Back to work

I'm back at it. Sewing and sewing as the day is long. This week, I have one mission: use up ALL of my scrap fabric. For years, I've saved all the small leftover pieces of fabric from all kinds of sewing projects. I carefully sort them by color, print, size, and place them in plastic zipper bags, the kind that a pillowcase comes in when brand new. These little bags are great for scraps, since you can see what's inside. Well the hoarder in me is great at keeping all of these little bags, and I'm pretty sure I have at least 10 bags of scraps.

Using all this leftover fabric, I'm making at least a hundred little hair barrets and bows. A fun way to kick back and sew. Music is on in my sewing room, or Mamma Mia, or some other musical I can pleasantly ignore. I make them in steps. And even the smallest little scraps are used for the center of the bow. It's amazing the kinds of things one can make with a little imagination and planning. I love making twenty or more bows, and then looking into my waste basket of teeny piece of fabric trimmed off, and threads, that is ALL that goes into the trash!

Ursula's current outfit, a dress I made last September for Arts In The Heart. The top is a vintage slip, hand dyed blue. The skirt, a silk blouse with cats. You can see more of the dress here. 

Zeus' protest while I work. He plants himself on the floor and sleeps all day at my feet. His little buddy, a black stuffed animal dog, his mini-me, goes everywhere he goes. He can thank his Aunt Katie for the baby Zeus. Our last day in Augusta, the mayor deemed "Matt Stone Day" (Matt Stone was Matt's moniker in Augusta). He was a radio personality in Augusta for 7 years, and among other things he contributed to the local comedy scene, Matt was a pretty big deal. Well on our last day there, Katie dressed up like Matt, and it was epic. She wore reflective Ray Bans, Toms shoes, an Auburn hat, a v-neck tee, drew on Matt's arm tattoo, with a stuffed dog by her side, drinking a PBR at Stillwater with us. Basically, she was Matt. 

When we got to Jacksonville, Matt and I gave Zeus baby Zeus, this stuffed animal, and encouraged him to be nice to it. I'll pick it up and cradle it like I do the cats, and say "good baby," to the stuffed animal. We treat it like another animal in the house, and Zeus babies it like it's his job. Every now and again, he'll try ripping it up, and we say "Easy, Zeus, be nice to your buddy!" And then he stops and rests his head on it. This little thing goes everywhere with him. I've been trying to sneak it away from him to sew up a few holes he's accidentally made in him, but every time I take it from Zeus, he needs it back. Silly dog.

Back to talking about sewing... I digress and could spend all day talking about that dog; Zeus is the best. I love sewing little things from scraps, and there are so many ways to use up small pieces that most people would just toss in the trash. 

A great way to be sure to use all the small pieces of fabric: create a plastic bin exclusively for small scarps! Shred them and use for stuffing a throw pillow instead of buying fiberfill, make a quilt, use for small details and embroider an old t-shirt to give it new life, use as the background of a small embroidered wall hanging, make a sunglasses case so you don't scratch your shades, add detail to a hand towel in your kitchen to have a nice added decoration, the possibilities are endless!

As I make a million little bows, I'm daydreaming and m really looking forward to selling my work in this city. Making friends and getting new clients. Making a name for Sally Ann in a new place. Working with Matt on more videos for Sally Ann. Keep an eye out for more big things soon! 

Also, there's a HUGE sale in my Etsy shop right now, 40% off everything for the month of June, to make room for new work! Use the coupon code "JuneSale" at checkout to apply the discount. (Not valid on the daily featured sale item, that is 50% off). 

Happy Wednesday friends!