Sewing by Ti - red, white and pink blog tour

Today is my turn on the Sewing by Ti, Red, White and pink blog hop.   I decided it would be fun to do some doll clothes. A great idea for a little girl in your life for Valentine's day.

I got in touch with my friend Erin over at www.averylanesewing.com and was able to get some patterns from her. I have some of her patterns and thought I would see what was new.

I choose to make this Lindsey skirt and tee shirt. So, I got a skirt all done and realized this was to be red, white and pink. Oh no!!!!!!!

So, I got another one cut out and a top.

There were supposed to be more, but due to me not being a planner kind of person, they did not get done. However, I can tell you that these are very easy patterns, the instructions are well written, and they do sew up fast. 

Erin has a lot of variety on her website, and she even has a book for helping children learn to sew doll clothes. That would be an awesome Valentine's gift for a budding seamstress, wouldn't it.

I have her e-book, Doll Days, and I will be doing a review on it. I will be making more outfits from her patterns, and will share even more doll clothes. I am not sure what day I will do this, I have some other things going on. However, I will do a post in a few days sharing all the things I have coming up. So, please follow me, so I can hopefully inspire you.   And yes, beginning now, I am going to start being a planner kind of person.

Please check out these bloggers all month long to get inspired. I know there will be lots of fun things.

Let's get inspired!
February 1st: Sewing By Ti (intro),  Mahlica Designs
2nd: Sewing With D
3rd: Sewing With Sarah
Sunday, February 4th: Tenille's Thread
5th: My Heart will Sew On
6th: Kathy Kwilts and More
7th: Stitched By Jennie
8th: EYMM
9th: With Love In Every Stitch
10th: The Bear and the Pea Atelier
Sunday, February 11th: Our Play Place
12th: My Sewing Roots
13th: Margarita on the Ross
14th: Very Blissful
15th: Seams Sew Lo
16th: Sew Sew Ilse
17th: Aurora Designs
Sunday, February 18th: Sewing Scientist
19th: Manning the Machine
20th: The Fairy Dust Bin
21st: Hazelnut Handmade
22nd: Kate Will Knit
23rd: Lulu & Celeste
24th: Flaxfield Sewing
Sunday, February 25th: Twinado Alley
26th: Ma Moose
27th: Auschick Sews
28th: Oak Blue Designs

Sunday Lately - feeling, dancing, praising

Today is my day to co-host Sunday Lately. The theme for today is Feeling, dancing, and praising. Sunday Lately is a fun group of bloggers sharing their things they love to do.  It is hosted by www.wildandwanderful.com/blo/2018/02/sunday-lately162

Feeling: today I am feeling grateful. Grateful for the ability I have to sew and quilt, and be able to do things for my family. I also use my sewing ability in my job. I am a professional seamstress. I work for a place that I sew trade show and event displays. So, if you are watching the Superbowl today, you will see things that I had a hand in making. Any of the graphics that you see around columns, behind announcers, and such are things I have had a hand in. Likewise if you sell Lularoe or some of the other network marketing groups, more than likely I have worked on those things. I absolutely love it. I am also feeling joy. Joy in the fact that I have an awesome family. A family that enjoys the things I make for them. So, here are a few things I have made.

A t-shirt for the youngest grandson.

Dancing:  I am not a dancer, but I do enjoy getting up and moving to some of my favorite country songs. One of those is the Brooks and Dunns classic "Boot Scootin' Boogie".  I do have a daughter who dances, she enjoys doing Ballroom with her husband.  She did Ballet and Jazz while growing up. I have two granddaughters who really enjoy dancing. 

Praising:  my children for being good parents. My oldest granddaughter just took 4th place at a spelling bee. It was with some other homeschooled kids and it was her first time. I am proud of my children and their spouses. 

As I wrote this post, I can't help but feel thankful for all that I have.   I have lots more posts coming up, both sewing and quilting related. I hope you will follow me  because there will also be tips along the way. 

What has you Feeling, Dancing and praising today? What kinds of things would you like to see on my blog?

Island Batik blog hop the four seasons

Isn't this fabric gorgeous?

This is the Sunflower Seranade collection. My season is summer, and I had a tough time deciding what to do.  I have always loved the churn dash. I found this pattern by Quilt District and I am doing a review on, which will be posted next week.

I have some of the blocks done, and I will get at least the top done by next week. Can't guarantee the date, though.


I have enjoyed this past year as an ambassador. I will not be doing it this year, as there are other things I want to do, and working full time, I can't do it all.

I am doing a giveaway for both posts. You will get some wonderful Batik fabrics. To enter you must be in the U.S. and just leave a comment below. 

The Juliet Leotard by Petite Stitchery

One of my goals this year, is to try some new things, and be able to learn new techniques. (This post may contain affiliate links. No extra cost to you, just a proceed of the sales, to help me buy more fabric, and share more makes with you.)

One of the things I decided to try was testing a leotard pattern.   This was fun to do. I have a granddaughter in dance and 1 in gymnastics and I thought they could use a new leotard.

I sent this to work with grandpa and my daughter and her kids went to pick it up. My granddaughter was ecstatic. She put it on as soon as she got home and her little brother (3 years old) said she looked beautiful.

I asked my granddaughter to share her thoughts with me on the leotards and here is what she said:
"It's purple and a little tiny bit sparkly. It's pretty and comfy and fun to wear. It's my favorite leotard. I really want to wear it to dance."

I told my daughter that I am pretty lucky to have the grandkids I do, because, they love the things grandma makes them.

About the pattern:  the pattern is very well written. It is a pdf pattern, and I love them. I get a really great fit with these patterns.  This pattern comes in baby and girl sizes.  Baby sizes are newborn to 24 months and you can get that pattern here https://petitestitchery.com/shop/baby-juliet/?promo_rep=43
And the girls sizes go from 2T -12.   You can get that one here https://petitestitchery.com/shop/girls-juliet/?promo_rep=43


The Fabric: I am not sure what the fabric is. I know it is a 4 way stretch and I got thumbs up because it is purple. Anything made with purple or yellow gets me a thumbs up.  I got the fabric from "The Cotton Shops" in Sandy, Utah.  They also have a location in Murray, Utah as well as Provo, Utah.


Well, off to make a few more of these for my granddaughters, including some for the newborn.

So do you have a dancer or gymnast? What color would you make for them? I would love to hear your comments.

Oh Sew Kat doll clothes blog tour Sugar and Spice

So, when your sweet granddaughter mentions to you that Abby (her doll) needs more clothes, you just get down to your sewing room and make them, right?  I do.

Hi. Welcome to my day on the "Oh Sew Kat" blog tour featuring patterns for 18 inch dolls. These clothes are so  fun and easy to sew.  This blog tour is sponsored by "Oh Sew Kat" and Seams Sew Lo. I appreciate them letting me be a part of this blog tour.   Please excuse the way my doll looks. She belongs to one of my daughter's and was loved and slept with.

I chose the pattern called "Sugar and Spice and everything nice". Of course that is what little girls are made of, right.

This dress only has 4 pieces, but there are other pieces that you can use to make more items. The dresses close with Velcro in the back.

I love these 18 inch dolls. They are fun to dress.

There are so many more fun clothes coming. Please check out my fellow bloggers and see what they have made. Also, be sure to enter the giveaway.
We are so excited about the Oh Sew Kat Doll Clothes Blog tour hosted by Seams Sew Lo! Please check out all the wonderful blogs on this tour below:

1. January 15th: Seams Sew Lo (Intro)
2. January 16th: Seams Sew Lo
3. January 17th: Kathy's Kwilts and More
4. January 18th: Sew Haute Blog
5. January 19th: Seams Like Style
6. January 22nd: Elli & Nels
7. January 23rd: Quilts by Joanne
8. January 24th: Granma Texas Sews
9. January 25th: Stitched by Jennie
10. January 26th: Sewing with D
11. January 29th: Our Play Place
12. January 30th: Cross Stitches Custom Clothing
13. January 31st: Hazelnut Handmade
14. February 1st: Dear Daydream

Do not forget to enter the Giveaway!!! a Rafflecopter giveaway

2018 quilting plans

 I have a couple of things I want to work on this year, related to quilting. 1 is to get better at quilting and the other is to finish the projects I have started.

The only way I know of to get better at doing something is a "p" word repeated several times. That word is PRACTICE.  Now to practice, you need some projects. Believe me when I say there are no shortages of projects in my sewing room.  By the time I get those projects quilted, I should be pretty darned good.

What I need to do is take inventory of what I have, make a list and include whow the quilt is for. I know I have quilts for my kids that should have been done for weddings, quilts for friends that were meant for weddings and quilts planned for grandkids.

Knowing this, I probably should not start new quilts. But I love to test quilt patterns for designers. So, I will probably do some testing, but learn to not do every test I see.

As I get quilts done, I will definitely share here on my blog. As I quickly count on my fingers, I have at least 12 waiting for me. I get easily distracted. I see something new I want to try.

This year, I am going to make a plan. I am going to focus on the task at hand and I am going to set aside blocks of time for working on my projects.  I also need to plan menus ahead of time, so that I can allow myself more time for projects.

So, with all that being said, I want to wish you a happy 2018, and I need to go down and get a quilt started. I have a granddaughter due on Jan. 2nd, and of all the quilts in my sewing room, none of them are for a little girl.

What fun things are you working on? I love comments.
 

My sewing goals and challenges for 2018

I love to learn and improve and i love challenges. So, for 2018 I have decided to do just that.   I have found some fun challenges that i think will help me to learn and grow as a seamstress.

The first challenge is a 52 week sewing challenge.  For this one, we have a different challenge each week. This will be fun. I will be making things for my kids, grandkids and myself.  So for week 1, we sew something warm. Thinking I will go with a fleece jacket for some grandkids.

The next one I am doing is a monthly sew a long challenge. For this one they give us a monthly theme and we sew whatever fits into that theme. So for January it is a coat, jacket, or poncho. I already have ideas for this.  The think with this one, is having a whole month, so if I want to tackle a coat or suit jacket, I feel like it is doable.

The next challenge is the "who made it best?" Challenge. For this one, we have quite a few and have shared what types of things we would like to do, then we team up with each other. We set our date to be done between each other. I like this one, as we can spread things out if need be.

For learning, but all of the above are learning as well, I am following a book called Design it yourself clothes. This book will take me through the process of drafting clothes, something I have always wanted to learn.

Blog hops.

I have a monthly blog hop that I will be doing. Sometimes it will be something that works from 1 of my challenges, sometimes it will be something different.

I will also be doing additional hops throughout the year.

Testing.
I love testing patterns for designers. I will also be signing up for some of those. Through testing, I can also learn new techniques, because testers are usually in a separate group, and we share techniques with each other.

The Plan
I know I have a lot going on, but I have decided the best way to accomplish these goals is to develop a plan. I will do cutting in advance, probably on a Saturday evening or Sunday evening.  I have put all of my events for January on 2 different calendars in my electronic devices  and will be putting them on a calendar that will be above my sewing machine.

I need to now decide how often I want to blog about these things. I am trying to decide if for the 52 week challenge, I should post weekly showing each newly completed item or if I want to do it at the end of each month.  As a reader, what do you prefer?  Please leave a comment below.

Oh, and future posts will have pictures.