Tag Archives: sewing

more spring sewing

Posted on by
Reply

…and now, my girls are sleeping in fresh new spring style!  With the simple addition of a new pillowcase made with your favourite fabrics, you too can take their sweet dreams to a whole new level.  Why not give it a go?  The only downside is that they might get upset when they see the other custom pillow case you made for them in the dirty clothes.  As demanded by my little one “MOM! Why did you take my pillowcase?!”…..then she pulled back the covers as she scowled only to realize there was a new pillow waiting to surprise her.  Her face changed in an instant and a “Thank you Mama!” came tumbling out as she switched gears with with grace.  Too funny and now I won’t have to rush to wash and dry and change bedding all between morning and bedtime as demanded before (oh how she loves that original custom pillowcase made by my dear friend Gabrielle).

IMG_3328

oh i love the wee wander fabric!

the original custom pillowcase that started it all - made by my friend Gabrielle

I really encourage you to make some….they make such sweet gifts and are so easy to personalize for each unique person you are gifting.

 

spring sacs

Posted on by
Reply

I have been having a little fun with spring sewing!  I popped these spring sacs in the mail for my niece and nephew just in time for Easter. What a fun way to use up small pieces of favourite fabrics! A perfect project for my 8 year old to help with.  We will have post again when we find time for her to help make her very own little bag for toting around snacks, art supplies, books and bits of nature treasures collected on the go.  So love this time of year with its creative bursts of energy.

P.S. both of these sweet fabrics are by Sarah Jane (an artist whose work I adore).

spring sewingmy little helper

trees and mountains

Posted on by
3

The house smells sweetly of fir and the tree we found in the woods now has lights on it! The kids are desperate to decorate, but after 2 long days there has not yet been enough time to enjoy doing this before bedtime.  Instead, while they slept, I made some mountain pillows. A perfect gift in honour of a couple who got married on a mountain this fall.  Don’t you think the smallest one actually looks like a holly tree? I loved how these turned out and want to try more complicated designs after looking at this tutorial!  Here’s a peek at mine…

Tonight I think I might settle in at the dining table (where the sewing machine seems to have moved this week) and make some more mountains while I enjoy the flickering fire and the beautiful lit up tree. It really is “starting to feel a lot like Christmas” around here!

sneak peek

Posted on by
Reply

The Christmas sewing is starting to stack up around here! I am so pleased with the pillow cases I will gift my kids and their cousins in honour of their first Christmas sleepover together – I just have to share a sneak peek with you!  Though of course you cannot see the fancy French seams these have (fancy smancy hidden seams, look at me go)…

Et Voila!

good enough!

Posted on by
4

Sometimes, when the holidays sneak up on you and a flu bug makes its rounds and slows down the crafting, you have to change the plan.  Sometimes, when you are busy working and home schooling and convalescing on the couch, you realize your plan to finally make that second advent calendar (gifted by a dear friend, waiting for over a year now for some attention) might not be completed in time for this holiday season.  And then you are glad that you have that one special advent calendar, made by another sewing angel friend, the one the kids love and the only one they are expecting anyway!

But wait, it seems there has been some rearranging in the garage and a very heavy antique fridge is blocking the Christmas totes (I am sure you have all had the same problem, right?).  So you distract your generous children with a wee Christmas gift bag (that you stuff with the gifts that your sewing angel sent to get you started, as she does each year).  After the first day of December you decide it is easier to just make the second calendar then move the fridge (hubby has a bad back right now so you can’t ask him….and you are so excited that you finally found the gorgeous, lost kit).

So you begin – there is still hope!  But by Day 3, you are not even close.  Still you persevere, you find a moment and you sew the pockets (look how clever this kit is!).  And then you realize you are ready for bed (already, didn’t the kids just go to sleep?).  You feel that over-achiever-not-good-enough-mama-guilt coming on….and then you chase it away with a “good enough!”.  In an instant, the problem is solved (for now, anyway) and the “extra” calendar is ready to go!

Ta da!

I will pin it up as is and finish it soon (I hope…though the softie inserts might wait for another year, why rush!!?).  Right now there are pockets and numbers and surprises – that is all we need.  And soon we will have to move that fridge and get out the decorations….and then there will be two advent calendars! Maybe I will keep filling this one and they can take on filling the second one?  I think they might just like that, don’t you? And instead of adding more to this busy mama’s to-do list (I was originally thinking they could each have their own, instead of sharing and alternating days as they have done happily for years), perhaps they can take on half the work (and a bunch of fun)…

…I wonder what they will fill their advent with?  Will it be as I do…a sprinkling of vintage ornaments, inspirational seasonal activity ideas and the odd treats? Or perhaps they will write down favourite memories or moments they observe over the holidays?  Jokes? Drawings? I can hardly wait to see what they choose….but while I wait, I will take comfort in knowing that this advent calendar is “good enough!”

Here’s hoping for many more “good enough” moments in the coming busy weeks!

P.S. Speaking of “good enough”, I just realized I took the photos for this post with tomorrow’s surprise in the wrong pocket!  Now this tired mama could re-shoot the photos, but that would be making life more difficult than it needs to be.  I am thinking these photos are “good enough” and I am just grateful I noticed my error before little fingers go searching in pocket number 4 tomorrow.  And now, to bed!  Sweet dreams my friends!