Disboutiquers Part 28 Kids Disney Boutique / Customs Clothes psst..we sew ;-)

[Queen of Cumberland]

I made stuffed Peep toys for my kids today from a free pattern I found on Pinterest (sooo totally addicted to this site!!). I think they turned out cute! And my kiddos love them!

These are soooo cute! Must try this for next year!

Oh, while I am here, here's a Public Service Announcement:

Please make sure you keep your hands and fingers away from the moving parts of your embroidery machine! I had the misfortune of getting my finger caught under the needle when it was moving. Let's just say (1) I now have some appreciation for what being nailed on the cross must have been like, and (2) it is not something I care to do again. Please don't do what I did!

But looking at it from the brighter side, at least that meant I actually had time to sew today!

I'm glad to hear that you are doing better. Enjoy the hot cross buns today!

Day 13 of sewing and my latest creations...

pants/shirt set, shirt using the pillow case top design.

Dress, had to do my first zipper and sleeves. The dress is fully lined.

Just beautiful!

installed shelves...

thanks for looking and have a Hoppy and HappyBlessed Easter all![/B]

What beautiful shelves!

I made this skirt last August and never made a matching top. I tried about two weeks ago but the machine ate my shirt (fortunately it was one dd had worn a few times already so no money wasted). So finally I finished it and have it laundered. DD likes it so much she put it on right away and is wearing it over to her friend's to play -- I told her no playing outside!!!! The slit on the skirt is supposed to go to the side but dd insists on wearing it centered

Ugh! Sorry for the blurry picture -- I soooo want a nice camera!

So cute! These cute outfits are making want an embroidery machine (but I have no room, so I can't think about it right now).

Even though this is a total copy from my TR... I thought that maybe you all might like to hear about it - since it's somewhat relevant.

I learned something new last week...

You see - when I got Patience, she came with all these really cool attachments. Most of which, I had never seen before. And most of them, I had no clue how to use - but I really wanted to learn...

One of them, was her button holer attachment. Now, if you have ever seen or used one of these - you know they look pretty menacing. Quite the contraption - considering they were made for straight stitch machines, and everyone knows that you need to be able to zig-zag to make a button hole. So, instead of moving the needle back and forth - this button holer attachment moves the fabric back and forth. Cool eh?

I've never used one. But, you all know that I am a firm believer in manual reading (and vintage machine sewing - what's better than a vintage machine manual? ) So, again, I read my manual - some pages I had to read 3 or 4 times to make sure I understood the directions.

OK - let me back up a minute - first I have to show you the crappy button hole that prompted the learning of the button holer attachment... Isn't it awful? Yuck! Sometimes I hate myself for being a perfectionist.

Then, of course, I have to show you pictures of Patience sporting her new to me (not her, because she came with it - again - a case of Patience teaching me a thing or two about sewing...) button holer attachment:

Pretty creepy and intimidating - huh?

But seriously, check out the very first 2 button holes I made with it... AMAZING - right?

And then the button hole on the actual mini-project I was working on:

LOOOOVE IT!

Oh and the finished project... Little treat bags for MM... They're so cute!

D~

I love it! I've been looking at your PTR and your TR and you are so very creative and talented. You make me think that perhaps I should look for a vintage machine before thinking about an embroidery machine (but again, I have no room - not yet anyway).

Okie Dokie! Here's what I've been working on:

This is my oldest DD's Easter outfit. She is 8 and requested a skirt instead of a dress. My baby's growing up! *sniff sniff* It took us a while, but we finally settled on the "Audrey" skirt pattern by FunktionalThreads. I'm very pleased with how it turned out. Then I embellished a top to match. This was my 2nd ever applique, and very first time making a fabric flower. OH I should add that I followed this tutorial to make the fabric flower: http://sewchic.blogspot.com/2010/04/bazillion-and-one-fabric-flower.html

Okay, Picture time!

Complete outfit (horrible lighting, sorry about that!):

Back ruffles:

Close up of Bird Applique:

And finally, close up of fabric flower:

OH and one more thing I'd like to gush about......I picked out and ordered my birthday present! I'm getting a SERGER!! WHOOOPIEEEEE!!!!!

Okay, enough of that. Night all!
Sunshine

My dd would love this!


Ok. Now that I have 10 posts, I should be able to post pics of my projects, but unfortunately I do not have a lot of computer time this weekend (not with everyone being home and wanting their own time on the computer). So, I will post as soon as I have the chance.

I am just so happy that I can reply to others with pictures.

 

[OhStuffandFluff]

Happy Easter to you all!! Here are my kiddos and my DD in her new Feliz dress I made for her! She loves it! I adore this pattern and can't wait to make another one! Thanks to all who recommended this book! It is great!

 

[smile5sunshine]

Purple Ears, glad to hear your finger is healing well. I sewed my index finger last fall making a pillowcase for a big give. Went through my finger and just missed the bone. Well, my instinct kicked in and I pulled my finger out, and the needle broke in 3 pieces. Small piece stuck in my finger and I could not get it out. Trip to the ER and I did have to get a tetnus shot. I hear sewing your finger is a right of passage as a seamstress/sewer.

YE-OUCH!!! If that part about sewing your finger being a right of passage for a seamstress is true, then I think I'd like to stay a novice forever!

Thank you D~ (and everyone) for the compliments on the outfit. Can I tell you what the *adorable as ever* child did? Well, I was mad at her for wearing the outfit yesterday as it was a Saturday hence no school or anything necessary to look cute for. I told her THREE times to change and put play clothes on. She didn't listen so when she went to her friends I told her no playing outside. She listened. Then the girls had dinner at our house and she kept very neat during dinner (likely b/c she hardly ate a thing while her friend devoured everything I made). So dh and I told dd no more food and no treats since she barely ate. So later that evening I come downstairs to find dd scooping herself a bowl of chocolate ice cream. I tell her she wasn't allowed it but daddy forgot and told her she could have it. So I then said "well, we're taking your white shirt off before you get ice cream on it." TOO LATE!!!!! Chocolate ice cream streaming down from the dog and another spot as well. I tried Zout, Dawn, Oxyclean, Stain Stick, Goo Gone and even a bleach pen and can not get it all out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's soaking over night and today I will try baking soda with peroxide -- I have to be really careful thoug b/c the dog is black. I was NOT in a good mood last night

I LOVE it!!! The fabric flower looks awesome too. And the bird applique is perfect -- very well done I hope you post a pic of the girls dressed in their outfits.

Yay on the serger!!! You will love having one -- it really polishes things off and gives a very professional look to the finished product.

SUN the shirt!!! Seriously, wash it but don't dry in the dryer) and while it is still wet, set it outside in the sun to dry. The sun is a natural bleaching agent and I have been AMAZED at the stains that fade away in the sun. If it doesn't fade completely the first go around, it will over time.

Thank you for your sweet words about the applique. It is really far from perfect, but the camera didn't pick up on it's slight flaws. I did "walk" the sewing machine through several of the tight curves, which helped.

Love the skirt and the fabric flower. I bookmarked it for future use. Thanks !

Are sergers really all that great ? A neighbor down the street has one and she was so proud when she told me. What is the difference between hemming and a serger ?

Um, I don't know cause this will be the first time I've ever used one! But a serger isn't so much for hemming as it is for finishing off seams (although you CAN hem with it). Hopefully someone else will be better able to answer your question since it's all pretty new to me. When I was debating about buying one though, I read through this blog post and found it helpful in deciding to purchase one: http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2011/02/using-serger.html

I have a big plastic storage basket that is filled with me scraps for applique pieces. I have also bought 1/4 yard pieces of fabric when I needed certain colors. It is less expensive to buy the 1/4 yards than to buy a fq.

I am glad that I am not the only one who buys and plans ahead for fabric needs. I am definitely a fabric hoarder. Although from time to time, I make myself use only the fabric that I have in my stash. It is a fun challenge to see what I can make with the fabric that I have on hand.

Your skirt and top came out great! How nice that you and your dd shopped for the pattern together. Before you know it, she will want to sew together with you. One of my dd's always wants to sew with me and the other has no interest at all.

Hooray for the serger! You will love it. I was intimidated by mine at first but the longer I've had it, the more I love it! Now that I am trying to work more with knit fabrics, I am learning more about it. My in-laws are visiting this week, so there will be no sewing. But once they go home, I want to try out a couple of stitches on the serger that I've never tried before. I saw that I have a 3 thread super stretch stitch and I want to try out the 2 thread flatlock stitch, although I am not sure what that is for. I also want to try out the elasticator foot. I have a gathering foot but I can't figure out how to attach it so I have been searching the internet to see if I can find any information about it.

I'm glad you mentioned that about buying 1/4 of a yard instead of the fat quarters. I never did the math in my head (silly of me) but you're right! So far both my older two girls have shown an interest in learning to sew. I think this summer I will start trying to teach them some basics. One of the big reasons I decided to order the serger in the first place is because I really enjoy sewing with knits and I know that the serger will handle those so much better than my regular machine. I've LOVED watching all the fun knit projects you've been doing and can't wait to see more!

I love my serger.... so congrats on that.Love this Easter outfit. I just made an Audrey skirt for DD for one of our DHS days and used that same tank but in pink to go with it. Great minds think alike !

Ooohhh now I can't WAIT to see the new outfit for your DD on DHS day! Hurry up and finish the others so you can post them all! Just kidding

My dd would love this!


Ok. Now that I have 10 posts, I should be able to post pics of my projects, but unfortunately I do not have a lot of computer time this weekend (not with everyone being home and wanting their own time on the computer). So, I will post as soon as I have the chance.

I am just so happy that I can reply to others with pictures.

Thank you and HURRAY for getting to 10 posts and being able to post pics! I hope you find some time to sneak on the computer and post them soon, cause I would LOVE to see what all you have been sewing up!

Okay, and for Andrea.....Here's a picture of my kiddos in their Easter attire. It doesn't showcase the outfits I made that well since they are sitting, but you get the idea. Also, I'm feeling kind of guilty because I ended up just buying DS's outfit and not making him something. I was going to sew him some pants, but I wanted a polo shirt to go with it that was either lavendar or purple. Well, I only found one shirt that would work, until I went to Ross where I found the outfit he is wearing for three dollars cheaper than just the shirt would be. So it seemed like a no brainer to just buy his outfit and suffer from mommy guilt!

So from my family to yours, have a blessed Easter!

Sunshine

 

[OhStuffandFluff]

So from my family to yours, have a blessed Easter!
Sunshine[/QUOTE]

What a great family pic!! Love the adorable matching outfits!!

 

[DMGeurts]

I read that one your TR but didn't comment at the time, however I will here: HURRAY for using your buttonholer! Patience sure makes a far prettier button hole than my machine :/ I made my 1st when working on one of my kiddos Easter dresses and let's just say I'm glad no one will be looking at it very closely! Must practice more.

Thank you! You know - Button holes are my biggest annoyance... Someone here once told me not to worry about it because if you look at the garments you purchase, those button holes are rather ugly too - so I just shrugged my shoulders and went with it. I am sure your button holes are perfectly fine.

Complete outfit (horrible lighting, sorry about that!):

OH and one more thing I'd like to gush about......I picked out and ordered my birthday present! I'm getting a SERGER!! WHOOOPIEEEEE!!!!!

Okay, enough of that. Night all!
Sunshine

I just love the outfit - you did a great job pairing up fabrics!

Congrats on the serger! Which one did you get? I got mine last year about this time - it's not something that I use a lot - but it is something I am very thankful to have, because it has made a huge difference in the quality of my work.

Thank you D~ (and everyone) for the compliments on the outfit. Can I tell you what the *adorable as ever* child did? Well, I was mad at her for wearing the outfit yesterday as it was a Saturday hence no school or anything necessary to look cute for. I told her THREE times to change and put play clothes on. She didn't listen so when she went to her friends I told her no playing outside. She listened. Then the girls had dinner at our house and she kept very neat during dinner (likely b/c she hardly ate a thing while her friend devoured everything I made). So dh and I told dd no more food and no treats since she barely ate. So later that evening I come downstairs to find dd scooping herself a bowl of chocolate ice cream. I tell her she wasn't allowed it but daddy forgot and told her she could have it. So I then said "well, we're taking your white shirt off before you get ice cream on it." TOO LATE!!!!! Chocolate ice cream streaming down from the dog and another spot as well. I tried Zout, Dawn, Oxyclean, Stain Stick, Goo Gone and even a bleach pen and can not get it all out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's soaking over night and today I will try baking soda with peroxide -- I have to be really careful thoug b/c the dog is black. I was NOT in a good mood last night

And then this morning I woke up to find ds spilled Hawaiian punch drink powder in the pantry, a spot near the living room carpet, behind the trash can and under the bar stools It was so bad in the pantry that we now have a spot of red grout. DS is my neat child

ACK!!! SOunds like a rough night in your house! I am the worst stain remover ever - so bad that if it even looks bad - I just bring it to my BFF's house - she can get anything out!

OK, now to comment on your cute bags -- which I already did on your TR, but I can't say too often how adorable the bag is. You need to post some pics of MM over here too.

Thanks Andrea! Ooh - I didn't even think of that - another place I can show off MM!

The buttonholes turned out great! Good for you for exploring all the attachments that came with your machine! I love the little treat bags. They are adorable. I guess I need to go over and read your TR to see what you are using them for.

THanks Diane! I forgot, I didn't post about MM over here... I will tell you all about him in another post - I think I have too many photos in this one already.

I love it! I've been looking at your PTR and your TR and you are so very creative and talented. You make me think that perhaps I should look for a vintage machine before thinking about an embroidery machine (but again, I have no room - not yet anyway).

Awww... Thanks! I love turning people to vintage sewing... There is something so wholesome and fun about it. If you ever find yourself wanting to start, let me know... I have some great links bookmarked in the Table of Contents of my PTR.

Adorable - I love the fabrics you chose for the ruffles on the Feliz - I agree - that is a great book!

So from my family to yours, have a blessed Easter!

Sunshine

This is the most adorable picture ever! I love how sweet they all look in their coordinating outfits!

Happy Easter to all my Disboutiquer friends!​

D~

 

[Sandi S]

hey i am just checking in,haven;'t sewn since finishing the grands easter dresses but i have been busy this week organizing my sewing room which was a mess...piles of fabric { i am a thrift store junky and sheets are my fabric,curtains too! hehe } i have folded and sorted till my arms wanna fall off...on;t about 3/4 thru after 3 days of working on it...but it is coming together and i love love love my shelves . dh works at a cabinet shop and he was able to use scrap materials for my shelves,thank god because if not i would never have them...about $300 just in wood + he clocked out and worked on his own for several hours a few days to get them done,then installation...he must love me...hehe... anyway here they are...i hope to finish this weekend and share an after pic!

before...all this was once neat then i dg and dig for things and don't refold and before ya know it...hoarders in action!

the black/white damask in this picture { with pink minky on top} is dgd Liberty's crib set. thank god they found one they like,i just have to add appliquéd Minnie Heads on the quilt & bed skirt! curtains too when they find some they like.

shelves in the carport!

installed shelves...

thanks for looking and have a Hoppy and HappyBlessed Easter all![/B]

I love it! What a fantastic thing for your DH to do!

I bought some pink light weight corduroy when I was at Hobby Lobby today. I would like to make it into a jumper and I'd like to insert a smocked panel into the front of it. If I already have a 5x7 panel that is smocked, how do I insert it into the pattern that I want to use?

I have adapted a non-smocking pattern for a smocked insert before. redraft the front of the pattern to accommodate the smocked piece (include seam allowances). It's easiest if the bodice piece is already larger than the smocked piece you want to include (as opposed to needing to lengthen the bodice).

Are sergers really all that great ? A neighbor down the street has one and she was so proud when she told me. What is the difference between hemming and a serger ?

Yes! Once you have one, you will wonder how you lived without it! The only hemming I do with my serger is to do rolled hems, but I love having all of my seams finished like RTW clothes.

Happy Easter to you all!! Here are my kiddos and my DD in her new Feliz dress I made for her! She loves it! I adore this pattern and can't wait to make another one! Thanks to all who recommended this book! It is great!

Beautiful job - love the Feliz! I have made it 4-5 times now and it's a blast every time.

I haven't been on much in the last few days because I was making this:

I have quite a few more pictures on my blog: The Ultimate Smocked Easter Dress

I was still smocking yesterday morning and ended up staying up to 5am until I got the dress done. After just 3 hours of sleep, I crashed hard this afternoon. It was worth it though...she looked so sweet at church, and this will be an heirloom to pass down.

 

[DMGeurts]

So, some of you were wondering about MM...

I am sorry that I can't start a story about MM, until I tell you a short story about our Rufus...

Rufus was an amazing member of our family. We adopted him when he was about a year or two old - unfortunately, because of his history, we never knew his official age, but he lived with us for 11 years. He grew up with my girls and he added a true completeness to our family.

Three weeks before the girls and I left on our trip, Rufus quit eating and vomiting anything he did eat. We were concerned, and our regular vet was on vacation, so we took him to a different vet. This vet ran several tests and put him on a special diet of hamburger and rice. A few days later, that vet had called us back and told us that Ruf had gone into kidney failure. As a family, we were devistated - words cannot describe how heartbroken we were. The following Monday when our vet returned, he performed a few more tests and ran some xrays on Ruf, because there was a glimmer of hope that it was something else. The xray found a massive tumor on top of his kidneys that was essentially putting Ruf into kidney failure. We prayed really hard that he would last, but it just wasn't to be - he deteriorated so quickly. By Wed he was starting to have seizures, and on Thursday he lost almost all movement in his back left leg. Thursday night at dinner, we all decided as a family that is was time to put Ruf down. Josh made the appt for Friday evening - 3 days before we left for Disney. It was the most horrible experience of my life, and just broke my heart in no other way that I can describe. Rufus was such a bright spot in our lifes and brought so much joy to our family - I still cannot tell you how much we miss him - it's immense.

While Rufus was still alive, someone at work pulled me aside and said something to me... She said that we were a dog family. Dogs live short lives (compared to humans) and they are meant to have one owner, humans live longer lives and are meant to have many dogs. Another person said (I think it was Judy) - you were such a great family to Rufus - it would be such a waste not to give that love to another dog.

And there is was, staring us in the face. We are a dog family, and we knew we were going to get another dog. We had a few requirements. First of all, we coudn't do another Lab, and it definately could not be yellow. The dog would never have a blue collar - because that's was Ruf's color. And we wanted a puppy.

The night the girls and I left for Disney, Josh went and picked up our puppy, and 8 week old, male, Golden Retreiver. I knew about it, but I was (barely)able to keep the secret from the girls for the duration of our trip - which was really hard, because Josh kept sending me texts with pictures like this:

And this:

And I was just falling in love with the little guy on our trip. I couldn't wait to get home to meet him... and let the girls meet him.

When we came home - Allison wasn't feeling well - so she just came in the house... The puppy was in his kennel in the kitchen - we heard Allison scream and start crying from outside. Even though the girls were so sad about Rufus... They were so elated to be able to have something little and furry to console them.

Our first day home with the puppy - we decided to name him Max... Who has now become Monster Max (MM) or the girls call him Max-a-Roni... It's been several weeks now, of bonding, and training, and biting, and loving, and chasing, and teaching...

As you can see - MM has slowly worked his way into our family and our hearts... We all still cry over Ruf - more often than you may think - he left a huge hole in our family. But litte MM has made it easier to cope. It's kind of like when you have another child - your love for your other children doesn't diminish - your heart just grows and you make room. The same thing happened with MM.

Thank you for letting me share our Rufus here, and thank you for letting me share little Max.

D~

 

[Sandi S]

Both of your dogs were/are precious! Pets are definitely family. My family is a cat family, but I can understand your feelings about Rufus and getting the new puppy - when our old cat Pumpkin had to be put down after getting very sick (she was 16), we suddenly had an empty spot in our hearts even though we still had another dearly loved kitty. Not three weeks later, we ended up having to take in Joey, who had belonged to my uncle who had just had to go to a nursing home. It seems like there is always room in your heart and family for pets.

Now, I think little MM would like a custom doggie bed...this is a bed I made for my kitties (Molly is enjoying it here.)

 

[RMAMom]

I haven't posted much because life has kept me very busy but I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Easter!

D~ We are also a dog family and I completely understand your sorrow for Rufus and your Joy for Max. Good luck with your new puppy and I pray that the hole that Rufus left closes with warm wonderful memories of him!

 

[PurpleEars]

Okie Dokie! Here's what I've been working on:

This is my oldest DD's Easter outfit. She is 8 and requested a skirt instead of a dress. My baby's growing up! *sniff sniff* It took us a while, but we finally settled on the "Audrey" skirt pattern by FunktionalThreads. I'm very pleased with how it turned out. Then I embellished a top to match. This was my 2nd ever applique, and very first time making a fabric flower. OH I should add that I followed this tutorial to make the fabric flower: http://sewchic.blogspot.com/2010/04/bazillion-and-one-fabric-flower.html

Okay, Picture time!

Complete outfit (horrible lighting, sorry about that!):

OH and one more thing I'd like to gush about......I picked out and ordered my birthday present! I'm getting a SERGER!! WHOOOPIEEEEE!!!!!

Okay, enough of that. Night all!
Sunshine

Great job on the skirt, applique, and fabric flower! The entire outfit looks lovely! I am sure you will enjoy having a serger. I could not imagine going by without my serger!

Purple Ears, glad to hear your finger is healing well. I sewed my index finger last fall making a pillowcase for a big give. Went through my finger and just missed the bone. Well, my instinct kicked in and I pulled my finger out, and the needle broke in 3 pieces. Small piece stuck in my finger and I could not get it out. Trip to the ER and I did have to get a tetnus shot. I hear sewing your finger is a right of passage as a seamstress/sewer.

I guess I should be comforted that I am not the only one who did something so silly. Thankfully my adventures did not involve anything more than a few band-aids. It sounds like you had a rough time with yours!

Thank you D~ (and everyone) for the compliments on the outfit. Can I tell you what the *adorable as ever* child did? Well, I was mad at her for wearing the outfit yesterday as it was a Saturday hence no school or anything necessary to look cute for. I told her THREE times to change and put play clothes on. She didn't listen so when she went to her friends I told her no playing outside. She listened. Then the girls had dinner at our house and she kept very neat during dinner (likely b/c she hardly ate a thing while her friend devoured everything I made). So dh and I told dd no more food and no treats since she barely ate. So later that evening I come downstairs to find dd scooping herself a bowl of chocolate ice cream. I tell her she wasn't allowed it but daddy forgot and told her she could have it. So I then said "well, we're taking your white shirt off before you get ice cream on it." TOO LATE!!!!! Chocolate ice cream streaming down from the dog and another spot as well. I tried Zout, Dawn, Oxyclean, Stain Stick, Goo Gone and even a bleach pen and can not get it all out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's soaking over night and today I will try baking soda with peroxide -- I have to be really careful thoug b/c the dog is black. I was NOT in a good mood last night

And then this morning I woke up to find ds spilled Hawaiian punch drink powder in the pantry, a spot near the living room carpet, behind the trash can and under the bar stools It was so bad in the pantry that we now have a spot of red grout. DS is my neat child

Oh I am so sorry to hear about your stain-filled weekend! I would be mad too!

Happy Easter to you all!! Here are my kiddos and my DD in her new Feliz dress I made for her! She loves it! I adore this pattern and can't wait to make another one! Thanks to all who recommended this book! It is great!

Great job! I really like the fabric pieces you chose for the dress.

Okay, and for Andrea.....Here's a picture of my kiddos in their Easter attire. It doesn't showcase the outfits I made that well since they are sitting, but you get the idea. Also, I'm feeling kind of guilty because I ended up just buying DS's outfit and not making him something. I was going to sew him some pants, but I wanted a polo shirt to go with it that was either lavendar or purple. Well, I only found one shirt that would work, until I went to Ross where I found the outfit he is wearing for three dollars cheaper than just the shirt would be. So it seemed like a no brainer to just buy his outfit and suffer from mommy guilt!

So from my family to yours, have a blessed Easter!

Sunshine

This is such a lovely picture! Thank you for sharing!

I haven't been on much in the last few days because I was making this:

I have quite a few more pictures on my blog: The Ultimate Smocked Easter Dress

I was still smocking yesterday morning and ended up staying up to 5am until I got the dress done. After just 3 hours of sleep, I crashed hard this afternoon. It was worth it though...she looked so sweet at church, and this will be an heirloom to pass down.

This is such a lovely dress. I am totally IMPRESSED! She looks adorable in it.

So, some of you were wondering about MM...

I am sorry that I can't start a story about MM, until I tell you a short story about our Rufus...

Rufus was an amazing member of our family. We adopted him when he was about a year or two old - unfortunately, because of his history, we never knew his official age, but he lived with us for 11 years. He grew up with my girls and he added a true completeness to our family.

Three weeks before the girls and I left on our trip, Rufus quit eating and vomiting anything he did eat. We were concerned, and our regular vet was on vacation, so we took him to a different vet. This vet ran several tests and put him on a special diet of hamburger and rice. A few days later, that vet had called us back and told us that Ruf had gone into kidney failure. As a family, we were devistated - words cannot describe how heartbroken we were. The following Monday when our vet returned, he performed a few more tests and ran some xrays on Ruf, because there was a glimmer of hope that it was something else. The xray found a massive tumor on top of his kidneys that was essentially putting Ruf into kidney failure. We prayed really hard that he would last, but it just wasn't to be - he deteriorated so quickly. By Wed he was starting to have seizures, and on Thursday he lost almost all movement in his back left leg. Thursday night at dinner, we all decided as a family that is was time to put Ruf down. Josh made the appt for Friday evening - 3 days before we left for Disney. It was the most horrible experience of my life, and just broke my heart in no other way that I can describe. Rufus was such a bright spot in our lifes and brought so much joy to our family - I still cannot tell you how much we miss him - it's immense.

While Rufus was still alive, someone at work pulled me aside and said something to me... She said that we were a dog family. Dogs live short lives (compared to humans) and they are meant to have one owner, humans live longer lives and are meant to have many dogs. Another person said (I think it was Judy) - you were such a great family to Rufus - it would be such a waste not to give that love to another dog.

And there is was, staring us in the face. We are a dog family, and we knew we were going to get another dog. We had a few requirements. First of all, we coudn't do another Lab, and it definately could not be yellow. The dog would never have a blue collar - because that's was Ruf's color. And we wanted a puppy.

The night the girls and I left for Disney, Josh went and picked up our puppy, and 8 week old, male, Golden Retreiver. I knew about it, but I was (barely)able to keep the secret from the girls for the duration of our trip - which was really hard, because Josh kept sending me texts with pictures like this:

And I was just falling in love with the little guy on our trip. I couldn't wait to get home to meet him... and let the girls meet him.

When we came home - Allison wasn't feeling well - so she just came in the house... The puppy was in his kennel in the kitchen - we heard Allison scream and start crying from outside. Even though the girls were so sad about Rufus... They were so elated to be able to have something little and furry to console them.

Our first day home with the puppy - we decided to name him Max... Who has now become Monster Max (MM) or the girls call him Max-a-Roni... It's been several weeks now, of bonding, and training, and biting, and loving, and chasing, and teaching...

As you can see - MM has slowly worked his way into our family and our hearts... We all still cry over Ruf - more often than you may think - he left a huge hole in our family. But litte MM has made it easier to cope. It's kind of like when you have another child - your love for your other children doesn't diminish - your heart just grows and you make room. The same thing happened with MM.

Thank you for letting me share our Rufus here, and thank you for letting me share little Max.

D~

Thanks so much for sharing the story about Ruf and MM. Your family sounded like a perfect one for Ruf and MM!


I haven't shared my projects in a while, so here are a few things I finished in the last couple of weeks:

This is a corduroy skirt for work - it is actually perfect for spring here! I tried out a new to me pattern from Simplicity. I am not sure if I am sold on the trumpet skirt look yet, but in the worse case the fabric was only $1.99/metre from Wal-Mart (back when they sold fabric, so I think this may be a 2 year vintage material).

Next up, it is an update of a dress I made last year. Some of you may recall I made this Jamie dress when the pattern first came out. Unfortunately the fabric got caught and ripped when I was finishing the hem, so it ended up about 6" shorter than planned. I tried to wear it (it was still below knee length in the shorter version), but it simply didn't work for me. I decided the only way I would actually wear the dress was to add a border to the bottom to lengthen the dress. I had sketched out a few ideas but none of them really had the "right look." Then I had this inspiration for the hem when I did the "Mickey's Fun Wheel skirt" for Barbara's auction:

This is a close up of the border - it is the same front and back:

And the final project was a re-purposed dress. Again, some of you may remember the previous redenition of this dress. The originial dress was made for Project Runway for the week we had to use a new pattern. Well, guess what, I hated how it turned out! The dress was way larger than I had anticipated and the style just didn't quite work for me. I finally got around to taking it apart and made it into a Rebecca dress. Oh I am so much happier with this version!

Because of the length (given my preference for long skirts/dresses), I ended putting a vent in the back as suggested in the pattern. It was very easy to do and I would make a dress that way again.

Thanks for looking. Happy Easter to those who celebrate Easter!

 

[SallyfromDE]

So, some of you were wondering about MM...

Thank you for letting me share our Rufus here, and thank you for letting me share little Max.

D~

It's really a tribute to Rufus that you are able to share you love with MM. If he were a bad experiene, you never would have been able to share that love with a new puppy.

I'm a cat people, although I would like to get a small pocketbook dog. One that I can literbox train! Stick in a pocketbook and go out.

My Boo, and try scardy cat:

 

[VBAndrea]

Are sergers really all that great ? A neighbor down the street has one and she was so proud when she told me. What is the difference between hemming and a serger ?

I use my serger mainly for finishing seams and it gives items a very professional look -- I love having it and would hate not having one. Mine is just a cheap one so I have to sew and then serge, but some do a straight stitch in addition to serger. I do use it for rolled hems (which can be nice for ruffles) and I love it for lettuce edges on knits.

Happy Easter to you all!! Here are my kiddos and my DD in her new Feliz dress I made for her! She loves it! I adore this pattern and can't wait to make another one! Thanks to all who recommended this book! It is great!

Really pretty! I have yet to make that dress -- my dd is 8 now and I doubt she'd wear one

SUN the shirt!!! Seriously, wash it but don't dry in the dryer) and while it is still wet, set it outside in the sun to dry. The sun is a natural bleaching agent and I have been AMAZED at the stains that fade away in the sun. If it doesn't fade completely the first go around, it will over time.








I'm glad you mentioned that about buying 1/4 of a yard instead of the fat quarters. I never did the math in my head (silly of me) but you're right! So far both my older two girls have shown an interest in learning to sew. I think this summer I will start trying to teach them some basics. One of the big reasons I decided to order the serger in the first place is because I really enjoy sewing with knits and I know that the serger will handle those so much better than my regular machine. I've LOVED watching all the fun knit projects you've been doing and can't wait to see more!


