Dixie DIY

The Crafter's iPhone Case, or, another way to easily impress your friends

2012-01-29T18:29:00.001-06:00

By now you may have seen these puppies on the interwebs. Or maybe you haven't, in which case (no pun intended) check it out! It's a cross stitch-able iPhone case! You can make whatever design you want and show off your crafty styling to all your friends. Who really needs an Otter Box, anyway? ;)

Earlier last year you could only order these cases from poorly translated Korean websites but now they're all over the place! Well, at least two other websites that I found carry them. Justin got me this one for Christmas from Think Geek, a site that sells mostly comic book and Star Wars related chotchkies.

You have the option of blue, black and white cases (you can probably find more colors on other sites) and each come with three little embroidery thread packs and a needle. I didn't bother using their thread and instead picked from my own stash.

Not really knowing what I wanted to do I went with a simple chevron style design and mixed up my threads and stripe thicknesses.

It took a LONG time. Seriously. I don't often do cross stitch or embroidery but it seemed like this took longer than it ought to have. I could do about four full lines in an hour. Believe me, I caught up with both seasons of Downton Abbey working on this thing. Part of the reason is that unlike cross stitching or embroidering on cloth you can't go around stabbing your needle in all willy-nilly. You have to find the designated hole and slip the needle in. Come at it at an angle and your needle dives into plastic and you have to try again. Precision takes time.

Watch out for your tied off knots on the back. One of my sides was so full of bulging knots that now the case doesn't fully "hug" the phone on the left side and I find myself constantly trying to push it down correctly.

Also, my now purple hair has rubbed off onto the white plastic staining it slightly. But don't think that just because you've got nice normal hair that you're exempt. I've had cases like this before so I should have known better that to buy the white but anything that is on your hands or face will get on the phone case and dingy it up - makeup, ink on your fingers, hand dirt, dye from your jeans pocket. I've even had lining fabric from a new purse rub off on cases before. You might have better luck with the black or blue but eventually that plastic will discolor.

What's cool about these cases is that if you get bored you could rip everything off and start again. With so much use the threads are bound to get dirty over time. But since this design took me ages to do I think I'll keep it for awhile.

Sneak Peak, or, the longest paint job of all time

2012-01-27T11:31:00.000-06:00

This is a photo of my sewing room partially painted. I could have just picked one color like a normal person, but no, I had to go for some crazy stripe idea with four colors with lots of measuring and taping. And it's really cutting into my sewing time.

I have two walls finished and are drying. Today I'm shoving all the stuff back on those two walls so I can move the furniture on the other two walls away. I only moved a few things out of the room completely. Luckily I haven't spilled any paint on anything so far!

I can only paint two stripes at a time because of the tape lines so it makes thing slower than normal. And I just realized I'm probably going to need more paint. Ugh.

This is why I kept putting off painting - I use that room so much that now I've migrated fabric cutting to the dining room and if I do want to sew I have to go back and forth down the hall between two rooms.

Needless to say I'm a little annoyed. Part of me wants to finish this dang dress and part of me wants to finish painting so then neither thing gets done and instead I blog.

On the other hand it does make me appreciate more that I have my own sewing room and that it is no longer the dining room. I bet most of you have had the dining room as a sewing room at one point in your lives. I think a lot of sewers must eat at the coffee table. ;)

***Do you have a sewing room/studio/cabinet/alcove/dining room? How do you make it your own? Do you think I'm crazy for trying to paint in such a tiny room without removing all the furniture? Did I just answer my own question by asking it?

Learning a New Skill, or, an iDye Review

2012-01-25T16:06:00.000-06:00

I've been sewing for well over 8 years now but can you believe that I've never dyed fabric before? Well, it's true. And I feel like it is something I should have done by now. How hard could it be? Plus I'm sure it's fun. AND I found this cool video on using turmeric (yes, the spice) to dye fabric! I'm not sure I'm at the point to try that but it is pretty cool and all natural.

I have some good old fashion white batiste and some crochet lace that I want to use for lining for my Darling Ranges Dress. I want the lace to just peep out from under my skirt when it's all finished but I want the lining and lace to be closer in color to my shell fabric so I decided to dye it.

Not a problem, right? Just go to the store, buy some Rit and follow the directions on the box.

When I got to the store I was a little disapointed with the Rit selection in orange and yellow (the shade range I was looking for). Only two colors. That's when I saw the iDye packets hanging on a rack.

iDye intrigued me for two reasons: it had many more color offerings and I could just pop the whole thing in the washing machine. No need for a giant pot on the stove or a bucket and a big mess. Perfect for a first time dyer!

If there was a downside to this brand it is that, although the packaging is nice and pretty, the photo of liquid dye is a little confusing. Some colors feature pictures with a large gradient of light and dark shades in the color. Well, which is it? When I buy "Crimson" am I getting a bright red or a deep burgundy? With "Golden Yellow" am I getting mustard or orange?

I bought Deep Orange and thought "We'll just see how this goes."

So lets get started. I popped open the packet to find a little plastic pouch with deep colored dye in it. So far so good.

The directions for a front load washer say to pop in everything all at once - fabric, dye packet and 1 cup of salt (for cotton). Set the water on hot and high agitation.

Immediately you can see the water turn orange.

I did an extra rinse cycle just to be safe and dried the lace and fabric in the dryer.

Here's the final result after ironing. Not too shabby. The batiste resembles an orange sorbet color. The lace is much bolder than the fabric but it is also thicker and wasn't as white as the batiste to begin with. The orange picks up on the deeper shades in my printed fabric for my dress (which you will get to see later).

Yay! What an easy introduction to dying. So if you are a dye newbie give iDye a try. You can also use it on the stove top if you don't have a washer at home but the washing machine method is pretty simple and I liked the finished color. I bought mine at Joann and the cost wasn't that much more than Rit. They even have a line of colors specifically for polyester fabrics.

***Have you dyed fabric before? Have you ever tried using natural dyes (spices, wine?) Any tips for my future dye endeavors?

Independent Sewing Pattern Companies, or, Adding Way Too Much to my To-Do List

2012-01-23T18:10:00.000-06:00

One of my sewing resolutions this year was to support indie pattern designers but that idea also needs to fit in with my other resolutions - like sewing clothes to fill gaps in my wardrobe. These are just a few that I plan on making.

Megan Neilson - Darling Ranges Dress

I love Megan, she's Australian living in the USA and she's just so darn cute with her skirts and her curly hair. She already has a line of maternity patterns but this dress is the first of hopefully many designs based on designs from her clothing line. This meets my "filling out my wardrobe" requirement as it is a dress but also relaxed enough to throw on and look cute. Longer sleeves means it works for multiple seasons and I can be lazy and not shave. Omg, don't you just have those days when you do not feel like trying to look good? I'd say that's 50% of my life. I love easy-cute! I've already begun cutting pieces out!

Victory Patterns - Lola Dress

I've made the Anouk dress and this is next on my list. It fits a few requirements like the Darling Ranges dress - it is a dress and has long sleeves. It also is part of my resolutions to try new styles I wouldn't normally gravitate towards. I have a slightly fear of wearing a dress without a defined waist because I think it's going to make me look like a balloon. Like I'm not skinny enough to pull it off, which is ridiculous thinking. So making a dress that isn't even cinched in with a belt is new territory for me.

Pattern Runway - Scalloped Hem Shorts

It gets hot in Texas. Like melting-the-skin-off-your-face hot. It's a fact of life that I need shorts and I'd really want some cute ones without a ridiculously low waist which I am veering away from style-wise. These have a higher waist and a cute curved detail.

Salme Patterns - Loose fitting pleated t-shirt

I need more nice, solid tone, easy to wear tops in my wardrobe that aren't as casual as t-shirts. The pleats are interesting but not overwhelming. I'm thinking a nice black silk?

Sewaholic - Minoru Jacket

I love Sewaholic and Tasia's designs even if some of her designs aren't my own style or wouldn't be practical for my wardrobe as it is right now. I do love her new jacket pattern which I could easily make for Texas' mild winter. I desperately need a solid color jacket. All of my coats/outerwear are plaid! I'm thinking navy because that goes with everything, right? Unfortunately with 65 degree days I may put this coat on the back burner until fall with hopes that next winter will be colder.

Colette Patterns - Clover

I also desperately need more pants! I like that these are ankle length or cropped and they're simple enough to adapt in many ways. I'm hoping I can use these to perfect my fit after the disaster that was the Jeans from Hell.

Honorable Mentions to Paper Cut Patterns - I love their designs but I just can't justify spending $30 on a pattern right now.

***Can you recommend any other good companies out there that I've missed? Have you tried any of the above designs? And a note to all you pattern designers - I'd love a good blazer pattern, pretty please!

Self Drafted Sweatshirt Jacket, or In Other News, I now have Purple Hair

2012-01-21T13:15:00.002-06:00

I made this jacket partially as a contributor challenge on the Sew Weekly (in case you haven't heard yet, the Sew Weekly has opened up the floodgates and is allowing anyone to contribute a project for each weekly challenge!) but also because from my Closet Catalogue I knew I needed (and wanted) more jackets! So excuse me is much of this post is taken from my Sew Weekly post.

This jacket was originally inspired by a stylish friend’s heather knit jacket but it has since morphed into something else entirely.

I began with a sketch, started piecing bits together here and there and kind of making it up as I went along. I changed pieces in places in mid sewing - like the angle of the lower pieces on the front. Since I really didn't know what I was doing I made several mistakes, especially in trying to figure out how to put in those darn pockets. This all resulted in much hand sewing!

The extra long cuffs along with extra buttons were made out of necessity. See, I had a bunch of this sweatshirt material deep in my stash but I had very few big sections. Luckily I also had a failed dress and a shirt that I had previously made with this fabric so with everything together I had enough to cut out all the necessary pieces.

I didn’t have any piece long enough for a full sleeve so I chopped off the quarter length sleeves from the old shirt and added these long cuffs.

The body of the jacket itself has princess seams with sections at the bottom that have pockets hidden into the seam.

Since the knit fabric was so bulky I couldn’t for the life of me get my automatic buttonhole foot to work! It ended up stretching the fabric instead of moving it so I had to use a regular foot and manually make all 8 buttonholes. After all that work I just made the buttons on the pockets decorative. ;)

And in other news - I have purple hair! I thought that might be something fun to do this year. I probably won't have it purple for too long so I want to enjoy it while I can.

And in other other news - I just wanted to say how much I appreciate all you readers who have been coming to my blog or following. I don't always get the chance to respond to every comment but I want you to know I do read them and often I visit your blogs, too, even if I don't get the chance to regularly share the comment love at your place. Anyone with a blog reader list, even one that is relatively small, knows how fast that reader can explode with posts (I can never seem to catch up!) so know, that even if I don't comment often I do follow a lot of your blogs and read regularly. And thanks for reading here, too.

Closet Catalogue Pt 2

2012-01-17T18:55:00.001-06:00

Yesterday I posted the results of my Closet Catalogue where I counted and categorized every piece of wearable clothing I own (with a few exceptions) with the hopes of learning about my style, my needs, and what I should sew next. It's really eye opening!

Here's what I learned:

I definitely have a few items that I wear more often than others like my one pair of Gap skinny jeans and this loose fit printed t-shirt which is super comfy for hot summers (aka, every day of my life). I also wear another slightly dressy t-shirt often and in the summer I practically live in one pair of jean shorts (even though I don't totally love the style, they're just convenient). I get plenty of use out of a couple sweaters and a couple blazers especially when it's not cold enough for a coat. Of the dresses I've probably worn my Anouk dress more often since I've made it than any other dress I own.

(most worn top)

Clothes I wear the least:

Sleeveless anything - because I'm lazy and sometimes I don't feel like shaving. I admit it! Don't deny that you don't feel the same!
Clothes that require extra clothes - like shirts that need a tank top underneath or skirts that need tights or leggings. Or even strapless bras. I don't want to have to track down extra clothes and make sure that they are clean.
Skirts - and I have so many!! I think this is because I am lacking in solid color tops that aren't t-shirts. I feel the need to have nicer shirts to go with skirts - that t-shirts are too plain or something. And I need black or white or solid tops because I have so many darn printed skirts.
Dresses - this is mostly due to the fact that some dresses are too nice for everyday wear. Others are sleeveless and a couple require "extra clothes" that I'm too lazy to dig through a drawer to find. Sad but true.

Gaps that need to be filled:

Long sleeves! I only have two long sleeve shirts in my whole wardrobe. One of which has gotten so much wear over the past few winters that I think my boyfriend wants to burn it and free his eyes from it. Yes, Texas winters are short but occasionally I do leave the state in the cold months.
Nice solid color tops for the above mentioned reasons. Hopefully they will encourage me to wear more skirts.
Pants. For obvious reasons. And for the fact that I love skinny jeans. They are so versatile. They can be dressed up or down; worn with heels, boots or flats; and I don't have to shave. Yay for being lazy but still looking put together.
Everyday dresses which means long enough that I don't feel self conscious, that have sleeves of some sort and aren't too low cut - another thing I hate - worrying if I'm letting it all hang out. It's less of a modesty thing and more of an annoying, fiddling with my shirt, thing. Since I don't have a dress code for work I don't need dark colored shift dresses but I don't want something so casual that I look like a slob. I need cute and comfy dresses that are no fuss.
More blazers - because I really love them but one is showing a little age, one is too hot for winter, one is tight in the arms and my favorite one is denim so I can't wear it with jeans or I risk the Texas tuxedo effect.
A solid color coat. I have one but it's more of a jacket and I don't really like the style of it. I just wear it out of necessity when I don't want plaid on plaid or plaid on stripe since my other coats are plaid.

"Church Appropriate" dresses - this was a need that I think I may have filled. I don't go to church except with family on major holidays - aka Easter and Christmas. Most of my dresses I felt like they weren't church appropriate. All my fancy dresses were either strapless, sleeveless, not the right season(too dark/light) or too fancy or too casual. Now that I made my Macaron dress last year I think I have a good Easter dress and my Anouk dress with its long sleeves and floral makes for a good Christmas dress. Sweet! Something I can check off the list!

So what does this mean for future sewing projects? Well, I'm going to try to pick patterns and fabric that meet my needs. I'm going to stop buying patterns for fancy dresses that I'll never have an occasion to wear. I'm going to clear out my closet of the unwanted items. I'm going to make more of an effort to wear items I like but don't utilize as often as I should. And I'm going to get more use out of every new item I make because I know it will fit my style and my needs and I'll love it!

***I hope this has inspired you to do a closet catalogue of your own (and now I know of some who already have!). It really doesn't take that long. Just go through your closet, then your drawers and finally your dirty laundry. It's a perfect thing to do while you're doing laundry anyway. If you're really ambitious you could take a picture of every clothing item to help you create new outfits you might not have tried. Needless to say, I'm not that ambitious. ;)

Closet Catalogue - Sewing Resolutions

2012-01-16T15:14:00.001-06:00

As I mentioned in my sewing resolutions post for 2012 one challenge (and possibly the most important) was to catalogue my entire wardrobe. This serves a few purposes - one to get a good grasp on the clothes I have, figure out what I wear often and what I never wear, questions why some clothes don't get worn, and discover gaps in my wardrobe and fill them with handmade clothes!

This may not be compelling blogging to everyone but I highly recommend doing your own catalogue! You'll learn so much about your own style, why you're hanging on to old clothes you don't wear, and if you sew, what you need to make to have a satisfying closet experience. ;)

So this is my catalogue. What I didn't include were clothes I haven't worn in over a year or more (which really, why am I keeping these anyway??), accessories (scarves, tights, jewelry, shoes), exercise wear, pajamas, lounging and work clothes that I'd never leave the house in anyway.

So that leaves normal clothes that I wear on a daily basis, season specific clothes and fancy stuff that I would wear given an opportunity but I wouldn't wear it to the grocery store.

I organized everything by item type and then sub categorized them by attribute (black, white, print, stripe, plaid, long sleeve, sleeveless, etc), whether or not I need something to go with it (undershirt for a see-through top, leggings for a super miniskirt), and if it was handmade. Some items fit into many attribute categories (like a handmade, striped skirt that needs leggings, or a printed strapless dress that needs a sweater).

I made a simple spread sheet and marked an X in every applicable category. Here are the results:

I have 16 dresses, of which 7 are handmade, only one has long sleeves, 4 are sleeveless or strapless, 3 need something to go with it (one dress I have needs both leggings 'cause it's short and an undershirt because it has a deep v-neck), and 3 are for fancy occasions like a nice party or nighttime wedding. 3 solid color, 10 print, 1 stripe, 1 plaid.
17 blouses, of which 10 are handmade, only one has long sleeves, 3 are sleeveless, and 3 need undershirts. 1 solid color, 3 white, 9 print 4 plaid.
18 t-shirts or knit tops, or which 4 are handmade, only one has long sleeves, 2 are sleeveless, and 1 needs an undershirt. 6 solid color, 2 black, 3 white, 5 print, 2 stripe.
6 jackets/blazers and 3 are handmade. 2 solid color, 1 black, 1 print, 1 denim, 1 stripe.
5 sweaters and only one is handmade and only two have full long sleeves. 1 black, 1 navy, 1 gray with stripes, 1 brown, 1 white.
4 tank tops which are mostly used as undershirts. 1 black, 1 gray, 2 white.
3 pairs of pants, one pair are handmade and they are all jeans! The handmade pair are black and the other two are blue.
3 pairs of shorts, of which one are handmade, one are denim, 2 are solid color.
16 skirts, of which 11 are handmade. 4 solid color, 2 black, 1 white, 6 print, 3 stripe.
3 coats/jackets and one is handmade. 2 plaid, one solid color.
1 pair of gray leggings that are handmade.

Altogether I have 91 pieces of clothing that are at least somewhat regularly worn. 37 are handmade which makes about 40% of my total wardrobe. Just knowing how much of my wardrobe is handmade is pretty interesting in itself, I think.

***Tomorrow I'll talk about what I learned from all this counting and how it will affect my sewing for this year! Be prepared - it's going to be a pretty long list!

One Yard Wonders - Orangizer Wallet

2012-01-12T21:25:00.000-06:00

I've already made something from this awesome book!

I like making wallets. Even though I already have a bunch of handmade ones I just love sewing all the little pockets and feeling organized when I finish.

