built by me

with a bit of help from my mother. i was visiting my parents for about a week and decided i wanted to try a pattern while my experienced mom was about. a pattern that used a zipper to be exact. so built by wendy simplicity pattern #3835 it was. i used cheap grey cotton material for two reasons: one, to practice and not mess up expensive fabric; two, because it was either this, giant gold butterflies, or john deere tractor fabric.

grey is my favorite color but perhaps in this particular use it isn't the best as the dress kinda has an amish, choir-robe look to it.

i used what the package called "kiwi" green for the thread and zipper and hemmed it with a topstitch to allow this detail to be noticeable but the boldness of the green was still overwhelmed by the pious grey.


it is cute though and perhaps with a good pair of trousers, leggings, or even tights (though it is already too hot to consider tights for a while) it would look better. i do like the built by wendy pattern line and look forward to trying the a-line skirt and button-down blouse that came with "sew u" since i am more of a skirt and blouse sort of gal.

printing process

finishing the block took a lot longer than anticipated but now it's done and i can send off the spring postcard. if you would like one, just let me know. this is just my second block so it is a bit wonky but at this stage, it is all about learning. i really enjoyed every step.




and for my next project...

lotta lotta

here's another completed tote for a friend's birthday made with a very soft demin and some tracy porter fabric for the bottom.

it turns out it is really hard to take pictures of the inside of a bag but you can see that i did add a pocket and a liner, though the awesomeness of the fabric doesn't shine through. take my word, it's pretty. and cool. so, um, it's pretty cool.

and because every gal should have a matching change purse, here's another one but much improved. it's lined with the same awesome fabric as the tote. (yes, awesome is the word du jour)

i like zipper pulls. i'm thinking of shrinky dinks for future pulls.

so this is all wrapped with one of the new cards and ready to be sent once i can figured out how to get to the post office. or beg someone to take it for me. and please excuse the lame photos. my brother-in-law sold the glorious camera we were (gratefully) using so it's back to our four year-old powershot.

birthday greetings

i carved this out of a speedycut block last night while watching the office (american version. for those of you too loyal to the bbc version to give the yanks a chance, well, i'm really sorry for you. this show makes jason laugh like a girl who drank way too much diet soda before her cheerleading competition. seriously. )



i'm happy with these cards. now we have something on hand for those birthdays that always sneak up on us.
i particularly like the color. it looks like cake frosting and reminds me of that color in the cat in the hat comes back. you know, the ring in the tub from the cat in the hat that eventually ends up on the snow and little cat z has to save the day.

what, you don't read dr.seuss at least three times a day?
xoxo

changed my mind

i started the simple sewing (lotta jansdotter) book and decided that the simple tote was a better birthday choice.

i whipped up a little zippered purse that was a bit off since it was eyeballed rather than measured (plus i tried to press the rayonesque fabric on the cotton setting and had to fix that so...)

i kept the wonky tote for my own unbirthday self. i hope to be able to sew the all day tote from lotta's book in time for my birthday in september so luckily i have time to learn. and momo, i'll post pictures from this book this weekend. take care.

the doting tote

so last week i had high hopes that this project would be quick especially since sebastian was out of my hair, i mean, visiting with my folks for two nights. it's not that i forgot that nico would still need my services but rather i mistakenly thought needlecrafts and wee ones could be balanced within the respectable hours of the day. of course, i complicated matters. i could have skipped the tea dying but i wanted the canvas to be a little darker so it wouldn't get too grimy too quick.

i could have used fusible interfacing instead of hand basting the applique or i could have done a freezer paper stencil and skipped the applique.

or at least constructed the applique more like a seamstress and less like mother nature. the upper limbs don't show but for some reason i tackled this organically and let the tree come into bloom.

in the end (i hand sew slow enough to remember the camera but once the sewing machine is on, i become too absorded to consider taking photographs of the process) it turned out fine. a simple sturdy tote for a friend's 28th birthday. (happy b-day a! 28 is super great!)

i didn't originally intend to include lining but the bobbin got wonky during the applique so i needed to cover that up. the pocket i am happy with except the tiny little wonky part with the bias tape. that was when sebastian got into the fingerpaints so i was distracted. it is good to have little mistakes that serve to document where my head was when i made this but i will strive to have the next one wonky-free.

next, printing the postcards (and um, finishing the block).

then some shorts for the boys and some appliqued and freezer paper stencil tee shirts. i'm hoping it is something sebastian will help me on.

now, to clean up. maybe sebastian will help with that as well. take care.

top priority

maternity clothes + the need to keep the sun off= sebastian's new reversible hat