superbowl sunday: giants tee refashion

Go GIANTS! Total excitement in the house all day yesterday -- and then ending with a win? Just a terrific Superbowl Sunday. 

But let's start with the morning. My precious nugget was sad that mommy, daddy and brother all had Giants shirts. The only Giant thing I had for her was a hand-me-down from her big brother. Knowing my fashionista, she was going to mope about how big it was, long-sleeves and that it wasn't, of course, pink. I offered to spruce this little number up for her:

First, I tried making a satin belt, with elastic, so it would ruche up:

 What I discovered?? That I hate trying to "wing" anything that involves sewing satin -- oh, and that I detest sewing with satin. So this little project got tossed. 

In the end, I cut up an old white tee, sewed a strip of elastic to the back, causing a sweet ruffling effect. I added a singed red satin peony for a more girly look and there you have it, a little belt for a little girl. I cut the sleeves off the Giants shirt, sewed a strip of elastic underneath the sleeve end...and after 2 hours of winging it, I got this:

She got all the attention she loves when she walked through the door! And she boasted how the shirt used to be her brother's, and that her mom made it this way. :)

penelope skirt: pattern by violette field threads

DING DING DING!! I found a winner! The Penelope Skirt pattern from Violette Field Threads is, simply put, awesome. The pattern is a .pdf, delivered right to your inbox. Just download and print. That's it!

It didn't take much time. But since I'm horrible with an iron, it took a little longer than planned. I kept going back over my hems to make sure they were nice and tight, so sewing it would look better. I intended to make this skirt for my daughter for Valentine's Day, but remembered I had this amazing Michael Miller fabric combo and went ahead with this instead:

And after a while, this lovely fabric turned into this:

And the best way to start a Friday morning is watching something you made...wear something you made:

 

how much does a blogger blog?

Yeah, I'm trying hard to keep my blog going. Not because I think my life is more interesting than the next person. Or that my sewing and crafting is spectacular (I sewed a whole dress inside out the other, a simple tunic dress!). I don't do it because it's going to land me some amazing job in the universe of the blogosphere. And as you can see -- if I have anyone really reading this blog at all -- I don't reveal too much of the private life I live on this side of the computer. No. 

But maybe that's my problem. I don't reveal shit. I've been reading some blogs (nobigdill, gelatomama, lilblueboo) and their honesty about their lives is absolutely riveting, disgusting, enlightening, depressing and uplifting. But as I read their posts, I wonder "are their friends/family/partners/spouses/workmates reading this stuff?" And if so, how do those individuals feel about being mentioned? Are they learning intimate things about the blogger that might make them uncomfortable? 


Yes, I tell my mom (almost) everything. I call my siblings A LOT. And my phone records for the day show at least 5 phone calls to my best friend in NY, and it's not even noon on the west coast. Even with all of this real-voice communication, I'm still not sure I want them reading my writing communication (because I'm much better with a pen than I am with my voice). Where do you draw the line?

Maybe the point of a blog is so you don't have to draw a line. Free speech right?

Seriously though, if you're writing away in a blog, divulging secrets, discussing the crazy shit happening in your life, posting observations you've made during the day -- and no one is reading them -- then what are you really doing?  Filling a narcissistic personality? Getting things off your chest as you would in a journal? (Yes, I have dozens from my childhood and not a single one as a grown woman.) But maybe that's what I need -- a big girl journal.

What, in my life, will resonate with some stranger, sitting in front of their computer, who just happened to stumble across mylil? I don't know...but I guess I should start blogging about it and see what happens. 

NEW snazziedrawers pattern & coupon code!

My next project? Well, I think it's going to be the Hudson Dress from snazziedrawers. I'm all for sewing up some duds that involve comfy knits -- especially since my princesa of a daughter prefers "softy stuff mom, can't you just use softy stuff to make my clothes?"!!!

And before you click the CHECK OUT, make sure to visit her coupon code page. OK, go have fun on her site, then fun at your sewing machine, then fun taking pics of your favorite little ladies in these outfits...and you get the picture.

upcycled dress: pattern by lilygiggle

I have not sat at my sewing machine in at least 2 weeks. Saturday  morning I'd about had it -- I pretended not to hear my 2 children begging for snacks, TV, finger paints, dolls and for some odd reason, a long piece of string. My husband went on duty and I SEWED all day -- right up until we had to get ready to head to a birthday party dinner. 

And what came out of my day? The Poppy Bubble Tank/Tunic from lilygiggle. This is a PERFECT pattern for a starter sewer -- and the best part is that you can make this out of old tee's, sheets or any jersey/knit fabric you have laying around. I used some tee's my husband was cleaning out (hence, the portland republic of beer bubble bottom).

My little girlie nuggets has been resistant in wearing just about anything I make her - -but this tunic stole her heart and she wants it in several colors (and asked for some flowers, bows and other items to spice it up). 

So here are a few little photos of the finished item...I want one for myself :)

i gots me a serger

I must be the luckiest girl in the world -- and I  have the best husband too. Today, I got my Hanukkah present. I think my  most favorite present ever in the history of receiving present. A Viking 200S serger. It's so cute. To top it off, I've had the past hour alone at home, going through all my patterns, scouring the internet for tutorials on fun things and I settled on an easy project: an infinity scarf, but done right. Serge the edges, braid it and finish the ends.

But my luck? My pre-threaded 3-stitch serger was NOT threaded correctly :( On my first practice stitch the needle snapped right in half. How can I explain the feeling that coursed through my body right at that moment? Picture this: You've been psyching yourself out for the best night ever. Your hair is perfect, your dress is so sparkly and awesome, eyeliner impeccable and then your babysitter never shows. That's the best way I could put it.

Now I have to wait until tomorrow (or whenever I have the time!!) to go back to Joann's and get some help on threading the serger. I opened the manual to do it alone, and..um...well, I'm gonna need some help.

i'm back -- and this time it's for real

I don't carve out time for ME. I do things as the day allows, and still I don't really see any part of it as doing something for ME. Writing used to be for me. Blogging seemed like the smart segway into doing something for ME again. But as life does it's thing, school events arise, so do colds and coughs, my husband travels and most of the routine is left to me, and sometimes I just absolutely get lazy.

But to kick-off my rejoining of things that make me happy, I dove into the underworld of the internet and googled the hell out of infinity scarf tutorials last night. I do not have the patience to strip my tees into dozens of pieces, organize into a cute little stringy scarf, then tie & sew. Nope. I wanted a scarf tonight, before dinner. I do plan to rip apart some shirts tomorrow and take the patience pill and make a few other styles, but for now, one little shirt would do. Here's my story...

One shirt, size Medium (8/10), rotary cutter

I trimmed off the bottom hem of the shirt. Then, I cut straight across the shirt from right under the arm pits. Now you have a big tube.

And streeeeettttcchhhh....I used my foot so I could also take a picture.

And loop around! Of course, had I thought of this earlier, I'd have sewn both long sides together, maybe even braided it with a white or navy shirt. I satisfied my long hiatus from making something for myself in 5 minutes.