All Het Up

Last fall, when I decided I was going to teach myself to quilt, I bought a Wee Play charm pack to make my sister a school bag. She teaches 2nd grade and she brings home a mountain of homework each night. Anyone that thinks teachers have it easy since they get summers off are crazy. How else would we expect them to survive?

Anyhow, my first attempt at a bag became a mini pillowcase for Tade as it was so small. So back to the fabric store I went for another charm pack because of course I had shown it to Keri and she was expecting it now, right? Fast forward six months to today. I made Keri her bag. I was so glad that I waited as I learned so much and it came out so much better than it would have six months ago.








Or so I thought. I sewed the lining with a 1/2" seam allowance. I thought that would be gobs, but when it came out of the wash......










Why? What am I doing wrong? My 1/4" quilt seams don't do this(often).I just want to sew a seam and have some confidence that it will hold.

In retrospect, I should have used a fusible webbing to add more stiffness to the lining fabric. Next time.......

I'm off to undo some seams and do some more sewing. (Then I'm not going to wash it again. If it happens when she washes it, she'll just give it to my mom to fix and it won't be my problem. Right? )

Twilight Tide Pettiskirt GIVEAWAY!!!!

Twilight Tide Pettiskirt GIVEAWAY!!!!

How cute is this skirt? I wish I could dress Tade in such things, but alas--he's all boy. That being said, he had a barrette from my hair in his hair today and pulled his pink glitter mirror compact out of his purse--handmade by me, of course-- and said, "I cute."

Yes, yes, you are, sweet boy of mine.

Snow Day

It's been a pretty dry winter around here. We're way below average, I can't remember a winter with so little snow since moving to Colorado 14 years ago. So the blizzard of yesterday and the 8 inches of snow it left us were quite welcome, even if I miss the 70 degree weather! I'm ready to start digging my fingers in the dirt and seeing the seedlings poking their little heads out of the soil.

My Flirty Apron Swap partner received her package yesterday. Her thank yous were heart-felt and appreciative, which makes any and all efforts worth it! I can't wait to get my package!

There are a couple of giveaways you should know about--The Fabric Shopper has an Amy Butler bag pattern and $25.00 gift certificate to Whipstitch Fabrics that you should go check out. I've really been wanting to make the swing bag they're giving away this week.

EllynAnne at Apron Memories is having a giveaway(actually 6!) for those of you that have made something out of vintage linens. Not a contest, mind you, just a little show and tell with the opportunity to win some prizes. So, in addition to my most recent vintage linen project, the apron, I'm posting pictures of my laundry room curtains.






My mom found these on e-bay, and since you can see them from my kitchen and it has a chef theme, she thought I might like them. I thought she was just pointing them out to me, but we ended up bidding against one another unbeknownst to us! She won, and the curtains with a vintage gingham tablecloth border now grace my windows. Love them!

Drew took Tade sledding, so I'm off to enjoy my sewing machine and a little mommy time!

Have a great weekend!

I kind of want to keep it

So, after a couple of weeks of checking my e-mail constantly to see if I was in the Flirty Apron Swap, I got my partner on Saturday. And now I'm ready to send her package. It was my first swap and they asked for references! I literally wrote down my mom's phone number and said to call her. Don't know if they did, but hopefully they won't need references after this!

I love this apron.

I made it reversible--made my own pattern, and I'm so stinking proud of how it turned out!


Side one






Side two--I don't know which I like better!




This is the entirety of her package--the apron, Apron-ology bookazine, three vintage-ish dish towels, some of my soaps and a little crocheted sachet. I don't know about you, but I'd love to open a package like this! Enjoy San-Dee!

Third Winner?

So, Nicole was our third commenter, and since I posted about 5 new giveaways last night, I can understand her confusion as to where to post--so I'll give it to her anyway!

Congratulations Nicole! You are my third and final winner of my first giveaway!! E-mail me your address at tararebman@yahoo.com and I will mail you 4 bars of homemade soap and two lovely lip butters!

I'm off to the inn for some actual work today, so make sure to enjoy your day for me!

Cinnamon Sticks GUEST GROSGRAIN GIVEAWAY!!!!

Cinnamon Sticks GUEST GROSGRAIN GIVEAWAY!!!!

Seriously--how long has it been since my last post? I'm still on that site!!!

Paper Crane Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Paper Crane Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

One more.....these dresses aren't even my size, but I could win them!

Muntedkowhai%Necklace GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Muntedkowhai%Necklace GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Another one! I wonder what it would feel like to win?

Modern Pirate Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Modern Pirate Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Check out grosgrainfabulous.blogspot.com when you get the chance!

The second winner!!

