Tailoring for the Groom

Another project to add to the books: tailoring a jacket and vest for a groom. The sleeves needed to be shortened about an inch; a simple eye hook was requested so that the front of the jacket would stay closed when desired; and the vest needed to be taken in about an inch (too wide). Simple project consisting mainly of pressing and hand stitching. All stitching was done in a way so that it can be removed and the items returned to original size if desired. 

Dresses for the Bubbles, Pt. 2

  The dresses are complete! What a challenging, yet fun project this was. I haven't sewn bodices since I was learning to sew with my Grandmother guiding from behind many years ago. However, even though I spent a lot of extra time on each step 'just to be sure', I am absolutely satisfied with the outcome and can't wait to see the girls wear them! The scariest part is that the recipient's of the dresses live in Maine, so they have not yet tried them on and I had to sew based upon someone else's measurements only- eek! They're going to be just fine, though, I can feel it. I'll be sure to share pictures of the them on the wedding day at the end of September. 

The Project: Two dresses for girls ages 5 and 8 for a fall wedding in Maine. The bride chose a commercial dress sewing pattern yet wanted to incorporate the top part of one dress pattern for the skirt of another. She wanted the dresses to be twirly and fun, and bode well with the bridesmaids dresses that are Katharine Hepburn-esque. She chose a beautiful black silk fabric with coordinating black lining, red tulle with glittery spots for a petticoat (unlike the pattern, she would like the tulle to be a removable skirt versus just a ruffle hem). She also wanted the shiny, sheer red ribbon for a belt/mid-section decoration as well as the heart buttons.  

Red. Glitter. Everywhere!

Cloth Napkins

I finished another batch of cloth napkins this weekend and they are ready to ship! Washable and reusable, why wouldn't you invest in some and stop wasting your money (and creating more garbage on our planet) on paper products? Plus, they're super cute. I usually put two in my lunchbox so that I can use one as a placemat and avoid germ-ridden tabletops. 

Link to Pinterest Page

Mushroom Madness, Flannel
Buy on Etsy

Apple Brights, Flannel
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Red Delicious, Flannel
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Two-Layer, Cotton Poly Blend

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Dinosaur Tails!

   Dinosaur tails have been in high demand lately and everyone wants them right away! Well, here you go, bright and lively dinosaur tails that are guaranteed to be shipped within two days of ordering through my Etsy page. Get them while they last!

A. Corduroy Brights
Click here to go to Etsy Page

B. Jersey Brights
Etsy Page

C. Shiny Green with Black dots
Etsy Page

D. Shiny and Soft Reptile Print 
Etsy Page

D.

E. Shiny Gold and Blues

E.

F. *Special* Two tails with the first spike design- $2 off each!
Etsy Page

Limited amount of flannel napkin squares available, also ready to ship!
Etsy Page

Simple Pincushion Tutorial

  Create this simple pincushion in only a few short hours. I used stuffing to fill mine, but you can also use sawdust if you prefer the thinker, crunchy texture that it provides. This is a great project for a beginner or if you want more practice sewing curves and smaller points. Please note that this is my first tutorial here, so excuse the half-ass pictures and simpleness of the project. When sewing becomes my full-time job I will happily create many more tutorials for you!

Materials Needed:

- Fabric scraps in up to eight colors (about 2.5" x 5.5" each)

- Embroidery floss and large needle

- Stuffing

- Needle for topstitching seam

- Button to decorate the top (optional)

1. Make a Pattern:  I like to use paper bags, or like here a piece of paperboard to make my patterns. This pattern is small enough that I chose a  scrap piece of paperboard because I do not need to stick pins in it to hold the pattern down while cutting,  something that is possible when using paper bags. The bottom of the pattern which is to be placed on the folded edge of fabric is 2.5" wide. The height from the fold is 2.5", with a half inch being straight up, and then going inward for 2". The top point should be about 1/4" wide. Cut 8 of these in your desired fabrics. 

2. Begin to Sew by Pairs:  Line up two pieces, right sides together, and sew along the edge starting from the very top and ending at the very bottom with about 1/4" inseam (use this seam allowance throughout the project unless otherwise noted). If you feel the need you may choose to iron the seams towards the darker color, but due to the size and type of the project I did not feel it was necessary and decided to save some time by removing this extra step.

3. Sew Two Pairs:  Now that you have four pairs, place one of the pairs right sides together against another. Pin along the edge to help hold the fabrics in place. Start and end at the points where your sewing began and finished from your first seam. Do the same with the other two pairs. When finished you should have two half spheres. 

4. Pin Both Halves: As always place right sides together from each half sphere. Place pins around the edges to hold in place. 

5. Sew to Create the Sphere:  Starting at one of the points, sew around the edges to create the sphere. **Important: remember to leave an opening in one side to turn the fabric out and then put the stuffing in. I left about an inch opening in the middle of one piece by stopping, backstitching, lifting the presser foot and going about an inch forward, and then starting and backstitching again. 

Turn the fabric out and this is what you should now have: a sphere with one small opening for stuffing. I like to pull along each seam to make sure that each piece is together well and doesn't need to be re-sewn before I stuff it. 

6. Fill the Sphere with Stuffing and Topstitch Hole:  Make sure that you make it nice and firm since you will be pushing lots of pins into it. This is why some people prefer the sawdust because it adds more bulk and is less likely for the pins to push through the other side. Use a color thread to compliment your fabrics and then topstitch the hole shut by turning the seams in. 

7. Decorate with Embroidery Floss and a Button:  Squeeze the pincushion in at the center and starting from the bottom use the large needle to pull the embroidery floss through. Pull the floss down at each seam, and then back up through the center of the bottom. If preferred you can just tie off the embroidery floss here, or you can add a small button like I did that compliments the colors of your pincushion. 

Viola! Your pincushion is now complete and ready to use :)

**Please note that all of my tutorials are for personal use only. They are not to be sold or distributed unless permission is granted.**

Score at the Thrift Store

  You can't turn up something like this, especially if you were born in the 80's like me! Cabbage Patch Kids were a big part of my upbringing and wish I would've kept some of my old ones from the past: marker on the faces, hair snipped and all. Will I ever use the pattern? I'm not sure, but I think it's kind of like keeping those old favorite books on the shelf even though you've read them just enough times. 

Dresses for the Bubbles (Part 1)

  They're not being called flower-girls because technically they'll be dispersing bubbles down the aisle, so my girlfriend just calls them "the bubbles" for now. I think its kind of cute, plus I also like when people stray away from the typical wedding regimen that has come about over hundreds of years (boring and so not personal). I also felt honored when she asked me to make these two dresses for her beautiful nieces as they walk the aisle just ahead of her in September in my home state of Maine. 

  Today we spent several hours scoping out just the right pattern- well, piecing together two separate designs to get what will compliment her own dress and those of her bridesmaids- and finding just the right fabrics and notions. After we walked away from the checkout I said to her "you know,  neither of us ever looked at the costs of any of the fabrics, we chose purely on exactly what we wanted." What an amazing feeling it is. I cannot wait to create these amazing dresses that will add shine to the celebration of the true love between two wonderful people. 

Busy Weekend Designing New Spikes

  I wasn't too impressed with the way that I designed the spikes for the previous dinosaur tails, which consisted of two layers of felt sewn together. They didn't look bad, but they also didn't look as clean as I'd have liked and plus three separate strips had to be sewn together halfway through a spike to make the most out of the pre-cut dimensions of felt that I purchased. I was able to design new spikes in which I have very little scraps leftover and it seems to be working out well. I also like the alternating colors versus the double-layer from before. The pinning and basting is a bit tedious, but it'll be worth it in the end.

  I have twenty tails almost done right now, but most will be heading off for a party package order. The others I will list on my Etsy page for sale one they are complete!

Going in for One Item...

One item. Yeah, it's a family joke started thanks to my stepmother's antics, but it fully describes me at Jo-Ann Fabric! I even went in with a list last night to pick up specific fabrics and notions for a new project but thanks to a large sale section on fabrics I ended up spending way more than I should have!  What can I say I LOVE using all sorts of different fabrics and prints, plus I've found that fruit and veggie prints aren't easy to find. Here's a peek of whats to come:

Funky texture and bright colors
should make for some interesting new reusable snack bags.

I love this cotton print! I think it'll make some super cute cloth napkins (two-layer like I prefer with light cottons). 

More two-layer cloth napkins coming up with this bright, fruity cotton. 

Birthday Party Request!

Apparently my Etsy shop is getting some views, which is very exciting to me! I was just asked if I could create a sort of party package special pricing for a particular item, can you guess what it is? I had fun picking out these roar-tastic prints for it! More to come...