Rhinestones and Telephones

Sew Colette: Choosing Fabric for the Pastille Dress

2012-02-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

Picking fabric, next to finishing off the final details on a garment, is one of my most favourite parts of the sewing process. According to Sarai, we need to choose 'a crisp, lightweight fabric that holds its shape well to make the most of the pleats and shaped neckline. Medium-weight fabrics, such as twill, silk dupioni, fine shirting cottons, linen, or sateen, are also good choices.'

This is my fabric for my Pastille. It's a cheerful cherry print by Moda that has been sitting in my stash for a good two years, just waiting for the right project. It's a quilting cotton, but is both soft enough to be comfortable to wear, yet heavy enough to hold it's shape, just as Sarai suggested.

Earlier this week I posted my croquis and talked about body shapes. As a Proud Pear who can masquerade as an Hourglass from time to time, I know that for my Pastille, I definitely need to make a belt to accent my waist. The beautiful Peony belt pattern is just perfect and I have some cherry red fabric earmarked for this.

What fabric have you chosen for your Pastille? Are you aiming for a solid or going wild with a print? Be sure to post photos of your muslin and fabric in the Flickr Group!

Sew Colette: My Pastille Muslin Part 1

2012-02-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

The Pastille Dress is one of the patterns in The Colette Handbook I have been most excited to make. I love the feminine details Sarai has incorporated which take this classic sheath-style dress to a whole other level.

This past week we focused on alterations that are specific to the Pastille. One alteration I definitely needed to make was for the shoulders. As I am a broad-shouldered lass, as my granpa used to say, this is a necessity for me. Otherwise, my shoulders stick out a full 1.5" past the shoulder seam. Not a terrific look and it's especially pronounced when I wear garments with cap sleeves.

To alter my Pastille, I used the simple slash-and-spread method. I first drew my slashing line down from the shoulder and snipped down to the armscye.

You'll notice I did not trace the pattern for this garment and I may have shocked some of you with that. The truth of the matter is, I hate tracing patterns, although I do try to make myself do it (I did for the Meringue). Sometimes, the thought of tracing seems like a huge, laborious step, which dampens a lot of the joy of the process for me. It's during these times I cut and carry on.

After slashing the pattern and moving the cap sleeve out of the way, I took a scrap piece of tissue paper and marked out a space exactly 1.5" wide; the amount I needed to extend the shoulder seam. I placed one end flush against the left side of the slash and secured it with tape, then did the same with the other side.

I redrew the shoulder curve and fused the altered pattern piece to interfacing for added durability. Then I repeated the steps for the back bodice piece.

Next I'll show you my muslin and the swayback alteration I made. Stay tuned!

Everything's Coming Up Red, Pink, and White!

2012-02-09T19:54:00.000-05:00

Sabrina in Red

Goodness knows I love a good sale and Tess Designs' sales are always amazing. With a recent return to the helm after the birth of beautiful baby Marshall, Theresa has come up with another winner!

In celebration of Valentine's Day, all red, pink, and white items at Tess are on sale - many up to 50% off!

I love Tess' beautiful separates collection and plan on snapping up the combination pictured above: the pretty Ava in Pink Stripe paired with the extra twirly Eloise in Honeysuckle. Both are beautiful cotton confections that have me dreaming of warm and sunny weather.

With everything from gorgeous silk dresses, to pretty cotton day dresses, to lovely mix-and-match separates, don't you deserve a bit of 'Tess-ing Up' today?

Visit Tess Designs today!

Stay tuned for a sneak peek of Tess' Spring/Summer 2012 line!

Sew Colette: Swayback Adjustment

2012-02-09T06:00:00.006-05:00

Remember my croquis from yesterday? My swayback was quite noticeable in my side view:

Swaybacks run in my family and are quite common in the sewing community, too. Ali, of The Wardrobe, Reimagined, is a fellow swaybacker and has talked about her personalized croquis here.

Colette Patterns Swayback Adjustment

Sarai outlines very clearly in the handbook how to make a swayback adjustment using the simple pivot method. On the Coletterie, you can see a more in-depth approach with regard to trousers, but like all of their tutorials, is easily be adapted to suit dresses and skirts.

Now, I tend to sew dresses that have separate bodice and skirt pieces, making the sway back adjustment quite straightforward. However, one of my planned sewing projects this year is a classic Jackie Kennedy-inspired sheath dress from Famous Frocks. How am I going to go about it for all-in-one pattern pieces?

Source: buzzybeesworld.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Enter clever Sherry, writer of Pattern, Scissors, Cloth, in sunny Auckland, New Zealand. She has written a terrific post that covers a variety of swayback adjustments, including ones for all-in-one pattern pieces. Now I need not fear making sheath dresses any longer!! I have the SBA, Swayback, and Full Derriere techniques in my arsenal, so bring it on!

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Have questions? Please feel free to post here, in Erin's blog, or in the sew-along Flickr group. We're here to help!

Sew Colette: Bust Dart Alterations

2012-02-08T13:56:00.004-05:00

MarrieB left a comment today asking how to move bust darts and I'm so pleased that she did. I had neglected to add this important alteration to my list of things to cover this week. Thank you for the reminder, MarrieB!

Source: portialawrie.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Miss P has written, what I feel to be, the best tutorial on moving bust darts. This will be a necessary alteration for many of us, myself included.

MarrieB also asked if this should be done before or after the SBA. I'm in favour of making this prior to doing the SBA, as I feel moving the dart is less complicated and puts less wear-and-tear on your pattern pieces/muslin than the SBA.

Source: portialawrie.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

For the ladies with fuller busts, Miss P also discusses in detail how to enlarge a bust dart, which is something you may need to do for the Pastille. Again, she lays out the process in clear steps accompanied by photographs.

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Be sure to come back tomorrow when we tackle the swayback alteration!

Have a questions? Please feel free to post here, in Erin's blog, or in the sew-along Flickr group. We're here to help!

Sew Colette: A Personalized Croquis

2012-02-08T06:00:00.008-05:00

"Designers often begin the design process with a 'croquis'...it comes from the word 'sketch' in French. And that is exactly what it is: a sketch of clothing on a figure...With this drawing template at hand, you can easily sketch clothing on your own figure, examining the lines and visualizing the final garment more easily. "

-Sarai Mitnick, The Colette Sewing Handbook

Making my croquis has been something I've been looking for and yet I have been experiencing a small amount of anxiety about it. On the one hand, a personalized croquis is a fantastic addition to my sewing tools; however, taking a cold, hard look at my figure can be a bit daunting. But, nothing ventured, nothing gained!

So, here I am in croquis form! My measurements are 36-28-38, which makes me technically pear-shaped; however, I do have broad shoulders which I think balance my lower half.

From the side you can see my swayback, which isn't very noticeable when I wear full skirts or dresses with a cinched waist. It is, however, quite noticeable when I wear trousers. I also embrace Nigella Lawson's lifestyle and enjoy all foods in moderation, hence my rounded belly.

Another reason I wanted to make a croquis was to finally settle on my body shape. Before Miss Friday was born, I was a through-and-through linear: straight up and down with very little definition. After Miss Friday's birth I gained a pair of hips, for which I am quite grateful. Skirts and trousers have fit much better ever since.

Cardigan Empire, written by stylist Reachel Bagley, tackled body shape with a positive attitude and sense of whimsy. According to Reachel, there are five essential body shapes:

Now, taking a look at my croquis, I would say that I am a Pear, but due to my broad shoulders, I could also borrow from the Hourglass' closet. According to Reachel, I should be doing the following:

Accent my smallest assets rather than the fullest.
Draw the eye upwards by wearing bold colours or prints on top. Keep interesting design elements (i.e. ruffles, buttons, etc) up here.
Stick to solid coloured bottoms.

Borrowing looks from the Hourglass' closet, I can also:

Belt it! Always remember to accent my smallest asset - my waist.
Trousers that fall straight from the hip are best. Boot cut is also good.
Slim fit trousers are possible when paired with a tunic.

I came across this brilliant set of videos by All Things Fabulous that I had to share! She discusses how to dress for your shape and I think the information she shares can easily be applied to sewing. Click on the links below to learn more:

Delicious Apple
Classic Hourglass
Lean and Linear
Proud Pear

So how does this impact my sewing? Well, for the Pastille, I will need to wear it belted in order for it to be most flattering. For this, I think I may make a contrasting belt from my Peony pattern. Both an SBA and hip pivot adjustment are necessary alterations for me.

It's a lucky thing that Sarai and Caitlin design beautiful patterns for real women. It's also lucky that they provide outstanding tutorials for altering their patterns to fit every shape and size. Another real women designer is lovely Tasia, of Sewaholic fame, who is a fellow Proud Pear!

Are you planning on sharing your croquis? I sure hope so! What shape are you? What changes will you make when sewing the Pastille to accentuate your best assets? Will you make overall changes to your sewing now that you have the tools to know what is most flattering for you?

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Be sure to come back tomorrow when we tackle the swayback alteration!

Have a questions? Please feel free to post here, in Erin's blog, or in the sew-along Flickr group. We're here to help!

Sew Colette: Pastille Small and Full Bust Adjustments

2012-02-07T06:00:00.006-05:00

Welcome back, sew-alongers! Today we are covering small and full bust adjustments for the Pastille dress. From the handbook:

"Many women require alterations to accommodate a full [or small] bust. Some smaller patterns companies, such as Colette Patterns, draft their patterns for a C cup, which is modern average in North America, while the largest pattern companies continue to draft for a B cup. Bust sizes is a great example of why most patterns do not fit out of the box. There are huge numbers of women who are neither a B nor a C cup, but who fall on either side. For many of us, bust adjustments will make one of the biggest possible differences in the fit of our clothing."

Sarai's beautiful Rooibos dress with FBA

Full Bust Adjustment
Sarai thoroughly outlines how to make a full bust adjustment (FBA) to the pattern in the handbook, and went into further detail during the Rooibos sew-along.

Colette Patterns FBA

Each and every step of making an FBA is meticulously laid out in the way we have come to expect from Colette Patterns. Sarai often has to make an FBA to her personal sewing, so you know she is speaking from experience.

Small Bust Adjustment
On the opposite end of the spectrum is the SBA. For us ladies that fall on the petite side, extra fullness at the bust is a common annoyance.

Colette Patterns SBA

Again, Sarai has created an outstanding step-by-step tutorial for the SBA. Lovely Casey of Casey's Elegant Musings, has made this excellent video detailing how to make an SBA.

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Please join us for tomorrow's fitting adventure: The Croquis!

Have a questions? Please feel free to post here, in Erin's blog, or in the sew-along Flickr group. We're here to help!

Sew Colette: Fitting the Pastille

2012-02-06T06:00:00.001-05:00

I hope everyone is getting along well sewing their Pastille muslins. As planned, this week is going to be devoted to achieving the ideal fit, and I thought we would begin at the top and work our way down; a head-to-toe fitting guide, if you will. This week will also involve making our croquis and I will be posting mine on Wednesday.

First up on our fitting adventure is the shoulder adjustment. Autumnyarn left a comment asking for this as she has too much fullness in the back shoulders in her muslin. Ann Rowley provides an outstanding step-by-step guide on Flickr:

Ann Rowley's Narrow Shoulder Adjustment via Flickr

I am the opposite - I have slightly broad shoulders and my shoulder seams often end a good 1" before my actual shoulders. For my broad shoulder adjustment, I will follow the first step outlined by Ann Rowley (above), but rather than marking for a decrease, I will slash and spread, allowing for the extra fullness I need; very similar to the pivot adjustment we learned for the waist/hips while sewing the Meringue.

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Be sure to come back tomorrow when we cover full and small bust adjustments.

Have a questions? Please feel free to post here, in Erin's blog, or in the sew-along Flickr group. We're here to help!

Project Review 2012: January

2012-02-03T06:00:00.001-05:00

I set myself a somewhat lofty goal of finishing seven projects in January. I am very pleased to say that I finished six of them. Happy me!

I am really delighted to be able to contribute to The Sew Weekly this year and have set myself the task of completing one challenge per month. I chose the Accessorize Me! challenge, where we built an outfit around a favourite accessory. Mine is my me-made yellow rose fascinator and I sewed an outfit based on my love of roses. The top is Butterick 7762 - one of my favourites - and I used some of the beautiful fabric that Meg sent me. I have since tweaked the neckline and this top is getting lots of wear.

The second item is my eat-my-words trousers made from Butterick 2507. The fit is just how I like it: high waist, tapered leg. The fabric has a slight stretch to it, which I find makes it easier to work with. The only drawback is the fabric attracts every piece of lint, cat fur, or thread within a 50-mile radius, so I often look like a walking lint brush in these. However, I am still encouraged to try the pattern again.

Oh, my beloved Meringue! Our first garment for the Sew Colette Sew-Along is the wonderful Meringue skirt. I absolutely adore this skirt and its pretty scalloped hem. It is already on its way to becoming a favourite wardrobe staple. Read more about it here.

I made the above outfit with the intention of having it ready for The Sew Weekly's button challenge, but bad weather prevented me from getting nice photos of me in the outfit in time. The blouse is from one of my favourite patterns - Colette Patterns' Sorbetto - and the sleeves are self-drafted. The pretty, pretty dot fabric is from Meg's package of goodies and its is oh-so-toasty-warm! Just perfect for this rather chilly and damp winter we've been having.

The skirt is made of lightweight twill in an obnoxiously bright turquoise, which I just adore. Imagine it paired with my turquoise argyle tights and you'll get the full effect! The pattern was given to me and it is one I've not heard of before: Essentials. It's a high-waisted skirt pattern with three lengths. I added the button tabs so that I could use the pretty blue buttons, also sent to me by Meg.

Simplicity 3983 is the only project I didn't finish. The lack of side seams paired with the odd pocket construction (odd to me, anyway) drove me mad and I decided to be kind to myself and put it aside. I will, however, reuse the fabric, combined with a 1970's bridesmaid dress of my mom's, to make this fun skirt.

In February, I will be making the lovely Pastille dress as our second project for the Sew Colette Sew-Along. I'll also be focusing on making blouses and tops for winter, as I don't have that many with long sleeves.

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What have you made recently? Do you set monthly project goals, or do you prefer a different time frame? I'd love to hear from you!

Everyone Needs a Little Oakmoss

2012-02-02T06:00:00.001-05:00

Folks, I think that Mirasol Farm has created the secret to life. Not only do they make delectable organic soaps, body lotions, lip balms, and jams (!!), they make sensational body & linen sprays.

Just before the Christmas holidays I contacted Casey and asked if she could custom blend a body & linen spray for Mr. Friday. Now, Mr. Friday is a serious contender for the Mr. Christmas crown, but the lead up, as for many of us, can leave one's nerves a bit frazzled. He normally relishes his role of the sole household male, but every once in a while, the sheer girlyness of our home can make the lack of live-in male company a bit acute. Keeping this in mind, I asked Casey to design a 'manly' scent, suitable for my outdoor-loving and football-mad husband.

