Sewing Blogs

Who needs a sewing class when there are so many great bloggers out there posting tutorials.   Recently, I discovered this tutuorial for an Anthropologie inspired ruffle skirt.  Amber at Ruffles and Roses has so many great tutorials on her blog.  Take a look at her Tank Dress Tutorial.   And be sure to checkout her recent post which includes a giveaway.  Thank you Amber for sharing your creativity with us.

Fast and Easy

I'm currently training for a marathon, and as the distances in my training plan increase the less time I have for sewing.  Instead of putting my sewing projects on the back burner, I decided that I'd work on a fast and easy project. I  was inspired by the Life is Good Women's Lounge Pants,   My version was made with Butterick 5153 and instead of  full length I opted for a 3/4 cropped length.  The pattern is very quick to sew.  My first pair is finished and I'll be making a second pair in pink button print,

Refashioning

Once again,  I am amazed at the creativity of my fellow sewing enthusiasts out in blog land.  Today,  The Selfish Seamstress blogged about her recent project, a chic hat she made from a pair of plaid pants Follow this link to see this amazing project.   I love how she lined it with multicolour pieces, of lining; this brings back memories of my mom's big box of fabric scraps.    While surfing I also came across a blogger, Sharon, who wrote a tutorial on refashioning a mens dress shirt into a camisole.  Inspired by Anthropologie but not willing to pay the Anthropologie price tag, Sharon offers us a great way to get great style and recycle at the same time.  And then there's Angie, at Sew I Thought who took a potato sack of a dress and used it to create a fabulous skirt Check out this skirt.  Angie also did a refashion of a way to big 80's suit into a sundress.  Although she wasn't happy with the fit of the end product, I think it's an amazing refashion.  Have a look at the before and after shots.  And at the blog Bytes and Bobbins you'll find a refashion of a skirt into a dress Yes, a skirt refashioned into a dress. Usually, it's the other way around.   Oh and I just adore the peasant top that was recently posted on the blog My Gramma Said. The blog post has a complete tutorial.

Wow! With all these creative ideas I'm so happy I sew. 
Christiana

Finding the perfect fabric...

Ever have one of those projects where you know exactly what kind of fabric you want and you can't find it?  A while back I blogged about the asymmetrical top in the June 2010 issue of Burda Style.  You can see the original post here.   This weekend I decided that I'd head out to get some plain t-shirt knit to make this top in a basic black or navy to go with jeans or capri pants.   There are three fabric stores within a 1/2 hour drive of my home, 2 Fabriclands and a local store called Fabric Depot.   First stop, Fabric depot...closed for holidays.   Fabricland, both stores left me empty handed.   Well, not really only empty handed in terms of getting the fabric I needed for the asymmetrical top.   Patterns were on sale so I did scoop up some new ones for my collection...not that I needed any.  

Butterick 5498, tunic length open front jackets with raglan sleeves

Butterick 5493, collection of tunics with embellished fronts

McCalls 5989, robe, nighties and pyjama sets

McCalls 5941, pantsuit with a kimono inspired jacket by Palmer/Pletsch

The asymmetrical top project is on hold until I find the right fabric.  In the meantime, I'll head to the sewing room and work on projects that have a matching set...fabric and pattern.

Christiana