KCW Spring 2013- Days 4, 5 &6

Day 6 of KCW Spring 2013 is coming to a close.  This week has FLOWN by and for me, in my particular circumstances I think it's been pretty productive.  Of course we all hit bumps in the road and things that "glitch" and make us not as efficient as we'd sometimes like to be.  With that being said though, I think for me, I did my personal best.  So let's see what I've been doing the last few days.  ONE project last over the three days and I am quite happy with the result:

After about 3 days of pure slaving (LOL!) here they are, the Coastal Cargos, pattern by Melissa of Melly Sews.  You can find the pattern here at Blank Slate Patterns.  It is WON-DER-FUL to say the least.  I tend to stick with firsts and I bought my very first pattern from Melissa (Basic Blazer) and I loved it so I am a repeat customer and with this pattern she did not disappoint!

I used this brown twill type of fabric with a cute tree & apple tree pattern I bought at Joann's a while back (long while).  I was saving it for proverbial "perfect project" which I was thinking at the time would have been a jumper type of dress for Miss. L, but never came to fruition.  So when I decided I wanted to attempt these cargos for KCW I decided the fabric MUST be special, different, outside the box and far from boring to stand out in the FLICKR pool (here) to maybe  draw attention to "this here blog"-haha!  Enter this "tree fabric". 

The pattern allows for several 'options' for which I chose to do pretty much ALL of them because I'm a sucker for details, especially on little people!  The tuxedo stripe down the sides (which by the way I used foldover elastic for, rather than bias tape), the cargo pockets, welt pockets in the back and regular slash pockets in the front are all some of the details that are optional.  This pattern also includes belt loops, special tabs to raise the pants to almost a short, and a 1/2 elastic/flat front waistband.  Also there is a functioning zipper (my FIRST one!!  successful too, I might add) 

This pattern was extraordinary and helped me to learn new skills (my first machine done buttonholes & working zip fly) and work on mastering old skills like the welt pockets.  The details make the pants SO worthwhile and SO much better than any store bought pair out there.  If you don't have it, this pattern is a MUST buy!!

As I mentioned, for the tuxedo stripes I actually used a neon/lime-ish green foldover elastic that I bought originally for necklines for pajamas a long time ago.  I also used a contrasting green fabric for the cargo pocket covers which is just a simple cotton.  I would have done more of this fabric throughout but I did not have enough.  The belt loops, welt pocket and slash pocket linings were done with a stripe fabric that I bought at Walmart last summer to complete a baby blanket.  It incorporates several of the colors of the pants and with a punch of color and pop of another pattern.  The buttons were just simple plastic buttons I bought also at Walmart.  I used plain orange buttons for the cargo pocket tabs and a striped orange button for the pants closure.  There is a working zipper, as mentioned and I just LOVE these pants!

For the shirt I used Made by Rae's "Flashback Skinny Tee" pattern, which you can find here: Flashback Skinny Tee.  This was actually an "upcycling" from a shirt I bought at a thrift store that was I think a size 6 in boys--my son is not even 2 yet, and he is the 'younger' of the twins so he is the smaller one.'  This pattern was GREAT also!  Very self explanatory, short instructions and would not take too long on an average day when certain twins nap for their full time but on this day it took a little longer.  I highly recommend this pattern though as a staple base for so many things, I can see remixing it into a bunch of different versions (maybe a dress in future?? hmmmm stay tuned!)  Anyway the upcycled shirt was a polo, so it was a pique knit and I mistakenly used the same fabric for the color which did/did not work out so well.  My babies have big heads so for that it worked great but for wearability it kind of looks stretched.  However, after some wear it looked really cute.  I will FOR SURE be making more of these!  Here are pics of all the details:



Do you know how temperamental some models can be?

Hahaha, I think I need to pay him better!

