Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Jacket for SWAP mabe?

So this afternoon I used this Fabric ( stripe) to cut out this pattern.( Kwik sew). I was having a hard time deciding on what size to cut because there were several review that said it was too big and some that said it was too small. I looked at the pattern pieces for the measurements and was going by that but then went ahead and made the bigger size. I want to be able to wear layers underneath it. I could always take in the side seams a bit if I need too.
I might use this for SWAP if it turns out well. It matches everything except the plaid skirt, you know the one from yesterday. It's still in pieces.

Awhile ago I bought this fbric. I loved it when I saw it. It's totally funky. It's a stretch twill, denim weight. I still love it but I have since then chickened out of making it into anything. It's such a big print in such a crazy color combo. Today after starting my denim jacket I started to think about this fabric. Maybe I could use it to make another jacket if this one turns out. Maybe if I cut the fabric up It wouldn't be so WOW. I also though that maybe a skirt would be better then I could tone it down with a solid tee. I still really love this fabric but.....will I wear it?

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

need a new pattern

Today I worked on another skirt for SWAP. I just need to let it hang and then I will hem it tommorow. This one is a brown rayon skirt. That will make 3 skirts done. I also workied on my wool plaid skirt for SWAP but make a huge mistake when cutting so we'll see what happens with that.
I was looking at the fabrics I had purchased last week and decided
I need this pattern kwik sew 2895 to use with my stripe twill . I was looking at the Vogue jean jacket, but after reading all the reviews on PR I am going with the Kwik sew.

Monday, January 29, 2007

Well it was bound to happen, Ive been tagged.
It works like this:
1. someone tags you
2. you post five things about yourself that you haven’t already mentioned on your blog
3. you tag 5 people you’d like to know more about

Hmmmm 5 things
1. I have never seen snow.
2. I have lived in California my whole life. In fact I have only lived in three different cities/ towns.
3. I absolutely LOVE mint chip ice cream.
4. I learned to sew when I was really little. My mom used to sew all the time, and I assumed everybody new how to sew.
5. I married my high school boyfriend.

Now I'm off to tag someone, 5 someones.

Ohh I almost forgot Burdastyle has a new forum up, you should go check it out.

I didn't do any sewing today, I'm feeling yucky.

Sunday, January 28, 2007

taking a minute to post some pictures

Here is my green knit top (Vogue 8151) I left the side scrunching off, and that's the bag from "Quilts and More" magazine. Stacy made this bag awhile ago and I loved it so I made one. It just so happens it matches the green knit I was going to sew this weekend. I should probably take a picture of it hanging up or being warn so you get a better view. I have a cream tee shirt on the hanger under the wrap top. I put the buttons on my first pin cushion and made another. The 2nd one I used embroidery floss to wrap it.

Back to sewing.

Saturday, January 27, 2007

working through the list

Well let's see how th day went.
Here is the plan:
1. Sew the bottons on my pin cushion. DONE
2. I'd like to make two more but that should probably wait. MADE ONE
3. I am going to make the purse from quilts and more. DONE
4. Make a knit top in green ( Vogue 8151 wrap top)NEED TO HEM, THEN DONE
5. go through my swap fabrics again and revise my plan. LOOKED AT PANT PATTERNS FROM STASH
6. Pick my next swap piece and start it. CUT OUT SKIRT #3 Brown Rayon. Simplicity 4500
Last week I bought Kwik sew 3497( new pattern) and today I found a white knit fabric in my stash to use.

I also did lots of laundry, changed the sheets on the bed, and bought groceries.
I also worked on my pirate hat, I am almost ready to start the linning.
Tommorow I will take pictures, after I finish the knit top.

Friday, January 26, 2007

Time to get back on track!

I really need to get back to my sewing for SWAP. I am so far behind now. So this weekend I'm going to really get my self organized and start making some real progress. ( I hope)
Here is the plan:
1. Sew the bottons on my pin cushion.
2. I'd like to make two more but that should probably wait.
3. I am going to make the purse from quilts and more.
4. Make a knit top in green, it matches the purse. If this pattern works I'll make another for SWAP
5. go through my swap fabrics again and revise my plan. ( I have bought several new fabrics since the original plan)
6. Pick my next swap piece and start it.

Hopefully buy Monday I'll be back on track.

Thursday, January 25, 2007

how to make the cube pin cushion

So, there are several tutorials online for making the round pincushion with the buttons in the center. (round pin cushion) but I want to make the cube one so how do you do that? Well it turns out it's almost the same. Some of the pictures are yuck so I will try to replace them with better ones.

