It’s Baaaaaaaaaaackkkkkkk…

Tags

By Hand London, clothing, daughters, dress, fabric, fabrics, Fall Sewing, Family, projects, quilting, sew exhausted, sewing, vintage pattern

Hey Peeps… Long time, no chat. And long time, little sewing!

I deleted my last post but want to thank EVERYONE for the kind thoughts, advice, and reading material! They were all treasured. Guess every now and then it is nice to see that others DO care! I deleted it mostly because I was interviewing for a new job. I made it through all 4 “cuts” but did not get the job in the end. I was happy I made it that far. (Well I would have been HAPPIER had I gotten the job but…!) Anyway, it was for the Executive Asst position for the ceo of WordPress. And I thought it was better if my last blog post had not been one about the stress of my life and a panic attack! But I DID appreciate all the comments! xoxo So hugs to you all.

That said, I am still stressed and still working on making some changes but I seem to be handling things a bit better at the moment! I am hoping for a good job in Houston OR a higher paying job here in San Diego.

So, what’s back? I think my Sewing Mojo has been rekindling itself. I made a Fall List! I got pretty excited going through my fabric stash and choosing some things to make over the next few months. I am calling it my Fall Sewing List but I doubt we will get much of a Fall Season. Bums me out too because I sure would like to wear some long sleeves and tights! And maybe a scarf now and then. But alas it is 90 degrees as I write this. And on Monday it is supposed to be 103! YECK!

Anyway- here it is. My list in progress. I have more Christmas items to add to the list and who knows what else. But I think this is a pretty good start! By the way- the list is NOT in order. Except the top item happens to be almost ready to go! So, without further ado… My Fall List:

Whenever I think about the Lady Skater pattern by KitschyKoo I start singing “He was a Skater Boy.” Avril Lavigne. Totally not even my era of music but my girlies used to sing it. Well, I am going to have ME a Lady Skater in this realllllly awesome floral medium weight knit from Purple Seamstress Fabrics. Despite the sweet flowers I can feel a little rebellious wearing those skulls. LOVE this fabric! And I think I am going to have enough left over to make a 2nd Burda Sweatshirt. (Up next is going to be my first Burda Sweatshirt!)

I just loved this pattern in the most recent Burda magazine. Sadly it is my last issue. Happily this will be the first thing I have ACTUALLY made from the years worth of issues I have. This knit is a lighter weight slinky knit. I am going to use a similar solid black for the sleeves. If it turns out well I am going to use the leftover floral/ skull knit from above for a 2nd one. YAHOO for lightweight sweatshirts!

Ever since I bought this pattern on Etsy I have been dying to make it. I was just lacking some eyelet fabric! Then at the LA Bloggers Meetup I attended a few months back someone was graciously giving this one away. I snagged it knowing this sweet little 70’s number would finally get to be made up. It is for Holly- because that girl wears EVERYTHING I make her. All the time! Love sewing for someone who WEARS what I make! 😀

I bought this denim in Los Angeles when I was shopping with some fellow Sewists. At $3 a yard it LEAPED into my arms! I already have a lovely jade green lining in my stash AND I bought the zipper quite a while back as well. So this baby is ready to Rock N Roll. I am excited and nervous at the same time. It seems like a BIG project!

I know! I KNOW! It is FALL and I am making a swim suit? This is California, people. And she has been waiting PATIENTLY for a swimsuit all summer long. I NEED to get this made for Holly! (And now that I think about it I better go dig out the orange fabric Juliette got for HER swimsuit!)

I made this pattern already and LOVED it. I have yet to blog it- but will get to that soon. This black and white Aztec print is another knit I picked up from PURPLE SEAMSTRESS FABRICS. (She has GREAT knits- and if you follow her on FB you can be tempted DAILY! LOL) I am actually waffling between this Simplicity pattern and another BHL Anna dress. I have 3 of those already though. But I want ALL the Anna’s… so I may change my mind!

Speaking of BHL– I plan on making the new Holly jumpsuit for my Christmas outfit. Ya, here in California Christmas day is usually a lovely, sunshiny day. Blue skies and upper 70’s. So I thought- jumpsuit? Oh YA! (Watch we get some freakish weather this year and my lovely jumpsuit has to stay in the closet! lol)

Speaking of Christmas– We already have Holly’s dress all picked out. OK OK… I confess… This was supposed to be her dress LAST year but I never got to it. THIS year, IT”S ON! And I have everything I need! Boning- CHECK. Zipper- CHECK. Lining- CHECK. She is going to look darling in this! I have informed Juliette and Kadi that they better pick their dresses out SOON! I want them to be done PRE-DECEMBER. (So unlike me- usually my sewing machine is running the night before holiday dresses are needed!)