Casey exceeded my expectations brilliantly! This is the norm whenever I receive items from Mirasol Farm, but Casey really took it to the next level. When the spray arrived I, of course, popped off the lid and took a deep sniff. My very first thought was: "Oh my gosh, Casey's put Mr. Friday in a bottle!" It was uncanny how she managed to capture all the things that he loves.

The scent is fresh, warm, slightly spicy, and very, very relaxing. I could immediately feel my shoulders drop and the relaxation start to set in. I practically pounced on Mr. Friday when he came home and demanded that he sniff for himself immediately. Suffice to say, he was delighted, too. He said that the scent reminded him of hikes he used to take though the Muskoka woods during summer camps; a particularly rosy part of Mr. Friday's life.

That night we sprayed some on our sheets and happily drifted off into a relaxed and uninterrupted sleep - practically unheard of for me during the holiday madness! The next morning, Mr. Friday declared that his zen had returned and pronounced the spray an absolute success.

We use the spray regularly and I love it so much that I much prefer it over Mr. Friday's regular cologne. Even Miss Friday loves it, proclaiming that it smells just like Daddy (a definite win in our books!).

So, if you're feeling a bit frazzled and want to recapture your zen, get yourself a little Oakmoss spray. Because everyone needs a little Oakmoss in their life!

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PS: Casey let me know that she has a wonderful batch of Oakmoss soap curing in her workshop as we speak! She's going to be offering it for sale in the shop and, given how much my family has embraced this scent, I'd snap it up quickly!

PPS: I do apologize for the hideous photo!! It seems like it's getting dark here when it's still the afternoon. I will take much better pictures to properly do justice to Mirasol Farm's lovely products and packaging.

Sew Colette: The Pastille Dress

2012-02-01T06:00:00.004-05:00

Wow! What an amazing start to the Sew Colette Sew-Along we had last month!! All the finished Meringue skirts are amazing, as well as the muslins. I spent the bulk of January in full-on skirt envy!

This month we tackle the Pastille Dress, which is one of the projects I have really been looking forward to. I have my fabric chosen already and I can't wait to get started. Our sewing schedule this month is as follows:

February 2nd: Sewing the muslin
February 6th-11th: Fitting techniques
February 13th: Choosing fabric
February 23rd: Sewing the final dress
February 29th: Pastille Parade

Colette Patterns' Pastille Dress
(Used with permission)

For this project, we will delve more deeply into fit and fit techniques, covering everything outlined in the handbook and more! In fact, the week of February 6th will be devoted to fitting the Pastille. If you have specific fit-related questions, please feel free to comment here, on Erin's blog, or email me directly.

Sew Colette: My Meringue Skirt

2012-01-31T13:24:00.007-05:00

Oooh, I love my Meringue skirt so much! I love the fit and the style. I love how easily it came together and how quick and simple it was to add a waistband. This version is my wearable muslin, but it looks good enough that I am happy to wear it regularly.

Sarai Mitnik is a genius! She not only designs beautiful patterns, but she provides very straightforward instructions that clearly set you up for sewing success. Now I find that every time I sew, my Colette Handbook is always within reach.

I love how easily the dark denim fabric I chose coordinates with the rest of my wardrobe. It was terrific to sew with and had approximately 2-3% spandex for stretch. My ' final' version will be made from some fine wale cherry red corduroy, which I will share with you as soon as it's finished.

I adore the scalloped hem! It adds such a fun element to a wardrobe staple design. I love how it looks with my fun polka dot tights, too! (Have I told you how much I love fun patterned tights?) I had everything I needed to make this skirt waiting for me in my stash, too. I'm stash-bustin'!

Do you know what I like most of all? Being able to make this along with everyone who has joined in with Sew Colette (92 of you to date!). I want to thank you all very much for your patience and understanding when I had to take a slight step back this month.

Now it's full-speed ahead with the Pastille Dress! The sew-along schedule for February will be posted tomorrow!

Sew Colette: Marvellous Meringues!

2012-01-31T06:00:00.004-05:00

Wow! You have really produced amazing garments and I am just tickled pink by everyone's efforts. It was really hard to narrow it down to a few favourites, let me tell you! Below are mine, in no particular order:

Alyssa's amazing bias cut plaid Meringue. I am a sucker for bias cut plaid!

I love Thread Carefully's black Meringue, which is anything but basic! She styled the outfit brilliantly, too.

How about What's Up Cupcake's awesome Meringue, which she's paired with a beautiful Jasmine blouse? Gorgeous!

Kitty Kitty Crafts had me from the start with her fab Meringue. I love how she's styled it (love her hair, too) and that she took her photos in a library!

Look at this lovely creation by our amazing co-hostess, Erin from Miss Crayola Creepy! She is so pretty and effortlessly chic, isn't she?

How amazing is LuckyLucille's two-tone Meringue? Red and aqua are one of my very favourite colour combinations.

I had to include another clever Colette pairing! I really love nicolatobin's Meringue and Sencha blouse. Well done!!

Last, but certainly not least, Toasty Knits and Sews completely blew me away with her amazingly piped Meringue. Fantastic!
(Not to mention that I am coveting her cool alphabet top. Where did you find that gem?!)

And I cannot forget to mention this brilliant modified version of Meringe: poppykettle's Pavlova!
Ah-may-zing!!!

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I am so over-the-moon proud of each and every one of you!! I am just thrilled to see the amazing quality of garments that you have all made and the little ways you have personalized them.

It is especially nice to see so many of you offering up tips, tricks, and advice to those of us who have needed it. As I have said previously, one of the reasons I love sew-alongs so much is the incredible sense of community and that each person involved brings something special to the table.

Up next? The Pastille Dress!

Sew Colette: Inserting the Zipper

2012-01-26T18:32:00.008-05:00

Up until recently, inserting the zipper into my garment was my nemesis. It involved much ripping, re-sewing, hair-pulling, and creative language! In addition to the fantastic step-by-step process outlined by Sarai in the handbook, below are a series of detailed videos showing how to install an invisible zipper that I thought would be helpful:

One of the best pieces of sewing advice I have received is to sew the zip in prior to sewing the skirt together. I know it may sound odd, but doing it this way allows you to move less fabric more freely. In the end, choose the series of steps that works best for you!

My personal favourite zipper insertion method is the lapped zipper and Casey's tutorial is outstanding. I dislike fussing with invisible zippers and prefer the slightly vintage look of a lapped zip. For those who like visual instruction, the lovely Lisette of What Would Nancy Drew Wear? has done a set of videos on the process.

Next Week: The Parade of Meringues! Post your finished skirts in the Flickr group so we can all admire your handiwork. Erin and I will choose our favourites to showcase on our blogs on January 31st.

Sew Colette February: The Pastille Dress. The sew-along schedule will be posted on February 1, 2012. Stay tuned!

Radio Silence

2012-01-24T13:04:00.004-05:00

Hi all,

Please accept my apologies regarding my lack of posts for the Sew Colette Sew-Along. A situation has arisen that requires my full attention. I hope to be back and posting the week of January 31st. In the meantime, the very capable Erin will continue hosting the sew-along! Please visit her blog for the latest updates.

Thank you so much for your patience and understanding.

Sew Colette: My Meringue Muslin

2012-01-19T12:23:00.006-05:00

Hello all you lovely Sew Colette sew-alongers! I've been having some techinical difficulties and will hopefully be able to post my Meringue muslin on Friday. Below is a video showing both pivot and slide adjustments - perfect for tailoring the waist and hip, as well as the overall length, for your Meringue.

In the meantime, be sure to post your muslins in the Flickr group where we can chat about personalizing the fit.

I must say I am so impressed by the muslins I've seen already! Time for a collective pat on the back, methinks!

WIP: Colette Peony

2012-01-18T06:00:00.000-05:00

I started working on my Peony last weekend. I had planned to use this fabric to make a Macaron with a knit yoke, but when Mr. Friday saw it he liked it as a Peony instead. As always, his taste is spot on!

The fabric is a cotton-poly blend that is beautifully soft and warm, perfect for a winter dress. It also has a wonderful drape, which is one of the reasons I chose to cut it on the bias. The other is that I am feeling lazy and didn't want to match plaids! The dress is coming together well, and my only concern is the front darts - I may have to tweak them a bit more.

Elbow-length sleeves are my favourite, so I shortened the sleeve piece provided and used my Macaron sleeve pattern to add a curved detail. I drafted sleeve facings to ensure a smooth and finished edge.

As with my knitting, I always seem to have a few projects on the cutting table at once! This month it's the Peony, my Meringue muslin, and Simplicity 5752.

What are you working on?

*Please forgive my poor quality photos. Evil Lair (aka my sewing room) does not have natural light.

The 'Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair' Outfit

2012-01-17T06:00:00.005-05:00

Hot diggety! I set a goal of completing one Sew Weekly challenge this month and I did it! I put my own twist on two 1960's patterns and came up with something I love! Read all about it here on The Sew Weekly.

Yes, I am eating my words regarding the trousers. Pass the salt?

(PS: It is really, really awesome to see my post on The Sew Weekly. It's Sewing Nirvana, I tell you!)

Sew Colette: Choosing Fabric for the Meringue Skirt

2012-01-16T06:00:00.000-05:00

Ah, choosing fabric for a sewing project! It's surely one of the most exciting parts and can also be one of the most overwhelming. For the Meringue, Sarai recommends using 'a stiff fabric that holds its shape well, in order to keep the scallops crisp and easy to sew. Medium-weight fabrics such as silk twill, dupioni, cotton pique, brocade, taffeta, and poplin are good choices. Lighter home decor fabrics work well for this skirt, too.'

Fabric via The Coletterie

In addition to the fabrics suggested above, I would also recommend:

cotton twill
quilting cotton
corduroy
denim

For new stitchers, I would recommend sticking to the fabric recommendations as it will help to ensure a successful garment. The more sewing experience you gain, the more familiar you will become with fabrics and the unique behaviours of each.

Sarai's Meringue via The Coletterie

Chapter 5, A Beautiful Fabric, is an excellent primer on various fabrics, their qualities, and behaviours. I thoroughly enjoyed this chapter and highly recommend it, as it will be especially helpful during the sew-along. It made me feel more confident about trying fabrics that I would normally shy away from. For example, I plan on using a slippery crepe-backed satin for my Taffy dress.

For my Meringue, I am making my wearable muslin out of lightweight dark wash denim with a slight stretch and my 'final' version from lightweight cherry red corduroy. Both fabrics have the stiffness needed to hold the scallops, although I do plan on topstitching them as I like that look. I am also adding a waistband and will be following Sarai's tutorial.

Come back this Thursday when we unveil our muslins and talk about fit!

Sew Colette: Tracing Your Pattern

2012-01-15T06:00:00.005-05:00

via so said ellie on Flickr

I wanted to share one of the smartest ideas I've ever seen with regard to pattern tracing. So said ellie, a Sew Colette participant, posted this photo in the sew-along Flickr group. She has cleverly used interfacing to trace her patterns on the advice of her sewing teacher. Genius, no? Interfacing is an inexpensive textile that can take a lot of abuse, yet be folded away into your pattern envelope when not in use.

As I have a bolt of interfacing (don't ask) I am definitely going to trace my Meringue pattern onto it. Thank you so much for sharing this tip with us!

Sew Colette: Sewing Scallops

2012-01-14T06:57:00.006-05:00

Sewing scallops can be tricky. I know this from personal experience when I was sewing my Poppy Dress; a wonderful project ruined by poor sewing. Of course, lovely Sarai details the process beautifully in the book as well as on the Coletterie, changing up the Sorbetto hem from plain to scallops, as an example.

I did, however, want to be sure that should you need more resources they are available at your fingertips!

Sculpting Scallops via Tilly and the Buttons

Tilly, of Tilly and the Buttons, made a beautiful Betty Draper-inspired suit and posted a wonderful tutorial on making perfectly curved scallops. Click here to see how she does it. Don't worry if you don't have a bamboo point turner (I don't) as you can easily use a chopstick, a knitting needle, or a butter knife, as Tilly suggests.

For those of you who like to see techniques in action, I found this terrific video that shows you how to trim your scallops to get that wonderfully rounded edge.

Enjoy and happy sewing!

Sew Colette: Answering Your Questions

2012-01-13T06:00:00.002-05:00

Hello, you fantastic sew-alongers! Thank you for your terrific feedback about Sew Colette. I love the diversity in this group; sewers from all skill levels and from many countries around the globe. While we are busily working away on our muslins (or toiles, depending on where you live), I wanted to take the time to answer the excellent questions you've asked.

How often will you be posting?
Regular sew-along posts will be posted once a week on Thursdays. I will also be writing one or two bonus posts that will be published in between the regular ones.

Is it best to base your size on your waist or your hip measurements?
Sarai recommends using the larger of the two to find your size. Personally, I prefer to use my waist measurement and adjust the pattern to fit my hips. Either way is fine; it's totally up to you! Excellent directions for pivot alterations - either to waist or hip - are in Chapter 4: A Fantastic Fit.

Will you be discussing fabric choices?
Yes, definitely! Watch for a post this weekend talking about just that!

Meringue Skirt by cupcakes via Flickr

Are these projects too hard for a beginner?
Absolutely not! Sarai has structured the book brilliantly, teaching you skills in every chapter that you will use to construct the garment. All these skills and techniques are cumulative; they build on each other, enabling you to take on more challenging projects as the book progresses. I love Sarai's teaching style and it's one of the reasons the sew-along follows the book layout.

One of the great things about participating in a sew-along is the built-in supportive community that goes along with it. Everyone involved has something special to offer, so feel free to ask your questions!

Do you think the style of the Meringue skirt is too young for me? I am in my 40's.
No, I think the Meringue skirt is suitable for women of all ages. The ability to customize the skirt length is what makes it so versatile. If you're feeling a bit shy, I would suggest sewing the skirt so the scallops hit you anywhere between 1" - 3" below the knee. The Meringue would also make a terrific mini skirt, which I hope gets sewn up!

Where can I post my questions?
You can post them in the Flickr group, here or on Erin's blog, or you can email me directly at rhinestonesandtelephones[at]gmail[dot]com.

Sew Colette: Measurements & Muslin

2012-01-12T06:00:00.012-05:00

It is so exciting to see such a positive response to the Sew Colette Sew-Along!! It's lovely to see so many new stitchers throw their hat in the ring, as well.

Today we're going to take measurements in preparation for making this month's project: the Meringue Skirt. Once we have our measurements, we'll move on to preparing and sewing the muslin.

Meringue Skirt by lladybird via Flickr

Measurements

'It's hard to overestimate the importance of accurate measurements for sewing. Unfortunately, many women are fearful about knowing their real measurements....Being ashamed of your body's shape is unnecessary at best. At worst, at least in terms of sewing, it undermines your hard work and your self-confidence in wearing your own creations.'

-Sarai Mitnick, The Colette Sewing Handbook

As seamstresses, embracing our measurements and viewing them as a mathematical equation that yields well-fitting and beautiful garments is essential. Paired with the tape measure, they are two of the most powerful tools in our sewing arsenal.

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The Meringue skirt requires the following measurements:

Waist
Hip
Waist to Knee (or where you wish the hem to fall)

The waist to knee measurement is my personal recommendation, as it will help you to determine if you need alter the length of the pattern so that the hem will hit you in the right place. The last thing you want is your beautiful scalloped hem to be too long or too short!

Colette Meringue by Little Betty Designs via Flickr

Ask a trusted person to help you take your measurements and wear the undergarments you plan on wearing with the skirt, including any shape wear. Following the diagram in the book, have your measurer place the tape measure in the desired location and hold the tape firmly around - not tightly or too lose. Write down the number and move on to the next area until you are finished. Below is a video from Professor Pincushion you may find helpful:

'Different measurements are important for different types of clothing, so try to determine what the most important measurements are for what you're about to sew. For most skirts and pants, you will want to look at both waist and hip and go with the larger of the two.'

-Sarai Mitnick, The Colette Sewing Handbook

It is unusual for your measurements to match the pattern measurements exactly, so don't panic! With measurements in hand, look at the size chart for the Meringue and choose your size. Based on my measurements, I will be sewing a size 4.

Meringue Skirt by Very Purple Person via Flickr

Muslin

Once your pattern pieces are prepared, it's time to sew the muslin! Looking at the fabric requirements chart, I will need 2 1/4 yards of fabric for a size 4. It is ideal to try to use a fabric that is a similar weight to your fashion fabric; however, in a pinch, any lightweight fabric will do.

Lay out your pattern for the most efficient use of fabric, keeping in mind the grainlines. Remember that muslins are test garments, so you don't need to worry about perfectly finished seams. You want it to be sewn so it provides an accurate fit, clearly shows where any fitting issues may be, and can be easily manipulated to make these changes.

Meringue Skirt via Colette Patterns

Now with your sewing 'assignment' well in hand, enjoy making your muslin and meet Erin and I next Thursday, January 19th when we tackle the fit! Please feel free to leave any questions you may have here or in the Flickr group. Happy Sewing!

Introducing: Sew Colette

2012-01-09T06:00:00.007-05:00

I am really excited to be introducing this sew-along! Like you, I was thrilled when Sarai told us that her marvellous book, the Colette Sewing Handbook, was being published. I was especially thrilled to have had the opportunity to review here it prior to its publication. Within minutes of opening it, I knew it was something special and unique. Every page was a feast for the senses and the patterns included in the book are just what we've come to expect from Colette Patterns: timeless, feminine, and a dream to sew!

One of my projects this year is to sew all of these lovely patterns and it could not be more serendipitous that Erin of Miss Crayola Creepy has the same plans! After a flurry of emails, we decided to throw our hats in the ring and go for it! Thus, Sew Colette was hatched.

The plan is to sew one garment per month in the order they appear in the book. Along the way, we'll be delving into the sewing techniques taught by Sarai and, yes, that includes making our own croquis. Participants can sew all of the garments or only a few - the choice is entirely yours!

Meringue Skirt via Colette Patterns

The sew-along kicks off today - Monday, January 9th - and our first project is the Meringue Skirt. Our sew-along schedule for this month is as follows:

January 12 - Taking measurements and sewing the muslin.
January 19 - Fitting the muslin.
January 26 - Sewing the final garment.
January 31 - Meringue Parade - show off your finished garments.

C'mon and sew along with us! Grab a button for your blog or website and don't forget to join the Flickr group! Remember to post your creations in the Colette Patterns Flickr group, too!

Thank you so much to Sarai for enthusiastically embracing the sew-along and graciously allowing us to use your photos!

WIP: Simplicity 3983

2012-01-07T06:00:00.005-05:00

I have started working on Simplicity 3983, View 1 this week. I love the style and have wanted to sew it up since I saw Roobeedoo's version last year.

The skirt is cut all in one piece with cutouts for the front pockets. As they're aren't any side seams, inserting the pockets correctly has become a bit of a feat of engineering for me. See this mess below?

It's not so bad, but I have to finish it off with a bit of handsewing to tuck in all the ends and to smooth out the bumps. I'm definitely cutting the pattern into pieces (front and back) for my next version!

What are you working on this week?

I'll Never Sew Trousers Again!

2012-01-06T06:52:00.005-05:00

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I am the Charlie Brown of sewing trousers.

It's true! Despite Colette Patterns' amazing step-by-step trouser sew-along and other trouser-specific tutorials, the process remains an exercise jaw-clenching, teeth-gnashing, and the occasional hair-pulling frustration. Always a lady, me.

So I'm not going to do it anymore. Buh-bye trouser patterns, hello thrift shop!

This isn't too much of a hardship for me, actually, as I don't wear them much. I own one pair of jeans, one pair of black chinos, and one pair of wide-legged trousers. I'm an avid skirt and dress-wearer and the only times you'll see me sporting said bifurcated bottoms is during the dead of winter when my legs feel like two frozen sticks; or on particularly windy days when my modesty must needs preserving; or when I go to yoga.

Source: google.ca via Sarah on Pinterest

I would love to find out where I can find a great pair of 1960's style cigarette trousers like Audrey's, though. Any suggestions?

WIP: St. James Pullover

2012-01-04T06:42:00.004-05:00

(I did say that I would try to post more work-in-progress photos this year, despite the various levels of terror I feel in doing so!)

I cast on for the St. James Pullover after I had finished my Blush Vest. This is knit in-the-round from the top down and is very straightforward. I have experienced none of the struggles I had with Cadence, and I think that is due to two things: 1) there isn't a lace pattern to worry about, 2) I like the way the pattern is written.

I'm using a gorgeous raspberry bamboo blend I had originally bought for Cadence. It's lovely and soft and I really love the colour! I plan on making white contrast collar, tie, and cuffs, as well.

Creative Plans for 2012

2012-01-03T06:00:00.007-05:00

Audrey Hepburn /Jackie Kennedy Onassis / Jean Seberg

INSPIRATION
I have always loved Audrey Hepburn's style and having watched The Kennedys recently, it really reawakened my love of the effortless elegance of Jackie Kennedy Onassis. Both ladies wore clothing that flattered their figures, worked with their lifestyles, and was timeless in style.

Jean Seberg is a new find for me - I stumbled across her on Pinterest - and I was immediately smitten with her gamine look. Jean's sense of style is much along the lines of Audrey and Jackie, but she adds a a lovely Beatnik twist, which I love.

All three of these ladies are very inspiring me and encompass the vintage look I have been striving for over the past year. I plan on sewing many Audrey-Jackie-Jean items this year, including cigarette pants, sheath dresses, and bateau-neck tunics.

I am also taking a leaf from Solvi's book and plan on indulging in the fun sides of sewing and knitting by making some completely fun and frivolous items.

The Colette Sewing Handbook via Colette Patterns

PROJECTS
Sewing
One of my biggest projects this year is to sew all the patterns from the Colette Sewing Handbook. I so enjoyed the opportunity to review this book and I knew within minutes of reading it that I wanted to make everything! The Meringue skirt is January's project.

Mama Friday gave me Famous Frocks for Christmas and it is fabulous!! It has so many lovely dress patterns from a large range of eras that I'm sure there's something that will inspire everyone. I plan on making Jackie's sheath dress, Farrah's wrap dress, and Twiggy's A-line shift.

Some of my smaller sewing projects this year include making some of Tilly's bow belts (I love these!) and a pink and black plaid Macaron inspired by this version.

Sirdar Cardigan 9337 via Ravelry

Knitting
I am so happy I picked up my knitting needles and decided to give it a try. It has become one of my favourite hobbies and I look forward to the quiet evenings where I can knit on my latest project. Having successfully finished my Blush Vest, I have been inspired to knit the St. James sweater. I love the vintage style and the hot pink bamboo yarn I've chosen.

My next big knitting project for this year is the Sirdar cardigan. I already have all the yarn I need for it and I plan on starting it in the spring. Smaller knitting projects include socks, Kristen's Smock Top, and a vest for Miss Friday.

* * * * *

I am delighted to have been chosen as one of the contributors to The Sew Weekly for this year! I like the challenge of a week to create an item and I like how Mena has structured it with flexible participation this year. Goodness knows I can't commit to 52 weeks of sewing a garment a week!

I also want to share more of my WIPs, even though I am shy about showing something unless it's finished and absolutely perfect. I find WIP posts helpful on others' blogs and thought it would do me good to take the plunge. *eep!*

Home & Garden
I fell in love with Maureen Cracknell's fox applique pillow as soon as I saw it! I plan on recreating my own version for my living room. Cute, right?

With Square Foot Gardening in my hand I am going to plant a small vegetable garden this year. I have a long-term goal of becoming much more self-sufficient by growing as much of our own food as possible (given time and space) and then preserving it. I love this idea for a small garden:

Source: twomenandalittlefarm.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Planting clematis and morning glory is also in the garden plans. I have a lovely back garden with a wonderful vintage wooden ladder perfect for climbing plants. Since Mr. Friday built such a lovely fence, now is the time to dress it up for spring and summer.

What are your creative plans for 2012? I'd love to know!

FO: Blush Vest

2012-01-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

Pattern: Blush Vest by Kessa Tay Anlin
Year: 2008
Yarn: Sirdar Crofter DK in Rambler Rose, 2.75 skeins
Time to Complete: 5 weeks
Total Cost: $15 CDN

I am so excited to have finally completed my first knitted garment! This does feel especially good as I struggled so much with Cadence. One of my favourite things about the vest is the gorgeous Fair Isle effect the yarn makes - it's so pretty! This yarn was the inspiration behind my FESA palette and goes with almost everything in my wardrobe.

The body is knitted in-the-round then divided off to finish working the armholes and back. I found that easy to do and enjoyable to knit. It was my first time picking up stitches to make the ribbing and with the help of The Needlecraft Book, it went very well.

The vest fits well and, given the fibre content of the yarn, I am not sure if I should block it or not. If I need to, would a steam block be the best? I'd love some knitting advice.

I paired my new Jasmine blouse with the vest and I love how it looks! This blouse has become one of my favourites and I have a few more planned in various colours.

Happy New Year!!

2012-01-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

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Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year!
Here's to a happy, healthy, prosperous, and creative 2012!

My Crafty Year in Review

2011-12-31T06:00:00.015-05:00

Like many people, the close of the year bring the need for reflection. I do feel that this year has been one of my most productive. Making thoughtful and practical choices in my sewing has resulted in handmade items I love, fit well, and are worn frequently.

Cherry Sorbetto | Dot Sorbetto

This summer was definitely about Sorbetto, one of my all-time favourite patterns. All told, I made 5 tops from this pattern this year; three sleeveless and 2 with cap sleeves.

Strawberry Sorbetto | Red Sorbetto

I took this terrific pattern one step further and drafted two dress versions: one slim and one full. I made two slim versions and three full-skirted ones and overall, I prefer the full-skirted version.

My very favourite Sorbetto dress is the one I made for FESA. I love how easily Sorbetto lends itself to drafting. More often than not, it is the foundation for many of my efforts.

Knit Macaron | Knit Simplicity 3673

I ventured into sewing knits this year with a degree of success! I found a method of construction that works for me and my two favourite knit dresses are my Macaron and Simplicity 3673.

I did make a corduroy version of Simplicity 3673, which I are partially happy with. The skirt portion fits a dream; however, the bodice portion does not. I plan to remove the bodice and sew on an elbow-length sleeve version in the spirit of Peggy Olsen.

I have amended my Thrifty365 and Seamless pledges to allow myself some needed flexibility in clothing purchases. This year, I will be making 75% of my garments and the remaining 25% will be thrifted. This feels much more achievable and makes sewing feel fun and energizing again; definitely not the chore it was in danger of becoming.

Knitting is a skill I started to learn again this year. When I was a child, my granma - to her despair - was never able to teach me more than the basics. Putting aside my needles for years, I became inspired to pick them up again after spending ages drooling over the handmade creations of Kristen, Karen, Kerry, and many more.

Blush Vest

While I did experience plenty of frustration with Cadence, I have been able to complete several items since then and I have just finished up my first garment!

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For knitting, I already have the yarn and pattern to knit this beautiful cardigan. I love Fair Isle and I really like working with this yarn. KristenMakes' smock top is also in my knitting queue.

For sewing, one of my major projects will be to make all of the beautiful patterns in the Colette Sewing Handbook. I also have a fun sew-along planned for the spring, which I think you'll love! Veronica, Solvi, and Debi will be co-hosting with me!

Source: twomenandalittlefarm.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

I am also looking into planting a vegetable garden this spring. Thanks to the thoughtful suggestions, Square Foot Gardening is definitely one I'm going to investigate.

* * * * *

What were your favourite makes from 2011? Do you have special crafting plans for 2012?

Tools for 2012

2011-12-29T12:32:00.004-05:00

As part of my Thrifty365 Pledge for 2012, I want to focus on using tools I already have in my crafty pursuits. If I can't make what I want from this lovely pile of tools, then my Crafty Crown should certainly be revoked!

For Christmas, I was so happy to receive a copy of Famous Frocks from Mama Friday. I plan on sewing Jackie O's shift dress, Twiggy's A-line dress, and Farrah's wrap dress, for starters.

Cal Patch's Design-It-Yourself Clothes was a birthday gift from last year and, as one of my goals this year is to draft more of my own patterns, this book is the perfect reference for me.

The Colette Sewing Handbook has pride of place in my sewing book collection. Having the opportunity to review it prior to publication was marvellous!! One of my projects for this year is to sew all of the patterns in this book. Sarai designs such gorgeous patterns that go together like a dream! Every one I have sewn becomes an instant favourite and the only pattern purchases I am allowing myself this year are from Colette.

From a knitting perspective, Kim Hargreaves has to be my all-time favourite knitting designer. I snapped up Heartfelt on eBay for a song and now that I feel more confident as a knitter, I plan on making a couple of patterns from this collection this year. I do have several items on my To Knit list for this year and I plan on knitting from stash as much as possible.

What are your crafty plans for 2012?

Merry Christmas to All!

2011-12-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!

My Christmas Tree: Baby's First Christmas

2011-12-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

This is one of my most precious ornaments.
I think you can see why :)

* * * * *

What is your most precious ornament?

