Another pattern test and a pillowcase

Does anyone else get tired of thinking of post titles? Mine have been pretty boring lately. :)
Anyway...

I did another pattern test for Schlosser Designs. This one was a Sewing Machine Apron.

The pattern was great. Just one part when I was not sure what the instructions meant and Erin was quick to clarify. That is why she has testers! LOL

I did manage to stall myself during cutting when I went to cut the second fabrics and discovered when I was buying fabric I had skipped one. LOL Oops! I had to scrounge my stash and make it work. I also used some broadcloth in the project because it was the only fabric in the store that even remotely coordinated. I went to a store that has remnants and discounted fabrics. (I got the floral Micheal Miller fabric for 2.98 a yard!) But because of that, their selection is really random.
I (and my machine) don't like broadcloth. It puckered and the iron sort of dragged on it and it stretched so I starched the heck out of it. Not fun. The white is broadcloth too, from ages ago when I was going to make a slip to go under my daughter's blessing dress. I never made it so I used it in this.

There is special fabric on the back to prevent it sliding off the table. Lots of pockets for "stuff" too.  It took me about 3 hours, not including cutting, to make it.



The thread bag is attached with Velcro for easy dumping and it has ties to keep it rolled for storage if you are like me and have to clean up your stuff after every sewing session.



You can get the PDF pattern at http://store.schlosserdesigns.com/product/sewing-machine-apron 
And the Print pattern at http://store.schlosserdesigns.com/product/sewing-machine-apron-print-version


The other thing I made this week was an impromptu pillowcase for Littlest Miss.

We were at Target and she saw a throw pillow that had strips of fabric sewn down across it; really cute. She looked and it and said, " Mom, look a stripey pillow! You can make me one!"
That felt pretty awesome! Not: "You can buy this for me", but "You can make me one". Love it! So of course when we got home, she was gung ho to make the pillow. At first I was going to just duplicate the throw pillow, but then I thought that it would be more useful to just make another pillowcase and since her only criteria was that it be stripey, well, I was free to do whatever.

I had some scraps left from teaching the Personal Progress Folders (that I could have sworn I posted about but now can't find the post). I used the measurements from the last time I made the mini pillowcases except I took off some of the width of the band, which I should not have done, because the pillow sticks out. :) Oh well.

I just sewed the strips together and then used that new fabric to make the case. She loves it, so that is good! Personally I would not want to have my face laying on so many seams but she doesn't seem to be bothered.

Wedding Gift

We have a wedding reception to attend this week and I asked my husband what we should give the young couple.
 Options were:
 A: Our usual game night package, which is a large plastic bowl, 4 small plastic bowls, 4 plastic cups, a game (usually Rack-O), a box of microwave popcorn and a tub of KoolAid mix.
  OR
B: A set of Stay Put Kitchen Towels. I was torn because I know this family is super into playing games as a family. But my husband picked the towels. So darn it! I had to shop for fabric ;) LOL

Honestly, we only know the parents, not either of the newlyweds. Their registry was no help with colors at all. So I got  fabrics that I thought would be fun cheerful kitchen accessories.(I think I am actually going to stock up on these fabrics and make some sets of 2 towels and 2 hot pads for future gifts, because I LOVE them! Especially that Marigold polka-dot. It is a really awesome yellow in person.)

I am also making a little card with a "how to use" tutorial.  Mostly because everyone I have given these to were puzzled about what they were and how to use them at first.

Here are the towels before ribbons were added. (They lay much better without the ribbons for photos.)

Stay Put Kitchen Towel (A "how to use" tutorial)

With smaller fabric strip on top,
tie the two ribbons on one side of the towel around the handle of the oven.

Then tie the two ribbons on the other side of the towel around the handle of the oven.

The smaller strip of fabric should be in the back. These towels can be used in bathrooms as well.

 

A couple of projects

My son came home after school on Monday with the request that we get his teacher a birthday gift. Her birthday was that day so he was feeling urgency to get it done.

He wanted initially to go purchase something and I didn't really feel like wandering around the store looking for an appropriate gift. So since I knew she liked tea, (as in really really likes tea and makes it during class all the time) I thought I could whip together a mug rug and send that. I let my son pick out some charms to use. Then he left for scouts and I sewed it up. I didn't bind it, just quilted one side to the batting, sewed the 2 sides right sides together and turned them right side out. I quilted the other side in a couple of places to secure it. It is a little cockeyed because while I sewed the seams straight, I had cut the fabric crooked. :) Oh well.

 We ended up at the store anyway, to supplement the mug rug with some tea and a stirring spoon and my son bought her a chocolate bar with his allowance.
He picked a card from my stash and wrote her a note and I packaged it up in a cello bag with a topper that matched the card.
He was very pleased with it, although he nearly left without it the next morning, which would have been slightly annoying after the rush rush rush to get it done.
And she seemed to like it.


I have also been itching to get a case made for my tablet. It is hard to find cases for the Nexus 7, which is what I have. I perused tutorials for a few days and decided to just create my own using bits and parts of other people's tutes. It fit the tablet perfectly, just needs a couple of tweaks to make it just right. is I meant to make a long strap to close it that wold also hold it open and upright. But I totally forgot and just attached Velcro to the overlap. There is not enough Velcro and the overlap needs to be about an  inch bigger so it won't pop up. Also, there's pocket where I inserted cardboard to make it stiff for standing up and also for holding it like a book. Well that pocket is just about 1/8 inch too big and too close to the other pocket. It gets folded up when it is closed. You can kind of see where it gets pinched in the photo. Also, 2 of the elastics need to be a smidge shorter. They cover the power button and if it is turned the other way, it covers part of the screen that I need to be able to touch.

That said, for a project with no real pattern, the fact that I got that close to what I intended amazes me. I'm not so hot with math. :)

Mother's Day Cards

Mother's Day is right around the corner and I wanted to make the cards for my moms this year. I think we have purchased cute or funny cards the last couple of years.

I had all the supplies except stamps and ink out already, since my son had to do a family history project board. He used a bunch of my scrapbook supplies to decorate it.

Seeing all those lovely colors and embellishments gave me the itch to get stamping so I pulled some stamp sets out last night and got busy.
 I often forget how fun stamping is! Here are the 2 cards I made.

 I might just do some more today.
Have a good one!

 

Giveaway Winner!

We have a winner!

 I chose the winner with a bucket of entries and a 3 year old helper. :)

 Littlest Miss chose Suzie H out of the basket. Congratulations! I will be contacting you via email to get your mailing info. Thanks everyone for entering and giving feedback!