Embroideries by Tessa Perlow

Mein absolutes Lieblingsmaterial ist schon seit langer Zeit Baumwolle. Ich liebe es mit Baumwolle zu arbeiten. Angefangen hat diese Vorliebe in meiner Kindheit mit Baumwollgarnen, die ich beim Stricken und Häkeln sehr gern verarbeitet habe und dies auch jetzt noch sehr gern tue. Ich mag die angenehme Haptik, den glatten, fusselfreien Faden und die Schwere der fertigen Arbeiten. Bereits als Erwachsene habe ich begonnen zu patchworken (gibts das Wort überhaupt?) Auch da sind es die tollen Patschworkstoffe, die es in allen Farben des Regenbogens und in einer schier unzählbaren Mustervielfalt gibt, die es mir angetan haben. Und seit dem ich die tollen Arbeiten von Alabama Chanin entdeckt habe bin ich total dem Baumwolljersey verfallen. Das ist mein erster Rock, den ich nach den Mustern von Alabama Chanin genäht habe. Ich habe vorher bereits einige Oberteile angefertigt. Das Schnittmuster ist aus dem Buch Alabama Stitch Book. Ich habe mich hier für das Angie's Fall Muster entschieden, es gehört mit zu meinen Lieblingsmustern von Alabama Chanin. Zum Bedrucken des dunkelblauen Oberstoffes habe ich das Angie's Fall Muster auf durchsichtiges Wachstuch übertragen und ausgeschnitten. Auf diese Weise habe ich mir meine eigene wiederverwendbare Stencilvorlage angefertigt. Bedruckt habe ich den Stoff mit Marabu Textilfarbe. Dazu habe ich die Schablone mit Stoffsprühkleber, den ich beim Quilten manchmal benutze auf die dunkelblauen Schnitteile geklebt und mit einem Farbroller die Farbe aufgetragen. Zum Quilten der Musterkonturen verwende ich immer Knopflochgarn, das ist dick genug und gibt es in vielen schönen Farben.

Have you thought about whipping up an apron for yourself, or for a personal gift for friends and family? There are some fabulous free patte...

