$0.25 Apiece

It was time to make a couple of baby sleepers for gifts. As I dug through the stash for just the right piece of fabric for the sleepers, I came across a nice piece of gray velour. This piece was purchased from JoMar’s $0.50/yard table in Philadelphia. The edge was stained from the machine that rolled it on the bolt. When I saw and felt the piece I knew it would make beautiful sleepers. I was not really sure about the stain or just how much room I had in my suitcase to take home fabric for sleepers, so I only purchased 1 yard.

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My first step was to wash the fabric. Before washing, I pretreated the stain just to see if it would come out. After pretreating, the stain still would not come out making my next step to cut off about 6 inches along the edge where the stain was. I knew there would still be enough fabric for at least one sleeper, so I started to cut. I cut out a size 0-3 month.

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When I finished cutting the first sleeper, I noticed that I still had plenty of fabric remaining. As I laid out the pattern pieces to cut a second sleeper, I noticed that I would still have plenty of fabric left after cutting out that sleeper too! Wow, maybe this piece of fabric grew in the washer! Since I had enough fabric, I decided to make a size 3-6 month sleeper for the last one. This finally left me with just scraps.

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The sleepers sewed up fairly easily. The zippers and the velour wanted to fight a little, so that required some patience and time to get right. I hate to unpick, but I did on part of one of the zippers to try and get a better look from it. The embroidery designs were easy to pick. The gray velour was perfect for a mostly white design, and that made it easy to pick white for the ribbing and zipper.

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The polar bear design slipped a little while stitching it but a hot iron helped to fix that problem and it washed ok, but it still bugs me as a seamstress when I look at it since it isn’t perfect. I then used some of the web knit on the back of the designs so it was soft for the babies skin and it seemed to help the problem as well. It is just so vexing when your sewing projects don’t work just the way you envisioned them to.

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Even though these are not my most favorite sleepers  that I have ever made, they sure are cute enough. Plus I think any baby would be happy to wear them and any parent happy to have their child wear them. What do you think of them?

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Just Sew Something Already

I wandered and I wandered. I wandered in and I wandered out. I wandered around and around. I finished my latest project and could not decided what to start next. I have so many things I want to sew and create, that I just can’t decided what would be best to do next. Yes, this is a reoccurring theme with me.

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I finally threw my hands in the air and they landed on a remanent that I purchased on my last trip to M&L fabric. Looking at the fabric, I grabbed it and threw it on the cutting table. I then grabbed the sleeper pattern. I did stop here for a moment to contemplate if I wanted to use this piece for sleepers or something else, but I refused to go back to wandering and wasting what precious sewing time I have, so I started to cut. This got my creative juices going. I started to line out my next project and then the next and then the next. I hurried to write down the list. I am so excited to have a plan again!

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I finished cutting out the sleepers and sewed them up. As always, they were a lot of fun to sew. It has been a long time since I have made a sleeper that I did not embroidery on, but this fabric was just too busy for an embroidered design. I made two sleepers because that used up the entire remanent with nothing left to put  back into the stash. To make them a little different, I used different color ribbing. It is amazing to me how much a small change like different color ribbing changes the whole project. The green ribbing is all boy, but a girl could wear the red ribbing as well as a boy.

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I have already started my next project with no wandering needed. From now on I have decided to keep a piece of fabric for sleepers next to the cutting table, for those times when I can’t decide what to do next. That way as I am cutting them out and I have burst of creative thoughts, I can put the sleepers away and get started on those other projects. Then I will use the time sewing the sleepers up as another boost to get things going again when needed. Hopefully, my plan will work and the wandering will stop. Hopefully…

Flannel Pieces

While digging through the stash for flannel pieces to make blankets, I discovered that I have quite a large supply of flannel pieces that are not big enough for a blanket by themselves, most around 1/2 to 3/4 of a yard. The majority of them are baby/kid prints. Some have been living in the stash for a long time and others for only a short time, but I would like to figure out something to do with them.

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My first thought is just to piece the pieces together and make more blankets, but I hesitate for one reason. Previously, I pieced together some fleece and flannel pieces to make a blanket for a pet. I patch worked the top of the blanket and used a solid piece for the bottom. I was disappointed with the results. Because of the seams, the blanket was lumpy. To me, it seemed like it would be uncomfortable to lie on. I did not add a batting to that blanket. I have often wondered if I had added a batting if that would have solved the problem, but I was trying to keep the blanket as thin as possible. So, I would hate to use these pieces to piece a blanket together only to have it be lumpy and uncomfortable. Perhaps since I will only be using flannel and no fleece, it would not turn out as lumpy. I have also wondered if doing a french seam would make the blanket smoother. I guess I just need to try it and see what I get.

