Get Ready...Get Set... Sew! Day7 Applique

Well... Day5&6 of Kids Clothes Week Challenge came and went in a flash...(much to do... with to little time... I seriously need more hours in my day!)  So, here I am at Day7... with nothing done, but a pair of shorts... and a shirt that's sewn together wrong!  Feeling a little defeated... I picked myself up from my morning cup of coffee...(poured another)... and decided to hunker down and get sewing...

First I needed to fix the top for my daughter...

Once I had the back yokes sewn on right... It was super simple to put together...

Now I can focus on the project I've been wanting to do all week for my son... This sweatshirt looks simple, but I've got ideas for some fun embellishments...

I'll show you how I applique...

 First I start with some images I printed on regular paper... In the exact size that I want them on the sweatshirt...

Then I apply some fusible interfacing to the wrong side of my fabric choice...

Pin your image to the fabric... and cut out...

Are you curious what the word is yet?

Pin your applique to the fabric... you will want to do this on the front/back pieces before the garment is constructed together... so they can lay nice and flat...( If you are applying to a pre-made garment I recommend sliding a piece of cardboard in between the front and back, while pining, so the extra fabric isn't in the way)

Stitch on... There really is no wrong way to do this... I am using a straight stitch, because I like the raw edges... but you could do a decorative stitch, or a fine zig zag stitch... and cover up the edge too...

And here it is finished... I asked my son if he could have a word on his back what would it be... This is what he came up with... ROCKER... 

The font is viner hand ITC (bold)

Love the way the tie turned out on the front... I stitched multiple lines to add more detail...

 For spring/summer I went with the short sleeve version...

And the hood definitely rocks!

As i said before... my week hasn't quite gone as i hoped... and while I may not have gotten to all the projects I wanted to do... I am pretty happy with what i got done this week!  Also I've got two happy kids(most important).  And if I'm being honest with myself... I probably completed more this week for KCWC than I would have been motivated to do on my own... (which is the point right!)  I hope you've enjoyed this week...  See you next time around...

***Jennifer
Oh yeah... Here is a recap of what I got done this week!

Get Ready... Get Set... Sew! Day 3/4

Well... Day 3 of KCWC came and went with very little accomplished... So I'm sticking it together with Day 4... And I finally have something finished!...

You'd think that a zipper and facing would not take two days

 to complete... but after volunteering at my kids school all day...

and baseball... I had very little motivation...

(I'm hoping for some cram sessions this weekend)

That being said... the completion was not hard... just a lot of pinning!

(If you need a quick and easy zipper tutorial click here)

All in all... I am pretty happy with the way the shorts turned out...
(If you want to know how I added the box pleats click here)

Sadly this was not the only thing I started today... I also started on a shirt, which was coming along just fine... until I realized that I sewed the back yoke pieces onto the back pieces sideways (sigh...) So now I'm ripping out the seams... Great fun...
Here's to a better Day5...
***Jennifer

Get Ready... Get Set... Sew! Day2 (Box Pleat Tutorial)

Off to a good start today...  The shorts are almost finished... and I added some pretty sweet box pleats to them... I think they're going to be so cute!  Can't wait to have my daughter try them on...

Here is how I added the box pleats...

First decide where you want the pleat... (I chose the center of the leg) Divide your pattern where the pleat will be added...

Then, making sure your gap is consistent all the down tape paper to extend the pattern piece... the width can be what ever you want, it just depends on how much fullness you want to add... I added 3inches...

Then fold your pattern piece  back to it's original shape...

Cut off excess above the pattern...

Doing that gives your extension piece it's proper shape...

To keep it looking consistent, I also followed the same steps to alter the back piece... making sure that the pleat started in the same spot...  (To do this I just measured in from the hip... making sure it was the same as the front)  

Be sure to notch where your pleat starts and ends.... 

Now the construction... Fold in half(right side to right side)... matching your notches... 

Measure 2inches down and pin...

Line up your ruler with the notch making sure you have it even along the fold... Draw a line down to the pin... 

Since the pleat is wider than the machine seam guides... the line you just traced will be your guide... Just follow it down, and make sure to back stitch when you get to the pin... Pleats should always be reinforced...

Mark the center of the fold with a pin...

 Open up your fold... and line up your seam with the pin...(center of your previous fold) opening up the fold and creating a new fold on ether side of the seam...

Press seam...

A prefect box pleat... This is different than a regular pleat because the fold is opened up... where as with a regular  pleat the fold is press to one side...

I always stitch across the top to hold the folds in place...

This is how the back side of you pleat should look...

If any fabric sticks out over the top of the original pattern piece... you can trim it off...

So, tomorrow I will finish the waist band facing... and put in the zipper... hopefully I can start on the top too!

Happy Sewing!

***Jennifer  

Get ready... Get Set... Sew! Day1

Well... it's Day1 of  the Kids Clothes Week Challenge, and I'm already feeling the pressure...  Mostly because I played over the weekend... instead of prepping for this week... (you caught me I'm a total procrastinator)  So, today's hour was spent cutting things out...  The good news... I've now got everything ready for the week!  Yay!  Here is a look at what I am going to be working on...

