2015 (in blog) Review

Wow another year has gone by! Just wow! It amazes me. Looking back I feel like I worked a lot and didn't spend a lot of time doing crafts and sewing. I wanted to sew more. That didn't really happen.




I will say that while I did not sew as much as I wanted to, I DID get rid of a lot of things. I did a lot of refashioning last year (see 99 refashion challenge) and I had a lot of clothes. Too much clothes, so I have been on a purge and then purged again. And then during my Christmas break, I purged yet again more things. It is so freeing to not have so much stuff. According to my boyfriend, I can get rid of more. But hey, baby steps.



Let's recap my post from the beginning of this year (and laugh), all of my comments are in RED

 For this year, I want to continue to get rid and use the stuff I have. Also a LOT of sewing. I really want to get this fabric stash of mine down. Also this is a blog about sewing ;) Well I think we all know how this turned out... I didn't sew very much and the stash did not decrease- it increased! Sigh... Craftsy had a sale, blah!

1. Continue the RTW Fast
I enjoyed it so much this year that I want to continue. And well frankly, I just don't spend that much time shopping anymore. It is not that hard of a stretch.
Nope! This ended when I needed something for an event and fast. I could have sewed but with little time this did not happen. I opted to purchase some nice things, like sweaters and pants. I just can't make those, and I live really close to Ann Taylor Loft and when they have sales, just wow. So I broke

2. Make 1 thing from each sewing book. I am bringing this back from last year. And if I don't use them, it is time to part. NOPE>>>>>>> Nothing. I don't even want to talk about it. :(

1. Burda Style Sewing Handbook
2. Thrifty Style
3. 49 Sensational Skirts
4. Generation T
5. Custom Couture
6. Pattern Magic 
7. Pattern Magic 2
8. Pattern Magic Stretch Fabric
9. Drape Drape 1
10. Drape Drape 2
11. Drape Drape 3
12. Little Green Dresses

3. Pattern Review.com, again bringing this back from last year. I really should get my reviews online.
This is almost comical, the answer is no.

4. Sew through my scraps, make for charity. Goal for charity is 300!!!!! Yes, setting those sights high. But in all honesty, a quick sew bib, counts as 1. I am aiming for bibs, dolls, dresses, shoes, and maybe stuffed animals. And really, that adds up fast. Bibs themselves add up fast. And I purchased a bolt of fusible fleece last year in hoping I would have more spare time but I did not.
Well I got halfway... 150! Wahoo. That is impressive. So impressive, I needed another bolt. I haven't used all of it, but I got another one. Yay! I will award myself 0.5 points.

5. Sew through my fabric.  Get it down to 1 suitcase. For reals! I have been saying this for a long time but then I got that Groupon to G Street Fabrics and discovered their discount wall. OMG it is heaven. But I got cool fabric. I was doing so well until that groupon and an insane fabric sale at Hancock Fabrics. Who can pass up wool that cost normall $27/yard for 2.97? Seriously!!!!! also decided to not put a number on it but I will still keep track. And I am still a member of MGAM (make a garment a month). So minimally I should make 12 things for myself. That is easy and less stressful.
Um no, I have more. But I will give myself 0.5 because I did sew 12 things for myself.

6. Sew something for my boyfriend. I have always wanted to try out a men's pattern. It is worth a try. He is always whining complaining talking about how I never try sewing for him. 
Boom! Yes! I have not blogged about it yet but I have sewn 2 things for him now. I have made him 2 simple mens tshirts that actually fit his really broad shoulders. The first one was a muslin. The second one I just finished and it is fabulous. He was so happy. +1 point for me!

7. That darn T-shirt quilt of mine!!!! It is no longer an option... it is a must! Bonus if I sew one of my quilt patterns I purchased with a gift card I was given...
well I have sewed the blocks together and began the back. I have not finished it yet b/c I am a big chicken. I big, fat chicken. only 0.5 points to me, at least I got some sort of nerve to finish it. The quilt is HUGE, quite like a beast.

8. Finish 1 craft kit, most likely the irises latch hook.
Yeah nope. 

7. Get rid of 1 the bling/sewing stuff boxes. I have boxes of hem tape, hem lace, bias tape, piping. Not to mention all those beads and sequins.
Oh yeah, I got rid of more than 1! It was like 3-4, I forget. But I had to since I um, err had more fabric. Sad. But +1 point for me.

