The purple dress goes to the ball

or at least two weddings in the past week.  My sweet cousin got married last week to a truly swell guy and everything was beautiful, but she most of all.  So, so many people were blessed enough to witness all of this.  It was a wonderful time to spend with my family and see all the new babies.  I’m so glad that my cousin had such a great day as her wedding day.  She truly deserves it.  Today, one of my dear friends also married a wonderful guy.  The two of them were just overflowing with joy–just the kind of wedding you want to go to.

In honor of these two amazing ladies and because I thought this pattern was beautiful, I made my celebration dress–the Parfait dress from Colette patterns.  I made it in a purple cotton sateen which is lovely and cool but still has a “go to the wedding” finish on it (I’ve obviously sat down though from the wrinkles in the photo ).  Overall, this was not a difficult dress to sew and it was quite fun–no frustrating moments were had because the directions and diagrams were very simple to follow.  The pockets are my favorite detail…especially in this fabric–they just gathered themselves up into these lovely little entities that feel so good to pop your hands into.  I’m not happy about how the facing turned out, but that was user error I’m sure.  Go give one of her patterns a try–you will not be disappointed with the results. 

The hairpins are from Dandyapple.

 

Father’s Day Patchwork Tie Napkins Tutorial

Father’s Day brings two things to mind for me: handmade ties and a special breakfast. This year, in honor of Dad, combine these two icons of Father’s Day in these patchwork tie napkins.

Materials:
2 coordinating fat quarters
Thread to match
Scrap of cardboard or cardstock about 4” X 11”
Fabric scraps: one 4” X 4”; one 4” X 3”; one 4”X 2”; one
4” X 1.75”; one 4” X 1.5”; one 4”X 1”; one 4” X .75
Glue stick
Disappearing ink fabric marker or chalk
Scissors
Pins

Directions:
1. Create the tie template: At the top center of the cardboard, draw a 2” square. Mark the bottom center of the square. Make two marks at 7” and 9” down from the bottom center of the square. At the 7” mark, measure outwards 2” on either side. Connect the bottom edges of the square to these two marks. Connect each of these two marks then to the bottom point. Cut out the template.

2. Make the tie: Matching wrong sides together, sew two of the fabric scraps together at the 4” sides with a .25” seam allowance. Repeat with the remaining scraps until you have one long rectangle of scraps. Press the seams open so that they lay flat. Lay the tie template on the completed rectangle and trace around it with the marker or chalk. Cut out the tie and set aside.

3. Appliqué the tie: Paint the backside of the tie with the glue stick*. Affix the tie to the center right side of one of the fat quarters. Satin stitch around the tie to secure the tie to the fabric using a zigzag stitch.

4. Make the napkin: Cut the fat quarters to 18” X 18”. Save the scraps for another project. Match wrong sides of both of the fat quarters together and pin around the edges. Starting 4” from one edge, straight stitch all the way around the edges with a .5” seam allowance, leaving the last 3” unstitched. Clip the corners, being careful not to clip into the stitching. Turn the napkin right sides out through the opening. Press the napkin; making sure that your opening is turned under flush to the other edges. Topstitch around the entire napkin.

*You could affix the tie with Heat and Bond Lite, but since this project will come in contact with food, I figured something that is guaranteed non-toxic like a glue stick is a better option. Just be sure to wash the napkin before you use it to get out the glue.

 

Learning curves are irritating

 

I started making this dress earlier this week and though it turned out decently, it’s not my favorite.

What I like: I worked really hard at the fit and I learned a lot about my body in the process.  This fabric has a nice drape to it and though it’s wiggly, it wasn’t too bad to sew.

What could be better: sleeves are so tricky.  These ones just had too much fluff in them to start out with.  I decreased the sleeve cap and tried my best, but they are still less fitted than I like my sleeves to be.  I will fix them.  Also, the interfacing did not stick to this fabric at all, so the facings and the collar have a bit of loft which is not very flattering.  Though I shortened the bodice and the tissue fit was very very good, there was more ease in the entire dress than I expected, making my short frame look considerably plumper than it actually is.

What I really really don’t like at all:  This is a lesson in print choosing.  Prints on the bolt look much smaller I think than they end up looking on you.  I thought this was not NEARLY as busy as it turned out to be on me.  It’s still not that bad–last night as I was struggling with the sleeves, I was feeling like a big tacky American tourist on a tropical cruise.

 

A couple of maprons

I’ve been wanting to do some block printing on some aprons, so in between Noah eating, I managed to sew these aprons which, being much more masculine in nature, I’ll refer to as maprons. I won’t say what they’re for in case I might reveal something to their recipients who might happen upon this post.  I used my silverware stamp that I carved to print on them with screenprinting ink and some fabric paint. I learned several things about printing this week:
1.  You need to protect your work surface because even though you’re printing on your (nice) garage sale college boy table of your husband’s and even though you have a fabulous collection of vintage tablecloths to cover said table, blue screeprinting ink still leaves a mark.

2.  Stamps aren’t fond of printing on uneven surfaces, so that pocket that you so brilliantly placed in the middle of your design is going to need to be painted by hand after you stamp it to fill in where it didn’t print.

3.  Block printing with a newborn is not the most intelligent thing you will have ever tried to do because not only will he get upset upon not being able to see Mom over the couch, but all of that paint will dry completely on the stamp before you get back to it.

All of that in consideration, I’m pretty happy with how these turned out and I’m glad to be using this stamp for other projects.

I also made a pie for the final episode of Pushing Daisies that airs tonight (sad, sad, sad).  I’m enjoying this wee foray into piemaking.  I made two last week–the chocolate coconut that I posted and an old-fashioned apple pie that I made for a client of a friend.  I must say I love my little Pyrex pie plate–it’s just the perfect size for me and Nathan to eat without feeling like cows–plus it’s cute to bake in a pink dish.  As I was baking my cherry berry pie last night, I said to Nathan, “Why on earth did it taking Pushing Daisies and vintage Pyrex for me to love pie baking?”  Nathan laughed and I added, “There’s a sentence that hasn’t come out of too many people’s mouths.”

 

You need to read this book

In my quest to make this dress, I decided I really needed to understand the quirks about my own figure.  I’m hooked on sewing clothes for myself now, so I owe it to myself to be educated about fit.

Enter Fit for Real People.  I read some reviews on Amazon about it and it sounded like a good reference book, so I bought it.  I had no idea just how comprehensive or useful it really is. I feel like I blindly found the equivalent of Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  I think after I read this I’ll really have a good working understanding of how to fit patterns to me.  I really love the “you can do it” tone that it has and that their method does NOT require you to make 800 muslins for each dress you make.  Honestly, I’ve never been able to justify the waste of that much fabric.  I’m sure this method is not full-proof, like anything, but it sounds like it fits my personality/the way I problem solve much better than traditional approaches to fit issues. 

Apparently there’s a DVD that they made too–my library has it, so I put it on reserve for myself for kicks and giggles.

 

The Pie Hole (in my heart)

I am sad about Pushing Daisies. It seriously has to be one of the wittiest, most intelligent shows ever produced. It could not have a better cast or a more beautiful sense of style. The sets, the clothes, the lighting, all the nods to classic films are all totally jawdropping. So what does ABC do? They live on ridiculous shows like this and cancel Daisies. This is a serious blow.

There being just 2 episodes left, I’ve decided to bake a pie the next 2 weeks to mourn this loss bitterly. I think Ned and company would heartily support my efforts.
This week–a pie from my own head inspired by the Pie Hole’s menu: chocolate coconut cream, made w/o dairy for me baked in my vintage shallow pink Pyrex pie plate:

For a shallow 8 1/2″ pie:

Crust:  6 graham crackers ground, mixed with 1/4 cup sugar, 4 T of canola oil (although today I had lard)

Press into the pie plate and bake at 350 for about 12 minutes until nice and golden.  While the crust is baking, toast 1/2 cup of shredded coconut in a small baking pan next to the crust until golden–it might take a little longer than the crust, it might take less–just watch it because burned coconut is sad.  Set the pie crust and the coconut aside.

Filling:

In a 2 qt saucepan, whisk 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 1/2 tsp. flour, and a heaping T of cornstarch.  Slowly add 1 can of coconut milk.  Turn the heat on medium and bring to a boil, whisking constantly.  Have 2 egg yolks in a wee bowl off to the side.  When the coconut milk comes to a boil, boil for 1 minute, stirring vigorously.  After the minute, pour a bit of the boiling mixture into the egg yolks and whisk until combined.  Stir the egg yolk mixture into the rest of the coconut milk and return to the heat for 1 more minute.  Take the pan off the heat and add 1 cup of shredded coconut and 1 tsp. of vanilla.  Pour the filling into the pie crust and cover with plastic, making sure that the plastic touches the filling so it doesn’t get a skin on it.  Chill for 3 hours, or until good and cold then top it:

Topping:

Boil 1/2 cup of coconut milk.  Chop 1 bar of really dark chocolate–use your favorite and go as dark as you please.  I’m a fan of Lindt 70% myself as well as Green and Black Organic.  Add the chocolate to the coconut milk and stir off the heat until melted.  Pour on top of the pie.  Return the pie to the refrigerator and chill, uncovered now until the chocolate has set.  Just before serving, top with some toasted coconut that you set aside.

