Do you ever see those advertisements for the app Wish? You can occasionally get great deals on all sorts of weird stuff (full disclosure, I have a unicorn onesie coming today), but the catch is you have to wait about a month for it to arrive.

I decided to take the plunge and try buying some sewing related items – I started off with some lace appliques. There were about 8 to chose from, but I went with the lacy skull and a white V shaped lace (I figured I could always dye it the color I needed) that could be used on the front or back of tops.

These items arrived in a little over 2 weeks and the quality is very nice. The best part? I paid $4 for both of these! Now I just need to figure out what in the world I want to make with them. Needless to say my first sewing Wish purchase was a success – I was so pleased I decided that I would give some fold over elastic a try (if you decide to buy some too, be sure to read the product reviews – some have a better quality that others as some are intended for hair ties)

Last year I bought a number of Jalie’s new releases, but found that there were several that I never got around to sewing… Pika was one of them. But I’m finally getting off my rear and stitching this one up!

I wound up tracing this pattern off over the weekend and creatively playing with my remnant fabrics from my Loulouxe project in an attempt to eek this one out (to make a coordinating outfit). I opted for the solid front and back with the “Just Do It” print for the sports bra and facing. I would have much rather had a solid facing with this, but just didn’t have enough material to work with. As for the hem band, I’d like to leave it off. It appears from the photos that they may have done this as well and I like the way it looks – more on that once this project is complete!

I wished this Pool Chair cover would have come out about May because I totally would have whipped some of these up. (You can find part 2 of the tutorial that includes all the extras here).

This relaxed maxi dress is the perfect for a summer casual look. (Only comes in a size large, but looks easy enough to modify for other sizes)

This hammock chair would be perfect for a reading nook at home or in the classroom.

A divided basket is perfect for keeping your car organized or for sending your college student off to the dorms.

Get your toddler ready for preschool with this fun backpack tutorial.

Lemons just scream summer and now you can carry a little bit of summer every where you go with this sweet purse.

Master the mitered corner on your next skirt project.

This circle swimsuit cover isn’t just cute on, it’s easy to make too.

You can never have too many pockets. This is especially true for this girl’s rainbow pocket skirt.

Customize your sunglasses case with this easy tutorial.

Forget stick ponies, you need a unicorn.

Every year we have to send ear buds to school with Easton – I like to stash them in little fabric pouches to keep them clean (and easy to find) throughout the year – this time I may use Neat n’ Tidy Zippered pouch pattern.  Looking for something just a bit different? This pencil pouch with a bow is adorable for girls.

As much as I love sewing with knits, I go through periodic bursts of wanting to sew exclusively with wovens (I’ve found this is mostly during my bag making phases). I recently saw Tula Pink’s De La Luna collection and fell in love – not only is it one of my favorite designers, but sugar skulls as well! So, I went ahead and ordered some…

Unfortunately, some of the prints wound up being back ordered, but I did manage to snag a few from her All Stars collection as well as a coordinating solid. Now I’m giddy for the rest to come in so I can figure out how I want to use them.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I still have prints that I refuse to cut into from her Pairsville and Nightshade collections…. so there is a high probability that these as well as the De La Luna fabrics will be stashed and admired only.

I love Jalie’s Loulouxe pattern because it’s just do darn cute on. As a bonus, it’s also skort, so you never have to worry about flashing someone when the wind blows or you bend over! But, I find myself not making this pattern as often as I would like because I tend to have a problem finding fabrics that work well together. With that said, I may have made my most favorite Loulouxe ever.

This winter I wound up buying a “Just Do It” performance knit bundle from So Sew English – which came in both a blue and pink colorway. While I knew what I wanted to do with the blue, I was sort of stumped with the pink – I mean I like pink, but it’s very bold (even for me) and sort of the shade of Pepto Bismol (i.e. cute in small doses, but way too much all together). So when I decided to make this pattern again, I pulled out the pink and shockingly found a (very old) matching solid in my stash – fortunately there was enough to make some of the coordinating pieces for the Loulouxe pattern. The rest is history. (I’ll skip the construction and fit since I’ve talked about it before).

Now my dilemma is what to wear for a top. The colors aren’t easy to match so I’m going to attempt to squeeze out enough leftover material to make a tank or color blocked shirt.

