Ride 'Em, Cowboy!

My sewing teacher asked me last week if I wanted to make something for my son during my next sewing lesson. She had a cute pattern for a denim cowboy vest, and I was immediately excited about finding the fabrics and notions, because it included adding fringe and fun buttons to the front. Like my last sewing lessons, I was able to get the vest finished with help from my teacher, and I added the fringe and buttons at home this evening. V immediately put it on and posed for pictures. He thought it was great fun to pretend to be a cowboy, though the only thing I have remotely close to a "horse" for him to ride is my moose-shaped footstool. The outside of the vest is a lightweight denim. The inside is lined with a blue calico fabric printed with darker blue stars. I'm not sure what the fringe is made of, but it looks like faux suede and feels like very thin velvet. I really loved the buttons when I found them. They look like old-fashioned star badges. I had some extra fabric before I went to my lesson because I'd found a great calico fabric with a bandanna print last Friday. I decided to sew some of that fabric into a small square that, when folded in half, can be worn as a bandanna. It was a little too small for V's neck, but it fit my moose just fine!

Little Suzie Homemaker

At the risk of turning this into an "All About Sewing" blog, I'd like to share a couple of my more recent sewing projects. I've mentioned my great teacher before. Her plan for my lessons has been really wonderful, because I've come home after each session with a completed project. Last week, she wanted me to learn some "precision" cutting and sewing. I made a 4-in-1 place mat, which is basically a cloth book with four pages and no spine, so it can lay flat. Each time you turn a "page" of the place mat, it represents a different holiday/season. You'll have to see the pictures below to understand what I mean. There was no pattern for the project. She had seen someone sell something similar at a craft fair and came up with her own design. I made the place mat out of some nice looking cotton fabric I found in a holiday fabric clearance sale at Hobby Lobby. I learned a lot from this lesson, especially about how I need lots of practice in the cutting and sewing straight departments! My seams aren't always the greatest, but they just remind me that I'm still learning. I'm also learning about patience and about how nobody's perfect. Basically, I'm learning to forgive myself my imperfections and to live with my flaws (in my projects and myself)! How freeing that lesson can be! I was only able to make one complete place mat during last week's session, but I have a second one pinned and ready to sew whenever my sewing machine is available (I've been leaving it at my teacher's home, so I don't have to lug it back and forth every week). My teacher told me it usually takes her seven or eight times before she gets a project down perfectly, so I felt good knowing that even with all her experience, she still needs to practice. My lesson for this week was sewing in "tunnels", or, basically, hems. I made a pair of VERY baggy pajama pants out of an awesome camo fleece I found on sale at Hancock Fabrics. I went ahead and made them size medium instead of small because I never know if I'll shrink something too much in the washing machine. Plus, pajama pants are supposed to be comfy and baggy! Again, I learned I need more practice with cutting straight and sewing straight. My hems are quite wonky, but really, I can only tell if I look really closely at them. The main thing is the pants came together just fine, and I can wear them around the house with pride! My teacher used a pattern for beginners, but unfortunately, I didn't get the name of it to share with you. Next week, my teacher wants me to make a raglan top from another pattern she owns to go with the pants. I have lots of the camo fleece left for the sleeves, so I just need a contrast fleece for the bodice part of the top. I can't wait to get to the fabric store to see what I can find! I think sewing has become my new obsession! And, just as an aside, I've noticed so many young, modern women getting into the "textile arts" recently. I read on a friend's blog that she's taken up knitting along with some of her other mommy friends. Also, my moms' group has scheduled several different crafty events this month. Some of the moms got together to learn how to crochet last week, and in a couple of weeks, we'll be having two different sewing meet-ups. I'm really looking forward to working with (and possibly helping) the other moms.

The following pictures show the four "sides" of my place mat. I can use it for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter/Springtime.





And, here are the back and front of my lounge pants. The camo fleece has a surprise within the pattern: butterflies! It's so much fun!



Hope I've inspired you to create something new!
Best,
Amanda

My First Sewing Project

I started taking sewing lessons over two weeks ago, and I've been having a blast with it. My teacher is just amazing, and we were able to finish my very first sewing project during my second lesson. It helped that we had gone over the pattern during my first lesson, and that I had laid it out and cut out the pieces at home before the second lesson. I was surprised at how everything from high school Home Ec class and 4-H came back to me, though it still took me about four hours to lay out everything and cut the fabric pieces. I was a little nervous doing it on my own at home without my teacher there to answer any questions, but I managed okay. Once I got to my lesson, we looked over the instructions, and while I pinned and sewed pieces together, she helped iron seams and pull some pieces inside out. We managed to get the project completely sewn when we realized that the pillow part of the project had been sewn onto the blanket backwards! I'm such a perfectionist sometimes, and I worried that I would have to leave it that way, forgetting that there are ways to fix such things. Luckily, my teacher's pretty laid back, and she asked if I wanted to stay late, so we could rip out the seams together, pin the pillow onto the blanket the correct way, and sew it again. I'm so happy I did stick around because in the end, I was so proud of the finished product and of myself for actually finishing what I had started--something I haven't done in a while! Below are some pictures of the "quillow", as my teacher calls it. It's a fleece blanket that folds up and tucks into an attached "pillowcase", so it looks like an over-sized pillow when it's all put together. For those interested, we used Simplicity Pattern #4745--Fleece Blankets and More. Though the pattern and instructions were a little confusing to us (and it's called a "Sewing for Dummies" project, for goodness sakes!), I still think the whole thing turned out great! I made Blanket D from the pattern.

The front of the pillow. There's a big surprise hidden inside!


The back of the pillow, which is actually the back side of the blanket.


V helps me demonstrate how to pull the folded blanket out of the pillow.


If you turn the blanket over, look what's on the other side...


Kitties! Lots and lots of kitties! And, yes, the blanket covers the entire front of our recliner!


Here's a closeup of this awesome fleece fabric. Some of the cats are vicious!


My teacher and I have discussed a plan for my upcoming lessons. I'm going to work on my sewing skills by making such items as place mats, lounge pants, and other "easy" projects. Hopefully, by the time summer rolls around, I'll have enough experience to tackle something like a "Lord of the Rings"-type costume (an Elven cloak and dress) for Gen Con Indy. My teacher makes capes, cloaks, and costumes and sells them on eBay, so with her help, I think I'll actually be able to do it!
Best,
Amanda

A Little Music To Brighten Your Day

After perusing Wil Wheaton's blog, I came across this YouTube clip of a very talented "experimental musician", as Zoe Keating calls herself. If you can't tell, as she finishes a phrase of music on her cello, it is somehow "remembered" by her Macbook, and it continues to play under the next phrasing of music, making it sound as though the music is being played by a quartet (or bigger). It's some pretty complex stuff that I don't understand, but the music is haunting and beautiful. I'll be checking out her website and buying her music through iTunes soon, I'm sure.

I think if I ever decide to play music while I'm sewing, Zoe Keating will be at the top of the list. I have my second sewing lesson today, in which I'm supposed to start actually sewing my project, since I managed to lay out the pattern and cut the fabric all by myself at home! We'll see how it turns out.
Have a great day, and best to you all!
Amanda