Zebra Stripes for Santa Baby

     I haven’t sewn in over a month and how do I start back? I sew a Christmas stocking for the baby of the house. I got tired of looking for something different only to find the same old unexcited basic flat - just let me get to the point - ugly - Christmas stockings! So, what’s a sewist to do? What she should have done in the first instance. Sew It! So, I did. And this is what turned out.

I love it! And as Zyan gets older, I am sure she will too.

I simply traced one of the other kids stockings, added seam allowance, and sew. Quick and easy. Only 15 minutes to sew up. Even longer to clean the mess because (lesson learned) I didn’t mark and sew from the back of this furry animal. Just a little of the mess?

Here it is before it was stuffed with goodies for Christmas.

That is all. I want to squeeze some sew time in. Before the laid back days are all to gone and then back to the 9 to 5. Hopefully I’ll churn something out before the 31st.

Until later. Smooches and smoothies for all!

~~~Scheryka

I promise I’ve Been Sewing!

Hi, All. Although it seems as though I’ve started another hiatus after just coming off one, I promise, I’ve been sewing. I just haven’t had a photographer who can take some decent photos.

My nieces and nephew came to visit while Mommy and Daddy celebrated their 3 year anniversary. So, what better way to keep the girls, ages 9 (my daughter) and 15 (my niece), made some DIY shorts that sells from $35 to $98. They made their jeans for less than $5. WooHoo!

Here’s the video that they found on YouTube and got busy with.

She has some great videos. Check them out sometimes.

These are regularly $88, on sale for $65 at Macy’s. K-Mart is even in the race with their version.

They are $13.

The process went ok. The bleach didn’t work as well on the dark colored jeans but it’s ok. The girlies were left to decorate their pants the way they wanted to. My Bedazzler., yes ,I have one. I mean, who doesn’t, got much needed use. So, I won’t go on with babbling, here are the photos of the weekend photo shoot.

 

 

 

Here is the second pair that my niece made. She made tabs on the side and added stars at the pockets.

Photos with Aloe.

The red skirt on Aloe (my dressform) is V8711. I am tweaking it and have to decide on a top for it.

Oh, by the way, I love this skirt. It is soooo sexy!

Until later, Kisses and Hugs galore. Just don’t touch my hair! lol Love you guys.

Scheryka

Capering in My Cape & Interview Ready

M5764 vs M5913 Easy Stitch n Save and Vogue 8751

January: cape. (Yes, it’s the middle of February, but hey...)

It is getting cold out! I mean, it is cold outside! So, that means I need new outerwear. I have a black leather jacket that’s about had its wear and a poo - I mean olive green wool pea coat that I wear most often. There’s also my Class A Trench from the Army but, really. I want (need) something new; something different. I got to wondering through the pattern stash and found a LOT of trench, jacket and coat patterns that I want to make. When I pulled out McCall’s 5913,

I thought I’d make a cape. But I mentally traveled back and forth between a cape and a trench. I really wasn’t ready to tackle an in-depth piece just yet, so I settled for a quick and easy cape. That’s the point when I also found McCall’s 5764. Which is OOP now.

Hmmm, these two patterns are the same. One difference though is that 5764 offers “4 Great Looks” with “One Easy Pattern” while the Easy offers only three. It took a hot minute to figure the difference. I found it! The fourth look was a collar variation.

 

I love the longer belted version. It’s just chic to me. I cut the 12 since it’s meant to fit loose. I didn’t want too much of a swing.

The instructions were GREAT. Nothing confusing or fussy. I also compared the instructions to the Easy version. They’re the same with just a few combined here and few separated there.

I used a black wool-like fabric with white-lined plaid that was mistakenly shipped to me. Instead of the company wanting the fabric back they happily replaced it with the right one free of charge. Yay! Win-win for me. And who doesn’t love a win-win situation?

I didn’t make any alterations. I did change the way it closes. I put in invisible snaps instead of buttons. I initially wanted a zipper but I’m trying to use stash items and I didn’t have a separating zipper on hand. So I settled on the invisible snaps. I also omitted the interfacing since this fabric is thick enough by itself and holds its own... even after the wash.

I love that it’s simple, fast and easy. I wore it with a pair of Vogue trouser pants I made for an interview. They were an in between item that I needed. These pants were SUPER EASY. I knew I needed a pair of dress pants a week in advance. My interview was on a Thursday. I cut them out Tuesday night and started construction Wednesday night. ....LATE Wednesday night. In fact I went to bed around 2 then decided to get back up and go ahead and finish them. I was done something to 4 am. I love them. Although I could make the hip area a tad wider. (I tell ya, post baby weight gain is a mess!) Hence the side pocket gaps. Everything else, just great... especially the waistband. I love a wide band. I also made a 2-inch hem. I’m 5’3” if you need a bit of reference.

Trousers: Very Easy Vogue 8751. I guess it’s because I have constructed several pairs of pants. This Very Easy Vogue lives up to it’s name. With taking care of home duties, school duties, and a nursing baby, total these trousers took 6 and half hours from start to finish, excluding pattern cutting. Originally, I was planning to make View A with the belt loops, but I was kind of strapped for time so I made View B.

