2013 Finishes

From July 2013 to the end, I made goals each month to try get some things done.

And, I got more done than I thought!

Here is 6 months worth of goals--finished.

There were a couple other goals that I finished, but this was a good sampling, I thought.

 

 

 

Thanks Shanna and Melissa for hosting it!

 

The next two months I plan on being busy with 'Sewing for Pregnancy Care Centres'!

Feel free to join us if you'd like!
You can find all the info here.

December Finishes

Yep, that Tinny is still elusive.

But, I did finish my main goal--the order for Necktie Napkins!

 

 

You can read more about them here!

 

And, I got some baby gifts sewn--although, now that the little man is out of the NICU, he won't be needing the gift I made, so I plan on working on something else for him yet....eventually!

 

Anyway, it's hard to believe another year is drawing to a close--so glad the shortest day of the year has come and gone! It's all uphill from here.

Even though winter has just officially started, we've had some brutally cold weather and horrid roads--we're suffering from just a little bit of cabin fever!

 

 

December Goals

I have a number of goals for December again...

I always have tons of goals but I don't always never finish all of them!

At least some of them get crossed off each month!

So, for this month, I have an order for Necktie Napkins that I need to finish.

That is goal #1.

Goals #2-500 include some more baby gifts, still that ever-elusive Tinny Dress (I think my plan to use a button placket that is already made instead of the zipper is hanging me up a little...any advice? How much should I leave off the back pieces where I'd normally insert an invisible zipper?)

Some more 'selfish' sewing--including some maternity clothes, more cardigans (I'll post about my first soon! It's a lovely new pattern from Mouse House Creations!)

And, the list could go on....and on....

 

And, because I have no pictures again, I thought I'd share this video of part of a Church service in Cuba.

It's at night so you can't see the faces but there were over 40 people packed in a tiny little room, some standing outside, but all eager to hear the Word of God being preached!

 

 



November Finishes and Other News

My finishes this month are:

Tag Blankets

 

Rag Blanket

No, I've still not gotten to that Tinny Dress....

 

And, in other exciting news, I've joined the Amelie and Henri team!

My main task there is to edit the PDF patterns and any other documents that are sent out.

I used to do a lot of writing and I still love it--I just don't have as much time for it anymore!

But, this will keep my editing skills honed!

Yep, I'm quite excited!

 

Go have a look at their Etsy page--they have some beautiful patterns!

Even more exciting news, and one reason why I've been more quiet in the sewing world, we are expecting our 5th child!
I got to hear the heartbeat today after a trying week and we are so thankful!
Lord-willing we hope to meet this little one in the beginning of June, 2014.


November Goals

We just got back home from Cuba early Tuesday morning.

It was another successful trip, and we continue to praise our God for safety, for getting everything in, and for the blessed time we could have with the Church in Cuba.

 

But, now it's back to the cold, wintery life here.

And, I do have a list of things I want to finish in November!

 

First of all, two babies were born while we were gone--my sister had a little boy and some good friends of ours had a little boy as well.

Both these little boys will hopefully be getting something sewn.

So, that is first on my list.

 

Next, I have the Tinny pattern from Straight Grain laying on my desk with the fabric all picked out.

I would like to get that done as well.

 

Have a great rest of the week!



October Finishes

Well, the PJs got knocked off my list this month.

 

 

I have drawn up plans for my daughter's Tinny, and fabric picked out for that as well.

The boys' button-up shirts....well....they still have not come to fruition.

And, I have no time to sew the rest of this month....we are going on a trip to Cuba again a bit later, and I have to pack and plan for that!

So, the PJs and the bibs for an order, but I forgot to take pictures of the bibs....

 

Hopefully November goals will be done a bit better!

 

 

October Goals

As the cold starts to creep into the air,

The frost is an almost daily occurrence,

It's time to think of Fall clothes.

 

Sigh...

I'm going to miss Summer.

 

But, I have plans. Lots of them. Probably too many.

First of all, I have an order that I need to fill this week--some baby boy bibs!

And, then there are the button-up shirts for my boys.

I 'think' that I'll do that next.

Unless I decide that my daughter really does need a Tinny, or an up-cycled dress (a lovely charcoal button up shirt I found at the thrift shop!)

I think though, that first of all I *need* to sew them all up some PJs.

Like, I really need to.

Especially since my kids are all going to be spending a week at Grandma's and a friend's place later this month.

So, that is top priority after the order is finished.

 

Oh, if you're looking for the giveaway(!) and the awesome pattern bundle, have a look here!

 

 

 

Or, you can just buy it here:

 



September Finishes

I managed to finish up two of my September goals:

(If you click on the pictures, you can read more about each of them!)

 

 

Both the button-up shirts and the war pants took a lot of time, especially making two at a time of both of them.

But, now they have some decent clothes again so they don't look like beggars when we head out.

I had to actually enforce the need to wash the pants--my younger son wore them almost three days straight. I finally had to put my foot down and tell him that they really did need to be washed.

Oh, and the left shirt--the one with the vehicles--it has been used as Lego 'instructions.' He has been trying to recreate the vehicles on there out of Lego.

Love when they really like what I sew!

 

September Goals and New Fabric!

I cannot believe that it is already September!

August was a very quiet sewing month--I only made one top for my little niece.

The rest of the time, I was too busy camping, canning, and life in general.

Now, September is rolling around and I'm not sure what I'll get done since school starts again and I'm homeschooling. But, I did start two button-up shirts for my oldest two boys for which they picked the fabric:

 

I need to finish those.
Both pieces of fabric were picked up on our camping trip when we stumbled upon a quilting shop in Stettler.

A friend of mine made a Fabric.com order recently and I joined in to save on shipping. Actually, I think I splurged a bit and just might have contributed to most of the order....sigh...

But, I have plans for most of the fabric--really I do!

 I *need* to make my two oldest boys each some pants.

I don't know how they wear through their pants so quickly!
But, the camo twill is for that.
I can probably make 2 pairs each...

My daughter needs a new Sunday outfit for the Fall/Winter, so the Premier Prints twill (aaah...it is hiding in the picture) is for a skirt while the Michael Miller print from the Madrona Road is for a top.
So, either the Maggie Mae tunic or the new Hanami top...anyone?

The two Essex Yarn-Dyed Linen pieces (here and the denim-blue doesn't seem to be available anymore) are intended for fancy button-ups for my boys. Although pants out of those would be good too. We'll see if I have enough for both.

The butterfly print (Aprils Garden--doesn't seem to be any left), the other Michael Miller print and the sparkly knit (was on for $2.99 when I bought it!) are for unknown projects.
Although the butterfly print would make a super cute dress for my daughter! Maybe the Tinny?

So, for September, I hope to finish the kid-picked button shirts, and the camo pants.
Those are my two goals for September!

And, I will leave you with this fun picture--this is what we did most of our camping trip:

 



Savanni Tunic

My youngest sister had a baby girl.

Of course, I *had* to sew for her.

 

 

I had sewn this pattern (Savanni Voile Tunic from Ottobre (and I can't remember the issue because I had borrowed it from a friend)) before for my daughter, when she was just sitting up.

At that time, I could NOT figure out how to sew up the sleeves. So, I had just pressed them in and topstitched the lining to the outer fabric.

After the fact I had found this site which explained it very well, so I got it done properly this time.

 

 

The fabric is from Walmart--just regular cotton, not voile.

The buttons are from when I did more scrapbooking/card-making as a teenager.

They matched perfectly.

And, I did a size 62--hopefully it still fits my niece--I still haven't been able to make it out to see her and give this...camping and sick kids have been keeping me from that. But, hopefully this week!

 

 

I hope my sister likes it.

And, again, I hope it fits....

 

This was one of my goals for August. The other one did not happen.

And, now I have a list of goals a mile long that *need* to happen. I'll post about those (and my lovely new fabric) later!

 

August Goals

August is here.

Where, oh where did my summer go?!

The days are getting shorter again and cooler, and it feels like summer has hardly begun.

This month we'll be camping a couple of days (!) so I won't have quite as much time for sewing this month.

But, I have plans.

1) my youngest sister is expecting a baby--any day now, and that baby will *need* to have something sewn up for him/her

2) I have to retrace a pattern from Sew Serendipity for a tunic for myself (I had traced a medium a while back, but I think I shrunk a little...I need a small). I even have fabric picked out, and ready to go.

I'll keep it at that for this month.

I'm foreseeing a lot of canning and harvesting happening while we're home so that will take up a lot of time. I actually spent a couple of days this week and last making jam--saskatoon and raspberry. Mmmm.  

And, planning for the first 'official' year of homeschooling! I'm quite excited about that--I've already registered our oldest.

Anyway, I have no pictures to share right now, but hopefully later this month, I will!

 

July Finishes

I had made a plan at the beginning of July to get these things done.

And, they are done!

 

 

1. Binding on the quilt

2. Underwear for my son

3. Dress for myself

4. Figure out this serger

 

I don't know all the ins and outs of the serger yet, but I sewed with it--one day.

I'm still a little leary of that thing, and give my sewing machine preference--big time!

But, it'll come.

 

For more pictures, check out here and here.

July Goals

I hadn't heard of Sew Bitter Sweet Designs challenge, Lovely Year of Finishes before.

Mara from Secretly Stitching told me about this link-up and it's a great idea!

I usually have my 'goals' in my head but I end up pushing them back as the weeks go by.

So, without further ado, here are my goals for July:

 

1. To bind this quilt that I just finished quilting this past week.

 

 

The front is a super cute panel that the Fat Quarter Shop sent our way, and the corresponding back strip is also from the Fat Quarter Shop. (Owl Wonderful)

The rest of the backing is some fabric from my stash.

I need to figure out what I want to bind it with--possibly some of that backing fabric I have left.

 

When I finish this it'll be for the Pregnancy Care Centres yet!

 

2. Also, on my list for this month is underwear for my sons I believe I have two patterns--I just have to find them.

 

3. I was also lent an Elnita serger to borrow for long term--I'm quite excited about that. So, on my list is to learn how to use a serger!

4. And, if time allows, I have plans for some dresses for myself....

Linking up: