Fabric Weekend 2013!

Posted on May 31, 2013 by Cherie

So as if my Quilt Market adventures were not enough, I actually get to participate in ANOTHER fun fabric weekend. This time it’s a blogger meet-up in Los Angeles and we’re going SHOPPING!

The fantastic Andrea of The Train to Crazy and Go To Patterns has organized this awesome weekend for us with help from Justine of Sew Country Chick and Bev of Flamingo Toes. Just imagine getting together with a group of talented and fabulous ladies to shop, eat and chat with who all just happen to love fabric and sewing!! It’s going to be fantastic.

The ladies were able to hook us up with some great sponsors for the weekend as well . . .

Michael Levine is a staple in the Los Angeles Fabric District. I visited their main store this past winter and was in awe of their selection. I didn’t even get to check out their upholstery fabric store or the Loft where you can buy fabric by the pound last time, but hopefully I can this time around! Thankfully they have a great online store as well. Their online brand is lowpricefabric.com so you can shop along even if you’re not in LA!

Oh, Jo-Ann! What would we do without Jo-Ann? I don’t know about you, but it’s still one of my main stops for my sewing necessities. Thank you Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores for sponsoring Fabric Weekend 2013! Even in a fabric heaven like Los Angeles you still know you can find exactly what you need at Jo-Anns.

We’ll also be stopping at Mood Fabrics, which has a new and improved store in Los Angeles. I’ve never been there, but I’m sure going to pretend I’m a Project Runway contestant as I wander aimlessly through the aisles and aisles of fabric!

And as if that wasn’t enough fun already, Jessica, the Sewing Rabbit, has teamed up with Jo-Ann once again to host another fabulous Girls Night Out! I can’t wait!

The girls and I will be posting on Instagram all weekend long like the addicts we all are, using the hashtags #GNOLosAngeles and #FabricWeekend2013, so follow along and join the fun!

In fact, the fun already started yesterday with the first to arrive and pictures are being posted! Unfortunately, I’m not going to be joining until the second half of the weekend, so I’ll be following along on Instagram as well until I get to be part of the action!

Can’t wait to experience it and share some of it with you. Maybe I’ll even come back with some extra fabric to share? 😉 Have a great weekend!

Lessons Learned from Quilt Market

Posted on May 30, 2013 by Cherie

2 weekends ago I was lucky enough to be able to attend Quilt Market up in Portland. I honestly didn’t know what to expect at all, but it turned out to be an extraordinary weekend filled with amazing fabric, quilts, clothes, food, conversation and phenomenal designers, seamstresses, quilters, artists, shop owners, and fabric enthusiasts of all kind. I feel so so blessed to have had the experiences that I did and I wanted to share a little bit about what I saw and learned.

Beautiful quilts. Clockwise from upper left: Pure Elements, Birch Fabrics, The Nest Quilt by Carrie of SUCH Designs, and Waterfall with Lotta Jandsdotter’s Glimma Line

Quilt Market itself is this huge trade show where fabric designers and distributors showcase current and soon-to-be-released fabric lines to fabric retailers. These retailers can put in wholesale orders for their shops. Quilt Market is not open to the public, but I got in with Rae under her company, Made By Rae, since she is a fabric and pattern designer and nice enough to get me in!! Seriously, this girl is a riot. Super talented and super sweet too.

I spent the whole weekend with Kristin from skirt as top and she was the most awesome host! Over the last year and a half she’s become such a good friend to me, even though we rarely get to see each other. So spending the whole weekend together was such a treat for me! Also her family is ridiculously cute and fun. She not only picked me up from and took me back to the airport, gave me a place to sleep, fed me, and drove me around the whole weekend, but she also took me to some fab fabric stores, amazing restaurants and of course, experienced Quilt Market with me. I definitely wouldn’t have been so comfortable in the company of all these huge designers, retailers, bloggers, etc. if I didn’t have a friend by my side and it is so nice to have someone to debrief with at the end of each day.

The fabulous Kristin and I in front of the Cloud9 Fabrics booth. So many fun and organic fabrics from Cloud 9, including Rae‘s first fabric line, Fanfare!

FOOD! Oh I had some good food. Clockwise from the upper left: Pine State Biscuits, Random Order Coffeehouse & Bakery, Pulled Pork Sandwich but I can’t remember where it’s from (help me out Kristin!), Voodoo Doughnut!!

