I recently purchased several pairs of pants and when I tried them on in the dressing room, I thought they were perfect.  They have large flat pockets on the back and front, lightweight fabric and tapered legs.  They also have a long stride which I tend to like and is sometimes hard to come by.

I was disappointed after the first time I wore them because as the day goes on, they tend to start to droop in the rear area.  I even had someone comment that I needed to get a smaller size. That wouldn't work for me because the waist actually fits in the morning and a smaller size would be too tight. I hate to think I have to start out uncomfortable in the morning and wait until the afternoon to feel better.  A tight pair of pants is just about as annoying as anything because it is all you can concentrate on.

This shows the difference between one pair that has added elastic and one that does not. You can see that the pair showing the tag looks like the back of the pants is taller than the front. This is why they started to slide down in the afternoon after I wore them for a while.  The other pair with the elastic looks like the waistband is the same on the front and back. Let me show you how easy it was to make this adjustment. I have several slideshows that will take you through the steps below.

Now the pants look like this when they are not being worn, but they stretch very gently when I put them on.  The four inches of elastic stretched to the six inch markings provides just enough coverage to keep the pants from looking twisted. It also creates a much nicer silhouette when I wear them and pulls that extra fabric in the rear up.  The stitching is not easy to see since I used narrow elastic and matching bobbin thread. Instead of being uncomfortable by the end of the day and having the stride in these pants falling down, I should be able to feel confident in wearing them. Maybe this has inspired you to try to do a simple alteration on a pair of pants you own.  By the way, if it doesn't work, cut up those pants for another project or donate them. If they are not truly what you love, why would you want to keep wearing them and feeling miserable?  I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work.

In my last blog post, I mentioned that I had been working on my unfinished projects.  Here is another one that I really enjoyed.  I receive emails from many suppliers and vendors and they always have fun and unique projects.  This was one that I have kept in mind since last January. When I see something that looks promising, I usually print it off and file it in a binder so I can thumb through it later for inspiration.  This is kind of like looking at the pattern books in the sewing department which by the way is another favorite pastime of mine.

My inspiration came when I found these blankets on sale. I could not pass up this deal because just look at that amount of fabric!  If I purchased this off the bolt it would be quite a bit more!  Blankets and sheets are a wonderful way to get lots of fabric for a minimum price.  I purchased three of these Extra Long twin sizes so I had a lot to play with.

The project I had in mind was this cozy wrap from the Brother site. You can visit it here to download all of the details.

The wraps use the width of fabric which is 66 inches on the blankets.  The length of the wraps I sewed were 20 inches. So I actually got four out of each one with fabric to spare. That figures roughly to .75 cents cost for each. How can you go wrong there? I just can't pass up a great deal... and ones like this allow me to enjoy being creative and pass along some good will.

The pattern will tell you all of the settings for your sewing machine and take you through sewing a blanket stitch around the edges.

Rounding off your corners

Adding pockets too which by the way are the perfect size for glasses or phones. Nice and deep.  I digitized this little design to applique onto each one of my pockets.  

One extra step I did was to add snaps above the pocket.  This way the wrap would stay in place if the wearer moved around.

If you decided to sew some of these cozy wraps, you could finish them really quickly. It is mostly straight stitching and the fabric is very friendly. Now comes the fun part of delivering them. Just a few ideas would be to your local retirement home, or cancer treatment facility.  Other places might be your local fire or police department. They always have a need to keep people warm.  One final idea is to your local center for abused women and children.  These wraps  are so comforting and feel just like a hug.  Everybody needs a hug once in a while!  I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

I have been doing a lot of sewing projects. This time of year really makes me want to be creative and instead of solely working on embroidery digitizing, I have been catching up on all of my unfinished projects.  This is one that I have wanted to try for quite a while.  I am a member of the American Sewing Guild and they have wonderful projects on their site.

Here is the view of the pattern from their site.  As you can see it states it should take roughly 10 minutes and it does.  I had some pre-cut fat quarters that I used by seaming them together for the back.  The pattern calls for a theme print for the front, but I wanted to showcase one of my newest embroidery designs so I used a small print fabric for that. 

