I'm tossing around the idea of starting a pattern co-op. In order to do this though, I need to know that there is an interest, as I would have to buy quite a few patterns a year. The cost would be about $3.50 USD per Simplicity/New Look pattern + shipping?
The idea for this is because so many people outside of the US don't get pattern sales, and if they do the store is out of stock.
This would not start until probably early October. If you would be interested, PLEASE let me know. Because if I don't feel like there is any interest, i'm not going to bother.
Thanks!
-Tina
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
A few of my IRL friends have been making comments about how I finish my sewing projects so fast. Melody suggested that I make a blog post about it.
I have to be honest, I have no idea how I finish projects so fast. But i'll list a few things here that I think probably help me move things along a bit faster.
First things first, I would like to point out that my organizational skills suck, so they have nothing to do with me getting things done. I'll give you an example, I have at least a dozen seam rippers. Do you think I can find one when I need one? Nope! Half the time i'm ripping out stitches using the point of a small pair of scissors. So, it has nothing to do with being organized.
Here are a few things I do to keep myself on track to finish that project.
- I don't hang on to UFO's and wadders. If it's a UFO that needs something to get it done like a hem or zipper, I just do it. Get it finished and out of your way so you don't have to think about it anymore. If it's a wadder, get rid of it. Why are you hanging on to that thing? You know damn well you're not going to fix it. Why let it clutter your space? I will tell you, every year, DH goes on a trip with a buddy and he wants me to make him and his friend embroidered tee shirts. Well, I have had nothing but problems with the stupid embroidery machine, and I DREAD making these shirts. So, what do I do? I put them off until the day before DH leaves for his trip. For two months I think of doing nothing else, but do nothing. SO I get no enjoyment from sewing because these shirts weight on me. As soon as they're done, I get my mojo back. It's because I let them fester, and they just zap all my sewing energy. Get rid of the extra crap, and get back to your project!
- I don't let things like zippers and hems intimidate me. Just install the zipper and move on. No one will notice that it isn't perfect.
- Someone on PR has a saying in their tagline that says 'Done is better than perfect'. I believe that. I don't rip out seams because they are 1/8 of an inch off. I don't care. No one will notice! Trust me.
- One of the few pieces of sewing advice I do follow is to keep all my pattern pieces and directions handy. I make sure to have all the notions I need. I make sure I have CLEAR markings on my fabric (that includes right and wrong side) right from the start. It makes things so much easier if you have to make a pleat if you actually know where to place the pleat!
- Just finish it! This goes back to the wadders and UFO thing. Don't go on to something else before you finish what you are currently working one. Just finish it, you'll feel better for it.
- The last thing I do is I make myself get started! I can sit on the internet for days and get nothing done. I have to make myself get up from the computer and actually do something. You can do it too! I have faith in you! lol
I have to be honest, I have no idea how I finish projects so fast. But i'll list a few things here that I think probably help me move things along a bit faster.
First things first, I would like to point out that my organizational skills suck, so they have nothing to do with me getting things done. I'll give you an example, I have at least a dozen seam rippers. Do you think I can find one when I need one? Nope! Half the time i'm ripping out stitches using the point of a small pair of scissors. So, it has nothing to do with being organized.
Here are a few things I do to keep myself on track to finish that project.
- I don't hang on to UFO's and wadders. If it's a UFO that needs something to get it done like a hem or zipper, I just do it. Get it finished and out of your way so you don't have to think about it anymore. If it's a wadder, get rid of it. Why are you hanging on to that thing? You know damn well you're not going to fix it. Why let it clutter your space? I will tell you, every year, DH goes on a trip with a buddy and he wants me to make him and his friend embroidered tee shirts. Well, I have had nothing but problems with the stupid embroidery machine, and I DREAD making these shirts. So, what do I do? I put them off until the day before DH leaves for his trip. For two months I think of doing nothing else, but do nothing. SO I get no enjoyment from sewing because these shirts weight on me. As soon as they're done, I get my mojo back. It's because I let them fester, and they just zap all my sewing energy. Get rid of the extra crap, and get back to your project!
- I don't let things like zippers and hems intimidate me. Just install the zipper and move on. No one will notice that it isn't perfect.
- Someone on PR has a saying in their tagline that says 'Done is better than perfect'. I believe that. I don't rip out seams because they are 1/8 of an inch off. I don't care. No one will notice! Trust me.
- One of the few pieces of sewing advice I do follow is to keep all my pattern pieces and directions handy. I make sure to have all the notions I need. I make sure I have CLEAR markings on my fabric (that includes right and wrong side) right from the start. It makes things so much easier if you have to make a pleat if you actually know where to place the pleat!