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I have also thought about making a rag blanket with the pieces, but  I have never tried to make one of those before. I don’t know if the rag blankets suffer from the same lumpy problem. My mom has made several rag blankets with denim and flannel and lumpiness does not seem to be an issue with those. I also don’t know if I want to put my washer and dryer through the fraying process. I am probably just over thinking the whole lumpy problem. What do you think?

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Because I am not convinced that I should use the pieces for blankets, I have been trying to think of other ideas. My sister makes sleepers from flannel. I have thought about doing this, but I would sure miss the stretch of the knits while making the sleepers. I also believe that the knit sleepers wear better and the babies do not out grow the knit sleepers as quickly. Since I have an abundance of knits that I can use to make sleepers with I would hate to spend the time to use the flannel. I have also thought about making slippers with the flannel. I have a simple pattern for cloth slippers for infants/toddlers. I have also bought a pattern to make slippers from fleece which I have not tried yet, but I have wondered how flannel would work out, but I guess I had better try the pattern with fleece first.

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Ok, all of you readers out there, what do you think? What should I make with these flannel pieces?

BS

BS – Bibs and Sleepers.

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I ended up being able to do some creative stitching at the side seam and foot to save the original sleeper I mentioned in my previous post.

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Thank heavens for the small piece of fabric that you sew to the bottom of zipper. It became the extension that I needed for the crotch piece. As I sewed the other foot together, it was messed up too. So, the feet on this sleeper ended up being smaller than on some of the other sleepers I have made. I don’t think that anyone will notice though and it should not affect the wearing of the sleeper. I am pleased with the end results of this sleepers although it was a challenge to get there. The other sleeper sewed up great and was fun to make.

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They say it takes less time per sleeper to sew two sleepers at once. I don’t know if that is true. Yes, at first as you stitch the sleeves, you can sew and serge from one sleeper to the other without cutting off, but after that part comes the details. Zippers, ribbing, feet, seem to take the same amount of time whether you’re making one or two or more sleepers. So, in my opinion sewing two sleepers at once might end up saving 5 minutes or so. Oh well, I guess that is 5 minutes that can be used somewhere else.

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Of course, with all the embroidery supplies already out for the sleepers, I figured I might as well make some bibs for the babies too. I love to make bibs because it gives me the chance to stitch a usable sample of a design. The Mickey and Minnie design that I picked out ended up being so cute on the bib that I can’t wait to put it on a shirt for me.

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If you want to see my original baby bib post you can find it HERE.

Three More

I completed the sleeper from the scraps Mom sent me in the mail. When it came time to pick a design, I just did not like the softer colors, pinks and yellows,  of many of my baby embroidery designs on the black poka-dots. So, I choose a red Suzy Zoo design which of course meant a red zipper and red ribbing. At first I was afraid that the red would look too harsh for a baby girl, but now that the sleeper is done, I think it turned out really cute.

As always with making sleepers, it is just as easy to make two sleepers at once than just one sleeper at a time, but this time I made three sleepers at one time. This did not seem to save time like making two at once does, but they were still fun to make and turned out so cute. Some of these sleepers are already tagged as gifts but at least one sleeper is just to put away for the next time that I need a gift.

P.S. I also made a pair of work pants.

I’ve Finished…

I finally got a chance to do some sewing and did so with some success. I finished the baby sleepers and bibs which is a good thing because I have been invited to another baby shower for a colleague at work. And it’s good thing I found out that the new nephew’s mom does not like Pooh so I can give this sleeper away to someone else and make another one for him.

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The two sleepers sewed up with only minor difficulties, like matching the stripes, but as always were fun to sew and exciting to finish because they are always turn out so cute. Years ago, I found this Pooh and Piglet design on the internet somewhere. I have always wanted to stitch it on something, so I specifically
picked out the yellow fabric just for this design.

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I wasn’t  impressed with the design as it stitched out and I will not do it again. It looks very good on the top side but the back of it is a mess. I trimmed many threads and used some web knit over the design to hide and soften the back.

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But I am afraid the design will not withstand much washing and it will probably need to be ironed after each wash, which I feel is not acceptable for a baby sleeper. So, I am concerned about giving it away. Fortunately, the teddy bear design on the other sleeper stitched very well and is so cute on the stripes.

