Did you make that?

I must confess I have mixed feelings about this question.  If it is a cute toy or something I have made for someone else as a gift I am flattered to say "YES" because to me, nothing is more flattering than to get a hand made gift.  I want you to know I went the extra mile and took the time to do that for you.  On the other hand if it is a piece of clothing and someone asks "Did you make that?"  I immediately wonder if my seaming skills are so bad that my clothes hang in some funky manner and the question is more like "Oh dear, honey did you make your clothes?  You really shouldn't."

What do you think?  How do you feel about someone asking if you made it?

Cherry Bomb

Is a thirty nine year old women going to look ridiculous in this?  I don't care!  I love it!  The fabric has a little vintage flare to it and the cherries scream summer!  I bought this fabric at least 5 years ago with a strawberry selection.  The strawberries made it to a nice summer dress too but this one sat on the shelf.  I picked up Simplicity 2209 and thought the two would go together nicely!  This is another Lisette pattern.  I can't tell you how much I enjoy that line of patterns.  Usually pretty easy to put together and the results are always nice.  Now I just need to find a summer party.....

Short Season

Have you been watching all the cute short trends for summer?  I have!  So out I went looking for a really great shorts pattern!  This one is from the Lisette line of Simplicity(1879) patterns.  They have the cute little cuff, small pleats in the front and a side zipper.  Supper wearable.  I plan to have one in every color by the end of summer....seriously.  Have to make sure I get in on the cute print and color blocking trend this season!  Some great variations on this pattern would be to take out the pleat in the front and to leave the cuffs straight.  Try some denim, bottom weights, decorator weight cottons.....the options are endless!  

Picnic Dress

 In about one month I will be setting off for that tropical vacation.  The one that will rescue me from the dregs of winter and give me hope that I will once again be warm.  In the meantime, I have set about sewing my vacation attire.  I figure a few new dresses, some shorts and blouses....everything needed to at least distract me from the fact that vacation is still a whole month away!

This is Simplicity 2180.  I picked it up through the "Make This Look" section of Sew Weekly.  I absolutely love that site for idea stealing!  It was a pretty easy pattern though I did manage to bungle the side zipper.  Lucky thing for me its on the side and under the arm!

Vintage Style Sewing Resources

My favorite sewing is vintage style sewing.  The reason for this is a) I like vintage b) you typically can't buy it in the store c) it gives me a reason to frequent the local thrift stores.  My favorite resources for patterns are thrift stores.  My trip through the thrift store usually involves a look at the sheets and fabrics then on to the patterns.  Always fun stuff there!  Some I use and some I display.  I also have a few websites and blogs I reference regularly.   The Coletterie is great vintage inspired sewing web site that posts new projects regularly with great advice.  You can purchase the Colette patterns but they also have some free tutorials.  The sorbetto top is on my list of things to do.

Another favorite of mine is Sew Weekly.  This site started with the premise of sewing one article of clothing a week.  I love the idea but doubt I am going to crank out one article of clothing a week!  If I can get half that this year I'll be happy.  My favorite part of this web site is the make this look section.  They look at mainstream designs and offer pattern alternatives for you to make the garment yourself!

Pantalones

Is it really almost mid February?  Surely a testament to how busy I have been.  In addition to working my regular 40hr job I have been working at my husbands office and have some private landscape clients I have been working with.  To say time is short is an understatement! That has of course not kept me from sneaking in some sewing. I just have not taken the time to blog about it!  That said, I would like you to share in my most recent victory.  I made a pair of pants that fit!

 Making fitted pants is difficult and I have avoided it accordingly.  With a dress or blouse you can fudge a bit and it will be o.k.  Pants must fit. It took me a total of three tries and about 6 yards of wasted fabric but I finally got it! For this adventure I chose a loose legged pattern hoping it would be a bit more forgiving.  This is Simplicity 2656.  I love the pattern because it has a bit of that vintage flair but getting that front placket in on the diagonal with out puckers was not an easy task.  This is probably not a beginner pattern. Regardless of all the frustration, I love the pants and have worn them twice already. The details are great and I will probably make another pair.

