Scarves

There's nothing I like more on a chilly day, than to wrap a beautiful scarf around my neck. Not only does it keep me warm and snug, it totally completes an outfit.

Here is a recent tutorial I have up over at Fiskars. You may want to make a couple of scarves for Christmas gifts, so go and check it out. You'll probably want to make one for yourself too.

I'm a bit embarrassed by the posed photo though. I don't like having my picture taken and I think I look (and felt) like a bit of an idiot but I thought that wearing them, would show the scarves at their best. Now I'm not so sure!! :O)

Linen zipper pouch {tutorial}

I had the good fortune, a couple of weeks ago, to teach a beginner's sewing class at the cool little preschool my son used to attend. We made zipper pouches, which is great beginner's project because it can be easily accomplished in an hour or so and you actually make something you can use.

Preparing for teaching this class, got me thinking about different ways the simple zipper pouch can be personalized and then I saw this tutorial from a fellow Fiskar's designer, who threaded her machine's bobbin with sock yarn. I never knew you could use anything other than cotton sewing thread in the bobbin, and I really wanted to have a go at doing this technique myself. And here is the result...

I purchased 4 skeins of DMC Perle Cotton No. 5 in autumnal red/orange tones and 1 skein of luminous yellow DMC 25 thread that I couldn't resist.

I chose a coordinating zipper and cut my linen to size; 2 pieces 10" x 7".

I love sewing with linen but it can be stretchy and wriggly, so before cutting my pieces, I often spray and iron the fabric with a spray starch. It seems to help keep the fabric from shifting under my ruler and rotary cutter.

Next, I hand-wound my bobbin with my embroidery thread. Wind slowly, being sure the thread isn't too tightly wound.

Insert the bobbin into the machine and pick up the thread as you would normally.

Sew slowly until you get the feel of the thread. I varied the distance between the lines for interest.

I just LOVE the colors I used. I think the bright yellow really stands out and I like the ombre effect it gives.

When I was finished sewing my lines, I snipped off the stray ends of thread and completed the pouch.

I lay my zipper face down onto the right side of my fabric and sewed across. I repeated this for the other side of my pouch.

Then I pinned the two pieces together, with right sides facing. Remember to unzip your zipper halfway before sewing, so that you can open the pouch.

I finished my seams with a quick run through the serger, but you can also zig zag stitch to reinforce, or snip with a pair of pinking shears to neaten. Turn right sides out and push out the corners to square them off.

Lovely! Zipper pouches are such useful things to have around.

I knew it would infuriate me if I didn't get my lines matched up perfectly at the seams, so I avoided the problem by sewing lines on one side only. Clever, clever. Which left space for my little label.

Halloween decorations

Before it gets too late, I thought I'd show you some of my handmade Halloween decorations. I'm not a massive fan of Halloween if I'm honest, but when you have kids, there doesn't really seem any escaping it. I don't mind the pumpkins and the costumes (costumes are year-round attire, in this house), trick or treating is pretty cool, and I DO like how it kind of marks the beginning of a couple of month's of festivities here so maybe I shouldn't think too badly of it after all.

On top of all that, I really want to make some great childhood memories for my children. I am so aware that the years are ticking by way too quickly and that these wonder years will be over before we know it.

I saw this blog post last year and I successfully vowed not to forget about it for this year, so we have a CLOUD of bats (yes, I checked - the collective noun for bats is a cloud!) swooping into our dinning room.

We have jars of candy labelled with 'Poison' and 'Eat at your own risk' emblazoned on them (not sure what lesson I am trying to teach my kids here!?!? The warnings did nothing to dissuade them from reaching in and nibbling some treats).

I crocheted this doily/mat thing for Halloween a couple of years ago and with the tiny hook and fine cotton it took to make it, my eyes have not really been the same since. It's supposed to be a kind of spider's web, I guess. A BLACK spider's web (?!?!!?)

I also have some of these creepy guys around the inside of our entrance way by the front door. I used the spider template from Martha Stewart's Halloween special and though I can't find the link on the website, I know all the templates are available online if you want to spend 3 hrs searching for them.

Have you made some Halloween decorations this year?

Storyboek skirt

Have you seen Birch Fabrics before? They have some of the most lovely collections I have seen for a while. I bought just 2 pieces from their 'Storyboek' collection, though believe me when I say I could have bought more. Way more.

I sat on it for a while (not literally) because I wanted to make sure I made just the right thing with it and so eventually this week, I got around to making this cute skirt for my daughter. And I put together a quick tutorial for you while I did it.

My daughter is wears a size 5 and if she's not around for me to measure her waist, I take an item of her clothing I know fits her well, and use that as my waist measurement guide. Please adjust my measurements to fit your child.

This skirt is made up of 3 pieces that I shall call the waistband, the skirt and the bottom strip. The skirt is slightly gathered into the waistband to give the garment some fullness and a more a-line shape. The bottom strip not only gets you out of having to hem the skirt, but when done in a contrasting fabric, finishes the skirt in a sweet way.

Cut the waistband piece 36" x 6"

Cut the skirt 43" x 10"

Cut the bottom strip 43" x 2

A length of 3/4" wide elastic

1. Sew the waistband together at the short ends with the right sides facing and press the seam open.

2. Make a casing for the elastic. Either finish one of the top edges with a serger (like I did) or a zig zag stitch, then fold over the fabric 1" to the inside to create the casing. OR, fold over the fabric along one top edge 1/4" to the inside and press. Fold over again another 1" to create the casing. Stitch the casing closed but leave a 2" gap at the back of the waistband. This is where we will insert the elastic later.

