Noodlehead, Super Tote

My favorite sewing projects are always bags! One size fits all and each one is fun to create. At the end of the summer, I started searching for a teacher tote to take to school. I needed a tote to carry my grade book, notebook and calendar stuff. I found Noodlehead's Supertote, perfect for any teacher!

I did not have enough fabric to make it when I looked through my stash, so I found all of my favorite scraps and started to piece them together. Most of them are out-of-print fabrics from Amy Butler collections. I also took a shortcut and used canvas webbing for my straps. Last but not less, the bottom of the tote was not sturdy enough so I added plastic to the base.

The Super Tote design is the perfect size for a teacher tote. I can store two 1.5" notebooks inside. There is also a slip pocket on the outside perfect for my badge and pens and an interior elastic slip pocket for post-its and other office supplies. I love that the top has a zipper closure, however, I have not used it since I am carrying notebooks around. I highly recommend making the Super Tote. This pattern is written well and is easy to understand.

Best wishes and tons of stitches!

Kitchen Update!

Let me start by saying, we moved into our house fall of 2003. We loved our red kitchen but as time progressed our red kitchen was not as trendy as it was 15 years ago and we needed an update. It felt like every night we were eating at McDonald's with this tomato red color on the walls. There have even been psychological studies that have reported that the colors red and yellow make you hungrier.

Not what my family needed, so we painted it a beautiful blue-grey and I got new stools, curtains, and a new kitchen nook table. It is amazing how a little paint can totally change a room.

It still needed a few Sew Spoiled details, so I monogrammed the kitchen sink curtains. I love how they came out. I am looking for some kitchen towels to monogram as well. I found this Split Vintage Regal Embroidery at EmbroPlanet. I had the font for the Williams name in the Embrilliance Software I use.

It would be nice to update the light fixtures and get a rug for the kitchen nook table but all in good time. Maybe even redo the floors!

Here is a closer look at the monogrammed curtains.
Best Wishes and tons of Stitches!
Leah

Veruca Salt Dress

Every year we perform a musical and one of the highlights for me as a theater mom and seamstress is I get to make costumes! I love sewing and when I can sew for a show or for a music reason it is awesome! This year was Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and I was able to recreate Veruca's red dress. The first step is to find a sewing pattern that I can manipulate to look like what the character needs.  I wanted to make the dress out of Pont de Roma fabric so it moved with the actress. Then I remembered the Marianne Dress by Christine Haynes, it is perfect because it also had a peter pan collar.

The peter pan collar did have some issues. I did not want a t-shirt binding. Also, the back of the collar did not have a collar. I drafted a back collar piece and since the opening was not stretchy, I created a keyhole with a button and loop closure.

I lengthened the sleeves and used the cuffs from the pattern for long sleeves. Next, we added the buttons! We also added ribbon for the waistband that goes across the front and back.

 I used tape to give myself a guide for all of the front buttons. Then I had a guide for my buttons.

They turned out great and then I added cuffs to the sleeves and buttons on the cuffs.

As soon as she put the dress on she started acting in character, that is a sure sign that we got it right!

I love sewing for the theater. I could see myself doing that after I retire from music teaching.

Best wishes and tons of stitches.

Amy Butler In Town Bag, Enclose Zipper

I created a Schoolhouse Tunic March 2010 using this gorgeous fabric Anna Maria Horner, Good Folks Fortune in Chocolate and since then I realized I don't wear it anymore and I still love the fabric! That's when I realized I have to upcycle it and make it something new. I chose to make the Amy Butler, In Town Bag. It is a super small bag so I knew right away that the button closure would not work for me. Then I thought about a magnet closure but that would take up more of the inside of the bag. I found a tutorial on how to apply an enclosed zipper!

This bag is tiny and to best utilize the space a zipper was the best closure. I used 4 pieces of fabric cut to 9" long X 1.5" wide to create the enclosed zipper.

I placed leather for the bottom of the bag. It is easier to keep it clean and looks great!

I did sew in the slip pocket template on one side of my bag. The zipper closure falls over the pocket to keep items from falling out. If you are interested in learning how to enclose a zipper check out this Baker Bag Tutorial the zipper part starts at 13:5 in the video.
This was a beautiful schoolhouse tunic but I love the bag even more!

Best wishes and ton of stitches!

Sew Over It Heather Dress #3

I made a plaid Heather Dress designed by the Sew Over It! Making anything out of plaid is extremely hard. You have to make sure you are lining up all of the horizontal and vertical lines with the grain lines on the paper pattern pieces. I used a ruler on top of my paper pattern pieces to make sure that everything lined up. It took longer to true up the fabric than it took to make the actual dress but it was well worth it! In the end, I had to decide that the horizontal lines mattered more. I placed also paid close attention to where the notches where on the separate pattern pieces so when I sewed them together it would also align. If you don't want to deal will plaid craziness and you still would like to have plaid on your dress, you can use plaid fabric for the center front and back pieces of the pattern.

I am not sure I recommend others to sew this dress pattern totally in plaid. Many have used a plaid or other design for the center panel and that works very well. I am a crazy person, who loves a challenge and the feeling of frustration in my sewing space. This is a size 10, bust size 35. You really need to follow the 5/8" seam allowance as you are sewing the entire dress pattern. I wish there was a neckline band pattern piece, it states in the pattern to measure and then attach it. I guess the reason for having you measure your own neckline is because all of the seam allowances come together there (6 different seam allowance sewn) if you did not follow the 5/8" seam allowance then your neckband piece would be different in length. I will definitely buy more Sew Over It designs! I am looking at the  Ultimate Trousers sewing pattern. I love making my own clothes. I can create what I want in a garment. I don't have to wait for someone else to design it for me. I don't have to hunt for clothes online and/or look for it in the stores around me. Sewing gives me the freedom to make and wear what I love. What is on your sewing table?
Best Wishes and Tons of Stitches!

Two Zipper Hipster Review

This pattern is called the Two Zipper Hipster, by Dog Under My Desk. I first reviewed it four years ago here after receiving my embroidery machine for Christmas 2014.

I love this design and I have to say I believe this crossover bag to be the best crossover bag pattern out there. The slip pocket and zipper front pocket is super convenient. I use it for my phone and glasses. The adjustable strap makes this bag perfect for anyone.

I personalized the front of the zipper pocket with my initials and added a Sew Spoiled design on the back. Selfish sewing is so much fun!

I realized when I got home from the fabric store that I bought the wrong color in zippers. I bought navy and the denim was not navy and not dark enough to be black. Well, with black zippers it looked navy and with navy zippers, it looked black. So I decided to go with light blue and match the embroidery to tie it all together. This also made me realize that you could do this with a variety of colors; making the embroidery and the zipper color match.

I also changed the top of the slip pocket zipper panel to accent the blue zipper color, this fabric is also the lining fabric. I couldn't be happier with the entire project!

Sew Over It; Heather Dress #2

See I told you, after sewing Heather Dress #1, here is Heather Dress #2. This time I used a sweater knit fabric. It is so warm, comfortable and soft. Great for the wintery weather we are having in the south this year. Also, the pockets seem to perform better in this fabric choice.

Here is a close up of the pocket!

I again had a little extra fabric. So I made a knit pencil skirt. I just used a pencil skirt that I had in my closet as a pattern. Yay, I love getting a little extra fabric for one more design. This stretches my fabric wardrobe budget.

Piecing everything together can be fun and give you the boost you need to start sewing!

I love how easily this dress comes together. It looks professional but at the same time feels great. I can teach music and move around and look great all at the same time.

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