Fini

It has been a good week...several projects are completed and I am ready to move on.

  I found the buttons I needed to complete the white smocked top.  I am glad I found a four hole buton so that I could add the bullion rose to it..  All the extra details are what make garments unique and that is what I always liked best about being able to sew.  It would be very unusual to see another person in what I had made.

 The buttons on the straps can be moved to help extend the life of the garment.  If you are going to pay for good quality clothing, it is nice to be able to wear it for more than one year.









I also finished the Humpty Dumpty Dress.  This dress came together so smoothly.  Which is a good thing because a person can only handle so much frustration at once ;0)

I really like the fabric--sunshine yellow with small white flowers.  It set Humpty Dumpty's shirt off and draws your attention to the smocking panel.  The sleeves are puffed with a narrow band.  The dress also has a white peter-pan collar with whipped stitch piping and is closed in the back with small flower buttons.

The fabric is from a quilt shop-so it is has a higher thread count and is of good quality.  I put a 4in. hem in so that it could be let out.  That way your little girl could wear the dress again the following year. I want customers to feel that they will get their money's worth.  It is a whole lot easier to spend $50 if the quality is great and you think that your child will be able to wear it again the next year...as well as a hand-me down or be able to re-sell it. 

Shabby Chic Capri Set

I was recently reading a blog post by a seamstress where nothing seemed to be going right.  I could feel her pain and at the same time was glad that I wasn't the only one who had that problem.  Some projects just don't come together easily.  But in the end, if I persevere, I am usually glad I did.  Sometimes I think God sends us the little annoyances just to see if we really want  ____ (you fill in the blank).

So not only has my sewing machine been in the shop, but the outfit for the smocked top has had some bumps in the road.  

While I like the bird fabric, I just couldn't seem to get comfortable using it with the top.  The more I looked at it, the more it wasn't right.  So the hunt for new fabric commenced.  The top has a shabby chic feel and I finally found something!

I found the floral online and the polka dot ruffle at a local quilt shop

To help eliminate frustration in determining the front from the back, I added a ribbon tab to the back.

I'm pleased with how it is coming along.  I've made a size 3T, and plan on making a 4T also.

All that is left are the buttons.  And, yes, there has been difficulty there also.  Who would have thought it would be hard to find a white button with four holes?  I need four holes because the pattern calls for a bullion rose to be added to the button.  I've been through my button box and a local fabric store -what they had was the wrong size.  The button rose may become a casualty of the hunt.   Overall it is such a cute pattern it has been worth the annoyances.

Not all projects go this way.  I needed a break from the aggravation and started the next dress.  So far it is coming together beautifully. 

My Posies Monday: Sew Serendipity Bags

If you're interested in improving your bag making skills or getting started for the first time, Serendipity Bags by Kay Whitt is a good place to get started.

I made the Laptop Messenger Bag and chose the floral and accenting circle patterns from the  Chelsea collection  by Whistler Studios.  I tied the two together with a brown marble from Moda Fabrics.  I purchased these from my local quilt store.






I found the pattern to be easy to follow with good diagrams and clear directions.  The author has added several technique pages which I found helpful. 

I must confess that I have never sewn anything that was this thick and heavy...so be sure to use the right needle and that you have a sewing machine that can handle the thickness.  I have two machines, a Singer Futura and a Bernina Bernette.  I wanted a basic machine for my girls to learn to sew on and the Bernette has been a great machine.  I have been very pleased with it, but this project was not a good application for it because it ended up in the repair shop.

At times I felt like a Sumo Wrestler.  The thickness can be awkward and the bag is large.  The body of the bag is a 16" square...which is great for books etc., but it will give you a workout!

All in all, I would make the bag again.  The book is a great investment.  It has a nice variety of bags.  Sometimes you get a book and only end up making one or two of the projects.  Not the case here.  The girls already have a list of other projects they are gathering fabric for.

The end result was a great gift and a happy recipient.

Problems

My sewing machine is in the repair shop ;0(

I did want to be more consistent in posting but life is full of these little annoyances. 

I was working on a birthday present for my youngest daughter- a bag from the book Serendipity Bags- and I didn't get the right needle for all the bulk.  So the needle struggled to get through the fabric and the timing went out on the bobbin. My daughter was very understanding because she opened a present with the half finished bag!

Thanks to those of you who have checked back.  Another few days and I'll have a finished project to show you.

~Nikki