Taking down the lights

Well I'm embarrassed to have neglected my blog for so long - the last post was in December, and now I feel like that annoying neighbor who always keeps their Christmas lights up until Spring.

It's Frugal February here, the month in which we don't spend except a fixed amount on groceries and our recurring bills like mortgage, etc. and that always means a lot of handmade. Lots of sewing, crafting and good old home cooking going on! I have an admitted Little House on the Prairie fixation anyway so I'm in my element.

Some of the cooking highlights have been chocolate cake (the best I've ever had, and I made it myself!), peanut butter and lemonade from our home-grown lemons (heat 1 cup sugar in 1 cup water until dissolved, add 1 cup lemon juice, then dilute to taste with about 3 to 4 cups of water).

Sewing highlights have been flannel lounge pants for my big kids (no pattern, just winged it), training pants for my little guy made with a modified version of this underwear pattern for kids and a brand new ironing board cover (using this tutorial) from Sandi Henderson's Ginger Blossom fabric.

 

I've been a busy little patternmaker since the last post also. New PDF patterns include a ruffle fabric newborn cocoon pattern. These are gorgeous photography props and are easy to sew, even if you've never sewed with pre-ruffled fabric.

I can't resist adding a few more photos from that pattern, they are all so amazing.

Photo by EMA Photography

Image by Butterfly Chaser Photography

Image by Butterfly Chaser Photography

Image by EMA Photography

Then December's sewing flurry left me with a lot of fabric scraps! The Easy Sew Fabric Gift Card Holder is a quick project for using up those random scraps and the largest scrap you'll need is 6" x 4.5".

It's an easy way to add some class to giving gift cards, and, your gift card recipient will appreciate having the handy holder for credit cards or business cards long after the original gift card has been used up.

Most recently, I released a flutter-sleeved dress pattern for girls. It's a really sweet style and fun to sew because there is a lot of opportunity to mix and match fabrics. Right now it's available in sizes 2 through 8 and I'm working on baby sizes now for release later this month. You can pop on over to the Tie Dye Diva Patterns Facebook Fan Page for a peek at the baby sizes, the photos are so adorable.

Image by Peekaboo Photos

It's got adorable flutter sleeves, a curved bodice,  and a no-buttonholing-needed back closure.

Whew! So that's why my lights were still up. Now forward to Spring!

Giveaway Day Winner!

I've drawn the Sew Mama Sew's Giveaway Day winner! I counted all comments, less four (accidental I am sure) duplicate entries and had random.org pull a random number from the remaining comments.

Comment #28 corresponds to the comment by Lynne who said "I need to sew more for my own kiddos. You know how the cobbler's kids have no shoes? :) Thanks so much for the opportunity!"

Oh do I ever know! Congratulations Lynne, I've contacted you via email so you can choose your three Tie Dye Diva PDF patterns!

Thanks again to Sew Mama Sew for organizing the fabulous giveaway day!

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day! (CLOSED)

***COMMENTS CLOSED. Winner posted here: http://tiedyedivadesigns.blogspot.com/2011/12/giveaway-day-winner.html ******

So appropriately smack in the middle of this season of giving, it's Sew Mama Sew's Giveaway Day! I loooove Giveaway Day!

I'm Jen, and I'm giving away a 3-pack of my PDF sewing patterns. The winner can choose from any of my 40+ downloadable patterns for baby, children, adults and home at www.tiedyedivapatterns.com.

You might choose my infinity scarf pattern because at about 30 minutes a project, you'll still have tons of time to sew them up for the deserving people on your holiday gift list. And even a few of the undeserving ones.

You might choose my Ear Flap Hat Pattern for kids, or the grownup version for yourself. You can even make a less grown-up grownup version with dinosaur spikes or kitty ears if you're that kind of grownup. Which I hope you are.


You might choose a pattern for baby like the Ruffled Baby Romper/Sunsuit. Especially if you're having summer right now instead of freezing like me.

Or any of the remaining 40 patterns.

Here's how to enter. Just leave a comment! Let me know who you sew for (kids? Grandkids? Yourself? for sale?) or if you are a sewer-to-be. There are, of course, no non-sewers, only those whose inner sewer is begging to be let out. Don't forget to leave a way for me to contact you!

If you purchase from me during the run of this contest (between time stamp of this post and the time comments are closed on December 16 at 5 p.m. PST) and you end up being the lucky winner, I will refund your purchase price for up to 3 patterns.

Winner will be drawn randomly via Random.org and announced by December 18 right here on the Tie Dye Diva blog. One entry will be counted per person. I will email the PDF patterns to the winner anywhere in the world.

