Birthday sewing!

Since the very beginning of my sewing business I have had the fun of making some pretty special birthday shirts / onesies / outfits.  Over the last 3+ years I've made hundreds of them - and it's always a really cool thing to know that someone trusts me to make such a special, important item for their kiddo(s).

Last week, I had fun sewing up a birthday dress for our friends' daughter who turns two today!!!

Then because I knew she was pretty obsessed with Thomas - and figured it was probably pretty tough to find girly Thomas stuff - I sewed up another dress and a tunic for her birthday gift.

She was SO cute as she tore through all the gifts - doing a GREAT job of picking up each item and showing it to everyone - quickly - then moving on to the next gift!

One of the things that is the biggest bummer about custom sewing is that it is pretty rare that I get to see the items I make ON the kiddos I make them for.  They go in the mail and are (hopefully) loved when they arrive at their new home.....

But things look SO much cuter on kiddos than hangars!

So you can imagine how FUN it was for me to see that two kiddos (birthday girl and another friend) were wearing items I made at the party!

Crummy cell phone pic.... sorry! :)

A quick "hello!" {yes, I'm still here.... kinda}

Wow.  9 days since my last post?  Yikesa!

In all honesty.... I've been in a creative funk.  I think of projects I'd like to work on - and then when I happen to have a few free seconds {because that's about all I'm getting these days} the inspiration just isn't there!

Busy life, good healthy changes going on, active and growing kiddos, bits of sunny weather - - - so much to do, so little time!

I told my husband the other night I need to either take a BREAK (like for real.... intentional.... where I don't still feel like I should be doing some sewing / creating) - - - - or I need to chain myself to my sewing machine and "sew through it"!

Neither of those options are very practical..... so I think I'll go with option 3: attempt to get a bit more sleep (lately we have been averaging about 5.5 hours a night!), work through paid custom orders (not many... but a few are still hanging out there!), and then grab some FUN fabric and just SEW.

How do you get yourself through a slump / funk?  Whether it's in your creative life, work, fitness goals, personal goals.... I know we all go through them - and there's no miracle cure for them..... but help a mama out! :)

One thing I AM doing {that I think will help} - I'm running my first 5k in just over a week!  I have always HATED running.  No joke.  But tomorrow (or Saturday) I will complete the last run of my couch-to-5k training program - having run for 9 straight weeks at least three times a week.... and the following weekend I have friends and family ready to run a fun color run to celebrate!  I know it will be an awesome accomplishment - and the fact that I'm *this close* to completing this goal (and then making more!) is very energizing!

I haven't done TONS of sewing lately - though I somehow seem to be accumulating more fabric (oops!?) - but I have worked on a few projects....

Sneak peek of an item I made for a pattern tester {pattern releases in June - I'll share more then!}  Yes... I was brave and cut into some Art Gallery for this one!!!

This cutie pie was "helping" me with my photo shoot

*Just about* finished with some fun baseball jerseys for my friend's twins.  I made them onesies about 3 years ago - - - crazy how much our kiddos have grown!

Superhero Gift Set finish

I'm so excited about the gift set I finished up this weekend!

Look at all those fun items!  So bright and.... awesome!  I had shared a sneak peek at this project almost two weeks ago for WIP Wednesday - - - my how time flies when the sun comes out!

This gift set includes: A quilted security / mini blanket, two minky-backed bibs, two burp cloths, and a tie onesie

Two burp cloths - practical but oh-so-fun.

Bibs backed in suuuuuper soft minky

A quilted security blanket - about 18" square - perfect for the car or for snuggling without dragging on the floor {my 1.5 year old sleeps with his every night!}

And of course - a tie onesie!

My customer is giving this set as a gift to a friend expecting the arrival of a lil' superhero.  What an awesome gift!  Practical, fun, and perfect for their superhero-loving family.

I packaged this set up and put it in the mail yesterday - I hope they love how it turned out as much as I do!

