by Sherri Sylvester | Aug 18, 2014
A few months ago I was asked to work on a new Sew Mama Sew tutorial using the latest Parson Gray collection, Empire – from Warp & Weft. I know I always rave about the fabrics I get from Esmari, but seriously – these are gorgeous! I’m hoarding my scraps until I get the perfect project to use them with. My husband even walked by and commented on how much he likes them. (Hint, hint – they’re great for anything manly you have lined up to sew!) You can get the full tutorial with printable pattern piece at Sew Mama Sew.
I decided to make a pieced and quilted 18″ pillow tutorial using a shape I’ve been storing away in the back of my head since the spring. It’s very simple, so it allows the beautiful designs to shine through. These fabrics are an amazing mix of taupey-gray, cream, white and black. I’m especially in love with the hand-drawn look of these prints. They are so earthy and organic. It’s a nice break from the crispness we are used to from most available quilting fabrics. Esmari has stocked yardage in the prints I’ve used for these pillows, and she has other colour-ways in fat quarter bundles as well.
I really love how these turned out, and they look amazing in my gray and yellow bedroom. It helps to have fun outdoor photos too – so I came up with the “great” idea to take our chair, side table and faux fur blanket out to an amazing giant loading door near our house. (Maybe a tad last minute, as usual.) My husband was kind enough (of course, as usual!) to help load everything into the trunk of our SUV as I gave my un-necessary reminder “not to get the -insert-sewn-item-here- dirty”! I’m so fortunate that he goes willingly along with my crazy ideas!
I am also aware of the fact that I asked you all about my sewing machine decision and then didn’t follow up right away. Problem is, I am still very torn about what to do, and I haven’t had a lot of time to take a look at any machines of the serger or sewing machine variety! I so appreciate all of your comments, and, since a serger seems to be winning the race I am going to researching them seriously. Still, in the back of my head, I wonder if I could be more productive with a tad-more advanced machine… So – I guess I am still in the same place you left me last time. I think, once school starts in two weeks I will take a day or so out to make a decision. I can’t wait much longer or I’ll have to call it a Christmas present!
** I was given this lovely fabric by Warp & Weft to make this tutorial, and as always all opinions are mine.
by Sherri Sylvester | Jul 31, 2014
I am hoping you all won’t mind helping me out with a decision I’m trying to make… and I’ve included some of our Quebec vacation photos along the way.
My husband surprised me in Quebec with this #isew bracelet, it even has Thread Riding Hood written on the inside. Yay! But, on top of that he gave me an amazing birthday gift, the opportunity to buy a new sewing machine! And I am so grateful and surprised, because I was not expecting it. (He’s amazing too!) Here’s where you come in… I’m not sure if I should take him up on it… Wait… I know, I’m not crazy – there’s more…
Here’s my reasoning… I love my machine – it’s a Janome SUV1122. Not fancy in any way, but it has served me well for quite a few years and I know my way around it. I know what it likes and dislikes. I’ve sorted out zippers, button holes, simple quilting, elastic thread, sewing knits and even a rolled hem or two. When I bought this machine it came with about 10 different feet that I have found invaluable as I’ve learned how to use them. It even arrived with a walking foot – which alone costs a third as much as my machine did when I bought it! I’m not sure the feet would fit on a new machine – and buying the same feet would be a big investment.
But… I also love the idea of a new machine, of course! More throat space, a larger area for quilting, a thread cutter, needle up/down control… speed control… maybe even a few embroidered patterns, letters and numbers built in. I could also use my current machine as a backup and for my girls to learn on. My husband asked about one at our local Janome/Bernina shop a few months ago. But in the end, he decided it was best if I chose it myself, so I could get one that has everything I need.
And… as a third option… I’m wondering if I should buy a serger instead? I don’t have one, but of course they are invaluable for finishing seams and sewing knits. I’ve only sewn with one once in high school home ec class and I don’t remember if I liked it or not… but everyone seems to use them. Or maybe I should get a Juki… but I think that’s mostly used for machine quilting?
I’d so appreciate your help to decide what to do. What is your experience… and what do you think I should do? What machines do you like? Do you have a serger and do you use it often?
Thanks so much! I’ll be back again mid-next week or so… we’re off to an electronic-free long weekend, but if I find some wifi you might catch some glimpses of what we are up to on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. See you soon!
by Sherri Sylvester | Jul 24, 2014
Thanks so much to everyone for entering the giveaways last week! I am so excited to mail out these prizes. As usual the Rafflecopter widget I use randomizes everything and chooses the winners for me.
