...And Thursday

With my last round of tests over until finals, life in San Diego is easy and fun once again.  It's spring time and while the sun is out the wind is keeping me in coats and jeans, instead of the V-necks and skirts I prefer this time of year.  Sitting inside looking outside at the pretty blue sky has me itching for all the things about summer I love.  I am daydreaming about events that are sure to be mentioned in detail while they are happening.  One of my favorite summer events is my annual 4th of July party. Everything about the party is a surprise until people arrive.  I plan the menu and decorations way in advance.  As in- I already have the main and side dishes planed, still working on desert and drinks! I have been working away on different ideas for a few weeks now and when I stumbled upon this dress, I knew that I would be wearing a version of it on the 4th!

 Isn't it amazing?  It is the perfect mix for nautical and patriotic, something I can wear all summer long!  But there is no way I am paying over fifty dollars plus shipping for this dress. So here is my plan.  Find a suitable tank top replacement and add it to a skirt in a similar cherry red.  I will probably make the skirt myself.  It is a fairly simple A-Line number with a little extra volume in the form of pleats/ruffles at the top. Sounds pretty easy and fun, I hope to keep the entire look under 20 dollars.  I am currently debating between two different tanks, one about five dollars and the other ten. I might actually go into forever 21 and see what I can try on in person as well.  But here is where the fun feature come in! I am defiantly not going to rock a huge bow on my waist, like some pretty package waiting to opened...UM ICKK!  Bows are one trend I cannot get with!  Instead I am going to make this...

Totally Awesome Rose Belt!

I think this belt would be the perfect topper for my tank dress. A fun detail at the waist, but not a huge bow like a bride's maids dress! The belt is simple to make, all you need is some fabric, interfacing and 2 D rings.  Another positive about this over the bow, is that I can wear it with more than just my dress.  Hop on over to Emily Spark's blog and browse the fun other fun tutorials she had.  But don't forget the awesome rose belt! 

In other news, I graduate in less than 30 days! 23 days and 19ish hours according to the senior tab on my school's website!  Once I return home this blog is going to be SO MUCH MORE AWESOME!!  I will actually be able to sew some projects!  I will have all my craft items in one single place, instead of split between California and Washington.  Needless to say I am very excited!  But I will keep crafting and sharing and writing in the meantime.  A big thanks to all the readers who have supported my baby blog, which is growing up everyday!

Fashion Forward Wednesday

Onto the fashion...finally! I have been an avid reader of Adventures in Dressmaking for quite a while now.  The blog features great tee shirt make overs and drool worthy home dec pictures for inspiration.  I totally admire the great woman who runs the blog, she makes something new practically every day, I would be exhausted!  One thing you must check out if you click on over to her site?  Her Amazon Store in the top section of links, she has a great selection of books for the sewing and craft minded person.  

So back to project!  Have you seen the rolled cuff slightly longer than normal jean shorts out there?  

 Via Adventures in Dressmaking

Seems like a trend for only the super fashionista, right? WRONG!  That short is amazing, the inseam is a bit longer so its age appropriate for people who have are past the booty shorts age, and a great weekend look for any young lady on the go!  Sometimes picking up a trend piece is just not worth the money, especially for artificially destroyed jeans, but this is a great way to add a fun spring and summer trend piece from something you already own.  Grab a pair of jeans that still fit, but you might not wear so much any more and click on over to the amazing step by step tutorial and hack away.  Come the warm days of summer, you'll be glad you did.  A great variation to this trend?  have the cuffs lined in a soft plaid so the rolls contract the jeans a bit.  I have seen some great ones in the April/May fashion magazines!  If I make the lined version I will be sure to let you all know how I did it!

Fashion Forward Wednesday

Most ladies out there often find themselves in the "Dressing Room of Doom". Where you pull something off the rack and drag yourself into the dressing room, even though you hate trying on clothes, or are not is a shopping mood, etc only to be slapped in the face. You really have to like something to even make it back to the dressing room and then once you get under the florescent lights your own image assaults you. Dang, you think to yourself, if only this were looser here, or shorter there, or the print wasn't hideous. Once I get through all the if, ands or buts, I usually leave the store empty handed, with slightly lower self-esteem and a bad mood. Do you need any more reasons to sew your own clothes? Have I painted a bad enough picture of shopping yet? But then you cut out a pattern, based on the same, often insane, sizing as retailers and what do you get a slightly less bad version of something you could have bought at a store. Well, dang, what is a girl to do?

The obvious answer to to design patterns and clothes ourselves. Perfect! Oh wait, you can barely thread a needle let alone design, and sew your own clothes? Enter the sewing blog I discovered a bit ago, Petit Main Sauvage. Heaven for the sewing obsessed, like me. Even better is the simple directions and inspiration to take on this crazy craft called sewing!