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On our last visit to see the parents, I raided Mom’s stash for brown ribbing and we found a small piece that I used on this sleeper. Now, neither one of us have brown ribbing left in our stashes. Oh well, I guess I will just have to go fabric shopping and buy some more ribbing.

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The bibs worked up easily and quickly and the results are so cute. I took the pictures before I washed the bibs so the top stabilizer is still over the designs.

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If you want to see my original baby bib post you can find it HERE.

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And in other good news, the husband was able to find me a great new source of fingertip towels for a great price and they are of excellent quality. So I am quite excited and I am back in the bib making business. I can now use the white tips towels from my new source or make my own if I want another color than white.

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P.S. I also got two new shirts cut out for the husband and so it was a very productive sewing day for me.

81,244

That is the number of stitches that my embroidery machine stitched on embroidery day. I completed the embroidery design on my new shirt and on 3 baby sleepers. Then I also stitched 3 designs on 3 towels for  baby bibs. The final design I embroidered was a design on a blank for a Christmas present for someone.

All in all I had a great day, and it was lots of fun. Although I did not get the 4th or 5th sleeper done that I had the fabric laid out for, I do consider the day a success. I will post more details on the designs as I post the finished items, except for the Christmas present, but with only 48 days left until Christmas you won’t  have to wait too long to see a picture of it as well.

Right now, I am excited to get sewing and get these current projects finished so I can start more. Stay tuned!

Prep for Embroidery Day

In trying to decided what to sew next, I found a shirt I had cut out for myself many months ago, but had just never finished, tucked deeply in the depths of the closet. The shirt had become a UFO that I was going to finish someday, so I decided that it was someday and pulled it out of the closet. I finished the collar and side seams and decided to add some embroidery to it as well. After deciding on a design and putting it on the stick, it was time to pull out the hoops, thread and stabilizer, but I was out of time. I knew I did not have enough time to complete the embroidery on the shirt. So, I have decided to have an “embroidery day” on my next day off.

With that decision made, I hung the shirt in the closet and started some baby sleepers. I almost have 3 sleepers ready to embroidery. I have picked out some fabric for a 4th and 5th sleeper and I know what design I want on it, but I don’t know if I will have it ready for “embroidery day”. I also want to dig some towels out of the stash for bibs and embroider them on “embroidery day”. I can think of several other things I would like to embroider on “embroidery day”, but I do not want to schedule more than I can complete in that day. I am very excited for “embroidery day” and I am already planning the dates for “sewing days”. If I get all the embroidery done I want to do, I will need a couple of full “sewing days” to complete the shirt, sleepers and bibs.

Sleeper Frenzy

 

With the announcement of more babies on the way, came the opportunity to make more sleepers. I started by digging though my stash and finding this blue terry. The sewing went smoothly and I like the end results of working with terry cloth, but it is sure messy. I had to keep the vacuum by my sewing machine. After sewing a little, I would vacuum the machines, the floor and me, but the little thread are here to stay. I have picked a ton of  little loops of thread off other pieces of fabric in the room. I have not resorted to getting out the lint brush yet, but I keep dabbing things with pieces of scotch tape. I was able to minimize the spread to the sewing room though, hooray. I did not pick the color of the zipper or ribbing until after the embroidery was done. This made the creative process more exciting as the sleepers came together.

 

 

 

 

The Bronco sleeper is for my newest little nephew who will be here in December. His dad is a huge Bronco fan. I made the sleeper with the white pieces so I had somewhere to embroidery the stallion. As I sewed the sleeper together, I thought to myself that this is my least favorite sleeper I have ever made. Yet, as the embroidery design stitched on the sleeper, together with the help of the zipper and the little feeties, the sleeper took on its own cuteness and I like it much better now. I hope that the new nephew’s dad likes it too.

 

 

 

 

 

The red and white Christmas sleeper is for the new nephew too. I have been holding this fabric and embroidery design for many years waiting for a Christmas baby. I debated greatly about the size of this sleeper. Should I make the sleeper 1 inch bigger so he can wear it on his 1 year old Christmas or smaller for his first Christmas?  The latter won and the sleeper is 1 inch shorter than the pattern so it will fit this year. I hope his parent’s like is as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am still quite happy with my revised stripe sleeper pattern. The stripes seem to be matching up. If I altered any part, it would be the width of the arm at the shoulder. I will have to give this some thought though for fear of messing up the stripes again.