Here are the fabrics laid out as I was auditioning them.  This is one of my favorite parts in the sewing process.  I keep quite a stash of fabric and when I have the urge to sew something, I can choose without having to drive to the store. I like to purchase seasonal pieces like this after the holiday has passed. Then I get a great deal.  For some reason, if I have to go somewhere I might lose my creative urge so having that stash makes me feel more relaxed and able to just move forward with whatever I want to work on.

When I digitized this design, I thought it would be perfect for a table runner.  Now I have something beautiful to decorate with when that holiday comes.  If you are interested in sewing one of these table runners click the link here to go to the American Sewing Guild Site.  Visit our Seasonal Design page to see this design and many others.  I have also created a You tube video showing how to sew the table runner. The pattern has mostly written instructions with a few pictures. If you are just starting to sew, the video may help with any confusing parts. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

My latest design has got to be one of my favorites.  I really love cute items to decorate for the changing seasons. When those items do double duty, it is a win for me.  The Count Your Blessings Magnet design is a magnet that you can put on your refrigerator, filing cabinet or any other metal surface. The best part is it will fit three standard 2x3 inch pictures. So you can see your most precious "Blessings" on display! 

It finishes in one hooping and does require at least a 6x10 or larger embroidery hoop.  There is quilting, an applique and plastic pockets on the front.

The back has two small pockets that you can slip magnets into. So easy and they won't scratch your surface because the pockets will help pad them.  

The Applique is so pretty we decided to release it as a single design also in a 5x7. Check it out here.  So if you don't want to stitch out the magnet, you can purchase the Applique design by itself.  I can see this on any number of items to decorate your home.

This design takes just a little bit of fabric and batting, but it makes something that can be cherished. If you are looking for a gift for a grandparent or friend that has limited space, this would be awesome! Pictures are always welcomed! I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

Fall is here and we have been working on several new designs for you! Of course we have many on sale and some that are free!

Our Pink Ribbon Warrior design is FREE!  If you know someone that is currently fighting Breast Cancer or has fought in the past, this design would be a great one to stitch out for them!  Check it out here.

Here is another FREE design for you to try out. This one was stitched out using glow in the dark thread!  I digitized it especially for Fleece so grab it up here and sew on your favorite sweatshirt!

I love drinking hot beverages when it starts getting cooler and of course coffee is at the top of my list!  If you like to feel cozy while holding your cup and keep the hot temperature from burning your fingers, this mug wrap will do the trick!  You will need a 6x10 hoop for this design.  The mug wrap will fit around Yeti cups also!  Christmas is right around the corner. This would make a super gift! Check it out here.

Our School Day soft book pattern is perfect for a gift also! The set is on sale. You have plenty of time to stitch one of these little books out before Christmas! Check it out here.

Our Pumpkin Talk design includes six different color waves. That is an excellent one to grab up during this sale. Get it here. 

Our Autumn Leaf design stitches out quickly and would make a great addition in single or grouped designs!  See it here!

Those Old Trucks are everywhere and our design couldn't be cuter!  We have listed our single design here on sale and if you are thinking about future seasons our set is on sale also!

Daylight Savings is here and if you are doing calendar projects or quilts that have months in them, this simple set would be a great addition!

Our Spider In Web is a quick Framed design. There is plenty of space to add your Creepy Text! Check it out here.

Our Pumpkin Wagon design is the quintessential Halloween Image!  Stitch this out on kitchen towels or pillows to decorate your home. Too Cute! Grab it up here.

Our Fall Tree is really one of our new favorites.  So many design possibilities with this one.  You could add cute sayings, poetry or smaller design details like characters.  I see fairies and gnomes sitting under this tree!  Check out the multiple designs on our sale page here. 

Apples are for picking and Fall is that time of year!  This design would be perfect for that gift for teacher!  "Pick" it up here!

Home Sweet Home. Doesn't Fall just make you want to stay at home, rake leaves, build a fire and sip hot cocoa? YES PLEASE!  This design stitches quickly and we used our Autumn colored variegated thread. Just WOW!  I see cute pillows in your future.  See this design here.

You can get to all of our sale items on our SALESALESALE page.  We have created some new COUPON CODES also.  Be sure to read our blog when you visit because we may mention them in our articles. The coupons pop up randomly in different places and you might even see designs that are UP TO 100% off or FREE for short periods of time.  But you have to check back often to catch them!  I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work!