You transfix me quite.

My blouse is soooo close to done. All I have to do is hem it, make the belt, and sew the button and eye closure for the center back neckline opening. I don't know when I'll finish.... wednesday? my schedule is so crazy this week. For some reason that lives in the Pinterest section of my brain came an idea this weekend that has me hypnotized. THAT is coming later.... here is a clue:

practice makes.... curse words

My sewing machine has been "fixed", if that's what the lady did at the Bernina store. She basically told me I was being a baby and not to be afraid to push my machine around a bit. It wasn't going to bite me or break under my 3rd-grader-sized hands. I suppose that was a relief. 

I've been practicing my roll-hem foot tonight before I finish up my blouse. As you can plainly see I need more practice. Anna Sui silk doesn't deserve these finishes.

I don't need Anthro.

That's right. With Pinterest invading my life, I need anthro jewelry no more. Pinterst screams at me: FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE YOU CAN DO IT YOURSELF!

And I did. yesterday I mentioned this necklace:

and then I also found this one: 

and I decided to combine the two to make my own. One of the girl's on project runway wears an amazing pearl necklace that I've stored in my mental file folder of things to buy/make when I have the time, and luckily yesterday was the time I needed. 

Another one of my great How-To's!

You will need (all from Joann's jewelry making section):

1. gold chain, or silver, or whatever color you like!

2. pearls. lots and lots of pearls. FAKE pearls, or real pearls if you've got the dough. I used several sizes and shapes of pearls. 

3. clasp for chain

4. beading thread

5. crimp beads

6. jump rings (small and large rings). 

7. Pliers and wire-cutting pliers. 

Start off by cutting a 14" piece of beading thread. Thread one end into a crimping bead and a smaller jump loop, and then back into the crimping bead. Crimp the bead with the pliers as shown. You can not the beading thread after this if you like. I didn't because.....I didn't want to....

Start beading your thread with the pearls! I made two strands of each size bead, making 12 strands total. This was the beastly part. It took 1.5 Netflix movies till I was done. Make the same ending to the strand as done in the first step, with crimping bead and jump loop. The strand should measure 12-13 inches when done, and all strands should be the same size.

 

 Split the 12 strands into 2 groups of six, mixing up the different beads. Put all six strands on two large jump loop at both ends. Use the pliers.

Place the large jump loops on the chain, and close the loops. Closing the loops is tricky. I tended to overlap the loop ends to make sure they don't open. If you buy better quality supplies than what Joann's carries, this probably won't be a problem.  Does anyone know a good supplier?

Use the wire cutters to cut the chain to the length you want. If make it long enough, you won't need a clasp at all. My chain from pearl end to pearl end measures 13". I might even make it smaller. If you need a clasp, I joined large jump loops to the middle of the chain (cutting the chain again), and then put the clasp in the middle of the jump loops. 

Well, I've discovered Pinterest.

And the DIY section. OK....gotta love it. I have so many ideas now my mind is racing! I feel the need to go to Joanne's and replenish my hot glue gun sticks...and buy a string of fake pearls to make this necklace:

But that will be tomorrow's post, so stay tuned. 

Tonight, however, I did make a new wreath for Halloween (mine and my sister's favorite holiday). I combined two ideas that I found on Pinterest:

this + this

equals this:

Now all I need is a cuter door.

Here is how I did it (yes, a real how-to this time):

You will need:

1. A foam wreath thing-y. I got an 18" flat edge, and then rounded out the edges with a knife. 

2. Burlap. Probably 1 yard. You can get it at Joann's. 

3. Glue gun and sticks.

4. Black fabric/ contrasting fabric to the burlap. I have ribbon pictured, but that ended up not working to well, so I used black organza I had laying around. 1/2 yard will do. 

5. A snack. Dots preferred. 

 Cut a 3" wide strip of burlap, secure one end with glue to the wreath, and wrap wrap wrap around. Wrap till you can't wrap no more.

For the ruffles, cut strips of both burlap and contrasting fabric 10" by 2 1/2".

Ruffle the strips by folding them on themselves, making a half circle ruffle. 

Secure ruffle with sewing machine. Do the same steps for contrasting fabric. You'll need 20-30 ruffles in each fabric.

Start gluing the ruffles. Glue each successive ruffle at the base of the ruffle preceding it. 

And it's that simple people. A Halloween feast for the eyes, with fewer calories.

There is no such word as "fail" in my bright lexicon.

