running out of projects

The cuteness has continued unabated for the past week, but as my husband pointed out last night, I am running out of projects. I used the last of my interfacing yesterday to make four pairs of adorable baby girl shoes for a friend (start getting super excited Jocelyn!) as well as a onesie with a little tie appliqued on.

I finally got to use the last bits of my favorite fabrics on these shes, which makes me so happy!

I decided to use the blue material for the soul, since it was just too cute. I love the Celtic design.

The seer sucker never ceases to be adorable. I used a very soft leather as the soul, which my sewing machine did not appreciate, but I made it work. (Hint: if your sewing machine is like mine and refusing to sew on some fabrics - like soft suede - then just put a piece of waxed paper on top, and voila! The sewing machine will sew over it like butter.)

Yesterday I also made a crib sheet out of the seer sucker material. A good friend of mine was complaining about how she had to go back to Target to buy an additional crib sheet, since her daughter is now sleeping in a toddler bed and she doesn't have any extra sheets. I knew she had extra fabric in her house, so I suggested we make crib sheets. So I pulled out my seer sucker and we sewed sheets in the afternoon while trying to keep her kids out of the pins and spools of thread. 

This means that I have completed my list of fun projects for the baby (crib sheet, car seat cover, fabric shoes, quilt, small quilt for the bassinet, pillow cover for the nursery). Any suggestions for new projects?

ikea miracles

After spending two hours in the car trying to get to Ikea when it should have taken 40 minutes (thank you, poorly designed Boston roads), my friend Sarah and I hopped out of the car excited for our Ikea shopping trip. She recently moved into a new apartment, so we were on the hunt for curtains and some artwork for her walls. We planned to head to Ikea on Friday night after her husband got home and after my eye appointment was over. Despite the fact that I couldn't read anything close up, thanks to dilated eyes, I was thrilled to be heading to Ikea.

We first stopped off for some sustenance (hot dogs and chips) and ate our dinner while winding through the top floor displays. Every few minutes we would find a trash can and dispose of a wrapper or napkin. Sarah made a comment about us being like Hansel and Gretel, leaving little crumbs along our path. Quite apt actually.

By the time we were on the second floor, we were on a roll finding great curtains for her living room, the perfect curtain rods, and some new lights for my dining area. Although the real fun started when we moved into the As-Is area near the checkout. If you have ever ventured into this area, you are in for a real treat. Sometimes there is not a lot to look at, but this time we really scored.

At first I kind of wandered around seeing if there was anything of potential. Then I spotted on some great colored textiles, so I went over to sort through the random textiles in large bins. I found my beautiful curtains at Ikea this way over two years ago, so I was hopeful. The first great find was a queen size linen duvet, that was the exact same color of Sarah's curtains for only $5. This meant we put back her $30 drapes and got this duvet instead. We are going to cut it into four panels and make them into curtains for her dining room. Total cost: $5.

After I found this great duvet (which some other guy wanted, but I was already holding), I spotted a huge red pile of fabric. After a fellow shopper overhead me asking myself what this could possibly be, she helped me hold it up (it was way too big for one person to hold) and we found out it was a huge L-shaped couch cover. It was a beautiful cherry red color and the fabric was very thick (not a thin, cheap cover). I then found matching couch cushions and realized that this could cover my current love seat quite well. Sarah and I measured the red cushions while I had my husband at home measure our couch and we soon realized I could totally pull this off. So we picked out two back and two bottom cushions and threw them in our already full cart. Total cost for extra large cover and four cushions: $24.

One last textile that caught my attention was a beautiful yellow corduroy fabric. We pulled it out of the bin and saw that it was a pretty big chair cover and would be great to cut up and make into pillow cases and cushions. Total cost: $9.