I am using two fabrics but I think the next one I will use four. Cut out 4 squares from each fabric that are 2 1/2 inches, you need 8 squares total. If you want a bigger or small cushion change the size of the square.
Now take one of each fabric place the right sides together and sew along one side using a 1/4 seam. Press it open. repeat for all your squares. next lay two pairs right sides together and alternating the print the sew along the lond side press open. repeat for the 2nd set.
Make two of these, one for the top and one for the bottom.
Next place your two pieced squares right sides together. I wanted my fabrics to match so that it looked like four cubes sewn together but you could do it the other way if you wanted.
Now sew around the four sides leaving an opening so you can fit a finger in there and also so you can turn it.
Now its time to make the mitered corners. with the wrong sides still facing you, you want to flatten the corner so that the two side seams lay on top of each other. It makes a point. Measure down about an inch or so and put in a pin. This distance is what decides how tall your cuchion will be. Do you want it shorter, then meke it more like a 1/2 inch. Just be sure all four corners are the same. Then you will sew across this spot, be sure to backstitch.
Here it is with all four corners done, before it is turned out.
Turn it right side out, Be sure to really poke thos corners so that it is a cube. Here it is not stuffed.
Then stuff it. Next chase it away from the cat. I went to find the a needle and thread and my cushion was gone. Aparently these make great cat toys too. Maybe put some catnip in there although Sydney likes it just fine without. Now hand sew that little opening closed.
The last step is to take a needle and thread and sinch it up. Cut a longggggg piece of thread double it, thread it into a long needle and poke the needle through the very center of the bottom. Bring the needle up into the center of the top now go around the cushion and bring it back up through the bottom. Continue to go into the bottom and out through the top always going along a side seam. The tighter you pull the more thoes lines show.

Now all you need is a button or two or three. I don't have any cute ones so I'll have to find some. I'm also wondering if using embroidery floss for that last part would be more fun?
Have fun!! I'd love to see what others do with this.

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

fabric pictures mostly

G is sick. She came home from school yesterday looking icky. Then today I had to go pick her up early from school. Unfortuanately she has had so many big projects do this week, it's a bad time to not feel well. The end of the quarter is tommorow so she's just trying to make it through tonight and tommorow then she has friday off. I wish these middle school teachers didn't wait untill the end to pile everything on. What are you suppose to do if you get sick?

I have decided to get rid of the red sherpa jacket. It's so not me. It's too big and the more I look at it the more I don't like it. I know someone who loves it so I think I'll just pass it on to her. I have so many other projects to finish sewing. I don't really want to spend the time trying to alter it. So now onto all the photos I promised. I'll start with the best. My fabric from EOS.

My purchase from Emma One sock. Are you jealous? I just love these. The one on top is a stripe cotton light weight denim in Blues and brown. It matches my SWAP wardrobe so well that I may replace my plaid and use this instead. I love it, I have no idea what I'm going to do with it yet. The one onm the bottom is a totally cool sweater knit. I have never sewn on anything like this but again I love it. It's not even a fabric I would have normally bought but for some reason it called to me and I'm so glad I bought it. It's way better in person. So what should I do with that? I only have a yard and a half. I think.
Here is my leather like fabric from Joanns. I want to make a purse out of it. I don't really want to make the la rue bag again. I'm thinking something more fun. Any suggestions? This is my fabric purchase from Joanns last weekend. The embroidered leather stuff on the bottom, a teal poly suede on the right ( I'm thinking button down shirt) the brown poly suede on top has and embroidered edge ( skirt simplicty 4500) the one in the back is the wool. Everything was on sale 70% off.
This is a wool blend I bought at Joanns also. It's a really nice piece of fabric. It's hard to see it but there is a tiny stripe to it. I'd like to make these pants.


This is the fabric my mom picked out for a jacket. It's really hard to get a good picture of it. It's a poly suede like embroidered brown fabric with a few sequins here and there.

Monday, January 22, 2007

I'm so behind.

I had a nice weekend but now I'm behind on everything. I'll have to really be productive this week and get caught up. First a huge giant Thank you to Stacy , (she knows why.) I have the perfect fabric for this.

Now while I was gone this weekend some patterns and fabric followed me home.
New Look 6674, 6407 and Simplicity 4500 and 4698. 4698 doesn't count though because my mom actually bought that one. She wants me to make her a jacket I'll post pict's tommorow.
I bought this totally fun faux leather embroidered fabric that I love. i'm going to make a bag out of it but haven't decided on the style yet. I also found a great wool blend that will make a fantastic pair of pants. Then there was the suade like teal fabric that is perfect for a SWAP top and the fabric with the emboidered edge perfect for a skirt. The best part was everything was 70% off so I didn't pay more then $4 a yard on anything.
Then my order from Emma one sock came and it's so much better then I thought. I LOOVVEE her fabric. So I may be making some changes to my swap plan. I sure hope I don't get tired of these colors before I actually wear the clothes.
Pictures tommorow ad hopefully some sewing and knitting time.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

pictures.

