Bag Love

Sew Mama Sew posted a cute Amy Butler bag on their blog a few weeks ago.  Not sure how I missed it, but I found it a couple days ago.  I finished it up last night and today - it's fantastic!  It's on it's way to be a donation in a Silent Auction to raise funds for a terrific community group I am a member of. I highly recommend this pattern - it's super cute, trendy, fun, functional.  As with all of Amy's bags, it uses a enormous amount of interfacing, but it's worth it.  Exterior is leftover upholstery weight from my living room, lining is my coveted Sis Boom animal print.   Enjoy!

beautiful rainbow

got these babies in the mail today.  SO exciting to be able to order such great colors you can't find in local shops.  LOVE them! and can't wait to use them.  Stay tuned for where they end up...

Invisible Zipper application

LOVE using invisible zippers - you know, those zippers that sit inside the garment, but from the outside look like a regular seam?  Many people are intimidated by the installation process.  Believe me, it takes longer to fit the invisible zipper foot onto the machine than it does to install it.
It's a few basic steps -
-install the invisible zipper foot onto your machine.  Most machines don't come with this. You can buy a kit at your local fabric store for about $4 that includes the foot and shank adapters (that thing that attaches it to your presser foot arm) to fit all sorts of machines.  Just look at the photo on the back of the pack to see which foot you need.  They are colorized.  Figure out the one you need, now go throw out all the other ones.  Unless you buy a new machine, you'll never use the others.
-Unzip your zipper and roll the zipper coil out flat with your fingertips.  Iron this down flat on your ironing board and let cool for a second.
-Lay your zipper face down on the right side of the fabric about 1/8" in from the edge.
-Go to your machine and place the fabric/zipper under the pressure foot.  You want to place the zipper coil in the left groove of the pressure foot.  This ensures that the stitching stays next to the coil close enough to achieve the invisible look from the outside.  Use a regular length straight stitch.
-Stitch as far down as the pressure foot will allow.
-Repeat for the 2nd side of the zipper.  You will have to slide the zipper foot over to the right a touch so this 2nd coil goes into the groove on the right side this time.
-Zip the zipper up and make sure you like how it looks
-install your regular zipper foot.  Turn the garment inside out, place right sides together and stitch this lower seam.  Begin the seam at the lowest part of the stitching where you installed the zipper.  This closes up the gap at the bottom of the zipper and finishes this seam fully.

See?  3 simple steps - stitch 2 zipper sides and one seam and you are done.
This method is less steps than a traditional zipper and I think looks SO professional when done.
Enjoy!
  

nail polish happies

Rimmel London nail polish - Steel Gray, #270.  Just go buy it. 

new goodies

New cutie watches in the shop!  LOVE the gift bags.  they make me happy.

Spirit Pants

Got these babies done in about 90 minutes.  They are from a great book I picked up on Amazon.  I really like the Farbenmix and Studio Trantrum patterns, but they are sold as individual patterns and they are VERY flamboyant.  It's hard to choose one pattern. The patterns are traditional tissue patterns and the directions are pretty good. I would say appropriate for an advanced beginner.  BUY this book - you won't have to choose !  The price is terrific also: it's about the same price as one of the patterns.   The book includes TEN patterns.  The only thing you need to remember to do is add the seam allowance and you are off and running.  Like my girl and her Dad.  They were off and running to the UConn game.  They won 62-3.  My guess it was because of the Spirit Pants!

Amazon Shop - The Purple Pineapple

Hi all -
I am super excited to announce that I decided to build and Amazon Shop, The Purple Pineapple after so many people have asked about what goodies they should have in the sewing kits. The list of items will continue to grow and if there is anything specific you need, just holler. Have fun shopping!
Click here to get to the shop.

Madeline got herself onto the Sis Boom Blog!

Thanks for the shout-out Jen! Both of us enjoyed working with this pretty fabric and the skirt came out adorable!

Go here to see the little feature Jen did on the skirt.

best daughter-in-law ever? or omg, get this girl a life!

I did some cute little cookie favors, about 60 of them, above that I sealed with stickers. I love to create a logo that I apply to everything I can when I plan a party. Nothing stays unlabeled. I have an extra sheet of labels that we'll pop onto some cups or elsewhere once we get to the party venue.

I also did the cute little water bottle labels. Just a scan of the pretty fabric, sized to fit the label, insert the logo and print away. These are actually made of a water resistant vinyl sticker that simply runs through your home printer. Ingenious! I use these goodies a lot and it really personalizes the party.

** my daughter named the water "Frwater, b/c it's a combination of Fran and water." love that her little mind goes there.

Hope you enjoy and get inspired for your next soiree!

C-ya,

Cindy

party on with sis boom

This one is for you Jen :0)

I am a baaaaad blogger. I've said it before - I love to CREATe, it's the documenting that's the issue.

I made this cutie pie skirt for my daughter today. We are having a big party for my mother in law this weekend and I am in charge of the cookies and the decorating. So, duh, I got carried away. No surprise there. The purple print is Ann Flower Mural. Double duh, it's Sis Boom. The turquoise print is a discontinued one called Patsy. I love that one. Sad to see it go.

My daughter chose the fabrics and I used the Insa pattern for it. I modified it a bit because I hated the way the directions were written and I didn't feel like going up and down the stairs int the 95 degree weather we're having. The best part is that she will match the table clothes I made. I love that!

I'll be sure to post the other goodies I made - flower arrangements, cookie favors, etc. when I have a chance.

C-ya all later!

oh, and here's the corsage I made for my Mother in Law:

this stuff is adorable! plus the site is cute and inspiring. I NEED this - great for tying up baked goods for friends, wrap around a gift card, where ever!

The Twinery.

Twinsies

Twin Needle HemmingMakes me happy. I am pretty short. and hippy.

not in a granola crunchy way, but in the way that when I find something that fits me, I usually have to chop off a few inches. This J.Crew dress was super cute and long. I needed to trim off a few inches.

Twin needle hemming is fantastic because it looks super professional and it helps prevent hems from rolling. It looks like 2 perfectly lined up rows of stitching on the front, and in the back creates a zig zag effect that holds the fabric flat. Because this zig zag covers over the edge, you also do not have to edge-finish your knitted garments. The finished item looks fantastic.

Tools -

Twin needle (made for knit fabric)

adapter for 2nd spool of thread

2 spools of thread, 1 bobbin

ruler

First step -

gather your supplies. Remove your current m

achine needle and place in a safe place for later use. Insert your Twin Needle. Now, set your machine up with the 2nd spool holder. Thread you

r machine so you have both top threads together like you would doing normal stitching. When you get to the needles, simply thread one thread into each hole. R

oll your fly wheel forward to pull up the bob

bin thread. Pull all three threads to the back.

2nd step -

Decide how much you want to hem your garment. If you are doing a major chop like me, be conservative. Sometimes the fabric is so heavy that when you remove a lot, the item might be too short when you cut off the excess. You can always change the depth of your hem or trim a bit more off when you are done.

I pinned my dress up 5 inches. I wanted a 1 inch hem. I should have cut off 4 inches, but I cut off 3 1/2 inches because this fabric was really heavy and weighted the hem down.

3rd step-

Cut your hem appropriately and iron in place. Place pins as you like perpendicular to the garment for easier removal. I actually don't always use pins for this. If you are confidant in it holding in place while you sew, just go for it. Just be accurate and consistent in your hem depth because you are sewing from the front.

4th step-

on the FRONT side of the garment, begin stitching. I usually use a slightly larger stitch length - I think it looks better. You want to line the stitching up so that on the back, the "zig zag" that is created is just barely on the edge of the hem fold itself.

5th step -

Stitch all the way around stretching very slightly. Be sure to back stitch at beginning and end. Press your new hem with some steam.

Back side of twin needle hemming:

Front side of twin needle hemming:

not for lack of doing...

Posting slows me down. Takes me away from doing and getting information on doing more. Gotta figure out a way to make it something I do more often. Anyway, here we go!

One of my many projects is these cute bags. I use them for everything from from Gift Cards to little trinkets to storage. These were made for cute silicone watches that we gifted to some of Birdie's teachers.

Easy to make -

Use a rectangle of fabric appropriate to the size gift you need. Be sure to leave a bit of ease esp. in length so the top closes properly.

-Make a snip in the sides about 1 1/2" inches down from the top and 1/2" in.

-Fold the edges in on this top and iron. If you want , you may top stitch this little flap down.

-Fold the top edge down 1/4" and press. Fold down again until you just go past the slide clips, but barely.

-Edge stitch this bottom seam closed.

-With right sides together, use a 1/2" seam and sew the side of bag and the bottom.

-snip your corners

-turn right side out and press.

-using a bodkin or safety pin, thread ribbon through

the casing, knot and you are ready to go!

**3/8" ribbon works perfectly for this project. If you

do a bigger bag, 7/8" ribbon is great also, but be sure to make your

casing larger as we

ll.

**If you make the bag as 2 separate sides instead of folding the rectangle, you end up with 2 holes in the casing - easy to feed ribbon through each side and make it a double drawstring. It's very secure and great for toys. This green bag was constructed like that but only has one ribbon inserted.

Have fun!

Finito. I thought it'd be cute to have my daughter's class come up with a gift for their teacher. I had them all draw on a square of paper, then I scanned them into the computer and printed the out onto computer fabric. Printed Treasures was the brand I used this time and I LOVE how crisp the ink and colors are. Will definitely buy it again. Once cut, I stitched them together, added a strip in between and on top and bottom. The result was a large rectangle. Well, 2 actually as there are 12 more blocks on the other side. I then trued up the sides and cut 2 lining pieces the same size. I also used a bit of poly fleece inside to give it some weight and heft. I LOVE it. The handles are traditional bamboo handles, but bigger. They have a 9" gap in between the handles. Super cute. I hope she likes it!

I also made it reversible so if she doesn't want the kids artwork hanging out or moves onto someplace else next year, it's still good to use. Now, I need a black one b/c I love it so much!

Confession

I must confess an obsession. Laminated cotton. For reals.

Notice something else? Sis Boom. Laminated cotton. I just wanted to type it again. It's fun. I might also be obsessed with that too. Don't tell Jen. We wouldn't want to worry her :0)

Need:

Sharp sewing machine needle

Walking foot for the machine

pins in the seam line

have fun!

I had the privilege of working with some of Jennifer's new laminated cotton and I'm sure you can't tell, I am SOOOO excited! about it. I love this print and it was perfection to work with. I've heard some people don't like to work with this new-fangled fabric, but with the right tools, it's super easy. This print was so cute and girly! Thanks Jen for the honor of playing with it!

Quilt for Haiti

We love you Nancy Geaney!

Knit Picky

This is for Karen :0)

Knit fabric. Scary or not? I happen to like sewing on challenging fabric so at first glance, this seems to fit the bill. Except, it's SUPER easy. Like really easy. Cut the fabric wrong? Stretch it. Measured your body wrong. Stretch it.

Knits

Sewing needle: Stretch or Ball Point

Hem: Twin needle

Thread: Poly/Cotton or Poly

Pins: Ball Point (or use regular sharps within the seam allowance only) or Universal

There are basically a few types of knits - double knit, jersey knit, 2 way stretch.

Within that group, there are sub-categories, but for the most part, those 3 groups are enough info for now.

Double knit is the least stretchy - it's two layers of knit knitted together. It's stable, can be drapey, and can be fairly thin or fairly thick.

Jersey knit - your common t-shirt knit garden variety fabric. Stretches in one direction. Very user friendly and easily found.

2-way stretch- Love this stuff. Stretches in both directions. Has lots of flexibility- this can be good and bad. The hems have a tendency to rolllll. (we'll fix this idea later on)

All of the fabrics are available in a variety of fibers: cotton, poly, spandex, and now even bamboo.

-Pre-wash and dry your fabric. I know there are nay-sayers out there, but for me just do it.

-Be sure when choosing fabric for your pattern, you have chosen appropriately. Often, the commercial patterns that call for knit will actually have a gauge on the pattern back showing how much your fabric should stretch for it to fit properly.

-Change your machine needle to one (I use Schmetz) appropriate to your fabric. Let's be real, it sounds dumb, right? I know. But for real, change your needle.

I often use their "Universal" needle for everything I jam through my machine. These are actually fine for knit. A better one still is "Ball Point" - the purpose of this needle is to go through the fabric in between the knitted stitches as opposed to piercing through the fabric. This can make a hole and/or a run. Check out the seams on a cheap knitted garment from your closet and see what I mean. Holes. Gross.

They also make a "Jersey" needle. This are great for making bathing suits and such out of shiny spandex, but aren't necessary for a cotton jersey dress. Get the Ball Point needle and you are in shape.

-Sewing : stretch your seams a bit when you run them through. They will snap into place again when you are done, but this will prevent the thread at the seam from snapping while putting the garment on. We all have t-shirts where the shoulder seam has ripped out. Be honest. Be sure also to back stitch. You are much more likely to have a seam come undone on a knit than a cotton woven that you didn't back stitch. Hello J. Crew armpits.

-Edge finish. You can certainly leave the seam edges unfinished, but for peace of mind, I tend to always finish my seams with my serger (true love). If you don't have a serger, just a zig zag will do. Again, stretch your seam a small amount. This added reinforcement will be great should a seam snap. We don't want to see heineys hanging out. Buy a serger, it's the best $200 you've spent in awhile.

-Hemming- this is SUPER fun and very professional. Get yourself a "Twin Needle". It is a single shank (that thing that gets stuck up inside the machine and tightened with a screw to your machine) but with TWO needles sticking out the bottom. Check your manual to see where the 2nd spool of thread will go. My Viking has an attachment that you pop into a slot on the front of the machine. Other machines have an adapter that goes onto the bobbin winder. In any event, put 2 spool of thread onto the machine. You are stitching from the front, so choose the thread you want to see on the front side. Now, grab both threads together and thread the machine as normal. When you get to the needle, simply thread each one with one of the threads. It does not matter which thread you use, just thread them both.

Now, be sure to iron and pin your hem all the way around. Place your pins perpendicular to the fabric, it's easier to get them out. Top stitch your hem into place. You will have 2 perfectly even stitching lines on the front and a zig-zag that is formed on the back. The zig-zag offers a bit of stretch so you are in good shape from a utility point of view.

Twin needle hemming is cute with contrast stitching also so go crazy here! the point of the twin needle is to prevent the hem from rolling. The width of the needle stitching helps to stabilize the fabric enough so it can't roll.

I think that covers most of the issues with knitted fabrics. The great thing with them is how forgiving they are in both sewing and fit. Have a blast with them!

Did I miss anything? I hope not. If I did, let me know and I can try to answer your question.

Raining pink and cute

Seriously dying over how super cute this raincoat came out. Still mildly obsessed with the laminated cotton. The girl totally needed the raincoat today with very heavy downpours coming down at bus time! Good timing Mom!

Made the pattern myself and only have 1 change I'd like to make - love the foldover sleeve action, but they are about 1 inch too long - just too bulky - so that's fixed on my pattern and we are ready for another!

The outside is from Amy Butler's Love collection and the lining is super awesome Jennifer Paganelli's line - Matt's Tux. love the color coordinating action between the two.

The was probably completed in a couple hours - it was super simple, lined, a bit of elastic in the hood and a zipper. A bit of topstitching and wa-la. Love it! So does the girl.

Technicalities

I LOVE details. Not like fussy details in clothes and decorating. Like details as in matching patterns at seams, the seams themselves, the stitching that makes up the seams. I can go further but I think you get the picture.

I've been playing around with some new techniques and fabrics. One being Laminated Cotton. It's not oilcloth or some version of , however, truly cotton fabric with a thin layer of vinyl laminated on top. I'd love to get into the factory to see the process, but it's probably pretty much like the laminator I have at my house. Yes, don't judge. Of course I have a laminator at my house. And I use it a lot. See, I love details. Nothing better than a laminated thing. Love it for keepsakes and crafts.

