SewMania and New Listings

I weathered the first two weeks of SewMania here at the home shop and made it to the other side alive. All packages are in the mail except one that I should be able to get out tomorrow. Whew! That was a lot of work! My shop has seen better days. So I plan to spend a good solid day this week doing nothing but vacuum up stray thread and organizing patterns and fabric. I've never wanted to clean and organize so much in my life!

I've listed items in the shop! In addition to the old ones I also added my favorite, the Frills stripwork top. Can I just say that I totally adore making these stripwork tops and anything with an applique? I am such a geek. I just like the creative stuff.

I worked with a customer to try out a new pattern recently with mixed results. I worked on a skirt and matching dresses and the skirt pattern is a keeper, for sure. I love it and will work one up for the store later this week. The dresses, though, will never see the light of day on my shop. It was fun and a privilege to have the opportunity to work on something new with some beautiful fabrics. I hope the new owners can get some use out of the end results!

After my last few weeks, I've reevaluated how I want to handle custom orders in the shop. I admit I hadn't given it much thought prior to the launch. I figured I would never have more orders than I could handle at any given time.

In other crafty news, I'm working on these adorable bunnies for my babies for Easter. Aren't they just so sweet? My little ones are going to FREAK!!! And they use up all my little scraps - bonus! I'm still working up a few ideas for my big kids. Figuring out bunny-themed handmade gifts for 11 and 14 year old boys is NOT easy! But I actually have about 4 ideas to work with. Stay tuned for photographic evidence!

All Sold Out

Wow. I didn't expect that kind of support at all! Thanks to all the orders and inquiries I received. I sold several times more than the number of items I listed and my store sold out in less than 24 hours. I'm excited! You guys are the best :)

I'm going to be out of town next week so I'm not listing anything new until I'm done with the orders I have. I don't want to promise something I can't deliver on time. I promised 7 day turn around and I'm sticking to that. Obviously if I'm out of town, that's not going to happen :) I am not dedicated enough to haul my supplies and machines with me to our hotel room in Dallas! Although, to be honest? I considered it! Not out of dedication but just out of addiction. Taking a week long sewing break will not be luxurious, it will be torturous!

But I will tell you that the next few items I'll be listing will be twirl dresses and the awesome new ruffle stripwork shirts I posted the pictures for. I'll also probably post another knot and apron dress each. So keep your eyes peeled!

Until then, here's a new fun dress. It's a knot twirl dress. Lately its been cold enough for layers again so I've been taking advantage while I can.

A new stripwork shirt

Oh this shirt! How I adore this shirt. It's fun, funky, airy and soooo so cute. It's my new favorite.

Etsy Store Kickoff!

Well FINALLY I've launched the Etsy site! I don't know what my deal is. I can spit out dresses every hour but ask me to put them up on a website and it takes me a month? Well now that I'm in the swing I should be able to add a few new products daily until everything is up there. It feels good to have it rolling.

To celebrate I whipped of a few new outfits this weekend. I made the absolutely most darling stripwork shirt out of some of my favorite fabrics in stock. I adore it! I also made a matching reversible wrap skirt that came out wonderfully and a super light weight knit pixie dress with contrasting inner hood and pocket. I'm thrilled with how everything turned out this weekend which is a minor miracle. Usually there is at least one thing that leaves me stumped.

I'm really getting into stripwork and piecing. It's fun and challenging. The project in store for this week is a stripwork knot dress, some bloomers and I think we'll finally make some korkers for fun (not for the shop).

Pictures forthcoming!

Let's get this party started!

I've been working hard on several really fun, whimsical and inspired pieces that I'll be offering in the store. As I work on new patterns and try new things, I plan to blog about it for feedback.

Yesterday I worked on four pieces:

1) a simple reversible pinafore. These are so classic, fun and sweet. I love being able to combine two really awesome fabrics. The Pinny I finished yesterday will go up in the store as soon as it's photographed. It's a really great brown with aqua flora on one side and lemon with aqua/blues on the other. I adore this fabric and can't wait to work with it for a few other ideas I have in mind.

2) an awesome shirred-top halter dress. It's bright yellow Alexander Henry lemon fabric for the skirt and yellow and white polka dot shirring for the bodice with matching yellow polka dot halter ties. It looks absolutely adorable on! I'm so happy with it.

3) a twirl apron skirt. This was a pet project. I really really wanted to make up an apron skirt in fun, whimsical colors with a pocket. My daughter is head-over-heels in love with it and wants to wear it all the time. It was more time consuming than my other projects but totally worth every second.

4) a traditional pillowcase dress. I found some adorable old fashioned fabric in light colors that aren't quite what I'd call "pastel" which conjures images that give me nausea :) It's more in neutral creams and browns that I love and are still appropriate for spring and summer. The fabric has old fashioned images of children in trees and playing and it ties at the shoulders with cream colored colorsafe ribbon. I know there are a lot of people who really adore pillowcase dresses so I'll be offering them in the store.

5) I'm also working on sewing up a linen button-front dress and matching linen pinafore that ties on the sides. The pinafore will also go with the next dress I work on which will be similar in style to the linen button-front but will be made from a bright cotton print, instead. It's fun working with some different fabrics and styles. This outfit is very European. And it's white. And before you object, keep in mind that white is not scary. White can be bleached! Ivory is scary, pastels are REALLY scary! :) But white is your friend!!

Pictures forthcoming for all of the above plus several skirts and dresses I worked up last week. Stay tuned!