RanaeinPacNW's blog

Lots of refashioning

Before camp I took three of my bermuda length shorts and chopped to a length that I liked better.  I played around with different hems for the bottom and am happy with them.  I also made a version of the is dress :http://blog.megannielsen.com/2010/06/diy-fridays-how-to-make-an-elastic-waistband-dress/ 

However I used a oldnavy tunic top I didn't like and made more of pencil skirt....I don't like it.  It is not very flattering on and I will probably rip it apart to save the elastic waist part.  A learning experience. 

I finished the Wendy dress.  It is cute, needs something on the  bottom so it doesn't catch on leggings or tights.  It turned out pretty much just like I envisioned it.  I may use that pattern again. 

I am now sewing this dress:
I am using the one that is second from the left and sewing out of a solid dark charcoal fabric.  I am going to find a bright colored belt as an accent. 

Next project: http://www.madebylex.com/2009/07/peasant-blouse-refashion-tutorial.html 

A peasant blouse made from a man's shirt.  I have a black one of Steve's I am going to use.  Haven't decided what color I want the arm bands to be.  Hoping it goes well. 

What was the first movie you saw in a theater? Can you also remember the first one you watched on a computer?

OK, so the sewing has been good. I finished transformer curtains, they are cute and I now sewing a minidress from a Wendy pattern with Mom.

TypePad Conversations » Answer this question!

Well, after posting last night I decided it was silly not to put the extra time in to make the dress something I wasn't ashamed of. So, I took 2 inches off the pink section and an inch off the bottom white section, gathered the white section and reattached. MUCH better. I need to finish up my seams, but it looks much better. Pics to fillow

Finished the Market skirt from Made Blog by Dana. I pretty much failed. Somehow I messed up the measurements and I have a prairie skirt instead of cute bouncy skirt :( Also, the stitching is quite awful. I'm not sure if this is common beginner stuff or bad habits I am forming.

Dress is done!!! It is really cute and I am proud, my first dress from a pattern. Added the ruffle and the inset panel on the bodice for modesty purposes.

Haley's Easter dress is almost done! We are adding a ruffle to the bottom to lengthen it a bit and adding a modesty panel, as it v's down a bit too much in the front. It is really cute. I will take a pic when it is all done.
I finished my jeans alterations tonight! My old bootcuts are now skinnys. I am happy with them. I have been working on the Market skirt from Made, and just have the elastic waistband left. Some of my seams are bit crooked, so this will be a play skirt only. The elastic waistband is driving me crazy because I need a bigger safety pin to thread it through.

Easter
I could not resist the 70% off the clearance price sale at Fred Meyer yesterday and got Jackson a Star Wars sweatshirt for $3 and Haley an adorable sweater for $3....those are thrift prices people! But...I want to also make them something for Easter. Not super complicated, not requiring the purchase of special supplies....I should head over to verypurpleperson, she make her son so many adorable things. And of course the Made boy month should be a good inspiration also.... I have picked my pattern for the wedding dress. I have until March 26th. I am wondering if this is going to turn out horribly wrong and drive me crazy. I don't want to make the dress from plain cotton even though that would be the easiest to sew. I am dreaming of something with a sheen to it. I would love to do a white with black polka dots and wear my red shoes. That inspiration comes from a Kate Spade ad I saw. Can't find it online anywhere...did find this that I love though:

And the projects keep rolling

I have been pretty productive lately.  I followed the knee-high tutorial at ruffles and stuff and turned Haley's too small tights into knee-highs.  I cut off the waist to make my own elastic top and I think next time I will stick with the tutorial and use purchased elastic.  They are bit bulky at the top with the waist band elastic.  She loves them and has been wearing them non-stop for the last three days.  I finally told her today she has to put them in the dirty clothes before they get too stinky :) 

  I can't get this to rotate, oh well.  I also took a pair of her leggings that had a hole in the knee and chopped them off to make bike shorts she can wear under skirts in the summer:

This was good practice for sewing knits.  I need to get some ball point needles for this. 

I have been working on turning a pair of my boot cut jeans into slim leg jean (not fully skinny).  I think they are almost done.  With all of these projects they are learning exercises :)  With the jeans I picked out at least one row of stitches and redid it.  Today I will trim, finish and press the seams. 

Fixed a ripped seam on Haley's pjs last night, not exciting, but it is nice to be able to do my own mending.  Going to the sew expo this Thursday, very excited.  Debating about joining the American Sewing Guild.  There is a couture sewing group that meets once a month that I would love to participate in. 

Today we finished the top of Haley's Easter dress (old flower girl dress). I am amazingly proud of myself, since I did almost all of the sewing!!!! Next sewing session we just have to finish the skirt part and attach! I have made the big plunge and signed up for a 2 month refashion challenge starting March 1st. This makes me nervous, truthfully. I am wondering if I should go "stock up" before March 1st...which truly ruins the spirit of the idea. The only things I will NEED to buy will be for the wedding and pretty sure that falls within the rules. I think we will need to all have the same tights on, so I will need to buy those. I would like to make a dress for a wedding I am attending at the end of March. That would mean attempting on my own without Mom, howerver. The rest of our Thursdays in March will be spent on Haley's flower girl dress and my bridesmaid dress. The wedding is not that far away!

Projects on the horizon: Jackson wants a blanket from that transformers fabric I thrifted, I would like to sew another placemat for Porter to switch in and out as I wash them, lastly I would like to sew an apron.

Was trying to find patterns for childrens' shirts online, the pattern companies really are lacking in patterns for kids. The majority is all dressy clothes, very little casual clothes. Frustrating

pic of placemat

Here it is: