Did ya vote yet? Didja?

Time's running out to vote for your favorite challenge entry. Go to christynelson.net and *vote* already!!

I'm in a friendly competition with an IRL friend; it's been back and forth, and right now she's winning. We each have over a hundred votes already, but there's still room for more!

You have until 5pm (CST) to make a choice and vote for change!

k

Christy's Craft Challenge - January 2009

Here's my entry in Christy's Craft Challenge: a receipt holder and notebook!



The January challenge was to use the green paper, state fabric, brads, rubber bands and embroidery floss. How did I do it? Well, the wallet uses the state fabric, as well as some Ikea fabric from my stash. The closure on the wallet is part of a rubber band, and the button (also from stash) is sewn on with the embroidery floss. The notebook uses the green paper for backing and brads to hold it together. I went one step further and cut up the information sheet to use for paper in the notebook!



The piece of state fabric I received had Nebraska, so of course I had to utilize that bit! I also like the compass on the front.



There are more entries at Christy's flickr group. Check out the competition, then go to the poll and vote for your favorite (um, just so you know, the receipt holder is your favorite).

k

Congratulations!

Thank you so much for participating in my birthday giveaways! It's been a fun week for me -- it really *is* better to give than to receive (although, I'm not returning the special cookies my mom made for me! Not sharing them, either! lol).

Congratulations to the winners of each of this week's giveaways!

Child's Apron: Malinda

Celebrate! Fabric: Momma Blevins

Love Handles: The Riley Chronicles

Pin Cushion: Jess

Adult Apron: Christy

So ladies, drop me an email at refibered at gmail dot com - include your address and I'll get these mailed out on Tuesday!


k

Giveaway Saturday

There is a lesson for today's drawing: be prepared, and be prepared *early*!

There will be a drawing for today, but life gets in the way of posting sometimes.....(Jessica had a flat tire on the interstate, and we've had to put aside most of this morning's activities to get that taken care of....everything's fine, so don't worry.)

So, no pictures yet, but today's giveaway is an adult size, reversible apron! One side is the Alexander Henry "In the Kitchen" print, in the blue colorway. The bottom fabric in this image.

We're in Central City to visit my parents now, and will be back at the home computer late this evening to post the picture.

Go ahead and leave a comment to be entered in the drawing....comments for all drawings are open until Noon on Sunday, January 25.

k

Giveaway Friday

You know from previous posts that I'm involved in the craftster ANOTHER Pin Cushion Swap Round 10. (But don't worry Stacy, this isn't a spoiler!)

The inspiration for today's giveaway is one of several rescued quilt blocks. Whenever I see lonely quilt blocks, I usually manage to give them a home in my sewing room, where they play with other lonely quilt blocks. This is a 'friendship star' block, about 4" finished, made with batik background and solid color fabric star. It's a very pretty little block on it's own, but it wanted to be a useful thing...so, with a little bit of backing fabric, some thread and polyfil, that lonely little block is now a pretty little pin cushion!



She's almost too pretty to poke! Wait, what's this? Oh my, what sharp little points you have my dear!



Want to win this pretty little pin cushion? Just leave a comment and on Sunday I'll use a random number generator to pick a lucky reader!

Be sure to enter the other drawings, and check back tomorrow for one more prize. The drawings will be on Sunday, and I'll post winners Sunday evening. Thanks for reading!

k

Giveaway Thursday

Today's giveaway is just in time for a Valentine's Get-away.




Use these love handles on your luggage!



They'll help coordinate your mis-matched luggage, and you'll know exactly which black bag is yours when it comes around on the carousel.

For those so inclined, the wraps also make car seat straps a little snazzier!

Just leave a comment today and a random number generator will pick a winner on Sunday. Be sure to check back tomorrow and Saturday for more chances to win!

k

Giveaway Wednesday

In my never-ending quest to encourage craftiness in others, today's giveaway is one yard of flannel "Celebrate!" by Marna for Free Spirit fabric.

It's so pretty and cozy!! The print and colors are amazing: pretty wrapped packages and little birds, in gorgeous yellows, blues and pinks, all on a bright-white background.



What can you do with a yard of flannel? Make a yummy pillowcase, cute skirt for your kiddo, some cozy pants for a new baby, use it in a quilt, or just finish the edges and you've got a great toddler lovey. I'd love to know what you'd make with it, so leave a comment to be entered in the drawing!

Don't sew? Well, you can still leave a comment, and let me know. I'll turn it into a pillowcase for you before sending it off!

Remember to comment on yesterday's post, and come back tomorrow for another giveaway!

k

Giveaway Tuesday

My tyke loves aprons, and I love to make aprons....so what better way to start the Mid-Winter Giveaway, than with a child's apron!

This is a super cute little apron, just the right size for kids ages 3-6. It's got elastic in the neckband, to keep the apron up and still allow those big ol' toddler heads to slip through easily. The waist band secures with hook-n-loop tape, so little fingers can put it on themselves - no tying!





Wish I could take all the credit for this one, but it's from a free online pattern at the sewliberated (formerly "Montessori by hand") website. The pattern is super easy, I finished two aprons in less than an hour! It's also really versatile: add a pocket, embroider a name, package it up with some cupcake mix and frosting for a super cute present.

This one's done in my favorite fabric, Alexander Henry 'rising star' in the green colorway. mmmmmm I do love that fabric! I've even made a duplicate apron for my tyke! She's at school right now, so pictures later.

Do you know of or have a tyke who'd look adorable in this apron? Well, just leave a comment by Midnight Saturday and a random number generator will choose a lucky winner on Sunday!

Be sure to come back tomorrow and check out the Wednesday giveaway!

k

Mid-Winter Giveaways!

Having been inspired by several blog giveaways (especially StacySews...I won a book!!), I've decided to do a series of giveaways right here at refibered!

Each day this week, starting tomorrow, I'll post a specific giveaway and you leave a comment on each day's blog post. One entry per day! A random number generator will pick the winners on Sunday, January 25 -- which just happens to be my birthday. ('tis better to give than to receive. More fun, too!)

If you simply cannot wait to enter a drawing, here's a short list of some current giveaways:

*fabric hound - a great online shop with lots of beautiful fabrics! This link is to her blog, which is hosting an amazing giveaway for her first anniversary/birthday. (bonus link: the owner of fabric hound is also a sponsor at my favorite sewing forum, sewingmamas!)

*the crafty crow - what an inspirational blog! all about crafting with the kiddos. She actually has three Monday Giveaways this week, so don't just comment on the first one! Also, I am so making those giant pick up sticks.

*grosgrain fabulous - talk about amazing clothes and wonderful giveaways!! This time she's got a gorgeous adult size creation. Check it out!

*blog giveaways -- yep, a whole blog dedicated to links to giveaways! bookmark it and you can enter a giveaway any time you want!

See you tomorrow!

k

Oh, Oh, Olivia!

I have been sewing, almost every day! Just haven't been taking pics. Oh well.

In the last couple of days, I've finished these Farbenmix "Olivia" dresses. Leith's tried on the Dinosaur dress, but hasn't seen the grape dress. She lurves hoods, so these dresses are pretty popular with the tyke.



She and John go to Morrill Hall quite often to look at the dinosaur bones, so this one is doubly impressive to a three year old!


My favorite, though, is this one:



I lined the hood, added the pocket (it's part of the pattern, just haven't done one before), and tricked out the sleeves. It looks great, and hopefully Leith will like it, too. That's always a risk, eh?

There are two other UFOs that are finally nearing completion...I've been trying to figure out a waistband for a reversible skirt and think I have something that'll work. Should have that finished up tomorrow. Need to finish up an Anna, too. Had to get the right fabric to do one side, and picked it up this afternoon. Yay!

k

cactus!

Remember my post about the craftster pin cushion swap? Well, I have the fastest and quite likely most talented partner in the group! She made this fabulous cactus pin cushion!



It is so flipping cute! Here's hoping the pin cushion I make for her is half as cute.

********

It's been a week now since my last post. Why? No real reason. It's just that sometimes I get in a mood where I don't feel like talking/doing/being.

There's a lot going on: sewing every day (except Wednesday. oops), running errands, the usual stuff. Leith's back at Montessori this week. She was definitely ready for class to start up again. So was I.

I wonder if part of my disengagement is because I've flubbed a couple of sewing things. One of the shirts I made for Leith has a wonky neckline because I didn't cut the neck piece short enough. oops. Accidentally sewed a piece backwards on another shirt, but I didn't realize it until too late (new pattern). oops. The pin cushion I was working on today is just not coming out the way I'd imagined. OOPS. lol

But, instead of focusing on the positive - sewing every day, having completed a couple of totally cute shirts for Leith, some great ideas running through my head and having received a great swap pin cushion - I'm wallowing in the messes. ugh. Gotta drag myself out of it....