My son Casey has requested a few button down shirts for Christmas. He would like Chargers, Green Bay Packers and a Hawaiian print. I have had this particular fabric in my stash for at least 15 years! (We are talking Quillow days gang!) Anyway, it is going to get USED! Finally! And I should have enough left over for a pillowcase OR a pair of boxers. 🙂

Another item on my list is the McCalls 6966 Maxi skirt. This black and white stripe (again purchased from Purple Seamstress) has 1″ wide stripes. I have been wanting to make one of these for a while now- and it is time. I think I will make a black Sewaholic Renfrew to go with this. WAIT! I HAVE a black Sewaholic Renfrew! Woot Woot! A complete Me Made Outfit!

And finally… I am going to FINISH this Log Cabin Quilt. It was the VERY first quilt I ever made. And it has been languishing unfinished for 18 years or so. This can no longer languish! And it won’t! It is a twin size quilt and I always have batting in my stash so this quilt is going to finally get some snuggling this winter!

I am pretty happy with my list. I have a few hopefuls waiting in the wings. But they do not have fabric yet and the one thing I wanted to do when I created this list was start using up some of my stash. Especially since money is tight right now! But I feel like I have some GREAT pieces and am pleased to finally be making these up.

I also have quite a few unblogged items. A Marvel Comic dress, a Saltspring, a Gabriola skirt, several new tops, an ugly “yellow” dress, a turquoise jacket, a red jacket, a Simplicity Maxi dress… wow. I better stop. I see a long photo shoot in my near future!

Take care friends and Happy Sewing! xoxo

 

 

 

Vintage Pattern Loveliness

Tags

dress, easy sewing projects, fabric, Fall for Cotton, patterns, sew exhausted, sewing, sewing vintage clothing, Vintage, vintage dress, vintage patterns, vintage sewing patterns

I LOVE Vintage… There is something about certain bygone eras that speak to my soul. The 1920’s, after World War 1, when everything seemed to change. From music, to dancing, to the fashions! Everything seemed so “relaxed” and fun in the 20’s. Like “Darling, throw on your dancing shoes and long beads and lets go kick up our heels and dance the Charleston!” And did you know that “flagpole sitting” became popular in the 20’s?

The 40’s and 50’s are the years I am drawn to the most. I love how feminine and classy the women were during these years. If you look at any movie star pictures from this time period you see glamour and style. I love the full skirts, the fabulous bright colors that became popular in the 50’s, and did you know this decade brought about the evolution of the bikini! (Although it did not become popular until 1963- but that’s a different story!)

The 60’s and 70’s brought about a much freer and easier feeling. Short skirts, gogo boots, bikinis, and later in the decade (and on in to the 70’s) the hippie movement introduced bell bottoms, batik and tye-dye, and a decidedly more “bohemian” look. I really like that look as well. There is something about those long flowy dresses and drippy sleeves!

That was actually a pretty brief overview of fashion. VERY BRIEF! There is SO much more about fashion and trends that happened during these eras, but if I discussed them all I would not get to share my pattern loveliness with you! So, here it goes. 🙂

I have lots of vintage sewing patterns. Way too many to put into a post. So, I pulled what I would like to make over the next year. (And with my Sewing ADD- which I KNOW is an actual malady, the patterns in my queue can and probably will change)

I recently picked up 8 new patterns from Vintage Martini for EXCELLENT prices. If you like Vintage patterns you NEED to get over there as he has marked ALL of his prices down. I snagged a few 60’s patterns for $1 each!

The 2 on your left are from VM… the other 2 are mine. But I’d really like to make these for my middle daughter Holly. She would look GREAT in them and enjoys this era.

I have to make several more “jammies” for myself before the year is over as it was one of my resolutions. I really like this nightie, the short sleeved one on the left- and am hoping to make it in a soft lace and cotton lawn.

This dress is a 1940’s pattern. I love the clean lines and the detailing. I actually had a dress very similar to this in the 80’s in emerald green with gold buttons. I would love to try my hand at making this in those same colors.

This little 50’s pattern is one I will hopefully make for next Spring/ Summer. I love everything about it and every article of clothing pictured. The blouse, skirt and shorts are all on my list! They just want me to make a picnic lunch, lay my quilt out on the grass, pour myself a glass of lemonade and relax under a tree with a good book. I see gingham and florals and red or blue in my future!

Here is some more vintage loveliness… and another dress pattern I would like to tackle for next Spring. I love the tiered skirt and simplicity of the bodice. This one will take some grading up but I plan on attempting SewBrooke’s method. If you have not read about her experimenting with grading and ratios you should definitely hop over. You will learn a lot!

And this is my all time FAVORITE pattern that I just received (again from Vintage Martini and for just $6!) I want to make it NOW and will most likely use this one for the new just announced Vintage sewing challenge “Fall for Cotton” put on by Rochelle from Lucky Lucille and Tasha of By Gum By Golly.

I hope I can find the RIGHT fabric to go with it. That is always part of the challenge when sewing up a vintage garment- well, any garment for that matter! Because the challenge is to use 100% cotton, I should have quite a bit too choose from! There are cotton sales all over right now! (Fabric.com has quite a selection for $4.95 a yard!)

I guess I will get back to finishing up my UFO’s so I can start sewing some of these babies up. Hopefully I will see you soon with some finished lovelies!

~Laurie

My Anna that Broke the Rules…

Tags

Anna Dress, Anna Pattern, By Hand London, dress, fabric, ITY Knit, sew, sew exhausted, sewing

I made an Anna dress! And I couldn’t be happier. She is a bit of a rebel… but there is nothing wrong with that- after all, rules are made to be broken, right?

But let’s start at the beginning.

Recently the Anna dresses started popping up all over the internet. First I got a glimpse of ONE of Sew Busy Lizzy’s. (She has THREE fabulous ones) And then I read all about The Amazing Taracats two…  saw a few more here and there, and they looked so stylish and sexy and swingy- and, well, all the things you have to love in a dress! And I wanted one!

By Hand London Anna Dress Pattern

The Anna pattern is the newest from By Hand London. So my pattern winged it’s way across the ocean and arrived Thursday. It is BEAUTIFULLY packaged and definitely a pattern that is meant to be treasured.  I wanted to make one right away but I was not sure if I had any appropriate fabric in my stash. And I could not afford to buy any more fabric right now- so it was stash or nothing.

And that is where the rule breaking came in. The suggested fabrics for the Anna are lightweight woven fabrics and cottons. But, I have had this knit and it has been TRYING to make it’s way in to a Maxi for a few months. I have gone from one pattern, to another, to another, and decided on Saturday morning I was going to turn the Anna pattern in to a pattern for knits. She turned out mighty pretty in my opinion. 🙂

Look! I had help from Milo tracing and prepping the pattern

I tried to give Milo his own pencil but he seriously just wanted the one I was using!

I had to SQUEEZE this dress out of 3  yds of fabric.. And honestly, this knit cost me $9.00 total. In the end I had to cut off 6 1/2 inches in the length so if I had known that prior to starting I would not have had to worry at all.

I finished most of it Saturday morning before heading to the beach for a bonfire.  On her blog post Lizzy said it was a quick make and she was right! Then on Sunday my daughter asked me if I was going to wear it to my sons company picnic so I sat down and focused on finishing it up. I hand stitched the neck facing, used a double needle to hem up the sleeves, and ran out of time. I wanted to hand stitch the slit- (ooo- I LOVE the slit!) So, I did a quick basting stitch to temporarily hold it and will hand stitch it after I write this post!

I love the fit of the Anna… I love the way it swirls. When you wear it you feel very girly and feminine. Nothing wrong with that!

Like I said, putting this together is very easy. Just pay attention to when you are putting your skirt panels together. I got a little excited when the bodice was done and didn’t pay attention, so I “mis-sewed” one and had to switch it to the other side. I  did not put in a zipper- I did not need to because it is a knit. And I did not hem it because my machine does not like to hem knits, although my sleeves turned out nicely with the double needle. I also overlocked this one because #1 Kerrielee’s overlock machine was at my house for some hip hop pants making (thanks Kerrie), and #2 because I did not want to add any bulk from french seaming the knit.

The neckline is lovely. I chose the v-neck for this dress. Mine is a bit of a rounded V- I believe due to the fact it is a knit. But I like it anyway.  I did the obligatory spin and ended up on the ground. But trust me, Anna swirls quite nicely!

Did you notice my knee was a little red in that picture showing off my slit? That is because me and my Anna dress went on an adventure. At my son’s company picnic there was a mechanical MAD bull, and I thought I could tame it…. I realize these photos are DREADFUL, but I have become a much braver person so I will share them with you!

