Thursday, June 17, 2010

tickled pink


I don't sew for myself much.
Partly cause it's a whole lot more fun to sew for my kiddos
but
mostly because
pretty much every thing I've ever made
for myself
is
well
hideous.
Except my skirt.
I made a skirt for Easter last year
and it turned out okay...


I figured out that part of my problem
was the pattern.
If I have to try on a kazillion shirts to find one that fits properly
why on earth should I assume
1 pattern
will fit me right??
So
I took a shirt I already own that I like the fit of
and made a pattern.
Just like I do for the girls
only
bigger.
I used some polka dot fabric I got off of Walmart's $1.50/yard table
to make a muslin.
Not surprisingly
I had to tweak my pattern a bit
and I learned I need to stretch my 'collar' a bit on the curves,
but still
the shirt is wearable.
I'm still geeking out about it!
(and dizzying polka dots aside - it's actually kinda cute)

Then I took a very large pair of pants
($ .50 at Salvation Army - oh yeah!)
took them apart
and re-made them into a pair of crop pants
that fit pretty darn good.
Complete with an invisible zipper!
I'm still geekin' out about that, too.

I bought the pants
thinking I would, of course, use them for the girls
but then I thought,
"How often will I find something I can re-make for me??"
and so I did...

And this morning,
I used real store bought fabric - on sale for $3.95/yd
and made another shirt for myself.
And it turned out pretty near perfect.
Of course
I had to make matching dresses for the girls, too...




many thanks to my little photographer
You got potential, Girl.



Saturday, June 12, 2010

time for some boy sewin'

"What are you going to do with that?" Josiah asked,
looking at the red and white striped shirt
I'd brought home from a recent thrift store run.
(No one assumes clothes are for wearing anymore...)
I told him I was thinking it'd make some cute hats.
"No, I think it'd be better as a smaller shirt," he said.
so
I figured it was time for some boy - sewing.

As usual
I didn't think to pull out the camera
until after I'd cut into a 50 cent pair of pants.

If Josiah hadn't wanted belt loops
I would have finished his shorts in 15 minutes
since I used the existing hem
and both the inner and outer leg seams.

After I'd cut out the shorts
I realized
what was left of the pants
was just about perfect
for shorts for Brandon!

The crotch was quite baggy
so I took care of that first
then put a 1 inch hem in the bottom
and
viola
matching shorts for 2 of my best buds

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

the drawing board


I used one of Lana's laundry casualties
to make panties
so I could test my pattern

I still need to tweak my pattern some more

great fit in the bootie
but the front is 'off'
~
I adjusted the pattern
and sewed what I really wanted to sew

Before making another one
I think I need to lengthen the top just a little bit

and I'll need to enlarge the leg hole in the front even more
(I assume that's what's causing the bagginess)
but this one still works just fine

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

3 sun-dresses for $1.45



a little dress ~ 12 cents at a yard sale
2 pieces of card-stock
two 2/3 yards fabric pieces off the $1/yard table
that I was going to use for a shopping bag
and a couple of hours of fun
=