I wanted to make this wallet because my old oilcloth wallet I was using was getting torn up and the magnetic snap wallet had ripped through the oilcloth. I intended to re-use the magnetic snap on this new wallet but the darn snap was so strong that it practically ripped this fabric, too! So I ditched the snap and used a big button instead.

Maybe the magnetic snap will worth with super thick heavy duty fabrics but for now I'm sticking that thing far back in my notions box.

I followed all the directions except for the zipper instalation. I didn't want the raw edges of the zipper exposed even inside the zip pocket so I stitched the zipper in between the front and lining piece, rather than behind both pieces.

Otherwise the wallet went together pretty smoothly. I love quick little projects like this!

The fabric is leftover from this little girl's dress. I'm on a roll with stash busting lately!!

***Oh, and guess what?? At my monthly sewing meet up last week one of the lovely ladies (who also loves this book) suggested that we form a new kind of book club - a sewing book club. Basically it means that each month or so the group picks a sewing/craft project book. We then later all meet together and show off and review projects made from that book. We're starting with One Yard Wonders: Fabric by Fabric. If that one goes well I'm thinking the new Colette Sewing Handbook would be fun to do next. But I need help! I need to come up with a nifty name for our book club - something that incorporates sewing and books. I'm not good at name picking. So give me your ideas and let me blatantly plagiarize you!! Many thanks in advance!

The Jeans from Hell Return

2012-01-10T22:06:00.000-06:00

Did you recognize the top of these jeans from yesterday's Jasmine post? Yep - those are the Jeans from Hell!! I feel like I need some sound effects right here - like thunder and chainsaws and someone screaming.

I believe I may have salvaged them.

After getting the fit somewhat decent I trimmed and hemmed the legs, serged all the insides and top stitched the crotch line and partially down the sides, mimicking RTW jeans. I even added button loops.

I copied the back yoke and back pockets from my old busted up jeans and used those for my new jeans. Because the yoke runs cross grain I had to take the back in a little more as well.

Luckily my original waistband pieces still fit but just barely - which is odd because the pieces cut from my original pattern were way too big so why would the original waistband be too small? I'm way too confused at this point to care.

I used the front pocket pieces from the original pattern but replaces the inner pocket piece with a scrap of leftover yellow and while cotton for less bulk.

I didn't completely follow the directions for the original pattern's lapped zip but I got the same basic result. And I used a flat hook and eye for the waist band closure instead of a button.

They're not too bad if I do say so myself. They are mighty comfy and it's nice to have a pair of jeans that are black and not blue (which I already have). The only problem is that they've stretched out a bit after wearing them around all day and sitting and stretching. They're not gigantic but if they stretch out any more they might get that way.

I'll try washing them in hot water and drying them on high and then wearing them around while they're still slightly damp and hope that they'll conform more to my shape that way.

I'm proud of myself for sticking it out! I'd like to say that I'll use these pants to trace a standard pants pattern for myself but I'd honestly rather start over from scratch. With all the chopping and hacking the two legs aren't mirror images of themselves and there are still things that I'd like to change but at least they're not a super fail!

Is there a garment that you've beat yourself up about trying to fit? At what point do you throw in the towel? Or do you just keep trying no matter what??

Black and White Colette Jasmine

2012-01-09T12:02:00.002-06:00

First of all, I'd like to say that I didn't start this project with the intention of blatantly copying Colette's example of this shirt but what can I say - I wanted a classic look without a print (because I need more solid neutral tops to mix and match) and I really liked the collar and sleeves on version 2.

So I made this black and white Jasmine and I really like it! The white fabric is a smooth and silky rayon that worked well on the bias. Unfortunately it is super see-through so I have to wear a cami underneath and you can kind of see the facing as well. I'm thinking about trimming the facing down so that the collar covers up the edge.

The black collar is leftover linen from the Anouk dress I made a few days ago. Yay for stash busting!

I had never made a top on the bias before but I really like it. It skims the body and you don't need zippers or buttons or any type of clasp to put it on. Another yay! I hate unnecessary closures on tops.

Since the collar ties are really too short to tie Colette came up with a clever little loop in the center front to slip the ties through.

I also really loved the pointed cuff detail. If I have any complaint it's that I think the sleeves are a little big around for my taste. I'd have preferred a more fitted sleeve.

I don't know if I'll try the other version of this pattern but I'm not totally against giving it a go.

Justin thinks this top reminds him of a sailor shirt but I'm leaning more towards a 60s French style. What do you think?

I just realized that this is only the third Colette pattern I've made. I like several of their designs but I'm surprised I haven't sewing many of their patterns. I'm hoping to try the Clovers next. I'm crossing my fingers they they work for me!

One Yard Wonders: Fabric by Fabric - Book Review

2012-01-07T17:43:00.000-06:00

We got this new One Yard Wonders book in stock at the store a couple weeks ago. At first I thought it was just an updated version of the original book but then I took a closer look. I finally decided to buy it because so many of the projects piqued my interest.

This new book is in the same vein as the old one - 101 projects all using just one yard of fabric (plus other notions like buttons, zippers, interfacing, of course). This book is different not only because it includes projects for 9 types of fabric but also because it's so thick!

Look! The patterns make up practically half the book size!

I like that the book offers so many fabric options because quilting cottons can get boring and with this variety I can utilize more of my stash.

The spiral binding helps make the book stay open - a must for a craft book!

The book also includes introductory sewing basics near the front along with helpful descriptions, recommended needle sizes and tips for sewing each fabric type in the beginning of every section.

(Shaggy Chic Chenille Clutch)

The instructions are clear, like the last book, and often feature helpful illustrations.

(Kid's Comfy Chair - yes you can make a chair with one yard! Wow!)

As for projects its a nice mix of clothing, bags, accessories, home dec, gifts, utilitarian, toys, kids and baby items.

(Stroller Tote)

However, if you don't have kids like me you should know that there are at least 26 projects specifically designed for kids, babies or parents. That's a quarter of the book! Something to keep in mind if you don't have any little ones to sew for.

(Logan's Guitar)

Although if you do have kids there are quite a few projects that can work for boys (yay!) but most of the clothing projects are for girls.

(Jet Set)

The difficulty ranges from beginner to advanced beginner or intermediate.

Many projects are quite useful that could apply to anyone. And with all the aprons, pillows and bag possibilities you could easily make gifts for everyone you know! This book would make a great gift itself to someone learning to sew or who likes craft sewing.

(Hi-Fi Habitat)

Some projects are questionable, though. Like these wall mounted iPod player and speaker set. The fabric covered boxes are supposed to conceal speakers but how do you conceal the wires??

(Pig and Piglets)

Or this stuffed pig that gives birth to it's pigglets from a zipper pouch in her stomach. That just gives me the creeps for some reason.

(Petal Pillow)

My top project picks that are going on my to-do list:

Petal Pillow
Shaken, Not Stirred Martini Shade (basically a roman shade - I really need to make one for my craft room)
Shaggy Chic Chenille Clutch
Airliner Bag
Farmer's Market Tote (a nice multi pocket grocery bag)
Scruffle Scarf
Oranizer Wallet
Urban Wabbit Hunting Cap
"Work in comfort" neck pillow (great for plane trips or long car rides!)
Under the Sink Cleaning Stash
Breezy Kite (Perfect for Kite Day!)
Smart Girl's Set Sunglasses Case

(Scruffle Scarf)

I usually don't buy crafty sewing books but this one inspired me so much and I've already started on one project! If you feel like deviating from garment sewing I highly recommend this book!

The Jeans from Hell

2012-01-04T18:32:00.000-06:00

***Ahem, this is going to be a very long and technical description of my jeans fitting nightmare. You have been warned! If you're into that sort of thing, please read and give me advice. If fitting ain't your thing you can come back later for my finished pants. ;)

I want to take these jeans out to my back yard and beat them senseless - Office Space style.

Why you ask? Because they are evil. They are satan's jeans and they deserve punishment for all the pain they've put me through. And I'm not even finished!

Let's start at the beginning. The new McCall's catalogue features many a pair of colorful skinny jeans in their images for new Spring patterns. I though "Ooooh! Yes please!" I found that the jeans were this pattern, version C. I never would have thought to buy that pattern were it not for the colorful jeans images but I took a chance.

Big mistake. First I cut a 16 but with tissue fitting recut to a 14. Then I tissue fitted again and things looked ok. Sure, the legs were a little wide but that could easily be fixed. I went ahead and cut my denim - a 99% cotton 1% spandex blend, a little stretch like the pattern required.

Massive fail. I had loose thighs, a gross amount of excess front crotch fabric and under booty wrinkles as deep as the grand canyon. Oh, and of course the legs were wide enough for two calves.

After trying many alterations I had wound up with a hot mess of fraying seams and my seam ripper begged for mercy.

So I gave up. I reached for my trusty pair of gap skinnies that had a rip at the crotch from an unfortunate game of "crack the egg" on a trampoline over Thanksgiving with my cousins. They were my favorite jeans so I though "Hey, I could recreate them!" These jeans weren't too low rise, nor were they too tight. They had a 2% stretch in the material and were also several years worn. I cut the gap jeans' legs apart, seam ripped the legs of my in progress jeans and layered the pieces over eachother and traced. I notice the crotch line of the gap jeans was massively different than the line of the original pattern. (I know montanachic hates the look of gap pants but they tend to fit me really well. And yes, I am super jealous of her self-drafted jean masterpiece.)

But when I sewed up the new version I was still dishartened. They fit better but I still had many of the same problems. I worked one leg at a time to get a better fit. I took in the inseam on one leg, then the other. I lengthened the crotch depth. I took in the back leg piece on the side from the thigh down on one leg and all that helped. The front crotch looked better but the back still had wrinkles.

I consulted Threads, Pants for Real People and Colette's Clover Sew-a-long but I was still at a loss.

At that point I took these photos from the inside out.

After taking the pics I tried to get rid of the under booty ripples by bringing in the back inseam more and thinning the thighs. I've found that adjusting the crotch depth helps with that, too.

I have a theory about that, though. I used my cut up old gap jeans pieces as pattern pieces to trace over the existing pieces of fabric but because the crotch line was different I had to do some fenagaling to make the old gap jeans piece fit. This means that the grainline on the legs is slightly off center. This could possibly contribute to the angled wrinkles in the knee and thighs as the fabric is pulling in weird directions.

But that can't be helped. The insides of these jeans have been so trimmed and whacked up that they look like a crime scene. There's very little seam allowance to be salvaged.

So then I decided to wear my only other pair of skinnies as a comparision and snapped these pics. These are also gap jeans but they fit more snug than my old faves. They have extra stretch and the label calls them "Slouchy" skinny jeans. I think this just means that they stuck the pockets farther down on the thighs. I was getting a similar effect. Yes, they were smoother in general but the slouchy gap jeans still had a few under booty wrinkles and some knee wrinkles. Hmm... why hadn't I consulted these pants before??

After some more minor adjustments I tried on my handmade jeans again (pics above). And then magic happened. I don't know why or how but something changed... Maybe it was also looking at myself slouchy gap jeans along with pics of skinny jeans on the net but for some reason they looked better... Yes, some under booty wrinkles still existed but they weren't too bad. The front knee wrinkles lessened and while the back knee wrinkles were still aparent they looked more like normal store bought jeans... Maybe we're getting somewhere.

This motivated me to make more adjustments. I trimmed the thighs and legs of the left, non adjusted leg. I pulled in the waist a little more at the sides. I let out the knees slightly at the inseam and fiddled with the bottom of the crotch seam a little more.

Ok, so I think I may have a fit that will work. Not the perfect fit but something comparable to RTW. That's a start. Now all I have to do is trim and serge the seams. Hem and top stitch the legs; make a back yoke; make back pockets; re-do the front pockets; insert a zipper and finish the front crotch seam; make, interface, and line a waistband; make and attach belt loops and add a front button. Sweet Jesus, what have I gotten myself into??

Onward to 2012!

2012-01-02T20:10:00.001-06:00

(Colette Macaron from October)

So everyone is doing a 2011 in review blog post but I'm far to lazy to use photoshop to compile all of my finished projects from the year, ha! It was 52 (just counting clothes sewn for myself) and that's far to much image wrangling for me to do. I'd much rather jump into my plans for this year! But I am including a few of my faves made this past year.

(Cynthia Rowley Jacket from April)

I feel as though I learned so much from this year of sewing. It's been my most productive yet and I made some of my favorite projects. I also had a few massive fails but even those I consider a learning experience. I no longer am devastated when a project doesn't turn out the way I hoped which is an improvement I think. I learned new techniques, perfected fits, discovered new fabrics and tried to figure out my own personal style.

(Self Drafted Yellow Chevron Dress from April)

I also learned to work within my own nature - that being my laziness and my urge to finish projects immediately. I tried my best to put down a project in progress when I know I'm too tired or confused and am bound to make mistakes. I also forced myself to be more diligent and do things the right way the first time even if it's more tedious than I'd like.

(Summer Tank Top from July)

My technical skills have improved enough that I know longer think of that as something I need to focus on so this year I want to work more on the aesthetics of sewing.

I don't always make New Years Resolutions but I do love giving myself guidelines to work within. It helps to keep things from getting out of hand. So here are my goals for 2012. I'm pretty excited!

Make a catalogue of my entire wardrobe (has anyone else ever done this?). By wardrobe I mean clothes I actually wear or would wear given the right opportunity (aka, fancy party dresses). Determine how many of my clothes are store bought or handmade. Divide the clothes in appropriate categories (dress, pants, t-shirt, etc.) including attributes (patterned, solid, black, white, long sleeves, etc).
Use that catalogue to figure out what I wear most, find gaps in my wardrobe, and figure out why I don't wear the clothes that didn't make the cut (does it not fit or does it not go with anything?).
Fill out my wardrobe with handmade pieces that fit with my personal style. Make what I NEED not just what looks pretty and make it something I'd want to wear (this is a big one!).
Find a style muse or inspiration that fits with my personal style and sew clothes that fit with the theme.
Sew more patterns from independent designers. I've got enough of the big four already to draw inspiration from. Plus I like supporting small new companies with unique designs.
Getting out of my clothing comfort zone and trying new designs I wouldn't normally wear.
Make more accessories - jewelry, scarves, belts, etc.
Make more of my own patterns. I love developing this new skill but sometimes pattern making takes so much time that it's pretty draining.
Sew something for Justin. Because I love him. And I want him to look presentable and not a bum.

(Built by Wendy Coat from October)

On a more personal note I want to:

Learn something new, like crochet or playing the trumpet
Make new friends
Get a new job
Travel
Learn to go with the flow and stop freaking out about pointless stuff

I love reading other bloggers' goals for this year. I think resolutions are so personal. Even specific resolutions about sewing say something about the person, whether they want to learn more about themselves, make a point about their ethics, be more productive, feel more confident in their skills, take more time for themselves or face a big challenge. It's inspiring to read. What are your sewing resolutions?

Victory Patterns Anouk Dress

2012-01-01T13:01:00.000-06:00

This is Anouk! I love that name. Seems very European.

I was smitten with the new Victory Patterns and their line of classy modern designs. They sell PDFs only which is nice if you're impatient like me and don't like to wait for the mail.

I bought three patterns at once because they had a discount on their Etsy page.

The first one I tried was Anouk, a pretty dress with lots of fabric combo possibilities. This dress also fit some of my New Year's Sewing Resolutions (which I'll talk more about later) including making more clothes with longer sleeves and more dresses, both of which are lacking in my wardrobe.

This dress is combines both Version 1 and 2 of the pattern. I made the dress but added the sleeves from the tunic version. I also made the sleeves and yoke from the same fabric.

The black is a 50/50 linen/rayon blend and the floral is leftover from a dress I made as a gift and is 100% rayon.

I love the design with the pintucks, tie belt, peep opening, buttons and front placket. Justin said this dress reminded him of some German drindl style dress which I kind of agree with. It certainly looks much different than Victory's examples just because of my fabric choices.

I haven't found any other reviews for Victory Patterns yet so I'll add a little bit more technical information.

The pattern pieces were well labeled with all the necesary markings. The instructions were good, too. Most steps had pictures or illustrations and while sometimes I did get a little overwhelmed by the directions (there are so many pieces and details that the directions are pretty long) but I could figure most everything out from pictures. Victory labels this design as intermediate which I would agree with. There are more pieces than a beginner would want to tackle but assembling the dress is pretty logical.

I had a question about one thing during the sewing process and emailed Victory's owner, Kristiann, and she got back to me quickly. Yay for customer service!

If you use a lightweight fabric in the yoke or placket I'd recommend to maybe add some interfacing (the pattern mentions that interfacing is optional in some places, I only added it to the cuffs). While I lined those parts with the linen, the rayon in the center front opening pulls a little to the side.

I cut a size 8 and it fits perfect. The only muslin-ing I did was to make the yoke, just to test the armhole and bust size since the waist and hip area are open. I'm a b cup, maybe a c on a good day and the dress fits perfect in that area. I'm sure there are some people who are wanting to try out Victory but are wondering if they need to do an FBA.

I love this dress! So easy to wear but I still feel pretty and put together. It's not too short and the tie belt makes it adjustable and comfortable.

I wanted to finish this dress earlier but unexpectedly ran out of black thread, ugh!

I'd like to try the tunic version sometime. The design is unique but depending on your fabrics this style is so adaptable.

I think I'm going to try the Lola pattern next but I have to find the perfect fabric for it!

Never Fear Knits Ballet Dress Sew-a-long Pt 4

2011-12-30T14:15:00.003-06:00

Almost finished! All we have to do now is attach the collar and hem the sleeves and skirt.

Fold the collar piece in half matching up the short ends and stitch across.

Now fold the collar in half long ways and iron/pin together.

With right sides together, match the collar seam to the center back of the neck opening. Then match the center front.

I know that the collar piece is smaller than the neck opening but that's important. The collar helps prevent the neck opening from stretching out. If the collar piece was too large you'd get gaping around the neckline. No bueno!

Evenly stretch the collar to fit the neck opening and use lots of pins to distribute the fabric.

Stitch the collar to the neckline, stretching the collar just enough to fit the neck opening.

Now we have to stitch that collar down so that the seam allowance doesn't flop out.

Iron the collar with the seam allowances pointed down onto the bodice fabric.

Using a twin needle or zig zag stitch sew all the way around the neck opening encasing the seam allowance underneath.

