Homesteading: A Woman's Journey

Make Your Own Picnic Pack

02:09, Wednesday, June 11, 2008 .. Posted in Sewing Room .. 1 comments .. Link

This is a simple sewing project that you can make in time for summer picnics & BBQs.

I have seen similar totes for sale and they are very pricey, but you can make a set for the cost of one purchased tote! The tote is simply a rectangle shaped piece of fabric with little pockets sewn in to hold your knife, fork, spoon, and napkin. It has ribbon ties that hold it together once rolled up.

The base of the piece is a fabric placemat. Choose a complimenting fabric to make your pockets & napkins. For a binding across the top of the pockets and to make the ribbon tie, I use bias tape.

Start by making your napkins. You can do this by simply cutting your fabric in a square 1 inch larger than the finished napkin size. I cut mine 18” square to make a 17” inch finished size napkin. You can either finish the edges with a narrow rolled hem or serge the edges.

To make your pockets, cut a piece of the fabric 6” x 6” square. Trim one edge with the bias tape to make a nice finished edge to the pocket top. Fold under the other 3 sides a quarter inch and press in place. Position the pocket near the right hand lower corner of your placemat. Topstitch along the sides and bottom to attach. Repeat to make a pocket for the lower left hand corner. To make the little pockets for the knife, fork, and spoon, divide the pocket into thirds and topstitch. Place the napkin & utensils into the pockets and roll up the placemat starting on the right hand side. Cut a length of bias tape long enough to wrap around the placemat and tie shut. Unroll the placemat. Fold the length of bias tape in half to find its center. Finger press to mark the center of the bias tape. On the left hand edge of the placemat, find the center. Tack the center of the bias tape strip to the back edge of the placemat. Add your utensils and napkin, roll it up & tie to secure.

Viola! You are finished! Make one of these little totes for each family member.

I am making these to carry with us when we go to church or out running errands. We usually carry a picnic lunch with us so that we can stop at a park or somewhere that our daughter can play. You can keep these totes along with some plastic dinner plates and bowls in a backpack, a basket, or other container large enough to hold them.

These are great for everything from picnics away from home or backyard BBQ’s. I love them, as they are also reusable. Just wash them up when you get home, then repack them so they are ready for the next time. Having little ones, I add to the pack right before we leave, a little rectangular container with some fabric wipes that are already wet with a solution of water with a drop of baby wash.

Enjoy!

Flannel Baby Wipes & Prefold Diapers

12:21, Thursday, June 5, 2008 .. Posted in Sewing Room .. 0 comments .. Link

Two years ago, when we had our daughter, we soon learned that her skin was very sensitive to disposable diapers and wipes. Once we began using cloth diapers on her, the diaper rashes went away. The disposable wipes however were still making her sore, even when using the types without alcohol in the solution. I came across a website that talked about making your own baby wipes. Since then, we have used cloth wipes almost exclusively.

Cloth baby wipes have a few advantages. Cloth wipes are much less expensive. You can buy flannel on sale and make a stack of wipes that will last several years. The flannel is much softer on baby’s sensitive skin. We use a solution made of water and a couple drops of baby wash to soak the wipes in. Once you no longer need the wipes as a baby wipe, you can continue to use them as little wet cloths to carry with you for quick clean-ups away from home. You can fold a couple of the wipes in half and stack them inside a cloth diaper to give it a little extra absorbency. When they get worn-looking, you can use them as dust rags or for cleaning.

Baby wipes are easy to make. I make ours from a double layer of flannel. The finished size is about 8” square. You can make these several ways depending on what you have to sew them with. I use a serger to make ours, overlocking the edges to prevent unraveling of the fabric. You can also make them using a zigzag stitch or use a straight stitch and trim the edges with pinking shears. If you want a no-sew wipe, buy a soft, thin polar fleece fabric and cut out the squares.

Another easy project is to make your own prefold diapers. One advantage to this is that you can make the middle absorbent section as thick as you want. You can also custom make the size to fit any size diaper from newborn through extra large. Prefold diapers can be used alone or folded in thirds and placed inside a cloth diaper as a soaker to increase the absorbency of the diaper. As with wipes, these can be used for multiple purposes such as burp cloths or cleaning cloths. You can find a nice online tutorial on how to make these at Fern & Fearie Prefold Diaper Tutorial. In the tutorial, they show how to turn old t-shirts into diapers. When I make prefolds, I prefer to use a heavy weight flannel. Whatever fabric you choose, the main thing to remember is to use a fabric that will hold up well to multiple washings.

Cloth Diapering

11:51, Monday, May 26, 2008 .. Posted in Sewing Room .. 2 comments .. Link

Cloth diapers have changed. Years ago, the cloth diapers were a flat large piece of cloth that you had to fold a particular way to get the absorbancy and fit needed. Next came the prefold diapers, a piece of cloth with a thicker layer in the middle. You still needed to fold it somewhat to get a good fit. Problem I always had with both of these was the lack of getting a good fit in the legs to prevent "diaper blow outs" which always seems to happen when baby is wearing their newest dressy outfit or you are somewhere in public.

Today, you can still buy the prefold diapers but there are better solutions available. Cloth diapers have stepped into a new era with the fitted cloth diapers. What a blessing! These diapers are similar in shape to the popular disposible diapers. They have elastic in the legs, some also having gussets, that provide a much more secure fit. For closures at the waist, you can use hook & loop tape, snaps or diaper pins.

The fitted cloth diapers come in 3 basic variations that seem to be the most popular. Your typical fitted cloth diaper is made with the elastic legs, sometimes elastic across the back for a snugger fit. You can find these made in a variety of fabrics, the most common being flannel, fleece or terry. Most styles come with an absorbancy layer built into them. They don't have a moisture barrier fabric so you need to put a diaper cover over them to prevent leaks. The All-In-One (AIO) diaper is the same as the basic fitted one with one major difference. AIO diapers have a moisture barrier fabric either layered inside the diaper or used as the outside layer of fabric. The most common that I have seen are made with PUL fabric. PUL is a fabric that has a coating applied to the right side that prevents the moisture from leaking through. The AIO diapers have an advantage in that you do not need a diaper cover. The pocket diaper is a simple fitted diaper "shell" with a pocket opening into which you place a soaker.

