Latest Sewing Endeavor

I had some extra time towards the end of my Spring Break.

So, I practiced making another wristlet.

It definitely turned out better than the last one I made.

Sewing on the velcro was the hardest for me.

Next time I will find something else to close the top.

Maybe a zipper?

I'm also on the lookout for a new sewing machine.

Any suggestions?

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Feeling Crafty.

It has been quite a while since I've felt "crafty"--partly because I haven't had the time--and because when I start a project I like to finish it in one sitting.

Craft 1: "Hall Passes"--I've been giving the students in my class a laminated index card anytime that they needed to leave the room.--Totally boring, and very unoriginal. So, I wanted to spruce up the normal hall pass. --This craft I hope to finish today! As soon as I'm done I will be sure to post the "finished" project. Here's a peak of the "before."

Craft 2: My extended family picks names for Christmas. There are so many of us... so it makes it easier if we only have to buy a gift for one person! This year I got my cousin Savannah's name. She is my cousin Julie and her husband Chris' adorable three year old! I decided part of her gift would be a dress! I haven't started on it, but here's a look at the fabric for the dress! Enjoy!

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Adding a bow.

My friend Jill's birthday is next week! So, as part of her gift I decided to make her one of my towel wraps! She just moved into a new apartment and has painted her new room a light blue-- and has brown and tan as accent colors. We were at Hobby Lobby the other day and I had her pick out a matching ribbon and towel that she liked. (As you can guess this is not a SURPRISE gift!)

Well I finished her wrap today and here it is!

Voila!--a cute towel wrap!

Close up of the bow at the top! I have my wonderful roommate Chantal to thank for this bow. Originally I put some plain ribbon at the top--but it did not look right AT ALL. So Chantal suggested I put a bow at the top.--But, I kept the bow simple (I didn't want the "tassels" hanging down the bow because I was afraid if it got washed they would fray) and I very happy with it!

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Love this fabric!

A few weeks ago I discovered Hancock Fabrics--let me tell you, I spent about 2 hours in there the first time I went!! Well when I went in earlier this week, my mission was to find fabric for part two of making a wristlet (because my first wristlet did not go as planned.) Well it took me quite a while to narrow down the perfect fabric..but it was worth the time because this is what I found!

I really think this fabric was meant for curtains..but it was really the only one that stood out.

....and here is my new wristlet
I do feel confident that it looks better than the last...
...but it's still not where I want it to be...

This was my first experience with using a stiffener (ya know to give it more durability?) and I think that had a lot to do with it!

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Another one.

So, my friend Jill just moved into a new apartment (completely jealous it is soooo cute!) and she really wanted a plastic bag holder (ya know the one where you stuff all of the plastic bags from the store?) Well since I have a handy dandy sewing machine I decided to make her one! Actually I made two, but the first one DID NOT look good, so I'm keeping it in my apt.

I hate that all of these recent pictures look so dark..the battery to my camera has died and I cannot find the charger. I have resorted to taking pictures with my phone.

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Dress update.

Here is my cousin Cassandra with her dress on!

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Exhibit B

Exhibit B

Correction, I actually do know how to read a clutch pattern. I just don't know how to flip it inside out so that it's right side out..

So instead of adding a flap, I sewed on a zipper! It's pretty rough looking because this is my first attempt!

The inside.

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Proof.

Here we have exhibit A, proof that I do not know how to read a pattern. I planned on making a cute little clutch purse. And I finished it (that's good)-but oh Theresa, it's inside out! hahaa

exhibit A

I didn't even make it to the flap that actually closes the clutch. The confusion began when I started to sew the lining of it.

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Finished (Finally)

So, I also just finished the bath wrap for my cousin. Now, the original one I mentioned last month ended up being the "practice" wrap (I gave it to my roommate!). A month later here is the finished project!

I really hope I pulled the elastic tight enough at the top so that she has a snug fit!
Her graduation part is on Sunday.

Ps. Speaking of Sunday, I leave for vacation on Thursday! Very excited to get to visit family in New York. On Friday my Mom and I are going to see her best friend's son get married! He is about a year older than me (ahhh, makes me excited to get married!-hmm whenever that is.) On Saturday, my brother (Peter) and I are going to see our Dad! Saturday is the 4th and my graduation party with his side of the family! Then Sunday, as I mentioned earlier is my cousin's graduation party! Very excited to see my Mom's side of the family. The only other plans we have (at this moment) is to go visit our old friends when we lived in NY. They are a family that lived a street over from us in Kenmore! Also very excited about this because I haven't seen them in a few years!

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Newest Endeavor.

So after making about 4ish dresses I realized I was doing things wrong. I was informed that the fabric needs to be washed before I begin sewing. Ha, lucky me. Cotton shrinks (duh everyone knows that)--but THREAD does not. So ultimately this leads to loose stitches. YAY! No really, so I started again on the dress for my little cousin. This time I washed the fabric and did my best to sew on a straight line. And here is the finished project. (Keep in mind I keep making the same type of dress over and over. This is because I'm just beginning and I have not quite mastered reading a pattern quite yet. And to be quite honest the last time I tried to sew an arm hole it was a disaster. So it's easiest for me to forget about arm holes and sew straight across!

The fabric!
The dress. (It's a halter.)
Cute ruffle I added on the bottom.
I am still learning about sizing (my cousin is maybe a 7 in girls). After I cut the fabric I thought I may have cut it too short. So to make up for the shortness I added this ruffle and bought her a pair of leggings!

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Got a lot done today!

Here is another dress I made today for my cousin Cassandra! She's 7 and I thought I would make this for her and bring it on our trip to New York next month!

Close up of the fabric.

The Dress.

Originally I had bought matching green ribbon for the border and the straps-but I didn't have enough so I used some white ribbon I had!

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Dress.

So, I have been practicing on the sewing machine and here is the latest creation that I made for my friend Erin. It's this pink dress/shirt for her niece (she's 1 1/2!) It's not the greatest but it's given me the opportunity to practice!

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I don't get it.

Caught up on my DVR shows today...the Bachelorette was one of them...

and I watched her solo date with Sasha and from what I understood she let him go because he had never been hurt before in a relationship, or for his lack of experience with relationships. Yeah, she said that was not the real reason but...I just don't get it, it's better to find a husband who hasn't been hurt. The more relationships (or experience) the more he has given his heart to someone else.


On another note, my cousin Alexis is graduating from High School this year and I was trying to find something to give to her for graduation. And me being the monogram OBSESSED person that I am..I have ventured out in search of the perfect monogrammed gift for her. She said her favorite colors are blue and green.

I first got her this wooden letter at Target for her to put on her bedroom door when she goes to college!

It looks like this one but it has pink polka dots on it.

The next thing I found was this cute bath wrap from etsy.
But since money does not grow on trees I have nothing to do I decided to make one for her on my own. I spent probably 45 minutes in Walmart walking back and forth between the towel and craft aisles. Finding a ribbon that included her favorite colors and then finding a towel in the right corresponding shade was craaaazy. But, I found it (with some help from the ladies that work at Walmart--I had to ask their opinions to help me narrow it down!!) Anyway, I picked a pink, blue and brown striped ribbon using a brown towel. I don't have any pictures to upload of it yet because it is still in the beginning stages!
My second thing to do is figure out the best way to add her monogram. I am sewing the wrap by hand and there is NO WAY I can hand stitch a monogram. So I have been playing with the idea of maybe getting iron on letters, but I think that might make it look tacky. I may have to spend some more time on that one!

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