I am crazy about a few things, hiking, fitness, my family, gardening and my dawgs! I spend almost all my time with my companions, Icey and Charlie. I decided to start making toys for them, bandanas and a few other things. More toy based than anything though. I started by making some bandanas with easy Velcro closings, for each of them. My dawgs love a good plush toy with a squeaker inside. That is what I made next. They love it when I throw their toys so, I made them in a flat form, to fly like a Frisbee! I used good quality Fleece and made them Square. I added a few Tassels to each corner. I stuffed them with high quality, non-allergenic Poly-Fil. I quilted them in a Tic-Tac-Toe pattern, enclosing the Squeaker in the center square. Both my dawgs love them, but Icey is Obsessed! Seriously.
The first time I showed it to him, Icey did this for 30 minutes, backing up and squeaking it. Pick it up, chew it, stand back up and start pawing and backing up again. By the time he was finished, he could barely breathe! I have to keep it out of sight so he won't kill himself playing with it! haha I made a 6 more in different colors. As I made them, my dogs sat patiently at my feet, waiting for their opportunity to snatch one and run off with it! I had other plans for them. I see an Etsy store in my future! Ok, I have had one for quite some time. I was just never motivated to add anything to it. I'm motivated now! A lady came to visit yesterday. Now, I only have 4 extra toys, she bought two of them! My first sales! Yeehaw! I better get busy. With Dawg Toys, Purses, Hats and various other things, I have a lot of work to do, to fill my store up!
I have made myself backpacks and purses and different other types of containers, over the years. A couple weeks ago, my mom saw a pink purse I created and mentioned that she would like one. Black, plain and elegant, bright lining, longer straps to carry comfortably over her shoulder. I am happy to oblige! I haven't seen my mom in 9 years and am planning a trip home next spring. I may have much more to give her than a purse, by then! I just basically drew my pattern exactly like the original pink purse. I just added a bit more length to the carrying straps. It was an easy modification. I chose a Black Dew Drop Suede for her purse, with a bright, colorful print for her lining. I started sewing and had a new purse in no time. I added a flap to attach to a button. This will keep it closed. I added an elastic band to fasten onto the button. I chose a Black enamel, Flower shaped button with a Crystal center. I top-stitched very close to all the edges, to give it a more finished look. The finished product, I hope she likes it! I'll let you know after she receives it. Now, to pack it and head to the UPS store!
After mom's purse was finished, I decided to make a "Blinged Out" version. Here it is!
I have now cut out a bunch of nice denim and am embroidering 'Samplers' on them. I may add leather fringe to some, I haven't decided yet.The possibilities are endless!
I love making backpacks and purses. It's a ton of fun and I can make them as creative or as plain as I like. I started with backpacks last year and I still carry my original creation, almost everyday. I use it as a purse. The cool thing about it is, nobody on the entire planet has one just like mine! I decided to make a super bright pink purse. I love PINK~ Seriously, I am obsessed with it. I know how I want it to look. I just want it to be rather large, soft, roomy with a strap to carry on my arm or shoulder. I want to embellish it with handmade fabric flowers and perhaps, scroll work and designs with some neon "Puff" paint. This should be fun! I start by cutting out my shell and lining. I decide to use water resistant GoreTex in hot Pink for the shell. I choose a bold stripe in dark Pink and White, for the lining. The Goretex is PITA to work with. The pins are very hard to get through. I am very careful to make sure they are inside my seam allowance, to help maintain the water resistance. I cut out all my pieces. I also decide to cut a pocket for the inside. I get the lining assembled with the pocket in place. I make the shell and then put it inside the lining, right sides together. I sew it all the way around, except for the long parts of the straps. I pull the entire purse through the strap openings. It's a bit of a tight squeeze, but with a little pulling and gentle tugging, it comes through with no problem. I attach the strap ends together and stitch all the borders. I make some colorful fabric flowers and sew them in a semi-random pattern. I add some bright buttons to the centers. Using my Dritz pen, I add some scrolls and squiggles around the flowers. I use my "Puff" paint pens to add some colorful details. I might add a few crystals too, I haven't decided yet. PICTURE
