Treasury Tuesday

Today I felt like going on a Safari Vacation, so I created a treasury on etsy of fellow etsykids teammates to do just that.

A new focus

I attended the Midwest Craft Caucus this weekend and I realized from listening and talking to fellow crafters that I had lost sight of my voice and why am I doing what I am.  I have been questioning a lot lately why I am doing what I do and even considering giving up my quest for my creative outlet.  I have never been able to explain what I make now, it was a lot easier for me when I made pottery - I knew what my focus was and why I made my body of work.  With sewing it hasn't come as easy, I am trying to find what makes me unique - sewing late at night is one of those things.  At every craft show I have done someone has asked me "do you make everything here?" or commented that how do you find the time to do all of this.  At the caucus this weekend a presenter mentioned that they could tell if a applicant had made all of the things in their booth by the volume of work done - I took a look at my inventory - I make every single item myself and I wondered if they would think that of me.  I work all day, take care of my kids in the evenings, and when they fall asleep (my kids are night owls and go to sleep late) I get to sew.  Most nights I start sewing at 10:30pm, I sew until 12:30 or 1:00am on week nights and 2:00 - 3:00 on the weekends, I wake up for my day job at 6:15am.  Do I think I am the only one out there, no and I hope to find others out there like me.  For now, I have decided to focus on my late night escapades and changed my tag line to  "confessions of a late night sewing mama" - stay tuned, it should get interesting!

Walking foot - where have you been all my sewing life?

I recently acquired a walking foot  for my Kenmore sewing machine.  I have been sewing bibs and burp cloths for a year and a half with my plain foot and the results have been good but not great.  I had tried sewing blankets with minky or satin backs and had given up on them because they grew when I sewed them.  I had a lot of trouble with the tension on my machine and the thread pulling sometimes, it was getting pretty frustrating.  A quilter friend asked if I had tried a walking foot, I had heard of it but never tried it – thinking it wasn’t for me since I have never quilted.  Wow was I wrong!  The walking foot worked terrific – my sewing stitches are much more even and the tension problems I have been having are gone.  Sewing is much smoother, stitching through heavy chenille and cotton and the multiple layers of my changing pads and diaper clutches is super easy now.  Not only is the sewing smoother, the layers don’t creep and get out of square!  I would highly recommend getting one! If you are stitching through several layers of fabric, chenille, terry cloth, or minky – don’t wait – get a walking foot it will make your sewing life so much easier!  I wish I hadn't waited so long!

Wordless Wednesday - My Inspirations (my 2 Sprouts)

Favorite Fabric

I finally made something using my new favorite fabric!  In honor of it being new, I made something I haven't made before.  New to my designs is roll up diaper changing pad! (coming soon with be an all in one diaper clutch - I am working out the the design this weekend).   

New Fabric day!

What do fabulous new fabrics and Chuck E Cheese have in common?  They both offer hours of entertainment!  I was worried when I had to drive 3 hours each way to get new fabrics for this season with my kids.  The warehouse is only open during the week and does not allow children - what's a working mom with a 9 and 2 year old to do?  Especially during spring break?  Wanting to be together my husband and I packed the kids in the car and made the trek trying to decide what they were going to do while I shopped.  They were going to find a park but the rain made us change our thinking.  Thinking out loud prompted my 2 year old to say - let's go to Chuck E Cheese!  Out of the mouth of babes comes some of the greatest ideas - we were surprised and excited to find one within 3 minutes of the warehouse!  It was meant to be, we were all entertained!  Best of all I found a new favorite fabric - I can't wait to make something with it.

Green

Today is dominated by green, I actually had a co-worker check to see if I was wearing it.  I was inspired to create a treasury of my Loud and Wacky team mates to keep the green going.  (Now, if I can just figure out how to get a picture to post here that would be awesome - but that is another post).

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4d821d3cd28b6d915bbc4c23/keeping-the-green