Cuteness

There are a lot of babies in my life right now, and it's been way too long since I did a little sewing project. So naturally - baby bows!



A couple weekends ago I messed around with some fabric until I figured out what I wanted to do, and then I whipped up a bunch of these assembly line style. It felt really good to sew a little something again. I attached them to some little clips that I had lying around from way back when I used to have an Etsy shop (#hoarder).



I paired them with some clothes from Target for a quick birthday gift. Adding a little something handmade is always fun.

I made these pretty sturdy but we'll see if they hold up to baby tugging. I mailed a couple sets to my niece and she definitely thinks it's a game to pull them out of her hair (and then immediately hold them back up against her head so we can admire her).

More pillows!

I was on a roll after making my crocheted pillow cover (and looking for someone I could pawn the second one off on) so I made some throw pillows for my sister, a project that's been on the back burner for over a year now, when she first mentioned that she'd like some. This is the only gift I attempted this year and I'm really happy with them. She has our dad's old leather couch, which he had for as long as I can remember. He never had throw pillows for it (too manly?) but every time I visit her we talk about how it should have some.

Now she does.

pillows on my couch, not the leather one

That couch has always felt very classic and masculine and I wanted the pillows to be in keeping with it. I decided to go with a clothing theme, if that makes sense. I had the crocheted pillow, which is reminiscent of a sweater. The camel and the houndstooth are cashmere fabrics that I salvaged from thrifted men's coats and they're backed with linen (white for the camel, black for the houndstooth). The grey one is a nice heavy duty linen that I got at Ikea (best source for good cotton/linen solids) and I gave it some pintuck pleats for good measure (and then promptly made myself one because I love how it turned out).

These Ikea pillow inserts are the best. 20" square, down filled, inexpensive. They aren't super plump, so I sew my pillow cases a bit small (17" or 18" square) and kind of stuff them in there. I like an overstuffed pillow because you don't have to fluff it up as often.

Throw pillows are pretty simple but I still manage to spend a lot of time on them, especially when I haven't done them in a while. For these I used an envelope style closure* in the back and then added a couple of buttons on each. Since they're overstuffed the buttons help prevent gaping.

This reminded me that it isn't that hard to do these little projects I keep putting off.  I can be really lazy about pulling out the sewing machine, but the end result is so satisfying. Maybe I'll actually hem those curtains that have been dragging 2" on our floor for the last six months.


* I was looking back for the tutorial I used the last time I made slip covers and was bummed to discover that the page is gone. But this tutorial has a nice explanation and works really well for the 20" inserts.

Constellation pillows

I had the idea for these back in October, which is the only reason I managed to finish them by Christmas.

{constellation pillows}

I had marked this embroidered table runner tutorial a while ago and thought it would be perfect for my stepmom, who loves the stars. I ended up doing pillows instead, because they seemed more useful for everyday.

I mostly followed the tutorial instructions, which didn't require much embroidery skill once I retaught myself to tie a french knot. I picked up a remnant of navy blue cotton (these would be beyond good in a dark blue linen, but I didn't have time to search it out), a couple skeins of silvery grey embroidery floss and two 20x20" pillow inserts from Ikea (do not get their poly fill pillow inserts because they are terribly depressing - the down inserts are great and inexpensive). I used silver sequins for the stars in the actual constellation and scattered in a few silver beads as well.

I didn't use the actual template from the tutorial because I specifically wanted Sagittarius and Cancer only. I wasn't expecting it to be so difficult to find a definitive image of the constellations! They vary a lot. I ended up using images from this site because it seemed a little more authoritative than the others and the images were nice and clear. To make it easy to print, I opened each image in Illustrator, locked the layer and then added dots wherever the stars were and lines as indicated. Then I deleted the image, which left me with just the black dots and lines. I traced it on the fabric as indicated in the tutorial (using chalk sheets, which I'd never used before - they're handy!).

After I finished embroidering the pillow fronts I made simple envelope pillow cases using this tutorial. I have a zipper foot packed up in my stuff but this was easier than trying to find it. I should probably have added a little button on the back but I didn't.

Sorry - no close ups! I was taking these pictures super last minute before stuffing the pillows in a giant gift bag.

I'm happy with how they turned out and it was a fairly simple project. And now I want to get much, much better at embroidery. I'm thinking needlepoint portraits for next year? I better get started now.

New skirt!

I have been meaning to make a skirt forever. Lest you think that is an exaggeration, I scrolled through my archives to see when this fabric was purchased. January. Maybe not forever, but way too long for a project that takes less than two hours.

{print skirt}

The fabric is silk twill (was marked down from $20 a yard to $5) and it feels amazing.

I used the wonderful Freshly Picked elastic waist skirt tutorial but made a few changes of my own.

The tutorial calls for the length of your fabric to be double the width of your waist. This gives you a very full skirt, which looks adorable. On everyone else. I tried it on while it was pinned and quickly realized it wasn't going to work for me. I ended up using 1.5 times the width of my waist, and I love it.

I didn't have elastic quite as thick as I'd like for a defined waist band (3" would be ideal, I think). I was worried that my 1.5" elastic wouldn't really make a statement and would look lazy. So I made a simple fold over pocket and hid the elastic altogether.

To get the most out of my fabric, I cut two pieces for the skirt panel rather than one. I wanted the skirt to be a bit shorter, to wear with tights. My fabric was 45" wide, which meant that folding it in half gave me enough  length (22.5"), even once I allowed for the upper pocket for the elastic. That meant I could use the entire piece of fabric, rather than cutting off something twice as long and narrower. Sewing up one extra seam was definitely worth it.

{click here for PDF}

For a quick summary of the steps I used, you can click on the link below the picture. Please note that I'm 5'6, so if you are very tall or very modest, this might not work for you. However, I had enough length to easily make the pocket for the elastic and I had a relatively deep hem, so you could certainly make a skirt a bit longer than the one pictured here using the same technique.

EDIT - I just noticed that if you're a newbie sewer, you might want a couple of additional tips, because I don't go into great detail on this step by step.

1. The iron is your friend. Every time you make a fold that you're going to want to sew, press it well. Every time you sew a seam, press it. For an open seam, like in step 3, you should press it twice. First press it flat to strengthen the bond between the top and bottom thread, then you should gently open the seam with your fingers and press it open, so that it lies nice and flat when you wear the skirt.

2. Pins. I hate pinning because it always seems like a tedious waste of time, but it was useful here. When you need to sew a folded seam, iron first to get a nice crisp fold, then add a few pins to keep it all in place. As you sew on the machine, pull each pin out just before you sew over that area. Once you're experienced, you won't need to stop the machine or even slow down much to do this.

I think that's it. If you have questions, feel free to ask in the comments! I'm certainly not an expert on sewing clothing though, so don't expect too much.

Bathmat, take II

Remember my wonky bathmat?

Over the weekend I sewed a better version. The wonky one will now be our backup.

{new bathmat}

Improvements:

* (Almost) straight edges! I laid the towel and the sheet on top of each other on my largest cutting mat (right sides facing IN) and smoothed them out flat. Then I laid a smaller cutting mat on top and traced around it with washable fabric marker. Then I pinned it. I usually avoid pinning, but I learned my lesson last time. It is very difficult to get nice straight lines when sewing bulky fabric if you don't pin.

*More absorbent - I sandwiched an extra layer of towel in between the front and back for a plusher feel. I just cut it a smidge smaller than the outer layers and slipped it inside before sewing the quilting.

*Nicer quilting effect - I didn't freehand it this time. I used a ruler, drew some straight lines in random places and then sewed along the markings. Apparently I remain incapable of sewing a straight line without a visual aid.

{new bathmat}

A little less paper...

Don't get me wrong - I love paper with an undying passion. But I'm trying to use it in smaller doses, particularly when it comes to wrapping gifts. There's something about a big pile of crumpled wrapping paper that makes me feel sad.

This year almost everything is wrapped in felt. Mostly because it's the easiest fabric to work with - easy to cut, no need to hem all the edges, and very sturdy.

{felt gift wrap}

Making the pouches is easy. You basically just act like you're going to wrap the item, but you use cloth instead of paper and you run little seams down the edges. Make sure to leave a flap open so you can slip the item in and out. You could design these lots of different ways, depending on your sewing skills. I used some of the fancy stitches on my sewing machine, but you can also handstitch with some thick embroidery thread and it will look just fine.

Some of mine close with a ribbon. I just cut a slit in the folded over flap and then sewed a ribbon to the front of the package. To close, you just pull both sides of the ribbon through the slit and then tie a bow.

{open}


{closed}

Others close with a button. Again, you cut a slit in the folded over flap and then you just sew a button to the bottom half of the package.

{buttoned}

The goal is to have them in a variety of sizes and use them every year. They actually take up a lot less space than a jumble of wrapping paper rolls. They work best for grown up gifts like books, CDs, DVDs and jewelry, which happen to be the kinds of gifts I give most often.

Bathmat

A bleach stained towel + a piece of an old sheet = a new bathmat.

Don't look at it too closely. I couldn't be bothered to pin anything down so my seams are wonky and I'm pretty sure none of the edges are straight.

But it was free and it took 15 minutes and it absorbs water and it is marginally better looking than the terrible Ikea bathmat we've been hating for the last three years. Success.

For a much nicer version, check out Hanna's bathmat.

The rosebud headband

This headband was custom designed for my little nieces, who will be attending a wedding in a couple of weeks. Picture blue velvet dresses (handmade by my mom), blonde curls, and these...

{the rosebud headband}

I'm calling it the rosebud headband. I got the textured effect by straying away from my beloved china silk and using a poly instead. Silk (and other natural fibers) actually burn a bit when you singe the edges, but they stay nice and flat. Polyester melts slightly, which gives you a beautiful, curled edge. Totally different effects and I love them both.

{the rosebud headband}

Naturally I added bits of tulle and glass beads. They're for a wedding, after all.


*This tutorial is provided for personal use only. Please do not sell this tutorial or create items for re-sale using this tutorial. Tutorial may be re-published only with my permission.

The lilypad headband

Yet another headband.

This one is for days when I'm feeling more subtle, and less ruffle-y. I'm calling it my lilypad headband, because that is what it reminds me of.

No tutorial, because I'm afraid it would be too self explanatory. I just cut out circle(ish) pieces of china silk (lightly singed the edges to minimize fraying), layered them and stitched them to some grosgrain ribbon and then added a few glass beads. I'm playing with adding more beads, slowly.

More of my headbands here, here, here and here. Yes, I'm obsessed.


*This tutorial is provided for personal use only. Please do not sell this tutorial or create items for re-sale using this tutorial. Tutorial may be re-published only with my permission.

What she got

I love the chance to make things for my sister, because I have a pretty good feel for what she'll like and what will look good on her.

This year...

a ruffly silk headband (or bracelet)

{bright yellow china silk + yellow grosgrain ribbon}


{me, frantically modeling and taking pictures right before wrapping it up}

and a super simple top.

{cotton print from Bolt44, pale yellow cotton knit for a flowy bottom}

P.S. This headbands was dead simple and so satisfying to make. I'll try to get pictures together for a tutorial soon - I just need to get more supplies first.

Pattern wish list

Thanks for the birthday wishes, my dears! It was lovely and now I'm ready to get back to business.

Ever since I made my first top, I've been dreaming about adding some more lovingly handcrafted items to my closet. There are so many fabulous patterns and fabrics out there, and I'm itching to get started.

This coming weekend (May 22 - 25) Simplicity patterns are on sale at Jo Ann's for $1 each(!), and I've already done my research.

