The Shop is Open!

Just a quickie post to let you all know that the shop is now open! Thanks to all those who waited patiently! I do have some new patterns in the shop as well, so check those out.

Over the next couple of days I will be discounting a lot of patterns to make room for some new ones! Please let me know of any specific patterns you would like to see in the shop! The new Sew Liberated Patterns should be here any day!

Crazy

That is the only word I have for describing our August and September. The move itself went pretty smoothly. Closing on the house took a month longer than anticipated. However, we are here! I have lots to write about, and I haven't sewn for weeks. I am totally feeling the itch. I did, however, purchase this sewing cabinet yesterday and can't wait for it to get here.

I am planning on reopening the shop on Monday October 12th! I have some new patterns already here and others on the way. I love the change of seasons! Always brings new inspiration!

The above photo is something made last fall, but I really like it. It is an Apron Overlay from Amy Butler's Barcelona Skirts pattern. Have you seen her new patterns coming out? Oh, and the fabric! Yummy. Anyhow, it just feels too weird to post without a picture, and I don't know where our camera cord is yet. Still sooooo many boxes to unpack. Boo.

We have...

a job in California and we are officially in escrow for a cute little house! Life is busy and is only going to get busier. I expect sewing and blogging are going to be taking a backseat over the next month. We are excited for the upcoming changes and a little nervous too! We feel very blessed.

I will be closing up my etsy shop for the next month starting next Tuesday, August 11th. So if you have been eying a pattern and can't wait until September I suggest you order in the next week! I know I want to rearrange the shop as well, and I think taking this month off will let me reassess and pray about what direction the shop should take.

Since there isn't any crafting in this post, have a little look at some of these fun tutorials that I have bookmarked in my favorites!

Knitting Needle Roll by Lupin Bunny
How to make a digital quilt mockup by Sarah Seitz
Little Patchwork Dress by Crazy Mom Quilts (Really love this!)
Birthday Banner by See Mommy Sew
How to sew a double sided purse strap by Fat Orange Cat
Superhero Cape Tutorial by Puking Pastilles
( I made one of these for a little boy and it was the hit of the party!)

Make It Perfect's Flirty Skirts Pattern Review

You can find the Flirty Skirts pattern in my SHOP!

Description from back of pattern:
Flirty Skirts will be the most comfortable, relaxed skirts you will ever make or wear. Featuring cascading tiers and patchwork designs, Flirty Skirts will leave you feeling free and graceful. Gentle gathers between each tier create a soft, feminine look - perfect for a day in the countryside, unwinding at the beach or some fun shopping. Whether you choose to make a stunning long or short ladies skirt or a delightful little girl's skirt with matching applique top, Flirty Skirts are guaranteed to make you happy!!

Pattern includes the following sizes:

LITTLE GIRL'S SKIRT -
sizes 6 months, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

LADIES LONG AND SHORT SKIRTS -
x-small: hips 36" or 91cm / midriff 26 1/2" or 67cm
small: hips 38" or 96cm / midriff 29" or 74cm
medium: hips 40 1/2" or 103cm / midriff 32" or 81cm
large: hips 43 1/2" or 110cm / midriff 35" or 89cm Added on May 21, 2009

Material and material requirements:

This depends on the skirt you make and your size. I used a five different 1/2 yds from a set of Jennifer Paganelli's Flower power line, and about 2/3 yd from a blue and white polka dot fabric from my stash.

Pattern as described/shown?

This skirt turned out very well and looks very much like the long skirt shown on the pattern. I was trying to work with a half yard set that I already had in my stash, and so I ended up being about an inch and a half short for one of my pieces. I am short so I didn't think this would be a problem. However, it is just about perfect on me, and I am short (5'3"). Plus, I am wearing this skirt at right about my belly button. So if you are tall or want to wear it higher on your waist I would probably add an inch to a couple of the tiers.

How were the instructions?

The instructions were clear and well organized. I was never confused, and there were just enough diagrams to help understand her directions.

Difficulty of pattern?

This is a pretty easy pattern. The only difficult thing is the amount of gathering you have to do for each tier. So I would say that you should at least have done one gathering project before attempting this pattern just to avoid frustration. However, there are no real pattern. You just cut rectangles (rotary cutter comes in handy for this!) and the overall construction is simple making it a good project for a beginner!

Alterations made?