custom apron wrap for artsy mama

I have officially gone off the DIY deep-end. I mean, I always knew I had a lil bit of trouble with focus (if you read any of my posts for more than five minutes AND are able to follow the three different tangents I have constantly running, you deserve some sorta metal. Although metals are overrated, doncha think? You deserve a lifetime of chocolate. Or maybe a chocolate metal! Which, by the way, I don't recommend wearing on a hot day. Cuz people look at you real funny like when you're caught licking melty brown stains off your clothes. Not that THAT'S ever happened to ME. Ahem.) Er, wait. What was I talking about?! Oh, yeah. Focus. Or lack thereof, in this case. At last count, I had about a dozen DIY's in progress. I keep starting another one then another one then, you guessed er, another-freakin-one. It's pretty much ridiculous. But when I get an idea, especially one that I'm excited about, I get this urge to start it right away. You know, before the excitement fades and I never get around to creating. So, like, I've got 99 craft projects but a completed one ain't 1. Well, that is, until this weekend when I forced myself to sit down, focus for more than five minutes and finish this Kandinsky-inspired number. I was inspired to make a Kandinsky-dress for a coupla reasons. Our local art museum, The Frist Center for Visual Arts is having a great big exhibit of dude's work this fall/winter and I plan to take the kids field trippin'. Ole Kan's also been one of our weekly Artist Inspirations and an influence on some of our Dot Day projects. He's, like, kinda a big deal in my art room. So, despite a kindergartener telling me today, "Mrs. Stephens, you have too many art dresses!", I decided to make Kandinsky's Composition VIII into a dress. Now, y'all might recall that last school year, I got it in my big-fat-Bump-it-wearing-head that I should make an artist-inspired dress a month. Before I go any further with this Kandinsky-can-can, I thought I'd (re)share these lil numbers with ya. My very first ever art-inspired dress was that Hokusai Great Wave number. Then I scored some splatter-tastic fabric online and stitched up that Jackson-Pollock frock on the right. One of my fave ways to alter a dress is with appliqué. For both of these dresses, I cut out the letters/shapes, attached them to the fabric with a wee bit of Stitch Witchery (which is like iron-on glue for fabric) and then used an appliqué stitch around the edges. I'm not gonna lie, stitching the Warhol dress was a huge drag but the Magritte birds were a snap. These two dresses, like the one I'm sharing today, were needle felted. And I think that spending a coupla back to back hours hunched my Kandinsky dress could explain the unpleasant pain I've had in my neck all day (hello and thank you, Advil). That Starry Night light up number took a while but The Scream took For-Eve-RRR. I really was screamin' for mercy in the end. But enough about all that, let's talk about this wackiness, ermkay? So I'm kinda on this 80's revival kick right now. All the fun and funky florescent clothing and accessories I've been seeing around lately have really been makin' me happy. Not to mention inspiring me. So when I got the sudden notion that I needed a Composition VIII dress, I drug the hubs down to ole Target, snagged this dress and that belt from the clearance rack and set to work. Now, usually, I just create what I like to refer to as "Reverse Mullet Dress"es. You know, party in the front, all biznatch in the back. Howevers, with this dress, I had to make it 360 crazy. I mean, there's just so much happening in that Kandinsky painting...and I wanted to include it all. However, when doing so, I had to be very careful with what shapes I placed near the rear. I mean, I didn't want some huge target on my tush. I don't need to tempt the kids to take aim on me anymore than they might be inclined to, know-what-I'm-sayin? Oh, that Kandinsky. Do you know the guy didn't take up painting until he was, like, 30? That's about the same time I took up sewing. And look! He became "the Father of Abstract Painting" and I became, um, "that Crazy Lady who Dresses Weird." Oh! Here's a lil look at the dress before. It is a lil on the short side so that's part of the reason I'm wearing the crinoline underneath. I'll probably wear a black t-shirt under the dress when I wear it to school so as not to frighten the children with my bat wings. Now I've shared with ya all the deets of needle felting before (and if you need a refresher, you can visit here) so I won't go into it too much. I did my usual trick of sketching out my design in chalk before attaching with the wool roving. Hubs walked in and was all, "why are you using such a small tool? Don't they make bigger ones?" I told him yes AND that they also make a needle-felting-MACHINE! "Why don't you have one?!"...um, because you've not bought it for me yet, I replied while batting my eyes. All I got was a "huh". So much for that idea! I really do need to upgrade my needle tool though. Geesh. So much for following my lines. I mean, I really coulda gone without drawing them. It is abstract. I don't know why I was trying to be such a stickler. Yay! Kandinsky-ness, complete! But, even before this dress was done, I got the grand idea for THIS NEXT Kandinsky dress: That's right. In true "oh, look, squirrel!" fashion, I got the idea for this dress, shoved Composition VIII to the floor and dove into felting this guy. I just happened to have this little black thrifted dress in the back of my closet waiting to be DIY'ed. Now, the only prob I've found with felting this dress is making it so it doesn't look like a dress of areolas, ya know? Like, ew. And there you have it! Another artist dress complete. I cannot wait to be the giant dork that I am and wear this to the Kandinsky exhibit. Cuz you know I totally will. Until next time, y'all!

Anna Maria Horner's painted portrait dress in Alabama Chanin style. More here: lowbeamstudios.com/2014/04/15/painted-and-stitched-portra...

