More aprons...

A restaurant owner commissioned me to make some more aprons. She asked for ruffles and "maybe some denim."

 

The two denim aprons. The denim was donated to me, the print fabric of the top apron was bought for this project and the ruffled lace was some I've had for years, leftover from another project.The tie on the top apron is a ribbon, doubled over. The top apron also has three pockets made with the print fabric. 

 

Made with some leftover fabric, some new fabric and ruffled lace.  The anchor fabric is three pockets.

 

Made with all new fabric and ruffled lace. The blender fabric is three pockets.

Stashbusting:

1/2 yard donated denim

1/4 yard print fabric

2 yards ruffled lace

I've finally been sewing again! Made a gift for a friend's birthday. From left to right: Table runner, apron, embellished towels with snaps, and at the bottom middle, bowl cozies. 

   

 

The inner fabric on the table runner and as embellishment for the other items is really lines of Scriptures from the Bible with birds, butterflies and flowers scattered across it. The other fabric is a soft polka-dotted teal with dogwood blossoms in varying shades of pink. I bought new fabric for this project - 2 yards of the teal/blossoms, and 1 yard of the Scripture fabric.The towels are bar mop towels, I cut 2 inches off the top of each one to lessen the bulk when I sewed the snap flap on.

I stuffed all the items in this pretty can as a wrap. Just need a card and some ribbon, and the gift is done! 

Stashbusting:

1 yard of leftover white fabric as liner for the apron

1 yard of leftover batting for the bowl cozies

Family is coming to visit...

My family is coming to visit this summer!  YAY! That said, whenever family is here, one of our constant needs is laundry - doing it and keeping everyone's clothes straight. I decided this year that I would make laundry bags for everyone, and then, in a flash of inspiration, I decided to personalize some mesh lingerie and bra bags, too! I used clothesline as the drawstring, and when I cut it, I discovered the inner threads are rainbow colors, so the end tassels go perfectly with every bag.

Rather than make the mesh and bra bags, I bought some online, since the prices were so good that I couldn't make them less expensive. The links are for a quantity of 6 bags each. Both bags usually run $4-5 each in stores. The quality is very good, too. Here are the links to what I bought:

Bra Bags
Lingerie Bags

Here is the link to the laundry bag tutorial (also note in the photos of mine that I took some liberties with measurements). Each laundry bag is fully reversible and I used 3 fabrics for each one.

Laundry Bag Tutorial

 This is the first set of bags. I chose fabrics based on each young lady's favorite color. I cut the tab off the bra bags, and sewed a coordinating fabric tab on them. I cut the brand name off the mesh lingerie bags, and sewed a strip of coordinating fabric bias tape across the top of each one. The laundry bag is fully reversible and has a drawstring and a tab handle to carry it.

This is the second set of bags. The pink and green on the left is for a little girl, no need for bra and lingerie bags for her. :)

This set of bags is for the young ladies who already own bra and lingerie bags, so didn't need any.

I also plan to make some camo laundry bags for the men who will be visiting, too. 

Stashbusting:

3 partial spools of thread

Half a spool of clothesline

About 5-6 yards of stash fabrics

Tayla's Quilt...

The horse fabrics are leftovers from the wedding album I made for my niece's wedding 5 years ago. She has since had a baby, and I found the leftover fabrics again. I thought it'd be neat to make a quilt for the baby out of her parents' wedding album fabrics!

The quilt measures 49" x 52" - a good size for a toddler to haul around.

The back is made from a scrap of coordinating horse fabric with the blue and brown sewn on to extend it's length and width.

Stashbusting:

3 -1/2 yards of leftover fabrics

1 spool of thread

Sewing small projects...

 

Working on some small projects by request. My daughter wanted some pretties for her kitchen, in various colors and patterns so she could change things around when she felt like it.  She bought two fat quarter bundles (5 fabrics) and this is what I came up with.

 

The Southwest fabrics. A variation of the 10 minute tablerunner. Bowl cozies and potholders, too!

This green and pink bundle is to match her Jadeite and LaCrueset pieces. I sewed the squares in the tablerunner together, not realizing that I got 3 rows backwards! I had to take most of it apart and re-do the sewing. GRRRR! I had the brilliant idea to make round potholders...forgetting that I abhor curves. Yeah, those potholders got taken apart, too. At least the bowl cozies went together fast. 

Stashbusting:

1 partial spool of pink thread

1 full spool of white thread

1/2 yard of navy backing fabric

1/2 yard of green batik

1-1/2 yards of leftover batting

Quick Baby Boy Quilts...And A Baby Girl Quilt, too!

A week or so ago, someone commissioned a baby boy quilt, no preferences.  I had some boy fabrics in my stash, but still ended up needing to buy some yardage to finish.  Fortunately, I bought an entire roll of Warm And White batting at the last sale, so I have plenty of that!

I'm not sure why the colors didn't come out true camera-wise. This quilt is navy, red and gray, with the focal print the anchor fabric. The top strip is gray, not that muddy greenish look! I've had the anchor fabric for about 2 years, taking up room in my stash. The back of this quilt is white.  In real life, this quilt is very striking.

 The plane fabric has been in my stash for about 2 years.  The red stripe has been in my stash for about 15 years! I picked up the other fabrics to finish the quilt, the top strip is a pretty, soft taupe, not that same muddy green! (Hmmm. the camera may be losing it's ability to discern color at the top of the lens).

The back of the above quilt is the remainder of the plane fabric and the chevron fabric. 

I had cut the center panel and the two white strips for the plane quilt above. Then I realized I'd made a mistake in the length. So had to remove it, re-cut, and then re-sew. When I finished the other quilt, I took the remaining fabrics and put this little quilt together, too.

