Deer and Doe: Datura

I'm busily working away at my entry to Deer and Doe's Plantain contest so I thought it was high time to show you the tops I've already made using this company's other patterns.  First up is my version of the Datura Blouse.

Before I get into the specifics on this top (of interest to the sewers out there), I have a funny story about this one.  Last September I was finishing up program at work which involved two or three speeches, a graduation and other stuff, on top of my regular workload.  I was working late into the evenings at the time and cut back on sewing quite a bit, but I had it in my head that I had to finish this top for the graduation events.  Somehow I did it.  So, despite the work, and the accomplishment of finishing the program, the highlight of my day was when I received a compliment on my top from the woman in the program with an amazing sense of style (wore Anthropologie almost daily).

So, back to the top itself. This was the first pattern from the company that caught my eye.  It was actually the cut outs on the neckline, even though I still have not made that version.  Instead I made the top last Fall using this lovely Ikat print on voile.  The front yoke is a dyed silk organza I picked up on a whim at G Street awhile back.  I ended up doubling the organza because the color didn't show up quite right with just one layer.  

I had to do quite a bit of altering on this pattern to get the front to fit just right--I started with tissue fitting and then made a muslim before I jumped into the fashion fabric.  I'm so glad I did because it really fits nicely now.  I don't think the fit issues have anything to do with the pattern though, they are my own body issues. 

I'm sorry I don't have any pictures of my modeling the top.  I'm working my way up to posting pictures of myself modeling my clothes but I don't want to wait to post them any more, so this will have to do for now.  I have one coming up, don't worry.  And any suggestions for getting the courage to post pictures of yourself modeling from other bloggers out there would be greatly appreciated!

I really love this top and have worn in a lot, sleeveless and with a cardigan.  I think this pattern company has done a lovely job so far (at least based on the three I've made).  And, even though the patterns ship from France, the shipping cost is not any higher than shipping costs from a lot of US companies--so don't let that deter you.

I am Not a Squirrel

We've been so excited to get to know our great neighbors over the past year.  They very conveniently have two daughters right around our girls' ages and the parents are great too.  I haven't been friends with any of my neighbors since we lived next to the Longs in Kenya and I was in middle school, so this is great fun.
 
The youngest turned three last week and I knew exactly what to make her.  She likes to play this little game where she collects acorns and offers them to her parents to eat, they respond by saying "I'm not a squirrel" and she doubles over in laughter.  

I had seen this printed corduroy at Superbuzzy awhile ago and loved it, but never bought it.  But after seeing this great game I had a great excuse.  

The dress is the Oliver + S Family Reuinion Dress, again.  Actually it's a shirt.  I had planned a dress with long sleeves, but have just now realized that one yard does not go that far past the infant stage. :(  I changed the sleeve to a cap sleeve--the red line on the pattern piece shows how I made that change.  I think it's sweet and makes it more wearable in the winter over a long sleeve shirt than the original sleeve does.  

I fully realize how much a three year old might not appreciate clothing as a birthday gift.  So I made her a little squirrel too.  The pattern comes from a pattern book I don't recommend, but it worked out this time anyway.
 
Happy birthday.

Resolved

I’m not usually one for new year’s resolutions.  But maybe it was the fact that I was on vacation for three weeks, on a little break from reality, that I felt one (some?) was in order this year. 

So here goes.

1.       More blogging.

2.       Spending more of my craft time on building up a true crafty business.

3.       Related to number 2, less time making things not related to my crafty business.

4.       Also related to number 2, less fabric shopping, unless it relates to my crafty business.

As you can see, I really, really want to build a real business.  I’ve been watching Shark Tank way too much lately saying to myself, “I could do that”.  And if I don’t give it a true effort I know I will always wonder. 

So, there it is, for the world to see (or at least those 20 or so of you who actually read my blog).

Happy New Year.

About the blogging...I’ve got quite a bit of backlog built up of completed projects that were never blogged.  So don’t worry, you’ll see more than coffee cozies here.

What are your New Year's resolutions?

Thing 1 and Thing 2

Just over a year ago little Mia was born and four days later, her niece Olivia, was born.  I've only had the chance to spend a few days with them since then but from what I hear, these two are unstoppable.  They were both walking well before their first birthdays. 

So, for their birthdays (which fall right before Halloween) I couldn't resist making them these little Thing 1 and Thing 2 outfits.

The top is an envelope T from Ottobre 3/2011. and the leggings are traced from some of Elena's. The fabric is ruby red interlock from Fabric Fairy.  I used two coats of Speedball paint for the white and then Juan wrote in the words with a Sharpie (it cracks me up when he let's me drag him into my silly projects). 