I lasted a whole 8 seconds. (That’s PRO status right??) BUT, I can now say I have ridden a bull… and I’ve lived to write about it. BTW- Anna held up quite well, and my children were VERY impressed that I even made it ON that bull. As a matter of fact they all now have blackmail videos on their phones.

Here we all are- having fun. I love it when my kids are all together. It makes my heart happy. ❤

And that is my Anna dress. 🙂 Very highly recommended! All my girls want one. Kadi is all set to run out and buy me some fabric for hers. She wants a black one- and because she likes to change everything, she wants me to add a lace cutout to the back of hers. Honestly, I can’t wait to get started on MY next one!

Oh, and I think I want to make a short red denim jacket to go with this one for when the weather gets a little chillier. 🙂

~Laurie

 

Those wild kids of mine showing me how it’s done.

Sewing Camp

Tags

clothing, dress, easy sewing projects, fabric, fabrics, fashion, patterns, project, projects, sew exhausted, sewing, Vintage, vintage patterns, Vogue 8577

Camp… Do you remember going to camp as a kid? I was only able to go a few times during my childhood but those few times were awesome! When I was 14 I went to camp and focused on Astronomy for a whole week. I learned all about the constellations, took night hikes to view the stars and had a grand old time bonding with my fellow Astronomers. Fun times for sure!

As an adult some times we just don’t get to do some of those fun things we enjoyed as children. Mainly I suppose because we have so many responsibilities. Work… kids… households to maintain… Sometimes life can get a bit overwhelming! Well, a few weeks ago I realized I had 192 vacation/PTO hours collected. And upon doing a quick search of my employee handbook, and realizing I was going to start losing some of them if I did not use them,  I put in a request for a week off.

With no place to go, and funds being a bit too tight for gallivanting off to all those dream places on my list,  I decided to enjoy a blissful week at home. And because my 3 daughters are of an age where they do not require me to keep an eagle eye on them, I get to focus on me and what I enjoy doing.

And what could be better than a week of sewing?

I am just starting to come off a dry spell sewing wise. I found myself having trouble dredging up enough energy to sit at my machine and make something- and frankly that feeling lasted for close to 2 months! But, today I  finished a  little halter sundress for Holly- It is quite pretty if I do say so myself! And I am chomping at the bit to start on something new!

So, tonight I started choosing a few more “I have to make this” projects I have wanted to make. I have high hopes I will be able to finish all of these during “Sewing Camp.” AND I have high hopes I will be able to enjoy some time at the beach, walking and hiking, drinking some beers with my friends, and spending some quality time with my girls.

Up first, and I confess I already have it laid out and the pattern pieces ready to cut, is this little number for Juliette. I think this color is going to look amazing on her! I plan on doing the short version of C and can hopefully find some pretty white daisy buttons for it.

Then  I have this marvelous coat. Yes, it is from the 90’s era and I just adore it. The shorter coat in the top right is the view I plan on using. I got this pattern and a few others from the wonderful Katie at Kadiddlehopper thanks to a Twitter conversation we were having one day. She mailed them to me when I expressed interest. THANKS Katie! The fabric is a light weight plum colored wool/ rayon. Because I live in California I do not need thick, heavy, warm coats. But I LOVE coats and think this will be a nice one that I will actually be able to use in the “dead” of a Southern California winter. 😉

This pattern also came from Katie. I have a pretty floral challis that I think will be perfect for it. Ooo- I am so excited to have this skirt! I had a similar pattern way back in the 90’s I loved- and wore a lot. It has a solid black background and I’d like to find a short sweater type pattern that buttons in the back to make in black to go with it. (The one with the pattern shows a little skin and I am pretty certain I need to keep my skin covered!)

Vogue 8577 has also been lurking up at the top of my pattern pile waiting for it’s turn. I have a few shirt dress style patterns but want to try this one. I am not 100% certain it will look good on me. Those pockets are located right at my biggest problem area- But I am going to give it a go anyway. I have a very nice olive colored broadcloth and plan on adding red buttons. Yes, I can guarantee I will be sporting a pair of red pumps when I wear this dress. And I am breaking out of my little self imposed box with this olive dress. I have always liked the color but never owned anything olive. Olive and red… makes me smile! 😀

Finally, I have this ITY print in a dark navy, off- white and red that has been at the top of my fabric pile. If all goes as planned I hope to have a maxi dress accented with a red solid hanging in my closet by the end of Summer Sewing Camp.

