I Made A Spring Flower Shirt

This shirt has been skulking in the back of my wardrobe since before blog time. I made it from some lovely cheap fabric I bought locally but I never quite got the 'cut' right. Today I dragged it onto my dress form and got it to behave. Just a nip and a tuck.

Actually the problem really stems from the fabric being a little too heavy, it tends to bulk out too much at the front. I would have been better off making a straight skirt I reckon. Please note the contrasting facing on the collar :-) And why not eh?

I Made A Doris Day Shirt

Finally got around to finishing this little Gingham number! Now need a Barn Dance to go to...
I was out with a couple of crafty bloggers last night, very inspiring - it was only due to the doorstop sized pieces of cake I came home with in my 'doggy bag', that I was able to do so much sewing today. MMmmm .. thank you Flib, cake maker extraordinaire.

You cannot craft without cake I say. This Gingham top was brought to you via cake and Judy Garland's greatest hits.

I Made A Second Swap

Well look - e - here!
My second swap package arrived. All the way from Ft Wayne .. crammed full of goodies.

The fabric is darling, and I need never worry again about how many calories are in my burger... I am also now in Ric Rac heaven, 3 packs! I may have to nip over to Tie One On as I believe the current apron theme is Ric Rac.

I got lovely bonus goodies of a crafty Mag and some stickers - thank you so much Anna :-)

I Made My First Swap

I can get hooked on this swapping lark! Look here for all sorts of exciting swaps...

I parcelled up some fabric to send to my swap partners in the US. I've had one parcel sent to me from Heidi in Texas - 3 very pretty vintage prints in red blue and white, I really like these and a quilted clutch bag is calling to me. That is, I'd like to create a clutch bag from this swap and will have to improvise a pattern.

Some WIP now. The Sew Retro theme this month is 'something for Spring' I want to use my tattoo fabric for a wrap shirt but I'm not too pleased with the wrap pattern I've used earlier for my Hawiian refashion (too much fabric due to pleated front).

I have a wonderful shop bought wrap shirt that fits 'just right' so my task this weekend was to make a pattern. I've used the leftover fabric from the spotty frock to create a mock up - that I could feasibly wear. It's looking good so far. Very Doris Day.

I Made A Spotty Frock

Here it is! The wonderful spotty Anime frock for my teenage daughter. The ric rac certainly added the finishing touch. It is having its first outing later in the month at an MCR gig :-)

We adapted the pattern a bit so that it looked less like a sack, more fitted. It's very like the sort of dresses my Auntie would make up for me when I was 5 or 6, I have photo evidence of me on various beaches in North Wales..

I love ric rac. I love the word.
I love this dress on my daughter.

I Made A Discovery

Spring has sprung!

I Made A Contribution...

...to my daughter's button collection. I also gathered together the pink bits for my other daughter's anime pink dotty frock. I have since started sewing the thing and we have discarded the very simple 'Simplicity' pattern for a shift dress and are currently designing by committee. She wants a nip and a tuck here, more akin to the pictures in her book of funky Japanese kids dressed up to the nines in outrageous cartoon clobber. Fine by me, if I can get it to work..

I am so excited to be taking part in my first online Swap! Flibbertygibbet has arranged a fabric swap for crafty folk and I will be parceling up some fabric to send across the ocean to two crafters chosen at random. All being well, I shall get a parcel in return.
Oooh I can't wait...

I Made A Fabric Purchase

I bought some fabric online from here, a very easy to use, informative site. My stash arrived beautifully packaged with a cute receipt.

The tweet fabric is only 1yd and I'm not sure what to do with it yet. The tattoo fabric will be another wrap shirt, with sleeves this time.
The pink polka dot is for a shift dress for my 12 yr old - emo/anime type affair (with strawberry patch).The check (this bought locally) will go to make more jive pants.

Watch this space!

I Made A Hawaiian Wrap

  



I bought this Hawaiian shirt from a charity shop for a couple of quid as part of my Refashion Pledge. It was XXL but I loved the fabric.

