I went for drama with floor-to-ceiling simple panels (my favorite kind of window treatments–I’ve never been a fan of fancy drapes–strange, I know, when you consider my collection of accessories…).

Now I need some cool iron tie-backs.

They are lined with blackout fabric (50% off at Jo-Ann’s last week), which really keeps it dark in our room. This also makes the panels extremely heavy; we will need a new curtain rod (see how it bows?).

Don’t they look good? As I look at them, I keep thinking I need to make a quilt in black and grays for our bed…

Love,

Tiff

P.S. I have a little bit of fabric left over for throw pillows for the bed…or a new quilt.

Here’s the anchor fabric.

Little Red Riding Hood quilt panel*

Here are the coordinating fabrics.

fun!

Jeanette once had me edit a paper she wrote about the story of Little Red Riding Hood, and I remember that she dressed as Little Red for at least two Halloweens. Therefore, I thought this theme would be appropriate and appreciated.

This forest fabric is from the same collection as the panel above:

Little Red's forest*

Forest creatures.

see the wolf?+

More forest creatures.

so cute+

Owls.

I love the trees and shamrocks+

flowers for grandmother`

more flowers for grandmother^

forest foliage+

Little Red's basket`

red gingham`

I tried to use as much green as possible since Jeanette suggested a green and brown quilt. The little forest creatures are adorable, and I hope they will be accented well with the flowers, leaves, basket, and gingham prints.

I plan on doing a simple disappearing nine-patch quilt top in order to complement the anchor fabric and keep those squares whole:

Little Red

Little Red picking flowers

Grandmother's house

Bad wolf!

I like the cartoon-ish quality of my prints. I think it makes the dark story a little lighthearted and cute.

It will take me a while to start/do this project since I still need to finish Brendan’s quilt and I want to take a break from quilting to work on sewing clothes. However, this fabric is too cute not to work with; so don’t worry, Nette, I’ll get it done!

Love,

Tiff

The fabric is from Jo-Ann’s`, Wal-Mart^, The Fat Quarter Shop*, and Bug Fabric+.

colors

neutrals

Love,

Tiff

Strawberried Peanut Butter M&M's

Love,

Tiff

pretty bag!

The adorable fabric came from Jo-Ann’s.

little mushrooms

The pattern is Simplicity 2685. There are two pockets that are utilized between the shell and the lining. One pocket is indicated in the pattern, and the other pocket was added by yours truly.

I chose to make the band and handles contrast, unlike the pattern directions. That brown polka dot fabric is also the lining of the bag. The big wooden button came from Wal-Mart and was picked out by Brendan. He really has a good eye and I’m often thankful for his help/suggestions.

big button

The bag has the most adorable pleating on both sides.

pretty pleats

more pretty pleats

I love my new bag. I’m ready to buy more fabric and make the other styles in the pattern!

sew beautiful

Love,

Tiff

Brendan: Grill Master

so cute!

so delicious!

We went a little crazy and bought twelve chicken breasts, steaks, brats, and hot dogs. Our freezer is fully stocked and ready for summer barbecues.

Love,

Tiff

the baby's stash

I made two bibs that button on the side. The fabric and buttons are from Jo-Ann’s.

bibs

back of bibs

The bibs are two layers of fabric and quilt batting. They should be absorbent for drool and spit up.

Most of my sewing was to embellish burp cloths. I purchased cloth diapers and several fat quarters of gender neutral fabric.

towel and burp cloth

burp cloths (love the heart appliqué)

I like the tea party

Hello Kitty

The Hello Kitty burp cloth is maybe my favorite. I love the appliqué heart and the red binding (left over from my advent calendar). The ribbon came from the dollar section of Target. Or maybe this one is my favorite:

clowns!

Jeremy hates clowns. This way his baby can spit up on the clowns! The clown material came from Wal-Mart. Only $1 a yard, can you believe it?

Not only did I sew for Baby Bowman, but I also used my cross-stitch skills. I stitched a little duck on a onesie.

After those projects, I needed some way to use the rest of my fabric. And what better way than a patchwork Scottie dog?

Scottie Dog!

Isn’t he so cute? What a perfect home for my baby scraps. I hope that Baby Bowman likes it. I’m also in the midst of crocheting a little blanket for my niece/nephew.

Love you Baby Bowman

Love,

Tiff

What, you don’t wear heels and pearls in your kitchen?

I bought the blue towels from Target (2 for $2.50).

The potholders and oven mitts are also from Target (and at the same price).

Brendan has already been warned that the potholders are purely decorative and he is not to touch them.

The oven mitts are for actual use.

The white towels were purchased plain at Big Lots in a pack of five. I embellished them with fabric from Jo-Ann’s and some pink rickrack.

Mom gave me the pink and pastry-printed dish towels for Christmas. I added the rickrack to the solid pink towel for some  interest.

I now have quite the towel collection.

The magnetic cupcake paper tablet is from Target ($1) and the super-cute magnets are original Jeanette Bowman’s. She did some custom artwork for me for Christmas. They look so cheerful on our fridge.

