A Little Purple Backpack

Little backpacks are simply adorable!  I made this one as a 2nd b-day gift for one of M's little friends using Made by Rae's awesome Toddler Backpack pattern.  

And this cute girl loves purple.  Pretty well won't wear something unless there is some purple involved.  Oh those toddlers, they are a funny (and awesome) bunch!

So I knew that this fabric (from Amy Butler, previous seen here) would be perfect!   It is only quilting weight cotton,  so I did have to interface it, but I may have overcompensated, but it became rather tricky to sew, being sooo stiff!  I do like how it keeps it shape though!

I also lined it (in purple of course!) which was super easy and makes it look soo more finished.  I'm soo glad Rae added instructions to the pattern for adding a lining!

I also could not find a piping colour that worked (Seriously, the store only ever stocks lame colours) so I made my own from bias tape and cording. All in all, I'm pretty pleased (just ignore some of the stray threads shown in the photos!

And I've already gathered the supplies to make one for M hopefully soon!

Architectural Sorbetto Dress

When I saw the fabric used in this dress online a while ago, I knew I had to have some.  I'm an old building nerd, and well it's covered in schematics of old Paris buildings!   

It 's from the Moda Etchings collection by 3 Sisters, bought from Pink Chalk Fabrics.  The collection also includes the Paris map fabric used in this tank, which I have a chunk of as well, and may need to purchase the Wiksten Tank Top pattern for :)  

I didn't know what I wanted to make with the fabric, but I figured a dress or some sort.  I wanted something dead simple (and without the need to do too much fitting), but I couldn't picture it with any pattern I saw.  But I remembered pinning this dress, and thought, hey maybe that'll work.

So, like my inspiration, I pretty well just lengthened the Sorbetto shirt pattern from Colette Patterns (I totally want to make her Peony dress now!)  I also reversed the box pleat, lowered the neckline a bit, and added side seam pockets using this tutorial (super easy!)  I also attempted to widen the shoulders to make some sort of sleeve, but that was a fail and the arm holes almost came out too small.

Hence the sweater in the photos :)  I have plans to add in some set in short sleeves, but just haven't done it yet (and may not till it's warmer and I want to wear it without a sweater!  I also just made a little ribbon belt to wear with it as seen above.  Oh and excuse my bad hair, I was long overdue for a hair cut which has now finally happened! (and yes blog readers, that's me in the photos, I've decided to come out of hiding :)

I think I will need to redo the neckline bias finish (I admit I probably didn't pin it enough!) And in hindsight I can now imagine the fabric used with a bunch of patterns (in particular maybe a shirtdress pattern, my current obsession as seen if one visits my style Pinterest Board).  I still find it really hard to pick fabric for patterns, its hard for me to imagine what it will look like, but I'm working on it!  I thought this fabric would be a bit much as a dress, but I actually don't think it is, so next time, I think I will be a bit braver.  And I actually still have a huge chuck of this left that I think I'll make a shirt from (or something like this version of the Lisette Traveler dress pattern maybe?)

So I think I'm building back up my confidence to make some properly fitted clothes for me, which is a goal for this year.  I've made more fitted things in the past (hmm maybe I should take photos and post them here), but I was always frustrated having to take in the sides by lots despite the pattern telling me from its finished garment measurements that it should fit fine!

I'm curious, dear readers, how do you go about picking fabric for projects?  Does fabric inspire the project? or the other way around?  Any tips?

Oh and I'm excited to see that Blogger now has the ability to reply to comments! Yay!  I can now directly acknowledge all the nice comments my readers leave me, Thanks!

Bye bye 2011, I really liked you. Hello 2012, I think I'll really like you too!

So it's 2012 now.  Wow, 2011 has flown by!

But it has been fun.  Since my sister forwarded me a link to Made by Rae's Big Butt Baby Pants back in January, I discovered the awesome wide world of internet sewers, and subsequently renewed my love of sewing, and started this here little blog.

So, inspired by Sophie's lovely post here and Jessica of "a little gray"'s The Year in Sewing, here are the highlights from my year in sewing (with a little knitting added in)!

It's nice to see it all laid out, when you're just doing a project here and there it doesn't necessarily feel like you've accomplished that much, but by recording in on a blog and gathering it up in a collage, you realize you did!  And the collage above isn't even quite everything!

So 2011 made me more confident in my sewing.  It felt real nice to know my sister and mom (who has been sewing for decades and decades) were proud and impressed by the growth of my sewing abilities and my endeavours!

To sum up the year in sewing:
- I discovered the awesome world/community of sewers on the 'net
- I learned more about sewing with knits
- Got more confident with zippers
- Learned the importance of pressing and pinning and became ok with ripping out seams.
- Making handmade gifts is awesome (I love the process of finding and deciding on projects)
- Oh and I learned to knit!

So what's in store for 2012?
- Get even better at sewing, and tackle more complex patterns.
- Make more adult stuff, particularly dresses (I'm currently obsessed with vintage shirtdress patterns for example) and not be scared of altering a pattern.
- Try some refashioning (I have some of R's (aka Mr. Bear's) clothes just waiting)
- Make more cute things for M of course (aka Squiggles)
- Continue to not buy any new clothing as much as possible (and make things when needed)

So to finish this post off, I just want to add a thanks to all the awesome bloggers/sewers/pattern and tutorial makers etc out in Internet land for sharing all your awesome stuff! Here's to more lovely awesomeness in 2012!

J

Handmade Christmas

So I had a plan to make something for my family in town this year.  And I actually succeeded!  The planned projects changed in a few cases, but in the end I was pretty happy with everything, and I think the recipients were too.  So just cause I want to, I'm gonna show you some pictures and a bit of info on the things I made.