Anyway, Laminated cotton seems like it should be pretty challenging to sew. Pinning and stitching are the top two scary issues. I have a really great Viking Lily machine that it is desperate need of professional attention, but we both have separation anxiety so we'll pretend it's ok, that the tension is perfect, and the throat plate isn't gouged everywhere.

The first project I did was ok to sew and looked cute and fine when it was done. But, on closer inspection, I should not have had to TUG to get the fabric through. All the stitches should be the same length with equal tension on top and bottom. There was also a bit of bubbling where the top and bottom were shifting while being stitched.

UNTIL I did a few things.

1) use a walking foot (an accessory foot you purchase separately for your machine)

-it acts like an upper feed dog so the fabric on top and bottom are feeding at the same time instead of just the bottom fabric feeding through.

2) use a very sharp machine needle. Pierces right through easily and doesn't get stuck in the laminate on it's way out to create the next stitch.

3: ditch your pins. I used Japanese Masking Tape to hold my fabric in place while I sewed. It held in place beautifully and was easy to remove. I pulled it off before the area was sewn much like how I remove pins, but one spot I missed it and even that was easy to remove the tape.

3 easy fixes and now Laminated cotton is a joy to sew! and the project ideas are so fun and varied - it opens up a whole new world!

Fifi the French Girl

Cutie shorts. Pulled these guys together in about an hour. Took a little pajama pant pattern I knew fit well, then...

Chopped off the length, added a band, fashioned a little curved/pointed tab for a tie.

LOVING the Sis Boom fabric. The band is a separate piece from the tabs. I wanted the tabs curved in, think Bow tie shape, so that it wasn't super bulky. They came out really cute. She's already worn them a few times - with leggings and without.

Anyone notice the cute top? It's one of Carla Crim's patterns - super cute and also a little French. Perfect for a girl named Madeline :-)

great day

I am sitting here listening to the rain and reflecting on my wonderful day. Great morning at church for Palm Sunday. then off to visit Make and Mingle and create a couple of quilt squares for a wonderful cause. I know some fantastic ladies - Jen Paganelli, Nancy Geaney, Karen and Natalie (Make and Mingle Mistresses) their sister Linda and a few new friends I just met :-) The quilt squares will be quilted together and sent to Haiti. Awesome.

My little person made a quilt square on her own with just a bit of help on her Hello Kitty sewing machine. LOVE spending this meaningful time with her - I find that I can spend more time focusing on her outside of the house doing projects like this. We need to do more of this. When we are home, I am so distracted with lots of other stuff. Birdie had a seriously fun and rewarding day. She was very proud of herself and I was proud of her! Satisfied and content.

candy bags

These things are so cute I wanna call them "candy bags"!

I just finished making a cute pattern for these little guys. It's amazing how much the old geometry classes come in handy when making the paper pattern up. I started with last weeks' ad for Target, then switched over to white paper. Ok, it was actually white on the back, the front was a coloring page with a Disney Fairy on it. lol. Can't wait to make up more of these babies. The above are oil cloth on the outside, cotton in the inside. Think I'll make a few with oil cloth on the inside for cosmetics and such.

yum

no, not veggies. cupcakes. The best kind of health food for 3rd graders! he he he

Back with fun projects

wahoo - I'm back! Blogger locked me up for awhile and, ahem, I didn't notice for a bit. Then I did and they were sloooooow too respond. In any event - back we are and here are some fun creations I did while I was away.

The Sophia bag by Amy Butler - made with Kokka fabr

ics. Got both and am teaching the class at this hip new s

ewing shop nearby. LOVE! Only complaint, way too much interfacing needed.

This bag needed 4 yards. craziness.

Even got Birdie in on the sewing fun - she made a pillowfor a birthday party gift for a neighbor turning 2. She did ALL of it herself but the setting up and about 1" of slipstitching. She said to me later "thanks for stitching with me, I really liked it Mom!" a mom couldn't feel any more pride and love when you share what you love with another so close to your heart.

I want to eat her sometimes:-)