Stylish Lunch

I love buying fabric remnants. And, even more than that, I love when I can put those remnants to a really cute use. Like this lunch bag!

This is the birthday gift I made last week for a girlfriend (had to wait to post it until she got it). It's technically a home dec weight fabric but I thought it would hold up nicely for daily use. The button I already had (the odd man out leftover from the pink and green striped dress in this post) - love when that happens. I just used plain old 1/4" elastic for the loop closure. And I used french seams throughout...currently, one of my favorite things in sewing. No pattern, just based it on a real paper lunch bag and made it much bigger (leftovers have to fit in it, let's be realistic).

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If you love something, set if free...

I have been working on a wrap top from the Chic & Simple book for a couple weeks now (a ridiculous amount of time in my 2-kid-dominated-world).

I have been defeated by the top.

It was pretty clear from the start that it would be ill-fitting, but I felt invested in it after all the time I had already put in. So, I kept at it, making numerous alterations to the pattern and the finished product. Adding extra fabric to the bodice, hemming the bottom to a different length and angle, adjusting the sleeves, etc. etc.

As it is now, I could finally be on to something, but have decided to cut it loose. I've included a picture just to show you how it stands, pins and all. If it were uglier in the picture, I'd post to CraftFail, but no one can appreciate how bad this is until they see it on me. And, I am not about to post a picture of me in it.

Oh, and to make up for my loss (my grief coping mechanism, if you will), today I made the following: a skirt, a cloth lunch bag as a gift for a friend, appliqued 2 little sunhats, and finished the dress for my friend's 3 year-old. All during nap times. What is wrong with me?

p.s.: The dress form is not adjusted to my size (or even symmetrically, if you really look at it), but I would love to look like that...

p.p.s.: the more I look at it in the picture, I am reminded of nurse scrubs. Honestly, what was I thinking? Pin It

"Free" Toys

This idea is neither handmade, nor all that crafty. But it is very Mommy.

A couple years back, my friend had a cute little set of stacking cups for her son purchased from IKEA. I mistakenly thought they were laundry caps because they looked just like them. This got me thinking...why put the laundry caps in the recycling bin when I could recycle them into bath toys right at home?

So, for your viewing and playing pleasure, here are our stacking laundry caps. They're great as bath scoops, but they are just as great out of the bath as well. Pin It

Playing Catch-up

Here's what I've been busy doing, instead of posting here...sorry for the absence.

A sweet little dress from Chic & Simple Sewing

The Summer Blouse (with some modifications) from Weekend Sewing.
This is version #2 of this blouse, in the right size this time.

A skirt that I improvised with jersey knit and shirring at the waist. It's not date-worthy but it's great around the house on hot days.

And another jersey knit skirt that I loosely based on this.
And my in-process projects: a bathing suit, a wrap top, a dress for a friend's 3-year-old, and some items for my etsy shop (maybe I'll be ready before Christmas...).

I've had people say, "I wish I was creative like you" or "I'd love to be crafty like that." I tell them it's not crafty or creative, as much as compulsive. Different c-word, same ridiculous pace... Pin It

Quilted Goodness

If you ever feel the slightest bit inspired to make a quilt, do it! I have fallen more and more in love with the cowboy quilt. Since it's been washed it's taken on this wonderful puckered texture and softness.

Just some gratuitous quilt pictures because they make me happy. (oh, and long overdue pics of the back of the quilt...)

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!
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The Dress, Part 2

I mentioned in my last post that I made 2 versions of Heather Ross' free pattern. Here is what happened to the first trial...

I made the dress in the medium/large and it was too big. Just too much fabric for my frame/height. And, as cute as it is, I am not very comfortable in the strapless smocked version. But I lovedlovedloved the fabric (specialty quilting cotton, 108" wide fabric, super soft) and didnt' want to scrap the time I put in.

So...I folded the shirring section in half, sewed it in place with a wide zig-zag, added a halter top, and hemmed it up about 6 inches.

The halter is really just a rectangle of fabric doubled over and wrapped around my neck. It is so comfortable!
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Heather Ross' Free Dress Pattern

The free Heather Ross Mendocino dress pattern that I mentioned before became a reality...twice. I actually made two of these and this one was the right size. (remember, I clearly have no idea what size I am in real life) Excuse the picture - it's the best shot of the dress from the get together I wore it to. The dress was simple to make, and smocking (or shirring, whatever you want to call it) really is as easy and addicting as people say. I'm not comfortable wearing it without a sweater, but I was lucky enough to already have a sweater that matched! My favorite part of the dress? It has pockets. I just adore pockets in a dress...

Oh, and the hem isn't uneven - just a little monkey on my hip hiking it up. :) Pin It

Old Jeans to New Shorts

This morning I whipped up (seriously, it was that fast!) a new pair of long shorts from my favorite pair of jeans using this tutorial that I found here. It's getting hot here and I don't have much in the way of warm weather clothes. So I trolled the internet looking for shorts patterns...here are the fruits of my labor. And, eek, you get to see what I look like...such a mommy.

I loved loved loved these jeans but they were starting to look pretty bad.
The knees were super thin (one had a hole), and I had already put iron-on denim patches on the inside of the knees to buy myself a couple extra months (good trick, by the way, if the knees are starting to wear on your jeans).
I made a couple changes to the tutorial instructions simply because I'm a little lazy. (I know there are more like me out there...) Rather than using the extra denim and the print fabric as a binding tape, I just made a cuff. Like this...
The only thing this requires differently is a little math in reverse. Decide the length you want your shorts and then subtract about 3 1/2 inches before cutting. Oh, and it's hard to tell in the pic, but the cuffs are darker than the legs and it ended up that I really liked it.
You should try this - really! Pin It

Blunder Saved

So I made a cute top from Weekend Sewing last week and totally screwed up the sizing. I'm now convinced I have no idea what I really look like since I have sewn some garments lately that aren't my size at all...

I used a cotton gauze for the body and was really happy with the placket. I didn't even attempt the button and loop because I knew I wouldn't use it and figured it might frustrate me.

But, the point is that the top came out pretty well and I didn't want it to go to waste. So I gave it to my friend Jane and it looks adorable on her! Here it is...before it went to its new home. :) Pin It

More Girly Gifts

Here is another very sweet little girl gift I got to make recently for a one year old. The cardigan/jacket pattern is not only cute, but unbelievably easy to make (and comfy in the bamboo/cotton blend!). It's another winner from Bend-the-Rules Sewing, and you can bet I'll be using it again.

I didn't make the dress (I wish I had), but was lucky enough to find it at Target after already putting together the jacket with the exact same color binding tape.

Just love making homemade little girl gifts...

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Made By Rae Spring Top Week

The button at the left is for a great blog by a talented crafter Rae, and my black tank top is on her site! Check out: http://madebyrae.blogspot.com/2009/04/spring-top-week-day-5-your-creations.html and scroll down.

Just had to share. Have a great weekend! Pin It