Simplicity 5276 American Girl!

I received all of the American Girl patterns that I ordered just after Christmas! I love the fact that there is only one size and that I can actually cut up the pattern rather than tracing first!! Silly, I know, but it is a lot of work getting a new pattern ready for material to be cut! I took two of the six patterns and cut up the sheets getting all the little pieces ready to be placed on material and cut (I actually cut out a lot of them, rather than just getting them roughly there, why....I don't know!). There are probably about 40 pieces in each envelope! I asked my dd to pick a pattern and she picked the leopard looking ones below. As always, my younger dd thinks that it will (or should) look exactly like it does on the envelope (actually, my dh is like that too....). So, I searched into my stash and found something pretty darn close! It was a pink leopard print leftover from a halloween costume I made for my older dd when she was 2. So, here is Alexis! My dd loves that name and that is the name she gave her doll! She is in a two piece pajama set. And, it actually fits her pretty well. This is a plush fabric so, I spent the time to pin well, because it moves on you. I probably spent about 1 1/2 hours sewing up this outfit for the little girl. More time than I thought it would take, but I did spend a lot of time pinning. Anyhow, it was interesting how most of the outfit is put together in the flat, unlike how we are used to sewing our clothes. The neckband, the arm and leg bands and the waistband on the pants, were all put on in the flat and then the last seam sewn up after the addition of the bands. I used little pieces of velcro for the the closure of the back of the shirt. I probably need to add more, because it pulls open a little (but then again, this is a doll outfit....).

My kitty found her pretty interesting too.....

So, one outfit completed! I have a few more cut out and ready to go! We'll see if I have any time today to get to it! :)

Done but no picture...

Well, I keep waiting to get a picture of the leggings (the new jalie pattern), but they keep getting into the laundry before I get a pic! I actually finished these up on New Year's Day. I made a pair for each of my dd's and a pair for me. It took me an hour to sew and hem up all three pairs! Very quick and very comfortable! I love my pair! I wouldn't wear them out of the house except under a skirt, but around the house, I put them on to exercise and to lounge or sleep in. The girls have worn theirs under long shirts and over their gymnastic suits. I am sure more of these are coming in the future! I should be getting my patterns for the American Girl today or tomorrow. I am kind of excited, because I am sort of at a stand still as to what to sew right now. I don't seem to be very inspired by very much. Not enough to actually trace out a pattern. I thought maybe searching in my stash would bring inspiration, but that didn't work out either. I want to be sewing, though. Hopefully, this will soon pass!

Happy New Year's Eve!

So, I have this pattern in my pattern stash now. This is the next project up on deck. I picked a black polyester lycra material to make the leggings from. I have traced and cut out 3 sizes. I have one for each of my dd's and one for me. I am not sure where I would wear mine (I guess I need to make a casual skirt to wear leggings under.....). The girls, I figure they could wear theirs to gymnastics and under their skirts or shorts. It is a super simple pattern, I think I probably could have adapted this from another pattern, but as I write that I already know that is just more than I want to fool with, so the pattern is in my stash. Don't know if stirrups would ever come back into style?? (Honestly, I hope not!). While my legs need a lot of work to be seen in a mini that short......it could be cute for the kids (with tights or leggings).

I probably won't get to this until Sunday at best. My mother is visiting and she is staying in the room where I sew, so no sewing until she leaves (which is sunday). Not that I am counting or anything! :)

I have been reading about how much fabric people have added to stash and removed from stash and I truly wonder where I fall in that category.....I am scared to add it up! I just know, that the area I keep my fabric in is getting more and more cramped! I have 2 big bins and 2 big boxes of fabric, plus a cupboard with some smaller bins of stuff that I don't like anymore (may be good stuff for American Girl clothes....), plus some overflow that won't fit into the bigger bins. I did categorize it somwhat into knits, wovens, swimwear (or gymnastic wear), and fleece, sweatshirting, t-shirting, & ribbing. The new stuff sits on the side waiting for room to fit in!

Well, I don't really have any sewing related goals. I enjoy sewing and try to do it as much as I can without neglecting my children or any of my other responsibilities. It makes me relax and feel really good. I enjoy creating things and people are always astonished when I tell them "I made that...". I don't know very many people who have ever sewn (besides my blog friends!) and they treat it like it is some sort of magical power that I posess. Anyhow, I really get a lot of personal satisfaction from sewing and I am really happy to have found this hobby! My dh bought me my first machine when our older dd was almost a year old. She is almost 7 now. So, I have been sewing for about 6 years. I attribute my sucess to getting a great first machine (Viking Platinum 770). I now have that machine, my brother innovis 1500D (which does embroidery also), and my Babylock Evolve wave (serger/coverstitch). I probably use my Babylock the most and the brother comes in second. I think the viking is a better machine than the brother, but the brother has more creature comforts I have become accustom to using. I would use all three if I had more room....I only have room for two machines to be set up at a time. I think I lost track of where I was going with this rant. Oh yeah, I love sewing! :) It is great to have found this sewing community! I learn so much from reading other's blogs and from pattern review. A few years ago, I didn't even know there was such a machine called a coverstitch machine and I had seen sergers, but thought those were embroidery machines! Ha! Now, I can't live without my Babylock! Well, I know everyone created loads of great stuff last year because I read it all! Keep up the great work, and keep blogging! Happy New Year!

Sewing Again!!

