Special sewing additions

Hello everyone!

It has been so nice to wind down at the end of this year!  The weather has been delightful (60s), and my days have been a bit lazy since we got back from vacation. I welcome not having to get up super early each day to get the kids ready for school, and am glad that has been replaced by enjoying one another and catching up with friends we don't get to see often.

In essence, the holiday season and busyness has winded down.  And it comes at such a beautiful time for me...the soon unveiling of a new year!  Last night my littlest son even rewarded us with a FIVE hour stretch of sleep! Yay! I pray for more of those kind of nights.

Anyhow, I hope you are getting a chance to relax into the new year as well.

I wanted to take the time and share a few amazing sewing gifts I received recently.  I have a dear friend who traveled to Nigeria to visit family, and I had the pleasure of talking to her before she left for her trip. She mentioned, in passing, that her family would have a one hour layover in England, which immediately perked my ears. England?!?! I ordered a sewing magazine from there! So, I told her about the magazine I ordered, and asked if she could possibly bring a few back for me (I would pay her, of course).  She said she would take a look, and see what she could find.

Three weeks later I get a text from her saying she found the magazines, and two days ago she dropped these gems off at my home:

Oh me, oh my! The newest issues of Love Sewing and Sew Now magazine!!! I couldn't wait to tear open the plastic and read them! The content is SO GOOD, too!  From my understanding, Love Sewing came before Sew Now, but Sew Now is a sister magazine to Love Sewing that focuses on high-fashion, on trend sewing.

Either way, I am hooked! I'm not sure if the FREE patterns included with the magazines are any good, but I will have to make one up and see.  Right now I have a total of three (including these two), and they are all aimed at the adventurous beginner.  I will definitely let you know when I sew one up!

My other sewing addition was a LONG time coming.  You see, year after year, I have seen posts about dressforms.  And year after year, I have pined after a dressform.  Well, I finally decided to do something about it.  I started to research dressforms for sewing, and at first, couldn't decide what I wanted--an adjustable one like they sell at places like Joanns, or a professional one that cost hundreds of dollars? There were so many pros and cons to work out. Finally, I decided on a professional dressform for the following reasons:

1. Pinnable
2. Drapeable
3. Ability to fit without the distortion created from adjustable dials
4. Quality

I found a website called The Shop Company (featured in a recent Burda magazine) that sells prof. dressforms, and they are quite affordable. I began saving for one earlier this year, putting money aside, and waiting until I had what I needed to purchase the dressform and Fabulous Fit kit to pad it well. Here is what it looks like:

I haven't padded it yet, but I seriously LOVE my new dressform! It is so clean and beautiful! And the quality is super. Every detail looks meticulously crafted, and it is hard to believe it belongs to me!!!

I will say that figuring out the size was a bit complicated since I am not pre-pregnancy size yet (and don't know if I will ever be), but the representatives at the company were so helpful. They told me that as long as the dressform was always smaller than me, the padding would work just fine. I found some measurements I took of my bust, neck, shoulders, and back waist (my hips are always going to be larger), and compared those numbers to where I am now.  My measurements went most closely with a size 6.  

I bought the Fabulous Fit padding in a size L so I can pad "her" to mimic my shape.  I never quite understood why people named their dressforms, but now I do.  Let me introduce you to Rosalyn!

 My guys got to work putting assembling her as soon as she arrived, and everything went together easily. 

 Now I just need to add the padding. The package has a cover that fits over the form so you can pad where necessary. For me that will be abdomen, hips, and buttocks. But, yeah, I can't wait to use her! I like thinking that I invested in a form I will have for a long time. As my sewing skills grow, I won't outgrow Rosalyn, but she will grow with me.

If you are interested in purchasing your own dressform, you may want to check out The Shop Company (not affiliated with them in any way).  Also, if you have a form already, and you would like to share your own experience with me, please do! I would love to know how it helped. I admit, I am mostly looking forward to not having to undress a gazillion times, lol!

Stay sew filled!

Merry Christmas

Hello everyone!

I have been relaxing and spending some time away with my family, yet I did not want to let the day go by without wishing you all a

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Here are some photos of our holiday session this year. It has been around 6 years since our last holiday photo, and it was well worth the effort of trying to get five people to smile AT THE SAME TIME! LOL!