recycled tee-shirts. I am going to cover up that white stuff

Over the years I've collected quite the stash of bits and bobs, smallish stenciled swatches, leftover applique pieces, assorted spools of embroidery floss half gone, and scraps that aren't quite big enough for a garment but are too large to throw away. What is a girl to do with all these jumbled remnants? Make a throw, a crazy quilt, using as much of it as I can! The idea first sparked when I noticed that a good portion of my stash colors were in line with the palette I was choosing for my new home. I started a Pinterest board, Cozy Throw, and added anything that piqued an idea or mood. Check it out to see what inspired me. It became a game, a challenge to see just how much I could use without cutting into my good yardage. I was delighted to see some really nice pieces as I was digging deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole. Ultimately, I did cut some squares out of my whole cloth, but more than half of the throw is from odds and ends. The key to a cohesive look is sticking to a color palette ~ white, natural, pewter, suede, and deep. This throw would be three rows, each row would be 16" wide. I cut out as many 16" pieces as I could from my stash. Some pieces were 16" x 16", some 16" x 10", some 16" x 6", some even smaller, etc. Then I cut out an assortment of 16" shapes from my yardage, creating swatches of two layers, one width being 16". I stitched any existing stenciled pieces into swatches. I then laid these out on the ground and started adding the unstenciled pieces. These were all pieces I had previously stenciled, just languishing in the bottom of a box. All I needed to do was cut a coordinating under layer for each and stitch them up. I experimented with placement; top and bottom layered colors; switched colors so they flowed; kept in mind that the bottom colors would be visible in the final embellished pieces. I also thought about paint colors, thread and embroidery colors, and how different stencils would show more or less or none of the bottom layer, and how the design of the stencils worked throughout the quilt. I played and fiddled until I achieved a balanced and pleasing arrangement. I pinned a note with a number for placement, stencil idea, paint color, thread and floss color, and in some cases the technique I would use. I took photos along the way so I wouldn't lose an order that I liked. The process is very loose. I'm not a very exact type of worker, and the freedom to switch something out is how I roll. I didn't know if each finished row would be equal in length. I had extra pieces that I could add, lengthening or shortening a row if needed. These pieces would be a ruffle (to add to the length) or a swatch like the one above with blank edges that can easily be cut down (to decrease the length). Here the ruffle is worked into the quilt. I added a smaller ruffle onto the darker swatch to blend it into the whole better. These type of swatches can be easily cut to any length, and thus great for filling in. I learned this little trick when I was making the flag quilt last year. You can read all about the Traveling Veterans quilt here. This swatch is actually some extra stenciling for applique that I did on this top. Yes, the stenciling is on the wrong side, but this is a stash busting quilt, and I really wanted to use this piece. It fits in wonderfully. It needed a little something extra, so I stitched a lovely saying onto it, "Shine like the whole universe is yours" by Rumi. I placed a piece of tracing paper over the completed swatch. This tracing paper has been lying around our house for decades! It always stops me in my tracks to realize I now talk about time in not just years, but decades. I know it's been around that long because one of my kiddos decided to take a highlighter and scribble on each and every one of the pages. I love this little "memento" of stages gone by. So.....I placed the tracing paper over the swatch and made a line and then wrote the words out. I made sure the spacing was good and not to misspell anything. I used an erasable pen and poked tiny holes through the paper to make a shadow of the words. Then I used a light gray Sharpie to trace over everything. I didn't know if I would get the stitching complete before the washable ink started to disappear. You can see I really like using variegated floss. I used it on these swatches and more. The upper portion shows the Alabama Chanin Daisy swatch after cutting out some of the top layer; and the bottom portion shows the swatch before it is cut. Above is the Alabama Chanin facets stencil. The top picture is the right side, and just above is the back side. Below is the Alabama Chanin fern stencil. This medallion stencil I picked up years ago at Michael's. I needed something geometric amongst all the flowery designs. Next up is the Alabama Chanin Climbing Daisy stencil. It's one of my favorites to look at, though not my favorite to stitch! Isn't it a beautiful design? I was going to use my cream embroidery floss for the stems, but by the time I got around to sewing this swatch I had used it all up. I also noted that adding dark gray would be nice. I found this pretty ribbon and couched it on for the stems. I love the Alabama Chanin cotton gauze tape used for the petals. I knew I had a supply of white, but when it came time to stitch them, I couldn't find it anywhere! I was going to order more, but since I was in Portland visiting my fiber-geek friend, a little ribbon hunting was a fun adventure. Search as we may, though, it was nowhere to be found. I did discover a light gray cotton tape that was similar, so I made do with that. Of course, once I returned home with an almost completed swatch, I found my huge stash of white ribbon......right in front of me in the large wooden bowl near my cozy couch. Go figure. Ribbon tape tips that I learned from Diane Hall at Alabama Chanin. Get a HUGE needle, and then find one even bigger. To make a petal, sew up from under the fabric. Then, instead of just sewing straight down through the fabric, bring the needle over the tape, and then sew down through the ribbon and the fabric. This should make the stitch look more petal like. If you pull it too tightly, you'll lose the effect. Ribbon sewing is still difficult, but this helped me. Because it lends itself well to home decor and it's so quick to stitch up, I stenciled three swatches with the Alabama Chanin Paisley stencil. Here's the poppy stencil I created for my yellow dress. You can read more about that here. This is the Alabama Chanin Bloomers stencil. I appliqued an extra poppy in the middle because it needed a little pop of white to break up the expanse of darker fabric. I stitched the last row onto the quilt while at Sit n Stitch this month. I love getting together with my stitching pals to see what they're up to. The next step was to blanket stitch the entire edge. And Voila! The Stash Busting Throw is complete. And the reverse side.... also pretty. And here's my cozy stitching chair with the throw ready to warm me up on a chilly night while stitching on my next project. What projects will you be stitching up this summer?