My finished purse. I like it pretty much. PICTURE The finished purse. This one is mine. I am making one for mom, in her chosen colors of Black with a Red interior. I am headed to JoAnn today, to pick up some Dew Drop Suede in Black. It's beautiful and will look awesome as a purse. I'll pick some pretty red print for the lining. I'll also add more length to the straps. Mine are a little shorter than I like and mom asked for hers to be longer. I think I'll make them all longer from now on. Pictures of hers when I get it made. PICTURE On to the next project. ~Originally posted on August 04, 2013, by Stef~
I have been working all week on my new self drafted Romper/Jumpsuit. It is nearly complete, and probably will be today, if I just go finish it. All it lacks is me deciding how short to make it. Then, I'll cut the legs off and hem it. I felt like working on something different though. So, from scrap fabric from my romper and some teal corduroy , I made myself a purse to match it. I had a pattern that I had been wanting to try for a while. I actually bought wooden rings to use for another view. But for this purse, I'll make View E from Butterick #4822. I got all the pieces cut out and the sew-in interfacing all secured and ready. I started getting the ruffles sewn in place on the front and back pieces. Sometimes, I do really need to stop and read the instructions. In this case, it would have saved me 30 minutes or more of frustration. I had sewn the ruffle sides down to the sides of the purse. If I had read, I would have known to finish the ends of each ruffle with a narrow hem. They were not to be enclosed in the side seams. The messy back. Luckily, it'll be hidden inside the purse and under the lining. It will never be seen. I made the shoulder strap and got it ready to add. Both halves pinned together. I'll sew three sides and leave the top open. The ruffles are all pinned safely out of the way, so I don't accidentally catch them in the seams. The lining has two pockets to hold items inside the purse. One is flat, the other will hold non-flat items. I sewed my lining all together and then pinned it to the shell of the purse. I started to sew them together, but... Almost as an afterthought, I decided to create a cloth fastener, instead of using a magnetic snap, which it calls for. I made a strip, added a buttonhole and with sew a big white flower button on, to keep it closed. So, I added the button flap and then finished sewing it. Then, everything it turned the right way and the lining is pushed inside the purse. A view from inside. The fabric fastener. I like it more that I think I would have liked a snap. My finished purse. <3 Me, holding it. I'll finish the romper and take another picture of the completed matchy, matchy outfit! That's all folks! ~Originally posted on June 17, 2013, by Stef~
Oh my! I saw this fabric and absolutely fell in love. It doesn't hurt that I was trying to find something more in the blue color scheme, to add some different color to my wardrobe. I might have enough pink by now! Nah! I'll make more pink, I just really want some pretty blues too! I'm thinking that I'll attempt to draft my own pattern for this garment. I basically want a jumpsuit, sleeveless, perhaps with a "Cold Shoulder" design. I want it full length, maybe belted. I am not sure how I want the neckline, I am kind of thinking a deep V, perhaps laced? We will see what I come up with. I bought a zipper to match, just in case I decide to zipper the back. I may lace both front and back, I'll decide later. For now, all I can add is a photo of my fabric and trim. If I draw and print a pattern, I'll try to capture it, if I just drape on my dress form to create, I'll photograph that process. So, the last few days I have been super busy working in my yard, planting and weeding. In addition to that, I have been hiking a lot, having 5 scheduled hikes in the next 7 days. But, I have managed to get a little spare time to work on my jumpsuit. My fabric. I love this! Starting to draw from an idea. I know I want a long jumpsuit/romper. My first draft, just to get an idea of how it will be. It will change a lot between now and when I finish it. For now, it's a sleeveless, full length jumpsuit. It will button up the front and I may or may not make a matching belt for it, haven't decided yet. I'm thinking I'll create laces up the back, how low I have not decided. Not too risque! After draping and checking measurements several times, used my tailor's marker and pins to add some guides to my fabric. I cut it out carefully, a bit larger than I'll need. I wanted to leave some room for mistakes. This is the beginning of the front, it's just pinned together to get an idea what direction I want to go. I had originally thought to make a V in the front and back,. so that is how I cut it. I knew that it is easily changed by cutting more off. I can't add it back though. haha After looking at it, I think I want a more scoop neckline. This is the back, pinned together. I'm not so sure I actually want laces, now that I cut it. I may just make a deep V in the back. We'll see. There is a lot of work to do before it's a wearable garment. I'll probably try it on 20 times, before then, just to get it right. I decide against the back laces. Instead, I think I'll add one fabric strip with a button hole, and a button to keep the back closed. It'll still be open, but won't continually fall off my shoulders. What a hassle that would be. I cut my strip out, sewed three sides and turned it right side out. I pressed it and will decide later, where it will attach and where the button hole will be. It's easy to add it. I pinned it in place and I really like it so far. I just stuck a white button up to get an idea how it will look. Hmmmm which buttons to use? I am going to add buttons to the front too, so I need to choose something I'll have enough of, or it'll be another trip to JoAnn! Like that would kill me! Perfection! And, I have 8 of them! These buttons have a kind of 'pearl-essence' look to them. They really look lovely next to the fabric. It is hard to see it in a photo though. I use my tailor's pen to draw a guideline where I want my neckline to be. While I'm at it, I get out my handy dandy tape to get an approximate measurement for the button band. Here, I have cut the excess fabric away to form my scoop neckline. I have also created a button band that I'll sew in place later. The band will contain the button holes. I finally got more time to work on it today, no hikes! I started by sewing the inseams on each leg. Then I sewed both halves together down the middle, around the crotch. I left plenty of room to attach my button flap on the front. Instead of piping or bias tape, I decided to add facing to the front and back necklines. I used my marker to draw these out. I cut them out and pinned them. I sewed them in place. After trimming and neatening up my edges, I turned them and ironed them flat. The neck facing finished and the button flap, before sewing it in place. I made and added my button flap to the front, right side. A tidbit of seamstress trivia, in case you didn't already know: When sewing buttons and button holes onto shirts or blouses, a man's shirt will button Left over Right. A woman's shirt or blouse will button Right over Left. The back with it's facing in place. I have not sewn my strap down yet. I'll do that after it's more complete, so I know just how long I'll need it. I sew the front and back together, adding a pocket on each side. I have to decide how I want my sleeves. I settle on a tank top, only I want wide straps over my shoulders.I draw it where I want it. And CUT! No turning back now! =D I measure and mark for buttonholes on the front flap. Buttonholes done. I decide to make some small "Epaulets" to go over each shoulder seam. I'll add buttons to secure them. I add buttonholes to the epaulets and my back strap, while I'm at it. Attaching the epaulet to the shoulder. Now I need a bunch of buttons sewn on. I changed my mind and used the pretty white, flower buttons, after all. A finished shoulder with the epaulet in place. Time for a fitting. Still need a few minor tweaks, but overall, I like it. I need to adjust the opening below my ark, if I had any boobs, they could possibly fall out! haha I have also decided to cut it into shorts. The weather here has been so warm. I'll be able to get good summer use from my romper/jumpsuit. I'll create a new one for cooler weather. I like this belt with it. I am going to make a purse to go with it, as well. The moment of truth. How much should I cut off? I made a jumpsuit a few weeks back and had it stop just above my knees. I might go a bit shorter for this one. Ok, I decided to go just above the knee. I am not trying to show leg. If I was, I have plenty of shorts to do that. lol You may notice a matching purse! I made it today, in a couple hours, from leftover fabric. Now, I'm all matchy matchy! Oooh La La! I'm pretty happy with the look. Now on to simpler things, like something with a ready made pattern. This took too long. I can only hope it goes smoother and faster as I get better at creating my own. =D
Oh yeah, you might notice something different about me. My hair is no longer pulled back into a braid or pony tail. Last Wednesday, I had the last 12 inches of it cut off. I have not had short hair since I was a baby. I seriously hated it the minute I got it cut. It has steadily grown on me since then and now, 5 days later, I love it! ~Originally posted on June 17, 2013, by Stef~