Aladdin at the Royal & Derngate

2011-12-22T12:36:00.002-05:00

My dear friend, Brian Fortuna, is starring in Qdos' production of Aladdin at the Royal & Derngate.
It's a high-energy, high-flying explosion of a panto that you don't want to miss!
Also starring are Basil Brush, Bobby Davro, and Jeffrey Holland.

The show runs until Sunday, January 8, 2012.
Have you booked your tickets yet?

My Christmas Tree: A Little Tree

2011-12-22T06:00:00.000-05:00

My mother-in-law brought me a special present.
A ceramic Christmas tree complete with little 'lights.'
It belonged to Mr. Friday's grandmother, so I treasure it even more.

When I was small, my favourite babysitter had one of these trees in her front room window.
I would sit for hours admiring it.
I have been searching for quite some time for one of my own.

I think this is going to be one of my very favourite Christmas gifts.
I couldn't be happier with it.

* * * * *

Do you have one of these trees? Other nostalgic decorations?

Mystery Yarn: The Thrifting Gods Smiled Upon Me

2011-12-21T06:00:00.007-05:00

I hit the absolute yarn jackpot at my local thrift store the other day. It looked as though someone's entire yarn stash had hit the knitting section - skeins and skeins of yarn and almost each colour from the same dye lot. Needless to say, I snapped up as much as I could.

Now, I need your help in discovering a bit more about the yarns. I first looked on Ravelry and none of my yarns are listed there. Mr. Google didn't yield anything, either. First up is this gorgeous soft, soft grey angora wool:

Angora is the only wool-type of yarn that I can wear without itching like mad. I bought 8 skeins - all with the ball band still on. The back of the tag reads 'Tipo Angora' and says it's made in Spain. The yarn feels light and fuzzy and looks as though there are two strands twisted together.

Has anyone heard of this brand before? I'd love to be able to find out the yardage of each skein, as well as the yarn weight. I would love to make a yummy, warm cowl from this.

Next up is a lovely cotton / rayon blend yarn made in Holland by Bastelle. I was able to get quite a bit in two colours - sunflower yellow and poppy red - all from the same dye lots. I bought 18 skeins of the red and 11 skeins of the yellow. Both were great bargains.

This yarn is a chenille, according to the label, and feels and looks like a DK yarn. It's lovely and soft, too. Any ideas about who makes this, the weight, and yardage?

I am planning on knitting a shawl from the sunflower yarn (the beautiful colour reminds me of Tasia's cowl), and either a vest or a pullover from the red. Any help you can give would be terrific! Thanks so much! :)

The Kindness of Friends

2011-12-20T14:00:00.003-05:00

A mystery package arrived on my doorstep today. The culprit? The wonderful Meg of Meg the Grand, more commonly known on this blog as Meg-tastic.

Inside this package of loveliness was a beautiful note from Meg and yards (yards, I tell you!!) of gorgeous fabric and pretty notions. You all know much I love polka dots and large, bright florals, right? Clearly Meg sneaky-peeked inside my brain and I cannot wait to sew these up!

I plan on making a 3/4 sleeve Sorbetto out of the lovely dot fabric and I'm going to embellish the pleat with the same vintage black lace I used on this one. How I wish you could reach through your screens a la Willy Wonka and feel this fabric! So soft and cozy warm - gorgeous!

This blouse is going to be such a terrific staple in my wardrobe! I am making a purple poplin wrap skirt and this will be a perfect match. I also have a high-waist vintage pencil skirt on the sewing table that I'm making in black twill. Another winning combo! Plus, I can pair this with jeans, too. *happy dance*

How many layers of gorgeousness can you see in this fabric? The pinks, the orange, the gorgeous blues and greens - Frida Kahlo would be pea green right now! I am going to make a fantastic dress with an oh-so-very-swishy skirt out of this; my plaid Sorbetto pattern is perfect. Divine, no? I can show off the lovely buttons, bias tape, and lace, too. Wouldn't that be so awesome with a hot pink petticoat underneath? *squee*

Thank you so much, dear, dear Meg. I am so very delighted by your thoughtful surprise. I am proud and happy to call you my friend. xo

My Christmas Tree: Frosty Friends

2011-12-20T06:00:00.005-05:00

Our Frosty Friends ornaments are very special to us.
Like my Fairy Messengers, Mr. Friday's aunt started his collection by buying this one for him way back in 1982 (yes, we're old - LOL!).
Every year since then - excepting a couple of years - she has made sure he has the newest one.
It's an important family tradition for us.

This is 2011's ornament.
Miss Friday loves the walrus and the candy cane teeth! ;)
We have several favourites from this series, including this cute one from 2004:

It's one of Miss Friday's favourites; it clips onto a tree light.
She puts this first on the tree every year.
One of Mr. Friday's favourites is this one:

Being a nature lover and adventurous type, this embodies Mr. Friday to a T!

Do you have a series of ornaments you collect?

My Christmas Tree: Mistletoe Fairy

2011-12-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

I love fairies! I find them so sweet and whimsical.
Mr. Friday's aunt started my Hallmark Fairy Messenger collection with their first ornament.
Every year she makes sure I have the newest one.

This year's pretty lady is Mistletoe.
Isn't she cute?

Bluebell (2010)

They have such sweet faces and I love their little costumes.
A generous sprinkling of glitter makes sure they sparkle in the light.

Do you have fairy ornaments? Which are your favourites?

My Christmas Tree: Mr. W. Bear

2011-12-18T10:33:00.009-05:00

Welcome to my new holiday feature! Christmas, in my opinion, really is the most wonderful time of the year and our Christmas tree is a large part of that. I love ornaments and am lucky to have a varied and meaningful collection.

Today, I would like to share with you one of my newest additions, Mr. W. Bear:

Isn't he adorable? He's soft and squishy and came to me all the way from Wales, courtesy of my lovely friend, Tors. He is a sweet addition to our collection and is happily cavorting with Mr. Friday's small collection of bear ornaments.

Thank you, Tors! We love him!

New Christmas Wreath

2011-12-17T06:00:00.001-05:00

I made a new Christmas wreath for our front door.
I love that it matches the glitter 'Welcome' sign I made earlier this year.
This tutorial was my inspiration.
I wrapped yards of white tulle (from stash) around a wire frame I made.
The felt was from my stash and the ornaments were recycled from last year's wreath.

I love it!

TAFF Goodies

2011-12-16T12:12:00.005-05:00

I am often very touched by the actions of The Awesome Fortuna's Fantastics (also known as the TAFFs). This lovely group of people steadfastly support my friend Brian Fortuna and I am certainly lucky to be included in their circle. I am always touched by their acts of generosity.

One such act arrived in the post from lovely Chandra. I would be fibbing if I didn't say I was pleased and excited - after all, I love presents! - but I experiences a pure thrill when I saw the Cath Kidston paper! Goodness knows I love me some Cath! (I shamelessly covet this bag)

Inside were these two beautiful Christmas tea towels! Aren't they marvellous? I adore the colours and the little birdies and have gone into full-on fibre fever with the gorgeous cotton they are made from.

Not only did Chandra send me these fabulous towels, she also sent me an awesome keychain (similar to this, but in deep red)! I drool over Cath Kidston oilcloth and to have a little snippet of it is marvellous! The keychain is a nice size and it's much easier to find my keys in the abyss of my purse!

Thank you so much, Chandra! Your thoughtfulness and generosity is so very appreciated!

Sponsor Introduction: Mirasol Farm

2011-12-12T06:00:00.006-05:00

I am very excited to welcome Mirasol Farm as a sponsor! As you learned in the recent giveaway, Mirasol Farm is the brainchild of Casey and Olga, "two shy homebodies in love with the mad earthly science of turning essential oils, organic oils and butters, and botanicals into skin care products that elevate the spirits."

Casey and Olga craft an amazing array of natural products and many of them include ingredients that they have grown on their organic farm in River Falls, Wisconsin. One of my very favourite Mirasol Farm products is their luxurious soaps.

Organic Soap

With a wide variety of scents, from Lemon Chamomile to Chai, there are sure to be several that will tempt you. My personal favourite is Wild Orange, Miss Friday loves Lavender Oatmeal, and Mr. Friday's favourite is Cedarwood Cypress. I love that little extra touch of rounding the corners of the soap bar by hand; it feels more comfortable.

Casey and Olga are committed to bringing you top quality organic products and list every ingredient they use in a product clearly in the listing and on the product labels.

"We adhere to the USDA guidelines which specify that products containing over 95% organic ingredients may be labeled as organic without qualification. We use ONLY organic and sustainably harvested oils and botanicals, but do not use organic essential oils yet due to their cost. (We're working on it!) The other crucial ingredient - sodium hydroxide, or lye - simply transforms the organic oils into soap, and since neither love nor money can source organic lye, we do not count it in our 95% calculations."

Tea Tree & Peppermint Organic Moisturizing Foot Scrub

For those of you expecting an addition to your family, Mirasol Farm handcrafts an entire line dedicated to mommies. The Tangerine Neroli belly butter is both organic and vegan-friendly and contains a lovely blend of essential oils to sooth the itchiness and tightness of your growing belly. Their organic postpartum herbal bath tea is a slice of heaven on earth!

Creating custom products is another area in which Casey and Olga excel. From creating a custom salve to heal both the physical and emotional scarring of a tumour removal to a room and linen spray to quiet frayed nerves, I can assure you that they will not only meet but exceed your expectations.

Fall Essentials Sew-Along Summary

2011-12-09T20:59:00.012-05:00

Oh, what a marvellous sew-along FESA has been! I have so (or should I say, sew?) enjoyed seeing everyone's creations in the Flickr group. Fantastic! It is such a pleasure and an honour to be in such creative company.

With the appearance of snow, as well as full-on production of Christmas gifts, I'm feeling the waning of fall and the welcome of winter. As such, I have decided to wrap up my fall crafting earlier than I had planned. Taking a leaf from Solvi's book, this is what my original mood board looked like:

(image sources listed here)

I found the images, fabrics, and colours quite inspiring and amasses a list that included multiple pairs of trousers, skirts, dresses, and tops, as well as knit items. Needless to say, this ended up being terribly overwhelming and often left me at a loss at where to begin. However, it did provide a valuable lesson in achievable sewing goals. Wish list sewing, such as the list I made for FESA, belong in my Pinterest boards. [So noted for future challenges.]

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Fashionable Foundations for Frosty Weather
This category was less than successful for me. I did not make one single skirt and would have failed miserably regarding trousers were it not for a pair I made today. I used Butterick 4552, again deviating from my carefully laid plans, from some glorious dark denim with a slight stretch. I bought three metres of this for $5/metre and still have plenty left over.

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Butterick 4552 may be my second favourite trousers pattern ever! Butterick 7762 is always number one for me, but this little devil of a pattern - which I bought for $0.50 - is brilliant. Easy as pie and comfortable as heck!

Chic Chemises for Cool Climates
My Spanish Harlem Tunic is another item that is on frequent rotation in my wardrobe. I love to wear it with leggings and boots now that the weather is cooler. I love the tattoo fabric and the pairing of red and teal - one of my favourites!

A few days ago, I finished Colette Patterns' Jasmine in a beautiful white cotton blend fabric. Heavenly! Wearing it makes me feel elegantly French, for some reason. :) I do have plans for another flannel version of Butterick 7762, as I wear this one all the time. This will have to wait after the holiday crafting madness subsides

Fabulous Frocks
I was quite successful in making several dresses for this sew-along; even one surprise dress! My knit Macaron was a happy accident and a terrific bargain. I refashioned a knit top I made in March and used some lovely green knit I snapped up for $5/metre. Of all the items I made, this one gets the most wear by far.

I made three versions of Simplicity 3673 all told and it's the one below and my teal knit one that get the most wear. For some reason or another, the red corduroy version is barely worn. I do have plans to refashion it into a high-waist pencil skirt as really like those lovely darts.

My third version, complete with a hot pink twill bolero from Butterick 8939 was made for my friend's wedding in October. I have neglected to make the time for a full outfit shoot, but here's a snapshot of me and my dear friend Vanity Boom at said wedding:

On the empire waistline of the dress and the collar and cuffs of the bolero, I used scraps of hot pink dupioni silk as accents. I even made covered buttons for the jacket. I'm a bit proud to say that my outfit and accessories are all handmade. :)

Those Cozy Nights
I have some ridiculously cute cupcake flannel to make myself some pyjamas, but I haven't yet been able to sit down and do so. Luckily for me, Mr. Friday always gets me a delectably warm and cozy pair for Christmas each year. Yippee!

Baby It's Cold Outside
I am making great progress with my knitting. So far, I have made several items as gifts and I have started working on my Blush Vest.

(source)

Victoria's beautiful fingerless gloves she made me were the inspiration for this entire fall sewing plan. I am delighted to say that I was able to purchase more of the same yarn and am using that to make the vest. I am head-over-heels for Sirdar Crofter DK yarn. The self-Fair Isle effect is so pretty! I managed to pick up a few skeins of Heathery to make myself some socks.

Knitting my hat involved a bit of trial and error. I did want a more of a beret/tam style as I feel a beanie makes me look suspiciously like a matchstick. After much searching about on Ravelry, I have cast on this hat in beautiful turquoise cotton:

(source)

My Co-Hostesses
I want thank my fabulous co-hostesses, Ali and Alessa, for being inspiring, amazing, and so incredibly supportive! Without you two, this sew-along would never have gotten off the ground. Thank you!

Je Me Souviens

2011-12-06T13:29:00.003-05:00

(source)

On December 6, 1989, Mark Lepine entered the École Polytechnique with a mini-14 rifle and a hunting knife.
He killed 14 women and injured at least 10 more.
He killed them simply because they were women.
This terrible day became a part of our history as the Montreal Massacre.

Je me souviens.

Women are too often the targets of senseless violence.
This should stop being viewed as something that 'just happens.'
Please help to stop violence against women.
For your mother, sister, aunt, and daughter.
For yourself.
Stop the fear. Stop the hate.

Mirasol Farm Giveaway: And The Winner Is.....

2011-12-04T12:30:00.003-05:00

It was such a pleasure to be able to feature Casey and Olga and their marvellous Etsy shop! I have been shopping at Mirasol Farm for quite some time and was delighted to be able to share with you how marvellous they and their products are.

Now, without further ado, the winner of the $25 Gift Certificate to Mirasol Farm is.....

Kate of Vintage in a Modern World!

Congratulations, Kate! Enjoy shopping and please let us know what you chose!

Thank you to all of you who entered the giveaway. It was terrific to see such a great response to one of my very favourite shops.

Christmas Sewing

2011-12-03T06:00:00.005-05:00

While the bulk of my Christmas craftiness has been posted over at the Crafty Christmas Club, there are two things I can show you here. I was able to sew Christmas outfits for Miss Friday and me this year. Yes, I am proudly that mom - the one who loves matching outfits. Actually, it was Miss Friday's request and I am only to happy to indulge her.

While I do like the reds and greens of the holiday season, I prefer to go with non-traditional colours. My favourites are hot pink, orange, aqua, and lime green. They are so cheerful to look at on grey days; of which we have many during our Canadian winter. The fabrics had been in my stash since last year and, with the exception of the green fabric, they are all from Michael Miller's Christmas Spice line. I love the retro feel of all the prints, especially the one with the ornaments.

I made Miss Friday's dress using Growing Up With Rosy's Twirl Top pattern; easy to grade and lengthen. Miss Friday chose two beautiful handmade buttons from this set to finish it off.

My skirt is from this pattern, graded to fit me. I added tulle to the underlayer just for fun. Since it's the holiday season and I love to eat good holiday food and treats, I was kind to myself and made an elastic waist for the skirt. No more pinching waistband after our Christmas feast! :)

How are your holiday crafting plans coming along? Are you planning on sewing a Christmas outfit this year?

A Thrifty Year in Review: Year Two

2011-12-02T06:00:00.008-05:00

December 1, 2011 marks the end of the second year of my Thrifty365 Pledge. While many of my original goals have become second nature, this year has also had its share of challenges.

I have updated the previous tagline of 'Stylish Thrifty Living' to 'More Quality, Less Quantity' as I feel it better reflects my overall goal for the pledge. Plus, I think after two years of the pledge, I should have the stylish part figured out already. ;)

How The Pledge Started
I wanted to have more quality, less quantity in our lifestyle. I wanted to simplify, become more eco-conscious, and learn how to want less.

Successes
I took a detailed look at my sewing and whittled down my extensive pattern collection to those I have made, will make, or use as a base for pattern drafting.

The whole experience was very freeing, as I was able to let go of a huge amount of clutter, using my Useful, Meaningful, Joyful companion as a guideline. Once I was finished, Mr. Friday completely rebuilt my sewing room, christened Evil Lair by Miss Friday, and I now have the pleasure of working in a cheerful and organized space!

I learned to knit and am really enjoying this new - and portable! - hobby. While I have not yet started my Cadence sweater, I have gained much more confidence as a knitter through my other finished projects.

Part of this year's pledge was to learn to e-window shop and find inspiration from there. Joining Pinterest has done just that and so much more! Not only have I become more focused and productive in my craft and culinary pursuits.

Challenges
When I started the pledge two years ago, I had a nice fabric stash of fat quarters, one yard, and the odd 2 yard pieces, but nothing really large enough to make garments for an adult woman.

As such, I have tried to build my fabric stash on a per-project basis with less success than I had hoped. I have had difficulty resisting the urge to buy fabrics that I don't really need at that moment because they were on sale or they were really cute.

I have been working quite hard at removing myself from the rampant consumerism that I see in our society. This has been challenging as we are constantly bombarded with with a 'throw-away' mentality; encouraging us to toss items that may be old, damaged, or out of fashion.

I took the Slow Fashioned and The Seamless Pledge in an effort to learn more about slow fashion and have really been using my Pinterest boards as inspiration for remaking items we already have.

Shopping can be a particular trip-up for me. As Solvi wrote in her wonderful guest post, I can only do the best that I can. Overall, I have done the best I can this thrifty year; however, I know I can improve. Making thoughtful and well-planned choices when shopping is something I will be working on throughout 2012.

This year, I have a 75% / 25% ratio for sewing and shopping. I will sew 75% of my clothes and either thrift or purchase from vintage sources the remaining 25%. This ratio is achievable for me and allows me to have time to spend on all my hobbies; something that I learned I needed more of last year.

Projects I Loved
When Ali asked me to co-host the 2nd Annual Summer Essentials Sew-Along (SESA) with both she and Alessa, I was thrilled! Just the year before I had been an enthusiastic participant and this year I got to be a co-host! Talk about lucky!

Again, I was very productive and it definitely became the Summer of Sorbetto. Happily, I reveled in my love of summer dresses, which I will continue to sew with abandon until I am a blue-haired old lady!

I loved putting my head together with Ali and Alessa to come up with the 1st Annual Fall Essentials Sew-Along (FESA). Seeing everyone's finished items in the Flickr group is marvellous and I am enjoying crafting along with such a talented group of people! I will be working on my items until January 31, 2012.

Co-hosting the Sewing Through the Decades Challenge with Debi has been marvellous! I have sewn up garments from decades that I normally wouldn't have tried. I plan to continue on with my plan in 2012.

I also have a fabulous new sew-along planned for this spring with a group of spectacular co-hostesses! Stay tuned for more details!

* * * * *

THIS YEARS' MANTRA
Make it, mend it, or do without it. Embrace simplicity.

DO
Continue to borrow books and movies from the library.
Continue to bake all of our treats.Continue to support independent designers.
Learn to bake bread.
Learn more about pattern drafting. Investigate taking a course at my local college.
Make gifts for friends and family.
Make thoughtful and well-planned choices when shopping. Resist impulse buying.
Purchase 90% of our necessities second-hand.
Remember that enough is a good as a feast. Stay focused on the pledge.
Sew from my stash. Purchase new fabric on a per-project basis - no more stashing!
Sew 75% of my clothing, 50% of Miss Friday's, and 10% of Mr. Friday's. *
Start a backyard vegetable garden.

DO NOT
Pass up things on the street that can be reused / repurposed. Free is good!
Purchase any clothing, either new or thrifted - until August 31, 2012.**

* * * * *

THRIFT ALONG WITH ME

Want to join me in my Thrifty365 Pledge? Copy the code below and paste it into your blog. Please leave me a comment if you've decided to join me as I'd love to follow your progress. :)

* * * * *

Click here to read my Thrifty365: Year One review.

Click here to see how I'm doing with the pledge.

*Thrift and vintage shops will fulfill the 25%. If new items are needed, I will ensure I purchase from small businesses with ethical materials and practices.

Thank You For Being My Friends

2011-12-01T06:00:00.024-05:00

I don't think there are enough adjectives in the dictionary to describe how thankful I am to have had such an amazing bunch of ladies writing marvellous guest posts over the last two weeks.

Kristen's beautiful handmade decorations

Every day was like opening an online advent calender; a delicious post just waiting to be devoured during my breaks from my Holiday Crafty Madness.

Alessa's post saw me nibbling (more like snarfing!) cookies and hot chocolate.
Ali's post had me nodding all through reading it. Handmade is precious!
Debi's post sparked a lively discussion, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Kerry's post had me adding useful gadgets to my Christmas list.
Kristen's post had me swooning over her handmade decorations.
Meg's post prompted a Harry-Potter-in-a-fort date.

The gorgeous Ms. Oona in all her sparkletastic glory!

Oona's post reaffirmed my belief that you can never have too many rhinestones!
Solvi's post boosted my confidence in more ways than I can say.
Stephanie's post had me eager to try new finishing techniques.
Theresa's post had me appreciate finely crafted clothing even more.
Tors' post had me in a frock-induced stupor!
Veronica's post set my creativity a-whirling! I will refashion more.

Veronica's amazing tablecloth dress!

So, to you, my lovely, lovely friends who clearly spent time and care crafting interesting, thoughtful, clever, and witty posts, I give you my heartfelt thanks.

Every one of you has my respect, admiration, and friendship.

Guest Post: Behind the Scenes at Tess Designs

2011-11-30T06:00:00.010-05:00

I am so delighted to welcome Theresa Kopecky of Tess Designs! You've seen me wax poetic about the amazing designs and quality of each and every Tess garment and now you can see what I've been on about with this exclusive behind-the-scenes tour!

With only three weeks until the arrival of Theresa and Mike's first baby, I feel especially lucky that Theresa took the time to write this terrific post!
Thank you so much, Theresa!

Getting behind the scenes of large-scale garment production is a bit like getting the golden ticket inviting you to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory! Many in the rag trade keep their backstage activities hidden, only letting you see the polished finished product. But that’s why we’re here – to share all the mysterious processes and secret recipes that go into creating the Tess dress that will soon be hanging in your wardrobe.

Production of a new collection is an exciting time here at Tess - all our patterns have been cut, all our pieces are being assembled, and fabulous Tess dresses are appearing! Getting to production is a long journey but it can be broken down into six steps:

Free-form sketching until the right design comes through.
Creating a pattern of this new garment.
Constructing a muslin version of the pattern to make sure it is a wearable garment before using the real fabric.
Approving the first draft of the pattern and making the prototype in the actual fabric to test out the design.
Photographing the approved prototype to see how it looks on film.
You are now ready to go to the factory with approved designs!

Now, brace yourself, because a lot of information is headed your way! The first step in ‘publishing’ your work is turning those hard paper pattern pieces into a cutting layout, called a marker. This marker is used to cut and assemble your fabric, making it into the eventual tailored garment.

A factory makes this marker by scanning the edges of the hard paper pattern with a hand scanning tool and taking readings along various points of the garment pieces. Think of it as playing connect-the-dots! It’s very important to get enough high-quality hits along a curve so that, when the digital ‘dots’ are connected, you have an accurate body shape for each piece of the garment. Through this action, each part of the physical pattern translates into outlined shapes on the computer screen.

Now that you have mastered the science of scanning in each piece of your garment, the real art begins. All the pieces are arranged digitally in order to fit within the width of your fabric. There are certain loom standards for width, but it can really vary.

Most looms, for example, weave your fabric at widths of 45, 54, or 60 inches. This is the true width of the fabric; the usable width – that is, the amount from which you can actually cut your garments – is different for each bolt. The looms rely on an edge of tightly bound threads that form the selvage edge of the fabric and prevent it from unraveling, but this can eat into the available fabric. In addition, some looms also puncture the fabric along the edge, encroaching even more! Thus, a true width of 45 inches may, in fact, provide only 42 inches of usable fabric. It can be really tight to fit all your skirt pieces out across those meager 42 inches!

To make it more complicated, all of the digital pieces need to line up with the grain of the fabric. If you have a striped fabric, each pattern piece has to have a match line that corresponds to the stripe on the fabric. That way, the stripes will line up perfectly on each garment. It’s even more complicated with plaids, as you must have both a horizontal and a vertical match line. Otherwise all your plaid lines will be off – and you’ll look like you’re wearing a quilt! This matching can move all your pattern pieces farther and farther apart - forcing you to use more fabric lengths to craft that perfect garment.

Now you have created a digital layout of each piece in your garment. It is sized to fit onto your fabric perfectly, so as to waste the least amount possible when you begin to cut – that’s the advantage of doing it digitally!

The next step is to enter your sample size and to multiply this pattern across all your company sizes. That is called grading your pattern. At Tess, we have developed our custom fit in each size that we offer. To move from our size 6 sample size down to a size 4 or up to a size 8, we scale the pattern piece sizes down or up according to our secret fit formula for that consistent Tess fit. Now we have our full selection of sizes on file!

You walk into the production factory with three things:

Rolls and rolls of paper markers, printed out on a plotter.
Rolls and rolls of fabric.
A plan!

The factory needs to know the size of the production run. They need to know how many dresses of each size they will be making. And it helps if they have a corresponding list of all the fabric swatches for each style; self fabric (the outer dress) and lining fabric. The factory will also need all of the notions that go into making the dresses – that is, the buttons, elastic, horsehair braid, fabric-covered cording, little fabric ties for that bow in the back, fabric-covered belts and more. These custom notions all need to be manufactured for each style that requires them. For example,
our ‘Sabrina’ dress has a lovely back detail with fabric-covered buttons that are closed with tiny fabric loops. These are all custom-made for Tess by a specialist.

Sabrina in Red

Now, at last, we are ready to cut out those fabulous dresses! Let’s say you are making the ‘Margot’ dress in a size 8. You lay out the fabric, one layer at a time, paying attention to the direction of the fabric grain.

You make a stack as high as the number of size 8 dresses that you’re about to cut. You take your Margot marker and choose the size 8 roll. You unroll it (with a flourish!) and lay it down on the fabric, matching all edges and match lines. At last, you can reach for that cutting device. And what a machine it is - a reciprocal blade cutter! It truly is like laying out the blueprints and cutting out aircraft parts, isn’t it?

Finally, like the signature on a painting, our Tess label is sewn into each garment (and ‘made in Texas’ can be found printed on the care label that is tucked away in the seam of each skirt).

Isn’t it all amazing - and all based on home sewing and couture techniques, brought to the factory!

* * * * *

Take a peek at Tess Designs for beautiful dresses and separates! Be sure to peruse their lovely holiday collection; all jewel tones and luscious silks!

Follow Tess on Twitter.
Like Tess on Facebook.
Keep up with the conversation on Tess' blog.

In the Spotlight: Mirasol Farm

2011-11-29T12:01:00.011-05:00

"Mirasol is Spanish for sunflower....We are two shy homebodies in love with the mad earthly science of turning essential oils, organic oils and butters, and botanicals into skin care products that elevate the spirits. We grow and wildcraft as many herbal ingredients as possible on our small organic farm...we're dedicated to running our business with attention to the principles of respect, compassion, and fairness."

I am delighted to have the opportunity to showcase my absolute favourite bath and body shop: Mirasol Farm. This charming shop is run by the dynamic duo of Casey and Olga, organic farmers just outside of River Falls, Wisconsin. Casey and Olga make every one of their amazing products by hand using delectable organic ingredients.

Yummy lip balms
Casey and Olga have always included a free lip balm with my order.

How did you get started?
My fascination with figuring out how to make or grow the fundamental things we use in life—clothing, food, soap!—is a back-to-earth journey. I started playing around with making soap and lotion about 12 years ago. Since then, the latent botanist in me has awoken and I’ve become obsessed with the therapeutic and aesthetic benefits of herbs and essential oils. Their properties are dynamic and complex, and their combinations endless.

When did you open your Etsy shop?
Late 2008.

Luxurious lotions and creams!

What’s your biggest success to date? Biggest challenge?
Every batch of soap feels like a small success. It’s like alchemy, putting on a mad scientist outfit and making something useful or even beautiful out of oils and lye. Taking a broader view, quitting my day job last year—even though it was bittersweet to leave a career I loved—has given me the biggest sense of accomplishment.

My biggest challenge has been figuring out how to run a small farm and a small business while continuing to sleep, eat, and be a good partner and friend. I’m on a very very steep learning curve. It’s an intensely personal journey, having to figure out what your broad priorities are and apply them to your daily decisions. I didn’t have to do that when I worked for someone else.

My favourite soaps scents are Wild Orange and Lavender Oatmeal.
Mr. Friday loves Cedarwood Cypress.

What is your most favourite thing(s) you’ve made?
Even though it’s been reported to me that we make killer creams, lip balms and body sprays, I personally return over and over to the thrill of making soap. My favorite bars are Basil Mint and Lemon Chamomile. Simple-looking bars with complex aromas.

The possibility of creating something that will benefit someone. For example, a friend recently had a tumor removed from her leg, leaving a physical and emotional scar. She asked me to make an ointment, and the process of developing an oil that might help heal the scar while lifting her spirits was very rewarding.

Describe your typical day.
Being farmers, our lives are pretty active and our days vary widely according to season and weather. Without fail, though, we walk our four (you heard me, four) dogs every morning before letting out our flock of chickens to free range around the farm. Then, like most modern farmers, after checking our emails we’ll seasonally plant, weed, harvest, weed again, mow, or shovel (snow) and go inside to make jam, salves, soap, and creams. We usually package up new orders and drive into town to the post office just before 5:00. In the evenings after dinner I work on new listings, do some research, or label small things like lip balms while we unwind.

What are your favourite materials / ingredients?
My favourite ingredients are the ones we’ve grown or harvested ourselves, like comfrey, wild catnip, horseradish, jalapeños, calendula, blackberries, chickweed, and wild grapes.

* * * * *

Amazing, organic tattoo salve. I've earmarked this for my next tattoo.

We’re organic farmers and choose organic ingredients whenever possible. All of us express our values through our purchases, so I thought I’d say a little about why we “vote” this way with ours.

Nearly all of the ingredients that we don’t grow ourselves come from far far away. Consider your own favorite skin care ingredients. Cocoa butter, shea butter, olive oil, rosehip seed oil… they are grown by farmers in the Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Spain, the Andes... When you choose organic products, you support agricultural practices that don't use synthetic pesticides, chemical fertilizers or genetically engineered ingredients. Every organic purchase is a vote for the future of honeybees, rivers and lakes, and the human family. It's the shout heard 'round the world!

A Giveaway for You!

Casey and Olga are generously offering a $25 Gift Certificate for their shop to one lucky reader! To enter, simply leave a comment about what you would buy if you won.

The giveaway is open until Saturday, December 3rd at 11:59 p.m. EST.
The winner will be drawn on Sunday, December 4th.
Good luck!

Guest Post: Refashionistas and Being Thrifty

2011-11-27T06:01:00.005-05:00

Hi lovely readers of Rhinestones & Telephones! Thank you to the darling Sarah for asking me to guest blog, and it's a pleasure to be here! I adore getting a tweet from Sarah, or seeing her pop up on my blog, so I bet you know how lovely she is too!

A barkcloth tablecloth: I loved the huge red flowers!

This week at Sew Weekly, we're looking at Stash Busting those items that have had a life before. As a mad keen thrifter (we say Op Shopper in Australia, usually, but I get called 'Thrifty' a lot. That or 'Bargain Betty') I often buy secondhand tablecloths, bedsheets and curtains just because of the print. I never really know what I'll make with any of the stuff, I just know it's cute, and if I spent a day considering what I'd make with it, the same tablecloth wouldn't be there in the shop when I returned. You have to think quick in the secondhand shop!

So for my post today, I thought I'd share with you some of my 'refashions' from this year of Sewing Weekly and let you know a little about my op shopping technique along the way.

The block navy fabric was a Sleeping Bag insert!

What scared me most about sewing was cutting expensive fabric, and then stuffing it up. I had just started my first job, was still studying and just didn't have a lot of cash to throw around, but I really wanted to learn how to sew, because: I wanted clothes to fit! I'm very short!

At the op shops, I found not only bedsheets to practice on but cheap fabric (as others de-stashed I suppose) and cheap patterns! I totally made things, stuffed it up (of course!) but I'd only lost 50c for that bedsheet, and I still had half of it left over to try again! If you've never dared sewing, I totally suggest visiting a thrift store!

A refashioned beret!

When I'm op shopping, I look for the fabric section and if they don't have one, I just look for the bedding or homewares sections to check out the larger sheets and tablecloths. The first photo I showed you above was a barkcloth (but softer one) tablecloth with a white line border (you can see it appear at different sections of the dress) but gorgeous massive red and grey flowers. If it was just brown, I wouldn't have bought it. The flowers really stood out to me and the fabric was just so soft. The second blue dress above was made from what I can only think is a sleeping bag insert. It was the softest cotton, and a gigantic human sized envelope. I actually can't remember buying it, and maybe I just thought it would make a good block colour and added with the spots above (also thrifted, but normal fabric) I think it looks great.

In the photo just above, whilst my dress fabric is thrifted, it's the beret that's made from a woolie jumper! I used the original neck binding as the rim of the beret! I had originally bought the jumper to turn it into a cropped cardigan, but couldn't work out how to do it, so made a beret instead!

Totally comfortable, made from tracksuit pants!

Sometimes (like the pinky floral above) my refashions don't always work out! The pillowslips for that long sleeve dress just weren't 'wearable' enough to feel comfortable. I bought them really quickly (for the pink flowers of course!) and didn't really consider how it'll feel on. That's certainly something to think about what you're thrifting, what will it feel like? The other extreme: this green dress was once a pair of floppy tracksuit pants (or sweatpants)! It's super soft and totally comfortable to wear! I bought the pants from the op shop, knowing how gorgeous and high quality the knit fabric felt, but didn't know what I'd make until this year!

Another tablecloth!

What a gorgeous bedsheet!

Some fabrics are really loud (like the orange/blue flowers, originally a tablecloth) or interesting (like the green leafy bedsheet), so they totally stand out in the shop. I really like unique prints, but brighter colours is something I always go for when thrifting. You'll probably notice after a lot of op shopping, there's a lot of beige, browns and boring floral prints, so do a bit of digging to find the brighter or louder colours and prints!

Like this one:

Yet another tablecloth!

Those larger mauve sections of the dress are watermelons! It was once a fruit salad printed tablecloth! The fabric was also quite stiff, so I reinforced that stiffness by making the box pleats, which makes the silhouette of the skirt stand out well!

And it wouldn't be a refashioned post without some curtains:

And some curtains!

I find curtains to be less 'wearable' as the fabric tends to be thicker, but for a simple skirt like this yellow once, it works fine! These very 'groovy' curtains were only a metre long, so could have been for a half window in someone's bright kitchen!

From my op shopping experience, poke around in every corner of the shop, looking for the brighter and louder colours. Feel the fabric and try and imagine what it'd be like to wear it. Also try and imagine it nicely washed and in your own home, because secondhand things often have that smell, right?

But also, try and grab as much material as possible. A tiny tablecloth isn't going to make a dress! BUT, if you love the print, it'll make a good cushion cover! There are always possibilities!

xoxo

Guest post: Do as best as you can

2011-11-26T08:47:00.005-05:00

Hi! I am Sølvi and I usually blog at delfinelise, and I am delighted to be a guest blogger here at Rhinestones and Telephones. Thanks for having me, Sarah! :-)

I know that Sarah is passionate about making ethical choices and living a thrifty, eco-friendly life, so I thought I´d share with you some thoughts that I have on that topic today, this being the International Buy Nothing Day, and all (I know it was buy nothing day in North America yesterday, but I live in Sweden).

A critical consumer year 1954.

To be a mindful consumer is all about making choices based on certain criteria. For some this criteria is price, for other it is quality, others might want a little of both, others again want to buy Fairtrade, for others organic produce is more important and some a trusted label is more important. All of these choices can at times be a little overwhelming, especially if the choice is supposed to be made at the grocery store, in a state of hunger and stress, maybe you are on your way home from work, maybe you have one or more equally hungry, and a little cranky, kid with you? Maybe even the car broke down or you´ve got an unexpected bill. How on Earth are you supposed to make sustainable decisions under these conditions? You don´t have to. Give yourself a break. You are not going to save the world by getting stressed out about it. I know that I am most inclined to make the wrong decisions when I am

a) hungry

b) stressed

c) tired, or

d) all of the above.

So under such conditions, it´s better to take a pause, and wait a moment or two, go home and build your lifestyle one step at a time.

Baby Steps

Source: San Diego Shooter@Flickr

Pick a focus area. Is it the rainforest? Is it local produce? Is it African farmers? Is it the pollution of the ocean? There are many ways to engage, and in the beginning, just chose one topic! Don´t try to save the whole world at once, begin with one area, and slowly branch out. My first topic was actually the rainforest. When I was a teenager, the world was slowly waking up to see that the rainforests were disappearing. Fast. And who´s fault was that? Well, one of the villains back then was McDonald´s meat production. So I started to boycott McDonald´s. It was a very easy target for my frustration, and I felt good about my choice, it was an achievable solution for me at that time. Till this day I haven´t eaten a single McDonald´s meal. :-) I am not telling you to start boycotting McDonald´s, I am merely suggesting you to start with one focus, and slowly expand from that. You could for instance, always reach for Fairtrade coffee if it´s available. Or take public transportation instead of the car once a week. Or have a meat free day. After a while, the one thing you have chosen gets into your routines, and you can chose something else - turning off the sound of TV commercials is one of my favorites - or do something nice in your neighborhood, like help an old lady at the grocery store, for instance.

If you want to up the ante a bit, you can get involved in an organization, volunteer, write letters to the government and companies or do small scales campaigns. Back in 2003, a friend of mine who at the time was a grad student, thought that "I always buy Fairtrade coffee, why don´t I suggest the faculty I work at to the same?" And so she got involved in student politics, and now, some years later, the whole University serves Fairtrade coffee at all it´s café´s. How cool is that? And you could easily do something similar, at your workplace or at a local café.

Knowledge is power

Source: Vipez@Flickr

As your routines gets better, you might feel that you want more knowledge. Apart from great blogs on the topic, there are also many organizations out there that can help. I have already mentioned Fairtrade, and organizations like WWF, Oxfam, Population Matters, 5 gyres all give insightful information about different issues. I am sure that you all have many other suggestions to informational pages, please leave a comment with it here on this blog post!

Planning ahead

My third suggestion is to plan ahead. Whenever you are purchasing anything, write it down, make a list. Find the best option for your needs. Whether it is grocery shopping or notions for your next sewing project, always check what you have at home first, and then write a list over the stuff you need to buy. This way you are reducing waste. My partner and I have a shared shopping list online. We use knotler.com. Whomever is at home planning a meal can write the list, and the first one going to the store, can pick up whatever that is on the list. I have my own list on knotler for sewing supplies as well. Using a shopping list aid like this makes me less inclined to buy too much, or the wrong things.

I hope my small suggestions have been helpful, and just remember, don´t get stressed out! Take a deep breath and make mindful living be something positive!

Thanks for having me, and have a great weekend! :-)

Guest Post: It's what's on the inside that counts

2011-11-25T08:00:00.001-05:00

Hi! I'm Stephanie from The Girl with the Star-Spangled Heart! I'm very delighted to be guest posting for Sarah today. I love sewing but instead of showing you the outside of a sewing project, I thought I'd share the insides of some of my garments and share some of my favorite seam finishing techniques.

If you look at the inside of just about any ready to wear garment, you'll see some fancy stitching that looks like this. This is serging and you'll need a special machine called a serger to do this. I don't happen to have a serger so I don't use this kind of seam finish in my sewing. (And I didn't make this garment but the rest are all me made!.)

One of the very first seam finishes I learned was pinking. You need a special pair of shears that cut this little zig-zag shape on the edges of the fabric. It's super easy to do. Just snip along each seam. I like to use it on awkwardly shaped seams like this pocket and on seams that will be hidden under facings or linings.

Another easy seam finish is a zig-zag finish. It works kind of the same way as a serged seam does but most sewing machines have this stitch. It does use a lot of thread so be sure to grab and extra spool if you're using this kind of seam. This is good on seams you aren't going to see (as opposed to the inside of an unlined jacket like I did...) or anywhere you'd use a serged finish.

My favorite seam finish by far is the French seam. All of the fraying edge is hidden neatly inside the seam. You start by sewing with the WRONG sides together 1/4", then trim the seam to about 1/8". Fold so the right sides together and sew the remaining seam allowance (1/4" for 1/2" seam, 3/8" for 5/8", etc.). It can only be used on straight seams though and can be bulky in thick fabrics.

When you can't use a French seam, you can do a Faux French seam. Sew the seam normally, then fold the edges to the center of the seam. Press. Fold together (press again if you are a tidy sewer) and sew through the seam allowance.

A Clean Finish seam is is my current favorite. It looks super nice and is just as easy.

Just fold the seam allowance over with wrong sides together and sew the fabric in place. You can press the folds in first, but I'm lazy and just press afterwords.

Sewing with knits? They don't fray so you don't have to finish the seam. Bias cut garments follow the same rule.

Last, but certainly not least, bias bound seams. This is another one where all the ugly edges are tucked away. When I first used bias binding, I couldn't figure out how to get it to work and I avoided it like the plague, but once I figured it out, I loved it! You have to sew one of the "legs" of the bias strip to one side of the seam. Then fold it over to the other side and sew through all of the layers. You can do the whole seam in one go or press open and bind each side separately. I've not used the second way myself, but it looks smashing in unlined jackets. You can use bias binding to bind waist seams like above.

I like it on the facings of waist band where other seam finishes would create bulk. And it's quite fun to have that contrast brightening your day!

If you sew the binding to the inside first, you can use it as a contrast on a neck line.

If you sew it to the outside first, it ends up on the inside and the outside has a really professional line of stitching around it.

Do you have a favorite seam finish?

Guest Post: Super Handy Knitting Gadgets

2011-11-24T08:00:00.139-05:00

Hey there Rhinestones & Telephones readers!

I'm Kerry, and I usually blog at Kestrel Finds & Makes. I feel very honoured to have been asked by Sarah to write a guest post, especially in view of all the fantastic blogging ladies who have also been guesting here.

I love to knit and sew, and as Sarah has been learning to knit, I thought that I would share five of my favourite knitting gadgets with you. Even if you don't knit, you might bear these in mind as stocking fillers for any friends who do knit!

1. Stitch Markers
Just a humble circle of plastic, but a really useful tool. The ones I use are plain but you can buy very pretty handmade ones too. You'll find that patterns ask you to place markers in your knitting, however there are other ways in which these marvellous markers can assist you....

Mark the beginning of your row when knitting in the round

When casting on a large number of stitches, place a marker at regular intervals such as every 20 stitches. That way you don't have to count the whole lot to check how many you have.

When knitting a repeat of pattern or colour, place markers between the sections to keep yourself right. If you get to the marker but you haven't finished your repeat, it's much easier to fix the problem at that stage rather than at the end of your row.

2. Curved Cable Needles
A recent discovery to me, but so much better than the straight ones which easily slip out. The curved ones just hang there patiently! You can also use them for holding a few stitches that you're coming back to pick up later, such as at the thumb of a mitten. My plastic cable needles are made by Clover.

3. Electronic Scales
OK, so these aren't something you can fit in your knitting bag. But how many times have you looked at a ball of yarn without its band, wondering how much is left? Or knit one mitten and thought "I wonder if I have enough to knit the matching one or if I'll need to buy another ball?" Personally I'm not good at judging how much is left in a ball of wool just by looking at it so my kitchen scales are very helpful.

4. Row Counter
These little guys sit at the end of your needle, waiting to be clicked on when you reach the end of your row. Helpful, eh?

5. Point Protectors
Particularly useful if you carry your knitting around. Just jam one of these on the end of your needles to stop stitches falling off and stop needles poking through your bag.

The nice thing is that all of these things are cheap and simple in design (except maybe the scales), making your life easier but leaving you with more money to share on lovely yarn.

Do you have any other favourite knitting gadgets?

K x

Guest Post: Handmade Holidays

2011-11-23T06:00:00.001-05:00

Hey folks! Kristen here, from the knitting & sewing blog, KristenMakes. I am so excited to be guest-posting here: Sarah has such genius tips on style and making so when she asked me to help her out I felt so honoured!

American Thanksgiving is coming up, which is also traditionally the weekend we decorate our flat for the holidays. As Americans living in Edinburgh my husband and I can get a bit homesick and perhaps overcompensate with the decorations. Over the years I've added little by little to our stash of home-made decorations so I thought I'd share a bit about what I've made, along with the patterns and tutorials I've found helpful.

We celebrate Christmas, and one of my first handmade decorations for the holiday was a knitted nativity scene by Alan Dart. The pattern was from an issue of Simply Knitting, but is now available to download from the designer's website. Unfortunately it took me years to finally add the animals to the scene, and my we had an ongoing bet that each year I didn't finish the scene he'd get an extra present.Cheeky boy! Soon after the nativity set, I altered the angel pattern to create a knitted angel tree-topper. I used chunky yarn instead of DK and increased the stitch count slightly, stuck a paper towel roll upright in the skirt and voila!

Christmas stockings are key to decorating, and so much fun to knit! Ravelry has a plethora of free stocking patterns, but there are some great patterns to purchase as well. I made my first pair in about 2007 for our first Christmas as a married couple, and of course had to make matching mini-stockings to stuff with catnip and toys for our 2 cats. My next pair were for friends, simple brown and green with a birdy pattern I sketched and embroidered. I also made up a pi-stocking (that’s right, 3.14-pi!) for my math-enthusiast pal where the stripes coincided with the digits (3, 1, 4, 1, etc.). I designed the patterns for my most recent pair of Christmas stockings - a sock-like stocking and a Scottish Argyle stocking. These are my favourite and they have come to replace our originals.

Last year I made some Christmas bunting. This is a quick and easy project, and versatile in that it can be for any holiday depending on your fabric choice (e.g. you could have a lovely wintery theme of whites, silvers, snowflakes, etc.). Mine was from some red, green, cream, and gold coloured fat quarters from a quiltshop in Linlithgow so it is traditionally Christmassy. We hang it in our window with some fairy lights which makes for a lovely view outside while walking home at night. I made up my own method with bias binding, which actually is very similar to the tutorial here, only my flags are single pieces of fabric with a zig-zag edge. Pinking shears or overlocking would do the trick too. Leftover triangles can be used also to appliqué onto tote bags for gifts!

I really got into the Christmas spirit last year too with knitted and crocheted ornaments: crocheted Christmas Pudding, a crocheted Christmas Pickle, and some knitted baubles which I improvised on double-pointed needles based off this pattern. The pickle is a supposedly an American tradition in which the pickle ornament (usually glass-blown) is hidden, and the first child to find it on Christmas morning gets a special gift. Neither my family nor my husband’s did this, but when he and I trawled online for ornament ideas, this one was too hilarious to pass up!

So what have I done this year for decorations? Nothing yet! I do plan to make this lovely wreath by GoodKnits. It looks like a quick and easy project that can easily be adapted to fit anyone’s taste, home, and holiday.

Image Source: GoodKnits

I could use some lovely holiday-themed napkins too, with a touch of embroidery. Especially because I feel (you may have noticed) that our handmade decorations are a bit yarn-heavy...

Image Source: Purl Bee

Finally, after Thanksgiving and decorating, our wee flat looks much like this:

We then reward ourselves with one final and more recent tradition of the weekend and head to Edinburgh's fantastic Christmas festival for a steaming mug of gluhwein. So do you have any handmade holiday decorating plans? Any traditions that involve the decorating process?

Guest Post: Blogging Cohorts or How to Meet Other New Bloggers

2011-11-22T02:39:00.000-05:00

I’m delighted to be a guest contributor to Sarah’s blog today while she crafting up a storm. As you may know, I’ve been having a bit of reflection over at my blog this last week—it was my 2-year blogiversary! With recent goings on in the blogosphere and some hot topic discussions on finding new blogs, I thought I would share my experience of my first couple of months of blogging/sewing.

For me, blogging and sewing happened at the same time. I realize some people come to blogging after having already been sewing for years—and you may (or may not) already have a supportive community around your hobby (or profession or both!) For me, sewing and connecting with others who also sew happened at the same time.

It’s really a bit bizarre starting out a blog. I just sort of started. I didn’t even have a proper introduction post…like my name is Debi and this is why I want to have a blog. Nope. I just sort of jumped in with various collars I wanted to add to a dress! Hahaha. A bit random!

Photos: (1) my first posted dress, (2) that same dress one year and many alterations later, (3) that same dress this last week

I still remember, my very first comment was from my sister (awww..so sweet). My second comment? From the lovely blogger Trudy from Sewing with Trudy. I was OVER the moon! I often wonder how Trudy found me. I must have commented on her blog but I remember being ecstatic as she had sewn so many beautiful things!

Within a couple of months I also found my blogging cohort. I don't know if this is the case with everyone, but when you first start out blogging, do you remember the others that started out around the same time as you? For me, my blogging cohort, has been a tremendous amount of support. There's something about being at the same stage as someone else--especially in those first few months. My blogging cohort consisted of: Enken from Whipstitch Sewing, Karin from Ancien Nouveau, Stephanie from the Naked Seamstress, Susannah from Cargo Cult Craft, Lisette from What Would Nancy Drew Wear?, Rachel at Boo Dogg and Me: A Sewing Journey, and Tilly from Tilly and the Buttons among others. There were lots of other bloggers that were also supportive during those first few months that were a bit further along in their journey (either in sewing or blogging or both).

Megan, a new sewing blogger who recently won one of my pattern giveaways, asked me how I found my blogging cohort when I first started! What a good question. I was a very active lurker/reader on a few blogs when I first started—one of them was the Sew Retro. Sew Retro was perfect because it was a place for people who love to sew up vintage outfits to showcase their projects. I found so many blogs this way! Of course, it’s difficult to leave comments on some blogs unless you already have a blogging profile. I think I found most of my blogging cohort from them leaving comments on my blog or vice versa. But how did they find me and how did I find them? Do any of you have a clear recollection of your first days of blogging and how you met people or how they found you?

I can’t help but feel that the sewing blogosphere was a bit different when I started out. There weren’t any mega bloggers that I knew of when I first started blogging (except perhaps Casey from Casey’s Elegant Musings and Lauren from Wearing History who were my two personal sewing superstars). Gertie had just started blogging five months before me, Peter starting two months after me… I can imagine as a new sewing blogger today it would be a bit overwhelming with so many well-established blogs. I just found a new (to me) blogger yesterday who wrote a beautiful piece on some of the pressures that exist for new and older bloggers alike especially in our current sewing community. I found her piece really insightful and a great reminder that we are all on different parts of our own journey and the really wonderful thing about the sewing community is how we can support each other!

I’d love to hear your thoughts! How was it when you first started blogging? Did you have a sewing cohort? Who commented on your blog first and how did that make you feel? How did you meet people when you were brand new? Do you think it’s any harder or easier now with so many sewing blogs?

Guest Post: Labor Leads to Love, A Case for the Homemade

2011-11-20T14:30:00.001-05:00

Hello all! This is Ali of The Wardrobe, Reimagined. I was so tickled when Sarah asked me to guest post as I love coming to Rhinestones and Telephones to see what personal challenges Sarah’s been up to. This lady keeps pushing herself to new heights! Just this weekend she signed on to the Seamless Pledge.

My favorite challenge of Sarah’s is one that encapsulates them all: Thrifty 365. As she says, “I wanted to have more quality, less quantity in our lifestyle. I wanted to simplify, become more eco-conscious, and learn how to want less.” Yes, yes, yes! I couldn’t have said it better.

I think this is a particularly important perspective as, at least here in the U.S., we embark on Thanksgiving week. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, as it’s all about homecooking and eating together and being with people you love. In fact, I could measure my life in Thanksgivings—where I was, with whom, what we ate and how we laughed. Some years we sang bad karaoke, some years we went sledding, and other years we couldn’t rise out of our tryptophan-induced stupors.

Then Friday comes—Black Friday—the biggest shopping day of the year, kicking off the holiday shopping season. People go cra-a-a-zy. People get trampled and shot. Okay, so it’s rare, but really, is that flatscreen TV really worth it?

I’d like to suggest a different approach, which will come as no surprise to Rhinestones and Telephones readers. Why don’t we reconsider holiday shopping altogether? Sarah’s already ahead of me, with the folks over at the Crafty Christmas Club. And on a broader scale, why not invest our time and money in the things we will really value?

See, the more I make and fix things with my hands, the harder it is for me to buy things readymade. I don’t necessarily have a problem with mass-produced items, just the rate at which we’re expected to consume them. Nevertheless, shopping makes me feel so … unattached.

And there’s a reason for this, according to researchers, referred to as the IKEA-effect (thanks to Sewing Princess, who posted this video). We tend to value the things we’ve made ourselves more than things made for us. As one headline puts it, labor leads to love.

How does this relate to DIY? Here’s one explanation:

The "IKEA effect" says that we value things we have built ourselves (even if those things are frankly a little crappy). I'd propose an extension -- call it the "DIY effect," which says we tend to hold onto, repair, and upgrade things we build ourselves, breaking us out of the consumerist cycle of trashing what's old so we can capitalize on the (often-illusory) advantages of the latest and greatest.

In the process of learning old traditions anew—cooking, sewing, now knitting—I’ve definitely had my share of “a little crappy” meals and garments. But as I improved, these activities have transformed my habits and, thus, transformed my life. I can’t think of a better gift for myself, a better gift to share with others. We're channeling our energy into what we'll truly value long term.

So on this Thanksgiving—and this Black Friday—I plan to be grateful for the things I have and invest my time and money in what will bring me joy: Making. Making a meal for family and making scarves and hats that will wrap us in warmth this winter.

But what about you? Do you feel you value your homemade items more than shop bought? And has your relationship to making things changed the way you shop?

Happy Thanksgiving, all, no matter where you are, and happy making.

Seasonal Rotation

2011-11-19T12:01:00.012-05:00

Oh, what a marvellous week it's been! It's been wonderful to be able to focus entirely on gift making and I can't thank my lovely guest bloggers enough! Logging on to my blog every day has been like opening a virtual Advent calendar; a new treat every day!

I did take a little break from crafting to rotate my closet to fall and winter. The chilly weather is finally here to stay and we actually had snow on Friday! I normally loathe the process of seasonal rotation and, to be honest, have not done it in many years. However, I recently came across Solanah's post and was inspired to follow her instructions to the letter.

I took everything out of my closet, including everything in the way back. I am fortunate in having a very large closet; large enough for Mr. Friday to share the half. It's under the eaves and runs the entire length of our bedroom. Unfortunately, I couldn't get any in progress pictures as taking everything out blocked my door with stuff and I couldn't get to the camera!

It took just over two hours to sort through everything, picking items to donate and items to keep. I also found items to refashion and a few that need repairs. And, what luck!, I unearthed several items I has forgotten about: a pair of leather running shoes, two knit tops, a warm knit dress, and a couple of cozy turtleneck sweaters.

Choosing this very thorough way to rotate my clothes had a very helpful impact on my sewing, as well. I have a precise list of items I need to sew for this season:

1. Warm skirts.
2. Trousers!
3. Warm tops
Do you rotate your closet seasonally? What's your favourite way?

* * * * *

Rotating and culling my wardrobe has led me to take part in The Seamless Pledge:

I, Sarah Gilbert, take The Seamless Pledge until August 31, 2012. I will find ways to be fashionable, keeping in line with my Thrifty365 Pledge, without contributing to the cycle of fast fashion consuming society.

I will craft my own clothes with my own two hands and I will trawl through thrift shops to find what I'm looking for if I cannot make it. If I purchase 'new' clothing, it will only be from independent designers/small businesses. I will endeavour to learn more about clothing swaps / swishing in my area.

Guest Post: 'Tis The Season

2011-11-18T10:23:00.000-05:00

Hello, my name's Tors, I blog over at Girl meets Wolf and I'm thrilled to be here. Sarah and I are obviously playing swap the blog as last week she very kindly guest posted for me when I was away working, so covering her blog whilst she whips up some lovely pressies was the least I could do! For those that don't know me I should mention I'm not Scandinavian, blonde nor built to fill out an opera diva's breast plate but instead blessed with parents who felt that Vicky wasn't the correct nickname for Victoria when it came to their eldest child.

I love reading Sarah's blog, the sense of fun that comes through always brings a smile to my face and Sarah's creations are always well thought out, beautifully put together and a perfect reflection of the personality I see shining through her blog. Her love of sewing is ... well, enviable if I'm honest, I wish I had half her passion!

Given Sarah talks about sewing here a lot, and I assumed her readers would want more of the same, I had thought to write a little about some sewing tips my Mother has shared with me. But as they can be summed up as:

1) Sew the zip first if your pattern calls for one
2) Put your sleeves in before sewing the side seam whilst the garment is still flat
3) and then sew the sleeve and side seams as one

and I didn't think I could come up with enough padding to make it last for an entire blog post, I thought I'd continue on the theme Sarah's already started and have a chat with you about party dresses for 'tis the season to be jolly!

I don't know about you, but for me the weeks leading up to Christmas tend to be filled with Christmas parties, drinks and get-togethers. This might perhaps be because I work in television and we're always up for a party. In fact we've been known to use any excuse on some of the productions I've worked on!

I'm a big fan of vintage styles, and I have to agree with Sarah - for me there's nothing that says party quite so much as the 50's silhouette with their full skirts. If there's even the slightest chance there might be dancing then a full skirt should definitely be considered, twirling opportunities will abound and should have a frock that will do your twirls justice. Sarah recently wrote about some dresses from Tess Designs that fit the bill.

Sabrina in black

So very Audrey Hepburn I couldn't love it more. If a full skirt (and twirling) really isn't your thing, Shabby Apple (another favourite!) has some beautiful dresses that suit every occasion.

Rhythm Dancer
(My party dress for next week in fact)

Looking for something a little more modern? I recommend sparkles, you can never go wrong with sparkles and ASOS has just the thing (and ship worldwide)!

And even better, they have dresses to suit everyone's budget!

But wait, this is a blog about sewing, so what if you want to make your own dress? It doesn't even need to be a vintage pattern, there are several vintage inspired patterns out there, not to mention vintage re-prints; my favourites come from Butterick but the other pattern houses do offer up some lovely choices.


Butterick 5606 via Jaycotts Look at that back detail!

Butterick 5603 via Jaycotts
Bows!

Butterick 5302 via Jaycotts
So very slinky!

I think I want one of each! I used to worry I'd be overdressed, but is that even possible when attending a party? Personally I've since decided not, you might feel overdressed but I guarantee every woman in the room will be envious of your fabulous dress, especially if they look like any of these!

Do you have a favourite go-to party dress or pattern? Do you get yourself a new frock every year? Or do you have more than one party dress? I've always had one dress per year, but as the number of parties increase and the time between them decreases I'm having to look into additional party dresses. It's a hard job but someone's got to do it!

I hope you all have a fabulous party season in your undoubtably gorgeous frocks. Thanks for having me Sarah!

Guest Post: Cabin Fever Survival Guide

2011-11-17T09:39:00.000-05:00

Hello, Friends! I'm Meg from Meg the Grand and the fabulous Sarah was kind enough to ask me over for a playdate, and how could I refuse? She's one of my absolute favorite bloggers, even more so after her recent post on marrying style and season. In the same line of thinking, I'm offering some tips today that may help you beat the winter blahs...

aka "CABIN FEVER SURVIVAL GUIDE"

1. Develop a Pinterest addiction. Not all addictions are bad, I promise. Whenever bored out of my mind and feeling completely uninspired, I hop on Pinterest. Sure enough, the fabulous style pins and sewing inspiration boards of other bloggers have me feeling refreshed and ready to create in no time. I'm planning on spending the last week in December going through a series of hairstyle pins I found so I can have something fresh happening with my head on New Year's Eve.

2. Go through the entire Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts. Good luck, and make sure you post pictures of your pie plate sconce for the rest of us.

3. Host a themed party. Murder mystery parties are fun and allow people to dress up as characters in some cases. You could also host a performing/hidden talent party: each person who comes needs to "perform" something. For instance, the first performing party I went to, I did my party trick of balancing things on my forehead and clapping like a seal. Other friends performed poems they'd written, played guitar, or did that thing where their arms start in front of them and then end up behind them without unclasping their hands.

4. Make something warm. Flannel PJs, a t-shirt quilt, knitting a scarf - winter isn't so bad if you are wrapped up in something that is warm and pretty.

5. Build a fort in your living room. Use as many blankets as possible. This is a money saving venture as you will only need to a heat a small space. Pull in some popcorn and a laptop to watch movies on and it could even be construed as a date night.

6. Recreate childhood Saturday mornings with cartoons on Youtube. No joke, they are all on there. David the Gnome = win (narrated by Christopher Plummer, no less). I also really enjoyed reliving Legends of the Hidden Temple.

7. Four words: Harry Potter Movie Marathon.

8. Find cold weather events around your town. Parades, ice skating, sledding, or holiday walks - being around other people and carrying around a hot beverage can do wonders for the spirit.

9. Learn something new: a phrase in French that you can easily remember and use regularly; how to knit; how to play the tambourine (which can be made with paper plates, rice, and tape for hours of entertainment. Color it green if you so desire).

10. Treat yourself to an at home spa day. There are countless facial mask recipes to try using things you may already have in your cupboard. Paint your nails. Take a bubble bath and read a really trashy novel.

Friends, I hope you've enjoyed my list of things to try this winter when you are mentally done with the snow and ice... and remember, when in doubt, baking always helps.

Thanks Sarah for having me, and everyone stay warm and have a fabulous day!!

Guest Post: sparkle and shine

2011-11-16T06:00:00.000-05:00

oh hai rhinestone and telephone folk, oonaballoona here! i'm so happy to be invited to sarah's virtual home while she's busy holiday crafting. in her honor, i thought we'd play with some sparkly jewels. (i'd throw a telephone or two in there, but in this technological age, i have none to display. at least, none worthy of this cornucopia of rhinestone goodness.)

would you like a closer look at my little collection? perhaps i'll share a few ideas on how to use your own vintage baubles in new ways? lovely! have a cookie from one of alessa's mouthwatering recipes, pour yourself a glass of something red, and let's play.

necklaces: of course, the tried and true loop-into-bracelet is always easy fun. but it can get heavy when raising a glass. so please, use extreme caution when loading up those pretty wrists.

clip earrings: are you like me? does that vice grip get uncomfortable on your lobe? one of my latest favorite sparkly tweaks is to throw a clip earring in an odd place. instant belt closure! fancy shoe sugar! sparkle up those spaghetti straps! they can go anywhere. (ladies, please, minds out of the gutter. are we really that far into our cups?)

pins: late for a party, and your frock not finished? in sewing emergencies, use them wherever you would pin your garment and run on out the door with no one the wiser. why sew that dart when you can decorate it?

not the cheating type? alright, pollyanna. i thought that was grape juice in your glass. you might want to try a pin at your waist instead of the normal brooch placement. scandalous, i know. but purely decoration, i assure you.

perhaps you're the type who would rather go with madame lynch's vintage advice, circa 1950:

we'll say your hands are pretty and short. we won't necessarily believe it. myself, i don't subscribe to that less-is-more line of thought.

in jewelry and in spirits, more, my friends, is ALWAYS more.

i've so enjoyed hosting you today, cheers to you, and to sarah!

love, oonaballoona

Guest Post: Holiday Treats

2011-11-15T09:27:00.001-05:00

Hi everybody, I'm Alessa from Farbenfreude! Sarah has kindly asked me to write a guest post while she's busy with holiday preparations, and since I'm slowly getting into the holiday spirit myself, I thought I'd write about my favorite cold weater Christmas treats today.

I grew up in the South of Germany, not far from the mountains, so winter, and especially Christmas, have always meant snow and crispy cold, foggy (or occasionally sunny) days for me. Getting up and going to school (or work) when it's still dark, getting home when it's dark already, cozying up on the couch with a mug of hot tea or chocolate and a good book. And, of course, the smell of cinnamon, vanilla and hot cookie. Making Christmas cookies in the weeks before the holidays has always been one of my favorite family traditions. The hot oven, the delicious smells, the working together to produce little bites of holiday bliss...

One of my all time favorites are Cinnamon Stars, a very traditional kind of German Christmas cookie. They have absolutely no flour in them, just almonds, sugar, eggs and of course, cinnamon. They are chewy and have a little crust of meringue on top and, apart from the dough needing some cooling time, are incredibly easy and fast to make. And so yummy! :)

Cinnamon Stars
3 egg whites
2 cups (250g) powdered sugar
1Pck (2Tbsp) Vanilla Sugar
3 drops bitter almond flavor (or 2Tbsp almond liqueur)
1Tbsp ground cinnamon
3 cups (about 320g) ground almonds

Beat the egg whites until they form a peak, then incorporate the powdered sugar bit by bit and beat the mixture at least a minute more. Divide the mixture in two and put away half for the moment. Mix the other half with the vanilla sugar, almond flavor, cinnamon and ground almonds. It is going to be sticky but should form a ball of dough. Put it into the fridge for at least an hour. Roll the dough to about half an inch thickness on a floured surface (works best if you put it between sheets of foil wrap) and cut out little stars (or whatever shape you like) with cookie cutters. Transfer them onto a cookie sheet. Ball the leftovers together and roll and cut out anew until you've used up all dough. Frost the cookies with the egg-sugar-mixture and pop them into the oven at 300°F (150°C). Bake for 10-15 minutes. The frosting should still be white! Store them in an airtight container with a slice of apple, to keep them moist.

Another, more recent winter indulgence of mine is hot chocolate. Hot Cherry Chocolate to be exact. I think I got the idea from a Starbucks, back when I was an au-pair in Tennessee and spent countless hours meeting friends there. While we do have several Starbucks in Berlin, the prices seem quite over the top to me, not to mention they don't always have the "special winter" drinks and if they do, they taste cloyingly sweet. So in the end, I decided to make up my own recipe.

Hot Cherry Chocolate
1 cup milk
3 tsp cocoa powder
1 small dash of salt
3 tsp cherry sirup
1 dash of ground cinnamon
whipped cream

Heat up the milk and whisk in the cocoa powder, salt and cinnamon. Add the cherry sirup (I like the taste and sweetness of 3 tsp but you could easily add more or less), pur into a christmas-y mug and top with whipped cream (or foamed milk) and another dash of cinnamon. Curl up on the sofa with a good book and enjoy! :)

I'm really happy with that recipe. Nice and chocolaty, not too sweet and the fruitiness of the cherry sirup makes it extra lovely. I think this would also work well with other kinds of sirup (vanilla or almond come to mind). In the mornings, I sometimes add a small cup of espresso, which also goes very nicely.

I hope you like my recipes! If you try them, would you tell me how it went and if you liked them?

Have a wonderful holiday season everybody! And thanks Sarah for inviting me over!

xox Alessa

Be My Guest: Please Welcome My Favourite Bloggers

2011-11-14T06:00:00.015-05:00

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Oh, boy I am so excited to share this with you! Recently, I unveiled my plan to lock myself in my evil lair preparing holiday gifts. Not wanting to leave you in the lurch whilst I work my crafty madness, I have organized a wonderful line-up of guest bloggers for your enjoyment.

I am truly delighted that these lovely ladies will be blogging chez moi, as they are my absolute favourite bloggers out there! I can happily confirm that the following are already planning their posts as we speak:

Alessa from Farbenfreude
Ali from The Wardrobe, Reimagined
Debi from My Happy Sewing Place
Kerry from Kestrel Finds and Makes
Kristen from KristenMakes
Meg from Meg the Grand
Oona from Oonaballoona and Oona Does It
Solvi from Delfinelise
Stephanie from The Girl With the Star-Spangled Heart
Theresa from Tess Designs
Tors from Girl meets Wolf
Veronica from Veronica Darling

These ladies have some fantastic posts planned for you, so pour yourself a fresh pot of tea, grab a plate of cookies and get comfortable!

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As for me, I'll be hangin' with Miss K.E.N. More, Miss Molly, my oven, and various kitchen implements as craft my way to a Happy Handmade Holiday (and try not to injure myself in the process!). You can follow my progress over at the Crafty Christmas Club. A word to those on my gift list - view at your own peril!

**It's even luckier that every single one of these ladies has a terrific sense of humour! Otherwise I'd be in pretty hot water likening them to my minions!

Shabby Apple Giveaway 2.0 WINNER!

2011-11-13T14:21:00.004-05:00

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Thank you to everyone who entered the Shabby Apple giveaway. It's lovely to see so many people fall in love with this dress as much as I did. Without further ado, I am delighted to announce that the winner is....

Emilie of Chez Emilie! Congratulations! I will be in touch today!

Congratulations, Kristen!

2011-11-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

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Our wonderful knitting expert, Kristen, has been featured in the November issue of The Skinny where she talks about her work in fibre arts. Click here to read the article.

Congratulations are also in order as she graduates with an MA with distinction from Heriot-Watt University’s School of Textiles this coming Thursday. Well done, Kristen!

The Gift Shift

2011-11-12T06:00:00.008-05:00

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It's that time of year when I shift from my project list to gift making. I am starting earlier this year so that I'm not running about like a madwoman as Christmas approaches. The last thing I want to do is rush through making things!

I'm posting my progress over at the Crafty Christmas Club, if you'd like to follow along. A note to those on my gift list - you know who you are - no peeking!

Lest We Forget

2011-11-11T06:00:00.001-05:00

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In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

-Lt. Col. John McCrae

* * * * *

For my Granpa, a Petty Officer in HM Royal Navy in the Pacific Theatre.
For my Granma, who from her wedding day to VJ day never knew if my Granpa was alive or dead.
For Aunt B who volunteered as a WAF.
For Grandad who followed his orders to teach at an officers training camp when he wanted to be sent instead with his regiment to Italy.
For Uncle D of the US Navy.
For cousin R, US Navy and the Pentagon.

For servicemen and women who make extraordinary sacrifices to protect us.
Thank you.

Lest we forget.

The Newbie & The Knitter Progress

2011-11-10T09:27:00.006-05:00

I am so enjoying co-hosting this KAL with Kristen! I love peeking at the Flickr group and seeing how everyone is getting along. Just two of my many favourites are Debbie Lee's orange Cadence and Noas Libuelle's red Cadence. Everyone's going along so brilliantly!

It has been so enjoyable to knit one of my first practice pieces in preparation for tackling Cadence. The Simply Soft Cowl is a lovely, relaxing knit and I find it so gratifying to see the garment unroll from my hands. I love the soft green colour and the yarn is buttery soft. I have about an inch left to knit before I finish it with the lovely chunky ribbing.

This cowl has been terrific for getting comfortable knitting in the round. I needed to work on a nice basic piece to boost my confidence after my Cadence troubles - eleven cast-ons! I kid you not. I am nothing if not persistent! I am excited to see the finished product and then tuck it away for Christmas.

How are you getting on with Cadence? Have you decided to knit practice pieces first? I would love to hear about your progress.

* * * * *

Don't forget to enter my Shabby Apple giveaway! The giveaway closes at 11:59 p.m. EST on Saturday, November 12th with the winner announced the following day. Good luck!

Sparkle Up Your Holidays with Tess Designs - Part 2

2011-11-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

Sabrina in Black

In Part 2 of my feature of Tess Designs' first Holiday collection, I am changing silhouettes from slim to full. For me, the full skirt is the ultimate in party dresses. There's something about it that brings out the little girl in all of us when we put on a swishy, twirly dress. Theresa has truly captured the essence of the party dress with Sabrina.

Sabrina in Black

Sabrina is available in both red and black and is inspired by Audrey Hepburn's wardrobe in 'Sabrina.' This dress effortlessly captures the elegant glamour of Givenchy, to whom Audrey was a muse. Made of silk taffeta with a silk organza underskirt and silk lining, Sabrina's full skirt and deceptively demure bateau neckline speak to its elegant femininity.

Sabrina in Red

If you prefer a more fiery version of this classic design, then red is definitely for you. The rich ruby red is universally flattering and the beautiful back detail takes this dress from shy to dramatic!

Sabrina in Red

I highly recommend visiting Tess Designs for both your holiday and everyday wardrobe needs. They also have a wonderful separates collection and several of their summer dresses are on sale now - many at 50% off!

Guest Post: Girl meets Wolf

2011-11-07T17:03:00.002-05:00

I'm delighted to be guest posting today at the lovely Tors' blog: Girl meets Wolf. Click here to see what I have to say about marrying your style with cold weather.