More tree pants

As soon as I made my last pair of tree pants I was automatically jealous and making one for myself. I know you are wondering how you can be such a good giver, what can I say I'm a natural!

It is so cute! I kind of used the same pattern, but changed up the blocks which made them slightly smaller than the original pattern. It worked out though.

I used some Valentine's Day ribbon I had already for my ties. Plus, if my tree is still up come February I can turn the skirt around and make it work!

I also love this binding. The music notes are so subtle, but such a great touch.

I bought extra of this red floral fabric to make stockings for the three of us. 

And of course when people say I didn't make it, bam! Hot pink on the back. You don't get that at the store! Use what you've got, right? The fabric is Moda's Aspen Frost by Basic Grey. I still have some charm pack left. Any ideas for more Christmas stuff? 

Also, I'll be at the International Quilt Festival this weekend with Holly. Let me know if you'll be around.

Help! I need your expertise

I had some warm knit, so I decided to work on Vogue 8742. I have seen some awesome versions of it, but EPIC FAIL!

There are a few thing going on here. I got weird baggy bits in my ruching. I've lost some weight and don't know how things are supposed to fit anymore. My boobs shrank and inch during the course of sewing this. Now, here is where I need your help. I love the potential this dress has. Can you tell me how to fix it?

I took in the sides about an inch already, but it didn't help everything going on. Also, are my princess seams too wide set for my bust?

Holy baggy backs Batman! I have never seen anything quite this bad - my back was always the easy fit. Ignore the undie lines (if you can), and how do I adjust the bit above the area where my butt used to be? Also, how is it baggy on my hips and front but tight in the back?

Just what. I don't even know what to say. It doesn't have a collar and isn't hemmed yet, but I don't plan on bothering with that until I see if it can be salvaged. Your assistance in this matter would be much appreciated.

How six foot tall,super-chic folks should look according to the front of the envelope, for your reference.

I'm so over fat models

Hehe, you didn't click on to chew me out, right? Of course not! Here is the thing, who would want to put a slick, new, and FINALLY finished tree pant on a Christmas tree with their giant muffin top hanging over my hard work when this sleek and slender crepe myrtle will do such a nicer job?

Fierce!

That's right. These are the same tree pants I was working on before my very bad year. I am so thrilled with how it turned out.

I made the stockings for my cousin as a house warming present, but as soon as I made them I knew the tree pants were meant to be part of the package. I just backed and bound it with plain black which turned out quite striking. She received the set last night and seemed very pleased with it. And of course I fell in love with the tree pants all over again and now have to make my own. You had a peek at it with the half square triangles.

Easy half square triangles

I am still stuck on Christmas. I have something cute to show you, but it was a gift, so maybe by Tuesday I can show it! Now I am working on some self designed blocks to make myself a tree skirt.

Here are a couple of finished blocks. I am planning to sash it like the tree skirt pattern I have used in the past. I love half square triangles, so I thought I would put together a little tutorial.

I used 5" squares, or charm pack sized pieces of Aspen Frost by Basic Grey and the same size of some white cotton I had. I lay them out just like I did above.

Then I place each of the three rows right sides together and pin in the middle to hold them together.

Then sew all the way around the square using a 1/4" seam.

This step was weird to photograph, so I drew cutting lines. You will cut as marked above from corner to corner. I usually starch and iron before this step, because you are cutting the squares on the bias. This helps stabilize the sides of you squares. 

Press your triangles open, and now you have twelve little half square triangles! So easy! Cut off the excess pieces that overlap the edges of the two corners. Next is the great part of half squares triangles. Lay them out however you like and make great designs. You can make a star like I did by adding a few white squares that are the same size as you pressed pieces.

You can make arrows!

You can make ever popular chevrons.

Or you can make cool designs with no rhyme or reason. The possibilities are endless.

When I decide on my design I mark the pieces that go together with matching numbers which helps me keep what pieces go together straight. It is worth the extra minute!

It is that easy! I have been making a block in about 30 minutes. I am using two charm packs and white cotton. I hope to have a finished product done very soon. 

Early Christmas sewing

I have been itching to sew for Christmas. I was hoping in July there would be some fun Christmas tutorials posted, but it was kind of a quiet month so far as Christmas sewing goes. Well, to heck with it. I used my standby Christmas stocking (tutorial posted here). I love giving stockings for baby showers this time of year, and usually the parents are over the moon about it. I also embroider the names on the cuffs which is why they are turned up. I'm a sewing ninja like that.

I used leftover Countdown to Christmas Material by Sweetwater that came out from Moda a couple of years ago. That was also bought in July as part of a Christmas frenzy. I think it is the over 100 degree (Fahrenheit, 37C) heat we have here that brings that on. Christmas means cool weather and running outside without getting symptoms of heat stroke later in the day even if you run before the sun comes up. True story, every time. 

I love the inside of these too. It is just lined, but I think it looks so much more polished. 

Would anyone be interested in sharing some of their Christmas go-to sewing? I am ready to go!

Oh, and Happy Birthday Brindy! My best and most knowledgeable and patient sewing assistant is turning seven today. 

Favorite cousin before and after

My cousin and her son came to hang out with me in what was one of the most awesome weekends I have had in a long time. We went to Galveston, caught turtles, caught Sister Wives and redid an end table.

This is an end table I got at Ikea probably 10 years ago. What can I say, we just felt like painting something. Specifically we wanted to paint chevrons. We looked at all kinds of tutorials and headed to Lowe's to measure, tape, grid, X-acto knife (and probably cry) our way to perfect chevrons.

We were at the paint counter when we found Frogtape's new Shape Tape. A roll was about $15 and it was worth every penny! It made making the chevrons a breeze. As a matter of fact I didn't measure anything, in the end I just eyeballed the end table and it turned out perfect!

Can you believe those perfect chevrons?

We used all Valspar products. The chevrons are in their Eddie Bauer line, we just got sample sized containers, in Honeysuckle Bloom and Bungalow Blue. For the legs I used a dark brown spray paint I had laying around. I always use a separate primer on anything I paint. I just feel like it will stick better even if it is paint and primer in one.

Here is my new table in action in my living room with a lamp we painted while she was here as well. I love it! Ready for another awesome before and after?

 

LOLs! Here are our before and afters. Too bad that before is blurry, because I am rocking some giant purple glasses and a mullet, however surely you can spot my cousin (in white) with her jeans tucked into her socks. And yes we are all matchy matchy in blue and white NKOTB shirts. Our after was taken three years ago at my wedding, we've come a long way. 

Where I sew

I have seen a few sewing room posts lately and really like seeing where you guys sew. I thought I might get in on that action with my sewing room.

This is what I see when I walk in...bwahaahahahahaha, not really. I usually see piles of stuff everywhere, but it is somewhat tamed today. Let's walk around the room.

I think I am so clever for this, but I ha an old DVD rack that I carried all the way out to the curb when it occurred to me that DVDs and patterns are about the same size. I marched this rack upstairs and sure enough all my patterns fit! They are even organized. Dresses on top, pants and tops on the next row down divided by some doo dad that came made onto the shelf and so on. It may be a bit of an eye sore, but when I want to go buy a new pattern I have a visual reminder that I am a hoarder and must be stopped. That little thread holder there was given to me by my friend Jenny. It used to be brown, but I am spray paint happy.

I get some mad morning sun in this room as you can see. Here is my cute new sewing desk, this one I bought used from Jenny. Isn't it pretty? It came that color and inspired much spray painting. That ironing board is new too. My old one was destroyed in the move, so I upgraded to a bigger one. I love it.

This is my media center and a few sewing related decorations. Most of the visible decorations were also fro Jenny. That black thing there was a Monet poster that I turned into a chalkboard and sprayed hot pink.

Here is the awesome part, it opens up to reveal a peg board. I am still deciding what is going in there, but I have always wanted a peg board.

This used to be my sewing table, and before that some one's dining room table from Craigslist. It makes a great cutting station.

There is a little preview of something I am considering. By the way, go team Sebrewing! Our team won the Hummingbird contest! I am such a fan of Cake patterns now.

This a bolt holder, also from Jenny which I believe came from Sew Crafty, the place I learned to sew before it shut down. It holds all my books and bolt type fabrics perfectly.

The old owner of the house we bought left this little dresser in my new sewing room, dibs! My friend Holly is an organizing genius and helped me get my supplies organized inside. Remember all those estate sales I scored at? It was ugly!

Up top I have buttons, elastics, feet and random knick knacks.

Next drawer contains my packaged notions and elastics.

The bottom holds obscene amounts of lace, the down side of estate sale bundles, specialty threads and my embroidery machine materials.

And I have a closet! My stash is hanging out, with knits on the shelf with my embroidery machine. I also have interfacing, batting and current projects on the other side.

Now I am headed out of town for the weekend to spend a fantastic weekend on a road trip to the Big Easy. I can't tell you how much I love New Orleans.