Kristin was also the one who introduced me to the incredible Liesl of Oliver + S. We’d “worked” together in the past helping Liesl introduce her new spring O+S patterns, and emailed briefly, but I was finally able to meet her in person and spend some time with her. And SHE IS AMAAAAAZING. So sweet, down-to-earth, hilarious and incredibly humble. I loved getting to hear some of her unique perspectives.

Did I mention she’s hilarious? I hope she doesn’t kill me for posting this pic! And on the left, Liesl, Gail of Probably Actually, me and Kristin in the wonderfully decorated Oliver + S booth!

I’m not blogging about this whole experience just to brag about how awesome it was and rub in your face how much you missed, because I know that going to Quilt Market is really not a possibility for most people. But there are a couple of really valuable things that I learned that I think that anyone can benefit from. And I thought I’d share some of those things with you . . .

1. Go meet people. You may not have access to famous fabric or pattern designers, but meeting up with other people who sew, quilt, craft, create and blog is soooo fun and inspiring. So many of us have these passions and sure, we chat with other people online all the time, but being able to meet up with and really get into it with people in real life is totally different. It’s so refreshing to be able to connect with people who share your interests and passions. And really rejuvenating as well – I bet you’ll walk away feeling inspired and excited to create and share.

I got to meet Robin of Nested in Stitches and Gail of Probably Actually – both super awesome gals. I also hit up 3 fabric stores in Portland: Bolt, Modern Domestic and Cool Cottons. I bought fabric at all three places that you’ll see in upcoming projects. The pic above is from Cool Cottons – they had every. single. color. of shot cotton!!

2. Don’t be afraid of people who are “bigger” than you. Getting to meet people like Heather Ross, Liesl Gibson and Melody Miller is, for sure, intimidating. But when you talk to them you realize that they are just people too (truly talented and awesome people, but still, just people :)). And not just that, but they are artists, putting themselves out on the line when they release new fabric lines and patterns, hoping that people will like what they do! And it turns out that so many of them love seeing what people like us, make with their art! So now I feel so much more inclined to not only support and give credit to these artists (by identifying the fabric that I use, whenever I can), but also to share with them the stuff I make so they can see how much I, and others, love their stuff. And really, the people that I’ve met have all been so sweet and seem to welcome feedback and conversation, so don’t be afraid to reach out to them if you have something you want to share with them or a question to ask! Of course, they are really busy people, but I bet you’ll hear back from most of them!

One of my favorite booths was Rashida Coleman-Hale‘s. I love her fabric and how amazing is that yukata? The current Tsuru line is awesome, but I can’t WAIT for Koi. Sooooo beautiful! I had so much fun talking with Rashida about her time in Japan. She is seriously sweet!

3. Be true to yourself and don’t lose sight of why you are creating. My last night in Portland, Kristin and I were invited to this phenomenal dinner at a new restaurant called Ración with a group of great fabric shop owners. We ended up sitting with and being part of a truly amazing conversation with Liesl & Todd of Oliver + S, Keli of Drygoods Design (online and in Seattle) and Margaret of Form and Fabric (online and in Austin). These are some seriously smart and passionate people and I just felt so lucky to have been able to witness and participate in such an honest and exciting conversation!

My other favorite booth/artist was Leah Duncan. This girl is a super talented artist and so adorable too! I first learned about Leah back when I sewed this Jump Rope dress in some of her fabric and she saw it on Pinterest and emailed me to ask if she could post a picture of it on her blog. I poked around her website and blog and LOVED her work. She does amazing work and I love the colors and really organic vibe of her illustrations. Her upcoming fabric line with Art Gallery is called Tule. Can’t wait to get my hands on some!

Anyways, one of my main takeaways from that night was to try remain authentic (this word came up so many times that night). This can mean so many things, but for me I realized that sometimes we, as bloggers, can get caught up in creating things for series, or making something we think the readers will like, or if we take sponsors – what our sponsors will like, or how to increase our readership or how much to charge for sidebar ads, or whatever – and we lose sight of why we are sewing, creating, blogging in the first place. I feel like the most awesome creations come from our hearts when we are not thinking about blogging it, but just making whatever we want or whatever we dream up. It’s good to remember that every day and also connect with, encourage and support others who are doing the same.

Briar Rose by Heather Ross for Windham Fabrics (quilt design by Rae Hoekstra!) and Nordika by Jeni Baker for Art Gallery.

I just wanted to mention also that the restaurant we went to that night, Ración, was incredible. They are new in Portland (2 months, I believe) and are just getting settled, so I feel like I should help spread the word – if you are ever in Portland and looking for a really nice place to go to – check this place out. The food was TO DIE FOR. The people were really fun and friendly. And they really took care of us and I’d love for them to be successful (and I’m quite certain they will be!), but yeah – a shout out to them!

One of the biggest surprises and highlights of Quilt Market for me was visiting the Dear Stella booth and seeing my Sunburst Picnic Blanket there! They had sewn up the picnic blanket in their Clementine line of fabric, but I had no idea that the blanket would be there at Quilt Market! It was so exciting to see something that I helped create on display!! It was such an amazing feeling!

Quilt sewn by Becca Jubie from my Sunburst Picnic Blanket tutorial using Clementine by Dear Stella.

Phew! What a weekend! Honestly, looking back at it, it feels pretty unreal. Even throughout the weekend, Kristin and I would just look at each other and be like, “did that just happen!?” But I’m so glad it all did. A huge thanks to all of the wonderful people that made my first Quilt Market experience so unforgettable.

And of course, a very special thank you to my best friend and the best life partner in the world, Hideko, who held down the fort and let me fly to Portland to have so much fun. AND she’s doing it again this weekend as I fly out of town for another amazing weekend of fun, friends and fabric. But more on that tomorrow . . . 😉

Suspender Skirt Tutorial

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Cherie

I just spent the most amazing weekend up in Portland at Quilt Market hanging out with talented, fun and inspirational seamstresses, fabric designers and shop owners from all over the country! I really want to tell you more about my experiences soon, but since I’m still recovering from my busy weekend, I thought I’d repost this tutorial I did a year ago for the fabulous series, Vintage May, which is running again right now! The hosts, Jessica of Craftiness is Not Optional and Kristin of skirt as top, have rounded up some fabulous guests to showcase some vintage and vintage inspired looks, so be sure to check it out! I was part of the fun last year and I never reposted the tutorial here, so in honor of Vintage May II, here ya go!

***

Hello vintage lovers! It’s amazing what Kristin and Jess have put together here and I’m so honored to be a part of it! I must have run through 50 ideas for what vintage-inspired creation I wanted to share with you before deciding on something – the possibilities are endless! I decided to go through some old family photos to see if I could find some inspiration there and I saw a particular style pop up a few times in my mom’s childhood photos.

(Left photo: My mom, standing in front, with her two brothers and mother
Right photo: My mom, center, my grandmother, upper left and their neighbors)

(My mom, lower right, with her brothers and uncle)

I loved the simple and classic style of the jumpers my mom and her neighbor are wearing in these pictures. So I created a suspender skirt for my daughter and I’ve got a tutorial so you can make one too!

(Did I mention this was from a year ago? Check out these old pics of Yuki!!)

It’s got a bit of a school uniform vibe, but it’s still cute enough to be worn anywhere. It’s a simple high waisted pleated skirt with a flat front and elastic in the back. The buttons in the front are just for fun and completely optional. The suspender straps are sewn in the front and adjustable in the back for longer wear. You could easily use this technique to attach straps to any style skirt, pair of shorts or pants. If you want to make the straps completely removable, you can follow the directions for the back of the skirt in the front, and then the skirt can be worn alone or with the suspenders. So many options!

Ok, let’s get started. You’ll need:

Fabric (about a yard, depending on the size)
Contrasting fabric for pockets (optional)
Buttons 2-4
1″ wide elastic and safety pin
Sewing essentials

*I used a 1/2 seam allowance, unless stated otherwise.

Measure your kid’s “waist.” I say “waist” because it depends on where you want the skirt to sit. My skirt is so high up it’s practically her chest measurement! Your skirt pieces will be the “waist” measurement by the desired length of the skirt and you’ll need two. So I cut 2 rectangles that were 18 x 12 inches.

You’ll also need 4 pocket pieces. I just drew a pattern freehand in what I thought was a “pocket-like” shape. Make sure to cut two and then flip the pattern over for the other two.

For the waistband, cut a long rectangle that is the “waist” measurement times 1.5, then add a few inches for good measure. So I multiplied 18 x 1.5 = 27, plus a few inches – I probably cut mine at 32 inches (I always cut waaay more than I need then trim later). The height is 4 inches.