8. Get the coverstitcher to work and behave. So far I have not been successful.
Big fat chicken over here. I have no idea why that machine scares me. I tried to find someone to pay for their time and have not been successful.

9. Read another book for fun. But also read 3 science books.
+1 Boom done!

10. Sewing goals: shorts, pants, coat, pintucking, shirring, circle attachment, try and use all of my sewing feet. I am still putting together this list.
nope, nope, nope, nope.

11. Get my Refashions down to 1 bag. I decided last minute to stop putting numbers to my sewing and just roll with it- the biggest thing I need to do  again with everything I have in my current stash- doable.
nope, I actually inherited some cool things.

12. Make it through 1 round of T25.That is 10 weeks of cardio madness.
I have almost finished alpha so 0.5 points to me.

13. Finish going through all of my bellydance DVDs. I am sort of embarrassed I didn't finish this last year. Where did the time go?
yeah no but in all fairness I am not dancing.



14. Try something new and different. Anything! I may be strong enough for trapeze soon. Thank you aerial yoga!
This girl got on a Segway for a tour and DID NOT HURT HERSELF. It was sort of crazy but then I was a natural on it. I would love one but I have stairs so that will not work! +1 points!

15. Complete my sewing videos I purchased on craftsy. Again, it is going with the theme of using what I have. (Just finished 1 of them- wow totally fabulous!!). There is a total of 18! Eek!!
I have done 4 now. Not even half.




 So let's round up my total.... I have 6.5 points out of 15, actually that was not that depressing. 43.3% completed! Yeah! I am actually surprised that it is that high in # because I was really sort of depressed about everything I did (not) sew.

 I will say that I did support more independent pattern makers and I have more patterns from small businesses and not something I can buy from Hancock Fabrics. I have found they fit better and I don't play the guessing game with the Big 4 pattern makers.

I actually sewed 48 things this year, some for me and some for others. I did 12 refashions  total. Still impressive. If only I didn't take in more things! Sigh.

Look for post next year (har har har) on what my goals will be for 2016.

Have a safe and happy New Years!

Best Wishes,
Lauren

Lion PJs

It has been a really busy November/December. I wrote a review that sucked up pretty much all of my time. It was very reference heavy and I finished in the nick of time. And it was submitted, like right before Christmas submitted. So I worked my normal work schedule and then it was write, write, write. I then have taken time off to decompress and well frankly, clean up my place and spend time with my boyfriend. I have not sewn in forever, my machine has been highly neglected. Now that the end of the year is almost hear, I get slightly dizzy with everything.  But I made it through Christmas, we did simple food and I just sat around and did nothing It was fabulous!

I realize that the past several weeks, this blog has been neglected. Sorry but not sorry. I try to schedule but I also told myself years ago that  I would never put my blog before family or work. This was something to be for fun and also something to showcase the sewing, refashioning, and crafts. Also, a good way to me to document in case (or will) forget. So what I am trying to say is I put my life first and blog behind that.

I finally just painted my fingernails, in getting fancy for New Years (which no idea what we are doing but will just probably involve football) and I have to sit down and not move. Really hard for me to do, but on the brightside- I can sit and write for the blog. :) In more good news, I dusted off my sewing machine and did some sewing! Yeah!!

I actually had this project done for a bit but I never scheduled this post. I have this cute cotton flannel covered with lions that was just enough to make a PJ set. When I got an issue of Simply Sewing magazine and when I saw this pattern that came with this magazine, I knew this was the pattern! It looks pretty simple!

I cut a size small b/c I felt this was going to be big. So this was a unique pattern in the fact I had to add inches in the middle of the shorts leg pattern. I cut a few inches (like maybe 2-3) less then what was recommended since I only had so much fabric. There is no front or back with this shorts pattern. For my non-sewing friends, usually pants and sorts have a rise in the paper pattern in order to cover your bum. So need more bum coverage than others but usually it curves up. This pattern is just straight across-it is a simple easy pattern.

I flew threw sewing the shorts. Ahh. I love easy shorts. Next I did the shirt, pretty easy. Instead of using ribbon, I used bias tape, since I had it on hand. And the little bit I had was enough to make just the right sized straps. That was pure luck!

Super quick sew! Done! I love my new PJs! The top fits just right and doesn't expose too much. It sits weird on the hanger but there is only elastic in the back part of the top. So it does pull.

If you got this issue of the magazine, I would recommend this pattern. This could be easily sewn up in a weekend day. And they are super comfy! :)

Here's to more blog posts soon! :)

Cheers,
Lauren

Striped dress, McCalls 6319

Today is a sewing day, I decided to use my knit stash (cough, cough pile...) I liked this pattern from McCall's 6319. Looks like a simple dress, I chose view A. I opted to not use the zipper.

I cut a size 10 b/c I had a feeling it would be big based on how the model is standing. I needed a lining for this reddish-pink, cream and blue striped fabric. I chose a cream color. It was a quick sew. The bottom hem is raw because this knit is super thin. Just like the red skirt I just made. I did not try to match the stripes because I knew I could not do it since it drapes. Here is my new dress! Super soft and comfy

Here are some better photos when I had just finished sewing it to prove that I do clean up well, I just do not like to take after pics sometimes.

Fit is great!

Easy sew. Nice dress. Win win!! I might not get a lot of use out of it until after winter but I will try!

Cheers,
Lauren

Asymmetrical Plaid Dress Refashion

Another refashion! Wahoo. Started off with this dress. It has an elastic waist which fit. But the top portion was a bit too big. But that hem!!! Whoever thought an asymetrical side hem was a good idea?? It cuts off your visual height and makes you look shorter.

It just sort of hangs there way too big in the top.

The back is not bad- it is cute with a little peak a boo opening. But the sides are a bit big.

So the plan... even out the bottom hem. Pretty easy.

Then to fix the bodice, I sort of couldn't figure out how to fix it because the way to do this was to rip out seams, but this bodice was lined. In non-sewing terms- a lot of work and I didn't even know what to do with it so I'd be doing work on something I didn't know how to fix. So this sat and sat. Then after trying this on and looking in a mirror, I was moving my hair out of the way and said hmm what if I added like a dart?? This lead me to folding the bodice and egad! this could seriously work. So I symmetrically folded in the dress, pinned, and then sewed down the fabric. OMG Love!

Here is the dress done! Yeah!

Again not a fan of taking after photos, hey messy hair and don't care. But what an improvement to this dress! Perfect for fall!

Cheers,
Lauren

Red Syrah Maxi Skirt

Last year I bought Pattern Parcel #6, which I have used 2 of the patterns already. I probably will make all of the patterns out of this parcel, which surprises me. This was a great pattern parcel! I made the Bronte top (see here) and also the Julia cardigan (see here). So this was a good pattern set. Today I will do #3, the Syrah skirt from Baste and Gather. I know I have made maxi skirts before but I thought I would try another pattern.

So Syrah skirt it is. I used this thin, red knit. I used it to make my boyfriend a shirt (which you will see soon). It is a gorgeous color of crimson! I added 3 inches to the hem since I am tall. I opted for a simple even hem, then a simple waste band- the foldover, and a lining. It was a really easy sew even though I got a little confused with the wasteband but then it clicked. The fit is perfect. I did not hem but left it raw as my experience with this fabric it does not sew with a twin needle- yeah it is that thin. So I wanted to have it hang nicely, so we left it raw.

I love the lining with it, I thought i would not like it but turns out I did. I like having that extra layer and it isn't too tight so I like that. I paired it with a simple top I made awhile back (see here). It fits great!

The band for the waist. Fits well and no muffin top. ;)

I really hate taking after photos, seriously. But I would recommend this pattern!

Cheers,
Lauren

My Halloween Costume- Katy Perry

We decided for this Halloween we were going to go out and go to a party. I was going to wear my refashioned dress and go as Marie Antoinette. So I was good to go, and THEN>>>> yeah my boyfriend decided he wanted to the the left shark for Halloween and asked if I could go as Katy Perry. It took some convincing but I said ok. Then I looked for a costume, in the beginning/middle of October.... nothing was in stock and of course b/c I sew- I think it all looks horrible. So I then set out one weekend to put together a costume

After various google searched I found a few images of a costume I wanted to loosely base my costume on- i have seen various costume derivatives to buy that were also based on this costume too. So I was going to be all cupcakes and candy. Super girly and really exciting.

Either my options were to find a dress I could bling out or I would have to sew something. After spending a Sunday afternoon everywhere I found no starter dress. I did find a corset dress on Amazon that evening and had it shipped to home on a fast track. So I got my dress. Then I needed to find things to bling it. That required hitting the craft stores. I also searched at the stores that began to put out Christmas ornaments. If I could find sugar plums ornaments. OMG that was an exhausting weekend shopping. I don't want to go shopping anymore.

I scored big at Hancock Fabrics with buttons- cupcakes, cookies, and candy. I bought everything I could find. I then went to Joann and did the same. I also found this iron on glitter paper that I used to make glitter candy wrappers as well as circles which I would decorate as like candy/lollipops. I scored with iron patches of cupcakes which I blinged further with crystal fabric paint. I wanted to amp up this costume. At Michael's, I found felt cupcake stickers in various colors that came in a 20 pack. I bought then all. I found fun popsicle ornaments with glitter and sprinkles on it- yup bought them too!

I thought I had a good start with the amount of things to bling my dress. My biggest obstacle was that ice cream cone on the front. I had brown fabric and I cut a triangle. I did a criss-cross pattern with brown fabric paint to give it the waffle effect. It dried on a sheet a paper-which it fused to but I actually liked it b/c it reinforced it. I glued the seams together and now I need to make a scoop of ice cream.

Oh what to do... I had purple fabric to use. While staring at my table, I decided to clean some of my paper up and I crumbled it up. Before I tossed it into the trash I had a flash of brillance- LOL. I could use the crumbled paper for the ice cream scoop. I used batting to even it out and then I covered it with a piece of fabric. Hot glue and more hot glue shut. Poof! It worked. So I glued that to the dress, here is the first look on my white dress.

 I was playing around with what it would look like with some of my add-ons and I was getting a mental game plan in my head. The ice cream cone doesn't look half bad. But now it is time to add more bling! To do this and ensure that the dress doesn't shrink while glue was drying I had to wear the dress while gluing it on. I lined the bodice with towels (you can see one peaking out in this picture. And I started with some of the big things and move to smaller, making sure I space everything out. This actually went fast.

I decided the dress needed to be edged with something. But the pictures of Katy didn't show much. I had some pink ric-rak which reminded me of cake icing/frosting. I sewed that on next. Then for the skirt I ironed on the glitter paper sheets to the circle skirts. It really came along fast!! 

I then decorated the glitter pieces with my crystal fabric paint to look like candy. I had to do this in phases since the skirt folds and it would smear. Can't have that! Next, I added those felt cupcake stickers, which I hot glued on. Yeah filling up that skirt! 

But I thought I needed some more dimension and texture to the costume and a way to tie things together. So I added multi color rhinestones to the entire dress and I filled everything up. On yeah. But the one thing that just stuck out to me was the ice cream cone, I thought it was missing something. I decided I wanted to add another layer to the ice cream cone. I used pink sort of tulle, again just wadding up batting and glue, glue glue!

I then glued that on top. To put a cherry on top of the cone, I used a cat toy. Yes that red foil ball is a cat toy. But it is perfect b/c it is shiny and light. Poof we are done!!!! 

Close ups of the dress

Crazy huh?? But crazy good!! Here it is on!

This dress was so much fun to wear. I wore my pink ruffle shoes you see in the pictures here but I also wore pink knee high socks. I used candy necklaces for jewelry. 2 pink petticoats. And then a blue wig to top it off! I felt super girly and happy at the party. I even painted my nails with this sprinkle looking nailpolish.

Here's at the party. I fought the wig a lot and with my long hair it also pulled it back as well. And I was even wearing a wig cap. The blue hair is a little much LOL.

We were a hit at the party. Epic no? And how quickly I pulled this dress together was amazing as well. It is heavy. It is a corset, which helps support the weight but I couldn't eat much. And it just fit. I whipped this costume in less than a week- which was impressive. My boyfriend was impressed too. We felt like celebrities at the party- we took a lot of pictures and everyone screamed Katy and Left Shark! :)



So looking at the inspiration and what I created- I thought I did well!

I thought it was a Katy worthy dress! :) I had all intentions to sell this dress but I have some of a change of heart. We missed the costume contest but I think we would have won. The ice cream cone was not bad being attached to my dress. It was not bad at all. And it stayed on!

Told you my costume was epic!!

Cheers,
Lauren