quilting galore

this weekend my little family took a trip up north. 3 hours in the car and a few hours shooting the breeze with my sister-in-laws and i was able to finish up a few quilts.

this first quilt was a special order for a lady at my church (the same that won the auction for the pink and chocolate baby quilt)

this next one is 'aunt gracie/crazy 8s'. this is a sample for the quilt shop, but it will be for sale with in the year. if anyone is interested please email me for a price - i've yet to work it up.

two more projects done, about a million more to go.

"i hate headbands!!!" (problem solved)

i've had a few people request headbands, but i hate headbands. they never seem to fit right or they are always falling off or giving me a headache. i hate putting them in my little girls hair. i believe in doing her hair once a day and i shouldn't have to fix it over and over!!!!

problem solved!!!

after getting a few ideas from a friend and her sister my little kenmore popped this baby out. i wore it all weekend to test out my prototype and i loved it!!!! it didn't squeeze my head, it didn't fall off, and there was no headache! and today i let kamryn wear the same headband. i did her hair once and it stayed all day.

it closes in the back with a loop on one end and ties on the other. there is no elastic to squeeze your head. it also has 4 velcro dots to keep it from slipping. i'm ready to make a couple dozen tonight to match all kamryn's (and my) outfits and moods.
feel free to request colors or patterns.

headbands are $10 each or 6 for $50.

a space to cut

well, a few of you may think i'm nuts for painting, and antique-ing something that looks just fine the way it is. it just didn't fit the feel i'm going for in my sewing room the way it was.

this is one of my ksl.com finds. $20, a can of paint and glaze i had in my storage room and presto chango, here is how it turned out...


yet another project that i didn't need to do right now is done... but i love the way it turned out!

just the zipper

oh, the stess of wedding dresses... in the end i think it is all worth the effort- although that doesn't mean i'll be doing another any time soon. it is only lacking a zipper and train (if she desides it needs one). now i'll finally feel like i can get to the other dozen orders i have screaming my name to get done.

Inspirations and cravings...

Over the past week I have been swamped with orders (THANK YOU)! So I have nothing finished to post... everything is started, half-way there, and one 'just needs a zipper' wedding dress. So, instead of posting an unfinished project I thought I'd show you some things (and people) that inspire me. Because I believe in supporting the local stay at home mommies I thought I'd feature a few from around my neck of the woods. I've come across these ladies blogs or stores in the past week and I am amazed by there stories and talent. All this fun stuff really makes me want to have another baby... now if I can only get my husband on board with that!

When you think about crochet booties don't you think it would be something your grandma might pick out. Not these. I think these booties are the cutest thing ever. Just imagine the little toes they'd cover... You can find them at: http://kellymccaleb.typepad.com/ or at her Etsy store (http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10366150).How cute (and different) are these hair clips. This lady has some darling clips!
http://www.tatertothairclips.blogspot.com/
This is just one of the many aprons that I love. Everyone is different! I believe that aprons are like potato chips, you can never have just one!

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5058602

All Tied Up

I'm just trying to finish up a few small orders before I dive head first into the wedding dress again. I have the top finished, but the bottom is screaming at me to "get 'er done" (my 'Larry the Cable guy' coming out in me). My poor dress form is going bottomless. Ann- I promise I'll finish your dress this week!!

But until then you can check out the ties I made today.It is a father-son set that was special ordered. The baby tie Velcros in back for easy removal after being spit-up on. Also, they are both machine washable. I suggest you hang to dry and iron as needed.
And if you can't tell, I'm playing with my camera again.

Baby's Ties- $12

Men's Ties- $20

Finally Done!!!

Well, here is one of the quilts I've been working on for the last few weeks- it's called a 'Turning 20s'. It's been done minus 1yd of the binding for about 2 weeks. I finally finished it yesterday while watching a movie with my hubby (he hates when I can't JUST sit and watch).

This one was made for my cute little niece for her birthday. It's just smaller than a queen and is backed with black Fireside (just as soft and cozy as minky, with out the dots)

After many many many hours I was finally finished pulling up all these nasty carpet squares and scraped all that black rubber pad off my sewing room floor. Yay! And once it was finished the thought crossed my mind that I should have taken before and after pictures... to late now, cause I was not about to set it all back out just for the dramatic effect! So these nasty pictures of my wonderful old flooring is going to have to count as my before picture. And before I post the after pictures let me give you a brief description of the 'old room'. The walls (all but one) are made out of the beautiful laminate wood paneling. The last wall was wallpapered, although I'm pretty sure it was contact paper. Big and small, blue and yellow (pretty sure it use to be white in its glory days) flowers and it had a linen texture to it. Good old tile ceiling (like the rest of the house)... I think that about covers it. Just know that my description could never do the ugliness justice! And here are the pictures of my new room:

This first picture is of the paneling. It wasn't quite in the budget (or should I say I didn't quite give my hubby the heads up that I was redoing my sewing room) to put up new walls. So I just painted and put a glaze on them.

I HATE tile ceilings!!!! But of course, that is what my entire house consist of with the exception of my kitchen. I learned last year when redoing my living room that a little paint and a little glaze can make just about anything look neat. Instead of hiding the nasties, you try to make them a focus point. This is my attempt at it. Didn't turn out quite as nice as my living room (different tiles), but I still like it.

This is my pride and joy for the room. I could stare at this wall all day! This was the one wall that had "wall paper". When tearing it off part of the sheet rock came with it. I bought a $10 bucket of mud and textured it myself. Added a coat of primer, paint, and of course, glaze.
I'm ready to redo the entire basement now just like this (another project for a time the hubby leaves to play with the boys for the weekend- he doesn't dare leave too often) Ignore the plugs. Yes, Jeff was an electrician, but I haven't talked him into changing them out yet. Just when I thought I'd convinced him this afternoon he got called out on a job... Convenient!
Well, this is a quick overall of the room before I try to furnish it. I'll post pictures once I get everything in and just they way I want it. I need to make a quilt for the bed (it's a guest room as well) and get some curtains and stuff like that. Give me a couple of months to have it looking all cutesy and I'll take more pics then.

Scripture Bags

Today I'd thought I'd show ya'll a few of my smaller bags. They are the perfect size for the medium size scriptures. They are also reversible for those that like change (like me!). Thanks Nat for showing me the ropes on these!

You can order these in any color/style and just about any size.

This particular bag is $15.

Dumb Dot Bag

Dumb Dot Bag!!!

After a little sweat and tears my little Kenmore popped this baby out. I hate when I get an order done for a client and then realize that I should bought the material for at least 2 or 3 more. I am loving this bag. It is the perfect size for just about everything and everywhere.

Both the bottom and inside are made of a chocolate with salmon pink polkadotted oilcloth- for easy cleaning. The top, the handles, and the 2 bottle holders (inside) are made of 100% cotton salmon pink with chocolate polkadots, and the chocolate cotton tie is held up with 6 belt loops.

The bottom of the bag measures 14.5"x3.5", the opening is 17", and the handles are 23".

Projects Galore...

Well, I've decided I suffer from ADD... can't start and finish just one project. I need about 5 going so when I get sick of looking at one fabric I can jump to the next, and then the next, and so on. Right now I have 2 quilts, 2 table toppers (for RS Enrichment), 10 scripture bags, 1 diaper bag, 1baby tie and an adult tie to match, a wedding dress all in process- and those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head. Not to mention the demolition and remodeling of my sewing room. Lets just say tearing up carpet pad from the last 60s early 70s is not my favorite job!!!

These 2 quilts are my new favorites. The material is just so dainty and fun. They are waiting to be sent off to the quilter. Hopefully she isn't too backed up and I can get them back soon. I can't wait to see them finished!
Just look at all the ric-rack and pintucks ruffles!!!! Oh, scruptious!

Does anyone else have some fun projects going? I would love to see them all!

Quilting 101

We'll I started out sewing clothing for little kids... and now, I've found a new love. That doesn't mean I've left my first love- just having a little afair with the second. It all started about 5 months ago. I was offered a job working at a fabric store (or at least that's how I viewed it). Turns out it is truely a quilting store- which I should have caught on to by the name, Quilting Cottage. For the first 2 months they kept trying to get me to cross over to the dark side. NO WAY! was I about to start quilting. It looked like a tedious and thankless habit. One day I bought this funky fabric to make a few aprons out of. I cut out the aprons between costomers that day and had all sorts of left over fabric. The lady I was working with talked me into making a SIMPLE quilt. When they say flirting starts affairs... they are so right!!! I still haven't make the aprons, but the quilt has been done for quite sometime! Oh, I am so in love (or at least lust). Check out this awesome quilt, which is my official "First". I am prefectionist, I admit, so yes it is perfect... and you would think I was an old 'mistress' at this quilting thing.

Just check out these yummy fabrics up-close!

The back is made of Minky. I love that you can see the stiching so well (although I can't take credit for that- the actual quilting is sent out- I just piece the top and bind it)

Seamstress???

My name is Haley and I am a... SEAMSTRESS??? I'm not sure I really want to use that word. To me a seamstress sounds professional, right? That I am, but 'professional' sounds... trained. 'Trained', I am not (unless you count my sophomore Home Ec. class).
I am an ARTIST. I love what I do. Sewing is not only an 'out' for me, but it is therapy. Because I am not formally trained I can feel that I can create with out limits. Where you might see a dress, a 'seamstress' might see fabric, notions, measurements, and a map from point A to point B... I see the off road version of that map. Uncharted territory. Like the seamstress, I start at point A, but I take the scenic route to point B. I like to create my own path, add my own touch, and create my own style.