For awhile I have been looking something I could paint in chalkboard paint and use in my kitchen to write down groceries. Mirrors and frames were too expensive for something that I was going to paint over, so when I walked past some returned cupboard fronts, I was inspired. A lot of the cupboards had molding, so I could tape off the molding and then paint the inside square chalkboard for an instant framed chalkboard. Sarah and I hunted through the stack of returned boards to find the perfect square for my kitchen and a large rectangle for her currently empty kitchen wall. Total cost for mine: $5. Sarah's total cost: $9 (for two boards).

When we got back to my apartment, we quickly threw off my old cushion covers and put the red ones on to see if they would fit, and it was a perfect fit. The bottom cushions were about one inch too big, so I took my bread knife to the cushions and shaved off an inch so they would fit. Saturday morning I cut the middle corner section out of the cover, which left two arm sections. I then sewed them together, which was the perfect size for my love seat. With some leftover fabric sitting in my sewing corner I made a black and white polka dot throw pillow with red buttons.

I still need to take pictures of the new couch. The Ikea couch originally costs $899, so getting the cover for $24 was a steal. I found a tiny whole in the cover where the stitching had come undone, but sewed it up in a minute. Ben never liked the color of the couch, but we were about to spend a few hundred dollars to replace it, since structurally it is fine. I also added to bed pillow to the back cushion to give it more support. I bought this couch for $50 four years ago, so the batting in the back cushions was definitely losing its support. And now we have a brand new couch for $24.

new york city adventures

My sister Diedra and I decided to take the bus to NYC this last Saturday to spend a day together. Since we no longer live in the same city, this was a great way to get together and also have a little adventure. We both boarded a Bolt Bus early in the morning and arrived in NYC around 10:00 am. The weather was 78 degrees, sunny, and not that humid. We couldn't have asked for a better day to visit NYC. After throwing away the terrible books we both brought with us to read (mine was a library leftover which cost me 25 cents), we headed over to the fabric district.

Our friend (and roommate over five years ago) Mel gave us some quick suggestions of where to shop while in the fabric district. Mel has lived in NYC for over the past year and has just loved it. We wanted to meet up with her, but our schedules didn't work out. Our first stop was Mood, made famous by Project Runway. There are no signs outside the building, but we had the address to find the door. You enter what looks like a building lobby and then ride this incredibly old elevator up to the third floor. The elevator was so old that a man actually had to operate it! That might have been our favorite part.

Once getting into Mood we first wandered around just to look at all the amazing fabric, and then we headed over to find some lining that Diedra wanted to buy (since we can never find the right stuff in any other fabric stores). We both found some amazing fabric that we can't wait to use.

The fun thing about wandering around these fabric stores, is that they were filled floor to ceiling with every kind of fabric you could ever want! (We even saw a section for Alpaca fabric.) We loved looking at the silks and some of the most adorable cotton prints you have ever seen. We also checked out the notion stores full of buttons and trim. I found this incredibly carved button that should be the perfect finish to a jacket I recently made.

After a few hours in the fabric district, we grabbed some great pizza, ate some delicious cupcakes, and then headed over to the Met.

The Met says that it costs $20, but that is actually a recommended donation. Most people don't know that they can actually pay whatever they would like. The first time I did this I was pretty nervous, but they actually will let you in for even $1 (which is what the guy in front of us in line paid). We walked through the Roman and Greek section, then over to Modern Art, where Diedra got approached by this man 40 years older than her who tried to hit on her, then over to the American section. Our favorite part was actually this display of original rooms from hotels and palaces in Paris, Vienna, and other cities in Europe in the 1600s and 1700s. They had dismantled entire rooms (walls, furniture, layout, lighting, etc) and rebuilt then in the museum. It was really interesting to see these complete room, some with the natural lighting, which was quite dark.

After two hours in the Met our feet were pretty tired, so we rested in Central Park and planned our next adventure. We wanted to walk through China Town and look at fake designer purses next, so we hopped on the subway. The idea of designer purses was a lot more fun that actually looking at them, since most were quite ugly. We saw a few that we liked, but not enough to actually buy. After being accosted by enough people trying to sell us stuff, we decided to walk over to Little Italy, and I found a great little pizza place to have dinner. We ordered a margarita pizza with buffalo mozzarella and basil, along with some gnocchi, which was incredible. We ate our delicious meal while our feet rested.

