Decal trays

This isn't too late to post is it? It's STILL December, right? Ok good. Then let me share with you a little project I wrote that was posted a few weeks ago on the Spoonflower blog.

You may already know that Spoonflower have added wall decals and wallpaper to their collection. In fact, a while back I used the decal material to cover some glass vases and I'm still loving them. But when I fancy a change, I can simply peel back the decal material and swap it for another. No mess, no stress.

Anyway, I used exactly the same principal for this large white tray I picked up at Target. I covered it with a couple of Christmass-y designs by designer Penny Candy (check her out ~ I love her colorful, fresh designs) and used it as a festive tray on my table over the holidays.

I'm currently getting ready to peel off the decals, ready for something a little more 2013 ~ I'm just not sure what yet. I think I'll live with the Christmas designs for a while longer, until I decide.

Anyway, you can go and read the full write-up over at Spoonflower by clicking HERE.

December New Year's Resolution

And here's my final project in my year-long sewing series! I used the Yoke Dress pattern by Salme Patterns, and I LOVE it. The pattern is simple and beautiful and I used a lovely soft gray wool from JoAnns. The yoke is a sparkly organza -actually it's a bit scratchy but it looks so pretty I couldn't resist it! It's a dress I could wear for New Year's Eve and with babysitters in town (my lovely parents) I think I'm actually going to get the chance to wear this next week to celebrate the new year!

Go on over to the Fiskars site to read more about it by clicking HERE.

This dress completes a year of sewing projects (in actual fact, I've completed more than just these 12) but I have to say that I've learnt so much!! I feel pretty confident at giving most patterns a go, having picked up some great tips and techniques along the way. Hats off to the independent pattern designers who offer fantastic support, tutorials, advice and photos on their blogs/websites. Having sewn so many independently designed patterns, I'm pretty reluctant to go back to sewing commercial patterns. They seem so badly written to me.

Now, of course I don't want to let all my new-found sewing skills go to waste, so I'm excited to tell you that I'm already planning not one, but TWO new crafting/sewing series for Fiskars during 2013. First, I plan on sewing one item of children's clothing each month which I'm pretty excited about. Kids' clothes are particularly fun to make because they are so small! Cutting out the fabric usually takes no time and there are so many great independent designers that I'm looking forward to getting my hands on some fun new patterns.
Second, I'm going to make one handmade gift a month ~ not using sewing skills but general crafting techniques. I plan to try new things and I hope to learn plenty of new skills along the way.

I hope you'll stick with me ~ I wonder where we'll end up next?!?!?

In the meantime, happy and healthy 2013 to you all!

November New Year's Resolution Project

Phew! I'm a little bit aware that  I have some catching up to do on my blog! Eeek ~ where DOES the time go?
We bought a lovely big old house a few weeks ago and moved in just a couple of weeks before Christmas, so recently a lot of time has been taking up with packing and unpacking (or I should say, thinking about unpacking. Thinking about unpacking is exhausting...) Then came Christmas, which is hardly a time to put your feet up, is it?

Anyway, I did want to catch you up with my final two New Year's Resolution projects that I completed for Fiskars and make a lovely 12 month set of photos down the side of my blog. Didn't want to leave it hanging on October without the last two projects added on, did I?

Anyway, here's is November's project ~ a faux fur gilet (or vest, as I'm becoming accustomed to calling it). Whilst the fur was surprisingly easy to sew, I did resort to wearing a face mask when cutting it up. If you get that stuff tickling your nose, it's a nightmare, believe me! If you don't have face masks hanging around the house (I do, but I'm aware that normal families may not), then cover your nose and mouth with a t-shirt or scarf. You'll thank me. And you're welcome.

Also, be sure to have a hoover at the ready. Or vacuum. Or whatever you call it. That stuff gets everywhere.

I like my vest, though if I'd lined it, I'd like it even more. I made quite a few adjustments to my original pattern by taking in the seams to be more fitted, and I had nothing to then base a lining pattern on. The original pattern I drew was basically redundant because I'd made so many changes. I guess that's why a muslin comes in handy ~ to get the correct fit before you sew your real fabric ~ but what do you use as a muslin for a FAKE FUR vest???

Anyway, I will soon share my December project with you ~ it's probably my favorite!

Thanks for still reading despite my absence recently :o)

Burda Kids 9504

I sewed up this little tunic a couple of weeks ago using Burda Kids 9504. There's a dress version with long sleeves and this tunic version with short sleeves. She's wearing it over a long sleeved tee, since it was a little chilly today.

It's a great pattern but it's been a while since I sewed a commercial pattern (as opposed to independent pattern designs) and I had forgotten how awkward they are to follow. I missed having the online support the most independent pattern designers offer. Still, it's a nice quick thing to sew and I'll probably make another. I'm not sure if the big slit at the front (underneath the buttons) was really necessary so I may not add that next time. 

I used this lovely soft fabric from JoAnns. They said it's 100% cotton, but it has a loose weave and I think it's more like a wool but with the added bonus of the softness of cotton. Not scratchy at all! I love it!

Welcome to the 2^nd Annual Handmade Holidays Blog Hop!

Calling all crafters! We’ve gathered designers from some of our favorite manufacturers to show you ways to create something from the heart this holiday season. This 3 day Hop includes over 60 stops with inspiration brimming from every corner. Explore all of the thoughtful and frugal handmade gifts you could create for the holidays, all in one place, during our second annual Handmade Holidays Blog Hop!

To sweeten the Hop, we’re offering a gift for you! For every comment you leave on the blogs in the Hop, you’ll be entered to win a prize pack from one of the participating manufacturer sponsors! Use the Rafflecopter widget on the Clearsnap blog to gain extra entries each day.

 Today, I get to share a project with you (scroll down to the bottom of this post to see all the other projects that have been posted today). So...drum roll please.... Here's my post for the Handmade Holidays Blog Hop.

Handmade Pajamas

New pajamas make a GREAT Christmas present, and with a dizzying selection of flannel prints to chose from in your local fabric store, it's never been easier to sew up something heart felt, handmade and fabulous! My 6yr old daughter has a huge thing for cats at the moment (and long may it last in lieu of Justin What-his-face and Hannah Whatever-she's-called).

I sewed up the pajamas pants by tracing around a pair that she already owns and I know to fit her well. No pattern required! You can read all the finer details about how to do that by clicking on this link to a tutorial I wrote some time back. It's very easy, I promise.

But what I really want to share with you today, is how to turn a simple, comfy long-sleeved tee into a matching pajama top by sewing an easy reverse appliqué to the front. I used a cut of fabric taken from the fabric used to sew up the pants. 

First, cut the fabric you'd like as your appliqué, slightly larger than the design itself. I allowed about an extra 1" all the way around the outside of my rectangle design. It gives you more room for sewing. Iron a piece of lightweight fusible interfacing to the back of your fabric and trim the interfacing.

On the back of the fabric (on top of the interfacing) I suggest you outline your sewing lines with a pen. Go on, make it easy for yourself. 

Turn your tee inside out and pin the appliqué centrally, face-down onto the front. You should be pinning ONLY onto the front of the tee, not through to the back.

Follow your marked pen lines and sew the appliqué to the front of the tee. You will need to make sure you keep the back of the tee out of the way as you sew. I recommend sewing two lines around the outside of your appliqué. Start by stitching right over the pen lines, then go around again, about 1/4" on the outside of the first line.

Remove the tee from your machine, and using a sharp pair of scissors, snip away carefully at the tee shirt fabric inside the stitched lines. Your fabric design will reveal itself! 

It's pretty tempting to snip nice and close to the stitching, but it isn't really necessary. The trimmed raw edges of knit fabric on a tee like this will simply curl and result in a nice worn-look as the tee is washed and worn and washed and worn...

And that is a very easy way to create a matching tee to complete your set of handmade pajamas. I know a little girl who is going to be happy wearing these. 

Well, that's my contribution to the Handmade Holidays Blog Hop, for today. Why not go ahead and visit the list of blogs below and leave a comment on each by Nov 27, 2012 at 11:59 PM PST. Each day we will be sharing a brand new list of blogs with brand new projects for you to explore, be inspired by, and create from!

Clearsnap – http://clearsnap.blogspot.com

Hampton Art - http://blog.hamptonart.com/
Graphic45 – http://g45papers.typepad.com/

Fiskateers - www.fiskateers.com/blog

Donna Salazar Designs – http://donnasalazar.typepad.com/

Tombow USA – http://blog.tombowusa.com/

Authentique Paper http://authentiquepaper.blogspot.com/

The Twinery - http://www.thetwineryblog.com/

Eileen Hull for Sizzix http://eileenhull.blogspot.com/

Globecraft Memories – http://globecraftmemories.blogspot.com

Kristin Wilson – Graphic 45 -  http://www.kristinwilsonhandmade.com/

Jennie Garcia - Tombow -  earthyscrap.blogspot.com

Gini Williams Cagle - Hampton Art - http://ginicagle.blogspot.com/

Sabrina Alery – Clearsnap – http://Sabrinaalery.blogspot.com

DeeDee Catron - Globecraft Memories - http://umwowstudio.blogspot.com/

Michelle Grant – Donna Salazar Designs -  http://michellejbg.blogspot.com

Emily Lanham – Authentique Paper -http://www.createserendipity.net

Emma Jeffery – Fiskateers - http://hellobeautifulblog.blogspot.com

Natalie Clause – The Twinery -  http://www.southernbellescharm.com/

Alberto L Juarez – Graphic 45 http://vintageodyssey.blogspot.com/

Vivian Keh - Hampton Art - http://contadinak.wordpress.com/tag/vivian-keh/

Jennifer Priest – Clearsnap – http://hydrangeahippo.blogspot.com

Heather Conklin – Authentique Paper - http://goldiecar.blogspot.com/

Cheers to creating gifts from the heart this holiday season!

Happy Hopping!

Decal covered vases

Spoonflower have a couple of wonderful new products out - and just in time for the holidays!! Click here to read more about the wallpapers, wall decals AND gift wrap!! There's SO MUCH creative potential in their new wall decals and you can easily change the look of your room and accessories.

I did a project for them recently, taking a collection of straight sided glass vases, and covering them in Spoonflower's removable decals. I chose a few designs from a collection by Holli Zollinger.

It's extremely simple to do, but it makes such a beautiful statement in your home. And the great thing is, the decals can be removed and changed whenever you like! Genius.

You can click here and read the tutorial in full. Let me know if you give these a go!

October New Year's Resolution project

A while back when planning what I'd be wanting to wear in October I was envisaging chilly mornings, falling leaves, Ugg boots and sweaters. I thought a nice slouchy hat would be just THE THING to wear with my Autumn wardrobe. I did not account for the fact that I live in Southern California, and just today, for example, the temperatures were in the 90s. (Not sure what that is in Celsius, but all you need to know is, it's hot). There's not even a breeze. Jeans, socks and long sleeves are out of place, let alone crochet beanies. Do I sound like I'm moaning? I probably am a bit.

Anyway, when the weather does finally cool down, I shall enjoy wearing this beanie, which I made as part of my Fiskars New Year's Resolution project. I used a free pattern, and I always appreciate people making their patterns available for free on their blogs. How nice!

You can go on over to the Fiskars project and read all about making it and also to get the link to the free pattern.

The pattern uses a magic loop to start and a back post single crochet (which I had never done before) so I made a little video on how to make both of those, in case you want to make yourself this hat and also don't know.

LBD DIY

Everyone needs a little black dress, right? For this one, I used the Pussy Bow Dress by Salme Patterns. I am a huge fan of Salme Patterns. There's just something about them that fits my body so well. Maybe it's the elasticated waist?!!?! And they have a new pattern out - Paper Bag Waist shorts. I have a serious crush on those, in black with little white polkadots.

I lined this dress, which though not in the directions, is easier than you think and gives the dress a really really nice finish. It makes it feel great to wear.

And something I discovered in making this dress; black is not an easy color to photograph.

You can go over and read all about how to add a lining to this dress at Fiskars.

Love letters to lampshade

When I say love letters, I actually just mean the envelopes, stamps, postmarks and addresses. And these were the ones my husband (then boyfriend) wrote to me. I don't really fancy delving into the letters I wrote to him during years of missing him whilst traveling and living in different countries. I actually shudder to think about what I may have written to him. My teenage self is quite different to my adult self (and I'm hoping I'm not the first person to have ever said that). 

And besides, my husband was the best letter writer ever. He liked to doodle all over the envelopes and made envelopes and collages out of old magazine pages, cool pictures and comic strips. Over a decade later, these envelopes are pretty special to me and I used them to make a large scale fabric collage which I had printed by Spoonflower. 

You can go over to the Spoonflower blog post and read all about my process of making a picture collage like this and also how to actually cover a lampshade with it.

I LOVE my new lampshade and I should probably thank my husband for his contribution.

Indulgent sewing

I really love the various jobs I have, making things, I really do. But I can't remember the last time I sewed something that wasn't for work. When I'm writing up a project, and especially when it comes to photographing it along the way, things can get serious. I have to clear my table and make it look like everything is clean and pristine so that the photos look good. I have to make sure there's great lighting or that my studio lights are well-positioned. I also have to make sure my sewing is neat and straight (which it mostly is, but hey, scrutinize most of my projects and you'll find a fault somewhere) in case people spot shoddy workmanship in the photographs. As well as making sure the project turns out well, it's also stressful trying to make the write-up look and sound good too. I'm  not complaining. I am thriving off it all and having fun along the way. But last night, after a couple of days of feeling unwell, I just wanted some indulgent sewing. To make something just for the pure pleasure of sewing. To be able to make a mess on my cutting table and not have to clear it away. To not even have to get my camera out to record each step of the process. It was simple and easy and quick. A breath of fresh air that I hadn't realized I needed.

I didn't even make anything for me. Often it doesn't really matter what the finished thing is that I make. I just really enjoy the process. Selecting a pattern, choosing the fabric, cutting, pinning, sewing....With music on in the background, I can just keep going, lost in the process. Sometimes I feel sad when I finish a project because my moment of 'being in the moment' has come to an end. Do you feel like that ever?

I made up a second pair of Summer Place Shorts by Maw Bell Designs for my daughter. The first pair I made a while back was for Rachael's Shorts on the Line series she hosted over the summer and I loved the pattern the first time around and really wanted to make a second pair in cotton. I used Robert Kaufman Everything Nice in Grey and they are a hit. Fresh off the machine last night, my daughter wanted to wear them to school today, so here are a few photos of our blissful morning walk to school earlier. And ahhh.....I'm feeling better already.

New Placemats thanks to Spoonflower

You can find me over at the Spoonflower blog again today, with a post on how to recover an old set of cork-backed placemats for the table. I had an old set of placemats that I was reluctant to let go of, (they were a wedding present) but they had seen WAY better days, for sure. The original image on the placemats were of tulips, which was the flower that we used to decorate the hall where we had our reception (thanks to my mother-in-law for cleverly growing them right on time!), so they were kind of special/sentimental.

There were 6 of them. These are the better looking originals. I was too embarrassed to show anyone the worst ones.

I was pretty reluctant to start on this project as I was really worried it would be a total failure. I thought they'd end up looking so homemade and a bit pathetic. I thought I'd ruin the original placemats (even though they were pretty much in a state of disrepair) and that I'd end up having to throw them out (which would have made me sad).

The finished placemats. Ahhh, I'm happy to show off the whole pretty set now!

BUT, they are lovely!! I'm so surprised at how well they came out and even my husband is impressed. He's very supportive and wonderful about what I do, but he's also honest. He'll tell me if something's not right, which I appreciate about him. I used a photo I took of a Calla Lily which was the flower in my wedding bouquet - so the placemats still have a wedding-related theme to me.

I think the biggest tip I can give you about making these yourself, is to make sure you finish the edges with a marker or permanent ink pad. I used black because that's what they'd used on the original placemats, but you could use any color. It just gives such a nice finish to the edge and really blends in the edge of the fabric with the edge of the mat.

You can go and read the full tutorial by clicking here.

New Year's Resolution - September

Ok, so I have to tell you guys that I really, really love this top! Some of my new year's resolution sewing has been great and some of them...well....mediocre, I'll admit. But this one - I love!! I used the Wiksten Tova pattern that is available as a pdf download here for $10.

I've talked before about how much I love pdf patterns that you print at home, so you don't need me to bore you with that again. Just know that they suit my impatient personality... If you are interested in downloadable patterns, my advice to you it to invest in a great paper cutter. It will make putting your pattern together a breeze. Enjoyable even!

You can go and read all about my September project over on the Fiskars website by clicking here.

#sp

New Year's Resolution - August

Hi all, what a summer! I hope you've all been having a good one.

Here is my latest project in my New Year's Resolution quest to make one item of clothing every month this year. I made these capris using the Clovers pattern by Colette Patterns and the fit is amazing! The fabric is denim and though it frayed a lot when I was sewing with it, the finish is great and they're super comfortable to wear.

I put in a flat felled seam which gives an extra nice finish to the trousers. It looks professional and there's a real satisfaction in making things well.

You can read the full project details by clicking here.

#sp

New Year's Resolution JULY

You may be forgiven for thinking it's Halloween already, but no, that's just another photo of me looking like I hate having my photo taken and trying to pretend it's not happening. I'm just staring off into my happy place,  forcing myself to forget there's a lens right in front of me, making me feel all self-conscious and all.

If you'll ignore my messy hair and uncomfortable pose, you may notice my dress which I made as my part of my new year's resolution project I'm working on for Fiskars.

I used the Kimono Sleeve dress pattern by Salme Patterns. I don't see it in their store anymore and I'm not sure why. Fear not, they have quite a few other dress patterns (and other pretty clothing items too). I have made several - the patterns are super simple and very comfortable.

To cheer up the dark navy blue satin I used, I decided to make a large anchor applique on the skirt. Not sure why I happened to chose an anchor at random (I'm not a sailor but I DO live by the beach) but I love it! I think I'm going to use this applique technique on more clothing from now on.

You can read the full article over at Fiskars here.

On a related note, I attended a quilting class with my mum last week and we learnt to applique and reverse applique (using a completely different method than the one I used for this dress). Attending a sewing class was such a brilliant thing to do - I need to do it more often. That would be nice.

#sp

Time to sew {tutorial}

 My kids love making stuff - everything that involves glue, glitter, card or thread and they are happy. I'm sure many children are the same way. I made them this sewing kit at the beginning of the summer vacation, with the hopes that they'd be happy to dig into it as and when. With all the things they need at their disposal, they're happy just sitting quietly for a little while and get busy. I like to take a step back from whatever they get up to, so that I don't influence or impede their creativity.

This was a project I was paid to come up with for the Fiskars website and you can read all about it by clicking here.

This afternoon my 8yr old wanted to make a shirt for his extremely well-loved, and grubby, Piglet. So I had him draw a picture of what he wanted the finished thing to look like, before we drafted a little pattern.

Only my son knows why Piglet has an extra leg hanging out from under his shirt...

This isn't the best photo of the finished shirt but I LOVE that my 8yr old is so pleased with himself AND he's sitting in a large cardboard box. He hand stitched the shirt (but in fact we are going to go back over it on the machine because the stitches are a bit too loose) and it actually fits Piglet perfectly.

Making a waterproof washbag {tutorial}

I have a tutorial up over at Spoonflower this week that shows you how to make a waterproof washbag - perfect for your summer vacations. This thing is BIG, so you can throw all your stuff in and it has a nice wipe-down surface. I used a vinyl fuse which I adhered to the outside of my canvas fabric. You could put vinyl fuse on both sides for extra waterproofedness.  

I cut my pattern pieces before ironing on the fuse. If you're going to do something like this, I recommend investing in a teflon coated machine foot, which is great at sliding over tacky surfaces like laminates and oilcloths.

Go on over to read the full tutorial on making your own. The link is here.

Please note that whilst this vinyl fuse is great and amazing for many craft projects, it is NOT foodsafe and it is not recommended that you use if for anything that will be used for food.

Summer purse {tutorial}

Oooh, I made this bag last year as a project for Fiskars but it's a great summertime bag and I thought I'd share it with you in case you're looking for one to make for yourself or as a gift. This bag is really roomy - I even manage to fit my laptop in it - but the best thing about it is that it's reversible.

You can buy wooden handles very reasonably in stores or online or even better re-use a pair from an old bag from the thrift store.

Using different fabrics would really change the look of this bag but I really like this bright Echino fabric that's perfect for the summer. You can read the full tutorial by clicking here.

*I am PAID by Fiskars to produce content for their website.

Today I have the great honor of taking part in the shorts on the line series hosted this week by the lovely Rachael at imagine gnats. Please go on over and take a look if you have the time. You will find a wealth of inspiration and ideas for sewing up shorts this summer from so many corners of the internet.

I made a cute pair of crabby shorts for my sometimes crabby  little one.

Cathedral Windows Cushion

My mum is an amazing quilter. She's always been crafty but in recent years she's really become great at sewing up quilts. We have one of her handmade treasures on our bed, as do my kids on each of theirs, as well as my three siblings, their families and almost every man and his dog... Anyway, I'm not a quilter but she has exposed me to influences that I would not ordinarily come across in my creative environment and I really LOVED a Cathedral Windows pattern she sewed into a cushion a while ago. 

I wanted to try one of my own - at least it's not a quilt that would take me 3 years to complete.

Hers was a little more 'traditional' in style, but I wanted to make mine bold and bright. I really wish I had the time, energy and patience to make a quilt like this - it's so beautiful. I wonder how well is washes as a quilt?

I feel like I need a little more practice on my points - my mum is way more precise than me - everything she has made is perfect whereas mine is always a little more thrown together.

Don't look too closely. It's pretty though.