- Just finish it! This goes back to the wadders and UFO thing. Don't go on to something else before you finish what you are currently working one. Just finish it, you'll feel better for it.
- The last thing I do is I make myself get started! I can sit on the internet for days and get nothing done. I have to make myself get up from the computer and actually do something. You can do it too! I have faith in you! lol
Friday, June 26, 2009
My first wrap dress.
Well, here it is, my first wrap dress!
I'm not really sure how I feel about it. I know it's a bit too short. And perhaps I would like it better if my belly didn't stick out as far as it does. But for now, I think it's going to be hanging out in my closet until after the baby comes.
These dress was pretty simple to make. I don't have an actual tutorial here, but I can give you a basic idea as to how I made mine.
First, I got two 1 and 3/4 cuts of silky type fabrics. I came up with this measurement pretty much randomly. I figured a good length of fabric would wrap arounf my ody almost twice. The length I chose I think was actually pretty good. So that's probably what I will go with next time.
I cut the outer fabric (which is the print) to the length I wanted. Which was 33 inches in width.
I cut the inner fabric to 29 inches in width.
I serged all the raw edges and then serged the two pieces together at one of the selvedge edges. The garment looks fine as a skirt, but this was not my goal. I wanted a dress. These measurements are a tad bit to short for someone like me who is way pregnant, and who was a bit overweight to begin with. I will add 6 to 10 inches on the next one.
I made a belt with the leftover cut fabric. The belt was pretty long. It goes around my body almost 3 times or so. Then I just serged that onto the two triangles I had previously serged together.
You can see a video on how to tie these wrap skirts/dresses here on youtube.
I think these dresses are really fun and versitile. I am definetly going to be making more. ANd I know people get down on the silky poly stuff from JoAnns, but really, I think some of that stuff would be perfest for this. All those loud, vibrant prints? They too can be beautiful! lol
I'm not really sure how I feel about it. I know it's a bit too short. And perhaps I would like it better if my belly didn't stick out as far as it does. But for now, I think it's going to be hanging out in my closet until after the baby comes.
These dress was pretty simple to make. I don't have an actual tutorial here, but I can give you a basic idea as to how I made mine.
First, I got two 1 and 3/4 cuts of silky type fabrics. I came up with this measurement pretty much randomly. I figured a good length of fabric would wrap arounf my ody almost twice. The length I chose I think was actually pretty good. So that's probably what I will go with next time.
I cut the outer fabric (which is the print) to the length I wanted. Which was 33 inches in width.
I cut the inner fabric to 29 inches in width.
I serged all the raw edges and then serged the two pieces together at one of the selvedge edges. The garment looks fine as a skirt, but this was not my goal. I wanted a dress. These measurements are a tad bit to short for someone like me who is way pregnant, and who was a bit overweight to begin with. I will add 6 to 10 inches on the next one.
I made a belt with the leftover cut fabric. The belt was pretty long. It goes around my body almost 3 times or so. Then I just serged that onto the two triangles I had previously serged together.
You can see a video on how to tie these wrap skirts/dresses here on youtube.
I think these dresses are really fun and versitile. I am definetly going to be making more. ANd I know people get down on the silky poly stuff from JoAnns, but really, I think some of that stuff would be perfest for this. All those loud, vibrant prints? They too can be beautiful! lol
Monday, June 22, 2009
Day Trippin'
My friend Lynn and I decided we were going to take a little fabric road trip. What a fun day! Our agenda was to drive from the Detroit area to Vogue Fabrics in Evanston, IL and then drive home. Well, even with the ungodly amount of sitting we did in traffic on the Kennedy expressway in Chicago, we still had time for a stop at Field's Fabrics in Kalamazoo!
First up, Vogue Fabrics in Evanston. Please don't throw tomatos, but I can't say that i'm all that impressed. Although, you would never know it from all the fabric I bought. I did get a few knit prints that you can't get from the local JoAnns, but other than that, it seemed like a lot of the same stuff. Although for WAY better prices on most things. Here are a few pics of my findings.
The top two pics are of the knits I got. The bottom one is of the 3 cuts of woven fabrics I got. One is a heavy weight WHITE denim. I can't wait to try out a pair of jeans.
Our bonus stop was Field's fabrics in K-zoo. I was a lot more impresses with this place than I was with Vogue. The store is clean, the staff is friendly, the store is well stocked and almost everything was on sale! I told Lynn that I would like to make a trip every few months to this store. I think it's worth the drive.
By this point I was getting a bit tried, as I am 8 and a half months pregnant. But I still managed to pick up for cuts of fabric and four patterns! GO ME!
I got two knits for me, a bunny knit for DDs jammies (how cute!) and a cute eyelet that was on the 50% off clearance table.
At the end of the day the damage was just over 26 yards of fabric. Not bad when you consider that buying fabric was what I had set out to do! lol Oh, And I had to get hubby some fireworks from Indiana for our big 4th of July party. I hope he doesn't set the yard on fire...
First up, Vogue Fabrics in Evanston. Please don't throw tomatos, but I can't say that i'm all that impressed. Although, you would never know it from all the fabric I bought. I did get a few knit prints that you can't get from the local JoAnns, but other than that, it seemed like a lot of the same stuff. Although for WAY better prices on most things. Here are a few pics of my findings.
The top two pics are of the knits I got. The bottom one is of the 3 cuts of woven fabrics I got. One is a heavy weight WHITE denim. I can't wait to try out a pair of jeans.
Our bonus stop was Field's fabrics in K-zoo. I was a lot more impresses with this place than I was with Vogue. The store is clean, the staff is friendly, the store is well stocked and almost everything was on sale! I told Lynn that I would like to make a trip every few months to this store. I think it's worth the drive.
By this point I was getting a bit tried, as I am 8 and a half months pregnant. But I still managed to pick up for cuts of fabric and four patterns! GO ME!
I got two knits for me, a bunny knit for DDs jammies (how cute!) and a cute eyelet that was on the 50% off clearance table.
At the end of the day the damage was just over 26 yards of fabric. Not bad when you consider that buying fabric was what I had set out to do! lol Oh, And I had to get hubby some fireworks from Indiana for our big 4th of July party. I hope he doesn't set the yard on fire...
Happy Fathers Day!
While I doubt there are many fathers reading my blog, I would like to just say happy fathers day anyway!
For dads day, I made a shirt for DH. It's Kwik Sew 3484. The fabric I used was a Navy print(you know, like the military). DH was in the military years ago, so it's fitting for him. He also got a big ole' pan of lasagna. I narmally make it with chicken and no ricotta chesse, but today he got a whole pan of lasagna with spicy sausage and plenty of ricotta. Me and DD both don't like it, so it's all for him!
For dads day, I made a shirt for DH. It's Kwik Sew 3484. The fabric I used was a Navy print(you know, like the military). DH was in the military years ago, so it's fitting for him. He also got a big ole' pan of lasagna. I narmally make it with chicken and no ricotta chesse, but today he got a whole pan of lasagna with spicy sausage and plenty of ricotta. Me and DD both don't like it, so it's all for him!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
32 Weeks Preggo
Yep, that's me. Getting bigger by the day. As of June 10, 2009 I am 32 weeks and 1 day pregnant. ONLY 58 MORE DAYS TO GO!!!!
I love all you women who say you love being pregnant. You're the best. You can have it! I still have 8 weeks to go and so far I can't work, half the time I can't stand, I can't walk, I can't sleep, heartburn sucks and i'm dying for a smoke! Add to that about an extra 30 pounds I get to carry around... Can you tell i'm not the happiest of pregnant women? lol
Friday, June 5, 2009
Jalie 2907 View A this time
I am trying the pocket diaper from Jalie. I think this one needs a few adjustments though. I'm just not sure how to go about it. Here are the changes I plan to make.
1) First things first. I want to use snaps and not velcro. I didn't add any to this diaper because this one is a 'muslin'. I can't believe i'm making a muslin for a baby diaper when I don't even make a muslin for half of the things I make for me. lol
2) The outer layer is PUL and the inner layer is supposed to be some sort of wicking fabric. I just used flannel on this one just to get an idea, but i'll be using fleece for anything I plan to use as a real diaper.
3) The outer PUL layer. YUCK! I think i'm going to cut a cute fabric and use some basting spray to stick the two layers together. Then treat it as one layer nad have the PUL hidden inside. I just don't like PUL either, but it's necessary.
4) I need to add snaps to my soaker insert. I'm not quite sure how to go about this yet. But the pad that gets stuffed into the diaper is not going to stay in one place. Also, the soaker really needs to be thicker. As it is now, it's only 4 layers of flannel.
5) I wish I had a real baby to test on. All this could be for nothing because I don't even know how they fit.
I do like these AO2's though so far. Mostly because I don't like the stand alone PUL covers. I'm going to make a few more of these -- tweaking as I go, of course and see aht I can come up with. I'll keep you posted.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Look at what I got!
I bought some Michael Miller fabrics off of Etsy.com the other day. I think these are so cool! Two vintage-y type fabrics. I just love it. I can't wait to make a shirt from the fabric with the pattern pieces on it!
If anyone is interested, I bought this from Rainbow Fabrics from Etsy.com. SHe has a lot of nice fabrics there.
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