Fabric Buying FRENZY!

I went on a major fabric buying frenzy today!!! My goodness!! I found some GREAT deals and some GREAT remnants. I ended up going to Joann's AND Hancock's! LOL I also picked up 6 new patterns!!! YIPPEEE!!!



Here are some of the fabrics I picked up. I can't show you all of them because I have a couple of surprises planned for friends and they would figure it out just by the fabrics I bought. LOL

But here are the ones I CAN show you. ;)









The zebra print is actually a dark purple.

Isn't that Day of the Dead fabric cute???? LOL

And the one beside I LOOOOVE. Not sure what I am going to do with it but I got 2 yards! LOL

More cute owls, too!





The top middle is actually a pale yellow... I need to play with the setting on my phone. Not sure why it makes the colors all weird.

I plan on using the baseball and the weird bug stuff for the Bags of Hope and Love.

The monkey fabric is knit!! That's going to be fun!!!



Here are the patterns I bought -





Simplicity 2154





Simplicity 1942





Simplicity 2947





Simplicity 3588





Simplicity 1925





Simplicity 4647



As you can tell, Joann's had the Simplicity patterns on sale 5/$5. LOL And if I had had more time I would have gotten more. I can tell you that is the LAST time I take J1 with me. LOL That boy nearly drove me batty while I was trying to shop!



I think I might actually have enough fabric to keep me busy for a little while. I am so proud! I have a fabric stash! LOL



OHHHH!!!! Did you see???? I was FEATURED today!!!! WOOO HOOOO!!!!!! Danielle (SUCH a sweetie!!!!) over at Blissful and Domestic  featured 10 different fabric products today and my High Low Dress was one of them!!!! YIPPPPEEEE!!! THANK YOU, Danielle!!!!!  You should go check out her blog and leave her some lovely comments!!!!



I will be back hard at work tomorrow on a new tutorial. ;)  See you then!

Finished Book Cover

I thought Keri might want to see a picture of the large book cover that I finished for her today. :) Next I will start on the small book cover and then the tablet cover!

I hope you like it, Keri!



Now, for everyone else, don't forget that I have a tutorial on here if you would like to try making your own! :)

Book Cover Tutorial



And if anyone is interested in making bags to donate for foster care here is the tutorial - The D Bag.



I found out a few minutes ago that I will be featured again!!! WOOOO HOOOO!!! The Creative Jewish Mom will be featuring me on her Sunday Craft Schooling Linky Party!!!! YAY!!! :) THANK YOU!!!!!



Off to do more sewing! ;)

Bags of Love and Other News

Well, I have 3 bags made!! YAY!!!! :) Now I am all out of that fabric.

I spoke with our youth director and she is all for getting the youth involved with Bags of Love! YAY!!! This is awesome!! She also had some great ideas about getting more people involved. I am SOOOO excited!!!!

Tomorrow I will be starting on the book and tablet covers for Keri, the contest winner. She picked some really cute fabric!







And at some point this week I REALLLLLY want to start on McCall's M6553 for me! LOL ;)





Ooooh, and that pattern is on sale again.... ;) $4.99.... LOL



And after alllll of that I have an idea for some cute shorts for Colin made out of fat quarters. I will definitely be making a tutorial for that so stick around!!!! ;)

I also need to start thinking about the upcoming school year and what all we will be doing. I pretty much know what I will be doing for Cailey and Colin but the other 2 are up in the air a little. I know what we are doing for math, science and language but the other subjects need to be nailed down a bit more.

So what have YOU been up to????  Any sewing projects going on?

Bags of Love

I been inspired!!! ;) See that bag up there??? Well, I am starting a group to donate bags just like that one to kids that are going into the foster care system. The bags will be filled with toiletries, snacks, books, magazines, etc. Most of the kids going into the foster care system have NOTHING of their own. NOTHING! Especially if the kids are picked up at school, then they just have the clothes that are on their backs. Imagine how that is. You are a kid that is living in a terrible situation. One day someone comes and takes you out of that and into the unknown. You are scared to death! You are going to live with strangers! How scary would that be?? And then there is the worry in the back of their minds about the life they left. Would they be held responsible if they have to go back?? Will the awful situation get worse.

My heart aches for these children.

I called my local Social Services Department and spoke with the head of the foster care system. She said that there is a GREAT need for this type of donation. And she said that right now she has been seeing a lot of pre-teens and teens coming through her office. This age group often gets overlooked when it comes to charities. That's a crying shame. They are not small adults, they are still very much children. They still need all the love in the world. If anything, maybe more so. Being a teen is hard enough without adding the burden of a terrible home life and then stepping into the unknown of the foster care system.

I am hoping that these bags will help them to know that there are people in this world thinking about them, loving them, hoping the best for them.  And at the very least it will provide some of their needs and something to help keep their minds off their troubles while waiting hours and hours in offices while paperwork is done and place for them is found.

I am lining the bags and making them extra durable. It's my hope that they will be able to keep and use them throughout the whole process. Some of the kids may be moved time and time again from one foster home to another.

My inspiration for this comes from Hopeful Threads. What an awesome group!!! And Kristy is an amazing person. Please, go check out the blog and give her some love!!

I urge you all to find out what you can do in your own community to help the foster care system. It is overburdened with so many children all needing a safe place.

Pray for them all.

Matthew 25: 37-45

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fireprepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

⁴⁴ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

⁴⁵ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

And the Winner Is........

Drum roll please!!!



The winner of the Book Cover/Tablet Cover Contest is.......







Ummm... can anyone tell my why that is blue??? LOL Oh, well... at least I figured out how to get it on here this time!!!

SO, lucky number 1 is

Keri Wilhelm said:

I have none, that is why I leave it to the experts lol! =) Congratulations!

Congratulations, Keri! I will be contacting you about the prize very soon so you can pick your fabrics! :)

THANK YOU to everyone that entered!!! Look for another contest soon!

The SUNSHINE BLOGGER Award!!

I have been nominated by the very awesome Lori of Dear Ms Migraine for the Sunshine Blogger Award!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU, Lori!!! You are so awesome!!!



So, Here are the rules:

1.  If you are nominated, you must blog a post linking back to the person/blog that nominated you.

2. You must answer some questions, nominate ten fellow bloggers and link their blogs to the post!

3. You should comment on your nominees’ blogs to let them know you’ve nominated them.



So, here are the questions:

1. Who is your favorite philosopher?

Hmmm...... The first one and it's a toughy.... Garfield... He and I see pretty much eye to eye on life. ;)



2. What is your favorite number?

7 - there are 7 members of my family



3.   What is your favorite animal?

Cats, Owls and Cows. LOL



4.    What are your Facebook and Twitter URLs?

http://www.facebook.com/StacySewsAndSchools

But I don't have a Twitter account. I have been thinking of adding one, though.



5. What is your favorite time of the day?

Anytime that I can grab a few minutes to read or sew!



6. What was your favorite vacation?

I don't think I have ever really been on vacation. Is that sad? I would LIKE to go on vacation, though. I love going to new places and seeing new things.



7. What is your favorite physical activity?

Well, I love to swim and with the FMS that's about all I can do these days.



8. What is your favorite non-alcoholic drink?

Cherry Diet Dr. Pepper especially from Sonic. They have the crunchy ice. ;)



9. What is your favorite flower?

Tulips and daisies. I would love to grow my own but I am death to plants.... Seriously... LOL  My kids will no longer get me flowers for my Birthday or Mother's Day. LOL



10. What is your passion?

My family, reading and sewing. I would like to get more involved in children's charities, though.





My ’10′ Blogger Nominees



Judy at Sew Blessed Maw - I <3 her!!! She is so sweet and kind!

Patti at Patti's Reading Corner - Patti and I go way back... Well,  a couple of years anyway! She's one of my Bratty friends!!!

Heather at Stringtown Home - Heather is AWESOME! She rocks!!!

Kristy at Hopeful Threads - Kristy is very special. I am new to her blog but it is such a wonderful place and if anyone spreads sunshine, it's Kristy!!!

Pillows A La Mode - I am such a blog stalker there... LOL

Kerri at Sewville - OMGosh! What talent!!! You HAVE to check out her blog!!!

Victoria at OsoVictoria - Love Fashion Love Vintage - SOOOO much vintage goodness and such a nice lady!

Dresses and Me - I spend a lot of time here, too.... LOL

Joni at WTF Am I Thinking - Because I think we should all spread some Sunshine her way. SUCH a nice lady! HUGS!!!!!

Cindy at Cindy's Books and Bits - Cindy is a VERY nice lady!!!! And she has great taste in books. ;)





THANK YOU, again, Lori!!!!!!!!

COOL COTTON CAFTAN TUTORIAL

There I was......Sitting quietly and contemplating the dress I was about to make for myself... When, BAM!!!!! Inspiration struck again! LOL This time my eyes landed on the pink Hawaiian print cotton gauze that I picked up out of the remnants bin at Hancock's for $2.  That's when it hit me. It would make the cutest caftan for D!!! So I called her downstairs and showed her a sketch of what I had in mind. She seemed to love it! ;) YAY!!!! I got right to work on it!



I had just over 2 yards of the cotton gauze and used almost all of it. I wanted it to be nice and loose just like a caftan ought to be. ;)

So here is what you will need-

2 yards of cotton gauze

2 packages of coordinating bias tape

That's it! That's all you need! ;)

Step 1 -



Remove the cat from the fabric.... It's started already! LOL

Then measure and while folded, cut to the length you want leaving the selvages for the sides. D liked the thought of the fringy selvages being left on. I agreed. It looks cute that way. ;)

Step 2-



While still folded, cut the neck line. I cut this one in a boat neck style.

Step 3-





Remove the cutesy wootsie kitty from the fabric.

Yes, she is new. LOL I found her today at the dump. Someone had dumped HER!!! GRRRRR!!! She is such a sweet little loving thing! I knew we had to bring her home with us. J1 named her Cloud. She does look a little like a cloud leopard.... LOL

Sorry, ANYWAY! ;)

At this point slip the caftan over the head of the intended wearer and mark up the sides with pins.

Step 4 -



Now, open up your bias tape and pin it around the neckline. Sew it in place. DISCLAIMER ;) This is not the "right" way to do bias tape but I find it works just as well and takes A LOT less time! ;)

Step 5-



Here I took a pencil and drew a straight line where I had pinned the sides. Then I just sewed a straight line down, creating the side seams.

Step 6 -



Time to hem!! This hemming is going to be a bit different.... LOL I SHOULD have hemmed it up before I put in the side seams...... But I didn't... Sooooo I had to hem it on the right sides. No big deal but not the way it's "supposed" to be. ;)

Anyway, press, pin and hem!

Step 7 -



Mark where you would like the openings for the ties to be.

Step 8 -



Then I used my buttonhole feature on the sewing machine to make the openings for the ties.

My buttonholer and I are still getting to know one another so that is NOT the neatest buttonhole you will ever see...... LOL  I'm just happy it worked at all! ;)

After you have your buttonhole, use your seam ripper to open it up.

Step 9 -



I took a package of bias tape and measured it around D at an empire waist height. Then I sewed the bias tape together to create a thing tie. :)

Insert it into the openings and you are DONE!!!



I think it would make a nice pool cover-up or even a pretty blouse with some white linen capris. ;)

I hope you like it and give it a try!! :)