Sew Along Winners!!!

And the numbers selected by Random.org as the winners of our Create H.O.P.E. Designs Sew Along are...............

#6 Laurie @ 6 Blessings - Faith, Hope & Love Skirts

+++AND+++

#7 Brooke @ Grace Nuts - Watered With Love Layette

Ladies, watch your email for a message from me! These great bundles are on their way to YOU!

I hope you all enjoyed sewing along and I appreciate your participation and support of Create H.O.P.E. Designs so very much!

Sew Along Entrants - November Monthly Project Finale

What a FUN month of sewing it has been! I've loved working with all the Create H.O.P.E. Designs patterns and seeing all of your lovely creations! Some very, very talented sewists out there and I am happy to know you via this blog!

So here are our entrants...

#1 Pam @ Threading My Way - 30 Minute Shorts 

#2 Heidi @ Craftalicious Cravings - Hug a Slug

#3 Heidi @ Craftalicious Cravings - 30 Minute Shorts

#4 Sarah @ Fabric Seeds - Hug a Slug

#5 Pam @ Threading My Way - Faith, Hope & Love Skirts

#6 Laurie @ 6 Blessings - Faith, Hope & Love Skirts

#7 Brooke @ Grace Nuts - Watered With Love Layette

#8 Pam @ Threading My Way - Lucy's Little Flower Dress

If you've not yet visited these blogs, I recommend taking the time to drop by each one....and leave a little comment letting them know you did! :)

Remember, you can get all of these wonderful sewing patterns for ONLY $5 each at Create H.O.P.E. Designs where 100% of your purchase goes to help those in need! Good stuff indeed!

Stay tuned! I'll announce our sew along winners in just a bit!

Pattern Review - Mona Coat by Lily Bird Studio

I have another pattern review for a new Lily Bird Studio pattern called the Mona Coat. This is an A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. coat!!! The unique details Cecilia has so carefully and creatively added set this coat pattern apart from any other I've seen!

I made this coat using a soft corduroy print for the main fabric, a suede like fabric for the lining and trims and a handful of fun vintage buttons. This coat is so cute on babe I even let her just wear it around the house when I was done! ;)

Check out some of these details...

Large Butterfly Collar.

 Double button closure.

 Button embellished sleeve bands.

 Front & back storm patches.

 Fully lined.

 Shoulder patches and last but MOST CERTAINLY not least, PUFF SLEEVES!

I told you it was AMAZING!

Now let me add, this is a pattern for an experienced seamstress. While the pattern is very well written and clearly detailed with step-by-step photographs, one should have a bit of sewing under their belt before jumping into this pattern to insure a positive experience. It's also a pattern that will take a considerable amount of time to make, as well as a good amount of materials. But it's worth it!

The pattern has a size range of 12M - 8 years. It's also versatile in style and can be made to accommodate all seasons based on the types of fabrics you use.

The Mona Coat pattern is available for purchase in the Lily Bird Studio etsy shop.

 

Pattern: Mona Coat by Lily Bird Studio

Fabrics: Outer print corduroy, Lining suede-like fabric, Vintage buttons

SHORT STACK! - 30 Minute Shorts Sewing

The Simple 30 Minute Shorts pattern I've been sewing with this week really is SUPER simple! It was time for some new lounge wear for the kiddos, so I have churned out quite a few pair. They fit great and I haven't been able to get to kids to wear anything else! lol!

Here are the ones I've finished so far.....and they've raided my stash to request some specific ones to be made, so doesn't look like this sewing fun is quite over yet. Which is fine by me, because the only thing more enjoyable than sewing for my sweet littles is seeing them excited to wear what I've made. :)

Ok, so first up....Little Robots.

 And of course I was delighted to have a perfectly matching tag!

 My lil' guy immediately said, "Can I wear it?" and then scurried back to the giant cardboard box that occupied their playtime for an entire day after the delivery man came.

Next, the boys both wanted a Superman set.

I still have to finish their Ts with a Superman emblem, but was kind of hoping to find it as a decal I could just iron on. ;)

Then babe found this little remnant that she toted about most of the day, so I had to make her a little pair too. She was so excited! It was very sweet! Another perfect tag too! :)

Big Brother found this creepy, crawly spider print he wanted a pair from. Still have to finish a shirt for this set too, but didn't stop him from wearing them.

Lastly, my little racer picked this fabric for his special set. I finally had to make him change out of it when company was arriving for our Thanksgiving get together! ;)

These were a snap to put together and a lot of fun to make too!

And as fast as these little shorts are to make, you'll be glad you did! :)

(Plus your $5 pattern purchase supports worldwide orphan care!)

Happy Haul-idays Giveaway!

This year I thought I would participate in the Chronicle Books Happy Haul-iday Giveaway for several reasons.... 

1. WE LOVE BOOKS!!!

Here's a glimpse at part of our collection,

Hubs came home one day and with a chuckle shared that he had just heard on the radio that children who live in a home where there are at least 100 books consistently had higher IQs. Well, kind of makes perfect sense if you think about it, but when we stopped to consider that there were more than 100 books in EACH of the main rooms of our home....the chuckle. :) (a little extra background on our "addiction" for those inquiring minds...hubs is a teacher, we homeschool our children, we have several really awesome used bookstores local, we also have a Scholastic Warehouse where I've volunteered from time to time in exchange for book vouchers.... yea, we seriously just LOVE to read!)

2. The idea of $500 in FREE books makes us GIDDY!

3. The chance to give one of our favorite charities the choice of their own collection of books worth $500! WOW!!!

+++++PLUS+++++

Could it get any better??? YEP!!! One commenter on this post could win their own $500 book bundle! Isn't that exciting???!!!

So here is the list of books we would indulge in if lucky enough to win! Loads of sewing and stitching books, as well as, a bunch of fun story and activity books for the kids. Ooooo! I'm seriously hoping we win folks! ;)

• Beard (This one would be especially fun for my husband as we tease him about his "goatie" all the time!
• Gratitude Journal x 3 - I would LOVE for my daughters and I to journal together all the things we have to be grateful for each day for 2012.
• Pattern Making
• Print & Pattern 2
• The Liberty Book of Home Sewing
• Little Bits Quilting Bee
• The Button Factory
• Everyday's a Holiday
• Silhouette Art
• Sock Monkey & Friends
• Embroidered Effects
• Simple Sewing for Baby
• Sublime Stitching
• The Big Wish
• In My Forest (finger puppet fun!)
• Create Your Own Planet
• Eric Carle's Dream Snow
• D.I.Y. Kids
• Charolette in Giverney
• Charolette in Paris
• Happy Birthday to Me
• Postmark Paris
• 52 Christmas Activities
• Star Wars Cookbook II (for my little Wookies! They would LOVE this!)
• 52 Nature Activities

 

 

Now, for the best part of all....the charity that I would choose to win their own $500 book stash...

3SEAMS

The 3Seams Mission Statement: "Reaching beyond ourselves through children’s clothing, promoting global interaction, and putting faith and love into motion."

From 3Seams Blog

 Aside from firmly believing in what 3Seams is all about, I think they could greatly benefit from this prize. They are teaching women to sew as a means of supporting themselves and their families, and books that would help guide and develop that process I'm sure would not only be most welcome, but would also have a significant impact!

So there you have it! 

Don't forget to comment to be entered for your chance to win your bundle if I'm the lucky winner! 

Thank you Chronicle Books for this fun giveaway and chance to win these great books for my family! We would be thrilled and the books would most certainly be loved!

CLEVER & PRACTICAL Gift Wrap Alternatives!

I shared some of these ideas on a different blog last year, but thought I'd share here for all those Black Friday shoppers that need to dress all those gift deals they just scored! :)

This time of year stores are full of colorful paper gift wrap, bags and bows. While paper gift wrap makes a nice presentation, it's really nothing more than trash. So, I offer a few alternatives here that are equally colorful, nicely presentable and even more, practical options!

 Pillowcase Gift Wrap

 

For the kids in the family, wrapping their gifts in pillowcases made especially for them is a special bonus gift they will enjoy using again and again! Another advantage to the pillowcase wrap, it can be folded to accomadate many size gifts or used as a bag for larger boxed items. And if you don't want to make them, they can also be purchased ready made....and for about the same price as some holiday gift bags!

Cute don't you think?

Now, this is a fun one that the kids will enjoy helping with! Our laundry soap comes in these nice fabric bags that I just can't bear to throw out. You could use them as is for a nostalgic kind of wrap or, turn them inside out and let the kids have fun decorating them with markers or paints, again, personalizing the presentation, not just the gift! (Love this one of my lil' guy's hand....think I'll wrap something for myself with it!) ;)

How 'bout a classic that you just can't go wrong with, the newspaper comics. I remember getting Christmas gifts as a child wrapped in the comics and tied with yarn. I always loved that! And of course, you can choose your recipients favorite comic strip and then they get to enjoy reading it as well! Talk about colorful!....not to mention, newspaper, in general, composts and recycles more easily than that shiny gift wrap.

Don't ya just love Garfield!?!?!?

This one the kids will have fun with too! We used a formula can, but you could also use an oatmeal canister, coffee can or any can with a smooth surface and snap lid. We also used fabric scraps, but again, use your imagination here....you could use newspaper or magazine cut outs, last years Christmas cards or whatever. Glue your decoration choice to the outside of the container and Voila! These are perfect for breakable gifts like ornaments....especially if you are a holiday traveler.

For gift bags, check out the Wrapped Up post over at Threading My Way. She offers a variety of bag options depending on your recipient, many that can be used as totes and such afterwards and all of course that can be reused for gifting again in the future! I love this one!

Daisy Janie also offers a PDF for a roll up produce bag that would be a great gift in itself! And there is of course the handy (& free!) tote tutorial over at Green Bag Lady too!

And what about this PERFECT combo for the gift/gift wrap...it's a pattern called Pillow Pack and supports Create H.O.P.E. Designs orphan care outreach!

This is ideal for those holiday travelers and readers on your list! The pillow provides a soft place to rest and the pockets will hold all their necessary items like books and chapstick nearby! I love it!

 To top it all off, check out this tutorial with printable template for Gift Tags made from last years Christmas cards by Homespun Threads. Love this idea!!!

So, have a little fun, save a little money and avoid a little unnecessary waste this year with creative alternatives to paper gift wrap!