Sew what!?!

Its actually kind of funny that my mother is, Or maybe I should say WAS an expert seamstress for years.. For 25 years that was her job, and it seems strange that my sister and I never really picked up on this at all. I have never gone near a sewing machine, not for the lack of wanting to, more so because I was intimidated. I mean I had the not so succesful stint in sewing whilst in middle school where we had to pick out a pillow and sew it.. So in saying that I love crafts, really anything involved in crafts of any kind is totally up my ally, I decided that I wanted to sew.  When my mom and step-dad got married in 2002 he bought her a really nice sewing machine that was literally used maybe 3 times before I started using it.  I got it out and I have now made what I consider to be 3 fully successful projects and this is going to show them.

My first one came as an Idea that I pinned on pinterest and considering that it was my first real venture in sewing I am extremely proud!

This is the first picture I took in the process, so I will do my best to explain..

 I used about 6 yards of fabric total for my entire project. 

I had 2 yards of light pink fabric.

I got various amounts in fabric of about 6 other patterns all having the pink in common.

I used my rotary cutter, and cut the backing 4inX4in.

and I cut my top fabrics in 5inX5in.

I pinned all 4 sides together.

Then pleated 3 sides with a pin, (Making the extra fabric fit tight onto the bottom fabric.)

I then would sew 3 of the sides together.

Then I would stuff it as full as I could with Polyfil.

Then sew the last side together.

That is how I have this basket above full of the sqaures.

If you are wondering why it is so long and skinny I made this, not to be used as a blanket but to be used a a Mattress for my nieces cot at daycare. 

This means that it is 7X15 squares.

This was the MOST GRUELING part, sewing all of those little squares together.

Above the first thing that I did was lasy them out in the pattern that I wanted.

I got all of the 7 per line sewn together and then it was on the attacting the lines together to get my end product.

This was the end product with the fabric sewn on the back and everything.

(sorry about the crappy resolution)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And of course right before I started with the puffs I made her blanket and pillow for this. 

and a quick tip that I have, I looked at the price of a travel size pillow and it was nearly $7.00 so I bought a large pillow for $2.50 and made 2 travel size pillows and it worked out great!

I was really glad that I found the pink zebra print fleece, and it was 40% off which made me even happier, and the backing on the blanket I bought for $2.50 a yard! 

Anyways I spent around 35 hours on all of this, making the puff blanket and the blanket and the pillow.

I have a handful (or ten) that I really want to do and I have already spent a lot of money on fabric evem buying mainly sale items.. BUT This is the second project that I have finished and it is an apron for my niece.

I love this little apron and it is very very cute in person.

This is the back of the apron.

Up close of the ribbon and the top of the apron along with the pocket.

This is the pleated lower half of the apron with the double pockets.

I chose to attach the straps for around the waist and around the neck with velcro making it easier for my niece to put on by herself!

And as you have already seen here the the finished product!

And of course this the 3rd project that I have completed.

My first few pictures are serving to show you how I did my pleating.

As you can see pleating is actually really really easy using this method.  You can also see the pocket I have sewn onto the apron.

The next thing that I did was sew on the band, excuse the uneven sewing on that Im not sure what happened lol..

But this is the apron with both pockets as well.

As I did with the other apron I used velcro to make it more child friendly.

This is how they are attached with the velcro.

An of course the final look of it all..

<3

I hope you had a great time reading this and maybe it inspired you with some ideas.. Im extremely proud of it all!