Leaner Sews

Bunny

2009-03-19T14:29:00.001-07:00

Little bunny just in time for spring and Easter.

Another Sweet BabyDoll

2008-12-23T13:26:00.000-08:00

This one is for my niece. I also made a simple tied fleece blanket to match. I hope she likes her... but if not? Well I enjoyed making her.

2008-12-07T18:39:00.000-08:00

I don't have anything new to talk about because my sewing machine pooped out on me. My brilliant mother told me to oil it and I chose to listen. It is in working order again. I believe I will be sewing up a few Christmas gifts after all.

(Lets just say I was looking up some places to take it when I was given the advice to oil it. Thank goodness, because that didn't cost anything.)

Sweetie Pie

2008-11-13T15:25:00.001-08:00

From a recycled Gap t-shirt, to a baby doll's outfit. I need to wash her outfit, because the marker I used to draw the pattern is visible (its yellowish). Her hat needs to be secured to her head, and as long as her outfit doesn't fall apart in the wash- she is done!

Little Baby Doll

2008-10-29T16:22:00.000-07:00

She still needs pink cheeks, and her hat and bunting. She is not perfect, and in her imperfection she is a just right.
(I have been calling her Sweetie, because I like to give them a name while I make them.)

Halloween Time

2008-10-23T14:51:00.000-07:00

From this.

Costume time.

Usually I buy one, or throw one together at the last minute. This year Rhayn saw a few fairies that she liked at Target. I started to buy one of them, but changed my mind and instead made this woodland fairy costume, I call her Necile. (I think she will get some leaves on there somewhere. I bought them and want to use them!)

To this in two hours.

Hand Sewing

2008-10-20T17:24:00.000-07:00

I made these for my daughter's school. They are to be placed in the lunchbox with a spoon and fork in them.

The green and red one still needs a little embellishment. Only I am not sure what I want to put on it.

I am sorry I haven't been sewing at all lately. I am trying to get into a routine with school, kids, and all that. It just seems to be harder than even to allow my self to sew. Plus, I have felt no inspiration whatsoever. Hopefully that changes soon, and I can start on Christmas gifts (I promise Amy- I will get to your doll. I need to buy some polyfil for her.)

Aprons and Cloak

2008-09-14T18:45:00.000-07:00

Notice the chicken buttons? I love them.

Front of Aunt's apron.

Apron for our friend.

My mom lent me an apron that was my great Aunt's. Today I sewed a copy of it, but the colors are awful, it was just a mock up. However I was able to shrink (in my head) the pattern to make a 3 year old sized version out of this super cute chicken fabric. I also made an apron for a nearly 8 year old. These two aprons will be sent to my good friend in Texas. Notice the heart pocket? My daughter wrote her friend a note that said "I will hold you in my heart" so we put a heart pocket on the apron and I am going to put that card in the pocket. This is a cloak I made for my niece's third birthday. She loves princesses, and all princesses need a cloak lined in pink satin, right? It is a little heavy (especially for Arizona!), so I might make her a lighter one, too. Since it was so easy and fast (took about an hour total.) It will nearly hang to the floor on her, but will fit her for years. (I was able to put it on. My seven year old is wearing it in the picture.)

2008-09-10T16:22:00.000-07:00

Another long hiatus. But if you looked on my personal blog you would know why.

Today I popped into JoAnn's, because I needed some brown velvet-like material and possibly pink satin, for a cloak I plan to make for my niece's birthday. Usually I don't go into the pattern area, but today I decided I wanted to. Plus I needed to see how much fabric would be needed for a simple cloak. Good thing I did because the Simplicity patterns were $1.99 for up to ten. Hurray! I think I only ended up with 9, but I got some basic dress patterns. I also ended up with more fabric and notions.

Hopefully I will be able to get a little bit of sewing done this weekend.

Apron and Hair

2008-08-24T11:01:00.001-07:00

I finally finished (I think) my apron for the swap. This was hard. Mainly because I am used to sewing for myself and this was for a woman of different size. Hopefully it came out really well. I am not happy with the straps, but the pocket, I love!

We also had to make a potholder. This was my first attempt at that. It was pretty easy so my family may all be getting a few of them for Christmas (wink wink.) Now I just have to include my favorite pie recipe. This is the hardest part. Really, because I never make pies the same way twice. I am more of a freehand cooker, much like I am at sewing. I find it more satisfying that way.I added hair on Rose. She looks better. I started a second doll. The girl Rose will live with has a sister (well one is unborn, and I figured that Madder can chose which doll she likes best and the other can belong to her soon-to-be-born sister Mel.) I think I would have preferred to make the hair go all the way around the cap. Maybe next time. It is fun to create, to have a basic idea of what you are doing and to go from there. The endless possibilities!

