Reversible shopping bags, I've got a dozen cut out and ready to stitch. I've also got 2 purses ready to stitch and a couple of dog jackets and a rain coat for my dog. I'm waiting until we shut the house up and turn on the ac, which should be the 3rd week in May, to start stitching. I've also got some christmas tapestry pillows ready to stitch that will given for gifts.

Just some patching.
But I am looking for some patterns for bags.
My male roommate wants me to make him some marsalact pants
that are full and flowing.

I, too, have to be in the mood to sew. Finally in the past year I have got the bug. I have 3 grandaughters and 1 grandson. I made each of the flannel pj's and have enough bought up to make some for next winter. Now I am making the grandaughters sundresses and capri outfits. Their birthdays are within a week of each other so I am sewing like mad. I have had so much fun. Also I have been doing some decorating in my home and have made certains and such.. After sewing for nearly 50 years I taught myself to blind hem and make buttonholes. I feel a little dumb because it was so simple. When my girls were small I had all their summer clothes made before warm weather came. Now my girls are wanting them for their girls.. Their ages are 6, 4 and 1... So you can see Grandma has many years of sewing.

I'm sewing an Amy Butler pattern Nappy Sack. I'm on my lunch hour at work right now and am dying to get home and start sewing it. I spent most of Sunday afternoon cutting it out and now it's time for the fun part!!

I just finished a bedding set for a 4 year old's room...it turned out pretty cute!
I will now hem, make a modesty panel and a big back bow for my DNiece's prom dress.
Then it's valances for our DR and then for DDIL's kitchen!! Never a dull moment!

A suite of awnings for the new barn.

I just learned to hand embroider so I embroidered bodices for dresses for two of my GDs. They're adorable! I'm going to begin another one tonight. As soon as dtr brings me her fabric, I'm going to make drapes, bedspread and accessories for her new bedroom.

Chelone, AWNINGS? My, my, what kind of machines do you have that can handle that? My hat is off to you. Lizzie, get going! You'll get more in the mood when you have a project!

Sherry

An oldie but a goodie, Sherrmann: Juki 562, walking foot (but small bobbin).

*sigh* I have many plans of what I WANT to sew but what I have been sitting down doing is mostly just helping to bind the edges of some quilts with a charity sewing group I belong to. I have plans....just finding the time to sit and begin what I want to sew and not feeling guilty when I see the pile of mending and hemming sitting awaiting my attention. Ah well, even the short bursts of the hum of my machine make me happy. And to think today I just went and bought more much needed thread (am I the only one who has thread in a rainbow of color and find I am always in need of your basic white and blacks?) Happy sewing all.

I'm like you, Budster. I have three boxes of thread in every imaginable shade, yet I am always out of black and white!

I also know the pain of the pile of mending and hemming awaiting me, but boy can I crank out new stuff! I hate mending and altering - would much rather begin something new than repair the old.

Bless their hearts, dtr #2 asked me to make a fancy dress she can wear to a couple weddings this summer, and dtr #3 wants a new dress to wear to graduation! Yippee!

Sherry

For me it's quilting, quilting, quilting. I'm getting ready for a big local show and I'm working both on my own quilts, plus a couple for clients.

Annie

I just joined here and am delighted to find other people who enjoy sewing as much as I do. This month I just finished beautiful new yellow toile drapes for our master bedroom, a coordinating bedskirt, and this week I'm cutting out the fabric for a yellow toile duvet, with a coordinating ticking stripe material for the back of the duvet that matches the bedskirt. I do a lot of sewing of home accessories, like curtains, tablecloths, placemats, table runners, etc., and also some relatively easy upholstery projects. I'm looking forward to sharing tips and ideas with everyone else.

For me it is trying to find the time to finish up some boxer shorts for son in law's birthday, coming up really soon. I made 3 adult bibs for my Mother in a nursing home and one for a friend's husband. I did make 3 pair of boxers for another son in law's birthday in Feb. Made myself two flannel nightgowns and my Mother a nightgown. I have so much fabric and thread and not enough time. I am busier now than when I was younger. I am 73. My daughters keep me on the go!

I am making t-shirts and t-shirt dresses for a humanitarian project. I made a lot last fall (50 shirts and over 60 dresses) and have just started back again. I think I have 34 shirts made this time and 17 more cut out, plus 4 dresses. I sew more when it gets too hot to be outside.

Here is a link that might be useful:

I am sewing appliqued sweatshirts for my craft shows in the fall. I have been making shirts for over 20 years now and it is getting harder for me to design new patterns the older I get. I want to retire from my job in October and then I will sew as I want......Di

Sooner, how do you make the t-shirts and t-shirt dresses? They're adorable. Are you adapting ready-made or using a standard pattern? I admire your output and your reason.

Sherry

Sherrmann - I make the t-shirts from a regular t-shirt pattern with a ribbed neckline and set-in sleeves. The dresses are the same as a t-shirt except shorter. The tops are t-shirt knit and the bottoms are just woven yardage. These are not the cutest ones that I made, but a friend agreed to help me make some and wanted to see what they looked like. She lives 3 hours from me, so I took this picture to email to her and since then she has made 23.

Some of the ladies in our group don't sew a lot but if I make the t-shirt, they can make the skirt. Sometimes I make both the top and bottom and they just gather it and sew it together. Together we made over 100 dresses last year, but I made 60+ myself. I would like to send as many this year as we did last year. My husband is very generous with both money and (my) time this requires, so I just keep making them. We have been very blessed to find fabric bargains. In addition, we have had people that are not part of our Church group, donate fabric, sewing expertise, and even money to our project because they see what we are doing and know that everthing is going where there is a need. It is one of those charitible things where there is no overhead because we are volunteers.

We make sizes 2-4-6-8-10-12. I make some ragland sleeve shirts for boys but I find I can make the set in sleeve faster. We send the clothing to the The Church of Jesus Chrish of Latter Day Saints Distribution Center in Salt Lake City Utah. This center works with the Red Cross, Catholic Charities, and other humanitarian groups to take supplies where they are needed most. If you are interested in reading about it you can click on the link below.

I have a son that lives in Africa and he says it is not uncommon to see children 5 and 6 years old on the street with not one stitch of clothing on their body. I have this mental picture in my mind. Everytime I finish a garment and hold it up to look at this simple piece of clothing, I remember that it will clothe one of Heavenly Father's children somewhere in the world. That keeps me sewing and teaching others to sew.

We have made some other childrens clothing, but our emphasis has been on t-shirts and t-shirt dresses. They don't have fasteners to wear out or break and render the garment useless. I have also made long sleeve sweat shirts, but I think they mostly use those for sleepwear.

This time of the year, I am working in my yard and garden but when the days get hot (or it rains), I will be back at my sewing machines. It's a good thing.

Here is a link that might be useful: Where they go.

Thanks, Sooner. Keep it up.

Sherry

I've just sewn up this ruffle scarf from a pattern that I bought on Amazon. It's not a regular comercial pattern, it's called a Sew Fast Sew Easy pattern. I found the patterns on their website are cheaper than the ones on Amazon however. This pattern is great because the scarf is great to wear on almost any occasion and the pattern teaches you how to make a flounce which you could put on anything you wanted to add some flare to. The instructions with this pattern were really easy to follow. Check out a phot of it from my photo bucket page;

Here is a link that might be useful: Sew Fast Sew Easy Patterns

This weekend I must start on the kitchen curtains, finish a tapestry throw for DD fundraiser 'novel' basket, and make a shrug for DD. These are only my must do this weekend projects not including the half-vast other projects in queue.

Well just finished up a class for pilowcase dress and pantaloons for the grand bay and it came out wonderful so I will be making more and next in line is A-Line little dresses with bloomers. I have not sewn in over 20 years so its like learning something new all over. Its a welcome break from quilting.

Nanci

This weekend I cleaned up my overflowing sewing room so I could get in there. Then I made two wedding ring pillows, a women's smock, a nightgown for me, and finished up a second smock. I felt soooooo productive!

Um, nothing right now. I haven't sewn for about 9 years now and am getting the bug to do so again. Mostly stuff for the house and my 8YO daughter...she loves dresses and the smocked fabrics are out at the stores again. $10 and a bit of my time and she'll have lots of them. Think I'll use ribbons for the shoulders though.

After not having sewn in so long, I have NO stash any more. I have two small lengths of fabric and I was not able to go to my local quilting guild garage sale. My kids' school is having a garage sale in 2 weeks, I'm hoping that there will be fabric!

For about a year I was not feeling well, so did not sew. Then I had surgery, and felt so much better while I was recovering my strength, I got a lot of sewing done. I mended a bunch of things, and then turned to throw pillows. I had some lovely remnants that I made into throw pillow covers and experimented with new techniques of closures so I could take them off and wash them easier. Velco that I used about ten years ago did not work out. I get a kick sometimes by taking something I made years ago and reworking it so it is better. I also made a robe for myself which I had been putting off for a couple of years. If I go back to the hospital again I wanted it to be in style.

For years I made pajamas for my kids and husband and I have a handicapped daughter who I have to make pants for but from now on, I only sew for her and me. I will get some dresses and a jacket or two for myself, if it kills me.

Shopping bags are a great idea. They don't to give bags at gorcery stores, and they are going to start charging money for them very soon here in the bay area.