The Joy of Blogging

The following post was a guest post I did recently over at Lil Blue Boo.  Ashley has had some different guest bloggers over talking about how they find the joy in blogging. Ashley is undergoing cancer treatment.  If you don't know her story, I would encourage you to visit her blog.  She is a true inspiration. 

I seem to have Ashley on my mind daily with all that she is going through during her cancer treatment.  I pray for her and her family quite often and I hope things move in a positive direction.  Ashley is such an incredible example of what it means to "Choose Joy" in ones life.  I could only hope that if I was dealt the same set of cards, that I could carry on and be a positive inspiration like Ashley.  But I honestly don't know ~ she is pretty darn amazing.

So, the question is "How do you find joy in blogging?"

I started my blog, The Cottage Home, almost exactly two years ago.  It originally started as a way to share my projects, recipes and ideas with my family and friends.  I began blogging through the encouragement of one of my friends.  She was really into reading blogs and knew that I was into, what I like to call, the domestic life.  When she told me that she would read my blog if I wrote one, I couldn't believe it.  Really?  Someone would actually be interested in my life?  I figured if even one person would read what I had to say, maybe others would too.

I find blogging to give me an identity outside of being a mother.  Yes, mother and wife are my two central roles, but I think it is so important for us to continue to pursue our passions outside of those primary roles.  I also want my children (two girls and a boy) to see me as something outside of their mother. I hope that when they look back at the blog I have created they will not only see their mother, but they will see creativity, passion, drive, a business woman and more.

Being a stay-at-home mom is wonderful, but sometimes it is hard to find other women that have the same passions and interests as myself locally.  Through blogging I have connected with more women who share my love of sewing, cooking, crafting and all things domestic than I could have ever imagined.  I love knowing that there are other women out there that share my same desire to create, my same addiction to fabric, and my same focus on family and the domestic life.

There is an innate desire within me to create.  Whether that may be creating a project for my children, creating a gift for a friend, or creating a comforting meal that I can share with my family.  Through creating I show those around me how I love and care about them.  The true joy comes when I can inspire others through my way of life to create things in their own lives.

My blog is pretty sewing focused and it is trilling to receive an email from a reader where I have inspired them to get back into sewing.  Perhaps they used to sew, but got bored with it and now I have created a project that they are excited about trying.  Or maybe it's someone whose mother sewed while they were growing up and now they want to sew for their own children.  Or maybe a grandmother has seen the girls clothing I create and is inspired to create something for their grandchildren.  Whatever the reason may be, if I can inspire someone to return to their sewing machine, then in that, I find true joy.

Not only do I hope to inspire others through blogging, I am forever inspired by my fellow bloggers as well.  I thought I would share some of the dresses Ashley's sewing patterns have inspired me to create. 

Thank you so much for inspiring us all through your blog, Ashley! Keep staying positive ~ we are rooting for you!

So, if you blog, how do you find the joy in blogging?

I'd love to hear from you! 

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Empire Waist Dress - Comfy Sews Vs. Cozy Knits

Shannon from Luvinthemommyhood invited me to participate in her latest "Versus" series - Comfy Sews vs. Cozy Knits.  Guess which side of the ring I'm on?.........ding, ding, ding......you guessed it, Comfy Sews.  I love Shannon and her blog so I'm thrilled she has chosen to include me again!  You might remember my Shawl Collar Sweater tutorial that was included in the last round.

For this challenge I decided to create an easy Empire Waist Dress.  As most of you know, I am pregnant with baby #3 and I wanted to create something super-comfy to wear throughout the summer during this pregnancy.  I made this dress from a shirt that was a little too boxy for my body and some additional jersey knit yardage.  The dress will take you only about an hour to complete and is great practice for sewing with knits.

This dress could certainly be made the exact same way for a non-pregnant person and would be just as cute!  So let's jump in the ring and let the battle begin..........

Empire Waist Dress

Maternity and Non-Maternity

Supplies:

1 shirt

1-1.5 yards jersey knit fabric (60 inches wide)

Scissors

Sewing machine

Iron and ironing board
Ball-point sewing needle (for sewing with knits)

Directions:

Grab a shirt.  I chose this one because I liked the print but I always felt like it was a little boxy in the waist area.  You could certainly use a simple t-shirt or any shirt that you are ready to transform into a dress.

Cut off the bottom of the shirt.  I left the top of my shirt 13.5" long from the shoulder to under the bust line.  Try on your shirt to figure out how much of the bottom you would like to take off.  Make sure to allow for a 1/2" - 1" seam allowance for attaching the skirt piece.

Here's the top of my shirt after it had been cut.  There were also a couple of fabric ties at the top that I decided to remove as well.

And what will I be doing with the bottom of the shirt?  Well, that is going to be turned into a skirt for one of the girls.  I like a little cheesy "mommy and me", so I think it will be just darling on Miss Savannah or Miss Matilda.

Since this shirt had buttons down the front I decided to sew the button area shut.  I used my zipper foot to make this happen.  This way I don't have to worry about any buttons coming undone.

Now it's time to cut your knit fabric.  I chose a jersey knit because it is SO soft, super-stretchy and very light-weight.  If you are making this as a maternity dress I would highly recommend sticking with jersey because of the amazing stretch.  If you are making this non-maternity, then you could still use a jersey knit, knit interlock or you could even use a woven cotton if your top is made from t-shirt material.

I cut the skirt portion of the dress 27" long x 60" wide.  I am about 5'5" and this fell right below the knee.  Cut the skirt any length that you like.

Cut 2 pieces for the fabric ties.  These were cut 32" long x 4" wide. 

When sewing with knits you will need to change out your needle to a ball-point needle - these are specially designed for sewing with stretchy knits.  Fold the ties in half lengthwise and sew one short end and down the long end.  You should have one short end still open.

Clip your corners, turn right-side out and press with a hot iron.

For the skirt, fold in half, right-sides together and sew down the short side - in my case this was 27".  I used my serger because I like using it for knits, but a regular sewing machine would work just as well.  This seam will go to the back of the dress.  Now run a gathering stitch around the top of the skirt.  Set your sewing machine to the longest stitch length (5.0, in my case) and sew all the way around the top making sure not to back-stitch at the beginning or the end.

 

Gather the top of the skirt by pulling on the bobbin thread.  Gather the skirt until it is the same width as the bottom of the shirt piece.  Place the skirt and the top, right-sides together and sew in place.

Press the seam between the skirt and the top upward.  Again, I used my serger, but that was just because it was easier for me and finishes very nicely.

Now it's time to attach the fabric ties.  Normally I would place these in a seam, but that didn't work out for this dress.  Stitch the ties on either side of the dress.  If you are going to have the dress tie in front then you want the raw edge pointing towards the front so that when it ties it will be covered up.

Here's the fabric tie on the side.  You will not see the raw edge when you tie the bow in front.

I decided to leave the bottom of the dress with a raw edge because I find jersey knit doesn't fray.  If you would prefer a more finished look definitely sew a hem, but make sure you allow for that additional length when cutting the skirt piece.

This dress is incredibly comfortable and will definitely grow with me through out this pregnancy.  It's still a bit chilly here in Chicago so I paired it with a cardigan and a pair of leggings.  I'm so happy to have breathed a new life into this shirt.  

Maternity dresses can be pretty expensive, so this dress was a bargain at $3.00 total for the jersey knit (which was found in the 50% clearance section at Joann's).  So, what do you think?  Have any shirts that you might transform into an Empire Waist Dress?

Thanks again, Shannon, for inviting me into the mommyhood - you rock, girl!  This is just week one of Comfy Sews vs. Cozy Knits, so make sure you guys all visit Shannon's blog and check out some of the other fabulous projects from some seriously talented bloggers.

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Gifts for Guys: Boxy Dopp Kit Tutorial

In case you missed my guest post on Kojo Designs "Gifts for Guys" series, here is my tutorial for a men's toiletry kit (aka Dopp Kit or Shaving Kit).

I find guys to be the hardest people to buy for when it comes to gifts.  I made a commitment this year to only give handmade gifts so coming up with gifts for guys has been taken to a whole new level. 

My husband has had his Dopp Kit since he was 13 years old, yes that's right, 13!!!  It is definitely in a sad state right now, so I decided it was time to make him a new one.  A Dopp kit is also known as a shaving kit, a man's toiletry kit..........but I like the sound of "Dopp".......sounds pretty manly, right?  And that's what my Dad always called it.

Boxy Dopp Kit Tutorial

Supplies:

4 pieces of fabric cut 13" x 14" (I used wool suiting material)

4 pieces light-weight interfacing cut 13" x 14"

1 piece coordinating fabric cut 5" x 6" for handle or pocket

1 14" zipper

Thread

Hand-sewing needle

Sewing machine

Iron

Ironing board

Apply light-weight interfacing to all four pieces of fabric (follow manufacturers instructions).  This is just inexpensive one-sided interfacing.  The interfacing is going to help the Dopp kit keep its shape.

Fold the 5" x 6" piece of coordinating fabric in half length-wise.  This will be used for the handle on the kit.

Stitch around the handle fabric, but leave a small opening on the straight, long edge.  Clip the corners.

Turn handle fabric right-side out and hand-sew the opening closed.  Press with your iron.

Now to insert the zipper.  Make a "zipper sandwich".  Place the right-sides of two of the fabric pieces together and place the zipper in between.  Line up the raw edges of the fabric and the raw edge of the zipper.  Pin in place.

Attach your zipper foot to your sewing machine for the following step.

Stitch zipper in between the two layers of fabric.

Turn fabric pieces right-side out and press seams open.  Now do the exact same thing with the other two pieces of fabric on the other side of the zipper.

Press all seams for exterior fabric and lining.

Place the fabric handle piece half-way down one of the exterior fabric pieces.  This should be in the very middle of the rectangle.  Stitch in place on both short sides.  Make sure to only stitch this to the exterior piece of fabric.  If you would prefer this to be a pocket, instead of a handle, stitch on both short sides and one long side.

Turn your fabric now so that the lining is on the outside.  Line up the bottom four fabric pieces and stitch all the way along the bottom.  5/8" seam allowance.

After you have stitched the bottom closed, open up your zipper part way.

Now fold your fabric out so that the zipper is running down the middle and stitch both side seams closed.  5/8" seam allowance.

Now pinch your corners.  This is going to give your bag its height.  I originally pinched my corners 4", but then went back and pinched them to 7".  I would recommend 7" for the sizing I have listed.

Stitch the corners in place by using a straight-stitch.

Cut off the excess material from each corner.  I used my serger to finish the edge since the wool suiting tends to fray.  Use a zig-zag stitch, if you prefer, or just cut away with pinking shears.  In retrospect, I probably would have serged all my edges before starting this project.  Just something to think about if you plan to use wool suiting.

And there you have it - A Boxy Dopp Kit for your man!

This Dopp kit could be made in many different fabrics.  If you decide to use a more basic cotton, then I would recommend using a heavier interfacing to make sure the bag holds its shape well.

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