The Christmas Chaos!

Christmas was super-crazy around the factory. I had tons of projects ranging from super-easy to "what was I thinking?"! I've included some pictures of my biggest project: a pair of grandparent sweatshirts for some lucky folks with NINE grandchildren!

How huge was this project? Approximately 200,000 stitches, about 7 spools of pre-wound bobbin, more than 20 different colors of thread, over 140 color changes, six hoopings, one ruined sweatshirt, trips to two different wal-marts and three targets to replace it, one trip to Richland Sewing Center for supplies and about 20 hours of my time. But the outcome was wonderful: the customer and her in-laws loved the shirts!

I've included a pic of the Grammy's shirt. Grampa's was the same except that it said "Grampa's Pit Crew" at the top and instead of a boot in the middle, it featured racing flags. Cute!

The Big FOUR

My oldest So N So turned four today. He's so big! I know, he's still little but he's no baby anymore.

As I appliqued the four on the back of his tee, I thought..."that's wrong!" But alas, he is indeed four. Just four years ago after Thanksgiving I said to my husband, "I want a baby for Christmas!" But we both thought that there was no way since I wasn't due until late January. Well, Jack gave me my Christmas wish and the best Christmas surprise ever: a healthy, happy sweet baby boy!

Anyhoo -- here are pics of his tee. He wouldn't stand still so this is the best I could do! He loves trains so I made a train shirt. We rode a train to downtown Ft. Worth with all of his little buddies where we ate cake and chicken nuggets (his two favorite foods!) at the train station before re-boarding and heading home. A very stressful party: I don't suggest it! But the kids had a great time!

Poor baby!

In the midst of the rush of the seaon, things have slowed down a bit here at the factory: my little guy has pink-eye and a double ear infection. Dr. R says that he'll likely need a new set of tubes soon. This will be the fourth pair between our two So N So's. The doc also said that my big kid may need a new set too! Ack!

And tomorrow is the big birthday party. Holy cow...everything really happens all at once, doesn't it?!?!

Little Turkeys

I've been so swamped with projects that I haven't taken any time to take any pictures of them! Luckily I managed to wrangle my own So N So's for pics of their Thanksgiving tees. Turkey tees for Turkeys!

Merry Christmas!

Yes, the factory is abuzz with Christmas projects. Here is one of many...

Super J!

I made my oldest kiddo a Super-hero cape yesterday. Too cute! I thought the red-white-and blue fabric was very heroic but he just said he'd rather have one with Buzz Lightyear on it. Ugh!

At any rate, today he decided he loved it enough that he just had to wear it to preschool. And, of course, he left it there. Here's hoping that we can find it on Thursday....

yuck

I spent the entire afternoon today updating my web site. I absolutely hate doing it. It takes forever and then within 24 hours, it's out of date.

Blogging is more fun. It's easier. No one complains if your blog is incorrect or out of date.

Yea for Blog! Nay for Web site!

Part-time Pink Princessa!

Well, I had my first event this past weekend as a Part-Time Pink Princessa. We had a blast! The Southlake Oktoberfest was all that I'd hoped it would be. We met lots of great people, made some great sales and generally had a great time.

Thanks to all who came by! I've included some pics above of our booth space. Too cute!

Back to my roots!

After dedicating so much time to my new love, fringe; I've recently gone back to some good old fashion (machine!) applique.

The first shirt I made for a customer who is about to have #2. Congrats, Kristi! The second one I made for a little boy who, obviously, is turning one. I'm making one for his 3-year-old brother too, but haven't quite gotten it camera-ready yet!


I took both of these to Soutlake Oktoberfest this past weekend and they generated several orders. Woo Hoo! Also, after the exciting weekend I read something disturbing about some of the goings-on there.

Man arrested after taking photos at event

SOUTHLAKE -- A 60-year-old North Richland Hills man was arrested during Oktoberfest festivities Sunday on suspicion of using a camera to take "inappropriate or improper" photographs of women and children, police said. Louis J. Vogel was observed taking the photographs at Southlake Town Square, Lt. Ashleigh Douglas of the Southlake Department of Public Safety said Tuesday. "This, in addition to information officers obtained once they made contact with the subject, indicated the pictures were inappropriate or improper, and subsequently led to the arrest," she said. She declined to describe the specific content of the photographs because the images are considered evidence in an ongoing investigation. Vogel was arrested about 5:15 p.m. Sunday and released Monday after posting $5,000 bail, Douglas said. Vogel could not be located to comment Tuesday. Improper photography or visual recording is a state jail felony punishable by up to two years' imprisonment. The charge applies to photographs or images taken without a person's consent, with intent of sexual gratification on the part of the photographer. -- Ben Tinsley

boo!

I'm hurriedly trying to get some holiday shirts going for Octoberfest this weekend. Thus far all I have is a Halloween shirt or two...oh, and more fringe. Maybe the heart shirts could be for Valentine's Day?

These pictures also serve as a reminder to me that I should really take a photography class.

Up or Down?

Okay, I made this shirt and I can't figure out if it's super-cute or a total dud. What do you think? Seriously, I need your opinion. I made it with the intention of taking it and others like it to the Southlake Oktoberfest and sell it to a little Carroll Dragon fan.

ps - sleep is for wimps.

Happy Birthday, my brutha!

Tomorrow is my brother's birthday so of course something needed to be embroidered! I chose a little onesie for his adorable newborn daughter, Greta.

Happy Birthday to the new daddy!

Fringe Frenzy!

It seems I've gone a little fringe crazy. Today I worked on a shirt for a customer who is very soccer-keen. She'll definitely be the coolest little lady on the practice field in her cute new shirt with fringe-y hair.