Day 1 – Pretty Potent Bundle + Vintage Bias Tape & Rick-Rack ~ WINNER: #1396 – Robin S. who won just by clicking to enter the giveaway.
Day 2 – Handmade Fabric Tray ~ WINNER: #526 – Margo who left a comment to win. She said “Oh that tray looks just adorable! I found another pattern…but I love this one! Pick me! Pick me!”. Looks like it worked out well for her!
Day 3 – Fiskars Scissors and Clover Seam Ripper ~ WINNER: #335 – Laura E. who won by clicking to enter as well!
Day 4 – Two “I can see Clearly Now” Mini Pouches ~ WINNER: #716 – Lori M. who left a comment saying… “We have Jo-Ann’s close by…no real Quit Shops close…an hour drive or longer. So I love to buy from Bear Creek Quilting& Southern Fabrics online stores… also Fabric.com. Am a very Happy customer of them.”
Day 5 – Gold & Crabapple Bundle + Buttons ~ WINNER: #405 – Jacklynn G. who also won by clicking to enter!
I have everything ready to go and will get them in the mail by Saturday for sure. Save Laura, who happens to be a friend in-real-life. I got to drop hers off today! So exciting! I’ve been waiting through two years of giveaways for the randomizer to pick someone I sew with on a regular basis and it finally happened.
If you haven’t won yet don’t despair. There will be more fun happening around here soon! And, I haven’t forgotten that it is Kid’s Clothes Week this week. I’m not sewing along, since I was lucky enough to have contracted strep throat last weekend so I’ve been trying to sleep it off (along with taking some dreaded antibiotics) this week. Just goes to show you should never vacation, whenever you relax your body goes into shock and gets sick! Bad, I know – but true!
Anyhow, in a small nod to the Kid’s Clothes Week theme of “kid art”, I have a photo-shoot from last August (yes, I am that behind in blogging it!) with a fabric painting idea that my kids love, and I should probably do more often. I think I will be able to share it on the weekend. Until then, I am off to get some rest!
by Sherri Sylvester | Jun 19, 2014
Thanks so much to everyone who entered the Country Clothesline giveaway! Want to know who won?
And the winner is… #196 Julie H! Julie will be getting a “Dots & Checks” Fat Quarter bundle in the mail very soon! In her entry, she commented about what she might like to make with the bundle… “I think some pillows. I have seen some really cute ones on Pinterest.” I think some pillows would be perfect, Julie. Have fun!
If you’d like to get your own bundle you can visit Country Clothesline. She is always adding new inventory, so you’re sure to find something beautiful to add to your stash. I’m working on a summery top for my daughter with the fabric I bought from Sylvia at the Creativ Festival and I hope to share it with you soon.
I hope your weather is warm, the breeze is blowing and your clothesline is full of freshly washed laundry. Now – go sew something fun! Talk soon!
by Sherri Sylvester | Jun 14, 2014
Ok – just a quick note because I’m feeling like I’m leaving a few people wondering what I’ve been doing lately. Not with the sewing… I’m lucky to be constantly sewing! But with a few regular series’ on the blog that might seem to have disappeared.
1) Sewing Survey Saturday
- I have fallen off the track on this one. Unfortunately I’ve found it is reasonably difficult to post on Saturdays – even if they are relatively quick to write. This may disappear for a while and come back in the fall once everything returns to a more normal schedule.
2) Made by Me Monday
- I was feeling quite a bit of pressure to post on Mondays with this series. Due to my “No Stress” sewing resolution I decided that it was better to post on an different day than to rush a stressed post on Mondays. I’m still posting “Made by Me” things every week, just maybe not on Mondays.
3) Quiet Book Sew-Along
- Don’t worry, we are still on track to finish by the end of November. To be completely honest, I am feeling a tad de-motivated, since I’m not sure anyone is actually sewing-along! But, I want to finish the series, and I should not use that as an excuse… so I will get back to it! Promise! And if you are sewing along, I’d love to know you are out there and I’m sorry for the delays lately.
Hope that helps catch everyone up! Have a wonderful rest of the weekend and we’ll talk again soon, and because “every post needs a photo and it’s fun to look at fabric”, here’s a fun (un-sponsored) shot of some fabric I got recently from my local online-turned-brick-and-morter-shop, Mad about Patchwork.
by Sherri Sylvester | Jun 7, 2014
It’s been a long time since I’ve put up an about me post. Today seems like a good day for that. Lately I’ve been reflecting on how busy I have been and how I can’t ever seem to get back to anyone by the time I’ve told them. I read somewhere recently, on a blog post that I should have bookmarked because I can’t find it now. (Update: Reece reminded me that I found it here. Still can’t find the actual post though, sorry.) But anyhow – it was reminding me that being busy is a choice.
