Annie's Easter Dress McCall's 5292

Annie made her Easter dress this year.  She selected McCall's 5292 and a lovely purple seersucker-type fabric.  She chose to make the top design, without the bow on the strap.

She set out to construct it mainly on her own.  We are always challenged by the sizing.  We selected the size closest to the bust measurement and then added to the waist measurement.  Annie sews in her "loft" studio (I'll share it someday) so she completed the bodice on her own, with a little instruction on how to understitch.

When she had her first fitting, discouragement set in.  Whereas her coat fit perfectly, she was swimming in the bodice.  Furthermore, because of the wide-set straps, they were too far apart.  She also decided she didn't care for the large, shaped straps.  So what followed?

Discouragement

Desire to give up

Hating sewing

Wondering why we sew

I understand the feeling all too well.  I have been there many times before and am currently struggling with my other daughter's prom dress.  When you sew, or perhaps knit (but that is a much slower craft) you have the excitement of planning the project, then starting.  You get the overwhelming desire to complete it.  When you hit a road block, you may have the desire to quit.

I encouraged Annie to put it away for the night.  Making modifications at 9:00 PM is not a good idea!  The next day we ripped out part of the understitching and removed the straps.  She adjusted those to a size she likes and then we pinned them in the proper position.  We decided we could take in the bodice along the back.  So back to the machine she went.

I encouraged her to baste the skirt to make sure she liked how it fit.  We took out some excess fabric along the back.  I helped her with the zipper.  (And I simply s*ck at zippers!  There is always a lot of puckering.)

Annie decided on the length and the end result?  Pretty adorable.  She found a cute pair of wedges (that did NOT have a 3-inch heel)  from Old Navy for $10 that complemented the outfit perfectly.

Lessons learned?  Fit periodically, especially before understitching!  Mistakes don't equate to failure.  And finally, keep on trying....

Customer T Shirt Quilt for a Young Boy

I recently had the opportunity to create a quilt for a customer's young son.  She wasn't sure the T Shirts would be large enough to fit my typical 12-square quilt because some shirts were sized 4-6. 

A bit of creative cutting and sewing enabled me to fit the shirts nicely.  In the Nasa tee above, you will see part of the sleeve in the square.  In the soccer shirt blow, I stitched some extra fabric into the "v".

The customer had no color preferences and gave me creative freedom to select the sashing and background fabrics.  I take my shirts to the fabric store and lay them out on the cutting counter.  I then try all possibilities next to the tees.  For this set of tees, it was a difficult decision between a soccer motif and these colorful starts.

I opted for the stars since there were a number of shirts related to space and also because the colors of the stars helped tie the various tee shirt colors together.  I selected a somewhat bright royal blue fleece for the cozy background.

I was thrilled that my customer and her son were happy with the quilt.  I was particularly thrilled since this was my first online customer. My previous quilt sales were via word-of-mouth in my community.

I am proud to share her feedback:

"Thank you so much!! I could not wait to give my son the quilt! It was amazing! He is sleeping with it as I type. Thank you!"

Great Travel Totes

I made this Vogue 8407 tote a few years ago.  My neighbor loves it so much she commissioned me to make several more that she is giving as gifts.  She loves them for when she travels because she can stash her essentials in all the pockets.  The pattern isn't difficult but the picture on the cover is so dark you cannot really see how to place the fabrics.  It always takes me some time to figure out which side (the main fabric or the contrast) goes where!

Quilting For Cancer

Many of you may be familiar with Relay For Life.  The Relay For Life is simply a way for people to come together to raise money for the American Cancer Society.  Last year was the first time I participated in a Luminaria ceremony and it was so lovely.

Annie, my 14 year old daughter and owner of Pink Paintbrush is participating this year with some friends.  Her team page is here.

To support her team in this wonderful cause, I am offering some ways to translate your purchases at Maiden Jane into a donation.