I have used cloth diapers on Abigail since birth. I started making my own and found that each of the difference styles had it's benefits and drawbacks. It was a process of trial and error to find the diaper style that worked best, not only in the fit & absorbancy but in the care and laundering of the diaper. Now we have a new baby in the house and he will be reaping the benefits of the work I did with our daughter's diapering. Each person who cloth diapers will have their own preferences. Here I will explain what I learned and what works best for us.

Basic fitted diapers without the moisture barrier layer are easy to use but with one drawback. Many times the diaper would still leak even with the diaper cover. Many diaper covers are too small in one area or another to properly fit over the diaper. To guarantee the best fit you pretty much have to purchase the covers from the same company who makes the diaper. The main problem are is in the height of the diaper. Any area of the diaper that is not covered by the diaper cover is prone to leaks. Another disadvantage is that the diapers, because the absorbancy layer being built into the diaper, take much longer to dry in the dryer. With the AIO diapers, you also have the problem that depending on the moisture barrier fabric used, you may not be able to dry the diapers in the clothes dryer. PUL fabric can break down in the heat of the dryer and over a short time lose it's water barrier quality. If the diaper has a layer of ProCare or other water barrier fabric you may be able to use the dryer without any problems. The primary advantages to these dipaers is that you don't have several parts (diaper, absorbancy layer, cover) to keep track of. The diapers, especially the AIO, are ready to use. The AIO diapers are great when away from home or for use as overnight diapers as you don't have to worry about leaks in the carseat or bed. A free diaper pattern for these can be found at: Mama Bird's Diaper Pattern

The pocket diapers are alittle more work to use, but many find them to be easier in the long run. The diaper shell is made similar to the fitted diapers but without the built-in absorbancy layer. Most have a pocket opening in the back into which you place the soaker or a folded up prefold diaper to give the diaper the absorbancy level needed. The outer shell has a water barrier either in the form of PUL fabric or a layer of water barrier material sewn to the back fabric during construction to allow you to use the diapers without needing a diaper cover. The soaker is simply a rectangle of fabric made from a very absorbant fabric such as fleece, flannel, hemp, or terry. The advantage to the pocket diapers is that they are very fast to dry in the dryer or clothesline. You also have the ability to adjust the absorbancy layer's thickness to fit the needs of your baby. Here is a link to a free pattern for this style: Ritas Rump Pocket Diaper Pattern

When making diapers for Micah, I have found a balance between the diapers styles that works very well for us. I took the Mama Bird pattern and made it without an absorbancy layer inside. The inside fabric is made from either a heavy flannel or a fleece, depending on what I have on hand. In the middle, I placed a layer of ProCare to prevent leaks. The outside layer is made from any cotton fabric or fleece. I made the diaper with the elastic in the legs and back. Once made, I attached tabs on the sides for closures. NOTE: here is where I altered the pattern a bit. I made the tabs about 3 inches long. On each tab, I placed a square of hook & loop tape. The "hook" part is placed near the end of the tab and the "loop" part is placed near the diaper. When you launder the diaper, you fold the hook tape to attach it to the loop tape. This will help prevent the hook tape from getting pieces of lint or threads caught in it during laundering. On the outside of the right hand tab, I placed a long piece of loop tape. On the front of the diaper, I place a long piece of loop tape across the entire front of the diaper. The longer the loop tape is in the front, the more adjustment you will have. To close the diaper, I first attach the right hand tab to fit. The left hand tab is then placed over the diaper front. This is where the loop tape on the right tab is important. If the diaper is alittle large for your baby, you are able to snug up the diaper's waist by overlapping the tabs.

For absorbancy, I make separate soakers. I measure the soakers to fit the size of the diaper. The soaker is simply a double layer of fleece that are stitched together either with a zigzag stitch or serger. You can make 2 with one being slightly smaller. These are stacked together if needed. The advantage that I am finding is that I am able to make diapers 1 size larger than the baby's size and get more use from them. By having the soaker layer separate from the diaper, the drying time is shortened and I am able to adjust the absorbancy needed. ProCare inside the diaper allows me to machine wash and dry the diapers without worry that the water barrier will fail over time.

I also make my own baby wipes. Simply cut pieces of heavy weight flannel to the size desired with pinking shears or you can serge or zigzag stitch the edges to prevent unraveling. Place in a container with a mixture of water and a couple drops of baby wash. You can also recycle old receiving blankets to make the wipes.

Enjoy!

Nursing Shawl / Poncho

11:59, Friday, February 15, 2008 .. Posted in Sewing Room .. 4 comments .. Link

Have any of you ever made a nursing shawl or poncho for discreet nursing in public? I am trying to find a pattern for something lightweight enough to be used on a hot summer day, yet discreet enough that I would be able to nurse the baby in public without anyone noticing.

In teh meantime, I an trying to come up with something myself. I will post here when I find a solution. Until then, and suggestions would be appreciated.

Getting into the Sewing Groove

11:39, Saturday, August 18, 2007 .. Posted in Sewing Room .. 0 comments .. Link

With the summer's heat, I find myself going through alot of changes. One being the shifting of the types of work that I am doing. In part, this is because of the pregnancy. I can't work outdoors in the heat & I am having to slow down abit. The timing is wonderful though. The summer garden is nearing it's end. The plants are wilting and not producing as much harvest. I am letting the last of the harvest dry on the vine so that I can collect their seed for next year. The temperatures are starting to ease enough that I can put the fall garden plants into the garden. I have a sprinkler in the garden now that I can use to water each morning and late afternoon.

In the hot part of the day, as Abbie is napping, I am getting back into my sewing routine. I am starting to get more orders as people learn that I sew from home. I have finally come into a routine that makes the work much faster & more efficient. Typically, I am washing & ironing all fabrics on Monday in preparation for the week's orders. On Tuesdays, I cut out all the orders. On Wednesday, Abbie is visiting her Grandparents all day. This gives me the uninterrupted time to get most, if not all, my sewing done. Thursday, I finish up any remaining sewing. Friday, I mail all finished orders out. Using this schedule, I am going to be able to get most orders out in a fast amount of time.

I have been working on designing and choosing clothing items that are one size fits most so that I am able to make up a ready-made supply. Many of my home sewns however, are items for the home.

Over the weekend, I drafted a pattern for Joe's Mom. She needed a smock-type apron that provided more coverage than the ones found in the store. I was able to draft the pattern and make her one. It works great! She was very happy with the finished apron. I am going to be adding that to my offerings. The smock is a front & back panel that has ties on the sides and generously sided pockets in the front. I made it so that the panels wrap around the sides more to give much more coverage to your clothing. I am now working on making a child sized one for Abbie. My idea is to have matching Mother/Daughter aprons.

I am so excited about the sewing. It is such a blessing to be able to work from home to help earn more income for our family. It is moving us closer to our goal of supporting ourselves from the homestead. The goal of Joe being able to come home and not have to be gone for a month at a time is becoming a reality. Though we are not ready for him to do so yet, I can see that this goal can be met.

I am so grateful to the Lord for His guidance and direction in our lives. He has blessed us so much. I pray that His spirit be with each of you. And am so grateful to Him for leading those to me that have helped me to make the home sewing work as a way to provide some income. Thank you to everyone who has ordered from me. I pray that the home sewns are a blessing to you as your friendship and support has been for us.

Quilted potholders

01:29, Friday, July 6, 2007 .. Posted in Sewing Room .. 1 comments .. Link

I have been having fun making quilted potholders. It gives me the chance to make a variety of pieced blocks that can be both used when I am cooking, but also can be hung up on the wall of the kitchen for decoration.

If anyone would like to make a quilted pot holder and do a one-on-one exchange with me, let me know. I would love to do that. The only thing that I ask is that you use Insul-bright (or similar product) in them as a batting. Insul-bright is sold in the fabric stores. It looks just like quilt batting, but has a material sandwiched in the center that makes it protect your hands from heat. Regular quilt batting doesn't protect your hands, I learned the hard way. If you cannot find the Insul-bright, you can substitute 3 layers of terry cloth to give enough thickness to protect hands from burns.

I typically make my potholders using a block size of 8 inches (22cm) square. This makes a very generously sized potholder that is sure to cover your entire hand... something important to me since I cook on a wood cookstove in the cooler months!

If you are interested, let me know. If you need inspiration, here are a few links to pages with free printable quilt blocks:

http://www.free-quilt-patterns.net/index.html

http://www.quilterscache.com/

Quick & Easy Pads

12:36, Saturday, March 3, 2007 .. Posted in Sewing Room .. 3 comments .. Link

I have been wanting to sew my own cloth menstrual pads, but after trying several of the free online patterns, I realised that they were not very dependable. I tried the suggested flannel and fleece, but didn't like the end results.

I found that though flannel does have some absorbancy, it wasn't absorbant enough. The fleece was great for absorbing, but it would wick the moisture too well, causing it to wick on the sides and around to the backing fabric. I finally came up with an idea that works well for me. I thought I would share it here for anyone else who would like to try it.

At the WalMart, I found a 18 count pack of inexpensive terry cloth washclothes for under $5.00. I already had some ProCare waterproof fabric left over from making Abbie's diapers and some assorted fabrics from my scraps.

To make a pad, I folded a washcloth in half, then in half again to form 4 layers, pin together. Lay the fabric scrap, wrong side up, on a flat surface. Next, stack on the waterproof fabric, then the folded terry cloth. I lay as many of the folded terry cloth pieces as I am able to fit and pin them in place. Next, using a zigzag stitch or a serger, stitch around the edges of each folded terry cloth. Then, I simply cut them apart. I am able to whip up a batch of these pretty fast. If you want to make "wings" for them, here is a very easy idea. Measure the width of the crotch area of your panties. Take this measurement and double it and add another 2.5 inches. This will give you the measurement all the way around the crotch + 1 inch overlap + seam allowance. This gives you the length of the strap. I make the strap 2" wide, which ends up as 1.5" wide when finished. For the straps, you will need to cut 2 pieces for each strap. Lay the fabric, right sides together and stitch all the way around, using a 1/4" seam and leaving an opening for turning. Turn to the right side and topstich edges.

Now, here is where you can get creative. You can attach the pad to the strap one of several ways. I sew these into place, centered on the back of the pad. You can use hook & loop tape or snaps if you don't want the strap attached permanently.

I love these as they are absorbent and comfortable. They are also very inexpensive to make. You can also adjust the size or layers of absorbency by the way you fold them or folding 2 washcloths together. If you have a need for heavier pads, you can take some preshrunk thick cotton batting and wrap the terry cloth around it. The batting is very absorbent and holds the moisture very well.

I hope that I have explained it well enough. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Quilting

01:44, Monday, January 22, 2007 .. Posted in Sewing Room .. 2 comments .. Link

This morning, I finished preparing some fabric for quilting. With all the cold temperatures that we have been having, I haven't been doing too much in the back part of the house, where my fabrics are. That part of the house has no heat, so I tend to not spend very much time in there.

Now that Joe has brought my sewing table and machine into the front of the house closer to the woodstove, I am going to be able to sew more often and for longer periods of time. I am participating in 3 quilt swaps. One is a year-long project called a "Journey Quilt". It is based on a book called, "Amish Circle Quilt". For the entire year, 5 women and myself are writing a letter each month and including in it a quilt block that depicts an event that happened that month. We send a copy of the letter and quilt block to each of the participants, keeping one block for ourselves. At the end of the year, we will each assemble the blocks into a quilt. The second swap is a 9-patch. we are exchanging a sets of 15 blocks that will be swapped out and then we can use them to make a quilt when we receive the blocks back. Lastly, there is a quilt round robin. This is where you make the center block of your quilt and package it up with about a yard or so of fabric to be used on the quilt. There is a group of 8 ladies participating in this one. Each lady packages up her fabric & quilt and mails it off to the next person on the list. Each person on the list will in turn receive a quilt from the other participants. We add a border to each quilt, incorporating alittle of the fabric included with the quilt in the border. When your quilt arrives back to you, it will have all the borders added and be ready to be assembled with batting and backing to finish.

I am really looking forward to getting these quilts started. For the Journey Quilt, I am going to have embroidered blocks with the participants' names and location. Some are from the USA and some are from Australia. I am also embroidering blocks for the year and each month. I still have to decide on a sashing and border fabric. I will wait until I have started receiving the blocks, then decide. At this point, I am thinking of getting a pretty black fabric so that no matter what colors are sent, the blocks will stand out.