It is a choice… yes, but of course there are so many things I “have to do”. Spending quality time with my husband and my kids, doing the laundry and cleaning the bathrooms (and showers, my least favorite!). And we need to eat, and of course I absolutely LOVE blogging here. And sewing… and a zillion projects I want to do. So I have decided to try to start choosing to be more intentional. So often I get an idea in my head and go out and buy supplies right away… and then it sits. For years sometimes. Until it gets used for it’s intended purpose. For some reason I think I should have time to finish the 4 dresses, dress shirt for my husband and new t-shirts for me with the 7 free shirt patterns I have currently on my wait list – all in one week. But of course that is impossible and I feel guilty for ignoring/displacing all of the above important quality time with my family because I tried to finish my “list”.
I don’t and haven’t ever paid much attention to our house. It definitely needs to be cleaned more often – but it is tidy, and my (wonderful) friends assure me that since my husband and I work from home, we make it dirtier than someone who’s family is away during most days. So, I’ve tried to remember that and not feel so bad! I also heard on the radio that due to a change in values, families (specifically mothers) actually spend more quality time with their kids than in the mid-to-late 1900’s – so, if you think you are doing a bad job, you are trying to live up to an ideal that is not actually true. (Hooray!) Apparently “back then” priorities dictated that mothers should provide a super-clean home and wonderful meals and so they would send their kids out to play so they could accomplish that. Now, apparently, we have dirty homes, but we spend enormous amounts of time with our kids.
Adding to the busyness, I’ve often felt helpless against the barrage of ideas that live constantly in my head. I can never accomplish them, but I haven’t been able to tame the guilt caused by not following up on them all, especially if I’ve already purchased supplies. I’ve even had a few conversations with my husband about what it would be like to not be creative, and that my life would be so much simpler. And then I’ve taken it back. Because I can’t imagine ever not-creating something.
One thing that has led to me trying to slow down is that I’m a bit apprehensive about this summer. Both of my kids will be home most days in July and August with “nothing” to do. Of course we have vacation and weekends and other things planned – but school and pre-school have been life-savers for me, since I produce much of this blog’s content while they are away from home or in the evening. I have a great group of supportive friends and grandparents around me that have offered to have the kids over if I’m busy. I am so fortunate to have them! But, this is my youngest’s last summer before full-day kindergarten begins and I’m super-emotional about her going, so I want to prioritize our time before she isn’t home as much.
Solutions? And I think these are actually do-able…
- Turn our dining room into a little sewing studio until September. (With the approval of my husband, who is so supportive of my work. I’m so fortunate!) I’m trying to keep 1 or 2 projects in this area and making a good effort to put things away in my sewing room as I go. This way I can be around while the kids are playing, and I can see them in the backyard as well.
- Plan adventures for my kids. I’m going to tape 9 giant weekly calendars to our wall – despite the fact that our main floor will start to resemble a badly decorated dorm room! We will pencil in our plans and decorate it with drawings and paste photos on the date of each event so they know what’s going to happen. I think being excited about something is half the fun of enjoying it and I hope to do that for my kids.
- Organize all of my projects into bags. As much as I want not to create plastic waste – those large resealable bags are so useful. I think this will stop me from feeling overwhelmed by the large pile of unfinished/un-started projects in my sewing area.
- Change my sewing process. Having everything organized allows me to be able to cut out a pattern, pin part of a project together, or do any other prep work, more easily and quickly. There are lots of times when I’ve left mending on our kitchen counter ready to go and had a minute to finish it up. I find when everything is organized I can concentrate on doing something, rather than thinking about how I feel like I never do anything (which leads to more of me not doing anything!)
- Ask myself regularly if the project I feel like I “need” to do is really necessary. And more than that – what it will displace if I prioritize it. I find a lot of projects I take on look like a lot of fun, but could wait if I was a bit more patient.
- Spend a few minutes cleaning something every morning and evening. That is when I “feel” like cleaning anyhow – so I may as well go with it! I don’t know about you but I feel like super-mom when the counter is empty of dishes, but I rarely take the time to finish them. It’s amazing how much this helps my outlook on the day (pre-coffee even!) when I come downstairs in the morning.
I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who feels this way because I’m learning more and more that I’m not alone. Everyone I’ve talked to with any creative impulse at all seems to be dealing with the same issues and feelings. I’d love it if everyone would share their tips on how to deal with the busyness of life and still come out on top. Even a little thing, because every little bit counts. We can, slowly maybe – but steadily and surely!
How are you doing today?
