Not a Fae Trap.
Wordless Wednesday- Definitely…
Tag: floral
Wordless Wednesday- Signs of Spring
Shear Fun!
Ha! Sewing puns. I blame my Grandpa Ollie and I do crack myself up, even if no one else laughs.
The featured picture is from my office, where my flamingo sequin pillow has become very popular. I thought it was too cool to not get a picture of before it got redone.
I found a new tank top pattern that actually fits without alteration! It actually fits much better than the Bonus Tank from the last update, so I’m excited. I have discovered that I need some more plain tank tops though, so that’s next on my list. I keep dropping things on my current plain tanks. The pattern is a free one, which is nice, although you have to create an account on the site. It’s called the Lago Tank from Itch to Stitch.
Here are the new ones so far.
This one has fireworks! Sadly, I made it the week after the 4th of July, but it will be around for next year. I added a little bit extra to the hip area, so it flows a little bit more. It’s super soft and comfy and has been teen approved.
This galaxy one is also fun to wear. I graded out at the hips again, as it fits perfectly around the bustline, but needs a little bit around the hips. I added less to the hips, but it still looks very lovely on.
I can’t get enough tie dye, especially ones as pretty as this one. I probably should have put the lighter side on the front, but didn’t think about it until after I had it already cut. I still like it though. It adds interest. This one is flowier, like the first one.
This one I banded at the bottom to make it look a little different. I also thought I would try something a little different and do a fun outfit shoot instead of the regular hanger pictures.
The Husband says that if I start wearing Ugg boots and drinking Starbucks, we’re going to need to have a talk. He didn’t sign up for an Instagram, picture taking, outfit making, basic wife. 🙂 I assured him that I would attempt to keep things weird enough for him.
All of these fabrics were ones that I only had a yard of and I used pretty much all of it with only scraps left. They are all double brushed polyester, otherwise known as the fancy legging fabric.
Speaking leggings, I realized that I had made my entire workout outfit the other day and made the Husband take a picture. Coincidently, this grey tank was the first Lago tank I made to test fit.
I wore the leggings with the side vents and felt very stylish! The Husband said it looked like I bought my tank, which sounds like a weird compliment, but it means it looked very professional. I was proud!
I also had to make a pair of shorts for the Star Trek Exhibit and took a better picture of them with the shirt I wore.
I also tie dyed the Star Trek weekend! It was lots of fun, especially since our friends were here. The boys played video games while we sweated our butts off for fancy fabric art! 🙂 Here’s what they looked tied and dyed:
And here’s what they looked like washed and dried:
I wasn’t sure about the green one at first, but I think I can make it work. I plan to make a maxi dress with the purple one and a skirt, possibly a dress for the green one.
I’m discovering wardrobe holes this summer! I have all sorts of shorts, but they tend to be colors that don’t necessarily match other things, so I need to make a black pair of shorts. I thought I had pants linen left over, but discovered I could make either a back or a front for a pair of shorts, but not both. That would certainly be awkward! I do have material from the discount store that was going to be a skirt, but I need shorts more, so I will use that.
Plain tanks, of course, because I can wear them under cardigans and not be too hot. And suprisingly, a couple more pairs of sleep or lounging shorts. And I always need more dresses. Shark Week starts on the 28th, so I need to finish a couple more things before that too. This weekend we don’t have to much planned, so maybe some of those things will get done then.
For now though, I need to go cut out some more tank tops and shark items. See you later!
Just Keep Sewing! Just Keep Sewing!
I feel slightly like Dory lately, from “Finding Nemo” and “Finding Dory,” in that I seem to have a short attention span for sewing projects lately and lots of indecisiveness for what to actually make.
I do need to get my shark themed outfits done for Shark Week, which starts on July 28th! I have three more things to make, I think, and then will be able to wear shark or ocean themed outfits all week! Oddly enough, I don’t think anyone will actually notice. My teen clients last year mostly just rolled their eyes at me when I told them they should be watching it, but I have hope this year, as I have some younger kids who do like sharks. I have to have someone to talk to about it after all! The Husband can only take so much. 🙂
I didn’t sew any shark themed items this week. I was focused on tank tops for part of it and workout gear. I did make a sleep tank top out of the scrap material from my SIL’s sweary panda shirt, but out of deference to my Mom, I won’t show it.. 😉 It’s got a cute panel on the front with the pandas and pink cotton lycra along the sides and back. It was really cute for my first time color blocking a pattern.
