craftiness is not optional: January 2011

Monday, January 31, 2011

blowing kisses skirt tutorial

Hey, all! Welcome, Obsessively Stitching readers! and all you people who read my blog too! ;)

Ready to kick off All you need is Love week?

What better way than with a skirt. Well, in my mind there is no better way.

I love the simplicity of this skirt-and the fact that the hearts look like they're floating across the skirt. (right?....right?) I imagine them as little love kisses being blown to a friend or loved one.

Or sister, like this little one usually aims them at. ;)

Want to make one for your own little Valentine?

Click below for more details!

anthropologie dress knock off tutorial

Heeeere's the tutorial for that green and teal dress from Anthropologie! I have to tell you, I don't have pictures of every step, because the way it's constructed is similar to the Sadie shirt-so I'll refer you to that tutorial a few times.

Click below for more details!

well, they are cute in cotton!

Wouldn't you agree? I whipped out some of my pleated headbands the other day in some scraps I had (you may recognize the patterns ;)

I also added some buttons and flowers to jazz them up a teensy bit, but I like them simple like this.

Simple is my middle name. (that, and Danger)

P.S. Hey Justin-consider this your shout out!...to explain....I promised my brother a shout out on my blog. He is a great brother-got all of his college room mates to vote for me on Project Run and Play even though they probably didn't know what they heck they were voting for. lol!

Thursday, January 27, 2011

my adult-inspired knock off

I said I'd still do my ideas for Project Run and Play, and I always keep my word!

Unless it pertains to not eating the rest of the chocolate cake or something...a girl's gotta have her chocolate.

ANY ways....I chose this green and teal dress from Anthropologie. (of course)

I found this perfect fabric, from Michael Miller called Ta Dot Lagoon. I got it from my sponsor, Scarlet Poppe.

I love how it turned out! I added some cap sleeves for modesty and (a little) warmth.

I do wish I had placed the buttons a little closer together on the front, but what's done is done. I already got to know my new seam ripper a little too well during this project.

I just love this "pose". hehe. As you can see, it closes in the back just like the Sadie shirt. In fact, it's pretty similar, at least around the neckline.

Sadie likes it, and that's what matters!

She can also throw up a mean disco arm.

Go here for the tutorial!

All you need is love!

I'm so excited to announce a week-long series called:

All you need is Love!

(and maybe some fabric and crafting supplies)

I'm even more excited to be putting this on with Care, from Obsessively Stitching!

Between the two of us, we'll have a week full of love filled projects (and tutorials, of course), gearing up for Valentine's Day.

Also, some fun giveaways of things we, well...LOVE!

So, look for that next week! (Jan 31-Feb 4) In the meantime-I'm LOVING (hehe) the Rachel wraps that are popping up in the Flickr group! Keep them coming, and I'll do a round up soon!

If you'd like to pop a button up on your blog, here's the code: just copy and paste in an html gadget, and you're good to go.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Rachel wrap part 3: finishing up

Well, let's get that shirt put together, shall we?

Click here to download and print the entire sew along!

Click below for more details!

Rachel wrap part 2: bias tape and starting the sleeves

Day two: ready to go?

Click below for more details!

Rachel wrap part 1: pattern and pieces

Alright, Rachel wrap shirt, take one.

Read on!

Click below for more details!

I Spy swap squares

I finally made it into one of Care's I Spy swaps! Yahoo! I may or may not have bribed her to let me in! ;) hehe just kidding.

Anywho-I got my fabrics together and cut out and can't wait to get a whole bunch back-I've been getting the quilting itch lately, so I think I'll make them into a quilt to keep in the playroom, car, whatever.

My favorite fabrics are the french chickens and the vintage dresses. LOVE!

Friday, January 21, 2011

bohemian peasant dress tutorial

For some reason bohemian is the word I think of when I see this dress, so I'm going with it!

Bohemian peasant dress it is!

So even though I got the boot the first week of Project Run and Play, I had already sewn a dress for the second week, so here's my version of the Sweet Little Dress pattern by Leila and Ben-your basic peasant dress. It was a great pattern I thought. Here's how I did what I did.

Click below for more!

pleated headband tutorial

Here's the tutorial for Sadie's pleated headband she wore with her Winter Wonderland dress.

Click below for more!

Rachel wrap sew-along!

drum roll please.....har har just kidding.