But I digress, a simple, and straight forward tutorial is what awaits you at Petit Main Sauvage. With the easy gored skirt pattern, you can have a pattern tailored to you specific measurements in no time, and a skirt pretty quickly after that! I know this is the second skirt I have featured, and I promise that I will diversify, but I implore you to click here to make your fit fantasies come true! Everyone can use another skirt in an fun print!

Come on ladies...Get Your Spring On!!

Here's that link again

Fashion Forward Wednesday

Today's Fashion Forward Wednesday is so simple that even non-crafters will want to break out the scissors. When I first came across this post I thought to myself, wow this has a lot of craft bang! You see craft bang is a project that is easy, fast, or cheap and produces great results. So things, like mittens on size zero double pointed needles are tedious, and while the result are often worth the effort, it is refreshing to start a project that will take very little time start to finish, and give you something amazing afterward. Hence today's choice...

The Leather Clutch

Head on over to EvaForeva and look at the simple and straight forward directions with pictures. While I am with the author, I like the look of leather alone, you could easily add some pretty extras, like embroidery, or beading. This is another great project that can be tailored to suit your taste and (growing?) wardrobe. Another way to make this clutch your own, add a simple pocket to the lining for your cellphone, or chap-stick. I think you all should make one and grab it when you head out on the town to your local farmers market, who needs a huge purse and a big bag of produce to carry around? While I don't have any leather to cut into here at school, I am on the look out and once I find some, I will definably be making this clutch! Break out that spring top and slip on your jeans and head out the door to enjoy the day, but don't forget your new leather clutch! Don't worry we won't tell how easy it was to make!


*Picture via EvaForeva: Leather Clutch Tutorial

Can I Get a Heck Yes?

Last night was a wonderful evening. It was so special because I finally finished the yellow eyelet skirt I have been working on forever. This thing has been a pain in my butt, first it was too small, so I added two panels, then it was too big. But I had already sewed the zipper and the lining in, I sewed the lining in backwards too. So I had to try and remove the pleat in the lining so the eyelet would lay right. The skirt was way too long for me so I had to cut off about two inches there. But I made it! Getting it done has inspired me to finish as many half done projects as I can today. So after this blog post I will be running around with a mad glint in my eye looking for projects to finish. I will post some photos of all my finished projects later today, or tomorrow.

But first I have to show you the skirt. I thought that after I finished it I would never want to see it again, but I have to admit, I can't wait to wear it and whisper to whoever, oh hey, I made this...
Note: I do not like taking pictures of myself, but I wanted to show you all the skirt so badly that I did. Even when I am sick, and just cut my bangs myself this morning. So just ignore me and look at the skirt!

Should Be Wednesday Pattern

I was all set to start my new themed day yesterday. All I needed was a cute pattern to show. Well I got a little stuck. I couldn't find the pattern I had in mind so I ended up postponing till today.
First let me explain the point of this. Every Wednesday, I will be featuring a pattern, knitting or sewing, that I think is fashion forward and should be added to your wardrobe. Now anyone could search around all day for simple sewing and knitting project that are fashionable. But why spend the time when I will be compiling them here for you? The point is to give you a go to spot for handpicked pieces when you have an itch to make something new for yourself or as a gift.

So here we go!

This week's pattern is something you might already have in your closet. It is something that just about eveyone can pull off and is fairly simple to make. The Pencil Skirt! Don't click away just yet, even if you already have one or think you can't pull off this look. Even if you already have the standard wool black pencil you should consider making this one. Not only, can you never have enough simple work skirts, when you make your own everything is totally customizable. The fit, the buttons, the fabric, you can even add a lining so it doesn't ride up with tights. I hate that!!

Enter BurdaStyle my favorite go to for sewing patterns. The patterns are cheap, sometimes free, and you can print them at home, follow the directions and assemble the pattern easily! Another reason to give the pencil a go? Its fairly cheap supplies wise and a great pattern for a sewer looking to increase confidence- its easy, and it is sewing instant gratification. You can make it in a short amount of time and put it into the rotation for work right away! Another great aspect of BurdaStyle is that it is a network of sewers, so if you have questions you can post right on the pattern page for help. You can also browse other people finished projects and their comments on the process and any hiccups they had.

This particular version of the pencil has some great detail in the front as well as a cute side tab style button. According to the pattern description "It fits just below the natural waist and with pleats on one side, it accentuates both slender and curvy figures." You can make it a very serious piece with suiting
material, or you can go funky. The possibilities are endless!
So please go check out the Alexis pattern #7945 and get sewing!


Also if you have a snappy name for my fashion forward Wednesday post please drop me a line in the comments section! I want to tag them all the same so people can easily look at all the featured patterns, but I am currently at a loss for a snappy name. Thanks in advance!

