Racerback Dress

I'm still on vacation, but as promised I present my Racerback Dress.

Annee made two darling matching ones for her twin little ladies HERE.

And then like manna from heaven I packaged arrived at my house a couple days before my birthday (the day after the 4th of July).  The packaged contained three different knits of the finest quality.  Annee surprised me with the best birthday present I got this year.  She seems to be a magnet to great fabric.  She currently lives close by Chez Ami.

Like Annee I used the FREE pattern from Crafterhours.  Great pattern!  Great!  This dress came together very quickly.

And my model loves the dress.  Loves it.

A total success if you ask me!

Now back to vacation.  However, I have been motivated at night to slowly work on my Flea Market Fancy quilt while at my House in the South.  I just might surprise myself and have a quilt to show before the summer is out.  Wonders never cease!

Some Small Things

Liz here.  I'm out of my sewing room for a couple of weeks.  Well, I'm out for at least a week while I'm at my house in the South, and then reentry to life at Made on Maple West Coast with 3 kids will probably delay any sewing for at least a week beyond my return to California.  But a break is good for the soul and my sanity.

Before I left on vacation, I whipped up a few simple things.  I also have a dress to share, and if I'm feeling really motivated I'll share it in a couple of days.

First, a couple of simple things.  My kids were in need of some entertainment while on two different flights for our coast to coast journey.  Whether you believe in technology for children or not, I think we can all agree that it can for the most part keep kids quiet and entertained for long stretches at a time.  Both my oldest were going to be "plugged in" for part of our trip, so I made them each an earbud circle pouch to keep their earbuds in.  I also made the strap long enough to be a wrist strap.  Grace loved this addition and wore her pouch like a purse for a day or two before vacation.  

These pouches are so simple and quick to sew.  I highly recommend them.  They also are very handy in keeping up with earbud which I know from experience can get lost very easily.

Next I sewed a Hoot Holder for my iPhone.  I still need to get a case for my iPhone, but I thought a cute Hoot Holder was an essential thing to sew before my sojourn to the South.  I bought a Hoot Holder for Annee from an Etsy shop for Christmas this past year, so the idea isn't mine.  All credit goes to Krista at Frauleinschmidt.

Lastly I made a credit card/ID holder before I set out on my trip.  I carried a backpack on the plane with my Easy Zipper Pouch carrying my essentials, but I've been feeling like I needed quick access to my driver's license and various credit cards.  I don't have a lot of credit cards (only 2) but my credit cards and one debit card are all blue.  That might not sound like that big of a deal, but when you are standing in line to check somewhere it can be slightly frustrating.  I used my frustration as inspiration, and BAM! I got a mini wallet.

I used some leftover Ikea stripes on the outside for some weight, and then cute Anna Maria Horner fabric on the inside for color.  It fits nicely inside my small pouch along with my Hoot Holder and lip gloss and keys.  I should have probably taken a picture of all that together, but I didn't.  Use your imagination!

And that's all for my small things.  Back to vacation for me.  I did bring a quilt to work on while I'm in the South, but so for not too much work has been done on it.  I'll be sure to keep you posted!

Library Totes

I live across the street from a library.  My kids love going to the library, and checking books out and movies, but I hate the responsibility of keeping up with our borrowed items.

I work really well with systems, but without knowing where our library books will fit into our house I just usually opt to not let my kids check things out.

Then I saw Annee's darling "Read" bags for end-of-the-year teacher gifts.  They were to die for adorable.  I started thinking my two Gs could use a similar bag as part of a library system, and then I could start letting them check stuff out.  The bags could open up a world of possibilities for my little ones.  They might actually get the experience of checking things out.

I knew I wasn't going to be able to do the patchwork books on the front if I wanted to get two bags made before the summer was out.  I also knew I wanted thicker fabric then quilter cotton for the bags.  While at Ikea getting the fabric for my Summer Tote, I found the smaller striped fabric that Annee used to make her Bow Bag Tutorial.  My Ikea discontinued the fabric, but I got lucky and they had a bolt of red and white striped and black and white striped.

And two little bags were born.

I added a zipper pocket on the inside.  

I then let Grace and George each get their very own library cards that they will keep inside the pocket along with the receipt of what they checked out from the library.

I made the bags Friday night, and we've been to the library 3 times since then.  After all, it's across the street.  It's a luxury really.  Free entertainment.  I'm kind of sad I didn't make the bags sooner!

Summer Tote

Hello sewing friends!  It's been awhile, or at least it feels like it's been awhile, since I posted something on MoM.  I'm in the middle of summer with 3 young little ones, and I'm loving it.  Mostly I'm loving it.  There have been several days when I feel like a robot doing the exact same thing over and over and over.  I take care of little ones, cook, clean, cook, clean, run errands, cook, clean, repeat, repeat, repeat.  My days aren't overly stressful and certainly not over planned, but for some reason come the end of the night I haven't had the desire to sit up at my machine and sew.  No big deal.  A break is good, but I could tell two weeks ago that it was starting to take a toll on me.  I get all dramatic in my head and start thinking maybe I'll never sew again, and maybe I should just box up all my sewing stuff and put the small space I've carved out for myself  to good use as a makeshift bedroom so bed time at my house doesn't have to be so painful.  I have three kids in one room.  It's like a slow and painful death every night with me often times losing my cool which really doesn't help matters.  But, I'll spare you all the details.

On to happier topics...

Then one week ago I decided dishes could wait, clean clothes were overrated, and my kids might have gotten a meal or two that weren't of the highest nutritional value.  I decided with all my free time I could sew a little.  Sew I did.

I've been wanting a big summer tote.  I went to Ikea to look at their fabric and found the perfect hot pink fat striped fabric just begging to be bought, and at $6.99/yd I felt like it was a screaming deal since it's home decorating weight.

On the inside, I used an Anna Maria Horner fabric from her Chocolate Lollipop line that I've had in my collection for far too long.  Have you seen her new line of fabric set to release later this summer??  I'll be making a purchase come August when it hits the fabric stores.  My bedroom is needing some Anna love.  I'm either going to tackle a duvet cover or window treatments.  Window treatments would be easier, but a new duvet would be smashing.

For my Summer Tote, I used the same method used to make a Bow Bag, but I made it a little bigger (finished it's 18 inches wide by 15 inches long), left off the bow, and widened the straps ever so slightly.  All in all this was a very easy project.  I was back to doing the dishes before anyone even knew I'd taken a break.

In the end, I'm pleased as punch.  I wanted a bag that could hold swim towels and snack, or sand toys and lunches, or groceries, or multiple items needed to help my kiddos make it through church.  It's a multi purpose tote really, but since it's bright and I made it in the summer, I'm calling it a Summer Tote.

Grace and George were my photogs for this photo shoot.  I'm pretty positive they fought over the camera longer than the photo shoot took place, but I'm happy I had their help.  Baby Hank decided to start climbing on the outdoor toys while I was busy breaking up their fights.  It's like they were trying to distract me so he could taste a little more freedom.  Is it possible they were all in on it together?!

I have more bags to share later this week.  I'm also in the middle of trying to get my printer to cooperate so I can sew some dresses for Grace for our upcoming vacation.  Apparently my printer didn't get the memo that I'm NOT closing up my laundry room sewing sweat shop.  I need to keep it open for sanities sake.

Off to fix the printer and hopefully sew!