Now for the easy part - hemming. The pattern includes 3/4" for hem allowance.

I'm using my fave technique - serging the raw edge, folding under and top stitching with a twin needle.

If you are using a zig zag stitch just fold the hem under twice, encasing the raw edge and stitch on top.

If you are using a twin needle you'll have to sew from the right side rather than the wrong side. I first measure my 3/4" hem and fold it under and pin. Once I finish all the way around I then transfer my pins to the right side so I can pull them out easily as I sew.

From the right side you can't see the edge folded underneath but you can feel it with your fingers and and guide it under the needle.

Voila! All done! Now you have an easy to wear, comfy but stylish knit dress that you made. I hope the sew-a-long was helpful!

I'll be back tomorrow with my regularly scheduled broadcast aka - more new projects. I'm also making a list of sewing goals for the new year that I hope to share, but first I'm going to wear my new dress!

Never Fear Knits Ballet Dress Sew-a-long Pt 3

2011-12-28T16:42:00.000-06:00

Today we're finishing the basic structure of the dress and later we'll move on to the final details.

Let's add those sleeves!

First pin and stitch the sleeve seam. Easy peasy, right?

With the sleeve right side out slip the sleeve inside the bodice through the armhole. Match up the bodice side seam to the sleeve seam. Match up all notches and center dot to shoulder seam. See, it's just like a woven set in sleeve!

The one thing that's different is that because knits are stretchy it makes it so much easier to ease the sleeve in. I know I tell you not to stretch knit fabric when sewing but this is the one minor exception. You can stretch the fabric but only until it just fits. If you are having trouble you can always baste the top of the sleeve between notches for some extra stability while easing.

You can also use a bunch of pins to make sure the fabric is evenly spaced.

Stitch the sleeve to the bodice and gently stretch the armhole to match the sleeve curve. Repeat for the other sleeve.

Now, I want you to try the bodice on and see how it fits. You might notice that the top seems a little short. No worries - when we add the skirt the weight of the fabric will help pull the bodice down. But if it feels good across the bust line then we're in business.

Cut a length of elastic that matches the circumference of the bodice's waistline, plus a little overlap. Next, with right sides facing, pin the bodice to the skirt. Put the fabric under the presser foot with the wrong side of the bodice facing up. Slip the elastic under the foot and line up the elastic with the edge of the fabric.

With some scraps you could do a tension test on your machine before you sew.

Stitch your waist seam. Because the elastic matches the waist measurement you don't have to stretch the elastic as you sew.

The end of the elastic will overlap when you reach the starting point. Back stitch here or slide off if you are using a serger.

If you are using a sewing machine remember to trim your threads. If using a serger knot and snip off the strings on the waist and armholes.

Ok, I wanted to let you know that there is another way to attach the sleeves to the bodice but I didn't want to use it because beginners might find it difficult to match up the armhole and side seams, and the traditional way of doing set in sleeves is more familiar. But here's the trick: First stitch the bodice shoulder seams. Next pin the sleeve to the armhole opening (right sides together) and stitch. Finally pin your side seams and sleeve seams and stitch all the way from the wrist opening down the side to the bottom of the bodice.

***Yay! Now the body of the dress is complete! I'm taking the day off tomorrow but on Friday we'll finish with some twin needle hems and the collar attachment. This is a pretty short sew-a-long, I realize, but since this is a beginner level pattern I hope you don't mind the speed.

Never Fear Knits Ballet Dress Sew-a-long Pt 2

2011-12-27T11:43:00.001-06:00

Yay! Today we get to actually sew something! Let's get started.

I'm using my serger but remember you can always sew knits on your regular sewing machine.

Before you get started it's a good idea to take a scrap piece of fabric to test your machine's tension. Avoid seam ripping with a little prep work!

Pin the bodice pieces together at the shoulders and side seams.

Next stitch both side seams.

For the shoulder seams - you don't have to use Stay Tape but I love this stuff so I'm using it. If you don't have any but would still like to support your shoulder seams you can use a bit of clear elastic instead (which you already have because you need it for the waist seam). Simply lay a strip of elastic/stay tape on top of the fabric edge and stitch over all three layers.

If you are using a serger you can leave your "tails." If you are using a sewing machine go ahead and trim the extra threads.

Now on to the skirt.

Pin the skirt at the side seams and stitch just like with the bodice. I didn't have enough fabric for two whole skirt pieces and I had to cut two halves for the back. So I have a center back seam on my skirt.

One thing to note - it's easy to see which side of the printed fabric is the wrong or right side. However, if you are using a solid color, single knit fabric (like my black jersey) look closely to make sure you know which side is which. It may not be noticeable while you work with the fabric but if you stand back you might be able to see a difference.

For example, the right side of my jersey almost has a sheen to it and the wrong side is more matte. I've used a sweater knit before where the wrong side was slightly darker than the right side. You don't want to go through all that work only to find out one of your pieces is facing the wrong way! Remember, the right side has visible vertical lines.

***Tomorrow we'll attach the sleeves and sew the waist seam. Happy sewing!

Never Fear Knits Ballet Dress Sew-a-long Begins!

2011-12-26T11:42:00.000-06:00

Whew - I had a crazy holiday but I'm back and ready for business!

First thing's first - the Ballet Dress pattern is now up for sale! I know, I know, you all love free patterns but making patterns is a lot of work! I still have many other patterns for free to download.

In this post we'll print out the pattern, prepare our fabrics, find our size and cut out our pieces.

Print the Pattern
To get started print out the pattern at home. The twenty pages include instructions and sizing as well as all the pieces.

(click for a closer view of the picture)

When printing from Adobe Reader it is important to select "None" in the page scaling section. If you are using a different program or a different version of Adobe Reader it may not look the same as the above screen cap.

Scaling will make the pages print smaller or larger to fit within the printable area on the paper. The printable area size varies on different printers so I have to make the pattern print with a white border around each page. You can check to see if the pages printed correctly by measuring the Test Square.

To arrange all the printed pages you'll need scissors and tape.

The pages line up like a grid with four columns and five rows. The numbered notches go across and the letter notches go vertically. Trim the borders of pages if needed to match up the notches. Tape.

Pre-Wash

Before we start cutting let's prepare our fabric. I'm using two types - a sweater knit on top (look! deer! or are those mooses? what's the plural for moose, anyway?), and a plain medium weight black jersey for the skirt.

Wash your fabric according to fiber type. Remember, knits fabrics have a tendency to shrink so pre-washing is important! Once dry, iron if needed and lay the fabric out flat on a table so it won't stretch out.

Now, back to the paper - In this pattern I've included finished garment measurements. Why? Because knits patterns for fitted designs are different than woven patterns because they have much less built in ease. The nature of knits means that the fabric stretches over your body (which is why you don't need darts and zippers).

I like using finished measurements as a guide because it allows you to pick the amount of ease you want for your dress. Pick the size closest to your actual measurements or whichever size is larger. Just like with woven patterns, if you are between sizes in certain places you can combine sizes at different points. Say you're measurements are 40/28/39. You can cut a L in the bust, glide down to a M in the waist and cut a M size skirt.

If there is any place you want to be larger than your body measurements (or extra ease) it would be in the hips because the skirt is looser fitting than the bust or waist.

Now that you have your size you can cut out your pieces.

Pattern Adjustments

If you want to shorten or lengthen the skirt, bodice or sleeves you can slash and spread at the gray lines printed on the pieces.

You can even make the skirt looser fitting by swinging out the side seam line and continuing the hem curve.

If you normally need to do a full bust adjustment on patterns then you're in luck. Because knits are stretchy you might be able to get away without one. Try making a muslin of just the bodice. If it feels tight across the bust or if you're getting wrinkles you might want to try an FBA.

FBAs on knits are similar to woven patterns but they have no darts. An FBA will look something like this where the pink lines are cutting lines and the blue lines are where you draw new lines to smooth everything out. Remember, the length of the side and waist seams need to match up with the back bodice and skirt waist seams.

Cutting Fabric
Finally, after all that we can cut out the fabric pieces!

The pattern includes cutting layouts but because I'm using two different fabrics my cutting layout might look different than yours.

Remember to use weights, a rotary mat and cutter (I use jars of buttons as weights, or whatever I have close by). You can use pins and shears but be careful not to accidentally stretch your fabric.

***Ok, I think that's enough prep work for one day. Tomorrow we'll start with the basics - sewing bodice and skirt pieces. Then we'll do waist and sleeves followed by hems and collar. Easy peasy! Probably the shortest sew-a-long ever but it isn't a difficult pattern design.

S.A.B.L.E.

2011-12-19T20:53:00.000-06:00

(source: wren handmade)

At this sewing party I attended over the weekend the subject of fabric stash came up and an acronym that I had never heard of before piqued my interest - S.A.B.L.E. = Stash Acumulation Beyond Life Expectancy.

Has anyone else heard of this term? I thought it was hilarious yet probably very true for many.

Some of the women at the party admitted to stashes that, were it food and not fabric, would feed all of North Korea.

One woman had one of those double folding door closets filled to the brim with quilting cottons alone!

This is a surprising thought for me because I am not, in any way, a fabric hoarder. I'll gaze and admire many pretty fabrics on the interwebs but I'm rarely compelled to buy them and I never shop at the big fabric stores without at least a 40% off coupon (which limits my shopping to my number of coupons).

Every fabric I buy I purchase with the intention of using it for a specific project. Even if I don't know the exact pattern I will use I will have already decided if the fabric will become a dress or top or coat or whatever.

My fabric stash consists entirely of fabric about to be used; leftovers from already made projects; and staples like muslin fabric, interfacing, and plain colored batiste for linings. And even still, that amount is a little too much for my minimalist comfort level.

On the other hand I load up on on sale sewing patterns like it's bottled water before a hurricane.

And I'm also guilty of hoarding scraps. Anything bigger than my hand is saved in a bin because I have this delusion that one day they'll be used for some crafty project. I really should stop kidding myself but I don't like to waste anything.

The woman with the closet of cotton also said that sewers load up on fabric most often when they aren't sewing (maybe they're too busy, away from their machine for awhile, etc). Something about trying to fill a creative void with thoughts of sewing. I'm not sure where she learned that tidbit but I think it makes sense. Fabric represents the opportunity to make something be it on a shelf or under a presser foot.

Even though I don't have a huge stash I do envy those with so many options already at their fingertips in their own home. I, too, love browsing fabric sites for inspiration. I've even benefited from some of those stash owners at a recent fabric swap (I got the fabric for this skirt for free!).

So, to the Stashers - those who buy extra just to get free shipping on fabric.com, those who don't care if their significant others complain about their fabric addictions, those who have kid rooms with closets filled with more fabric than childrens' clothes, those whose hearts swoon at the sight of fine wools and silks, those whose idea of a great trip to NYC would not be a visit to Times Square but to Mood, those who keep little indie fabric stores (like the one I intern for) alive - I salute you!

How big is your stash? And if you are a SABLE person what is your most prized piece of fabric? You know, the one you're saving for something really special. Have you ever participated in one of those stash busting challenges?

***See you next week after Christmas!

Gift Wrap Scraps

2011-12-18T14:18:00.001-06:00

If you're like me then you hoard even the smallest bits of leftover gift wrap because some day, some time you know you'll need them for all those super tiny boxed gifts you're going to give (only I never have small boxed gifts! ugh!).

Here's another way to use up those scrap pieces instead of dumping them into the recycle bin.

Use them as background for Christmas cards! I made these cards to resemble wrapped gifts with tags. Inside they'll hold gift cards. And since gift wrap is already holiday themed you don't have to buy fancy Christmas card stock.

I think the last day in the US to mail cards for on time delivery is tomorrow so if you need a quick last minute card (I'm raising my hand!) grab your gift wrap supplies and make one!

***I'm leaving town soon but I'll be back next Monday to start the Sew-a-long! So grab your PDF pattern while you can!

Ballet Dress Pattern

2011-12-17T21:31:00.001-06:00

Whoa! I had a super busy day today - from making, packing and mailing gifts to baking a birthday cake for my boyfriend to going to a sewing party (look! Someone made peanut butter button cookies!).

I only got home a few minutes ago and I know I promised I'd post the pattern today so here I am.

Go here to Download the Ballet Dress PDF Pattern

In five sizes! Instructions included! Remember to print the pattern without scaling!

You can see more photos of the finished dress in this blog post.

So, when I planned this series and sew-a-long I didn't realize that it was so close to Christmas (facepalm!).

I'll start the sew-a-long on Monday, Dec 26.

I'm off! To ice a cake and wrap some more presents! Go go go!

Never Fear Knits Pt 7

2011-12-16T17:56:00.001-06:00

What!? We've reached the end of Never Fear Knits?? Well to sum everything up here's some troubleshooting, plus some good books and places to find knits online.

Troubleshooting
Below are possible problems you may encounter in your knit sewing journey...

(click on the image for a closer look)

This is why I don't recommend using a straight stitch to sew knits. Here I used a straight stitched then pulled the fabric too hard and the thread snapped!
This might look funny but I used a zig zag stitch with a short stitch width and a long stitch length which produced this puckering. Instead you should make your stitch width and length the same or have your length smaller than your width.
Here I stretched my fabric as I stitched which produced this ripple effect. No bueno! You might find the same problem if your presser foot pressure is too high.
On this piece I had my differential feed set to far to "gather." This made those ripples you see in the fabric.
Here I did the exact opposite. My dif feed was set to far to "stretch" which really stretched out my fabric! As you sew you might notice this problem because the fabric gets pushed around as it goes under the presser foot making it difficult to guide - hence that glitch on the left side...
This is a common problem with twin needles - creating a "ridge" between the stitches. Below is how I fixed it.
I lowered my thread tension slightly and lengthened my stitch length. Then I ironed it which flattened it more. ;)

I hope these help you figure out why your knits aren't looking nice and flat and pretty!

Books and Resources
Sew U Home Stretch - You all know I love Built by Wendy and I also love her approach to sewing guide books. Even if you don't like the designs in this book each one helps to teach a technique in knit sewing and pattern alteration. And who wouldn't want to make their own perfect T-shirt?

Kwik Sew's Swim and Action Wear - Yeah, this book is from like '93 (and it shows!) but it has so much helpful information, especially if you want to make swimsuits.

Threads' A Primer on Sewing Knits - While I don't agree with all the advice in this article (like straight stitch sewing, and btw, when have you ever seen shoulder pads in a knit garment?) this article does have some good points like making nice, pointy, v-necks

Spandex World - is a great website for specialty knits and hard to find swimwear knits.

Fabric.com, Gorgeous Fabrics and Denver Fabrics, as well as many other sites, all have knit sections.

***Thanks so much for reading. I hope you learned something new! I'm going to launch my new pattern tomorrow so stay tuned!

Never Fear Knits Pt 6

2011-12-15T14:09:00.000-06:00

(top: stay tape, middle: clear elastic, bottom: regular elastic)

Thanks for following along with the series so far! Today we're talking support systems - stabilizers, elastic, interfacing, etc. To recap, you can read all the Never Fear Knits posts here.

Interfacing
Occasionally you'll come across a knit pattern that requires interfacing - think wide waistbands on jersey dresses. Yes, they do make knit interfacing and yes, it does stretch.

You'll find it in the store mixed in with the rest of the interfacings. The knit kind resembles tulle, I think. Tiny threads weaved with space between. The side that's a little shiny is the side with the adhesive. Knit interfacing gives support but still allows for a minor amount of stretch.

Stay Tape

Even though knits stretch there are certain parts of knit garments that you don't want to stretch out - like shoulder seams. You can stitch some clear elastic the length of the shoulder into the seam or you can use one of my favorite notions - stay tape. It looks like a small weaved net that comes on a roll and will stabilize your seam. Just feed it into your machine, on top of the fabric, as you sew leaving about an inch extending at either end that you trim when finished.

Elastic
For waists of dresses you'll probably need some elastic to maintain the shape. Clear elastic is often used with knits but you can also use regular.

If you want the waistband to lay flat you'll cut your elastic the length of the waist measurement of the dress. That way, the dress will stretch as you put it on but when you wear it the elastic will keep that waist nice and fitted.

Like with Stay Tape you lay the elastic on top of the fabric as you feed it under the presser foot. This time I've sewn it on the serger.

As you can see from the above pictures - the elastic (right) stretches while the stay tape (left) is firm.

Sewing Stabilizers
Sulky makes a tear away stabilizer that you stitch right on to your fabric. I've never had to use it but it could be helpful to beginners. So if you're having trouble sewing an especially tricky knit, this might help!

***Phew, almost done! Tomorrow we'll go over a list of possible trouble spots when sewing knits and what to do to avoid them. I'll even add a couple places I like to buy knits as well as some extra resources for knit sewing.

After that I'll release the new pattern and gear up for the sew-a-long where we can put all of this usefulness into action!

Never Fear Knits Pt 5

2011-12-14T16:25:00.000-06:00

Woohoo! Now we get down to the nitty gritty - actually sewing those knit fabrics! Warning! This is a really long post.

Fabric Preparation

Just like with wovens it is a good idea to pre-wash your fabric. Knits are especially known to shrink in the wash. After you've washed and dried the fabric according to it's fiber requirements you should lay the fabric out flat before sewing. It needs to "rest" for awhile. If your fabric is hanging off the edge of a table for an hour or two, for example, it will stretch out too much! All this extra work might sound excessive if you're impatient like me but you really don't want your fabric to be all warped, do you?

Sewing Knits on a Sewing Machine

For sewers with a regular machine, don't fret! You don't need a serger to sew knits. You have options. First - the narrow stitch length zig zag stitch was made for knits. It is perfect for stretchy seams and since knits don't fray very much you won't need much else to finish your seam. If you do want to finish them you can do another zig zag stitch that wraps around the raw edge or, if your machine has one, a faux overlock stitch.

Some machines have a stretch stitch setting. On my machine it is a straight stitch that moves forward, then halfway back, then forward again, and so on. I don't like this one, though, because I think it takes a much longer time to sew and I think it looks sloppier than a zig zag.

I don't advocate using a straight stitch because the thread can easily break if the fabric is pulled too hard but some people will sew knits with a straight stitch will pulling the fabric as it goes through the machine.

(my machine has a handy chart with recommendations on sewing different types of fabrics)

Ok, let's assume you're using a good old zig zag. There are a few settings on your machine that will need adjusting. These are what I used on my machine, based on personal experience and what my manual recommends.

