I’ve got the shakes…

Possibly the shivers. I’m sweating and its not because of the 90° heat. My sewing machine is broken and I need a fix, BAD. J loaned me her machine, but its not like mine and she can’t find the manual and I just can’t get it to work. I tried, and it ate right through my oilcloth. Probably nothing major, but enough that my tension is all out of whack and the bobbin cartridge is jumping around and acting crazy. I’m guesstimating about two weeks in the shop to get it fixed and am not sure I’m going to make it. My plan is to cut out ALL the projects I’ve been thinking of doing, which is probably like 15 different things, and keep them in small bags in my craft room. That way once my machine is back I can get right to it. I know, I know.

This is me. Standing up. My name is Emily and I am a sewing junkie.

Birdo Love Moo: For Beginners Giveaway!

Birdo Love Moo: For Beginners Giveaway!

this blog has moved!

come check me out at The Handmade Experiment!

May Giveaway Day – Beginning Sewing

If you’ve been following along you’ll know all about the Handmade Experiment and how back in January I committed myself to making all the gifts I give this year. So far this has involved some baking and woodworking and a LOT of sewing. I had done a bit of sewing before – some pillows and the lining for a crocheted bag I made for a friend, but nothing like what I’ve done this year – tote bags, kid’s clothes, costumes, and even some plushies.

My hubs says he’s really proud of me. I’m proud of me, too! Sewing and creating for myself and friends and family is something that I’ve always wished I could do. I thought it would be so hard, but its not. My best piece of advice: start out simple. Sure you want to made retro swing dresses that fit you perfectly, but why not start with a cute tote or wrap skirt? One success will give you the confidence to move on the the next project and the next. Before you know it, your friends will be asking you to sew stuff for them!

For those who are letting their lack of a machine get in the way, check out your local fabric stores and crafty shops. You might find that there are sewing machines you can rent or a space you can go to work on your project. If you live in Portland or the surrounding area, check out DIY Alert! for a map of crafty spots around town and lists of classes.

Okay, so you might have picked up I’m big on promoting handmade. To prove I’m not all talk and to be a part of the May Giveaway Day spectacular that Sew, Mama, Sew! is throwing, The Handmade Experiment is reaching out to those sewing beginners and wish-I-coulders with an awesome sewing supplies giveaway from two great Portland designers!

How I spent my bloomer weekend

Gone Sewing…

I’ll be back tomorrow to talk about my fun Memorial Day weekend. It is PZ’s last week of school and I’ve got projects out the wazoo, so I’m putting up the Gone Sewing sign. Have a good Memorial Day and to those who have lost someone or  have someone away from home now, my thoughts are with you!

Tutorial – How to Turn a Receiving Blanket into Kid’s Pants

My mom originally gave me this receiving blanket back in 2006 when PZ was born. It came in a pack of 4 from Target. It’s Carter’s brand and is 100% cotton with little giraffes, elephants, and lions on it. We used it with the birth of my second daughter, Q last July and subsequently loaned it to J for the birth of her daughter back in February. Needless to say, this blanket has been napped on, peed on, dragged around, dropped in the dirt, and washed a hundred times. When my friend returned it to me last week I was torn. I knew none of the resale shops would want it and we didn’t need it, so I was planning on taking it to Goodwill before I got the great idea to turn it into some awesome pajama pants for Q.

I figure I’m not the only Mama with a a little sentimentality and a lot of faded, well loved baby blankets. So here’s my first sewing tutorial. I apologize about the crazy lighting in the pictures. I’m blaming it on the fact that it was 9 pm and we have horrible lighting in my house. If I’d waited for a good time during the day to make this tutorial, it would be a VERY long wait. There are also a ton of pictures. If anything is unclear, please ask me and I’ll try to explain.

Inspiration Wednesday – Katie Did Does It For Me

I am subscribed to a LOT of blogs. I get all kinds of tips, tutorials, and ideas from the lovely ladies who let us peek into their studios and lives. There is one blog though that continuously inspires and excites me. I have only been subscribed for a few weeks, but I find myself scrolling down my Bloglines list each day to see if katie did has done something new. I am absolutely in love with her clothes (and its not just that her girls remind me of PZ!).

First Cone

Sunday evening was a bit of a scorcher, at least it felt that way after being mostly in the 40′s and 50′s for the last few weeks. After dinner we decided to walk the dogs and the kids down to Tart for a cone. PZ chose a chocolate custard kid’s cone. It was her first and she ate ALMOST all of it. There was a LOT of dripping because she refused to take any bites, only licks. Usually that kind of thing would have gotten this impatient Mama in a tizzy, but not this evening. I just laughed as I licked my tart frozen yogurt and rocked from side to side with baby Q on my back. Q giggles like crazy when I do that.

Stripped Pants and Carrot Cake

These are the newest pants for Q (12-18mos). I made them out of more of that fabric I got at Knittin’ Kitten. It was $3 a yd for the stripped cotton and $2.50 for the floral which was about a yd of somewhat narrow remnant. I’m not sure if these look like beach comber pants or farm girl pants, maybe a farm girl at the beach! I’m getting faster at making these. With the pockets and everything these took me probably about an hour and fifteen. The first pair I did took a little over 2 hours!