Books to Get you Going

At a HPB recently, I stumbled across a vintage re-purposing book that I now wish I had bought.  I cannot find it again in the store, but I did find some other books at www.amazon.com.

another one I like is:

and finally..............

Re-Fashioning - Ragtag Garlands

**Update:  the first ragtag garland I made was a gift to my sister-in-law.  She made several this year for friends and family.  I take that as a huge compliment to the popularity of the idea.  I have added these cute ragtag garlands to my etsy store.

So, whether you want to tackle the project or order one, enjoy! **


So, over my Christmas trip back home, I visited the Salvation Army clothing store where dime day happened on all clothing.  Needless to say, I spent a few dollars and walked away with some amazing finds.  I spent a couple hours today cutting apart the pieces I am using for scrap fabric or for refashioning into other items.  I have a couple of aprons cut out already.

I also made several sets of circles for fabric flowers.


And finally, I cut several pieces into strips for a very cute garland idea. 

My suggestions for this are provided:

Stay tuned for more on this re-fashioning experiment!!!

Hot Cranberry Spice

Found this recipe and just cannot wait to try it out.

Yummy!!!

I like finding new recipes for traditional foods. For a couple of years I have been making cranberry spritzers, so now it's time to move on to a new drink.

Ingredients:

2 quarts apple cider 6 cups cranberry juice 1/4 cup packed brown sugar

4 cinnamon sticks 1 1/2 teaspoons whole cloves 1 lemon, thinly sliced

Directions:

1.	In a large pot, combine apple cider, cranberry juice, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves and lemon slices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove cinnamon, cloves, and lemon slices. Serve hot.

Ballet Slippers x2..........this is too cute

Ballerina Slippers: Free Pattern + Tutorial

July 07, 2010 |

UPDATE: Several of you have had trouble with the pattern link - it is updated below!!

Yay... Finally! The tutorial for the ballerina slippers... plus a free pattern!

A few year's ago I saw these ballerina slippers in Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion magazine. I went out and bought all the materials, and they sat in a bag until now :). The first pair I made, I used the pattern included in the magazine, but I felt that the sizes and shape were a little off, so I made a new pattern and made a few tweaks to the design. You can download the pattern pieces below! The pattern is available in three women's sizes: small (6-7.5), medium (7.5-9), and large (9-10.5).

You will need:

• 2 coordinating fat quarters of medium weight quilting fabric
• 40" of medium size rick rack
• Coordinating thread
• 1/8th of a yard wool felt (darker colors that coordinate with your fabrics are best, since this is the part that hits the floor as you walk around = dirty!)
• 6" length of 1/4" wide elastic
• Coordinating embroidery thread
• Hand needle

1. Download the patterns here and cut out your pieces. Decide which of your quilting fabrics will be the outside and which fabric is going to be the lining of the slipper. With the fabric that will be your outside, fold it right sides together and place the pattern piece for the "uppers" on the fold as marked on the pattern. Cut 2. Repeat with your other quilting weight fabric. From your lining fabric, also cut 2 from the sole pattern, using the bold line of the pattern piece.

2. Sew the heel seams of your uppers. Fold both of your "outer uppers" and both of your "lining uppers" in half and sew the heel seam with a scant 1/4" seam.

3. Assemble slipper's upper. Place one of your out uppers and one of your linings on top of each other, right sides together. You'll also need to insert your rick rack between the two layers, running it around the entire opening, and overlapping tails of rick rack over the heel seams. Pin. When it's all pinned, you want the edges of the rick rack to be flush with the fabric edges. Sew through all three layers, trying to sew down the center of the rick rack (about a 1/4" seam).

4. Turn right side out and press. Repeat with the remaining upper and lining.

5. Insert elastic along heel. Cut your 6" length of elastic into two 3" lengths. On the inside of your slipper, measure 3" in each direction from the heel seam and mark. Pin the elastic on one of the 3" marks, sew a stitch or two to anchor it. Stretch the elastic as you sew it, stretching it all the way to the other mark. IMPORTANT: sew the elastic to the wrong side of the "upper" fabric, so that it will curl the right way.

6. Sew raw edges of slipper. Pin the raw edges of the slipper together, and sew, using a scant 1/4" seam.

7. Sew a gathering stitch along the toe. Using a basting stitch on your machine, sew a gathering stitch, about 1/2" from point to point, as shown on the picture below (see blue arrows).

