Birthday Girl

A friend's daughter is having her 1st birthday very soon, and her grandmother asked me to make a dress for her. I used this cute cupcake fabric in fall colors.

I couldn't stop there of course, so I made this 1st birthday shirt also.

The cupcake appliqué Is by planet appliqué. I like it because you can add as many candles as you need.

I couldn't having her older brothers feeling left out, so I made them shirts with a tie.

The tie design is also by planet appliqué.

Happy birthday Lilly!

 

Favorite Thing Friday- Friday Night Football

I have always loved the Friday night festivities of a high school football game. Through junior high and senior high school I was a cheerleader. This meant I was there for every game jumping around and cheering for my team. I also wanted to be in the band and march during the half-time show, but my father thought that would be too many activities for me ( I already took weekly piano lessons and did countless other activities). I wonder why he thought I was too busy?

Now notice I did not say that I love watching the game. I do enjoy a good game, but mostly I enjoy watching the "pretty people" as my husband titled them for me after trying to watch college football games with me. I do well for about the 1st quarter watching the cheerleaders and pom squad and then start to get antsy. I make it through then 2nd quarter so i can see the band, and if I make it any further that's just gravy. I have just recently realized why I can't sit still during a ball game, because i'm used to be jumping and hopping around!

So with my love of Friday night lights the kiddos have to have some outfits supporting the home team, and here they are.

 

And these for our friends down the road. Does anyone know how to turn this pic around?

Raggy appliqué tips

I've done a few new appliqués for the girls recently, here are some tips I'll share about doing raggy appliqués.

• Raggy appliqués don't need as many layers of stabilizer because they have so many layers of fabric already. I normally need 3 layers of stabilizer to keep my bobbin thread on the backside, but for raggy appliqués 1 layer is enough.
• Keep your project hooped while you cut around the design and while you rag cut the edges. The hoop keeps the project pulled taut and makes you less likely to cut a hole where you don't want it.

• Don't be so matchy-matchy. I usually keep everything just so, but for this I tried using a different color flannel than my top fabric color. I think it adds interest and brings more colors out of the leggings I'm pairing it with. The tutorial on Five Star Fonts that goes with this FREE design I used actually used two different colors of flannel and a cotton print on top. Check out their other free designs HERE. They have lots of cute ones.
• These designs take very little thread, so this is a great time to use all those almost empty bobbins.
• You don't have to buy a special design to make a raggy appliqué. Just look for a design you already have that is very simple.

Now a tip for centering any appliqué.

• As always I used a sticker to mark the center of where my design should be on my shirt before hooping. The best way to find the sweet spot is to start at the base of the shirt sleeve and draw an imaginary line to the center of the shirt, making sure you are lined up with the neck tag.

• Always measure to ensure your design's actual size with will be centered top-to-bottom also. In this case I actually needed to move my sticker down about an inch. For me this usually isn't necessary.

 

• Now hoop, and if you don't get the hoop exactly center, no sweat because you are using your sticker to mark center with your needle. Yes, my shirts are changing colors.

 

Remove the sticker before stitching. And let your machine do the work, while you try to keep the rest of the shirt and your fingers out of the way.

On a side note, does anyone else having trouble with their bobbin thread showing on the top? I've tried multiple things and some work some of the time, but nothing seems fail proof.

Here are our finished shirts using planet appliqués BLOOM ALPHA, I got free with a promotion. Each girl Is sporting an initial in their favorite color.

"Why do we have to take so many pictures mama?"

"Because I didn't get around to taking them before I dressed you for school dear."

 

Mama's Monkeys

While I write this, my 3 monkeys are asleep in the back seat :)

of my husbands truck because my mommy van is dead on my carport :(

but hey, it could worse, 2 years ago I had no carport and dreamed of the day I could get the groceries in the house on a rainy day without taking a shower outside.

These are the newest outfits I've made, and I am just in love with the Moda sock monkeys! Notice I bought the same print in flannel this week too. I'm putting together a pattern for turning a tank top into a dress like this. It's very easy and quick to do. It uses elastic to get a nice fit around the chest and still let's it be super comfy for playing or dressing up with bows, flowers, sashes, or whatever else you come up with.

I'm glad I got these pics when we I did because soon after, the girls were making these works of art at a friends super fun "half birthday" party. The snap-on flowers worked great because I could snap them off and they didn't get too painty.

I thought the half-birthday was a neat idea for kids whose real birthdays are in the dead of winter and can't play outdoors.

Have you ever done a party like this?

New bulldog

There's a new bulldog fan in town, and he's ready for the fall football season already. This cute onesie is ready to featured in the fall football program with the new tiny fan and his favorite cheerleading aunt!