Ironically, blogging seems to be helping already!

k

Swap Talk

Gotta love "House" -- the sarcastic, caustic, genius doctor at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital.

The House Swap on craftster is in full swing! I sent last week and received this week from my partner Nesse. She has some amazing stencil skills -- check out the loot:



What a haul, huh?! A coffee sleeve (embroidered with the phrase: "Better be careful. I've got a full bladder and I'm not afraid to use it."), a zippered pouch with the House logo stencil, some candies and not one, but two great tote bags with the Greg stencil and "It's not Lupus" -- I absolutely love those bags!!

What did she get from me? Well, a couple of bad puns, a t-shirt and a goofy hat, that's what!



The shirt was done with a bleach pen. It's a fun technique, and I'll definitely try it again. Thinking I should have outlined the words with a sharpie to really make them pop.

Goofy hat, you ask? Well, I'm in love with making these friggian (that's f-r-i-g-g-I-a-n) hats, as I call them. They're an "interesting" shape that's lots of fun and sure to get comments.



The other side has the phrase: "It's the only thing that explains everything" -- because House *is* the only thing that explains everything.

Bad puns? you ask. That must be a typo, there are no bad puns, right? Right! HA Here's a picture of one:



Shrinky Dink key chain and cell phone charms...for her House keys and for making House calls. Get it? House keys. House calls. It's a House swap.....*sigh*


**********

Now I'm in another swap: ANOTHER Pincushion Swap Round 10. This swap filled up *fast* and we've been assigned partners. I'm super lucky to be exchanging with stacysews. I've been stalking her and am excited to report that I have a couple of ideas already! But, that's all I will say for now....sendouts are due by February 3, so watch for the next installment of "Swap Talk" later this month!

k

Friday Fabric Finds

It's no secret that I love fabric. New fabric from retailers. Old fabric from tshirts. Unknown fabric from thrift shops. What's not to love?!

Friday Fabric Finds is a new blog endeavor -- so new that I just thought of it and am totally unprepared for today! Not to mention that most of the day I've thought it was Sunday. *sigh*

It will likely evolve, but I anticipate it to be a series of postings about, well, fabric. Whether it's new lines, stuff I want, stuff I've bought, great deals or expensive-as-all-get-out (hello, Liberty of London, I'm looking at you!).

Today's episode is dedicated to a couple of my favorite online shops who just happen to be having great sales!

Bunte Fabrics - yum. yum. yum. European fabrics. Organics. Japanese imports. The ribbons! The buttons!

Sewzannes - loads of great fabrics, notions and patterns at great prices. Also quite possibly the world's fastest shipping!

The Fabric Fairy - gorgeous knits. Sometimes her outlet has 'bonanza boxes' -- they aren't always in stock but they are always amazing deals!

Where, pray tell, did I hear of such fabulous shops? Over at Sewing Mamas. A wonderful forum full of information and inspiration. Check it out, and let me know when you become a member!

k

Kinky? Maybe a little...

Don't get excited. It's not *that* kind of kinky! But it did make you look!

I meant in the sense of working out the kinks....figuring out the direction my blog/shop/life should go...okay, the life thing's going really, really well (thanks to John!). My shop, well, that'll work itself out soon. Dang CPSIA. My blog. hmmm. It needs a little more ooomph. Some structure, too.

My thought today is to have some recurring themes on certain days.

*Crafting with a toddler - toddler-friendly crafty suggestions, and our results
*Accountability - pictures of my daily sewing. Sort of a project 365, I guess.
*Etsy Updates - my shop and other (new and old) favorites
*Fabric Finds - (on Friday. I love me some alliteration!) Posting and sharing online and Brick & Mortar shops with fun, funky fabrics and great deals!

Well, that's four days' worth. Sounds like a good start.

Challenging Myself in 2009

What sort of challenges? Well, I'm not sure exactly.

There will be personal challenges - you know the usual: eat less, exercise more

Crafting challenges - new techniques and methods, improving some old favorites

Sewing challenges - especially zippers! invisible, lapped, everything




Most of those challenges are on-going, but the beginning of each month I will post a specific challenge. Then, throughout the month, I'll post my attempts at meeting those challenges.

January's Challenge: Sew *something* every day.

Whether it's for my etsy shop, my tyke or myself, I will sew something. Yes, serging will count.

k