Painter's cloth slip cover

I've been working on this forever.  Its finally done...my most difficult project yet.  A pair of chair slipcovers that are make out of painter's drop cloth fabric.  Not the canvas, the fabric kind.

Before:  The poor family who owned this chair had a kitten who scratched it all up.  :( 
                                                                                                       

During:  My secret...I sew the covers inside out!  I fit it this way & pin, then sew where I pinned.  I also use my fabric marking pencil a lot.




After:
                                                                                                        Pleat details

And the label.

Photoshop fun

I get all kinds of odd offers for magazines.  I subscribe to a few free ones that I love, but really don't make much sense in my life as a stay at home mom.  Yesterday I got a free digital one on Photoshop.  I run a really old version of Photoshop.  I mean REALLY old.  What I'm learning is the new one does what mine does, but I think mine is not as user friendly.


So I'm sitting here tonight, reading this magazine on my desktop.  I don't own a Kindle, an iPad or even a laptop.  (sigh)  But since I was on this computer I was able to try out a few of the tutorials that are in the magazine.


I just learned how to make my photos black & white.  And even better, b&w with just a hint of a color!  Check this out...


 original color                                                hint of pink                                             true b&w

Maybe now that I can do this, I can work on getting my pics to show up where I want them to on the blog!  Here's the link to the magazine, if it lets you open it.  I'm not sure.

http://www.zinio.com/my-library.jsp?_requestid=1313355

 Now, back to sewing.  I am ALMOST done with the last of the slip covers.  Soooo close.  But my kids won't let me work.  Grrrrr.  And I had someone ask me today about private sewing lessons - I'd love to do them for you!  $20 per one hour lesson, or $15 per lesson if you sign up for 4 lessons or more.  Let me know!

Sewing fun!

Wow...talk about a quick turn-around!  I was delivered a bride's maid dress today at noon.  I had it finished by 4pm.  That's rare around here.  And impressive as it involved ripping out a few seams & a lining!  The mom of the bride's maid was very pleased I was able to get it done so quickly.  I'm pleased that it doesn't look altered.  I should have taken a pic of it!  Its not this dress, but it was very similar.  

Cost:  $40
Had the dress been unlined, the price would have been lower.  Or if it had not been a specialty fabric.  This was mainly hand sewn.


The mom of the bride's maid was joking that she can't sew on a button.  But I can.  And I know there are people who really can't sew a button.  Not to mention they don't have the button, thread, needle or time.  I was also talking to my contact lens professional - he was telling me about a pocket with a hole that he hand stitched.  I was telling him whatever works, as long as the hole is closed....but it didn't work!  Next time he'll call me!  Yakima, WA area 509.577.8241  But don't call me if you're selling something - I'm on the Do Not Call list.

Pears!

I'm working on this fabulous project. I can't share all the details in case my friend is reading this. But....a bunch of us have joined together to make a quilt. I've never claimed to be a quilter, but at least I'm fairly crafty & can sew. All I have to do is make a square.

Ever have a day when you're ready to work on a project but you don't have the right stuff, but you forge ahead anyway. That was me. I really needed some fusible interfacing. But it was midnight and I didn't want to wait until tomorrow when I could get to the fabric store. So I taped my fabrics together & sewed. Yes, tape. I know some of you are gasping in horror. Remember I never claimed to be a quilter! It worked though.

Here's my square. Its not finished yet, but I'll let you look.


I'd like to sign it with my name & bumble bee. I just need to figure out how....so I'm off to Google it.


Here's the finished square!

I used a brown fabric pen to trace my bee & name. I'd printed a piece of paper & slid it under the fabric. It was thin enough I could see it just fine.

Update - Here's the finished quilt - another gal put it together...this is way beyond my skills! A group of us made squares to give to a friend who'd had a baby that died at birth. I know she'll treasure it forever!

Skirts, jeans & aprons!