KCW is winding down (I'm getting sad actually!)  Because I'm not really in the blogging "loop" I don't know what I will be doing next, I'm thinking of sewing along with Elegance & Elephants Knock it Off series which I think begins in a few days on May 1st!  But let's survive KCW Spring 2013 FIRST!

What are you up to in these final days?  Leave a comment and a link to your blog so I can stop by and check it out!

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Sewing!

 

Tara

KCW-Spring 2013! Days 2 & 3 combined!

So...this post comes on the morning of KCW Day 4--notice anything suspicious about my title here?  Hmmmm...

Did you know that KCW Spring 2013 has it's own Flickr Group?  You can go here KCW Spring 2013-FLICKR to check out what everyone is up to.  There are some AMAZING creations and unbelievably a LOT of finished items.  You can find everything from Submarine Pullovers to Geranium dresses, from the soon to be released Parsley Pants (can't wait!) to lots of adorable bubble shorts--stop by and check it out, inspiration overflowing for sure!

Days 2 and 3 were not really as productive as I'd have liked them to be, but they are gone so here is what I have so far:

First up is the 'Ruffle Top' A Line Dress, pattern by Elegance & Elephants!  I fell in love with this pattern the first time I saw it and knew I had to get it right away.  Purple is my favorite color so I decided I would use some of this great purple fabric I've had in my stash for about a year now just waiting, crying for something spectacular to be used for!  The fabric itself is just a regular quilting cotton one purple with a white flower pattern and the other white with purple dots, I bought it also on EBay in a lot together so they perfectly matched already. 

I also did a search in google to find out what others have done with the pattern during testing, etc. and I did not see too much mixing of fabrics, prints, colors, etc.  Although great creations, it seems most people used only one uniform fabric throughout.  I knew I wanted to (in my own opinion) add excitement to the already AWESOME pattern and utilize the different 'canvases' between the princess seams.  I also know that most people shy away from using two different prints and will use a solid to kind of calm the eye from the busyness of prints everywhere, but you know just like everything else--if you do it right the sky is the limit.  I believe the flower print paired with the polka dots is DIVINE!  And if all else fails, it's a GORGEOUS purple and I'm in LOVVVVVVE!

I made my own polka dot bias tape to use around the neckline and for the button loop, and used the polka dots for the back ties as well.  This was my FIRST bias tape experience EVER!!  So excited it went so smoothly.  And did you see my button???!!

I bought this button on EBay as part of a lot of vintage buttons on the card and it arrived the same day I was completing the dress--how perfect was that?  I just KNEW this button had to belong to this dress, the color match was if I had personally handpicked it in the store myself.  I just love it when things work out like that. 

The Ruffle Dress pattern created from Heidi over at Elegance & Elephants was great to work with, easy to follow and few pattern pieces which is always a win!  I opted not to use the optional armhole bias tape and instead just finished with a regular hem fashion and I used the A-line dress pattern but this pattern is also versatile in that you can make a top, an A-line dress or a swing dress too--the possibilities and variations are endless!  If you would like the pattern, you can purchase it here:  E&E Ruffle Top Pattern--well worth the money!

We had an assistant on our photo shoot that I'd like to thank as well, without him we may have had a rough time.  He supplied the much needed kisses to set the tone and vibe to POSITIVE!  :-) 

 

Who DOESN'T love Elmo???!!!

 

So here is the rest of my day 2/3 "progress":

 

And I'm about half way through a project that I did not take pics of--maybe in my day 4 post, which should actually be today.  How are your projects coming along?  Leave me a comment!

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Tara

KCW Spring 2013--Day 1 BUBBLES!!

Kid's Clothes Week is well under way, how EXCITING!  Ok, so my posts will be a day behind but I AM sewing!  The "challenge" is to sew for 1 hour per day making anything for children.  I don't always get one hour EACH day with two toddlers but this will at least make me try to strive for that-LOL!  For more details check out the new blog completely devoted to this challenge here: http://blog.kidsclothesweek.com/2013/03/kcw-spring-2013/. For day one I was excited to try out the new Bubble Dress pattern from Straight-Grain.  I was so excited, in fact that I couldn't only do one!  So I ended up doing two, assembly line style...

