Finery in a flash!

I really wanted to make Louie a dapper outfit to wear on Easter Sunday...something special and neat looking for church, but comfy for egg hunts and lounging around after a big dinner. He is five...definitely a big boy, but still pretty cooperative when it comes to clothes. I've been too busy to go all out, but knowing this might be my last chance to put him in pastels, I whipped up something sweet. The "tie" is made from a simple strip, and the "vest" is sewn right to the shirt.



I was originally going to applique a bunny on a shirt, but the only light colored tee I had on hand was this white one, which was pre-stained with chocolate. I probably could have bleached it, but that would take effort and I'd invariably ruin my own clothes in the process. I opted to cover the stains with the faux tie and vest. Here is how I did it:



The tie started out as a 4.5 x 15" strip of bunny fabric (from Tula Pink's awesome Full Moon Forest Collection).



I folded it in half lengthwise, right sides facing in, and stitched 1/4" from the long raw edges.




I turned it right side out, arranged the seam so that it was in the center of one side, and pressed.




I used the seam ripper to make slits in the neckline (one above the seam and one below the seam). Now the shirt is looking really trashy!



I folded the "tie" to make a point as shown in the picture above.




I slipped the tie through the loop formed by the slits, then brought the ends down through the point.




Voila - a faux Windsor knot!




After arranging the knot to my liking, I whipstitched the slits together, catching the layers of the tie fabric so that the knot would stay put.




The vest is essentially a big, 2 piece applique made from awesome Sis Boom stripes and fusible tricot interfacing. I used my Festive Vest pattern, but you could use any vest pattern, or even draw your own to fit the shirt. I cut 2 mirror image pieces from fabric, and 2 mirror image pieces from the interfacing. With the fusible (rough) side of the interfacing facing the right side of the fabric, I aligned the edges of the facing with those of the fabric. I stitched all the way around the pieces, 1/4" from the edges. I trimmed the allowance around the points, and made a small slit in the center of the interfacing.




I turned the pieces right side out through the slits in the interfacing. This put the fusible side of the interfacing on the outside back of the vest.




I placed the pieces on the shirt (right hand side overlapping the left for boys), and fused them into place on the front of the tee.




There were overhangs at the side, so I slipped the tee over the ironing board to press those into place.




I edgestitched along the exposed edges...




...and added buttons as a finishing touch (so nice to skip the buttonhole step)!



The shirt took me about 30 minutes to make, and it probably would have gone even faster if I hadn't been taking pics along the way. To complete the outfit, I spent another 30 minutes and I made some Easy Fit Pants out of a crisp, light denim. Now my little man is all set for a hoppin' good time!

Wandering outside...

I know I haven't posted any decorating projects lately, but I wanted to let you all know that I haven't totally abandoned my New Year's resolution to make my home a nicer place. I've just refocused my energies outside. After such a heinous winter, I NEEDED to get out in the yard as soon as spring sprung.

The very first thing I did was clear the veggie beds to make way for new plantings. The side bed (pictured above) was a big mess. It used to be a rose garden, but most of the bushes had been transplanted elsewhere. Last year we rototilled, plopped in squash and some greens, and watered every now and then. We didn't actually go into that garden much after it was planted because the remaining thorny rose bushes would attack us. As a result, the veggies succumbed to disease and weed overgrowth by mid-season. This year, I moved the rest of the roses (they put up a fight, believe me) and hand-dug some raised beds. The pathways are mulched with shredded leaves, so hopefully that will encourage us to go out and give the plants a bit of attention every now and then.

The main bed was in pretty good shape this year, except for the fact that the surrounding gravel was choked with dirt and weeds. I went a little crazy and dug out all of the rocks, washed them, then put them back over a fresh layer of landscaping cloth. It was A LOT of work, and I don't think I have ever been so muddy in my whole life. Hopefully it will stay weed-free for a few years.

While I was wallowing in filth, Del and Lou neatly worked on their own outdoor decor project. We found these seatless, wrought iron chairs in a free pile about seven years ago. After moving them three times, we've finally decided to make them functional. The guys cleaned them up and spray painted them a really nice shade of green - I'll get pictures as soon as the seats are installed.

Speaking of paint, Stebbins Anderson is a great shop that is right around the block from us...it is part hardware/garden shop, part upscale boutique. It is very convenient for things like bolts and plant stakes, so I'm always running (ok, fast-walking) over there. I love to visit the upstairs (the fancy part of the store) to soak in inspiration from all the gorgeousness. I was absolutely THRILLED when I found out that they were carrying Jennifer Paganelli's Sis Boom aprons and table goodies! I had to trot right over and get some pics!

PATTERN UPDATE: The Sis Boom Marlo Top is almost here, I promise! We've been waiting for the weather to cooperate so we could get just the right pictures for the cover. If you want some sneak peaks, head on over to Jennifer's blog! I also have some exciting stuff in the works for my Scientific Seamstress line of patterns, but I'm not quite ready to spill...I promise to fill you in soon!

Folding Templates (free download)!

I've gotten so much great feedback on the printable folding templates that I include with most of my e-patterns. They are just little cardstock guides, but they are really great for making accurate folds. I've gotten to the point where I use them with almost every project, and if I don't have one that has the fold I need, I'll draw an extra line (or I'll try to eyeball it, which I'm not so good at - ack).

Anyway, I thought it would be nice to have some universal folding templates with multiple lines. I've put together a pdf "e-booklet" that you can download here. It includes a straight template and a curved template, each marked with multiple lines at 0.25" increments. The instructions are included with the file, but I will go ahead and post them here as well:

Folding Templates
Templates are great tools for making accurate folds. Print the templates on regular cardstock and cut them out along the dashed lines. Important note: The folding template is designed to be printed at 100%. Before printing, make sure that page scaling is set to none in Adobe Acrobat print window. To be sure the template printed at the correct size, measure the box. It should measure exactly 1 inch by 1 inch.

For a straight fold, place the numbered edge of the Straight Folding Template near the edge of the fabric to be folded (a). Starting in the center, bring the fabric over so that the edge meets the desired fold line on the template (b). Press, working the edge down to the line (c).

Slide the template over to one end of the fabric piece and press (d).
Repeat at the other end (e). Flip the fabric over and press the length of the fold (f).

The procedure for using the Curved Folding Template is very similar to that of the Straight Folding Template.

For a convex (hill-shaped) fold, place the convex edge of the Curved Folding Template near the edge of the fabric to be folded. Starting in the center, bring the fabric over so that the edge meets the desired fold line on the template. Press, working the edge down to the line (a). Slide the template along the edge and continue to press, wiggling the template as needed (b). Note: for wider folds, small pleats may be worked into the edges to accommodate any excess width at the edges. Flip the fabric over and press the length of the fold (c).

For a concave (valley-shaped) fold, place the concave edge of the Curved Folding Template near the edge of the fabric to be folded. Starting in the center, bring the fabric over so that the edge meets the desired fold line on the template. Press, working the edge down to the line (a). Slide the template along the edge and continue to press, wiggling the template as needed. Note: for wider folds, snips may be made to allow the edges spread out (b). Flip the fabric over and press the length of the fold (c).

Here is the download link again: Folding Templates - Happy Folding!!!

FUN gathering!

I write about gathering a lot, but it is the kind you do with basting stitches and miles of fabric. On Saturday, I got to participate in a gathering of a different sort...the Quilters' Gathering in Ruthsburg, MD. It was the perfect day of great ladies, shopping, a make and take project, yummy lunch, and of course, gorgeous, gorgeous quilts. Two groups put on trunk shows, and I loved seeing their work and listening to their stories.

The first group up was the "Farm Bureau Beauties" out of Delaware. They had all kinds of fun, drool-worthy projects to share. I loved their charm quilts. All of those little boxes are hand appliqued, can you believe? The love and camaraderie these ladies shared with us was just as inspirational as their quilts.

The second group, the Old Kent Baltimore Applique Bee, blew us away with their Album Quilts.



I adore the bright, non-traditional colors in this one!



This one too. WOW! Now I am all fired up to try some hand applique. It won't be anywhere as intricate as these works of art, but I'd love to have a little hand sewing project to work on in the evenings.

The highlight of my day was meeting Carol, who is also knows as CajunQuilter on Sewforum.com. She is the administrator (in other words, the Moderator Supreme) of this HUGE, active discussion board about all things sewing. Even though it has over 40,000 members, it is so well-organized that it feels like a cozy little community! I've been a member for several years now, and I've learned so much about machine embroidery and sewing in general. Just like her online persona, Carol is a walking encyclopedia when it comes to sewing techniques and equipment. She is just the sweetest person, too, so it was really great to do some "real-life" hanging out with with her. And I almost forgot...there was a show and tell!!! I didn't have a quilt on hand, but I did go up and show off my Boxy bag and Sis Boom Shana Tunic. It was so nice to be in a room full of ladies who adore beautiful fabric as much as I do!