Pandemic Masks for Lisa

 Lisa asked me to make her some masks for school and went through my fabric stash to select the fabric for them.

Here they are in order of least liked (top) to most liked (bottom.) No surprise the yellow fabric is the most wanted - it's her favorite color!

Oops! This fabric wasn't in the photo. It was her least liked. It was also my practice one for size. It fit me fine, but Lisa said the elastic was too tight.

So I made this one out of her next least favorite fabric and she said it fit much better.

I was able to replace the elastic in the blue and white one so that it was more comfortable, and Lisa has seven masks to us at school. (So far. Haha!)

Pony Pouches

Here are photos of some of the pony pouches I have made recently to sell or donate.

 My all-time favorite fabric. Michael Miller from Fabric.com.

 The Matryoshka Doll and Mermaid fabrics are from quiet books and pillowcases.

 Leftover coordinating fabric for Cambria and Titan's shirts.

 Love this horseshoe fabric. Michael Miller again.

 Bought because it says "Gossip Corner" - that's what we called the corner of our pasture by the driveway where Amy and the horses would call to the horses down the highway.

 I made odd sizes as well as standard ones.

I bought this fabric especially for Liz Cory. Her home has many of her mother's Asian antiques in it and the fabric reminded me of her.

 I only bought a yard of this; bet it sells quickly.

 "What Does the Fox Say?" ran through my mind as I stitched this fabric into pony pouches!

I got five traditional sized pouches from two yards of fabric. Something to remember when purchasing fabric.

 I made enough to replace my old orange pouches.

I stacked mine on a shelf at first, but now they are in a tub in the closet, ready to be used for a live show.

I am using one of these Scholastic boxes to hold my sale/donation pouches and it is already nearly full.

My plan is to bring some to the next live show I attend (hopefully GLC in October), dontae a couple for the raffle, and then sell some from my table.

We will see what happens!

More Pony Pouches

I continue to sew pony pouches to sell and for live show donations. I made  five traditional sized ones today.

 I love this fabric - it's more Michael Miller from Fabric. com.

Lisa's Rice Bag

Lisa wasn't feeling well and I offered to make her a rice bag. Took ten minutes!

 I had the fabric already cut for Stablemate sized pony pouches, but she asked if I had any more, so I was able to join two together and then make a tube out of them.

We don't eat rice any more, but I had some in the pantry and filled the bag with that.

Nature Bags for Julie, Kate, & Susie

In anticipation of Cole's family coming to visit for the July 4th weekend, I made Julie, Kate, and Susie nature bags.

Using the leftover fabric from Susie's quiet book for the shoulder strap and top of the bag, I stitched three bags that they can use while out hiking and enjoying nature.

I hope that they are strong enough to hold what they find - I triple stitched the seams on the netting. Fingers crossed!

Jessica & Andrew's National Parks Aprons

Jessica had wanted a National Parks apron like the one I made in May for Sarah, but the fabric shop was out of the fabric. She was disappointed, but life went on.

I checked back about a month later and they had some more in stock! I bought enough to make both Jessica and Andrew aprons.

Then, like a doofus, I forgot to cut the first apron out on the fold and had to piece its front together matching the golden brown lines so that it looked okay.

Lesson learned - the second apron was cut on the fold. I tried it on for a photo, but it isn't tied behind my neck and waist so it looks big. Trust me, it will fit them just fine.

I mailed them to Jessica with the rodeo shirts - she has no idea that they are coming. I can't wait to hear what she sys when she finds them!

Just the Snaps!

I am determined to finish Cambria and Titan's rodeo shirts today. I sewed Titan's Monday and then yesterday I sewed Cambria's. I ran into a problem right away with the unicorn appliqué (unicorns are ALWAYS problematic, right?) 

I consulted with Jessica about how it should be stitched. It was so large that if I put it straight on the yoke, it would interfere with the collar and sleeve seams. Jessica told me that Cambria absolutely would not mind if it were at an angle.

Once that decision was made, then I was able to finish the shirt that afternoon. There is just one more thing to do.

Add the pearl snaps to the pocket flaps and the front of the shirts. And I am procrastinating this step big time.

 I've laid the snaps out on the shirts so that I know where I want to place them.

 And I've decided that five snaps going down the front is better than four. 

But still I procrastinate. Frankly, I am intimidated. It has been a LONG time since I put snaps onto a garment. (I used to sew my kids little rompers that could be unsnapped for diaper changes. Cole is 32. Yep! A long time! )

My experience was not always the best - I've used the spool and hammer method mentioned in the directions on the snap package above, and I've used snap pliers, too. (Old ones from years ago; I did buy new snap pliers for this project.)

It didn't help when I opened my new snap pliers and out tumbled a whole bunch of brightly colored parts.

 And the large, full color sheet of instructions that was front to back.

I was already intimidated; this served to raise my apprehension level through the roof.

I need seven pearl snaps for each shirt and I have two packages of twelve. There is enough to practice with on scrap fabric before actually applying them to the kids' shirts.

Wish me luck.