Fabric Fabric Fabric

Speaking of Spring thoughts... my fabric co-op order arrived today WITH another order, Lotta Jansdotter fabric, from Japan. Also, I have some new hand printed linen fabric from Hollabee! Time to sew!

Fabric coop fabric (Free Spirit by Heather Bailey "Fresh Cut", 3 coordinating Katie Jump Rope designs, China Doll and Lollidot)




Hollabee (top) and Lara Cameron's fabric (bottom)


Two fabrics from Lotta Jansdotter


Are you seeing a lot of green??

Thinking of Spring

Wow, it's been awhile since I've had time to sew OR blog! I had to take a little breather but last night I managed to start sewing some GARDEN and HOUSEHOLD themed aprons. They can be used for gardening, crafts, painting or even cooking! I found this funky fun fabric on the Michael Miller website and tracked down a seller of it on eBay. Here's the first one:

Christmas Tree

For some reason, I wanted a different tree this year. I have never had an artificial tree, ever. Always a real tree that makes the house smell good, natural all the way. Not this year.

Retro Apron

I saw this Michael Miller fabric and fell in love, had to have it, had to make an apron with it.





OK, as I was writing this post, it just sold out of my Etsy shop. Yippee! Except that now I have to part with it, darn. At least I still have more fabric, yay.

I ordered and received more new fabric this week, very nice "cotton oxford" which is like a light-weight canvas. Also a Michael Miller product.

I'm simply dotty about polka dots right now and have even more dotty fabric on order. Hope to have some dotty creations to show soon.

And in other news:
Little Bitsys was featured on a blog: click here to read it

The Handmade Pledge

I've been wanting to do this for awhile, highlight some of the amazing products I've purchased from other Etsy sellers and brag on them! So here goes. I use the excuse of Christmas gifts and hoping my family doesn't read my blog, I don't think they do.

For my 13 year old niece who is into dragons and fairies (or faeries):
A shirt from Poison Apple


and a print by Jasmine Becket-Griffith


For another neice who likes earrings, from BINAGEYER


For my Mother from Back Home Again


and for my sister, body butter from A Breath of French Air


And I have not yet decided who this will go to, from Foliage, hand soap! Love this!


A little gift for me from Pikapeeks in France, a little sampling of products from Provence

I just have to copy the description from the shop so you know why I bought this:

This cute little embroidered canvas bag is hand-made from my home in the South-of-France, where I live in an old village called Vence (which is 15 km from Nice, France). Each bag includes vintage french treasures which I have purchased at a local weekly market held in our town square. The treasures included are perfect for various crafty projects, and for yourself to enjoy. And once the bag is empty, it makes a great french vase.

This bag contains the following:
- 1 french vintage square hankie
- 1 french white vintage hand embroidered napkin (has a tiny little stain on the right)
- 2 chewy french candies
- 1 L'Occitane cream
- 1 L'Occitane cream sunscreen
- 1 blue nail file
- 1 teapot magnet
- 1 fat quarter of blue french fabric
- 1 white vintage cotton ribbon 10" wide
- 2 yards of blue thin rick rack
- 1 yard of cream lace
- 8 blue vintage buttons

And lastly, a little gift for my shop! More fabric to sew from Lara Cameron at Kirin & Co This pattern is called bulokku and I got it in each color so I can mix and match the fabrics. See her shop for photos.
It's a wonderful linen/cotton blend fabric, yummy to sew.

I hope you check out these shops. I still have more shopping to do, off I go!

it's the HOLIDAYS

OK, I spent way too much time and money shopping online lately, eek! And haven't blogged in awhile. I have been cutting out aprons and finally sewed one last night, this one is now my favorite, calling it the cupcake apron for obvious reasons. I like that it covers up a lot of your clothing so you can get extra messy cooking, though it's too pretty to get dirty! It almost looks like a dress.





I have so many incredible new fabrics but so little time, but I am eeking them out one by one. More to come. Happy Holiday Season to everyone!

My New Gal

She needs a name.

National TIE ONE ON Day - November 21st

Wow, I can't believe my timing. Wednesday has been declared National Tie One On Day by EllynAnne Geisel of Apron Memories!

I just made this for my mother using Amy Butler's Tree Peony "Sky" fabric and off-white linen:





I'm going to give it to her on Thanksgiving so she can use it through the holidays. I had to make it smaller than normal because she is tiny.

Fabric, Fabric, Fabric PHOTOS

OK, I didn't post the photos a few days ago so here they are:

JUST IN yesterday! Kristen Doran from Australia. I think I will keep this fabric for myself as in making something for ME not my shop.


And here's my packet o' goodness from Leslie at alittlegoodness


Leslie sent me some free goodies including the print fabric on top. Here is the Lotta Jansdotter fabric close up:


And from the pages of the Bienfait magazine, a cute apron:


And last but not least, from Frances at Matatabi shop:


Frances included the little kitty fabric and the cute sewing tape gratis! Sweet!

Oh, and some Christmas fabric I had to buy this weekend at a local fabric shop:


Ready, set, SEW!

hippie mama love child apron

I think I just like saying all those words. hippie mama love child apron



BTW, I just found this amazing shop online that sells aprons, love it!

