apple pie from scratch

Baby gift #2: Woodland print fabric boots

2009-11-20T20:35:00.004-06:00

Successfully working my way through the 3 baby gifts on my to-do list. These fabric boots are from the tutorial at Molly Chicken. I did a blanket stitch around the top to add a little detail.

Birthday crown

2009-11-17T21:45:00.002-06:00

Happy 2nd birthday, Lalli!

Baby gift #1 (part 2)

2009-11-17T21:08:00.003-06:00

To top the taggie gift from the previous post, I whipped up this little fortune cookie. (See the tutorial at Lady Harvatine.) This project definitely has a high cute-to-effort ratio. And, the custom "fortune" inside makes it extra special.

Baby gift #1

2009-11-12T13:57:00.007-06:00

I have really missed sewing over these past busy work months. Three friends are having babies this winter, and I am intent on making something special for each one. This is a tactile/"taggie" blanket for a friend's shower this weekend. One down--two to go.

Penguin Fun

2009-06-12T20:10:00.007-05:00

Very little time for my own projects, but Charlie has been busy...

Her obsession with penguins continues--whether it's the PBS Nature documentary (which she studies) or the Swiss series Pingu (which you can stream from Netflix). On this hot June day, she built this little sugar cube igloo, adding some rock salt for snow/ice. She also put this little pom-pom penguin together; I just cut out the felt for the tummy. I was also very impressed with her patience in cutting out all of the shapes to make this paper penguin with crepe paper "feathers" on his tummy.

Purple cat

2009-05-29T19:02:00.002-05:00

By Charlie.

Kid Kraft

2009-05-17T20:07:00.004-05:00

Provided Charlie with an assortment of crafty stuff, and she put together this little bucket of pipe cleaner and button flowers on her own. She was so proud of them.

We put these lanterns together, "upcycling" some cardboard rolls.

I'm a little tea pot

2009-05-12T20:19:00.009-05:00

The bright color and brass handle of this West German-made enamel ware tea kettle caught my eye this afternoon at Thrift Town. Some research revealed it to be one of a limited series of 1000.
And this intricate shell hanging sculpture, I picked up a few days ago at the yardsale of the guy in our neighborhood who owns Uncommon Objects on South Congress.

Also a Thrift Town purchase: A "real" cowboy hat that perfectly fits Charlie's three-year-old head; it is wool felt and looks and feels just like a mini Stetson.

Mochi apron

2009-04-23T21:16:00.002-05:00

Made from the same Japanese prints as the Mochi Monkeys for cousin Evy's 3rd birthday.

Tea for 3 (years)

2009-03-29T20:48:00.008-05:00

For her birthday, Charlie requested a pink and yellow tea party, and so it was. Made lots of pink and yellow tissue paper flowers (you know, the Mexican-style kind).

And fancy paper hats made from craft paper and decorated with ribbon and more paper flowers. I used this basic technique, except with craft paper instead of wrapping paper to make them more sturdy. I had my husband use my head as the mold, and Charlie looked really worried while we worked on this... This requires lots of repeated wrinkling up and flattening of the paper prior to shaping it to make it pliable enough. Cousin Greta is modeling a hat above, alongside the tablecloth I made from some fabric with pink and yellow balloons--Who'd'a thunk it?

For one activity, the girls did these little watercolors, created by sketching out simple drawings on watercolor paper, shading a bit with water color pencils, and then letting the girls paint with water. My sister found this activity here, and the results were really sweet. (Thanks to my sister and husband who drew most of the little portraits; yes, my husband drew those teapots.)

The favors were a set of paintings to do at home, paint brushes, little pink Easter gloves, and play tea bags I sewed from linen. After all the crafting, I didn't have a cake left in me. I bought one from Whole Foods, and friend Alicia made this cute smiling teapot on it.

And she put little pink flowers on these lemon poppy seed mini muffins I made.

