Little Heart

This week Craft Marathon challenge is Barbie Pink.  I am not really a pink person..I hardly ever wear pink and I don't own that many pink things (I used pink paper for this card, but I think a new project would be better).  So this week was a bit of a challenge.  I started looking at my baskets of fabric for anything pink and found a couple pieces of pink fabric...I was kind of shocked and stoked (because it meant I did not have to buy anything).  I saw a onesie that my sister gave me to embellish and then put pink fabric and a onesie together.  Prego season is upon us so I am sure that I will be able to give this someone in the next 9 months.

Have a great rest of your weekend!

Leslie

Road Trip

This past weekend Hubby and I took a short (as in time, not distance travelled) road trip.  Our criteria when deciding where to go on a trip is someplace new (for me) and something to do (for him).  We drove to Prescott, Arizona to camp (in March camping means freezing cold at night) and to gold pan.  It was short trip, but we had a nice time and I even learned how to pan for gold.  I think we found about 3 cents worth of gold.  We went thrifting and I found a Pyrex bowl to add to my collection, we stopped at 3 different In-N-Out's (we have a life long goal to visit as many In-N-Out's as we can), we saw a bunch of crazy things in the desert (desert people are wierd), we slept in every morning, and met some really nice people.  Here are a few pics of the weekend (I wish they were more exciting, but I am terrible at taking a bunch of pictures).

16 hours of this:

Even though I have a "No Smarts" phone, it was dead so I did alot of this:

We did some of this:

And I did some of this:

I hope your week is going well.  Don't forget to subscribe to Essie Sews (see the buttons on the side).

Leslie

Hi

January was a pretty good month...I organized well, I made all of the blogging goals that I set, and I was surprisingly doing everything I should have been doing.  Then February came...like a deluge.  The deluge had me running for cover, a cover of rest, crying, support from close friends and a lot of prayer. 

Thankfully the Craft Marathon has kept me going with at least one project a week.  This week is Miles 5 and 6.  The theme:  Eggplant Purple.  One of my goals with this marathon was not to buy anything to make the projects...just find what I have in my storehouse of fabric and paper.  I looked through my scraps and pulled together this card.  Just a little note that I can give away at the right time.

Thanks for stopping by today!

~Leslie

Leaves Me With A Smile

Ok.  So here is the end result of what I teased you about here.

Do you like it?  I do.

The fabric is knit and the thickness is between a t-shirt knit and a sweatshirt knit.  I found it at the thrift store so that is all I know about the material.

I used a shirt that I already have as the pattern...taking a cue from this fun gal.  I attached the leaves as appliques after I made reverse appliques.  Does that make sense?  I didn't think so.  I cut leaves out of the knit fabric and a lace curtain.  I sewed the two pieces together and then cut the middle of the knit out so the lace shows through.  Then for some color I embroidered around each of the leaves.  I started sewing the leaves on, but they were puckering.  So I used Heat N Bond so that I could iron them on nice an flat, and then I finished them by sewing them in place.  There is one small problem...I am not sure how to wash this shirt.  I think I will hand wash it so that the leaves don't ruin (that would be sad.  Maybe there are instructions on the Heat N Bond package, but of course I have taken the time to read them.  After I finished the leaves I sewed the front and back of the shirts together.  Since the fabric is knit, and I am a little lazy, I did not hem the ends.

The shirt is comfortable and thick enough not to have to wear a tank underneath.  

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend.

Beverly at Flamingo Toes, thanks for the link up.

~Leslie

Hi!

Here is a little peak at what I have been working on:

I just want to say hi and to tell you all to have a wonderful weekend.  I will be spending the weekend hanging out with the family.

~Leslie

Who Doesn't Love A New Bag?

Do you remember The Pretty Things Happen In My Head Skirt?  Well, I decided to put the seam ripper to use and destroy all evidence of the skirt.  I know, it sounds a bit dramatic and drastic, but I was not going to ever wear the skirt (especially since Hubby gave it the thumbs-down with his eyes).  The material was perfectly good to waste and it didn't help that the material was begging me to turn it into a cute bag.  I guess I am a pushover, or a purse-a-holic like my mother who always tells me "You can never have enough bags," when I see her pick up yet another bag.

This skirt turned bag is my first official Project ReStyle.  Yay!