Burda Style Zoe

2008-08-23T14:48:00.000-07:00

This dress is supposed to be a mini called Zoe. I made it quite a bit longer (4 inches or so). It would look really cute with a shirt underneath, and some tights for winter. Please excuse the non-matching belt.

I think I will try this one again in a nice red plaid. Little bit school girlish, don't you think?

All in all it took me about 3 hours to complete, not including lunch and nap time.

Doll

2008-08-17T13:25:00.000-07:00

This morning I decided to make a doll to go along with the boppy cover.

Meet Rose.

Well, that is her tentative name. I will let her new mommy name her. She has a removable sleeper, her body underneath is the brown scroll fabric. I think she needs a little tuft of hair peeking from under her hat. The hat will be sewn to her head, since I am still debating tuft of hair or no, I haven't attached it yet. Plus I wish the sleeper's fabric had more stretch. It has none, that troubles me with a small child. If they wanted to remove it they might need help.

I had a little trouble with her eyes. They aren't perfect. But part of the charm of a handmade doll is the character they have. Plus, she is a little squishy sweetheart. I adore her, and if my girls didn't already own too many dolls (including lovely handmade dolls from Weir Doll kits I made them 2 Christmases ago) I would have totally given her to one of them.

Boppy Cover

2008-08-13T14:44:00.001-07:00

Before

After, top.After, bottom.

Side view.
My first attempt to use piping. It came out great!

This only took me about an hour. Subtracting about half an hour of ripping stuff out, because I am silly. I started sewing the two pieces together and the brown was wrong side out. Grrr. Also, I made the pink part and then ironed it, scorching the minkee. Did you know that it burns? Well, I do now. The pink minkee had dots on it. I have a picture of it before I ironed it, too.

Apron Swappin' and Ideas

2008-08-12T14:13:00.000-07:00

I joined a swap. This isn't something I normally do, but I felt compelled to make an apron for someone I don't know. The theme? Fall. I went to Joann's to look for fabric. The only request the person I am making it for had was "Not bright orange." Ugh, every fabric was covered in bright orange pumpkins. Or maybe it was me, not feeling inspired at that moment by anything. (That happens sometimes doesn't it?)

So now, I am hoping to make it to Joann's tomorrow morning. I am trying to feel inspired and to get this apron made and on its way to the swapper. Because I need to feel like I have accomplished SOMETHING darn it.

By the way, I have sewn myself a few aprons. I made one to hold my clothespins. I hated having to go back and forth from my peg bag. But now? I have a lovely apron that easily holds hundreds of clothespins and when I wear it, I feel sexy. It might just be the way that the apron hangs, just so, from my waist. It might be that it is short. It might be that I am insane and will find any excuse to pretend to feel sexy. Who knows. Now I want to make aprons to wear all of the time. Like one to hold cleaning supplies (windex, spray cleaner, etc.) but it needs to be sturdy- like canvas I think. I will need to think about it a little.

I need to make a cover for a boppy. My sister wants a boppy, I have one that is not in use. She wants her stuff to be brown with pink dots. I am thinking that on one side minkee on the other. I saw a cover like that online for $25. I think I should be able to make it for less. I don't know, minkee isn't cheap fabric.

Projects

2008-08-09T08:22:00.000-07:00

This is fabric that I love, but not really sure what I am doing with it. I attempted to make a shirt, with pockets, but the bottom looks funny. I may redo the pockets and see where that takes me.

The brown is a lot darker than it looks in this picture. (Too much flash, I think.) It is made from the following pattern. I took the longer sleeves and put them on the dress without the collar.

I have a few more projects in the works. My brown dress is nearly completed, just a few slip stitches on the belt and a few hook and eyes to keep the dress in place. If I had a dress form It would be so much easier. Sigh. But that is another post, from my other blog.

Introductions

2008-08-08T16:31:00.000-07:00

Hello, bloggers. Yes, its me. Leaner. I know I have another blog, but I didn't want it to be totally filled with posts about sewing. Since I started sewing a lot, and am really enjoying whipping up clothes, I thought it was high time to start a separate blog. One dedicated to all things crafty.

So enjoy.