Happy Halloween!

 

Classic - The head scientist and the intern... :P

Wally's all ready to hand out candy tonight too!

 In case you can't tell who he is dressed up as, here's a hint....

Hope everyone has fun trick or treating tonight!

DIY - Day of the Dead Shirt

I fell in love with Glitter 'N Glue's FaBOOlous Skeleton Sweatshirt instantly.  I ran out and bought Tulip's glitter spray paint for fabric.  The paint dries very sparkly but when spray painting is very splattery and gloopy (technical terms). I made the mistake of rushing and not covering the entire shirt and getting glitter globs all over it. This isn't really my style but I'll live with it because I love the Sugar Skull design so much. I also want to mention that I did this all in the middle of the night and suffered about a million mosquito bites - all in the name of blogging!

I loved the ribcage that Kristen used but I could not size it correctly for my shirt. I also knew I'd only be able to wear it on Halloween. I figured Sugar Skulls are always in season, right? Here is the mask I used as my template. You can see below the parts that I actually cut out (by hand!)

 This is where a smart/patient person might cover the entire shirt with paper to avoid spray paint mishaps.

 (mishaps)

I filled in the rest of the sugar skull by finger painting. This was the best part. I am so in love with it!

Works in Progress...

Just wanted to show you all what I've been working on the past few nights. No where near done but I'm really please with what I have so far! Here's a taste.

So I may or may not have ransacked the flea market for some vintage (elephants!!) pieces. I'm aiming for super cute Christmas presents here...what do you think? Finished pieces should be in the shop this weekend!

DIY - Sewn Fall - Butterick Dress

Butterick 5632

The short version of this Butterick pattern is a great addition to my wardrobe and looks perfect with footless tights or cowboy boots.  I love the pleats on the bodice, but it's a little too low cut for the office so I layered it with a tank for modesty.  This fabric I used for my first version is a thick cotton with stretch, so with all the gathering under the bodice I looked super preggo.  So I ripped off the skirt, and cut off about 1/4 of the width (I measured under my bust and multiplied by 1.5 to get the right width).  I also decided to add a thin band to make the waist more fitted. 

 

I threw a short cardigan over the shoulders and a sparkly necklace for work. The length was perfect for some slouchy calf-length suede boots. The pockets in the front were pretty useful and super cute. I think when I make this one again I'll put pockets in the side seams instead of as patches. I'll also use a silkier fabric which might make the gathers fall better so I can nix the waistband.  Some darts had to be added to the bust which was pretty annoying since it is lined but I know for next time. I think I wil cut the smaller size bodice but leave the waist measurement so the cups actually fit me.

This is an incredibly easy pattern that can be altered into tons of different styles. I will definitely be making this one again, maybe shortened so I can pair it with leggings once it gets cooler out. I found this to be a great one day project - my favorite kind!



 

DIY - Tshirt to Scarf

I made this tank from Tshirt knit a few weeks ago but the darts pulled in a funny way at the neckline so I never wore it. During a recent purging I came across it again and remembered why I had purchased the fabric in the first place. It is very light, soft and vibrant and I couldn't throw it out.  I immediately set to Pinterest for some good stashbusting ideas! A scarf seemed the easiest and quickest route to a Refashion and PS I Made This had the perfect tutorial.

I wanted to spice up the fringe a little bit so I decided to dip-dye the edge of the scarf in bleach. Here's some photos of the process in my kitchen...

I soaked the bleach for probably 3 minutes to make sure it got around every fold then hung it from a cabinet for an hour or so.  The bleach soaked its way up and made the stripe a little wider than I planned but I love it. I rinsed the bleach off and laid it hanging over a table to dry overnight.  The bleached edge turned a nice silver color and looked great when the fringe was cut and stretched. Here are photos of it on my mannequin (also with my work in progress sweater). The 2nd photo actually creeps me out for some reason.

I have a few more Tshirts I'm prepares to slice up for this project. Have I mentioned that I have a severe addiction to scarves? You might be seeing a lot of them this Fall :)

DIY - Sewn Fall - Vogue Blouse

Vogue V1261 Alice + Olivia Misses' Tunics

This top (the view in grey) was incredibly simple and took no time at all. If I had any extra knit in my stash I would have whipped up several more copies. With only 4 seams and a neck binding I was able to put this together faster than an episode of The Tudors.  I cut out the pattern for all views, and I'm pretty sure the green one is my next project...I'm not too keen on that collar...

This is how I wore it to work today. I love the back! It's so flowy and shiny in this crinkled fabric and very light and comfy.  When weather permits I'm going to break out the knit pants and boots (It's Florida, leave me alone) to better balance out the fullness of the blouse.

 This is my new necklace, I had to show it off! Its a large silver chain with a delicate black and gold chain threaded through the links. Don't worry that's not real bone, it's porcelain, but it is a great look for Fall. I have a few inches of these chains left and I think a matching bracelet might be in order.

 I love this pattern but I wish I had bought the package with size medium instead of large. There is just sooooo much fullness that I lose my waistline, but that is a price I'm willing to pay for comfy-ness.  The neckline is also a little wide but I think the green sweater will fit better and then I can Frankenstein the 2 patterns for a perfect fit! I serged/rolled the hem and the sleeves. I tried to hem the sleeves but ended up putting holes in this delicate fabric by stretching as I was sewing. These sleeves are actually 2" shorter than the pattern now... I like the rolled edge for the hem because it allows it to flow a little softer, where an actual hem might have weighed it down too much.

PS - I think Vogue patterns are on sale at Joann's Oct 27-29 for $3.99 - I would definitely snatch this one up!

PPS - McCall's patterns are on sale for 99c Oct 16-22 and Butterick's for $1.99 Oct 27-29. Had to share!

DIY - Sewn Fall Wardrobe

I'm Back!

I wanted to give myself a couple challenges as a blogger to kick-start my lazy butt. Fall has started everywhere else, but in Florida it's still in the high 80's, and, well that's just not fair! I want to wear all my cute riding boots and scarves and sweaters now! So while I still have some time left before the weather changes I've made a list of the pieces that I want to add to my Fall Wardrobe. I'm going to shoot for one of each, possibly a few variations on the tops if I have enough fabric in my stash.

Dress - Butterick B5632

Tunic - McCall's M5388

 Dress - McCall's M5519

Skirt - McCall's M5591

 Tunic - New Look 6025

Pants - New Look 6033

Sweater - Vogue V1261

Each of these is pretty much a one night project (minus the cutting our the pattern and fabric part). I generally cut all my patterns out in the same night so they are ready when the sewing mood strikes me.

So how about a dealine...How about 1 a week min, since I might have to go shopping for some of the fabric and don't want to get it all at once. That should get my butt off the couch!
Ready. Set. Go!