Sanourra Designs

Ruffled Girls skirt!

2010-06-25T01:06:00.000-07:00

Even though I don't wear many "frilly" things myself, I adore making them. My neighbor's and friend's little girls' birthdays were a perfect excuse to make some adorable ruffle skirts from Snazziedrawer's "Ooh La La Ruffled Skirt Pattern."

Here are a few pictures of my process and one of the finished skirts.

I must say that Snazziedrawer's pattern is great for beginner and experienced sewers. She gives enough information that a person can start sewing with this pattern. Those who are more experienced can use her pattern and alter or skip some of her instructions, as necessary.

For example, instead of making the requested 1/4" turned hem on the ruffles, I used my serger to make a narrow rolled hem on each side. The results weren't quite as pretty, so I stitched grosgrain ribbon over the top hem of each ruffle.

Personally, I think the ribbon trim gives the design some kick:

What do you think?

A Refashioned Skirt!

2010-06-03T12:07:00.000-07:00

I'm finally getting around to posting about this skirt that I refashioned. It used to be a nice navy skirt with a floral print. It is very comfortable and it's just my size these days. However, it was a bit too short to wear anywhere but around the house.

My solution: add some ruffles! I had just purchased a few yards of light blue baby-whale corduroy from Joann's red tag wall. I used about 1/4 yard of it to form the longer ruffle, and found some silk georgette that I had ordered months ago to add a bit of spice as the top ruffle.

This was my first experience with silk georgette, so I did some experimenting. I recall reading somewhere that tissue paper was great to use as a tear-away stabilizer, so that's what I did. It made sewing this stuff infinitely easier!

Because the georgette was so slippery, I decided to forego my handy-dandy ruffler foot, and I used the two-lines-of-basting technique to gather it.

Before gathering, however, I finished the edges on my serger with a narrow rolled hem. After a bit of practice and adjustments to my machine (on scraps, of course), my rolled hems came out beautifully!

Once I had gathered them to the correct lengths for the hem of my skirt, I overlocked the two ruffles together at the top. This made it so much easier to attach them to the skirt, as the corduroy gave some body to the ruffles, and I didn't have to worry about the georgette slipping all over the place.

On my ruffles, I made sure to match up seams, so I could then match the ruffle seams to the side seams of the skirt. I pinned, then stitched the ruffles on the underside of the existing skirt hem, using navy thread and a straight stitch.

Voilà, a great new flirty skirt to wear anywhere!

"Family" life

2010-04-26T19:37:00.000-07:00

I know I haven't been prolific with posts recently (ok, in the last 4 months). I've had some things going on. We took in a person whom we thought was a former "street kid" in early to-mid January.

She was 18, turning 19 and professed to wanting to earn her GED. What I didn't think about, when we let her move in, is the nature of a regular, normal, 19-yr old. Of course she wouldn't be as motivated as someone 5-10 years older! I must say here that I feel a bit old a wizened at my 33 yrs.

I have learned so much patience over the last 4 months, for which I'm grateful. My only question is: How in God's Great Green bum-hole does one raise a teenager!?

As I have borne no children myself, but see myself as the neighborhood's Auntie/Grandmother (ha! Grandma @ 33... beat that!), how do I deal with the adult teenager?! I've been through her MIP court, lack of legal action to sexual assault, plus the (almost) normal teenager drama.

Any advice?

2010-03-18T00:05:00.000-07:00

So I checked out Denver Artsy Gal's blog (ok, I follow her) and found a linky to this Right Brain/Left Brain quiz for Artists. Apparently I'm 75% Right-Brained.
I always knew I was right-minded, no matter what my folks told me! (Joking. My folks always told me I could achieve whatever I set my mind to.

So, are you more right-brained or left-brained?

For the Doggy Lovers

2010-03-09T10:08:00.000-08:00

Personally, I like both dogs and cats. My husband, however, is staunchly a cat man.

My parents have a dachshund that would look super cute in a dress, if I could ever find the time to make one for her. Oh, and my sister's Teacup Yorkie is adorable in her little pink pooch couture.

Which brings me to this cool pattern from the 1960s, Advance 724. It tickles me that people 50 years ago liked to dress up their dogs, too.

I think some of these doggy duds would look awesome in some Moda Hello Betty or Love U (ok, ok, shameless plug).

Oh yeah, if you want this pattern exactly, you can find it here.

Have a wonderful day!

Dreams of Sewing...

2010-02-22T23:06:00.000-08:00

I love my job, truly. It is so fun to be able to order fabrics, "treasure hunt" for patterns, and make things to sell as well.

Because of a recent Fabric Love site snafu, I've had to do more fixing, listing, and what I call "squid work" than actually creating things. I started a victorian-style purse. Here is a picture of my plans for it a few weeks ago:

I've made a few changes and would really like to get back to it sometime soon.

Of course, while I'm doing said computer work, sometimes I veer from the path for a few minutes to look at interesting things. For example:

Wouldn't the above fabric from Fabric Mart look stunning when used with this pattern?

Perhaps in a bias... (evil genius hand-rub) ye-e-es.

Now I must decide whether I will keep or sell this 1949 treasure of a pattern.

Gift certificates are great for last-minuteValentine's Gifts!

2010-02-13T23:54:00.000-08:00

http://www.fabric-love.com/content/25-gift-certificate

Fabric-Love.com now sells and accepts gift certificates in denominations of $10, $25, $40, $50, $75, and $100 USD.

These also apply to Sanourra Designs, a division of Fabric Love.

What a wonderful last -minute Valentine's Gift! Certificate code will be mailed to recipient after checkout.

Jelly Roll Giveaway- Moda's Hello Betty Retro Colorway

2010-02-11T19:37:00.000-08:00

I'm sponsoring a giveaway of a Moda Jelly roll over at Audrey's Giveaway Blog! No, not the kind you eat, the kind you sew into cool stuff! This Jelly Roll contains two cuts of each of the fabrics in the Hello Betty Retro colorway. The colors are teal, brown, gray, and a rust orange.

Head on over and get in on a chance to win!

Valentine's Day Sale

2010-02-10T12:41:00.000-08:00

Wishes you a very happy February and Valentine's Day.

So now that we're in the spirit of things, we'll spread our love around by giving you a coupon code for a 10% discount at checkout. Yep, this Valentine's Day Sale allows you to take 10% off your total amount (excluding shipping). Now through February 14, take 10% off your entire order at Fabric Love or Sanourra Designs by entering the code BEMINE*.

*You must enter the code to get the discount. Orders through Etsy will have discounts refunded through paypal. Discounts at Fabric Love calculate automatically in the cart.

Do you <3 handbags? Drool over retro fabrics? Get a spring in your step when you see a beautiful vintage item?

Would you just love to sew a dress designed in your mother's or grandmother's heyday? Take a look at some of my favorites here, then go find them in my shops, Fabric Love and Sanourra Designs. All items will be shipped as quickly as possible, sometimes even the same day.

Click on the image below for a better look.

Richie (wonderful tech-god of a husband that he is) got my new site implemented, so it's much easier to navigate now. New patterns, fabrics, and vintage up soon!

Wine and cream frilly wristlet preview

2010-01-09T13:50:00.000-08:00

Here's a sneak preview of a new wristlet I'm making. I will be finishing it up in the next few days (other responsibilities prevail), and then it will be for sale on Fabric Love.

Here's just the front.

This photo shows what both sides will look like.

My First Treasury Listing!

2009-12-27T18:03:00.000-08:00

I have been very busy lately with the holidays and getting ready to
launch Fabric Love.com, but I wanted to share some exciting news with you.

I've been featured in a treasury by Katie of Eden's Wake! She makes
some beautiful handbags and accessories herself, so for her to include
my Rosalie bag in red and black on her treasury list is a huge honor for me. Thanks so much, Katie!

All of the items in this treasury show off the curator's excellent taste.

Click on the image below for a larger version.

You can find this treasury here until it expires on Monday, Dec. 28, 3:32 p.m.

Yarn bag in process - updated frequently and randomly during project

2009-10-08T01:20:00.000-07:00

In order to get the yarn busket to stand upright on its own, I used Pellon Peltex Ultra Firm single-sided fusible interfacing. I used my iron to fuse this to the Soft 'n Crafty polyester fiber fill. I used the interfacing as the under layer, the fiber fill as batting, and laid the pieced outer fabric covering on top for this "quilt sandwich."

I've noticed in the past that sometimes the fabric takes on a "wavy" or "crinkly" appearance when fusing it to the interfacing, so I'm pleased with the results of the suggestion I found in Ric-Rac's fabric bucket tutorial.

After quilting the "sandwich" with some simple lines, I trimmed and squared the edges. Now both pieces measure 16.5" x 18.5".

Here's a closer shot of the finished Denny Kitty appliqué (a.k.a. Knittin' Kitten by Urban Threads), crossed eyes and all. I machine appliquéd on all pieces, then used a bit of fabric paint to put the lines on the ball of yarn.

I had seriously considered embroidering the yarn ball to show the threads of it, but unfortunately I am on a bit of a deadline. Grandma's birthday is Sunday, and I'll be leaving town to see her on Saturday. I'd also like to whip up a laptop bag before leaving. I'd better stop blogging and start sewing!

I'll be adding more to this post in the coming day, so stay tuned!

Update: Put ribbon handles and decoration on bag, sewed up corner darts, and added zippered interior pocket.

Up next: Creating and securing pocket panel for crochet needles, yarn (thread) snips, and a yarn needle cozy with a velcro closure.

The purple needle cozy is made of two layers of felt sewn to a canvas flap. It features a .5" x .75" velcro closure.

I sewed a strip of Moda's Calypso to the outside of the flap to cover the velcro and felt secureing stitching, and to give it a more finished look. This is the same fabric from which I'm making the zippered interior pocket.

A Yarn busket for my Grandma Rosalie

2009-10-04T14:07:00.000-07:00

After some deliberation, I chose to use these fabrics for the crochet busket (basket + bucket= busket) for my grandma Rosalie, whose birthday is this coming Sunday.

Here is the front, stitched together and waiting for the applique.

The following picture is how I conferred with my mom to show her what I was planning, and to get input on Dennis' (Denny's) eyes. Dennis is my grandma's cat. He's cross-eyed and IMO mentally handicapped, but a very loveable kitty.

I purchased the design, Knittin' Kitten, from Urban Threads.

And here is a close-up of the applique, waiting to be stitched on:

I opted to change the fabric for the ball of yarn because the previous choice didn't show up very well on the background fabric. I'll add embroidery to the yarn to give it definition.

Happy Monday all!

Commissioned wristlets instead of refashioned skirt

2009-09-25T12:34:00.001-07:00

Well, you see what my last post was about. I've gotten a little sidetracked since then by a... *trumpet trill* Commission!

A week ago last Tuesday a bride purchased my frilly wristlet in my etsy shop and asked me to make some for her bridesmaids. How could I say no?

I offered her a few fabric choices, and she chose the blue and white. So cute!

First, I made a pattern, remembering as much as I could from putting the first one (the bride's wristlet) together a month or so ago. I traced this onto poster board and cut it out, so as to have a more durable pattern. Next, I cut out everything: fashion fabric, lining, batting, batting backing, interfacing, etc. I figured I'd do everything in an assembly-line way to save time. It worked pretty well.

Next I made quilt sandwiches out of the fashion fabric, batting, and backing. I then quilted them together using a straight stitch and my walking foot. To make things a bit easier, I just followed the lines on the fabric.

I finally put my ruffler foot to use on this blue satin blanket binding.

At first I stitched the blue ruffles to the gold ribbon, but then had to pick it out once I decided I wanted the blue ruffles on each side of each wristlet. I had used some rayon binding that I had in my stash, but ran out. The satin blanket binding that I picked up at Joann's was a bit glossier and smoother, so I picked out the rayon stuff and added the poly satin back in.

Here I am putting the lining together.

I've figured out a way, with my laptop hooked to my camera, to use my cordless trackball mouse to take photos. I then just have to angle my arm so I can click the left mouse button with my elbow. LOL. In this way, I can (hopefully) start doing tutorials!

Getting ready to put the zip in after I've stitched the pleated bottom to the flat top.

I stitched both the outer fabric and the lining to the zipper. I then pinned the lining in place on the inside of the outer fabric (wrong side to wrong side) and topstitched just on the outside of the zipper seam for a more finished look. After that, I hand-stitched on each pearly button (knotting each one separately).

After the buttons, I threaded the gold organza ribbon thru and around the button shanks in a decorative way. After that, I hand-stitched the gold ribbon down in a few strategic spots around the buttons, then used a faggoting stitch on my machine to stitch it down in more visible areas.

Here's a photo of all four wristlets, showing off their different linings.

A shot of all four wristlet fronts. I later added a simple zipper pull of a pearly shank button on a bit of organza ribbon, knotted after passing through the white zipper pull "eye."

I hope you've enjoyed browsing through my process. These were quite a bit of fun to make, and I plan on making more wristlets from the same pattern soon.

Maybe I can get back to that skirt first, though. :)

Update on (very little) sewing progress

2009-09-11T10:12:00.000-07:00

Hi all-

I haven't spent much time in my sewing room lately, but I did get it cleaned up. :) My husband and I had friends spend the Labor Day weekend with us, so I didn't feel like I could just shut myself in there during that time.

I do have plans for this weekend, however, and it fits in with my Refashionista Pledge!

I've loved this skirt for so long, but it's almost always been a bit snug on me. At this point, it's just too small. I plan to bring the waistline down to a wider section, thus bringing the hemline up to just above the knee. I'm still contemplating what type of waistband and closure I want.

Here's another reason I haven't done much sewing the past two weeks:

I've been reading. Each of these books grabbed me and just wouldn't let go. Oh, I forgot to add Swapping Lives by Jane Green. That was a good one, too! I am firmly ensconced in the book on top, The Way of Shadows, at the moment.

Sometimes I just go through a period where I can't stop reading. Swaptree is wonderful and awesome, because it cuts down on the cost when you can go through a book every two days, but now I'm tempted by good books all the time!

The Box Office

2009-09-03T15:34:00.000-07:00

I got this email from a friend today. It tickled me pink and I just had to share with you all!

While the C-5 was turning over its engines, a female crewman gave the G.I.s on board the usual
information regarding seat belts, emergency exits, etc.

Finally, she said, 'Now sit back and enjoy your trip while your captain, Judith Campbell, and crew
take you safely to Afghanistan '

An old Sgt. sitting in the eighth row thought to himself,
'Did I hear her right? Is the captain a woman? '

When the attendant came by he said 'Did I understand you right? Is the captain a woman?'

'Yes,'! said the attendant, 'In fact, this entire crew is female.'

