What I've been up to

I was very busy last week!  I finished a friend's dress, cleaned my house and baked and decorated a cake!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/65133648/jolly-penguin-applique-pdf-pattern-for

I love penguins, I've been collecting them since I was 16 when my best friend gave me a stuffed penguin she had when I moved away.  When I saw that one of the blogs I follow, Quilt Doodle Doodles had a penguin mug rug, I just had to share!  She also has a penguin applique I think would be perfect for my postage stamp quilt, I just have to wait until payday to get it!  It is only $2 though.
Since my husband has been fussing about my coasters and using my pot holders as coasters, I think these mug rugs would be a perfect Christmas present to him!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/115447900/penguin-mug-mat-pdf-pattern

Have you ever had a dress, or any craft or sewing thing, that just gave you fits?  I made a dress for my friend Ebbye, and I cannot tell you how many times I had to seam rip that thing!  It took me forever to make!  

Here is a picture of Ebbye wearing the dress, the wind was blowing so her hair was blowing everywhere, it is Texas after all!

I had to seam reap the elastic twice!  The elastic is sewn right on to the underside of the waist.  The first elastic was hard to keep sewing in a straight line and the waist was still to big,( it turned out the elastic I used was shot) so that is the last time I buy elastic from a yard sale!  The second time, it was still two inches too big and the ruffles at the waist was sticking out(it looked like she was ready to fly) and I had sewn some of the material wonky, but I did figure out an easier way to keep the needle going straight while I stretched the elastic.  I used my walking foot!

 On my third attempt, I ironed down my ruffles again and sewed a top stitch just under the seam line and safety pinned the ruffles down, it worked a lot better this time!

I also had to seam rip the hem and accidently reversed the middle and bottom tiers and I don't remember what else!

She wants another dress just like this, yuck!  LOL

I hop these tips help!

Have a merry Christmas!

Missy