Showing posts with label Sewing Projects. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sewing Projects. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Free Therapy






Sewing is like therapy to me.  When I get the urge, I sit down to my machine and get creative.  I can sit there and sew for hours and not worry about anything else, except maybe chocolate and a cup of coffee.  Of course, these days I can’t get anything done around here without being interrupted by little people about 50 times an hour.  But that’s okay, that’s what I love about my life, the little people in it.  It’s also like therapy because I spend time praying and worshipping. I always have worship music on while I sew.  It may sound weird, but when I’m really yearning for an answer from the Lord, sometimes reading the word isn’t enough.  Sometimes I hear more from Him when I’m not trying to listen, and a lot of those times, I’m sewing.

Since the fire, I’ve had to make some things (I like to use the word “had” because it makes me feel a little less guilty, I guess). I have never been one to spend money on things that I can make myself, nothing has changed.  Even though we had the opportunity to replace a lot of our things, I am still my thrifty, creative self.  One of the first things I purchased for myself after the fire was my sewing machine.  I just got a cheap Singer sewing machine (one you can get at most major retailers), but I love it just fine. It’s like the one I lost and I know how to work it, and let’s face it—it’s not like I’m running a sweat shop around here.  So, the good ol’ (and relatively new) Singer does the job. 

I used to sit in my Grammy’s sewing room in the summertime and watch her sew.  I was amazed at how easy it looked.  One year, my cousin Brie and I stayed several weeks. Grammy gave us some material from some dresses she had made us when we were younger.  We hand sewed some quilt squares and I remember thinking “why is this so hard? This looks so easy!”  Pretty soon, I got the itch for learning to sew.  My mom taught me a lot then, and I continued learning on my own.  Recently, I’ve learned some new tricks through pinterest and blogging.  Every now and then, I think I’ll start posting some of the projects I do on here.  Maybe I’ll even have some tutorials. We will see. 

The next things on my plate to sew are some new pillow slip covers for our couches, and a valance for the kid’s bedroom, as well as a cushion for the bench in their room.  I hope one day I can teach Caroline how to sew one day.  Until then, I’ll just use it as therapy. Hmmm… maybe I’ll go sew something right now!  Or… Maybe I’ll just go fold some laundry.  What do you do to escape?  Do you have any fun hobbies?

Thursday, January 27, 2011

My first Slipcover!

So, We bought this OshKosh chair for Tobin at a yard sale, before he could walk. It was in pretty good shape when we bought it used. We have moved several times, and it's been in and out of the garage, on the porch, around the house... I admit. It's pretty disgusting. Lately, it's been in the garage a while. I had every intention of cleaning the upholstery. Well, I went out to get it yesterday to clean it up and our pet rats (not really, in fact they will hopefully be dead in the next couple days) used it as a chew toy. I didn't take close up pics but they ate at the seat part, and at the back. Needless to say, it needed a slip cover.

I have never made a slipcover before. I was surprised that it only took about 2 hours and it was done! I'm not good on tutorials, so here's a "kinda" stage by stage look at how I did it.




All pinned together, wrong-side out...
Finished! the arm...
Definitely not perfect, but it will do!
Side view
Caroline LOVES it! Tobin is mad that it isn't blue. Oh well, such is life.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Cushions and Pillows

We received our free porch furniture a couple years ago after a spring Tornado that came through our neighborhood. A family said we could have them(there was insulation and debris everywhere and I'm sure they just didn't want to deal with it). Tony power washed the furniture and we sprayed the chairs with a coat of Brown paint(they need a new coat of paint- that's in the soon to-do list). I have been meaning to make cushions, but crazy life happened along the way. I have been collecting material and Foam when it's been on sale at Hobby Lobby. I finished up the project today, and am pretty pleased with the results. What do you think?
The pillows are reversible with Paisley material on one side and a gold fabric on the other side. I have had the gold fabric for a while. The Paisley material I got 30% off at Hobby Lobby. My wonderful husband cut the squares for the pillows and stuffed them once I had them sewed. What a time-saver! LOVE him!

I got the foam for the couch cushions 30% off at Hobby Lobby too! I used 4x22x22in. foam squares. Two for the back, two for the seat. The striped material was in the clearance section at Hobby Lobby. It was a steal! One side of the cushions has Velcro so I can remove the fabric to wash if/when needed.


Yes, I know.... the chairs need a NEW coat of brown paint. On my new honey-do list :)


View from the walk to the front door.







The kids really like the new cushions! So comfy! We will be spending a lot more time on the front porch!








Monday, March 8, 2010

Seat Belts and Camera Straps

We were blessed by this double jogging stroller. The straps rubbed on Caroline's neck and face (as she is so short). She was miserable! I found this post over at Make It and Love It. I tried it out and it was super duper easy! You can do some yourself, I know you can! So head on over to Make It and Love It and check out how to do it and style your stroller right up, while you add some comfort as well. I was pretty proud of how mine turned out!



Check Spelling

My other sewing project this week included a slip cover for my camera strap. I was dreaming of getting one of these... *Shey*B slipcovers but in our friendly every day budget, I couldn't afford to splurge! So, I got my creative juices out and made up a pattern. I guess next time I make one, I need to take photos and tell YOU how to make YOUR own. Until then, hope on over to Shey's website and get your own. In fact, maybe you can barter with me and I'll make you a custom cover. What do you have to trade?

Enjoy your week. DO SOMETHING CREATIVE!


Summertime Steadiness

Is anyone else having trouble finding routine in the craziness that is summer 2020? I am a planner. Yes, I still carry around a paper planne...