Sewing

(Old) Project: Cape

I made this cape for my daughter when she was about nine months old. It was a little too big for her then, but now it fits perfectly. She wore it this fourth of July to celebrate the fireworks (which she’s a little bit scared of).

It was actually a relatively easy project and I think I’m going to make her a few more for this winter. The outer is made of red fleece and the lining is a cotton strawberry shortcake that I dug out of my mom’s stash.

A clutch my mom made me.

Okay, I did not make this clutch (and sorry for the tiny picture too). My mom made it for me. It’s completely my style, and can I confess something? I love it more than the one I made. No new sewing this week, but I do have a little stash of fabric which I’m planning to turn into a new pair of ruffle pants, pajama pants, and a skirt for my little one. However, this weekend is for relaxing. Hope everyone has a lovely weekend. 🙂

New Project: Bow Clutch

I finally finished my clutch! It’s made of a red linen with a cotton navy blue hounds tooth lining. There’s a few things I’m not happy about, such as the the bow which isn’t completely straight. I also had a hard time with the zipper, but overall I’m happy with the end product.

I wanted to enter the Sew Sweetness Purse Palooza 2012, but any bag that is entered needs to be made between June 4 and July 11. I started the bag back in May so I don’t think it qualifies. Too bad!

However, check out my mom’s purse that she entered. I think it turned out really cute.

I Love Me Some Color

{Yellow and mint wedding palette by Martha Stewart Living}

I didn’t complete last week’s sewing project, hell, I didn’t even start it. Right now I’m learning on my mom’s sewing machine at her house a couple of times a week. It’s a struggle some days to pack up my daughter and her gigantic bag, sewing supplies, plus all the bits and pieces I take with me everywhere and try to get a couple hours of sewing in while making sure she doesn’t get in to too much trouble at my parent’s house. I know I sound like I’m complaining, but I’m not trying to. I guess I’m just frustrated at myself for not starting my project, and I needed to vent it out a bit. I’m glad that’s over and now onto this week’s goal!

{Feathered color palette by Design Seeds}

This week I want to finish the clutch I was going to attempt last week. What I’m enjoying so far about this project is picking out the fabric and learning about choosing materials in terms of weight and color. I am a girl who loves color, but until recently I never thought much about how to choose coordinating or contrasting colors, and even patterns. I just knew what I liked together. Admittedly my personal style is colorful, boho, and slightly funky. Blogs have been a great source of color inspiration, and introduced me to combinations I might never have considered before.

{Colors by Circa Ceramics}

For instance, while purple and aqua are two colors I have no problem putting together (did I mention I like my colors bright and bold) I would never in a million years have worn red, white, and blue at once. I am patriotic, but walk around looking like a flag? No thanks. But through magazines, blogs, and other visual platforms I’ve seen the red, white, and blue combination made to look positively modern. And wouldn’t you know it my clutch this week is going to be red, white, and blue. I promise there’s nothing Fourth of July about it, and the key was choosing just the right variations of red and blue, and incorporating a simple pattern. I’m no color expert, but here are a few sites where I go to get color inspired!

Upcycling Project: Onesie & Pants to Ruffle Outfit

Ruffles look cute on pants. True statement. Ruffles look cute on shirts? Yes, ma’am! I love how this ruffle outfit turned out. I started with a nine month onesie, toddler stretch capri pants, and a thrifted man’s button up.

I’m happy with the end result, and I’m also proud that I’m getting faster and my sewing looks cleaner. My mom is still helping me out with each step, but I’m also able to do more on my own.

Also I’m debating whether the outfit is truly done. I may or may not add a brown ribbon bow around the onesie’s ruffle seam. Ruffles ruffles everywhere!

Upcycling Project: pants to PANTS

What do you do when you’ve outgrown your pants and they become too short? Add a ruffle! This is probably one of the easiest ways to upcycle and personalize kid clothes. It works best for girls clothes, I can’t imagine adding a ruffle to boy pants, and it’s just so darn cute that I’ve been willing all my daughter’s clothes to shrink so I can add ruffles galore.

These stretchy turquoise pants were starting to get too short, but I loved the fold-over band and how comfortable they were for her to play in. Originally I was going to add a bright pink ruffle from a shirt she had long outgrown, but instead my mom suggested some blue leftovers from a shirt she’d recently made for herself. Both fabrics worked well, but I love the blue on blue tones I chose to use.

I didn’t get to take a picture on Earth Day, when she originally wore the pants, because San Diego weather was awful that day. So we slipped them on today and took a walk around the neighborhood.

Just add turquoise sneakers and too-cool-for-school sunglasses, what’s not to love? Now I’m working on another set of ruffle pants with matching shirt.