Okay, and for Andrea.....Here's a picture of my kiddos in their Easter attire. It doesn't showcase the outfits I made that well since they are sitting, but you get the idea. Also, I'm feeling kind of guilty because I ended up just buying DS's outfit and not making him something. I was going to sew him some pants, but I wanted a polo shirt to go with it that was either lavendar or purple. Well, I only found one shirt that would work, until I went to Ross where I found the outfit he is wearing for three dollars cheaper than just the shirt would be. So it seemed like a no brainer to just buy his outfit and suffer from mommy guilt!

So from my family to yours, have a blessed Easter!

Sunshine

Thank you for the sun tip -- I will try it -- there is still one spot that will not come out! I still have it soaking. If it works I be forever indebted to you.

I buy FQs when they are on sale -- I often find there are fabrics I like better that are in FQ only. I would never pay full price for one though.

That is a great pic!!!! I love it and the set looks so good together and your ds looks awesome too. What cute kids you have! Did you say your oldest is 8 y/o? She looks older -- my 8 y/o looks much smaller.

I haven't been on much in the last few days because I was making this:

I was still smocking yesterday morning and ended up staying up to 5am until I got the dress done. After just 3 hours of sleep, I crashed hard this afternoon. It was worth it though...she looked so sweet at church, and this will be an heirloom to pass down.

Beautiful but OMG on staying up until 5am to finish! My dogs wake me at 6am so that would never work for me! The dress is a work of art -- I would have been so scared letting my dd that!

So, some of you were wondering about MM...

D~

I'll keep my comments brief since I followed along on *our* ptr and your tr, but I'm just so happy to see this sweet little monster in your house

Both of your dogs were/are precious! Pets are definitely family. My family is a cat family, but I can understand your feelings about Rufus and getting the new puppy - when our old cat Pumpkin had to be put down after getting very sick (she was 16), we suddenly had an empty spot in our hearts even though we still had another dearly loved kitty. Not three weeks later, we ended up having to take in Joey, who had belonged to my uncle who had just had to go to a nursing home. It seems like there is always room in your heart and family for pets.

Now, I think little MM would like a custom doggie bed...this is a bed I made for my kitties (Molly is enjoying it here.)

Cute bed! I just buy mine at Ross b/c I guarantee they are cheaper than what I can make them for. My cats prefer our beds, but our doggies love their dog beds.

Sorry about Pumpkin -- we have a 16 y/o orange tabby -- he'll be 17 in August. He's already outlived two younger Russian Blues we had.

I haven't shared my projects in a while, so here are a few things I finished in the last couple of weeks:

This is a corduroy skirt for work - it is actually perfect for spring here! I tried out a new to me pattern from Simplicity. I am not sure if I am sold on the trumpet skirt look yet, but in the worse case the fabric was only $1.99/metre from Wal-Mart (back when they sold fabric, so I think this may be a 2 year vintage material).

Next up, it is an update of a dress I made last year. Some of you may recall I made this Jamie dress when the pattern first came out. Unfortunately the fabric got caught and ripped when I was finishing the hem, so it ended up about 6" shorter than planned. I tried to wear it (it was still below knee length in the shorter version), but it simply didn't work for me. I decided the only way I would actually wear the dress was to add a border to the bottom to lengthen the dress. I had sketched out a few ideas but none of them really had the "right look." Then I had this inspiration for the hem when I did the "Mickey's Fun Wheel skirt" for Barbara's auction:

This is a close up of the border - it is the same front and back:

And the final project was a re-purposed dress. Again, some of you may remember the previous redenition of this dress. The originial dress was made for Project Runway for the week we had to use a new pattern. Well, guess what, I hated how it turned out! The dress was way larger than I had anticipated and the style just didn't quite work for me. I finally got around to taking it apart and made it into a Rebecca dress. Oh I am so much happier with this version!

Because of the length (given my preference for long skirts/dresses), I ended putting a vent in the back as suggested in the pattern. It was very easy to do and I would make a dress that way again.

Thanks for looking. Happy Easter to those who celebrate Easter!

Great work! I love the border on the dress It turned out fabulous!

I remember your project runway dress -- it was very much my style but I'm glad you were able to rework it into something that suits you better.

 

[pyrxtc]

I haven't shared my projects in a while, so here are a few things I finished in the last couple of weeks:

This is a corduroy skirt for work - it is actually perfect for spring here! I tried out a new to me pattern from Simplicity. I am not sure if I am sold on the trumpet skirt look yet, but in the worse case the fabric was only $1.99/metre from Wal-Mart (back when they sold fabric, so I think this may be a 2 year vintage material).

Next up, it is an update of a dress I made last year. Some of you may recall I made this Jamie dress when the pattern first came out. Unfortunately the fabric got caught and ripped when I was finishing the hem, so it ended up about 6" shorter than planned. I tried to wear it (it was still below knee length in the shorter version), but it simply didn't work for me. I decided the only way I would actually wear the dress was to add a border to the bottom to lengthen the dress. I had sketched out a few ideas but none of them really had the "right look." Then I had this inspiration for the hem when I did the "Mickey's Fun Wheel skirt" for Barbara's auction:

This is a close up of the border - it is the same front and back:

And the final project was a re-purposed dress. Again, some of you may remember the previous redenition of this dress. The originial dress was made for Project Runway for the week we had to use a new pattern. Well, guess what, I hated how it turned out! The dress was way larger than I had anticipated and the style just didn't quite work for me. I finally got around to taking it apart and made it into a Rebecca dress. Oh I am so much happier with this version!

Because of the length (given my preference for long skirts/dresses), I ended putting a vent in the back as suggested in the pattern. It was very easy to do and I would make a dress that way again.

Thanks for looking. Happy Easter to those who celebrate Easter!

Nice dresses. I really need to do my measurements so I can make myself some dresses and things that I will wear. Something that fits over my chest without making my stomach look so huge.
[/QUOTE]

Sandi S, I cannot get your post to quote but I wanted to tell you that I LOVE that dress. I got sucked by my Cinderella dress too and stayed up way later than I should have. I cannot imagine doing a dress like this but maybe someday. Great job !

 

[DMGeurts]

Both of your dogs were/are precious! Pets are definitely family. My family is a cat family, but I can understand your feelings about Rufus and getting the new puppy - when our old cat Pumpkin had to be put down after getting very sick (she was 16), we suddenly had an empty spot in our hearts even though we still had another dearly loved kitty. Not three weeks later, we ended up having to take in Joey, who had belonged to my uncle who had just had to go to a nursing home. It seems like there is always room in your heart and family for pets.

Now, I think little MM would like a custom doggie bed...this is a bed I made for my kitties (Molly is enjoying it here.)

I love the bed! I've actually been wanting to make one... I have the fabric chosen - but wow... It's gonna be expensive. I want to do a durable bottom (so prob home decor fabric), the sides I want to do in the green paw print fabric I did his treat bags in, and the top - I was thinking possibly a brown cordouroy??? Not sure yet. I'd really like to have enough fabric to do 2 or 3 beds... One for upstairs, one for downstairs and one for the lake - we'll see...

Did you follow a pattern for yours? I really like how it turned out!

I haven't posted much because life has kept me very busy but I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Easter!

D~ We are also a dog family and I completely understand your sorrow for Rufus and your Joy for Max. Good luck with your new puppy and I pray that the hole that Rufus left closes with warm wonderful memories of him!

Thank you.

Thanks so much for sharing the story about Ruf and MM. Your family sounded like a perfect one for Ruf and MM!

Thanks!

I haven't shared my projects in a while, so here are a few things I finished in the last couple of weeks:

This is a corduroy skirt for work - it is actually perfect for spring here! I tried out a new to me pattern from Simplicity. I am not sure if I am sold on the trumpet skirt look yet, but in the worse case the fabric was only $1.99/metre from Wal-Mart (back when they sold fabric, so I think this may be a 2 year vintage material).

Next up, it is an update of a dress I made last year. Some of you may recall I made this Jamie dress when the pattern first came out. Unfortunately the fabric got caught and ripped when I was finishing the hem, so it ended up about 6" shorter than planned. I tried to wear it (it was still below knee length in the shorter version), but it simply didn't work for me. I decided the only way I would actually wear the dress was to add a border to the bottom to lengthen the dress. I had sketched out a few ideas but none of them really had the "right look." Then I had this inspiration for the hem when I did the "Mickey's Fun Wheel skirt" for Barbara's auction:

This is a close up of the border - it is the same front and back:

And the final project was a re-purposed dress. Again, some of you may remember the previous redenition of this dress. The originial dress was made for Project Runway for the week we had to use a new pattern. Well, guess what, I hated how it turned out! The dress was way larger than I had anticipated and the style just didn't quite work for me. I finally got around to taking it apart and made it into a Rebecca dress. Oh I am so much happier with this version!

Because of the length (given my preference for long skirts/dresses), I ended putting a vent in the back as suggested in the pattern. It was very easy to do and I would make a dress that way again.

Thanks for looking. Happy Easter to those who celebrate Easter!

I love how you repurposed everything! It looks really awesome!

It's really a tribute to Rufus that you are able to share you love with MM. If he were a bad experiene, you never would have been able to share that love with a new puppy.

I'm a cat people, although I would like to get a small pocketbook dog. One that I can literbox train! Stick in a pocketbook and go out.

My Boo, and try scardy cat:

Thanks! Your cat is gorgeous! I used to have a black cat in highschool - she was adopted and the former owners had cut off her whiskers (soooo mean) - so her name was Dizzy. She was so cute!

I'll keep my comments brief since I followed along on *our* ptr and your tr, but I'm just so happy to see this sweet little monster in your house

Thanks Andrea! Sorry you have to read about my life where ever you go. Maybe it's a good thing that you aren't on FB? LOL

D~

 

[smile5sunshine]

Happy Easter to you all!! Here are my kiddos and my DD in her new Feliz dress I made for her! She loves it! I adore this pattern and can't wait to make another one! Thanks to all who recommended this book! It is great!

Your DD's dress is BEAUTIFUL! Great choices on the fabrics. I am in love with the look of this dress. I really need to get my hands on that book so I can make a few!

Thank you! You know - Button holes are my biggest annoyance... Someone here once told me not to worry about it because if you look at the garments you purchase, those button holes are rather ugly too - so I just shrugged my shoulders and went with it. I am sure your button holes are perfectly fine.

I just love the outfit - you did a great job pairing up fabrics!

Congrats on the serger! Which one did you get? I got mine last year about this time - it's not something that I use a lot - but it is something I am very thankful to have, because it has made a huge difference in the quality of my work.

This is the most adorable picture ever! I love how sweet they all look in their coordinating outfits!


D~

HA HA, you only say that because you haven't seen MY button holes! But I do get what you are saying. After pouring through reviews, I ended up going with the Brother1034D. I hope I like it as much as everyone else seems to. And thanks for the sweet words about my family pic

I haven't been on much in the last few days because I was making this:

I have quite a few more pictures on my blog: The Ultimate Smocked Easter Dress

I was still smocking yesterday morning and ended up staying up to 5am until I got the dress done. After just 3 hours of sleep, I crashed hard this afternoon. It was worth it though...she looked so sweet at church, and this will be an heirloom to pass down.

Oh my goodness Sandi this is GORGEOUS!!!! Truly a labor of love. In fact it looks so great that if I had seen it and not known, I might have thought you bought it! SUPER DUPER WONDERFUL JOB!!!

Great job on the skirt, applique, and fabric flower! The entire outfit looks lovely! I am sure you will enjoy having a serger. I could not imagine going by without my serger!


This is such a lovely picture! Thank you for sharing!

I haven't shared my projects in a while, so here are a few things I finished in the last couple of weeks:

This is a corduroy skirt for work - it is actually perfect for spring here! I tried out a new to me pattern from Simplicity. I am not sure if I am sold on the trumpet skirt look yet, but in the worse case the fabric was only $1.99/metre from Wal-Mart (back when they sold fabric, so I think this may be a 2 year vintage material).

Next up, it is an update of a dress I made last year. Some of you may recall I made this Jamie dress when the pattern first came out. Unfortunately the fabric got caught and ripped when I was finishing the hem, so it ended up about 6" shorter than planned. I tried to wear it (it was still below knee length in the shorter version), but it simply didn't work for me. I decided the only way I would actually wear the dress was to add a border to the bottom to lengthen the dress. I had sketched out a few ideas but none of them really had the "right look." Then I had this inspiration for the hem when I did the "Mickey's Fun Wheel skirt" for Barbara's auction:

This is a close up of the border - it is the same front and back:

And the final project was a re-purposed dress. Again, some of you may remember the previous redenition of this dress. The originial dress was made for Project Runway for the week we had to use a new pattern. Well, guess what, I hated how it turned out! The dress was way larger than I had anticipated and the style just didn't quite work for me. I finally got around to taking it apart and made it into a Rebecca dress. Oh I am so much happier with this version!

Because of the length (given my preference for long skirts/dresses), I ended putting a vent in the back as suggested in the pattern. It was very easy to do and I would make a dress that way again.

Thanks for looking. Happy Easter to those who celebrate Easter!

Thank you.

I LOVE the stuff you've been sewing for yourself! I think my favorite is the trumpet skirt, because they are so versatile, but LOVE what you did with the other two dresses. Fingers crossed you are MUCH happier with them now and will wear them!

Really pretty! I have yet to make that dress -- my dd is 8 now and I doubt she'd wear one

Thank you for the sun tip -- I will try it -- there is still one spot that will not come out! I still have it soaking. If it works I be forever indebted to you.

I buy FQs when they are on sale -- I often find there are fabrics I like better that are in FQ only. I would never pay full price for one though.

That is a great pic!!!! I love it and the set looks so good together and your ds looks awesome too. What cute kids you have! Did you say your oldest is 8 y/o? She looks older -- my 8 y/o looks much smaller.

Don't feel too badly because I doubt my DD8 would wear a feliz either! She's all about skirts these days though.

Thank you, and yes, she is 8. Maybe she just looks so much bigger because she's sitting next to her peanut of a sister? She's just a smidge above average height for her age, but skinny, skinny, skinny. My other two girls, however, are constantly trying to fall off the bottom end of the growth charts!

No sewing for me last night. I took a day off! But really I ended up just brainstorming some ideas for the current things I want to work on for our trip. Now that the Easter sewing is done, it's time to think only about DISNEY!

Sunshine

 

[Dustykins]

I haven't shared anything in awhile (heck, I haven't made much of anything in awhile - I've had strep throat 4 times since the end of January and I'm having my tonsils removed in May). Anyway, here's DD' birthday outfit (I made the tiara, too).


IMG_20120318_115625

 

[dianemom2]

Love the Feliz dress. I have that pattern but haven't made it yet. I just hate tracing the Farbenmix patterns. Somebody just gave me the bright idea to copy them on the copies so I am going to try that! You did a great job!

Sunshine

Excellent job on all the outfits. They turned out great! I love how each one is different but they all match. I agree that buying the outfit for your ds was a no brainer!

I have adapted a non-smocking pattern for a smocked insert before. redraft the front of the pattern to accommodate the smocked piece (include seam allowances). It's easiest if the bodice piece is already larger than the smocked piece you want to include (as opposed to needing to lengthen the bodice).


I haven't been on much in the last few days because I was making this:

I have quite a few more pictures on my blog: The Ultimate Smocked Easter Dress

That dress is amazing! It will definitely be something to save and hand down. You did a beautiful job!

So, some of you were wondering about MM...


And this:

Our first day home with the puppy - we decided to name him Max... Who has now become Monster Max (MM) or the girls call him Max-a-Roni... It's been several weeks now, of bonding, and training, and biting, and loving, and chasing, and teaching...

Thank you for letting me share our Rufus here, and thank you for letting me share little Max.
D~

I followed along with your Rufus and what happened on your PTR. Your new baby is adorable! I know that each dog brings something different to your family. Your new little Max must be bringing something new and special to your home.

Thanks for looking. Happy Easter to those who celebrate Easter!

I love how you re-did all the dresses to make them work for you and what you like. I love the dress with the Mickey Mouse trim along the bottom.

 

[Sandi S]

I love the bed! I've actually been wanting to make one... I have the fabric chosen - but wow... It's gonna be expensive. I want to do a durable bottom (so prob home decor fabric), the sides I want to do in the green paw print fabric I did his treat bags in, and the top - I was thinking possibly a brown cordouroy??? Not sure yet. I'd really like to have enough fabric to do 2 or 3 beds... One for upstairs, one for downstairs and one for the lake - we'll see...

Did you follow a pattern for yours? I really like how it turned out!

It an out of print McCall's 5677.

Oh my goodness Sandi this is GORGEOUS!!!! Truly a labor of love. In fact it looks so great that if I had seen it and not known, I might have thought you bought it! SUPER DUPER WONDERFUL JOB!!!

Thank you - to all of you who have commented on the smocked dress - it was a labor of love and will be kept and handed down (and NO ONE will eat while wearing it - lol).

I know someone said they ordered a Brother 1034D serger - excellent choice! I love mine.

DD is 5 today and I gave her this (among a few other things):

The pattern is Simplicity 1952 and also has some baby doll clothes with it as well.

I cut a top for myself and what will be a "Pooh cuties" themed outfit for our Disney trip for Gracie. I am hoping to make both today (after I force myself to finish writing some test questions for extra $$).

 

[micksmoma]

Has anyone ever had a school logo digitized? I would like to have a recommendation for a company that does a good job at a reasonable price.

 

[Meshell2002]

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab356/dianemom2/th_P4060008.jpg[IMG][/QUOTE]

Ok my quote pic won't post but I need to try that pattern with knits....looks comfy

[quote="smile5sunshine, post: 44538845"] Well, I only found one shirt that would work, until I went to Ross where I found the outfit he is wearing for three dollars cheaper than just the shirt would be. So it seemed like a no brainer to just buy his outfit and suffer from mommy guilt!

[IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/smile5sunshine/sewing%20projects/th_picture188.jpg

So from my family to yours, have a blessed Easter!

Sunshine

Love the matching outfits....and don't worry....boy sewing is different..my DS wore RTW clothes this Easter too!

I was still smocking yesterday morning and ended up staying up to 5am until I got the dress done. After just 3 hours of sleep, I crashed hard this afternoon. It was worth it though...she looked so sweet at church, and this will be an heirloom to pass down.

Gorgeous smocking! Can I be you when I grow up?




I'm just catching up after almost a week of being off the thread. I will try to come back later and post my Easter pics, just catching up a little for now.