Rudolph shirts & Skirts

I saw these Rudolph shirts and just had to make them. I found two little gals who would look very cute in them to model for me. Merry Christmas sweet girls!

My little model

And here he is making his modeling debut...



minus the head shot. He had just gotten up from his nap to come get the shirt and model the outfit for me. He did not want his picture taken. Oh well, better luck next time. The outfit is adorable!

Matching Tie Shirt

Those plaid flannel test pants I made for that sweet little boy turned out so cute that his Mom and I thought a matching tie shirt would be perfect. Can't wait for him to model the outfit for me!

For a sweet little neighbor

I started this a long time ago, but when I messed up the lining I decided to set it aside for a while to complete other more pressing projects. I guess I'm in a sewing mood today. Or better yet I just need to clear off my kitchen counter of unfinished projects! My neighbors have a sweet little boy who would look so cute in this. So rather than list it on my etsy shop, I decided to give him a little surprise. I have one minor adjustment to make. After ironing it to make the seams all crisp, I discovered a pucker near the bottom of one leg. So, I'll try to fix it. If I can't without a lot of trouble it's not a big deal. No one will ever notice it on a constantly moving child!

A Quick Saturday Project

I've had this fabric sitting around for quite some time. It was a remnant purchase, and a very small remnant at that. I was determined to make something with it, so this morning I put together my first "designed by me" skirt.

After reading lots of patterns and experimenting a little on my own, I was able to come up with something simple and quick for a skinny little girl. The fabric was rather thin, so I quickly determined this skirt would need a lining. Thankfully I already had some solid brown fabric that would go nicely with this print.

I think it turned out quite nicely. And the little gal who will wear it thinks so too!

Khaki Dress Pants

On Thursday I completed the fourth pair of pants I've been working on.

On this pair I left off the side cargo pants for a dressier look.
Notice the elastic back waistband and smooth front waistband.


Now time to complete the fifth and final pair...

Corduroy Pants

So I was so excited to start completing all these pants for that sweet little boy I mentioned earlier that I forgot to get a photo of the first denim pair. I hear he has already worn them, and they were a perfect fit.

Today I finished the second pair which are brown corduroy. This is the large very soft kind of corduroy that loves to fray and leave little brown fuzz all over my house! I found it a little more difficult to work with, but not so difficult that I would never make them again. I'm already thinking of another little boy who would look cute in these.

I think next time I'll leave off the cargo pockets on the side legs. They seem to make the pants a little stiff on the sides. Other than this I think they are very cute and definitely warm and soft.

I love how the waistband is flat in the front and gathered in the back. It still has elastic all the way around for a good fit, but you get that really smooth look in the front.

Swim Moms

My friend and I saw some really cute "bling" shirts at a swim meet several months ago. We've been talking about making some for ourselves for a while now. So knowing that her birthday was coming up the week of our November swim meet, I decided to take the plunge and make the shirts.

I must say it was very tedious and time consuming. But the results speak for themselves. They are really cute! Now we are very stylish at swim meets.

I'm Back!

After a long break from sewing while my parents were visiting, I'm back with lots of projects to complete. The first project is to make several pairs of pants for a sweet little boy. Buying adjustable waist pants for this little fella just isn't working out. So his mom asked me to measure him and get to work with my creative side.

Shopping for the fabric was lots of fun! I won't reveal the fabric choices since his mom might be reading. :) I want her to be surprised. But I will share this test pair I made out of some flannel I've had sitting around for a while.

Notice the cargo pockets and back pockets complete with flaps!

Love the look of these pants!


The front pockets were a new venture for me. I love the trim on the pockets. When I make the next pants I will have the pocket trim in a contrasting fabric.


I can't wait to get to work on the next four pairs of pants with different fabrics!

Fall is in the Air!

Fall is finally trying to make it's appearance here! I am really enjoying having the breeze blow through my house as I work on some Fall projects.

After receiving my new patterns from The Handmade Dress giveaway, I quickly got to work on this lovely shirt/skirt outfit. I love how it turned out! I'm already planning to use the Miss Olivia Paige pattern view A for making Christmas dresses. And yes, I better begin the process of choosing the fabrics very soon.

