Saturday, March 31, 2007

sewing

Thank you to everyone for the kind words from yesterdays post.

After working this morning I was able to hide out in my sewing area and finish some stuff.

Simplicity 4391 Bag and camera case Outside view

and inside view





Then I made Butterick 4865. Not a very good picture.
I think I may take on McCalls 5337 next. I have the fabric in the wash.

Friday, March 30, 2007

real life

I don't usually post anything very personal. I use this blog for fun in sewing,crafts, knitting and to share an ocational picture of my goofy cats. But for a brief moment I'm going to be sad, I just got the call that it's time to sign the papers. My Grandfather is dying, we called in Hospice right after Christmas. He has conjestive heart failure. This week he stopped eating, he's confined to a hospital bed in his living room. His wife called my Dad today so they could sign the "do not resusitate papers" They are disconecting the fibulator.
I need to go for one last visit but I'm afraid to. I want to Remember him as the big gruff, rough around the edges Grandpa, not this frail thing who barely can talk.

Thursday, March 29, 2007

oh my gosh what happen to the week?

Was it really Monday when I last posted. Where did the week go. This working two jobs is really getting in the way of my goofing off.

So hmmmm. I have a couple of sewing projects started but nothing exciting. I want to start McCalls 5337 but after watching the pattern get burned on inspirational wed I'm not as excited about it.(more on inspirational wed later)
Today was my mom's birthday so we went shopping, I was really looking for some fun spring sandals or shoes to wear with skirts and capris. I didn't find anything that was both cute and comfortable so no new shoes today.
I finished my swatch for my fitted knits project so I think I will be ready for the knitalong on the first.
I also joined the 52 pair Knitalong because I am totally crazy. This means that somewhere in my mind I truly believe that I , the worlds slowest sock knitter can actually knit 52 pairs of socks in a year. I know what your thinking THAT's CRAZY. I need to find out if UFO's count because not only am I slow but I usually only finish one sock before I get tired of it and move onto something else.
See, I'm totally crazy.
I recieved the absolute coolest bracelet from the sweat shope swap on crafster. It's a charm braclet from Rain staorms and it's so cool that I have been trying to figure out how she made it so that I can make some like it. Problem is I can't find my box of bead stuff. It's driving me crazy, where did I put it?? Under the fabric maybe??
I had to wait untill today to listen to INSPIRATIONAL WEDNESDAY. and then my cumputer decided it was going to do something else so it shut the podcast off, so I still need to go back and listen to the end but I wanted to update my blog first.
Inspirational wednesday, which I have mentioned before is a podcast done by Adrianne and Toya. They talk about knitting, sewing, scrapbooking and other stuff, they also interview people and point out good blogs and other worthy information. The thing I like about listening to them is that they are so upbeat and friendly. You have two friends who are just having a good time talking about what they are up to that week. It's always positive and honest. I really enjoy listening o what they have to say. It also helps that they always seem to pick patterns and books that I have also picked so I get to hear what they think about them. I usually sew while I'm listening to them but today I was knitting, because I wanted to stop and look through the fitted knits book while they talked about it.
It's just a fun thing to listen to when your taking a moment out of the busy day for yourself. This week they decided to burn a pattern that was giving them fits. I think one pattern was a knitting pattern and then I think it was Toya who decided to burn the McCalls pattern that I was planning to make. It's like a finishing or washing your hands to it. I have a couple of patterns that should be burned or at the very least thown away. They have also decided not to buy any new fabric untill they complete 5 projects. So I'm going to jump in and try that as well. After all I just got fabric last week from Fabric Mart so that should be easy. ( I still need to take pictures).

Monday, March 26, 2007

new book, new pattern

So, I think I posted that I bought fitted knits the book by Stefanie Japel. I think I have finally decided what to make first. I'm going to make the cropped cardigan. I bought one skien of yarn today to do a swatch. If it works I'll go get the rest of the needed yarn. It's a cotton, yarn in a pretty green. I'll post pictures this week.
The book has several project that I really like. The styles are fun and new and they look like they would go well with todays styles. I picked a quick easy pattern to start. I need something to work on while I'm watching TV or waiting for the family. I also thought it might look cute with Simplicity 3780 which some how managed to come home with me today. I don't usually care for the vintage patterns but I thought this one was cute for summer. I think I was just so excited to have finished my McCalls dress I was looking for another dress project. Hopefully I will like this one as much.

today in the mail I recieved my hoodie pattern the skirt apron. I love how the pattern is set up. It's like a little booklet with all the info inside. I can't wait to try this one out. I'll have to dig through my fabrics this week.