I may not always get to make the sewing garments that I want, but I am so grateful I got to make these three precious gems. That God would grace me to mother them and grow ME in the process brings tears to my eyes.  They are uniquely gifted and full of potential, and I pray they will use in great ways.

2016 was a mixed year for me, yet I am grateful for God's gifts in my life: my husband, children, and the birth of my saviour Jesus Christ.

It is with awe, wonder, hope, and great expectation that I enter into 2017, and look forward to all the year with bring. My goal is to go from hope to action, and I would love for you to journey with me!  

Until soon, stay sew filled!

Sewing Chitchat: November

Hello everyone!

I hope you are all doing well!

About November...well, it really kicked me in the butt! If it wasn't household sickness and activities, it was getting our littlest guy on a schedule to sleep through the night. So, my November plans have fallen by the wayside. But the good news is, I plan on keeping the same plans for December.

I think I may need to streamline my process a bit more, and maybe that will help.  I tend to go step by step for each project (prewash fabric, cut out pattern/make adjustments, cut out fabric, sew pieces), yet I think it might be more helpful to do EACH step for ALL of my projects first. So, prewash all my fabric first, cut out all my pattern sizes together, etc.  If you have tried this and find it helpful, can you let me know?  I am trying to use some shortcuts as well as maximizing blocks of time.

Anyhow, I thought I would start blogging sewing chitchat, so you may see more of these posts in the future. It will be a way to let you know some of the sewing-related things going on in my life while I am working on various projects. And there is always a lot going on! So, here is a bit of the cool things I have bought, found, or am just really into for now:

Sew Now Magazine

Sometime around last month I was putzing around online, looking at the overseas sewing magazines available. I mean, I like the local mags, but I haven't found anything here that is on trend, to my liking. So of course I was purusing Burda and other publications, and happened on this magazine that just launched in the UK.  It is a branch from their Love Sewing publication, and it features a FREE sewing pattern with each magazine, as well as 6 .pdf downloads.  Their goal is to focus on sewing and craft trends (with a strong emphasis in apparel sewing), while staying on trend. YES!

Here is the pattern for the launch:

I can't give you a full on review yet because I have not had it long, but I can say that my inital impression is very good. I love the pattern that came with it. It is from Simple Sew, and a beginner sewing level. It has lots of visual interest, and clean lines. You can sew a dress or top. I want to...like today, lol! But, I do not have any compatible fabric in the stash for this.

There is also really good advice inside from experts in the fashion sewing field. One really good article showcases things to be aware of when sewing different fabrics.  Another great feature was called Shop it or Sew it. On this page, it shows some stores found currently in stores (RTW), and the corresponding pattern you could use to sew them. Love this! I tend to do this a lot while shopping, or pinning on Pinterest.

The only downside for me is the .pdf patterns (YEP) and shipping time. I will brave a .pdf pattern, don't get me wrong, but I would much rather have a paper pattern to work with.  For shipping internationally, my magazine took almost a month to get here (yikes) even though it was supposed to take 6-14 days. I paid a little over $11, which I didn't find bad at all. I did see that there was a warehouse moving issue that delayed the magazine shipment, so I hope when I order the next issue (and I plan to) it will be here in a more timely manner.

It also came with an Accessories magazine as a bonus:

You can check out More Mags if you are interested in ordering!

Sewing Labels

I got a new sewing label ya'll! And it is so purty!!!!!!!! I wanted to FINISH a project and show it off, but since I haven't been able to do that, here it is:

I ordered it online from Dutch Label Shop! Carolyn from Diary of a Sewing Fanatic recommended them, and there was an online ordering code at the time so I figured it was worth a shot.  This is really an updated version of my original label. I kept Sweet Ness, which comes from my nickname, "Ness," and the fact that people always say I am so sweet. It can also mean sweetness. I like the double meaning. And the Rose icon is my middle name. I plan on using these LOTS!