Today, I also got some underpinnings sewn. Abigail and I both needed more warm ones for wearing under our dresses. I just love the thick flannel for these! I discovered also that a costume pattern that I have makes wonderful slips & nightgowns! It is the Simplicity #4213 pattern for the Nativity costumes. The long tunic is perfect for making to wear as a nightgown or something to lounge around in if you are so inclined. Made alittle shorter and using the short sleeved option, it can also be a full slip. The shepherd's coat pattern can be used to make a robe or a long quilted vest to wear on cold days. If you are clever with your sewing, you could also adjust the sleeve length and make a chemise from the tunic.

The time has finally come

11:46, Wednesday, November 29, 2006 .. Posted in Sewing Room .. 2 comments .. Link

I am finally taking the steps to offer handmade clothing and other items for sale. I am really excited about this. I have been making homesewn things for others for quite awhile now. The change for me is that I will be making some items, such as modest head coverings, ahead of time. Size specific things, such as the modest clothing that I make, will be made to order.

This is something that has slowly evolved. I have been looking for a way to earn some extra income for our family ever since I left the trucking industry a year ago. The home sewn items will be a nice way to both earn alittle extra, but still be home with our daughter.

Much of what I make is influenced by the conservative modest dress styles that I and our daughter wear. I make 3 styles of headcoverings (veil, kap, and prairie style sunbonnet), 2 styles of aprons (full length apron with a bodice & a half-apron without a bodice). I am also making modest underpinnings (camisoles, petticoats, and pantaloons).

I also am making quilted paddings for changing tables and beds. These look like little patchwork quilts, but have a water-barrier layer inside. This layer prevents wetness from soaking through. I use this as a changing table or crib pad, though it can also be used on your own bed as a precaution during "that time" of the month. The water barrier fabric is one that is used in hospitals and holds up extremely well in the washer and dryer.

A couple of other items that I am offering are cloth table linen sets (placemats & napkins), cloth handkerchiefs for both men and women. I can also make these in fabrics suitable for children.

I am really excited about this new venture. I have been making these things for others already. I guess now, I am finally ready to get the word out that I am making these things. We are set up for PayPal and I am considering putting some of the items up on Ebay also.

As soon as I have my webpage finished, I will post about it here. In the meantime, feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

I get to Crochet Tonight!

09:22, Thursday, November 16, 2006 .. Posted in Sewing Room .. 0 comments .. Link

I am actually going to get to crochet this evening! Whoo Hoo!!! My house is fairly clean, just have a little laundry and a few dishes to clean. But, it is clean enough that I am taking the time to sit and crochet. I haven't done that before. Usually, I just snatch a few minutes when I can to crochet. I have never taken the time to actually sit down and spend time doing it. I am so thrilled to do this. I was crocheting earlier today and realised that I never make time to enjoy that. So, I am taking the time tonight. It is something that I find very relaxing, but have never allowed myself the time to do. I think that I need to change that.

No long blog tonight........I wanna get to my crocheting!

God Bless!

Shortcuts in Modesty Clothing

02:59, Tuesday, October 10, 2006 .. Posted in Sewing Room .. 4 comments .. Link

Occassionally, I have been receiving emails and such asking about how to make the transition from your usual wardrobe to a more modest dress while living on a budget. Here are a few ideas that may help.

First, let me say that what constitutes modest dress varies according to the personal beliefs of each person. I don't condemn those who think differently than I do. It wasn't that long ago that I wore clothing that I now consider to not be modest. Each person must come to the decision themselves as to what is or is not modest according to their own beliefs and faith.

Let me give you my definition of modest dress. I base my beliefs on the scripture in Deuteronomy chapter 22, verse 5 which states: "the woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment". That being stated, I dress in long skirts or dresses. I am currently making the change over from skirts to dresses only. I also wear a head covering. This is out of respect for my Beloved, Joe, to show respect and honor him in his role as head of our house. Abbie is also beginning to wear covers. We will raise her to do so until the time comes when she is old enough to make the decision for herself. Our church does not teach covering or modest dress. This is something that Joe and I do as a family.

What I am making for Abbie and myself are dresses and jumpers. With winter coming, I am also making us panteloons from cotton and flannel to wear under the dresses for both modesty reasons and also to help us stay warmer in the cold temperatures. Below are some suggestions for how you can make the transformation into a more modest dress using your current wardrobe as a launching point and a quick trip to a thrift store.

Skirts: I first chose a long (ankle length) denim skirt. These are very easy to find in the thrift stores. It is also one of the most versatile pieces in the wardrobe. Anything works with denim. Any top that you have currently can be worn with it. My denim skirt is probably one of my most worn items for that very reason.

Underpinnings: Long slips are getting hard to find, so I reached a solution. Since all of my skirts are dark colors or denim, I got one of those airy little light weight long skirts in a white or neutral color. These are the skirts that you typically see that have that "broomstick" wrinkled look and an elastic waist. These can be used as a slip with minor alterations. If anything, you may have to shortened the length of the skirt so that it won't show under your dress/skirt.
Camisoles can easily be made using the silky/satin summer tops. Those spaghetti strap little tops would be great. If you like more coverage, check out the sleeveless tops. You may find something that could work as a camisole. Panteloons/pantelettes are easily made using sleep pants as a pattern. You can also use the capri length leggings under skirts for modesty. I would look for a pair that fit you well and either make a pattern from it, or else use as is. If you decide to make your own, you can use any pajama bottoms also. Simply cut them to the capri length or whatever length you prefer and hem them. You can also make or use the women's version of boxer shorts.