{see more Simplicity patterns here}

Aren't these Cynthia Rowley for Simplicity patterns great? I especially love the twisted neckline on 2593, and the versatility of 2587.

If you have a Jo Ann's near you, I highly recommend getting in on this sale. The MSRP on these patterns is $16, so this is a steal. And if you don't already own the Built By Wendy patterns, please put those on your shopping list as well. You'll thank me later.

Built By You (Simplicity 3692)

I made a piece of clothing I can actually wear! It is bizarrely exciting. As in, I don't want to take the shirt off ever again and I want to skip work so I can make several more. It is so much more satisfying than I could have imagined.

Simplicity's Built By Wendy pattern 3692 (view B), on sale for $1 + approximately $6 worth of fabric + 3 hours of work = a new shirt!

I had a little trouble with this pattern, but that might just be me. I am comfortable with patterns in theory, thanks to years of observing my mom (who is very talented), but I'm not an experienced seamstress by any means and I'm not as meticulous as I should be.

Notes on knits: I was scared of them and now I'm in love. They drape and look professional and they feel great. I don't own a serger, but I bought some ballpoint needles and used a crazy zigzag stitch (straight stitches don't stretch enough for knits) and everything turned out perfectly.

We're super classy

About 6 months ago, we ran out of paper towels. Then for 2 full months we kept forgetting to buy them (yes, we are that forgetful and that lazy). Once we hit the 3 month mark, we realized we didn't really need the paper towels. We do have cleaning rags, after all, and they serve pretty much the same purpose. I'd say the lack of paper towels is now 50% earth friendly choice and 50% residual laziness. We will probably eventually buy some paper towels, but I don't think we'll be using them as much as we used to.

All this is a very long lead up to say that last week we ran out of paper napkins. Luckily I had a thrifted tablecloth lying around and I quickly began repurposing it. It coincided with my first attempt at embroidery. I got the Stitch It kit last year, and now I'm sad I didn't try it out earlier. She walks you through the stitches and it's very easy to pick up.

These aren't a pattern, though. I just took a pencil and lightly wrote on these, and then embroidered over my lines.

{everyday napkins}

I tried a couple of colors. I think I'd like a rainbow effect for the table.

{napkin trio}

Ever so much more refined than paper napkins.

I have to confess something though...I don't think I'll be making napkins again. This is a very, very thrifty project ($2 tablecloth + $2 worth of thread = 16 reusable napkins) but it takes a LOT of time. We're talking hours of pressing and hemming, at least for me, for a product that looks slightly less professional than what you would get at Cost Plus. Next time I think I'll find a bulk set of napkins and just do the embroidery, which is the fun part.

Did you hear that? I just encouraged you to buy something instead of make it. See, I'm not completely insane.

Not an Easter basket

This year my little nieces will be getting their goodies in Easter purses.

Very pale sage green canvas + spring green gingham lining + rosy pink stitching.

Square bottomed bag just like this one. No pattern, but the pieces were 8.5 x 11" (I cut around a piece of letter paper) and the gussets were three inches deep. The strap is just a long piece of each fabric, right sides sewn together, turned inside out and pressed.

I hope they're a hit. Now I just have to figure out what to put inside them. Any bright ideas? I'm thinking headbands, little gingham pouches for candy, colored pencils and silly putty. I like the classics.

Weekend + no shopping update (three weeks)

The weekend involved a little bit of everything. Lucha Va Voom, which was amazing. Baking (recipe coming up later this week). Sewing, some successful, some not so successful. Oh, and lots of delicious sleeping.

I have to admit that last week was a bit difficult on the no shopping front. I felt like the retail world was out to get me. Did you see the Toast sale? Or the Rose and Radish sale? And I didn't even click over to the J. Crew sale, or the twelve million Bluefly sales they kept emailing me about. Here was my imaginary shopping cart at Toast. Note how restrained I was - only three items!

Scarf, shoes, and bag

The bag is a pretty serious temptation, but I have to say that not shopping makes things easier in general. I feel tempted but not conflicted and I don't waste time agonizing over whether or not to buy something. It's very freeing, in a way.