I also got this pretty stack o' fabric in the mail for the SMS Giveaway Day winner - Karen.  I'm thinking I need to sew something using these fabrics / colors ASAP!  Happy sewing, Karen!

WIP Wednesday 5/7

My customers have been picking out some FUN fabrics / themes lately {check out this Alice quilt I finished up over the weekend for a customer}!  

This week I'm working on a gift set that includes a mini quilt, some burp cloths, bibs, and a onesie.  It has a superhero theme and I just love the bright & fun fabrics I'm getting to work with.

Here's a peek at the mini quilt - a simple, double-sided quilt made from this comic book print on one side.....

..... and these fun superhero words on the other!

I've got it quilted (some straight-line quilting outlining many of the comics) - and I just need to bind it.  Then on to the rest of the gift set!

What a great gift - and I'm having fun working with such awesome prints.

I'm linking up with WIP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced - excited to see what everyone else is working on!

An Alice quilt {finish}

A customer recently contacted me about sewing up an Alice in Wonderland baby quilt.  Something simple but cute.

I found a cute border print that she loved and placed the fabric order.  We were working with a pretty tight timeline - but that's okay!  The fabric arrived Friday and by Sunday night I had a finished quilt!

I'm loving how it came together.  I used squares cut from the Alice fabric and then various fabrics with purples / pinks / lime greens in them from my stash - including a few last pieces of favorite "scraps" I just couldn't get rid of - perfect!

The quilt measures about 30" x 36" (give or take a little).  I did a very small amount of straight line quilting - about 3/8" off of each seam - to give it some texture and hold all the layers together.   It is in the mailbox to head to my customer this morning!

After a wash or two this one is going to soften up and just be the perfect little snuggly blanket!

Wednesday already!?

For whatever reason - maybe it's the wonderful sun we are getting here in Washington? - this week is flying by.  I shouldn't be surprised.... as the month of April was the quickest month yet this year!  But here we are - welcome to Wednesday or as my 3.5 year old says "hummmmp daaaaaaaaaay!" (and the 1.5 year old mimics this pretty well!)

Even with a fairly quiet blog and Facebook page I have been working a ton the last week.  Some of the sewing was for gifts / upcoming blog hops - so posting pictures is delayed - but I've been checking things off the to-do list and sneaking in fun time in the sun - playing outside, a family run after the hubby got home from work yesterday, and dinner on our back deck!

This week I FINALLY cut into a beautiful large-scale floral print from the Ashbury Heights line for Riley Blake.  I have a jelly roll of this line stashed away for a "someday" project - and will save enough of the floral for backing - but a friend of mine fell in love with it for a dress for her daughter - and I LOVE how it is coming along!

I shared this "peek" yesterday on Instagram

Finishing it up today so it can get in the mail - - then on to some sewing for ME (gasp!) - and my April quilt blocks for the various BOM's / QAL's I'm participating in.  Hubby suggested I work on the May blocks this weekend, too.  Hmmmm.... smart man?!

Linking up with WIP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced - excited to see what everyone else is working on this week!

Zoe's Quilt - a FINISH! {pic heavy}

Well.... it was a very productive weekend!  When I last left you, I had most of the rows of Zoe's onesie quilt sewn up.

This weekend - I FINISHED the quilt!

I sewed up the rest of the rows and the quilt top was done.  Then I pieced together the backing fabric - using an adorable mini flower fabric in greens & pinks - as well as a few "extra" squares that didn't make it into the front - and some pink & white polka dots, of course!

Then I made a "quilt sandwich" - - - backing, batting, top - - - and spray / pin basted it.

I had to move my sewing machine to the dining room table - to give me LOTS of room to work while quilting!  I used simple straight line quilting about 1/2" on either side of each horizontal seam.

When all the quilting was done, I basted around the whole quilt as close to the edge as I could - just so it didn't wiggle while I was trimming / binding.  This was my view for a few hours Saturday night after the kiddos went to bed {the hubby liked that I was busy - it meant video game time for him!}

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE the dual-feed foot on my Janome Horizon 7700???  Love it.  

Next, I trimmed it up and it was ready for binding!  Isn't the back adorable?!

{don't mind the front-loader photobomb!}

Originally I had a different fabric in mind for the binding.... but then I realized I didn't have anywhere near as much as I needed.  So I auditioned a few fabrics - and even got the hubby's input.  I think he made a good choice, don't you!?

Then I got back behind the machine and stitched the binding on.  LOVE using the foot of my table extension to hold onto that pretty roll of binding - perfect!  (I learned that trick from Maureen Cracknell Handmade - - - and honestly I geek out a little each time I do it because I am SO in awe of her work and I can't help but think "I'm quilting like Maureen!" - yep.... now you know how much of a nerd I am!)

And soon enough...... the quilt was DONE!

{It measures about 50" x 60"}

A big thank-you to the hubby who helped take pictures - even though it was POURING down rain! :)

How fun are those stripes?!  And the flowers?  Polka dots?!  So much girly fun in one quilt!

Then there are all the fun little details that I just LOVE!

Like a First Christmas onesie, little puffs of tulle on some adorable flip-flops....

Bows, ruffles, fan gear....

A special 1st birthday onesie...

Pockets!  LOVE the little pockets (there are a few on the front AND back!)

Each time they wash this, it will get softer and softer.

I hope Zoe and her family LOVE snuggling up under this blanket - and reminiscing about all the memories created wearing all these adorable clothes!

Today I boxed it up and put it on the porch - - - it will be home with their family later this week!

I am so honored to have been asked to work on such a special project - it was truly a joy to make!

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Want to read more about Zoe's quilt {this one took a while, for sure!}

Sort & Design

Cutting & Piecing

March ALYOF goal

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Linking up with A Lovely Year of Finishes - - as this was my March goal {finished well before the end of the month, SWEET!} - I'm entry #21 this month - can't wait to see what others have finished up!

Sharing on "Show Off Saturday" as well! :)

Etsy Feature Friday {AND giveaway!!!}

Happy Friday all!

This week I'm featuring one of the items I use every.single.day - - - yes, something I have actually, purposefully sewn for MYSELF!  {do I have your attention yet?!  If not.... maybe you're reading because you saw that word - giveaway - in the title of this blog post?!}

My hanging kitchen towels are a MUST in this house!

Yellow Utensils Kitchen Towels - Eggo in the Oven

Why do I love them so much?!  Well... with two kiddos who LOVE to "help" us cook / are always underfoot, these towels do.not.disappear!  They stay nice and secure - always there and ready to dry off my hands - or a small dish / cup.  They also don't fall off when I open the oven!

Brown and Blue Coffee Time Kitchen Towels - Eggo in the Oven

Yep.... LOVE!  There are just two sets left in my Etsy shop - guess it's time for me to sew up some more!

Oh... and they make awesome host / hostess gifts - or housewarming gifts.  They'll snap around anything - fridge handle, oven handle, cabinet pull.... I just can't say enough about how great they are!

Okay, okay - enough chitter chatter.  I know you are wondering how you can WIN a set of these oh-so-awesome creations?! :)

Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter yourself to win a CUSTOM set (yep, you choose the fabric!)

You have the opportunity to earn FOUR entries!

1. Comment on this blog post  - which in-stock fabric would you LOVE your towel set to be made from - in-stock fabric is pictured HERE {mandatory}

2. Like my Facebook business page {optional}

3. Follow Sew & Tell on Bloglovin {optional}

4. SHARE about this giveaway - pin, tweet, facebook, blog - however you'd like! {optional}

Wahoo!  Have fun - and good luck!

Giveaway will close at 12:00AM PST on Monday 3/17 - I will announce the winner here in this blog post, and contact them by email, on 3/17.  Giveaway is open to Residents of the US and Canada ONLY.

Congrats to Emma O. (Entry #4) - winner of the set of kitchen towels!  Thanks to all who entered!

a Rafflecopter giveaway