Making a top modest: a very easy way to make any top more modest is to wear a dickie under it. These are extremely easy to make. At the thrift store find some pretty blouses. Here is the fun part...you don't need to find one your exact size! To make the dickie, cut off the sleeves and cut open the side seams. Put the blouse on. With pins or pencil, mark the length that you want the dickie to reach. This will become your sewing/hem line. You may want to round the bottom edge to get a more finished look and also make the dickie lay nicer under your tops. Lay the dickie on a flat surface with the front buttons or snaps fastened if necessary so that you can have the blouse lay smooth and flat. Cut the front of the blouse about a half-inch below the marked line. This will allow for you to have a 1/4" rolled hem. Cut the back the desired length, also leaving the 1/2" allowance ot make the 1/4" rolled hem. To make the rolled hem, fold and press the cut edges under 1/4". Repeat and press again. Pin into place. Top-stitch the hem to finish. Variation: if you don't want to use a dickie, you can take the same basic idea and sew the blouse botice to the inside of a top to give it a more modest neckline.

A note about sewing with patterns: Here are a few suggestions that I have for those who want to make their own clothing from a pattern. If you find a garment at the thrift store that is in your size, but maybe the fabric is not something you would wear, go ahead and buy it. Carefully cut it apart at all the seams, labeling each peice as necessary (i.e. skirt front, skirt back, waistband). Iron each piece flat. On a large sheet of paper, trace each piece, adding on 1/2" for a seam allowance. The easiest way to do that is to take 2 ink pens, such as BIC pens, and tape them together. The pens are just the right size so that they will draw lines 1/4" apart. The outside line is your cutting line. Mark all the pieces with the part name, what the finished garment is (skirt, dress, etc), size, and a grainline. I would also add the number of pieces to that garment so that you will be able to keep track and not find that you are missing a piece during the construction of the garment. To assemble the garment, follow the basic steps given for any standard pattern, assembling sections that will be joined in the last steps. ***NOTE: a cheap paper that you can use for transferring patterns onto is the end rolls of newsprint paper. You can get it at any newspaper printing location. Just stop by the newspaper office and ask for them. They will direct you to the place you need to go. One end roll can have paper from 1"-4" thick still on the roll. Big printing locations change out the rolls each time they start a new print job so that they don't have to stop mid-way and replace empty rolls. These end rolls are great for covering tables and other projects also. You can expect to pay about $4 - $6 per roll depending on it's size and how much paper is still on it.

Another quick tip is to watch your fabric store sales ads. Our local store has ads come out every 2-3 weeks. Once a month, each major pattern company such as McCalls, Simplicity & Butterick are put on sale for $.99 cents per pattern. They usually have a purchase limit of 5 patterns per customer. Go onto the pattern companies' websites and make up a wish list in a notebook. If necessary, write a note as to what you want to use that pattern for and any notes as to alternative ways to use that pattern. When that company's patterns go on sale, I take my list and buy the patterns. Most times, Joe will go with me and we will each purchase the limit of 5 patterns. That gives us 10 patterns for less than the cost on 1 pattern at it's marked price. I have easily bought 10 patterns for a cost of $10 that if I had paid the marked price, the cost would have been over $120. I am buying patterns that will give me alot of multiple uses. For example, patterns for home decor, wardrobe basics, etc.

I hope that this helps to explain things abit. I will be happy to answer questions if you have any or need further explanation.

Sewing for Abbie

09:59, Wednesday, October 4, 2006 .. Posted in Sewing Room .. 4 comments .. Link

I have been slowly getting more sewing projects finished. Joe has been so wonderful and supportive of my sewing for the family. He even drives me to a fabric store and has helped pick out patterns for himself, Abbie and I. Right now, if I never bought another pattern, I have enough projects to keep me busy for the next year! I am gradually sewing clothing for all of us. My end goal is to be making all of our clothing with the exception of our socks, shoes, and Joe's work uniforms which the company provides. I have patterns right now for nearly everything else. Only patterns that I don't have are mainly the western clothing patterns that I want to get for making Joe's church clothing and some clothing for when we go out.

I've had people ask about the wardrobe that I am making for Abbie. Here is what I am making:

* I am using a regular baby romper pattern (McCalls 2053) to make undergarments to wear with her jumpers. The bodice of the romper pattern is being made to look like a little blouse. The bottom part is made from a cotton fabric such as lightweight linen for summer or flannel for winter. This will help with modesty, keep her legs protected and in the winter help keep her legs warm. I am making some of them without the elastic in the legs to make panteloons and some made with elastic for bloomers. The only real altering that I am having to do with the pattern is to shorten the pant length to about mid-calf or just below mid-calf. This same pattern made with long sleeves added and completely made from flannel makes a wonderfully warm undergarment to wear under a jumper in winter!

* Joe found 2 cute & simple jumper patterns by Simplicity. The first is pattern #4056. This pattern is the jumper, a long sleeved top and hat that form 6 different styles. The second pattern is #5317, which contains a jumper in 2 lengths, long and short sleeved tops, pants (capri & ankle length) and a hat. With these 2 patterns, I will be able to make Abbie's jumpers and tops. The pants in the capri length is perfect for making the panteloons! Also, for winter, I am making some of her jumpers from polar fleece for extra warmth.

* Abbie's summer dress pattern is Simplicity #4262: a mid-calf length sleeveless dress with a pair of long bloomers and a floppy hat. I made her this outfit over the summer and it was adorable! It is one of the Simplicity "It's So Easy" patterns and took very little time to put together. On hint I would say though is to measure the largest part of your child's leg and make the elastic abit longer than that measurement. The reason being that the legs ride up when a little baby is kicking and playing. So, you will pant ot go by the larger measurement to prevent the elastic from being too tight.

* Abbie's nightgown is another Simplicity "It's So Easy" pattern, #4035. I am making the long nightgown. For warm weather, I use a lightweight fabric and then make her a pair of matching shorts or bloomers to wear under it for modesty. In the winter, she will have a flannel long nightgown with a pair of the pajama pants or panteloons to keep her legs warm.

I hope that this explains what I am making Abbie. Also that maybe it will give ideas to you in things that you can make. One note: With the exception of the "It's So Easy" type of patterns that are always a cheaper price, I never pay full price for a pattern. I check the pattern companies catalogs online and make up a "wish list" of patterns that I want to make. Then, when the fabric store has their pattern sales, I buy the limit. For example, last week the store had the Simplicity patterns for $.99 cents each with a limited purchase of 5 patterns per customer. Joe and I each bought 5 patterns. Together, we were able to buy 10 patterns for less than the cost of 1 pattern at regular price!

Happy Sewing!

Sewing Tip

06:55, Monday, September 18, 2006 .. Posted in Sewing Room .. 1 comments .. Link

Did you know that WalMart and other stores that sell fabric will many times give away the cardboard that the bolts of fabric are rolled onto?

Each time I go to the fabric dept., I ask the employees if I can have the empty cardboard cores. They are more than happy to part with them! When I get my fabric purchases laundered and ironed, I wrap them onto the cores for storage until I am ready to use them.

Another tip is to get the clear plastic that the fabric dept. sells for covering tables. Cut a length of it about 16 inches wide. Fold one short end towards the other so that you have a pocket alittle longer than the cardboard core. Sew the sides to form a pocket. Tuck your fabric bolts inside the pocket and tuck the remaining flap in to keep your fabric clean and dust-free. If your fabric bolts are small enough, you can fit more than one into a single pocket.

Enjoy!

Sewing Spree

10:48, Thursday, September 14, 2006 .. Posted in Sewing Room .. 0 comments .. Link

Yesterday, I went on a sewing spree. Joe's parents watched Abbie for the afternoon so that I could get some diaper covers sewn. My order for the water barrier fabric had arrived so I wanted to get a jumpstart in making them.

Between the sewing I did yesterday and also today, I managed to sew 2 snoods, 4 veil-type headcovers, 2 aprons, 1 quilt-block pin cushion pillow, and about a half dozen diaper covers. I had planned to get more sewing done, but had a wonderful surprise. Joe was able to stop by the house for dinner tonight and then spent the night before leaving at 5am tomorrow morning to make his delivery. It feels so good to have him home during the work week. When he leaves in the morning, they will probably run him alot of miles. The company he works for likes to have the drivers get as many miles as possible. So, he will most likely not get home for the weekend until either late tomorrow (Friday) night or sometime Saturday morning.

Tomorrow, I am going to try and get more sewing done. I am having so much fun with it. I am finding it to be very relaxing. I have alot of fabric cut to make a patchwork quilt. I am going to start on a crib quilt. I have a bunch of polar fleece that I am going to use for the batting. That should make a really warm and comfy quilt for her.

My Sewing Notebook

12:14, Tuesday, August 29, 2006 .. Posted in Sewing Room .. 2 comments .. Link

I mentioned in a previous blog that I have a sewing notebook. I started keeping this only recently, but already love it. I wanted a way to track all the aspects of my sewing projects. Here is what I am putting into it right now:

* All the information about my sewing machine. Brand, model number, serial number, etc. I am also listing all the attachments, presser feet, and such that I have for the sewing machine. Some of the presser feet will take alittle more time since I have to research and find out what they are first. All I know is that this is an older model Kenmore that had several presser feet with it when I received it.

* Sewing shops in our area: directory of the shops that sell parts or repair sewing machines.

* Fabric shops directory: These are the shops that I can drive to. We live in a very rural area, so shopping trips are well-planned out day long outings. This list will help me to locate a shop in whatever city we happen to be in that day.

* Mail Order: directory of businesses that I mail order fabric, patterns or other sewing related items from. This also includes internet stores.

* Current projects: I keep a record of the projects I am going to be working on. What I am making, if a gift - who it is for; fabric used with a swatch of each fabric; where fabric and supplies for the project were purchased; cost; pattern information; and any notes I may want to make about the project (construction tips, over all critique)

* Free idea sheets from the store: these are placed into sheet protectors and if I will be making them soon, I put them in the notebook. Otherwise, the idea sheets are placed in the appropriate file in my filing cabinet.

* Sewing Supplies Inventory: These pages are pretty self explanatory. Fabrics pages include the fabric content, date and place where purchased, price per yard, and a sample swatch. If I have already bought a special thread for that fabric, I give the thread reference info (brand & color number) for quick reference. Threads also have their own pages. I record the brand, color name and reference number (found on the end of the spool), where purchased & price. I do similar sheets for all the other items such as buttons, snaps, velcro, bias tape, ribbons, elastic, lace, ruffles, etc. I also will have separate pages for quilt battings, interfacings, and fusible webbing.

* Online Resources: Directory of the free patterns and projects that you find on the internet. You could list the project, website where you found it, etc.

There is probably alot more things that you can add or adapt to make your own sewing notebook. As I mentioned, this is a recent addition to my notebooks collection. You can add sections for items you make to sell, gifts for upcoming holidays or special events, etc. You can also include a picture of the finished items. Another idea would be to put together a quilt page that has the information and swatches for all the fabrics used in that quilt. This, along with a photo of the finished quilt would be great if you should ever want to make another one like it.

One of the best parts of having the notebook is that I am able to carry it with me to the store and make my purchases. I avoid making duplicate purchases and am able to find coordinating embellishments, threads or buttons for my sewing projects without having to bring the fabric with me. I already have the swatches in the notebook. Another advantage is that if I ever had to send my beloved to pick up some more fabric for me, I could send along the pages the fabrics are recorded on and between the information on the page and the swatch attached, he can get the exact fabric.

Have fun making your notebooks. I hope that the ideas here will inspire you and help you in organizing your own sewing supplies!

Sewing tip for multi-sized patterns

02:12, Wednesday, August 16, 2006 .. Posted in Sewing Room .. 1 comments .. Link

I have been making clothing and other items for my family and thought that I would add sewing tips to the blog from time to time.

My daughter is 5 months old. Most of the patterns that I am using for her are multi-sized with her current size being the smallest in the package. To eliminate the problem of having to purchase multiple copies of a favorite pattern, here is what I am doing:

When you purchase your patterns, purchase some heavy iron-on interfacing and some tissue paper (or pattern paper) at the same time. I trace the pattern pieces in the size needed onto the tissue paper. I store the original pattern in it's envelope. Next, iron on the interfacing to the back side of the traced pattern pieces. Let cool, then cut out. These become my working pattern pieces. I store these in a gallon-size baggie with the pattern information written on the baggie. Inside the baggie with the pattern pieces, I also have a recipe card with the fabric yardage and notions needed. I take that card with me to the store.

You can also make index cards with fabric swatches of fabrics you use alot. On the card, I record the fabric fiber information, where I bought it, price, etc. I iron on a sample of that fabric onto the card also. These make it SO convenient when I need to purchase more of a specific fabric. Especially when my beloved is helping me look for fabrics. I can hand him the card and he knows exactly what to look for. This is also helpful in that I am able to write down the information for matching threads etc.