All Tied Up

Well, I haven't been blogging so where've I been?

The Little Sew N Sews factory has gone ribbon crazy. In just the last few weeks I've made several dozen personalized ribbons for soccer teams and cheer teams. Won't those little lasses look adorable running around the playing field with their personalized and embroidered team ribbons?

On the fringe!

Little Sew N Sews has really been making the birthday party circuit lately!

A customer recently asked me to make a horse tee for a 7-year-old who is a great horsewoman and a fashionista to boot.

At first we looked for a cute applique design but never came up with the right look. I stumbled upon this design which uses machine embroidery to create fringe for the horse's mane and tail.

Since I've never tried the fringe technique, I went through several pieces of fabric testing out the sewing and trimming and finally felt confident enough tonight to sew out the real thing. I think it's adorable. And I hope Landree thinks so too!

Revisiting the Not-so-little Sew N Sews

Maggie's Mom brought her by the factory last week to show off how adorable she looks in her LSnS-made birthday gift. These applique monogrammed tees are the current best seller! I've already made two more this week and have 7 more to go!

Kaylee's mom tells me that her "K" tee will be her first-day-of-first-grade outfit. Perfect!

9/7/05 update: Kaylee's mom was at the factory last night and showed me a professional photograph of Kaylee in her LSnS applique-monogrammed tee. Too cute!

Not-so-little Sew N Sews

One of the original Little Sew N Sews, Maggie R. turns SIX this week. For her birthday, I made her this adorable applique monogrammed shirt. I bought the white shirt at Target and paired it with a Circo brand pink scooter. She'll look so cute as she heads off to first grade.

Happy Hour

I worked on a new and VERY different to me project tonight: A customer asked me to create a tag for a decorative pillow. I've never done anything like it but it turned out very nice. I hope that the "Martini Mama", who celebrates a BIG milestone birthday this week, will love her special gift.

I have so much sewing to do this week. Backpacks are starting to pile up in the factory. I have a birthday outfit to make for a very special little girl's birthday party on THURSDAY!

...and my SIL's baby shower is this coming Saturday and I haven't done a single stitch in preparation! However, I *did* pin her down on a name today. I even asked if I could start monogramming items for little Greta...she said YES! I can't believe I'm going to have a niece so close by. My niece Kerry lives out in Southern California and we miss her (and big bro Jacob!) everyday.

So...keep an eye on the LSnS blog this week to see what I come up with for my newest niece.

Oh, and while getting my kids ready for a day of swimming at my Mom's house today I checked out her swim towel cabinet. Aren't those towels cute?!? Of course Greta will need one next summer!

Tunnel Vision

Sometimes home embroidery can be like sewing in a tunnel. All kinds of bags are this way. They make me a nervous wreck...but always turn out "sew" cute. :-)

Why a tunnel? Because bags have to be turned inside out with the inside of the bag (the underside of the sewing area) stuck down on a special material that keeps the bag stable on the sewing hoop. Then the hooped area is then placed under the needle with the rest of the bag out beyond the sewing arm. Okay, I can't explain it but you can see in the picture that the needle can barely even be seen while it's sewing.


A new customer (hi, Stephanie!) called today and wanted a duffel bag with a personalization and design. Normally I only do names on these bags but I knew that the design would be so cute. Sewing in a tunnel is certainly adventurous but just look how cute the outcome can be!

By the way, I found out tonight that I have mispelled "duffel" all over my web site. I thought it was "duffle" but according to Webster's it's "duffel". Looks weird to me!!!

Run...be free!

I had hoped to get lots of productive sewing done today. However, my oldest So N So had other ideas. After a morning of Blue's Clues, he was bent on making a sock puppet. Since he's three and can't be trusted with a needle and thread, I spent my lunchtime sewing eyes and hair on a big white sock we got on clearance at Target. Meanwhile my littlest So N So threw mandarin oranges at me and the sock-puppet-requester kept trying to grab the needle. Ugh!

But, the outcome was wonderful because there were smiles all around and Jack is now napping with his puppet. What's puppet's name? He tells me it's "Sock Puppet". Creativity runs deep in the Rork family. :-)

I feel the need to pass on the easy instructions for this project to you:

You'll need yarn for hair, buttons for eyes, a needle and thread and of course....a sock!

I cut a handful of 5-inch lengths of yarn, tied them together and then sewed them down, using the knot as the anchor spot, on the puppet a few inches above the toe seam. Just below there I sewed on the "eyes". Voila...adorable.

Also, if you are wondering about the title of today's Blog entry, check out the Blue's Clues episode about Steve making Blue Laugh. It's a classic episode which illustrates just how great Steve Burns was and how not-so-great Donovan Patton is. Yes, I'm a Blue's Clues connoiseur.

Also, it was nine years ago today Gary and I married. We'll be celebrating with a romantic dinner for three and a high-chair at Chili's. Ha!

What's new at the LSnS factory? Check here!

The Factory Foreman (me!) finally found a place for all of those side-projects LSnS churns out every week. So many of them don't belong on the main site since they aren't in the 'permanent collection' but they are interesting enough to share...thus a blog!

So, stay tuned here for lots of photos (in process photos too!) of current projects. Soon I'll update you on all of my applique projects like this picture of a tee shirt I made for a monkey-crazed 3-year-old.

I'm also working a bit with some chenille. I made some lovely burpers last week...but of course I didn't take any pics. There are other chenille projects in the works, so stay tuned!

Most of all, let me know what you think.

So many of my custom projects are ideas hatched by my customers. So, feel free to hatch your own and we'll see what we can come up with together.