Vintage button happiness

I wasn't going to go to the antique mall. I promise... But I'm glad that I did. I found 7 zippie bags with approximately 40 vintage buttons each. Two bags were  completely filled with vintage glass  buttons. They look like little candies. Im glad i scored this stash.

DIY thread rack

This is perhaps the easiest wood project I've ever made. I could definitely make more of these. I got the idea from Martha Stewart's Good Things For Organizing. But there was NO way that I was going to get all of that stuff that it required. I mean I already have 2 spool racks and a spool box. I just wanted something simple and easily accessible. Then I got the idea to just drill the holes at an angle. Duh! That was simple enough to do. The whole project cost about 2 bucks and houses 19 spools of thread. All I needed to get was the board and a dowel. I already had white paint, a sander, a drill, and glue. And it was so QUICK to make (well, after I stopped procrastinating and just did it!). I'm pretty satisfied with the outcome. 

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Download for Monogrammed Covered Buttons Available!!

This embroidery digitizing stuff is so addictive.... and so time-consuming. I see why people are charging so much to do custom work. Well as you know, I have been trying my hand at doing this, and I think I am getting the hang of it. I don't think I'm super good yet to charge out of the woodwork on it, but it is something to consider one day, I guess. Anyway... I'm a member of Sew Forum and I have been uploading my free downloads onto the site and have been getting some pretty decent responses. (I think we all love compliments, an ego booster.) Well I just uploaded some monograms for size 36 covered buttons. I think they turned out pretty well, actually.

You can find the download here for free.

One of my digitized creations

So I've been dabbling some in embroidery digitizing, especially now since I feel a lot more confident in creating things. I'm actually really proud of myself for sticking with it because it was really difficult in the beginning (especially since I manually draw and digitize every object). But it is becoming smoother, and I have been posting some of my work on http://www.sewforum.com/. Most of the things that I have posted have just been sayings or monograms for peope because I have a good lettering program. But today I have posted an appliqued frame. I haven't stitched it out yet though I really want to (just not sure what to put it on yet). Here's a screen shot:





It's available for download here: http://sewforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=184921, along with posted instructions for use and conditions. In the zip file I have included most embroidery file outputs. I'm so glad to be learning how to do these designs. Maybe I'll get good enough to put some in my shop!



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My new sewing machine cover

I was in dire need of a cover for my baby. It was collecting all sorts of dust. Ugh! So I pulled out one of my fave vintage sheets and some course linen and went to work. This is what I came up with. I gathered the linen in the front and embroidered create. on the front of it. I also added some twin needle topstitching in salmon and coral to complement the beautiful roses on the cover. I then added some vintage twill ties on the side. Problem rectified. I love it!!!

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If being stressed means a creativity boost...

...Then so be it. Although I'd appreciate if the boost came before bedtime and not at 2 in the morning. I've been up for 2 hours thinking and sewing, and it's been a bittersweetness. I'm glad I'm getting some work done but I really should be asleep for work in the morning before I compound my headache into a massive one. Maybe I should have cleared my head before I went to bed and then I wouldn't be up at this point. I don't know. Anyway on with the point. This bag is for my swap partner (although I REALLY want to keep it for myself!) for the small sewn project swap on swap-bot. It's made from cotton and vinyl. And I must admit I'm extremely pleased with the result of it; especially since I had no game plan about it. I love the colors of it. I didn't line it though. Kinda wish I had, but I think it'll be fine. I hope she enjoys it. I'm sure I'll be making more of them seeing how I have a ton of vinyl I need to sew up. Oh and on another note: I should stop sewing late at night when my brain isn't fully functioning because I managed to almost break my walking foot. I would be kicking myself until next year if I had! And a couple of weeks ago I sewind a skirt together backwards. I just generate more problems when I sew late at nights. Arrrgggghhhh!! Goodnight.

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Surprise for my baby girl

I don't utilize the embroidery unit of my sewing machine nearly enough in my opinion. However when I do use it, I love to make in-the-hoop items. (namely because I really don't have to measure or sew anything and because the items come out so very cute!) In-the-hoop items are designs that the embroidery machine makes mostly or completely in the hoop of the machine. Anyway I found this cute matryoshka doll design on sewforum.com, but it was too large for my machine so I shrunk it down in Wilcom and sent it to my machine. I wanted something cutesy for my lil' girl; and since I haven't ventured into doll making quite yet, I figured this was a nice option. It's made with a very bright vintage chintz and craft felt. It's pocket-sized for when we take trips to the store she can have something to take along. She is visiting her dad so when she returns hopefully she'll be wowwed by it. I think I'm going to make many more for my etsy shop. They are so cute to watch stitch out and they don't really take a long time. I only had to stuff it and sew it up by hand. That's simple enough, right? Enjoy the rest of your Sunday! :)

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