Sunday, August 28, 2011

Finished Projects: Napkins; and a Work in Progress

Finished Project
I've been trying to keep busy lately to pass the time and not worry about when I'm going into labor. I've actually had the energy and the motivation to do more sewing.  Lately, all I've been doing is sitting around the house watching TV.  I really hate doing it.  Its so boring!  Even if I am watching an awesome show like "American Pickers."  So, I have been sewing a lot the past couple of days, and its awesome!  My projects haven't been that interesting, but I'm still learning!  It does feel great to actually make things that I can use, though.  And they haven't been turning out too bad!


This next project I did I had to make a set of 4 napkins.  I found some really cute cherry fabric at Joann's that turned out to be on sale!  
set of cherry napkins
I really wish I was able to make dresses.  This fabric was so soft!  And its adorable. 
Within this project, there was actually two "sub-projects."  I had to finish the edges of the napkins in two different ways.
half mitering on cherry cloth napkins
The first was half-mitering.  It didn't turn out too well.  Haha.  I had to overcast the edge of the fabric and then just fold it over once and topstitch it in place.
full mitering on cherry cloth napkins
This was full mitering and looked a lot more clean and professional.  You folded the edges over twice and topstiched so the overcast edges didn't show.  They looked like napkins you could buy from the store!
I wish I could put some tutorials on here, but these were from the book, Stitch by Stitch, and I don't want to take anything away from the author!  Hopefully I'll be able to make my own tutorials one day.  


Work in Progress
Awhile ago, my friend's mom gave us a bunch of fabric to go through.  A couple of them were these crazy pieces I had never seen before.  They had directions and cut-outs for stuffed animals.  Have you ever seen these?  I don't know if I'm behind the times, but I have a kid so I got all excited.  Right now, I'm working on the Cinderella one.
cinderella stuffed animal
I have already messed up.  I was working on the body and made the stitched WAY too close to the edge.  When I went to stuff the doll, the edges of the fabric started fraying and there were holes all over!  I had to go back and stitch by hand all the parts that had the holes.  Hopefully, it stays together!
cinderella stuffed animal
This is what I have so far!  I did the same thing I did to the body with the right leg.  You can see the stitching I had to do by hand right above the foot.  Whoops!  Luckily, after that I learned my lesson.  
My daughter, Maggie, is already freaking out and trying to play with it.  She's in that obsessed-with-princesses phase.  I love it.  She walks around in her Snow White Halloween costume with these purple heels she has.  She walks in them better than I walk in heels!


I really hope I'm able to keep sewing with the new baby.  I don't want to give it up, yet!  I love it too much!  It will definitely be a balancing act.


Hope everyone's weekend is going well!  We're about to head to the flea market.  The same one that had the booth with HUNDREDS of Pyrex bowls!  Let's see if I can get my husband to let me get a couple...  He was saying we needed more mixing bowls.