Cookies, Crayons, Classes, & Chaos: sewing

Showing posts with label sewing. Show all posts

Hop on the sewing bandwagon

A friend just passed along this great sale offer.

If you've been waiting to try out your Project Runway design skills but didn't have a sewing machine it could be a good time to jump on the bandwagon.

If you are lucky you might also find a free sewing machine on Craigslist. They are SUPER popular though so keep an eye on the ads if you want to be the first to respond.

This computerized 4+ star (out of 5) user-rated machine is on sale for 40% off.

Somebody's been sketching in my book again....Off to Mood!

I've learned to keep a small notebook and pen in my ~~classy grown up purse~~ mom backpack.

Just the Bear Necessities.

The notebook is handy for gathering phone numbers for play dates and taking notes at at community meetings when I ~~don't feel like schlepping~~ forget to take my binders.

Binders and spirals and notebooks oh my

It's also good for placating bored kids at said meeting by giving them the notebook and some crayons or pen.

bored

Today I discovered my notebook had escaped from my backpack.

I found my notebook on on the play table with these clandestine entries from my 6 year old daughter, Rosalie:

Dress with custom designed fabric

Yes, she's into fashion design right now. And it is so much fun to have someone to watch Project Runway with now!

Perhaps we will be able to help her get her own fabric designs printed at Spoonflower or on our inkjet printer.

Dress and accessories

This second dress above seems Kenley inspired with her vintage silhouette and headware. I think it's adorable of course!

Designer Kenley Collins

Kenley Collin's vintage inspired dresses

I'm just thinking about what Tim Gunn might say about the nature and placement of skirt graphics given his past statements that made us all laugh. lol.

The famous "pubic patch" problem

But I digress. As usual.

Looking through my notebook it was so nostalgic to see how her drawings have evolved.

These same sketches were in my notebook from a few years ago when she was likely bored at some meeting or appointment.

Designing hair and earrings

Designing kites

Designing miniature golf course

So now my daughter is getting ready to head to ~~Mood~~ Walmart for her first design challenge.

She's got a budget of $11 that must include tax. So she's already calculated her fabric and trims must equal $10.34 or less (sneaky math).

Sketching dress and accessories

Measuring existing white "inspiration" dress for pattern

Um yes, it's sad but the king size bed is the largest uninterrupted space in the house for doing large craft projects.

Measuring everywhere

Shh! Don't tell her she is learning math while measuring. Ah, the joys of homeschooling in the tradition of Total Immersion Learning.

Dress and hat design sketch

She seems to have a Mila inspired color blocking approach to a number of her sketched designs.

Designer Mila Hermanovski

Mila's dress

Let's see where this adventure in pattern-making and design goes.

I could REALLY use a professional (and homeschool mom) like Rowena and her amazing pattern-making skills, ability to refashion one thing into another (including converting regular clothes into nursing wear).

Rowena's famous and amazing easy to sew infinity dress that can be worn a zillion ways

Her daughter is lucky to have a mom who would be able to help her turn her drawn inspirations into real world designs.

Ella's first dress as a 6 year old too!

But I'm going to just delve into this attempt with to create a pattern with Rosalie drawing inspiration from Ella's mom Rowena who says this about her imperfect dress from 8th grade:

"what's my point??? it's just this: not knowing how to do something is no reason not to do it. just make something, learn as you go, before you know it you'll be teaching someone else all the tricks of the trade."

Just a beginner dress

So hopefully we can delve into this pattern making and sewing project with such good results too!

Lol. I still have my first sewing projects from middle school too.

Wish me luck!!

Princess Tea Party Paradise

.....gasp.....

I cannot believe how adorable these things are from the blog, girl. inspired.

Lace Princess Crowns tutorial

Look at the cakes in the background!

Tea party treats

Princess extravaganza

Turn old worn out socks into clothing for American Girl size doll

What do you do with socks that are too worn out and thin in too many places to be worth darning?
Easy! Turn them into knee-high socks for your favorite American Girl sized doll.

Here's how to turn these (boys medium size) holey socks into something for little sister's dolls:

Assuming the holes on in the heels or toes...

Cut off the bottom of the washed sock, retaining the upper cuff portions

Cut each cuff in half into two pieces

2 old socks = 4 new doll socks

Flip the socks inside out so the "right sides" are facing each other inside

Pin the sock so the sides stay together during sewing

Sew the cut ends and sides

Pink thread shows the sewn end and side (original top cuff is still open)

Flip the sock inside-out

Now the outside of the sock is on the outside!

Slip on the comfy socks so your dolls can relax

5 Ways to Turn T-shirts and Tidibits into Accessories + 2 BONUSES

Project Runway is over for the season. Project Accessory has started.

So my desire to make clothes out of trash has now been replaced with a desire to make jewelry out of trash, left-overs, recycled items, or things otherwise unexpected.

Since I'm not talented I like to get my creative fix with easy DIY projects.

A I'm going through the closets to move from summer to winter I'm finding lots of raw materials for these projects: