::If You Can't Say Something Nice...::

i have shared how much i like denyse schmidt fabric

and how i was excited to see her bringing her fabric

lines to joann's.

i've purchased a piece of each fabric,

even if it's just a quarter yard.

that being said, i've felt that the quality

of some of the more recent fabrics have not been

as decent as the fabrics that she first brought to Joann's.

now, i'm pretty realistic~ these are from Joann's

and not as high quality as other designers.

i get it.

but still, it's a disappointment.

and now she's got another cute line that's come out,

Aunt Edna,

and it's so darling.

but, well, i don't know.

i'm hesitant to go see it.

and from what i hear

the price is $12.99 a yard.

quite steep if you ask me.

of course, i could use a coupon.

but even with a coupon

it's still pricey.

i think i'll go take a peek and see.

these are quite adorable prints.

i love the name Aunt Edna, too.

p.s.

i'm back from Chicagoland

and missing my sweet nieces.

time to get back to work!

If you're like us, you're running around town with kids in tow trying to get home before your big kids get off the bus, you stop in at Joann's to get the new Denyse Schmidt fabrics or general sewing supplies, and you realize you forgot to bring your coupons again! Grrr. Or you leave the coupon mailer on the counter and *somehow* it ends up in the trash! In my case, I go ahead and buy everything I need because I don't have time to come back later. Here's an easy solution: get the Joann app for your phone! It's free and you will always have your coupons with you!

The app is handy for locating stores, browsing for items OR getting coupons.

>Click on coupons> see all coupons>save this coupon to my wallet. When you are ready to purchase, go to >saved coupons in your wallet>pick the coupon that you want to use first and hand your phone to the sales associate to type in the coupon number.

Repeat for every coupon you want to use. Some of the coupons are different than what you get in the mailer, so you can use both as long as the last 3 numbers are different.

And with all the money you save, you can buy more fabric! Plus, there's an app for Michael's Craft Store too. Check it out.

And check out these pictures of poor Ken. He is sooo ready for my girls to go back to school. They broke his leg right off and then made a pair of crutches and a cast for him. Nothing a little toilet paper and skewers can't fix.

And this is how I found my oldest and youngest asleep the other night with Jessie tucked in there too. Wish I could freeze time!

Hmmmm.... What to make? What to make?

Some may agree

Some may disagree

But I think JoAnn's fabrics

are improving.

Take a look see at this sweet collection

in

gray

mustard yellow

black

and white.

I love it

and it's super soft.

I'm thinking of making a quilted table runner

or a belt

or headbands for me and my sisters.

Something easy and quick.

But I never make things very easily or quickly.

And it would be Work In Progress #3.

My goal for now is to wash. iron. fold.

Ya know, the usual.

Here's another little sweet one

that I haaadddd to have!

I mean, it's almost school time and everything.

I quickly texted a pic to my sisters and of course

they loved it...

but then Molly asked

"What can we do with that?"

Um, not sure...

but for now...

wash.iron.fold.

Strapless Dress using Pre-smocked Fabric

Happy Memorial Day everybody!  We're starting the weekend out right prepping for picnic down by the lake.  Smoked sausage, grilled veggies, watermelon, and......a new dress!

I needed a super simple project just to get my toes wet.  Something that would take less than 30 minutes, that would be amenable to a messy and unorganized sewing room AND that wouldn't require too much thought.  This was the PERFECT project.

I picked up some of that pre-smocked fabric at Jo-Ann's.  I didn't check the price ($19/yard??) but I did look at the flyer after I left and it's on sale this weekend (grrr).  Whatever, time is money, right?  

I knew the girls would love this pink flamingo fabric and I loved the preppy navy & pink combo.

All I did was hem the bottom (double fold 1/2" hem) then fold it in half, right sides together and sew it closed.

I had every intention of using extra fabric from the bottom to create straps but Eleanor liked the length AND wanted it strapless.  But you can see she is holding it up, yes?  

She measured 21" across the bust.  I cut it 19" wide thinking that would be snug enough given a roughly 1/4-1/2" seam when I closed it.  It was still loose.  So, cut your fabric a good solid 3ish inches less than the bust measurement and that should be snug enough to stay up sans straps.

It's cute, right?  Perfect for running around our tiny city yard!

Happy Memorial Day.  Go hug a veteran or a soldier, would you?

I'll be hugging my vet.....T.I.G.H.T.

One of Our Favorite Fabric Designers...

... has designed a line of fabrics for Joann Fabrics!

Denyse Schmidt, who has created some very sought after fabric lines such as Katie Jump Rope and Flea Market Fancy, has teamed up with Joann's to bring some of her adorable goodness to a store near you! I'm so excited! Her fabrics have a very vintage/retro feel to them, which you know we love! And if her fabric looks familiar, you may have seen it in bedding in Land of Nod's catalog or Pottery Barn before they sold out.

I had no idea this was happening and I'm so glad to have seen Amy's post over at Diary of a Quilter about it! Thanks Amy!

I can't wait to get my hands on some of these fabrics and I have to go quick 'cause her stuff sells out fast.

(Pictures from Lori Holt's blog A Bee in My Bonnet) Thanks Lori!

Postscript: I found 3 of the fabrics at my nearest Joann's. I'm headed to the another one today to look for more!