I am making the shorts from this pattern...  with a little added

flare(check back tomorrow for my how to)  The fabric of course is vintage...

I just about died when I snatched up this vintage 70's nautical knit

fabric(and at a steal for .50)  I instantly knew it was going to be a shirt

for my daughter... but it took laying out three patterns before I could

find something that worked for the amount I had...

(this dress also can be shortened for a shirt)

I love a good wrap skirt... My daughter has never had one... So I found this pattern, and it is reversible...  I think that the flowers with polka dots is a perfect combination...

For my boy... who always seems to get left out(when it comes to making stuff)... I am going to try to make a sweat shirt out of this other 70's knit I found... 

That is how my first day went!  If your joining me this week, I hope your hour was a little more productive than mine...   Tomorrow is a new day... and a new hour...  Wish me luck!
***Jennifer
P.S.  Post your progress to my flicker group here... I'd love to see it!

Get Ready... Get Set... Sew!

Just a reminder Kids Clothes Week Challenge starts tomorrow...  Have you decided what your doing yet?  I think I've got it narrowed down... but I'm keeping it a secret for now... 

This will be my 2nd time joining the KCWC challenge...  Since I made myself stick to just one hour(I literally set a timer, because I had so many other projects to get done!)  I can remember myself having a few conniption fits about getting stuff done... and toward the end I totally cut corners... but that being said... in the end it was totally satisfying... If you missed what I did in the Fall KCWC... here is a recap...

Vintage dress pattern...and vintage knit fabric...

You can read more about it Here... and Here

This cute ensemble is Lisette for Simplicity...

You can read more about it Here... and Here...









Tunic and ruched leggings...

You can read more about it Here... Here...
and Here...

My lucky daughter got three new outfits... and she has worn them multiple times... SO happy that she still thinks me making stuff for her is cool...

Well... I am exited for tomorrow to come, and how much I can get done with my hour of time... Check back tomorrow, to see what I am going to be working on this week...

Happy sewing!

***Jennifer

P.S. Did you know Creating Bits of Envy has it's own Flickr group now? If you are going to join me in the challenge this week... Please consider joining my Flickr group! I would love to see your progress, and cheer you on!!!



Spring Cowl... How to...

Not ready to give up your scarfs yet, but craving the brighter colors of spring... Try making one of my cowls... It is a light weight layer that could easily be worn through summer.   If your like me and stuck on the infinity scarfs(my neck feels bare without them) it is an easy transition... The best part... it's fast and easy to make...

Here's how...

Start with your fabric folded in half...  Measure and cut it to these dimensions... 14 1/2" wide (short ends)... 36" length (folded edge)... The overall piece if you don't want to cut it out on the fold, measures 29"(width) x36"(lenth)

Next... fold in half lenthwise (the longer side) with right sides together (facing each other on the inside)... Stich the raw edges together, down the entire lenth of the cowl with a 3/8ths seam... I used my serger, but a regular sewing machine is just fine...

You basically now have a fabric tube...  Through one of the open ends, invert the fabric, so that the right side is now showing on the outside... the seamed edge should be on the inside...

Press your seamed edge...

You also need to iron the folded edge, so that length of the cowl is nice and smooth...

Pick one of the open ends... and iron a 1/2" fold to the inside... all the way around the opening...  

Now with the length of the cowl laying flat... pick up one of the corners...

And cross it over... Giving the length a nice little twist...

Leaving the twist in place... Fold in half lenthwise by, bring the two open ends together...

Insert the end with the raw edges, into the opening with the folded edge... you'll want about a 1/2" over lap...

Pin to hold in place...  You will now have a circle of fabric with a twist in it... Finish pinning down the entire opening...

Here are some more views of how I pined the opening(seam) closed... Make sure you take the time to do it correctly. You'll want to keep checking that your fabric is still overlapping evenly...   

And be careful, not to catch on any of the loose fabric with your pins while your sticking them through the back side along that seam...

Using a narrow zig zag stitch... with a shorter stitch length...

Stitch down your pinned seam... Lining up your folded edge with the center of your machine foot...

 I chose this type of edge, because it is more durable... It also ensures that your catching the folded edge on the back side, while your stiching along front...

I sewed on a few vintage buttons... for some added detail...

All done!  You've successfully added some spring into your wardrobe, without having to give up your scarf...  If any of these steps look confusing, just let me know...  I am more that happy to help!  ***Jennifer 

P.S. If you would like to see variations of this cowl... I am very excited to announce that Creating Bits of Envy now has it's own Flickr group... I will post some more pictures over there... Just click Here to check it out!  I would love to see yours if you make one...  And I would so so so LOVE to see any pictures from projects you've worked on that were inspired by my blog...  My goal for this Flickr group, is not only see your great projects, but to also offer help, and cheer eachother on!  So if you've made a mastake, or are stumped on a project, upload those pictures too... I would love to help!!!  

P.S.S Don't forget Kids Clothes Week is coming up... April 23rd - 30th... She has some great project inspirations if you can't decide what to do...