Are you having a fun Labor Day Weekend? Maybe you are using the extra time off to work on some projects around the house or yard? Maybe getting in some extra sewing time? I can check off the boxes on all those activities!
Now, I know I rarely blog about my family because I do try to keep my personal and business lives separated but this post is dedicated to my future granddaughter. It will probably be the closest thing I will do posting an image of her. Personally, I don't like to have my children's images posted online unless they are adults and give permission.
Sunday we spent the day with my daughter, her hubby, and the in-laws because my daughter Anna was having a baby shower thrown for her by her sweet friends. Here's my lovely daughter and husband and VERY round tummy bump.
In preparation for the baby shower last week I had been 1. learning how to use my new serger sewing machine and 2. Making some adorable baby gowns for the baby using knits from my Gossamer and Sketchbook collections.
I couldn't be happier with how the baby gowns turned out! I used two different online blogs for sourcing this pattern (see next paragraph) and came up with a hybrid baby gown from the information and patterns given in the different tutorials. I always loved the little hand covers on baby gowns so I included those on each of the gowns I made. Also I only had white rib knit for the hems and used the serger stitching on the rib knit strip edges as decoration and went with a single fold binding instead of a folded edge. I also added a little crochet lace to the green sleeper to add a little extra cuteness.
To find this free baby hat pattern visit Zaaberry. For the baby sleeper I used these two resources: This Mama Makes Stuff Rockin Baby Gown and Stitched Together.
Now, my first week learning how to use the serger wasn't all sunshine and lollipops. I didn't see one of my pins and ran over it--breaking my upper knife :( so need a replacement knife. But, even with that, I do like owning and using one and it is definitely the way to go when sewing with knits. The seams are smooth and ripple free. I haven't sewn any woven fabrics with it yet but I figure after starting with knits anything after that will be a piece-of-cake!
Before making the baby gowns, I started with an easy project. Here's what I had made for myself on my maiden voyage into serger sewing. This Syrah skirt by Baste and Gather. This skirt was super easy and a great piece to start learning on. I made it using the Wire Flowers Foil print from my Gossamer fabrics. I could live in the skirt and have already worn it twice since last week. Need to make more!
Quilt Market in Houston is just around the corner (Oct 24-26) and I will need to be proficient on my new machine for sewing samples using my third fabric collection for Art Gallery Fabric. This is a great time for me to play around and learn.
Learning new stuff can be frustrating, exciting, unnerving, but always rewarding because you have pushed yourself. Just think, last year at this time I was learning and practicing on my then new mid-arm quilting machine and now I can knock out a quilt in a day sometimes (but usually two days). I never thought that would happen--especially at first during that frustration period!