I have more I would like to do but I did not want to overwhelm myself. The whole point of vacation is to relax and have fun. If I finish all of these and have time to spare I will gladly start on another project. After all, I have PLENTY waiting in the wings!

Take care! ~Laurie

The Great Style Adventure

Tags

challenge, clothes, dress, fabric, fabrics, fashion, patterns, projects, Seamless Pledge, sew exhausted, sewing, Stevie Nicks, style, style over 40

I am a studied contradiction when it comes to style. Currently, I don’t consider myself to be very stylish OR have a style of my own. I want one! Honestly, I LOVE clothes. I would like a closet full of them. Up until now though, I have never really focused on it.

*(I googled SLOB Images and basically came up with heavy older men in wife beater shirts with a beer in their hand so decided NOT to add a sloppy, fashionless pic here- but you get the idea right?)

I am not even close to being stylish, not for lack of desire- more for lack of cash AND because I have been in that era of my life where I was focusing on other things. Like my kids and surviving! I had a brief few years where I worked in retail. Millers Outpost (The Fashion Answer at that time- lol), I was single and 18, and a nice chunk of my money could go to dressing myself. Alas, it didn’t last long because I was married a few years later and welcoming child number one. My brief spell of shopping and wearing cute clothes was over for me. And never lasted long enough to develop ANY sense of style really.

Well, my kids are all practically grown up (here is me with the 2 eldest), I have started sewing again, and I WANT a wardrobe. I want a stylish, fun, classy, wild wardrobe. Not black on black or black on denim which is what most of my wardrobe consists of.

And if you noted the adjectives I used to describe the dream contents of my closet you may see one of my problems.

The fact is I cannot determine my “style.” I cannot figure out what I should focus on and frankly where I should even begin! Two things I DO know.

1. As I pledged to NOT buy ready made cheap clothing (or even ready made expensive clothing!), I have to MAKE this “stylish, fun, classy, wild wardrobe.” (Or thrift it!)

2. AND, I need to figure out WHAT my closet is going to be filled with. And that seems to be my biggest issue!

To accomplish this I started combing the internet. (Key words- Stylish women over 40… What not to wear at 45…. etc) I DO know what I like. But now that I am in my later 40’s (cringe), can I still sport some of those styles I am attracted to? There are so many young looking clothes out there that are FAB but should just be worn by my oh so beautiful, cute, trendy daughters. Not me. 😦 Frankly, I think the above picture pretty much shouts- LAURIE- Do NOT wear this! The below picture? Ooo- I  LOVE the skirt! But I should stay away from the midriff baring lace top.

Sigh. Super big Sigh… Waiting for “my day” means I have missed out on a lot. But I am not ready for polyester elastic -waisted pants and track suits. (Hey! Are black velour “track suits” still in fashion?)

Question for you– Can I have an eclectic wardrobe? If I bounce from Romantic Country to Bohemian to Classy to an edgy (but classy) rocker chick look, can I even say I am developing a style? It seems to me that when you google a person, they tend to be typically dressed in a “look” that suits them. (good plan of course! I want everything I wear to suit me!) And they are ALWAYS in that same look.

But oh! I crave to dress like Stevie Nicks some days. I just adore her free wheeling, lacy, flowing, old fashioned bohemian style. On the other hand I have always adored Jaclyn Smith’s style. Clean, crisp, classic and she is so gorgeous it all looks amazing on her!

How about Country. Lately I am lusting after boots. I would love to own 4-5 pairs. A basic black cowboy boot, a brown suede pair and a fancy pair of wild and colorful ones. (Not to mention a classic pair of black knee high ones too!)

And Rocker Chic. Wanna know a secret? I OWN a pair of biker boots. Black Harley Davidson’s… I feel quite awesome when I put those on with a pair of jeans. Can’t you just see a flowy romantic blouse like this with a rockin’ pair of biker boots and jeans?  OR, should I put away the boots and white lace so I don’t become a cliche. I do NOT want to be a cliche or ever on an episode of “What Not to Wear.”

What about when I want to don a Madmen style dress… or imagine myself in a Steam Punk Skirt or Edwardian blouse? I LOVE those looks too! Isn’t that velvet coat and blouse amazing?!

After writing all this down and combing Pinterest and numerous style blogs and images on the net, I am starting to think my Style is not only eclectic but discombobulated. SHOULD I be wearing a white eyelet country skirt with a pair of boots, or a black top hat and steam punk skirt? Maybe I SHOULD stick to velour track suits?

Well sheesh- I don’t know. BUT I think I want to FIND OUT!

My biggest quandary? How the heck am I going to mix all the above styles to make a style of my own that flatters me and makes me feel great? Can I rock a boucle navy jacket with a white chiffon shell, slacks and spectator pumps one day and a bohemian maxi dress the next?

And even MORE of a quandary? Can I SEW all of this? Where do I start? Not sure yet, but I am going to embark on “My Style Adventure.” Because I need to, and want to. After all, we only have one life to live, and after neglecting that side of me for so long, I wanna get out there and create really cool clothes. Clothes I can wear, and feel good in. Clothes that can fill my closet with awesomeness. AND clothes that will fit my every mood and whimsy! And frankly, if we have just one life I wanna enjoy the rest of it feeling good about myself!

Hahahahaha- I crack myself up sometimes… BUT I AM going to do it. I am going to do my best to sew some classic basics and then start adding in some of the wild fun things I want to wear. And I will keep you posted on my progress!

Take care peeps. I apologize for the break I have taken. Work, life, and several other things have knocked me a bit off the path BUT I am getting back on it and hope to be able to share this latest adventure with you…I have missed you all and will probably need to read 2 months worth of blog posts from each and every one of you to catch up on what you are doing!

xoxo

~Laurie

May meltdown, but now I’m back at it!

Tags

cleaning, clothing, costumes, dance, daughters, dress, patterns, projects, quilting, sew, sew exhausted

(Kerrielee) Man it’s been awhile! It’s almost like I’ve have dropped off the face of the Earth! I have missed you all so much, reading your blogs, seeing what you have all been up to, BUT I am back!

I have been sewing this month, not as much as I would have liked. The first whole week in May I did not sew a single thing! (GASP, horrible I know) You know sometimes you just don’t feel like it!

But instead of focusing on all the negative this month,(not blogging, totally flaking on me–made-may) I am just going to jump right back in and let you all know what I have going on.

First, for me, how much I can sew really has to do with how I am keeping up on my house. When it’s a mess I have such a hard time focusing on my sewing, probably because of guilt….why should I be sewing when my house is such a mess!? So, at the beginning of the month I said “self, you will clean for at least 2 hours each day!” (Plus just the general pick up you have to do throughout the day and evening, oh and those never ending dishes and laundry!) Now mind you, there are 8 people living in my house, so we can generate a lot of mess, plus I think sewing in itself just makes things look messy, all that thread and fabric scraps laying around! So 2 hours a day really does not get that much done, but it has kept the bathrooms clean, floor clean, living room picked up and vacuumed, my room, and the little boys room cleaned. So the main areas of my house should look nice at anytime if someone drops by. All of those things take 1- 1 1/2 hrs, depending on if I have not quite gotten in the full 2 hours each day (you know life does come up sometimes). On the days that I do have extra time, I pick one of the projects I hate, wiping down the cupboards and walls, windows, dusting, decluttering, cleaning out closets…you know those fun things! All in all, this has been going pretty well and I am sure at any point now the other 7 people in my house are going to catch on 🙂

Now that I have a pretty good handle on that, I think I am ready to get back at hanging out with the blogging world!

Here are a few of the projects I have in the works for the next week or two…..

Shirt for Eleena for one of her dance numbers. This has to be done by Sunday!

Here is another flip flop quilt I am working on in bright colors. I would like to be done by the end of May so it can count as my quilt for the month!

Leggings for a friends daughter. These also must be done by Sunday (picture day at the dance studio!)

The same little girl with the leggings asked me to make her a dress for her 5th grade promotion ceremony. I have till the 6th to get this done!

And then I have a dress for me and skirt for Eleena…just for fun!

           Looks like I have a lot to do. Maybe you all will get to see some finished projects soon!

Happy Sewing

Kerrielee

The Millenium Falcon Dress- Simplicity 2250 Cynthia Rowley

Tags

clothing, Cynthia Rowley patterns, daughters, dress, easy sewing projects, fabric, fabrics, fashion, patterns, sew exhausted, sewing, Simplicity, Simplicity 2250

I just had to call it that- because… well- when I posted THIS pic on Twitter Ann “thought” that was what I was creating. In reality, I was creating a really sweet sundress for my youngest daughter Juliette. But seriously, this bodice piece sure makes you think of the Millennium Falcon!

For 3 evenings I toiled over this little delight. But it was worth every minute spent! She loves it. I love it. I am not sure I could improve on anything! Well, I suppose it is not perfect- BUT the entire inside is lined, I hemmed by hand and did plenty of other hand sewing, the fit is just about perfect. She loves it. I love it!

Simplicity 2250 Cynthia Rowley

In all honesty, I could have redone a few of the darts. It wasn’t till I had done a few that I discovered THE way to do darts- as in no backstitching- Just make a “tail” of thread at the point and hand tie a knot. I love learning little tricks! And this little trick ensures you don’t have any awkward “puckering.” I think learning is always going to be part of the process… no matter how good I get! I am most definitely not there yet! But some day I hope to sew as good as The Great British Sewing Bee winner- Ann. That woman has it down to a science! Patient, steady and fantastic results- Someday….)

I used Simplicity Pattern 2250- By Cynthia Rowley. I actually chose it thinking it would be simpler than the other dress patterns Julie chose but the bodice piece negated that! So much for trying to pick something easy. But decided to forge ahead and tackle each step one by one. Yes, I READ the directions!

I used a piece of fabric Juliette had picked about 11 years ago. Obviously the pattern we picked was not going to be appropriate anymore- She was 5 back then and is now 16. But this pattern seemed perfect for it. I have no idea WHAT it is- must be a cotton w/ some man made poly because of the shimmer. But it has a nice hand and feels soft. I can wash it in the washer too! It will need some iron touch ups though when it gets out of the dryer. I really LOVE the sparkle this fabric has.

I did an invisible zipper. 🙂 I have avoided them since my last catastrophe but with the help of Twitter and 2 tutorials (Gertie and Collete) I made it through! Whew!

I hemmed with some hem lace and stitched the bodice lining closed. I love hem tape. I love the way it looks inside the garment. And This matches but I think using a red tape on a black skirt is eye-catching- Well to the wearer anyway as I assume noone else will see the inside of a garment. But making the inside nice really ups my sense of accomplishment!

As I said- three days later it was ready to be worn. If you remember Juliette was the one daughter I had not really sewn for- she is a trifle quite particular and needed to play a part in the process. And that is A-OK with me! I am happy to have her pick patterns and fabric, make sure everything is a good fit, and see her wearing something she is happy to be in. 🙂

Simplicity 2250 Cynthia Rowley

And that folks… Is The Millenium Falcon dress.

Last week I lost my Sewing Mojo… I did 30 minutes.  I hit the Fabric store yesterday and hope that will help us get back to business this week! We will keep you posted!

-Laurie

Pretty Spring Dress

Tags

clothing, cotton, dress, fabric, fabrics, sew, sew exhausted, sewing, Simplicity, Simplicity 3777, springy dress

I finished up all of my “must make” list in March except for the navy slip. The slip did not make the cut because the Polka Dot Frock is still a little snug in the hips- so I don’t NEED the slip yet. 🙂 Sounds reasonable right?

So I finished the hip hop pants, the polka dot frock, the lavender skirt (still not photographed), some aprons, started on Bowie and Sew For Victory and WHEW… even squeezed in a Springy dress for Holly!

I LOVE this fabric. (Even though it has to be ironed) It is a floral cotton with a bit of stretch I bought from Fabric Mart in the dead of Winter. it was shipped to me in a box of dark knits and gabardines and brightened my mood as soon as I saw it. I LOVE florals… but I am starting to feel like I am too old for sweet, pretty florals. 😦 SO, it became a dress for Holly. I used Simplicity 3777, and made the short fluttery sleeved version.

Because it is my new favorite thing to do, I french seamed the inside. I still have a little trouble french seaming gathered sleeves but seem to be getting the hang of it. Anyone have any tricks?

I really like the gathered bodice. It is fully lined, along with the fluttery sleeves and the waistband.

The dress was a happy success, and ready in time for Holly to wear on Easter Sunday. She loves it and she will happily add it to her wardrobe.

Currently I am working on the Archer shirt and joined the Archer Sew Along! It is really nice being walked through the finer points like sleeve plackets. My first one is in a black and white floral cotton voile. The fabric is so soft and beautiful to handle. I am hoping to have it finished by the weekend.  I already have an awesome idea for a second one I will be making from my stash. (Dressy and pretty and involves Challis!)

Kerrielee and I will also be sharing some of our “unmentionables.” Do you remember when I told you my youngest daughter, Juliette, hates the word panties? Well, apparently she hates the word “blouse” as well. Reminds her of Nacho Libre. LOL

~Laurie

The Two of Us…

Tags

costumes, crafting, daughters, dress, easy sewing projects, fabric, fabrics, Family, patterns, projects, quilt, quilting, quilts, sew exhausted, sewing

I thought it was high time for a proper introduction… and so here it is!