By this time it was practically time to head back to catch the bus, which we were just fine with. We were both really tired and were ready for a 3 hour nap. I got back to the bus 10 minutes before it left and slept the entire way back to Boston. I highly recommend taking the bus to NYC for a day trip. The ride was less than 4 hours and it was nice not to have to drive or pay tolls.

kid aprons

My cousin Tiana visited Boston last week, and while she was here she decided to sew some aprons for her kids, since they are always wanting to help in the kitchen. I pulled out some random fabric I had left over from previous projects, and Tiana threw together some of the cutest aprons I have ever seen. Her son got to use some of my coveted John Deer fabric (what kid doesn't love tractors?). I'm so glad that he already realized that hammers belong in the pockets!Thanks Tiana for a great time touring Boston, eating cannoli, enjoying some of the best pizza Boston has to offer, and most importantly, getting to spend more time with you.

the sun dress

I finally have pictures of the adorable sun dress that I made for Ben's little niece. This was one of the first sun dresses that I attempted, while on my sun dress sewing kick a few months ago. Isn't she adorable?

I made probably over 12 different dresses, and I really need to post pictures of them. If only I wasn't a sugar momma and had more free time on my hands.....

arts and crafts part 2

Just thought I'd post pictures of the continuation of arts and crafts day. After lunch with my husband, I went back to sewing another dress and then an apron. It has been a really fun day using up old scraps of fabric and seeing what kind of fun things I can make. It may be snowing outside, but it definitely feels like spring.

The fabric is white with green concentric circles. I loved the contrast of the orange fabric for the pocket.

Here is a close-up of the orange bow that ties the two sides of the dress together. You can see the pattern of the green fabric here.

I've had this fantastic blue fabric with tiny white bows for awhile, so I finally decided to use the last bit to make an apron.

Here is a close-up of the cherry fabric and the blue bow fabric. Both were scraps from other projects, so I was happy to use them up.

snow day: arts and crafts

I woke up this morning at 5:45 am to the sound of my cell phone ringing. I would have been more mad, but it was just work calling saying that the office was opening two hours late. I peeped through the blinds to see a few inches of snow, jumped back in bed, and dreamed of a snow day (I'm not joking, I really did dream I had a snow day).

Ben and I woke up at the normal time and enjoyed a very leisurely morning. As I was getting ready to bundle up and head out into the snow, I got another call from work saying they have decided to close the whole day! I may or may not have done a little dance and giggled. Ben put on his snow boots and headed out the door to walk to work in this year's first winter wonderland. He also snapped the picture of us "snowed in."

After updating the blog on this weekend's activities, I pulled out the sewing machine and surger to work on some projects. And 60 minutes later I would like to share my newest creation!

Behold, the girliest dress I have ever made. Not that I don't like it (I LOVE those ruffles).

A close up of the ruffles. I added them at the end kind of as an experiment. And I love them. I don't think every girl needs to wear ruffles all the time, but it sure does make this dress fun.

A close up of the pocket with a ruffle. (Blogger sometimes likes to rotate my pictures without my telling it to. I'm not sure how to undo this, so here is a sideways pocket.)

girl's dress: craft night success

Emily and I had our first craft night last week, which turned into a complete success. We got out a bunch of fabric that we have been meaning to use (plus some scraps) and talked about different projects we wanted to accomplish. We both had visions for some upcoming projects (I'm working on a duvet), but we needed more fabric.

So we decided to start off with a small project: making a girl's dress. We both have nieces, so we grabbed some extra fabric we had around the house and got started. The style we used is quite easy - simple a-line dress with pleats at the neck. The original picture we saw included sleeves, but we instead decided to just do a summer dress edged around the arms and neck. We also opted out of putting in a button in the back, and instead we had the edging open at one side of the neck and tie in a bow to close (brilliant idea and much easier than a button).

Emily and I were quite please with the results. We added the pockets as a finishing touch. We are planning on continuing to make more kids clothing (since they are short projects, don't take a lot of sewing skills, and really fun to create).


Here is a close up of the pleats in the front around the neck and the bow that closes the dress.

the cutest aprons

I've been trying to use up leftover fabric lately, which has lead to making lots of aprons. I bought a lot of adorable fabric last year, and I finally felt like it was time to use it (or use the last bit of it). The aprons all have pleats and pockets. I thought I would show some of the cutest aprons I've ever seen.

I fell in love with the John Deer fabric the moment I spotted it in the clearance bin. I'm so in love with this craft apron that I might not be able to give it away. It might become part of my permanent collection.

I love the lime green, pink, and black and white combination. One pocket is pink and one is pink with a green overlay on top (as seen above).

This photo doesn't do justice to how adorable the brown fabric is.

The blue fabric has tiny bows, which I just loved. The black and lime green combo made the blue fabric even more fun.

This photo doesn't show just how fun these two fabrics are together: purple polka dots with green stripes.

I had the red with tiny star fabric leftover from a previous project, which was the perfect fit for the blue fabric (which actually has tiny flowers and stars in white).

Most of the aprons are created out of me picking two random fabrics and just making it work. I had leftover lime green fabric and some yellow that needed to be used up.

tis the season to craft

Ben has decided to join me in the crafting season that is upon us, so this Saturday we worked on his Christmas present for his sister-in-law. Ben mentioned that she loves to cook, so I suggested a cooking apron. After a trip to Joanne's we were set to get Ben sewing. (Yes I showed him how to sew an apron, but for the record he did everything himself.)

Ben does look pretty pleased with his ability. Check out his mad ironing skills.

Ben picked out the green fabric, and I found the fabulous red star fabric, which went really good together. Above is a pocket on the apron.

Ben putting on the last finishing touches, the ties of the apron.

I have to admit that Ben is a better at sewing than half of the women I know. He is incredibly patient (which I am not when it comes to sewing, ask my mom), detailed oriented, and careful. I think I captured his seriousness about sewing in this picture.

Me showing off Ben's work. I think the apron turned out incredibly well.

And last but not least, Ben modeling his fine work. Looking hot Ben!

Next up, matching placemats to go with the apron. I am also working on some craft aprons for presents.

With a little assistance (I don't own a digital camera, which is really beginning to cramp my style), I am finally able to post pictures of some of the projects I've been working on.

A few weeks back I ran across this easy pattern for a vintage looking vinyl purse. With a lucky run in with some clearance vinyl and a few hours of free time, I finished this purse, which I absolutely love. The shiny black vinyl is HOT and perfect for the fall.

I decided to line the purse, which is not part of the directions, but I really preferred a finished looking purse. I pulled out some scraps of satin that I had lying around and decided to gather the lining around the top instead of creating pleats. The effect (as seen below) is actually quite hot. I then folded over the top band, and sewed the lining into the purse, for a very nice finishing touch.

Next up, some of the Christmas crafts I am working on. And possibly some of the skirts I've made recently.

high aspirations

I get on a sewing/crafting kick each year to gear up for Christmas. With such creative ideas, I usually make something for friends and family as part of the gifts I give away. To give you an idea of how in depth and awesome the projects are, here are a few of my favorites:

1. grill set. Actually my dad gets the credit for first making one of these, but I recreated it with a friend last Christmas. Who wouldn't want all your grill implements put into a canvas organizer?

2. family memories book. A few years ago I got extremely ambitious and spent nearly 100+ hours putting together family memories collected from all of the siblings. I then formatted it into a book, complete with chapters, pictures, and titles for everything. Add 20 hours of making them into hand-bound books and you have one of the best projects I've ever done.

3. vintage aprons. I started making aprons last year, kind of on a whim. Since then I've changed the pattern a bit and gotten more creative. This year's crafting has also included aprons, but specifically made for crafting, not cooking. Tonight I will actually be working on sewing a few more, and hopefully I will also have pictures to post as well.

