Lookie, lookie

Here is a peek at my sewing area. It all looks about the same as it did a week ago...except

Wait! Come closer...

This...this is different. Last week I was reading about Lucia's new machine, and I admit I was jealous. I have been eyeing this machine for a year, but it was always too expensive. I didn't realize that Janome had come out with the Horizon and that a lot of people with the 6600P were upgrading. So I thought I would take another peek at Craigslist and up popped this beauty at a great price! It has barely been used because the previous owner didn't like how it sat so high on her sewing table. She decided to get an uber fancy Babylock embroidery machine that she always wanted. Lucky for me!

Look at all these stitches! I admit I have been playing with it all weekend, and sneaking in for five minutes just to try out something else on this machine. So far I am impressed. One of the reasons I wanted this machine was how well it was reviewed by both garment sewers and quilters a like. My Kenmore was doing fine with the clothes I was making, but I found quilting painful. I took a quilting class last summer hoping that it would help, but really my machine just wasn't made to quilt. Free motion quilting was so stressful with all sorts of funky things going on. I was amazed when I practiced free motion quilting on the 6600. It felt so easy. I didn't know it could feel like that! Also, the knee lever and best of all....the automatic thread cutter. Genius.


Anyway, check out patternreview.com if you are on the market for a new machine. There are usually several reviews of all sorts of machines, and a lot of them are really descriptive of what people like and don't like about their sewing machine.

Some Pillow Talk

Sewing has been slow around here. We had a sick little guy with a cold last week. Poor baby. I thought sleep might never happen again! This week we are back on the potty training wagon... aye yi yi.

However, over the past weekend I did start working on my pillow for my partner for the Pillow Talk Swap. I started out with the star above. I was using a pattern from Martha Stewart's new sewing book. I got this far and then was supposed to add some squares and triangles to make the pillow top. Well, try as I may it wasn't going to work. Why do Martha's instructions never seem to work? Is it just me? I looked online for tips, and the way other people put this block together made it clear that Martha's way really wasn't going to work. So I thought about appliqueing the star on, but it really huge..22 inches! I didn't really want to make a gigantic pillow. So, this idea was scrapped. Although, I am saving the star and think I want to make a wall hanging with it. The fabric is too pretty...

So, I moved on to a completely different idea. I was dead set on using Modern Meadow for this pillow, but it just wasn't feeling like my partner. Can you guess what this is? I still have to quilt the top and put it all together. I am still unsure of how I am going to quilt it.

I have been enjoying this swap so much I went a little crazy and joined two more: The Scrappy Pincushion Swap and The Mod Bento Block Swap. There is still time to join both of these, if you are interested!

I am sorry this blog has been so neglected of late, but I am hoping to post more and start doing more pattern reviews again of patterns that I carry in the shop like I did last summer. If anyone has one of the patterns I carry and wants to do a pattern review, I would love to have you guest blog! Just send me an email at mvansciver at gmail dot com! Also, please do check out the shop. A whole slew of new patterns have come in over the past week or so.

Nicey Jane Outfits and Giveaway Winners!

I completed two more outfits for Kids' Clothes Week last weekend- I promise! This past week has been craziness- at least it was fun craziness. *grin*

I made this Ice Cream Dress for Felicity. I made the second version of the dress, but only used two fabrics instead of three. The pattern was great and went together easily. It was a much easier dress to put together than the Birthday Party Dress. I am also in love with this colorway in Nicey Jane. I like the simplicity of the dress, and I think it makes a great everyday dress. I want to make a top for Juliana out of this pattern too. I can definitely see myself making this pattern a couple of times before tiring of it.

Now doesn't Felicity look like a little angel child? Rest assured getting this picture was a painful process.

Something more like this is what I got in most of my pictures...

I made Juliana a little shorts and ruffle top outfit. I used this tutorial for the top. I don't really know how I feel about this top. It looks cute in the picture, but it just doesn't seem as practical in real life.

I apologize in announcing my winners so late for the giveaway!

The winners are

#1- Lfinn
#2- Two Cheeky Monkeys
#3 Gale Kyquilter

Ladies, I am sending you all an email!

Giveaway Day!

Okay, I signed up for Giveaway Day on Sew Mama Sew and, of course, forgot! Fear not! I am giving away lots of patterns! I am giving away three different sets of patterns to three different people!

First, we have the Catherine Coat pattern and a Ruthie Clutch. Wouldn't they look great together on an evening out?

Are you a bag lover? How about a messenger bag and a convertible tote pattern?

If you are a Melly and Me fan, then today is your lucky day!

This giveaway is open until May 20, and I will ship these anywhere in the world! Just have to enter!

To Enter:

1. Hop on over to my shop and let me know what your favorite pattern is that I carry.
2. In your comment let me know what set of patterns you like best. Hopefully, that will be the set you win!
3. Don't forget to leave your email address, so that I am able to contact you.

Checking in for Kid Clothes Week

My first attempt for Kids' Clothes Week was another Molly Peasant Dress. I bought half a yard of the daisy print and wanted to use it for a skirt, but I didn't have quite enough. I wanted to make another one of these dresses, and there was just enough for the skirt. I used some of Anna Maria Horner's Good Folks for the top. I admit this dress is just a little too bright for me, but Juliana loves it. Maybe a when we stay at home dress...

However, as disappointed as I am with the dress. I am super happy with this skirt. I have had this unicorn print in my stash for almost a year, but I just didn't know what I wanted to make with it. Juliana have recently become obsessed with unicorns and when I showed her the fabric she asked for a skirt.

The pattern is my own design. It is a double layer skirt with white kona cotton for the bottom layer. I added some light pink chiffon ruffles to the bottom of the underskirt.

Juliana stood by me while I was making it and put it on as soon as I was done.

Next up an Ice Cream Dress. Have you noticed how popular this pattern already is?

Juliana's Beautiful Blankie

I finally finished Juliana's quilt for her bed. I had the quilt top all completed in January before I even started Felicity's. I didn't know how I wanted to quilt it, so I waited for inspiration and waited and waited... :0) I finally decided to do a simple crosshatch pattern. I basted and marked the lines on this quilt at the end of March. I spray basted for the first time. It took me forever to get it smooth, so it didn't really save me time in comparison to pin basting. However, it was really nice not to have to worry about taking the pins out while I was quilting. Anyway, even though it was all basted I still put it off because of the size. Then last week as we were tucking the girls into bed, she said in such a sad little voice that she wished she had a beautiful blankie like Felicity. Eep. Nothing like a guilt trip to get a person motivated.

So here she is with her beautiful blankie, and she is quite pleased. The pattern The Summer Breeze Quilt from "Last Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts", and I used Tanya Whelan's Darla line with some Kona white. It was a simple pattern, and quite easy to put together.

I had some extras from the strips on the front, so I pieced them together for a strip for the back as well.

Now I can safely move on to Josiah's quilt...*whew*

Catching Up...

Life is starting to get a sense of normalcy again, so we are slowly working our way back into a routine. When I was ordered to rest I actually got quite a bit of sewing done. Sewing is rest, right?! April and May are months of birthdays. I have had leftover scraps from this quilt that I didn't know what do with. I made the quilt for my sister-in-law and her husband when they got married last June. So after seeing this block and this pillow I knew what I wanted to do for her birthday. I made these two pillows to match the quilt. I love the zig zag one especially.

I took all these pictures the night before I was induced, so please excuse the lack of great pictures. I was a little distracted. ;0) Hexagons have been popping up everywhere lately. While I love the look of them, I am not the biggest fan of hand sewing and knew I wouldn't get too far. Ashley's idea of appliqueing them on was genius. Just remember to take the paper out before sewing! I took the paper out and then pressed them before sewing them on so they would retain their shape.

I also made a couple of Summerhouse Pillows from some scraps of Hunky Dory and Kona cotton in white and ash. I love this pattern and how simple it is. I have already used it a couple of times.

In other news...

I have reopened the shop! I have gotten some new patterns lately! So check it out!

Spring Top Week has started! Go check out Rae's blog and submit your votes! There were so many great tops. So glad I am not competing this year because the competition is tough!


Also Elsie Marley is hosting kids clothes week next week! The idea is to sew a little each day for your kids and see what you can get accomplished. I am hoping to get my act together and sew up a couple of Ice Cream dresses for the girls. I have some Nicey Jane fabric just waiting...

Make It and Love It has this super sweet t-shirt dress tutorial!

Have you seen Brown Paper Package's blog this month? She has posted so many different tutorials on how to make different dresses from just one pattern. Isn't that a great idea? This one is my personal favorite.

Last but not least...a picture of Josiah. I love the face he is making, and I love kissing those chubby cheeks. Thank you for coming out baby!