Customer Happiness!

I received this wonderful email last night from a customer. I love receiving emails from happy customers who are trying new things by following one of my sewing patterns.

Here is what Tiffany wrote...

Hi Leah,

I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed working with your Ladybug Diaper Bag pattern.  I had bought the Simplicity pack because I like the tissue paper instead of taping the pages, but I almost with I would've got the pdf too because I am a visual person and all the reviews of your patterns as far as directions are great.

I finally got around to sewing my bag yesterday while my other kids were visiting their grandparents and it was daunting at first looking at all the different pieces to cut out and fuse together, but I am happy to say that after all the cutting actually putting the bag together was a breeze.  This was my first time attempting to do a zipper pocket and your directions were great-I got it on my first try :)!!!  I did add another elastic pocket to the interior and both the elastic pockets inside are broke into 3 pockets instead of the 2 you suggested.  I am including a picture of my finished bag.  I am very happy with it-and am talking up your patterns as a result.  My next project may be to make up the mini purse to use as a paci holder.Thanks again for creating a great design :)

Tiffany

I am so happy for Tiffany and I hope her story inspires others to try a Sew Spoiled Pattern.

Sew Spoiled Sewing Skills

I love to use sewing projects to learn new sewing skills. That is how we grow and become amazing seamstresses. Some of the skills you will learn in a Sew Spoiled Pattern are making handles, pockets and a variety of different closures. If you are wanting a new personalized bag, customized just to your liking make it with Sew Spoiled! 

Click the picture below to open the PDF link.

Embroidering Towels Tutorial

Materials:

Towel (wash before embroidering)

Tear away Interfacing

Water Soluble Topper

Thread

Embroidery Machine

Step 1: Hoop the tear away interfacing first.

Step 2: Mark lightly where you want the embroidery design. For this design, I placed the "A", 10" from the bottom of the towel and in the center. Place the towel over the hooped interfacing. Smooth everything out and make sure the marking for the center of the design is under the needle. Then place the water soluble topper over the towel. Use a rectangle basting stitch to hold all three layers together.

Step 3: Start the embroidery design. The topper allows the embroidery thread to be on top of the terry fabric's loops.

 Step 4: Finish the embroidery design. You can see that my design was larger than the baste stitch, this is ok because at the end of the project we pick the basting stitches out, so we are left with only the design.

Step 5: Tear away the back interfacing. The water soluble topper might also tear away but it is washable too. Enjoy your towel!

Best wishes and tons of stitches!

Spring 2014 Etsy Finds!

Wooden Oval 'Handmade' Sewin Buttons / Garment Tags x by MoonStick

Spring Skinny Chevron From Robert Kaufman 1 by StitchStashDiva

2in1 Dahlia Bubble Dress Pattern size 38 years by PetitePatterns

Circle Block Font Chevron by TrendyTigerDesigns on Etsy

April Showers Embroider Umbrella Tutorial

Materials:

Umbrella

Rubber Bands

Embroidery machine

Tear-away interfacing

embroidery design

Step 1: Take the cloth off the umbrella. Leave the threads as markers so you will know where to sew it back at the end of your project.

Step 2: Get your embroidery machine ready and select your embroidery design. I used tear away interfacing, at the end of your project you will be able to tear away the interfacing behind the embroidery design.

Step 3: With rubber bands tie together the frame. When embroidering the frame should be away from the hoop.

Step 4: Embroider the umbrella.

Step 5: Tear away the interfacing.

Step 6: Hand sew the frame back onto the frame.

Ta Da! You are Done!

Things I learned; You want to choose an embroidery design that is not high in stitch density.

Have fun!

Antrorse Sweater Finished!

5 Skeins

After taking this picture, I realized I have to make the other sleeve the same exact way. Aaaahh! I love the color of the yarn. It is Bird's Egg, Osprey by Quince and Co.. I used a pair of size 10, 32" circular bamboo needles to make the entire sweater. For the sleeves I used the magic loop technique to create the small sleeve circumference. The size is 34 but it is a little big.  

All 6 skeins.

I love my new sweater and I think I will definitely make more knitted things. Perhaps sweaters for the girls or a shawl for me. Over all this was a perfect sweater for a beginner, like myself, to make. It is seamless, which means you can continuously knit the main bodice of the sweater from top to bottom. It also means you wouldn't have to stitch two or more parts together. Even the sleeves were fairly easy to create. Of course now that I know how to make this sweater, I want to try this one again because I know all of the steps. It is spring here, what are some good Spring/ Summer knitting projects for the warmer months?

Antrorse Sweater Update

This was my Sunday. Just a lazy day on the couch with my knitting draped across my lap. It has still been very cold outside, which I don't mind because I am trying to finish my sweater in time to wear it at least once. My sweater is not perfect, it is very rustic and from far away looks like the Antrorse Sweater pictures on the pattern. I love it anyway because it is my first knitting project that I am determine to finish. I have learned so much along the way. 

One Skein 

 Two Skeins

Three Skeins

Four Skeins
Now I have to learn about making sleeves. The magic loop method sounds interesting and I think I am going to investigate it first. If you have any suggestions please let me know.
I just bought these wooden buttons for the top!

Can't wait to finish it!