3. Sew the short sides of the skirt piece together with right sides facing and press open the seam allowance.

4. Sew 2 rows of long basting stitches around the top edge of the skirt piece.

5. Pull the bobbin threads to gather the skirt. Make sure the skirt is inside out and the waistband is right sides out. Place the waistband inside the skirt and match the seams. Pin the waistband and skirt together, making sure the gathering is even around the skirt.

6. Finish the seam and press towards the skirt.

7. Take your bottom strip and press one long edge 1/4" to the wrong side and one short end to the wrong side.

8. Turn the skirt inside out and pin the unpressed raw edge of the bottom strip to the raw bottom edge of the skirt. Where the two ends of the strip meet, layer the pressed short end under the unpressed end. Stitch around the bottom of the skirt and press the seam towards the skirt.

9. Turn the bottom strip to the right side and fold up. Pin the folded edge to the right side of the skirt, enclosing the raw edges and stitch.

10. Insert the elastic through the waistband casing using a safety pin. Sew the two ends together and stitch the hole closed.

Sorbetto - with gathers

I have only recently discovered Colette Patterns (I know, where HAVE I been???) and so I'm pretty late to get in on the Sorbetto craze. As I'm sure you already know, the Sorbetto is a top pattern which is available as a free download. Colette Patterns are currently running a Sewalong for a pair of their trousers - the Clovers in which I am attempting to participate, but the Sorbetto top is a nice and super easy diversion from trouser making. I have made 2 muslins for the trousers so far and I'm trying out some of their really helpful fitting techniques, but I'm not quite ready to get started on cutting my lovely navy blue gabardine I bought for the project.

Anyway, back to the Sorbetto. I used a lovely voile solid in sky.

Instead of making the pleat at the front of the blouse I gathered the fabric, which I think is quite pretty. I also turned the bias tape to the inside, instead of having it on the outside as the pattern suggests.

I also extended the length by 4" as I'm pretty tall and the top is pretty short. I extended it at the middle of the pattern, along the taped paper line.

Yep, I like this top. I DO need to get started on my Clovers though, otherwise they are in danger of never being completed.

Sewing for boys - Henry shirt

I have been wanting to find time to make one of the more advanced projects in Sewing For Boys and finally this week, when some new fabrics I ordered from Hawthorne Threads arrived, I had the perfect excuse to get started.

I used an Alexander Henry cotton called Heath in steel grey and a Timeless Treasures Pacman in black. I used to love Pacman, though I'm sure the significance of those little monsters (ghosts??) are lost on my 7 yr old.

The instructions for this pattern are really very well written and the shirt comes together almost without you realizing it. It actually doesn't take very long to make - for me, the time consuming part was choosing just the right fabrics (as usual).

I made the 6 - 7 size or my 7 yr old. There's plenty of room in it and actually since he's such a skinny kid, it's a bit billowy, but nothing we can't live with. (And when I say 'we' I mean 'I').

I love the casual design of the yoke back and sleeves and the pockets are cute. My son loves clothes with pockets. And I really like the facing on the back and inside the sleeves. Actually, lots of things I have made from this book have cute little inside details I like.

So another success from this book. I still want to make the Luka Hoodie but I'm thinking of making it for my daughter. She's been feeling a bit left out ever since I bought the Sewing for Boys book.

Autumn Cowl

My favorite time of year here in Southern California is Autumn. I look forward to seeing the changing of the seasons and as I sit and write this, the dense sea mist outside my window is making me feel like lighting a fire, making soup and curling up on the sofa with a good book while the kids are at school. The truth is however, that once the sun comes out and burns off the damp coolness in the air it will be bright and sunny and we'll be putting on our sunglasses, slipping on our flip flops and enjoying the warmth. Still, there's no denying that the school run at least, requires some extra cozy apparel.

I made this cowl from organic cotton and the color is described as Olive, a deep, muted yellow-green. It's a lovely rich color and the cotton is amazingly soft. I can't stand itchy wool against my skin, particularly around my neck.

I used a double crochet stitch the whole way around, which makes the cowl thick and luxuriously warm and heavy.

Here are some simple directions to make one of these lovely cowls for yourself or as a gift. You can make it smaller (for a child) by making your original ch shorter. You could also make an impressively long over-size cowl that wraps around your neck more than twice, by making your starting ch longer.

Supplies : 5 skeins of Lion Brand's Nature's Choice Organic Cotton in Olive

5.5mm (US Size I, UK size 5) bamboo crochet hook

Directions :

Round 1 : Ch 150 and join with sl st to the first chain on hook making a loop. Be sure not to twist the chain.

Round 2 : ch 3. dc in each ch around. sl st into top of beginning ch 3.

Round 3. ch 3. dc in each dc around. sl st into top of beginning ch 3.

Repeat round 3 until cowl measures 12" in depth.

Let me know if you make one - I'd love to see it!

Butterfly wings

I just wanted to share a new tutorial I have up over at Fiskars. They are starting to feature Halloween projects right now, and as well as my Halloween Fairy costume I mentioned last week, I also have a tutorial for a giant pair of colorful Butterfly Wings. I think these would look great on a kid wearing all black; it would really set off the color.

I really enjoyed making these wings. It gave me the chance to buy some of the sparkly sensations at my local fabric store.

That hat that has made me turn to knitting

I crocheted this hat. Twice. Both times it came out horribly even though I followed the pattern to the letter. She loves it. It's supposed to be slouchy. I think it is mushroomy. She loves it because it's weird and different and because it makes people smile to see her wearing it. I smile when she's wearing it. I have to admit it does suit her. But I am fed up with crocheting things that don't turn out how I expect them to so I've picked up some knitting needles. I'm going to see how long it takes me to mess that up too.