Sewing Books

If you don't know already, I love books!!!!! Usually I check them out at the library, and the ones that I find myself checking out OVER and OVER again are the ones I purchase for my own personal book library. You see, I am an Amazon Prime member, and enjoy shopping on Amazon.com. They make it super easy to buy used books at great prices. Actually, you can even find great prices on new books too!

So I definitely ordered this book to help me choose fabrics. One of my goals is to sew different types of fabrics. I usually sew knits, but some ones on my list to try are rayon challis, peachskin, and cotton lawn. Who knows? I may even discover a new fave! 

I also got this BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook because it was just so darn cute, and I have a weak spot for books that have master patterns included.  I plan on fitting the main pieces to my shape, and making adjustments from there.  Ultimately, creating a wardrobe would be ideal, but I know I buy so many other patterns too that I can't guarantee that. 

Now this one right here is my homegirl! I have never tried a Colette pattern, but the ones included in this book are lovely, AND the instructions look really sound.  I definitely look forward to a future sew from here.

That is all for sewing books. I am goal setting for next year already, and I am pretty sure I am going to have to choose a month to ONLY sew from my pattern books. I have amassed quite a few cause I just love looking at them, but I don't think I have sewn one. No, not even one.

New Craftsy Classes

The craft of sewing always keeps you learning, right?  Well, as an adventurous beginner in apparel sewing, I have been keeping my eyes on Craftsy sales so I could use them as I learn and grow. Here are the ones I acquired:

I was intrigued with this class when Candice from Sew My Time raved about it. Well, she is right! What an awesome class where you learn so many wonderful techniques. I got my Islander Jacket Pattern about three weeks after I purchased this class, and it looks like a flattering jacket for all figure types. This is a definite sew for the future.

I am really excited about this one because I find that I often run into this dilemma: I see a plus sized pattern that I LOVE, but I don't know how to size it down to fit myself. Well, here you go. You can learn to grade any pattern up or down so that you never have that problem again. Have you ever went to a pattern sale, bought a particular one, and later realized that you bought the 6-14 in error and you really needed the 16-24? Ha! I've done that more times than I can count! Then I have to ask myself if it is worth it to go back and get the right one. So, yeah, I am curious about this one for sure.

I have never sewn a jacket, SO I need help when I do sew one! This class is for that reason! I really want to sew more outwear because I normally wear a lot of it in my wardrobe.

And last, but not least, I have purchased a lot of Suzy Furrer's patternmaking classes. The main reason is because I started on a sloper journey a few years ago that I never finished. I just needed some more handholding in order to accomplish it. I have watched some of these, and she appears to be a great teacher. I love that this class goes over making a bodice/pants sloper for wovens, and ALSO includes the adjustments needed for a knit sloper. If you are only interested in one vs. the other, I have seen Craftsy classes a little cheaper that have that option. But, it is awesome that she includes BOTH.  I grabbed most of these classes with the "all classes 17.99 sale."

Of course I don't think I will be tackling this anytime soon, particularly since I am still steadily losing baby weight. But, it is included in my 2017 plan for sure.

Sewing Patterns

I have purchased loads of patterns in the past month or two, probably more than I ever have. And I haven't even touched any of the winter/holiday styles!! There are some really great ones out there. I won't bore you with dozens of my picks, but I will share with you my two standouts:

I am definitely late when it comes to "popular" sewing patterns, but I am jumping on the bandwagon! I FINALLY bought the Sewaholic Renfrew! This pattern has always appealed to me, but I just never justified buying it because I felt like there were comparable things within the BIG 4. Well, there are, but who cares?!?!? Other people really love this one, so I am going to give it a go!

Have you seen the Kelly Anorak popping up online???? I have, and this was LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT! I just had to buy it, I just had to! I am glad I did because the instructions look fantastic, and there is more insight on the Closet Case Files blog. I already bought all of my materials, and want to finish this jacket for spring. Technically, I would have loved to start on it this month, but I am moving it to Jan. or Feb. instead.  As long as I finish it by then I should be able to get some good wear out of it. This is my BIG project! :)

Youtube channels

Lastly, do you all follow any fellow seamsters on Youtube? I recently discovered a few channels, and have been binge watching to my delight, ha, ha ha! Since I haven't been able to sew myself, I love watching what other people are making. I wanted to share two faves with you:

INSIDE THE HEM--This is a duo that sews and converses. You can check out their plans and makes for each month, as well as their faves.  It is always great to have a friend who crafts with you, and these two definitely show that dynamic.

LISA EMERITA--This woman is a dressmaker with serious skills and personality! I love watching her videos because she has such an infectious way about her. It doesn't hurt that she is always talking about her latest collection, and one month she sewed 27 items!!!!! What?!?! I am struggling to sew three, lol! She is definitely talented, and you will thoroughly enjoy her videos.

What a wonderful sewing community we have!!!! Whether it is blogging, vlogging, Facebook, instagram, Periscope, or whatever else, let's make sewing trend! Just a few years ago I kept hearing how sewing was dying out, but I argue that it is now on a full-on surge, and continuing to rise!! Let it rise! I love being a part of this community, and seeing the other inspirational people around me.

I hope you enjoyed this "chitchat!"  I am ready to wash off the drudge of November, and start afresh this week!  Who's with me?

Stay sew filled!

November plans

Hello everyone!

Somehow I slid right through October without a peep, and now it is November! Though I was silent, it hasn't been because I wasn't sewing.  In fact, I was! But, a lot of it was not fruitful.

I had a great month of September, sewing 30 minutes a day most days, and was excited to continue that trend. Then, in October things started out good, but I got hung up when I made some construction errors on my Canyon cardigan. But, never mind all that! No matter what last month brought, this is a new day!

And a new month needs new plans...

For November I am going ROGUE!  I usually choose my projects depending on the theme of  my Make A Garment A Month (MAGAM) group, yet this month didn't really intrigue me with it's "natural" theme. Also my kids really wanted me to sew a few things for them out of the Winter 06/2016 Ottobre magazine.

So, (left to right) I plan on starting out with a set of pajamas for my son. This will be an interesting project since I have to do A LOT of alterations in order to get this top and bottom to work. I'll address those things later when I start this project, but long story short: my son is tall and skinny, and needs clothing three sizes bigger than what is offered for the pattern shown. BUT he just LOVES this specific style, so I am going to give it a shot!

In the middle is a knit dress that is adorable! My daughter saw this and immediately asked for it. I plan on trying a fabric that is a little dressier so she can wear it to holiday parties/events that occur in December.  By the way, did you know that Ottobre will be offering a family issue magazine in 2017? It will have mens patterns, as well as women and childrens. I am looking forward to this! I already renewed my subscription for the kids magazine, but am thinking of adding the family and womens to it (my subscription will end just before the family issue at the end of next year). Anyhow, shipping charges have now been waived for the magazine subscription, so the prices are just awesome!!! Check out Wooly Thread and see!

Lastly, I saw the Love Notions Mother/Daughter peplum top, and just HAD to put it on my sewing list!! First of all, I have never worn a peplum top! Never! Can you even believe that?  Second, I had to convince my daughter that we would look cute if we both had one. They don't have to match, but they might...

Love Notions Peplum

I will say that .pdf patterns are not my favorite, BUT I really do like the Love Notions patterns a lot! Also, their sewing instructions are wonderful and easy to grasp.  

So these are my dreams for November!  I really, really, really want to finish all or most of these projects because I want to start something BIG in December! I am getting over a pretty bad sinus infection right now, but will be kicking it into high gear soon.  

Here is an update on my baby boy, who is almost 4 months old:

He is such a sweet, laidback, chunky boy! He is already 15 1/2 pounds!!!! But, yes, he is super healthy, and full of personality! Here I am with the older kids in a recent fall trip:

My son has a birthday coming up soon (almost 10, yikes), and we had such an amazing time out on the ranch! Really, its a great day when you get the whole family out and let the kids run wild, literally!!!!! Here is my hubby too: 

Thanks so much for reading my blog and following along with me! I appreciate it, and hope to be able to post more, especially going into next year! 

Until soon, 

Stay Sew-filled!

Squeaking in some summer shorts!

Hello everyone!

I'm back with a finished project! Do you remember the shorts I was sewing for my daughter?

These are the "Perfect Summer" shorts from Ottobre design 3-2016 (summer) issue! As soon as my daughter saw these, she wanted me to make a pair. Even though I have sewn tops and dresses for her, I have never attempted any pants or shorts. However, I figured that Ottobre's marvelous fit would work to my advantage, and it did!

Pattern Details

I used a floral poplin for this pattern that my sweet girl picked out herself. For an accent fabric, she chose white cotton fabric from the stash.  I sewed a size 128, which lines up with my daughter's measurements almost flawlessly, except for the waist.  

The pattern comes together quite easily, especially if you have sewn pants before. I love the method used to attach the short front and back pieces.  Also, there is some nice topstitching, and a mock fly front that you unfortunetaly can't see due to the fabric design. My only issue with this pattern was the waistband.

Now, I have sewn a waistband before, but this technique was new to me, and I did NOT like it. I kept having to undo my stitching and start again. It wasn't a particularly difficult method, I just felt that eth steps they had you take made the construction process harder and not easier. So, if I make these shorts again I will not use their method. 

Other than that, I enjoyed sewing this pattern! It is really cute!

My only adjustment was to add an inch of length to these. I didn't want them to end up being too short on my daughter. For the inside, I serged as many seams as I could, as well as the pocket bags. 

The back pockets were a big topic of discussion among me, my son, and my hubby. Apparently, the "boys" didn't think that the pockets matched, and that they stood out too much. But to us "girls" that is what makes these shorts more fun!!!! I mean, no one is going to have a pair of shorts like these, with the same style as my sweet girl.  That's the whole point of sewing them!!  I wanted them to be a reflection of her taste, and they are.

Overall, I highly recommend this pattern! If the seasons were not about to change, I would definitely invest in sewing a lot more. In fact, my daughter wore these to school right away before these got packed away, lol!

Update on Sew 30

Many of you know I am participating in the Sew for 30 minutes a day challenge for this month. I can't say that I have made it everyday, but I can say that I have done it MOST days. So, let's just say about three to four times a week.  It really makes a difference too!  I would not have finished this project without the Sew 30 challenge. It is such a manageable block of time that most days I reach my goal.

Well...

I'm off to my next project!! Wish me luck!

I decided to give the Canyon Cardigan a try! I have already printed it out in my size. Now to choose the fabric and get going.  Maybe watching Project Runway tonight will give me a little EXTRA inspiration!

Stay sew-filled!

New goals for National Sewing Month

Hey everyone!

It's September!

Happy National Sewing Month!

Thank you for all the well wishes on the birth of my son! There has definitely been an adjustment in our family life since he came, but I am grateful for every small milestone. Namely, a little one who is sleeping more at night and giving sweet smiles during his more alert moments. Oh, and finally settling into his car seat! It's the little things that make a big difference lately.

4 weeks old. He is now 7 weeks, and much chunkier, lol!

So, now that I have been able to get a breather, I am looking forward to participating in my MAGAM group again. For the month of September, in honor of National Sewing Month, we are encouraged to pick a garment and sew 30 minutes a day until it is finished. Essentially, committing a small amount of time each day.  This is perfect for me! I have already started yesterday, and will continue throughout this month. Somehow, even when I have had a long day, putting aside 30 minutes doesn't seem overwhelming at all.

I haven't chosen my patterns yet, but there are some I am considering for fall sewing:

First is a pattern I never finished, Love Notions slim style pants. It turns out when I tried these out before, I ignored a lot of wonderful features that make this one a user-friendly sew. The patterns are trimless (yay), you can modify the .pdf to print ONLY your size, and you don't have to print all the pages of the pattern, only those designated for your view. I did not know this the first time around because I was treating this pattern like others I had downloaded online before. Well, it pays to read the instructions!! LOL! So, I am hoping to revisit this one again--with much less stress.

Love Notions also recently released the Canyon Cardigan. I love the options for cardigans! So, yes, I have already purchased this one. Personally, I wear a lot of cardigans during the fall, and enjoy collecting different colors. Having a basic cardigan is great, but this I like that this one has a lot more personality! Here is the pattern illustration:

Another option I am looking at is a Mimi G pattern.  It is an adorable shirtdress that can be paired with tights or leggings. Being postpartum, leggings are now a welcome treat. They are most comfortable, and appropriate for my body at the moment. They will also continue to fit great even with losing weight over the upcoming months.  

