Dress making update - Sew NOT cheap!

So, the making of the plethera of dresses has been stalled because my SERGER BROKE!  More specifically, my lower looper thingymabober (technical term!).  To make matters worse, after checking around the internet, I find a ton of these parts at between 11 and 23 dollars, however, the part for MY particular model is, at its LOWEST....$33 dollars!  Sew NOT cheap!

I'm SEW bummed that part of the side cash I'm going to make for these dressis is going to be used to cover for the money I had to spend on this part!  However......(glass half full approach....)  It COULD have been a part that wasn't replacable without replacing the whole machine.....coule be worse!

So, as far as the dresses are concerned.....to be continued!

"God will take care of me....."

Friday Blog hop time!

It's Friday and I wanna HOP!!! I'm gonna hop all over the place this week! I'm gonna visit a TON of new lilly pads!

*NOTE* While you're here, check out my "Dishcloth Swap and GIVEAWAY!"

Wanna hop too? Link up and get hopping! Like me?  FOLLOW ME!! hehe



Here are some lilly pads I'm hoppin around on:

Crochet Dishcloth Swap "Rules"! AND...SURPRISE...a GIVEAWAY!!!

The goal of this swap is to produce and receive little pieces of crocheted art.

Use beautiful yarns, color combinations, and patterns. Don't feel pressured to be perfect

, the fun is in the cute little gems that show up in the mail, like little surprise gifts from blogville friends!

If you want to be in the swap, the rules are simple....First.....reply to this post with your numbered answers to these questions: (helps your fellow swapper know what you like)

1) Your google name/or other contact name?

2) What are your favourite color combinations (more than one combo if possible!)?

3) What are your favorite shapes?
4) When you are not crocheting, what is it that you love to do?
5) Name three things that you like.

After y'all post,you'll be given another blogger to "make for". You can then get their info,  Use the answers from the questionaire post to make two dishcloths for them! You're swap is complete when 1. You have sent and received your dishcloths and 2. you've either posted pics on your blog with a link back to this site or, if you don't have a blog, email the pics of your received dishcloths to me so I can post them FOR you!

Then, when you've completed your swap, ONE of you will receive this "Giveaway":

Two skeins of crochet yarn, one crochet hook, and a crochet pattern booklet!

 *NOTE* Winner is chosen by writing all names on a  scrap of paper, placing them into a bowl, and having my 3yr old or 5yr old pick one! (Technical, I know, but I wouldn't have it any other way!)



Not sure what you want to do?  I'll help ya out with some links at the end of this post...sky's the limit!  Those of you who don't crochet much, or never have, dishcloths are the PERFECT starter project!

Material choices:  Cotton yarn is the most frequently used material, however, many people mix it with felted wool for a scrubbier cloth, and/or tulle(netting) cut into strips for a scrubbie!

Most of the time you don't have to worry about guage size or crochet hook size with these little beauties, it's usually more about getting the right sized finished product!

Links for FREE dishcloth patterns:

Crochet Pattern Central has a TON of them in a basic directory, I love this one!

Tipnut has some nice ones with picture thumbnails.

Shh...I'm Counting! has tawashi patterns..(love these!)

This one is  from Crochet Pattern Central for "scrubbies"

Hope these help!

I'm on READ MY FEED!

I'm a guest host on Read My Feed at Coupons are Great !  Wanna join the "Read My Feed" blog hop?  It's a great way to get to know other great blogs!  If so, check it out HERE:

Crochet Dishcloth Swap!

I'm RE-posting the crochet dishcloth swap! I have one person interested. I would like to get a couple more.....anyone interested?????? It'll be funsies! (yeah, I really DID just type "funsies"!)
As you can see from the following pics....I LOVE makin them...(and my daughter too!)

Dress #1...Pt 2!

I did the finishing stitches on lil "l" 's first dress!

I opted for one pocket instead of two....and added a rosette with a button at the waist!

Couldn't decide which button to use though....

haven't gotten pics with the dress on lil "L" yet...i'll add them soon!

My daughter's Tubby Washy - Craft a Day #4

I'm featuring my daughter for Craft a Day / National Craft Month..AND for National Crochet Month!

I gave my oldest daughter, Raegan (14) a skein of verigated cotton yarn as a thank you

for watching her siblings for me. She made a purse and this:

The pattern was "nonexistant" in other words, she shot it out off the top of her head!

She gave it to my mother as a bath cloth.  However, my mom liked it so much that

she decided it needed to be a doily.

I know I'm partial, but I think its AMAZING!

Dress # 1, MAYBE....

Ok, I finished Dress #1....a dress for the younger "L". .....sorta maybe.....I liked it, until my bubby decided he didn't ......now I'm unsure of whether it looks good or not.  I'm going to have to have my friend look at it and if she doesn't like it, I'll take it apart, no biggie........but Here it is (I'll post better pics tomorrow, IF she likes it...)