First up in no particular order, a chair organizer for my Father-in-law made using this tutorial at Sew for Home

Gardening aprons for my sister from the pattern in One Yard Wonders.  Fabric for all of these are various Amy Butler designs with some co-ordinating fabric purchased from a great local quilt store.

One for My Mother-in-law

And 0ne for My sister-in-law

An apron for my Mom (last one she had was made by my sister some 20 years ago) of my own concoction, as I couldn't find anything I thought she would like.  Every pattern was either too simple, or two frilly.  I'm not super happy with it, but I think she like it.  Fabric is from the Metro Cafe collection by Robert Kaufman, purchased from the the lovely Fresh Modern Fabrics

Manly cowls for Mr. Bear and his brother using this tutorial for the Boy Trifecta (fabric for both is soft brushed cotton from the local fabric chain store)

I also made a notebook envelope (from One Yard Wonders) for my cousin's 9 year old daughter as part of the Sinterklaas gift exchange with my extended Dutch family earlier in December.  These pictures are way awesome than mine because my cousin is a great photographer!  I aspire to eventually take lovely pictures like her!

And lastly, my Mother-in-law had a birthday early in December so I made her a tote bag.  She loves dusty rose pink and tealy blues, hence the fabric choices.  The main fabric is Amy Butler with some other fabric bought along with the tote bag pattern again from the local quilt store

Phew! Glad that rush is over, now what to make next?  Maybe something for the boy?  Or for me?  If you check out my boards on Pinterest, it may become obvious I'm currently obsessed with shirt dresses, particularly vintage shirt dresses, maybe I'll have to make one of those next!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and holiday season!

Midwest Modern Baby

I've been sewing up a storm lately, but alas, I haven't been able to blog most things due to their gifty nature.

But finally I can start!  I gained a new niece back at the very end of November, and so I sewed her up a few cute girly things and sent them off to Australia.  It's nearing summer there, so I thought she needed some sun protection, hence an excuse to make another of Rae's Peekaboo Bonnets!

Note how I was actually able to centre and line up the fabric nicely in the different sections, I wasn't sure it would work!  I also just piped the printed side, because I like the look better, and just lined it with some left over yellow fabric.   I love piping, and in hind site,  I wished I'd made piping, as the pre made colour selection at my local fabric store is pretty lame!

And of course, I needed to make something to go with the bonnet, so I made up a little jumper.

It's a slightly modified version of New Look 6576.  I reversed and rounded the button closure, and added a pocket for extra interest, inspired by these jumpers I saw on Soulemama. I had dreams of trimming the whole thing with bias tape, but that turned out to be a very silly and almost impossible (at least for someone of my current skill level) idea.  I'm loving the look of piping/edging things, so I'll have to try again with something else soon!

The fabric is both from Amy Butler's Midwest Modern line, and I thought it was perfect for these, as my brother doesn't like pink, and I thought my sister-in-law would like it too!  Not your typical baby clothes fabric, but for that I like it!  And I have a super soft spot for bluey greens!  While they aren't perfect (like looking at it now, the pocket might be a bit of kilter and maybe should have been put on a bit higher), I really love these pieces, and I hope my little niece (and her parents do too!)

I'm dreaming of a tealy blue Christmas

It's Christmastime!  Just a quick post to say that and show you some of the felt ornaments I made using various inspiration/tutorials I collected over on my Holiday board on Pinterest.

I made them in a bid to make our tree more toddler friendly.  Did it work? sort of, at least when he pulls them off and runs around with them, injuries are less likely :)  Otherwise I've just cut down on the number or ornaments/decorations, and try to distract him away!  Good luck to me I say!

Either way, some of them turned out, some not so much.  And there are more I'd like to try next year.  One bonus with making your own ornaments is you get to pick the colours you want, and I love my teal blue, green and bronze colour scheme, but finding nice tealy blue ornaments was hard, so these ones have upped the tealy blue ornament quotient on the tree.

Yay.  Next post up will be my first one showing the gifts I've been making for people.  Most I'll have to wait to post till after Christmas, but a few can come earlier!

I heart books shirt

My it has been a busy few weeks.  I'm not really clear on where November went.  Not much time to sew, or thing really.  But the next few weeks will be crazy busy for sewing as I have a not too short list of Christmas / Birthday / Sinterklaas (Dutch St. Nick) presents to sew up!  And it will all be awesome!

But before I get started on my gift sewing, I thought I'd procrastinate and make myself a shirt.

I really love books.  I have a ton of them.  And while trying to declutter (and update on which will come soon as progress has been made!)  Books have been the hardest.  I packed a TON of them away, and have 4-5 boxes to give away, which is pretty huge for me!

So in a nod to all those books, what could be more appropriate then for me to make a shirt with books all over it!

I picked up this fabric in the summer, it's a Victoria and Albert Museum print actually, so historical to boot (and we all know how much I dislike history :P)

I really want to work on bettering my sewing skills for me, as I tend to avoid making anything for me that is too fitted.  I am a skinny thing (despite my love for all things fattening) and even the smallest pattern size is too big.  I'm not very confident on altering patterns yet, so I find patterns with elastic and ties!  That way if it's just a bit to big (which this was) I shorten the elastic, and voila it pretty well fits!  The fabric is a bit stiff for this, so this shirt might make me look pregnant again from some angles, and I did sew it up pretty quick, so it is far from perfect, but too bad.

I like the books :)

Oh and the pattern is just a Butterick one (can't recall the number right now!).  I like the little pleats at the shoulders.  If I use this pattern again, I'll need to use plain fabric so you can properly see them!

Back to gift sewing now!