For the suspenders, you’ll need to measure your child from the “waist,” up over the shoulder across the back (remember the straps will criss-cross in the back) and then add about 6 inches to this measurement. The height is 3 inches and you’ll need 2. So I had two strips that were 3 x 20.

I hope I haven’t lost you already! Here are my cut pieces, note that the waistband and straps are folded up in this picture.

Working on the right side of one of your skirt pieces, we’ll make some pleats. We basically want to get this piece of fabric to be half of the waist measurement, plus one inch. So I need my 18 inch wide fabric down to 10 inches. The size and amount of pleats will depend on the size of your skirt and how you want it to look. Mark the center of the fabric and then two equidistant marks on either side of the center.

Fold the fabric on the marks toward the center and pin.

Add more pleats on either side, playing around with the size until your skirt piece the right size. Press your pleats, pin, sew them down using a 1/4 inch seam allowance and press again.

Place your pocket pieces right sides together on your skirt front and back. Sew down the straight edge of the pocket.

Press the pocket pieces open. Lay the skirt pieces down right sides together lining up one side and pocket piece. The back skirt piece will be much larger than the front still, so just do one side at a time. Sew them together using a 1/2 inch seam allowance, then trim and finish the edges by serging or zig zag stitching.

Flip the skirt right side out and press.

Put the skirt aside while we prepare the suspenders. Fold the strips in half lengthwise with right sides together and press. Sew down the length of the strip and down one end. This will give you one closed end, but leave the other open. Trim the corner.

Turn the strip right side out using a pointy object to poke the corners out. Press the strap flat and top stitch around 3 sides, leave one end open still. Repeat with the other strap.

Now for the waistband. You’ll want it to be the same measurement around as your skirt. Lay your skirt down (the front and back will not line up, but that’s ok), and lay your waistband down folded in half (right sides together) with one side lined up and mark the other edge of the skirt. Add 1/2 an inch to that and mark again.

Cut the extra fabric off, pin and sew along the line to create a loop.

Press the seam open and fold the bottom of the band to meet the top. One edge of the loop should be raw and the other folded. Press the fold.

Open up the waistband and pin one raw edge to the top of the skirt, lining up the seam with the one of the side seams of the skirt. Sew the skirt and waistband together all the way around with a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Make sure the pleats are laying nice and flat.

Flip the waistband up and press. Fold the top of the waistband down towards the wrong side 1/2 inch. When the waistband is folded down it should just barely cover the stitching at the bottom of the waistband.

Fold the waistband down and pin in place. We’re going to make the casing for the back of the skirt first, so starting at one side seam top stitch along the back of the skirt just above the seam. Make sure the inside of the waistband is being caught in your stitching. Stop at the other side seam.

Cut a piece of elastic that is half of the “waist” measurement. My waist measurement was 18, so I cut a piece of elastic 9 inches long. I don’t add more for seam allowance because I like my elastic to have a bit of pull.

Using a safety pin, thread your elastic through the casing. Before the end of the elastic is about to be pulled completely into the casing, sew up the waistband along the same line as the skirt’s side seam catching about a 1/2 inch of the elastic. Continue pulling the elastic through until it’s about 1/2 an inch past the other side seam. Top stitch the waist band vertically along the skirt side seam.

Flip your skirt inside out and slide your suspenders into the waistband by about 1/2 an inch. Pin in place.

Carefully turn the skirt right-side out. Top stitch just above the seam where the skirt meets the waistband. Flip the suspenders up and top stitch along the front of the waistband just below the top.

Almost done! Hand sew buttons into the back of the skirt catching only the inside of the waist band (not the elastic or the outside of the skirt).

Mark on the straps where you want the button holes to be. I made a few on each strap so I could adjust the length of the suspenders.

Hem the bottom, sew buttons on the front if you want and you’re done!

I played around with two different lengths in these pictures. High waisted and HIGHER waisted.

Maybe too high?

Thank you so much for letting me share this tutorial with you today! If you have any questions or think a part needs some clarification, please let me know – I’d be happy to help! If you’re interested in the pink top my daughter is wearing, stop by my blog for a little how-to on this remix of Oliver + S’s Jump Rope Dress.

If you make a suspender skirt using this tutorial, please add it to the you & mie flickr group! I LOVE seeing your creations!