Lastly, I am considering creating a duplicate of another garment I have. I've never tried this before, but I have a tunic dress top that I love to wear, and would like more of.   The silhouette is simple enough, so that should help me figure it out (that and helpful Youtube videos).

These are some of the ideas swarming around in my head these days. For now, I am focused on establishing a daily sewing habit.  

Stay sew-filled!

He is here!!!!

Hello everyone!! 

My son has made it into this world!  These last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind of activity since he has gotten here--doctors' visits, meeting older brother and sister, resting and recovering after a long labor, and all the other things that go along with receiving a precious newborn baby into your life!

Here is a photo of him, the day after his birth:

This is baby "J," born July 14th in the morning. He weighed 6 lbs 12 oz., and measured 19 1/2 inches long. Out of all of my labors, his was the most challenging, AND most fulfilling.  Why? I pushed for ONE HOUR, 45 MINUTES in order to get him out!! Yes!!! Halfway through I thought he would never come out.  My husband lovingly stood by my side, and encouraged me to keep going. He even used an analogy to help.  He told me to remember what I do when I hit a wall when running. Remember that I don't give up, I just keep on going.  Somehow, that helped me to push through. That, and strength from God because I was TIRED!!!!

Anyhow, when I finally saw our son, I just cried and cried. They were tears of JOY, of course, but also tears of accomplishing something so great! He was worth every difficult moment, and has proven to be such a treasure to our family.

Since his birth I have been recovering physically, as best I can. I must say I honestly forgot about all the aches and pains that you have postpartum! So, I am definitely taking it easy, and getting my rest in where I can.

My kids have been amazing, though. They help out a lot more than I thought they would. It has been sweet to see how tender they are with their little brother, and the awe and wonder they have concerning this new life.

It has been a major change for all of us, but we wouldn't have it any other way.

Stay sew filled!

Nursery Decor

Hello everyone!

Happy 4TH of July!!

Is anybody putting hamburgers on the grill?  Well, we are!  I usually associate the 4TH with grilling out, and this year is no exception.  My hubby will be handling the BBQ, while I put my feet up, lol!

I decided that come July 1st was my goal for having all things ready for baby.  That meant packing my hospital bag, putting away/organizing items, and decorating the nursery/boys' room.  In fact, that is what I am showing you today...

I tried my best to get great photos, especially this panoramic view.  In reality, the room is a bit larger than what is shown here, but this give you an idea of what we did. The theme is NAUTICAL, and since that has been on trend lately, it was super easy to find a lot of items that would work with the room.

Since my oldest son will be sharing this room with the new baby, I had to figure out ways to create a room that would honor both age ranges. The left side of the room is appropriately infant, with its bright colors, and functional furniture for the little one.  The decal on the wall came from Lovely Decals, a wonderful company that lets you customize colors for wall decals.

This corner "nook" is my favorite!! It will be where I do a lot of nursing, I am sure of it.  The lamp emits the right amount of light for late nights, and the glider will keep baby and me comfy. 

The right side of the room is my oldest son's side.  His bed has a beautiful shelf headboard, filled with various seaside artifacts.  There are also drawers on the lower side of his bed to help contain all of his clothing.  His color scheme is also blue, yet a deeper shade to signify his older age.

Overall, it was such a joy to put this room together! As soon as you enter it, there is such a sense of calm and peacefulness.  

I have managed to cut out a pair of shorts to sew for my daughter, and hope to finish those soon. 

Enjoy the holiday, stay safe, and sew-filled!

Winding down

HELLO everyone!!!

I am still pregnant, and hanging in there, LOL!

I must confess that I have missed the last three months of Make A Garment A Month, but it has definitely been for a good reason--I am so tired ya'll!!!!!!!!!! While I am thankful to have experienced a relatively pleasant pregnancy, once I hit the third trimester, fatigue has been the name of the game. It hasn't been everyday, more like every couple of days, but I find if I don't rest during the day it creeps up on me quickly.

I'm sure you all understand!!

So, while I have no sewn items to show you, I will update you on my pregnancy and family life.

