With my friends having babies left and right, you didn’t think I would stop at the rhinestone and heat-transfer vinyl onesies, now, did you? No siree, Bob! Time to bust out the sewing machine for some super cute, super easy burp cloths: I have to credit my M.I.L. for inspiring me with this one (and she credits her friend, Robyn!). Last year, she made some burp cloths for expectant mothers, including my two sisters-in-law, so, {read more…}
Yesterday, my Brother and I navigated uncharted waters with fastenings of all kinds: buttons, zippers, snaps, and elastic. It was quite the educational experience. I even got to change my J foot for the first time and swap it out for three different feet a.k.a. “robot claws.” I felt really proud of myself when I got in the groove of poppin’ ‘em off, and poppin’ on new ones. (Oh, the small delights of a beginner!) Buttons: {read more…}
My poor sewing machine was totally and utterly neglected over the holidays. My crafty projects just seemed to call for a hammer and nail or glue gun instead. I even thought I heard my “Brother” crying during those eight hours of working on my No-Sew Christmas tree skirt. Let’s just say I had some making up to do. Yesterday, I pulled my Bro out of the closet, sat him on the table, asked for forgiveness, {read more…}
Here’s my first completed project in my new series, The Silhouette Challenge: a thank you card a la William Shakespeare. What I love about the shape of this stationery is that it’s designed to fit easily into a legal-sized envelope, which is unexpected for a thank you card. It also suits people like me who tend to be a bit (ahem) verbose. My initial inspiration came from these letter-sized thank you cards by Kolette Hall that I {read more…}
Remember the denim skirt I made for my sister, Lisbeth? The one from my Easy Denim Skirt Tutorial for the Beginner Sewist? Well, I promised pictures, and here they are. Brace yourself for amazingness: I think I literally gasped when I saw these for the first time. She has just taken my simple denim skirt and turned it into something fantasmagorical. And I love that she tucked in her shirt in the second photo for {read more…}
They say the best way to learn something…is to teach it. Right? So, I’m going to attempt to teach what I just learned in my beginner sewing class at my local Jo-Ann’s Fabric store last Monday: how to sew a denim skirt. There is no pattern involved, and it’s a very do-able project for novices – – I can attest. Our instructor, Jeanette, has been teaching at Jo-Ann’s for fourteen years, and this project is {read more…}
If I had emerged into this world with a Y chromosome instead of a second X, my name would certainly not have been Lauren; according to my parents, it would have been Luke. So, logic follows, that if I had had an older brother, his name would have been Luke. Luke, Lauren, and Lisbeth. It has a sort of ring to it, doesn’t it? And the alliteration makes the English major in me swoon. Growing {read more…}
10 Tips for New Bloggers…From a New Blogger
It was two months ago today when I clicked that glowing button on the WordPress homepage inviting me to “sign up now.” After much deliberation, I gave my blog a name, wrote my first post, and bolted full-speed ahead into blogland. Wow. To think that just two months ago, blogger jargon like “link parties,” “trackbacks,” and “grabbing a button” might as well have been Greek to me…. I have learned a lot in these first {read more…}