***

I’ll be back with some fun photos from Quilt Market later this week. Seriously, it was SO. MUCH. FUN. Can’t wait to share it with you 🙂

Colour Pop Top Knock-off {tutorial}

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Cherie

Knock if Off is a series hosted by the fabulous Heidi of Elegance & Elephants and is one of my favorites. Knock offs are awesome – we all do it – see something at the store and think, “I can make that!” That’s why so many of us sew in the first place! The series is already going strong, and you can check out projects from the last 2 weeks here!

For my project, I recreated this Applique Colour Pop Top from Mini Boden.

It’s a perfect top for summer and really simple to make. Plus you can customize it with whatever applique you want! It doesn’t take much fabric and is great for showcasing scraps of cute fabric. I actually think this is the perfect project to make from an old t-shirt if you have one laying around, and that makes the project even simpler! Anyways, versatile top, simple to sew, and great for the upcoming summer months – makes a perfect top to knock off!

Fun right? I’m going to show you how to make your own!

Here’s what you’ll need:

Fabric (I think anything light to medium weight is fine – linen, cotton, knits, etc. and amount will depend on what size you’re making, but for most kids, 1/2 yard will be plenty).
Scraps of fabric for applique
Strips of fabric for shoulder ties, or store bought bias tape if you’re looking to skip some steps 🙂
Paper backed (double sided) fusible web (I use Pellon 805 Wonder-Under)

I’m still trying to work through my stash and not buy new fabric, so I dug through stash for all the solid cottons I could find. Ended up using some leftover linen from this coat and a bunch of scraps from various projects. The yellow fabric is actually polka dotted because I couldn’t find any solid yellow 🙂

To cut your main fabric, find a top that fits your kid well – a loose fit tunic is probably best. Measure the width of the bottom. Add one inch for seam allowance and that will be the width of your fabric.

For the length of the fabric, I used the same tunic to measure the general length. The top of your fabric will be folded over twice to create a casing, so add that to your measurement and know that this will hit at the top of the chest (not shoulders). Also remember to add about 1.5 inches for hemming the bottom. You need two of these rectangles – one for the front and one for the back.

Fold one of the pieces in half lengthwise to cut out the armholes. I just eyeballed this, but draw and cut a curve in the top corner (not on the fold). The top inch and a half will become the casing, so this should be a straight line down before it curves.

When you open up your piece, it should look like this.

For simplicity sake, I decided to make the front and back of the shirt the exact same, so using the cut piece, trace the same curve on the 2nd rectangle.

You will also need to cut two strips of fabric on the bias for finishing your armholes. I cut my strips at 1 inch by about 12 inches or so (and had a lot extra). You’ll need your scraps of fabric for the applique. I had 6 colors and 2 circles of each and my circles were about 2-2.5 inches, so I cut little rectangles that would fit two circles on them. You’ll also need fabric for straps. If you’re using pre-made bias tape, you can skip this step, otherwise, cut 2 strips of fabric that are 2 inches wide and 30ish inches long (does not need to be on the bias). Again, mine ended up being longer than necessary, but you can always trim them later.

Now let’s get started with the applique! Be sure to follow the directions for your particular fusible web. Cut your fusible web into rectangles slightly smaller than your fabric scraps. With the Pellon Wonder-Under, there is a papery side and a rough/web side. The rough side will be ironed down to the wrong side of your fabric. Repeat with all the fabric scraps.

You can easily draw on the papery surface of the fusible web, so sketch your shape out (or just start cutting if you’re feeling daring!)

Cut out your circles and play around with placement on your fabric. Be sure to leave 1/2 an inch on either side for seam allowance, plus room to hem the bottom as well.

Once you’ve got it just the way you want it, carefully peel off the paper backing and adhere the circles to your main fabric with your iron. Be sure to read the directions of your fusible web first! Wonder-Under requires a damp cloth between the applique and the iron. Once you’ve got all your circles fused on, top stitch around the edge of the circle with coordinating thread. Take your time, rounded edges are always tricky – but if they aren’t perfect, no worries! It just adds character! 🙂

Repeat with all the circles.

Fun! Now we need to construct the top. Lay the front and back pieces with right sides together and pin the side. Sew up the side seams with a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Finish the raw edges with a serger, zig zag stitch or pinking shears, if desired.