After I wasted 6 yards of expensive fabric I found this at the ARC.  Four yards for $5.00.  The buttons cost me about $6.00 and the zipper in the back another $1.50.  In the future, I will start with cheaper fabric first for new adventures!  Who knows, maybe if I shed a few pounds I'll be able to utilize the others that are half built!

On a last little note, I want to say thanks to those who tracked me down and asked when I was going to post again.  I appreciate your encouragement. And BTW: Happy New Year!

Birthday Dress

My baby is one year older and much to my delight she requested a birthday dress!  I have to say I was rather delighted to oblige her since she cut me out of Halloween!  Yes, you heard it right.  A near four year old took command of her Halloween costume.  She came up with something already in her dress up stash and could not be swayed.  I have to say I was seriously disappointed. As  a a result, I was giddy with excitement when she announced a birthday dress was in order.  If you are a Pinterest fan, you may have seen something very similar circulating recently.  I used two different patterns to get the look I wanted. Most of the time even new patterns are just a remix of the same basic parts.  I would be willing to bet that if you have even a dozen patterns in your stash you will have what you need to make just about anything by mixing and matching.  I must say I am rather pleased with this one wishing only that I had made it just one size larger so she could wear it longer.

And for next summer....

SIMPLICITY 2447

I did it.  I finished that summer blouse.  You know- the project where I was finally going to make something for myself.....  It seems to have taken nearly all summer and now the cool days of fall are setting in.  Sigh.  The one thing I never seem to have enough of is time.  Mostly the kind of time that allows me to do the things I want to do.  I could go on forever sewing, crafting, doing small construction projects, gardening and bicycling.  Of course I would probably have to be an independently wealthy hermit too because we all know it doesn't work that way.  We have house chores, places to be, jobs to work and families to contribute to. How does that saying go?  Whenever you have time you don't have money and when you have money you don't have time. Maybe I will try putting TIME on my Holiday wish list.  I let you know how it goes!

Bandanna Skirt

I am very lucky to have a very cool MIL. For example, on her last visit she showed up with a couple of bandannas and said hey I want to make these for A.
How delightful is it that your MIL would want to sew with you? Let's just say some creative fun ensued. Be sure to check out Vanessa at V and Co. She has some other great tutorials as well!

The Look of Summer

So maybe, just maybe, I got a little carried away. Hey, I was having fun! Kids clothes are sooooo easy to sew! Lots of fun fabrics to use and you can accomplish a complete project in an hour or two! Following are some of my personal favs:

Too bad it was such a grey day when I took my photos! I'm sure you get the idea all the same!

Babies Babies Babies!

I have no fewer than 5 baby quilts to crank out before June this year! That's madness! It would help if some people wouldn't crank out two at a time! Making baby quilts are one of my favorite gifts to give and make. It's quick and I can try all kinds of new patterns and skills! These two were shipped to California! This is the first time I worked with a panel. I do have to say it was sinfully quick and easy and had beautiful results! My daughter is three and I now keep her baby quilts in the car. They make perfect lap quilts for those cold mornings in the car!

This one is a bit more traditional but I love the bright colors! I trend away from pastels for babies. I think they need something bright, vibrant and fun!

Happy Saint Patricks Day

Nothing like a little inspiration to make sure that your kid has the appropriate wear for that special green day! The dress below is from a pattern I purchased from Little Blue Boo. Made from second hand clothes and custom stamped with Stampin' Up craft ink its sure to be an original in the classroom this year!

And just for that extra touch....a monogram!

I hope you too can avoid getting pinched!

