Sewing, sewing, sewing!!

Let me tell you something: I. Love. Summer. I always have, of course, like everybody else, but being a teacher has made me appreciate these three months even more. Technically, with vacations and summer training, I only have five weeks of just being at home (two and a half of which are already over!), but I have been busy. Much to my glee (and my husband's annoyance), instead of catching up on housework, laundry, and gourmet cooking, I have been sewing.
And watching Lost. A lot of Lost.

I definitely consider myself more of a quilter, since that's what I learned to do first, but that's a heap of delayed gratification. With the arrival of my new niece, Lily (who I have never met but adore), I have been welcomed into the world of baby clothes, which can be finished in a few hours and are adooooorable. I found most of my patterns on Etsy, and have gathered fabric from trips out of town or the occasional fat quarter at Walmart. I think we have the only Walmart in the country without a fabric section, so pickings are slim, but sometimes I can find a gem.

Here's what I've been working on. These are all gifts, so if you see one pop up in your mailbox one of these days, act surprised! :)

 

 

These are little clutches I made for the teachers in the ELA department at my school, all with Walmart fat quarters. I was so blessed to work with nine wonderful women during my first year teaching, and this was my thank you! Unfortunately, I didn't get the opportunity to give them all out, so this will be the gift that keeps on giving once next year starts. I am moving to the math department next year, and will miss working with them!

 This is an idea I saw online that I'm in love with - appliqued onesies! I bought a bunch at Walmart and then looked for patterns online. I didn't find any I really loved, so I freehanded this little bird. It was originally for Lily, but leave it to her to grow out of newborn onesies before I finished. So, I sent it away to my friend Nikki, who is due in a few months with baby Peanut! (not to be confused with my Peanut, of course) All I did was cut out the pieces and then zigzag stitch around the edges. Then I sewed a little black button for an eye.

 

I also made matching booties for Peanut! They are kimono booties with a pattern from Etsy. Can you just stand them?? They look like little yoga slippers. I made these slippers in about two hours. Super easy!

Here's another appliqued onesie... this one will actually fit Lily, and will go in the mail soon!

These I'm obsessed with. Emily's husband is an F-16 pilot, so I made booties shaped like... airplanes! In CAMO! I could die. Although, leave it to Art to point out that the wings aren't even, and if these were planes, they would crash like Oceanic 815. (Lost reference, natch.)

And of course... appliqued onesies to match. And I made another set for a friend's baby shower coming up because they were so irresistible.  Booties... shaped like airplanes!

 

 

This is a little baby dress for Lily. I finished the dress, and the hat to match, but I'm waiting on the matching diaper cover until I get thread for my new serger! Which I have no idea how to use. Not to worry, the dress is up to six months! :)

 

Look at this little hat!!! Took two hours and less than a quarter yard of fabric. Was supposed to be all one fabric on each side, but I decided to mix it up. I love the results! Both patterns were from Etsy, from different stores.

Taking a pause from all the baby love, I made a wine tote for a friend who recently got married. I am super late on the sending, but I'm waiting to get beads to make some matching wine charms. I love how easy and fast it came together with just two fat quarters from Walmart. The pattern was free from Bernina, the manufacturer of my machine. (And yes, that is Lost playing on my laptop in the background.

PS - How awesome is the camera on my silly iPhone?! Got a great close-up of the topstitching. 

This little guy hangs out with me every day while I sew, protecting my batting.

Oh, and here's what I'm not doing during my time off:

But I did make this for dinner yesterday: Thai Chicken Tacos

 

So that's how I've been spending my days. It's all about to end though, because starting next Tuesday, I'll be in Columbus-Dayton-Columbus-Macinac Island-Columbus-Dayton-San Angelo-Austin-San Angelo-Fort Worth-Grapevine... until July 21st, with no stops home! Then two weeks home, then Fort Myers for my mom's birthday, then, unbelievably, it's time to go back to school!

Did I mention I'm also taking two classes towards my Masters? Leave it to me...