Here is the BEFORE:

BEFORE

And here is the AFTER:

AFTER

Handle Detail

Pocket Detail

And here is the reverse side:

Reverse Side

Pocket Detail

To sew the bag, I used the Charlie Bag pattern from BurdaStyle and then I added darts in the corners to round the bottom a bit.  As you can see the bag is reversible.  Both sides of the bag have pockets and a little embroidery.

The Verdict:  The color combination of the rust and yellow is just okay.  I can live with the colors together, but when I glance at my bag from across the room (yes, I am weird like that), the colors are not that pleasing to me.  I like each side individually, but not necessarily together.  The pockets are a little small, but usuable. And, the corners are not as rounded as I intended.  I was trying to make them look more like Novita's Reverible Bag.  Yes, I am my own worst critic.  So, I guess that means I will be making another bag (hehe). 

What clothing items or accessories do you like to hoard collect (and hopefully use)?

I hope you have a great weekend! ~Leslie

I Wear Short Shorts...Not Really

In my previous post I mentioned that I joined Project ReStyle.  My first restyled project is a new pair of shorts.  I took a pair of cords that have seen better days and that had a hole in a very undesirable location and rehabbed them so that I can wear them this summer.  My before picture turned out too blurry, so all I have for you are the after pictures.

I used the discarded legs of the cords to make patches; one regular patch and two embroidered patches.  I put the patch that covered the hole near the zipper (the one that showed everyone my undies) on the inside and zig-zagged the patch on.  It turned out a little messy, but I don't think anyone will notice.  Then I embroidered a couple of patches and sewed them onto the pants to make them less boring.   I left the edges raw and washed them to make them fray a bit.

Frontside Patch and Other Patch

Backside Patch

Year after year I never think of cutting off my pants to make shorts.  But when I can spend $0 on a new pair of shorts, I will cut off my pants.

Have you started altering clothes for the summer, or are you going to just buy new clothes?

Happy Monday!  I hope you have a great day! ~Leslie

Hope Chest Pillow Case Designs of Grace and Charm

Vogart Transfer Patterns

Aunt Martha's Butterflies For Linens

The day I went to breakfast for my Grandma's birthday (this sounds familiar hugh?), my mom handed me a bag and said, "I thought you might like these."  Ok, thanks.  I did not have a chance to look at anything in the bag until a little later...a few hours later after a Target run and a fabric store run.  I finally arrived home, let the chickens out (chickens don't like being cooped up until 11:15am...oops) and then went back into the house to look at my shopping goodies and what my mom had given me.  She gave me eight embroidery patterns, crochet hooks and a book on how to make an afghan.  Awesome.  I have been wanting to try all of these.  I can crochet some, but I normally prefer to knit.  I inspected the embroidery packages a little more and noticed there were price tags of $0.15 and $0.19.  I called my mom and asked about the patterns.  I guess the patterns were my Grandma's (my mom's mom...the birthday breakfast was for my dad's mom) and she gave them to my mom a long time ago.  I did a little bit of research and found that the Vogart patterns were produced in the 40's and 50's, but I could not find much about Aunt Martha's.  I may have to ask my Grandma about them some day.  I am excited about using the patterns...well, copying them and then using them.  I will keep the main pattern in tact.  Here are some of the patterns with their given titles (I did not make these up):

Beautiful Designs For Towels Or Pillow Cases

Graceful Motifs For Your Best Pillow Cases

A Handsome "Petit Point" Pattern

Vogart Hope Chest Designs

The titles of each package are very prim and proper.  My favorite patterns out of the group are the cat and parrot and the butterflies.  That cat and parrot pattern is a little quirky and would look fun on tea towels.  Did you notice the title "Hope Chest Pillow Case Designs of Grace and Charm?"  I think it is goofy and great at the same time.  

This clock (well, not this exact clock) will be my first embroidery project.  Have you seen the book Sew Liberated by Meg McElwee?  I really have enjoyed looking through this book and there are quite a few projects in the book that I want to make.  One in particular is the "Creatively Passing The Time Wall Clock."  I love the details of the owl, the bird, the flowers, the tree, the leaves...all of it actually.  The moment I saw the picture, I knew that I was going to make this clock.  Now that I have my vintage embroidery patterns, I am definitely going to incorporate the butterflies or the cat and the parrot into the clock pattern.

What about you all?  Do you embroider?  Do you embroider from a pattern or freehand?  Any advice on what I should or should not do?