Sept. 13

If you follow many embroidery blogs, you have probably come across Feeling Stitchy. Great site. They just announced a little contest that I am quite intrigued by... embroidering a book cover! I'm quite excited.

The big question though, is what book? 

Jane Austin? Moby Dick? Roald Dahl? Harry Potter? Raptor Red? There are so many books! I wonder if I would be limited to one entry? I wonder if I will have enough time to even finish one?

Sept. 12

I have the day off and have been trying to fill it up with productive (or at least semi-productive) things. So far this has consisted of hooking up my new printer to the wireless network, spray painting a bumper sticker on the back of my truck, and experimenting with a bleach technique to make a logo-ed shirt for work. It certainly doesn't sound like much eh? Of course I was supplementing my tasks with looking up recipes on the internet (now I need to figure out which one of my new amazing recipes to have for supper!)

I still have a few things I want to do this afternoon, so we'll see how much gets done.

My new "bumper sticker." It is a Mystery Science Theater 3000 reference from the Final Sacrifice episode.

My somewhat failed attempt at this bleach dying technique. I think it looks cool, but is not suitable for work at all. I have ideas on how to fix it though.

Now maybe laundry?

Sept. 7

I finally got pictures taken of the magazine I'm in! I'm quite stoked.

It is the Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Crafts magazine and I'm on page 66!

They changed a bit, like the order of how I do things and using twine instead of ribbon, but I think it looks nice anyways. Here's the cover of the magazine so you can be sure to take a peek!

Aug. 19

I have definitely been feeling the two-job business this week, so not much of an update. I worked both of them back to back today and picked up a bit of frozen yogurt at 3 Spoons afterward. I kind of really wanted to do something else afterwards, but I couldn't figure out what, so home I went. Tomorrow I need to do some more pottery... it's the last day to work with wet clay, so hopefully I can get up early and head over.

I still have yet to get myself a copy of the Better Homes and Gardens magazine to take some better pictures of my project for you... I looked online and it doesn't appear to be anywhere. Alas. My Craptor embroidery was featured on Mr. X Stitch today though, which is pretty cool. I like that site a lot. 

Right now I'm listening to Nat King Cole on Spotify and it's so peaceful. I think it's about time I go to bed.

Aug. 13

I meant to get this out yesterday, but it turned into a late night, so this morning will have to suffice.

I spotted these on my way to Topeka, they were so smooth and painterly I couldn't resist a photo.

Just throwing some pottery... it's a new clay so let's hope it does okay.

And lastly, I went to Hobby Lobby and remembered to look for the magazine my Dala horse ornament is in! Right there on the front page of the segment and everything. I'm most pleased. I didn't have a chance to look through it all, but it seemed full of cool things to make, so I would recommend checking it out. Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Crafts mag, it'll be on the stands for a few months I believe.

I hope everyone has a great day!

Aug. 10

I don't have too much time for an upload today, I just got myself two jobs for the fall! I'm pretty excited about both of them though. Last week I decided that I needed to get on the Sorbetto pattern bandwagon, especially after seeing The Sew Weekly's 7 Days of Sorbetto. I especially love the sleeve draft she did!

I had already made a skirt from some vintage fabric, but I haven't worn it too much because I can't find tops to match. I had extra fabric so a Sorbetto it became! You can hardly tell it isn't a dress, though does anyone know a good way to keep shirts tucked in? 

It is a beautiful day here! I hope everyone has a good week.

Aug. 4

I have decided that I both have too much fabric and I haven't been practicing my pattern drafting skills I learned last semester. This is a convenient situation in that it has a very clear solution.

I decided I wanted to make a sundress with some pretty navy gingham I got super cheap at Hancocks this summer. I have also really been loving how many backless dresses I've seen online this year, so I tried my luck with drafting a bodice with a normal front, but a twisted up back. It took me three muslin bodices to work it out but I'm so happy with it! The only things I would change are to lower the neckline a bit and make the twist of the back low enough to hide a bra. I thought I had it measured correctly for this but I was apparently waaaay off. I promise I don't draft while under the influence. The skirt could be fuller as well.

Also, if I were to make this again I would draft it so that instead of a twisted bodice, I would simply gather the back up with some fabric, kind of like a bow. The twisted bodice really led to some interesting lining techniques that in the end worked very well, but were fairly time consuming.

I had to sew the lining to the back piece separately before doing anything with the bodice front since I wouldn't have been able to twist it after it was sewn together. Sewing the lining in the front required me to first sew up the neckline and armholes, then kind of sandwich the lined back piece in between the bodice piece and it's lining, sewing the shoulder seams and side seams through all the layers and then turning inside out. I should have taken a picture but I doubt you would have been able to see what was going on through all of the gingham. 

I also admit that as of the taking of these pictures, the bottom of the skirt was only serged. I will need to hem this baby up tonight maybe.

But now on to some pictures!