I did get to the thrift store while I was away and I couldn’t believe how jam packed with stuff it was.  Turns out my town is full of thrift store scavengers (competition) so the pickins is usually slim.  I think this piano was actually there last time I visited my family (umm, thanksgiving?) but I passed it by.  But really can you pass on a vintage, wooden toy piano for $20 two times? It sound very much like a toy piano–pling, plong–but I kind of like it.

I was thinking I should get a little more organized when it comes to my sewing. I’ve got so many projects that I would like to start and so many that really need to be done and I want to do all of it at once, so I end up staring at fabric or making piles or cleaning up and then it’s time for bed and nothing has been made.  So inspired by some lovely ladies, I thought I’d try to have a goal each week:  making a garment each night of the week (like amanda) or just posing a creative challenge (like fede).  I’d like to do this all summer, but really I think I’ll just start with the next month and see how it goes.  I think it will make me focus a bit better.  This week is just about organzing and getting ready, but I’ll be back next week to post the theme or goal or whatever. If you’d like to join me with your own weekly goals, please do, we’ll get even more done that way I’m sure.

I had grand plans for this week.  I’m staying with my family and I thought with so many hands around, my hands wouldn’t always be full of children.  But my kids went and got pink eye and ear infections, so I’ve been tending to their sickness and trying to quiet the whining all day.  Then collapsing on the couch with flickr for most of the evening. Which isn’t such a bad thing, really. After sewing one dress for me and one for my daughter, garment making is pretty much all I can think about. So I thought I’d share all these amazing clothes I found with you.  And maybe when everyone is well again I’ll go home and fire up the sewing machine.

1. front closeup, 2. linen_1.jpg, 3. striped sailor boatneck tee, 4. red ticking capri, 5. flow shirt, 6. fridas kjole/dress, 7. Vintage Fabric Girls Dress from Japanese Sewing Book, 8. front closeup, 9. klein hemdje

1. Muslin, 2. silk tank, 3. … just because i’m so proud of my sewing…, 4. new lacy top, 5. DSCN6074, 6. i made my jeans! (simplicity 3850- built by you), 7. 28may08, 8. Rok voorkant, 9. Built by Wendy dress – front view

This is the first dress I’ve made for my daughter, even though I’ve bought yards (and yards) of different pretty prints since she was born (2 and a half years ago!) intending to make many dresses and skirts. I was nervous about using a pattern and nervous about trying to fit a garment on a toddlers, but they are straight little noodles, so really it’s not hard at all.  When Martha from Uniform Studio started making a garment a day for the month of may, I thought if she could whip out 30, then I could probably make one.   So now that May is 2/3rds over it’s done. Granted it took me most of the month to find the pattern, but last weekend at the thrift store there it was and for 10 cents!

I had the idea for a little dress with a big pleat in the front and a strip of patchwork going down the middle and it turned out exactly the way I wanted, thanks mostly to the pattern.  The back and the front are the same in the original, I just combined all the little pleats into one big pleat in the front and kept the back the same.

There is a lot going in these parts over the next month, so things might be quiet here.  I’ll try to pop in once and a while, but I don’t think I’ll have much time for making.  In the meantime, I’ve updated some of my links (especially the clothing section) so you can jump over there for your craft blog fix.

have a great weekend!

This project is from an old issue of Cotton Friend, a japanese magazine that my husband brought back for me from Singapore.  These are incredibly handy and I have many more in the works: for all the crap little things in my studio and all the markers, crayons and glue sticks that are under the couch.  I thought you would like to make some too, so I whipped up a tutorial. Here you go:

Materials:
28 oz. tin can (if you have a different size can, just measure the height and circumference, add seam allowances, and the rest is the same)
linen, or other fabric
lining fabric
embroidery floss
glue (I used rubber cement, but plain white glue should do just fine)

Directions:

Wash your tin can and take off the paper.  Cut two 13″ X 4.75″ rectangles–one from linen and one from the lining fabric–and one 13″ X 1.5″ strip of linen.  Embroider the design of your choice on the fabric or leave it plain if you like. Place the two large rectangles together right sides facing, and sew around using a 1/4 inch seam allowance.  Leave a 2 inch opening in the middle of one of the short sides for turning out.  Clip the corners, turn and press (I like to press it so a little of the lining shows).  Sew the opening closed.  Fold the strip of fabric in half the long way and press.  All the way along one side clip almost up to the fold.  Glue the unclipped side to the inside of the tin can, then glue the outside.  Wrap the finished piece around the can and sew shut (I like my stitches to show, but you could of course use an invisible stitch).

I was planning on having a pdf file with embroidery designs you could download, but I’m not having much luck with that at the moment.  Until I figure it out here are pictures of the designs you can print out and use (you will probably have to resize them a bit). If you want to see these or any of the instructional photos more clearly, click over to my flickr site.

Edited to add: please click here and you can download both sets of designs for your own stylish, embroidered tin can cover.

drop me a line if you make one!

After a week (a week!) of nursing sick children I thought I would have a couple hours to sew on Saturday morning, but of course then I got it.  crap.  I had grand plans of conquering an actual pattern: simplicity 3835 (any advice welcome–has anyone lined this? can anyone tell me how to line this?).  There were some angry and rushed attempts at garment making in high school with very homemade results, but now I’m ready to learn for real.  These pj pants are from Amy Butler’s book “In Stitches” and were dead easy.  Like sewing drawstring bags for your legs and about that flattering–when she says wide leg, she means wiiiiide leg.  I have been meaning to make them ever since I found this fantastic sheet at a thrift store long ago. I think the idea of making pajamas from sheets came from soulemama.  And when you are wearing them it really is like you never got out of bed!  My sick self stayed in these pants all weekend long. I did manage one little project (from soulemama, the book).

another pair of pants! though much, much smaller and from a shirt.  There are many more of these planned for the summer months.  They are easy and comfy and just right for the playground.  I have grand plans for making my kids’ clothes too.  It doesn’t help seeing this and this and this.  But I don’t have a clue as to how to sew clothes (unless it resembles a drawstring bag) so mostly I’m just dreaming.