Divided Basket #2

While visiting my mom, I subbed in her monthly game of Bunco.  Everyone brings a prize or gift so everyone goes home with something.  I got the text saying I was playing Bunco two days before I left to come visit.  The theme for gifts was Summer.

I really didn't want to spend money (I kinda splurged recently on some patterns and shoes), so I decided to make another divided basket (first one here).

By the time we had finished cleaning and organizing her craft room (and I had washed off the grime) I only had just over an hour to get this made.

I tried to do as much of the same thing at the same time to avoid things like going-back-and-forth-wasting-time.  I ironed all the interfacing on first then sewed as much as I could of everything before I needed to iron again.  It worked pretty well, I feel as if I was quite efficient.  

The only thing I'm not happy with is my top-stitching.  It's shoddy and I was totally rushing.  The layers of fabric and interfacing get really thick and where the handles are it's even thicker.  When I was trying to maneuver the divider around the bottom of my sewing machine I forgot to make sure my needle was down and I moved my basket all kinds of crazy ways.  I then had to try and line up my top-stitching again.  It's definitely not even.

This is the only picture that accurately shows the color of the green gingham.  I didn't have time to take pictures before we had to leave for Bunco, so I took pictures in my mom's car while we were driving there.  No judging please, I already know I'm crazy.

I have another basket I need to make this week for a baby shower this weekend, but I'll definitely be taking more time on the top-stitching this time.  I already have the fabric for that one and it's going to be so cute that I can't wait to see it all put together.

A Blast from My Past

This past weekend for Mother's Day I went to visit my mother (cause I like her and she's my mom and stuff).  She wanted to organize and rearrange her craft/guest room while I was there, so we were busy all day.  While going through some of her fabric, I thought some of it was quite hilarious and had to share.

I haven't seen these cut-and-sew panel thingies in years but looking at this particular one, I think I'm ok with that.  My mom  wants to inform you all that I just about died with laughter after finding out the circles around the vest are to make yo-yo's to go ON to the vest (supposedly embellishing it).  She threatened to make it and give it to me as a gift.  She has an awesome sense of humor.

Star Trek fabric!  I look at this piece and remember all the years of watching Star Trek because with my dad in charge of the TV, it was that or nothing.  I guess you can find just about anything these days, but this was bought at least 15 years ago.  That makes it almost vintage for sewing.

My mom says this is Daisy Kingdom fabric.  I remember when my little sister was about 4, I found a Daisy Kingdom dress at a garage sale around the corner from home and brought it home for her.  That's about the extent of my Daisy Kingdom experience besides a few patterns found in bargain bins at the fabric stores (except my mom just informed me the vest up above is also Daisy Kingdom). 

We found some vintage UFO's in my mom's craft room too.  Like this blouse.  She has it all finished except buttonholes and button.  I actually tried it on and think it'd be cute over a shirt with a single button to keep it half closed.

The neckline has this cute curve that looks like it should be folded over/ironed into a lapel.  I think the print is super cute and this shirt is totally wearable (so she should finish it).

Here's another UFO of my mom's.  I feel I should mention that both of these were made when I was really, really little (read over 20 years ago). This one is a button-down midi-skirt with patch pockets.  I've totally seen these coming back into style, yet another wearable garment- if it were finished.  

She's already finished the hard part in my opinion- all those buttonholes!  I think I counted 8 total, that's 8 more than I'm usually willing to do (I'm a big fan of sewing clothes with closures that don't involve buttonholes).

It's even marked where the buttons need to go.  The ONLY thing not done on this skirt is the buttons.  I vote this one should be finished too.

This is actually one of my unstarted projects from elementary school.  We used to have a dress code before uniforms at the school I attended and I was going to make this dress (view B).  There was another girl in my grade who wore dresses with buttons and sleeves and I usually wore jumpers.  I wanted my own dress with buttons and sleeves so I intended to make this one.   Obviously it never happened, the fabric didn't even get cut.

A close up of the fabric I chose in 5th grade.  I still like it!

I adore this fabric.  Look at how much cuteness is contained in one cut of cloth.  Those airplanes kill me!  I can totally picture this made into a little boys shirt with the airplane stripe going across mid-chest.  

This is the phone pic my mom snapped for Facebook.  I think we did a good job.  Lots of work but now it's a space capable of lots of fun (sewing- duh!).  I also cleaned and organized my own room right before I drove to my mom's (no pics, it's boring), but now I better cool it on the cleaning front before my housemate expects me to start picking up my crafting projects.  Hehe.

Wardrobe Architect

I stumbled upon a blog a few weeks ago that was going through Colette's Wardrobe Architect.  I was intrigued so I went exploring.  At the time I thought it sounded interesting, but not for me.  