8. Connect the slipper body to the insole. Start by centering the heel seam on the heel of the insole. Working your way around, pin the slipper body to the insole. Use the gathering stitch to shape the toe. Sew with a scant 1/4" seam.

9. Sew wool felt sole on. Using the dotted line on the sole pattern piece, cut 2 soles from the wool felt. Press the seams of the slipper body toward the center of the bottom. Pin the wool felt sole on, and using embroidery thread and a blanket stitch, sew the sole onto the slipper.

10. Put your feet up and relax!

UPDATE 9/9/10: Use and Care Instructions: Wash on cold with like colors and let air dry.

The cutest ballet slippers Sewing Project

TUTORIAL

Here you go! The instructions to make your very own collection of custom ballet flats. Any problems with the instructions or pattern send me a message. I'll try and fix it!



1. Cut out two soles out of a medium weight leather (or pleather, which ever you choose) And two tops of the shoes out of a heavy cotton canvas (CUT ON THE FOLD), or whatever you want (If it's too lightweight, put some heavy interfacing on it. Any way you look at it, make sure it's sturdy.) **You may need to adjust the pattern for your feet. I'm about a 7, but one foots bigger then the other, so I had to figure that out. Just play around with scraps for the first pair, then make the real shoes once you’ve figured out the right size, and shape for your foot.**
2. Match up, right sides together (meaning, which ever side of the leather is going to have contact with the floor, and which ever side of the fabric you want on the outside, match those together) And pin in the direct middle of the toes.
3. Sew down one side of the shoe, making sure to curve in the heel of the fabric slightly. Then flip over and repeat on the other side. At this point, your shoe should be inside out, with the back heal open. Sew up the fabric at the heel, so you have an inside out shoe. Flip right side out.
4. Repeat with other shoe.
5. Finish off raw edge (on the top/inside of shoe) with binding or piping, or anything you want (piping is the easiest, I believe) The inside seems of the shoe don’t necessarily have to be finished, but if you want to, go ahead!
6. Any questions, send me a message, I’ll try and help as much as I can.
7. If the instructions aren’t clear I’ll post them again with pics. Just let me know!
<33 Hope it all makes sense!

Heres the pattern:
I had to make it realllyyy small, so before you print it out, put it in your Paint Shop Pro, or what not and resize it to 8 1/2 by 11" And then print it. (If its still too small, work off of the pattern i gave you and make a bigger one for your feet.) And sorry about how sloppy it is. hehe, im not too good with the scanner

CELINE DION - SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS

Shabby Apple Website

Wowie..........such a cute, cute clothing line. I love the feminine and flirty looks. Check out all the sweet finds a Shabby Apple.

Christmas Noise pillow case

These are just 2 of my Christmas pillow cases I created. I found white and off white pillow cases at Goodwill or Salvation Army, cleaned and repaired if needed and then set out to create a festive Christmas scene using bits and pieces of fabric. The triangle trees are made out of different red swatches from projects. I used wonder-under to adhere and then did a different decorative embroidery stitch around each one. This was the first case I completed.

The Deck the Halls case has balls. Each one is a swatch of fabric matted onto a coordinating fabric. The hangers are embroidered on, and I used a decorative font to create the title. I embellished the edge of the case with a green and white polka-dot ribbon and a thin red lace edging.

These are fun and very easy to make. I think the starbursts add a bit more pizzaz and help accent the festivity of the season. Each case I completed has some portion of one of my favorite holiday songs:

Merry Christmas (case 1) - We Wish you a Merry Christmas
Deck the Halls (case 2) - Deck the Halls
Comfort / Joy (not shown) - Tiding of comfort and Joy
With 2 eyes made out of coal (not shown) - Frosty the Snowman

I have a few more layouts sketched into my idea journal for other songs I like, including Santa Baby. Maybe I'll get around to getting these done.

Happy Vintage Thanksgiving

This wonderful week always brings to mind a recall to a simpler and slower time. With cool air beginning to really lay stake to the shorter days of Autumn, allowing time to drift slowly by while curled in a cozy blanket teases.

Remembering that we all has so much to be thankful for, I long to erase sadness and heartbreak, longing and melancholy. This year, our family has Derrick home.

Leviticus 7:11-15. "And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he shall offer unto the Lord. If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried."

Fabric Flowers

Well, it took me awhile to finally learn to make these, and now I think it is the coolest thing ever. What a great way to use up bits and pieces of lots of things: lace, ribbon, fabric, beads, pins.

Redesign of men's dress shirt

How completely vintage .......... take a men's dress shirt and re-purpose it into a cute tunic for a woman. I love this project and cannot wait to make it.

I found the idea at:

http://www.prudentbaby.com/2011/10/shirred-maternity-tunic-top.html

and all the directions for completing this project are there.

Tshirt Redo

I found this idea at:

http://brassyapple.blogspot.com/2010/04/ruffle-me-uptshirt-refashion-spring-top.html

The directions follow, and you can check out the original post for more re-purposing ideas.
Ruffle me up!
Ruffles are everywhere from tops to shoes, handbags and accessories! And they are super easy to add to any top especially when made from tshirt knit because you don't have to worry about the edges!

Download and print the entire tutorial HERE

Materials:
2 tshirts - about 2 or 3 times bigger than you normally wear
color coordinating thread
scissors
elastic thread
sewing machine
straight pins
measuring tape


Step 1: Shir the bottom of the tee sewing about 6 lines 1/4" apart. We used our sewing foot as a guide between the stitching lines.

Step 2: Cut off the collar. OPTIONAL: Cut a small V dip in the neckline if desired for a different neck shape. Set aside.

Step 3: Lay the 2nd tshirt flat. Cut off the bottom hemline. Then cut 2 strips that are 3.5" wide.

Step 4: Create 1 long strip by cutting "open" at one of the seams or simply cut the loop in half.

Step 5: Cut 1 strip 2.5" wide. Cut open as instructed above.

Step 6: Gather/Ruffle all 3 strips using a basting stitch in y our machine and gently pulling the bottom thread to gather the fabric together. (Stitch 1/4 - 1/2" in from one edge of the fabric strip)

Step 7: Pin one end of the 3.5" ruffled striped at the shoulder seam and the other end about 5-6" from the top of the shirring lines at the bottom of the tshirt lining it up in the middle.

Step 8: Adjust the gathers so the strip fits between the two pinned areas. Pin in place leaving an opening near the middle of the neckline in the front. Repeat with the other 3.5" wide ruffled strip on the opposite side of the tshirt.

Step 9: Sew the ruffles to the tshirt by stitching over the basting line.

Step 10: Fill in the open area in the top middle of the tshirt using the 2.5" wide ruffled strip. Place one end of this strip about 1 inch over the empty area. Pin along the neckline and cut the ruffled strip to be about 1 inch over the other side. Pin in place.

Step 11: Place a second layer of ruffles under this layer making it smaller in width and centering it under the first. (see 2 photos below) Stitch both layers of ruffles onto the tshirt.

OPTIONAL: to create a ruffle at the neckline and shoulder area that isn't as "full", cut and or taper the ruffled fabric towards the shoulder seam until you have reached the desired look.

Step 12: Cut off the hem on each sleeve curving the edge as pictured below.

Step 13: Shir 3 lines from the cut edge to the shoulder seam. Sew 2 shirring lines on the underpart of the sleeve too.

Add rosettes, beads, etc if desired!
I love how this top can be casual but dressy if needed too! Be comfortable this Spring and Summer by wearing a "tshirt" but look a bit more pulled together and stylish!

linking up with.....Keeping it simple, Making the World Cuter, Skip to My Lou, The Girl Creative, 11th Heaven's Homemaking Haven, A soft place to land, New Nostalgia, Tip Junkie, Silly Little Sparrow, Todays Creative Blog, Craft Edition

Vintage Fashion - My size

I completely adore vintage clothing, retro fashions and antique accessories. For a number of reasons, I have arrived back at this amazing part of my life where I feel empowered to create a life of my own making, unlimited by preconceived ideas. When I moved to Austin in 2007, I was well on my way to this point, but then taking a job where I wear a uniform daily dampened my enthusiasm. I am ready to move forward, away from a uniformed job and back into a world of my own creating.

Many boutiques in Austin offer vintage fashions - some are actually even reasonable. Many thrift stores and Goodwills in the area also offer some great finds. My biggest obstacle is the clothing size. I am not a small girl, so I am always hunting for things that fit. Luckily, I know how to sew and alter. I found a website with retro patterns. When I am out shopping, I find clothing items that have the look I want and then begin the process of re-fashioning in my size. It is not that hard.