Sunday, March 25, 2007

McCalls 5314

I made a new skirt McCalls 5390.
I'm so excited!! I finally made my dress. I cut this dress out, the first week of March and finally made it this weekend. I don't know why I waited so long. It wasn't hard to make. It did take along time though. I'm really happy with how it looks.
I haven't tried it on finished though. Hopefully it looks as good on me as it does on the dressform. I did try on pieces as I went.

I used a contrast fabric for the collar.


and the cuffs.

The fabric is some more of the Heather Bailey fresh cut that I LOVE. I was hoping to have enough scraps to made a purse, but I don't think I do. Well see.



Friday, March 23, 2007

Whats in your mail box?

Today was a good mail day.
My eye pillow from stacy sews came today. I'll have to go say Thank you!! Can't wait to try it out. My Burda WOF finally came today. One package of buttons from the button swap ( no name but thier from Kansas). Very fun and colorful buttons.
Then I got a big box of fabric from Fabric mart. I didn't have alot of fabric but they used a huge box. I got the ITY blue knit print and the poly fabric with the cream background and floral print as well as a mystery bundle. I'll take a picture tommorow.
So what about that mystery bundle... well, I love the green corduroy and the cream wool will make a nice something.. but the lavender and cream wool, although it feels really nice it's not a color I normally wear. I also got a goldish cream almost brocade type fabric. I don't love that one either. So I guess 2 out of 4 isn't to bad.

I hope to sew this weekend. Maybe I will review fitted knits as well or another book.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

It's almost friday!


I haven't had very much free time but I did managed to get my taxes done. YEA !!

I also put some stuff in my etsy shop finally. And I finished my skirt. It is Kwik Sew 3337. I just wish the weather would decide what season it is. Yesterday it rained the day before is felt like spring. Today it's foggy.

G is home sick today she can't talk at all. There is some sort of crud going around the schools this week.
Oh almost forgot I bought fitted knits yesterday on my way to work. This looks like it's going to be a great book.

Sunday, March 18, 2007

pictures

Super quick ultra easy beanie type hats from Kwik sew 2996 for G. Review on PR

Kimono style robe from Simplicity 4319. Cotton flannel fabric. Review on Pr.
Matching Pj bottoms from the same Simplictiy 4319.

Both patterns were super easy and fast to make.
Alterations: The robe was shortened and the shorts were lengthened.
She is 5 foot 4 inches and doesn't like her knees to show. So these are between a short and a capri length. The perfect patterns are the ones that use the same piece for the long pants and the shorts because I can just cut between the two options. She said they are very comfortable and she likes them a lot.

Simple sewing book review

I bought this book from Amazon and it came on friday. Simple Sewing by Lotta Jansdotter.
My first reaction was "It looks like stitches by Amy Butler" It has the same hard cover, spiral binding, pocket with patterns on the inside cover. And it really just has that same "feel" to it.
My pages don't turn very well, like the spiral should have been bigger.
The book is broken down into 4 chapters, here are a few of the things from each chapter
Cook: kitchen stuff, cook accessories like an apron, oven mitt pot holder
Go : mostly totes, garden tote, yoga mat tote, backpack, and a sun hat
Nest: stuff for your house, pillow case curtains
Organize: wall organizer, checkbook cover, magazine holder
Most of the projects are VERY simple in fact most of them you could probably make with out a pattern. I haven't made anything from the book yet, but I did look at some of the instructions and they look like thier written well.
I think the thing that I like most about the projects are the fabrics that she used. None of the projects in the book jump out and say make me. I wanted to love this book but I'm undecided at the moment.
I would highly recommend Dennis Schmidts Quilts book as my first choice and Amy Butler's Institches as my 2nd choice with thoes two books you have most of the same projects that are in this book.

weekends are not long enough

First, Thank you for the complements onmy needle holder. It was so much fun to make. I think I'll make another one. I have also been looking for other fun little projects that I can use lots of fabrics and ribbons on.
This weekend I was going to make the kimono robe from the Amy Butler book but instead I decided to use this robe pattern I have had for, who knows how long. Simplicity 4319. I made the robe and the shorts. I made them for G, so tonight after she gets cleaned up and ready for bed I'll take her picture in them.
I also made these super easy easy hats from Kwik sew 2996. Oh my gosh I don't even think they took 30 minutes to make. This would be a good project for someone who is first learning to sew. I'll get a picture of thoes too, they were also for G.
Then I made something for me, kwik sew 3337. I need to hem it though.

So how's the pattern diet going ? well, I ordered a hoodie pattern on friday and today I some how came home with McCalls 5390. I have decided the hoodie pattern doesn't count because it's not from the big pattern company and the mccalls was an emergency pattern. What kind of emergency envolved a new skirt pattern ? I don't know but I'll think of something.