4. favorite recipes. Since most of my friends know I love to cook, I thought I would pass along some of my favorite recipes last Christmas. I spent a few weeks collecting my favorite family recipes, typing up the ones I've created in my head, and then printing them out for my friends in DC. I also gave copies to my siblings and Mom. I may or may not have also included mini bread pans and a potholder.

5. witty t-shirts. I started making t-shirts years ago. In fact, one of my first Christmas crafts was to make t-shirts for all of my family members. (I then made them all wear the said t-shirt on the same day and we took pictures.)

Now I have high aspirations to sew the most adorable craft aprons the world has ever seen. Not that I need any more aprons because I already have four that I have made myself and one with Garrett's face on it that says "favorite brother." Most of the aprons will be as gifts, but I might just have to keep one. Eventually I might run out of craft ideas for Christmas, but until then I think I'll be doomed to be creative each year.

wednesday night craft night

In lieu of the large list of crafts on my to-do list, Wednesday night has now officially become my craft night, dedicated to all things craft. Last night Jocelyn came over and we started on our long list of things to get done.

First off, I made the vintage purse out of vinyl that I've been planning for weeks. The pattern was easier than I expected. I did make some improvements (lined the inside with a turquoise satin and added a band at the top of the purse), so it took longer than expected. But all in all, I love the purse. It turned out incredibly well, and I can't wait to make a few more for friends.

Inspired by the incredible success of the purse, I went on to finish my gold skirt that has been sitting for weeks waiting to be finished. I had to finish the waste band and then sew on three buttons. Thanks to lots of button-hole making when I was young, I am the master at button-holes. Most people are scared, but there is nothing to be scared about. I think this skirt might have its debut on Sunday. Possibly escorted by the new purse.

For everyone out there dying to get their hands on the action, feel free to join me in weekly crafting or, better yet, comment below on what you are working on. Or feel free to make a vinyl vintage purse of your own. Pictures of the purse will be posted as soon as I can get my hands on a digital camera.

items on the crafting to-do list

1. Finish my gold skirt that I started months ago. Jocelyn and I found this incredible material months ago, and inspired, I started to make a skirt. Then frustrated because it wasn't turning out quite as I planned, I gave up. I think I just need to finish the waistband and sew on the buttons. My goal is to finish it tonight and hopefully wear it (that is, if I liked how it turned out. I have some hesitations).

2. Make my vinyl vintage purse that I've been thinking about for a few weeks. I found a pattern online and then by some miracle, ran into the perfect black vinyl at the fabric store while looking for some canvas to make a fly rod case. The pattern is simple, so I am confident that I can finish it in an hour. If it turns out well, I have some pink pleather that I think would look great as a purse.

3. Make a new planner for 2008. I've been making and using my own planners for three years now. Since it is the end of the year, my planner is almost full, and I need to start thinking about next years. I've reused the leather before (and just re-sew in the blank pages). Or I could change things up this year. So many possibilities. I might also add fancy paper to make it pretty.

4. Teach Julie how to craft. She is always commenting how she wants to join my crafting parties (often these parties consist of just me, sometimes Jocelyn and I join forces). Well, come on over Julie. Seeing how Christmas is approaching, I need to step up the crafting and get started on a lot of my Christmas projects which are too top secret to talk about on this blog.

5. Work on said Christmas projects.

6. Use the new semi-precious stones from Sri Lanka to make earrings. Diedra brought be back beads from semi-precious stones (quartz, citrone, something else) that I need to make into earrings. The beads are incredible and so much better than boring glass, in my opinion.

7. Work on a baby blanket that I've been thinking of doing.

8. Make a handbag using the awesome handles I picked up months ago. I actually have the perfect fabric, I just need to sit down, create a pattern, and put it all together.

9. Sew aprons. I give these away as gifts frequently, so they are always on the craft list of things to do. I also picked up some great fabric recently that I should use up. I think I gave away my last apron, so I should make a few to have on hand. The great thing about making aprons is that I use my scrap material from other projects, and surprisingly enough random fabrics put together actually turns out quite cute. Who knew?

