Ruffle Challenge

Ruffle Diaper Cover

Ruffle Scarf

Hi!  We're back.  I bet you thought we were never going to post our latest challenge.  Well, in Jan's last post, she mentioned the Umbrella contest that we are entering.  It's an official contest that we've both entered and our entries are fabulous.  There will be 2 winners, and we both should win.  But....you can't see our entries just yet.  We'll show them to you at a later date.

We decided to change up our contest.  This month we did the ruffle challenge.  Aren't ruffles just the most fun thing you've ever seen?  Well, take a look at what we made.  And then you can vote on your favorite.

This month, we aren't going to tell you who made which item.  You just vote on your favorite.  That's all there is to it.

I had to make a test ruffle scarf just to see how it would work.  So, here are pictures of both scarves.

Vote for your fave!  We'll see who wins this month's contest.  Next month, we'll work with elastic.  And then in June, we'll have you vote for our umbrella contest entries.  No, we're not making umbrellas.  Umbrella Prints is having a "real" contest with "real" prizes, and we've entered that contest.

That's all.

April Sewing Competition

I wanted to let you know that Joy and I are still in a sewing competition.  For April, we were supposed to be creating a piece from fabric that we "inherited" when we cleaned out our parent's house a couple of years ago.  We found a bunch of vintage feedsack fabric.  Well, we moved that competition to a later date, because we have entered a "real" sewing competition.

The sewing challenge is sponsored by Umbrella Prints, which is a design company in Australia.  This is the 3rd year for their challenge.  Here's how the challenge works.  You order a packet of their fabric "scraps" and then make something using that fabric.  You can't pre-select the fabric.  You just take whatever they send to you.  And let me tell you, it's not much fabric.  Here's what the packet looked like when I got it.  Yeah, it's that small.

Here's the fabric all laid out real pretty.  I like the fabric; there's just not much there.

I've made my entry for the contest, but I can't show it to you yet.  Here's how the contest works.  We will add photos of our finished item to our blog by the end of May.  Then we will notify Umbrella Prints to check out our photos.  They'll upload them to their Pinterest board.  Then you....our fans....can go to Pinterest and vote for your favorite.  Just let me say this...my entry is a winner.  It is so cute.  You will love it.  I know I do.  I just wish I could show it to you now.  You'll have to wait a little while longer.

Joy is busy working on her entry.  I have no idea what she is making.  We are both afraid that we're making the same thing.  You know how twins minds work.  sometimes just alike without even trying.  It will be interesting to see what she makes.  She thinks hers could be the winner, but I know mine is.  How can I say it more clearly?  MY. ENTRY. IS. THE. WINNER.  THAT'S. ALL.

Stay tuned.

Oh, one more thing.  We will return to our regularly scheduled sewing contest for May.  The theme is ruffles.  What can we make with ruffles?  I have no idea.  I've been scouring the web for ideas.  Anyone have any ruffled ideas?  Please pass them along.

Oh, by the way, this is Jan....

Jan's Purses and Totes

Joy and I have entered a real sewing contest, and we aren't quite ready to reveal the info about it.  I have finished my entry, and it is sooo cute.  I can't wait for the world to see it.  Joy just got home from vacation and hasn't started working on her entry.  We will keep you informed of when the big reveal is.  I'm so excited about my entry.

I have been doing some sewing that I can share.  I recently made a couple of totes that I listed in our etsy shop.  My older sister saw one of them and asked me to make a purse for her.  I made it and mailed it to her last week.  I sent the package priority mail with a tracking number on it.  You never know when your special packages can get lost and need to be hunted down.  She called me this week and told me that her package  had been delivered...but to the wrong house.  Someone else had her purse.  Oh no! To make a long story short, she finally got her package the next day.  If she hadn't, we would have had to put out an APB for a lost purse in Southern Illinois.  Thank goodness, there are still honest people around.  My sister is now one happy owner of a new purse.  If you're in Southern Illinois and you see this bright bag, be sure to say hello.