This knit skirt is a new sewing venture for me. I've always been afraid to sew with knits, but I found this fabric on the remnant section with an extra 50% off. I thought I could surely experiment a little, and if my experiment failed I wouldn't be out much money. I admit sewing with knit is a little more challenging until you get the hang of it, but I think this skirt turned out just fine. And the little gal I made it for is wearing it proudly! I found the pattern online. It's called a Knot-me skirt.

For Cora

This is the smallest skirt I've ever made. It's a size 6 months. I used a new pattern from The Handmade Dress, and decided to try knit rather than the suggested fabrics. It is really soft and wasn't too hard to work with. I think it turned out rather cute. I hope little unborn Cora's mother likes it...this is the first time I've sewn clothing for a baby shower gift!

The Finished Set

This super cute cupcake outfit will now be for sale on my etsy shop. I'm hoping for a quick sale and some positive feedback!

Cupcake Skirt

Wednesdays I teach piano, so there is little time for sewing. But I did manage to start this cute skirt. Today (Thursday) I finished. And even before lunch! I plan to applique a cupcake onto a shirt to pair with the skirt, and then I will list it for sale on my etsy shop.

If this set sells, there will be many more to follow in several different prints. I'm still working on the correct measurements for the different sizes. This is an easy pattern, and I love the look!

$100 Giveaway

Got your attention didn't I? Pioneer Beauty has purchased a $100 gift certificate from Marie-Madeline Studio!! All you have to do is visit this site http://pioneerbeauty.blogspot.com to enter the giveaway. There are several ways to enter.

I've been following Marie-Madeline Studio for a while, but haven't taken the plunge and ordered from them. Winning would be awesome!! Their fabrics and patterns are beautiful!

So, if you love to sew just head on over to Pioneer Beauty for your chance to win!!!

Reusable Sandwich/Snack Bags

So the latest big thing are these reusable sandwich and snack bags. I've looked at a couple of companies that sell them online, but I'm not willing to pay what they are asking. Especially when I sew and should be able to make these at home. The problem is finding fabric that is already lined with food safe plastic.

Since I've spent most of today working out measurements to make skirts (and by the way I'm having trouble with the math), I had not actually sewn anything. After getting everyone settled in bed, I was packing the non-perishables in lunchboxes and decided to just sew up a snack bag using plain old cotton fabric. I figure it can hold chips, cookies or grapes.

It was super easy and fast to sew up. Thank you Rachel for sharing the link to the tutorial! Now to see how it holds up tomorrow...

Today's project

The last three weeks have been busy, busy, busy! I have hardly touched my sewing machine, and that makes me really sad. I need to create!

So today I stayed home and got to work on a skirt/shirt outfit using fabric I've had sitting around for a while. I was using an online tutorial to put the skirt together, but something just wasn't right with the construction. I messed around with it and finally got it to work the way I wanted to.

The end results speak for themselves. I even had a model today to help me with the photos!

Who doesn't love a sale on tag loveys?

Starting tomorrow all tag loveys are on SALE! Purchase two or more tag loveys and pay only $10. That's right, you read it correctly - two or more and you pay $10 each. It's time to clear out the inventory to make room for new ones.

Sale ends on Saturday, September 18th! So hurry and get yours fast for best selection.

(These are not for purchase on my etsy shop. You will need to contact me directly at rachellafon@yahoo.com. And please put "tag lovey" in the subject line. You may still pay through paypal, and then I'll ship them to you.)

Drumroll please...

AND THE WINNER IS...........Congratulations Christi! You are now the proud owner of a cute animal/transportation print fold n go.

Thankful and a GIVEAWAY!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to those who have paid up on their accounts this week. I hate to nag and keep asking, so writing that last post and emailing some of you individually again was not easy for me. I want you to know I really appreciate the opportunity to create things for you.

From now on any custom orders from folks who do not live close will be posted on my Etsy shop for your purchasing convenience. Once the item is shown as sold, I will sent it out in the mail. It's that easy! If there is a problem with your item, I will do everything in my power to fix it or you may send it back for a full refund.

