Category Archives: Uncategorized

The evolution of a favorite color

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When I was in elementary school, my favorite color was blue. I think it had something to do with the fact that everyone loves blue at some point in their life. But mostly, it was because of the “Cerulean” Crayola crayon.

Cerulean Crayon

The highly coveted cerulean crayon...

(Photo Source)

Fast-forward to my college years when I abandoned blue for pink – maybe because there wasn’t a huge demand for Cerulean crayon usage in college, or because pink seemed to be a trendy color in the early 2000’s (pink iPod mini, anyone?). Pink has remained my color of choice for a long time. With the help of my scuba buddies, I even managed to build up a collection of pink dive gear, officially making me the most obnoxious diver on earth.

Pink scuba gear

Not pictured: My hot pink air tank. Even the sharks would raise their eyebrows if sharks had eyebrows.

I still thoroughly enjoy pink, but since I’ve started sewing, my color preference has started to change. Lately I’ve been drawn to green, especially when it comes to fabrics. I like muted, earth-tone or pastel greens best. Check out this dreamy green inspiration board I put together to show you my newfound love for green!

Green Inspiration Board

It's easy being green when you're as pretty as these things!

I can’t really explain why I’ve started to love green so suddenly, but I do think it has a lot to do with sewing. Is green an up-and-coming color trend in the fabric stores? Am I only noticing a lot of green because I’m looking for it? Am I looking for it because it’s an up-and-coming color trend? What came first, the chicken or the egg? Am I asking too many questions?

Anyway. What’s your favorite color? Am I the only one who has gone through favorite-color stages?

I did not sew this wooden birdhouse but I’m writing about it anyway

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Happy Father’s Day!

Here’s the sewing-related Father’s Day blurb: a free necktie tutorial at The Purl Bee!

Father's Day tie sewing tutorial

Photo and tutorial courtesy of The Purl Bee

My dad rarely wears neckties in his profession – he’s a dentist and can most often be found wearing scrubs. However, I have some guy friends who often wear ties to work, so I have tucked this tutorial away for a future project!

Now, the non-sewing related Father’s Day craft that I’ve been waiting to share. My dad really enjoys birdhouses, bird feeders and pretty much any other device that attracts birds into the yard. He spends summer nights sitting on the back porch with a glass of red wine, looking over his land and watching the birds take advantage of the whimsical sanctuary he’s created in the yard.

In recent years, I’ve taken to painting a new birdhouse each year for Father’s Day. One more thing I should mention is that my dad dreams of driving the monorail at Walt Disney World when he retires from dentistry. So, I present to you… the Father’s Day 2011 birdhouse inspired by the oh-so-magical highway in the sky:

Walt Disney World Monorail Birdhouse

Like the backdrop? It's a Disney Snuggie. 😉

Happy Father’s Day, Dad! You can bet that the next time you hear birds chirping, they are surely saying “Por favor mantengase alejado de las puertas!”

How soon is too soon?

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First things first: HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

Now, onto the blog talk. 🙂

One of the things I love most about my office is the communal coffee mugs and a dishwasher to clean them at the end of the day. The mugs in the cabinet are the epitome of the word “hodgepodge” and you never quite know what you’ll get each morning. My personal favorite is “World’s Greatest Godfather,” but this morning I experienced holiday cheer with every sip of my coffee as I used this festive Christmas mug:

Christmas Mug in June

Christmas in June! At least, in my office.

So, despite 100+ degree Central Florida summer temperatures just outside the door, I had the holiday season on the brain and started wondering: How soon is “too soon” to start crafting holiday gifts? Is there such a thing as “too soon?”

Let’s face it, I’m new to sewing and exceptionally slow. Projects that would take an hour for a seasoned seamstress to complete take me an entire day, if not longer, as I carefully analyze each step and spend a lot of quality time with my seam ripper. Therefore, working on holiday gifts 6-7 months in advance is probably a good idea, especially since the holidays are notorious for being sneaky and making time move exponentially faster as they approach.

On the other hand, how disheartening is it to complete a project and not be able to show and tell? I’m not very good at keeping sewing secrets.

I’m also incredibly excited to try the list of summer sewing projects that I posted earlier this week. If I started worrying about holiday gifts, would I just miss out on the present? Get it… the PRESENT?! Ha ha ha. 🙂

How far in advance do you start thinking about the holidays?

Scary Stretch Knits & “Something Wearable” Suspense!

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Yesterday I bought most of the supplies that I’ll need for my upcoming sewing class at JoAnn’s – Sewing 301: Misses Dress. It was hard to decide on a color, but I finally decided on a fuchsia stretch knit. I’ve only had one experience with stretch knit in the past, and it was INCREDIBLY disastrous – so it will be interesting to see how this turns out with the help of a professional. Right now, I avoid stretch knits like the plague, so I’m a little scared, but I know I’ll be incredibly excited and proud if the end result is even a partial success. Crossing my fingers!

JoAnn Sewing 301 Supplies

Fabric, interfacing, invisible zipper and supply list! Still need to pick up thread and the actual pattern for class.

On a side note, I noticed that the classes in July and August will be making a different dress than the one I’ll be making in my June class. The dress that is being offered in July and August is not my style at all. I’m so grateful I took the plunge and signed up a few weeks back!

JoAnn Sewing 301 Dress

July/August dress

What’s next? Pre-wash my fabric, purchase the rest of my supplies and then just wait. The “Countdown to Something Wearable” continues!

I hope everyone is having a magical weekend. I know I am!

Sunny Summer Sewing Projects: Tutorial Roundup

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It’s summer! And unlike most people, I love summers here in Florida. I love spending scorching sunny days poolside with a good book and a LOT of sunblock! Lucky for me, the Florida summer lasts about six months instead of the standard three, so I don’t feel guilty spending some time inside crafting even when the sun is shining. 🙂

Of course, I plan on keeping my project list bright and summery. No plans for heavy quilts or winter projects! Check out some of these FREE (!!!) tutorials I’ve recently added to my summer project inspiration list.

Summer Sewing: Free Project Tutorial Roundup

This adorable strawberry bag folds up into a tiny take-along strawberry when you’re not using it. Hello, Farmer’s Market! Click here for the free strawberry bag tutorial at ikatbag!

Strawberry Bag Sewing Project

Photos & tutorial courtesy of http://www.ikatbag.com

What’s a day at the pool without a hooded towel? And these aren’t just for kids — I’m 27 and may or may not have hooded towels with Mickey ears folded up in my bathroom closet. Click here for the free hooded towel tutorial at Obsessively Stitching!

Hooded Towel Sewing Project

Photo and tutorial courtesy of obsessivelystitching.blogspot.com

Although these are usually advertised for carrying cloth diapers, wet bags are perfect for carrying damp swimsuits! Click here for the free wet bag tutorial at A Lemon Squeezy.

Wet Bag Sewing Tutorial

Photo and tutorial courtesy of alemonsqueezyhome.blogspot.com

This insulated picnic tote is perfect for keeping groceries cold on a sweltering summertime car ride home. I desperately need one of these! Click here for the free insulated tote tutorial at Punkin Patterns.

Insulted Tote Sewing Tutorial

Photo and tutorial courtesy of punkinpattern.blogspot.com

Check out this quaint little bike bag for that special cyclist in your life. Click here for a free bike bag tutorial from noodlehead. 

Bike Bag Sewing Tutorial

Photo and tutorial courtesy of noodle-head.com

Any picnic blanket is a nice-to-have item – but a tote bag picnic blanket is a must-have! Click here for a free picnic blanket tote tutorial at Craft Buds.

Picnic tote sewing tutorial

Photos and tutorial courtesy of CraftBuds.com

This garden apron is so cute that I don’t think I could bear to get it dirty! Click here for a free garden apron tutorial at Make it Do. 

Garden apron sewing tutorial

Photo and tutorial courtesy of make-it-do.com

Just look at these giant strawberry pillows. Honestly. Have you ever seen anything more magical? I’m in awe. I just love these. Click here for the free strawberry pillow sewing tutorial from The Purl Bee. 

Strawberry pillow sewing tutorial

Photo and tutorial courtesy of purlbee.com

Believe it or not, these projects are just the tip of the iceberg. I found tons of inspirational summer sewing tutorials out floating around the internet – it was really hard to narrow down my favorites!

What’s on your craft list this summer?

LindsaySignature

Don’t judge a prom dress by its seamstress…

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Sewing is for old people. Or at least, that’s what I’m often told. It’s the battle I prepare myself for every time I tell someone that I’m learning to sew and excited about it. I still remember the looks on my friends’ faces last year when I told them I was thinking about buying a sewing machine… yikes!

The “blogosphere” and internet world is running rampant with young sewers to whom I owe much credit for inspiring me to sew in the first place. And reality shows like Project Runway have definitely lent a helping hand in putting sewing in the spotlight. But I still get excited when I stumble across supporting evidence that young people enjoy sewing too.

So… I can’t help but love the JoAnn Fabric and Craft Stores’ Own Your Look Prom Contest, which encourages teenagers to make their own prom garment and accessory for a chance to win up to $50,000. Some of the garments that these teens come up with are truly phenomenal. The contest rules state that “the student entrant must make the garment and accessory with little or no assistance from others,” but sometimes I have to wonder how exactly that is regulated. Regardless, I put good faith in these teenagers because it’s more fun than worrying about the rules! 🙂

I love looking at the previous years’ winners as well as the 2011 entries. Check out some of these stunning prom dresses, which are only a small sampling of the entries available for viewing on the web site. I’m looking forward to finding out who wins this year!

I love the criss-cross straps on this one!

The texture of the skirt is so intriguing... I want to touch it!

Reminds me of a pink version of Giselle's blue curtain dress in "Enchanted!"

I really enjoy the way the swirl was incorporated into the skirt.

Teenagers these days are classier than I ever was!

I want to see this shimmery fabric up close!

Simply stunning... maybe a little TOO stunning? What do you think?

The countdown begins: One month to “something wearable!”

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Today I pulled up my handy-dandy Joann Fabric & Craft Stores iPhone app and realized I had a coupon for “50% off select classes” expiring tomorrow. There’s a class I’ve been eyeing for awhile, so I took advantage of the opportunity and signed up! Normally $75 for the two 3-hour sessions, I paid $37.50 for the Sewing 301: Misses’ Dress class. Woohoo! The class isn’t for a whole month though. Sad woohoo. But I’m really hoping to knock my “something wearable” goal off of my 2011 check list. Happy woohoo!

Joann Fabric Sewing 301 Misses Dress Classs

This is THE dress I will learn how to make!

Three thoughts:

1) Has anyone else ever taken a class at JoAnn’s? Was it helpful?

2) The price does not include supplies! Yikes! And here I’d always thought the class prices were a little high because of the supply costs. Apparently not!

3) Anyone else in Central Florida want to take the class with me? Leave me a note and I will let you know which class and location I plan to attend! Take advantage of the 50% off class coupon while you can. 🙂

Mini-fame!

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Check it out… my blog is featured as a “Favorite Sewing Blog” on the homepage of We All Sew! Be sure to check out the site – there are some other great blogs featured, as well as other resources for internet-savvy sewers.

Featured Sewing Blog

Yay!

And with that, I’m off to the fabric store. Happy Saturday!

Crayon rolls for a cause!

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This past weekend, I made an exceptionally last-minute decision to fly across the country to see my parents. Here’s why: My mom, who doesn’t sew very often, was telling me how she was thinking about trying out the crayon roll tutorial. One of her co-workers was collecting small trinkets and toys to put in birthday boxes for foster kids and she thought the crayon rolls would be a fun and creative addition. The thought of my mom trying out the crayon roll tutorial without me there to join in the fun was just too much to bear, so I booked a flight and left the Sunshine State before you could say “Just one yard of each, please!”

Now, I know you’re probably all thinking that sounds like an incredibly rash decision and that I’m a crazy person. Well, it was, and I am. It was the first time I’ve ever jumped on a plane with just a day’s notice, but I’m so glad I did! I usually have an agenda when I visit my parents – a wedding, a birthday, a family vacation – but this time I savored every uneventful, unplanned moment from walking the dog to enjoying a steak dinner off the backyard grill.

Of course, my mom and I visited three different fabric stores and whipped up a handful of crayon rolls before the weekend was through!

Crayon rolls for a cause

Crayon rolls for a cause!

At the risk of sounding incredibly gushy, I have learned throughout the past few months that my family means more to me than anything else in the world – and I would not trade a last-minute weekend with them for anything. We may be a little family – just my mom, dad, brother and me (and recently, a precious little pup named Gizmo!) – but we sure know how to do it right. No family is perfect, but my family is perfect for me.

It’s strange to think that without the presence of fabric crayon rolls in my life, I may not have taken that last-minute trip home!

And now I leave you with a photo of Gizmo that is sure to make you feel a little melty…

Gizmo the Yorkie Poo Yorkshire Terrier Poodle

Gizmo!