Phone/MP3 Carrier

My first attempt at color mixing.

It's FINISHED!!! My first QUILT!!!

He loves it.  I named it "The Good Sport".

The first quilt stitches I've ever made.

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.4

it's gonna be a lap quilt.

C4 says he really wanted this to be a blanket and not a bedspread, so it will be. Almost done with top!!!

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.4

back pillow

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.4

C4 Center Block

Okay, the stars thing was a bit overwhelming. So Paula (my quilting mentor) suggested I 'fussy cut' this instead. LOVE IT!

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.4

Sit n Sew

Started C4's quilt. It's sports themed

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.4

Seeing Stars

Want to try this for the center of C4's Bedroom quilt. Found a tutorial thank goodness. His will only be 5 colors on a background of black.

Sidetracked...

One GREAT thing about having A.D.D. is the fact that I have a medical excuse for often changing my mind and starting new projects. Of course the problem now is I have to finish them too.

That leads me to felt food (what you didn't see it coming?). I met with Dallas Laurie this week and we had an awesome conversation about making felt food and selling them! So now I am making my first prototype. I've been drooling over this felt cake for a couple years now and I have the excuse to make it now. I'm piecing the cake together. It's not stuffed yet.

Getting Ready

I've pre-washed the fabric and cut out the pattern pieces I need for the dress. With the 3 day weekend (Memorial Day) I should be able to get a big chuck of the cutting done. I was going to use an ambiance lining on the dress (it comes highly recommended by a sewing friend and I can't stand the cheaper polyester linings as they fray terribly) so I didn't have to put facings on the neck and armhole openings. The price has stopped me in my tracks! It's a minimum of $6.50/yd plus shipping. I can't even find it at local stores. I only paid $4.20/yd for the dress fabric (linen on sale). I just can't do it. I'll be looking for a source for future projects and put facings (which I've never really liked but at least these are the 'band' type and not the pieces that cover the chest and back) on this dress.

NEXT!

This is the next item to be made by me. This fabric is linen (I love linen). I am not making the jacket this time but when I do I plan to change it into a raglan sleeve (like on baseball shirts).

FINISHED!

Feet!

Okay so the tote is coming along nicely. A few friends from my sewing meet-up recommended cutting the excess fabric then trimming the top with more of the stripe fabric. Since I have the bias tape cut for that already, I'm going to use that, but it'll be a bit wider than the pattern.

I'm about to add the straps and the lining when I remembered I used a gift card for Hancock's given to me by my wonderful BFF to purchase purse "feet" (the metal pieces at the bottom of the purse that keep the fabric off the floor). Good that I remembered because it really should be done before the lining is attached (so the lining hides the hardware). I'd also gotten some very, very stiff material to make the bottom stay flat at all times (yeah I know I was whining about the stiff fabric, but I still needed this).

I just opened the pack to place the feet on the tote. The feet don't come with instructions, instead you are directed to the website www.everythingmary.com. From there I found this video on how to apply the feet. NOW, I need to find my Exacto knife which is probably with my scrapbooking stuff...

Side View

Okay, as it turns out the fabric I used it VERY stiff and I probably didn't need to add interfacing (especially not the craft type). If I make another one I will definitely use a softer fabric. The top edges are uneven. Next time I also have to add 1 inch to the body of the tote. For this one, I'm not sure if I'll even off the top or use the binding to 'cover' the problem.

And the tote goes on....

So I was unclear on whether the bias tape should be 3'' before or after it was folded. I'm still not sure, so I'm going with before (we'll see if I was right). I used the tutorial and was able to make a 3'' bias strip (continual). I love the way the stripes lined up after sewing the triangles together. I started with a 22'' square and the strip is about 155''. I'm sure there is some formula that could have told me that but I don't know what it is.

Easter

I need a new fun Easter tradition. Why not sew? Sewing is my 4th July tradition so what's one more holiday? Today I dusted off the tote pattern I cut out a couple years ago and am ready to start. Well re-start. Here is a pic of the pattern. Okay so it's been 3 years, shhhhhh. I need to learn how to cut a 23" piece of bias tape for the trim. Luckily I found a tutorial about this here. All of the other fabric is cut and ready to go. I also need to get some sturdy interfacing. Hopefully this week using the gift card Sheri gave me (love a gift card to a fabric store don't you?).

Dyeing for a Change

I realized you can't see all of it but it's basic cardigan. I found this at the Goodwill on Shiloh/Beltline in Garland for only $3.99!!!!!! I know, you can stop clapping, I know I'm good! It's a Coldwater Creek Jacket at that!!!!!

I dyed my first garments last night. Here is what used to be a 'regular' white undershirt (wifebeater if you will) and a cardigan from Land's End. I loved the cardigan but wearing white just isn't a good idea for me. I used the Dark Green Rit dye. I am considering dyeing these one again just in to make it a bit darker. I wore these to work today and think they look pretty good.

Okay so I kinda cheated on this one. I spent $5 at Walmart for the shirt. It was a clearance item and is sooooo soft. I brought it home and dyed it first with the Dark Green. The very first thing you do with a new items is wash it to remove any sizing (stuff that makes clothes feels so good in the store, then you wash it....) in hot water. THEN you dye it in hot water. Weeeelllllll this shirt may be a bit snug now :-O but still soft. I'll be decorating it with some bead work at the bottom to distract the eyes from the top of the shirt (chi-chi's). I really like the color and sure it will fit me (again) in no time!!!!

What to make? What to Make?

I went to the library today and found several good books on 1950's fashions. Some on how they looked, some on who made which, some on how to sketch fashion. Then I went to WallieWorld and found some really cute green stripe fabric with a little bit of a stretch in it. Some fabric companies even have reproductions of the vintage patterns. My biggest problem is to know how much fabric I'll need. I have looked at several of these reproduction patterns and online patterns to try to get an idea. I think I will need between 5-6yrd to I might make something like this one. The fabric is ONLY $1.50/yd so I won't be spending too much on it any way.

First Dress of the New Year

My cousin is getting married May 1 and I'm in the wedding. She just asks that we wear a blue dress. I'm thinking of making something similiar to the dress our beautiful first lady is wearing on the cover of Glamour Mag Dec 2009. I told my cousin and she's thinnking of having everyone wear the same dress. She is wondering if I can make them all. I'lll just be happy to make mine. I want to get some draping tape like I saw on Project Runway (I had some for scrapbooking, maybe I can find that). I already have my dress form. Wish me luck!

Quilts and Retro Clothing

When I'm really good at making quilts, I'd like to make a quilt for this foundation.


Okay so I spent some time online today and found a top I think would be FAB on me!!! In my quest to revamp my wardrobe I have decided to achieve a few things:

1. Reuse/revise/restyle. I'm taking the pledge on this site. (Props to Jen)

2. Make my clothes and have them fit properly as opposed to spending hours shopping for things that don't.

3. FINALLY have the 1950's type wardrobe I've always wanted.

I found this blouse (View A) and dress on this site. I'd like to make it with two different colors and perhaps attach to the skirt from this dress (maybe the top color would be the same as the band on the skirt).