It was a very happy birthday! (Although, later when asked if she liked her party, Charlie told me she wanted a round cake, not a rectangle. Maybe I'll get it right next year...)

PS These fabulous pictures were taken by my friend Erin. I never even picked up my camera for a snapshot...

Thrift find

2009-03-08T22:04:00.003-05:00

Picked up this little puppet theater with magnetic wands for moving the pieces along the stage. (Savers--99 cents!) A quick Google search turned up lots of these little magnetic theatres, but none I saw had backdrops as cute as this one. It has all wooden puppets and was made in Czech Republic. And Charlie loves it. (It has tiny pieces, after all.)

Linen: Is it spring yet?

2009-02-24T14:34:00.006-06:00

My last several projects have been spring items for myself, most recently this purple linen bag. I used this great tutorial from Purl Bee and a fairly heavy linen, which resulted in a nice, sturdy tote. I was interested in using linen for some of my Japanese dress patterns and so have been researching techniques and sources for linen. True Up has a great overview of linen and tips on sewing with linen. I ended up ordering a variety of linen from fabric-store.com: The prices are great, and there are some real bargains in the Doggy Bag section (end of bolts at 0.5-5 yard lengths). I also stumbled across "Linen Craft: 40 Projects for Home and Body" at Half Priced Books for, like, $7 the other day. (The one on South Lamar in Austin...There were still a stack of them last time I was there, if you are interested and local.) It has come cute bags and baby gifts among the projects.

Sewing with linen makes me want a serger even more...

Eureka!

2009-02-14T20:43:00.007-06:00

As mentioned in a previous post, I was disappointed when one of my Japanese pattern books didn't have full-size, pull-out patterns for tracing. I searched the web to the point of annoyance for metric marking paper. Then, I hit upon a perfect solution: graph paper by the roll with a 1-centimeter grid from an education supply site. The closest thing I had found before is called "dot & cross paper" in the UK; I could only find that in a 2-centimeter grid, and this graph paper is way cheaper, especially considering the shipping from England. Because of my inexperience in pattern drafting, I am probably completely missing a more obvious solution, but I was quite pleased when I came up with this.

I also just finished this garden-y shift from this book.

Look who's 60!

2009-02-04T17:08:00.005-06:00

Stole the idea for these hors d'oeuvres picks from my super-talented friend, Alicia, who made Frank Zappa picks for her boyfriend's birthday cupcakes. My sisters and I are having a surprise party for my dad's 60th this weekend. This picture is from his senior yearbook. For some reason, I find these hilarious.

Finally...Something for ME

2009-02-02T11:58:00.015-06:00

I finally stopped analyzing (which is very hard for me to do) and started sewing from my Japanese pattern books, resulting in this springy tunic. I do not particularly enjoy sewing from patterns (at least the ones I have bought in the U.S.), and the smallest sizes offered are typically too big for me anyway, requiring a lot of work to size the pattern. The simple techniques and visual explanations in the Japanese books are more my style, and a Japanese size "S" is about a size 0 or 2 in U.S. sizing. Perfect. (And, if the largest size were not big enough for someone, the designs are fairly simple and seem easy to re-size...) The books themselves are beautiful, as you can see in the photos below, and I found the instructions very easy to follow (after a couple of months of research on the subject :).

The postings on this topic at The Purl Bee and Moving Hands were very helpful when getting started. I so wish there were an English analog to the Canadian (French) site Japan Couture Addicts, where readers post finished projects from Japanese pattern books and share tips. The site does have a link to this guide (in English) to using these pattern books, including a translation chart that I referred to often. I also came across this list of terms that relates primarily to crafts and stuffies.

The pattern for this tunic was from the book "One Day Winter Sewing", bought from this Etsy seller and shipped from Japan, along with "Mom and Girl Handmade Winter Clothes". Most of the pieces are shown layered over other pieces, like long-sleeved knits, which I guess is what makes them "winter"; depending on the fabric used, seems they could be for just about any season.

