Summer Knitting

Knitting is usually the last thing I think of in the summer. I am swimming, sewing up adorable sun dresses and creating bright beautiful pieces. Why would you want to sit and knit? Well, this summer I tried it. It always takes longer for me to complete a knitting project and I have more time in the summer to create projects so I gave it a try.

I have to say I loved it! I watched movies with my kids and knit. I took them to band and cheer camps and knit. It gave me something to do when I sit. It is a lot better than sitting and looking at my phone.

I chose this beautiful sea foam color because it reminded me of the beach. The pattern is the Everyday Cardigan by Lisa Clarke. It is a fast knit and there is no button band.

I added shell buttons to add to the beach theme and sea foam color. I think it is beautiful and I can't wait to wear it! The yarn is 100% acrylic, With Love from Red Heart Yarn. I like acrylic yarn because it is not itchy, I can wash it in the washer and it doesn't shrink.

I will definitely knit more in the summer months. Love my new sweater.

New Ruby Red Slippers!

 I found ruby red slippers! I was walking through Walmart and decided to check the shoe section. I was going to pick up a pair of Ked-like shoes to paint and add sparkle when I saw these! They are kid shoes, but the size 5 fit my size 7 feet.

Can't wait to see what costumes I will be able to make. I have created a Wizard of Oz Pinterest Board to collect ideas with. I love my new shoes and I am ready to follow the yellow brick road through The Wizard of Oz musical adventure. 

Embroidery, The Wizard of Oz

I have been on a Wizard of Oz kick lately. I am working with a fellow teacher on setting up a successful show for our students. A lot goes into a show and instead of kicking and screaming it is best just to embrace it and fall head over heels. I searched high and low for the perfect embroidery design for our show, The Wizard of Oz. I wanted only the title so I could place it on the lapel of any polo shirt. We will have t-shirts made too, but I wanted polos shirts for the adults who help. This design is from EmbroideryDesigns.com.

It worked perfectly! It is a little dense, so I used Pellon 808 craft fuse for my stabilizer. I didn't want the stitches to move around and get all yucky. If you do use craft fuse, remember to leave the fuse side facing up when embroidering the design.

Now I just need to find a pair of ruby red slippers. Any suggestions on where to find them?

Salme Buttonless Shirt #149

I am always on the lookout for new fun patterns that are simple and easy to make. This pattern is from Salme, and it is called the Buttonless Shirt, Pattern #149. This pattern is a great sleeveless shirt with a super cute collar.

After printing the template and taping it together. I realized that the bust dart and the hem were too low for my petite frame. The center opening needed to be stitched up a little higher when piecing the two front panels together. 

After making those adjustments and adding the seam allowance, I had the correct size and set to work. I adore the collar, as you can see in the picture above, you do need to use interfacing to help create a sturdy collar. I love that there are no buttons, zippers or even elastic notions in this pattern. All you need is fabric and thread. You can make this a shirt or dress with a belt. I love that I can use my favorite cotton fabrics to create this cute shirt/ dress pattern. You could use other materials, but cotton is my favorite.

After making this pattern, I realized you can wear it in many different ways; shirttail out, shirt out with a belt or tucked in. Can't wait to make more!

Miss Tippy Toes!

Miss Tippy Toes from Dolls and Daydreams Pattern company is a beautifully designed pattern that demonstrates how to construct a button arm joint so that the arms can move 180 degrees. I started this project back in December, after cutting everything out and embroidering the face, 

I stopped. 

That is right; this is not a painted face. You can buy the embroidery face design from her shop too! This beautiful face is called the Kawaii Doll Face.  

I enjoy making dolls but hand stitching the face can be challenging. Using my embroidery machine to stitch the face was fast and easy. I decided to embroider one piece of fabric and then go back and cut out the face using the template. That way I did not have to worry about the placement of the embroidery design. 

However once I embroidered the face, I was unsure if the project would work. See the stitch count was a little dense and I was worried the doll would have a wrinkly face. So I stopped the project, I didn't even want to try it. I put all of the cutout pieces in a ziplock bag and tucked it into my fabric stash. 

It wasn't until yesterday that I came across the zip lock bag. I took out all of the doll pieces and decided to give it try again.  She was worth it; the project turned out great, and my daughter loves her. 

I want to try this pattern again with new fabrics! 

I am so glad that I came across this project. She is super cute, and I know this doll will be loved. Can't wait to sew another doll, so she has a friend to play with.

T-Shirt made from ready wear Dress

I have been on the hunt for the perfect t-shirt sewing pattern. The closest perfect t-shirt I have found that is almost perfect is the Plantain Shirt from Deer and Doe. I wanted a different look so I tried tracing a ready to wear knit dress. I wanted the fit without buying another apparel pattern and wondering if the fit would be right. I laid the ready to wear dress on a large piece of paper on the floor and traced the front and back of the dress. I traced the whole dress incase later I wanted to make one, then I folded the paper template so I would have the correct size for a t-shirt. I traced the sleeve carefully by using the fold line at the top of the sleeve and drawing the curve. The neck line did not have a collar, so I had to add enough extra fabric to  fold the neck line twice to create a finished edge.
I love the fit and the pattern cost was $0!!! I have a bad habit of buying new patterns when I have the same one just with a slight style change. Of course,  I like to read patterns like some people read recipes.

Happy Sewing!

Sew Spoiled Wristlets!

Every year in the spring I make a ton of these wristlets. They make great gifts for any occasion. The hardest part about creating them is having to give them away. Last spring I created this easy tutorial on how to create a should/ wristlet strap.  It really helps to have the ability to use it both ways.

The fabric is called Amelia Paisley, "Release it or Bless it." I saw it and fell in love. I bought two yards without knowing how I would put it to use. These are all colors I love to wear in the spring. I bought different colored zippers to install in each wristlet. The lining is Michael Miller's pinhead dots in stone. If you want to make some of these adorable wristlet you can find the pattern here.