more Rallying for Roma

My mom saw my Facebook page post on Craft Hope’s Rally for Roma and wanted in on the action. She doesn’t get to sew as much as she would like so she took the opportunity to make a couple of quick blankets while stash busting some fleece.

She wasn’t sure what she’d bought the fleece for originally, but it was possibly to make something for my brothers. Either way it ended up as these awesome blankets for the people of Romania.

I love the satin blanket binding she used (purchased at Jo-Ann Fabrics)and will have to keep it in mind for future projects. Both blankets look lovely and got sent off earlier this week.

I’m so glad my mom has joined in on my charity sewing endeavors. We may be hours apart but crafting keeps us close!

P.S. My vintage sheet bag giveaway is still going on at The Vintage Sheet Blog, so check it out!

vintage sheet tote giveaway

My 150th post (!) on Photosarah Crafts is to let you know about a giveaway I’m sponsoring on The Vintage Sheet Blog.

If you’d like a chance at this blue and yellow tote bag with vintage sheet scallops and handles, swing by and check it out!

I’ll be blogging about the making of it and where its twin went soon.

And stay tuned for another giveaway I’ve got planned!

Oliver + S bucket hats

Recently I’ve been cleaning out my downloaded patterns on my computer and organizing the patterns I’ve printed out over the last year or two into a binder. I found a number of baby and child patterns and have started putting them to use. I’d printed this Oliver + S bucket hat pattern and wanted to make a hat for the boyfriend’s nephew and decided to make one for little Emma (now 2!) while I was at it.

For the first hat I used yellow gingham and a thicker blue mystery yard sale fabric. It’s the same combo I used for the matching baby shoes.

I went with the no hand sewing method and it came out pretty well. I used a fairly thick interfacing for the brim and it’s not very floppy so I hope it looks okay on a head. I’m looking forward to seeing it on the baby (who should be here in the next few weeks!).

I used a floppier interfacing for the brim of Emma’s hat and decided I didn’t mind a bit of hand sewing. I almost wished I had gone with machine sewing about halfway around the brim since it seemed to take forever, but both ways have their advantages and disadvantages.

Both the green and purple fabrics are remnants. The green fabric previously made an appearance as a nursing cover.

Emma’s hat will be sent off once I’ve gotten the rest of her post-birthday package together. So far I’ve made two tops, cut out a dress, and might throw in a pair of shorts to boot. Sewing for little ones is just too much fun!

sweater (vest) bag

I made another sweater bag for Amanda, this time out of a sweater vest I found in her Goodwill donations months and months ago. I’ve had it finished for awhile but didn’t get a chance to give it to her until this week. It was her birthday a few days ago so it all worked out.

I used the same tutorial I’ve used many times before. (See my previous creations in purple, yellow and green.)

I hacked apart the shirt before I’d thought through was I was going to do with it; a sweater bag once again prevailed.

I did remember to take a picture before I started chopping.

The vest had a deep v-neck so it made a fairly shallow bag.

I turned a bit of extra fabric into a pocket for the inside.

And used black satin for the lining.

The handles were originally made for the purple sweater bag before I found a lighter lining for it. I’ve been holding on to them until another bag came along that needed them. I used black fleece for the insides of the handles and black broadcloth for the outsides.

So this is the fifth sweater tote I’ve made so far. I don’t have any more sweaters in my possession, so if I do make another one it won’t be soon. I’m still on a pretty big tote kick, so look for more (not made out of sweaters) this summer!

Rally for Roma hats and scarves

I used a bunch of smaller balls of scrap yarn to crochet hats for Craft Hope’s Project 21: Rally for Roma. Stash busting and charity crafting, two of my favorite things

I first paired up my balls of yarn the way I thought I would use them, but ended up switching around many of the colors as I worked.

I used a beanie pattern from a project where crocheters made hats for Sandy Hook students. It seemed fitting with the spirit of the charity project and was exactly what I was looking for: something simple that would allow me to make stripes with my scrap yarn without looking messy or unintentional.

I used leftover Homespun yarn from my mom’s afghan to make a sixth hat for Romania using the Einstein Hat pattern.

Then I remembered some fleece I had in my stash and made three scarves to add to the package. I just sewed two long rectangles together around the edges, turned them inside out, and topstitched.

So here’s how my package for Rally for Roma ended up.

I passed the goods along to my mom to send off. She’s still trying to get some blankets to them before the deadline.

baby boat shoes and pants

I’ve started making baby things for the boyfriend’s nephew and I can’t stop. I found this pattern for baby boat shoes and had them done two days later.

before the toe piece and detail stitching

I frogged my failed array cowl and used some of the yarn for these shoes.

I realized later that the toe piece is supposed to be sewn on top (not in line with) the front of the shoe so mine look a little less like real boat shoes. I think the detailing helps you tell what they are supposed to be.

I had to read the directions carefully at times, especially when I was doing the flaps for the ties, but it’s a great pattern. I’d definitely recommend it.

I also made a couple pairs of baby pants from some fabric that my mom’s friend gave me. (Yay for more boy appropriate fabric!)

I used Rae’s Basic Newborn Pant pattern and tutorial and the pants were done quickly. I chose lightweight fabrics for summer; I think they’ll go great with a onesie and be a quick summer outfit that still provides coverage from the sun.

He’s supposed to be arriving in just under a month!

jeans mending

The last post was about adding a zipper to jeans. This one is about saving a pair that have been with you for awhile.

I think holes from years of friction only happen to jeans without spandex in them. This pair is my go to comfy weekend pair and has been for the last few years. They didn’t have holes but they were wearing thin, so I took some preventative measures before these jeans became awkward to wear.

I followed Suzannah’s tutorial and put interfacing on the inside then stitched over all of it to hold the interfacing in place. I used blue thread for less visible stitches and a triple stitch on my sewing machine so I wouldn’t have to sew back and forth as much. I think I even have mending stitches on my machine, but I stuck with what I knew this time.

close-up of side one. I started with white thread but it stood out too much.

close-up of the second hole. The blue stitching really blends in.

A simple fix. I was worried that the interfacing would be uncomfortable, but I used the recommended kind and it’s comfy. I wore these jeans most of last weekend and didn’t even think about the repaired area. I’m still being quite productive offline, making more baby clothes for the boyfriend’s nephew and summer stuff for Emma, so those things should be appearing soon.