Matching PJs and taking a break from the blog :)

This is my 100th post, and I have decided that I am taking a summer break! It is the first official week of summer and me and the kiddo are doing fun things together! 100 posts about sewing and life is really quite a lot. So not sure when I will be back, next week, maybe not til July. But hey we all need a little mental vacation now and then.

Around Mother's Day I had the great idea to make matching PJs for me and Miss M. She agreed it was a fantastic idea and loved the fabric that I picked, cowgirls was our theme of course. Her nightgown it just a simple little girls slip pattern from McCalls M4505, view A. It was super simple just two pieces. Then for the neck and arm holes I trimmed out the seam allowances and used bias tape to bind the edges. Turned out all cowgirl cute!

For my matching jammies I did a little Franken-pattern. I used McCalls M5992 for the pants, and shortened the pattern to capri length. And wile I do not like capris for day wear I do enjoy them for working out and for pajamas. For the top I once again used my favorite pattern the book Sew Liberated by Meg McElwee. I have made it many times before check it out here.

This time I shortened the sleeve so that it is just a touch longer than a cap sleeve. I also made the body of the top a little wider and longer. I like my sleeping attire to be loose and comfy!

This picture right here is exactly why I love sewing right now. Marion thinks that I am so super cool because I make things for her. And she is very interested in learning to sew. I really hope she stays interested and I am going to enjoy her enthusiasm and her thinking I am cool while it lasts.  I am sure it will end before I want it to.

So yes this is my last post for an undetermined amount of time. I want to take a break before I reach a burn out point and quit out of frustration. I just once again need a little time to re-group. I need to re-visit my New Years resolutions and think about all the different options that have been coming my way lately.

Whatever you do this summer I hope you get a chance for some fun in the sun as well as a little rest and reflection. I think this is a great time of year for checking in with yourself and finding new energy for the people and things that you love in your life.

Peace Out - C

New Day, New Project!

I have had this Liberty of London fabric for way too long! You may remember Eric bought it in London for me. 

I had been trouble envisioning what to make with it. But the other day I got a new Burda Magazine and it finally came to me. A dress, yes a dress.

This is the second time I have ever actually pulled that scarey pattern section out of the magazine and used it. And again I realized it really is not all that scarey. Once I got started it only took about 45 minutes to find and trace out all the pieces.

And on Thursday I did not have any plans and was not feeling entirely well so I skipped working out and worked on this dress for most of the day. I started on it at about 9 and was finished by 2 with a break for lunch. So over all not too bad I would say.

I am happy to report that I did not have any fitting problems or anything. It sewed up quite nicely. With almost no trouble. In the end the front was a little too poofy for my liking so I threw on a belt and perfect! I added 2 inches to the length but other than that went straight from the pattern size 44. I must say now I am inspired to try some more Burda patterns.

I have worn this dress twice since I made it on Thursday so I am sure it will be my go to dress for the summer. The main reason I love it is that the fabric is so light and airy and feels like wearing nothing but looks like real clothes. Just the type of clothing needed in HOT weather.

Hope you enjoy what is left of your Holiday Weekend!

Peace Out - C

It's hot, I need some shorts!

I went shopping earlier this week as my "fun" off day thing to do. Well in the end it was not really that fun. I could not find a single pair of shorts that fit right. I tried on ever brand and every size I could find. I tried on everything from a 12 to an 18W. I am happy to report that I do not wear an 18W because it fell right off me but I did come home frustrated and empty handed. I was only cheered up a little when a size 2 friend told me that she is having the same problem this year.

Now let's establish that I do not have nice enough legs for anything shorter than a Bermuda short. So when I say shorts this is of which I speak. Second I no longer wear capri pants. I admit that for a while I bought into the capri pants as part of the summer uniform. But really they are not that much cooler and they look so much worse than the alternatives. My summer staples tend to be long linen pants, skirts and dresses of all kinds and Bermudas. 

Oh what to do? Make my own shorts! I have been down this road before. In September I made these shorts. Sort of cute right? Well they were a nightmare to fit and took me hours and hours and the first time I wore them the linen pulled from the seams right at the front of the shorts and this is the only time I ever wore them! The style of the shorts was OK but the fabric was a disaster.

My main fitting issue is that I have large legs and a large rear end and a smaller waist. Thus making pants in general DIFFICULT to buy to say the least. But as I was looking through my patterns I stumbled across a shorts pattern that I not only already owned but though, "by-golly that just might work!"

I originally bought this pattern for the 3 tier skirt. I know I don't really need a pattern for a tier skirt but it was $.99 and I am willing to spend that sort of money to save me from doing math! But I digress...

The shorts pattern is view C the little plaid lovelies in the upper left of the envelope.  I had a few major fears in making them. What if drawstring Bermudas make me look like I am a frumpy old lady? What if they don't fit? Really, 1 hour? I have tried some 1 hour patterns before that were major liars!!!

Well honestly they fit perfect! They only took about an hour! And I think my fabric selection (and my general fabulous-ness) saved me from the old lady frump.

I made them in a very lovely and versatile chambray. I have yards and yards of it. I bought it a few weeks ago when I first decided I needed a more simple and sophisticated (and less silly) wardrobe.  It looks like a light weight denim which is nice since it goes with just about anything.  I am amazed at how nice they look and how well they fit. I wore them to work today and they were super comfy!

Here is the overall look. More about the new shirts another day! But look how nice it goes with my new shorts.

Even my worst problem area is well fit and not looking too terrible in these shorts. Very exciting people!

The draw string waist isn't even too dorky in my opinion. Really who wears a tight tucked in shirt any way? Unless I had told you about it would you have known? Any way I am excited to have some shorts for the summer. Now if I could find some more great fabrics and make a few more pairs.........

Have a great weekend! Heading to the Decatur Arts Festival tomorrow morning. We will be in the kids area I am sure ;)

Peace Out - C

My summer version of a little black dress

Ok so it is not entirely black, but hey it is a summer dress. A while ago I bought this fabric panel.

It was on clearance for $2.50 or something like that and they gave me a panel and a half really.

When I got it I had the idea to applique it to a simple black dress to sort of showcase the pretty flowers. However it took me a while to decide on which dress to make.

I finally decided on the Audrey Afternoon dress from Indygo Junction. It is a very simple dress to make and has a nice shape. I thought it would be a good way to show off the flowers and make a comfortable wearable dress. Plus anything with a peasant style neckline is popular these days so I thought it would also be a modern looking dress.

There were a few steps to getting the flowers onto the front of the dress. I used a  heavy black linen for the dress. My first step was to cut out the fabric for the dress. I added a side seam pocket from another pattern. I also went ahead and sewed the darts on the front of the dress so that the flowers would be on top of the darts and not disappear into them.

Then I ironed some heat and bond to the flower fabric.  Basically the Heat and Bond turns your fabric into a giant sticker. I like to iron on a big piece and then cut out my design. This way you have Heat and Bond all over your appliques piece and it really nicely stays put while you sew. But make sure you get the light, sew-able type if you plan to sew through it. They make heavier weights that are good for other types of craft projects but are too heavy for applique.

Leave the paper backing on while your cut out your design. It makes it easier to cut and keeps the fabric from stretching out of shape while you cut out your design.

Next you peel off the paper backing. The back of the fabric will be shiny and feel like it is plastic coated. Basically it is now covered with heat activated glue. 

Then you iron your applique piece onto your fabric. For example I ironed the cut out flowers onto the front piece of my dress. Once it is ironed in place and cooled you then sew around the edges to hold it in place permenantely.

I simply sewed all around the edges with a straight stitch about 1/8" away from the edge. The Heat and Bond also helps the fabric stop fraying allowing you to sew super close to the edge.