Treasured Things

This bear, Winnie There Pooh if you will, has been with me all my life. As least all of the life I remember. My understanding is that someone made and gifted him to me for a baby shower. He has guided me through potty training, nightmares, adolescence and college. To my knowledge, he has only been out of my possession one time. On that occasion, he went to stay with a very dear friend while she endured the ravages of a brain tumor. While there, he said the things I could not say and kept Bear Bear (her treasured stuffed friend) company. I knew my friends journey was ending on the day she handed him back to me and stated he needed to go home because he was looking under the other bears dresses. He is worn, tattered and knows everything. I loved to rub his ears and smell his head for comfort. I was reminded of him by the arrival of these two little treasures:

Crafted by a dear friend and immediately given a chosen place on the bed, these two lovelies now sit, watch, comfort and cuddle my daughter. You can tell yourself that these things hold little significance but I will tell you otherwise. Particularly when I awake to cries of "Mommy! I can't find baby turtle!" in the wee hours of the morning. I hope everyone has a few of these treasured things in their lives that help them remember the past and move toward the future with comfort. Please share some of the memories of your over loved and tattered things! Do you still have them?

Sew Thrifty

This week I was pleasantly surprised to realize that in the back corner of the local thrift store a huge selection of patterns was hiding from me. Lots of things from vintage to new patterns that I happen to know are still on the shelf at the local fabric store! Many of them were uncut particularly if you were talking children's clothing. Probably many well intentioned seamstresses out there whose kids grew up too fast! Then much to my delight a dear friend shared some patterns with me as well. Her daughter had grown up and rather than toss them, she shared them! In all, I picked up about 20 patterns this week for the grand sum of $5.00!

I also scored some vintage knit fabrics. I think they will make super fun tops. Precisely the type of odd thing my friends would expect to see me in! I couldn't be happier!

Shower Gifts

I love to make handmade gifts. Even if the person receiving it doesn't realize it, I have more satisfaction in giving it. I am going to call this the "Shower Gift Package". Two changing pads, two pacifier/toy clips, one quilt and two bibs all for welcoming that special little one. I was lucky to find this fabulous fabric as a discount package at a local quilt shop. I actually had my heart set on some splendid organic cotton until I realized I couldn't afford to make what I wanted at $16/yard. That was quite frankly, ridiculous. I made all of these items excluding the bibs for a grand total of $15 in fabric. Add notions and we are probably at about $17. Maybe this will be the making of my first tutorial!

On the Wall

One of the coolest things I have done most recently for my craft room is to hang a large piece on flannel on the wall for a design board. Quilt blocks or color swatches stick to it like magic. If you have a small crafting space this is a great trick making it so you can lay something out vertically on the wall and still have room for cutting on the table and walking on the floor! I tacked this piece to the wall but I could see it on a curtain rod as well allowing you to tuck it back if needed. You can see about 3 different projects on the wall as well as something in the bottom left corner that my 3 year is working on! I used about 4 yards of flannel sewn together on the long edge for a work space that is about 6'x6'.

Happy Jack

Sometimes your friends egg you on and make you do things you shouldn't be doing. Things like start another project before you finish the 12 that are already in the hopper! Say hello to Happy Jack; forever to make appearances at Halloween from now until the end of time! The original is from Sandy Gervais of Pieces From my Heart. This is my own extrapolated rendition. Tis the season when blustery days make gardening is unpleasant and the sewing machine is oh so inviting! Thanks for sharing my friends, now will you please let me get on with the baby quilt I need for that upcoming shower!

Butterick 4842

I took a garden hiatus and made this dress for A last weekend. This is a Butterick 4842 dress and pant pattern for girls and boys. I have only made the dress shown. A few skulls seemed appropriate for fall! I found the pattern to be moderate on the clarity of instructions. Figuring out how to do the collar took a bit of thought but I think the dress turned out nicely. I will definitely make another one! I made the size 3 for a small 3 year old. Plenty of room to grow. It took me about 4 hours from pattern cut to finish product. I am sure second time around will get you there in 1-1.5 hrs.

Fabulous Fabric Options

In case you are looking for some sewing fun check out the following websites:
Lola Pink Fabrics
Sew Fresh Fabrics
Free Spirit Fabric
Fabricworm
Ordering online is easy and fun. You can do it, don't be intimidated....you may find you like the adventure!