Now to the fun stuff...In celebration of the end of summer, a great beginning to a new school year, news that I am gaining a new sis-in-law, my joy in winning two patterns recently, and the hope that Fall will arrive here eventually...I've decided to have a giveaway.

From now until Friday, September 10th, anyone who leaves a comment on this blog post will be eligible to win the cute little boy fold n go pictured above. Inside the fold n go is a small legal pad and activity book. There are also several crayon pockets on the left side of the notebook. I can't find a photo, and the camera has been acting up.

There will be one entry per person (no leaving 10 different comments in hopes of increasing your chances!), and be sure to leave your email address in the comment.

I look forward to seeing who is actually following this blog!! Happy commenting!

The Finish Line, Collecting, and a Contest

So, I've finally reached the finish line! Several people have asked me to work on projects for them this summer, and I am happy to report they are all completed. And most have even been delivered. It was fun, and I really enjoy creating things for others. Until I get swamped again with projects for others, I'll be working on some projects for my family.

Now to a problem...getting paid for my work. I'm a very trusting person, but since starting my own sewing business I am quickly learning that trust and business can not mix. For most of my projects I have waited until getting paid to ship the items. But for a couple of projects I decided to go ahead and ship them because I knew I would be gone for quite some time on vacation with my family. So, here we are 6 weeks later and no money. And we aren't talking a couple of dollars.

There are a couple of solutions to this problem. One is that I can require folks to pay half down before I even start a custom order for them. This way if they decide to not send the rest of the money I've only lost payment for my time and not cost of materials. And I can always list the item on my etsy shop. The other option is to make the item and list it on my etsy shop as a custom item for that specific person. If they do not purchase it within a certain time period they will forfeit the item.

So, for all three of my faithful followers - What is your advice on the matter?

On a brighter note - I WON A CONTEST!!! So, the other day I was browsing blogs I follow and came across a contest to win two patterns from http://www.thehandmadedress.blogspot.com/.
Samantha is an awesome seamstress and great designer of patterns. Her patterns are super easy to follow, and the best thing is they are no buttons and zippers to deal with. All you had to do to enter the contest was to leave a comment. So that's exactly what I did. Then I really didn't think much about it. I rarely do this sort of thing, because the odds of winning are so low. I never win anything. I decided to check her blog again Sunday evening to see if any winners had been announced, and right there on her blog was my name. I clicked on it, and it went straight to my blog! That's how I knew it was really me. I'm so excited to get the new patterns and start sewing! I'll definitely keep entering these contests now. Who knows? Maybe someday I'll be blessed again...

Saturday projects

I just completed the other bible cover I needed to finish today. After sewing the topstitch, I almost had a moment of panic. I needed about a quarter inch more for the cover of the bible to slide in easily. Right now it is snug, but this way it won't slide out easily. I just hope the child doesn't rip that cover off!

And for Caroline...here's the completed skirt we worked on together. The gal picked out all her fabrics and the style skirt she wanted me to make. When she tried it on it was a perfect fit! And it was a huge learning experience for me. I could not have made this skirt without the help of my wonderful friend and fellow seamstress Caroline. Thanks a bunch!

Birthday Projects

There are a lot of little girls having birthdays in August and September. So I've been busy making presents. I love to make a present rather than go buy a toy they might not like or already own.

I'm loving these fold n go notebook holders. Since I'm trying to stay away from the fabric store, I had to put these together with fabric already in my stash.

The denim fold n go is now my favorite. And I love the look of having the child's initial appliqued on the front. This time I needed the initial on the front because they are for twin girls!

I was also asked to make two bible covers. I've never made one, but using the design of the fold n go made it rather simple.

I've almost managed to complete my goals for this week - 2 fold n go notebook covers, 2 bible covers, and finish a skirt. One more day in this week - I can do it, I can do it...

Kindergarten 1st Day Outfit

That same sweet little boy who is getting a fun frog towel for rest time at Kindergarten will also be sporting a brand new outfit for his first day. He picked the fabric, and I picked the design. And the end result is total cuteness!

Now on to all those other projects waiting for my attention...

Kindergarten Rest Towel

A sweet little 5 year old boy is starting Kindergarten next week. The supply list asked for a "rest towel" rather than a rest mat. His mother wanted it to be a little more special than just a plain old towel. So, I found this really cute frog flannel and sewed along the bottom and up one side. Now he will have a little covering during rest time to keep him warm in that cold classroom. And thank you Andrea for the idea!

The camera wasn't cooperating tonight, but there are "happy" frogs all over. And I folded it in half to get the photo.

Sweet Tyler

My sweet nephew Tyler modeling his new romper. It was a perfect fit! My Dad had to capture him and hold him just for me to get the photo. He's such a busy little boy!

But before I go...

But before we enjoy a vacation, I just had to make a romper for my sweet nephew who I can't wait to love on!

It's made with seersucker fabric, but the photo looks shiny for some reason.

Vacation

We are taking a much needed vacation for the next 2 1/2 weeks! Maybe a new project will pop into my head...

And it's finished!

This past weekend one of the teachers from a local school asked me to make her daughter something with zebra print and hot pink tulle. I was so excited about the project that I stayed awake Saturday night brainstorming. I had a couple different ideas about how to add the tulle, but I ended up making the ruffle skirt. I was able to sneak in the tulle between the two ruffles.

I must say that it took way longer to make this skirt because I had to take out lots of thread and redo some of it. I had in my head the way it should go, but we all know sometimes things don't work out as planned. So...while I won't get rich making these outfits for people, I am very happy with what I accomplished today. And the next one will take much less time!

Cute Dog Romper

I was trying a new pattern shape with my old method of making a romper. This dog fabric was a remnant, so I used it in case things didn't work out. Well...things did work out. And I really like the romper!

It's a size 1 according to the pattern. But I compared it to an 18 month size I had just made, and they are very similar. The shoulder to crotch is the same length. The size 1 is wider and has straighter legs instead of angled legs. (To compare just scroll down to find an older post with the elephant romper.) It is fully lined, and I did not use snaps. It's easy enough to undo the buttons at the top and slip it down for diaper changes.

It's looking for a home...$20

Doll Dresses

I designed these simple little sundresses for American Girl dolls. Two very sweet girls I know are headed to the American Girl store in Dallas this week. They asked me to make them some shorts and then matching outfits for their dolls. The sundress was the simplest and quickest outfit to make. The girls love them! And I know they are going to have a special time together with their dolls.

Skirt

So after a late night of sewing to get the skirt all finished for the birthday today, it didn't fit. UGH! I'm still learning... There were no measurements to go by for this skirt. It was an online tutorial for a size 5-6. I used a skirt that fits the child already, but that didn't quite work out. I came home this evening and adjusted my measurements to add two inches in width. When I went to see if I had enough fabric left I almost panicked. Turns out I had just enough! Then I discovered there was no more matching thread. Bummer.

Now THIS skirt is for sale. It's super cute! I'm thinking it might be size 12 months. I plan to find a model to check it out. Then someone may claim it for $18.

What I've been up to lately

I had lots of projects going on last week. "A" had two friends having birthdays, and our sweet little friend "E" is having a birthday today. So, I made gifts for them all!

The shorts are for a 12 year old who is very tall and slender. After two attempts I finally got them to fit! The shirt came from Justice at the mall. I'm making three of those outfits...so back to sewing on Monday. I also need to make doll dresses out of the peace sign fabric.

I made a tote for an 11 year old, but I forgot to get a pic of that one.

The skirt is for a sweet little two year old whose birthday is today. I love this new ruffle skirt pattern I came across.

The baby ball is for a friends' baby. It was a quick sew using up some of the many scraps I have sitting around. I added the tags just for fun and so the baby can hold the ball. She is very little right now.

I love sewing, but this week got me! I'll space it out a little more next time!!!

Paypal

I'm working on setting up paypal so anyone who would like to purchase this way will have the option. It's a lot to weed through, so please be patient.

Right now if you click the "buy now" link you will be redirected to a listing for a crayon purse! There is no picture to go with it just yet...

I've been busy sewing this week, and I'll get some pics up as soon as I get this house back together.

For Porter...

It's finished! And super cute!! Hope you like it Porter...

A work in progress...

This is such a fun project to do...if only I remembered how to make it reversible with no snaps. Just a minor glitch! One more day and I'll have it completed.