What have you been up to this summer? We have a new baby on the way at our house...and I'm exhausted! I've fallen behind on blogging & on sewing...But I have such good plans!
For instance...I wear the same skirt nearly every day. Its just so comfortable. I love wearing it more than shorts. I'd like to make a similar one out of a nylon material...like the stuff hiking pants are made of. Columbia always has great looking ones, but I know I can do it for less than the $40 they try to charge me in a store!


I should be able to do it no problem...its whether or not I really want to that is the question!

With the last baby (who's now 3 1/2) I made maternity jeans...they're fabulous! I took a pair of regular jeans & cut off the waist, added elastic & there you go!



This is the only photo I can find right now...that bit of paisley is the fabric I covered the elastic in. Its part of the jeans! However...here's the tutorial I based mine off of! Mine are not a full coverage, but the idea is the same. http://patchworkprincess.blogspot.com/2006/02/how-to-tuesday-maternity-jeans.html




And here's the latest apron I finished! Be sure to come find me on Facebook...I update there much more often than I do the blog! BumbleBaby Mommy

Potty training time

Already? Ava will be 2 at the end of Feb. She's just barely in a size 24 months. Her car seat is rear facing - she weighs 22 lbs soaking wet. But she's showing potty training signs.

Today marks day 2 of training.

When Emma was this age she was showing signs of being ready, so I bought some great vinyl training pants. It was my first intro to cloth diapers. Who knew I'd like them? I bought them because I hold the opinion that a diaper keeps you dry and you don't feel uncomfortable. And if you're not uncomfortable, why bother using the potty? (This is what I think two year olds are thinking) It was a great clearance sale - they were less than $2 or $3 each. A few have had a mishap or two over the years of being borrowed & loaned out. I learned the hard way they don't like dryers - they just melt holes in the vinyl.

So I've gathered them back from my SIL and will start using them again. Sadly, a good number of them are a 3T! So I started looking online. The ones I want - now that I'm a BTDT (been there done that) mom - have snaps or velcro on the sides for easy emergency removal. They're also quite spendy. PUL isn't cheap. You can't buy in at Joanne's. We're talking special order commercial found on the internet fabric.

But I started thinking and then I started sewing! I made my own cloth trainers! And they're waterproof too!

I used a pair of panties for a pattern and made it a bit larger. I traced them in one piece so it sort of looks like a diaper shape. Then I wondered why I didn't just trace one of my very nice cloth diapers? I cut one layer for the outside - I chose a cute green flannel. One layer for the inside - off white polar fleece. I would have prefered a microfiber cloth, like the dust cloths you buy - but wasn't fond using it on my first pair of trainers.

My waterproof lining is. . . (get this). . . grocery sacks! I saw a tutorial for this on Etsy. You cut your grocery sacks and lay them out flat. I found the easiest thing is to cut off the handles and the bottom, then cut down one side. I came out with a piece about 3 feet long. You layer them about 5 or so bags thick and slowly melt with your iron. You need to have parchement paper sandwiching the bottom & top layer, so you don't melt onto the iron or the ironing board. If you need more waterproof fabric you melt a piece, then slip it about an inch into the next sandwiched bit of plastic, and melt them all together.

I actually cut the plastic liner first, then the fleece & flannel. I stitched right sides together everywhere but the back. Added some elastic that I stretched as I stitched on the leg openings. Flipped it right side out. Added more elastic on the back and stitched that all closed. Added my velcro & there you go!

They crinkle a bit - its not a quiet thing to wear. But they work! Its not a diaper, it won't hold a lot of liquid for very long, but it keeps a puddle from forming on the floor! I don't think you can dry in the dryer - the plastic liner is likely to melt. My next pair will have a bit more room on the sides for the tabs but overall I think they're great! And it saved me $14 a pair!

You can see the finished trainer on top of an extra layer of my plastic fabric. Be sure to cut larger than you want the finished product - look at how much smaller this turned out in the end.

Love the bag melting bit? Here's more on what to do with your new found fabric! Etsy ideas