Snap Towels for the Holidays

So in an effort to get caught up (I am probably about six months behind on posts since I am so inconsistent with posting... something I hope to change in the new year), here is a photo dump of things that I made in October of 2012 (WOW).

Halloween... my favorite time of year

For the longest time I have wanted to quilt. It just looked hard and I got frustrated just trying to learn. Today, I'm not sure what motivated me, but I basically said screw it. I'm going to give it a try. So I got out my fabric stash, too LM to JoAnns and picked up some more Halloween fabric. After he went to bed, I started cutting, ironing, sewing, and basically just flying by the seat of my pants.

I had ten different fabric prints. I cut out a 6" square out of each print four times. Sewed them in a pattern and viola. Then I cut strips of green with black dots (used all I had, which is why its only on the sides and not the top and bottom). I made it for my LM so I got out his animal quilt that came with his bedroom set (that we don't even use) to get an approximate measurement. This blanket is a little bit bigger, but I don't mind. He'll grow into it.



I'm positively in love with this blanket. I'd make a Christmas one if I had the time (this puppy took 5 hours. Seriously? I am slow...) and the fabric stash on hand.







All in all I'm pretty pleased for a project that I sewed blindly on, had no experience, and it something I've wanted to try for a very long time. Its by no means perfect (an experienced quilter would be horrified by some of my mistakes, I am sure!). However, I still find it stinking cute. I'm a long way off from those dozy of quilts that you at stat fairs and the like, but I feel that this is a good start.

Next Halloween craft (finished a few days ago) was a steal. I saw this Halloween fabric book at JoAnns back in July. I thought it was cute. I bought it on impluse. Sticker price said $8.99. When she rang it up? 99 cents. The lady at the register double and triple checked it, but it kept coming up as 99 cents, so that's what they sold it to me for. SCORE. Doesn't get any better than that.

New Summer Outfits (and one for fall)

I live in Arizona and it is CRAZY hot during the summer. Over 100 degress is just too darn high, so I decided to create some strapless tops and dresses. I used New Look pattern 6468. The same pattern I used to make this Butterfly Dress. I've got these dresses nailed down to about 45 minutes each, when I'm working on them nonstop.

This first one I did was made out of Candy Corn fabric:


A close up of the fabric:


The photographs don't due the justice fabric. I'm planning to wear this on Halloween morning when we're up in Vegas.

This next one is a black strapless dress. The fabric is black cotton with dark black (?) spots spread throughout it in a funky pattern. I wore this dress all day today and it didnt' fall apart so I guess that was a very good thing!




This next one is the same pattern but purple:


I plan to test out this dress tommorrow. Its a looser in the top because I didn't stretch the elastic out on the way on the top, so hopefully it'll hold up.


And a closeup of the fabric:


And finally a green tube top:

(and yes it was used, using the same pattern)



I have one more dress to make using the same pattern (red solid fabric) before moving on to cover jackets and a dress made for work.

I *heart* Halloween

I wish it was Halloween season all year long... especially after completing these projects. I hate to have to them away after October is gone...

First up is an apron. Nothing too exciting. I've just always wanted to try and sew one. I just bought the fabric and followed the instructions. Its's a Debbie Mumm design, I believe.

The ever necessary action shot...




The first pocket:


The second pocket:



A Halloween purse for ME:


I love this purse! I wanted to use candy corn beads for the handle but couldn't find them ANYWHERE. So I'll have to amek those out of Fimo clay when I get the chance. These handles will tide me over for this season though.


An inside look at the lining and at the snap:


Next is a tote bag that wasn't supposed to be a tote bag. It was supposed to be a purse. It came out HUGE. Oh well. Its got a flat bottom, a zipper, and I'm in love with the fabric. I use it haul all my stuff for work to and from. It works fantastic! I've loaded it with so many papers but thanks to the 20lb fishing wire and crimping beads this baby can handle the load!


The handles. Honestly, I had a REALLY difficult time coming up with handles for this bag that I liked.




The lining:


Both fabrics used is the tote above were part of those fabric quilters bundles you get from JoAnn Fabrics for about $10.00 a bundle. I had to buy two bundles to have matching fabric and now I have all this extra left over Halloween fabric that I can't wait to use.

The above purse was, also, another experiment to try and make the inside seams, seamless. It worked but the top part near the zipper is all cruddy. I'd rather just have seems on the inside of the bag. BUT, I love this one, all the same!

And finally, not Halloween, but throwing it in here before I forget about it:


I followed a pattern (Simplicity 2830) to make the smallest tote bag in the world. Man, this thing is SMALL. I bought the pattern to learn how to make flat bottomed purses. The pattern came with two sizzes (the above one is the BIG one). It barely holds one of those Banquet frozen meals in it, it is so small. BUT, I still use it to carry my lunch to and from work. It works.

Halloween Charm Bracelet

I bought the beads and the charms from JoAnn fabrics. They had more Christmas stuff :( than Halloween stuff but I worked with what they had... and I LOVE it.

Halloween Stockings

Halloween is my favorite holiday of the year. Each year I go more and more out for the holiday and it is with great sadness that we can't decorate our classrooms for Halloween. All the same, I tried these as an experiment and somewhere along the line they became my Halloween Stockings.

I saw a pair of fishnet stockings, somwhere, online that was knitted with regular knitting needles. I thought, hmm... I bet I can do that with a knitting loom... and I did!

The back of the socks, laying side by side. They are sewn up the backs with orange ribbon and tied up in a bow on the top.


The back in action


The front side of the sock. In the cuff of the sock I sewed in elastic to hold the socks up.


I do intend to write up a pattern/tutorial for it.