She carried the purse to work on Friday, and of course, it got rave reviews.  I got a call from my sis that afternoon with an order from one of her coworkers for a little clutch.  I sent her photos of some cool fabric to choose from.  She made a really great selection.  I'll be sure to add pics once I get it all done.  I made a practice clutch this afternoon, because I had never made the pattern and wanted to make sure it wasn't going to be too difficult.  It's really cute, if I say so myself.  I need to add a big green button on the front of the flap to finish it off, and I'll do that as soon as I can find one.

We'll keep you posted on all our sewing competitions.  We'll start our own competition back up soon.  Stay tuned!

Spring Sewing by Jan

Our March sewing contest is over.  It looks like Joy has won the poll.  She's on vacation right now, and she's in NYC, of all places.  Then she's going to Washington, DC next week.  We were supposed to meet up with them in DC, but unemployment hit.  So we cancelled our trip.  We don't spend big bucks when only one of us is working.  We'll have to plan another trip sometime.

So...we won't spill the beans on our next contest until Joy is back at home.  Since I have a little time before I have to start sewing for the next contest, I thought I would catch up on my other sewing projects.  I have many projects cut out.  and some not cut out.

Anyway, I just listed a new tote that I just made today.  I've been dying to make it, because I love the fabrics.  They are very springy looking.  I love this tote.  It's a cool style.

I also made a couple of infinity scarves out of Joel Dewberry's heirloom collection.  This fabric is voile, which is a silky lightweight cotton.  Perfect for scarves.  I made some of these infinity scarves for myself last week, and had to make a couple more.  I'll add these to my other etsy shop (22marigoldst) later this week.

Jan's Selvage Project

I see that Joy has finished her selvage project.  The potholders look really nice.  By the way, Joy, I have some of the heat resistant fabric that goes in the middle of the potholder.  It really works.  But....I didn't make potholders.

A couple of years ago, I gave Joy a jewelry roll for Christmas.  When she travels, she likes to wear jewelry and doesn't want it getting all knotted up during the trip.  And who wants to wear 5 necklaces all at the same time as you're going through airport security. So......I decided to make myself a jewelry roll, too.  Joy had taken pictures of hers with the measurements, so I made mine out of the same pattern.  There's nothing like making up your own pattern as you go.  I hate it when I have to do that.

Anyhow, here are the pictures of my masterpiece.  I kind of like it.  I used some of my favorite fabric for the inside.  You roll it up like a burrito and then tie it.

Now....let the voting begin.  Not that it's a competition, but if you have a favorite let us know.

Stay tuned for next month's contest.

Joy's Selvage Project

My test potholder is on the bottom. My "real" one is on top.

 I (finally) finished my selvage project.  I wanted to make something that I would actually use.  And I wanted it to be simple. Potholders.  I made the first one (it has the polka dot binding) as a test.  I wasn't sure how to sew the selvages together and I wasn't sure what to put between the front and back.  I know there is a product that you can buy to use in potholders, but I didn't want to go buy anything new.  So I used 2 layers of a thick towel.  An old towel.  It is really thick and stiff though. For the second potholder, I only use one layer of the towel.  I'm not sure if it would be safe to pick up a really hot dish with, but it would be great to put a hot dish on.   I also sewed the selvages to the towel for the second potholder.  It was easier to manage that way and it looks neater. In the first potholder I used just a variety of  random selvages with no theme in mind.  The second one, I decided to use only polka dot selvages.  I like it.  I think I like the second one better than the first.  But I'll use both of them.  Unless my daughter steals one. 

Back of potholders - I stayed with the polka dot theme for the one on the right.

Polka dot selvage potholder

Random selvage potholder

Update on Jan's Selvage Project

I don't know where Joy's been lately, but she hasn't posted an update in awhile.  I know she's getting ready to leave soon for a 2 week vacation.  Must be nice.  I was supposed to be with her on one of those weeks, but unemployment caused me to cancel the trip.  We just don't spend money when both not working.

Anyway, back to the selvage project.  I worked more today.  You'll see pictures below.  Any guesses as to what it is?

I'm hoping to actually finish the project tomorrow.  I don't see any problems getting it all sewn up.  Joy and I both plan to finish our projects before our March 20th deadline.  So stay tuned for the finished products!!!

If you have any guesses as to what it is, please leave a comment.