These cards can be stored in a recipe file box or in a 3-ring binder using the photo album refill pages with pockets sized to the recipe cards.

My sewing projects never ends.....

10:45, Tuesday, August 15, 2006 .. Posted in Sewing Room .. 2 comments .. Link

Today, we had more rain which kept the temperatures cooler than they have been in recent weeks. What a blessing! Even though the temps reached the high 90's, it still felt better that the 100* + temps we had before.

Last night, my beloved was able to come home for a few hours. He was on a delivery that gave him more than enough time to stop by the house on his way through and still make his appointment this morning. We were able to have dinner together, watch a DVD and then get some sleep before he had to get up and start down the road. While he was watching the DVD, I baked him a batch of one of his favorites: peanut butter cookies to take on the truck with him. He emailed me tonight to let me know that he has been enjoying having them to snack on. It was such a blessing to have the house cool enough that I was able to bake those for him. I have missed baking breads and such. Not having air conditioning (with the exception of the small one in our baby's bedroom) has made it hard to do any baking. The house never is cool enough to be comfortable with the kitchen oven in use. I am enjoying being able to bake now in the early morning or late evening when the temperature is cooler.

Today, I worked abit more on our bedroom. Joe is going to be putting a large table in there to give me a place to sew and work on my crafting projects. Mainly the sewing for now. The room gets pretty hot during the day, so I only work on it alittle at a time. We have discovered that the heat causes my Fibromyalgia to flare up and cause pain throughout my entire body. In the cooler times of day, I am noticing that I am more pain-free. I am also not having to take medication or use linoments on the painful areas nearly as often when the temps are cooler. I will be interested to see how winter will be this year. Joe is already talking about making sure next summer to have more air conditioners in the house or some type of cooling system so that I won't have the problems with pain that I have had this year.

I have been sewing more of the cloth handkerchiefs for Joe and I. I am also going to try and learn to crochet a border of lace onto mine. I found a wonderful 100% cotton fabric at the store that is extremely soft once it is washed. I may go back and buy more of it this week. Joe is using the cloth and kerchiefs alot right now on the truck. We both prefer them in place of the paper tissues. He also is using them to wipe off the sweat from his face and neck after tarping or strapping down a load on his flatbed trailer. Come winter, we will both be using them alot. We have found that your nose doesn't get as tender and sore as they do when using the paper tissues.

My other sewing projects have been making more headcoverings and also some boxer shorts for Joe. I also have fabric set aside for making Abigail 3 more outfits and a flannel crib quilt. A friend of our is restoring a baby crib to give to us. What a blessing! Abbie has out-grown her bassinet, so the crib will be a wonderful gift.

I have been searching for modest dress and skirt patterns. I want to make my own clothing as much as possible as it costs so much less to make your own!   I have found patterns for clothing for Joe and Abigail, which I have ready to use. Recently, I finally found a couple of places where I have been able to find the type of clothing for myself that I have been wanting to make.

"Buckaroo Bobbins" (http://www.buckaroobobbins.com) is a business that sells both patterns and premade items.   They specialize in historical western clothing (old west style) for both men and women. Many who wear their clothing styles are people who do re-eneactments. Their patterns are historically correct. One pattern that they sell that I am going to be ordering is the women's "Frillies" pattern set. It is basically the patterns for camisoles (with or without sleeves); petticoat and panteloons. I love this set! I already have a similar set for Abigail that I bought from McCalls (#M4505). Only thing her set includes that mine won't have is a full slip. I will be easily able to adapt the patterns in the Frillies set to make the full slip though. Buckaroo Bobbins also has a prairie style dress called the "Overland Trail Dress" that I am considering. The dress has 4 variations and also comes with 3 variations of aprons to wear over it.    I love this dress. I have worn one similar to it before and they are very comfortable. The only change I make is to make a straight skirt instead of having the wide ruffle hem.   There are many other patterns available for both men and women. My beloved also loves the true western style of clothing. For him, I am wanting to order the patterns for their Trailblazer Shirt, Vest, Range Coat, Broadfall Pants, Western Heritage Shirt, and the Gentleman's Frock Coat. Joe and I have a DVD (Trace Adkin's Video Hits) and Joe loved the western style clothing Trace wore in several of the videos.   Several of the patterns I listed are similar to the clothing in the video. It is my goal to have enough patterns for each of us, that I can make all of our clothing, with the exception of the jeans that Joe has to wear when working at his job.

Abigail's clothing is jokingly referred to by some people as looking very "Little House on the Prairie" in style. I have a pattern (Simplicity #4262) that includes a dress, bloomers and hat. I didn't like the way the bloomers ride up the leg, so I removed the elastic to turn the bloomers into panteloons. I may add a longer length of elastic to gather the legs slightly. I am going to add alittle lace to the panteloons to dress them up abit. I am also making her a dress from McCalls #2053 which has a short sleeved dress variation. I will have the panteloons under it. The Simplicity pattern can be used to make a pinafore to wear over the McCalls dress. My next pattern for her is going to be an actual Prairie style outfit that has the underdress, pinafore, panteloons and sun bonnet.

There is alot of sewing projects ahead of me. I still need to get the winter clothing sewn for Abbie and I. Also some clothing for all of us for when we go to church or on outings. I am also needing to make window quilts, a quilt for our bed, Abbie's flannel crib quilt, and a quilt for my beloved to use in the sleeper of the truck. I think that if I had nothing to do except sewing, I would still be busy until winter! I am enjoying it though. It gives me such a feeling of accomplishment to be able to make my family's clothing. I am so grateful that I had people in my life who encouraged me when I was growing up to learn to sew and also the other homecraft skills that I was taught. I remember the first sewing machine I ever used was my Grandma's tredle machine.   I will always have a soft spot in my heart for those days. I actually miss using a tredle machine sometimes.

Sewing again...

05:09, Wednesday, July 26, 2006 .. Posted in Sewing Room .. 2 comments .. Link

Today, I got more sewing finished. I am so excited. I was able to finish an outfit for Abigail to wear to church on Sunday and also made her a little scarf covering. I am also finishing up sewing some table linens for our kitchen. My next projects are another outfit for Abigail and also a quilt.

I am still working on getting the house organized. It is amazing to me just how long it takes to turn a "bachelor pad" into a family home. LOL My beloved has things stored here in the house that belongs to other relatives who had lived here years ago. Sorting through everything and trying to find a place to put it all is a challenge. My in-laws are going to bring me 3 clothing racks that they no longer have a need for. It will be such a blessing to have "closets" for our things. Our home, like most homes from the 1890's, has no closets. A previous owner had put in a tiny one in one bedroom, but that one is not large enough for all of our things. We also have no storage such as built-in cabinets. We are having to watch for bookcases at yard sales and such to bring in for storage.

I have been working on a few rooms of the house. I have been surprised at just how long it takes to turn a "bachelor pad" into a family home. Praise be, my beloved is very open to any changes I make. He only has one simple request. When he gets home from the road, give him the "guided tour" so he knows where I have put everything. LOL

I finally finished a little mini scrapbook for him to have in the truck. It is a little book of sorts that I did up with lots of pictures of him with Abigail. The page titles are things like, "I love it when Daddy dances with me". I have a couple of pictures of him holding Abigail in his arms and dancing with her. In the journaling, I have written about how each day when he is preparing to leave for work, he puts on a music DVD and then slow dances with his daughter. I also have numerous other layouts of him taking care of her and playing with her. One favorite picture that I have was one taken the day after Abigail was born. Joe had fallen asleep on the spare bed in the hospital room with Abigail laying across his chest and sleeping. I am going to surprize him with the album this weekend.

Well, the evening is coming on, so I need to feed and carry water to the critters. Until next time......

Sewing and gardening

05:32, Monday, July 24, 2006 .. Posted in Sewing Room .. 0 comments .. Link

Another weekend has passed by. My beloved is back in the truck starting a new work week. It felt so good to have him home. He got in early Friday evening, in plenty of time to be able to have time with Abigail before she went to bed.

I am so blessed with my beloved husband. This weekend, he saw me wearing a scarf for the first time and not only liked the way it looks, but it very supportive and encouraging me in my desire to cover. Saturday, we ran errands & did the shopping we needed. While we were out, we went to a fabric store. I needed to get enough fabric to make a large scarf for my head covering. The fabric was less than 1/2 price, so my beloved told me to buy enough for 4 scarves. He even helped choose the fabrics, once he saw the weight of fabric I needed. I then got matching embroidery floss so that I can sew a decorative edge on the hems of the scarves. My beloved suggested that we go back to the store another day to get enough fabric to make some skirts to match the scarves. Since the weather has been so hot, I have used a piece of flannel, wetted down, as a cover for our daughter to help keep her cool. Joe saw her wearing it and thought she looked adorable. I suggested the idea of making little covers for her out of the leftover fabric from my scarves and he thought that would be great. He supports the idea of my having headcovers for her to wear. Once she is older though, we will allow her the freedom to choose whether or not she wants to continue wearing the cover and will support her decision.

We also started talking about next year's garden. We have been very pleasantly surprized by the growth of the gourds I had planted. The 3 plants are huge and producing very well. I am going to keep quite a few of them to make into planters and other items for our use. I am going to save the seeds also for next year. We are planning to plant 3 types of gourds next year. A fairly large amount of each so that I can sell them next fall. There are not many places here in our state that grow gourds and sell them. I would love to give it a try and see if that will earn alittle extra money in the fall. I also will be painting some, maybe doing some carving and also beadwork on some to sell as gift items at local shows or online.
Right now though, I am still sewing and also doing my consultant work, selling scrapbook and stamping supplies for Close To My Heart.

Today, I am going to try dehydrating some cantelope and making some homemade spaghetti sauce to can. My in-laws have given us several cantelopes from their garden. Also some watermelon and tomatoes. I am going to dehydrate the fruit to make snacks for my beloved to take on the truck with him. I found a fairly easy to build solar food dehydrator in the current Mother Earth News magazine. I am thinking of building a couple of them to put in our yard. The designer claims that you can dehydrate most foods in 1 day if you have a full day of direct sunlight. Foods that are full of water, such as fruits, might take 2 days of direct sunlight. The dehydrator is very easy to build and use, so I may go that route with my garden also next year. As things ripen, put the surplus in these solar dehydrators and then just bag up or put into containers the dried harvest.

My last planting of squash and cucumbers are growing well. They are nearly 8 inches tall and seem to be growing quite fast. You can see a difference in their size each day. I should be able to start harvesting off the plants by the end of August. That will give me plently of time to have a good fall harvest season.

With luck, I will be able to get a couple of boxes built for the garden next weekend. I am hoping to be able to get at least 2-4 built and start making them ready for planting the winter garden: broccoli, brussel sprouts, onions, garlic, lettuce, cabbage, etc. With them planted in the boxes, I can easily make covers to form mini green houses to protect the plants when the weather gets cold this winter.

The garden boxes will be about 4' wide by 6' long and about 8"-10" tall. In the bottom of the box, you place some dark plastic such as the large black trash bags. This helps prevent weeds from growing up through the box. You also can place some poultry mesh (a type of fencing that has tiny square openings) to prevent gophers and such from burrowing up from the bottom and eating your veggies. A cheap recycing idea would be to put pieces of old carpeting in the bottom of the boxes. It would allow the excess water to drain out, but would kill any weeds or grass growing under the garden box. If you don't have old carpeting, just check on Freecycle.org to find your local group and ask for the old carpeting. On top of this, you place your soil mix. To help keep weeding at a minimum, you can either put down more black plastic on top of the soil or use a thick layer of mulch.

The mini greenhouse covers are simply lengths of fencing wide wnough that when attached to the boxes, it forms an arch that is tall enough that the plants don't touch it. The easiest way to use them is to cut the long sides of each cover to that you have the wire ends that can be poked into the ground. You then, place them so that the wires are stuck into the soil along the inside edge of the boxes. Next, cover the wire frame with a sheet of clear plastic and attach it with clips or twist ties. This will keep the soil warm enough to protect the plants against frost. In the early spring, if you are wanting to get a head start on the garden, you can cover the soil with the clear plastic or the mini greenhouse covers to help heat up the soil before planting.

God Bless.

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