or debut)! Who is Betty you ask??? Why she is the newly released (as in TODAY) Betty Bowler Bag by Swoon Sewing Patterns !!!!
Can I just say I LOVE this pattern????? Yes, I know I say this about every Swoon pattern, but Betty is my most favorite (Sorry Stella, Eleanor, and Rosie! I still love you all too)!!!! There is just something about her. She really is a true Betty! A classic/vintage beauty, a babe of a bag!

So without further ado, here is .....(drum roll)....BETTY Swoon Sewing Patterns!!!

Isn't she one classy lady?!?!?! Can't you see why she is my ultimate fav????? Now that you have gotten some good visuals, let's discuss her specs!

First, she has great structure, as you can tell from her photo shoot above. This structure is created using Craft Fuse and Fleece interfacing. This was my first time using Craft Fuse and I love it! It sure adds structure and crispness to fabric! Like Stella, she also has a stiff bottom that is made using two pieces of Peltex. (All of the interfacing/stabilizers used to make this bag are Pellon products and can be purchased at Jo-Ann's.)

Secondly, she has beautiful piping that really adds to her classic beauty. This was my first time with piping (well minus one other attempt but I never completed that project and it was only a short straight line)! I was nervous but it really turned out well. There are so many tutorials out there too that really help you overcome any piping apprehensions! And if you are just too scared, you can make Betty without piping, as a few of the Swoon testers did (and they were all lovely!). The pattern also shows you how to make your own piping, which is nice since it is often hard to find pre-made piping that matches your fabric choices perfectly. I got lucky, so I went the easy (lazy) route. :)

By the way, this video showed me an easy method for connecting piping.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZESVL1Fmiw


Thirdly, this pattern is so versatile. She has different handle options. You can use hardware like I did or you can make them without. Instructions are given for both.  (Hardware purchased from strapworks.com)

Her stripe panels add to her versatility, for you can use just one stripe or none at all, or you can adjust the width to your liking. Like I said above, the piping is optional too. No two Betty's will ever look alike, unless of course, you want to make twins. :)


Concerning compartments, this girl has a very cool vertical, exterior zipper pocket, which is the perfect size for your passport or cell phone or both (Betty is a perfect carry-on bag)!

Passport

Passport and Cell phone

On one of the inside panels, there is one long slip pocket that extends the length of the bag; perfect for your Nook or Tablet! :)

Now lets have a size comparison. Here is a picture of Betty alongside Stella, so you can see the difference.

They are very similar in height; however, Stella is longer and a little bulkier. Honestly, if you are torn between the two, you should really just make yourself both! A matching set even! Won't you be the Bell of the airport, with a Betty and Stella on each arm!!! :)

Well I have gone on enough about my new love Betty, so I will be silent now. But I will leave you with the following song. The start of the chorus is perfect for Betty! And I don't know about you but I just felt that Betty deserved a song on her big day! :) And she sure is "strong and steady" but don't worry, you won't have to sell your jalopy to buy her. ;) (Listen to the song and you'll get it)

New Peek-a-Boo Patterns!!

Hurry over to Peek-a-Boo Patterns! The Comfy Cozy Robe and Slippers have been released! If you purchase them together, you save! Seriously, you can't have the robe without the slippers. ;)  And what a perfect Christmas gift! I bought my set! Can't wait to make some matching robes and slippers! I'll be sure to share pics when I do. :) Happy sewing everyone!

The Newsie Cap by Peek-a-Boo Patterns

So last week, Peek-a-Boo patterns started a new Friday tradition: Customer Appreciation Day! Every Friday, the lovely owner of this pattern shop will give away a free pattern to one lucky customer. In order to participate and have a chance at winning a free pattern, you must have made something in the past week using a Peek-a-Boo pattern. How fun is that! Last week, I wasn't able to participate, but this week I am! Yesterday, I made my first Peek-a-Boo Newsie Cap.

Isn't it adorable???? And talk about a fun, quick sew with a perfectly beautiful result!  This was my first time working with corduroy and I believe my first time sewing a real hat (at least I think). This pattern is great! It comes with several size options. I made the child size option, which I could almost fit on my head. So maybe the biggest size would be perfect for me??? ;) This hat is meant to be roomy and slouchy. If you are worried about sizing, don't be. The finished circumference of each size is given (and it is accurate), and there is also a formula for making a custom fit band. 

This pattern walks you through each step, with clear instructions and pictures. This hat is fully lined! You could use the same color for the lining or you could add a pop of color for a hidden surprise (like I did)!

Don't you love this lining fabric??? This fun apple print makes it the perfect little school girl hat! I have to tell you, I got both of these fabrics at Jo-Ann's one day when the red tag clearance was an additional 50% off. I think I got the apple print for like a $1 something a yard and the corduroy for $3 something.

I finished off the top of my hat with an adorable, large covered button.

Is that just perfect or what??? Even my husband was like "No way! That is so cute!" But don't tell anyone he said that. ;)

I am so pleased with this pattern! I can't wait to make more! This one is going to a special little six year old girl! I want to make some matching ones for my little nieces next. These really are just too adorable! If you haven't already, you used definitely get this pattern! :)