The only alteration I made is just shortening a couple of tiers to accommodate using the half yard cuts I already had. Otherwise, all directions were followed. I did, however, have about a yard extra of trim leftover from the zebra print. So you can definitely cut out less. You also might want to top stitch on the tiers that are not covered with the trim just to give it a cleaner look. I keep meaning to go back and do it to mine, but you know...there are other things to sew! ;0p

Overall Impression

I love my new skirt! I don't have any long skirts currently, and I love the soft ruffles and feminine feel of this skirt. It came together quickly. I made this skirt on a Saturday for a fun and easy weekend project. I also love the fact that it comes with instructions for making a little girl skirt as well.

Summerhouse Pillows and an Artist

Summerhouse pillows. Aren't they pretty? I love patchwork. I love turning little bits of leftover pretty fabrics into something big and pretty.

The back. I love this bright, cheery fabric. I got this at Joann's. I must admit that I think Joann's is getting some better stuff as of late.

The pattern is by Alicia Paulson. It is quite easy, and she uses a different way of doing the patchwork using iron on interfacing. She has a tutorial for it here. I used blues and greens, and they fit perfectly over a couple of busted pillows I had that I have been too lazy to do anything with the past couple of months. I didn't put piping on my pillows because I didn't have any, and I just didn't want to go all the way across town for piping. I do want to make two more though...with piping. ;0p

Now this...this is my little artist. She draws all.day.long. She is particularly proud of this little pony. She asked me to take a picture and has so far shown it to everyone we have seen today who is willing to take a look. She draws in coloring books, on pieces of paper, on cards, while she eats, while she watches a movie, and even when she is outside.

This is one of her outside drawings. This is her Grams. She has just learned to draw faces. What is the blue line across the face that looks like Jordy from Star Trek? Grams' glasses, of course!

Melly and Me's Fat Quarters Bag Pattern Review

A review of Melly and Me's awesome Fat Quarters Bag (However, be aware that fat quarters are different in the US and therefore you will need a little more fabric.) by none other than my own mother...

Pattern as described/shown:
I was never interested in making this bag until I purchased 3 Wonderland (by MoMo) Fat Quarters. The FQ were all in cream color. I loved wonderland and knew immediately I needed to make this purse. After I purchased it though, I realized the Fat Quarters were in metric countries. Because we are not metric, I needed 2 - 15" squares for the main bag and lining. Grrrrr.....that didn't stop me though!! I was able to cut the main bag with the fat quarter I had (even though it was a directional fabric, it didn't matter too much because the fabric was kind of crazy anyway and the handles would hide the tree trunks going sideways). As for the lining, I had just enough material in my stash that went perfectly with the wonderland. So off to the sewing machine...

How were the instructions?
As with all Melly and Me patterns the instructions were excellent. She does things a little differently because she is a quilter (and I am not). But they are easy to understand. Plus, on this bag, the main bag is quilted. Because it is such a small piece, it's not hard and you can be as creative as you want. The only thing I don't like is the lack of pictures. I would have especially liked a picture of the side of the bag to see what that was like!

Difficulty of pattern?
Very skilled beginner and beyond.

Alterations made?
Yes, I made a few alternations. She wanted you to quilt it like the picture, I chose to do a different quilt pattern. I didn't like how she had you sew the sides, so I put in 4 eyelets (I do not recommend this because of all the layers of fabric and fleece you have to go through. I should have used grommets, snaps, or buttons). I also sewed in a pocket in the inside. What is a purse without a pocket?

Overall impression?
I liked it. I thought the purse turned out pretty cute. I made it for a 18 year old, so I thought it had a youthful flare. I wish she would have given the overall dimensions of the purse (they are approx. 9" tall without straps, 12" in length, 4" wide). I have made several Melly and Me patterns and I think they are fun to make. I usually like the way they turn out, this one was one of my favorites.

My sewing wanes...

We are house hunting...in California! All very exciting, but I find myself staring at houses on the computer rather than sewing. I just can't help myself. *sheepish grin* However, I still have a few completed projects that I haven't posted about. Look for a review of Melly and Me's Fat Quarter Bag and Make It Perfect's Flirty Skirts pattern later this week!

I did make a couple of baby gifts this week. The little pants are for a new little baby boy. I used the Britches and Bloomers pattern. Quick and easy. I used some linen and Heather Ross dots. I realized I don't have much boy friendly fabric in my stash. It was between the dots annnnddd nothing else.

This little skirt is for a little baby girl. I based it off this pattern but I needed it smaller than what the pattern went to. So I just used a 1/4 yard and added a little zebra cuff instead of hemming it. It is a pretty simple pattern, and if you have made a simple girl's skirt before I am sure you can figure out how to make something similar. I used Flower Power for this skirt. I love Jennifer Paganelli. Nothing unfeminine about her style.

The little apron is reversible. I like that you can even take it off if you aren't in an apron styling mood either. ;0p