I need to avert my eyes from cute fabric sites. I am in Love with Amy Butler's new Love fabric. Just gorgeous. I don't need more fabric. I don't need more fabric. I don't need more fabric...

Today and yesterday I have been working on catching up my mending and designing and sewing up and Easter basket for one of my kids. 1 down 4 more to go LOL. I had so much fun whipping this up. Over the New year I won a blog giveaway from Paula Prass of her gorgeous Woodland Delight fabric. It is so nice and cheery and perfect for spring! Thank you Paula.

OK now onto the pictures. Here is the finished basket. I will try and write up a tutorial at some point in the future. It's an easy project and only took 2-3 hours with cutting, pinning, Ironing and sewing. Oh and speaking of Irons, I won one from Sleepytime Sewing this month while I was in hospital! Couldn't come at a better time since my iron is on it's last legs. It's also time for my machine to take a trip to the sewing machine doctors. I broke a needle the other day and now the stitches aren't as nice and straight as they used to be.

OK I'll shut up already. LOL Pictures... I am going to do large ones for the front entry to store all the hats ect.

Oh and as if I didn't have more then enough projects I came across this tutorial by one of my favorite people and now have to make one of these too.

I mentioned at the beginning of this week that I just had to try this tutorial and make a tent for my youngster's impending 2ND birthday. I have, and she absolutely adores it as do her siblings. I have a couple of suggestions. Use thicker/heavier thrifted sheets and tack the sheets at the bottom somehow. As soon as I find a good way I will let you know but I am thinking of closing off the channel for the pole at the bottom so they don't slide out.

I used the $4 sheets that I found at my local Walmart. Unfortunately they were microfiber and such a pain to sew with, not to mention they run and pulled like crazy. I will be making another with a thrifted sheet that is thicker and hopefully stiffer, or a light weight denim. I used wooden dowels and they work well, I do however have to get DH to drill the holes but a ribbon is doing an admirable job of holding the poles together. All in all a fun easy project. I completed it in one morning with a minimum of fuss. Definitely give it a try. :)

And this was the lovely winter weather that was going on. Thought that tree was going to come down it was so windy.

If you make this project stop by and leave me a link. I would love to see your versions!

Wanted to share my new living room curtains too. I bought these on clearance at Walmart, but they weren't quite long enough. I took out the seams that were for the rod (you can still see then, I haven't ironed yet), took scrap silk and made tabs, sewed it all together and Voila! Now they are perfect. Ignore the ugly trim and paint, we are waiting until spring then going to paint everything a sage color :D

 

Skirt Tutorial time!!

Alright, I can now upload pictures!!! Here it is, if you have any questions leave a comment with your email addy and I will help. This is for a reversible skirt but I will post where you can skip if you want a single layer.

First I always draw what I am hoping to achieve and figure out the math. I was a bit off on this so it's not a true circle skirt. I need a giant protractor. LOL. I made each panel 3.5 widening to 5.5 (includes 1/4 inch for seams) and 12.5 inches long. and the waist 40 x 2.5 again including the 1/4 inch seam allowance. Click pictures for larger.

Make a template. I use white tissue for this or fliers if I have them around. Cut out 13 panels, more if you want a fuller skirt.

Sew each panel together right side facing right

Until it looks like this

then iron iron iron.

See how much nicer it looks?

I like either finishing the seams with a zigzag or a straight stitch like this. Gives it a nice french seam look, although it isn't a true one.

Now if you are making a single layer skip down to adding the waist band.

if you want reversible do all of the above steps with the lining fabric until you have this...

Then pin the 2 skirts together right sides facing

Sew them together using a 1/4 inch turn right side out.

iron

top stitch

If you are doing a single layer turn up your hem and stitch too. :)

Now for the waist. Take your strip of 40 X 2.5 and sew the short ends together so you have a tube.

In one side to the top of your skirt. At this point you can make adjustments to make sure the tube is the same length as around the top of the skirt. I often have to shorten by 1/2 an inch for miscalculations. LOL

Sew all 3 layers together, go back over with a zigzag.

This is how it will look when you are done

To finish it and make a channel for the elastic fold it 1.4 in

then again so it lines up with the row of straight stitches you did.

Pin pin pin

Sew all the way around leaving an inch or so to feed an elastic through. Sew the elastic together and then close the seam.

Then Twirl!!

Please leave a comment telling me what you thought :)

Julia

At the end of last week I was lucky enough to win a fat quarter bundle from Robert Kaufman on twitter. I was thrilled and excited, b/c it was a fabulous girly bundle perfect for my girl filled house!!

I couldn't wait to cut into all this yummy pink goodness and decided that my youngest was going to get a new skirt. The older ones will get one too, but I like starting small. LOL.

This is how she likes keeping busy. She is really good and never puts them in her mouth but she likes taking out the colorful ones and lining them up.

She loves her new skirt and hardly stood still long enough for me to snap these pictures. She is wearing a petti skirt under it in in the first picture.

The skirt turned out great and is reversible if I want it to be. I love it!

YAY!!!! My small SlingRings came in on Thursday and I couldn't wait to finish up the Melrose Blossom bag I had mostly finished. Look for more of these bags in my Etsy shop in the coming months. Here is the finished bag :)

For those that are interested the original bag made of Pod posies fabric is now for sale for $50 + shipping. It has some minor sewing flaws that are only cosmetic. If you want one of these bags I am accepting orders too. Just drop me an email at nugglemama . hotmail . com (no spaces) The bags will retail for $68 USD Happy Friday.

Blog Sponsors

If anyone is interested in sponsoring my sewing blog please drop me a line at nugglemama {dot} hotmail {dot} com I would love to have the opportunity to feature fabrics and patterns and post lots of pictures of course. Thank you!

Julia

I had a crafty Saturday with the kids. Did you? I helped the 3 older ones make Nintendo Toad stuffies out of acrylic felt. They still want bodies but I kinda like them this way. I also whipped up a few scarves for the girls with fleece I found on the clearance rack. I even have enough to make an extra one for each. The last thing I worked on was my entry into the Sew Mama Sews Valentine's day contest. If it's a random drawing I have a chance of winning. LOL Not bad for my first time hand embroidering. My hands ached so bad by the time I was done, darn arthrosis. But it was fun and I think I will make one for each the kids since they aren't too hard and my kids love handmade gifts. Oh you want pictures? OK. ;-)

Oh and this is where I hung the wreath I made over Christmas. I love looking at it.

Have a great Sunday everyone!

I promised pictures, lots of pictures and here they are. First up my over Christmas goodies. Moda Birdies charm packs, Moda Caroler Jelly roll (total score on eBay! yay me) and glace desert roll add to that my new Martelli rotary cutters and tweezers and you have one happy me!! As you can see I have a bit of a thing for Moda fabrics. I am still trying to track down a figgy pudding jelly roll at a sale price so I can make a table runner  for next Christmas.

Next is the purse I have been going on about the past few days. I had an idea for a bag swirling around in my head for months but never actually too pen to paper, Finally 2 days ago I sat down, drew a rough sketch and dove right in, winging it as I am prone to do. The first take was about 2 times bigger then what I had in mind and would have made a better diaper bag then purse. Since I have only one left in diapers and she is training I figured it was time for a mommy purse and I started take two. This was the result. I didn't want to use my good fabric for the first go so this is lined with a heavy canvas. Next time I will go bag to lighter denim. Canvas is a pain in the neck to pleat! I will be making a purse roll to go inside. I need a way I can easily transfer stuff between all my bags. It is adjustable, the rings are small sling rings and safety tested to infinity. I know for sure this will hold anything and everything I need without coming apart. All seams are double stitched or triple in some places. I didn't show it but I even added little snaps to the bottom so the fabric doesn't touch the table. Like mini feet. I still need to box stitch the straps.

Enjoy!

I just entered my felt food and my barrett holding into the 2010 Handmade Olympics!  Wish me luck. :) I also entered a great friend and an awesome sewing mama Jessi of Bratsacks.

Sorry about the tutorial. I suck LOL. It ended up not quite working as planned but I will still post how I went about it and how I messed it up. I just have to find time now to upload the photos. Today I was having fun with my new rotary cutter. Before Christmas I ordered a pair of Martelli rotary cutters. I was considering getting Gingher cutters until I saw this video. I love how it is ergonomic. The lovely Bethany helped me make my purchase through the US site since the Canadian distributor was unavailable. These things are amazing!!! They cut like a hot knife trough butter and are so easy on my hands and wrist. I highly recommend them both for amazing customer service and amazing product. Next up on my list of things to get is the no slip strip ruler and a large cutting mat. :) Hope you have a great day.

On a side note I urge you to clock over to my parenting blog and click on one of the links in today's post to donate to disaster relief in Haiti. My heart and prayers go out to them.

So sorry that the tutorial is still not forthcoming. Life has once again taken over and I have no time. I thought I would share with you all a page from my 2 oldests comic book. They spent a good hour or two putting it together and still aren't done. Enjoy and I promise to post more when they are done. I love that my kids can spend hours with paper and crayons and be prefectly content. <3

You have probably noticed that there is a new header gracing my page. i am not sure if I should go with that one or if I should use this one? What do you think?

Leave me a comment please and tell me your choice. :)

Night.

I am currently working on a tutorial for a reversible Kitchen Aid  Stand mixer cover. (yes it's my new baby) and little bags for storing the accesories so they don't scratch the bowl. Although my pastry cutter already did that grrrrr. I need to look into plastic ones. Patience will pay off :) Probably tomorrow. LOL.

Success!

As you can tell the kids loved the gifts I made them, even the baby thought the play food was da bomb! Another year done and lots of wonderful memories made. Please add your link to homemade gifts in the comments. I would love to see them!!