Sewing Machine Q&A from Sew, Mama, Sew

It's Sewing Machine Month on the Sew, Mama, Sew blog. Here are my answers to their questions.

What brand and model do you have? Babylock Crafters Choice

How long have you had it? Just over a year

How much does that machine cost (approximately)? about $300? It was a gift.

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)? I sew clothes for my daughter, and gifts for others, like bags, placemats, potholders, aprons, ect.

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get? I use my machine about six hours a week, sometimes more or less.

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name? I really, really like it, a lot! It is simple to use, no fighting to get it to do what I want, like my last machine!

What features does your machine have that work well for you? needle threader, top loading bobbin,

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine? Just the button hole foot, but that's probably because I'm not doing it right!

Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it! I learned to sew on a trundle machine, pumping the foot pedal to make it sew. Next, I was given a machine from my grandma, it was a Kenmore that sat inside a small table. I took it with me when I got married to use as an end table, and used it to sew all the crib bedding for our first-born. The next machine was a Brother from Wal-Mart. I fought with that machine constantly! Now, I am using my Babylock and it makes sewing so easy!

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why? Yes, its very user friendly!

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine? I wanted a machine that would be easy to use. It really helped to sit down a try them at the store before I decided.

Do you have a dream machine? Someday, I would like to get a serger, and maybe an embroidery machine. But not until I have more free time!

Playhouse Dress

Summer Sewing

Here it is! My Mini Boden knock-off top! I like how it turned out. I started up the sewing machine last night and got a lot done. Two pairs of shorts, two tops, and a dress. I started another dress, but it was not going good, so I quit and went to bed.

I'm trying to get all the kid clothes sewing out of the way before school gets out and summer really starts. I have a few more things on the list, including summer p. j. bottoms for the boys.

Breezy

I started this top for Evie last spring, and for some reason never finished the bottom hem until now. It's a pattern from the 1/2008 Ottobre magazine.

Betcha She's 30!

So it's official now, I'm an adult! My mom took the two little ones all day, and I spent my time browsing the fabric stores. It was nice to be able to look and touch everything at a normal pace. And I found out the local Joann's moved into the old Linens & Things location and is at least 3 times larger then it was!
I ended up with fabric to make myself shirts for summer, now I'll have to find the time to sew them.
Here is a picture from last summer. I made this top from a Martha Stewart dish towel.

Easy Smocked Sundress

This little black and white dress started out as my skirt. I made it last summer from one of these I'd found at Wal-Mart. It never looked right on me, so after seeing this in the Mini Boden catalog I knew it was meant to be a dress for Evie.

First, I measured and sewed it into a tube to fit around her upper body. Then I just cut a "J" shape off each side, and used a bias strip to bind the arm holes and make the ties.

To finish the hem I added a band of polk-a-dots with white ric-rac peeking out.
It took about an hour to finish, but that is counting the time it took me to make the bias tape. I could have simply attached ribbons for the ties, but I'm glad I took the time to add the details.
(The next Mini Boden knock-off I have planned is this top. I have the fabric ready and waiting!)

Pack It!

We are getting ready to spend a couple days at a hotel with an indoor water park. The kids are excited to start packing, so I used this idea to make each of them a list of what to take.