Everyone loves a Giveaway!

Sew, Mama, Sew! is hosting another Giveaway Day! Last time, in May, I really enjoyed looking at everyone's blogs and shops and seeing what was offered. I even won something! I should have mentioned it sooner, but I won something really cool from Pins & Thimbles. Anne was great to work with, she used my Echino fabric and turned it into the custom wrist wallet you see below.


(I love this idea so much, btw, you just slip on what looks like a cuff, but inside you can stash some cash and a key. Great for a quick trip out of the house. I keep mine handy by the door for when I need it.) Anyway, I'm not giving that away. It's all mine! If you want your own, go check out Pins & Thimbles on Etsy.

But, without further ado, here's the Giveaway loot I have to offer! Since I love both crafting and handmade goods, I'm giving away a combo. In the supplies category, I'm including one yard of fabric. It's Lizzy House, Red Letter Day, Pearl Bracelet, Feather. I did wash it when I first bought it, then folded it up and didn't ever use it -- I was on an orange kick, but ended up choosing a different shade for my project. I hope someone out there will love it and put it to good use!


In the handmade goods category, I've crafted a little tea bag wallet. I used Heather Ross West Hill fabric with horses and flowers. You can put a few tea bags in the pockets and you are good to go. (It would make a really nice gift, too, perhaps wrapped up with a pretty teacup or mug.) I really love the button for the closure, it's a super-cute vintage horse button!














So, wanna win? ;-) All you have to do is leave me a comment, letting me know what your favorite tea is. Around December 6th I will choose a winner at random and send off the goodies. (Please note I am only shipping in the US.)

Thanks for looking. Happy Giveaway Day!

As if I needed a new hobby...

I started knitting! Although I learned how to crochet years ago, I was always scared to give knitting a try. I'm not sure why it intimidated me so much. But my mom used to knit and had the idea to start again and teach me, too! So from watching her, reading various books, and looking at online videos, I'm now a knitter.


After getting the basics down, I found that I got bored really quickly doing simple rows of knitting and purling. Thus I started an Entrelac pattern scarf using gorgeous Noro yarn. The pattern is interesting enough to keep me engaged, and watching the self-striping colors change is also helping my short attention span.


Here's another "Hey, let's try something new" project. This is me learning socks on dpns while tackling colorwork. Very interesting. And I love the owls.


And here's one I actually finished! A slouchy beret. Meret, on Ravelry. Because after having an account there sitting dormant, I've gone Ravelry-crazy, queuing patterns, hearting favorites, loving the whole new craft world that's opened up to me while learning knitting. Want to keep up with what I'm doing? Find me here:
In addition to the scarf and socks you see here, I've also got another scarf for a friend and some armwarmers in progress. I'm also planning a shrug and a sweater vest. Add this on to the myriad of other sewing, photo, and other crafty projects I never quite seem to get done. Instead of doing NaNoWriMo and adding one more thing to my never-ending list, I'm joining with a friend who decided to do FiSoYoFo (as in Finish Something You Fool!) (and my friend coined that, btw, not me) (although maybe it should be FiSoYoFoMo?) in an attempt to actually complete a few projects this month. Or maybe just one. I dunno. We'll see what happens.

Sock Monkey PJs

As soon as I saw the "Goodnight Monkey" fabrics by Erin Michaels for Moda, I knew I had to have some. The cute little sleepy-time monkeys were just screaming out to be made into pjs. And they come in flannel -- even better!

Thanks to a pattern sale and the Sew Mama Sew September Pajama Party Sew-Along, I finally finished up some pj pants. (Just in time, too!)


No, I didn't make the pj shirt or slippers I'm sporting here, although I had been putting off mending that Paul Frank monkey shirt, and making the pajama pants motivated me to finish.

The pattern I used was Simplicity 2821, and it was very easy and fast. (I mean, we're talking about elastic waist pants here.) The pattern also includes a pajama top, which I might still make. I need more fabric for that, though. (Btw, I bought this fabric at Whipstich on Etsy, where there's currently a flood sale going on. Check it out for some bargains!)


Although I followed the measurements to get my size, I think I actually could have gone a size smaller for these. Since I am short I also had to move the waistband. They still seem baggy, but I guess that's ok for pjs.

Finished sewing the pants yesterday and broke them in last night. They are super comfy! I love the flannel and the fabric design (Monkey in the Moon = sock monkeys in a night sky with stars and bananas for moons). I think today might have to be a stay-in-your-pjs-all-day day!

Weekend Sewing Project... with frogs

The other weekend I had a burst of sewing energy and decided to make a dress for my niece. (Not the one with the birdie sling. A littler one.) So I whipped up this smocked sundress from Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross.


It was the first time I tried smocking and I loved it. There was something so fun about watching the fabric shrink up! The pattern is really easy and fast to do, to. And my niece looks really cute in it! I love how versatile it is: sundress now, wear a long sleeve top under it when it gets colder, summer shirt and/or skirt next year (or more?)

The fabric is also by Heather Ross, from her Far Far Away collection. It's SO soft! I only had about a half yard of it (good thing my niece is small), but I wish I had bolts and bolts to make lots of comfy pajamas. Or just to spread out and sleep on. Ah, double gauze.


What I had left of the fabric was barely enough to make a hex flower for my English paper piecing project. As a result of being so short on scraps, my stitches around the frog hex are not very perfect. :-( I'm hoping it won't be noticeable in a finished quilt, because I really want to include this fabric and memory of my niece's dress in there.

In honor of the moon landing anniversary

... I give you this:


Got this wonderful thing from my grandmother. What does sewing have to do with the moon? I have no idea. Are those ladies sewing spacesuits or what? Here's the inside:


Hey, where is that rocket heading to again?

What's black & white & red all over?

My niece's new birdie sling!

She liked mine so much she wanted one of her own. We went together to pick her fabrics. Didn't she do a great job choosing? The black, red and white are so cute and fun.

The inside has more dots and more cherries, as well as a magnetic snap closure and a key loop. This was my second time with this pattern and it felt like I knew what I was doing this time -- everything was faster and easier.

We made a good crafting team, the two of us: I cut, she ironed, I sewed, she pressed. I think she loves her new bag. I hope she thinks of me when she uses it, too. :-)