**Pictures are from BurdaStyle users

Mind Wandering Weakness

I love to start projects. I have many many many projects that are cut out or bookmarked waiting for me to start them. It is finishing projects that I have a hard time with. Once the mystery of how to make something is gone, and my hands or needles or sewing machine are on autopilot my mind begins to wander to the next project. It really is an illness, one that certain motherly figures will likely never let me forget.

The short list of unfinished project sitting around my house? One half finished baby sweater knit in primary colors, a knitted quilt with lamb blocks, my Lady February Sweater, one finished glitten ( A Christmas Present still waiting to be delivered...) Numerous hats that just need ends weaved in and seams sewn, a huge CD organizing project, a yellow eyelet skirt that just needs hemming, a pair of Banana Republic cords that I want to turn into carpi's.... really the list goes on, but is all I can think of off the top of my head.

To try and counteract this I am assigning crafting time to certain projects. Since I am going home this Friday for a week, and none of my other friends will be out of school to hang out, I have a whole week with the sewing machine and my knitting needles with nothing to do! SO I have 3 projects I would like to complete start to finish over the week. Its a pretty lofty goal but I know I can finish at least 2, the third might end up as a long term project. Two of the projects I have already talked about here.

Project #1

First I want to finish up this sweater. As you may remember from this post I already took in the sides for a slimmer fit. Step two in the sweater revamp is to change the neckline into a V-neck. I would also love to add some ruffles, but I am thinking that might be too much with the sweater, since it is already striped. This sweater is really just a test run for it's sister sweater in gray that I really love.



Project #2

Next up is another project I have already mentioned here. If you will recall this post, you already know that I am planning to make the shirt that Nina Dobrav is wearing. I have been looking around for a pattern for a modern button down. Considering my sewing skills I will probably make the shirt once and then mess with the pattern to make it more fitted and add the ruffle on my second try. My goal is to make it look like the one in this picture. I will be scouring the fabric stores at home from some cheap fabric for a first try and then hopefully some navy blue for the real deal. I think these two are totally doable projects, since I will have my sewing gifted mother at my disposal as well.

Project #3

My third project will be the most time consuming and and the biggest stretch of skills for me, of the three. For years my grandma has been pestering me to write a sweater pattern for her. She knits A LOT. Like she finishes a huge blanket in a few days. She knits herself sweaters all the time, but they don't fit her. I think I would be hard pressed to find one that did. You see she is the skinniest person ever! EVER!! So she wants a sweater that actually fits. I have never written a sweater pattern before, and I am sure you will all hear my cries as I write this one. However, I don't think it will be too hard considering I won't have to do ANY shaping. Yep, skinny and built like a ruler... Wish I had gotten some of her genes! Spring break will be the perfect time to buy yarn with her, and get her measurements and design specs so I can knit her a sweater and write a pattern along the way. For this project I will have little help though, just books, the internet and my own know how. Well I guess I will have some help afterall, but none from any knitter around here, I happen to be the best knitter in my family, not bragging just a fact, I swear!

So what do you think? Do you gals approve of my spring break of crafts? Just keep your fingers crossed that everything gets done!

Inspiration Take 2

Now that I am thinking about it, I guess I really love a lot of things. So far I have mentioned quite a few things, sewing, knitting, jewelry making, adding glitter to anything and everything. Today I endeavor to talk about another thing I love even if I am an amateur. Fashion.

I really really enjoy pretty clothes. And all the bloggers I love have been taking things from stores and recreating them themselves. Ruffles are fairly easy to sew and it seems a lot of people are cutting up their tee shirts and sticking ruffles on anything with two sleeves. Which I think is awesome. I once believed that I cannot pull off ruffles, but my mind has been changed. It could help that everyone seems to be wearing them so when I do, I don't feel like I am stick out like a soar thumb.

Since I follow Nina Dobrev on twitter, I saw some different tops she has been wearing for different covers and shoots for The Vampire Diaries. I really like how they are styling her, and low and behold they stuck some ruffles on her. Now these ruffles are a little different that the stuff I have seen around so, I am going to give this shirt a go!

I really like how the ruffle become the sleeves and how the shirt dips so low in the front. Plus I am in love with navy blue so that's a plus too. I haven't quite decided what I am going to start with though. I am thinking I could either sew the entire shirt myself from a sleeveless blouse pattern or I could find a button down in navy blue, make it more fitted if I need to, and then add the ruffle. I was leaning towards the second since it would probably be easier but I would probably have to buy 2 shirts just to get enough matching fabric to make the ruffles, which would defeat the cheapness. So I will probably just make the entire thing myself since if I need more fabric or I mess up, that tends to happen when I sew, I can just run to the fabric store, or rip out my stitches. This will also give me a lot better control of the fit of the shirt too.