The back is white with a strip of the remaining stripes fabric.

 I also finished a baby girl quilt that I'd started ages ago with a 5-set of tropical colored fat quarters I've had laying around for years. The white fabric edging is an old stash fabric.

 The back of the baby girl quilt - 2 pieces of leftover fabric from other quilts!

Bought fabrics to finish each quilt:

8 yards

Stashbusting:

5 yards fabric

2 spool of thread

1 40 X 40 piece of batting leftover from another project.

More small projects...

I've been working on small projects right now. 

 

I made some dryer balls from some wool roving, and they unraveled while I was felting them in the washer.  So I had to re-wrap the dreadlocks they became and felt them again! They still work the same, just not as pretty!

 

I also made two terrycloth pillowcases and 14 flannel washcloths someone requested. 

Stashbusting:

1 spool of off-pink thread

1 1/2 yards of flannel fabric

Starting The New Year Right...

As always, when the New Year rolls around, I think of all my unfinished projects and make resolutions to complete them all. Despite my best intentions, I never actually do complete everything. And this month, I've been sick for several weeks, so nothing got done.

I did give away three large bags of scraps from the last clean-out.

But today, I made some double flannel washcloths for someone with sensitive skin. YAY, me!

Stashbusting:

2 yards of flannel (12 washcloths)

Closed The Etsy Shop...

I closed the Etsy shop for now. 

Sewing and sewing...

I've been preoccupied with sewing for an Arts & Crafts fair.  Fair was this weekend and finished lots of stuff. We also raised money for Camp Hope - http://www.chrisnealfarm.com. I made a quilt which will be raffled off this coming weekend.

.

 My booth.

 

  

Hanging accessories keepers (5 pockets).

 

Microwave cozy bowls.

 

With bowls in the cozies. 

And banners!

 Badge Banner (for Scout badges).

Another bear quilt finished...

This is the second quilt I made for a friend's grand-niece.  She gave me 3 bear panels, and I worked the 9-patch quilt around the single panel. The back is flannel for extra snggly-ness. :)

 

Stashbusting:

1 spool of thread

2 yards of various scrap fabrics

One down, one to go...

I'm making two of these for a friend's grand-nieces.  She gave me the bear panels, the rest is fabric from my scrap box. The backs on each quilt are flannel for snuggly-ness.

 

 

Stashbusting:

2 yards of various scrap fabrics

1 spool of thread

Bibs for the grand-niece...

I made some bibs for the grand-niece.

 

Stashbusting:

1/2 yard of flannel scraps

1/2 yard of terrycloth scraps

partial spool of thread

A little project...

My niece asked if I could make some more burp cloths for her baby, my grand-niece.  Sure!  Found some leftover flannel, bought a couple inexpensive towels, and viola! New burp cloths! She did ask me not to make the "notch" for the shoulder that I'd done for the other burp cloths I made her. So both sides are straight.

Stashbusting:

1 and 1/2 yards of fabric

1 spool of leftover thread

Since people found out I can sew (and quilt)...

I've been doing some commissioned sewing and quilting!

The customer wanted shades of gray with pops of green and coral.  The quilt is 88 X 98 - Queen size.

A customer gave me an apron and asked me to make 3 copies of the style in Christmas fabric. She left the choice of fabric up to me. I made 3 identical aprons from Mary Englebreit's Christmas Cookies fabric.

I also made 3 identical aprons from Robert Kaufmann's Christmas Recipe Card Collection.  The customer now has two choices. The remaining aprons will go into my Etsy shop. 

Stashbusting:

4 spools of various threads leftover from other projects.

I've been busy!

First, I'd like to announce my new Etsy shop!  YAY!  I finally did it!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MerryMadeStudio

I have spent most of the last 3 months sewing and quilting to fill the Etsy shop and to finish up some projects for family and friends. I decided to tally up what I've made so far this year (since January 10). Whew!  I've been busy!  Current tally:

3 crocheted afghans (1 is in the Etsy shop)
2 pot holders
2 embellished towels
23 microwave bowl cozies (12 are in the Etsy shop)
1 apron
1 table runner
3 Quilts Of Honor of my own dsign
10 panel Quilts Of Honor
10 dust covers with accessory pockets (4 covers went to the Etsy shop)
7 tote bags
7 quilts (for the Etsy shop)
2 fabric baskets (for the Etsy shop)
2 terrycloth bunnies

WHEW!  And there's still more to come!

A crocheted afghan backed with fleece...

One of my kids is learning to crochet so I helped put together the squares after they were finished.  I then backed the crocheted "patchwork" with fleece so it'd be extra warm.  

Camo and pink for a little grand-niece. 

The fleece back. 

Seven Tote Bags...

My sister asked if I could make her some tote bags to use as gifts.  I had great fun searching the web for various free patterns.  Each bag is different, I tried several patterns and I also altered every one of them to suit what she asked for - outside AND inside pockets. 

Each of the wide bands across the front are pockets - but there is a matching band on the back, with more pockets! Some don't have inside pockets because they have several outside pockets.

4 outside pockets.

6 outside pockets and 1 inside pocket.

4 outside pockets.

4 outside pockets, 1 inside pocket.

6 outside pockets.

4 outside pockets.

6 outside pockets, 2 inside pockets.

StashBusting:

About 6 yards of fabric

2 yards of lining fabric

4 yards of fleece

2 spools of thread

Six More Quilts Of Honor Tops...

I finished six more Quilts Of Honor tops.  Off they go to the volunteer long-arm quilter, then to the woman who will bind them and then on to the military veterans1 YAY! 

StashBusting:

1 yard of fabric (the rest was donated)

2 spools of thread