I LOVE this multi colored geometric shape fabric I bought I believe at Joann's a LOOOOOOONG time ago!  I was just waiting for the perfect project and what's better than a toddler sized bubble dress??  The teal fabric for the collar I bought on Ebay for the twins' 1st birthday party outfits, I still have a couple scraps here and there from almost a year ago!  The button I scored in a lot on Ebay (I'm an addict--shhhhhhhh, don't tell anyone!)  The button is a vintage "shell pink" beauty and it was "on the card", but nothing is too good for my princess :-)  Here she is modelling for the camera:

For the second bubble I decided to go solid and with a very 'on trend' color combo of blue and yellow.  The colors also symbolize part of our heritage which is Bahamian and so I already love the colors together!  If I'd had black piping I would have put it in but...I like it the way it is anyway, I hope you do too, but first just so you know here is the flag of the Bahamas:

And the bubble made from the inspiration...

The blue fabric I bought on Ebay, it is a kind of lightweight poly/cotton type (if I had to guess I'd say rayon-ish) fabric.  I was kind of at a loss when it came in the mail as to what to do with it but when I read the fabric recommendations on this pattern it suggested 'light and airy fabrics' and so I figured it would be perfect--not too hot and not too heavy to weigh down the bubble.  The yellow fabric was another Ebay purchase from way back.  For the button I decided to do a fabric covered button with the same yellow fabric.  Both dresses are lined with a white broadcloth which is also light for the spring/summer.  And here's the model again!!

Please excuse her twin brother's head in the far left corner of the first picture, it's expected that when you WANT to get both in a picture you can't but when you want one, you get TWO!  Such is life with TWINS!  haha

 

Anyway, I had a great experience with this pattern.  It was an easy sew and easy to follow, I would highly recommend it.  The time it took was really minimal compared to many patterns out there and I really thought bubble dresses took much longer.  I will most likely be making more!  So that's my Day 1 look...onto Day 2!

 

What are YOU doing for KCW Spring 2013?

 

Thanks for stopping by & Happy Sewing!

Tara

Sew Off Auditions!--My First Audition-DOH!

I did it!  I entered the "Sew Off" over at Nap Time Crafters!  OMG, I hope I can get in but I procrastinated so long and now I'm entry #85!!  Yes, 85!  Amy at Nap Time Crafters might not even get that far to find the 12 contestants she needs to compete, that is how good the competition is.  But, at least I submitted an entry, I can feel good about that :-) 

I entered my "Sweet Bee Tunic" from the Project Run and Play Remix of Jess at Me Sew Crazy's Spring Fever dress.  You can see it here:  Sweet Bee Tunic .  To find out more about the competition look here: The Sew Off.  There are still about 10+ hours left to enter.  PLEASE wish me luck!  If I get in this will be my very FIRST sewing competition rather than as a "sew along" contestant.

I wanted to try to sew something new but I was so proud when I did this tunic that I figured it needed some more light, praying that was a good decision--FINGERS CROSSED!!

2 out of 6 Pinterest Challenges Complete!

I have barely blogged about the Pinterest Challenge since I posted it!  I know, I was supposed to complete one challenge per week over a 6 week period and discuss but ends up I may have not realized how tough blogging really is (bowing down to all of you GREAT bloggers that I truly admire!)  Blogging is a full time job!  It seems as though it should be simple enough to just sit down and write about whatever you did or something you love but it's just not that simple.  There is a mindframe behind it which in turn motivates the writer to do what they need to do and in a timely fashion :-)  Part of my problem, I think, is that I do not have any subscribers or readers at this time and therefore little incentive I guess (in my mind) to write posts.  The other part is sheer time because I've found that being a blogger means not only posting on your own but also running ragged all over the blogosphere checking out others posts and just being a "presence".  Now before I get too off topic, let me talk about my title which is the completion of 2 of my Pinterest pins for the challenge--LOL!

First I did the glitter, here is the "Pinspiration" photo:

Source: planetpals.com via Tara on Pinterest

Here is what mine turned out like: Ok for some reason my blogger is not allowing me to upload my pictures from my hard drive so please check out the only picture I have so far which I posted the other day here.  First of all, mine did not come out too "glittery" at all.  I think I may have to try it again another time, so I guess we can say fail-ish?  But definitely DONE!

And now we move on to #2--a throw pillow.  Here again is the "Pinspiration" photo:

Source: e-tells-tales.blogspot.com via Tara on Pinterest

 

 

 

What I ended up doing was more of a CPR for an old, lifeless, dingy pillow but I still sewed the entire thing, I just encased the old pillow in my new "cover" and voila!  A new pillow was born!  Check out my before and after here:

I used a "Ruffle Fleece Pillow" tutorial here, from Honeybee Vintage.  I kind of veered off and did my own thing but used her tutorial as a guide.  Her tutorial was real easy to follow and straightforward though and I LOVE the way my pillow turned out!  I used regular blue fleece I had on hand from Joann's.  Actually you saw this same blue fleece in one of the twins' capes!  I STILL have a tiny bit left over for another project :-)  This pillow is so nice and soft and warm, I'm so glad I chose to do a fleece pillow.  And the best part is that I still have several other pillows in my home that need "CPR" so I may end up doing one of the bow pillows in the "Pinspiration" photo on my own at a later date-stay tuned!  But for now:  Pinterest Challenge #2 COMPLETE!!

Enjoy!
-Tara

Flashback Thursday

I realize I haven't posted anything in a few days.  I have been busy "lurking" other blogs which I affectionately refer to as doing my homework.  There is a LOT going on in the world of the wide web (www)--weak attempt at a nerdy joke :-)  Anyway the Sewvivor series is starting over here at Family Ever After and the Project Run & Play All-Stars is starting over here.  I'm considering sewing along with BOTH (oh gosh!)  The themes are so good with both competitions and the contestants are so great and talented with each as well, I can't wait to see what they come up with.

I've also been shopping for fabric for "Spring & Summer" wardrobes for the twins.  I want to maybe start my own challenge for myself:  30 Days of Sewing, in which I challenge myself to complete as many things on my project list as I can in a month.  I think that will be both fun and also give me more posting material to share with all of you!  Also the babies will benefit with a wardrobe, so it's a win-win-win situation.

I wanted to take the time also to post a couple of recent items that never made it here.  The first is a blazer I made for London during Project Run & Play's most recent season.  It is another color block type (can't stay away!), it is light pink with a printed jersey.  I used the "Basic Blazer" pattern over at Blank Slate Patterns and it was super easy to follow and a lot of fun to make.  Check out my girl version:

 

And here is a boy version.  Again, my style which is patterns with solids and two colors, etc.  This time I did the same color sleeves as the blazer rather than the patterned sleeves like in the pink one.  I decided to use Navy jersey knit to give it a casual feel so it can be paired with jeans.  I originally planned to make a pair of orange jeans to go with it but I put them aside to finish up Project Run & Play and a couple other projects since then :-)  Hopefully my son will get his jeans before he outgrows the blazer, haha.

 

Ok the picture is TERRIBLE!  I apologize, the color came out bad and for some reason this shows upright in my gallery but comes out sideways here after many attempts!  Moving on to the details:  I did an orange (quilting) cotton for the inside and also for the welt pockets, which by the way were my first ever!  Not bad!  I did not have enough of the orange fabric for the sleeve lining so I used some flannel dinosaur fabric I had leftover from pajamas.  It actually looks cute because it features an orange dinosaur in the same color so it matches AND it is functionally warm which I appreciate here in the COLD Northeast!