I especially had fun making the little barrettes.  They are just alligator clips covered in red grosgrain and then blue feathers hot glued to a piece of felt.  

Here they are again, up to no good.  Happy birthday sweet girls. 

Halloween 2013: Chancho

Elenita is dressed as her little piggy, affectionately known as "chancho".  I made it a year ago and pretty quickly had to make a second one so she had one at school too.  It's quite loved (and chewed on).

The pattern for the sweatshirt is the Bimaa sweater which I hadn't seen until last week's KCW and it was exactly what I had in mind.  In fact, I was planning on making my own pattern with raglan sleeves (that's where this one is a little different), and a three piece hood--this one was perfect.  The fabric is sort of a stretch terry and it's the same fabric her stuffed pig is made of.

The ears, nose and tail come from the Abby Glassenberg Lovey pattern--I just made the ears and nose a little bigger but left the tail the same size.  I also decided not to stuff the tail and I think it works a little better that way.  

As you can see, Elena loves her chancho costume.  So much so, she kissed the snout as soon as I showed it to her the first time.  

Happy Halloween everyone.

Halloween 2013: Mad Bird Judge

I guess it plays out this way for a lot of parents and kids at this age (check out this volcano!). 

I knew this would be the first year she would have an opinion about what she would dress up as for Halloween.   She started talking about it about two months ago.  A princess.  A “princess of the sea”, aka mermaid.  A pirate.  It changed so often that I figured we would just let her pick on the day of and use her dress-up box to make the costume.  But then one day she came home from school listing a bunch of things she could be, a doctor, a judge…  I jumped on it.  A judge, for Halloween, cool! 

Her first image about a judge was from a Bible book but then I showed her a clip of Supreme Court Justice Sonya Sotomayor on Sesame Street several times and she was very excited to be that kind of judge.  I listened to her autobiography earlier this year and I truly admire her—so this costume really makes me happy.

I used Juan’s graduation gown but only the middle placket-thing is really left from the gown. 

The costume uses a rough combination of the Oliver + S Ice Cream dress and the Hopscotch top.  Basically I made the bodice of the Ice Cream Dress turning it around so the opening is in the front for the zipper.  Then I placed the Hopscotch pattern on top and used that to cut out the armscye.   The sleeve is the Hopscotch top too but several inches wider.  I used several rows of gathering stitches on the sleeve head before I sewed it to the bodice. 

The lace at the front is a doily I bought at a garage sale sewn in half to a piece of elastic.  One side is sewn down and the other forms a loop that attaches to a button on the inside. 

She wore it to Halloween party this weekend, it was a hit. 

Oh yeah, the “mad bird” part.  That was her idea just after we agreed to the judge.  She loves Angry Birds even though she has no idea what it is (she calls them Mad Birds).  So to appease her and give her something to do, I printed out an a coloring page of one on card stock and made her a mask after she colored it in.  So now she is a Mad Bird Judge.  If she adds her fire fighter hat she is going to be a “mad bird judge fire cheater”. 

Next, Elena as chancho.

100% Recycled Cardigan & Headband

We were in the library last week and Lucia received a compliment from an elderly gentleman on her sweater.  That’s when I knew I got the look I was after.

Recycled wool: This little sweater was made from a sweater vest Juan’s ex-girlfriend gave him.  Obviously, I don’t get jealous easily, because when he was ready to throw it out I put it aside for a future project.  No good fabric, especially wool, gets thrown out in my house.    Since it was a vest, I barely had enough fabric to make the sweater and that also meant I had to make a seam down the middle of the back.  

Recycled leather: The purple leather elbow patches came from this funny purple purse I bought at a thrift store.  I meant it for the dress-up box, but one day I decided to cut it up.  I actually made the flower for this headband out of the leather first.  The pattern comes from this book and I loved how it turned out.  I was looking at all of the oversized flower necklaces in various catalogues and planned to make several for a necklace.  But after one, I was done and it sat in my drawer until the sweater was done and the idea for the headband came.

Recycled buttons: Buttons don’t get thrown out much either.  These came from one of Juan’s old shirts.  I actually planned to make leather buttons from the same purse, but after trying one, I gave up.  Maybe a punch would work—but that would require a purchase, which this project was not about.

Recylced pattern: Actually, I didn't really use a pattern for the cardigan.  I used the armscye from this pattern and one of Lucia's jackets to figure out how long and wide to make the sweater.  Now I need to trace the sweater onto paper so I can make a second one.  

What do you think?  Any other elderly men out there?  (If so, what are you doing reading my blog?)