Cuteness is all in the details - making ordinary socks into extraordinary

Today I decided to challenge myself to see if I could turn an ordinary boring white pair of socks into an ordinary cute pair of socks on my serger.

Here are my results:




First I took some random strips of red with white polka dot fabric I had leftover from another project. I serged a rolled hem on one raw edge of each. Next, I put the ruffling foot on the serger and ruffled and serged the sock edge and fabric edge together. Ta Da! Kaylee has a ruffled pair of socks.




Next task make ruffled lettuce edged socks on serger. These turned out okay but next time I try it I will use wooly nylon instead of regular thread. It makes a fancier edge and spreads out better. This was just a first trial. I wonder if I can do this test.




The third trial was Ribbon ruffle socks serged up in a minute with the ruffling foot. These are my favorite so far made with bright pink with black polka dots grosgrain ribbon.

My challenge for today was fun. I knew today was going to be busy and I didn't have a lot of time to sew so I decided I would finally try a few things on my mind I was thinking I could probably make.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Kaylee wearing some giant shoes

-Kaylee is putting on some shoes. I wish she would hold still for a second so every picture wouldn't be a blur.


Trying to put them on again.


Notice the tiny ruffled socks I made for her on her ankles.


She put both shoes on now.


Before I asked her she said, "Cheese!". Too funny!

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Blue Tote with Red Ribbon

I serged this cute little denim blue colored tote with red bow accents and red inside.







- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Red and White Polka Dot Pleat Skirt

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Large Purse/Tote Bag

I serged this zebra print tote this morning. It has a stiff lining which makes it durable for carrying somewhat heavy stuff inside. It also stands on its own because of the stiffness of the lining.



Zebra print large purse/tote bag

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Serging some quick Christmas gifts for my Etsy site

These are my favorite little hairbows and the newest ones I will be adding to my Etsy site.

Sophia my daughter's exact words were, "Mommy, you can't sell those I want them!".

No worries. I made several so she can have her own set too. I guess that meets the little girl testing phase. She loves them so I believe other girls will love them too.

- Posted using BlogPress ngfrom my iPhone

Fleece flouncy skirt

Kaylee loved this little flouncy skirt I made from a scrap of fleece I had in my sewing room. She insisted I put it on her.




This little skirt is also made with an adjustable waistband so either of my girls could wear it.



I love this idea of making skirts for both of my daughters but not needing twice the space to store one for each girl. I love adjustable button waistbands.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Need something Brown to wear for preschool

Need something Brown to wear for preschool

Although Sophia doesn't look happy in this photo, she loves her new little Brown skirt. Her preschool wants them to wear the color of the day that they are learning about that day and we didn't have anything brown. So what's a mom to do but whip up a quick skirt on the serger out of some scrap fabric and fancy trim.




So in fifteen minutes or less without a pattern, I cut the fabric, serged this skirt, added giant rick rack trim and an adjustable elastic waistband with buttons.



Sophia magically had a brand new outfit for school.

The good news is with the button adjustable waistband either of my girls can wear this new little skirt. It fits either one.  This is what the elastic band looks like when I adjust for skinny mini Kaylee.

Seven little luxurious Santa Toy Sacks

A friend of mine needed some cute little Santa Sacks for seven little girls for a Christmas program. She and I went to the store and chose beautiful crushed velvet, luxurious white fur, and holiday rope with gold twisted into the strands.



I made these large Santa Sacks similar to the little Christmas Santa Sacks I make for gifts, but these were much fancier with all the fur. They are approximately the size of a regular pillowcase.

Although fur is not my favorite fabric to sew due to the shedding and mess it makes of the inner mechanisms of a sewing machine, they turned out Super cute. I will be tearing both my sewing machine and serger apart in the next twenty four hours to clean out all of the fur and re-oil all the parts so it is ready for all the upcoming sewing projects I have planned.

After all the work from Halloween costume sewing and Christmas gift bags my machines are needing some loving cleaning and general maintenance so they don't break while I hurriedly start making Christmas gifts.

If you need me to sew up some magical Christmas gifts for you, let me know.

I better stop blogging and get working on my next project involving blue jeans and zippers.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Hemming dresses that is all I got

My life has been a little crazy lately since I have decided to pursue an absolutely crazy goal of wanting to complete a triathlon before I am forty years old. This amazing feat which I have decided is going to help me lose the baby weight requires constant training. Unfortunately for me between chasing Kaylee and keeping her out of trouble, answering Sophia's stream of conscience questions, doing all the normal household chores and mom stuff; training for my long term goal is making me drop into bed with exhaustion each night.

Anyone who knows me well knows that I tend to be a bit of an overachiever. I feel a goal isn't worth it if it can be reached easily. I believe in working hard to get an end result. Laziness is not an option. The harder you work, the more you appreciate the outcome.

Many who have known me for awhile know that I usually bite off more than I can chew, work a job or three, pursue a Major in college or two. Workout twice a day studying martial arts while learning to ride a bike. Yes, even studying for my Master's Degree several years back while working full time job. Deciding to learn to sew but not just with a sewing machine, learning how to use a serger at the same time. Yes, my history of pursuing. Interests and hobbies and learning is a bit overwhelming to most but what can I say, I don't want to be a "boring" person and I will have loads of memories and stories to tell my children and grandchildren someday, maybe. I am rarely ever bored and don't sit still for long unless I am asleep. Zzzzzz!

So once again Debbie has taken on the seemingly impossible mission of wanting to complete a triathlon before 40 as a long term goal to my short term goal of losing weight. The only problem is, I don't "know how to run". I mean "run" properly like runners do in a race. So on June 8, 2011 I started a new endeavor. I started running. On off days from running I have been riding the bike and even took a few spinning classes. With all this going on. It has not left a lot of time in my day for my other favorite pastime of sewing. So I am settling for "hemming" dresses. With the weather changing, I expect I will once again have regular dates with my sewing machine hiding away from everyone in my (relaxing oasis, no, just kidding) office and being able to create fun with material and thread. I sure miss sewing with my machines but with everything else, being a wife and mom there just isn't enough hours in the day. A mom my age needs at least a little beauty sleep because I sure am not getting any younger.


-Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone