Jalie 2795 jacket progress

Here is some progress shots of my jalie 2795 jacket for my older dd.

My zipper I had in stash is the perfect color! Not the right length......bummer!! I ordered the right length in the same color from the zipper stop online (plus a few more for stash to make up for the $3.95 shipping charges).

There is a hood to be sewn and put on still and the cuffs for the sleeves. There is a lot of top stitching in this jacket. It went fast though. The cuffs are out of the pink sherpa too. The hood is out of the main fabric.

So, I will put together the hood and put on the cuffs, then I will have to wait for my zipper! Maybe I will get to find my owl fabric.......

Watcha workin' on?

I am finding very little sewing time right now.....not sure why.....just busy busy busy with the kids right now! My little one is very demanding of my time lately....she used to play with her toys in her room next to me while I would sew, now she wants me to play chase, do a puzzle with her, have a tea party with her, play ball with her......I love it, but it means less sewing time! So, anyhow, I managed to squeeze in some pattern tracing and cutting (and there it lays next to my sewing machine). I pulled out Jalie 2795 and traced a size K for my older dd.

I am using some of my hilco fabric intermixed with some pink sherpa for the design.

After I get that one done, I am determined to pull out a knit I purchased last year - it is black with little owls on it, Perfect for Halloween! I can see little leggings and a cute orange top (yes I have orange interlock knit in stash) with an owl applique on top. Do you think I can get it done in time for dd's to wear before Halloween??!!??

Stay tuned as I find time to get everything sewn up!

An angel at last!

Here she is! Hot off the presses, my angel......

She really likes the costume. I think it is very cute on her.

Don't you like the wings? Of course those I purchased! There is a cape that goes with this, I am debating whether or not to sew it up. I probably will, don't know if she will wear it with the dress or not. This was a pretty straightforward pattern. I made a few changes, such as machine stitching the marabou boas on rather than doing it by hand. I made a size 7 and I had to cut 8" off of the length and put in a couple of pleats in the front at the neckline. I forget how large the big 4 patterns tend to run....I usually avoid them. Don't know if the zipper in the back was truly needed......the marabou took away the stretchiness at the neckline. I imagine it would have worked without the zipper, but I decided to conform and use their instructions.

Halloween is on its way...

Well, I must admit that I haven't touched any sewing for over a week now. However, I have started the planning stages of a Halloween costume for my older dd! My younger dd has decided she wants to be a puppy and use older dd's old Halloween costume from 3 years ago (score!....only one new Halloween costume to make this year!). My older dd decided she wants to be an angel this year (I wish she were an angel all year.......). I found this pattern, Simplicity 2861 and am making view D:

I purchased some angel wings and a halo online to go along with the costume. She picked a white stretch crushed velour for the dress and a white sheer with halographic dots on it for the cape. I purchased white marabou boas for the the trim on the dress and the cape. This is my project for the week! Wish me luck on finding time! :)

Hair Scrunchy Tutorial

Have you ever wondered what to do with all of your fabric scraps?? Hair scrunchies!!! Here is a quick tutorial of how I make a hair scrunchy. This is my own made up method, so go ahead and use it, no copyright laws!! :)

I start by purchasing black hair bands (about 2" diameter...I get mine at Target) for the elastic part of the scrunchy. Then I cut 2' by 4" strips of fabric for the scrunchy. I make this completely on the serger, but I am sure this would work on a sewing machine as well. I then sew the fabric short sides right sides together so the fabric is in a circle. I put the hair band in between the wrong sides and fold over so wrong sides are facing and start serging the edges with a rolled hem all the way around adjusting the fabric around the hair band until the hair scrunchy is completed. You can click on the pictures to enlarge and see the edges of the hair scrunchy.

I hope you make lots!!!

Show me thar booty!

Once again I have made gymnastic suits. This time I modified the pattern a little bit to make a cap sleeve. The pattern has instructions for no sleeve, 3/4 sleeve and full sleeve. It is still too hot for longer sleeves, and the girls complain about the elastic at the armholes on the sleeveless option. Solution: cap sleeve. I just shortened the pattern for the longer sleeves. One thing that I did different on this go around was to use clear elastic as opposed to the regular elastic. I had never used clear elastic before so this was a little bit of a learning process. It was pretty easy to work with even though I had read some posts that suggested otherwise. It acts pretty much like regular elastic. I did prestretch it (I had read that and the instructions on the package said to also). I sewed it in round and put it in with pinning in quarters and stretching as sewing. The one thing that I did like was that due to its being thinner, it lays flatter and has less tendency to turn out.

Can you see the skull and crossbones in red on the stripes?? Click on the picture to make it bigger.

I made this one and one for my older dd....she is off playing today, so she hasn't seen hers yet. This is one pattern that has definitely been worth the money! This makes gymnastic suits #11 and #12! Let's see here....$12 for the pattern...makes $1 per suit plus .50 in elastic for both, about $2 total in fabric (including the 2 hair scrunchies), makes $2.25 per suit and hair scrunchy! A bargain at twice the price! Have I mentioned that the suits at the gymnastics place cost $40 - $55 per suit (with a hair scrunchy).

And....I always get people asking me where I buy mine! :)

Another reversible outfit!

Here are Ottobre 04-2009-6 and 04-2009-9. These are a reversible hooded top and a skirt. I used some of my hilco fabric for these...

Here is a closer up of the hooded section (and a cute little face inside):

Here is the topstitching of the hem on the stripe side, the reverse side shows the coverstitch portion:

Reverse side of topstitching on reverse side of the top. The striped side is just wrapped around the printed side and their are top stitched together in one step.

Here is the binding of the hood:

Here is the reverse side of the binding:

Here is a look at the skirt portion, it is super simple. There was supposed to be just one seam in the skirt, but I didn't have a long enough piece of fabric, so I made a two seams, one on each side. There is a ribbing piece for the waistband, no elastic, just one seam in the center backside.

Here is a view of the hem, I used my 5/8" downfeller on my coverstitch:

No pinning, no measuring, no trimming.....having the right tools can really save time!

All in all, it was a pretty easy project! Two outfits with the reversible top and yet another happy girl!