Sewing a fun apron with the Purl Bee's tutorial

In my huge (extended) family with 9 siblings, we have devised a holiday gift giving schedule - called Julie's algorithm - so each family buys or makes gifts for one other family each year. This year I'm making gifts for my youngest brother Jay and his wife. They're newlyweds :). So for him I made this cute apron that I know he'll love.

I used the Purl Bee's Adjustable Unisex Apron tutorial and some darling prints from Birch Fabric's Camp Sur line by Jay-Cyn Designs. It's available at Fabricworm. The link to this tutorial is also in our site Archives on the Home Love page, and right now you can enter two win two whole yards of this adorable fabric from Fabricworm in our current giveaway.

Except for the way that I pieced together the pocket and ties, I followed the tutorial exactly. The dimensions are perfect.

I started out by tracing the apron dimensions onto my fabric with chalk as Molly directs. Easy peasy.

This is some thick cotton canvas that I found in my stash. I'm sure it will hold up nicely, the only drawback being that it would not let me iron out the fold marks. Sorry.

But since it is an apron I'm sure it will get washed a gazillion times and those stubborn folds don't stand a chance.

The pockets and ties are in that adorable Camp Sur quilting cotton and therefore I decided to make the pocket a double thickness. It's just a rectangle that I pieced together (putting the Sly Fox print under the Big Sur print). Don't they look cute like that? The reverse side of the pocket is in that top print called Paddle Hatch, and the ties are strips cut from Blue School.

Here they are ready to be put together. I edgestitched the top of the pocket, and then waited until it was pinned to the apron to finish sewing the rest of the way around.

And there we go! Be sure you enter to win some of the Camp Sur fabric from Fabricworm! The giveaway ends November 30th and the winner gets to pick any two yards from this line!

Happy Holiday Sewing!

Cyber Monday Sales!

You might have been shopping Black Friday sales all weekend, but did you know that today is Cyber Monday? It's the official day to shop from home online!

Here are a bunch of stores that have Cyber Monday sales going on today (or are extending their Black Friday sales even longer).

Fat Quarter Shop is extending their Black Friday coupon code 'JINGLE' all week!

The Fabric Fairy is offering free domestic shipping 1am till 10pm central time on Nov. 26th.  Choose Cyber Monday Free Shipping at checkout.

Fabricworm is extending their Black Friday sale through Tuesday morning!

Girl Charlee's FABric sale lasts through today too. Lots of sale fabrics are marked way way down!

Fabric Tree is extending their Black Friday sale through today. Buy 4 yards of any fabric(s) and get 1 yard free! Just name your choice in "Note to Seller" at checkout! ALSO, use coupon code BlackFriday12 for 10% off ANY purchase! 

Get huge savings at Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop through today!

Skye Reve is offering 20% off plus 2 fat quarters for every $50 you spend! Use coupon code CYBERMONDAY.

Create Kids Couture says use code "CYBERMONDAY" at checkout for 35% off your entire order ♥ This ends at midnight tonight!

Slice Crafts is offering 30% off fabric design cards for their amazing cutter. Add fabric design cards to your shopping cart to see the discount.

Hope and Faith Designs (handmade clothing) is offering 15% off with code CYBERMONDAY.

Vinise's Boutique is offering 25% off with coupon code CYBERMONDAY.

Hailey Bugs Closet says use code black40 to get 40% off all patterns, use code THANKS to get an EXTRA 10% off any ready to ship items.

Who did I miss??? Feel free to post more sales and coupon codes in the comments.

No thanks necessary... just helping you offload that extra money burning a hole in your pocket. And helping to build your fabric and pattern stash just in time for the holidays!

Happy Sewing!

Sewing Cubby Makeover!

My sewing machine cabinet has this little side cubby that really intrigues me. 

It opens up from the front with hinges in the back and it has this handy little mirror. Handy for what, I'm not sure yet. It's not big enough for me to stand back and see myself full length. And I don't often check my makeup while I'm sewing... But I'm sure it will come in handy sometime.

Anywho... this is only about a tenth of my sewing thread, needles, and other notions. These are only the absolutely necessary items that I must keep right next to my sewing machine so I don't have to stand up to go get them :). My favorite colors of thread (w/matching bobbins), most-used sewing machine feet, and lots of needles, etc. Until today it has just been one pile of stuff. Good thing the lid closes.

So I decided to try Noodlehead's adorable fabric tray tutorial and see what kind of little organizers I could make. The link to the tutorial is above and on our 'Home Love' page in the site archives.

So much fun! I made four of the smallest size trays using scraps of fabric and interfacing that I had lying around.

I had some single sided fusible Peltex (that's the really stiff stuff) and it worked really well to make give the bottom of the trays shape and stability. I used some single sided fusible fleece (Pellon, I think) for the outer layer of fabric and it worked great too.

Super quick, super cheap, and now I'm organized! At least for a little while. This makes me feel more ready for my sewing marathon that will start the Monday after Thanksgiving.  Do you do a sewing marathon every year? When does it start? :)

Plump Partridges for Ornament Exchange... Plus some for one lucky winner!

I'm so excited to be involved in this year's 12 Days of Christmas Blog hop. It gave me an excuse to get in the Holiday Spirit a little bit early and be the first one among my sisters to finish her ornaments for our exchange (I think).

I have eight (yes, eight!) siblings and now that we're all grown, a bunch of us like to exchange ornaments at Christmas time. Well, lets just say that some of the sisters make ornaments for everybody else. So it is an exchange, of sorts. :)

Anyway, this year I decided to try the Modest Maven's Plump Partridge tutorial. Click the picture above to go to the original tutorial. You can also find it on our 'Holiday Love' page in the Sew Can She Archives  Making these little birds was so easy, I mean really easy since you don't even sew the tail closed, you just tie it up with a bow. Once I got going, the stitching part was really quick.

I didn't have any twine like she used, so I took some off-white crochet string and just hand-crocheted a chain about 10" long for each little bird. I think it went perfectly with the vintage lace that I used to tie up the tails. So sweet!

Okay, here's the really fun part... I want to help you with your ornament exchange too, so I made six extra that I'm giving away as part of the huge 12 Days of Christmas giveaway. So if you win you'll have your ornaments already made! Or you can put them on a wreath like I did above... Or on your tree... Or hang them around your mantle. Each one is unique!

To enter, click the picture above and scroll all the way down to the rafflecopter widget. Good luck!

Thanks for visiting the Sew Can She blog for today's installment of the 12 Days of Christmas blog hop! Be sure to visit Amy tomorrow at Naptime Crafters to see what holiday inspiration she has going on!