I wore the finished dress last night for the first time. It was super comfy. But may be a little big. If I make this pattern again I will go down a size in the body of the dress and keep the sleeve the same. I do like the side seam pockets. They are a lot more functional than the patch pockets the pattern provides.

We went out with my cousins last night to Cakes and Ale and it was SUPER FABULOUS! If you have not been you should go!

I hope you are having a great weekend! I am off to figure out my next project.

Peace Out - C

New Kindle Cover for My Hubby!

For his upcoming birthday I talked my sweet hubby into getting a Kindle. We have WAY too many books and we do not need any more. When he was ordering it has asked me if he should order a cover for it. In my usual fashion I said, "no, why would you do that? I can make you a cover".

His actual birthday is later this week, but since he already had the Kindle I figured it should be protected. I went ahead and made the cover and gave it to him today. When you are like super old birthdays are sort of weird any way, right? In general birthdays last about a week around here. Mine can sometimes stretch to two weeks if I work it right.

  To make this cover I basically made a little fabric envelope. I edged the whole thing in bias tape which made it easy to construct.

I used Velcro as the closure. But I put it too high up on the flap and it was all sticky up when it was closed. It was not terribly attractive and it would have driven me crazy. So I added a button and some elastic to hold it down.

My ever positive husband said that it is nice that it has two closures so it is extra secure.

The button actually adds a little something to the look of the cover. And Eric is right it is probably a good idea to have a double closure. That Kindle was pricey so I feel a little better that it is protected now. If you have never held one it is incredibly thin and light. Makes me a little nervous actually.

The outer fabric is quilt weight cotton. Then the interior is wool felt and poly batting. I like that the bias tape creates an edge that I hope will protect the Kindle from being hurt if it falls. However Eric is way gentler on electronics than I am.  I always manage to kill small appliances and electronics. My latest victim was our vacuum cleaner, I am going to have to break down and buy a new one soon.

My next projects are gifts for my Nieces, who are turning 1 and 5 in a few weeks. Also Miss Marion has asked me again to make me and her matching P.J.s we shall see what gets made next.

I hope you are having a great week so far!

The Crepes are Finished!

As you may know my sewing buddy Pearl and I have been working for quite some time on our Crepe dresses. And they are finally finished. Not perfect but finished.

I really like the concept of this pattern and I love supporting Colette Patterns. But I have to say I am a little bit disappointed in the pattern and the dress. I am super jealous of Patty over at the Snug Bug because she made this dress and it fit perfect with no changes.  I won't bore you with a re-telling of all our struggles, you can go back and check out the previous sewing buddies posts.

The sleeves are a really weird shape to sew. Pearl used the facings and had a really hard time getting them to stay in and not flop out all wonky. We ended up tacking them down to the inside of the dress. I lined my dress which I think solved this particular issue.

I had trouble with the back, I did not put interfacing in mine because I did not want to add stiffness to my soft silky dress.  Sadly the down side to this is that the back flops open a little or has to be pulled super tight.

I also had trouble with the belt really holding the dress shut. I think it is because my belt is also silk and is a little slippy. I added a button to the inside of the dress to hold it shut. I know the whole point of this dress is no closures and such but it just needed to be done.

The top of my dress is a wee bit baggy I made a few alterations and made the back of the bodice shorter so I think the end result is blousey rather than baggy.

When I first tried on the dress it looked really frumpy. Fortunately Pearl was there and helped me realize that it was way too long. Once we figured that out I chopped about four inches off and magically the frump melted away. 

I am still in love with this fabric. It is silk charmeuese the color is amazing and I think looks really nice on me. This is my first effort with silk which may have added to my difficulties with this dress. For the hem I serged the bottom and then rolled the hem by hand.

Because of the alterations I ended up making to the top the skirt hangs a little wonky, which made the hem a little wonky as well. But I have decided that no one will notice unless I point it out, right?

