Make Do and Mend!

One of my favorite things about learning to sew is that I can now easily fix things that might once have gone in the trash.  Last night I made a big list of all the things I need to sew before Christmas, and I decided that before I started I should tidy up the sewing room.  While I was doing that I unearthed a basket of "to be mended" clothes and decided to set to work.  I fixed a major tear in a pair of my husband's jeans, put an applique over a hole in my daughter's leggings, learned how to use a snap-setter to repair a bib, and made a new insert for a doll stroller!

I'm especially pleased with that last one, and annoyed that I waited so long to do it!  The insert that came with it tore within days and has been progressively getting worse.  My daughters' poor dolls frequently tumbled right out of the thing.

I salvaged the buckles from the original, used stash fabric, and used bias trim that belonged to my husband's Grandma.  The girls were thrilled and immediately put it to work!

Now that those distractions are taken care of and the sewing room is tidy (as tidy as it ever gets!), I can get to work on that Christmas list!