I haven't forgotten either!

Thanks for posting Marie!  I haven't forgotten either and actually was thinking about it yesterday.  Once I can get a little order in my life I will start some of the projects I have had to put on hold.  I am excited to see what you are up to.  Plus I did finish my inchworm and will post a picture soon.

Love.

On hold...

There are a ton of things going on in the lives of Pinchusion. Some good, some exciting, and some that make us want to stay in bed all day and drink. I haven't forgotten about you or this blog, in fact I am planning on big things. I've been to M&L and I bought a bunch of fabric. The next two month I plan on sewing my brains out getting ready for Halloween, Birthdays and Christmas. Keep in touch!

Much love from Marie's Sweat (or Swear)Shop

Inch Worm August Challenge

Oh hello! Let me introduce you to Nene. She is going to the market and is wearing her favorite market scarf so she won't mess up her hair. Her favorite kind of fruit is cantaloupe and she thinks chili is disgusting. Her hobbies are going to the mall and singing songs to her babies.

This was a fun project that doesn't take a lot of energy and time. I worked on it while doing reading lessons with my Izzy. While she read I hand stitched. I wished I used green thread rather than white but it's not that big of deal since I used a polka dot felt. For the scarf I used a pocket from some Heather Ross Munki pajamas. I never wore the pajamas but used the material for my own projects. It seemed a shame to cut up perfectly nice pjs but do you realize how hard her fabric are to come by and the harder to find the more expensive it is?! I love the orange and green color combo.

We have this fantastic collection of all the bugs Izzy has made during her preschool career. I throw away a lot but for some reason the bugs get to share a shelf with my books. Too bad you can't see the spiders and more butterflies from our collection. Izzy insists that I make her a boy inch worm with a top hat and scarf. I try to do a lot of projects with my daughter. While I sew she paints, draws and creates her own projects. We like to talk about what we are making and come up with fun stories about them. This project does not require a sewing machine and is a good beginner project.

Sewing My Brains Out

This last Sunday I spent the whole day watching Mad Men and sewing. Because I got sucked into a show I wanted to keep watching, which meant I had to keep sewing. I ended making/finishing Violet's tent. Above is a little sneak peak of what it will look like. I will make a tutorial, don't you worry your pretty little heads. It will also help if you go out and buy the book. That is also a nice segue into my next project: The hooded cape.

This is Izzy's very special friend. It was his birthday on Monday and I decided to make him the cape he's been asking for every play date. I made it with a black satin type material and a cotton bias tape. The hood is lined with the same cotton as the bias tape. The pattern is from Growing Up Sew Liberated.

Now he can be a magician or a Harry Potter wanna-be.

I also decided to finish the quilt I started for him. The kid loves band aids so I found some sock monkey fabric at M&L for $2.99 a yard. I still see it in quilt shops for $9.99 a yard. I bought it with big J in mind and also to have some boy fabric in the house.

I used a simple four patch pattern that is one of my favs and also he wanted one just like Izzy. For the back I used the polka dot flannel that is on the four patch on the top. A while ago I made him a stuffed elephant with the polka dot flannel so his other toy will match his "nite-nite".

It took a couple hours to make and another hour to quilt and bind. I didn't hand bind it rather I machine sewn the binding on. It was faster and it will be more durable for a 5 year old boy.

I also made some pointy kittys. I will show another pic with all the heads attached and the hair and details stitched on. This is a fun pattern and might make it on one of our monthly projects.

My next post will be showing that I am a teacher's pet and finished my inch worm project. A quick shout out to Tammy for her adorable pillow! Now you have to show off the quilt!

Tammy's Pillow Project-Amy Butler Style

Surf Widow is coming to visit on Monday and when I saw her a couple weeks ago I made the goal to finish my pillow that I had started the last time she was visiting and bind my quilt that she had helped me make the visit before the previous one.

So, good news the pillow is done and it turned out just how I had wanted it to.

It is actually a super easy pattern to make and follow.  Good job Amy Butler!
I bought the pattern at Material Girls.  (see side bar)

Hot tips on this pattern:
Make sure to place the fabric you really love in the middle because the top, bottom and side rows are cut off and as you can see you can't really see them.
I also had the amazing idea to shred old clothes and use them for stuffing.  This will not work for this pattern.  I was going to do this because I thought I would need a lot of stuffing but I only used about 12 oz.

Donde Esta Senora Mushbelly?

Oh Michelle! Yoohoo! Mushbelly! Hellllllloooooooo?

We have yet to hear from our third contributor so I am calling you out with a little online peer pressure to say hi and to contribute something. All those that are anxiously awaiting to hear from Mush raise your hand. And by raising your hand I mean, make a comment to get her on here.

XO~Marie

p.s. I bet she is busy getting her house ready for my visit!

Announcing the August Project!

I'm excited that I get to be the person to pick the first monthly project for this blog!

It is from the Wee Wonderfuls book.  

It is a sweet, little inchworm and I picked it because I want to make it for my mom.

Has anyone seen the movie Hans Christen Anderson with Danny Kaye?  My mom loves Danny, loves the movie, loves the music and he sings a song about inchworms.

Inchworm, inchworm
Measuring the marigold
You and your arithmetic
You'll probably go far
Inchworm, inchworm
Measuring the marigold
Seems to me you'd stop and see
How beautiful they are

This is a sweet little inchworm whom I'm sure enjoys each marigold.  I am excited to make her.