I hacked the Bonus Tank from George and Ginger to make it. I have used this pattern four times now, as it is a free pattern and has only three pieces. It includes actual pieces for the neck and armbands and it’s been nicer than having to measure them out. I’ll show you two other versions, but the third one isn’t done yet. It still needs bands and adjustments.
This one is from a remnant from Joann’s. It was actually the smaller of two cuts that I bought. The bigger one will be a skirt, I think. I believe it is rayon spandex, but I keep forgetting to take a picture of the end of the bolt with the info. It’s lovely, soft, and very light, even in the heat. It also goes perfectly with my blue chambray shorts I made last year.
This one is from a performance fabric, I believe nylon and spandex, also from Joann’s. All the performance and printed knits were on sale for $7.99 a few weeks ago and I stocked up. They are normally $13-20 a yard. I also had coupons!
It’s a bit of a different fabric that I normally use, but is supposed to be moisture wicking and all that fancy stuff. It’s soft and comfy. This was the first one I made and I have since narrowed the shoulders a bit as they were a tiny bit too big.
I also made these leggings with cutouts that I think are super trendy and cute.
They are just black cotton lycra with these panels and I don’t have a good picture of them on. I still have to take about two inches off the bottom of the leggings, but it won’t affect the panel at all. I am short, so the Capri length are actually somewhat closer to ankle. Chances are good I won’t want air conditioning in my leggings in the winter! The Husband thought they were cool too.
Since it has been so hot lately, of course, the best thing to do is to make a sweater, right? 🙂 I actually pulled this out to make because I knew exactly what I wanted to make with it, so it was something I could do quickly. I think it looks cute on me and this pattern has some magic that makes me feel cute, even in a slimmer cut. The fabric is a double knit and was from the Discount Fabric Outlet, which sadly, has closed. 🙁 I had just enough to make it work. The neckband is navy cotton lycra, as the blue floral doesn’t have enough stretch to work for that.
It’s the Fall In Love Sweater from Ellie and Mac. I love it! I have made a black and rose sweater in this pattern too and probably will end up with a couple more for fall and winter. It’s the perfect professional sweater pattern.
In a more seasonally appropriate direction is this dress, which is the Brunch Blouse from Patterns for Pirates extended to my actual dress length with a slight High/Low hem.
If you remember, this is a pattern I have made before, but forgot to add more to the skirt portion when I shortened the torso and ended up with a lovely tunic instead. Joann’s came to the rescue as they had almost perfectly matching bias tape and thread to finish the edges. It is made from rayon voile, which I bought after seeing the fabric on clearance online. I have not worked with this fabric before, but it is so smooth and floaty that I want all of it now. It works perfectly for a little summer dress! I have worn it belted to a friend’s birthday party and with a cropped jean jacket for work (which I thank the same friend for making me buy it every time I pull it out.) It looked lovely both ways and makes me feel super stylish and cute. I plan to make more of this pattern as well.
I have been finding a couple of stash busting hashtags on Instagram that I’m hoping will help inspire me to keep evaluating and adjusting my wardrobe. I’m finding that my style is really emerging and I’d like to keep up that momentum.
This weekend I have fun plans to try tie dying some white cotton lycra to see how it works and I will have some cute things to make after that. For the summer, all the online fabric places have really cool tie dye fabrics and my friend and I decided to try to make some on our own. And of course, my list of projects grows ever longer. For example, how cute are these patterns I found at the bag sale at my local quilt store?
I blame my MIL for part of them. It’s okay though, she got similar fabric (the water color looking ones) to me and blames me for that.
It’s dangerous when we shop together. Also, she has the ruler I need for the Twister Gnomes, so how could I not get it? And and iron pattern called “The Irony?” I mean.. I’m their target market on that one. (By the way, everyone may get a gnome themed table runner this year. Hope you don’t mind… 😉
To distract from more fabric purchases (although they do have a purpose- a quilt with the watercolors/batiks and a skirt or shirt with the floral,) I’ll leave you with this derptastic picture of Fancy on a car ride.
I hope it makes you smile as much as it did for me!