How are my fellow non-shoppers holding up? And did anyone who is shopping indulge in some sales last week? Let me live vicariously through you.

Tool belt apron tutorial

Okay, guys. This is my first tutorial, and it's pretty basic. If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments and I'll respond. It's instructions for making a tool belt apron like the one I mentioned in an earlier post.

The tool belt apron was one of the first things I ever made and there is no pattern. That should give you an idea of how simple it is to make. If you can cut fabric (even somewhat poorly), iron fabric and sew semi-straight lines, you can easily bust one of these out in an hour or so. After you've made one (or if you have any experience sewing), the time comes down to about 20 minutes.

These are one of the projects that are ideal for using up vintage sheets. Make sure your sheets are all cotton, otherwise they can be hard to iron. Cut out a rectangle of fabric from the top of the sheet, so that you still have the top seam intact. It should be approximately 23 inches wide and 17 inches tall, but exact sizes don't matter much.



If you have a side seam left on the sheet, cut it off. I use a straight edge and an Olfa cutter to make it easy, but you can use scissors if that is what you have. I do a quick check to see if my rectangle is at least roughly even at this point because I am not terribly good at cutting things out properly.



Make a double fold along the bottom edge of the fabric and iron it in place. This is going to end up being the hem on the top of the pocket.



Once you have it ironed, sew a straight stitch the whole way across to make the hem. Then take your fabric back to the ironing board and fold the bottom edge up to create the tool belt pocket. The folded part of the hem should be on the inside of the pocket so that you don't see it.



I usually make the pockets about 7 inches deep, but you can play around with it to see what suits you. If you want a slightly longer apron (I'm only 5"6) you could make a slightly shorter pocket and it would work fine. (If you aren't using a sheet, repeat the step for hemming the bottom edge on the top edge).

Once you have your fabric lined up the way you want it, iron it in place and then make a small double fold along both short sides. These will be the hems on the sides of the apron. Press them well and then sew a straight stitch along both sides.



At this point, the apron should look something like this.



You have all the edges finished and one long pocket running across the front. Now you just sew in pockets wherever you want them by running straight stitches from the bottom of the pocket up to the top hem.



I usually make a couple of skinny pockets along each side, leaving a relatively wide pocket in the middle. The skinny pockets are perfect for stashing wooden spoons or spatulas.



Here's a close up of how I sew the pockets. I try to aim for running the seam right into the seam of the hem. You'll notice that I use white thread. This is partly because I love contrasting seams and partly because I am so lazy that I hate having to switch out the thread on my machine and I tend to use white for everything.

Once you have as many pockets as you want, you just grab a long piece of twill tape. How long depends on how you want your apron to tie. I usually make it long enough so that I can wrap it around and tie it in the front, which means I need almost 90 inches of twill tape, but if you just want to tie in the back you could get away with using a lot less. I picked up white 3/4 inch wide twill tape at my local fabric store for 79 cents a yard, so it doesn't make this into an expensive project.

Place the twill tape along the middle of the top portion of the apron and sew it in place along the top and bottom edges of the tape. I don't have a picture of this because it was dark when I did it. Sorry.

And voila!



The stamps on this apron were done using my lino cuts and fabric ink.

The nice thing about this project is that it isn't very fussy. None of the measurements need to be very exact, and even if your seams aren't straight, it still ends up looking adorable (I just tell myself the crooked seams add character). And it's so darn cute that even D likes it when I wear it around the kitchen. In my book, an apron that a guy is into is a pretty good thing.

Feel free to let me know if you need any clarifications. I've never tried explaining one of my sewing projects to anyone and I'm not sure how clear this is when you read over it.


*This tutorial is provided for personal use only. Please do not sell this tutorial or create items for re-sale using this tutorial. Tutorial may be re-published only with my permission.

I make things complicated sometimes...