Wow, 9 projects. That should keep me busy for while. Hopefully after tonight I can at least make progress on a few of these, and if any of them turn out well, post pictures of my success.

sewing lessons

I've been sewing since I was a teenager, but it hasn't been until recently that I have discovered the secret taking on new sewing projects for people: teach them to sew and have them do most of the work. I will admit that sewing my cousin's wedding dress was one of the best experiences of my life. I really wanted to do this for her as a gift since we were so close, and I was thrilled to be able to make her wedding day extra special with a completely original dress that made her look stunning. I don't regret at all dedicating 8 hours each Saturday to sewing.

Two years ago I did the same thing for a very close friend who needed to look stunning at her younger sister's wedding. Easy, I told her. Again, I was overjoyed to help her out and serve her this way. And it was actually really fun sewing a vintage looking 1950s cocktail dress for her.

However, recently a friend asked me to make her bridesmaid dress, and I thought to myself "wait, why don't you teach her how to sew and let her do most of the work." Brilliant. She actually loved the idea since she would learn and that way she wouldn't have to pay me (I'm expensive, trust me). Last night we headed down to the fabric store to pick out a pattern and then decide on fabric. So we are set, now we just need to start working on getting the lining sewn and fitted and make sure that it is exactly what she wants.

Even though it will take longer to teach someone, I think this might be my new thing. I love helping others and really would love to teach someone to sew. It honestly isn't that hard. First off, the patterns come with really great directions. And as long as you can cut and sew a straight line, you are fine. I'm also looking forward to having sewing parties as she works on the dress and I work on several of the projects that are waiting in my sewing queue, which hopefully will make it on this blog soon if I can remember to take a picture!

I actually look forward to the day when I can teach my kids to cook and do so many of the things I learned from my mother, who learned from her mother. There is something so noble and rich in learning to do something that has been taught by each generation. I cherish the recipes from my great grandmother. I love that my Aunt Carla taught me to crochet. Some of my fondest memories of growing up was cooking with my mom, usually helping with dinner. Thanks mom for taking the time to teach me. And thanks to all of you who share you talents.

the art of sewing

This last Christmas I inherited a set of sewing books from my Grandmother that I had been waiting years to receive (due to my temporary status when she offered them and the mileage that separated us). The set is called "The Art of Sewing" and has 15 volumes, each specialized on a different aspect of sewing.

One of my favorite things about the books, besides the vintage illustrations inside, is that each is bound with a different fabric! I was so nerdy over Christmas break that I took them out and read them. I adored the book on revamping old clothes to make them new and chic, as well as the one on working with leather. Here are some of my favorite tips from the books. More suggestions will follow as I complete my study of the art of sewing.

1. Make a skirt out of a dress. If the dress just don't fit or isn't the right style anymore, cut at the waist, put a zipper in the side or back, and create a waist band. This especially works well if the dress is too short, since you can ease out any darts and increase the length of the skirt. Also consider using a coordinating fabric at the waistline or hem to increase length.

2. Changing the neckline and the cuffs on a shirt can drastically give it more style. Consider modifying the collar into a mock-neck, making long sleeves into 3/4 length or shorter, adding a stylish cuff, or adding decoration on the collar and cuff to dress a shirt up.

3. Make a full dress into a more fitted dress. If something is too baggy, take in the sides, adding a tie or belt if wanted to make it have more shape. Also consider changing the sleeves and hemline to give it more style. One great suggestion was to cut the dress at the waist, re-fit the top, and then pleate the skirt to fit the waistline.

Even though I readily admit that altering garments is hard and time consuming, giving life to an older garment doesn't have to be a huge project. One of my new goals is to start finding vintage items that I can use to make a skirt or shirt out of. Has anyone had success in making an out-dated garment new and improved? Any suggestions for the rest of us who love vintage clothes and material but often have a hard time finding something that fits well?