Sewing, Ruffles, Swaps and more!

I have lots and lots of updates! I have been very busy over the last week or so! I am sewing a lot more now, and have made some cute outfits for my daughters baby doll. I was trying to make a simple doll dress and thought I would try my ruffler foot again because the ruffle strip was very long and it just wasnt pulling right to ruffle. I found this ruffle tutorial on youcanmakethis.com by Carla C. (awesome lady, and she's available for help when needed too! Very nice lady to speak with!) - a free tutorial! and it was a ruffle saver!! My ruffler foot and I have a new relationship and it makes it's way out of my sewing box more often now. It's been sitting in there unused for a good 8 months or so now!

Here are my many ruffle practices before doing the ruffle for the dolly dress. I even know now how to ruffle and attach to the fabric (skirt) at the same time to save time! No more ruffling and then pinning and then sewing! Just ruffle and attach all at once. YES!!





My daughter was just so happy to see the new dress for her doll (who has been wearing the same clothes that it came with 2 years ago!). Im not even finished, Im in the works of finishing another outfit for this doll! Then my daughter wants a matching outfit. Too cute :o)





Oh guess what else I am learning how to do? I am learning how to quilt!! My friend and I went to our first quilting class last monday, and we will be going every monday night to learn to make a new quilting square! We are making a sampler lap quilt to start with. Here is my first square made, I cant wait until tomorrow night to get the next square pattern! This quilt square pattern is called Churn Dash, and I will be keeping with my pink and purple theme. I just finished the square last night! I had all week to do it, and I finally was able to sit down and do it. I dont want to fail the class already by not having my homework! LOL





I've also joined 2 new swaps on swap-bot. I havent swapped on there in so long, ever since my last swap where I didnt receive any package in return (it was a pink and purple yarn swap and I was so excited about it!!) and I was so bummed about not receiving a package in return. I had so much fun picking out yarns and little goodies to send to my partner.

So now, I've joined the swaps again and these ones are so much fun!! I joined a Stuffies swap. I've never made stuffies before but I found this adorable pattern for a stuffie that Im sure my swap partner is going to LOVE! I am also making a little something extra to go with it, so I cant give it away just yet, but I will post pictures once I mail it out.

My other swap is handmade envelopes. I have had so much fun making these! I want to get more creative with it though, so I will post photos of those once I send those out to my 2 swap partners also!

Oh, I almost forgot! The last thing I sewed before my quilt square was a pillow for my daughter! I made my oldest daughter a simple pillow, just one type of fabric, nothing spectacular except that it fit the whole width of her bed (she wanted it huge, so I gave her huge!) and she just loves it. With this pillow, my other daughter had picked out 2 fabric choices and wanted me to put them together in one pillow. Ok, so I thought I would just put one fabric color on one side, and the other color on the other side and call it a day!

But, when I was ironing out the fabric to create this pillow, another thought ran across my mind. I am so glad it did too, because this pillow turned out SO cute and fits my daughters personality perfectly!! I was a little hesitant when she picked out the black and gold cheetah print, along with the pink cheetah print. I didnt like the combination at all, especially the black and gold. But I must say, everytime I see this pillow on her bed I like it more and more!





Now back to a little bit of crocheting. There will definitely be some crocheting going on as a little bonus to my swap making. But shhh, dont tell my swap partners!!