Press the seam open. To finish the armholes, take your bias strips and press one edge in about 3/8 inch towards the wrong side. Repeat with the other strip.

To finish the armholes (click on the picture below for a larger view):
1. Pin the bias tape along the edge of the armhole (right sides together). Raw edges should be aligned (not the folded edge).
2. Sew along the edge of the armhole with a 1/4 inch seam allowance and then press the bias tape up.
3. Flip to the wrong side and fold the bias tape twice, once along the previously pressed crease and then again to encase the raw edge. Pin and sew along the edge of the bias tape fold.
4. Trim an excess bias tape, press flat and you should have a beautifully finished armhole! Repeat with the other side.

Once you have your armholes finished, we can finish the front and back neckline. Fold the front edge down about 3/4 inch towards the wrong side and press. Fold down another 3/4 inch, press and pin. Sew along the edge to create a casing (leave the two ends open).

Repeat with the back. To create your ties, fold your strips lengthwise, wrong sides together and press. Fold the two edges in towards the center fold (folding your strip into fourths) and press. For the ends, unfold the strip and tuck the end in about half an inch. Fold it back up so you’ve got a nice clean end. Then top stitch around all open edges. If you’re using pre-made bias tape, you can just skip right to the top stitching step.

I went ahead and eyeballed the tie length, but ended up shortening them after I put them in the top. So, if you want to top stitch everything but the last few inches, you can finish that part after you’ve measured out the exact length that you want.

Using a safety pin, thread one tie through the casing on the front of the top, and the other tie through the back casing. Tie them (and trim and finish edges if necessary).

Then hem the bottom to the desired length by folding and pressing the bottom edge twice towards the wrong side and stitching close to the folded edge.

Done!

Now you know how to make a simple and fun summer top! And think of all the endless applique possibilities!

If you make a top using this tutorial, please add it to the you & mie flickr group! I LOVE seeing your creations!

OR if you’ve made your own knock off project, be sure to add it to the Knock It Off Flickr Group. And don’t miss out on the rest of the series over on Elegance and Elephants!

So before I go, I couldn’t not share how goofy my kid is, but for some strange reason during this photo shoot, Yuki decided to sing “Doe A Deer” from the Sound of Music at the top of her lungs on repeat. Oh how I wish these photos captured sound . . .

I love her . . .

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Roly-Poly-Along

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Cherie

Have you seen the Roly Poly Pinafore pattern by Imagine Gnats? It’s a super cute, simple and versatile piece that is perfect for layering, adding fun details and showcasing awesome fabrics. Rachael of Imagine Gnats and the creator of this pattern has rounded up some of her friends to help show off all their versions of this fun pinafore! I decided to make one for Yuki to use as an apron/art smock!

(Rachael was so kind as to gift this pattern to me, but all opinions are 100% my own)

The pattern range is size 6 mo-10! That means it’ll basically last me forever! I made it in size 2 which was the perfect fit her Yuki now, though if I had thought about it more, I probably shoulda made a 3 since this is meant to be an smock worn over clothes. Oh well, guess that means I’ll have to make another one soon 😉

The pinafore is fully reversible, and one of the best parts is begin able to mix and match and pair fabrics together. I chose a bright reddish-orange to go with this cute raindrop fabric. Somehow when I saw the fabric, it reminded me of painting. The large pouch pocket is not part of the pattern, but something I added myself for Yuki to hold paintbrushes, chalk, pens or other art supplies in.

The pattern comes with in seam pockets, which I omitted for this version, but is definitely a great option if you’re making this as a tunic.

For the other side, I used a cream linen for the main fabric and some cute Japanese print that I got at Daiso (the Japanese equivalent to a dollar store) for the pocket and fabric covered buttons. I love the little pleat in the middle and the sweet criss crossed back.

The pattern is labeled “beginner” and I definitely think that if you are just starting out, this is a great project for you. It was very fast and simple to sew and the results are just so cute. Even though I had always intended for this to be used as an apron/smock, I had a hard time letting Yuki get too messy in it! 😛

Unfortunately, I only got a few pictures of Yuki in the smock so far, but the fit is great and she loves having a special apron like mama!

And it kept her shirt clean while being stylish! Score!

*Edit: HEY! More pics! We did a little morning painting and got more shots of the Roly Poly Art Smock in action :)*

(Someone needs a hair cut!)

