Remember this stash of Heather Bailey fabric I showed you?

Well here are some of the results although I’m still making more things with it too

And these coasters out of the scraps left over.

I’m always so happy when I’ve used up a batch of fabric, a great sense of accomplishment and I can actually see my results. What I do is very rewarding and makes me very happy and I feel really blessed by that.

If you are interested in having any of these items for yourself, you can find them in our Etsy shop or click on the photos above and it’ll take you to that item in the store.

While in JoAnn’s I became enamoured with this sewing book (Making Children’s Clothes available on Amazon) on children’s clothing.

Now mind you my youngest is 16 and the smallest child I have happening around here is my 5 year old granddaughter. But so many ideas are in this book, oh and the patterns are included!

So my granddaughter just turned 5 and I made her up a few dresses as gifts, including one similar to the cover of the book. Ok, mine isn’t quite as cute.

I had a remnant just sitting around, kind of  a seersucker pink with white daisies. And yes, I love pom-pom fringe.

I also whipped up this one that is a bit more detailed and frilly with lace and princesses and castles and all things Aria loves!

Reminder:  Leave your comment this week and tell us what is your least favorite chore around your house.  Your comment will enter you in the drawing for this cute embroidered towel.

I was blessed recently to have a lady in Canada want to purchase 15 little girls aprons for favors for the guests at her daughter’s birthday party.  We worked out a special pricing for her based on using 2009 leftover fabrics and remnants to allow me to price them within her budget.  Thought you might like to see what the birthday party girls will be wearing.

This apron was especially made for the birthday girl!  I hope she loves it.

What a great idea for a gift that has so many purposes…I hope each one will wear them and remember the fun they had at the party.  And the birthday girl, well of course I had to make her’s special.  Mom said she is a girly girl so to me that meant ruffles and more ruffles, bright colors and all the trim…I hope she loves it.

It is always my prayer that the person receiving something we have made will sense the love we put into our craft of making something special and unique for them.  I hope that is especially true of these little girls aprons.

Reaching back into my photo archives, I ran across this project that me and my daughter did together. It was a “Love Notes” book project courtesy of Ali Edwards. You can find the project instructions and free downloadables HERE.

It required a little printing, a little cutting, a little sewing, a little gluing and a dose of patience too.

But we had so much fun working on this craft project together. Robert must have liked receiving it too. He has it placed in his box of “special keepsakes” that consists of mostly lovey dovey things I’ve made or written to him. It’s not too late to do this project yourself. You probably have the materials already needed on hand

If you have ever knitted then surely you can relate to this sweater and my sister, Carol’s, frustration.  I believe as you read her comments below you will no doubt laugh and maybe relate to her disappointment?  Not sure that disappointment is the right word but we will use it!  

If I were brave enough I could have modeled it for you!  It was a sight to behold and an experience I hope I don’t repeat.  At least I can say I did make myself a sweater.  lol 

No, not a man’s tie!  An apron tie… I decided to try some new patterns out the first of the year.  I took a pattern idea out of a book and threw a few of my ideas into it and I am in the process of sewing it up after a day of figuring out the cutting…

The ties to the apron are 96″, yes that is ninety-six inches, long…why, because it wraps around and ties in the front.  I have observed the ties wrapped around to the front is a new look that is catching on and I wanted a shot at doing it.

This morning I put the ties together, two fabrics, one front and one on the reverse side.  Then it was time to turn them.  The ties are 3″ across but it still took me forever to get those long girls turned right side out and almost as long to get them to lay flat under the iron.

In the picture to the left the ties are folded in eighths.

The next picture on the right is in fourths.

And this picture on my 3 foot by 4 foot styroboard I use for photography!!

Big!!

And the one in the center of the board; that is the one I have left to turn and press. I was hoping someone might want to come help me

I hope the new apron is worthy of the price I will be putting on it to account for all of my labor not to mention the three yards of fabric!!  And I can already say, “I won’t be making it again, at least not this pattern!”

As Deb would say, “Go Sew Girl” and quit your whining, it’s a joke between us!

Remember the book I mentioned I needed to read “A is for Apron” by Nathalie Mornu?  I loved the material in it, not to mention the 17 patterns that were included.  The patterns are on 8″ x 8″  pages and require you to increase them by 400%.  First thought is a photocopier but the pattern is too big for that idea.