I can't believe my own eyes! I actually broke out of my rutt and found a couple of hours to fit in some sewing time! I picked a pattern that I had already tried before and knew that it would be easy. I spent half and hour cutting out these two nighties while playing games with my dd's. Then, while they watched G-Force, I sewed them up these two nighties! These are from Ottobre 6/2009. Yeah! I am so happy to have something sewing to put on my sewing blog!

I knew that they liked them, because they took off the jammies they were already wearing so they could wear their new nighties. They must have been comfy, because she fell alseep quick!

Well, one of them did anyhow!

Sewing related - I also purchased 6 new patterns! I purchased from sewingpatterns.com because they had their simplicity patterns for $1.99 and their shipping rates aren't too bad. I just missed the Joann's simplicity pattern sale... Are you wondering what I bought? Well, I am not big on their patterns for things I would wear, but I have a little girl that I needed some patterns. An American Girl! My youngest dd got an American Girl doll for her birthday from her grandmother. She is taking very good care of her and after looking at the cute clothes in the catalog, I knew sewing was going to be the only way this girl was going to increase her closet! Their clothes (albeit very cute) are way to expensive!! They cost more than what I usually spend on my dd's clothes (or mine for that matter!)!! Anyhow, six patterns are on their way! I have left over of the teddy bear knit print I made dd's nighties from, so I can make her AG doll a matching nightie!

Other sewing related news, I received my new Jalie pattern! I had pre-ordered the new Jalie leggings pattern. I received it on Saturday after Christmas. I am excited to give it a try. I want to make the girls some leggings to go over their gymnastics suits (it is freezing in the gym) and that they could also wear everyday. I also kind of want a pair. :) I have some black stretchy material in my stash that would be perfect! I just need to find my dining room room table under all the christmas gifts to trace out my pattern....that is going to be the hard part!

Lastly, sewing related gifts! I received an invisible zipper foot and a binding foot for my sewing machine. Both I am eager to try out! Also, I received one of those huge boxes of madeira embroidery thread - you know the ones with every color thread? Really cool, and it comes with a disk of embroidery designs! Awesome! I had a great Christmas! We spent Christmas Eve with my sister's family and mother. Then came home and spent Christmas night at our house. Later Christmas afternoon, we drove to my in-laws house and had Christmas dinner and spent the night up there. Then back home the next day. Lots of running around, but, still enjoyable to be able to spend time with everyone! Hope you all have had a wonderful holiday!

How many things have you sewn this year?

I just added a new poll in my sidebar. How many items have you sewn this year? I had to go through my blog to remember everything, but I came up with 53 items. That averages 1 a week! I am actually very surprised considering it has been so dismal here in the month of december with my sewing. Tell me, dear readers, how many items have you sewn?? Take a minute to reflect and then pat yourself on the back! You are a creative soul! I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! I hope you eat well, and visit with your loved ones until your heart is content. Happiness to all (and to all a good night)!!

Happy 4th Bday!

My youngest dd's bday just passed. She turned 4, feels like only yesterday I was bringing her home from the hospital! She had a great time at her party with all her friends. We had a string art project, pin the paw on the puppy, pass the puppy ( a version of hot potato), a freeze dancing game, and a pinata. All the kids seemed to have a great time. There is the birthday girl! The pinata didn't make it through all the batters!

The kids are looking for my koi! The fed them my whole jar of food! They won't need feeding for awhile!

This was the dancing game...

It is always hard to plan a birthday party in the middle of all the christmas hoopla! I don't want to cheat her though. After she opened her presents from us (after the party), she turned towards the christmas tree and asked to open more. I told her she had to wait. Like she didn't get enough ??!! She was a good girl, though. She got two zhu zhu pets (the new hot toy this year) from her friends and she decided to give one to her sister without a thought to it. Her sister was thrilled!

I am in a sewing void. I would soo like to be out of this void. However, I have presents to wrap, christmas tortillini soup to make, family to visit with, and kids to take care of!! After christmas........ (I did order one of the new jalie patterns.)

I am jealous of all of you out there sewing, I just get to type!

Christmas is in the air

I cannot believe how quickly the month of december is progressing!!! I am not even close to being done shopping, or baking, or maybe getting a sewing project in!!! We did, however, get to go to Christmas on the Prado, which is a cool event that goes on here in San Diego every year. It is down in our Balboa park. The museums are all free during this event, there is live music at the amphitheater (pictured below), and lots of food at all of the international houses! We ate our way around, then listened to some music, and went into some museums ( the train museum is one of our family favorites....), and then back for some more food and music. It was fun and very christmassy. That is going to be my christmas card picture this year!

Last christmas, my best friend got me a gift certificate for a mani and pedi together. We just got around to using it this past weekend. I added some paintings! The guy doing my nails did an awesome job on the pictures! I got a christmas tree and a snowman on my thumbs, then a christmas tree and a snowflake on my big toes (I am way to cold right now to photograph my feet - they are staying in my warm socks and shoes...hhmmm wonder if anyone will see them?).

I am really craving some sewing time. I washed up my new fabric purchases and keep thinking that I would like some yoga style pants (notice that I said "yoga style" because I don't actually do yoga or even exercise to the point I need exercise wear) to lounge around in at night. I looked up on patternreview and saw a lot of people made kwik sew 3115. I was looking for something with a little more detail like a front yoke . Anyone have any good patterns for pull-on close fitting pant with a more boot or straight cut leg?

What is everyone sewing? My dh actually asked me for some sweatpants. I will have to dig into stash and see if I can come up with anything appropriate. Most of my sweatshirting material is pink.

Ta ta for now! Hopefully I will have some project pictures next time we chat!