Sewing: a skill to last you a lifetime.

You may have seen that post title and groaned.

Think about this:  you're in a consignment shop and you see this gorgeous hand-made gown for your toddler that you know would look absolutely adorable on her.  You have to have it!  You touch the fabric and feel the soft texture, the color is perfect, and it just feels so "right" in your hands.... until you get to the price tag.  $85 for a hand-made one-of-a-kind dress.

ouch.

With the invention of the internet and particularly sites like Youtube, how easy it is to learn some skills to make a dress like that?  Let me tell you- if you can drive, you can sew.  really.

What if it was something simpler than a dress- seriously, do you know how to sew a quilt?  What about something even simpler- what about a curtain or a pillow case?  What about darning a sock, or replacing a button?  These are skills that every homemaker should have.

How much money could you save if you did it yourself?  Back to the dress thing- I have 3 girls in my family, do you know how many clothes I go through a week?  Why not make some for church functions, and "nice" outings?  Basically things we "need" them to be nice looking for.  Here's a Christmas dress I made for one of the girls- I'll be making another one (possibly different style dress, same pattern though.) soon.  I'll post it, and maybe a video of myself making it!  (how awesome would that be?)

I finished this dress this morning:

With the bow in the back instead of the front:

I LOVE Olabelhe patterns.  Dawn is a stay-at-home homeschooling mom like me who now teaches 4 separate grades!  (can you imagine?!)

I used the Colleen for the dress, and the Sabrina for the sleeves.  If you're interested, you can purchase her patterns by clicking on their names.  I fully support home-business moms and Dawn is definitely I'm going to be spending my money with again (I have quite a few patterns of hers that I'm going to purchase and make!

Thanks for stopping by, and I'll catch you later.

Dog bed for > $10!

Everyone knows I'm frugal.  I actually pride myself on getting the best deal even on things I make to make them extra super cheap.

We just recently got a dog.  His name is beau.  (isn't he cute?)   I made that bed.  I bought that fabric and one in blue intending to make hats, mittens and scarves out of them for my older two children.. about 3 years ago.  After a year, the price on it is null and void in my mind because it's costing me more in storage space than it does in usage, so I used that fabric for "free".  Honestly it was about a yard and a half-2 yards I REALLY don't remember.

Anyhoo, everyone knows how to drive, right?  Well, sewing is something like that.  You press the pedal and the machine makes the fabric go forward (has to do with feed dogs and the presser foot- technical terms you don't need right this second or for this post) and you steer with your hands.

With your right sides and edges together, you sew around the 3 that aren't the folded over side, leaving a gap big enough to get your hand through.  turn it right side out.  Stuff with 2 bags of polyfil (any craft store should have this) and smoosh it into place how you like it. Turn the open edge into itself where the poly fill is and sew up the edge.  TADA!

this project cost around $6.00, where normally a "large" dog bed.would cost around $45.  Oh, and if you count the cost of the fabric, as I bought it on a clearance, it costs around $2.00 a yard, so a yard and a half, made about $9.00 total.

Now, THAT is Smart and Savvy!

a little skill goes a L-O-N-G way!

I was thinking about something today.  My family and I are going on a trip here in a few days.  We are going to be visiting family all over the country, total of 2600 miles put on my poor little car.  (I hear it whimpering from the parking lot).  I have a rather small-ish car, it's a Toyota Camry and holds exactly 5 people, one of them being an infant.  Nate's stuff takes up more room in my car than a little bit.  I have his stroller taking up most of my trunk as it is!  Now, I love my son, and at his age, there are several essentials that I need for him, for example- the stroller- but I also need his pack n play, and I would LIKE to have his swing.  I probably won't be able to bring his swing with us, but that all led to this thought:

Since we'll be in a small car, and have very little room for luggage, and we'll be using the rooftop carrier anyway, why not just put the carrier on top of the car and fill it with PUL bags instead of luggage.  If you're not familiar with PUL, it's a fabric that has been fused with plastic to make it waterproof.  It's on cloth diapers, and their covers, and it's used for "wet bags" -just what the name implies- etc.  Well, mama knows how to sew.  Why in the world would I NOT use these?  Just for example, a standard set of luggage costs (on the cheap side) $75.  You get 1 large suit case, 1 med, 1 small, and maybe an attache case.  This will hold about 4 people's worth of clothes for a week.  I can make 4 bags (for the price of $25, and have extra left over) PLUS they're automatically waterproof! 

So, since I have a ton of PUL, I'm going to make some bags (I need to make a trash can liner for my diapers anyway) and get it done.  I'll post pics when all is said and done. :)  I just got a new camera and yahoo- I'm digging it.

A little skill with a needle and thread really does go a long way!  You'd be amazed at how much you can save yourself on window treatments alone!

blessings and stay savvy!

the value of an apron.

I have several aprons.  I have made them all (except my pampered chef apron) myself.  I value my aprons.  They protect my clothes while doing the everyday chores that need to be done in a household.  But there is just something about an apron that screams "I am the mother!".  I love them to be honest.  Half aprons, tea aprons, frilly ones, cleaning ones, baking and cooking ones, vintage aprons, bib aprons, and even smocks, bring them on!  I don't mind if they get dirty or even stained, they keep my clothes nice, and if one gets wet from dishwater, I can easily change into the next one.

So, in looking at my stash, I tried on an apron that I made about a year ago and realized- my pregnant body will need something a little larger in the months to come, and in fact I'll probably need two or three.  Now don't get me wrong, I know I won't be pregnant forever (unless my husband has his way!) and I am looking for something I can use both now and in the future without looking "maternity".  I'm thinking a flowy smock apron (or 4) like the one seen simplicity 2390 however there was a book from the library that I borrowed one time called A is for Apron by Nathalie Mornu.  It has the smock style apron that I want, and for free!  gee- wonder what I'll be doing here. LOL!  This is the Smart, Savvy Homemaker Diva blog afterall.

Of course, I was also reading Apron Evangelism by the Hillbilly Housewife Here and it made sense.  I DO need a "uniform" so to speak, to show my feminine authority in the house.  Of course, it doesn't hurt that I also home school my children, so they know when the apron is on, I am someone to respect.  (not that I'm not normally, it just shows more authority.  Like when a soldier is in uniform, he gets more respect than when he's out of it.)

Now, as a clothing cover, I have also made some for my daughter- who is known for making messes out of her clothes, partly becuase she's super artistic and partly becuase she's a klutz.  I guess it comes with the territory for a 5 year old.  My 4 year old son is the same, he messes his clothes and I will figure out something for him that looks "manly" in a my-clothes-are-covered-to-make-mommy's-life-easier kind of way. 

but this is my thought for the next few days as I clean up and break out old blue in my spare time.  I will be coming up with a pattern and an exciting "tutorial" as I make it.  Maybe I'll skip the pattern and just go with the book from the library.  either way, I'll take pictures and post how and what I do. :) 

Hopefully, I'll inspire other SSHD's to regain the femininity of the home, and take your place as the domestic diva in your home, and make yourself an apron.  and you know.. protect your clothes. :)

Sewing... my fav!

I'm super excited today! I get to chain myself to old blue (my name for my sewing machine) and forsake all household chores because I'm making my marriage dress. Isn't that like a wedding gown, you say? kind of but not really.

See, my fiancee and I are getting married before our "wedding". He's in the Army and he's supposed to deploy but they left him behind so he can finish up some business. So, since I've designed and am going to make my wedding gown (closer to the time) I'm also going to make myself a tea length vintage dress for tomorrow.

Yeah, tomorrow, the 19th. It's insane how I wait until the last minute when I have tons of stuff to do. Well, must get sewing! :)