I cut the 16. I’ve been having to go up a few sizes since having baby Zyan. I have got to get this weight off soon! It’s not me and since I do not trace my patterns, I refuse to have too many patterns cut too large for me.

I used a semi stretch suiting from the stash that was perfect for this pattern and its purpose. I needed some interview trousers - that I could fit - for a medical office.

I like everything about the pattern and pants except that the legs are a bit wide for my liking of this type garment. Had they been a little more flowing and for another purpose, I would love it. I am also a bit short, standing at only 5’3”. And now since I am a chunkster, it makes it worse. IMO. Next time, and I want to make them again, I’ll take off 3 inches of the leg width.

I made a few exceptions and changes. One, Since I procrastinated until the last moment, I did not have time to interface the waistband nor zipper placket. I’d sewn the waistband together and constructed it as one piece. I made a 2-inch hem for the legs. Oh, the legs are wide! And instead of using only 2 hook and eye that the pattern called for, I used 3 to make up for the interfacing that I did not use. It did the trick but only for a little while. As in - for the moment of the interview only. I can get away with that since it’s really due to the extra pull (killing) my belly is giving the band. That will SOON be history.

I had planned to do a little jacket to go with it but since I waited so long to get started that was surely a no-go at my station! I wore it to the interview with my leather jacket. Basic and nothing fancy. It was cold so I let my outerwear serve as my ‘jacket’. The office was cold, too, so I kept that bad baby on!

I pray I get that job. But even if I don’t, I’ll still be happy-go-blessed!

Until my February project,

x o x o

Scheryka

Hair Pretties

While taking a break from sewing for the Mt. Pleasant Annual Christmas Banquet, I wanted to do something with the girls because they have been neglected. Well, not entirely, because I was indeed sewing for them. I put my dress on hold because I FORGOT that if I don’t sew their dresses as well, then it might be a huge chance they would not have anything to wear. But those are a separate story.

I ran across this site From an Igloo by Christine who made the most adorable hair barrettes. I had to make the girls some. Before I went a bought any extra supplies we used what was on hand to see how easy this actually was. Let me tell, IT IS EASY.

The supplies you need (taken from Christine’s page) are:

You will need:
- Glue gun/glue
- Yarn (We used thick embroidery thread)
- Beads- (size was small not sure of a measurement)
- Thread/needle
- A piece of cording (Used some scrap small rope from last year’s Christmas gifts)
- Alligator clips or barrettes (The silver clasp barrettes works too)
- Scraps of fabric and –embellishments like ribbon and buttons.

Oh, and don’t forget the sharpie because your dolly needs a face.

I don’t have any in-process photos because working with an anxious 2 year old kind of makes it hard to work with hot glue and take photos. I do have the finished product which came out pretty well.

Ann wanted to wear hers today to church. I know the real reason. Every third Sunday is children’s church and she just had to have something to talk about. I can imagine how the conversation went. “Me and Mom made pretty dolls for my hair and I want to thank God for letting my Mom need a break from sewing because now I have something new for my hair.” Sounds like something she would say.

Here is a close-up: Ann made her dolly’s hair extra long because she says it reminded her that needs to not play in her hair again and I want to cut it to make it grow again. Lol. Kids. They really do listen and learn.

Here is the one I helped to make with Nii. I had to get this photo while she was sleeping. She had to get an after service nap because crankiness is not an option! Just go to sleep if you are sleepy… so Mom can get a photo of your ”pretty haaiirrr”. That is how Nii says it while rubbing her hands down the side of her face and head. You get the picture. But here is this one I had to sneak. She kept turning her head back so one is all I got.

You should give it a try if you have little ones or little grands. They are fast and easy and you can use different things to get different looks. I may make a few more because the girls have some brown see through beads that I want to play around with and see how they come out.

Until the Banquet items,

Schey

New Drink….

I am thinking (and I really should not be doing that) that I need to do something different.

I have LOTS of patterns waiting for me to make into gorgeous garments. Some I have had for YEARS. Come on, don’t act like you don’t know what I am talking about. You got some patterns just sitting around too ‘cause you don’t know what fabric to use or you bought the pattern thinking it was just your style then you realize that you don’t even like the pattern at all. Guilty!

PROBLEM? :

Too many patterns – bought, downloaded, acquired and else how.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS? :

1. Give them away. Nope. But I would certainly consider that on any duplicates I may have.

2. Take them back to the store for a store credit (at full price). Now that would not be morally right now would it? Although I have thought about it because if I hadn’t I wouldn’t said, huh?

3. Trade them off.  But then I may still end up with patterns waiting for the double edge sword to come along and cut them up.

4. Let them sit there and hope they magically turn themselves into a work of art with wondrous details? I don’t thin that will happen either.

So the only possible solution I could come up with is this.

1. Cut and make something from each and every pattern I have!

Yes! I have been cured.

Ok, so I PLAN (Read: yeah right) to take a pattern from the stash, pick a garment, choose stash fabric and sew. I PLAN (Read: Yeah right) to start from the left side of the many, many rows and work my way to the right side. I chose the left because Vogue and Burda are on the right side. lol Oh, and some of those Lekala’s that have directions that are worse than trying to read the lips of a mime. Yeap, mimes don’t move their lips and it’s a bit hard to figure what going on. Mind you, I can do it, I just want to do the easy stuff first – like Simplicity.

I think I should have started this on the first of the year. January 1, 2011. Then by the end of the year, I‘d still NOT be done. I have to take into consideration life and it’s many detours. Maybe if I do that, then I will be done, umm next year December 31, 2012. lol I am not lying I have just that many patterns and cannot seem to refrain from purchasing more. Like my most recent purchases were:

I moved this one to the top because I have it cut out and ready to be sewn up. I just haven’t touched it because I am not really liking the color. I did at first but now I don’t. Just goes to show that my mind changes like the weather. (When it feels like it.) But I am woman, I am unpredictable.

The green one is the skirt in reference. They look like a twist on the Tulip skirt. Well, I have three projects going at once so when things are done, I’ll post. 

  

I love the Burgundy and the Green belts. I can do the two middle ones too.

This one reminds me of a dress I made to attend a wedding in the past. Here's the dress.

Yet, another pattern is

 

Yummy! I can’t wait to get some 5% spandex denim for this bad baby!

After reading this review: by 3kids1036, I went out and bought the pattern and the white knit! It is so cute. And I may not have paid it any mind because at first the neck looked a little alien to me. Then I saw it again and I was taken aback. I really do like it.

Well, I can go on with how many patterns I have bought (all on sale) in the past month. The count could easily get into the double digits. So, I’ll stop now and get some other things done, but I will be back.

Until, I get other things done, Schey.

2011 Project: Finish It!

I came up with this title because I am tired of looking at the UFOs that have collected in the sewing hut. This could be the reason why I just can’t seem to get comfortable in my own sewing space! So, either I finish them or get rid of them. I have decided to finish them – or attempt to do thereof. Those that aren’t so successful. I may not miss them anyhow. I mean, after all, why are they just sitting there anyway, again? So, as I finish them I will post them. (Note: I have tried this in the past and did not succeed.) 

I believe there are two purses, a pair of panties, two dresses, a top, and a dress that was for my Mom four years ago. …Oh, I have the Coffee Date Dress (with two altered bodices). I’m pretty sure there are more but that’s all I can recall for right now.

I really want to finish this dress:

It was for my Mom and she has been waiting for it for a long time. I think she may even forgotten about it. No, it’s not going to be in the Orange. Only in the White. My Mom would be very sassy in it. So, I think it may be worked on first.

   This tote will be next. If I don’t tell you, you may not realize that I cut the fabric the wrong way. So, an EXPENSIVE prototype… I’ll keep this one for me, though.

Only two at a time. So, as these two are done I’ll continue with this blog. In the mean time please enjoy my other posts.

Update: (3/15/2011) Ok, so I am guilty. I have no mojo to finish the other projects. BUT! I did manage to get photos of a denim jumper that I’d done back in December.

AND! I finished its twin in eyelet that has been cut out since December but never finished it. Well, to be honest, all I did was cut out and left it. Sord of like the “fix it and forget it” commercial. Only it wasn’t quite fixed. Anyhow, I really like this pattern and it so simple and easy. I mean easy! Did I mention  - Easy?! And as you will see, you can doodle it up anyway you like. It’s a like a blank canvas and you are the artist. Oh! Before I forget, let me say that I am SO VERY proud of that zipper. I don’t know what to do with myself! So, I want to show you that picture first. I hope it’s seeable because the flash is stuck on on the camera and I can’t get it off. Here is the zipper:

Oh, the pattern does not call for a zipper. It’s a seam more than half way up the back and then there is a button at the top for the closure.

Ok, now here it is:

Sorry, I had to make it big. Here is the inside of the zipper and seam: (I tried to get a better shot but I tilted my screen until I got a better look.) Go ahead, try it.

I don’t know how this happened but the bodice lining – facing – what ever it is right now, is uneven. Oh well, I saw it before hand but was not going to redo it because Mama was on a roll and wanted to get done.

The front of the jumper should have been first, well, but not this time. Here’s the front:

Hem and its close-up:

The trim is actually ribbon (on top) and a lace (on the bottom).

Next up: This is the front and back of the stretch denim with kitty cats. Got this fabric for 99. a yard! Now I need to find out what to do with the rest of it with out being called the kitty cat lady!

 

No zipper or button anything here. It’s stretchy and it stretches right over my 2-year-old-wannabe-22-year-old-gonna-get-knocked-out-toddler’s head. (wow, did I just put that?)

Here is the bodice facing:  

Ok, so I have one stone laid to rest. Next.

Until later, Schey