The sad part is I won't be able to make this beauty until March since that is when I will be home again and can use my mom's sewing machine. But until then I will be hunting for a pattern. I can't wait to show you all what I come up with. Like I keep saying, inspiration strikes in the oddest of places! Oh twitter how I love you!

While I am talking about fashion, which I know very little about compared to my other hobbies, I would like to direct you to a fashion expert! Kelly Skahan writes for the Examiner online, covering the Seattle fashion scene. She is currently stationed in New York, so she really has here thumb on the pulse of fashion! She writes great articles on how fashion amateurs, like me, can pull off the newest, coolest, looks without looking like a crazy person! Go check her out!!!








Pictures via twitpic.com and the examiner.com

Add Some Fleece to Your Life

Ever knit a hat that turned out just a tad too big? Or was itchy? Well I certainly have, and the solution is surprising simple. Sew in a fleece lining!

Tools:

• Fleece
• Hat
• Matching thread
• Sewing machine with zigzag stitch
• Straight edge
• Measuring tape
• Scissors

To start: Lay out your hat and decide how wide you want your lining to be. Essentially you will be sewing in a head band, so your forehead and ears won't be irritated by the yarn. I decided that 3.5 inches would be right for my hat. Decide what fits your hat and needs for this step. Next measure the circumference of your hat. This doesn't have to be perfect since you will be cutting the strip a few inches longer anyway. I put my straight edge up against one edge and used a rotary cutter to cut in 3.5 inches. Of course you can use plain old scissors and it will work just fine.

Next place one short edge of your strip at the center, inside, back, of the hat. At this point your hat should be inside out. Pin the short edge in, and head over to your sewing machine. Here using a semi wide zigzag stitch is going to be your best bet. The widness helps prevent the knitting and fleece from puckering. Here is what I used

After you have sewn in the short side, pin the lower edge. Since the hat gets smaller as it goes up the lower hat edge will probably be slightly longer and should be sewn first. After you have sewn in the bottom edge, iron the strip and your hat. This will help smooth out minor puckers from sewing something this thick and stretchy. Now you should pull the strip taught and pin the upper edge of the band slightly tight. This will compensate for the slightly smaller circumference at the top edge of the band.
To help sewing the upper band part, I took off the arm of the sewing machine. If your sewing machine has this capability DO IT!! Very helpful! So after you are done sewing the two lines you need to cut the excess so you can sew the final short side of your band. Cut so the ends ever so slightly over lap each other. This will create a perfect match up when you sew the final side since stitching it down will pull it in slightly. When you are done it should look something like...

And

Now if you didn't do a perfect job sewing some of your lines you can trim the excess outside the zigzag stitch. But be careful not to clip your sewn stitches or your hat! I cut the corners of the short sides so they won't poke when the hat is being worn.

So there you are a wonderful fun hat with an equally fun purple soft lining!
Bring on the cold, right?

Baby Blues

I just HAD to share the baby sweater I recently finished. I have been working on this sweater FOREVER. Literally, I bought the yarn this summer! I finished the back while I was on vacation in August. Then I realized that if I didn't finish it in time for Christmas it wouldn't fit the intended toddler. So while I was at school I struggled through the moss stitch until the entire sweater was done it. Let me tell you, PAINFUL!! Moss stitch is sooo much worse than seed stitch. But I eventually finished all the pieces. So then I brought the pieces back with me when I came home for Christmas. I decided that I wanted to put the pieces together with the sewing machine. I have never done this before, I always sew by hand with yarn. But I was ready to take a step towards a better garment. SO I threaded up my mom's sewing machine and put right sides together and sewed it up.

One tip- Make sure you iron your pieces before you start sewing. I checked the sides I was about to sew to make sure they were the same length before I started pining and sewing. With an iron you can stretch or squish the pieces so the lengths are equal. Taking the time to iron your pieces makes your finished product SOOOOO much better. I promise it is worth the time. Make sure you press the seams open before you sew another seam that goes through it. This happened when I sewed the sleeves and the sides. First you sew the shoulders and the sleeves in. You sew the sleeve in but they are open, not a tube yet. When you sew up the sides and continue to sew the sleeve together you sew over the shoulder seam and the arm seam. But if you press the first seams open it works a lot better. I pressed all my seams open, just to make it a bit more comfy to wear. Unlike a regular sewn garment, I did not sew the seams open. That wouldn't work well on hand knitted pieces.

WOW why hadn't I done this before? It was faster, stronger and better than anything I have ever sewed myself. So here is the final reveal....


One feature I really liked was the blanket stitch around the edges. One part I didn't like? The hood comes to a point. I thought it looked insane, but everyone else loved it! If I were to knit a hood again, I would try something different. You might also notice I didn't put on any buttons. He is in a chewing phase right now and I was afraid he would chew them off! Finally that moss stitch, I really like the way it turned out and the moss stitch is part of that. However I probably won't knit something in moss stitch for a while!! I need a break!