I am currently 9 months pregnant, and due next month!  It feels like time has flown by! I am still in awe and disbelief that we will have our little boy here before we know it.

I am still keeping up with healthy eating, and low impact workouts, which have helped TREMENDOUSLY! I now see why women who do this end up feeling so much better during their pregnancies.  For my first two pregnancies I mostly ate whatever, and never thought about exercising beyond an occasional walk here or there. However, since I have been an active runner after having my daughter, I wanted to keep up some kind of SAFE activity during pregnancy.  

I spoke with my midwife, and she gave me a lot of great recommendations as to what level of activity would be appropriate for me. She definitely let me know that, as I progressed in the pregnancy, I would probably have to adjust my workouts due to the increasing weight of baby. She was right, lol!! My workouts right now are much shorter (30 minutes), and mostly walking workouts, with some squats and pilates.  But, yes, I am AMAZED that though a little tired, I feel much better this time around, than I did at the end of my first two pregnancies.

Other than officially counting down to baby, this summer has been good to us!  I have truly enjoyed the relaxed pace!!! We have already gotten in a lot of fun playdates, park playing, summer reading, swimming, and birthday parties!!  My kids already know that come July 1st, I will be resting a lot more, and there will be only an activity or two for the week--and that is perfectly fine with them (God bless them).  

As for me, I am holding on to every moment until our lives change in a beautiful way.  

Lastly, my husband and I celebrated 11 years of marriage this past Saturday!!  We went on a date and somehow ended up at a bookstore looking at sewing books, lol!! It has been a while since I saw some of the latest sewing offerings, and he wanted to look at business books too. We are in that place in our marriage where we do a lot of things alike. Sometimes we will say the same thing at the same time, or come up with similar ideas.  It is nice how that happens! We are different, yet as we unselfishly love each other, all of our MEs begin turning into WEs.  

Well, that is all for now.  I did finish the boys room/nursery last month. I'm not sure if any of you would be interested in seeing how the room is put together, but if you are, I will do a post with nursery photos. Just let me know in the comments!

Stay sew-filled!

What's up for April?

Hello everyone!

Welcome to APRIL!!!

I admit I have been a bit derailed as of late, and I will explain why..

For March, I planned on creating the fabulous Love Notions cigarette pants with maternity option.  I printed out the pdf, and that is the farthest I got, lol!! I have no idea why the thought of taping all the pages together, and adding my adjustments makes me feel so, well...tired!!

I promise I will still be working on the pants, but I am moving them to this month instead. Which means I will be foregoing the theme for the Make a Garment a Month group for now. Should I be able to get my act together, I will participate (it is a fun one).

So what have I been doing?

I have been sewing more burp cloths!! I finished a set of 10 for a friend, and decided that my son needed some too (of course).  So, I went to Joanns, picked up some fat quarters, and sewed these up for him:

The crazy thing is, I plan to make MORE, ahahahahaha!!!  They are so easy, and so fun. I can knock out a few here and there, and the end result is lovely. The fabrics I chose match the nursery theme we are going for, which is marine/sea-faring. It is wonderful to coordinate the theme in such a small way!!

I also have an unfinished dress I am working on for my daughter. I started out creating it for Easter, then said "oh forget it," and changed the name from Easter dress to fancy dress. I can finish her fancy dress anytime, since I didn't complete it by Easter.

Anyhow, that is all for now. I have SO many ideas swarming around in my head, but not enough time to do them all. I like one project a month because it keeps me focused, and I usually finish. Do you all experience sewing project overload too?????

Just for fun, here is a recent photo of me at 6 months:

As you can see, my belly is really POPPING, and my son is really growing.  Truth be told, I ENJOY being pregnant!  I know that not everyone does, and not every pregnancy is the same, but I have been graced to feel mostly good this time around.  The aches and pains have been seldom, and I listen to my body and rest when I need to. Also, I have continued working out and eating healthier.  I pray this continues, as I know I will be entering the third trimester soon, and my son will begin putting on a lot more weight.  For now, I am grateful, and counting my blessings each day.

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter, and I look forward to sharing some more projects with you this month!

Stay sew filled!