I know she’ll get a lot of use out of this and I look forward to whipping up a few more! If you’re interested, you can buy the PDF pattern here. And be sure to check out all the other stops on the Roly-Poly-Along blog tour. It started yesterday and will continue for three weeks! My current favorite is this adorable raindrop pinafore by Stephanie of The Crafty Kitty. TOO CUTE! And looking at the other bloggers joining the tour, I know there is bound to be a lot of other awesome and creative pinafores. OH and many of them are giving away copies of the pattern too (like the link above), so be sure to check out details on the blogs for your chance to win!

Thanks Rachael for the awesome pattern!!

Happy sewing 🙂

Bunch-o-shirts

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Cherie

So this was actually part of my Kids Clothes Week project list, but I didn’t quite finish it that week. I did finish the “All My Friends Are Dead” shirt and Yuki liked it so much that I was excited to get these done as well. If you recall, she requested a dinosaur shirt, a robot shirt and a shirt with stripes. So there you have it! Three more t-shirts for my tomboy.

I didn’t actually intend for them to be so boyish. I did make a bright pink one first but the rest of the knit that I had laying around happened to be dark. The pattern is the Flashback Skinny Tee by Made by Rae in size 3T. My daughter is more like a 2T, but since I wanted it to fit a little looser and fit for a long time, I went a size up. I would recommend doing the same if you want a less “skinny” fit.

The first one is a simple tee with contrasting arm cuffs and neckband. This was the easiest one to make not only because I didn’t paint anything on it, but also because adding cuffs is way easier than hemming sleeves (in my opinion). Rae has a tutorial for making a short sleeved FBST here.

The second tee is the robot tee! Simple solid black knit with hemmed sleeves. I just used the same fabric for finishing the neck. For both this tee and the Stegosaurus tee, I just searched for simple images/silhouettes on google image to use as a stencil.

I printed them out at the size I wanted, cut it out to use as a stencil, traced it out on contact paper and cut the shapes out. I know everyone talks so much about freezer paper stencils, but honestly, I have no idea what freezer paper is! I really need to find out though, because contact paper does not work all that well. It doesn’t stick to the fabric as well as I’d like, so it leads to wobbly lines and such, if you’re not careful.

Yuki’s favorite of the three is by far the “dinosaur shirt.” Between this, the pink “dinosaur shirt” and the original (store bought) red “dinosaur shirt,” now she has three dino shirts!! And I honestly think that I have to make 4 more because she wants to wear them EVERY DAY. When we get dressed in the morning and give her some options for clothes she can wear, she keeps asking for “dinosaur shirt!”

This is honestly my favorite too. It’s made from a super thin, soft and comfy knit. The stegosaurus wraps around the side slightly and I just used a bunch of different fabric paints in blue, green, silver and white to give it the multicolored look that it has. At the last minute, I decided to take a quilted paper towel and lay it over the painted area. I pressed it down on the paint to pick up any excess and when I lifted it, it gave it this really cool textured look. Like a real dinosaur!

So, no pics of Yuki in the shirts, but I can tell you the dinosaur shirt is getting really good wear. The others are comfy too, but they aren’t getting as much love. 😦

BUT I LOVE THIS PATTERN. So basic. So quick. So many ways you can mix it up. As of now, I’ve used this pattern at least 6 times and that’s more than any other pattern I own. It comes in two size ranges: 12-18 months-5T and for bigger kids, sizes 5/6-13/14! If you don’t own this pattern yet, I think you should go get it now.

I didn’t actually finish all the projects that I had lined up for Yuki during KCW, but the rest are on hold for now. I have two fun projects coming up for next week – one is for the Roly Poly Pinafore Pattern Tour (a pattern by Imagine Gnats) and the second is my post for Elegance and Elephants‘ fun series, Knock it Off (the series is already underway, so go check it out!)

AND ALSO . . . I’m trying to sew more for ME! So if any of it comes out decent and I work up the courage to model them, you may get to see some of it 🙂 We’ll see!

(Oh hey! Did you enter the Zakka Sewing Book and Fabric Giveaway yet? There’s still time! The giveaway is open until Friday, May 10th at 5pm PST.)

Zakka Book and Fabric Giveaway! {CLOSED}

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Cherie

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THE GIVEAWAY WINNER IS . . .
Stacy Alfano who said, “I like you on FB!”
Thank you to all who entered!!