I made the curtains this weekend with adorable fabric from Jo-Ann’s. I picked it out when I went shopping with Mom and Jeanette the day after Christmas. (Thank you Mom Sullivan for the gift card.) I’m very pleased with how well the curtains turned out. I was able to cut straight and accurate lines with my new cutting mat, ruler, and rotary (Christmas present from my darling husband). My curtains are actually lined, too. The rickrack looks like icing and finishes the hem quite nicely. Brendan and I were reminiscing about the ridiculously misshapen and poorly constructed curtains that I had made for our first apartment. (Does anyone remember those?) We both readily agreed that these are infinitely better.

I framed a piece of the fabric with a similar rickrack embellishment for a piece of art!

Yes, my walls are painted “silver berry”–also known as purple.

This picture is actually a greeting card that I purchased from Target for $0.99. “How sweet it is” indeed.

I still haven’t decided where to hang it.

This apron is from Jo-Ann’s and Brendan gave it to me for Christmas. I love it. It’s a simple panel where you cut out the pieces and stitch.

Of course, I had to embellish it. The squiggle borders needed rickrack.

And why have printed buttons, when you can have cupcake buttons?

I have towels, curtains, potholders, magnets, and art . . . and finally:

The amazing cupcake cookie jar is from Wal-Mart! (Only $12!) It makes me so happy. I have a giant cupcake sitting on my counter at all times! How can anyone look at it and not smile?

I still want new rugs (did you see the current sickness in the first photo?) and I would like a brown or turquoise soap dispenser for the dish soap to complete the theme (and I, of course, would not turn down any other cupcake cuteness that I come across in the future), but I’m very pleased with my results.

Isn’t my husband so sweet to let me decorate a room in such a nauseating motif?

I’m hoping that the overall cuteness and cheerfulness will motivate me to cook more.

Love,

Tiff

P.S. I may need rickrack rehab. I’m obsessed with it now and have to stop myself from putting it on everything.

machine cover

I brought my machine to Ohio so that we could sew. Mom and I agreed that I needed a cover for it, especially if I am going to be transporting it for my sewing circle. The machine has a handle and we created a bag with overlapping flaps that the handle of the machine fits through.

I bought this fabric from Jo-Ann’s with the gift card that I received from the Sullivans.

quilted fabric

We definitely “winged” this project. Mom made some measurements and cut some rectangles.

side panels

Mom sewed with her Kenmore:

vintage 1979

to make a cover for my Kenmore:

Kenmore 15408

We both received our Kenmores as Christmas presents. Mom got hers from my dad on their first Christmas as a married couple. Mom bought mine for me for Christmas the year before Brendan and I got married.

Mom did most of the sewing; I did the finishing touches.

me sewing

The cover design is really quite clever.

1. Place machine in bag:

step 1

2. Fold over flap, inserting handle through the super-long buttonhole:

step 2

3. Fold over opposite flap, inserting handle through buttonhole again:

step 3

4. Zip up the sides:

step 4

Notice the darts on the side to keep it from gaping open.

5. Button it up to keep the flap down:

step 5

It’s so cute! I didn’t really write up a tutorial since every sewing machine is different in dimensions. It’s a basic box bag design and took a little bit of trial and error. Mom and I just brainstormed and kept our seam ripper handy.

I sewed the pocket, side darts, buttonholes, and buttons.

I'm having fun!

I can’t wait to travel in style.

Love,

Tiff

]]> http://www.sullivanrealm.net/2009/12/30/sewing-machine-cover/feed/ 0 http://www.sullivanrealm.net/2009/11/22/christmas-fabric/ http://www.sullivanrealm.net/2009/11/22/christmas-fabric/#comments Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:28:51 +0000 tiffany http://www.sullivanrealm.net/?p=306 I am loving all of the Christmas fabric in the stores. I have purchased some from Wal-Mart, Hobby Lobby, and Jo-Ann Fabrics.I don’t really have plans for all of them, I just couldn’t pass them up.

Gingerbread Houses

I’m not a huge fan of all the yellow, but I’m a sucker for anything gingerbread related. This swatch came from Wal-Mart.

Awesome Plaid

Sorry for the poor quality of the picture, but you may recognize it from an earlier post (“Fabric Chain Garland Tutorial“). From Hobby Lobby, I originally bought this fabric for my advent calendar (work in progress), but I went in a different direction. Brendan and I still love it. Any suggestions?

Christmas Music

Also from Hobby Lobby, this Christmas music fabric is beautiful and it’s part of the advent calendar I’m working on right now.

Green and Gold Holly

Gorgeous fabric from Jo-Ann. I love it. I’m using it for my advent calendar. It’s kinda tricky to work with, but I think I’ll manage.

Christmas Cupcakes

My absolute favorite: Christmas cupcakes from Hobby Lobby! This picture does not do it justice. The sweet polka dot background and little touches of blue and pink are perfect. The fabric is even glittery! I think I’ll make an apron out of this.

I spent my Saturday drooling over the Christmas fabric I purchased and fantasizing about the prints that didn’t come home with me. Brendan, on the other hand, went out shooting again.

Brendan

He’s so cute I’ll share another:

Brendan with the SKS and Mossberg

Not present: the CZ (it’s in a bag that I am carrying out to the car). Brendan’s growing arsenal went out to play Saturday afternoon.

Love, Tiff

P.S. Any suggestions for the plaid and gingerbread fabric?