This hat is so much fun to knit. I think I'm going to look for other two color hat patterns. I didn't have anytime to knit today, hopefully I will tonight while I watch CSI.


The third Any Butler bag is still not done but here is a in the works picture. Don't you love this fabric.



This is a piece of Amy Butler fabric I'm thinking about making the bag that Stacy made at her blog.
this is that great Japanese fabric from Amy Butler. I have already started cutting it up. I couldn't resist. There is a piece of crazt ribbon laying in there too.
This will be my last post untill Monday. I am going out of town for the next three days. Tommorow I am going to the Embroidery Screenprint and then this weekend I will be visiting family. Hope everyone has a great and productive weekend.

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

happy day

The pirates are comming along very nicely. I'm on row 29 and much to my amazement I am actually learning the pattern so the next hat should go very quickly.
Today my Burda wof magazine came and I was sooo excited. I have been waiting since october.
Also in the mail from netflix was the last dvd for season 2 project runway. G and I had to watch it and see who won right away. Then there was the new Instyle magazine, which I will take with me this weekend when I go out of town. I also got the Amy Butler Decorator weight fabric that I have anxiously been waiting for. Its made in Japan and its so cool. I'm thinking bags. I couldn't afford to buy very much of it sosmell projects with other fabrics worked in are my plan.
I need to get back to SWAP sewing! I also need to finish the 3rd Amy Butler messenger bag. It's time to get back on track but with all these new goodies it will be hard.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

we call them pirates.

I started the hat last night after searching and searching for my vogue knitting book that seems to have vanished. I needed it to look up how to do a provisional cast on. I finally gave up and did a search online where I found a few different versions of this cast on. I used the one at Stitch Divas because to me it seemed to be the quickest. I decided I was going to use the two handed method of knitting this hat. I hold the white in my right hand and knit my everyday way then I hold the black in my left hand and try to knit continental. I have never been able to knit continental, for some reason I can't keep the yarn on my left hand and I tend to swoop in the wrong direction so my stitches end up on the needle backwards. BUT after a few rough goes I'm starting to get better at it, I'm still feeling awkward about holding that left yarn but the knitting looks good. I also think the fact that I am learning how to knit this way helps keep my tension from getting to tight where the yarn is carried in the back. I'm actually really happy with the way it is turning out and it's pretty fast to knit. I'm on row 15 already and I haven't spent much time working on it.
In sewing news while working on my third messenger bag I forgot to sew the back pocket on. I didn't realize my error untill I was sewing the linning together. Opps, so I added it as a inside pocket instead.

Monday, January 15, 2007

cat bed has been tested and approved


He fits in it much better when he is curled up and asleep but he seems to really like it. It's always nice to knit something for someone who enjoys it.

So today I went in search of the Quilts and more magazine but wasn't able to find it anywhere. I wanted to make the purse that stacy has on her blog at stacey sews. (how do people put the cool links on a blog page ?) I still think there was a Vogue pattern just like that a few years ago but I can't get to the rest of my patterns at the moment to check.
In knitting news I did get some yarn to make the pirate hat. I'm goin with the black and white for my first one and I was able to find a video on how to do stranded color work at Knitting help.com so now it's time to swatch. Hopefully by tommorow I will have a working gauge.

Sunday, January 14, 2007

is it a cat bed or a hat?

So despite the cold weather the cat bed dried just fine. I'm really happy with the way it turned out. It's so much nicer then the first one I made. Well except that the first one the colors are more harmonious, this one I was just using up odd balls of Knit picks wool of the andes.
Here is G who no matter how old she gets can't resist the temptation of wearing things on her head.


This is the inside of the bed. Look at how nice the sides actually stand up and hold there shape. My first one was droopy. Also this one the sides turn out more like a bowl and the first one they curved in I guess like a nest.


Cat bed from ther outside. The colors are a bit festive.

This is Sydney the proud owner of the new bed. Hopefully I won't have to clean cat hair off the black chair once he has his own spot. There is always the posibbility that Kat will decide the new bed is hers and he will be stuck with the old one.


I wonder if I have enough left overs for another one.

another cold day

Today I am making stew so the whole house smells like food. I am also trying to clear some of the piled up projects off of my sewing area so I can sew faster. Or at least not loose my pieces while I am sewing. G is finishing up her board for the science fair and D is working on the computer. So it's a nice quiet day, the perfect sunday.
Last night I finished knitting the cat bed for Sydney, so I was able to felt it this moarning and now its sitting outside trying to dry. I will probably end up bringing it inside and putting it by the heater but I don't like that wet wool smell so I was hoping I could at least dry it alittle outside. Normally here in Californina it's no problem to dry it outside but it's been so cold lately I'm not sure it will dry out there.
Not that I need a new project but I have joined this knitalong. pirates We call them pirates. I don't know if I will make it for G or D but I'm sure they would both love it.

