Spring Projects

We've had so many projects happening these days. I love being busy and getting things done. Even though life is being restricted due to the insanity of Covid-19, we are trying to go about our life as normal as possible. The good thing about having a large family is we can still celebrate big no matter what circumstances we're facing. Every year I try to make my daughter's and me matching dresses for Easter ~ I decided to continue with that tradition even if the churches remained closed this year.

I decided to make this year's Easter outfits with stretch knit. This was not my first time sewing with stretch fabric, but it was my first time sewing stretch knit with my serger. I watched a ton of YouTube videos before actually sewing them, and I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to sew stretch knit fabric with a serger. 

I purchased our fabric from KnitFabric.com. This particular fabric was double brushed knit and it is so silky and soft ~ amazingly comfortable and flattering to wear.

While I purchased new patterns for my dress and the two little girls from Peek-a-boo Pattern Shop, I decided to create my own pattern fro my oldest daughter's maxi skirt. Maxi skirts are super easy to make with just a few measurements and straight line cuts you can whip up a super cute skirt.

I really wanted to find a pattern for high waisted bloomers to make for my little girlies. I am SO glad I persevered, because I found a pattern on Etsy and they turned out unbelievably cute! I'm hoping to find some more stretch fabric soon so I can make more of these precious bloomers. I found a couple different hair bow patterns on Pinterest, but I had to alter them quite a bit to get the look that I wanted. 

We also made two batches of soap. I typically make cold process soap, but I decided to try a hot processed soap recipe for one of our batches. I was not a fan. Not that the soap did not turn out, but it was just really time consuming and didn't make nearly as much as my tried and true recipe. 

I have been making homemade soap for quite a while with never a problem, but I started having issues with my soap turning orange last year. I have been trouble-shooting all the causes it could be and I think I have finally figured it out! It was our water. We have a Berkey filtration system that we drink from, but I had just been using tap water for soap making. Like I said I have never had a problem until about a year ago ( I usually make soap twice a year so it wasn't that many times that I had actually experienced the problem). So this time I switched to using the Berkey water and my soap turned out just fine. Who knows what 'they' are adding to the water now to make it effect my soap, but they've added something, {{sigh}}. 

Most years we enjoy visiting a couple local churches for their Easter festivals. I like making my younger crew matching vinyl Easter shirts for these special family events. Obviously, the festivals did not happen this year, but I still wanted to make the shirts, even if they were only for our family's annual Easter egg hunt.

I must admit it was a pain trying to find vinyl this year. I much prefer to purchase my vinyl from local small businesses, but they are currently closed. I ended up buying some from JoAnn's but the vinyl was terrible to work with and wouldn't even stay on the shirts despite using my heat press. I'm definitely going to have to be more diligent to order my vinyl online for future projects. Which also mean planning a literal further in advance, lol. 

I had made these super cute family van decals last year when we bought our new (used) van but I needed to add another figure for Abby Lou ~ better late than never! The lassoes crack me up every time I see them. There's no truer picture representing the story of my life.

We haven't quite finished this project yet, but we're getting there. Since we make a lot of crafts I wanted to make an official place to display the children's artwork. We are in the process of making an art gallery wall and this little sign will be at the top of the display. 

We've also made three new flowerbeds around the property. I must admit I've never been a fan of flowers, but as I'm getting older, they really bring a smile to my face and joy to my spirit. I can't wait to watch the flowers grow and bloom.

We've still got a few more projects we'd like to get done before the main harvest and preserving season is upon us, but one day at a time. I'm in a continued effort to learn balance between work and rest. It's a privilege to be able to set goals and achieve them, but there's also productivity in rest. There's no denying it, we are currently living in strange and uncertain times, but that doesn't mean we have to stop living. There are plenty of things and activities we can do at home. This doesn't have to be a season of misery. Perspective is key. I'm a firm believer that we are the owners of our sanity ~ we can either wallow in self-pity or get busy and do something about it. For me I'm staying active, setting goals, and getting things done.

With Love & Hope,

Jennifer .  

Fall Sewing

Here's a quick little crafting post sharing some things I've been working on in my 'free time' (hahahahaha). Fall sewing is so much easier said than done with our busy schedule, but thankfully I got a few things finished up that were on my sewing list. 

 Earlier this Fall I made some holiday vinyl shirts and I wanted to make some matching boutique ruffle pants for my little girls.

I was kind of stressed about finding a pattern, (which I never found) so I tried my best to create one from a pantaloon pattern that I already had. 

Just like creating recipes, it's hit or miss if creating your own pattern is going to work. Because I was so anxious about my 'new pattern', I literally waited until the very last possible minute to make Lydias Christmas ruffle pants, which I wanted her to wear to the Christmas Village. Thankfully, they turned out ok and I was able to get her Thanksgiving pants done a few weeks ahead of time!

I really liked how Lydia's ruffle pants turned out, but Abigail's looked more like culottes, lol. 

Oh well, sometimes that's just how it happens, and we're going to roll with it this time (perfection is overrated, lol. I'm sure they'll still be precious on her. 

I have one more major sewing project I was hoping to complete before Christmas, but I've decided to put it off until next year. I made most of our children their own monogrammed Christmas stockings several years ago and I was hoping to sew everyone else's this year. Unfortunately, there's only so many hours in a day and working around the clock at 9 months pregnant just isn't happening. I've already bought the fabric and I'm going to work on them in the coming year. 

How about y'all, anyone working on special sewing projects for the holiday?

With Love & Hope,

Jennifer

My Favorite Baby Bloomer Pattern

I love to sew and sewing little baby things is so much fun. Even though I love to sew, it's hard to find the time which is why sewing with easy, no-fail patterns is best for me. There's nothing more aggravating than taking the time to buy fabric, cut out a pattern, sew it up and it not fit like the pattern said it would! Sadly, that has happened to me more times than I can count. Which is why I love The King's Daughters pattern. I've sewed countless of garments from them and they turn out ever.single.time.!

If I had my druthers my girls and I would be wearing dresses full time. But, life isn't always so 'black and white'. But, my youngest daughter and I do wear skirts and dresses the majority of the time. With my baby girl wearing dresses more than she doesn't, I prefer her to wear something under them like bloomers. Now, I'm not opposed to her wearing little knit shorts or leggings, but bloomers seem to be more accommodating for fluffy bottoms.

Lydia does not wear cloth diapers 24/7, but she does wear them often. And let's be real, cloth diapers are just a tad bit bulkier than disposable diapers and can make normal sized clothing difficult for little ones to wear. With The King's Daughters Bloomer patterns I never have a problem with them fitting over her cloth diapered bottom.

My problem with most bloomer patterns is that they're cut like a bikini and not very flattering, much less do they remotely cover my little girl to the extent that I prefer her to be covered. It's all about comfortability and modesty when it comes to sewing for my baby girl. So, if you're looking for a bloomer pattern for babies, I highly recommend the one that comes with The King's Daughter's Baby Dress Pack. They're super easy to sew, modest, and comfortable for baby.

Look y'all girls can do anything in a dress, even ride a horse 😍

Yes, the clothes I think that most represent biblical femininity are typically considered old fashion to the modern eye. But, in these clothes a lady never has to worry about being modest or drawing attention to herself ~ Even little ones can play and have fun while in a modest dress. And further more, I don't know about y'all but shopping for modest girl's and ladies clothing is a nightmare these days! If you happen to find affordable modest clothing, they fall apart after only a few washes. So while sewing may take a little time and planning, it seems to me to be a much better option for most of us who don't have an endless bank account and desire to honor God with what we wear.  

In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array. 1 Timothy 2:9 (KJV)

With Love & Hope,
Jennifer

Saturday Sewing

I started this blog last year in a last ditch effort when I had to shut down my 2nd website/blog due to the fact that we had zero money to pay for it at the time because we bought that money pit of a house. Yes I know I haven't posted much, but honestly it took every bit of my energy to get our house sold and then moved back into our old home. It's been four months since we closed on the sell of our big house and I honestly feel like I'm finally in a place to where I can start writing again. Even if it's just for myself to journal our family adventures.

I'm still trying to figure out how I want to use this blog. Since I'm not currently on any social media and the only reason I was on social media was to keep a diary of sorts of our family life ~ I'm leaning more towards just keeping this place a just that: a family diary plus adding in a little bit of all the homemaking and homesteading wisdom I've acquired over the past 20 years. Which is why today I'm going to share about some sewing I've been doing.

I've been sewing for 13 years. I started sewing when I was pregnant with my oldest daughter. During that season of life we were wearing modest skirts and dresses full time and I had just started cloth diapering and I was making my own. Sewing those items was much easier and more cost effective than buying. Even though my mom was/is an excellent seamstress I never had the time for all that when I was living at home; so all my sewing skills are self-taught via trial and error and the internet.

While we don't wear skirts and dresses full time anymore (one of those minor things I wish we'd never changed, but going back isn't always as simple as it seems!) I still enjoy sewing a multitude of different things. I don't get to sew as much as I'd prefer. But, when I get an open slot in my schedule to spend some time sewing, I take full advantage.

Lately my sewing pile is getting quite high. Despite having a million other things to do this past Saturday, I decided to camp out in my sewing room and finally get some things sewn. My top priority was finishing a dress for me and a pair of bloomers for my baby girl to go with a dress I recently made.

In a perfect world my goal would be to have a standard go-to dress pattern that I could make five or so to wear every day. A uniform of sorts. I despise getting dressed and buying clothes. I find dresses more comfortable and modest. I have been working on a pattern over the years, combining and altering to try to find that perfect dress pattern. I am so excited to get the dress finished that I made this Saturday, because it is pretty close to what I have been looking for!!

My main issue in regards to finding a dress pattern is that I don't want my dress to be frumpy, clingy, complicated to make, and it needs to be easy to tweak to add variety. Another MAJOR concern is that it flatters my figure. I find most dresses make me look pregnant even when I'm not 😡 After all I have had 9 babies and while I wear a 4/6 in womens, I carry my weight in my middle. I have NO waist. {{sigh}} Just being honest here, I'm not trying to be vain really. But it would be nice if my every-day dress didn't accentuate my figure in all the wrong ways.

My new favorite dress!

This is a King's Daughters pattern called the Ladies Melinda's Dress. I heavily altered it to try to tweak it to my needs. I purchased the pattern from Candle on the Hill. The fabric is from Hobby Lobby and I paid wayyyy too much money for it. But it's fun to splurge every once in a while. I original bought the fabric to make each of my daughters and me a dress for Easter. Sadly, my oldest daughter's dress did not turn out so I scrapped the idea and went another route for our Easter dresses.

Baby girl's new outfit 

I made Lydia's dress from Simplicity 5695 and the bloomers from another King's Daughters pattern called the Baby Dress Pack. I would highly recommend sizing up on the Simplicity pattern if you make this cute little dress, it was on the small side. 

Not only did my husband help keep the kids occupied while I sewed but he also surprised me with a massive bucket of my favorite treat to help spur me on to finish my sewing projects, lol.

Even though my sewing pile is still a mile high, I'm thrilled to have these projects completed. Hopefully it won't be too long before I can spend some time sewing because I'm 100% looking forward to tackling the next couple items on my sewing docket which includes a couple aprons and another dress for me. So what's on your sewing docket? 

With Love & Hope,

Jennifer