Tag Archives: yellow

Cynthia Rowley Tunic + Life

June 24, 2011clothes, sewingalteration, Cynthia Rowley, Muslin, quick, Simplicity 2584, Simplicity 3700, Tunic, yellowHenrietta

We have “settled into” our temporary housing. It has certain perks.

These are now decorating my sewing table and the tv area.

I hope I’m not the only person in the world who has put flowers in a Nalgene instead of a vase…

Here’s a peak of my new sewing space before I made a mess of it.

It really isn’t very fun condensing all your sewing goodies that will be required for the next month into one grocery bag. Very sad. At least we’re moving on to bigger and better things.

And here’s one after I settled in to alter the pattern…

I couldn’t bring myself to show you how messy it is now, in full on sewing mess mode.

I started sewing this Cynthia Rowley top on Monday night, in foolish hopes that I’d be able to get it done by lunch on Tuesday. Of course, that didn’t happen.

Original Inspiration: This version by LindsayT

She did these two other ones that I really liked, and here’s one by Miss Muslin, and one from Amanda at Adventures in Dressmaking

It looked good judging from PR, so I jumped right in.

I used Carolyn’s method to alter it, and was very careful with my alterations.

I’m glad I’m using an old sheet from Goodwill to do a muslin, the first go round didn’t go too well. It looks alright standing in these pictures, but it did not FEEL comfortable at all. Too tight and too big in all the wrong places.

Now its back to the drawing board again, or to the dining room table as the case may be.

Going to try a Full Bust Adjustment for the first time.

Looks manageable right?

Before I begin the slashing, I’m going to go enjoy the lovely life around me for a bit and hopefully go back refreshed.

(I planted the begonias myself, and I am so proud! Let’s see how long they survive!)

News, Everyone!

March 2, 2011clothes, Photography, sewingAnnie Shirt, black, Charcoal Skirt, Colette Patterns, Gray, Greenhouse Babies, Joyce Shirt, Me Made March, organization, Simplicity 4149, yellowHenrietta

Well friends and neighbors, it’s day 2 of Me Made March! Woot!

So far, so good. I have suddenly realized that I haven’t made that many clothes, and am VERY glad I included refashioned clothes in my pledge.

News A: I finished marking and cutting out the Yellow sheet princess seam button down… (it needs a name, I’m going to call it my Joyce shirt.) I basted my first princess seam together! Yay! It wasn’t as terrifying as I expected. Probably because I hand basted it and nothing can be scary when hand basting.

I think it’s going to take a while to finish it, so I have devised a devious new way of keeping my projects together. I would like to avoid another loss like the pin tuck shirt. (See News B.)

In the big 2 gallon ziptop on the left is the leftover scraps and pieces of the fabric. Inside that bag go the two smaller bags, one with the tissue pattern pieces & instructions, the other with the cut and marked fabric pieces.

News B: I found that dang pin tuck shirt. I suppose I’m going to have to finish it now. Yippee Skippeee.

News C: I’ve started a tunic. Its Simplicity 4149.

I’m calling it the Annie Tunic because my friend Annie once wore a shirt very similar to it, when I was just learning how to sew in 2008 or 09 and it is the inspiration behind it.

I’m making it out of a crinkly black gauzy cotton. It looks like it should be pretty quick to put together once it’s cut.

(Completely unrelated to sewing – babies in the greenhouse- So tiny and cute!)

News D:I got my point and shoot digital camera back from being repaired today! Yay!

News E: I drafted a new skirt pattern. Its a pretty simple A line skirt, but I had to complicate it with trouser style pockets, a waistband, and a front full length button closure. To be honest, its a knock off of Colette’s Beignet skirt. I am SO pro-small business, especially sewing businesses, and I try to support them whenever I can. BUT the fact is, the pattern is not available in my size, and I wouldn’t look good in that pattern as it is, so I’d have to do some major overhaul to wear it. Its easier for me to just draft a similar skirt myself.

Colette’s Very Cool inspiration skirt:

Hopefully I’ll get the Annie shirt or the dang pin tuck shirt done soon. Ooh or maybe the charcoal skirt…! Happy Wednesday!

Yellow Shirt pt 1

February 23, 2011clothes, sewingfitting, McCalls 6124, progress, small chunks, yellowHenrietta

I’m not very good at breaking things up into smaller, more manageable chunks. Its something I’m working on.

For example, this weekend I sewed the selvage edges together of this sheet. Last night, I cut out all the tissue pattern pieces. After class and before lunch today, I ironed out the fabric. Tonight after my husband got home, we watched X Files and Highlander Season 2, and I laid out the pattern pieces on the fabric and pinned them. Later I cut them out in kind of broad strokes. That’s a lot of progress for me.

I have no real idea how this will fit, so I’m taking the advice of the Amazing Fit patterns and leaving a 1 in seam allowance (instead of a normal 5/8 in.) This should give more wiggle room for adjustments. I’m marking all the lines, marks, darts, etc that are printed on the pattern with graphite paper on the wrong sides of the fabric. I’ll sew it up as directed first and go from there.

Probably won’t have any time to do anything shirt related tomorrow. Lots of school work. Maybe Thursday!

Procrastination

February 22, 2011clothes, sewingGreenhouse, McCalls 6124, Me Made March, procrastination, vintage sheet, yellowHenrietta

I’m a pro at it.

Instead of studying for my statistics exam or working on my presentation on Simón Bolívar, I’m working on a shirt! If I’m going to reach my goal for Me Made March, I need to get on it! (Its McCall’s 6124.)

Soon, this will be filled with little baby plants!! Yay!

Busy busy bees

February 19, 2011Bits Of Life, Memories, PhotographyGreenhouse, mirrors, pairs, rooster, vintage sheet, yellowHenrietta

This is a vintage sheet I got at the thrift store today, and I think it will make a fabulous shirt!

I bought this mirror a couple months ago, and I really liked it. Its hanging next to our front door, and it reminds me of a giant oval one my gram always had hanging in her hallway. And today, I found another one exactly like it! Well, its a horrendous gold. So they will soon be painted and probably hanging over our nightstands! Yay pairs of mirrors!!

In other news, John and I helped my parents build their greenhouse today! (Side note: it’s no longer in the 50’s and 60’s… its quite cold.)

Silly rooster.

I hope you’re all having a wonderful weekend, friends and neighbors!

Me Made March

February 10, 2011clothes, functional sewing, sewingAnnie Tunic, blue, Button Down, cream, flower print, Me Made March, oxford cloth, Pin tuck shirt, yellowHenrietta

I, Amy Jo of http://www.BlueHippoArts.com, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-March ’11. I endeavour to wear at least one handmade garment, refashioned garment, or wearable accessory each day for the duration of March 2011!!

So that means I can wear a scarf or hat (if its part of an all day outfit, and not like, oh, its cold! I should put on a hat!) but not carry a purse or clutch and count it. And of course, any articles of clothing that I’ve made count!

I’m super excited! Zoe over at So, Zo… is hosting it. She’s done a Made by Me May and a Self Stitched September before. (Oh how I love alliterations!)

In order to do this successfully, I’m going to have to make at least a couple more shirts between now and March, and hopefully a pair of pants or a skirt. I’d really like to make a pair of trouser jeans, but I’m not sure how much farther I have to go with altering my Burda pants pattern.

We’ll see!

I’ve got a vintage yellow sheet with flowers on it that I’d like to make into a button down shirt, lovely soft and drapey blue oxford cloth, and this interesting linen looking cream with flowers print that I’m thinking would be good button downs. Then I also have a black gauze that I’ve been wanting to make into a simple tunic for almost 2 years. So if I can get those shirts and a pair of jeans done, I think I’ll be good to go!

Weeeee!!! I can’t wait.

Oh, and a progress update on the Dang Pin Tuck shirt… I have the sleeves but have lost the body of the shirt! Egads! Who does that? I think that perhaps I’m not meant to ever finish the stupid thing. At the rate I’m going, it might be done next fall. Stupid shirt.

Ok, that’s all for now! Go check out Zoe’s blog! She has a really cool style that isn’t much like my own, but that I really admire! (And some awesome info and posts on sustainability!)

Knitting Needle Roll Up

January 2, 2011sewinggift, green, knitting needles, pink, yellowHenrietta

I mentioned here that I was making something out of this pretty sherbet-esque fabric. I wanted to make this last year for my mother-in-law’s birthday, but a whole lotta life got in the way last spring, and it didn’t get done. So I made it for Christmas! She has a ton of knitting needles, and really liked the present. Yay!

Please excuse the background of the pictures. We arrived at the in-law’s and I realized that I hadn’t taken a picture yet. So I took it out of the gift bag and laid it out in the back of the car on top of all the presents and coats and luggage to take the pictures. It took about 10 times longer than I expected to make it, and I want some photographic evidence of all that hard work!

Sewing Mojo

December 22, 2010sewing, Uncategorizedblack, bule, Christmas, deadline sewing, gift, green, mojo, pink, yellowHenrietta

Why is it that it’s never around when you need it?

I have a boat load of sewing to get done between now and tomorrow evening at 6. Have I sewn anything at all since I got done with school on Saturday evening? Nope!

I organized my sewing area though! That’s something.

Since I haven’t accomplished much, I thought I’d show you what I’m working on. In the off chance any of the recipients are reading this, I’ll have to be vague. 🙂
Present One:

Present two:

inside present two:

Present three:

There are more presents that need to be made. But they either aren’t photographed or can’t be put online just yet.

Here’s hoping my mojo returns!

Happy Holidays!

Little Pretties

November 14, 2010functional sewing, sewingauction, black, bule, cake stand, coffee, green, quilting, white, yellowHenrietta

I talked a couple posts ago about making some coffee cozies as a quick and easy project, and here is my first one!

It was pretty quick considering I didn’t have a pattern and it was the first one I’ve made. I’ve been using it for a week, and have several tweaks for version 2.0 which will then be tested by my coffee guzzling friends.

A note about the cake stand, I got that at an auction for $12! And I love it! Its very pretty and sparkly and old!

Then I made a dish mat to dry our clean dishes on. Basically I pieced fabric together like you would in a quilt, and then sewed it onto an old towel. I made it to fit the countertop on either side of my kitchen sink from a towel that had a giant hole that was burned into it by bleach.

(We walked in and thought it smelled like a pool. Then realized there was a gallon of bleach on its side in the bathroom. Fortunately the towel and a pair of 8 year old pajama pants were the only victims. Yes. I wear a pair of 8 year old pajama pants. Don’t judge.)

It was my first adventure in “quilting” and I gotta say, I have a LOT more respect for quilters now!

This is a small part of it. I’ll take some more pictures on a sunny day. The day I took all these it was rainy and cloudy and gray. Not good for naturally lit photography 🙂

I’ll be doing some mending of a winter coat for a dear friend this week, and putting an edge binding on my dish mat. Lots of heavy duty school work. At the end of every semester I think about how so much work is due in such a small amount of time. I cannot wait for Thanksgiving break!! Have a good week!

Blue Hippo Arts

Sewing and Such