(so shopping on Etsy is a bargain, check out their prices, yow)

Fabric, Fabric, Fabric

Besides sewing aprons, I've been accumulating more fabric! I received two shipments from Japan this weekend (YAY) from Etsy shops alittlegoodness and matatabi. From Leslie at Goodness I received some really fun Lotta Jansdotter fabric and some cute prints from Matatabi.

And finally, I am waiting for another Australian fabric from Kristen Doran. You Aussies know how to design fabric! :)

Next up on my list of sewing is a Hippie Mama Lovechild Apron! I can't wait to make this, it's all ready, I just have to wait until I go home tonight. Then I will make a matching hippie kiddie apron I think. Fun.

I have so many plans for using this fabric and so little time!

Etsy Front Page

WOW, my mushroom apron is in a cool little treasury for gifts and made the front page of Etsy! And I totally missed it. Apparently it was at night, maybe last night, not sure but it made my views go up to 615 for that apron alone, very nice. I kind of like having it in the shop so if it sells, I'll miss it! I can't make another without ordering more fabric from Japan so it's OOAK for sure.



The apron is in my shop here.

More Aprons

I'm on an apron binge. More to come. Here's the one I finished yesterday, more Shinzi Katoh fabric:

Apron

I love the way this turned out! Fabric from ChocolateSwirl Etsy Shop. Sewing by me.

mod podge

I have recently become obsessed with the combination of Mod Podge and tissue sewing patterns. Mod Podge, in case you are not familiar, is

Mod Podge® is the original all-in-one glue, sealer and finish. From fashion accessories to wall art, furniture and more, only Mod Podge offers so many creative possibilities. Discover inspiring project ideas, helpful how-tos and all the reasons why Mod Podge is the decoupage glue of choice!

It seems to work really well with tissue paper so sewing patterns are great to use with it! And being life-long seamstress, I just like looking at all the little words and darts and dotted lines. Anyway, I have covered a few things like boxes and I experimented with some Tiny Little Bitsys and even did a Sewing Pattern Poster for an Etsy Treasury.

But it wasn't until I found these little paper-mache birdhouses that I came up with this idea: Vintage Sewing Pattern Birdhouse Ornament. (I wish I had a shorter name but this is it for now). I sold the first two right after listing, yay!

This is my favorite, sold already though:




I just love the children's faces on these, so sweet and innocent looking

frustration

I'm going through some frustrating things right now and one frustration is not having the time or emotional energy to create, grrrr. I wish there were some magic button to press but alas, I can't find one.

I was reminded today that:

"You may be going through a difficult time right now, but it’s not the end. It’s only the beginning. God has equipped you for this journey. You may feel like you’re in a dry season, but don’t look at your circumstances. "

So I'm trying to endure, sigh. I won't say anymore because I want to try to think positive instead of negative.

On another note... I was going through old photos the other day and I found this picture of my little niece (who is now 8 years old) in a dress that I made her! I love this.

emmy award

This past Saturday my husband and I attended the Heartland Region Emmy Awards ceremony where he was nominated for two Emmy Awards. Nomination is such an honor that we were kind of shellshocked when he won one of them! Not that I ever doubted, he truly deserved it.

I wish I could post a link to the film he did but I don't have the original film. It is a topical documentary entitled: Bailando por mi Libertad (Dancing for my Freedom) about a 26 year old Cuban ballet dancer who defected to the U.S. and is now dancing for the Colorado Ballet. It is a short film, about 10 minutes long and features interviews with the dancer, Luis, and footage of his mother, who has not seen him since he left Cuba (3-4 years ago). It's very special and moving. I'm so glad his hard work was honored in such an impressive way.

Now if I could just drag him out of the clouds where he has been all week!

Trying hard to believe it's true:

Sewing

101_2506.JPG
Originally uploaded by littlebitsys

I was so excited about my fabric arrival that I've already started a new apron/pinafore! This one is Full Moon Polka Dot Cherry fabric from Amy Butler and it will have trim using Lotus Slate fabric you see in the upper part of this photo.

I'm loving those covered buttons. They really make it look polished.

fabric fetish

I'm in a fabric co-op and last month we selected Amy Butler fabrics. I received my first package today:



The book is a birthday gift from a wonderful friend! A perfect combo. Now to find time to SEW...

Guess what everyone is getting for Christmas? I wonder if my Dad would like Full Moon Polka Dot Cherry or Damask Black and White pajamas? hehehe

i like coffee

This is something I've wanted to make for a long time, a cover for my espresso machine. To keep it clean and to make the counter a little neater.

This is made from chartreuse linen, the color is wonderful but doesn't show up well in the photos. Brown rick-rack from Reprodepot and my own embroidery (which needs a little help, I think I will re-do that soon)

Organique!

I finally got some of my organic ideas out of my head and onto these adorable little onesies.


Next step is to embroider the features and they will be ready to list in my shop, aren't they cute? I love the fuzzy bunny, aka Lapin Blanc. I'm calling this one: "Le lapin blanc aime la nature" (the white rabbit loves nature)


The onesie blanks are from American Apparel's organic/sustainble line. The white fabric I used for the applique comes from Near Sea Naturals organic collection (very nice and amazing selection for organic fabrics) as well as some dyed hemp, which is a sustainable fabric.

These will really come to life when I give them features!

October 21

EEK. It's too early for snow!



Another view


Breakfast this morning


Where I'll be spending the whole day (it's Sunday)