I have been sewing a lot lately and can finally share a couple of my super secret sewing projects! I have been finding it very soothing, especially since taking a knit break and finishing a scrap quilt to go to a friend.

This one started life as a baby quilt for my step-cousin’s second baby, but my Mom sent me cuter fabric, so I had to switch it over. My friend works in a hospital setting and I sent her two quilts to use for sensory issues/cool down times previously. The next couple will be going to their collection for kids with emergency situations.

I needed to expand the quilt past baby quilt size, so now it’s a rough square. I found the coolest pastel tie dye backing for it too, so I think it should be really cute. I finished it the week I was on steroids for a cold/asthma issue and I think it was one of the things saving me from full on ‘roid rage. Ugh. They mess with me so much, but it definitely almost completely got rid of the asthma flare. As a consequence though, I didn’t really sleep much and this was mindless enough to be able to sew it on little to no sleep. It was really fun to do too, of course. I just need to bat, quilt, and bind it and then send it off. I will probably add a tie to the middle of the white squares. I don’t have colorful enough buttons, I don’t think. It’s so cheerful and bright that I hope it will bring some joy to someone who needs it.

So for the super secret part of sewing, I made two little matching outfits for my friends’ boys and a cardigan and leggings set for my friend. I didn’t have matching fabric for a shirt, so I owe her one at some point. Somehow the leggings never got photographed, but they were a pretty teal color with a watercolor decorative part as a cuff. The watercolor part had purple, white, and teal colors in it. Her cardigan is a Cocoon Cardigan from Patterns for Pirates and has pockets! I used a fancy double brushed poly in a dark grey so it looks a bit more lux than a regular grey, I think. These are my favorite cardis to wear, so I knew it would be lovely for a new Mum. I have heard from reliable sources that it is extremely cozy, so I’m happy with it. 🙂

The boys got an outfit each and they happened to be free patterns! I used Ellie and Mac’s Grow With Me PJs for the older boy’s outfit, and Patterns for Pirates Wee Lap Tee and Petite Pegs for the baby’s outfit.

I was super nervous about making them and about fit, but my friend told me they fit very well with a little room to grow. The Husband reminded me that the boys are still tiny, so clothes would need to match. 🙂

Here’s a picture of the outfits themselves:

And a picture of the two cutest boys wearing them! (Posted with my friend’s permission.)

A note, I didn’t show this picture to my friend before she sent me her pictures of the boys, so it’s kind of funny that they ended up in the same places! Also, how cute are they?! I have some more things planned, some with a Lego theme, that I can now work on, since the sizes are right. I’m glad she liked them all, I was super nervous! They were such tiny clothes!

I had to laugh while cutting the Cardigan out. My pattern weights are “somewhere safe” in the messy basement, so I just grabbed the things closest to me, which happened to be the Firefly decor pieces. 🙂 Whatever works, I guess. I have occasionally used the dog as a pattern weight when she wouldn’t get off my fabric.

I made yet another Cocoon for me too. I just can’t stop, but should maybe branch out pattern wise. I don’t have a picture of the full cardi, but it is the grey from my friend’s cardi as bands and this fabric as the main piece.

It’s so pretty and drapey! Originally it was going to be a dress, but it is way too thin and I thought I would get more use out of a cardi than having to line the whole dress. It is a cotton jersey spandex, I think, so lighter and looser than the grey cardis.

Another new material has been fun to work with lately has been vegan leather. I bought it to try out for this next vendor/bellydance show and it’s been interesting. It’s super slippery and slightly stretchy, but only in one direction. The fancy craft glue I bought for it doesn’t actually work with the felt backing that I wanted to use, so I may end up using hot glue for the rest of the flowers.

I have one tiny one done too, but it’s drying. I have black vegan leather as well, so am planning fancy hair flowers, pouches, and a couple of slouchy bags. We’ll see if they sell. I might end up with a fancy new purse! I do plan to make some of the hair flowers, both of this material and cotton fancier with beaded tassels. Bling in a hair garden is always pretty!

Here are a couple more pictures of some of the things made with it. It doesn’t like topstitching, so I won’t be doing that probably for the other pouches. Both my tester ones ended up looking weird.

This bag is going to my Marvel loving friend. It ended up not quite the shape I was going for, but is still cute. I did topstitch this one because it works better when the machine isn’t directly touching the leather. I plan to make a couple more bags with some accents for fun.

I have a couple more things in progress, but will share them next time. Next weekend is the vending event, so I have given myself until Wednesday to finish the sewing stuff. I have sorted and organized my bins a little, so that should be plenty of time.

I was the lucky recipient of these fun sewing books too, from a family friend. My Mom brought them down when she came to visit and I have projects planned from both of them already.

You can never have too many bags! My bicycling friend may be getting panniers from the first book. You know, because I have no additional projects waiting in line… 😉

I definitely have lots of sewing to do in the next couple of days, so wish me luck keeping everything together. 🙂 We’re planning to attack the yard some more after my aerial yoga class tomorrow, hopefully after that, I’ll still be able to use my arms! Wish us luck and maybe check in, if you don’t hear from me… The yard is still kind of jungly, so who knows what’s lurking near the garage!