Friday, March 16, 2007

finally something to show

I started a new job this week so I have been working both jobs. All that working really cut into my sewing time. And the house is a mess. So, today I had to try and catch up on laundry and buy some groceries. I still have alot of housework to do but I took a few minutes today to finish up the circular needle case and the straight needle holder from Butterick 5006.
This is the circular case closed. I added a button because love buttons. This is a fun vintage green button. The bag is made up entirely from scraps.
Here is a picture of it open so you can see the different pages. I also addded pretty ribbon to the top of each pocket and I have an extra page of pockets.
Here is the rolled up straight needle case. I have never used a pattern to make one of these before I have always used my own pattern. I might take some ideas from this one to improve my own design but over all I like mine better.


Here it is open. Again I used left over fabrics and added ribbon.


I love ribbon!! This is a great excuse to collect more pretty ribbon. I like the idea of the circular case but I think I may change it up a bit and come up with something I like better.
If you want to read the review on this pattrn I will have one posted at Pattern Review.
So because Iwas too busy working this week I amreally behind on blog reading and I had to wait untill today to listen to Inspirational Wed. Which I love to, listen to while I'm sewing. They just started the pod cast thing I think, 3 weeks ago. I discovered it after seeing that Trinicity made the dress I like so much . I started reading her blog and found we like alot of the same patterns. They started podcasting and I started listening. you can check it out here . Oh and look at her bag from Butterick 5006. Don't you love that fabric.

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Stopped by a notion

Don't you hate it when your zooming along on a project and discover you don't have the notion you need to go on. Today it was velcro. Ah darn that velcro!!!

Today I cut out another bag for the sweat shopp swap . I had made the needed 5 but ended up giving one away so I had to replace it. I used the left over black and white "face" fabric from one of the messenger bags I made. I should have that finished tommorow. I was working on Butterick5006( the circular needle holder) when I ran into the velcro problem, so I decided to do some of the steps out of order. I also though it might be fun to add ribbon trim to each ofthe pockets. I have a pretty good cololection of ribbon from my scarbook projects. Most pieces are pretty small. The perfect size to trim a pocket though.

Hope everyone had a good weekend.

Thursday, March 08, 2007

I love my bag

I finished my bag. Butterick 3420 View B. The pictures are in the wrong order and the color is way off. The bag is a dark teal and black. I need one of thoes super cool cameras that takes good pictures. Here is a picture of the linning. A fun cooton print. There is a little pocket inside.
It has a zipper closure.

Here is the front. I decided to add the beaded fringe. It's black and greyish. It looks purple in the picture but it isn't . I put bonning in the handle to make it stiff. The bag is very small 8 inches long by 5 inches tall. Now I just need a little black dress and some new shoes.


finished, almost finished and sorta finished

Flannel pajamas

Ok, so.. I started a lot of things at the begining of the week and now I'm starting to finish them up. The Pj's are really just to use a pattern from my stash as well as some pretty flannel I had in my stash. It matches the t-shirt I made the other day really well. The shirt is Burda 2953 also a stash pattern but this one I was trying out because I have a large floral print that I want to make a shirt out of. Funny thing is this shirt matches all the pieces from my SWAP wardrobe so I may put it in instead of one of the other pieces because I have mostly blue tops and this top has the brown and the tan that I used for the other skirts. I must really like these colors.
So now for the not exactly finished stage I have a handbag Butterick 3420 in a teal and black brocade that needs the top to be topstitched ( I might add beaded fringe to the top) and then I have the reversible garment for swap that needs buttons. I also started Butterick 4991 in the same teal and black brocade as the handbag but it's still sitting in the just cut pile.
Argh and thanks to Trinicity I had to go dig through my stash to find this pattern Butterick 5006. Her bag turned out soo cute. I didn't even buy this pattern it was a gift from a friend who wants me to make her the Circular needle case for her birthday. I stuck it in the pattern box and forgot about it. I didn't have any love for it.
Just goes to show what the right fabric will do for a pattern. I'm not planning on starting this one soon though. Hopefully I will get all these things done this weekend. I'm working tommorow so no sewing.

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

new book

Last night I had to run to the store to get a zipper for a bag I'm working on as well as some bonning for the handle. I decided to look at the bookstore while I was at it. I love books and have a hard time not comming home with a new one. But since I haven't bought any new patterns I think I deserve a book. I bought this one. The impatient Beader gets inspired. I've looked at others in this same series but I relaly like this one. I have a ton of beading supplies but haven't done any in over a year. I used to make jewelry for my mom and aunt and friends for birthdays and special ocations but I got so caught up in sewing I put it aside. This book is fun because it has other crafty projects as well as jewelry. I hate it when I buy a book and then can't find the materials that they used for the projects, but this looks like it uses pretty normal stuff. It also has a good list of resources in the back.
I have several sewing projects that I cut out over the last few days and dinner cooking in a crock pot so I hope to get lot's done today. Unless I get destracted by my new book and have to go start something new.

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Thanks mom for teaching me to sew

I had a job interview today and afterwards I was feeling less then confidant so I decided to have some fun and go look at what's in the stores. I also wanted to try on some of the new styles that I had bought patterns for. I have t Vogue 2947 but I'm not sure it's me. So I wanted to find something in that style to try on. I was able to find two tops that were very similar to view A. They actually look pretty cute on. Both of the ones I tried on were sheer with a tank or cami underneath so you still see the waistline without it looking like a maternity top. I also tried on a couple of tops similar to simplicity 4072 or Newlook 6677 both were in fun knit type fabrics. I liked these too, except that one was way too low. I own new look 6677 so I may try it on some buttermilkI bought from EOS.
The other thing I saw alot of in the stores, were cropped jackets. I've never been a big fan of the cropped jacket but maybe they are growing on me.



This jacket from Neiman marcus is $352 . It's a cotton poly Brocade. How about the top for $242. Well when I first saw this I thought of the new Sew Stylish magazine and pattern 3867. The jacket looks practically identical to the one in the mag. So you could buy the pattern even at full price $15.95 (although I usually get them 1/2 price) then you will need 1 1/8 yards of fabric. Let's get wild and spend $20 on th efabric. you'll need a little piece of interfacing and some thread so hmmm $3. (Although chances are good you have interfacing scraps and maybe even the thread). So let's round up and say it's $40 to make it. Know doubt it could be done in way less. Hmm $352 or $40. And you get to say I made it. And the top...You could probably use that same pattern. This jacket is cute it's also from Nieman marcus . It' $ 370. It reminds me a little of anoter new Vogue pattern. The collar is different and the sleeves are too. You might be able to find a better match Vogue 2942.
Here is one a little less pricey. I actually tried this one on at Gottschalks. It's a Liz claiborne $139. poly rayon spandex. It has the swing back ? If I were going to wear this I would wear it with something very slim underneath. I think it makes you look wide. McCalls 5276 would be a good match for this.
So what's my point? I didn't buy anything and I'm so glad I know how to sew because I can have all 3 or 4 of these garments and not spend.... are you ready..$1103.00
So thanks mom, for teaching me to sew, when I was little.
(Day 6, I haven't bought any new patterns.)

Sunday, March 04, 2007

sewing goals

Last week Stacy at Stacy sews posted a sewing goal. I thought this was a good idea, it keeps you focused and reminds you of what you should be doing rather then what you want to be doing.
I had posted on her blog that I wanted to finish the white Simplicity top 3867 (UFO) and tract the jalie top as well as finish the blue wrap top that I was working on. Well, I didn't do to bad. I looked at the white top then put it back in the pile but, not only did I trace the Jalie pattern I finished all but the hem. Then the wrap top is also done except for the hem.
So, for this week I need to hem.
I think I started the jalie t-shirt on the first. I'll have to go check. If I did it counts towards pattern stash.
I'm thinking this week I might take a short rest from SWAP sewing, I'm almost done anyway.
Id really like to make a dress. I'll either do the Banana republic knock off or the McCalls wrap dress.
I also whant to get a etsy shop set up.

OHHHH maybe I'll start a quilt instead.

Friday, March 02, 2007

my new skirt



I was trying to cut out a jacket for my Mom but I ran into a little complication. My pattern weight is too big.


I was able to finish my skirt though, and I posted a review on
Pattern Review. I was also the first person to post in the pattern stash report. That's pretty neat.
Now for some laundry and floor cleaning.

Thursday, March 01, 2007

Pattern diet

I put myself on a pattern diet. I don't really have a huge collection of patterns but I have a pile on my desk of patterns that "I wanted to sew next" and then something else came up. So I joined the Pattern stash contest on PR in hopes of encouraging me not to buy any new patterns and use the ones I have. Sounds like a good idea right? The contest runs fromMarch 1 untill April 30. I am allowing myself 1 emergency pattern purchase a month during that time. This is mostly because I have 2 pregnant friends and several birthdays in that time period.

Sewing news: I made a t-shirt from Jalie 2566 but I need to finish finish the neck and hems. I want to use the coverstitch on my serger to do it but I was having some trouble getting it to work right. I'm sure I'm doing something wrong. I''ll have to look at the online video again.

I also sarted Burda 8216 in a light weight denim. ( Pattern stash) I think this is going to replace the brown rayon skirt in SWAP. It would be perfect for teaching summer school because of the big pockets. I always seem to have a bunch of" stuff "I'm holding for my students.