It’s Giveaway Day on Sew, Mama, Sew! If you’re unfamiliar with Giveaway Day, you can read all about it here. Basically, people aaaaall over sewing blogland are giving away TONS of free fabric, sewing patterns and supplies, handmade bags, clothes, accessories, items for babies and the home. It’s really your lucky day!

I’m giving away this book, Zakka Sewing: 25 Japanese Projects for the Household (affiliate link), along with a few fabrics that I think would be great for Zakka sewing.

The book is full of cute sewing projects for home and life.

It has lots of basic sewing and embroidery directions as well as great instructions and diagrams for 25 fun and adorable projects.

I’m throwing in a bundle of fabric from my stash that is a great starter kit for Zakka sewing.

So there’s some linen/linen blend, chambray, wool, home decor/heavy weight fabric, and a little bit of my favorite double sided (polka dot/gingham) Japanese fabric. Just enough to get you started on your Zakka sewing! 🙂

So you want to win?

Giveaway details: {GIVEAWAY CLOSED}
– Giveaway will remain open until Friday, May 10th at 5pm PST
– Winners will be chosen at random and will be contacted by email
– Open to US residents only
– Void where prohibited

Here’s how to enter:
– Leave a comment on this post. Any comment will do!

Additional entries:
PLEASE LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH
– Follow my blog (some people prefer email subscription, some have a favorite blog reader. I use Bloglovin and really do love it) and leave a comment telling me you do so.
– Follow you & mie on Facebook and leave a comment telling me you do so.

(maximum number of entries is 3)

Good luck and thanks for entering! Be sure to check out all the other great giveaways on the Sew, Mama, Sew blog! You can enter as many as you want!

Sewing + Craft Supplies
Handmade Baby + Kid Items
Handmade for the Home
Handmade Bags
Handmade Accessories

*This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook or Bloglovin. We hereby release Facebook or Bloglovin of any liability. No purchase necessary. Prizes will ship by May 15. you & mie takes no responsibility for packages lost by the postal service. Giveaway starts Monday, May 6th and ends Friday, May 10th at 5pm PST. Once the giveaway ends, winners will be chosen at random and contacted within 24 hours by e-mail. This post will be updated with winners’ names. Winners will need to respond within 48 hours to claim their prize or another winner will be chosen. Giveaway is void where prohibited.*

***

you & mie is an Amazon affiliate. I will earn a small commission for Amazon purchases made through links provided in this post.

Sunburst Picnic Blankets all over the world!

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Cherie

Hey!! Thanks so much for all of your warm wishes and congrats regarding my little/BIG announcement 🙂 My partner and I are very excited to be welcoming baby #2 into our family in September. I’m 21 weeks pregnant and we don’t know yet whether it’s a boy or a girl, but I’ll let you know if we find out! I’m sure there will be lots of maternity/baby projects coming up around here – I hope you don’t mind! And while I’ll be up to my usual stuff here on the blog, you may notice a little less posting as I shift gears just a little bit 🙂

I’m a little frustrated right now because I can’t find my camera battery charger ANYWHERE! My camera is dead and not only can I not take new pictures, but I can’t even transfer old pics off the camera until it’s charged. I was going to post some recently finished leftover KCW projects, but that will have to wait.

But fortunately, I have something else fun to share with you. I’m not sure about where you live, but around here things are certainly warming up. It’s full on SPRING! Which means it’s time for picnics in the park for me. Last summer I made the Sunburst Picnic Blanket tutorial and recently I’ve seen a few versions that readers have made! Check out some of their creations . . .

This first amazing picnic blanket is by the lovely people over at Dear Stella. They used their Clementine fabric line to create this fun and springy blanket!

This beautiful blue blanket was made by Lyra of Tictictic Sewing in France. She used a waterproof fabric for the bottom – perfect for grassy picnics.

The next two were made by Jennifer in Germany, but instead of picnic blankets, she made these adorable twin quilts! I LOVE the appliqued names!

I really love all the different color palettes these talented seamstresses chose!

I can’t tell you how much fun it is see what other people do with my tutorials (which reminds me, I need to update that page)! If you ever make anything inspired by something you see here on the blog, please add it to the you & mie flickr page or feel free to contact me directly to share your creations!

Hope you’re enjoying some sunny weather too! If not, maybe it’s time to have a picnic indoors 😉

you and mie

let's make things

Monthly Archives: May 2013