Getting inspired for festival season with one of my favorites, Gypsy05. Their amazing prints and flowing pieces find themselves in their element roaming the desert during coachella… Purple dress/skirt, Slit maxi skirt, and top by Gypsy05 Photos by Embry Rucker Vintage purple feather vest Lavender sunnies by Rayban Belt by LuvAJ White […]

Wear the wonder of our Sun’s greatest fans, fields of tall-stalk yellow blossoms opening to the light. Our Sunflower Miner Pants mix utility and comfort with true-blue ebullience for existence itself. Cotton Twill Sunflower, Daisy & Bee Appliqué Hand-Fading & Distressing Adjustable Slide Buckle at Back Pockets Mixed Buttons

Here are the clothes refashioned in SPRING March, April & May - in reverse chrono order. Just click on the highlighted title to get ...

When I was in St. Louis a few weeks back, my husband and I had brunch with a friend at the most delightful restaurant called Tree House. It's a vegetarian restaurant and the food is amazing. If you are ever in St. Louis, by all means, make your way over for a meal. You won't be disappointed. Our waitress that morning was so delightful, and as it turns out, quite creative. She loves taking old pieces and giving them new life. She was wearing a vintage silk top that had a hole in it when she found it. Rather than pass the piece by, she purchased the top and then did the sweetest little applique over the hole and added an embroidered spider web over the applique. I wish I had taken a picture. With that in mind, I decided to check out mending on Pinterest and I found a few inspirational pictures that I thought you might also enjoy. If you're in the mood, just search visible mending. You'll find lots of interesting ideas. So here's a few that I found, I love how a hole was turned into a window in the 2 pieces below. Another window idea, but with lace. The next 2 pieces are from an amazing artist, Lou Tonkin. She does needle felting over holes. Beautiful work. If you think you might like to give needle felting a try and do a little mending, or just add a sweet touch to a garment, check out THIS POST. Even just a simple little touch can save a garment and add interest. I may be showing my age, but I am not a fan of the ripped up jean look. The Japanese have such a beautiful art form called Boro where garments are pieced and saved, but no holes are left open. I thought this was rather fun, adding the British flag in a subtle manner. Rather than discard a garment because the sleeves are worn, a touch of embroidery will make a worn garment so special. I loved how this artist took a striped denim and matched the mend with plain denim and white thread. A beautiful touch of Boro on this pair of jeans. You can find more of this artist's work at Woman With Wings. Amy Meissner is another textile artist that you might want to check out. Very interesting work. And finally, for a little peek into my hippy personality ;), a pair of jeans that I actually wear. It all began with a hole that I decided to cover with a patch.....and then I went crazy! So now you see, patching no longer needs to be what your mother did to save the life of a pair of pants by ironing a patch over the knees. Happy Monday! Rhonda

Fresh and cheerful, with a hint of the jester and a lap full of LOVE! Our MP Love Co. Khloe Bloomers find fellow well-wishers, following the beat of what makes their hearts sing - the exuberance of what we once hid, now proudly emblazoned and ready to play. Cotton Eyelet Allover Appliqué Elastic & Drawstring Waist Each Magnolia Pearl item is cut "One Size Fits Most". Please contact an MP Maestro for measurements.

As promised....an apron tutorial to help you get started on your tie One On Day project! Check here for more details and your chance to win an apron made by me!! I could make a tute myself, but this tutorial is da bomb! Many giant thanks to Karen at http://sewmuch2luv.blogspot.com/ Take a peek at her blog....you'll be a follower for sure!! Here is her fabulous apron tutorial: Wow....I know this looks like a really involved pattern, but I promise you it's not. I took lots of photos to help explain how I do this. From beginning to end this apron will take a little over an hour to make. It's very easy to sew and I hope you enjoy making it! You'll need: (based on 44" or 45" fabric) 1/2 yd fabric for apron skirt 1/4 yd fabric for apron pocket 1/2 yd fabric for waistband, ties, pocket trim and hem NOTE: 1/2 seam allowance  For the skirt, cut (1) 18" by 30" rectangle For the pocket, cut (1) 9" by 30" rectangle For the waistband and pocket trim cut (2) 3" by 30" strips For the ties cut (2) 3" by 44" strips For the hem, cut (1) 6" by 30" strip   Take your 6" by 30" hem strip and place it right side up. Take your apron skirt and place it right side up on top of the hem fabric. Place it directly on top of the hem fabric. Now fold the skirt fabric down, right sides together leaving about an inch of fabric uncovered. Continue to fold it in on itself 3 or 4 times to make a tight little roll. See the next photo if this sounds confusing. You're going to make a "burrito" out of the hem fabric with the skirt fabric inside. You leave the 1" uncovered so that you don't catch the bulk of the skirt fabric when you sew your burrito. Now stitch down the entire length of the burrito. Gently pull the skirt out of the tube you made. Press your hem. You now have a completely encased hemline with no raw edges. Set aside the apron skirt for now. Take one of your 3" by 30" strips and fold it in half, wrong sides together and press. This is your pocket trim binding. Place on top of the 9" by 30" pocket fabric with the wrong side facing up and stitch. Fold over toward the right side of the fabric and press. Make sure that when you press your binding that you cannot see the backside of the pocket fabric peeking over the top from the front side. You only want to see the binding at the top edge. Top stitch close to the edge of the trim binding. Set the pocket aside for a moment. Now take your skirt and measure 7" from the bottom of the hem. Using a ruler and a pen or pencil, draw a line all the way across the width of the skirt. This will be the placement line for your pocket. Take the pocket strip and with right sides together, line up the raw edge of the pocket with the line you drew. See the next photo for another view. The line in this photo is not very dark. You can see the pencil line better in this shot. Stitch the pocket strip to the skirt. Fold the fabric back and press. This is what your apron skirt should look like now. Baste the edges of the pocket to the apron skirt along the sides. I use a zig zag stitch. Fold over and press your side seams, and then fold over and press once more to get a clean seam with no raw edges. Repeat on the other side. Stitch close to the fold. Repeat on the other side of the apron. Now take the apron skirt and fold it in half, wrong sides together. Using a ruler mark a line down the pocket at 4 1/2" from the center of the apron. Flip it over and do the same on the other side. Now you will have a 9" pocket in the center of your apron. You can use a disappearing ink pen for this. The mark will be your stitching guide. Beginning at the bottom of the pocket, stitch following your guide line to the top edge of the pocket. I like to do 2 lines of stitching here. Always start at the bottom edge of the pocket to avoid puckering. Repeat for the other side of the pocket. Now take your remaining 3" by 30" strip and your (2) 3" by 44" strips. Sew one of the 3" by 44" strips to each side of the 3" by 30" strip. Press the seams open. Lay your apron skirt down, with the right side of fabric facing up. Center the waistband that you just created on top of the apron skirt with right sides together. You can pin it in place if you like. Stitch the waistband to the apron skirt. Press the seam up towards the waistband. Fold the waist ties with right sides together and beginning at the end of the tie, stitch the short end and with the needle down, pivot and continue sewing until you get to the apron skirt. Another view of stitching the ties. Stitch until you reach the point where the apron skirt begins. Repeat the process on the other side. Clip the corner of the apron tie close to the stitching but be careful not to clip the threads. I use a wooden dowel to turn the ties right side out. Gently push out the corners. I use a large safety pin to carefully pull out the corners. A crisp corner can really make a difference and make a garment look "finished'. After you have done both side ties, take the apron to the ironing board and press the ties. Press under 1/2" on the raw edge of the waist band. Now fold the waistband over and press in place. Make sure that when you press the waistband the folded edge is just slightly over the stitching line so that when you top stitch from the other side you will be sure to catch this side in your seam. Take your apron with the right side of the fabric facing up, begin top stitching at the intersection of the waistband and ties, pivoting at the corners with your needle down. Top stitch across the apron waist band until you come to the intersection of the tie on the other side. With your needle down, pivot and continue all the way around the waistband, until you return back at your starting point. At this point you are done! Stand back and admire your work! Maybe by now, you've worked up an appetite? Put on that apron and make something yummy! Burritos perhaps? Did I not tell you.......da bomb!!!! If you would prefer to buy a wonderfully made apron, try Ms. Karen's etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/sewmuch2luv She is a fabulous maker, a wonderful shop owner and her stuff is reasonably priced.....cheap even.... especially when you consider the quality and the love in each and every item she makes! Make away!!!! http://thedistracteddomestic.blogspot.com/2011/11/thanks-give-ing-group-challenge-and.html

Rose-colored glasses in one kicky top, our Floral Stefanee sees the world with enthusiasm. A delicately electric impact that sings with whatever you pair her with. European Cotton Cotton Laces Back Opening with Snaps Each Magnolia Pearl item is cut "One Size Fits Most". Please contact our Creative Team for measurements.

Lots of selvedge Lots of sewing and one cheeky brat!

Lena sent me a picture of a shirt that she wanted me to write up a DIY for. I made mine a little different, but at the end of thi...

I loved creating my latest REinvention as soon as I slid the rose crusted linen skirt off the op-shop rack, regardless of the too-small size, I knew it was coming home with me initially I thought a skirt REfashion however I would have lost the gorgeous weighty feel & fall of the fabric along with a row or two of the roses which would have been tragic so instead I opted for an Apron Frock and by folding manipulating cutting and stitching I combined a too-small linen skirt with a too-big linen top & edged using contrasting continuous cotton apron ties while retaining & highlighting existing raw edges to create a garment I would love to keep but can't fit in the wardrobe so I'm letting this one go and because I have no idea if anyone would even be interested in owning one of my pieces I am offering it up to the highest bidder. Bidding starts at $30 [to cover postage & material costs] you can bid over on facebook bidding is open to everyone for 3 & a bit days until 8pm Wednesday 28th August When placing your bid please include your email address highest bidder will be contacted at 8:15pm on the 28th payment to be made via Paypal or Direct Deposit pretty much straight away or the garment will be offered to the next highest bidder. Apron Frock specifications: Fabric - linen & cotton [extra roses come with frock] Description - loose fitting apron/pinafore styled frock ideal for layering or worn on it's own. Size - 14-16+ Bust - 112cm Length from shoulder strap to fr.hem - 97cm Good luck. x

Selina Sanders’s kitschy, upcycled garments are perfect for spring.

In-bloom bountiful, abuzz - this Cropped Kelly Coat carries the messages of nature upon your shoulders. A blessing of abundance and health no matter which side you choose to show. Cotton Twill Reversible Bumblebee & Floral Appliqué Hand-Mending & Patching Each Magnolia Pearl item is cut "One Size Fits Most". Please contact our Creative Team for measurements.

Hey everyone, here's my first Spring Top of 2012 for your enjoyment!Looks nifty with my red beads. Yay!Snow White's body got hacked off in a few places, oops. I like...

other things: i have come to the conclusion a knitty crochet skirt is not to be mine. after numerous starts, lots of maths, several fo...

My friend Jen makes amazing corset tops out of recycled T-shirts. They're inspired by the T-shirt corsets that Natalie Chanin included in her fabulous book "Alabama Stitch" but include a few unexpected twists. Jen specializes in creating unique apparel and accessories for cyclists, and the corsets feature reflective elements and rear jersey pockets. As Jen says, "Be safe. Be seen. Be sexy." Learn more on Jen's site: Tried + Trued. This picture was taken in her booth at the Mamaw Menagerie craft show that took place at The Kickstand in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, August 29, 2009.

It's spring! The doors of my house have been open all day and I'm wearing shorts (these!). The seasonal distinctions in the Bay Area are minimal, but being from upstate NY, putting away off-season clothing is a hard habit to break. I just "discovered" my "summer" clothes, and have been raiding the stash this weekend. I'm fairly desperate for a refreshed wardrobe and I'm fortunate enough to have a job at which I can wear almost anything, from jeans to dresses. I love that I can pull on a casual dresses whenever I want, and much of my spring wardrobe plans involve new dresses. This one, an out-of-print Simplicity (2927) has been in my pattern collection for years and this is the first time I've made something from it. The dress is a good shape, with princess seams, 3/4 raglan sleeves (among other options), and pockets. I made an 8 for bust and waist, grading up to 10 for hips. I took in the sides and back seams about 1/2 in each, so a 6 for bust may have been better. The fabric is a springy, but is respectful of a chilly morning in baby wale corduroy (purchased at Fabric.com here). The flowers remind me of California poppies. Considering it's corduroy, it's surprisingly lightweight! Fun, sixties-inspired contoured neckline and vintage buttons. Love the 3/4 sleeves, so I don't have to cover up the dress with a cardigan, and the tulip-ish faced hem makes them a little more interesting. Here are some inside photos. The facings are steel gray Bemberg. I chose not to line the dress (slightly out of character for me!), initially hoping to wear it with this slip, but the slip peeks out of the neckline peephole! No matter, the lightness is lovely, and I don't plan to wear the dress with tights. My three-year old camera helper was a little trigger happy, but this shows the dress in action! In looking for the pattern online, I came across several other gorgeous versions--love the piping on these versions (Raindrops & Bellyflops and Star's Threads), both making me feel lazy and/or guilty for not using piping! Resewlution 2014 garment #2 for March!

