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1972 Review First off, I’m going to apologize for the horrible photo of my latest project… Easton dropped our camera rendering it useless so I’m stuck using my phone (note to self: my next phone purchase will include a fantastic camera built in) until we buy a new one. With that said, I am finished with my [...]

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Corseted Skirt Tutorial, Part 2 If you’re following along with yesterday’s Corseted Skirt Tutorial, then at this point you have the beginnings of a waistband. Now it’s time to put it all together! Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about the skirt tiers. First you need to determine how long you want your skirt to be. For this [...]

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Corseted Skirt Tutorial, Part 1 When I signed up for the Over 30 Geezer Swap, I didn’t know that I would be so ‘challenged’ in the project that I was going to create… a corseted, patchwork, broomstick style skirt. Since there doesn’t seem to be a pattern out there, I decided to make my own – and thought that I [...]

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Cabriolet Wrap This weekend, I felt the need to make a little something for myself. Since our temperatures are still in the 100′s with no relief in sight, I just can’t seem to bring myself to make something for fall – it just sounds so hot and itchy. So, I decided to make Fabric.com\Hot Pattern’s free pattern: [...]

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Mission Maxi Version 1 Thanks to a very laid back and quiet Saturday morning, I managed to finish my first version of the Mission Maxi… and I don’t get to keep it. While test fitting the dress, Taylor walked in and liked it so much, she tried it on and we both thought it look better on her than [...]

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Recent Posts

Problems

7

Category : Jalie 3132

You know how you work on a project and it just seems ‘jinxed’ from the get-go? That would be this striped top. While the final outcome looks alright, I had lots of ‘hidden’ issues with this version of the Jalie hoodie top…. all because of those darn stripes. Somehow my fabric got wonky so one sleeve is ‘off’. Something also happened to the back of the top when I cut it and it’s slightly off too which make the hem look slightly lopsided if you look very closely. And then, of course, you have the pocket facing issue. The moral of the story? Don’t use a stripe.

With all that said, I do like this top. It’s fun, comfortable, and different than anything I currently have in my wardrobe… I just might not admit that I made this one considering how many errors I made!

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Linky Thursday

1

Category : Linky Thursday

Valentine’s day is just around the corner. What a better way to spend the holiday than sewing up one of these Loveable Retro Playsuits.

If you’re looking for a challenging, but gorgeous handbag to sew up this weekend, you definitely need to check out Urban Jungle. It’s hard to believe this is a free tutorial.

Finding a handmade project for men can sometimes be difficult. This wallet not only recycles a leather skirt, but is just for the guys. Of course, while you’re at it, why not whip up something for yourself like this organizer wallet?

This project for recycled paper baskets makes me wish I had a lot of scraps laying around – it’s adorable!

It’s not a party until there’s a cat in a party hat. Seriously, though, this is one cute project.

Sometimes an ‘ordinary’ project can look ‘extraordinary’ when it’s made in just the right fabric. Sew4Home’s cedar sachet is a great example – turning a simple scented pouch into something that would look beautiful hanging in your closet.

If your winter is anything like ours, it’s feeling almost spring-like some days – so it’s never to early to think ahead to those warm summer nights sitting outside. Now’s a great time to start making a few Pipe Sling Chairs for the kids!

Recycle a pair of jeans into a ruffled project bag.

Two skirts in one. Learn how to sew a reversible scalloped hem skirt.

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Brainstorming

2

Category : General

I’m sure everyone who sews does it. They see a particular material and it just calls to them. Alright, I admit, I do that a lot, but over the years I’ve realized that there are a few fabrics that I’m really attracted to: anything with faces, writing, or newsprint…. and this one from TheFabricFariy had all three. How could I resist? (I also got the Tokidoki Stylish Girls print too… again, faces) But this entry really isn’t about my fabric purchase, so much as it is asking for some pattern brainstorming ideas. You see, I’m stuck. This print reminds me so much of the fabric I got a long time ago (2006) and used to make a Jalie Crossover top (which is probably one of my all time favorite shirts, unfortunately it doesn’t fit anymore) that this is the only pattern I can envision using.

So, does anyone have any favorite patterns or seen anything that would work to create a funky, fresh top?

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Chalkboard Bag

2

Category : General

Apparently, working on something less stressful means making my own pattern? Several weeks ago, I stumbled across this Trendy Chalkboard Tote tutorial and have been thinking about it ever since. Instead of using the instructions, I used her finished bag as an inspiration for my own design.

The fabrics for this tote are a heavyweight, home decor fabric (it’s almost canvas-like), chalkboard material, and a cotton print from my stash (it was originally a skirt panel that had a beautiful print, but seeing that it’s been sitting in my stash for years, I decided to sacrifice it for this project)… I skipped the interfacing since the exterior fabric was so heavy and I just didn’t want to wrestle around with something stiff. After deciding on a finished size (14″x20″), I pieced together the front panel (since chalkboard fabric doesn’t fray, you could easily skip this part and just applique it) and added wide, 4″ sides. Before attaching the back of the bag, I added one more ‘fun’ element – a back pocket to hold chalk and a pen.

So, who’s the lucky recipient of this bag? Easton’s pre-school teacher this Valentine’s Day! I am always seeing her carrying several totes into her classroom in the morning and I figure teachers get enough candy\treats around the holidays so why not make her something useful? Hmmm, now what can I stitch up for “Teacher Appreciation Week”?

