Singer 301

I have spent my vacation tinkering with a not-so-new toy, a Singer 301 sewing machine.

My aunt (check out her awesome blog HERE) gave me this beautiful machine last year, Christmas 2009. It was a find from the thrift shop she works at, and from what my mother tells me it is exactly like the sewing machine my grandmother had. I love that I control the speed of the needle with a leg pedal, rather than a foot pedal.

It has sat in my dining room for all of 2009, and I kept thinking about how I should use it. My mother told me she would come over and oil it, and now that I've done that myself and seen how embarassingly easy it is, I wish I got sewing with it sooner! The best part of the machine is the fact that it disappears into a beautiful cabinet, which coordinates nicely with my dining room table, china cabinet and desks in the same room.

Once I got it up and running I made myself two Frenchy bags (an Amy Butler pattern), one of which can be seen in the process in the second picture. Of course I forgot to take pictures of mine, but here are 3 I made for my in-laws for Christmas, with a closer shot of one. My aunt made these same purses HERE.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy new year...here's to a wonderful 2011!!!

Smiles,

I'm baaaaack.....

Wow, I'm a bad blogger, not a post in months. You know it's bad when your brother asks if you've abandoned the blog. Since I'm snowed in today with this crazy blizzard of 2010 it's time to get back into blogging. I'm also done classes for almost a month so that means more free time after school and on weekends to keep up with things!


I haven't abandoned crafts, just the blog. In Aguust or September I crocheted a baby blanket for my new baby cousin Ally.



I of course had to make a tag with wash instructions!

And I also included my favorite baby gift, a tag blanket. They whip up quick after trimming some fleece fabric and pinning the ribbons.

Since I'm snowed in, on vacation, and not motivated to do things I should be doing, today is going to be a crafty day! So I will be sure to share something else soon. I'm big on sewing right now and can't wait to share a project I made for Christmas presents. But first I want to make one for myself! And before that I'm off to visit blogs...haven't done that since at least August, sorry!

Smiles,

Sew much to do

I've had a few comments on my new header so I thought I'd share a bit of where it came from. It's actually a photograph of a mess on my dining room table. A pile of fabric that I'll share more on later, some stamp stuff that I had out from making cards and my Singer sewing machine, compliments of my mom. It's such a handy machine. Just pop the cover on and it can be carried anywhere I want to sew. I took it out around Thanksgiving to make some bags (like this one) and my MIL and her sister loved them so much I figured I'd make some for my 4 friends and our late holiday celebration. When I went to JoAnn's to pick out fabric I discovered that I have the same fabric bug as my mom....I must have wandered up and down, picking up different designs, mixing and matching fabric for an hour. That's where the pile of fabric in the picture comes from.

As for my friends' bags, here's the two bags I finished....yes only 2, not 4:

I love pink (as you can tell from the new blog look) and I discovered some fun black, chocolate and teal fabrics to go along. For anyone keeping score as to my New Year's resolutions, Procrastination:1, Caryl:0. I bought the fabric ahead of time but somehow didn't start sewing the bags until the morning I was supposed to go out with my friends. No one ended up bringing gifts (sometimes we exchange, sometimes we don't and we never decide ahead) so it worked out okay that I ended up bringing nothing. And now I have these two bags ready for the next time I need a gift.

I also have the fabric cut out for the other bags so I hope they'll be finished by the end of the week. Then I can put the sewing machine away and maybe have a dining room table again. Plus, I have a fun Christmas gift to set up so I can sew a bit more often without making such a mess.....Mom, I'll call when you can come over to help! I'll share when it's ready, but no promises because procrastination always wins out.

Smiles,