October wasn't for wimps.

I hardly know what to say for myself or where to start.  After my birthday on the 8th, I feel like there was an avalanche of life, and I got buried somewhere along the way.  Sewing went from being my therapy to being more like a "job".  Much less therapeutic in that regard!  Nonetheless, I was plugging away on various projects here and there throughout the month.  I feel like dumping them all right here, right now, and then just starting into November with a clean and optimistic approach.  Let's see...

There were baby gifts:

The Miss Madeline pattern

via The Handmade dress

size 12 months 

Another attempt at the hooded-towel.

I don't even know which tutorial I used, there are like a million.  

I may have morphed two together, but I really liked the fact that this one suggested doing a french seam on the hood, so that it was completely enclosed, and therefore you don't see any unfinished, or serged seams, even on the inside of the towel.  Kind of cool.  

Another diaper clutch. 

This time I just followed the tutorial straight.  My brain was tired, and I couldn't find my pattern pieces for turning it the other way.  

Tutorial HERE.

Then, right before Halloween, we had a little birthday party to go to.  This party girl was turning 10 and loves to read.  I knew we'd be getting her a gift card to Barnes and Noble, but something is wrong with my head, and I can't seem to get over the idea that my hands should contribute to most gifts around here...

An easy, peasy, scrappy linen zipper pouch.  

Tutorial HERE.

Then, there were visitors to the sewing garage!  That was an October highlight! 

There was Halloween bunting making, a zipper wristlet, and a black little mini-skirt all going on at the same time.  It was intense and great.  

Action shot!

Here, Summer (from Seven Pretty) is showing when things were going great. 

Here I captured a moment when things were really intense.  

Here I am with my two little sisters!  Love these girls.

I spent most of my time that weekend sewing with things that were black, shiny and slippery.  If I never sew with satin again, it will be one of life's greatest blessings.  Not likely to happen though, given that my ladies already have lots of satiny dreams laid out, given the success over Halloween.

I helped create one Hermione, and one Witch Princess!  The Old Guy was totally pulled from closets, and mostly great because of the perfect wig and cane, courtesy of Amazon.com!  Since I put so much effort into making Ruby's Witch Princess dreams come true, I may make her do another photo shoot with that dress to make sure it gets properly honored.  Maybe next year I'll remember to make the Halloween costumes in August?!

The best part of the Hermione costume, was that I decided she needed a cute little black skirt to go with her robe.  I knew I could do that many different ways, but realizing that a black skirt could be a really great wardrobe staple, I tried to make it worth the effort.  It's my favorite Halloween memory:

A fine whale corduroy, black, Little Mini Skirt, as seen before here, here, and here...

It's such a great skirt, she's already worn it about a half-dozen times.  That's when sewing is totally worthwhile!!

Of course, how could I close-out the month of October, without remember the night I texted Liz a question about a sewing pattern we both had.  And before I knew it, we were in a sewing race, to see if we could both sew a Halloween peasant style dress within two hours or less.  All communications during the exercise, via text.  It was one of my favorite nights of the month.  Liz, you should insert your finished product here too.  Here's my iphone photo that I texted to Liz when I was done:

Which in turn ended up being a great outfit for Jane to wear to the NC State Fair:

So anyway, I guess that's all I have to show for myself and the month of October!  Not to mention that I was fitting in my longest marathon training miles for the Richmond VA marathon which I'll be running this weekend.  Not making any excuses for myself, but just trying to cut myself some slack for having been so totally and completely absent.  

I've already started my first non-Halloween or gift related project.  It might get finish by the end of the week.  But it might not.  I don't have any expectations anymore.  

XOX

October = Closed Out.  Done.