Post your comment below and check back on on December 18! If you can't stand the wait and want to chat about my patterns in the meantime, come join over 3000 Tie Dye Diva Patterns fans on Facebook at www.facebook.com/tiedyedivapatterns! I hope to see you there.

To enter more giveaways from other designers, bloggers, and generally awesome people, click the Sew Mama Sew logo at the top!

Mending Day - Bye Bye UFOs!

My "mending basket" is so full of UFOs (UnFinished Objects) that I have to sort them by type - clothing, pattern samples, household items, gifts... Last year as the holidays approached and it became clear all my enthusiastic holiday sewing was not going to come to completion, I created a sub-bag of "Christmas UFOs". With so much time ahead of me, I'd finish them up by June and move on to other things, right?

Right?

Sigh.

But I actually tackled all three things in that bag today and am feeling great. First I finished the Leopard Santa envelope pillow that has a pieced back because I didn't want to waste any of that darn cute HoHoHo Santa fabric from Hobby Lobby, it's one of my favorites. (And back in stock last I checked).

These are mostly made with my easy Envelope Pillow pattern. The adorable peppermint candy pillow is a Jo-Ann craft tutorial.

Then I ripped and re-sewed the upside-down clips on my holiday card holder. Here they are ready for holiday cards to arrive, looking really pathetic actually!

Soon they will look like this pic I took last year, and this year I have six instead of five so maybe we won't need to double two cards up on one clip this year.

The card holder was a Martha Stewart magazine craft from 11 or 12 years ago that I modified. Basically it's just lengths of ribbon with gold binder clips sewn to them at 7" and 11" intervals (to accommodate vertical and horizontal cards).

Finally, there's little Rudolph the No-Eyed Reindeer. I searched and searched for some kind of circle punch or die for my Big Shot that would cut felt into small enough perfect circles for the eyes and didn't find one so I broke down and cut them by hand.

He's from my Fleece Christmas Ornaments pattern. (Didja notice my pretty pincushion that I won a few months ago? Of course you did.)

How much time did all this take me? About an hour and a half. What took me so long? Might have to open up that Easter UFO bag next.

Tie Dye Diva Patterns - Designer Spotlight!

I'm putting my spotlight on these fabulous designers who sew from Tie Dye Diva patterns! I picked a couple of year-round styles this time; next Designer Spotlight will celebrate warm-weather styles because though I'm wrapped up in my scarf and typing with my fingerless fleece gloves on, I know summer in Australia is just around the corner!

Warming up with this set by A Paisley Peony because it's so "what's hot" right now! I am seeing peacock hues everywhere and I love how the designer is utilizing the year-round versatility of the Miss Muffet Twirl skirt Pattern by doing it up in those to-die-for babycords! You can find the listing in her shop here.



Do I love Squid Kid Shop's Paris-inspired baby and girl dresses made from the Big Bow Dress pattern (sans bow)? Mais oui! How cute would these be as jumper dresses over with tights and shiny black boots? Check out Kristina's Facebook fan page at the link.

Sweet perfection shines in these pretty peasant tops made by Bewbear from the Tie Dye Diva Peasant Tops Pattern! Jenn sews them up for you in long or short sleeves and all sizes.



Katrina's keeping it cute, trendy and warm with fleece hats for everyone made with Fleece Hat in a Flash Pop on over to Popp N Chic to see her great selection of fleece hats for everyone, and tons of other nicely-made goodies in awesome fabrics.

Thanks from the bottom of my heart to everyone who sews with my patterns, I'm so grateful and love seeing what you've made. Come on over to the Tie Dye Diva Facebook Fan Page if you sell designs sewn from Tie Dye Diva Patterns (and give credit to my patterns in your listing/tag my page from your photo) and would like to be included in a future Designer Spotlight!

Weight I've Gained Due to Pinterest

Had to share these! Finally had the rainy, cozy, cookie-making kind of day I've been waiting for to make these Chocolate Chip Pretzel cookies I saw on Six in the Suburbs via Pinterest.

Oh my sweet, crunchy, soft, salty goodness...this is the kind of cookie to make you pour some sweet cold milk into Grandma's Desert Rose glasses and take a plate into the den with a good book. I skipped the salt on top because it seemed like it would gild the lily, but next time, I think I'll try them exactly as written.

Tie Dye Diva Sewing Pattern News & Discounts

Starting today, Facebook no longer allows fan page owners to message "likers" via the page. I want to make sure my best customers and fans don't miss out on important announcements and discounts from Tie Dye Diva, so I'd like to encourage you to sign up for my mailing list so that you're not out of the loop! I won't send it more than 4 times per year so you don't need to worry about a lot of spam, and every newsletter will include a special promo or discount found no where else.

Discounts & Previews!
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