Fabrics and Blankets

Been busy sewing and fabric shopping lately!

Here's a few of my latest projects:

 

 

I've also been doing some shopping and have added a few new fabrics to my shop.  Here are some new options:
 
 

Note, the chevron print can be made with other color combinations as well.  You can check out my new blanket choices here.  I've also added a couple of new fabrics to my bibs and booties choices, you can check those out here.  Happy browsing!

::edit:: I forgot to add that you can contact me at jslikdesigns (at) gmail (dot) com to place orders.  Thanks!

Ready for the Weekend!

Been sewing up a storm lately.  I love having my sewing space connected to the living room because now I can be inspired by endless episodes of Project Runway while working on my projects.  Those people are crazy talented!

If you haven't noticed, I posted up some links to the right with information about my products.  Check it out and contact me at jslikdesigns gmail com if you'd like to place an order.

Here are some orders that I've finished up the past couple of weeks:

 
 
 
 

I've been working hard this week, sent out a bunch of orders, and cleaned off my sewing station.  My best friend is coming into town tonight, aslik's heading to Big D, so it's gonna be a fun girls' weekend!  I was going to say no sewing, but my best friend has recently started sewing herself and she wants to learn the secrets behind jslik designs.  She's got 4 kids, so she doesn't get much time to sew, eat, sleep, or do anything by herself.  So, this weekend she's coming sans-kids and we're going to have a fun time of sleeping in, eating a ton, watching chick flicks, and maybe a little sewing :-)

Big News!

Anyway, I have a big announcement to make - I'm opening up my shop again!  I've been doing some shopping, getting my stash ready, ordered some new business cards, and re-designed my blankets.

New business cards - I left off the phone number because I'm always moving out of the country!

As for my blanket designs, I've changed them to look like this:

Mainly, I cut out the corded border that I used to put on my blankets.  I also changed the middle strip from a flap to a flat strip that is sewn in.  The blankets are a bit lighter now and easier for me to make.  Why did I do this?  I've been re-evaluating my business and with the current rates I'm charging, I realized that the blankets are not really worth my time.  With my old blankets, I was making sweat shop rates, but by cutting out the corded border, I'm able to significantly cut down the time required to make a blanket and therefore increase my profitability to a reasonable rate.  You can weigh in on this by leaving me a comment (if you care).  I could always still offer the option of the cording for an extra fee.

Besides the blankets, I'm still selling my bibs and booties as sets or as separates.

I've already had a few orders, so it's time to get busy for me!

You can check out my current fabric selections in these albums:

Fabrics for blankets

Fabrics for bibs and booties

For more information you can contact me at jslikdesigns (at) gmail (dot) com.  Let the baby-making and blanket-ordering begin!

Dogs, Paws, and Tufts of Grass

Today I'm spending the day chained to Sidney my sewing machine.  I've been shirking my duties....I must sheepishly admit that I've spent the past couple weeks caught up in the Twilight books....  Now that those are done, it's time to focus on some sewing!

I had a lot of fun picking out fabrics for this dog-themed set.  I just love how everything in the blanket is dog-related...right down to the green grass printed fabric.  It was so cute I just couldn't resist...it just makes my day when I find some awesome fabrics!

Alrighty, enough dilly-dallying - back to the sewing machine!

Sticky

Today I plopped my iron down on the wrong side of some double sided fusible interfacing....for those of you who don't know, fusible interfacing is non-stick on one side and has glue on one side, so that when you iron it onto your fabric, it sticks to the fabric.  The point is to apply the glue side to the back of your fabric....NOT to the iron...  Well, now the glue is stuck to my iron and I spent the last half hour scrubbing down my iron.    Not the best way to start the sewing day.

As I mentioned in my last post, I took a trip home to Jersey last week.  I usually always take a day to trek into the city to see some friends and wander around the old haunts, however this trip was a bit short and too busy so I didn't get a chance to go into the city.  So, to remind myself of my favorite places, I'll post this set I finished up awhile ago:

Now I'm going to take a cue from my sticky iron, take a break, and go grocery shopping...got my mother-in-law's chicken enchiladas on the menu for tonight!

 

Slow Monday

Today I think I'm running as slow as my internet....which is painfully slow...It only took me 5 tries to load these pics...

Last week, I only managed to squeeze one post in since we spent most the week in Victoria and then picked up a visitor on the way up.  My sister flew into town and will be hanging out here for the next month and we'll be doing lots of fun stuff here in Houston.  We've already gone blueberry picking....and I'm gearing up to give her some sewing lessons :-)

In my last post, I got to show off my blanket in action.  I meant to post some actual pictures of the blanket, but forgot to bring them with me to Victoria (oh the inconvenience of having a desktop).  So, here they are:

Another customer saw the fabrics, loved them, and ordered a bib and burp cloth set:

Grand Opening!

I am pleased to announce.....cue drum roll.....the opening of my etsy shop! For those of you who don't know what etsy is, it's an online marketplace where I can sell handmade goods.  So, you can check out my shop to buy goodies such as these:

Of course, you can still contact me for custom orders, but I thought I'd give this outlet a try.  I'll be adding more items shortly so happy shopping!

Got My Groove Back

I think I've been slow to pick up my sewing after taking a couple weeks off....I guess I got used to watching TV all day....reading some good books....haven't had the discipline to sit myself down in front of the machine and get some work done.  But, I've got quite a few orders in line, a few gifts to make, so I've got to get my butt back in gear.

Here's a peek at what's crowding up my sewing table.....

I did manage to finish this set:

Alrighty, time for me to get back to work!

Goodbye Manicure

and good riddance! A week ago, before I got really sick, I was inspired by a burst of spring weather to give myself a manicure and pedicure.  As a rule of thumb, I generally don't do manicures because I'm one of those impatient and clumsy women who cannot make a manicure last more than a couple hours.   But, I was feeling a little under the weather, had nothing to do, and was inspired by the nice weather to make an effort to look a little nicer.  Normally, my manicures last all of a couple hours before they are subject to abuse and clumsiness, which leaves me with an ugly nail job.  However, since I spent the week laid up in bed with no sewing, no cleaning, no gardening, no cooking, no dishwashing....my manicure stayed in tip top shape for a whole whopping week.  This weekend, I made a return to my sewing machine and 30 seconds in...jabbed my nail with a pin.  30 seconds later...got a pen spot on my thumbnail....from there, it was all downhill as I dove back into dish washing....cooking...  I do have to say, I'd trade in my salon perfect manicure for my health back any day!

I haven't done much sewing so I don't have any pictures of recent creations....However, here are a couple of pics taken from my friend's camera when she was in town.  I think she's talked me into buying a new lens for my camera as the only real difference between the pics I took and the ones she took was the lens.  Everything looks better with natural lighting.

Perhaps I need to hire some hand models as well as props for my creations....

Sewing and Shoveling

Back from a mini Easter vacation.  We had a fun relaxing time with Andy's parents and Beau the bulldog.
Here's what's been coming out of the shop lately:

Ever since this fabric line called Blush by Basicgrey from Moda came out, I've been dying to make something out of it.  I was so excited when one of my customers picked this fabric - it's my favorite out of the whole line.  What can I say, my customers have good taste!

On the home front, I broke ground today on the newest patch of garden in my backyard.  There's an8-9 ft gap between two citrus trees (really little shrub/sticks) that I planted and I wanted to join them together into one patch.  I'm hoping to get some flowery things planted..like roses and hibiscus.  We'll see how long this will take me.  Right now, at the pace I'm going, I think I'll be done in a month....unless I cave and ask Andy to do it for me (or he may find my digging so pathetic that he'll volunteer to do it for me)....

Lions and Tigers and Bears!

The past few days have just been beautiful out....so I haven't gotten much done in the sewing world.  Gotta take advantage of the nice weather before it gets too hot and the sun gets too strong, and I turn into a hermit.  Went to the zoo with some friends and saw lions and tigers and bears!

Excuse the terrible hat hair....I guess when a 3 year old finds your crazy hat hair hilarious, you wear it around proudly just to bring out that infectious smile.  I just love these kids!  Adorable kids like these are the reason I make what I make.

Andy's been away for the past few days, I'm looking forward to his return and to spending the weekend with family.  I bet all the wildflowers will be out on the drive up to Plano...so lovely.  Well I guess since this is mainly a sewing blog, I should post something related.  Sent this out a little while ago:

Home Away From Home

Here I am again, reporting from Victoria.  I think we must be VIPs at the Holiday Inn here.  I am becoming best friends with the lady who manages the breakfast bar.  I once told a friend that I've been travelling with my husband on business to Victoria and she thought it was very exciting until I clarified that it was Victoria TX, NOT Victoria Canada....

But, Andy's got quite a bit of work here for the next couple of weeks, and I'm tagging along for the fun of it.  Besides, when I'm here, I have an excuse to go shopping, watch HBO all day long, sew, and ignore the fact that my floor at home hasn't been mopped since Thanksgiving.

It's been a little bit of a frustrating week as I've been working a couple of blankets that have been giving me grief.  I don't know why, but sometimes I measure everything out correctly and the ends don't meet, or the embroidery is crooked.  It's hard for me to let a product go out if it doesn't pass my perfectionist standards....even when Andy assures me that I am the only one that notices it.

Well here are a couple of bib and bootie sets that did pass my quality control standards: