Big Plans

I always seem to come up with big big plans and never enough time to do them all. Kinda like filling your plate with more food than you can actually eat. I do usually try to eat all those extra mashed potatoes, though.

I have an unsaved list in Word and a bunch of bookmarks. My current interest is reconning - reconstructing old stuff to make it something new. The big fad among the parenting board I belong to is the pillowcase dress. A lot of people seem to miss the point of this dress and buy pretty new fabric, pretty new ribbon, etc. If you're going to do that you may as well make a proper dress - it's almost as easy. I'll have a separate post for my dress, but suffice it to say, I used the ugliest fabric I could find for my first real project.

But it wasn't my FIRST project. Brand new out of the box, once I figured out threading (easy!), I went about making some shit wipers... er... diaper wipes. My mom thinks my term is vulgar. My Grandma laughed. Anyway, I cut some (crooked) squares from an old torn sheet (the one that matches the aforementioned pillowcase), and a fake flannel blanket and sewed them together. And came to my first rookie mistake.

Always remember to put the presser foot down!

I cleared up the rat's nest that created, easy-peasy, and went almost all the way around. Then I turned it inside out (or rather, right side out) and tried to do my topstitch. I'm still having problems getting the corners to feed through the machine, and since diaper wipes are boring to make I gave up quickly.

Anyway, so that's what I've done so far - a pillowcase dress and shit wipers. I also have the fabric to add monster spikes and teeth to some hoodies for the kids. Here's the rest of my list, with links to the inspiration if applicable...

• Clothespin holder
  No inspiration project here. It seems simple enough, and I need something I can hang from the clothesline to keep the toddler from stealing my clothespins.
• Hem curtains
  I've got 4 panels to do. Last time I paid someone to do this they charged $15/panel. Half my machine paid for right here.
• Hem pants
  Got 3 pairs, normally $8/pair
• Diaper wipes
  Check!
• Pull-up diaper
  Must find the instructions I saw once. I consider this my most ambitious project.
• Dad’s shirt dress/pants
  I've seen two versions: at craftster and etsy
• Apron
  Too many inspiration examples to list them all, but there are some sexy apron crafters out there! I do really like this one, and might try a full length version of it.
• “mama belt”
  That's what I'm calling it anyway. It will be my own design, though I'm basing it on a shoulder heating pad my mom gave me and I started using on my back and belly when pregnant.
• Dad’s jeans overalls
  As cute as the dress: this blogger created them
• Dinosaur/monster/shark/devil/dog hoodie
  Seen a few examples, but Mary's becoming a pink monster and Thomas is going to be a shark.
• baby hats
  To practice following sewing patterns
• a rag doll
  because they're cute!
• a stuffed dog
  because we have 5, because I bought a pattern, and because the pattern looks like a Scottie dog and my Grandma loves them