First, I will donate the proceeds of the next ten sales of my T Shirt Quilt Pattern to her team.  Graduation season is upon us.  I am knee deep in T Shirt Quilts!  They are a fantastic gift for high school grads.  What teen do you know that hasn't collected a ton of tees?  Use this easy-to-follow pattern to create a unique gift for your favorite grad.

There are two ways to participate.  If you would like to make a donation directly to her page so that you will have a record of the donation, please visit her team page.  The minimum donation is $10.  Once you make a donation, please email me at maidenjane (at) gmail (dot) com.  I will then email you the T Shirt Quilt PDF Pattern.  Since the selling price of my pattern is only $7.50, you can also "donate" by purchasing the pattern from my Etsy shop here.  When you purchase the pattern, make a note that you want the proceeds to be donated to Relay For Life.  I will then make the donation in your name (if you prefer.)

Perhaps you have a baby on the way or know someone who is expecting a baby.  Make an adorable Daddy T Shirt Quilt with one of my kits.  I will donate $15 for each of the first three quilt kits purchased.

For my knitting friends, I have some wonderful pattern magnets that I made but no longer sell in my shop.  I use these magnets to keep my place when following a pattern and love using them!  If you make a $10 donation to the American Cancer Society via Annie's page, I will send you two pattern magnets.  I have a limited number available, so please contact me prior to your donation.  You can see the colors below:

There is no obligation to participate or donate.  Please know that I appreciate all of my blog readers!  If one of these items interests you or you were planning to buy it anyway, then it is my hope that you can enjoy a quality product and the knowledge that your purchase is helping the American Cancer Society.

I realize I have laid out several options for you.  If you have any questions, please contact me first.

maidenjane (at) gmail (dot) com

Annie's Relay for Life Page

THANK YOU!

A "Mess" of Nothing I'm Making

What's that beautiful thing?  It's supposed to be Calorimetry.  I have had this gorgeous, hand-spun skein of yarn (I won it!) sitting in my basket for ages.  I was inspired to make Calorimetry during a recent road trip because I thought it would be a quick, simple project.  That, it is.  However, I am frustrated at the results and what you see is the beginning of my ripping back.

I made a gauge swatch and it came out spot on.  I worked diligently and was binding off when I got home.  I tried it on in the mirror and - egads - it's way too big - both in width and length!  It is not intended for me, but for my daughter.  I thought it would be really cute to wear around the college campus.   I'm mad that I didn't read the notes on Ravelry - so many people had the same problem.   Oh well, another lesson learned....I've learned many over these 40-some years!

See that tangled mess of knitting?  That's not so fresh off the knitting machine!

OK, I have one successful project!  Inspired by the amazing pin cushions Liz was making, I used this pattern to make this gift for my niece.  I need to make some more for myself!

 

That lovely crepe de chine (silk) is for my daughter's prom dress.  I need to get a move-on!

Stylish Blogger Award

A big thank you to Jacque Pierro for awarding me the Stylish Blogger Award.  First of all, check out her amazing shop where you will find silk screened textiles designed into handbags and pillows.  Really unique items!

To play, I share 7 things about me:

1.  I was the valedictorian of my high school class.
2.  Thirty years later, that doesn't mean a darn thing!
3.  My husband was the valedictorian of his high school class!
4.  I believe smart women have to find a husband who is smarter than them (very difficult!)
5.  I let my husband think he is smarter than me!
6.  Both my husband and I are a bit "Type-A."
7.  I don't take myself too seriously, and hope you don't either!

I am supposed to nominate blogs, but I'm just going to say if you would like to play along, consider yourself nominated!  If you leave a comment and/or a link I will be sure to check back with you and your blog!

Meet Liz - She's Living the Sweet Life!

One of the great things about blogging is that I have had the opportunity to meet wonderful, creative people!  I have enjoyed watching Liz of Living My Sweet Life grow as a sewist in the little time that I have known her.  I forgot how we met (via blogging) but she reminds me of me back in the day when my kids were young.  She is a young mother that enjoys sewing as a hobby.  I remember learning to sew - mostly on my own - when I got my first machine - which was when my oldest son was born.  I loved the long nap times and early bed times.  They were productive times!  (And then the teen years arrived....but you all know that story.)  It seems that Liz is always creating fun and new things.  She inspired me to try mug rugs and pin cushions - just a few of the adorable things she has been cranking out. 

I turned to Liz to test-sew my "Daddy Quilt".  She did a superb job and I am so appreciative!

How long have you been sewing?  blogging? 

I’ve only been sewing for a little over a year! I always wanted to learn  how to sew and I have always been very into crafting. Christmas 2009 I wanted a Kindle and my husband (who knows me so well!) asked if I wanted something else since he knows I love to collect real books and a kindle probably would rarely get used with me. So I asked for a sewing machine because I thought he could get a good one for under $150 (d’oh, wrong!) and I would finally get to learn how to sew! My husband went to a local quilt shop and got talked into spending way too much money on a Christmas present BUT he got me a wonderful machine that I will own for a long time! (It’s a Babylock Grace if you’re wondering!)

Who taught you?

I am 100% self taught!! I read MANY blogs, and watched 100’s of youtube videos. In the beginning I made so many mistakes! I was afraid of threading my machine, I was positive I was going to sew my finger, I thought a needle lasted forever... I should have taken a class, but we don’t have much disposable income and classes in New York are expensive, so I have been teaching myself and learning so much a long the way. I don’t know anyone who sews, so I can’t even have a friend or family member sit down and help me thru a difficult project. I have to rely on the internet to help me out, so far so good!

What's your favorite thing to sew?

Bags and Quilts. I have made about 20 bags (just for myself!) I love making quilts! There is something so wonderful about looking at a finished quilt and thinking “WOW I made that!”

Did you take classes?

Nope, see above!

What are your favorite sewing books and blogs from which you learn?

S.E.W. Everything Workshop is one of the books that made me a more confident sewer in the beginning. I also loved my One Yard Wonders book (I still do!)

Now my 2 favorite books are The Practical Guide to Patchwork and I <3 Patchwork. I am constantly flipping through them!

What sewn item are you most proud of making?

My first quilt. I made everyone admire it. I was SO excited when I finished it. I even free motion quilted it myself (yikes!) I gave it away to a dear friend for her lovely little girl. I am very happy it went to a good home!

What kind of sewing machine do you have?

I have a BabyLock Grace, A-line Series. I haven’t had any problems with my machine and I use is  A LOT! (almost every day!)

Why do you blog?

Honestly, I was a very lonely SAHM and I needed an outlet. I live in New York City (one of the burroughs ;) ) where it is considered very young to get married at 22 and have your first kid at 23. I was the only one of my friends with kids, even my friends in their mid 30’s had no children.  I am turning 27 in 2 weeks and believe it or not I’m the youngest at nursery school drop off. So making mom friends that I have a lot in common with has been tough! Blogging was a great way for me to connect with others who have similar interests as me!

Do you enjoy other hobbies?

I like to read and I like to dabble in paper crafts... I DO NOT like to scrapbook. I don’t have the patience!

Tell us about your Etsy Shop.

It’s very small! lol I have big plans for it and by this summer I hope to have it running as a full blown shop with lots of goodies. Life kind of got in the way of etsy shop plans for a while, I spent a while fighting for my youngest son to get into a speech therapy program (he got in, yay!) and now I have 2 weddings that I am a bridesmaid in and a craft fair coming up. So after I finishing hosting the next shower I am hoping to fill up my shop!

Do you work and/or study outside the home?

No, but I do have plans on working again once my youngest goes to kindergarten. (Or maybe I’ll go back to school)

Are you a small town or big city girl?

Big city girl... I grew up in tiny apartments, I live in a tiny apartment now... BUT I have a backyard. It’s about 8x10” and my kids can run teeny tiny circles all over it. I tried to garden last year and I did a great job at killing 75% of what I grew. Oh and whenever I see a bird that is not a pigeon I get excited “OMG DO YOU SEE THAT BLUE BIRD?!”  If we are taking a drive upstate and I see a farm I get all excited also “Look!!! Cows!! Horses!!! SHEEP!” 

Favorite vacation spot.

Disney World, my husband and I spent 10 days there on our honeymoon and it was amazing. I don’t think I will every grow up!

Fondest childhood memory.

When I was 9 years old my mom threw a birthday party for me in our apartment. She NEVER let me have friends over (she was embarrassed about how small her apartment was, we lived in an area where a lot of kids had nice houses) So it was such a big deal for me to have friends over! We hot glued plastic jewels onto barrettes and had pizza and cake. It was awesome.

Who would you like to be for a day?

Anne Boleyn (just not the day she died, that would suck.) I have a crazy fascination with her life.

Best advice on raising kids (or boys).

Mommy time outs. Sometimes I need to close my eyes and walk away... Like right now my 3 year old is standing next to me repeating over and over “ Mommy, I want to brush my teeth” very Loudly. And he brushed his teeth THREE times already and it’s only 8:30AM!! He likes to brush his teeth... lol

What's your favorite chain type restaurant?

Outback Steakhouse... mmmmmmm cheese-fries. 

What things are unique to where you live?  As in special customs, favorite restaurants, slang, etc.  (I love to find the unique things of an area when I travel. So much of the US is homogenized - Anywhere USA).

I live in Queens, NY. It’s a burrough of NYC. Queens is the home of  the NY Mets, we are the most diverse burrough and we have some of the best restaurants. I live in a section of queens that is definitely more suburban then the rest of the city. Where I live we have a very large Italian/Irish, Greek and Asian population. So the restaurants  where I am are pretty awesome. My oldest son attends a Catholic pre-school (and at drop off you hear a lot of parents speaking Italian) When he gets into the older grades instead of learning spanish like most other schools he learns Italian. I definitely have a queens accent (Remember the TV show the Nanny? Like her only I don’t sound nasally  and it’s not as exaggerated lol) 

Favorite candy.

Hershey Kisses, I am a sucker for them.

Your scariest moment?

When my little guy was 7 months old I was taking him to my moms house so she could babysit him. It was raining and I was walking up a slate walkway and a slipped. I will never forget the sound his head made when he hit the ground. I had to call an ambulance and I was panicking.  He ended up being OK and we were released a few hours later. I guess I am lucky that that was my scariest moment!

What helps you when you are in a bad mood?

Chocolate... more specifically hershey kisses!

Use one word that best describes yourself.

lazy? ;) lol ok, maybe indecisive... It takes me forever to make a decision, I have to make sure I am making the perfect one. And then I 2nd guess it.

Thanks, Liz, for giving us the opportunity to get to know you a little better!  Keep on sewing!

Just an Old Bag

Spring is on the horizon.  You wouldn't know it from the temperatures here!  These are just the "rental" skates, getting ready to be packed up until next winter.

Although we are wrapping up the high school musical, we are looking forward to graduation plans.  My how this year is zipping along!

In the hopes that summer is, indeed, actually going to arrive some day soon, I have been busy adding items to my Etsy Shop: 

New Shell Seeker Bags:

Mod Dots

Bright Stripes

Blue Stripes

Polka Dots

Large Tote

Large Geometric Tote

Oversized Beach Totes:

Oversized Geometric Tote

Oversized Watermelon Tote

And who can resist zebra stripes?  This is my newest taffeta stash bag:

Taffeta Drawstring Bag

I'm not the only one thinking bags!  My Twitter friend Cinders Says gave my Oversized Beach Tote Tutorial a try.  Here is her fabulous bag:

She went on to create an IKEA bag.  Check out here entire post here.  I was wondering if I was the only person who has never been to an IKEA?  (I told you I'm not the hippest girl in the shed.)  But when I had a look at the bag, I get the idea!  I have been brewing a similar idea for a laundry bag.  I am thinking of writing a tutorial for it.  Check out Cinders Artfire shop for some unique accessories!  Thanks akaCinders for sharing your bag with me!

I guess we're a couple of old bags!