I got off work early today. At 2:45 in the pm, I was on headed south on the I15 with a smile of relief that there wasn't much to do today. I decided to go to my local Bernina dealer and buy a roll hemmer foot so that I can have a nice clean edge on my Anna Sui blouse. When I got home, I practiced and practiced with scraps of the chiffon my blouse is made. For how much the foot cost it's a wonder it isn't to use.  I don't have to press the hem before I sew it like I used to, but getting the fabric to roll into the foot takes a flick of the wrist. 


My machine was as smooth as normal, so I thought I'd oil the hook where the bobbin case is placed. I have to take out the hook to do this. When I tried to put the hook back in, the hook wouldn't "click" back into place like it should. i tried and tried to place the hook as I know it should go, but to no avail. I might have to take my machine in to be fixed.... which means I'll have to put off my blouse. Yet another project that is stopped halfway through. Robbin Hood and now this blouse. UGH! I hate half-finished projects lying around.


Luckily, Robin Hood really only needs the serger to finish it. We'll see about all this tomorrow.

i.love.prints

I don't need to buy anymore fabric....at all. But the leopard print is needed for a skirt. For the sake of the print! It calls out to me!

Buy Me

Buy Me

Buy Me

Buy Me

Buy Me

Anna Sui and sweatpants do not mix.

I'm close to being done with my blouse! Sewing the knit lining and chiffon shell was easier than what I expected. I serged both layers together at the neckline with a 5/8 seam allowance, then under-stitched the lining. I then turned the blouse right side out, serged the armholes together just to keep them in place, and then sewed in the one sleeve. Bad-a-bing. Moral of the story: don't be afraid to try new things. It's not that scary once you start it. Buck up. 

I really need to get better lighting in my bedroom so my toilet isn't in every photo.

I did sew the shell side seams with a french seam. I'm to lazy.busy.tired to do a how-to with pictures and all, so I'm just going to use my words. 

1. French seams are sewn with wrong sides together, at first, with a 1/4" seam allowance. 

2. press the seam allowances open, and then together again. Trim to 1/8". 


3. Flip the pieces so that it will be sewn right sides together. Sew a 3/8" allowance, encasing the 1/4" allowance. 


4. Viola, you have a wonderful and clean unexposed seam allowance. yay. 

One seam at the base (in the dark thread), and the other on the peak of the seam allowance.

Inspiration of Late

I subscribe to three different magazines, which are all read from cover to cover every month and pages are ripped out when a dress, coat, or top, even shoes peak my interest and my mind enters a frenzy of ideas and colors.

My magazines are:

I love W because it focuses on high-end fashion, and it's nice to see the clothes that I would never see in my life in Utah. It helps me dream of other lands... Paris, London, New York (all my favorites). And I love how large the magazine is, in terms of page size. I'm pretty sure its printed on 10x14 paper. It's large with importance.

I love Vogue because it reports on a lot of stories from the fashion world about new designers, the future of fashion jobs, and what famous designers are doing to change things up and stay current. And the editorials are, of course, amazeballs. 

Lucky may be an off choice, but I love it's focus on just the clothes. The pictures are simple and straight forward with the clothes laid out so the reader can see every detail. 

I have a box full of rippings, plus stuff I print out online. I look threw it every month or so, throwing out old stuff that I wonder why I ever kept in the first place, and also remembering older pictures that before had truly inspired. I think every sewer/designer should do this. You have to know what's happening out side of your own head. 

 

MIA

I've been gone for a week, I know. I've been super busy cooking meals for Steve, walking Bridgette, and work....always work. This past Labor Day weekend was so amazing. All I did on Monday was watch movies and read. It felt so good to do nothing, but everything that I wanted to do at the same time. I felt like an active sloth. 

So tonight after taking Bridgette to Millcreek Canyon for a hike and going to Cafe Rio, Steve sat down to study for an upcoming exam and I decided to stop reading Jude the Obscure and cut out my blouse. I also got my fabric in the mail today, so that was an extra boost of inspiration, and the fabric is wonderful!

It took me about 15 minutes, but I'm done for the day. Cut-out Anna Sui blouse:

These Sleeves

These sleeves were originally made for this unfinished blouse that I hated half way through making it. I'm glad they aren't going to waste. Actually, instead of doing a full circle sleeve on Robin Hood, I might just use these. They are a basic flared sleeve with fullness in the cap. Basic, simple, and looks great. You are going to have to cock your head to the right for this one-- it's just the sleeve before it's sewn.

I only need to do one for this mock-up. Anna Sui will be cut up tomorrow for the real deal.