Here is the fabric I have for lil "L".  

Watermellon Seeds, and...

Aqua/White polka dots

Close up of the front...

Little further away.....

REALLY far away...hehe

Close up of the back...

and a distant pic....

Tomorrow I'll add pics of it ON her.....IF her mom likes it! ...>What do YOU think?

(might add polka dot pockets!)

UPDATE:  She likes it!  My friend has given the go ahead, so now it's time to do all the fancy stitching and add the pockets. 

Update #2....I have the second dress cut out for lil "L"....I hope to have them both finished tomrrow!

8 dresses , 4 girls, and 8 more doll dresses!

My friend has commissioned some dresses(well, jumpers) from me for her 4 gorgeous daughters.

She want's two dresses per child and, if there is leftover fabric, matching doll dresses (16 total) 

She did something AWESOME that has gotten me excited and my creative juices rolling...

She gave me "full creative liscence"!!!!!  She created a monster!  WHOOP WHOOP!

So, here is the fabric she handed me:

Here is the ribbon and thread she purchased:

#1

This is the fabric for "L" (leaving names out to preserve privacy)

She chose a muted Tan and a bright orange.

This daughter is too old for girly girl dresses, but to young

for revealing or too tight dresses.

This one will be a challenge

#2

This is the fabric for "K". She is an older young lady.  Her dresses

need to be lovely, modest, and fun! I have ideas brewing

for her dresses and am TOTALLY excited!

#3

This fabric is for "R".  She is an adorably beautiful little girl

with a funky personality. Her dresses can be slightly "little girlish"

but not too much.  I also have my ideas for hers, WAY geeked!

#4

Last, but DEFINITALY not least is the other "L" 's

fabric.  This little beauty is a ball of energy! She chose the

blue polka-dots and the watermellon seeds...and YES...I

have a vision of what to do for this one....CAN'T WAIT!

I'll post follow-ups as I finish them!  The challenge is finding enough fabric for two girl dresses AND matching doll dresses with just 3yards per fabric(6yd total per child) yet still keep them cute and original!

Today's Crochet Projects...more dishcloths! Craft a day #3!

I LOVE, not like LOVE....dishcloths!  They are the perfect project!  They're quick, easy, useful, and there are more pattern possibilities than stars in the sky!  Here are the ones I popped off today!

NOTE:  I'm cheating and making today's crochet post my craft post as well....gotta lotta sewing to do, no
extra time!

This one was simple, but adorable and fun! (love the pink/green camo!)

I made this one using a simple sc1/ch1 pattern, fast, easy , and cute!

I thought they looked cuter together!

Pictures do NOT do this one justice!  It is SEW cute!

I did a sk1, 2dc in next two, back post dc into skipped chain pattern on this one.

Then, on the last round, I: sk1, dc1, bp dc1,  all the way around.

My daughter wants me to make one with a bigger center for a barbie skirt!



Here's where I'm "Hoppin" today!

It's FRIDAY!! Time to meat new and interesting Bloggers out there in Blogville!  Here's where I'm Hopping from this week!

Fast Felt Puppet - Craft a Day #2

My kiddos LOVE puppets (so do I!), but, some of my ministry puppets just aren't able to be played with by little ones, so, I decided to make another one that they COULD play with! I'm sharing it here for my "Craft a Day" series for National Craft Month.  So here are the "ingredients" for the little puppet I "cooked up":

Felt, glue gun(and glue, hehe), ribbony stuff, magic marker, old buttons , and snaps

Here are the puppets I used as a pattern shape:

1.  I cut out the shape (larger for seam allowance) in two pieces of felt

(messed up on this one, had to do it again in green)

stitch it down all around(except the bottom) and turn it rightside out

2. Start adding pieces of felt, buttons, ribbon, etc.

3. Move stuff around and chop it up...get messy!

 3.  When you get it figured out, glue it down!

The kids call him "Mr. Police Man"!

We've added him to our collection!



Come see me at "She Wears Flowers"!

My bluejean bag/purse is being featured at She Wears Flowers (3/10/2011)!  Stop by Tammy's site and check it out!  You'll LOVE her site! I know I did....had to become a follower!!!

Crochet Dishcloths - National Crochet Month

Here are a couple basic crochet dishcloth variations I made from a pattern that existed in my cluttered head! I crocheted the one on the left and 80% of the one on the right while our pastor taught self defence at our ladies' meeting last night! ( Side note.....I payed attention,so, don't mess with me!! hehe)

They both look very similar, however, this one has double crochets and chain 3's

around the outside.

And on THIS one has single crochets and ch 2's around the outside.

When I am done with them, I have started doing something my friend does with

hers to make them look cuter.  I fold them in half, roll them up, then tie a piece of string around them.

TOO CUTE!