Let's Embroider by hand

Wow, when did August happen?? Crazy how quickly the summer has gone by. Technically it's still summer but my girls went back to school yesterday and so summer feels like it's over here.  I have mixed emotions about it.  House is a little less chaotic with them at school for a few hours but I miss them and their chaos.  House stays a little cleaner, though this morning I told the little guy he was on the verge of making a bigger mess alone, than 3 of them together.  He stopped mid way into spilling the millions of littlest pet shop pets and accessories on the floor when I said that, stepped back and apologized.  So back to school means a little more time for some crafty business.

A few blogs that I adore, do a lot of embroidered work on fabric and yesterday that itching desire I get every once and a while to try something new (ok, every other day or so)  I pulled out my cotton floss that I had stashed away from my friendship bracelet days, pulled out a doodle I whipped up the other day and copied the image on to an Eiffel tower fabric.  I'd say, if I did this again I would certainly NOT use such a busy fabric because it pretty much takes away from the embroidered design but for my first try, I'm pretty pleased.  It'll be fun to put some of my doodles to stitches the good old fashion way with a needle and thread and a hoop for good measure.

I have lots of designs stirring in my little brain! I hope to make them soon. Until then, have a wonderful and creatively filled day!

Overcoming creative distance

Have you ever taken a break from something for a while? You go back to "it" with some trepidation or fear? That's what happened to me this morning.

My sewing machine and I had a stare off for about 10 minutes. I have been working on a t-shirt for a few days now. I wanted it to be more than the usual t-shirt. Knowing my girls, so do they. So, I designed it and then took the leap of faith that I could figure out what to do with it, after I cut off the neck and the sleeves.

Walked over the my fabric supply closet, pulled out a jersey knit and thought, I need to use a special "foot" for this but which did I use?  Went back over to my sewing table, looked through my presser feet and found THE ONE.  Oh yes, the big chunky, slightly scary, takes a little manuevering presser foot.  My nice friends reminded me that it's called a "Walking Foot."

I attached that scary thing and continued on with my project.  Cut a piece of striped jersey knit, used my straight stitch spaced wide to make a soft ruffle and attached that to the bottom of the t-shirt.  Time to tackle the neck and sleeves (well, the holes that I made when I removed the sleeves that is!)  What is so great about the walking foot is because it feeds the fabric evenly, you don't get the pulled look on the jersey knits. So I was able to hem the neck and sleeves without any problem.

Isn't that such a cool contraption? Look at it eating my jersey knit so smooth and effortlessly! 

I thought about adding this striped knit to the sleeves and making a sort of flutter sleeve, but I gathered the shoulder seem instead and made it more of a tank top, which makes this more of a sundress.

My beauty is at school right now but when she gets home I'll take a photo of her with her new getup. She will probably need to put leggings as I dare say, the knit is slightly sheer. But she'll be looking all Punky-brewster-ish with her new attire! 

So, as I wait for school to end, I'll share some more of what I did today. Have a beautiful day everyone!

And School has ended, here is the final product. It's OK, I do need to work on making the sleeveless area a little less revealing next time, thank goodness for undershirts!

♡ ąℓexąnʠяą

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I was a little bummed with this project.  I designed the interior fabric, thought it would make a really cool keep-all and I paired it with this Premier Prints snazzy fabric from my fabric stash. But after I put it all together I realized that a portion of the white on the P.P. fabric had a stain that I just could not get out. SO, this has turned into my new fabric pen keep all!

And, I tried my hand at a simple wire wrapping this morning and I came up with these sweet, ever so feminine earrings!