Friday, January 12, 2007

Happiness is a warm coat and some cake

Today I cut out the pattern pieces for my jacket. This jacket is for the RTW knock off contest I am using McCalls 5194 and then changing a few things. I have this cotton twill, it's a pretty close weight to my velveteen that I am using for the final jacket. I bought several yards of it last year at wallmart for $3. At the time I was thinking about using it as muslin for some pants I wanted to try and make but I never got around to them so I'm using it to try out my jacket. If it turns out well I will try some machine embroidery on it. Actually even if it turns out bad I may try some machine embroidery.


This is my Simplicity 4112 top that I cut out last week for SWAP. I was having trouble with the collar so I set it aside, looking back at it today I think I cut the collar out wrong. Unfortunatly I don't have any extra of the fabric. It was a $2 a yard special. I don't love the fabric but I do really like the color. What I will probably do is just keep going and then make it again in a nice fabric. I love how the sleeves look in the pattern so I hope they turn out well. I am going to try to return to this projects this weekend.




The red sherpa coat was quick to sew but it's too big. I need to take in the sides as well as cut down the front. I also need to pick out some buttons. It's nice to have that fabric out of the stash box but I don't want it to turn into a UFO.

Last night G brought home the hat she made in Home ec. Isn't it great when your daughter sews something. Then she decided to make something from one of the cookbooks Grandma bought her for Christmas. She picked Paula Dean's ooey goey butter cake. I felt like I had died and gone to cake heaven.

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

washing and reading

Today, I am prewashing fabrics and reading books and blogs. I am going to start on a jacket that I forgot I was going to make. I bought the fabric and pattern in 2005 (I think). I completely forgot about it untill someone mentioned making a jacket out of faux sherpa on pattern review. I remmeber I was so excited about the project when I bought the stuff. So what happen? I must have gotten busy or found something more exciting to make. So I am waiting for the fabric to dry and then I will cut out my red faux sherpa using Simplicity 5253. I also found some fabric that I had planned to turn into a skirt. I have the linning, thread, and zipper sitting there in the bag so that is getting washed next.
And incase you didn't notice I am playing with my Blog. I still can't figure out how to get the sidebar to stay on the side though ???

http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/patterns/sewingpatterns.pl?patternid=5408

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

2 items for SWAP done







The Brown skirt is a Walnut brown cordoroy, super soft feel. I love this fabric. It was on the clearence bin at Beverlys for $3 I think. I had planned on making a hat but when I washed it I discovered what a great piece of fabric is was. I didn't want to waste it on a hat. So I decided to use it for the skirt I was making. I think it came out great but
the picture is terrible. I will try again tommorow maybe outside?
The 2nd skirt I made is also corduroy but this one is a soft camel color. I have made this pattern before using wool and also cotton. It's a great pattern and easy to add a linning to.
It's Mccalls 3830.
These two skirts are part of my SWAP wardrobe as well as the "use up your stash contest" and the brown one is also a RTW knockoff.
I was also very crafty this weekend and made a set of boards with hooks and knobs for organizing my hats, scarves and handbags. They came out just they way I had imagined. I had help from D . He's very handy.
I still have not recieved the Burda World Of fashion magazine. I did get a request from Amazon for a review. I'd love to if I had the stinkin magazine. I have been waiting since October. They said sometime between November and January. ARGH!!

Saturday, January 06, 2007

sewing and reading

I have been cutting out prjects and knitting projects like crazy bu I have not finished much. I have been working on my version of this skirt
. http://www.anthropologie.com/jump.jsp?itemID=12706&itemType=PRODUCT&iSubCat=85&iMainCat=55
Now I just need to find some buttons for it. You would thnk it would be easy to find big brown plastic buttons right? Nope. So that's on hold.
I guess I could leave off the buttons but to be honest that was my favorite part of the skirt. I also have been working on a pattern for my RTW knock off jacket for PR. I think I have come up with a good plan. I have changed a few things and I'm having 2nd thought about the ruffles. Do I really want to wear ruffles? I could always make them, and lay it out then decide before I sew them on.

I purchased the new Threads magazine today it has some great articles in it. How to copy your favorite garments, Runway inspired designs, how to use a simple pattern and get different looks.
I also bought the new Vogue knitting because I fell in love with the shrug on the cover. I love the look of multiple cables.
I really don't need to start any new knitting projects. I have to finish the touch me scarf and the knitted cat bed before I start anything else.

I have been knitting while I watch the Project runway series 2 DVD's I get from Netflix. It's amazing how much knitting a person can do when glued to the TV.
Now to decide on the biggest challenge of the day.. What's for Dinner?

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Photos




Pictures of my 2nd Messenger bag one picture closed and one picture open. The striped fabric looks odd in the picture.