Set your presser foot presser to 1 or low. For regular woven cottons it is probably set much higher. A high presser setting may stretch your knit fabric out when running under the foot. We want it to glide through smoothly!

(top=stitch width, middle=zig zag setting(#2), bottom=stitch length)

Set your stitch width to around 3 and your length to about 1.5.

Set your tension to somewhere nice in the middle. I like 4.

Don't stretch your fabric as you feed it through the machine. This will result in stretched out and rippled seams, skipped stitches or loose thread tension. Just let it run under the foot and nudge it along gently in the right direction to keep it straight.

You can watch this short video and see how easy I guide the fabric and what the end result looks like. (Thanks for ignoring the TV in the background, ha!)

Do test runs on a few scraps to see if you need to change any thing. I'm using a medium to lightweight cotton jersey in these examples. If you use a very light weight or a heavier weight fabric you'll need to adjust these settings.

With knits you don't need to finish your seams because they won't fray. However if you want you can sew a zig zag stitch close to the edge of the fabric or even slightly over the edge (which will wrap around the fabric making a sort of mock-overlock stitch).

Sewing Knits with a Serger

(everyone's serger is different so read your manual!)

For those with a serger, well, you're life is a little easier.

Serged seams are quick and easy to make. They sew a seam and finish the edge all at the same time.

(I set my stitch length to 3 and a half)

Like on a regular machine, test your settings on some scraps before you dive in. I like a good middle of the road stitch length and I always adjust my thread tensions for every different fabric.

Sometimes I even make slight adjustments to my differential feed if my seams looks warped.

Sewing Seams

Again, don't stretch your fabric as you sew - gently guide it under the presser foot.

Some patterns made especially for knits have a 1/4in seam allowance - the standard a serger makes. You can still use a zig zag stitch on a narrow seam.

(my serger knives desperately need to be sharpened - hence my jagged trimming)

If using a serger for standard 5/8" seams your throat plate has measurements on it. Line the edge of the fabric up with the 5/8" line and let your serger knife slice through the excess fabric.

Leave a "tail" of threads before and after you serge.

Sewing Hems

(left: twin needle hem, right: regular zig zag stitch hem)

For hems you can make a standard hem by folding under the fabric and top stitching with a zig zag or stretch stitch.

(the back side - left: twin needle, right: zig zag)

I like serging the raw edge, folding the edge under and top stitching with a twin needle. The twin makes two parallel lines of stitches on the right side, mimicking the look of a coverstitched hem.

With a twin needle, you'll have to sew your hem from the right side, not the wrong side. This means you'll need to pin the fabric from the right side. When you run the fabric under the presser foot you can feel the folded under edge below. I line that edge up under the left needle. The bottom thread will wrap that underneath edge and prevent it from flopping around.

If may get a "ridge" in between the two lines of stitching, that's pretty common. Try lengthening your stitches, lowering your thread tension slightly or buy a needle with a wider distance between the needles. Ironing the seam might also help.

If you have a serger you could also sew a rolled hem. Read your manual to see how to make it. You'll need to make several special adjustments to the machine.

***If you're having problems with any of these tips, no worries, I'm making a troubleshooting post later. In the mean time, practice practice practice!

Tomorrow we'll talk stabilizers, interfacings, elastic and more!

Vogue 1170 Skirt

2011-12-13T10:56:00.001-06:00

Taking a day off from knits (get ready, tomorrow is when you finally get to practice!) here's a regular old woven skirt but I like it so much that it needs to be shared...

This pattern is one of those that remind you why you need to make a muslin (or two).

I saw someone at a sewing group who made this pattern and I fell in love. The skirt in the pattern picture is so dark that you cannot tell that the design is anything special so I passed over it in the store.

Luckily that other sewer recommended some changes like adding to the length and discarding the tiny pockets.

I made two muslin to perfect the fit. The first one I cut was a straight 14 but it was a little tight in the hips but perfect in the waist.

I also shortened the waistband as it was one wide rectangle and gaped too much.

I added three inches to the overall length and trimmed the hem with bias tape instead of the facing piece included in the pattern (honestly, after lengthening the skirt I didn't have enough fabric left for the facing piece).

The hardest part was grading all the pieces from a size 14 at the waist to a 16 at the waist but the fit is much better.

What I love most about this skirt is the fabric. It is a poly suede with a bit of stretch in the crossgrain. It is loose and drapey which work great with this fabric. I serged all my seams and topstitched some of the seams and the hem with a twin needle (an idea I got from reading pattern reviews).

Maybe the only downside to the fabric is sometimes I get draglines depending on how I stand but I'm not going to give into the overfitting monster and try to fix that. I'm sure underlining those back and side pieces would have helped.

The only complaint I had with the pattern itself was in the cutting layouts for 45" wide they say to lay the waistband piece on the grainline but on the 60" wide they have it laid crossgrain which is a big difference when you have a fabric with a little stretch in the crossgrain. The pattern piece itself says to go grainline so I trusted that.

Also, the waistband piece was slightly short in length when I paired it to the skirt. I had this problem with my muslin, too, but I though I just made a mistake. I had to sew my hook an eye a little different to get it to fit.

I've never worked with this fabric but I love it because it is black but not so dark that you cannot see the great seaming design.

Has anyone else worked with suede or faux suede before and want to offer some tips?

Never Fear Knits Pt 4

2011-12-12T12:41:00.000-06:00

This is part 4 of the on going series on how to sew knits fabrics. If you want to catch up you can start at the beginning here: Never Fear Knits Pt 1

Tools of the Trade
Just like with wovens it is good practice to use appropriate needles. That means the right size for the weight and type of fabric.

Going a step further, you'll need ball point needles for knits. They may also be called "stretch" needles. I've even seen some labeled "Jersey." A ball point needle has a more rounded point than a universal sharp needle. Ball points will help prevent snags and holes in the fabric because they glide around the individual yarns rather than stabbing through them.

For a serger you'll need needles specifically labeled for overlock machines.

While they're not necessary, you could pick up some ball point pins, too.

Another fun needle you might want to use is a Twin Needle. It mimics the look of a coverstitch machine on hems. Coverstitch machines are similar to sergers and make a top stitch on one side and an overlock stitch on the other side of the fabric. Take a look at the hem of your t-shirt to see an example.

If your machine has a zig zag stitch and you have two thread guides above your needle (like the pic above) you can probably use this needle.

All-Purpose polyester thread will do the trick for sewing knits. Stretchy thread, called wooly nylon, is also available. You'll want to wind bobbins by hand with this. I don't use it, though, as normal poly thread works fine.

I've even found stretch bias tape in stores should you ever need it.

Using pattern weights and a rotary cutter is the easiest way to cut pattern pieces from knit fabric as it helps to prevent unwanted stretching while cutting.

(source)

I've never had to use it but a walking foot could come in handy when you are first learning because it makes both top and bottom layers of fabric feed through the machine evenly. If you have a serger you won't need a special presser foot.

I'm saving stabilizers for later as they are a little bit more advanced and I want to cover the basics of sewing knits first before we talk about interfacings and such.

***Ok, we're going to take a break for a day and come back on Wednesday with the real important bits - how to sew those knits!! So go stock up on some ball point needles. ;)

Never Fear Knits Pt 3

2011-12-11T13:09:00.000-06:00

Today we're talking fiber and fabric types as well as how to find the right knit for your pattern.

Fiber Types
Just like wovens, knits are made with a variety of fibers - cotton, wool, silk, rayon, bamboo, spandex, polyester, lycra, nylon, etc. Most RTW t-shirts are made of cotton or a poly/cotton blend. Athletic wear and swimwear probably have some extra stretchy fibers like spandex and nylon.

(Right: wool single knit, Left: bamboo jersey. Bamboo fibers are made similar to rayon. This fabric is super smooth, soft and drapey)

Fabric Types

Jersey - The type you are probably most familiar with is jersey. You're comfy t-shirts are made from this stuff. Fairly light weight and drapey, jersey is a single knit with a moderate amount of stretch.

(Close up double knit. Right side is top, wrong side on bottom.)

Double knit/Interlock - Double knits are what they sound like, two yarns knitted together. They make for a thicker, more substantial and less clingy fabric. An interlock is also technically a double knit but has more stretch and can be less thick than regular double knit.

Rib knit - mainly used for collars on t-shirts or tank tops this fabric is extra stretchy and likes to conform to every curve on your body. It has long, vertical, textured lines running along the fabric.

(sweater knit)

Sweater Knits - you'll find these stocking the shelves of the fabric store come fall. They are novelty knits that resemble a nice cardigan fabric. They come in all different prints and thicknesses and often made with wool or made to look like wool. They also can be knitted with lots of space between the fibers which can make them even more stretchy than say, a regular old jersey.

Fleece - this is another fabric that gets special attention in the fall and winter. Think sweatshirt fleece hoodies or blankets made from football team logo prints. Some have a soft fuzzy nap on one or both sides. I generally like to reserve fleece for crafts as it often seems either jouvenile or like 80s work out gear when used for clothes.

Swimsuit fabric often has nylon or spandex (or both) in it to make it extra stretchy. Nylon also recovers better than, say, cotton, when repeatedly wet. You'll also find flesh colored or black swimsuit lining fabric in the same section of the store. It's thinnner than swimwear fabric but still as stretchy.

Some other fabrics you might come across: terry - think towels with the little thread loops, and pique - polo shirt fabric.

2 way stretch vs. 4 way stretch
Most knits are have two way stretch meaning the fabric is most stretchy on the cross grain or widthwise, which is good because you want the fabric to stretch around your body.

(swimwear knit has four way stretch - up and down, plus size to side)

You want 4 way stretch for swimwear, dancewear and some exercise wear since it has to stretch all around your body.

Picking Patterns for knits
You can easily find knit patterns in the store because they'll be labeled for knit fabrics or list knits in the recommended fabrics.

Fit Tip: Because knits are stretchy most knit patterns include less ease than woven patterns because the fabric will form to your body.

The back of knit patterns will include a stretch guide, usually on the side.

(lay the fabric flat next to the stretch guide. Pinch and stretch the fabric to the end of the guide)

Test you fabric by stretching the along the guide. Knits usually have the most stretch in the width rather than the length. Swimwear knits tend to be equally stretchy in both directions. Often patterns will talk about a percentage of stretch. So if a pattern says you need a knit with 50% stretch, when you pull on the fabric it should be able to stretch to to one and a half times the original length. Or 4in of flat fabric should stretch to 6in.

If your material stretches past the end of the guide or doesn't stretch enough you might want to consider a different fabric.

Read the back of the pattern for recommended types of fabric:

(Simplicity 3692)

Jersey is great for t-shirts, leggings and even sweaters.

(Simplicity 2443)

Double knits and interlocks work well for skirts or dresses. Jersey will show every unwanted curve and panty line so be warned, same goes for rib knits!

Ponte knits work well for shirts and dresses (think preppy polo dresses).

(Kwik Sew 3695)

When making swimwear or dancewear be sure to use fabric specifically for those tasks. Plain old poly/cotton knit won't retain it's shape after repeated trips in salt water or clorine pools.

(McCall's 5388)

Some patterns like the shirt pattern above can be used with wovens or knits without needing any pattern changes.

You can adjust some woven patterns to use with knits. Consider, though, that you may want to make a size smaller because with that stretchy knit fabric you might wind up with an extra baggy garment. Sometimes you can incorporate a knit into part of a pattern. I've seen plenty of people make the Colette Macaron pattern with a knit upper part with no sizing problems.

Or, because double knit is fairly thick and only has a slight stretch it can often be used in woven patterns with no problems. I've seen plenty of people sew blazer and skirt patterns with double knits without major pattern adjustments.

***Tomorrow we'll talk tools you need for sewing with knits then we'll take a day off so you can go get any extra tools you need. Then we'll pick back up on Wednesday with how to sew knits and you can use all those fun new tools to practice.

Never Fear Knits Pt 2

2011-12-10T13:24:00.000-06:00

Let's get started on our introduction to knits!

First thing's first - what exactly are knit fabrics and how are they different from wovens?

(close up and enhanced pic of a woven quilting cotton)

Woven fabrics consist of alternating yarns inter-weaved perpendicular to each other. Remember doing basket weaving in elementary school - same concept, only smaller and with tiny yarns on a big giant loom.

(Left: close up of the right side of a single knit jersey, Right: the wrong side of the same jersey)

Knits are usually one yarn (sometimes more than one) that is knit together in loops. Knitting machines work using the same method that you would use to hand knit and purl. A basic plain knit has vertical ribs on the right side and horizontal lines on the wrong side. The inherit nature of the yarn being knit together makes the fabric stretchy. Knits generally don't fray like wovens but sometimes the edges curl.

(Left: Jersey flat, Right: Jersey stretched widthwise)

Some woven fabrics can be slightly stretchy but that is due to special fibers like spandex or lycra (think about your "stretch" jeans") but knits on the other hand are stretchy due to the process of making the fabric.

***This is the shortest post of the series but it is important to get the definitions out of the way. Tomorrow we'll talk fiber content, types of knits and picking patterns appropriate for knits!

Never Fear Knits - Part 1

2011-12-09T11:52:00.000-06:00

(past projects using knits)

I love sewing with knits! Ever since I took the plunge and learned how to use my serger some of my favorite garments I've made have been knits.

And it's no wonder - knits make up such a huge part of the modern woman's wardrobe and if you think about some of your most comfortable clothes they're probably knits! Cozy cardigans, loungy yoga pants, hoodie jackets and your favorite t-shirt are wardrobe staples.

Yet many beginning or even intermediate sewers haven't worked with knits and may not know much about them. Some sewers are scared of working with this stretchy fabric and others have tried but ran into problems that made them give up.

Sure, knit fabrics in stores aren't as plentiful as quilting cottons and denim but sewing with them can be fun and easy (and not to mention quick!).

Knits are forgiving to wear and easy to sew because most patterns don't require darts, facings, zippers or exacting fits.

So I'm starting this new series I like to call Never Fear Knits to cover all the basics and offer some tips and tricks to sewing knits fabrics.

The series will cover these topics in separate posts:

What are knits and how do they differ from wovens?
Fiber and fabric types and picking patterns for knits
Tools of the trade
How to sew knits
Stabilizers and how to use them
Do's, Don't's and troubleshooting with examples of problems and how to fix them

At the end I'll release the new downloadable pattern for my Ballet Dress and host a sew-a-long so you can apply everything you've learned so far.

So follow along, even if you're proficient in knit sewing you can still have fun sewing the new pattern or help others who want to learn some new techniques.

Add a button to your blog if you want.

The first post of the series starts tomorrow!

Craft Room Tour Extravaganza!

2011-12-08T15:20:00.000-06:00

A miracle has occurred. For the first time since I moved into this house in June I can say that my craft room is fully cleaned! So I think that's a good reason for a craft room tour, right? Right. Let's get started.

My craft room is small by anyone's standards. It is the smallest bedroom in our tiny house and I swear I've seen closets in many houses that are bigger than this room. But, it's a good size for a craft room, everything is less than a couple steps from me at any time. I just have to turn to my left or right to grab what I need.

But it's not perfect by any means. I'm quickly running out of space for extra fabric. I'd prefer my tables to be taller and the room can easily become a giant mess in a matter of seconds (I tend to dump things in huge piles around the room).

However there are plenty of helpful organizational hints found in my craft room that can be applied to other rooms.

Lets move around the room in a circle:

I put my ruler and cutting mat on the wall behind my door. Since the door is open most of the time it's good to have flat things behind it.

Your wall is one of the best places to store things. I have hanging racks and shelves for buttons, paint, glitter, ribbons and pens. I have hooks that hold scissors and needle packs. I bought the thread rack from Joann and it's usually completely full.

My sewing table is just fold out one that I already had. I'd like to get a new one but it is the perfect depth for a small room.

Underneath the table is a case that holds all my sewing supplies that don't fit on the racks or I don't use as often like elastic, zippers, and french curves.

My dress form is in the corner. The screw that controls the height broke so now it's permanently a dwarf size form. Usually it serves as a hanger for half finished projects.

I have a tiny bin for trash and two other bins, one for paper recycling and another for fabric scraps that are too small to make clothes from but big enough that I feel bad throwing them away.

I save packing paper under my ironing board for pattern making and tracing.

I put my ironing board by the window because I like the view but also because the window sill serves as a nice shelf while working.

I bought an iron hanger from Ikea and attached it to the wall next to the ironing board

The fabric stash shelf is also from Ikea. I organize my fabric roughly by size and type - craft fabric and cottons, fashion fabric, then muslin fabric and interfacings. Originally I was going to put fabric in boxes until I realized I had way too much. The plastic bags keep in progress project pieces all together.

The room isn't big enough for me to be able to walk all the way around the cutting table but three open sides are ok.

I strung a line across the wall and use clothes pins to hold up pattern pieces.

The bulletin board is part mood board, part "don't lose this stuff" board.

I keep my extra machines and their cases out of the way at the top of the closet.

My yard sleeps in that funny smiley face box.

I keep rolls of wrapping paper and gift bags off to the side and paper crafting supplies on the shelves. I've got everything from marker to scissors to adhesives to magazines, albums and paper. Since I don't scrapbook as much as I sew it's nice to be able to put this all away in the closet.

This bookshelf is the twin of the one in the closet. It is both storage and a display for knick-knacks. Up top is my pattern shelf. In the bin on the left is everything but Simplicity (not counting vintage). The ones on the right are all simplicity patterns followed by my own patterns in zip lock bags.

Lower down are jewelry supplies, beads and little jars of random stuff like jingle bells and mini clothespins.

The bottom are all my candle making supplies - wax, glasses, scent oils, etc.

-----------------------------

Besides the technical changes I'd like to make (like taller tables) I'd also like to pretty it up a bit. I have a bunch of orange and white fabric that I want to make into a Roman shade for the window. I'd also like to paint the walls. Right now they are "buy-my-house-beige." I'm thinking I could do a coral or honeysuckle or maybe a green. Or maybe some fancy wallpaper...

So, what should I do to my craft room? Paint it? Get curtains? More lighting? Is there something essential that I'm missing? Do you have a craft room or just a craft desk in a corner?

Gold Tip Shoe Restyle

2011-12-07T11:26:00.000-06:00

I have a funny story for you - About three weeks ago I visited my extended family. One night we went to meet my cousins who rent an RV space at a lake in the area to camp. Not expecting to go to a camp ground, the only shoes I had were some patent nude flats. It was cold that night so I sat by the camp fire to keep warm.

It wasn't until later that I realized that tiny bits of ash and embers in the smoke had floated onto my shoes and burned them! They went from nice and shiny to having tons of tiny pock marks where the shiny surface had melted!

I tried in vain to find another pair just like these - my favorite flats. I thought I'd have to finally say good by and toss these puppies in the trash but then I got an idea - paint them!

Here's what I did and what you will need -

Painters tape
Small paintbrush
Glitter paint
Sand paper (optional)

Now, I've seen some people online use glitter spray paint but the craft store was all out of gold, which is what I really wanted. Instead I went with a bottle of Martha Stewart glitter craft paint in Smokey Quartz (which is really more like watery glitter glue. It's just clear paint with tons of glitter in it).

I didn't want to paint the entire shoe because I really like the nude color and the pock marks were only on the top front of the shoes. I marked a line with painters tape on either side of both shoes.

Next I scrubbed the shoes with 320 grit sand paper just in case the paint wouldn't stick to the shiny patent surface.

Then I painted one layer of glitter paint, let it dry then covered it with a second layer. Two layers were all I needed but I easily could have added a couple more for a super glittery surface. With this paint you really can't put too much on at a time. The clear paint itself is a little watery and it starts getting tiny bubbles but those disappear as it dries.

I took off the tape and voila - partially gold shoes that have now been saved from the trash heap!

The paint has held up so far with no problems which is good because I plan on putting these shoes back into heavy rotation.

Have you ever painted shoes before? What did you use?

Peppermint Candy Pillow DIY

2011-12-06T11:06:00.000-06:00

Would you like to make your own holiday peppermint pillow? Well, you're in luck! Mandi from Make it Dear was sweet enough to ask me to contribute a craft for her Holiday Time Tuesday series. A new festive craft project each Tuesday until the 20th. Check out her fun tinsel wreath and another contributor's awesome chalkboard paint mugs.

I made a this pillow with fleece and tulle. Even my boyfriend thinks it looks pretty awesome (and he's always a critic).

Hop on over and check it out!

***Oh, and if you're looking for more crafty holiday inspiration I did a whole series last year called Dixie DIY Christmas. Some of my faves include the Santa face cupcakes, glitter glue ornaments and the muffin tin advent calendar.

Striped Pencil Skirt - Butterick 5466

2011-12-05T18:31:00.001-06:00

Finally - clothes for grown ups - aka, me. I'm still working on my quilt but the rest of my handmade Christmas gifts are finished meaning I'm free to work on clothes for myself again, starting with this very versatile pencil skirt.

I had this pattern (Butterick 5466) in my stash for a long time but never used it. I must have bought it on super sale and wanted to stock up on basic patterns.

The fabric is a striped, soft twill that I got for free at a fabric swap (score!). I almost passed it up but I'm glad I didn't. What's great was that the former owner had serged the raw edges so I cut my pieces to match the bottom to the serged part to take one extra step out of the hemming process.

The interfacing for the waist facing was already in my stash and the only thing I bought was the zipper. All together this skirt only cost me about $3. Sweet!

I originally cut a size 12 but then worried it would be too small so I restitched my seam allowances smaller and it fits perfectly! As in it skims my curves, doesn't pinch, doesn't ride up or down and doesn't even give me that annoying tummy pooch look. You know what I'm talking about - when a pencil skirt is too tight that instead of laying flat over your front it pulls under your stomach making you look round. I hate that!

That's what I like about this pattern (I made version E) - there are so many seams and darts that is it easy to make adjustments for fitting. The only major change I made was to make the skirt a few inches shorter. Next time I'll probably add pockets.

I'm even proud of myself for making the inside all nice and purdy - something I don't always take the time to do. I serged all my seams, covered my zipper with my waist facing, tacked my waist facing to my inside seams so it wouldn't flop out and twin needled my hem. Yes, I just used twin needle as a verb.

And it is also great because I was in need of a good pencil skirt in my wardrobe. I don't think I've been quite so smitten with a project in a long while, and it was so easy!

Oh, and stay tuned! Coming up this week I'm having a little shoe makeover diy, a tour of my craft room and *drum roll* the start of my new series, Never Fear Knits, all culminating in the release of my Ballet Dress pattern and sew-a-long! Get excited! 'Cause I am!

Finally Finished - McCall's 5613

2011-11-28T16:14:00.001-06:00

Alright, so it's not even December yet but I already feel a overwhelmed with my challenge of handmaking most of my Christmas presents this year. Luckily I finished my last of three little girl's dresses, one for each of my cousins. You can see the other two here and here.

This dress was made from McCall's 5613, version D. I liked that it can be worn in the hot Texas weather or with a sweater or shirt underneath for colder days.

The pink and yellowish-green fabric was a remnant from the store I intern with and the buttons were from a multi size pack I bought at Joann. I had a hard time finding the right color buttons.

Oh, and you know what's annoying? When you buttons are too big to fit in your button hole maker foot. Oh, well. I made it work.

I really think it is a pretty cute dress and I'm sure my little girly-girl cousin will love the flowers and pink (she's 2 and 1/2).

But phew, I'm glad to be done with other people's clothes. I never realized how much I'd worry and fret over if I made the right size and I have no way to tell.

While these dresses are adorable I'm glad to be getting back into making clothes for myself. I'm halfway finished with a pencil skirt right now and I'm almost ready to launch my knits lessons and sew-a-long!

Now if only I could finish that darn monster quilt...

Holiday Gift Guide For Those Who Sew

2011-11-26T16:59:00.000-06:00

A couple years ago my boyfriend's mom (also a sewer herself) smothered me in awesome sewing supplies for my Christmas present. It was awesome!

Remembering that got me thinking - what are some good gifts to give to someone who sews? Especially if the gift giver isn't that familiar with sewing?

I hope this little guide might be helpful to those who want to wish a very inspirational and creative Christmas to someone special!

Let's lay some ground rules first - like buying clothing, personal style and preferences of the recipient can be hard to predict unless you know the person really well. So I don't recommend buying fabric, trims or patterns for the sewer on your list. Neon green floral poly satin may not be her preferred fabric choice.

But every sewer will love useful tools and refilling her stock of supplies!

(source: zipit)

Try parking yourself at the notions aisle of your local sewing store and create a grab bag of items like multi size packs of universal machine needles, packages of elastic, zippers in different lengths and colors, snaps, bias tape, all purpose thread, etc.

Some supplies she may already own but it never hurts to have more than one around - especially when you're knee deep in a project and you just cannot find that darn seam ripper! A magnetic pin cushion, rulers, thread clippers, really nice scissors, and of course, seam rippers make great gifts.

But wait, all these utilitarian products aren't making you excited about shopping? Trust me, sewing enthusiasts would love to have all of those little things but if you want to go above and beyond here are a few ideas that will really make her happy -

A top of the line cordless iron. Sewers are always ironing and having a great one can really make the process easier.
Ginghers. This company makes very nice (but also expensive) cutting tools. The dressmaker's shears are a classic.
A gift certificate to her favorite fabric store. Sure, gift cards aren't the greatest but if you get one to a local indie store rather than the big box places it will be more special.
A gift certificate to get her machine serviced. You're supposed to get your machine serviced and cleaned up once a year but I know that I often don't get around to it, partially because of the cost. This is a thoughtful idea for the budget sewer.

Want some more creative gift ideas?

"How Much Fabric"? Reference cards. These pocket size cards are on a ring and are easy to carry around in a purse. The charts estimate how much fabric you might need for a given style of garment. These are especially useful when a sewer is at a store, spots the perfect fabric for that pattern she just bought but can't remember how much fabric the pattern called for.

Mind Your Own Beeswax Thread Conditioner. This company molds its conditioner into fun little shapes. You run your thread across the little beeswax shapes to make hand sewing smoother. Good for hand basting, slip stitching, catstitching and more. You can order it here but you can probably find it cheaper from other websites. You might also find it in independent sewing stores.

Vintage Patterns and notions. If the recipient likes vintage style this could be an option. Check out estate sales, antique stores, ebay, and etsy. You can often find patterns for under 3 bucks a pop. Don't know her size? That's ok, it is expected that the sewer will have to make adjustments with old patterns. Just pick a few that you like for some instant sewing inspiration.

Hey, what about books?

Books are a great idea for gifts and are easy to find. Here are options for different levels of sewing experience.

For those who like to sew crafts and gifts: One Yard Wonders
For beginning clothing sewers: Colette Sewing Handbook
For those who like to make their own designs: BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook
For the advanced sewer looking for new techniques: Couture Sewing Techniques
For the sewer with a unique sense of style: Japanese Pattern Books. You can find these on etsy and ebay. Japan Lovely Crafts carries quite a selection. Popular books include Drape Drape and Pattern Magic series.
A general reference guide: The Sewing Answers Book

Well, that about sums up my little holiday gift guide for sewers. Please, help me add to this list by commenting with your own ideas of what sewing presents you would want for Christmas?

Little Girl's Dress #2 - McCall's 6388

2011-11-24T21:44:00.001-06:00

Little Girl's Christmas Present Dress numero dos is completed!

There's nothing like finishing a project to ease some stress. In fact, I'm nearly done with my third dress for my little cousins and after that all I have to finish making is my monster quilt and handmade Christmas can be wrapped up for this year.

I often find it difficult imagining what a pattern could be rather than what it looks like on the pattern envelope. That could be a good or a bad thing depending on the style and models. This time was no exception. I saw the child model and it immediately reminded me of my cousin who is about the same age and looks a lot like the girl pictured. I was sold.

The fabric is a rayon lawn or voile (?). Something really thin so I underlined the body of the dress with plain white cotton. The little buttons are from my stash.

My cousin loves pink and purple so I thought this fabric would be cute but not overly sugary cute or ugly wal-mart hot pink style. Sorry, I have an aversion to a lot of kid's clothing you find at big box stores these days.

I liked the design details in this pattern - the over-ruffle on the skirt that frays with wear, the front and back yoke, and the gathered lower sleeve stitched to a cap sleeve is a style I've never seen before.

Even though I measured each girl before choosing sizes, of course, no one is a perfect size. With all the work I'm putting into these dresses I am crossing my fingers that they fit!

A Tough Decision

2011-11-22T10:38:00.001-06:00

I've made a tough decision. I'm donating some of my old handmade clothes to charity.

This is a big deal for me because it is so difficult to say goodbye to all my hard work. These (very stuffed) bags represent hundreds of hours of work and a lot of money and that makes things a more personal than just store bought clothes.

Also, I wonder would anyone want my old stuff? It's not like they're pretty on the inside and there are no size tags but I can't let that unpolished feeling keep these clothes cluttering up my closet.

The clothes I'm giving away are all either really old, don't fit or aren't my style. Basically, if I haven't worn it more than a couple times then it's out. I want my closet and drawers to represent my personal style rather than my handmade disappointments. And most of these garments have been documented on the blog so it's not like I'm completely forgetting about them.

I've never donated my clothes before so I'm feeling a little emotional about it but I'm sure I won't miss these individual pieces. Have you ever given away your hand sewn clothes? Why? How did you feel about it?

Maybe the worst part is that even though I'm giving away so many clothes, I'm still short on closet hangers!

One Yard Wonders Oven Mitt and Hot Pad

2011-11-19T10:10:00.000-06:00

I have finished quite a few present for this Christmas but they've all been pretty easy. I still have a bunch of projects in the halfway or not-even-started stage. I'm a little nervous that I won't finish everything because it's so much work.

This gift set was fairly simple. I used the mitt pattern from the One Yard Wonders book paired with some Christmas themed Alexander Henry fabric I got from the store where I intern. I'm giving them to my friend before Christmas so she can have some time to display them.

Miss P offers a great idea on her blog on how to make your own perfectly measured bias tape with masking tape and I took that same concept to make my quilt line guides.

One snag in the project - my seemingly thick batting smooshed down so thin when I quilted my fabric so I had to double it up. I made the mitt first so my fabric had already been quilted with the top fabric, then batting, then inside fabric. So because I'm lazy, rather than add the extra layer of batting and re-quilt it. I just cut another layer of batting and inside red fabric and layered them inside without quilting. It works. ;)

I was also too lazy to change my serger thread, too, I just realized. Gosh, I'm a terrible gift maker. Haha!

I made the bias binding from the red button fabric.

What a fun and an easy way to show off cute fabric and trims! Making holiday themed decor is really getting me in the mood for Christmas.

Are you doing any holiday crafts this year?

Little Girl's Dress - BurdaStyle Magazine Oct 2011 Issue

2011-11-17T11:59:00.001-06:00

Whoa, sorry for the unexpected absence from me! Sometimes I don't realize how long I've been away from the blog.

But I have been working on both my upcoming pattern and some Christmas presents like this cute little dress!

I have three cousins under the age of 8 and they are all girly girls who love pink and playing dress up. I like to think of them as little Charlie's Angels because the oldest is blonde, the youngest is a redhead and the middle one is brunette. It will be several years before they understand that reference, though.

This year I'm making each girl a dress and I finished the one for the oldest first.

I found the pattern in the October issue of BurdaStyle Magazine, style 146. The dress also has a tunic variation.

The fabric is from Hancock Fabrics and has a stripe of silver weaved in for some sparkle (which you can't see well in these photos).

I never before used a pattern from the magazine even though I own a few issues. This dress seamed easy enough to try.

All the patterns pieces are printed in different colors on one giant sheet of paper and you have to find and trace the pieces you need. A couple patterns have illustrated instructions but this pattern only had written. While I could figure most of it out on my own a little visual help in a couple places would have been nice.

For example, the pattern calls for a total of four buttons with button holes on the shoulders but after assembling my pieces I couldn't figure out a way to fit four. Instead I sewed two buttons and ditched the button holes because the neckline looked big enough to fit her head through.

Also, the method of stabilizing and binding the neck opening confused me. The pattern calls for twill tape and Vilene Bias Tape (a notion that is rarely used in the USA) but the instructions only described using the twill tape. I didn't have any twill tape on hand so after looking up Vilene Bias Tape I decided to make my own.

I cut a 1/2in wide strip of iron on interfacing on the bias. The bias cut makes it ease to form to the neck curve. Then I sewed a straight stitch down the length of the strip. This provides extra stability so the interfacing doesn't rip. I adhered it to the raw edge, serged the edge and folded under and top stitched with my twin needle.

It works well but this method may have caused my button problem because I didn't use twill tape. I would have abided by the magazine's instructions if I had more easily understood them.

Besides those issues the sewing process went pretty smoothly. I serged all the seams and used my twin needle on arms and hems. I even stitched an extra button on the inner side seam in case they lose one of the buttons.

Before I wrap it up I'm debating whether or not to order some personalized clothing labels as a finishing touch. That might also help her figure out which side is the front and back because they look almost exactly the same!

Book Review! Colette and BurdaStyle

2011-11-08T20:58:00.000-06:00

I'm interning at a fabric store in Austin and we just got both the new Colette Sewing Hanbook and BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook (yes, they are both "sewing handbooks") books in stock. I scouared through each, snapped some pics and now I'm sharing my thoughts with you!

First of all, both books are the same retail price, both have beautiful photos and both are spiral bound, making them easy to lay flat on your sewing table as you read.

Colette's book is geared more towards beginner garment sewers while BurdaStyle is more for those with intermediate skills.

The Colette book has the classic, streamlined style you know from their patterns.

I love Colette's approach to teaching. I remember when I first started sewing and I was so excited to work on projects that I skipped learning some essential skills. The book is organized in 5 sections, or "fundamentals". You learn a few basics then dive into a project. Then you learn something more advanced and work on a new pattern and so on. This way you're never in over your head but you always feel like you are progressing and putting your skills to work on something wearable.

The patterns are basic but each has a little twist - scallops here, pintucks there. One shirt has bias binding which teaches you to make and sew binding and also allows you to add your style to the shirt. Another dress has enough darts for you to work on a perfect fit.

Each lesson features ample illustrations and photos, just like Colette's patterns.

What particularly stands out is the reference section. I love the up close images of different fabric types.

And I've never seen a book with examples of fabric wrapped on dress forms. What a great way to illustrate drape.

On to BurdaStyle -

BurdaStyle's book focuses more on fashion and style than technique. Lots of eye candy for fashionista sewers.

It features lots of input from BurdaStyle.com users from sewing room inspiration to user created variations of five standard patterns (skirt, dress, top, coat, handbag) included in the book.

Each pattern has instructions for the original look. Also included are a several other variation designs, a few with their own instructions. Every original design is cute but what's really great is seeing what contributor does with the style to make it his or her own.

At the end of each variation is a little Q&A with the BurdaStyle user who created it.

This book is more for the fashion savy sewer who is advanced enough for pattern manipulation and is looking for a creative outlet rather than learning basic fit and construction techniques. If you like the concept behind the Built by Wendy books (basic patterns and alterations to the designs) then BurdaStyle will be right up your alley.

Each design has a difficulty level and decent instructions but if you are advanced enough to alter patterns drastically you probably won't need to read the instructions much.

Both books are great but are for slightly different audiences. I'd probably buy BurdaStyle's for myself as inspiration but the Colette handbook would make a great gift to someone who wants to learn garment sewing.

Has anyone bought either of these books yet?

In the works

2011-11-02T15:17:00.000-05:00

I'm not sewing anything at the moment (besides my crazy monster quilt) but I am working on a new project - a pattern for my ballet dress. I'm trying to make my instructions clearer while adding better cutting layouts and supplies, and trying to find the most efficient way of printing the pattern pieces. Basically I'm attempting to up my game to make everything more precise and easy to follow.

But it's not just a new pattern that I have up my sleeve! I'm working on a new series of posts for beginners on how to sew knit fabrics and that will culminate in a sew along of my new ballet dress pattern. The ballet dress is a great beginner knit design because it not only teaches you how to sew hems and seams on a knit but also how and when to add elastic or stabilizers and how to attach a nifty collar. Plus it's a pretty simple design and easy to fit and alter.

So look for more on my little project later this month. I've still got a lot of details to flesh out. ;)

Baby Size Button Down - Kwik Sew 3730

2011-10-29T16:10:00.000-05:00

Everyone say "awww!!"