 

 

 

The orange above with the pattern is a close up of what the interior of the blazer looks like up close and also the welt pockets.  This picture of the blazer doesn't do it just either.  I guess I will have to post it again once I complete the jeans.  In the meantime though, let me show you a polo that I made by piecing 3 polos together.  I made it to coordinate with this outfit and to be worn under the blazer.  So here are the 3 shirts before:

 

 

It is kind of hard to notice but in the top left corner of the picture is a Navy blue polo shirt.  Here is the outcome of my "upcycle" or "refashion."

 

I love the way it came out!  This was my first attempt at piecing multiple articles to make one.  The only thing I may do is add an extra button to the placket.  We'll see what happens when the jeans are completed and I present the final outfit to you all in the future!

 

LAST but not least, I have been trying to work on my Pinterest challenge--honest I have!!  See?

 

 

My GLITTER!!!!  Hopefully today I will work on my pillow! 

 

Thanks for stopping by!  Please come again, leave a comment (i LOVE those) and also if you haven't done so, sign up for an email feed!

 

-Tara

Reeeeemix!! Spring Fever Dress-PR&P

It's PARTY time over at Project Run & Play!

 

 

So, approximately a week ago Project Run & Play offered up a challenge, a pattern remix!  How fun! How could I resist?  The challenge is to remix The Spring Fever Dress by Jess at Me Sew Crazy.  First of all, what a gorgeous dress in it's original form as I LOVE a good ruffle, I'm a sucker for bibs and the fabric she used on her example dress is purple--my favorite color of all time!  Let's take a quick look at where we are starting:

 

 

Gorgeous, right?!  So what could I do to "make it my own?"  First it took me days and days of thinking, I finally settled on trying to do some type of asymmetrical ruffle tunic but that plan did not come to fruition.  I just knew in my heart that I did not want to just move the 'bib' to the front as so many others would do that.  I like to try to be different, outside the box and I am a fool for blocking color now.  So here is my end result:

 

 

 I first changed the pattern around so that the back bodice would be the front and the front the back.  I then decided on my fabrics.  The first was this beautiful bee fabric I bought last summer!  Almost a full year ago and I was saving it all this time, but for what?  What says Spring or Summer more than yellow and cute little bees?!  I knew I did not want to do the whole thing in print so I found a solid which was black to match the bees.  Lastly I needed a lining fabric but everything I had did not go and just in case it peeked out I didn't want something ghastly so I found this Hello Kitty scrap of a sheet that I used last year to make crib sheets for my daughter--PERFECT!  The fabric is nice and soft to go against the skin and it's muted with white so IF by chance it peeks out it will sort of match the ongoing theme of the shirt.  Oh and by the way that is what I decided, I also did not want to do a dress but a nice little tunic that can wear over leggings.

 

The other changes I made to the pattern were, I kept the buttons on the back rather than leaving them with the bib that was on the original.  They are black to blend with the color scheme and I fabric covered them myself.  I also used a large rectangle, about 12 x 42 (ish) for the skirt base to start.  I ended up cutting off probably 2-3 inches from the length when I came to gather and realized it was far to big for my 19 month old.  I intended to do the asymmetrical ruffles but because someone woke up during my 2 a.m. sewing frenzy that did not work out.  I ended up going with ruffles going around a peplum-style base.  What else?  Oh, the button loops.  In the tutorial elastic cord was used to make the loops and I didn't have any so I used a ruffled elastic that I had on hand.  I'm really glad I did as I love the look of it, more femininity added to the pot!  SWEET!  And here she is, our Spring Fever Dress Remix--The Sweet Bee Tunic!

 

 

 

And now here is my model enjoying her new tunic complete with black lace cuffed leggings and handmade hair bows!

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by!  Please be sure to stop over here Project Run & Play and see who the winner is as well as all of the other FABULOUS bloggers that have featured their remixes! 

-Tara

 

BYE-BYE!