'My God,' he said, 'I wish I had two double scotch and sodas. I don't know what to think with only women up there in the cockpit.'

'That's another thing, Sergeant,' said the crew member, 'We No Longer Call It The Cockpit'

'It's The Box Office.'

Quote of the day:

'Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater. If you give her sperm, she'll give you a baby. If you give her a house, she'll give you a home. If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal.. If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart. She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her. So, if you give her any crap, be ready to receive a ton of sh*t.'

Thanks to my Twitter friends...

2009-08-28T07:37:00.000-07:00

I'm featured in another blog, Nana's Gift Nook! This week she did a presentation on 30 fabulous fiber artists found on Twitter.

There's my Twitter avatar, with that silly Banff squirrel popping in on me. How'd he get there?! *wink*

I feel so honored to be included amongst these amazing artists. You should check them out, right after you visit my shop! *grins*

If the video moves too quickly for you, you can also download the pdf, which includes live links to the artists.

Marie Antoinette Frilly Wristlet Featured!

2009-08-24T14:47:00.000-07:00

My little wristlet has been featured as item of the week at Sunspot Hemp Wears Blog! A big thanks to Kali for choosing it! Go check out her blog to see previous items of the week including a yummy body scrub and a crocheted purse.

One Free Week at the Vintage Pattern Archives!

2009-08-21T13:41:00.000-07:00

I just learned about this, so I'm passing it on to you!

Want to research the roaring 20's era fashion? Are you interested in the clothing style depicted on Mad Men? You can go take a look at patterns from those periods for free!

The University of Rhode Island is allowing FREE access to their Commercial Pattern Database for a whole week, starting Wednesday, August 19th, and lasting through Tuesday, August 24th. This database contains pattern designs and, when available, small scale pattern illustrations for more than 45,000 patterns dating from 1868 through 2000.

In order to access the database for this free trial, one must login as "guest." The password is "pattern." To search the database, choose the "search" link at the top of the page and then choose your criteria from the scrolling boxes. Should you need assistance with using the database, instructions are available.

Thanks to Kathleen of Fashion Incubator for getting the word out!

Frilly Marie Antoinette Wristlet Done!

2009-08-17T21:26:00.001-07:00

I put the finishing touches on it tonight!

You can see more photos of it in my shop. I've got to get to bed now because I'm sleep deprived, but I hope you all have a great Tuesday!

Pledge: Wardrobe Refashion

2009-08-17T08:59:00.000-07:00

Ok, I finally did it. I took the wardrobe refashion pledge. Starting on September 1, I will not buy any new article of clothing OR ACCESSORIES, excepting shoes and underthings (as stated in the rules, below). I don't buy that many new clothes anymore, anyway, but I haven't made any in a while, either. I do have plans for a few skirts, tops and dresses. I just always feel the need to craft things for others, first! I will try to make something for myself in the next few months, and share it with the Wardrobe Refashion community. I will post there once weekly, to show what I'm working on. This may not always be something for myself, however! I do have a few bags I've promised to family as gifts which I need to get truckin' on!

The Rules

1.

No buying new! (handmade is excepted; So this allows for Etsy purchases etc!!) All clothing must be Recycled, Renovated, Preloved or Thrifted, or Handmade only for the term. Employment related and special needs clothing (ie sports, school), shoes and undies are excepted from the rules, although you are encouraged to have a go at making these.
2.

In extreme circumstances, maybe a special event, or the worlds greatest and most amazing never to be repeated sale that you simply can not pass up, you may use the Get out of Refashionista Jail Free card. You are able to use this card once during the 2 month part of your contract; ie 1 for 2 months, 2 for 4 months etc. Of course you need to fess up on the blog and display the button!
3.

You must post on the blog at least once a week to let the community know what you've been up to. This will not only give you brag points, but inspire and encorouge others! Of course you need to display the button on your blog and have copied the pledge in at least one post, and provide a link to your pledge under the button.
4.

You need to be honest and admit when you've fallen off the Refashionista Wagon! Go directly to Refashionista Jail, do not pass GO and do not collect $200! Apply for parole once there.

The Pledge

I, _Megan Harris_ pledge that I shall abstain from the purchase of "new" manufactured items of clothing, for the period of 2 months. I pledge that I shall refashion, renovate, recycle preloved items for myself with my own hands in fabric, yarn or other medium for the term of my contract. I pledge that I will share the love and post a photo of my refashioned, renovoted, recycled, crafted or created item of clothing on the Wardrobe Refashion blog, so that others may share the joy that thy thriftiness brings!

Signed,

Flowers and a bag!

2009-08-16T13:22:00.000-07:00

This past week I've been a busy girl! I sold my first bag and a few vintage patterns. *insert happy dance here*

I've also been crafting quite a bit. Last weekend, I bought Crafty Pod author Diane Gilleland's book, Kanzashi In Bloom. Her step-by step photo illustrations and concise instructions make this book very easy to follow, and encouraged me to dive right in!

Below are her book and my first two ~~victim~~, er... volunteer fabrics!

Here are my first three blooms. The top (all red) uses the pleated petal technique, the dark flower is folded in the rounded petal style, and the dual-colored bloom is a mix of rounded and pointed petals.

I'm still busy finishing up a few bags, so I haven't finished and embellished them yet, but I will soon, and I'll make some more colorful friends for them to hang out with!

Speaking of which, here's one of those bags in process. I'm defining it as an "art bag." It will be a wristlet, but it's my first, and I'm making it up as I go. I knew I wanted something pretty and a bit frilly when I picked the little fabric scraps out of my stash. The flower and ribbon fabric was from a friend who was giving away some of her scraps. It's just darling, isn't it? It turns out that this fabric was actually a fabric sample from a little French Linens shop here in town. It made me feel extra good about this purse to know that I was re-using something that otherwise might have gone in the trash.

I decided I wanted to throw some purple in there, so I quilted the bottom in a harlequin-style diamond pattern. I also used up the last of the purple ribbon that decorated my SIL's purse.

The lace I recently found at a former gas station now crammed full of estate sale finds in a tiny little town 15 miles north of me. It just screamed, "Put me on the frilly wristlet!"

Ok! Ok! Who am I to say no? Sheesh!

The pearls and the ribbon wanted to be part of this particular pretty, so there they are, on the little wristlet. The pearl buttons were from a vintage lot of buttons I purchased a while ago on Ebay.

I've got to get back to it, so thanks for reading, and ta ta for now!

Patterns!

2009-08-13T18:59:00.000-07:00

I stopped by my friend's house the other day and she hooked me up with some really cool vintage patterns!

McCall's 7854 c. 1949

McCall's 7414 c. 1948

McCall's 4302 c. 1957

Advance 9970 - Straight up Jackie O, folks

Butterick 2735 - Soooo Mad Men!

I'm still giddy over these finds. I haven't listed these in my shop yet, but you can find others!

Pack Your Bags zippy pouch now in shop!

2009-08-09T21:31:00.000-07:00

I just put a new bag up in my shop, a "Pack Your Bags" zippy pouch. Go check it out!

(Edited 08/12/09: This bag has been sold! Check back soon for more faboo bags in the works!)

Camping, Beach & Allergies

2009-08-06T10:24:00.001-07:00

Ok guys- I know I haven't posted in awhile. I took a vacation from my day job, and the vacation slopped over to a vacation from posting, as well!

So in the last few weeks I've been doing many things. First it was camping:

Camping at Champoeg State Park

Then we went to the beach with our friends for my birthday weekend. We stayed in Lincoln City at the Ester Lee Motel & Cabins. It turned out to be quite nice. We had a load of fun playing Apples to Apples, Mad Gab, and little pirate board game my husband and I picked up a few years back.

On the beach at Lincoln City with T, C & Tonka goggie.

No, I'm not frowning, I'm concentrating on my stitching.

Our view of the beach from the room we rented with our friends. Ok, we did splurge a bit for my birthday weekend.

In between camping and the beach, I underwent allergy testing because I am fed up with vertigo and migraines, and I'm finally doing something about it. My husband and I think the migraines may be partially due to my sinus problems, and my sinus problems most likely stem from allergies. Well, we were right that I have allergies. No, I won't show you pictures of the ginormous welts on my arms, because I didn't take any.

So, it turns out that I'm allergic to grass. I live in Eugene, which is part of Lane county, and is situated in the Willamette Valley. Guess what title the Willamette Valley gets? You got it - "Grass Seed Capitol of the World." You don't have to trust me on that, you can go ahead and google it. I'm so freaking thrilled.

Sails

2009-07-23T21:54:00.000-07:00

The Old Red Barn Flickr group is now doing a zigzag quilt. I didn't join in on this one, as I've already got too many projects started or clamoring to get out of my head and into fabric. But it gave me an idea.

I was going to make a reusable lunchbag for someone, hoping to make him smile every day. This person is not easy to buy for, or craft for, has been there for me my entire life, and has a birthday coming up. If he's reading this, I've just spoiled the surprise, but oh well. Hi Dad. :)

Anyway, my dad likes the ocean, so I decided to try my hand at more complicated piecing, for a sea and sailboat effect. This is what I made from a charm pack of Moda's "Neptune" by Tula Pink. Not bad for my first shot, eh? Now I'm wondering if I want to turn it into a lunch bag or make it into a more decorative wall hanging. Thoughts? Impressions? Leave me a comment!

Shoppers for Raffle

2009-07-22T07:37:00.000-07:00

Wow... has it really been since Friday that I posted? I've been busy! Here's what I created this last weekend:

Shopper 1: Blue Floral with ribbon and lace.

The company I work for will be raffling off items at our company picnic on Sunday to raise money for WomenSpace. It's a cause that's important to me, so I made a few bags to throw into the prize box. Plus, this way, I also honor the cause of reuse/reduce/recycle!

I used a pattern I bought from Deidre Wicks. I was a bit skeptical at first about one of the construction methods (ironing under the curved seam allowances on the side top), because of the time it took to do it right, but after thinking it through, I conceded that it was the best method considering the cut and construction. It turned out great! Congrats on a great pattern, Deidre! I would recommend it to anyone wanting to sew a bag like this.

The blue floral print I found at S.A.R.A.'s Treasures, and turned out to be the bottom 1/4 of a queen flat sheet. Red & white gingham was a re-purposed pillowcase. The ribbon and lace were things that I've had for years.

I had a lot of fun making this, and discovered that even though I'm a good part tomboy, there's a bit of frilly girly-girl in me as well.

Here is Shopper #2, the Pasta Bag, which I made so the men could feel good about using one of my bags, too! Of course, it didn't hurt that I already had the fabric.

This fabric was another recent S.A.R.A.'s Treasures find...

as was the button, which I found on a dress in the $.50 bin that I grabbed for -you guessed it- fabric repurposing!

The gingham was from a second pillowcase, and I grabbed an unused hair tie out of my make-up box for the closure. Seeing as how I cut off all my hair again, I won't be using it any time soon. :)

To finish it all off, I created a cute little instruction card for each and printed each out on a piece of 4x6 photo paper.

Giveaway Alert! Pretty Ditty Apron Pattern + 3 Yards Fabric

2009-07-17T11:15:00.000-07:00

The Fabric Shopper blog is hosting a giveaway, and I wanted to make sure you all knew about it!

Here's the dish: Jamie Christina, owner of Phat Fabrics, is giving away one of her Pretty Ditty Apron pattern and 3 yards of fabric from either the Michael Miller category or the Alexander Henry category from her store. She's having Melanie at Fabric Shopper host it, so click on this linky here to go suss out the details!

Psst: the hardest part is singling out only 3 fabrics from her fabulous selection!

Do it quick, because the giveaway ends Sunday, July 17 at midnight CDT.

Zippy Case inspired by Jan

2009-07-16T06:22:00.000-07:00

My day job's ISO consultant, Jan, visits us every few months and helps me to ensure our ISO system is running smoothly. It's a GINORMOUS job, especially after adding our largest manufacturing department to our certificate, and I’m still learning all the nuances of it.

Side 1

When she was here in June I noticed her digging in a pencil pouch for her thumb drive. At that moment, the inspiration struck to use some of my Moda "Pack Your Bags" jelly roll to create a cord and electronics pouch for her. It was so apropos; this lady travels a TON. I give props to her, because even though I like to travel, I don't think I could handle doing it all the time. I hope this bag makes her smile a lot. :)

Side 2

I decided I wanted to try my hand at a different type of free-motion quilting. Patsy Thompson Designs has some great templates and ideas on her free downloads page. She does some incredible work with her sewing machine. I'm in awe.

Incidentally, the back of this pouch is what is shown in my “New used Machine and weekend projects” post.

I'll have one similar to this up in my Etsy shop soon. I needed to finish hers first, though, since she was only here on Monday and Tuesday of this week.

We've been published!

2009-07-15T14:40:00.000-07:00

Neat-o!

My photo of our campsite in Yosemite's Housekeeping Camp was chosen for inclusion in the newly released eighth edition of Schmap's Yosemite Guide. Yep, that's Richie standing there.

Some of you here might not have heard about our trip, as we did it before I started this blog. You can see more photos on my Flickr page.

Unfortunately, I didn't get better pictures of the interior because it was already getting towards dark, and we didn't find our hidden light switch until late. :P

See what looks like a covered outlet under the mirror? Yeah... the top cover hides a switch for the light above the mirror. We felt like silly monkeys for not figuring it out sooner.

We didn't pull into camp and start setting up until around 7 p.m. because we were exploring Hwy. 41 and Mariposa Grove.

Here is a little rill I couldn't help but snap at the grove. It just seemed so refreshing.

We kept seeing these everywhere, but never figured out what they are- plants or fungi? Still scratching our heads. Leave a comment if you know what they are!

Our feet and legs were killing us due to our 14 mile hike two days prior, but I just had to go see the tunnel tree. It wasn't all that spectacular, but stretching our legs was good for us. The best part was what we found on the little side-trail we took back to the parking lot:

Richie's shot of these deer.

They were standing on the trail, browsing. They didn't seem at all concerned that we were there.

Some Lupine in a meadow. We stopped on the way back to the valley from Wawona so I could capture some of these.

Richie at Tunnel View. El Capitan on the left, then Cloud's Rest & Half Dome in the back there. One can see Sentinel Dome and the Fissures on the right, then there's Taft point (I believe), and Bridal Veil Falls. This is a great place to be awed by the beauty of the valley. That is, if you aren't being elbowed out of the way by other camera-happy tourists. :P

Real-World Princesses: not your Disney endings

2009-07-14T06:25:00.000-07:00

This gives new meaning to the seven dwarves.

I like this collection, Fallen Princesses by Dina Goldstein, published in JPG magazine, and also found on her website. Her collection addresses the things that can happen when a fairy-tale princess ends up with a real-world ending.

Go check it out!

New used Machine and weekend projects

2009-07-13T06:30:00.000-07:00

Last week I finally took my poor little Betsy into the repair shop. I got the prognosis on Friday: Betsy's nearing the end of her usefulness. The doc didn't say how long she has to live, but that she's got some parts that were manufactured cheaply and that are worn out. He said it's really not worth the labor to try and fix this type of machine, as they're basically built to be disposable (i.e. the labor and parts would cost more than a new machine).

Because of this built-in obsolescence, she's skipping more and more stitches lately when I'm trying to do free-motion quilting, and I'm cursing at her more and more. You can see the evidence of her unruliness if you look closely at the stitching in the photo above.

Soooo.... My dear, sweet husband started looking for machines on E-bay and Craigslist this weekend, and decided to pick up this little beauty for $50.

I don't know what to call her yet, but I've positively fallen in love. This one's a Singer Stylist 834. I love the older machines. They just seem sturdier- better built. And she just HUMS. Even before Betsy started doing the "chunka-chunka-chunka" routine, she never hummed.

At first I was a bit wary- I'd never used a machine with a drop-in bobbin before. But she came with a manual and the purchase paperwork. Someone bought her new in 1980 and took great care of her.

Anyway, I read through the manual and got her going. The threading was a bit complicated at first, but I figured it out. She runs SO SMOOTHLY. I know I'm going on and on about this, but this is the first machine I've had that just... PURRS! *Insert Happy Dance Here*

I also LOVE the little envelope that all the information came in. Isn't it just darned cute?!

Another really cool thing about this machine: I found the repair manual online. So if she starts acting up on a Sunday, I'll be a bit more confident about tearing her apart and tinkering with her.

Not that the lack of a repair manual stopped me from doing the same to Betsy when she started to seize up a few weeks ago. But hey, after I oiled her innards (had to tape an oil bottle to a chopstick) she ran fine. Except for the chunka-chunka. Which is due to the badly-stamped plastic parts.

However, I wouldn't have been able to use her at all had I not taken off the bottom cover and dove right in. Just sayin'.

Here's the new machine next to Betsy. Richie says we can put Betsy in the living room and I can delegate straight seams and easy stuff to him to sew on her if I want. How on earth did I get so lucky to find this man? Oh yeah. I chose him and laid in wait for him. Heheheh.

This last photo below just shows a bit of the projects I was working on this weekend. If you're wondering about the stippling, I found a great site with some great free-motion quilting ideas and templates: Patsy Thompson Designs Ltd. I took the idea from the Revolving Axis free motion quilting designs in her free downloads section, then I free-handed it. I drew it on paper first, just to get the feel of it, then free-handed it with the machine. You can print it out and pin the paper to your quilt sandwich as well. I found her Pre-Flight Checklist for Newbies helpful as well.

Purse Feedback

2009-07-06T11:36:00.000-07:00

My sister-in-law loves her purse! She commented on my Facebook page:

"Megan... this is the most awesome purse ever!!! I have totally given up my grungy book bag! This looks like a small purse but it has to be magic! I took it on our trip to the midwest and it held everything I could put in it! It was the perfect carry on for the plane! I LOVE it!!!"

Yays! *happy dance* I love it when others love what I make for them. *grins*

This was the purse that I made for her. Read more about it here and see more pics here.

First Quilt Finished & Crinkly!

2009-07-05T23:29:00.001-07:00

Here it is, all crinkly and soft. I'm very pleased with it, even though it is as flawed as I am. :)

I think I have to take my machine in for a tune-up now. Stay tuned for more purse goodness soon!

2009-07-04T23:37:00.000-07:00



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Quilt Pics!

2009-07-02T19:07:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are pics of my quilt in process. Above you see it trimmed up. Later that night, my hubby helped me to lay it out on the floor so I could square it up.

I feel like a freaking new parent here, with all the pics, but hey, it's my first quilt. *grins*

Above is a pic of the binding sewn onto the front. Below is a photo of my very first quilt with the binding pinned for finishing. I did some research and have come to the conclusion that while blind stitching (by hand) gives it a bit more of a finished look and charm, I'd rather machine stitch it.

I'm going to "stitch in the ditch" on the front, catching the back in the stitching. I don't plan to enter it into any contests, and frankly, it's too hot to sit and hand-sew with a quilt on my lap. Just sayin'.

I hope you like the pics folks, and have a great night!

Scrap Giveaway on Sheree's Alchemy

2009-07-02T09:51:00.000-07:00

Hi folks-

I thought I'd let you know about a giveaway going down over at Sheree's Alchemy. She's got some beautiful scraps to give, and they're mostly of Amy Butler fabrics. There are even some out of print fabrics from when Ms. Butler was designing fabrics for Free Spirit Fabrics!

Oh! I almost forgot about the purse pattern that Sheree will be including.

Don't miss out on this great giveaway. Head on over to Sheree's Alchemy and post a comment. Or three.

On a separate note, I'm almost done with my quilt. I had a setback in the form of a migraine for the last two days, but hope to get it finished up tonight or tomorrow. I'll post pics soon!

I'm 3/4 done with the quilting

2009-06-29T07:45:00.000-07:00

Here is my "quilt sandwich," laid out and ready for pinning. Thanks go to the hubby for helping me lay it out, smooth it, and getting down on the floor with me to pin it. Such a great guy!

And here I am picking out a little bit of wonkiness that happened. During this process I've learned that

1) Stippling takes an inordinate amount of thread. I've gone through at least 10 bobbins so far. I'm 3/4 of the way done with it.

2) My machine does not like metal bobbins, no way, no how.

3) 12 weight thread is heavier than 30 weight, and should not be used in a machine.

4) I can take off the bottom of my machine and oil the moving parts inside myself. No, I didn't find a service manual, I just decided that I'd try it when my machine was trying to seize up on Sunday. It's not trying to seize up anymore, so I must have done something right.

4b) Yes, I need to take my machine in for regular maintenance, but I'd prefer to do it when the machine isn't crucial for a deadline.

5) Stippling is hard work on the arms, shoulders and upper back.

5b) Beer and mojitos help to lubricate the joints and muscles used for #5.

6) Stippling is somewhat addictive.

Lookee what I won!

2009-06-25T22:16:00.000-07:00

In case any of you were wondering, this is the prize package that I won from Sew, Mama, Sew! Blog. It included:

a Viking/Husquevarna brochure (natch),
simple patterns for an embellished scarf and handbag,
three spools of variegated thread,
a quilting foot set and bobbins for a Viking/Husky machine,
an assortment of machine needles in varied sizes,
and a Bobbin Saver.

My friend and co-worker owns a Husquevarna machine, and she absolutely ADORED the colorful bobbins. She did not yet have any of the feet or attachments in that prize package. She said they'd come in quite handy, as she's looking to make a quilt for her daughter soon.

I owe her a huge thank-you. She's the one who got me interested in sewing when she taught me how to sew a full length, gathered, Elizabethan-style skirt from an old bedsheet, almost 10 years ago. Thanks SarahBee!

She brought in some fabrics pieces for me today as a thank you. She tends to keep me in beautiful scraps. :)

The photo above is what my current bobbin system looks like. As you can see, I'm running out of room. The Bobbin Saver will come in quite handy, especially now that I'm getting into quilting. I never realized how many full bobbins one can expend while stippling!

Progress in machine quilting practice

2009-06-24T21:53:00.000-07:00

As this is my first quilt, this is also my first time machine-quilting or "stippling" something. I ran into a problem last night and asked the nice folks over at the Flickr Old Red Barn Quilt Along discussion group for help. I want to say thanks to everyone who contributed advice. I probably would have pulled my hair out!

Here's the back of my first quilted panel. Day 1 (yesterday) comprised 4/5 of the stitching, from left to right. Day 2 is over on the right.

After reading the advice, I set my thread length to zero. I then sped the machine up whilst slowing down my movement of the sandwich.

I got much better results from that!

Day 1

Day 2

Day 2 close-up

I then started on my second panel. It's like doodling!

Wheeeeeee!

Don't ask me why it's started looking like a border. I don't know, and frankly my dear, I don't give a hoot. :P

I also found these little finger cots to be extremely helpful. Except when they're trying to fall off. You've got to watch where the little buggers jump to, too, because they're springy and bouncy.

But all in all it's so much easier to move the sandwich around now.

Alright, this photo just shows that I've been reading too many LOLCats and that I really need to go to bed. Have a good night all!

Fabricate: 17 Innovative Sewing Projects that Make Fabric the Star - Interweave

2009-06-24T12:08:00.001-07:00

A friend sent me links to free beading and knitting projects via the Interweave Store.

I was checking it out and I found Fabricate: 17 Innovative Sewing Projects that Make Fabric the Star. You can glimpse a few pages of the book at Amazon.

This book looks very cool for adding texture and interest to fabric. I've always been interested in that.

For example, The Art of Manipulating Fabric by Collette Wolff has been on my "wish list" for eons now... I should just bite the bullet and buy the monkey-lovin' thing.

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GOventure! Green + Dizzy

2009-06-22T16:35:00.000-07:00

Ok, this photo doesn't have much to do with today's post except that it's green, and that sometimes the pollen makes me dizzy (it's an allergy/ inner-ear thing).

So anyhoo, I was lurking around the interwebs today and found that Edie over at Butterfly Belles and Geek Gear for Girls is participating in a very cool challenge!

Kel of [i]LoveLife challenged Elise of Enjoy Design to a create-off! It's 5 days long. The first clue was Green + Dizzy, and they both created something delightful. I would love to participate, but I've got too many unfinished projects already, not to mention all those projects in my head and sketchbook that are just clamboring to come to life.

Go visit them and be inspired!

I was mentioned on CraftyPod!

2009-06-21T13:47:00.001-07:00

Woohoo! For my answer to "Why do you craft?", I was mentioned on Sister Diane's CraftyPod. I answered her via twitter. Go listen to it to hear my answer! :)

Convertible Purse of +5 to Prettiness

2009-06-21T12:42:00.000-07:00

Yes, I did just make a game geek reference to this handbag. *shrugs and grins* Get used to it.

I posted a bunch of pics yesterday, but was exhausted and didn't say much about the purse itself. I am totally in love with this thing and will have to make another.

The body is made of polyester satin brocade. It frays like crazy! I used heavy iron-on interfacing on the brocade, and a heavier sew-in interfacing on the silk bands.

The top band and strap are made from gold dupionni silk. I had some leftover from the stole I made for my wedding day. The lining is cut from a curtain that was used to disguise the server at work for awhile.

I used cording in the strap to give it the puffiness, then stitched twice down the center of it. I added loops inside the purse and attached swivel clasps to the strap to make it convertible. Sis can now use it as a shoulder bag or a large clutch. I just love the medallions, too. I found them in a large lot of mixed buttons I had bought on Ebay. You can see more pics of this purse and the process at my "Crafts and Projects" set on flickr.

So long and thanks for all the bellyrubs...

2009-06-21T10:47:00.000-07:00

RIP

HRH Azrael McWhineypants
????- June 2009

I woke up yesterday morning to the doorbell. I don't like our doorbell. It's always been too loud. Now it is on the small list of objects I'd like to destroy.

So... the doorbell rang. My husband got up to answer the door, but no one was there. He came back to bed. We went back to sleep. When the doorbell rang again some little time later, DH got up to get it, seeing as how I stayed up much later working on the purse I posted about yesterday.

He woke me up a bit later with the bad news: Azzy had been hit and killed by a car on our quiet residential side-street. I couldn't believe it at first. She was so street smart. How could she have gotten hit here?

She came to us last July. We were leasing a house on the other side of town in a small subdivision. She started setting up camp on our back porch. She had a collar, but always came to our porch, even though we weren't yet feeding her. Eventually, I started putting out food for her.

I searched for any owners or previous human companions but couldn't find any. Apparently, she had adopted us.

When we had to move in October she came with us. We kept her strictly inside until around Christmas time, for fear that she'd get lost. She did NOT like being inside all the time and let us know every hour of every day that she was awake. She was very much a gotta-be-outside cat. When it was raining, she'd glare and scream at us, as if to say, "How the hell could you let this happen?!"

So she'd been loving the nice weather of late and staying out later and later, or if she came inside for the night, waking me up earlier and earlier to go out. The first thing she'd do upon going outside would be to flop down on the concrete and roll around in the dirt. She loved getting dirty. Kinda odd for a cat, but what can I say?

She was becoming tolerant of me rubbing her belly, a little tradition that started after we had her tummy shaved in prep for her spaying (which had already happened before she came to us).

She would head-butt anything and everything to give it lovin'.

She liked watching the birds in the back yard and chittering at them.

Oh, and she loved her "kitty drugs" - catnip. She'd roll around in that, too. She was such a freak sometimes!

I could go on and on, but I'll just say that she is loved, and she will be sorely missed.

"Secret Project" finished and unveiled!

2009-06-20T23:32:00.000-07:00

I was up until 4:15 this morning finishing this baby, but I'm so very pleased with the way it turned out. It was for my sister-in-law, for her birthday. She's 29 (again). ;)

Here are some pics for you. I can tell you more about it tomorrow. It's been a very long, weird, sad day and I'm finally going to bed.

New Fabric in Store!

2009-06-19T15:21:00.000-07:00

Hi all- I have a new listing in my store:

A Fat Quarter sextet of the Basic Grey "Sultry" collection! Yummy. Check it out here.

I'm also working on a project right now, but I've got to keep it hush-hush until tomorrow. I hope to have it done by then. I am taking pictures along the way. Here's a teaser that doesn't give too much away:

Green your blog to support Freedom and Fair Elections in Iran

2009-06-18T07:37:00.000-07:00

I've been told that as an online shop owner I should keep away from politics on my blog and on social media. I just can't do that right now. I've been following the Iran situation, and it just burns my hide that the people there, that people anywhere, are being oppressed.

Students attacked in their university dormitories. Bloggers and tweeters being hunted down because they're telling their stories, telling the world what's really going on inside their cities, their country.

What can we do, here where we sit, to help these humans in their cause of freedom?

We can do as LeeDumond.com has suggested:

"I’ve temporarily changed the background of my blog to green to express solidarity with those who yearn for freedom in Iran. If you have a blog or website of your own, won’t you please consider doing the same?...
If you live in the USA or any free country; where you are allowed to say what you want, do what you want, elect the leaders you want, readmarch in the streets if you want, then take a couple of minutes and show your support for these brave men and women who want nothing more or less than to enjoy the same freedoms you and I take for granted every single day. the blogs you want, and

It won’t take much. Put a green background on your blog or website for a week. It’s a small gesture, but it would mean a lot.