My co-worker and his wife are having a baby next March and they just found out it's a boy. So, keeping with my goal of a handmade Christmas I made them a baby shirt!

This is the first time I've ever made kid clothes and I think this little shirt is adorable!

I didn't know how to display this tiny shirt. Obviously I don't have a baby available nor did I have a tiny baby size hanger so I just taped the shirt to the wall, ha!

The fabric is a vintage plaid I got from the store where I intern. The base color is a yellowy-cream that doesn't come through well in these pictures.

The pattern, which I got for free from the store (sweet!) is Kwik Sew 3730. I liked the pattern because it had 1/4in seam allowances which made it easy to sew with my serger.

I cut the back yoke and the front pocket on the bias for a little extra interest and topstitched my seams.
I made the 3 to 6 months size because I figure they've already accumulated enough newborn size clothes from friends and family already.

I make so much clothing for myself that it's fun to make something for someone else and with a baby I don't have to worry about fitting and picking the right size because he'll just grow into it.

Have you ever made clothes for other people's kids?

Sleeve Experiments - Simplicity 2956

2011-10-26T21:37:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, the lovely Rachel from Always a Project sent me a few patterns in the mail. Thanks Rachel!!

So of course I had to try them out starting with Simplicity 2956.

I wanted to try this sleeve design which I had seen on some RTW shirts but that I had never worn or made.

I changed a couple parts of the pattern, though. I made the basic v-neck t-shirt design but I nixed the empire waist (because I usually end up looking preggers) and the bubble hem because it was just easier not to.

This is the third garment I've made from this pink jersey. The first was a failed skirt and the second was a failed top with fancy flounces. I didn't have much luck with either which left me with not much leftover fabric so the sleeves are about 2 inches shorter than they are in the pattern. I had to make due with what I had left.

What I like about the shirt - the v-neck and the little shoulder gathers are a fun touch. Unfortunately I can't say that I like the sleeves.

Just like with the last top I made I feel like I'm constantly messing with the shirt to get it to lay right. The sleeves don't look as drapey as in the pattern photo and they seem too poofy at the top. Maybe I don't like ruffles and flounces and gathers as much as I thought. Maybe I should have worn a shirt in a store with sleeves like this? Maybe I should have made a bigger size for the sleeves?? Maybe it was the curse of the pink jersey!?!

It's frustrating when things don't work out when you put so much effort and time into it but I'm not giving up completely. There are other design elements of this pattern that I'd like to try out and I have a couple other patterns that Rachel sent that I can work with. All hope is not lost and at least I used up all that darn pink fabric!

First Coat of the Season

2011-10-23T16:52:00.000-05:00

Well, sort of. This is more like a slightly cropped, three quarter sleeve jacket, but since it never gets too cold in Texas, this counts as a coat!

Can you believe that with all my undying love for Wendy Mullin's designs that I didn't own this pattern (Simplicity 4109)? Now it is out of print so I tracked it down on ebay. There is another one of the Built by You coat patterns out there that I simply cannot find for less than $30, whoa!

I used this wool fabric that I bought at a recent estate sale and while I did "pre-steam" it ala Sewaholic's tips for sewing coats, I should have dry cleaned the fabric because it still smelled musty. Instead I dry cleaned the finished coat at an eco-cleaners in Austin (which I prefer to regular dry cleaning because they don't use such harsh chemicals and therefore it doesn't have that terrible nasty chemical smell that I despise).

I loved the pattern. It is a boxy shape (no darts or curves) so I know some might not like it but to me it's modern and it's a coat so I don't expect to look super svelte. I really liked the bell sleeves (cut on the bias) with the front facing seam (as opposed to a regular under arm seam). Some may not like the big sleeves either but it fits my style and I like how it shows off the plaid pattern.

The only change I made was to add a lining which was difficult for me because I rarely make linings. I worked with the facings included in the pattern so I had to cut my new lining pieces to fit. First I finished the raw edges of the facing with black bias tape, serged the edges of the lining, then layered the facings over the lining (wrong side to right side) and stitched through. If the wool hadn't been so itchy I could have gotten away without the lining.

I think the design is cute and different from a regular jacket or coat. It almost has the look of a cape and I think it would be cute in a heavy knit with an added hood.

I want to make the other version of this pattern maybe in a nice twill, something that I wouldn't have to line.

I love the Built by Wendy asthetic - sort of casual refined with modern cuts that are youthful and easy to make your own. Maybe I will shell out the $30 for that other BbW coat pattern? I suddenly feel the need to complete my pattern collection!

Have you ever sewn a coat or jacket? What is your favorite coat pattern? I'm looking to make a few different designs for this season.

Over my head

2011-10-22T21:28:00.001-05:00

Have you ever had a sewing project where you were way in over your head? I'm in the middle of that right now.

To backtrack - I decided to make this year a Handmade Christmas where I make all my presents (or most of them...).

That began with this quilt. A monster quilt - in that it features 9 fuzzy monsters and that it is taking up a ridiculous amount of my time. I've got to cut out dozens of tiny teeth, eyes, pupils, scales and spots and fuse them to my fleece monster bodies; stuff the monsters' arms, legs, horns and tails; hand stitch their mouths then attach all the monsters to their coresponding squares on the quilt top.

A partially finished monster, and I'm not talking about the cat

I have been plagued with problems. I can't find my fiber fill stuffing for the feet. I lost my felt (and then found it again), ran out of embroidery thread and I can't for the life of me get the paper backing off the double sided fusible webbing. UGH!

I know that when it is all said and done it will be an adorable quilt which I will be very proud of, but right now I can't see the light at the end of the tunnel.

So many tiny monster eyeball and teeth pieces!

Have you ever been engulfed by a project so large and tedious? Did you give up or plow right through to the end? Do you find yourself often getting into projects like this? Do you ever underestimate the amount of work involved (which seems to be my problem)?

Well, I'll be back tomorrow with a finished project of a different sort - as for tonight I'll be stitching monster mouths until my thumbs fall off.

Rorschach Blazer

2011-10-18T11:08:00.000-05:00

I may have a contender for the prize of craziest fabric ever sewn. I don't know what compelled me to buy this fabric. I think I found it at Hancock Fabrics although I bought it sometime in July and now I can't remember very well where it is from. I do know that I was smitten immediately and at the time I wanted to make a printed blazer and thought this would do the trick.

It is a medium weight twill with a green and orange on white print that reminds me of a Rorschach test. Pretty wild!

I made the jacket using a blend of two patterns: Simplicity 2250 (I made a denim version last April) and Simplicity 2340 (for the curved collar on version C, which I realize is difficult to see in these photos, sorry!).

The 2340 jacket design was a little too boxy for me and I love the more curvy shape of 2250.

Basically, I layered the front pattern piece of 2340 over the front piece of 2250 and matched up the shoulder seams. I also shortened the overall length by about 4 inches to make it more wearable with different outfits.

The jacket isn't lined because it never gets extremely cold here in Texas so I wanted to get some wear out of it in the warmer months as well as fall/winter. That's also convenient because both patterns I used aren't lined either (well, version C is lined but it is a vest not a full jacket) and I'm too lazy to make my own lining, ha!

Colette Macaron

2011-10-17T17:42:00.000-05:00

Colette's Macaron dress is a popular pattern and there's no wonder why - great design, cute sleeves, sweetheart shape, and interesting pocket placement. I knew I had to try it eventually but I was waiting for the right fabric combo.

And then I found it! Wait, back tracking a little - a few weeks ago I started interning at one of my favorite local fabric stores for a few hours a week. I pretty much get paid in discounts and free remnants and magazines but that's fine by me. I'm really enjoying learning about what it takes to a run a real brick and mortar fabric store.

Anyway, I found these two fabrics at the store. The upper part is a white eyelet and the lower part is a lovely floral voile. Since the voile was semi transparent I underlined that portion of the dress with white batiste. Instead of facings I trimmed the edges of the eyelet with white bias tape for a clean finish.

If I would make any changes next time it would be to add some light interfacing at the waistband. The pattern doesn't call for any and I think with such light weight fabric (even with the two layers) it could have used a little more structure.

I would also take some of the length out of the back bodice. I swear my upper back isn't that round!

Regardless, this dress came out fantastic! With no major need for alterations and a relatively stress free invisible zipper insertion, the hardest part was making the underlining because the pattern isn't lined and I had to figure out how to work in the pockets with the lining.

This is the perfect dress for spring or summer weddings or if I just want to look super cute when buying groceries. And I'm trying to make more dresses because simple, easy to throw on dresses are a rarity in my wardrobe right now. I love this dress so much!

Do I really need to make a muslin?

2011-10-15T19:03:00.000-05:00

(sloppily made muslin for a dress)

It has been awhile since I wrote one of these "Do I really need to..?" posts but recent muslin making has this topic on my mind.

A muslin (or toile as some call it) is essentially a trial version of a garment using cheap fabric. You make a muslin to test a pattern's fit and avoid making big adjustments to a garment made from your fancy fashion fabric.

Any adjustments made during the muslin process are transferred back to your pattern so you can easily apply them to your final garment.

Most people (myself included) would rather not have to make a muslin because of the extra time dedicated to sewing something you don't intend to wear. Sometimes it is worth the trouble and other times you can get away without one.

When deciding whether to sew a muslin or not, consider these questions:

Does the fashion fabric cost more than $XX? (X being whatever number you think is expensive enough to make you nervous while cutting it). For me that might be anywhere between $5 and $10 depending on how much fabric I am using. If it is expensive, make the muslin. How sad would you be if you made an unfixable fitting mistake on your $25/yd fabric?

Have you sewn this pattern before? If yes, you probably already know the pattern's quirks and issues and probably don't need to make a muslin.

Is it a difficult design? If yes, make the muslin. You don't want to mess up with your good fabric.

Is the pattern design very fitted with lots of curves and darts? If yes, make the muslin, especially if you know you have adjustments you need to make with almost every pattern - full bust, swayback, short torso, etc. If the pattern is a simple gathered skirt for example and the only important measurement is the waist, then you can probably forgo the muslin.

Are you sewing with a fabric you've never used before or is difficult to work with? Make the muslin, it will ease frustration when you make the final garment. However, when sewing the muslin try to use a similar weight and drape of fabric as your fashion fabric. It won't do you any good to make a fitted muslin in quilting cotton when your fashion fabric is a silk charmuse. Your muslin and final garment won't look the same.

Is the pattern made by a company whose designs consistently fit you well (so you know you won't have to make many changes to patterns printed from that company)? In this case you may be able to get away with not making a muslin but refer to the questions above before you take the plunge sans muslin.

(muslin and final shirt. changes made from muslin to final: lengthened hem and sleeves, made armhole larger)

Just because you sew a muslin doesn't mean you double your entire sewing time. When sewing a muslin you don't have to finish seams or hems, sew in linings or facings, add zippers or buttons and generally you may not even have to sew in sleeves or cuffs.

Another bonus is that once you sew a muslin, the second time you sew the pattern it is a breeze because you already know how to put all the pieces together!

You could even get away with only sewing a partial muslin. If only the bodice of a dress needs precise fitting and the skirt is loose you can just sew the bodice like I did in the muslin above.

How do you decide whether to sew a muslin?

Learn how to alter one of my patterns

2011-10-14T09:11:00.000-05:00

Sarah from Emmyloubeedoo wrote a guest post on A Couple of Craft Addicts showing how to alter my free Loose Fit Top pattern (with lots of pictures!). She made a longer, hankercheif hem and slighty longer sleeves - a perfect way to transition the pattern from summer to early fall.

Thanks Sarah! Go see how to make your own version!

***PS: I'm back from Boston and I'm sewing up a storm. Being away from my sewing machine for so long makes me antsy. Off to the craft room!

I'm in Boston!

2011-10-07T17:38:00.001-05:00

I'm visiting a friend over the long weekend in Boston and I'm in a new dress!

This dress, which I am dubbing, the Tourist Dress, is a variation on the dress I made last week. This dress has a natural waistline and a slightly longer hem length.

***Hey! This dress now has a multi-size PDF pattern! Go check it out!

The chevron fabric is a poly/rayon sweater knit and it is quite stretchy. I was worried it would stretch too much with the weight of the black jersey skirt but it works perfectly and the dress is awesome for trekking around a big city all day.

I'll be back next week with more sewing. Being in a different climate is making me want to sew a coat now!

Estate Sales

2011-10-04T16:12:00.002-05:00

Like most sewers I have dreams of stumbling upon the estate sale of some master seamstress with boat loads of vintage fabric, notions and patterns and then pack up the back of my car to the brim with supplies all for one crumpled twenty dollar bill.

Yeah, that hasn't happened to me. I've been to a handful of estate sales and walked out with zip and while I don't always look out for sweet estate sales I did this weekend. I drove out to one that looked promising and while it wasn't amazing I did walk out with some loot.

Since it was the last day of the sale I got the fabric for half off. Both are wool that I plan on using for coat making.

The patterns at the sale were mostly from the 70s and 80s. There were only a few 60s pattern. Maybe there were more and someone beat me to them?

The two on the lower left side are fun 70s patterns and the skirt is a really classic style. The one on the upper right is a recent retro reprint pattern that I bought because it was brand new and never cut. The others are 80s patterns with styles that are still pretty contemporary.

What's your best crafty estate sale score?

Oh, Fall! Where have you been all my life?

2011-10-01T18:44:00.001-05:00

We've had cooler weather for about two days now and by that I mean it is currently 83 degrees and not 105. I'm not complaining, though. This feels perfectly like Fall to me.

I have this Micheal's gift card and if you have a Michael's store in you're area you'll know that they don't carry any sewing related products so I had to spend my card on other craftiness.

So to celebrate the season I made a Fall wreath. And yes, my front door is painted orange. This is my first traditional style wreath complete with flowers, leaves, pine cones and fake plastic veggies.

What crafty things are you doing for Fall?

PS: I'll be back later this week with another dress for Fall based on my ballet dress!

Ballet Dress

2011-09-28T15:57:00.000-05:00

This is my "I'm proud of myself for doing this right on the first try" pose.

This dress was traced and slightly altered from an existing dress I own. I call it the Ballet Dress mainly because it reminds me of a dress that a ballerina would practice in.

It's got a scoop neck, three quarter length sleeves, a semi-circle skirt and a slightly higher than normal waist. The perfect little jersey knit dress to run around town in.

This was originally intended to be just a test run but it turned out good enough to wear so that makes me very happy indeed!

That doesn't mean it's perfect. Here are a few changed I'll make next time:

Tighten the sleeves a little
Maybe lengthen the skirt by a couple inches
Make the neck binding smaller - it is a little baggy in the back but I wasn't trying my best to fit the binding because I wasn't taking this dress very seriously at the time.
Give it a normal waistline rather than a slightly higher one
Iron the dress before taking pictures ;)

Since this dress was supposed to be a tester I made the top with a heather gray and then because I didn't have enough gray left I made the skirt in plain black.

The great part about this dress is that it is so simple. I can easily make small changes to my pattern pieces and because of its simplicity it is a great canvas for awesome fabric. I plan on making a bunch of cute sweater dresses this winter.

Made by you!

2011-09-26T21:35:00.002-05:00

Whoa - would ya look at that?? That's my craft room! Well, from a couple months ago. Now there is more utilitarian stuff on the walls and more trash and scraps in general but you get the idea...

Greetings readers - no new projects today. I've had one of those unproductive weeks that come around every once in awhile but I'll be back in the swing of things soon. I've got a long sewing to do list and several ideas that need to be fleshed out.

In the meantime I am thinking of adding a page on my blog dedicated to projects made by others using my patterns. I love seeing other sewers' interpretations of my patterns that I have on this blog and I've saved a few in my bookmarks but I really should make a formal list.

So, if you have made something using one of my patterns and you have a blog or online photo album or something, please, leave me a link and I will list it on my new page.

Pattern Review Featured Member

2011-09-23T17:04:00.000-05:00

I got a surprise while checking my email this morning. I received a note from PatternReview.com saying I was a featured member. I say surprised because one - I don't have that many reviews and I don't participate in forums,contests or anything else besides pattern reviews for that matter, and honestly I'd never even noticed the featured member section before. Oops. I guess I feel a little undeserving. Regardless, that was a nice thing to wake up to and now I feel like I ought to add more reviews!

So let me take this moment to ask if any of you dear readers have a Pattern Review account. If so leave me your link! I want to check out other reviewers. Maybe it will even motivate me to participate more on the site? At the very least it will give me a chance to be inspired by your creations. ;)

Pink Flounce Top - Simplicity 2554

2011-09-20T18:23:00.000-05:00

This is another version of my "what was I thinking" face.

If I was Jack Donaghy and this shirt was Liz Lemon I'd have to say "Good God, Lemon!" (I've been watching a lot of 30 Rock lately).

Excuse me if this is a more philosophical post rather than technical sewing post.

This top is not working. Sure, it's not terrible and it is certainly comfortable. There's nothing wrong with it per-se but I'm just not digging the style.

I saw this pattern in the store and liked the look of the flounce sleeve effect of this shirt (and no, I did not purposefully try to make an exact copy of the top in the photo, I just happened to have a lot of this pink jersey in my stash). However, in real life I find these flutters just plain annoying. I mean really. What am I supposed to do with these things? They never lay - I don't know, what's the word? Normal? Flattering? Un-blob like?

Maybe it is because the flounces are set so close together? Perhaps if they were set more off to the side I'd like it more? Who knows?

So since I've decided I don't like this top I will probably send it to Goodwill and chalk this one up to experience and learning - more experience sewing knits and learning what I don't like.

By now I'm at a skill level that I don't dislike my creations because they don't fit or they have some structural problem. Instead I'm facing the fact that sometimes things aren't my style - like this shirt design. With sewing you don't have the luxury of trying on something ahead of time to decide if you like it. And lately I've bought and sewn patterns that I look good in theory and are disappointing as a finished product.

Does anyone else have this problem? It can be an expensive one and one that I'm determined to learn sooner rather than later because I want a wardrobe that reflects my personal style - a style that I haven't quite defined as of yet...

So here's the question - How has sewing helped you develop your style? Were you interested in fashion before you started sewing? I never was, now I find myself oogling over NY Fashion Week runway photos. How would you define you personal style and how is that reflected by what you sew? Do you feel like you are proficient enough to sew clothes that reflect your style or are you still learning?

Swiss Dot Sheer Blouse - Simplicity 2610

2011-09-18T15:27:00.002-05:00

I bought this Swiss dot fabric online because it was cheap and I was determined to reach the minimum purchase amount to get free shipping. So I didn't know it was going to be this sheer but I made it work!

A couple things I don't like about this pattern - as with the last time I made this pattern, the bottom button likes to come undone. This might have something to do with the fact that my underlap doesn't extend all the way down to that last button. Whenever I tried to line up the underlap it was always slightly too short to cover all the button loops. Maybe I sewed it wrong, who knows? Next time I'll probably add stiffer interfacing to the waist area, as well.

The buttons are raided from my stash - clear plastic circles cut to reflect the light like crystals.

Do you like seeing inside photos? I think some people really love the inner workings of a project so I thought I'd show it this time.

I made a half-*ssed attempt at french seams on the sides and shoulder (which was hard to do because the raw edges were fraying shedding so badly) and serged most everything else. The collar and waist called for interfacing, but I didn't want the interfacing visible through the sheer fabric, so I layered Swiss dot over plain white fabric over sew in interfacing over plain white over a final layer of Swiss dot. Phew! That's thick!

I made this top once before but I much prefer the sleeves on this version and I like the collar, too. I think this shirt is much more my style than the other one but next time I'll wear it with white cami underneath rather than gray.

The Refashioners Part II

2011-09-15T12:14:00.000-05:00

My second shirt design for The Refashioners is up! Hop over to Portia's blog to take a look and you can even download the free pattern PDF version of the shirt I made!

Plaid Built By Wendy Top - Simplicity 4111

2011-09-13T17:08:00.001-05:00

This is another version of Simplicity 4111 that I made a long time ago, this time in plaid. I like this one better than the last try but I'm not sure why. I didn't change the pattern. Maybe it's because the elastic under the bust line isn't as tight? Maybe it's the thicker fabric? Maybe I secretly have a yearning for plaid in my life? Who knows.

Anyway, this shirt was in the mending pile for years because the elastic in one of the sleeves broke. I even remember the party I was at a couple years ago when it happened. Putting something in my mending pile is like burying it deep in an underwater cave in the Bermuda Triangle never to be seen again.

I'm glad I could finally break this shirt out from hiding and finish those minor fixes. Now it is happily back in my closet for rotation.

What's the longest you've ever had something sit in the "mending pile"?

The Refashioners

2011-09-12T15:12:00.000-05:00

Guess what!? I was lucky enough to be invited by the lovely Miss P to take part in "The Refashioners" (don't you love that logo? so fun!).

About a month ago I, along with a group of awesome sewing bloggers, received a surprise package in the mail. Portia sent us all thrifted items of clothing and asked us all to re-fashion what we had into something new, stylish and wearable.

What I loved about making this shirt was that I felt as though I had made a completely new garment but because I kept part of the original design, it didn't take me nearly as long to make as creating something from scratch. I saved time and headaches by focusing on parts of a design that really interested me while the boring parts like making buttonholes and adding interfacing was already done for me. Perfect for the lazy sewer! ;)

I was lucky to have enough fabric in my surprise outfit to make two projects! The first one is up today on Portia's blog. Go check it out! The next one will come later and will include a free pattern to download!! And in the next coming days she will be posting projects from other bloggers including Zoe from So Zo..., Casey's Elegant Musings, Tilly and the Buttons, and Karen from Did You Make That?

Exciting!!! I can't wait to see what everyone else made!

The Accidental Crop Top

2011-09-10T13:52:00.000-05:00

Apparently, when life gives you lemons you search the internet for appropriate ways to wear a crop top that doesn't make you look like you just stepped out of Clueless. Which is what I did to convince myself that this shirt could be saved. (Seriously, how annoying is this girl??)

I haven't worn a crop top since the mid 90s when I was still in elementary school (and back then shirts in general were shorter so this shirt would probably have been considered a regular top). But even when you think something is woefully out of date - wham! it comes back with a vengeance.

Which is lucky for me because otherwise this former UFO might have hit the toss pile.

Originally I planned for this fabric to be a normal tank top (with a fancy exposed zipper that was all the rage about 2 years ago when I started, are exposed zips still in style?) but then quickly realized I didn't buy enough fabric.

So then I thought I'd latch on to another hot trend a-la 2009 - the thick elastic waist dress! You know, the kind where the fabric is stitched to a wide band of (usually) black elastic and commonly combined with different colored skirts and tops. Yeah, you remember that. I bet you even still have one.

I bought some red fabric for the skirt but when trying to attach everything to my elastic all hell broke loose and resulted in a zig zag stitch that resembled a Richter scale graph after a major earthquake and its subsequent aftershocks. It was a hot mess of crazy. (I wish saying "hot mess" was still in style...)

I scratched that idea.

And then it hit me - crop top! Now, I know you want to say it's not that short of a crop top but don't steal my thunder! Sure, it's slightly too long to wear with a high waist skirt (then it just looks like I should have tucked it in, which I could do) but with normal jeans I'm almost on trend! If it was any shorter than this I'd probably feel like an awkward hipster at an overpriced summer music festival. Even as it is I feel a little awkward in this style, hence the small amount of photos.

Granted I doubt this trend will last through to next year at least I have plenty more months of Texas heat to rock the crop before the 90s calls and demands it's fashion back. And if I had to indulge in a trendy piece of clothing I'm glad it could result from an otherwise unwanted sewing project.

Forest Green Knit Dress

2011-09-05T12:35:00.002-05:00

This little green dress was a long time comin'. I began this project way back in April and it was plagued with problems from the start. I admit that all those problems were human error and could have been avoided.

I wanted to create a self drafted easy to wear knit dress with pleats at on the skirt, flutter sleeves and an exposed zipper in back.

The fabric is a deep green interlock. I think forest green is going to be one of my favorite colors this fall, I want to incorporate it into future projects for sure. I prefer interlock or double knit when it comes to dresses more than jersey because I think you need a more weighty fabric on the lower half of your body.

I won't go into the details about what went wrong with this dress (too much!) but as you can see, there's no flutter sleeves or back zip. Plus, after hacking so much at the waistline and serging and re-serging the seam, the waist is a little too warped to wear without a belt (oops!).

But besides that little flaw I did achieve the original goal - a comfy, simple, slip on dress that I wear anywhere. If only it didn't take me months of trial and error to get it to work!

This whole week I have been motivated to pick up those old UFOs again. Sometimes a rest is just what you need to gain new perspective on an old unfinished project. In addition to this dress I've fixed the elastic in an old shirt, re-applied some bias binding on a homemade skirt and finished another UFO shirt. I'm on a roll!

Craziest Fabric Ever

2011-09-02T11:13:00.000-05:00

What's the weirdest fabric you've ever sewn? I think for me - this fabric takes the cake! It's craziness is irresistible and makes me laugh every time I see it.

Its official name is Candy Party Cutie World (not kidding!) and it is very very Japanese. There's flowers, doilies, deer, butterflies, birds and most importantly, kittens! It's like a little girl vomited her wildest dreams all over a piece of cloth!

I bought the fabric from a local indie fabric shop in town and and paid a little more than I normally would for fabric but I couldn't resist.

I don't know how often I'd wear this shirt. Maybe to a fun party where I could talk about this crazy shirt instead of having random strangers stare at me and think I'm insane. Ha!

The pattern in version D of McCall's M5388 except without the elastic sleeves. I've made this pattern once before except with a shorter hem and longer sleeves. I made a muslin for this because my first version didn't fit as well as I would have liked. If there's a change I'd recommend for this pattern is that the arm holes are a little snug. I'd like more movement in that area but it's still totally wearable.

This shirt was fun to make and it makes me smile every time I look at it. When it gets cool again and I can wear a jacket around I'll probably be more inclined to wear this shirt without exposing so many kittens and doilies!

Could it be???

2011-09-01T15:17:00.000-05:00

A skinny jeans pattern that might work?!

This new jeans and trousers pattern (Butterick B5682) looks pretty versitile. And the Slim Ankle version is particularly interesting. I've been on the lookout for a good skinny jeans pattern for who knows how long.

Most patterns feature more plain straight leg or boot cut and these days I'm gravitating towards the extremes in pant designs - either skinny or wide. This pattern has a total of 5 designs, including a somewhat wide leg trouser style although I wish the waistband was a little higher.

I know some of you out there have also been looking for a good skinny jeans pattern. This one might be the ticket.

Let me know if you've tried the pattern. I'm definitely going to buy a copy and maybe make some gray jeans for fall. (Oh, how I wish fall was here. I'm tired of being stuck indoors because it is so hot outside!)

Skirt Restyle Poll

2011-08-30T14:20:00.002-05:00

I'm seeking your advice, dear blog readers. Several months ago I bought this 1950s skirt from an antique store. I loved the fabric (it even has little green sequins in it) and turns out it was hand made and pretty well made, at that.

The problem was it didn't fit. Too small in the waist. However I figured I could still do something with all that fabric. The skirt is full and poofy even without any added petticoats which I'm sure the original owner wore underneath this skirt.

It isn't gathered all the way around, only on the sides, leaving the front and back smooth.

At first I thought I would make a midi length circle skirt design but that was before I snipped off the waistband and discovered that the skirt wasn't a big circle shape and rather a long rectangle. A REALLY long rectangle. In the picture the skirt-sans-waistband is folded in half! It's really double that long! That's a lot of fabric!

So now I can't cut a circle length because that will ruin the lines of the print pattern. Instead I'm asking you, blog readers, to help me out and give me your input as to what I should turn this 4 or so yards into.

I still want to make a skirt from it but I have a couple design options. 1) Midi length gathered skirt, 2) Tea length style pleated skirt which most closely resembles the original design, 3) Knee length pencil skirt, 4) Slightly mini tulip skirt.

With #3 I'd have enough fabric leftover for something else, although I'm not sure what.

Leave a comment with your vote as to what I should do. Oh, and if you have any other suggestions for designs, let me know!

Easy Yellow Shirt - Simplicity 1969

2011-08-29T10:30:00.020-05:00

I've said it before and I'll say it again - I am a lazy crafter. To add to that I could also say I'm cheap. This shirt is a perfect example of what I mean...

I noticed lately that I haven't made a dress in a long time and I asked myself "why?" There's a couple reasons for that. 1) Shirts and skirts are faster to make and 2) shirts and skirts use less fabric than dresses so they cost less!

I found this shirt pattern in the new Sew Simple collection from Simplicity. The designs are all simple enough that they don't take too much time to make and there is only one design per pattern not several variations so the cost of the patterns are less than $2 each.

The fabric is a voile cotton from the Lisette collection - fabric made to go along with the Lisette pattern collection from Simplicity.

Another sign of my laziness - I love the style of these sleeves. They make easy cap sleeves with a relaxed look and best of all - I don't have to spend time sewing set in sleeves!

All in all, I love this top! It has fun little pleats in the front and the back shoulder section reaches up and over the shoulder a little bit to meet the pleats. I really like that design idea.

I loved how fast I could make this shirt - only about 2 hours from cutting the pieces to the final stitch. Not bad! I like being able to finish a project before dinner. I really recommend this pattern if you're looking to build more cute, easy to make shirts into your wardrobe.

A sewing first: Leggings!

2011-08-27T14:12:00.000-05:00

I planned to save this pattern until fall when I thought I'd actually wear leggings (it is 100+ degrees outside right now) but then I decided to wear this dress to Chicago.

The problem with this dress is I bought it online and it is uncomfortably short. I've worn it with skinny jeans before but I don't really like that look so instead I thought I'd whip up some leggings with this huge batch of heather gray jersey I had lying around.

As it turned out, I never even wore that dress in Chicago, ha! Oh, well. But that's ok because the leggings were a little big. The pattern package (McCall's M6173) suggested I make a Large, so naturally I made a Medium but I think I actually should have made a Small (a warning to those who are thinking of using this pattern).

They were pretty baggy around the knees so I sewed up the inseam and the crotch even more to help alleviate that problem.

Would you believe that this is the first pair of leggings I've ever owned? Well, maybe I had some in the 90s when I was six but that's a whole other story...

I won't be able to wear these until at least late October but now I've at last found a reasonable way get this too-short dress out of the closet and back into regular rotation!

Changes and Updates

2011-08-25T10:23:00.000-05:00

Hello blog readers! I just wanted to fill you in on a couple changes.

First up I'm adding a new page you can access from the left sidebar - a new category for Restyles. I'm doing more of these lately so I thought I'd group them all together for easy viewing.

I'm also caught up on updating my other pages in the sidebar with new projects.

And in other news I'm starting up a Dixie DIY Facebook page!

I've been collecting bookmarks to fun online stores, tutorials, projects, patterns and more sewing related tid bits and I've come to the conclusion that I need to share them with others and in the process clear out my bookmarks!

The new page will be a fun place to share sewing and craft related things I think are cool or useful and you can be sure to get daily content that is worth reading and not just links to my own blog posts.

So go become a fan of Dixie DIY on Facebook! And let's build up a community of sewers.

Oh, and if your blog has a FB page, let me know! I want more sewing related stuff showing up on my news feed, I know you do, too!

Pink Scalloped Skirt

2011-08-24T10:38:00.000-05:00

(Hey look! I'm back from Chicago!)

I'm quite smitten with this skirt. I made it by altering a basic skirt pattern that I used as a pattern block to create this kind of a-line shape skirt with darts on the front and back and buttons down the front.

I used corduroy (I was originally looking for a twill of some sort) because I couldn't find anything else in the color I wanted.

I'd like to say this skirt is coral but I couldn't find any true coral colored fabric so I have to admit, it's pink. But I think it's still a really fun pink!

If you've never worked with corduroy before, let me warn you, it frays. A lot. but I loved the finished product.

I even added little belt loops, a waistband and fabric covered buttons (I think those are my favorite part).

For the scallops I used a dish lid and evenly spaced the circles. Then I cut a facing copy which I stitched to the body of the skirt with a blind hem.

Originally I planned on printing out this pattern from BurdaStyle but Justin moved the printer and I couldn't find it so I was like "Whatevzzzz" and whipped out my scissors and ruler and made a similar design. I certainly don't want to imply that I came up with this idea on my own.

This Scallop Skirt pattern is a great alternative if you don't want to go through the trouble to do this from scratch. Unfortunately it is only in one size so you may have to grade it up or down yourself. The only major differences in my design are darts instead of gathers and no pockets ('cause I was too lazy to make them).

I wore this skirt in Chicago but I realized I forgot to take a full body picture of me wearing it! Ha!

Thanks Collage Card

2011-08-16T10:31:00.000-05:00

I feel that the socially acceptable time frame in which to send a thank you card should be extended by at least a week if you make the card yourself rather than buy one. Am I right or am I just a slacker?

This card was a little experiment in how many supplies, papers and trims I could use in one small card but I like the layered collage-ish look.

Stand Up Oil Cloth Zipped Pouch

2011-08-14T11:27:00.000-05:00

Guess what!? I'm going to Chicago for a little vacay in less than a week! And I was thinking about how I don't have a single make up bag that is big enough to fit all of my necessary travel items. I mainly needed a bag long enough to hold my tooth brush and fat enough to hold all my smaller things like eye shadow and mini size lotions.

And since I had plenty of oil cloth leftover from making my wallet I put some to good use for my travel make up bag.

Most beginning sewers at one point or another learn how to make a zipped pouch. This is a variation on that simple concept that allows the bag to stand up on it's own.

Rather than cutting a flat bottom piece for the bag, you only need to alter your two pieces that you would use to make a regular flat zipped pouch.

If you've never sewn a zipped pouch here's my favorite tutorial.

This oil cloth bag is unlined for easy cleanup in case I have a spill.

If you sew this pouch design with regular cloth I recommend you use some iron on interfacing to add stiffness.

First, cut your two rectangles for each side of your pouch.

Next, cut a small square from each bottom corner of both rectangles. The size of your square depends on how wide of a bottom you want on your bag. In general, the width of the bottom of you bag will be double the length of one side of your cut square.

Now, proceed to sew your zipper on like you would a normal bag. Leaving the zipper open at least half way sew the sides and bottom seams (right sides together).

Here's the key part - take your square cutout area and squeeze the side and bottom seam together and fold along the corners of the square like in the photo. Stitch along that raw edge. Repeat for the other corner.

Now, if you're using this technique to make a lined bag here is where it is different - for the lining you don't want the raw edge of those corner seams showing, right? You'll have to push those edges under and stitch over the top of your seam to seal it. This means you'll see the stitching when you look inside the bag but there's really no way around it.

Turn your pouch right side out (now you know why I asked you to keep it unzipped!).

Those square corners have been transformed into a flat bottom for your bag, perfect for digging around in at your hotel bathroom.

I only bough 1/4th yard of this oil cloth and I still have enough left to make another pouch or coin case or something. I'm really getting my money's worth out of this stuff!

Stash Bustin' Summer Tank Top

2011-08-12T21:14:00.000-05:00

I made this new top with fabric leftover from this scarf paired with an altered version of Simplicity 2593. Instead of gathering the front of the top I made a pleat, mostly because I was too lazy to gather this finicky fabric.

I also used some store bought bias tape because this cotton/silk blend was too slippery to make self-bias tape. Another lazy thing I did.

I like the fabric and the shirt turned out well, I think, but it still feels a little small. It's weird, I think I just expect woven tank top styles like this to fit differently. I need to remind myself that woven tanks aren't going to look the same as knit fabric tanks.

I'll still wear the shirt even though I'm not crazy about the style. I like the shirt more when it is tucked in. Maybe it'll grow on me. Not everything is going to be an A+ but at least it is a learning experience, both in what I like to wear as well as in practicing techniques.

Oil Cloth Wallet

2011-08-10T20:48:00.000-05:00

I've been sewing for how many years now? 8? 10? And I've never sewn oil cloth before today.

For some reason I got it into my head that I wanted to make a wallet today so I went to the store after work and bought some fabric. Ever have those spontaneous needs to create?

This pattern is one I whipped up myself although it ended up simpler than I originally designed (my machine kept jamming with too many layers of oil cloth, at least, that's my conclusion).

My one problem - I used a magnetic clasp for the closure on the wallet and I didn't position it well - too far away from the edge of the flap.

Now, I blame this partially on how I adjusted my original pattern idea because all those layers jamming my machine. It threw off my perfectly designed closure plan and by that point I'd already punched my holes so I was committed. Oops. But the thing still works so I'm gonna use it.

I like the oil cloth because it's flexible but not floppy and it's pretty easy to keep clean. And this wallet is a little shorter than the last one I made so it fits in my new smaller purse. Cha-ching!

Loose Fit Knit Top with Cuffed Sleeves - Now with Multi-Size Pattern!

2011-08-07T20:01:00.001-05:00

Here's another altered version of the top I made earlier this week, this time in a white, burnout jersey. The fabric is semi-sheer so I have to wear a cami underneath but I really like the fun striped design. Unlike the other shirt, this shirt doesn't have set in sleeves and instead has little cuffs on the sleeves.

AND... drum roll please... I made a pattern for it! ~~Well, it's only one size - my size, but I've gathered a couple pages from Burdastyle here and here that can help you if you want to size the pattern up or down.~~

UPDATE! I've now updated the pattern to five sizes from bust size 32.5in to 40in.

Click to download the pattern and instructions PDF. Be sure to print the pattern without scaling.

And, as usual, if you have questions please leave a comment. I whipped this pattern up on my computer this afternoon so I wouldn't be surprised if there's a typo in there somewhere.

This pattern is pretty simple so ~~I promise I'll get around to making a multi-sized version soon!~~

Flow-y Floral Summer T-shirt

2011-08-03T22:49:00.000-05:00

I love t-shirts. So comfy and easy to wear. And I especially like "dressed up t-shirts." It doesn't have to be anything fancy, maybe a different neckline or gathered sleeves or a fun print. Something to make a shirt a little less plain.

I based the design of this shirt on Simplicity 2261 which I used last week to make this green t-shirt. Really, I used the pattern for no other reason than the pieces were still out on my cutting table and not folded up in the envelope. I'm lazy like that. The point is you can make this alteration to any ol' t-shirt pattern.

See, the way this shirt gets it's flow-y-ness is that I cut the shirt more of a triangle shape along the sides.

I've really liked the oversized t-shirt look lately but whenever I try shirts like that on in the store I just feel swallowed in them. Then I realized it wasn't the "oversized all over" style I really wanted but more oversized, loose looking towards the bottom. When the shoulders and neck are still fitted normally but the rest seems more oversized, then that's the look that I like.

The idea is simple. Take this drawing below for example. Lay down your t-shirt pattern piece (black outline) line it up on the fold like you normally would. Then tilt the bottom away from the center fold, pivoting at the center neckline point. Next draw a new side seam (pink line) that extends further away from the side edge of the pattern piece. Make sure your side seems are the same length on both front and back pieces. Finally draw a new bottom line, blending into the original bottom line on the pattern piece (green lines).

The end result looks like this when flat.

As for the other details - the fabric is from Hancock Fabrics, some cool, retro style print poly blend jersey. I made the sleeves from the pattern about 1 in longer and I cut the neckline to be more U-shaped. For the neck opening I made a binding out of leftover fabric.

I love this shirt because it's comfortable and loose on these super hot 100+ degree summer days! Now I've made two new tank tops and two t-shirts from knit fabric for this summer's wardrobe rotation. Oh, and yes, that is the actual color of my yard. A nice crisp, Texas shade of brown. Thanks drought! (Can you tell I'm a little tired of this summer heat???)

Scarf with trim

2011-08-02T20:29:00.000-05:00

I've been gone for while to visit with family but now I'm back! Funny, because it seems like a lot of my blog reader list was on a little break, too.

I don''t have anything fancy to share this time but I did make a cute scarf.

Right now it's tied to my purse.

I bought this fabric (a cotton silk blend) while I was away on Girls Weekend - a little vacay held once a year for all the women on my boyfriend's side of the family. Thirteen women together in one house for several days. Lots of shopping, eating, group picture taking and a whole lot of fun.

Sometime during the trip some of us got the idea to make purse scarves so we hopped over to the fabric store and picked out our prints.

I fly 1000 miles to get away from my day to day life and what do I do? Go to the fabric store. Oh, the irony of my life!

Everyone else made long, skinny scarves but I wanted mine to be more versatile so I made a square. I wanted to used some little yellow trim on the edges of my scarf but the roll of trim I bought was too short so I had to wait until I flew home to finish my scarf using some white trim I had instead of yellow.

This is the first scarf I made but it is a great project for bigger fabric leftovers. My scarf is bout 30"x30" but you can make it any size.

I liked this fabric so much that I bought 2 yards so I can make something else with it!

Simple Green T-shirt

2011-07-27T12:47:00.000-05:00

Here's another shirt I whipped up recently. It's nothin' fancy but I really need more t-shirts in my wardrobe so this helps.

The pattern I used is Simplicity 2261, version C.

The fabric is a cotton blend jersey style knit that almost feels like a thin sweater knit.

I never got around to buying some lace for the shoulder design so I just made the shirt without it.

I like that the design nice and simple but the gathered sleeves make it a little more special.

The pattern calls for two front layers to make the neckline seamless, but ugh! Thinking about an extraneous layer of fabric when I'm outside in 100+ degree weather is terrible. Yeah, I cut that part out of the equation. Instead I made a binding for the whole neckline and stitched in the ditch.

Also, a new thing I bought - a twin needle. I love how it gives the look of a coverstitch machine on t-shirt hems.

I want to try the skirt part of this pattern for fall. For now I'm just glad I have more t-shirts and tank tops in my summer wardrobe.

Tank Top #2

2011-07-24T17:20:00.000-05:00

This is the second top I made from the McCall's 5853 pattern, version B, I believe, with the little rosette things on the top.

I used fabric leftover from the maxi dress I made this summer. I like the look of the rosettes in this fabric because the colored print is only on one side of the jersey. You can catch glimpses of the wrong (white) side of the jersey in places.

One thing that I didn't like about this version pattern is that it gave no clear instructions on how many rosettes (which are just circles and tear drop shapes gathered down the center) to cut or where to place them, just telling you to arrange them like the pattern drawing. I would have preferred more direction.

I really like this pattern and since it uses so little fabric it's good for when you have extra leftover fabric (like in my case).

Stay tuned for more new projects! I've been sewing up a storm (or at least a slight wind) but haven't kept up with taking pictures like I ought to.

Summer tank top

2011-07-18T11:05:00.000-05:00

I think I have a new favorite pattern. I've already made it twice in one weekend! I'll show you my #2 version later.

It seems as though other people on Pattern Review agree with me.

I made this tank top using McCall's 5853 (funny, I can't find it anywhere on the website - oh, wait, I found it under clearance. Maybe they're discontinuing it soon? If you like sewing knits or want to start pick up this pattern is super easy!) and some pale blue poly cotton knit I got from the sale rack at Hancock Fabrics (which I recently discovered has awesome cheap knit!).

The pattern was super easy, just a front, back, arm and neck bindings plus whatever detail you did. The cut is simple with a not too high, not too low neckline and an easy fit.

I picked view D with the flounce in front. On the pattern is has four flounces, three center and one at one shoulder. I cut the shoulder flounce because I liked the symmetrical look.

I admit, I read the directions once through but I didn't pay very close to my markings on my front pattern piece making my flounces be ever so slightly contained in the neckline binding and ever so slightly folded into the hem. Ooops. But that's not a big deal.

I cut a size 12 (rather than a 14 which my measurements would suggest) but sewed with 1/4 in serger seam allowances instead than 5/8 in. I'm pretty sure the pattern said 5/8... If not, then nevermind. Ha!

I realized recently that I need to add sway back adjustments to my patterns but I didn't bother with this tank. I figured with knits it's supposed to look flowy and bunchy and not necessarily look stiff and straight like a woven, right? Any other sway back-ers out there want to weight in on it?

Also, my binding stitching is a little wacky. I kept going back and forth about whether I wanted to do stitch in the ditch or stitch on top of the binding and my thread isn't the exact same color as the fabric (I used some from my stash). Again, not super noticeable but still. I made a better decision on tank top #2.

Oh, and I got to use my new little sewing machine gadget - my twin needle! Which makes for awesome ready to wear looking hems.

I think in the future I might use this pattern as a base for other tanks. Even without the details it still makes for a great simple addition to a summer wardrobe. Plus, one thing I learned from Me-Made-June - I need more cute t-shirts and tops!

Recycled Denim Shorts

2011-07-13T17:11:00.000-05:00

For some strange reason I am loving shorts this summer and can't get enough of 'em.

These shorts utilized the leftover denim from a wrap skirt that I made several years ago but since then deconstructed it and used some fabric to make this skirt.

I think it's pretty cool that I was able to get two garments out of one!

The pattern was altered a bit from Simplicity 3850, an out of print Built by Wendy shorts and pants pattern. It is the same one I used for my first ever pair of shorts.

Changes I made from last time:

I made one size bigger but did some fitting like making the legs a little narrower and changing the crotch seam.
I moved the zipper from the front to the side and made it invisible.
Made the shorts longer. Super short shorty shorts are not my thing.
No pocket flaps on back. The flaps were faux anyway.

Also, you'll notice the inner pocket area is not denim. It's leftover blue shirting that I used to make this failed tunic. I literally had no more pieces of denim big enough to even cover that tiny exposed bit. I even used the original skirt waistband as "bias tape" to wrap the bottom of each leg.

Since I was already using that blue shirting for the inside pockets I used it for that little peep of exposed pocket, too.

If I make them again I think next time I'll make the front waistband higher. Ever since fashion began to gravitate towards low cut waists I think pant manufacturers compensated by bringing up the back of pants to avoid that unwanted coin slot flashing problem.

But then the front really is still low and makes for a really weird tilted side view, in my opinion, almost to the point where it looks like my gut is hanging out the front.

Because of that I doubt I'd wear these shorts with a top tucked in like I am here. This outfit is for photography purposes only. ;)

In the future I'll cut the front waistband more consistent to the height of the back waistband which I think is a better look for me.

I have a really odd urge to make another pair of shorts in a bright color - maybe orange or green. Very summery! Have you ever sewn shorts? Do you even wear shorts? I never wore shorts much at all until last summer.

Sewing Motto

2011-07-11T20:55:00.000-05:00

(recent fabric acquisitions)

Do you have a sewing motto? For me I think it is "If you start to make mistakes, it's time for a break."

When I make silly mistakes I know I need to turn off the machine for a while and save myself the frustration. I've met my limit like tonight when I sewed the lining wrong for the waistband of some shorts I'm making. But sometimes it's hard to heed my own advice!

Maybe another would be "If at first you don't succeed, (seam) rip, rip again" or "Never buy more fabric that you can sew in a reasonable amount of time." (Ooops...)

Or always a classic - "Measure twice, cut once." Especially important when working from scratch without a pattern.

What's you sewing motto?

Sewing with Slippery Fabrics

2011-07-08T10:56:00.000-05:00

I mostly consider this shirt an experiment in sewing with slippery fabrics.

The pattern (McCall's 6354) wasn't made for this type of super slinky charmuse (I think that's what this is, a polyester charmuse) so I didn't expect it to look exactly like the pattern picture.

This fabric I bought on sale a long time ago because I really liked the print but then I was left wondering to myself - why would I possibly buy fabric that was so hard to work with and what could I do with it?

This pattern is similar to the design idea I imagined for this fabric so I thought I'd give it ago and try out some techniques I found around the net on how to work with slippery fabrics.

Now, if you've ever had the misfortune of cutting and sewing anything sheer or satiny or silky (or anything with an "s" sound in the word, come to think of it) then you feel my pain. Here's some of my best tips for dealing with this fabric from hell.

Preparation:
You know all those things you're supposed to do before sewing that sometimes you can be lazy about (or maybe I'm just lazy). Now is not the time to ignore those steps.

Make sure you prewash and lay the fabric out flat. Prewashing will help the fabric lay in it's natural position.
Change your needle(s) to the appropriate size and use a nice fresh one. You don't want any snags!
Check that your machine is in tip top shape. Thread jamming up will make you even more annoyed than normal.

Cutting:

Layer the fabric right side up over a piece of paper like blank news sheet. Pin the selvage or fold to one edge of the paper and lay the fabric flat. (I was lucky, close up my fabric had distinct tiny lines to help make sure my fabric was straight).
Use pattern weights to keep the fabric from shifting as you pin.
When you cut your pattern pieces leave an inch or two around the edge of the pattern cut lines. Plop your pattern piece onto the fabric and pin both inside and outside of those cut lines. Pin through all layers - pattern paper, fabric and bottom paper.
Use plenty of pins. Like twice or more of the normal amount you might use.
You don't want to dull your fabric shears but you don't want to use some dull paper scissors either. Get your best all purpose scissors for cutting through paper and fabric together.
Keep your bottom paper pinned to your fabric piece.

Sewing:

I used a combination of these techniques depending on the kind of seam.

You can sew through the paper with the fabric on seams. With your paper still attached pin your pieces together and stitch. Since you cut fabric right side up and most seams are right sides together the paper should be on the outside. The stitching perforates the paper making it easy to tear but be cautious and tear carefully just in case. Oh, and it probably doesn't need to be said but be sure to tear your paper off before finishing your seams. Otherwise it will be much harder to tear off your paper!
On shorter seams like shoulders unpinned the paper from just that area and pinned the fabric together on it's own. I also inserted some stay tape into the seam for extra stability. Don't bother trying to pin it, just slip it in as you sew.
On bigger seams and hems I used temporary fabric adhesive spray. It's the same stuff I used on my quilt only I sprayed much smaller amounts. Be sure to do this outside by an open window. I just sprayed the wrong side of my fabric and folded over twice for hems and pinned immediately. It's a miracle product! The adhesive remains tacky for a couple minutes allowing you to move fabric around if needed and if it dries just spray a little more. The spray dissolves in the washer.
For the bias binding (store bought, like I'd try to make bias tape myself out of this fabric, ha!) I attached it like I would with any fabric except I used my handy dandy adhesive spray and I gave myself a little extra wiggle room. I placed the edge of my bias tape about a quarter inch inward from the edge of my fabric. This helped to make sure that when I folded my tape over and stitched I would fully encase my edge.
Don't forget - use plenty of pins while sewing, too!

In general sewing with slippery fabrics requires more patience and determination but there are tricks you can use to make sewing smoother. If you're tackling a big project like a silk party dress try out some of these techniques in advance and see what works best for you!

Will I be working with fabric like this any time soon? No, probably not! I'm trying to convince myself of the fact that my wardrobe is much more casual than I think it is and that slippery fabrics are more reserved for fancy dresses that I never have occasions to wear.

Do you have any other tips that I missed? Who knows. I may have to use them eventually. ;)

White raglan sleeve top - Simplicity 3835

2011-07-07T09:52:00.000-05:00

I made this top probably three years ago back when I first started sewing with patterns and was so excited about the Built by Wendy series at Simplicity (which is now all out of print, sad).

I packed this shirt away when moving almost a year ago and haven't seen it until now.

I bought this fabric that already had little ruffles and pin tucks on it (so no, I didn't spend all that time doing it myself!).

The only thing I didn't really like about this pattern was the arms were too tight so I took out the elastic in the arm openings. It's a great raglan sleeve shirt pattern and you could easily adjust it so that the neckline doesn't need elastic.

It's pretty fun to revisit all my old sewing projects again. It's like discovering a new wardrobe.

Me-Made-June Recap

2011-07-04T19:14:00.000-05:00

So I didn't do a good job of taking daily pictures but with the exception of a couple times I did manage to wear at least one hand made piece a day.

What I Learned:

It wasn't that difficult to wear something every day. My handmade clothes are a big part of my wardrobe now, more than I realized.
This new house makes it difficult to take pictures. Not only do I not have a good backdrop for pics but I really need Justin to take them and he's not always available. This definitely contributed to my lack of pictures.
I have a bunch of pieces that just need a little fix or tweak to be wearable. I should start working on that.
There are a few holes in my wardrobe that I'd like to fill - more shorts (because it's hot!), comfy everyday dresses, and a couple blazers or lightweight jackets (something I could wear to work over a sleeveless top or just for general layering).
I need to come up with better ideas to mix and match my clothes. I tend to wear the same outfit combinations on a repeat basis.

Even with the lack of documentation I'm still glad I participated in Me-Made-June. If nothing else it made me try to make a conscious choice in how I dress on a daily basis. Did you do MMJ this year? How was your experience?

Four beautiful words....

2011-07-03T12:51:00.000-05:00

99 cent pattern sale!

Unless I immediately want to make a certain pattern, I will make a note of the number and wait until the store has a 99 cent sale and then I stock up. :)

Most of these are more recent McCall's released from spring and summer.
I'm thinking of using some fabric from my stash to make a shirt using the 6354 pattern.

Maxi Dress Done!

2011-07-01T11:47:00.000-05:00

Wow, that was quick. I finished this dress in only about six hours and I'm quite happy with it!

And it's my first maxi dress I've owned, let alone made and it is oh so comfy! I can see why people love this style for summer - breezy, light and you get the benefit of wearing a skirt without having to worry about shaving your legs. ;)

I changed the original pattern (Butterick 5489) by adding elastic at the waist (elastic which I salvaged from an old fitted sheet - yay recycling!) and lengthening the bodice by an inch (the pattern is cut to be slightly higher than your natural waist).

One problem I had was sizing. Normally I'm a size 14 but I always cut a 12 with patterns. But while buying the pattern I thought - is this logic the same with knit fabrics? Knit patterns usually have much less built in ease. I was worried that this time a 12 would be too small. I was wrong. The 14 is a little too big and I should have bought the smaller size. Ooops.

What's worse is that Butterick only sells their patterns in two size packets - 6 to 12 and 14 to 20. So that means I don't have a size twelve to cut from. Sure I could size my 14 down but I'm too lazy for that. ;)

I like Simplicity because they have a packet that includes both 12 and 14 in one so I can choose at the last minute what size I want to use.

I also used different trim from my inspiration. I bought this cool purple-y and green trim at a local sewing store. I really like it and as a bonus it is straight which makes it easy to machine stitch in place.

Also, I bought new sunglasses (they're wooden!) which work great because you can't see me squinting in the morning sun. I really need to find a new place to take pictures but there's no good spot in my house. At least not a clean spot...