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Ashlee Blouse PDF Upcycling Sewing Pattern & Judy Flower by Paganoonoo PDF DOWNLOAD The Ashlee is upcycled* using 2 to 3 dress shirts (instead of flat fold fabric). With upcycling, there is no need to print, cut out and tape together PATTERN PIECES. The starting materials are 3D garments, so instead the "pattern" is instructions and illustrations that define exactly what and where to cut (disassemble) and how to reassemble the pieces. You are purchasing a set of instructions that you print on 8.5" by 11" paper that can be put in a binder for future ease of reference. • Semi-fitted bodice with empire waistline • Pleated lower blouse front adds hip ease • Eye-catching, pleated Back Details • Contrasting accent embellishment at waist • High/low hem (slightly or dramatically) • ¾ length sleeves • BONUS Judy Flower Pattern adds extra style • Immediate Digital Computer Download File • See Shop Listing for Hard Copy Pattern. The ASHLEE BLOUSE silhouette is flattering on many figure types, and is self-adjusting to individual body curves and heights. Optionally, a contrasting Judy Flower dresses up the look even more. The blouse pairs well with pants and jeans. The overall effect is feminine and classic/playful depending on the colors and patterns chosen. Refashion 2 - 3 men's or women's dress shirts into your unique and beautiful Ashlee Blouse CUSTOMIZED to your figure. The pattern is intended to be semi-fitted in the upper bodice. For larger busts, dart and pleat instructions are provided to customize the fit. Avoid any bodice shirt so tight that it strains at the bust, back or upper arms, or limits movement. If the bodice shirt is tight at the hip, this is not a problem; the instructions walk you through the design process to add hip ease. ALL SIZES ARE INCLUDED in that the size/fit of the finished garment is determined by the size of the shirt used for the upper torso, the other parts are self-scaling. ANYONE, any size, who can find a dress shirt that fits the way they like across the shoulders and bust can successfully fit this pattern. Really tall or short? This pattern is easy to adjust for height. The sewing is straightforward piece assembly, mostly using topstitching. All of the tough parts like the collar, collar band, plackets, buttonholes are already sewn on the starting garments, making your job easier! The customization is achieved by picking the right size starting garment and making choices about where to cut by looking at the garment fit on your own body. ADDITIONAL BONUS - Includes a 4-page tip sheet on design elements, color selection, fit, garment care, and technical tips. See Designer Michelle Paganini’s article on upcycling in the Threads Magazine Feb/March 2015 issue! She was also featured on It's Sew Easy series 1300 and 1400. Her segment on Double Collars is available on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l05NRsnZBeg&t=431s . Upcycling our existing clothes into new fashions is good for the planet, and really great on the budget!! *UPCYCLING is taking something existing, like clothing, and transforming it into something of greater value. This set of instructions and illustrations will walk you through every step of selecting garments, disassembly and reassembly, to create a beautiful, custom fit, one-of-a-kind garment. WHAT CUSTOMERS SAY about Paganoonoo Patterns: "Easy to follow directions with lots of great tips.” “Absolutely brilliantly clear & concise instructions..." "Amazing inspiration along with wonderfully helpful technical details..." Happy Upcycling!

here it is! So, we had a snow-week back in January. Or rather, we had half a snow-week, following on the heels of a Monday holiday and a Tuesday where I did not have to go in. It was like a mini-Christmas break. I was, in fact, overjoyed. I'd spent my winter break editing and organizing and emailing and freaking out with nerves before reading at the MLA ... yeah, not so much fun. I didn't paint, I didn't do any of the things I normally do that feed the other parts of my self. So I enjoyed the heck out of the snow week. Cass took two days off work and we played like kids. We went sledding - my first time ever, if you can believe it! - down some of the steep hills over Lake City Way in Seattle. We made Swedish meatballs and mashed potatoes and ate them after every snowy outing for several days, enough that I finally started getting sick on them (in my book, that means you've just had the right amount). I made gingerbread scones studded with chunks of apple for breakfast with lattes or afternoon cups of tea. We made big pots of tea. We made snow angels. We soaked in the hot tub under falling snow (the best!). When Cass went back to work, I put my favorite Christmas carols on (so as not to drive him crazy) and I started this project. I've wanted one of these Alabama Chanin since I was in high school, although back then it was Project Alabama that made them. A few details, in case you are curious, Project Alabama (you can find their pieces at some anthropologie stores from time to time now) has abandoned Natalie Chanin's founding values and relocated operations to China. Since then, Chanin founded Alabama Chanin which continues to operate here in the US, where they keep American stitching/embroidery/quilting traditions alive, pay a decent wage to women who are needed at home - often to help raise grandchildren in an intergenerational living situation, use organic cotton jersey dyed with natural dyes and strive for zero waste in their business. In short, Natalie Chanin is one of my heroines. I have great admiration for her ethics, and for her aesthetic vision - they really do create beautiful garments. However, as these garments are one-of-a-kind AND sewn entirely by hand, I've never been able to afford one of these tops. Imagine how excited I was, then, when Chanin started putting out craft books with PATTERNS for her clothes in the last few years. I own all three. I'd been intimidated about the time involvement, but with a week of falling snow outside my window, I was happily bundled on the couch and well stocked with cocoa and movies, sewing away. It came together remarkably fast, really - even with all those eyelets, which did take more time to sew than anything else on this top. I made a medium, but used the length from the size XL to make sure the piece was long enough for tall me. The medium's a little bit too big, but I like that it doesn't squeeze my hips. I think I'll use the size small for the tank dress, which is the next piece I intend to make from Chanin's new book, Studio Sewing and Design. I'll use my burgundy merino jersey for the outer layer and grey rayon jersey for the inner. Cozy and warm - it'll be a beautiful winter dress. I'll probably start this in May or June; I want to be able to take the panels with me when we go to Paris (I'm giving a paper at a conference at the Sorbonne in July - isn't that crazy??), because I love embroidering on planes. Handicraft is such a fascinating way to meet people, especially (I've found) from other countries. I have had the nicest conversations over the years (and over an embroidery project) with a Korean woman in Santa Barbara who sat and had coffee with me one summer morning while I embroidered a linen skirt for Midsommar, with a German lacemaker at our local coffeeshop, with the stewardesses of Iceland Air who cheered me on as I stayed up through an entire transatlantic flight embroidering my friend's wedding veil (it was a photo finish, that project - I was working until 10:30pm the night before the wedding!). There's just something about it, it draws people in. And apparently it draws me in, too. Hello? Still there? Bored to tears yet? Okay, back to (real) work, then. I'm almost done with that scarf (the tapestry-weave in undulating twill); I should have that to post soon. And then, I think, on to some machine sewing for a change. It's snowing here but I have the spring fashion bug - and a new/old Anna Sui blouse pattern that I think is just the ticket for some springy pastel-striped silk I've had in my stash for years.

I had an idea for a REinvention it involved a vintage semi felted pure wool satin ribbon edged coconut-ice pink cot blanket and tweed jacket sleeves it did not involve flowers after pulling out and pawing over every jacket & coat in my collection and then trawling every op shop within cooee it became evident my idea of tweedy jacket sleeves wasn't going to happen it was at this reluctant realisation I started looking through everything else I have filed with sleeves and settled on a woollen cardigan with flowers and made a start by cutting armholes in the cot blanket and carefully separating the sleeves from the cardy keeping the scraps to create a Frippery which once the sleeves were reshaped & attached I pinned in place and stood back to admire the blankey wrap that had emerged from an idea although it didn't seem to matter at which angle I stood I wasn't admiring there was no spark no sense of satisfaction as much as like to try and keep the intregrity of the original garment/item intact throughout a REinvent this just looked like a cot blanket with sleeves so I took some of my own advice and walked away slept on it and in the morning unpinned the Frippery and set about REinventing the REinvention after REcutting, unpicking, stitching and trying on & off I settled for a more cropped, better fitting dare I say it slightly more funky version of a blanky wrap still not exactly the idea in my head but a pretty good interpretation of it and with plenty more woollen blankets to play with knowing what I know now I'm looking forward to next time...