Back to the Basics

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It’s been years since I have done any type of sewing but quilting. Going back to the basics was not as easy as I thought it would be. My grandson is in Kindergarten and he is part of a basketball team for our community. They get to play games on six Saturday’s. My granddaughter is 18 months younger and is too young to participate so I decided I would make her a cheerleading outfit – I mean how hard could it be?? I had my mom’s old pattern from when she made one for my daughter, making it a bit nostalgic for me to do.

Only one problem…sizes have changed in the past 30 years. Of course I waited until the last minute to get going on it…but I work much better under pressure. Hahaha. I measured Hannah on Wednesday and needed the completed outfit by Saturday. I got it cut out and sewn that night, but it looked a bit plain.

I had ordered some trim that I thought would make good striping but decided I would create it into an “M”.

It looked decent but needed a little bling. What little girls doesn’t want bling? So I had also purchased some rhinestone trim and decided it would make a nice finish to the outfit.

It needs a bit of fine tuning – the neck is just too deep. I need to take it up a couple inches at the shoulders but here is the finished beaming little girl with her friend at the game.

That little smile makes everything worth it!! Happy sewing 🙂

I Can’t Believe It’s 2022

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With all that has gone on in the world the last couple of years they seem to have just flown by. I can’t be the only one that feels like I never have enough time in my day to complete all my projects. I told my husband I feel like I am a juggler with 6-7 balls in the air. I am really good at keeping 5 in play but those last 1 or 2 just seem to slide. They vary on which I drop but I always seem to drop something. So my theme for 2022 is “Be Realistic”. I always take a couple weeks around Christmas. It is usually so cold that running the heater in our large store just doesn’t pay and I get to take some down time and set goals and get excited for the new year. This year I barely left my sewing room. It was a glorious two weeks of creating and letting go of all “have to’s”.

I started the time off with a t-shirt project for a Marine. I was going to say previous, but my husband is a Marine and “Once a Marine, always a Marine.” It required some creative blocks to complete and turned out being one of my favorite projects so far.

Second was to finish a project I started while having to take time off for gall bladder surgery. I was dreading all the tree blocks but decided to wing it and not go with the template and it turned out beautifully. It sparkles and shines and will be kitted this week for the store.

After such a detailed project with the trees I needed a little “mindless sewing” as my daughter calls it. I used a Pocket Pattern (we have an exclusive contract with the company) that utilizes strip piecing. It was fun, fast and made an adorable quilt.

Being the owner of a quilt store takes a lot of creating. Every time I get boxes from Moda, Riley Blake, Robert Kaufman and all the other companies it means it’s time to sew. I received the line Grace from Moda around Christmas so I took a charm pack and made a soft and sweet, quick baby quilt.

I also received the line “A Little Dr. Seuss” so I made a sample for my store. It is now available as kits in the store.

My final project of the week took some creating thinking. I love old hymns. I listen to them in my store every day on either piano or old country singers. They just bless my soul and make me happy. I have the line Songbook from Moda that features old hymns in pianos. I have been stumped over what to do with it but I finally came up with a design. I am doing my least favorite part now…writing the pattern so I can kit it. Here is a sneak preview of the design…watch for it this week in the store.

Now it’s Monday morning and I’m back to work. That means it’s longarming time on my two Gammills. Enjoy your week and I would love to see what all of you have been creating.