It’s so hot out, I’m having hard time starting sewing a fall wardrobe. I had recently purchased several fabrics from SoSewEnglish so I decided that I would make some “transition pieces” – a few things that have that fall vibe, but you can wear even when it’s sweltering out (August is a pretty hot month here).

This weekend I sewed up a pair of Heat Wave Hot Pants in a boho style Liverpool fabric. I adore my original version so I was anxious to have a second pair. Except…. I don’t love these nearly as much. I think a lot of it boils down to the fabric. The first pair I made was in a Ponte double knit – it has a nice hand, but beefier weight – I found that they have a more “fitted” look to them while still having a ton of stretch. The Liverpool is much thinner – I found these had a looser look to them and that the high waist didn’t look nearly a flattering (it seemed to bubble and makes me look “poochy”). I think I would like the Liverpool version better if it were paired with a different top that what I wore it with (a fitted tee).

So, I’m on the hunt for new Ponte that I like as much as this print. Unfortunately, I picked up a couple of other Liverpool fabrics when I was shopping so I think I may have to rethink how I’m going to use them.

If you’re headed to the Farmer’s Market this weekend, you’ll definitely want to bring you own, pretty produce bags to bring home your haul. Looking for something a bit more simple? This version looks quick to whip up! And don’t forget to bring a new tote to haul home your goods!

Enter to win a $25 gift certificate to the Fabric Fairy!

Freda has been a popular icon for ages, but lately she’s been creeping into home decor as well – like this fun pillow by Pillar Box Blue.

Whip up a kid’s apron with just a fat quarter.

If you save your scraps, you’ll definitely want to check out this article on how to use them 25 different ways!

There is probably no way my dog is wearing a tie, but it sure would make for a cute photo. Prefer a bow tie look? There’s a video tutorial for that!

Sling bags have become one of my favorite purse styles of late. This one looks fun to make! Looking for something more conventional? Be sure to check out the Oriole Bag (with a great video tutorial that goes along with it).

Pugs aren’t just adorable in real life, they make cute softies, too.

Interested in making your own tee from an existing shirt? This tutorial will show you how.

School is less than a month away so I’ve decided that it’s time to start thinking ahead to fall. High on my list of “must sews” are some new capris – they’re just enough pant to cover your legs to keep warm, yet short enough to look appropriate if the temperature heats up, Ha! Honestly, I just really wanted to sew a pair of Claras for myself in that length.

I used a remnant athletic knit that I had in my stash to whip up this pair. Once again this came together well, but I did overstretch my elastic too much this time around so it doesn’t look as nice “flat”. Now when are temperatures cooling off so I can wear these?

Sometimes you just need to sew up a good, “basic” top that goes with everything. That was my idea behind my latest make, the Mimosa. This time around (you can see my previous version here) I decided to go the short sleeved (non-rolled) version without a pocket in a basic black rayon blend…. and I love it so much!

Aside from the fact that this fabric easily wrinkles, it does have a great drape and this top is so easy to wear (and flattering too). I think I may make another in a solid white because I think it will look fabulous with jeans this fall. With that said, I don’t care for this shirt (as it is) with leggings – it just doesn’t cover enough of my rear end… so if I plan on using this for a tunic style design with leggings, I may just opt to increase the length by several inches and see how that turns out.

Missed out on the Build-a-Bear chaos yesterday? Make your own bears instead with one of these free patterns: A traditional bear, Joyful bear, and a Hug Me bear.

Remember scrunchies? Well, they’re back. Make your own with this easy tutorial or add a bow for a twist on the classic version.

This women’s boxy top is perfect for a cool, casual, summer look.

Looking for an eye catching quilt to stitch up this summer? Enter to win this Ombre Waterfall pattern – complete with your choice of fabrics too!

If you avoid making pants because of fit issues, be sure to read this article that address some alterations.

Use your cutting machine to make one of these fun, fruit purses – perfect for summer!

I always talk about making those awesome rag rugs and never do… so I thought about trying braided placemats (and still never did), so now I’m thinking trivets!

This is no ordinary girl’s skirt. Not only does it have pompoms, but it’s reversible too!

Add a personal touch to dollar store items with this easy tutorial for sprucing up hot pads and oven mitts – perfect for those quick hostess gifts.