Anywhoo! Are you ready for the next sew-along? Good, cause it's gonna be next week! yay! And we're gonna make this uber cute wrap shirt-which I dubbed the Rachel wrap shirt. I know, I should name it after Charlotte...next time. I figured she should be able to wear the outfit named after her, huh? And Rachel is my middle name anyways. ;)

A cute pleated sleeve adds a fun touch.

This is her Supergirl pose? UP, up and away!

I added some simple fabric flowers to jazz it up a bit.

and of course, it ties shut on the sides!

I used Adornit Vintage Groove Folk flower for the main fabric, and Adornit Vintage Groove red polka dots for the trim, both from my sponsor The Scarlet Poppe!

So, who's up for a sew along!? yahoo! Let's get sewing! yee haw! woot! (ok, I'll stop)

Here's a materials list in case you need to do some shoppin' before next Monday (or need an excuse) I'm always happy to enable any fabric addictions.

You'll need:

3/4-1 yard of main fabric

1/2 yard for trim (if you're making your own bias tape)

If not; 3-4 yards of double fold bias tape

pattern (we'll adapt the Sadie shirt pattern)

scissors or rotary cutter

machine (duh)

matching thread

pins, seam ripper, all that jazz!

Plus, one of these bias tape maker doo dads are VERY helpful if you're planning on making your own bias tape. You can get them at Joann's for about $6, or less, with one of their coupons.

P.S. This sew along will only be a 3-part one, so shorter than the Sadie shirt!

We'll start on Monday morning! (Jan 24)

Be there or be square!

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

drawstring bags

I've been meaning to make a bunch of drawstring bags for holding Sadie's little toys together-and the other day during a nap time I finally buckled down and did it! Necessary sewing can be so boring, but I was proved wrong. These were quite therapeutic to make!

I used this tutorial-which worked great. I loved using up some larger scraps I had been gifted-that way I can look at the pretty fabrics around my house every day! Aren't they so cheerful and bright? Just what I needed for the January doldrums.

And now Sadie's toys (and various random things in my diaper bag) are nice and organized. Yay for that.

Thank you all for the wonderfully kind comments yesterday! I appreciated every single one, and they made my day a lot better than it could have been. :)

Monday, January 17, 2011

:(

So, if you haven't heard yet, I was the first to go on Project Run and Play. :( I'm bummed, but it was so much fun! I loved the themes, and like I've said, I'll continue to do projects based on them!

At least my weekends will be less stressful now-haha!

So I figured, why not share this next week's project?

Here is my outfit for the Leila and Ben Sweet Dress challenge.

I'll put up a tutorial for the WW headband, and this peasant dress this week.

Thanks in advance for all your kind, ~~gushing~~ , supportive comments. ;) haha (my sewing ego is bruised)

Love ya!

Post Edit: Sorry I forgot to mention where I got the gorgeous fabric! I got it here and here, from my lovely new sponsor, The Scarlet Poppe. (awesome name, right?) The blue I got at my local Joann's, don't know the brand, sorry! :)

Thanks for all the love, guys, I feel better already!

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Project Run and Play week one!

Hey all! My dress doesn't compare much with the competition's which are FAB! (I'm not even joking or trying to get compliments, that's the truth!) Vote here for your fav outfit on Project Run and Play here:

http://projectrunandplay.blogspot.com/

PLLLLLEAAAAASSSSEEEEE!!!???

Thanks, all!

p.s. We went through like, three photo shoots, so here is a sampling from all of them!

Friday, January 14, 2011

fabric weights get a makeover.

Remember the weights I just made? Well, Sacha from Piccoli Piselli left a link in the comments to her blog where she wrapped her weights in ribbon. They are gorgeous and I immediately said to myself,"~~Why didn't I think of that?~~ I'm going to do that right away!" So here you are!

Much cuter huh? I love her use of washers as well! I'm going to have to pick up some more-you can always use more weights-and I love the colorful-ness (that's a word) of the different ribbons!

One more pic, for fun!

And one more thing....make sure to stop by tomorrow-the first week's outfits on Project Run and Play will be up! I can't wait to show you what I worked on...I'm excited to see everyone else's projects too!

Thursday, January 13, 2011

you've been busy!

Every time a new photo pops up in my flickr group, I get so excited! To see people actually using my tutorials makes me so happy! I just wanted to share a bit of the craftiness going on over there...Click on the pic to take you to the source.