Another Picture Day Dress

Ahhh there is nothing like a deadline to get me to make my child a dress. Ok maybe picture day is more so an excuse to make a dress with a built in deadline but still. It makes me get my rear in gear. On Wednesday evening I cut out her new dress. The dress was inspired by a dress from the August 2009 Burda Style Magazine as well as McCalls M5695. 

While looking for the cover art for this pattern I discovered it is out of print. I have made dresses for M before using this pattern and she has grown a ton since I cut out the 3. So I had to make the pattern bigger.

There is also something weird that goes on in this pattern at the armpit seams so I ended up putting in little armpit gussets because she could not even get her arms into the dress.

I used view D. But instead of pleating the body of the dress I simply gathered it. This is how the Burda dress that I do not have a picture of was made. Also the Burda dress had contrasting fabric covered buttons all across the bodice as a decorative element. So I say I was inspired by both because I used elements from both to make what I wanted.

And really isn't that the point of bothering to make your own clothes so you get what you want?

Speaking of wanting things out of fabric, I think M might become a sewer or crafter one day herself. She love playing with my fabric. I had my new stuff out this morning to get started on and she was shopping through it and telling me how much she loves it all. And was carrying around her favorite fabric until I made her get her shoes on for school.

On another note HALLOWEEN is FAST approaching. Are you ready? We all got to do a test run of our costumes last weekend at the Octo-Boo festival at the school. It was super fun and all our costumes where a big hit. I am excited to get to wear them 2 more times! Well M has been wearing hers every day so hers needs to be washed really.  Here she is wearing some of the parts of my costume.

Don't forget the big party in Decatur Square on Sunday!! If you see a lady in a big pink wig with a girl in a monkey suit and a scarey but suave vampire, come say hi to us!

Peace Out - Chrissy

Made myself a new peasant dress

So, I am still a little obsessed with the peasant style garment. They are so simple and fun and flattering. I made myself another one.

I bought this fabric a few months ago with no particular project in mind. I do that a lot. I find a fabric I love and let it sit in my closet until it speaks to me and tells me what it wants to become.

This fabric decided it wanted to be a simple dress. I think it worked well to showcase the artistry of the fabric.




And it does do just that, however I thought the shape was a we bit too not curvy so I tried some belts and ta da! Belts are so magical transforming a figure-less blob in to a great dress.

I started making this dress about a month ago, right around when I started weight watchers and since I have lost almost 10 pounds I had to take the sides of the dress in a crazy amount. If I had not done that it would have looked like a mu-mu.

I am planning to wear it with knee high boots or purple suede wedges not sure yet. But I get to wear it tonight to the faculty reception at Emory.  Yes I work better with a deadline. And I am glad I got to this dress while it is still wearable another 10 pounds and it just will not fit at all.

Hope you are having a great week! My new post (ok probably next few posts) will be about Halloween!!!!

Peace Out - C

Aprons for Men and Boys... plus festival blahs...

Yesterday I had a booth at a small church festival. It was a TOTAL BUST! We are going to have to call that a donation to the church. Oh well live and learn right. There were just too many fun things going on yesterday for them to be able to draw a crowd. But now I have to decide if and which festivals I am going to do for the rest of the season.

I am committed to doing Art Visions at Paideia School on November 19th.  The upside to this one is that I just drop my stuff off and they sell it. I do not have to be there. So it is sort of nice to not have to give a whole day to it.  But there are several school fairs and all sorts of stuff coming up. I am going to have to sit down and figure it all out.

Another thing to figure out is what products to sell? One thing people ask me about a lot is aprons for boys and men. So I made up a bunch of them in the past few days. And once they are gone they are gone! If you want one let me know.  (On the far right there is a toast apron and there is also a girly pink Christmas apron. Just ignore those, unless you are in the market for a toast apron or a girly pink Christmas apron).

This super cute model is the four year old son of Denise, a fellow crafter. He was kind enough to model one apron but was not loving it so this is the only one I got modeled. He was sweet to do it for me.

Most of the manly aprons are blue some are green. They have things like trucks, cars and garden tools on them. It was hard to keep them simple and boyish. But I think I really did manage to do it. I did not girl them up even though it took every fiber in my being to leave them plain.

I am hoping they will sell well as dad and kid gift sets. There is so much stuff out there for moms and girls I am just trying to find an untapped market. 

My model (let's call him D) was kind enough to turn around and show me the back. However had he been a couple years older I fear he would have "given me the finger". And really I don't blame him if one of my mom's friends slapped an apron on me and started taking pictures I am not sure how I would react.  But a big shout out and thanks to little D!

I will have to rustle up another boy model some where.

So not I have less than 1 week to finish my family's Halloween costumes! And I need to get my act in gear. According to UPS our wigs are supposed to be here by Thursday! Let's hope they get here in time for the Octo-Boo! festival at the kiddo's school. Because how am I going to be the funnest mom ever without my big pink wig?

Hope you have some plans for a great week ahead.

Peace Out - C 

HALLOWEEN!!!!

Ok people Halloween is coming. So far The Devine Miss M is going to be a Super Monkey! Eric is contemplating being a vampire and I am considering all things related to the poodle skirt. I know it is a little shocking that we are not planning a group costume. But it is early days and no purchases have been made yet so there is a chance things will improve.

Today I managed to finish 13 (a very Halloweeny number) new Trick-or-Treat bags. Most of them are now over at HomeGrown waiting for you to buy them but I have a few left here at the house.

This is a close up of a new bag design I came up with. There are 4 panels sewn together and some gathering as well as elastic. But I have to say I am really loving this design. It is actually a new take on the plain old tote bag. I may have to actually keep one of these for myself I love them so much.

Something about the green and brown dot and the funky Jack-O-Lanterns is just cool. They are modern and fun without being too cutesy.

Did I mention I LOVE Halloween?

So I am just going to show you pictures of the bags I made because I sort of loved them all.

Here I am trying to take a picture of myself looking cute and casual carrying this awesome bag. I had the camera on the self timer on the ironing board. Given the conditions I think it turned out all right.

 I am calling this one the Hearse Purse! Really tell me you don't love it.....

Some little guys for the little ones. Really these would hold a ton of candy! And that is what Halloween is all about right? The dressing up and oh yeah... the candy.

The Cat is ON the bag. I normally hate cats but I make a Halloween exception. The little bags are $10.00 and the big bags are $15.00. Let me know if you want one and will not have a chance to get over to Home Grown to check them out.

Ok enough with the bags. What are your Halloween plans? So far I am running the Octo-Boo! Festival (10/22) at the kiddo's school, There is the AWESOME Halloween Parade and Ball in Decatur Square (10/30 more below) and then there is the Trick or Treating.  One of the perks of having a kid is getting to go trick or treating again.

I know it is hanging off the page - but I wanted it big enough for you to see! Ok I am sure there will be more posts about Halloween. But I warn you after my favorite holidays passes I may be decidedly less perky as the other holidays please me much less. I will work on not being too big a Grinch this year ;)

Peace Out!
C