I remember watching my Mother cutting patterns out of newspaper so I decided it shouldn’t be too difficult for me to accomplish the same and began to gather my tools.  The most important one is the calculator!  Tissue paper leftover from a Christmas gift was perfect as it measured 24″ x 24″.  The tissue  paper  became the perfect element to draw the pattern on as the widest width measurement I would need was 18″.  I used transparent tape to put two sheets together giving me plenty of room for the entire project.

First step, measure the fold line length of the apron body as shown in the diagram and take it times 400%.  That calculation told me the length of the apron from neckline to hem would be 29″ at the center fold line.  Once I had this measurement I continued around the page as shown above  making notes of measurements at specific points, every 4″ to 9″ getting width measurements, etc.  I then was able to transfer those measurements to my tissue, making dots that later would be connected by free hand.  End result….a book that cost me $15.00 will reward me with 17 patterns if I elect to use them.  If you have purchased a pattern recently you know the savings using this method is big!  The project took me less than an hour and most of that time was spent on my calculations and measuring the dots on the tissue.

Notice how wrinkled my tissue paper is; my Mother would frown at me over that, she pressed the paper before she cut her patterns…  I have fabric in mind for the new pattern so keep coming back and I will show it off

Note:  Visit www.creativechcis.com to see all the new aprons added online this week…that is how I spent my cold vacation days, doing what I love most, creating.

It has been several years since we have had a winter as cold and icy as 2009 ended and 2010 is showing off in it’s first week.  Single digit temperatures, snow piles everywhere from the heavy snows last week.

Perfect weather for staying in with a hot homemade soup, movie, good book, hot chocolate or whatever it is that makes you feel warm and comfy.

For me it is a time of reading some long past due

material, “A is for Apron by Nathalie Mornu”  and my

December BH&G.  I think I will make some oatmeal

cookies to go with my chocolate.

If you are lucky enough to live in a warm climate I would sure love an invitation to visit

Recently I had an inquiry asking what are sack towels, what is the fabric like, do they wash easily?  It made me decide a little Sack Towel History might be enjoyable for everyone. Here are comments from AnnTheGram website in September, 2008.

“Flour sacks are originally from the old flour sacks and feed sacks.  Back in the 30s, women started utilizing the empty sacks and made clothing from them, dish towels, pillowcases, clothespin bags, etc.  Times were bad with the depression.  “Sack dresses” originated during this time period.  They came back in the 60s again too.  The women begged the manufacturers of chicken feed, horse feed, flour and sugar to please make the sacks softer to the touch and try to add some color to them.  Hence, the feedsack quilts of the 30s originated with beautiful colorful prints.  Win/win situation.  Chickens ate well and you had a purty new dress.

The sizing on these towels are irregular today because they are still holding true to what a grain sack was back when.  The grain sack was sewn on one side and bottom and then, the ladies removed the stitching and viola, 30 x 29 inches, etc.  In fact, if the stitching was left in place, it was a perfect, already made pillowcase.  Also, in the 30s, they saved the thread from the side seam and later used to hem any of the items.”

Think how many trees were saved with sack towels…guess that is another subject!  We love sack towels at Creative Chics, check out just a few of the new designs Deb and I have online at www.creativechics.com.

We hope all of you have had a wonderful holiday season and send our very best wishes for a 2010 full of love, joy and peace…

I am not sure I am ready for the holiday to end but reality tells me it is time to get some blog posts up for the month and let everyone know we are back in action.

Creative Chics had a phenomenal holiday online considering it was only six months into our venture.  I have only one designer fabric apron left in my inventory and have not taken time to count how many I made between November 1st and Christmas.  Deb sold Christmas bags like candy to kids.  We certainly appreciate everyone’s support and look forward to 2010 and showing off some new projects and designs.

These photos are sack towel embroidery designs that will be posted online today.  These vintage animals are adorable and towels can be personalized.

We made gifts for Christmas for family members that were so appreciated we decided to offer them online.

Here is an example of dog towels I made for my families pets.

Deb embroidered family initials on large spa sized bath towels that were a huge hit. 

We want to thank everyone again, family, friends and all the new friends we have made and look forward to a fun, fulfilling and very creative 2010.