I dismantled the shirt, used a 'wrap shirt' pattern to create a summer top.

There wasn't enough fabric to create the wrap so I used the sleeves from the original shirt and grafted them onto the pattern front.
As a result, I have palm trees both vertical and horizontal .. but hey, who'd notice on a hot beach with a Pina Colada?

I Made A Cup Of Java

I finished off my 'Diner Shirt' with a cup of Java.

Now I'm longing to make something glam for Spring!

I Made A Troll Frock

I was sitting waiting for an important phone call when I thought, 'Darn it, that Troll needs a frock.'

As a kid I had a whole bunch of these critters, all with fabulous hand made outfits.

Frock made, I took the phone call.

My daughter now wants a complete spring wardrobe.

I Made A Hodgepode Diner Shirt

I had some blue fabric left over from the pants I made.
I found an old pattern and thought I'd try a shirt. I didn't have enough fabric for the collar so used some scraps I had in the stash. (My stash is so low, alas not enough to make anything).

The contrasting collar gives it an air of the 'Dinner Lady' don't you think? I call this my 'Diner' shirt and will endeavour to embroider either my name, or something a little more funky like these, on the breast under the collar.

I have yet to tackle the button holes. Too scary.
I would love to find some dinky little buttons in the shape of coffee cups or cupcakes... with sprinkles.

I Made A Pair Of Pants

Pants as in trousers, not as in knickers - I had a debate about this with a mate earlier on .. I guess it depends what part of the world you're from.

I used the blue chambray, I had to adjust the darts on the waistband a little - my waist being a little thicker than the pattern.

They're very comfy and I feel confident investing in some suiting fabric now in order to make up the short sleeved jacket for summer.
I posted this over at Sew Retro too.

I Made A Pledge

Over at Wardrobe Refashion I took a four month pledge to not buy any new clothes, but instead to make, revamp or recycle. This means that I should be spending less time at the Mall and hopefully crafting more, so I'll have more to blog about here! Here's the pledge in full:
The Wardrobe Refashion Pledge
I _____________,
Pledge that I shall abstain from the purchase of "new" manufactured items of clothing.
I Pledge that I shall refashion, renovate, recycle pre-loved items for myself.
I Pledge that I shall create and craft items of clothing for myself with my own hands in fabric, yarn or other medium.
I Pledge that I will share the love and post a photo of my refashioned, renovoated, recylcled, crafted or created item of clothing on the Wardrobe Refashion blog, so that others may share the joy that thy thriftyness brings!
Take the Pledge

I Made A Mistake

 

Darn it!

I'll have to..

I Made A Ruffle

This is the edging of my cardy - time intensive but fun to do. I've almost completed all the pieces, just one more sleeve and then I continue ruffling til the cows come home.

I'm a little worried about the size. It looks like it may fit a small child at this point - but then it is more of a 'bolero' after all.

I've started on the 'swing pants' from the 40's pattern (see previous). They're going to be a fab fit - high waisted and wide, good for jitterbuggin' in. I'm making up a blue cotton pair first, then I'll invest in some light suiting and add the jacket.

I Made A Batch Of Scones

Wholewheat, cinnamon scones to be precise.

No time for sewing at the moment, but a girl's gotta eat...

I Made A Pattern Purchase

The sewists over at Sew Retro have extended the November theme of 'making something from a current Retro Pattern' until the end of Jan. This gives me a couple of weeks to run up this little number...
I like the short sleeved 'Summer Suit' and simply must get a bow for my hair.

Should I meet the challenge, and judging by the pattern illustration, I'll either look like Alexis Colby or Sauve Bacall...

I Made A Start

...on my knitted cardy.
I started this before Xmas but it will take me aeons to finish because of the miles of frilly edges.

Watch this space.

I Made A Resolution

To do more Crafting of course. Happy New Year everyone!

My daughter's Auntie bought her this great book for Xmas

She set to work straight away. I am blogging this for her benefit, she's the maker - I just helped out here and there ;-)

Scruffy Joe Sock Pony (with carrot)