Today I got out of bed and could not find a single thing to wear:  

t-shirt- too clingy or too thin or doesn't fit or wrong length sleeves...

skirt- too short for today's weather

blouse- I only have one and it's stained (why do i still have it?)

jeans- only have one pair and they're in the laundry pile

dress- don't feel like it

sweater- I wear that one too much already, but hardly any of the rest

Piles and piles of clothes reside between my floor, my closet and my dresser, yet I can't find anything to wear?  I admit to having I-don't-like-my-body-fat-to-show-itis most days, and today I had a major case of it. That only increases the guilt I feel looking at my plethora of clothes that I know I'm being quite ungrateful for.

I went to my collection of patterns next, thinking, "If only I had a shirt I wanted to wear, this could be fixed."  After quickly looking through my paper patterns I pulled one out to trace so I can get started on a muslin.  Then I go through my fabric stash to look for the perfect fabric to pair with this pattern:  

-that one needs washed still

-that one is too heavy

-I don't like that print for me

-those are saved for the nieces' Christmas dresses that didn't get sewn

-that one I bought to go with another pattern

-that one is too expensive to use on a shirt

-that one I really like and am therefore afraid to use...

This sounded all too familiar... because I had already done it this morning with my clothes!  Honestly, I was so disgusted with myself.  What else is there to do but give up, plop on the couch and browse the internet for cute shoes.  Somewhere in the midst of ballet flats and oxford heels, I remembered that Wardrobe Architect thing.  Web-searching for it was super fast and before you know it, I'm writing a blog post committing myself to at least go through it.  The worse thing it can do is not help, in which case I'm just back here looking at shoes. 

Some of the things asked on the first Wardrobe Architect post that I really identify with:

-You acquire things you don’t use

-You feel regret over purchases, whether it’s fabric you’ll never use or a blouse bought because it was on clearance

-You tend to buy quantity over quality more than you’d like

-You buy things that are “close enough.”

-You have an overwhelmingly long list of sewing projects you want to make and no idea of how to prioritize them

-You feel like your wardrobe is all over the place

-You don’t know how to put outfits together from what you have, so you keep acquiring more instead

Ok, that's almost all of them.  Looks like I might really benefit from this.  ~insert happy dance~  This should be interesting, I have no idea what I'm expecting, if I'm going to see that my tastes have changed, my body shape needs different styles, I am completely missing something from my wardrobe, no clue!  The only thing I DO know is I should go work on that I-don't-like-my-body-fat-to-show-itis disease thingy I have and get some more exercise...  soon.

It's a Celebration

Apparently starting a blog was not given a time slot in my calendar because it has not been happening.  I have been kept busy between sewing and work and occasionally sleeping.  Perhaps that's why I received an unfortunately timed cold early last week- one that is enjoying overstaying its welcome!  Today I'm rebelling against the over-abundance of cough drops I consumed all last week (to be able to continue sewing for the wedding that was yesterday) and am on a tea-drinking binge to soothe my exhausted and inflamed throat.  Thank goodness for being able to adjust my work schedule in times like this. 

My friend had her baby shower last weekend.  I love baby showers- all the adorable clothes, cute nursery decorations, enjoying friends company for the celebration, but mostly the anticipation of getting to meet the much-loved baby soon.  This little girl is already so special, it was wonderful being able to rejoice in this new life with her mama.

I knew I wanted to make the Noodlehead divided basket, so I bit the bullet and bought the pattern, not knowing if I'd have time to make it or not.  The night before the shower I decided to put wedding sewing on hold and make the basket.  I'm so glad I did, it's so cute and having made it once, I can only see it getting easier and easier (note: faster) to make.  The construction is genius and the finished product is so professional looking.  My only regret is I didn't follow the grain-line placement on the front pocket and it's quite obvious in the different direction the pattern on the fabric is going on that piece versus the handles and basket divider.  Lesson learned!

The morning of the shower I woke up and decided the baby and her older sister needed some matching clothes.  I only had an hour before I needed to leave to help set up, so I figured what's easier to make than circle skirts?  I used MADE's baby circle skirt pattern and her circle skirt tutorial for the skirts.  I wasn't about to hem circle skirts, even little ones, with my limited amount of time, so I chose the only color of bias tape that I had enough of for both skirts to finish the hems.  I think the result is pretty darn cute, and their mother loves them.  When I was at her house later that week, she was telling me that she almost cried at how little the baby's skirt is.  I think hormonal, pregnant women are adorable, seriously!  Obviously, I've never been through pregnancy myself, but I'm pretty sure I'll always find them adorable.

For the big sister's skirt I had to guess her waist measurement and I guessed slightly too big.  It's about two inches too big for her skinny body.  I haven't decided if I'm going to sew her a new one or put new elastic on the one already made.  Either way, I can't wait to see the sisters in their matching skirts!

Oh, I know I mentioned it at the beginning, but the wedding I was sewing stuff for happened and was beautiful and I am SO happy that my sewing-with-a-deadline is over.  I also finished the maternity bridesmaid dress (since it was for the same wedding) but have yet to get pictures of it (I was exhausted and sick and just didn't care at the time).  That'll have to be another time anyway, cause I need a new cup of tea.