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Stripe Frustration

6

Category : Jalie 3132

I spent a lot of time pattern matching my latest Jalie hoodie: making sure the front and back worked together, assuring the sleeves were the same, and the pocket lined up. Apparently, I didn’t think that much about how I cut the pocket facing because after I sewed it on, I realized I had this (photo on left). I debated ripping the whole thing out and starting over, but the fabric is thin and I was afraid what I might do to it and decided to leave it…. I figure I can just stick my hand on one side of the pocket all the time.

Honestly, though, this caused just enough frustration that I’ve decided to put it away for a little bit, I really don’t want to have to tackle the rest of stripe matching at the moment and would rather do something less stressful.

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Chaps

3

Category : McCall 2851

Alright, before I put up a post saying, “I’m hoping that I’m not sewing this one up late” (the night before it needs to be worn), I’m going to read the directions first. McCalls really wasn’t kidding when they called this pattern “2 Hours” – it really is… from start to finish. In fact, there’s very little sewing involved (so long as you use a faux suede). While this is fine for a dress up outfit or a 2.5 hour “Cowboy Day” at school, I don’t think I would recommend this pattern as a Halloween costume. Because the edges aren’t finished, they are eventually going to start to fray (even with a faux suede) and may not survive as a costume that has to be taken to school, trick-or-treating, a party, and\or weekend holiday activity…. in fact, I can see it looking very ratty at the end of the night. So here’s a breakdown of the pros\cons of working with this particular pattern:

Pros: It’s a very low-sew type of project… there’s even a section included that tells you how to create the chaps without a sewing machine so this costume is perfect for a beginner. It’s also very fast to create – it really does take 2 hours from start to finish!

Cons: The edges of this project are raw (so long as you use a faux suede) so expect some fraying from even the faux suede material. This also means that you’ll need to carefully cut your material to make them look smooth (I highly recommend using a rotary cutter for the ties and\or fringe). You’ll also need to measure your child before creating the chaps so that you can get ‘the perfect fit’. I found that they ran very long and had to take the pattern up several inches to make them fit correctly (this may also mean that you need to adjust or eliminate a set of ties to make them ‘look right’).

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Linky Thursday

Category : Linky Thursday

Who says monsters have to be scary? This monster pillow is definitely on the adorable side!

Ever wondered what you could do with large covered buttons besides make a button? Why not try stitching up a cute, tiny coin purse!

This is probably one of cleanest looking designs (perfect for guys) for an iPad Sleeve I’ve seen. Plus it comes with a removable strap so it’s easy to carry around.

Machine covers\cozies don’t’ just look great, but keep dust off your valuable equipment. This one does both, perfectly.

Is anyone else’s lips getting chapped this winter? Keep your lip balm on hand with this handy Chapstick Cozy Keychain.

Every year, right around Valentine’s Day, I tell myself, I’m going to make one of these Hot Lips Pillows. This may be the year.

Who doesn’t love a penguin?

After sewing up a lot of leather this holiday season, I have to say, I’m hooked! Here’s an easy project to get you started sewing with real hides: DIY Yellow Clutch.

I’m not sure that I envision this ottoman in a living room, but could definitely see it working for a little girl (and I love the storage pockets).

These little chicks are simply adorable (and would be perfect for Easter), but something tells me my 3 year old would just use it like a ball.

If you have a special occasion coming up, you’ll want to dress your little one up for the occasion. Stitch up a clip on or bow tie version.

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I Want To Be A Cowboy

7

Category : McCall 2851

Next week, Easton’s school is having a “Cowboy Day”. All the kids have the opportunity to dress up like a cowboy\cowgirl – this, of course, gives me the perfect chance to make something for ‘dress up’! We settled on a black cowboy hat, McCall 2851, and a couple of faux suede fabrics for a vest and chaps. Yes folks, I said chaps.

Needless to say, I’m putting my striped hoodie aside to work on this – I’m hoping that I’m not sewing this one up late (next) Monday night just to get it finished! Here’s all the details for this project:

Project Details:

Pattern: McCall 3132

Fabric:
Faux cow skin suede from Hobby Lobby

Faux brown suede from Hobby Lobby

Materials & Cost:
Pattern……..$1.00
Fabric………$11.22
Notions……..$2.39
Total……….$14.61

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New To The Stash

2

Category : General

After a successful Jalie hoodie, I thought that I would do some shopping to (potentially) find fabric to make a solid, short sleeved version. Instead, I came home with 3 prints – none of which are intended to make a hoodie! The first fabric is a fun stripe material (black to white stripe repeat) from Needle Nook Fabrics – I can see making this one into a shirt, but would like to avoid long sleeves so I don’t have to do a lot of matching of stripes. The other two fabrics are from Sew Much. The blue Jennifer Paganelli print will eventually become a pair of Tommy Boxers, while the purple\white\black swirl has a spring dress vibe to it.

I also received (and shopped) my gift certificate that I won to Shabby Fabrics. I used it to buy a gorgeous quilt pattern called Meg’s Garden (from my current favorite designer), but after reading over the directions, I might not be prepared to stitch this one up soon. While the applique is pretty straightforward, the stippling\meandering stitch my be a little more ‘advanced’. I think I’m going to have to spend some time practicing with my BSR stitch regulator before I work on something so large.

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Hello, Kitty!

1

Category : Jalie 3132

With my husband traveling in Alaska last week, it was almost impossible to get any sewing done. So, this weekend, I spent time in the sewing room and finished a Jalie Hoodie! I was inspired by the fabric I used – it reminded me of something you might see at Hot Topic (which is a good thing when you have a teen)… and fortunately, Taylor loved it! Once again, the fit is spot on (she’s even wearing a tank top and shirt under the finished hoodie) and the construction was great (although more time consuming that what I anticipated). I’m anxious to sew up my striped version now!

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