For those of you that have been reading a while, you may have noted that there are two of us. Cousins… and we love to sew! And we LOVE our families! I, (Laurie), am older and admit it- SIGH… and when Kerrielee was 3, my mother and sister and I moved down to the San Diego area. Kerrielee became like my little sister. 😀 We lived next door practically, and she was always over (I could get her to help me clean my room) and when she was 8, I’d take her on dates with me- YES- my chaperone!

Through marriage and kids we have remained tight. Both of us started sewing as teens and we have kept it up. But only in the last 10 years did we start sewing together… and boy has it been fun! Anyway, here is a little about US…

Here I am with my kiddos… I have four. A son, who when he was little I would make button down shirts for, and three daughters. When I was pregnant with my eldest daughter I started sewing her clothes. She had a FULL closet before she was even born! I’d make matching bloomers for her dresses to cover the ugly diapers and because it was the 90’s she even had lots of matching hats. My youngest daughter had 3 times as many clothes because she got the hand-me-downs and new ones! Those were some well dressed girls! I still sew for them… and I sew for me too!

Here we all are- Casey, Kadi, Holly and Juliette. (And me)

Kerrielee has five children. Four son’s and one daughter. They are all much younger than mine and so she is kept a “little” bit busier in the “mama” department!

OKAY! Getting 5 kids to all smile at the same time can be a chore! But here they are- looking mighty adorable if you ask me! Kerrielee makes super quilts and even has designed a few. I keep telling her we need to turn those in to patterns and SHARE! But we seem to always be busy doing other things. You just wait though- one of these days!

Kerrielee and I sew together twice a week- Thursdays which we have affectionately dubbed Drink and Sew Thursday… and Saturday. From 11 AM and on until we can’t sew any more! If we have something hanging over our heads we may add an evening or 2!

We like quilting… and sewing clothes. We love reading all your crafty/ sewing/ quilting/ cooking blogs… We are on Facebook and Twitter… and you can follow us Via BlogLovin. OH! And Pinterest too- We can spend WAY too much time on Pinterest!

Most of the posts will be written by me- I have a little more time on my hands. But Kerrielee finds great tutorials and helps keep the FB page up. And every now and then I will nag her in to writing a post! 😀

And that is US- In a nutshell pretty much.

He he he…

Laurie and Kerrielee

Kerrielee: Gee, Laurie, what do you want to do tonight?

Laurie: The same thing we do every night, Kerrielee – try to take over the world!…

Laurie: Umm.. I mean SEW!

It’s All About Me!!

Tags

clothing, dress, fabric, fabrics, ITY Jersey, sew exhausted, sewing, Vogue 8489, Vogue Patterns

I notice something new creeping in to my sewing. Something I am not used to BUT something I am having a great time doing. After all these years it is All About Me… Selfish Sewing! Bring it on.

I will be honest. I stopped wanting to sew for myself ages ago. Pretty much after baby #2- who is so not a baby anymore. The reason? Well, I figured I would be really honest about it- and the major reason is weight gain. I did not like the way I looked. And I ESPECIALLY did not want to see any pictures of myself. But ever since my Jungle January Jammies I have been expanding my sewing from quilting and sewing for my girls to sewing for MOI. And I am having a pretty nice time doing so.

My latest “thing” is ITY Jersey Knits. It was the fabric I made Kadi’s Hip Hop pants with, and I fell in love with the feel, the drape, and the simplicity of the fabric. (I can shove this dress in to a suitcase and pull it out wrinkle free and ready to wear. It is also a pure delight to work with!

I bought my Jersey knits at Fabric Mart. On sale. At $3 per yard. Cha Ching! That means this dress cost me $9.

I used Vogue 8489 and I will use it again. Because I love the fit, the cut is flattering, and I sewed it up in one evening. The neckline is EXTREMELY low cut. As a matter of fact, when I initially put it on for pictures I forgot my cami top and Kadi was alarmed. She informed me I could not go out like that. (Ohh how the tables have turned!) I told her the movie stars did it all the time and she gently reminded me I was NOT a movie star- Siggghhh)

Anyway, I am going to make myself another one. I bought a deep dark cherry red solid ITY Jersey Knit from Fabric Mart the other day. YAY! (Another $9 dollars well spent).

My final thoughts? I am not completely happy with myself at this time- I am walking and eating right and actively trying to lose some weight. BUT for the first time in a long time I am enjoying wearing clothes- clothes made by me! And just like Maria sang in Westside Story, “I feel pretty.”