Just do it. And be thankful that you can."

We can help them out by passing the word, by showing support, by educating others, by donating some bandwidth so they can use it.

I've greened my photo on Twitter in support, as well as changed my location to Iran and timezone to +3:30 Tehran. This is in order to help hide those tweeters in Iran that officials are trying to hush up .

For more information, please see LeeDumond's blog, and http://iran.whyweprotest.net/

Introducing HRH, Azrael McWhinypants

2009-06-16T21:45:00.001-07:00

Open Door NAO, HUMAN!

This is our cat, Azrael. She adopted us last July. She's very vocal, and has quite the "catitude." Sometimes, when we're in the kitchen, or living room, or office, etc, she'll sit in the middle of it and scream at us. Yes, she has food and water. Our theory: she's just plumb crazy!

She sometimes attacks my legs and leaves scars for fun. I've thought about trimming her nails, but well, I'd like to keep my hands. The vet had to put her under sedation just to administer her vaccines. Awethome.

She's mean and wacky, and wakes me up at 3 in the morning, those times she hasn't stayed out all night. When she's outside, she's either chasing squirrels, rolling in the dirt, screaming at the rain, or carpeting our camping chair with kitty "wool." But we love her. She's our surly, whiny ball of fur and claws.

I'm parting with some of my stash...

2009-06-16T06:32:00.000-07:00

So, because a fabric addiction can be a costly thing, I'm selling some of my stash so I can continue to hoard more fabric.

I just LOOOOVE the Sultry line from Basic Grey for Moda. I'll be keeping some of it, but I can't keep all of it. This is some of the first to go.

I have to go through my pics and organize everything to get more in my shop, but keep looking. More will be there soon. :)

I won? I won!

2009-06-16T06:28:00.000-07:00

I won the week 2 prize, the Quilting Package over at Sew, Mama, Sew! Blog. This just doesn't happen for me. I usually bring good luck for other people, but don't win anything myself. I guess my luck is beginning to change!

Here's what I won:

Week 2 Prize

Quilting Package

Over $150 retail value

Quilter’s Presser Feet Kit. This kit includes the Dual Feed Foot with Guide, open Toe Stippling Foot and Clear ¼” Piecing Foot. (Fits all Husqvarna Viking machines except Mega Quilter and Mega Quilter 18×8)
Water Color Bobbins
Bobbin Saver

Now let's just hope I win the sewing machine on which to use the feet and bobbins!

I finished my quilt top!

2009-06-14T21:25:00.001-07:00

Here's my quilt top. It's 75" by 53.25". I finished it at about 3 this morning. :)

I added "Livingston Seagull" from Henry Alexander to the edges to widen and lengthen it, then used some of the yard I purchased of "Today's Special" in teal from Hello Betty for the corners.

I've got an old twin bed sheet that will work nicely for the backing. Up-cycling is great!

Next, I wait for the Warm & Natural to arrive from Joann's online. What can I say? It was a good price to begin with, then came with a 40% off coupon. Nothing to sneeze at there!

2009-06-12T17:54:00.000-07:00

June is Sewing Machine Month over at Sew,Mama,Sew!

They’ve started this Sewing Machine Meme, for which I’m posting my entry here.

You all get to know a little bit more about my sewing machine (and me), and I get to add to their list of sewing machine reviews!

What brand and model do you have?

I own a Singer model 8280 sewing machine.

How long have you had it?

Three years

How much does that machine cost (approximately)?
$80-$90

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?

Clothing, handbags, home dec, just starting on my first quilt. I sew whatever I take a fancy to. :)

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?

My sewing machine is in use anywhere from 1-10 hours a week.

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?

I like my sewing machine. I do. Betsy’s light, steadfast, and loyal. She will not jam up on you in the middle of a project for no apparent reason. But Betsy doesn’t have the functionality of my first machine, Nelly, a Riccar 2600.

She had embroidery cams. However, she was rather heavy to move around, and could be counted upon to seize up at the most inopportune moment. Her tension assembly kept freezing up, no matter how many times I had it serviced and replaced.

In the end, it was like owning an ’85 Ford Escort with a gleaming, air-brushed paint job and a hole in the engine block.

What features does your machine have that work well for you?

I like the thread-cutting area on the side. I like the storage area in the base that slides off for bobbin access, and the variable zig-zag stitch adjustment. I like that she’s light enough to move often, as I switch back and forth between her and my serger. All of her accoutrements are well-made and easy to use.

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?

I can move her needle from the center to the right and back again, but NOT TO THE LEFT.

Really Betsy?!

How un-functional is that when I really want to stitch some piping, but your big-edged zipper foot tries to push it away?! If your needle went from center to left we wouldn’t have this problem, now would we?

Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!

My husband bought this machine for me as a birthday present while we were dating because he saw me getting frustrated over and over again at my old machine. I was in a pattern drafting class at the time and had I had finally resorted to hand-stitching seams in order to avoid the headache of my old one.

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?

I would recommend this machine to those who need a dependable, light, inexpensive machine, and who do not require the machine to do the embroidery and fancy work for them.

This is a great machine for beginners, dabblers, and those who aren't ready to shell out the dough for a fancier one.

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?

I think expected time usage, intended use, ergonomics, and functionality as compared to price are all important when looking to buy a new machine.

Are you going to use all the functions on a certain type of machine, or would you be just as happy with a machine with fewer functions that doesn’t break the nest egg?

Is the pedal comfortable to your foot? Are the presser foot lever, back-stitch function, and stitch functions easy to access and control? Is the bobbin a pain to thread? Will you be cursing it every time you have to change it?

All these factors are what I would keep in mind when shopping around.

Do you have a dream machine?

No. I would liken my Singer to a tried but true Honda Accord, as compared to the flashy, luxurious Lexuses, Jaguars, and Aston Martins that are of the Husqvarna/Viking/ Bernina/ Janome class machines.

Paper and drool don't mix!

2009-06-11T20:53:00.001-07:00

Crafts, Scrapbooking - Dark Green Forest Quilled Dragon by Ensorcelled Minds - icraft.ca

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This is the cutest dragon I think I've ever seen! I want to buy it, but I'm afraid I would ruin it, what with all the cuddling and drooling all over it!

Photo from Ensorcelled Minds

Quick Skillet "Lasagna"

2009-06-11T12:00:00.000-07:00

I found a recipe for Skillet Lasagna on Spark Recipes, and altered it for our vegetarian diet. You can replace the crumbles with ground meat if you so wish, but it will increase the fat content.
I kick myself for not taking a picture of it while it was still in the pot. Maybe I'll take a pic of leftovers later.

Ingredients

1.5 Tbsp Smart Balance Light Buttery Spread
1 c. Fat Free Cottage Cheese
1 lg Egg, fresh
1/4 c. Parmesan Cheese, shredded
1 tsp Oregano, ground
1 tbsp Parsley
1 tbsp Basil
1 tsp Salt
1.5 tsp Garlic,
1 cup Onions, raw, chopped
1 c. Baby Portabella mushrooms, sliced
1 can Canned Tomatoes
1 c. Morningstar Grillers Recipe Crumbles
1 can Hunt's Garlic and Onion Pasta sauce
2.5 c. *Wild Harvest organic whole wheat penne
1/2 c. Fat Free Mozzarella, Shredded

Directions

In a large skillet, brown mushrooms, crumbles with onions, garlic and margarine.
Add tomatoes, water, tomato sauce, parsley, basil, oregano, and salt.
Stir in uncooked pasta.
Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until pasta is tender.
Combine cottage and Parmesan cheeses.
Mix in the egg.
Sprinkle in basil and pepper to taste.
Drop cheese mixture by rounded tablespoons onto pasta mixture.
Cover and cook for 5 minutes more.
Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella and serve.

