~ Friday's Favorites ~

 

I am here today to introduce my "Friday's Favorites" (if Oprah can have them, so can I).

Each Friday I will post something I think is useful, interesting or just plain fun - not necessarily sewing related. 

It may be my favorite recipe, blog, book, sewing notion, outfit, movie, pattern, etc. for that week.

You get the idea.

 

 For my very first Friday Favorites post I have two favorites.
 

 My all time favorite would have to be my Mother's Day gift from Mr. Fisherman back in 2001.

My Husquvarna Designer 1 sewing/embroidery machine - of course!

I remember telling him I didn't want it because it was just WAY too expensive.
Lucky for me, he refused to return it.
It took me about a day to realize it was worth EVERY SINGLE penny he paid.
She is now 11 years old and I still love her just as much as I did the day he bought her.

My second favorite this week happens to be in this picture also.
I am not sure exactly what to call it, but it's "sew" handy.

For now, I will call it a sewing maching caddy.
This one is made using prequilted fabric, store bought bias tape and reinforced vinyl I ordered from
 Nancy's Notions. You don't have to use the vinyl, but it sure helps to see whatcha got in your pockets at a quick glance.
No pattern necessary.
All you need to do is cut a rectangle large enough to fit under your machine and enough to hang over for your pockets. Round all four corners of your rectangle to make sewing the bias easier and quicker. Cut a strip of vinyl the width of the caddy for your pockets and trim everything out in bias tape. Easy as that!

Hope you enjoyed my first Friday Favorites post.


Linking today to:
http://thecreativeitchboutique.blogspot.com/
 

Looks like the problem is fixed.



Thank you, Blogger.

I am now able to load photos again.

 

Yay!

 

Not being able to post any photos lately gave me time to check out every single page of my new Colette Sewing Handbook and check out LOTS of cool (new to me) sewing blogs.

 

Drooling over Reading through my new Colette Sewing Handbook has really sparked my interest in sewing clothes again.

 

The last several years I have gotten into embroidery and sewing things other than clothes.

 I am so ready to start sewing clothes again.

 

While checking out other sewing blogs, I came across several posts about these patterns by Sewaholic.



 

~ The Pendrell ~

 



 

~ The Renfrew ~

 

 

~ The Alma ~

 

They are a bit pricey but I think you could get MANY different looks from just one pattern.

All the reviews are really good on these patterns.

 

 Have any of you tried these, if so, how did you like them?

 



Please bear with me....

 

 

Or help me if you can....

 

I am getting so frustrated!

I have not been able to post any pictures on my blog for the last several days.

 

I sent the following e-mail to a few of my blogger buddies which were also not familiar with the whole Picasa Web storage issue.... 

 

 For the last week when trying to post a photo on a new post it takes me several times of uploading it before it will work. Now it tells me I have run out of space in my Picasa Web album???? Okay, I will admit I am pretty blogger illiterate – I had no idea my photos were being stored in a Picasa album and that my free 1GB storage would run out.

I have tried going through the help sections for both Blogger and Google and can’t seem to find an answer. Have you run out of photo storage? Was I silly for thinking my blog and Blogger would always be free?? I realize Google is offering me an upgrade for more storage and it’s only $2.49 per month, but I wanted to see if this was something I HAVE to do or if there was another option. Do you have any idea? I have never heard any bloggers mention this before.

 

I am a bit puzzled...one of my blogger buddies has been blogging many more years than me and has posted WAY more photos and has never gotten anything from Picasa to say she has used up her FREE 1 GB storage....

I logged into Picasa Web and noticed it not only had 10 copies of some of the same pictures in my albums, but had numerous pictures I have never even posted on my blog. How in the heck did that happen? I deleted about 30 duplicate pictures and still am unable to post.  I will be the first one to say I am not so blogger, computer or Picasa savvy, but come on.... I can't get any answers as to what is going on.

 

If you can give me some insight, pleeeezzzzz do.... 

 

Finally out of a cast...

... and into a boot.



Doctors still won't let me put any weight on it for another two weeks.

No problem.

 I have learned to sew with my left foot, sew I am "good to go"...

I made this easy little checkbook cover for a friend.

 

Easy, easy, easy.
Just use the old plastic cover as a pattern, lay it out flat, trace it, and add your seam allowance.

Don't forget to make your pattern for the inside pockets to hold the checkbook and checkbook register.

I added iron on fleece to the outside cover before stitching her name to make it stiffer.
 I sewed three rows of stitches where the checkbook would fold to make it easier to fold and stay closed.

You can see here, it folds over and stays closed very nicely.

I didn't make an actual  tutorial on this little checkbook for two reasons..
.
1) - Most of you now carry a debit card instead of a checkbook.
2) - In my current condition, it's way too hard to sew and take pictures.

If you would like to make one and have any questions - just ask - I will be happy to answer.

Happy Thursday!
 



Still celebrating my birthday...

 I just received THE sweetest birthday present in the mail today.

Danise (our daughter) sent these goodies with a note saying Oakleigh (my grandbaby) wanted to send me flowers for my birthday, but since the flowers couldn't fit into an envelope, they picked out a magazine and treats (see below)  to eat while I am out of commission.
They also sent a Starbucks gift card for when I am able to get out again.
 I can't wait to use that Starbucks gift card.
 Danise knows I LOVE Starbucks, but I am waaaayyy too cheap to buy it for myself.
(Perfect gift Danise).

One word of caution.....

Never mail M&M's in a manila envelope!
Too funny, but they still tasted WONDERFUL...

Making it an even more precious gift, Miss Oakleigh wrote "mimi Happy Birthday" on the envelope herself.
How cute is that? 

Thanks guys, for such a fun and appropriate birthday gift!
I love ya'll.

No more question...

Which dishtowel is for drying your hands and which one is for drying dishes?

I don't own a dishwasher (by choice) so, in my kitchen we have one dishtowel for drying hands and

another for drying the dishes.

I was looking for a quick and easy project to use my new bias tape I made using my

 new bias tape maker.

I started with a couple store bought dishtowels I had on hand.

I think this brand is from Target?

I first sewed my bias tape around all four sides...

 mitered the corners...

 added a little embroidery...

and now there is NO question on which dishtowel to use for what job...

Thanks again, Mr. Fisherman for the cool birthday gift.



Linking today to:
http://www.thegunnysack.com/
http://sewmanyways.blogspot.com/
http://www.sewcando.com/
http://www.iheartnaptime.net/
http://www.brassyapple.blogspot.com/
http://thecreativeitchboutique.blogspot.com/

~ Simplicity Bias Tape Maker ~

When the Simplicity Bias Tape Maker first came out, I wasn't so impressed.

After all, all it does is fold and press your precut bias strips.
I wanted something that would cut bias strips, sew them together AND fold and press.
I have an iron and an ironing board so why in the heck do I want to spend that kind of money on another iron??

Well...

Of course, I still have to cut and sew together my bias strips, but....

 WOW...

  has it saved me about an hour of ironing time AND saved my fingers from numerous burns!

It literally takes just seconds to press and fold yards and yards of bias.

I LOVE it!

I can't stop !!!

Not only is it less expensive to make your own bias tape, but it's
 WAAAY cuter than store bought too!

Happy Birthday to me!

Check it out....

Mr. Fisherman gave me my birthday present a week early!

Truly, I think he gave me my birthday present early to keep me entertained since I am still pretty limited to a chair...

 or this thing...

I broke my leg in a way I was not able to have a walking cast so this is my new knee walker.

But, hey...

I won't need it for awhile cuz I've got books to read and a bias tape maker to play with!

Thanks Mr. Fisherman.

I am, once again - a happy girl!

               

Leopard print fabric...

 I just can't seem to resist it.

I made this mirror and matching pouch a few years ago.

(please excuse my mirror smudges)

The mirror and pouch were all sewn on my embroidery machine.

Cool huh?

I purchased the design from here.

The mirror fits perfectly in its matching little pouch...

folds up nicely...

and fits in my matching leopard print bag.

Just keep in mind when using leopard print ladies; no head to toe leopard print.

 A little leopard print goes a very long way.

Linking today to:

http://thecreativeitchboutique.blogspot.com/

http://mineforthemaking.blogspot.com/

Bibs and a burp

As you can see from my last post, I am not able to do much sewing right now so I thought I would take a few days and share some past projects with you.

 When we found out we were having our first grandbaby I could not wait to get started...

We had no idea at the time if it would be a boy or girl.

Mommy and Daddy's last name is Peele, so Mr. Fisherman decided to call the baby "nann'r".

~ as in nann'r (banana) peel (Peele) ~

 Get it?

 (banana peel)

Anyhow, here is what I came up with.

Thank goodness the name didn't stick!

We now call her Oakleigh.

Linking today to:
http://www.somewhatsimple.com/
http://thecreativeitchboutique.blogspot.com/
http://mineforthemaking.blogspot.com/
http://sewmanyways.blogspot.com/
http://www.brassyapple.blogspot.com/