It's hard to believe that it's been two years since I last updated this blog! I finished my MA in September, and have spent the last several months focused on submitting PhD applications and reacquanting myself with my husband. An awful lot of my time has been devoted to sewing costumes in the past two years, but little to none has been spent on sewing for myself. It's time for that to change!
First, a couple of my recent projects.
One of my dear friends had a baby boy last month, and it seemed like a fine time to break out the sewing machines and use up some of the baby flannels in my stash, not to mention go shopping for more fabric. I sent her a set, two double-sided flannel receiving blankets, four curved burp cloths, and a bear "rug." The burb cloths were based on this tutorial: Shaped Burp Cloth, although I adjusted it a bit given the size of my remnants, and I edged it with my overlock machine rather than sewing and turning. I did the same for the receiving blankets.
The bear is from the Cotton Ginnys "Animal Blankets" pattern. I stitched the eyes and nose in embroidery floss rather than applying pieces of felt so that it would be safe for a baby, and only the head is stuffed. I love this series of patterns; there is an elephant, a hippo, and a bear in the kit. I made the hippo several years ago for another friend. 
Next is a purse which I made for myself this weekend. It's a nice change to sew something for me instead of a costume for someone else! This is from Burda #8560, the same pattern that I used for the blue paisley purse which I gave to a friend in 2007. I've been in love with this pattern ever since, as it has a nice shape and is a great size (15" across and 11" tall at the center front). This time, I used a chocolate corduroy and a pastel swirled heavy-duty woven fabric. It closes with a magnetic snap. It's been so long since I sewed the first purse that I'd forgotten the major problem with this pattern: the lack of lining in the original design. It calls for interfacing, but leaves the inside bare below the facing line. I again chose to add a lining to the bag so that it is finished. I used a coordinating peach cotton fabric. The best part of this one is that all three fabrics and the interfacing came out of my stash, so it was effectively a free project. 
That's all for now. I'm going to be posting images from some of my sewing and craft-related school projects over the next few weeks, as well as tackling a few new ones. Next on my list is trying my hand at machine embroidery. I bought an embroidery machine for as a graduation present for myself, and my parents gave me Embird Basic and Studio for birthday and Christmas last year. I'm working my way through Carolyn Keber's tutorials, and am so excited to get started with creating designs of my own.
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