 

Bloomering in June

I have this little squeaking pig named Spam that I got when I was maybe 9 months old.  In high school he became the orchestra unofficial mascot and my audition distraction (how can you be nervous if you think about Spam?  It’s just kind of funny.).  I made him costumes for every show I’ve ever played including a Santa suit, a tuxedo, baseball uniform, pirate garb,  some beach gear, and my personal favorite: an Elizabethan-esque costume from Shakespeare play I played incidental music for.  I loved making all the little accessories for his outfits and dressing him up in them.  At any rate, in the same spirit, I felt that my little Craft Hope dolls really needed complete outfits so that their new owners could find the same simple joy that I did with Spam.  Here are some of the pictures of the dolls in the various components on their ensembles–there are more in my Flickr stream.

In their bloomers (these were my favorite to make–so easy–and almost instant gratification):

In their shirts, which ended up looking a lot like shift dresses:

With their jumpers/skirts:

So off they go to Nicaragua where I hope they will bring joy and love to some precious girls.

 

Gnomey the Janome

Hello.  Perhaps we’ve never properly met.  My name is Gnomey.  I’m Elizabeth’s sewing machine.  She’s always writing about the stuff that she sews, but I feel like since I’m really the one doing the heavy lifting, I should get my 15 minutes here.  Let me tell you a little bit about myself in honor of the Sewing Machine Meme at Sew Mama Sew.

What brand and model do you have?  I’m a Janome DC2007

How long have you had it?  I’ve lived with Elizabeth for 2 years now.

How much does that machine cost (approximately)?  I was about $400.

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?  Mostly I spend my days making bags and garments with the occasional curtain and pillow. 

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?  I get used almost every day.  It’s a good thing Elizabeth takes the time to change my needle frequently and dust me out because I go through a lot on a daily basis and a girl can get tired out without some TLC.

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Elizabeth assures me pretty constantly that I am dearly loved and could never be replaced. 

What features does your machine have that work well for you?  I know Elizabeth loves my easy to read seam guides, the speed control, my user friendly nature, my solid construction, and how I can speed through any and all fabric she throws at me. 

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?  We had an incident with stitch #11 last year when she was making a swimsuit.  There was a seam ripper involved.  There were some ugly words said on both of our parts.  We both apologized.

Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!  Elizabeth bought me after sewing 4 yards of fabric into an enormous curtain by hand.  I make her life considerably easier.  She named me Gnomey because it rhymes with Janome and because I have this darling little night jacket to wear:

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?  I would heartily recommend myself to anyone thinking about buying a sewing machine.  I could not be easier to operate and because I’m a Janome from a dealer, I came complete with free classes and support from my store (very helpful for you beginning sewers).

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?  .  I think all machines should have needle up/down, lots and lots of feet (doesn’t every girl like a ton of shoes?), speed control on the foot pedal, sturdy construction (plastic parts just feels fishy), a good manual, and a good workhorse mentality.

Do you have a dream machine?  I am a dream machine, really…quite the rock star.

 

Holy Chicken Batman (Said she who is so excited about the giveaway winner)!

I’m totally amazed by all of you lovely people stopping by to comment on my little purse and give me some insights into your bag ideals.  122 entries?!  I’m flattered.  What a wide variety of insightful thoughts you gave!  I shall certainly keep these things in mind as I make bags in the future.

For all of you who are new here–welcome!  I hope this can be a little space you can come to see what’s going on.  If I inspire you to cook or make something pretty or even (I know this is kind of crazy for a lot of people) listen to some quality opera, it’ll be a good thing.  But let’s face it–you want to know who one the delightful little bag with the yellow handles, right?

A lot of people commented on the post about the dress and not the giveaway post–don’t feel silly if you did–WordPress puts their comment section in a different place in a post than I think every other blogging site does.  So what I did to make this the fairest I could was to number all of you fantastic people by the order in which I received your comments in my email…I know this means that you don’t know what number you are, so you’ll just have to trust me.  That being said the winner is: DebbieKL of Our Side of the Mountain.  Congratulations!  Thanks again to everyone who entered.  I need to do more giveaways.  This was super fun.

 

May Giveaway Day

I’m giving away this purse for Sew Mama Sew’s Giveaway Day. It is a nice little summery bag with button decoration and patchwork lining and spiffy yellow handles I pirated off of a thrift store find. It is about 9″ tall and about 14″ at the base.

To win, leave a comment here telling me what features you would put on your ideal purse.  For me, my perfect purse is a wristlet with lots of pockets and a lot of storage in a very small amount of space.  I’ll pick a winner at random on June 1st.  You may enter up until June 1st at 8 am MST.