Number of Servings: 6
Approx. 50 minutes to prep and cook

Nutritional Info

Servings Per Recipe: 6

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 270.3

Total Fat: 5.6 g

Cholesterol: 41.3 mg

Sodium: 1,243.8 mg

Total Carbs: 40.2 g

Dietary Fiber: 7.8 g

Protein: 16.2 g

see more recipes

Design your own fat quarter bundle for a chance to win it!

2009-06-09T09:38:00.000-07:00

The image above is "Summer in Grandma's Orchard", my fat quarter bundle entry* for the giveaway over at The Fabric Shopper Blog.

Melanie, Fabric Shopper extraordinaire, is hosting a giveaway courtesy of Whipstitch Fabrics.

Here's how it works: you design your own fat quarter bundle of 12 or less from the Whipstich inventory, then post it on the Fabric Shopper Blog for a chance to win it!

She's got other chances for entries as well. You should check it out!

*My selection "Summer in Grandma's Orchard" includes: (shown above, left to right)
1 Metro Market apples in aqua, from Monaluna
2 Kona cotton solids, petal pink
3 Apples and Pears in blue, from Alexander Henry
4 Alexander Henry Granville in pink
5 Kona cotton solids, grass green
6 Kona cotton solids, lemon
7 Carolina Gingham in pink, from Robert Kaufman
8 Fortune in sun, from Anna Maria Horner's Good Folks
9 Carolina Gingham from Robert Kaufman in Apple Green
10 Sandi Henderson Farmer's Market Apple Dot in Spring, Michael Miller cotton fabric
11 Bird Seed in yellow, from Alexander Henry
12 Metro Market Chickens in summer, from Monaluna for Robert Kaufman

Hello Betty Quilt Layout

2009-06-09T06:30:00.000-07:00

I laid out my blocks yesterday evening and photographed them. I ended up adding a bit of a pattern of order to the quilt because so many of the prints are a bit chaotic. I will be switching the closest block in the right corner (row 4, place 1), with that in the opposite corner (row 1, place 6).

My blocks are finished!

2009-06-07T22:13:00.000-07:00

Here are my eight block strips before I cut them into 11.5" squares.

I now have 24 11.5" blocks. Some of these blocks are a stack of 2 or 3 of the same. There's just not enough room in my sewing room to lay them all out. I'll have to clear a space on the dining room floor tomorrow to arrange them. More pics soon!

More fun with fabric!

2009-06-06T18:00:00.000-07:00

I decided to buy 4 more pieces of fabric, 1/4 yard each, in order to stretch my jelly roll a bit further.

I dropped by Piece by Piece here in Eugene, hoping they'd have some matching colors or even Hello Betty.

She didn't have any Hello Betty, but I found a ton of great fabrics and narrowed it down the the four on the left. I was too busy drooling over the selection to remember to write down the designers of these 4 fabrics. I do know, however, that the one on top is from Amy Butler's Midwest Modern collection.

Here they are all sliced up!

Strip teaser!

2009-06-05T10:54:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I got the jelly roll fabric for my Quilt-Along yesterday. Check out the group at the Red Barn 2009 Quilt-Along Flickr page. Here are my strips laid out:

I really need to try to take pics during daylight hours. Otherwise they turn out like what you see on the right. *sigh*

I'm not sure that this will be enough fabric.

I ordered this jelly roll at the same time:

I'm not sure how well they'll coordinate. I have some more quilting fabric on the way, but it won't get here until next Wednesday. Plus, I plan to put a bunch of it in my etsy shop to generate some business.

Speaking of etsy, I just posted some ribbon in my shop. Check it out! www.sanourra.etsy.com.

Awww!

2009-06-04T06:01:00.000-07:00

Shown above:
The new banner for my etsy shop that my husband surprised me with yesterday. How sweet! I had been working on something the evening before, but hadn't yet arrived at anything compelling.

He has spent a little more time lately with photoshop, so he thought he'd give it a shot. He arranged a few of my fabrics, photographed them, tweaked the photo, then played around with the text until he arrived at the outline of the text shown. I asked that he add the layer of black text for legibility.

My Word

2009-06-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

I saw this and decided I needed to know today, right now, exactly what MY word is. :)

Your Word is "Think"

You see life as an amazing mix of possibilities, ideas, and fascinations.
And sometimes you feel like you don't have enough time to take it all in.

You love learning. Whether you're in school or not, you're probably immersed in several subjects right now.

When you're not learning, you're busy reflecting. You think a lot about the people you know and the things you've experienced.

What's Your Word?

Crafting happiness, every day

2009-06-03T05:27:00.000-07:00

I read something this morning that struck me as something I should hold onto, as well as pass on to others. It's a list of things that tend to circle around inside most peoples' minds and keep them from being happy or successful.

It reminded me that happiness is such a fleeting emotion. It is found moment by moment, and often only if you're looking for it. You can choose to craft those moments that make you happy. Perhaps that's the secret to a successful life as a happy person.

Haleakala Sunrise and Visitor's Center by Megan Harris, 2007

Learning to Quilt

2009-06-01T09:34:00.000-07:00

I just joined this Quilt-Along at Old Red Barn Co. I've done some piecing, and smaller patchwork projects, but no quilts so far. There is a prize associated, a Janome 6600P sewing machine. This thing makes me drool.

Thanks to Mare for finding the tutorial and contest! Unfortunately, it's already on week 3. Can I do it? I think I can!

To save myself a bit of time and to be able to catch up, I just ordered this jelly roll. I've had my eye on this fabric for awhile, and it sure helps that it's now on sale! I think it should turn out quite nicely.

DIY Sandals

2009-06-01T09:28:00.000-07:00

Lookee what I found!

Check out this tutoria l at M&J Trimming to make fabulous fringed and feathered sandals!

Embroidery/Quilting

2009-05-28T09:33:00.000-07:00

For this bargello quilted experiment/ WIP, I decided to embroider the quilting with pink metallic floss. I've only got a corner of one done so far, and that was done in the car on our trip to Yosemite.

Here are a few macro shots of it:

Fabric closet

2009-05-28T09:06:00.001-07:00

Fabric closet, originally uploaded by SanourraDesigns.

I'm finally getting around to adding to this blog. I haven't been lazy; indeed my life has been filled with projects and vacation. Oh, and a few great books, too!

Patchwork perfect

2009-03-25T18:00:00.000-07:00

This is a bag I made for my husband's grandmother Unica. Her favorite color is green, so I pieced strips of green cotton, batik, velvet, damask, satin, and taffeta (mostly up-cycled) together to make the front pocket of this bag. I added a magnetic snap, green piping, and a lining to the back of the patchwork piece.

A friend had just given me a big bag o'scraps, in which I found a perfect piece of green douppioni silk for the shell of the bag.

I lined the green silk with some cotton batting and some stiff interfacing (so the tote would hold its shape), before I quilted it with a gold thread.

Fun fabrics and a zippered interior pouch to put a smile on her face each time she looks inside. :) A magnetic snap makes for easy open and close.

Yay, she likes it!