I have since purchased several more books, including "More Straight Stitch Dresses" (below) from Superbuzzy and have my eye one a few projects I'd like to get started on. One thing to note about this book: When I received it, I realized that it does not have full-sized pull-out patterns, as my other books did, meaning they will have to be drafted. I REALLY want to find some metric dotted marking paper before I attempt that but have only found this in UK online stores, thus far. Another good source for bargains on Japanese patterns is this Etsy seller, who ships used books (with intact patterns) from Japan. (Browse at your own risk, as these are highly addictive for their style and photographs alone.)

Enjoy these shots from my current favorite book:

Spaceship Softies

2009-01-29T09:22:00.002-06:00

These plump little rockets were made for the first birthday of some friends' twins. I was inspired by this tutorial, but I made them fatter and more pillow-like for cuddling. I also used fusible fleece to back the fabric in the fins rather than inserting cardboard, again making them more cuddly (and washable). They definitely ended up with more of a lunar lander feel than rocket...

Flying V Baby T

2009-01-14T09:58:00.005-06:00

These embroidered and appliqued t-shirts are for a friend's new baby. The robot honors the dad's profession (electrical engineer), and the flying V references his affinity for a particular strain of guitar rock... Here are some details of the tuning pegs, strings, and pick guard.

Gettin' Organized: Part 2

2009-01-14T09:21:00.003-06:00

As mentioned previously, all crafty projects were on hold until my sewing stuff and the play room were organized. "Check" and "Check". We installed this cubby/shelf (TRABY system from IKEA) last Christmas, and I have loved its versatility. It is extremely sturdy, and the cubbies are larger than what I had seen in other similar systems, easily holding large storage bins and baskets.

A new addition during this organize is a craft supply shelf that Charlie can access herself (top right cubby in photo above). I keep it stocked with colored paper, ribbon and fabric scraps, scissors, glue, crayons, chalk, and stickers. She has loved being able to work on "projects" without having to ask me to get something down for her. Some of the resulting collages are hanging on the clothesline above the bookshelf.

On the other side of the room in her kitchen, you can see the 1950's highchair brought by Santa and one of little vintage tablecloths she likes to spread out for the parties she sets up. The collection of wooden railway bits and pieces, which expanded over the holidays, are stored in the bins on the right-hand side of the photo below. Charlie was thrilled with all the little changes to her room, like the shelves Paul installed in her kitchen to the right of the stove.

Gettin' Organized

2009-01-09T21:41:00.004-06:00

All works-in-progress have been on hold while I organize my crafty stuff and complete a post-Christmas sort and purge in the playroom. For fabric, I used a system of under-bed storage boxes and collapsible drawer dividers from IKEA. Everything is easy to see and to rearrange.

Now, back to work before that baby outgrows its gift...More soon.

Small Treasures

2009-01-09T20:46:00.008-06:00

These fuzzy, little (about two inches beak-to-tail) birds were in a box of vintage craft and sewing goodies my grandmother gave me over the holidays. Among the jars of buttons, packages of binding, cotton crocheted lace, and wooden spools were some more unusual treasures.

For instance, this space-age package of needles, which appear unused...

And these itty-bitty glass Christmas tree ornaments.

Ummm...Who knew?

2009-01-01T14:20:00.004-06:00

Speaking of Champers Chairs, I had no idea this was such a widely explored craft. These, from a Design Within Reach contest, are mighty cool.

Must Make Today: Champers Chairs

2009-01-01T11:44:00.004-06:00

What a great New Year's project. Perhaps the cork could make a little lamp...

Aside: Last night, Charlie asked in her strangely British accent (where did she get that?) of the pomegranate floating in my champagne glass, "What is in your champers, mum?"

Little Red Riding Hood

2008-12-27T20:43:00.005-06:00

This little capelet with attached hood is a refashioned felted wool sweater. After felting, this size large women's sweater was about Charlie's size across the shoulders, which inspired its use as a cape. To create the mini-cape, I removed the arms and bottom of the sweater below the design. I then made a slit up the front, keeping the original crew neck. To create the hood, I created a pattern from one of Charlie's sweatshirts and cut it from the bottom of the sweater, letting the waistband edge the hood. To finish, I used a zig-zag stitch around the raw edges at the bottom of the cape.
This little pointy hat was cut from the bottom of a felted sweater. So easy and so cute.

Mores posts regarding felted wool projects here, here, and here.

Coffee Koozie

2008-12-27T20:35:00.005-06:00

Got this great idea for my husband's gift here. Transfer paper didn't work on the wool felt, so I had to free-hand the embroidery.

Copenhagen House Scarf

2008-12-27T20:15:00.003-06:00

Made this scarf with appliques of the bright canal-front houses in Copenhagen for my sister. (Her husband is Danish...) The scarf is flannel on the outside, lined with a thick, soft corduroy for warmth. The houses and rooftops are made from a variety of cotton, linen, wool felt, and fine-wool corduroy, which give them some texture and dimension that doesn't resolve in this photo.

Babushka Apron Skirt

2008-12-27T19:51:00.003-06:00

This full skirt with an attached apron was a Christmas gift for Charlie's little best friend (although probably appreciated more by her mom). While I didn't use it for this project, there is a great tutorial for a similar twirl skirt here. I have an odd-sized piece of this babushka fabric left that I need to find another good project for...

Recycle Bin Christmas Projects for Kids

2008-12-13T09:20:00.008-06:00

Turns out mini Milk Dud boxes make a great row of tiny Copenhagen houses. (I saved these boxes from Halloween, having seen this idea for robots made from mini candy boxes.) I cut out the pieces of paper for the sides, doors, and windows, and Charlie glued them on. The roofs are from cardboard from the recycle bin, decorated with crayon by Charlie.

This elf was inspired by the junk food ornaments blogged here.

Charlie got bored about halfway through gluing each of the pages for this catalog garland, found here. I found the process very Zen.

These trees were made from cones of construction paper and paper grocery sacks, embellished with snowflake confetti. Charlie loves taking them apart and rearranging them.

Matching Mochi Monkeys

2008-12-07T13:16:00.007-06:00

Check. Another Christmas project completed.

These monkey dolls were created from the free Molly Monkey pattern that had been listed in my sidebar cue for awhile. This is a technically easy project but there are a few time-consuming or difficult steps: namely, turning those long legs, arms, and (especially) the tail. Also, I found the tiny ears impossible to get right, and so I ended up just cutting these out of felt. I am re-christening them Mochi Monkeys because of the sweet Japanese prints used for the dresses. So the girls will be getting Matching Mochi Muumuus and Monkeys.

Matching Mochi Muumuus

2008-11-30T19:49:00.011-06:00

More Christmas gifts. These matching tunics (or muumuus for alliteration's sake) for Charlie and my niece have a lucky kitty on the front and a fish on the back, inspired by the Japanese print used for the cat applique. Charlie has been asking me to make her something yellow, and this textured Japanese fabric with a tiny dessert print certainly fits the bill (and inspired the mochi name). The colors turned out a bit dull in these photos, but they are really quite vivid and cheery.

These projects represent the latest iterations of the peasant dress (blogged here and here) with new features like contrasting neck and sleeve trim used to encase the elastic. The short-sleeved version includes little pleats at the cuff rather than elastic, which make the sleeves puffy in a different way and a bit dressier.

Detail of trim and applique:

Detail of pleated sleeve:

Coming soon: Matching Mochi Monkeys...

Fleecy Swing Coat -- In Action

2008-11-25T13:38:00.004-06:00

Here are some action shots of the fleecy swing coat. Overall, I am happy with the fit. However, after adjusting the closure twice, I am still not happy with it. These frog closures require tension to stay closed, and this coat is too loose for that. I am thinking of adding a sash instead...

2008-11-24T22:41:00.000-06:00

Charlie enjoys more involved projects these days (crayons and fingerpaints don't always cut it anymore), so I'm looking to the web for inspiration more lately. The idea for these diffuser paper (coffee filter) leaves came from my favorite kiddie craft blog, The Crafty Crow. I cut out the leaves using a stencil pattern, gave her some water colors, and let her go. Charlie experimented, mixing different colors and watching them blend as they wicked across the paper. (You can get the same effect by drawing designs with markers and then misting with water from a spray bottle.) Charlie found just the right stick, and then I attached the leaves using nylon thread.
I printed out the instructions for these owls, and Charlie enjoyed following the "recipe". She even managed to poke the holes for the brads that make the wings "flappable".

Another fun fall project was this tree collage. I helped Charlie tear strips of a grocery bag, and she glued them down to make the trunk and branches. She used yellow and red paint to sponge paint various shades of orange leaves. Last minute, she decided to add some grass.

Pixie Hats

2008-11-21T15:00:00.005-06:00

Love these pointy hats from Etsy sellers (click the pics to go to the sellers' listings). I have plans in mind for a capelet with similarly pointed hood.

Big Babushka Bag

2008-11-14T15:18:00.005-06:00

I am working on my Christmas gift project list and will post what I can here (that is, gifts for people who I know don't look at this blog). I should, if all goes well, have an avalanche of posts after the holidays...We'll see. This large purse/tote for my mother-in-law was made from the Amy Butler Birdie Sling pattern. It has some nice details like pleats, a really wide, comfy shoulder strap, and generous interior pockets. I used regular, light-weight cotton for the exterior and lining and a fine-wale corduroy for the trim and strap. (I seem to use lots of that soft cord lately. It has a perfect balance of softness and sturdiness...)

The babushka print has special significance: Charlie loves playing with "Mimi's" dozens of nesting dolls acquired on a trip to Moscow in the 1980's. This is another print by the Japanese maker Trefle. Fortunately, there was plenty of fabric left over for some other projects I have in mind--Perhaps a dress for Charlie using these three fabrics....

More about that pattern: The instructions were very clear and easy to follow. The most time-consuming part of the project was cutting out all the pieces and applying all that interfacing and fusible fleece. This seems to be the case when sewing purses. Or maybe it just seems that way because I find that part tedious... One recommendation would be to leave larger holes for turning the right side out than are suggested in the instructions. All that interfacing makes for a lot of bulky material to pull through, and tugging causes the interfacing to stretch and pucker. Also, the interfacing for the exterior layer could be probably be eliminated if using a heavier canvas or decorator-type fabric. My cheap sewing machine again amazed me by sewing through all those layers (which approached 20 in some places for the finishing top-stitching). Go, Brother 3100, go!

Detail of pleats:

Detail of lining:

(PS Wow: My probiscus looks especially prominent in the shadow in the photo on the right above! Guess that's why Charlie says, "My nose is round; Mom's nose is pointy.")

Fleecy Swing Coat

2008-11-10T15:07:00.004-06:00

This little swing jacket for Charlie was made from an easy Sew Baby pattern that consists of only 3 pattern pieces--the body and the sleeves. The instructions called for standard polar fleece, but, not being a fan of synthetic fabrics, I used a super soft organic cotton fleece for the lining. I found mine locally at Silk Road, but on-line cloth diapering supply stores often carry it.

The outer fabric is a sweet Japanese kitty print from SuperBuzzy.

Sweater Redux: Toddler Tunic

2008-11-03T13:35:00.008-06:00

This simple tunic took all of an hour. It utilizes the existing neck hole, has a simple body shape, and repurposes the sleeve cuffs as mini cap sleeves. I imagine it worn over a long-sleeved t-shirt, but alas, it was over 80 degrees when she posed for this picture.

Deconstruct the Sweater
Start with a felted %100 wool sweater. You will probably need a men's sweater to have enough material to work with. (Aside: This sweater had some cotton in it, so it could not be felted, but I did shrink it some. It worked fine for this experiment, but I imagine felted material would be much easier to sew because it would stretch a lot less.) Remove the sleeves and waistband and cut up the side seams. Carefully remove the cuffs from the sleeves. Then, extra carefully split the seam on the side of the cuff. This will give you two rectangular pieces with finished (not raw) edges. The will be the mini cap sleeves.

Make Your Pattern

To get a tunic shape, you want a fit in between a t-shirt and an a-line dress. On pattern paper, trace around a dress and a t-shirt and then sketch out an a-line tunic shape in between the two. Fold along the midline to cut out a symmetrical pattern.

Cut It Out

Spread out what remains of the body of the sweater. Aline the top of the pattern with the shoulder seams of the sweater, making sure you are centered on the existing neck hole, and cut out the pattern on the front and back.

Sew around the Arm Holes

Turn under about 1/4 inch and sew with a zig-zag stitch. Practice on a piece of scrap sweater to make sure you have a good stitch setting that allows some stretch and doesn't cause the material to bunch. If you use a coordinating thread, the stitch is pretty well hidden by the loft of the sweater.

Attach Mini Cap Sleeves

With the tunic right side out, pin the deconstructed cuffs into place at an angle as shown below. Then lay the sweater out flat to stitch them in place.

Finish It Up

Turn the tunic inside out and trim away the excess cuff material. Turn a 1/4-inch hem along the bottom using the same technique for the arm holes, and stitch up the sides. Done!

Kitties Three

2008-10-30T20:07:00.005-05:00

Charlie needed a birthday gift for her neighbor friend today, and I decided to go ahead and make a trio. I used this great, bright strawberry print--two backed with the linen left over from making this peasant dress and one backed with a soft fine-wale corduroy. This is from a (free) Amy Butler pattern that included a wool felt face and kind-of a robotic/anime-looking face. I used soft fabric instead of the wool and tried to make a more kitty-like face. (The remaining two kitties get me started on Christmas for Charlie and her cousin Greta...)

Refashioned Sweater Ideas Part II

2008-10-28T14:49:00.004-05:00

I have continued casting about for good sweater recycling ideas, which I started on this post.

Nifty gift ideas: these wine bags, this hooded scarf, this knitting basket,
Here is a store that just sells stuffed toys made from recycled sweaters called--what else?--Sweater Toys. Looks like any basic stuffie pattern would work.
And then there's this dress/coat on Etsy, which is probably the cutest, most inspiring repurposed sweater item I have seen.

Can't wait to try some of these out.

Woodland Fairy

2008-10-25T20:09:00.006-05:00

We are decidedly not into the whole fairy and princess thing, but... We saw a picture of a woodland fairy in a book, and Charlie and I agreed it would make a great costume. Judging by the reaction the costume got on our visit to the pumpkin patch today, we were right.

The foundation of the costume relies on my trusty and well-used peasant top pattern. The shirt is made from a slightly iridescent cotton onto whose bottom I attached an entire roll of tulle (who knew they made olive green sparkle tulle?). I then added elastic at the waist to give the skirt more fullness. This resulted in a shirt with an attached tutu -like skirt. To create the bodice, I drafted a simple vest pattern from one of Charlie's snug-fitting tee shirts and attached loops of ribbon to use for lacing. The bodice serves a few purposes: It creates that cute corset look, it provides a close-fitting foundation for attaching the wings, and it allows the wings to be removed without taking off the whole costume. The wings are satin feathers stitched directly onto the corduroy vest. Overall, it makes a very sturdy construction that stood up well to Charlie climbing all around the pumpkin patch.
Then came the fun part: Adding all the ribbons, leaves, and flowers.

I am really pleased with how it turned out, and I think you can tell from her posing in this photo that Charlie is, too.

