Accessorize

I forgot about finding this absolutely amazing coat for Katy Kitty at a thrift store. It was in good condition and super clean but I washed it anyway. She is ready for Winter.

I, however, am not. I think my cold is heading into round II. The capelet tutorial is coming soon. I'm working on it right now.

Crafty Storage Feature

My new little cubby system is up on Crafty Storage. You should really check it out. It's seriously my version of porn: beautifully organized craft supplies in fabulous bins and boxes on gorgeously styled shelves. Sigh.

It's totally not hoarding if it's like neat, right?

More yard sale finds

I have been hit hard with some welcome-to-Fall illness: coughing, sneezing, aching, runny nose, the whole lot. My plans for kids clothes week got knocked into the bin with a bunch of tissues. I've been keeping up with the goal of one hour per day with my cross-stitch, however.

So instead of handmade goodness, here are some of the amazing things I got last week when I went to a couple of yard sales with my mom. I love the recipe box in the top photo. It still has the price tag from the Hills department store of its birth. I love the color and my snaps needed a home to call their own. Those little kicks are E.T. Buster Browns from 1983 -- a fabulous thrift store find from a couple weeks back. This tin golf game from the 1950s is the best thing I think I have ever found secondhand. I plan to hang it on the wall in Zadie's big girl room as it matches the colors perfectly and will add the perfect vintage-y edge that I've been wanting. If anyone knows anything about it, I would love to know. It's a Pressman Toy and the company still exists but there is no date.

We also finally stopped into this fabric store that I have known about my whole life but never went into. I'm not usually anywhere near it (as it's a town away and not near much of anything else). I was surprised to find that it was quite well stocked. I picked up some cotton to make stockings for Zadie's school, some sewing supplies, and these buttons. There was an enormous bin full of buttons. You could pay by the pound or 3 cents each. I seriously could have spent all day going through the buttons. Next time I have a breakdown, find me there for therapy. It was so soothing.

I'll be back next week for a tutorial on the capelet, a tutorial on using your J foot to do a faux serged seam, and a couple of other surprises. As for now, I'm going to spend the evening watching House Hunters International, my new favorite show.

Upcycled Capelet

So I've had the idea for this capelet made out of an old sport coat for a long time now. I actually bought the jacket this Summer when it was like 90 degrees outside and very, very humid (um, surprisingly, just like today). I knew exactly what I wanted to do, I just wanted to wait until Fall but decided that Kids Clothes Week would be perfect.

I used the storybook cape pattern from Grosgrain like I did for this and this but made a few alterations including drafting the collar from the hood. I had never done anything like that before so I was pretty thrilled when it turned out. The first time the points were too long and it looked like it would be a great match for John Travolta from Staying Alive. Luckily I had made a muslin so it only took one quick fix to make it work.

The buttons and original pockets are fully functional. I used a bound buttonhole technique to make the openings in the front. They lead into a fleece-lined muff/pouch that is open so that she can clasp her hands together if she wants to (and she does).

I took photos of the complicated process and am working on a tutorial. And I just couldn't put Zadie in a wool tweed garment when it was super hot so you'll get cuter pics soon.

Update: The tutorial is finished! Click here for Part I and here for Part II.

Alphabet pants

This post is in the spirit of Kids Clothes Week because I actually finished them a couple of week ago. They were leftover from the inspiration of my first Kids Clothing Week where I made these yellow elephant pants.

Everyone was so encouraging and positive that I decided to make another pair from what was left of the Cosmo Cricket Girl Friday fabric I used to make a pinafore for a friend (well, her kid). I got really creative in my cutting to use up every stitch that was left.

These are a bit big at the waist so they'll be lovely capris come Spring. Again, I used the Sailor Pants pattern from danslalune on Etsy. I didn't have many issues putting them together the first time so they went together really quickly.

I pulled the tab from the front forward so that you could see the contrasting fabric. I don't usually use fabrics from the same collection together because it's so matchy-matchy but I think these are so different but so the same that it worked really well.

After I can sew no more...

In the evenings when I'm shot, I like to watch TV. I hate to just sit there though so I bought this awesome cross-stitch pattern from Heidi Kinney's Etsy shop. It's a fabulous rendition of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. I'm using some linen that I got locally (after spending hours searching the web). I'm not sure if it's the 32-count in the sample or not but it is working just fine.

I switched up the colors a bit to match Zadie's room: orange, apple green and aqua instead of red, kelly green and royal blue. It's lovely to count. I guess I like doing math and stuff. When I'm working on a small project, I keep all the gear in one of those bags that curtains come in. It keeps everything contained and neat. See the safety pins? Yeah, I don't like to use an embroidery hoop (plus mine is broken). Maybe that will change after a visit to Michael's.

I would love to make an apron for a dress out of this. That was the plan. But I've spent 3 - 4 hours on this already and I have 3 hats, a shirt, a belt, and one belt buckle stitched. So this was originally a kids clothing week item but we'll see. I estimated this would take me 22 days to stitch.

I blurred the pattern in the photo because even though the resolution of the image is small, I didn't want someone to be able to use it from the blog.

Untitled

This is a little peak of what I've been working on to prepare for kids clothing week. It's a lovely tweed jacket from the Hospice Thrift Store. It's the biggest sport coat I could find. I had an idea a long time ago to make this thing I've got going on and I'm pretty excited that it's working out well so far. So far. You know how it goes with me. More on that in a couple of days.

But for now, there is something I've been thinking about and I wanted to put it out there just in case anyone had any concerns. 1. Pattern Review. I review a LOT of patterns. I like to sew and I like writing about what works and what doesn't. No one has ever paid me to say good things about them or their patterns. I have bought everything I have written about except for the Carolina Fair Designs Pretty Pinafore. That I got in exchange for being a tester (and I explained that in the post). Basically that works like this: The designer puts out a call for testers, people like me say sure, then we make the item, then we tell the designer what's wrong with it so they can make it better so that the pattern is ready to sell. I put Carolina Fair Designs in the sponsors column because she was cool enough to giveaway two of her patterns to you readers (even though I had only asked if she might want to give one).

The other two sponsors are my awesome friends who agreed last minute to giveaway their products during my Earth Week extravaganza with Sabra of Sew a Straight Line. I feel like giving stuff away is really nice so maybe they will get some people clicking over to them in return. So far, no one is paying to advertise on this blog but one day I might go in that direction.

2. Have you noticed that if I don't think a pattern was any good, I don't include a link to where to find it? I kinda feel that if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all but I also feel like if you're selling your designs as patterns, they better be good and flawless. I don't want to say mean things but I need to be honest too. If I like a pattern and it works, I'll totally link back to the shop.

3. I am happy to review/test patterns. Just send me an email and we'll talk. I will always be clear in posts whether I bought something or if it was given to me, just 'cause. That's all.