Also this picture was taken before I finished hemming the whole thing so it really does look better than this now. But I really need to figure out if there is a way to get the belt not to roll up and get all skinny like it did here. 

All in all it is a great dress in concept but I am not sure it is the right dress for me? If I make it again I think that I will make it in cotton and edge the entire thing in bias tape to avoid the facings or a lining. Also I think I would cut the dress at least one size smaller (I cut and 18). I think that it looks nice enough on me to wear to a wedding in NYC in June. The ceremony is in a cathedral and the reception is the the Central Park boat house. I am assuming this is an appropriate dress, any thoughts?

There is less of a chance that Pearl will ever try and make this dress again. However I think hers turned out nicely. Again the top is loose on her too, but I think it is loose on her in a flattering way and she is not really a tight clothes sort of gal.

The red looks really pretty on her and the floral belt softens it just enough. All it needs is a good pressing and no one will ever know that she had so much trouble with this dress.

The back of her dress fits nicely and the belt is working better for her as well. She is leaving for graduate school in August and I hope this dress is something she can wear when she has somewhere fun to go.

It was for sure a fun and interesting project. We both got to learn a lot about the construction of a dress and each other. If she did make it again I think she can go down a size to a 2, I advised her to cut a 4. I am pretty sure that if she cut a 2 and used cotton it would be a lot easier and fit better.

Monday we are meeting again to start our next project. We are making super easy peasant blouses. I love them and they take no time at all to get a really fun and flattering shirt. But first we must shop for fabric!

Hope you are having a great weekend! See you soon,
Peace Out!
C

Greenfest was fun, Now What?

We had a good time at the Greenfest over the weekend. I did not sell a ton of stuff but I did run into an old friend that I had not seen in about a year. It was really nice to catch up with her. Isn't it funny how that happens? Especially in a town as small as Decatur.

 

 I did not sell any of my new cute bags that I worked so hard on. But now they are over at Homegrown and we will see if they sell over there. Then I have to ask, are they priced too high? If they are then I may nor make more because they are labor intensive and I need them to be $25.00 for me to make any profit at all. And all that brings me back to, Is it worth the effort to sell my stuff that I sew? Am I going to make any money? Should I just be sewing for my family and friends? Well for now I think I am making enough to cover my expenses and support my habit. I will ponder the big picture questions more later.

 For now I am going to focus on the fact that I really like working with the people at HomeGrown and that my sweet family seems to be super supportive. 

My goal for tomorrow is to finish this stinkin Crepe dress so I can move on to something else!

Hope you are having a good week. 

Peace Out - C

See you at the Decatur Greenfest tomorrow!

I  know there are a million fun things to do in Atlanta this weekend. It is festival season after all and with the weather like it is you better go outside and do something tomorrow! Can I just say I am LOVING this weather. Could it be any more perfect? This is why people are happier in California because the weather there is almost always 68 and sunny. I am going to drag my work outside and finish out there! If it were more often like this I would like living here more.

I am doing two outdoor things this weekend. First thing in the morning I am doing the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. If you would like to make a donation please click here. I am just doing the one mile walk. I am super out of shape right now and not up to the 5K but maybe one day I will get back to it. Think of me when you wake up b/c I plan to get to Atlantic Station at about 6:45 in the morning.

Then in the afternoon is the Decatur Greenfest. It starts at 3 and goes til 9 and there will be music, food, drinks and lots of cool handmade stuff to buy from Home Grown. I will have some new items for sale myself. My favorite new item is the polyurethane lined tote bag.

It has a cotton outer with a waterproof lining. The handles are edged in handmade bias tape which adds both strength and cuteness.

What are the uses for such a tote bag you ask? Great question, it would be perfect for the pool or beach. I used mine today to bring home all my sweaty stuff from my hot yoga class. Basically any time you are going to be getting messy and carrying stuff. I only have a few colors ready right now but if people like them I have plans to make more.