Recycling Sweaters

2008-10-24T16:32:00.005-05:00

Paul cleaned out his closet and had several sweaters he was about to take to Goodwill. Not so fast! Check out these great ideas for recycling sweaters:

Plush pumpkin perfect for the season.
Very cool Christmas wreath of sweater squares.
Snug kids' pants. (Charlie is definately getting some of these!)
Sweet toy snail.
Coffee cup cozy from sweater cuff.
Funky octopus puppet with button tenacles.
Patchwork felted wool blanket.
Animal stuffies.
And there are tons more ideas out there...

Peasant Dress 3.0

2008-10-22T11:20:00.005-05:00

Here's the third iteration of the peasant dress design. I had this nice, heavy but soft coral linen (from that trip to Silk Road...) and wanted a fuller version to make it extra comfy. It actually may be too full for Charlie's tiny body, but she seemed to like it... (The trim is a strawberry pattern from Repro Depot.)

Inspiration struck

2008-10-21T22:51:00.002-05:00

Can you guess what Charlie is going to be for Halloween?

Halloween Costume Ideas?

2008-10-20T15:25:00.005-05:00

I am still mulling over Charlie's Halloween costume, and it is really time to get down to sewing... I love the idea of Amelia Erhart since she is really into all things airplane. I saw this off-the-rack one, but I am doubtful about how it will look in person and concerned about it being too hot. And I have been eyeing this mermaid from Heather Bailey. I also have an idea for a woodland fairy, using fall colors and based on the fairy dress-up apron from Wee Wonderfuls.

Purses de los Muertos

2008-10-17T11:02:00.006-05:00

I really got into the Dia de los Muertos aesthetic after a visit to Oaxaca a few years back, so I was excited to find this sugar skull fabric at Silk Road a couple of weeks ago. I combined it with some black fine-wale corduroy and a made a couple of purses. For the first purse, I used this nice tutorial. My cheap sewing machine was not excited about sewing through all the layers, but it managed to survive. This pattern uses a cool method for creating a flat bottom that could be easily replicated in another purse design. It would be perfect as a knitter's project bag...

The second bag was inspired by this tutorial. This a really simple method of bag construction that I will likely use again with some modifications (longer shoulder strap...)

And speaking of sugar skulls, you should click on over to alicia policia and check out her embellished skull softies.

Guilty Pleasure

2008-10-16T22:10:00.000-05:00

Project Runway is a contrived reality show, but it is also the only T.V. I go out of my way to watch. There is some great design, but you really gotta appreciate the sewing skills on display. Last night was the season finale, and you can see the finalists pieces here. I was pulling for fan favorite Kurto, from Liberia by way of Arkansas. (Yes, a fashion designer from Arkansas...) Two of these dresses she whipped up in one day after deciding the collection needed something different for the final runway show. Anyway, that's inspirational because I am dang slow at sewing clothes.

Riffs on the Peasant Dress

2008-10-10T22:27:00.002-05:00

This basic peasant top pattern from Just Tutes can easily morph into an endless variety things--tops or dresses, long-sleeved or short-sleeved, with border hems or appliques. Some tinkering resulted in this flared sleeve dress with a Little Red Riding Hood motif:

And this puffy-sleeved number with bus and house appliques:

The simple patterns is great for showing off cute prints; these Japanese fabrics are from Repro Depot. I am still working on perfecting this pattern, so expect more variations on the peasant top theme soon...

Doll-ness

2008-09-30T14:38:00.001-05:00

I love, love Hillary Lang's doll patterns over at Wee Wonderfuls, but I have just about exhausted my enthusiasm for the Olive/Archie patterns after making...let's see...four of them. Although, looking back at these pictures, I do see some real improvement in my technique.

Fortunately, there is a new Wee Wonferfuls doll pattern--This one with a roundier head, removable clothes, and yarn hair.This pattern has really clear instructions for making yarn wigs, which has stumped me in the past, and I put them to use in this recent doll make-over. Below is a handmade doll from my childhood, pitfully bald and naked.

And here she is coiffed and dressed: