Thursday, November 17, 2011

Bellies and Babies: Sensationalism and Sleeping Arrangements

Bellies and Babies: Sensationalism and Sleeping Arrangements: Recently the City of Milwaukee Health Department began circulating ads intended to dissuade co-sleeping amongst Milwaukee residents. Mayor...

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Save money by sewing

1.  Did you know you can get away with buying 4 basic colors of thread for all your sewing needs? That's right! Ignore those patterns that tell you that you have to have a blendable color for every project you sew. I'm not saying this if you are sewing a formal or fancy project. But, your day to day, normal sewing should only really take white, off white, navy, or black.

2.  Children's clothing prices are outrageous at the stores anymore. You can buy a whole book of basic clothing sewing patterns for a fraction of the cost of buying each pattern separately. Also, the fabric amounts you buy will cost about as much as getting the article on sale somewhere (and the cost of driving all around town to different stores). Also it will most likely be made better (patterns lined up, seams correctly sewn...).

3.  Get pattern tracing material and have your patterns for life. If your daughter has a favorite dress you made, most likely the pattern came in multiple sizes, so you will be able to make the same dress in a bigger size for her. You can even hand them down to your children, since the master patterns will never see scissors.

If anyone has anymore money saving sewing ideas, please comment below, so the whole world can do it too!

Sewing thoughts

As I just posted, my sewing machine is broken. So, that has freed up more time for research. I wonder how many people actually know that sewing companies used to make, and some still do, pattern books. I recently have found that I really like Kwik Sew patterns. They actually have real paper patterns, instead of those flimsy tissue paper ones they seem to clearance out every couple weeks at JoAnn. Anyway, I was browsing the Kwik Sew website and I happened to see on the side list "Sewing Books". So I clicked it. I was amazed. You can buy a whole book of basic patterns, averaging 20+ per book and in multiple sizes in the same book too! There are also Martha Pullen (heirloom sewing) books also. I will definitely be looking for these on eBay. I will then be able to make all of children's wardrobe, instead of endlessly looking for appropriate clothing for our kids, which are more and more recently poorly made in the first place. I am even considering making Eric his work and everyday clothes. I have already ordered a t-shirt pattern for him. It is just too expensive to buy everything from the Big & Tall shops (1 plain t-shirt runs about $30! vs 2 yards of on sale fabric will be around $8-10).

Another thing I have learned recently is that there is pattern tracing material. It is kind of see through and won't stretch or warp, so you can lay it over a pattern that you want to cut out and never have to cut your master pattern! Man, I should have found this a long time ago! I have been cutting out every size of my patterns and tracing them on felt, so I can have every size and never have to buy that particular pattern again. Granted I have thankfully only done that to 6 patterns, but that is a lot of work I put myself through. Especially the infant layette pattern I recently finished tracing... I'm so glad I found this other method before I started cutting into my heirloom patterns. I still have many patterns on my wish list, especially from King's Daughter's, and am so happy I won't have to cut them up and can keep them forever, once I am able to get them.

Another new hobby!

Yes, I know I have been going hobby crazy this past year, but I am making up for lost time! I am now trying my hand at smocking. Get it hand? Boy, I crack myself up (and I'm really tired right now...).

I have always loved heirloom sewing, but it so expensive to buy completed outfits! Now that I know the basics of sewing and am getting a new sewing machine with embroidery feature (YEAH!!!), since my White Classic 312 has now gone kaput, I started researching things to embroider. The first thing that came up was heirloom sewing projects. I thought I was in heaven when I started researching all the beautiful designs and patterns. Then I came across how people get pleated material... you can do it yourself (imagine that...), but the machines cost upward of $200-$300. My dreams started crashing down, until I thought I would try to see if a pleater was being sold on Craigslist. To my surprise there was one AND she only wanted $20 for it. I thought it was going to be another let down, that some how it needed repaired or it was rusted. I contacted the seller, she told me it was in perfect order!! It was even the 24 row Sally Stanley one! I was in disbelief. Well, long story short, it took over 3 weeks for me to get it from her, but tonight we made the trek to Medina and picked it up. It works beautifully and it even came with extra needles and 13 spools of thread!

The Lord is very good to us. He has provided me with a smocking pleater for next to nothing and we have my new sewing/embroidery machine on layaway at JoAnn, which was on super sale for $1300 off the retail price (I'm only paying $700)!

I am so excited to try and make a few baby items for a couple friends and family that are expecting in the next couple of months. I have been finding excellent deals on eBay (as always) on Martha Pullen, Chery Williams, Ellen McCarn, and Primrose Lane patterns. I'm not yet ready to do hand smocking, but am going to use my new machine, when I finally get it home, to do all the decorative stitching. It really is amazing how many beautiful heirloom embroidery patterns you can download for free on the Internet. I think I have almost 600 designs, and I keep finding more every time I find a moment to look.

I am so happy I have saved so many pieces of scrap material also. I don't have to worry about wasting money on practice pieces, and believe me, since I am unable to sew right now, I will be taking the time I normally sew and put that energy into perfecting my pleater skills. Watch out world, as soon as I have everything I need, I will be smocking and heirloom sewing everything!

Here are a few patterns that I have. I think they are absolutely gorgeous!
http://www.marthasheirlooms.com/images/Cwbabbis.jpg

http://www.marthasheirlooms.com/images/Cwbabsqy.jpg

http://www.marthasheirlooms.com/images/Cwyoke.jpg

http://www.marthasheirlooms.com/images/Cwprinc.jpg