... like when I decide to come up with a pattern for a tote bag on my own, instead of first searching the internet for advice. Yes, a square bottom tote bag sounds incredibly easy, so I blithely sketched out a pattern.

Unfortunately, it turns out that sewing together a square corner with multiple pieces of fabric sucks. There's also the small problem of my complete lack of ability to mentally picture how large something is going to be. Turns out 18 wide x 15 tall x 8 deep is absolutely massive - more suited to a beach tote. Sigh. I showed the results to my mom and the first thing she said was "You should have done gussets," which meant nothing to me.

So I ended up doing what I should have done in the first place. I googled it, and found an amazing tutorial online (here!) that is about a million times simpler than my attempt.

Result - a perfect little bag to carry a change of clothes for when I go to the gym.



I lined it with some super soft pink material from some vintage sheets.



Lesson learned - other people are smarter than me and I should at least see what they have to say before I go haring off on my own.

It's Friday!

And I am so ready for the weekend that I can't even explain it.

I've been playing with my beloved Ikea fabric again...



I'll be back next week with the results.

Update - the quilt

People, this quilting thing is hard. I don't know how everyone manages to make it look so easy. I managed to piece together most of it over the weekend, although I still have to get the border put together. Don't get me wrong - I am enjoying the process, but the best part is picking out your fabrics, and that's done right in the beginning.

Rows sewed together, waiting to be made whole

I sewed together each row first, and I was feeling pretty confident. Then I began attempting to assemble the whole thing. I immediately hit a few snags. I am making the simplest quilt possible, and I still couldn't get everything to line up correctly (how in the world do people manage triangles or off kilter shapes?!). After sewing together the first two rows, and realizing they were a little off, I contemplated ripping it out and trying to get it perfect. But I am realistic - I am stubborn but not all that patient, and obsessive attention to detail would probably derail the project entirely.

So, I put on a good music mix for company, gritted my teeth, and got down to it. After several hours, one horrible iron burn (if there is any chance of burning myself, I always manage to do it) and lots of swearing, and I had a mostly pieced together quilt.

Assembled quilt face!

There is still quite a bit to do - sew the border and attach it, make the bias binding, oh, and the actual quilting part. But I'm excited to have this much done.

For those of you considering quilting, I should warn you that it is mostly ironing. If you hate ironing, quilting (and sewing) might not be for you. I myself am adapting to the ironing, being a former iron hater. I frequently go out in clothes so wrinkled that (on numerous occasions) D will give me a pained look and offer/beg to iron my pants and/or shirt. For some reason, ironing during sewing isn't quite as onerous, but it's still something to bear in mind.

Work in progress - THE QUILT

*The oh so sweet and talented Patricia of PVE Design featured me on her blog today! Drop by to see the kind post and drool over her beautiful works of art.*

You all are so clever, noticing that all those bits of fabric must mean a quilt is in the works. And it is. Which means I am currently eating my words.

See, back when I first started talking about getting a sewing machine my mom got excited (I think she had just about given up hope that either of her daughters would ever want to learn to sew) and I very firmly told her "NO QUILTS!" I love my mom's quilts, and they are true works of art, but work is the operative word here. I could see myself making bags, or even clothes, but not quilts.

Fast forward to the present. My mom took me to her favorite quilt store, and they had instructions out for the simplest of quilts - all squares and rectangles, very retro, done with 1930s style fabrics. I swooned. My mom offered to let me raid her gorgeous fabric collection to help get me started. And I gave in.



The quilt is going to have a white background, and the overall effect is muted rather than bold. I'm in love with my great grandmother's old handmade quilts, all worn and subdued from years of washing, and I'm hoping this looks a little bit like them.



Chain stitching saves a ton of time, because you feed lots of pieces through and then snip them apart afterwards, allowing you to work continuously.



Plus, it makes a cute little banner-like chain of pieces before you cut them apart. Fun. Now I want to make a fabric banner.

I'll continue to update on the progress. My mom would make this quilt in an afternoon, but it will undoubtedly take me several weeks.