They are in whimsical fabrics as is my usual style. My perpetual need to make the everyday more fun and interesting.

I will be doing set up and working the Home Grown booth (the entire band stand), until about 4 then I plan on hanging at the festival with my peeps. So if you are one of my peeps and you are going to be there look for me or send me a text message so I can find you!

Peace Out - C

Picture Day Dress

Yesterday, Wednesday, was picture day at school. On Tuesday I realized this and decided that Marion needed a new dress. All of the sudden many of her dresses are getting too short. And we have a rule that your butt always has to be covered.

Fortunately it only took me two hours and she LOVED it and was very happy to wear it.

The pattern is one that I have had in "the pile" for about two years. It is McCalls M5458, view B. I cut size 3 and left the length at size 6. It is about the right length but the neck line is a little too low cut. If I make it again I will raise the v in the neck.

I made a few changes to the pattern. The back was supposed to have a casing with a draw string in it. I decided that was just too much trouble and I made it a basic simple tie back.

It is a basic Kimono shape and is super sweet, while being a little bit different and not just the typical girlie girl dress. She added the fairy wings and said that she could fly. I think it really makes the outfit. And through the magic of digital photography and the internet her school pictures are already ready, and turned out fantastic. Yes grandmas you will be getting some.

Hope you are having a great day!
Peace Out - C

New Headband styles and a Teflon foot to try today!

A couple of weeks ago Homegrown Decatur (where I sell my stuff) announced that they are one of the sponsors of the Decatur Greenfest on this coming Saturday. They also invited all us "green" artists to be a part of the booth and sell items. This is all awesome except I have not been able to keep a lot of back stock. Gee I know there could be worse problems.

Applique headband, these and many more for sale at the Greenfest this weekend!

But part of it is that I am constantly changing my designs to tweek them or just keep them fresh so I don't get tired of making the same things all the time. I have done this with my snack and sandwich bags. Now I am selling bags with a cotton outer and a polyurethane lined inside. It is basically a combination of my two previous products.

I have also come up with a new design for headbands. No worries I am still making and selling the much loved tie-back headbands. The new ones feature big colorful ribbon bows that are a little funky and have an elastic back. I like things to be girly and flashy without venturing into too little girly or cutesie.

This is my first attempt at fabric covered buttons. I was out shopping yesterday (aka procrastinating) and found a kit on sale for 1/2 off and decided to give then a whirl. Now I have yet another thing I am in love with! The fabric button adds a great finishing touch. The two pictured have little hand made fabric leaves matching the button center.

You may be asking yourself, "how is Chrissy a green artist?". I consider my work "green" for a few reasons. The main one being that the fabric I purchase is primarily used for re-usable products that are intended to replace (or greatly reduce use of) disposable ones. Then I use the scraps and leftovers from them to make my smaller products. I try really hard to use all the bits of fabric and not throw anything away. Anything that is too small for me t figure out how to use I give to other artists or donate to my daughter's school for art projects. Additionally I mostly sell my work locally. I do ship all over the country but the bulk of my work stays right here in GA.

Another new item I am working on are re-usable tote bags, The Charlie Bag, you may remember I made them for Marion's entire school class. Those were made of old sheets and the kids drew on them and made them their own. For the ones I plan to sell I am making them pretty so that people will want to bring them with them to use rather than getting an old plastic bag.

I had this brilliant idea to line the Charlie Bag with Polyurethane ("PUL") fabric. Then they would be perfect for anything messy, like the pool or the beach. But I have had some trouble sewing them. The PUL sticks in the regular machine and I want it to be better than simply serged. I did a little research and pictured to the right is the Teflon sewing foot that I ordered. I just pulled it out of the package and it works like a charm! Now that my problem is solved no more procrastinating.

On top of everything else picture day is tomorrow at M's school. I wonder if I have time to make her a new dress for the pictures?...........

Peace out - C