So, we have our second winner of the soap assortment....ikkinlala! Thinking that's not really their name. So e-mail me you shipping info(tararebman@yahoo.com)--first time I've shipped to Canada! I'll get it in the mail to you as soon as I get your address!

One more chance!! Just leave a comment for me under the giveaway post--third comment's the charm!

Also want to let you know about the great Easter bag and pincushion giveaway over at Our Cozy Nest. Very cute!

So I told you I would show you my new curtains--I just pinked the edges--don't know if I'll finish them or not. Like this they were like instant curtains!

I also made two of these Buttercup bags today--free pattern on Made by Rae! Pretty easy and I got great results. I left one with a big chocolate bar for my friend Eva who is an incredible artist and art teacher--she's pregnant with their first and a bit tired. I can relate.


There are so many great ideas out there and so many talented people! Thanks to all of you for your great ideas and constant inspiration!

PS--I also joined a vintage fabric apron swap thingy! As soon as I start working on it I'll show you the WIP!

Moda Giveaway!

Just a little fun for all you fabric fiends out there--Camille at Simplfy is having a giveaway! Checkout her wonderfully descriptive explanations of the cool Moda pre-cuts! I keep thinking the more I enter, the more I win! Still two more chances to win my soap give away! the next two commenters will be the winners. So run--don't walk you fingers to the comment section and win yourself some cleanliness!!!

We have a winner!

Well, so far we have one winner of the giveaway. Congratulations, Melissa! Please e-mail me your shipping information at tararebman@yahoo.com and I will get these fabulous soaps and lip butters in the mail to you toute suite.
In this picture you see Cucumber Tea Tree, Oatmeal Cinnamon, Lavender Goat's Milk and Eucalyptus Orange Shea Butter soaps as well and two Peppermint Lip Butters!!! What could be better? All handmade by me at sycamore street soaps, my pretend business where I have always just given the product away. It makes me much happier than actually selling it! Though I do have a new etsy account and just might try that!

The next two people to comment on the Giveaway post will receive the same fabulous collection!

My mother was here this weekend and so we went to the fabric store to pick out new background and binding fabrics for her log cabin quilt. The original background I bought was too light and my mom didn't like the polka dot binding. That's fine with me as my stash just got 2 1/2 yards bigger! This is what it will look like with the sashing.

Sorry that it's sideways--I didn't realize that and no longer care. I'm really excited to finish and give this to her as it was for her birthday in February! That being said, I only started quilting about 4 days before her birthday, so that's not so bad!

Have a great week--I can't wait to show you the $20 cutter quilt I found at the flea markets last weekend that are now dining room curtains! Love them!

My first giveaway!

So, I've been wanting to do a giveaway--mostly to see if I could get more people to read my blog--very narcisistic of of me, I know! So in one of my many blog exploring moments, I found Melissa's blog and think I may have won!!! I don't know what yet, but I don't even care!

Now,to follow the rules, I am posting a giveaway for the first three comment posters to my site! This will probably be the 3rd, 4th, and 5th comments ever!(Many thanks to my mom and mom-in-law for 1 and 2)

I'm at the inn right now, but as soon as I get home--and after lunch, Tade's down for a nap and my mom gets on the road--I'll post some pictures of what you will win. Handmade by me!!! sycamore street soaps. I'm thinking at least 4 kinds per giveaway so tell your friends! And maybe some lip butter too!

You must post a similar giveaway on your blogs--if you don't blog--just give three things away to the first three random strangers that you meet! I hope to fulfuill this soon but if it takes 6 months, it takes six months!


Oh, Yeah!!!
My mom bought me a new-to-me sewing machine!!! A Bernina 830 from sometime in the 70s that is just like hers! She bought it from e-bay and it's already at the shop, getting some love. I can't wait to bring her home. I could sew on her with my eyes shut--or at least wind a bobbin!


Have a great day and I'll get those pics to you soon!

Home from Texas

I just got home from Austin late last night. The wedding was great--worked my butt off, but it needed some work anyway. I'll post some pictures as soon as I get some, for some reason, I came home with about 6 new images on my camera. I planned on being so good and actually using my camera for a change!

So, congratulations to Jana and David. May you have many years of happiness and companionship!


Check out Moda Lissa's blog for a super cool giveaway of selvage edges. I know you're all dying to do a project with them! Can you believe that dress?

I also picked up Jennifer Chiaverini's The Winding Ways Quilt. Loving the book, just as I did the others. Not nearly as much as I love the quilt though. WAY above my skill level--but after I finish my current projects, I'm going to tackle it! I've found some information about using a glue stick to "baste" and only having to pin the curve once. Makes sense in my head, we'll see about the application!


Have a great week!