I just finished putting together a baby sling for the new little one, (it was a great was to spend a "hurricane day" off of work!) and I think it came out really well.

I chose a cotton fabric in pretty mossy green for the sling and specially ordered some rings in bronze. I love the combination together! Most of the slings I've seen online have had silver rings, which I think are pretty, too, but I think the mix of green and bronze is just striking. I've been practicing with it a little bit, trying to figure out the best way to adjust it while wearing it. It's definitely not as easy as it looks!

All in all, the project took only about 1 1/2 hours to put together, and it was very easy sewing too.

I'll post a picture of the sling in use as demonstrated by my test subject when I can, since Blogger is throwing a fit right now and won't post pictures. Grrr.

*Updated* Yay! Pictures are working. Here is the one I promised:

I've been working on a dress for my sister, as she is going to a wedding at the end of June. I'm quite pleased with how this turned out, especially the zipper, since I've struggled with putting those in. It looks much better actually on a person than draped across the bed (I know, since I tried it on), but it definitely doesn't fit me like it should, so there is no way I'll take a picture with me in it. Here is the finished product!


Maybe I'll get her to send me a picture with her wearing it. I just hope it fits her! It's not easy knowing if the fit is right without the chance to do a fitting. Ah well. My next project: a really cute maternity shirt for me!

I've been spending most of my evenings the past week working on this baby dress for a dear church friend that is expecting in April. I was pleasantly surprised with how well it turned out, especially since this was the most complicated project I've done to date.

Here is a view of the dress from the front. It took me about 2 weeks to finish the whole thing, with most of the work done the past few nights. I made the dress using the 6 month size, so that way my friend will have an outfit to look forward to. :-)

Here is a picture of the front. I still can't believe how straight I got the ribbon on there! The sleeves of the dress were my favorite part to sew. I love to do gathers, and it is surprisingly easy.

And here is a picture of the back. The buttons are adorable little rosettes, which go with the roses in the hem. I had to do the buttonholes by hand, as my sewing machine is broken and can only stitch in a straight line. :-(

So anyway, hopefully my posts will be a little more meaningful in the coming week, since I have now finished my project.

This week, Works-for-Me Wednesday is Backwards Week, which means we ask for advice instead of giving it. It's perfect timing this week, since I've got a bit of a dilemma. I'm making a baby dress for a friend expecting a girl this April, but my sewing machine doesn't do buttonholes. I'm wondering how to sew them by hand. Any tips or advice? (Oh, and what's the best method for hand sewing on a button as well?) Thanks!

For more Works-for-Me Wednesday, visit Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer.

Just a wee bit late.

Life is settling down a little bit again, so I hope to have a few good posts up soon. Work has been very busy the past recently, but things look like they will quiet down again very soon.

I've been meaning to post on several happenings at home, but since I keep putting it off, I'll throw everything into one post.

. . . I still haven't gotten around to cleaning out my cabinets, but I'm hoping to tackle this project this weekend. I'd like to get rid of several appliances I never use to free up my cabinet space, so that I can have more room to buy some bulk products (like flour, sugar, etc.), since I go through these quickly, and they tend to be cheaper in bulk . . .

. . . I recently picked up the Tightwad Gazette from my library--I absolutely love this book and may try to find it at a local used bookstore. In it are wonderful tips and advice for living the frugal life, which she explains is not depriving oneself, but being a better steward of available resources. As a celebrate a year of abundance, I hope to implement some of her recommendations at home. . . .

. . . I've found another way to put my sewing skills to good use. Hubby and I have been needing coasters for our living room, and the ones we have seen at Target and other places have been about $12 for a set of 4, and these were the ugly cheap coasters. I decided to make a set of 8 from my fabric stash, using this pattern. I'll have to post pictures later, since I've been lazy and have not gotten around to taking pictures . . .

. . . And, finally, I want to share that my coffee habit has been harder to break than I originally thought. I was hoping to rely on a morning cup of tea to get me through the day, since I have a limitless supply. Instead, I still buy coffee most every morning. I'm still trying to cut back and enjoy the tea that I have!