sewing Archives |

Sewing Easy Pillow Shams – Tutorial

November 8, 2017 By Laura 4 Comments

“Someday, I’m going to learn how to do that.”
I’ve got a list of things I’ve said that about. Doesn’t everybody? Do you? As for me, some of those things I’m actually working on now and then, and some are still sitting on the mental ‘someday list’, completely untouched. But learning how to sew, and run a sewing machine, is something I’ve actually gotten to! Oh, there is always more to learn, and I will. But my main motivation was simple: Pillow shams.

This girl loves throw pillows, as part of our home decor accents, as well as comfort. That include seasonal and holiday throw pillows. But seriously, I’m sure you could agree that there is only so much storage room available, for gads of interchangeable throw pillows. And the perfect solution to that, as far as I could figure, is pillow shams. I could just change up the shams on the pillows with the seasons and holidays! They would take up virtually no space at all, just folded nicely in a pile somewhere.

But first, of course, I needed to learn how to sew.

And I really wanted to learn how, using my mother’s Singer Fashion Mate (Model 237). It’s old, it’s ugly, and I’m pretty sure [Read more…]

A Countdown Pillow | Sewing

September 3, 2014 By Laura 6 Comments

There is nothing like using crafts as a coping skill! Sometimes, you need to. And that is just what the 3 littles and I did this summer. My oldest daughter, Alexis Grace, (17)(and the littles’/triplets’ big sister), went away for 2 weeks!! (To a summer Catholic Collegiate program.) Now, for some, 2 weeks may be no big deal. But for us? HUGE? Remember; for me, my kids are not away all day, most days, at school. My children are all homeschooled. I’m not even remotely used to this. We’re together most all of the time, except for extra-curricular kind of events. On the other hand, it’s not like my oldest has never been away. She has, numerous times. In fact, she’s away on a regular basis. 3-4 days at a time, with no contact, when she goes on retreats with her friends. But 2 weeks…. . And FAR away. Yikes.

It was a good thing. MANY very good things about it, that are now gifts for a lifetime for Alexis Grace. But one being, we all (she and us!) needed this trial run of her being away from home for an extended period of time. Because she’s a senior this year! Which means she’ll likely be off to college next year! So, we all had to give this separation-thing a temporary go.

This was the big-first, and well, needless to say, the kids and I…were struggling. I figured about a day in, that it would be fun to come up with a project the kids could make, that we could use to ‘count down’ the days until Alexis came home. And frankly, I needed a busy-project! The trio brainstormed, and came up with a few good ideas! But ultimately they settled on one of them:
a countdown pillow.
Something that would serve it’s purpose for us, but end up being a memorable gift we could give her, when she came home.
And so that’s just what we made.

Now, I am no seamstress. In fact, umm, <gulp!>, I have yet to truly learn how to operate a sewing machine.
However, I do have my mother’s old one. And I do have a husband who knows how to use it!
(See? When I say [Read more…]

Cocoa and Crafting

December 6, 2008 By Laura 1 Comment

We’ve been doing more crafting than usual around here lately, as Christmas gifts. I’m way behind in blogging about them, but in thinking about that I realized in a different light….they are Christmas gifts!! Surprise gifts, of course. Granted, the recipients,,,our extended family….rarely visit our blog. If ever. But, you know, they MIGHT. And we really don’t want to ruin their Christmas surprises. So…..I guess I just won’t post the finished products, until maybe after Christmas, and if anyone concerned visits and guesses what we made, oh well!!

So for one of our first projects a few crafting Sunday’s ago, we were discussing what and how we were going to do what we were going to do. The plan was to hand sew them, until my husband said,

“Well, why don’t we just bring up the sewing machine and figure out how to use it?”

(me) “WHAT? What sewing machine? We don’t have a sewing machine! ”

(him) “Yes we do. It’s downstairs in the basement.”

(me) “We DO?! Where did we get it?”

(him) “It was your mother’s”

After a moment of stunned silence and a confused stare, I think I ended up on the floor, laughing hysterically. Outright bafflement hysterics. WHY you ask?? Because TRUST ME, my mother never sewed a day in her life! In fact, she had one of those trigger gun things that shot plastic things to put a button back on. And anyone reading this, who knew my mother, is probably laughing at just imagining my mother sitting at a sewing machine. I loved my mother, God rest her soul. But she was NEVER the sewing type! She was just not the real domestic kind. In fact, neither am I, by genetic-nature, that is – believe it or not. My early years as a wife, was on the comical side. I loved this man, but really….did I really have to do all those things they do? I wanted to want to. But…where WAS the WANT to?? Only for him. You know? Love is a crazy thing. I had to grow THAT bone, and I DID! In time. Granted, it’s still growing. But I have found deep and abiding joy in things I never knew I could embrace. In fact, I feel myself really…going back in time, if you will. My husband has really noticed how I have evolved over the years. In fact, he actually called me “my little pioneer woman’” the other day. And I think I gushed, “Real-lly?” Truth be told, I was beaming with pride. Because I am admiring their ways more and more every year. Thus…hand making some gifts, I suppose.

So he goes downstairs, and low and behold, he comes up with a SINGER, and dusts it off. Well I’ll be darned. There it is. I tried to remember seeing it before. In a closet maybe? In my childhood basement? Hmmm. Just not sure. Anyway….he got to figuring the thing out, because he’s mechanical like that. And he was suddenly seeming to be MORE than enjoying it. Can I just say?…..

Men and their toys!!

He showed {A} and I how it worked, …..and showed us. And showed us some more. He just didn’t want to give it up. Finally, he let {A} in there to give it a whirl, and I did a few as well.

Then {A} happly sat down to do more too. But Daddy was itching to get in there! Seeing his hand?? Next thing we know, he tells her “OK, time’s up!! It’s my turn. Let me in there.”. Maybe a little uncomfortable to announce this, but not as eager as he was to have another turn, apparently!! Oh ,,,,just look at the show-off sewing with one hand. Cute though, isn’t he??

The little ones were helping too, on another part of the project. They LOVE projects of any kind. Family crafting is the most fun. Usually. : )

Our little dolly, always willing to roll up her sleeves and get to work.

Maybe you can guess what we made on this day? Probably. The great thing is, besides getting one project done, is that we know how to sew with a machine now! Granted, we’re not pros, but {A} may be before long. She’s pretty ambitious at that machine on just about a daily basis. You should see the the little things she’s made already!

Gosh….my girls, AND BOYS, just may get that genetic-domestic bone thing.

But first, of course, I needed to learn how to sew.

Men and their toys!!

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