tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90758728207107243072024-02-07T05:04:39.370-08:00Seamingly CraftyKatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01845181414786368740noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9075872820710724307.post-20388136352424996922013-01-31T20:49:00.000-08:002013-01-31T20:49:35.629-08:00Sewing Machines<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I began sewing three years ago. I started on an old Kenmore sewing machine that I had inherited from my aunt. The machine was from the '70s and was that super attractive avocado green, that was so popular back then. I used this machine to sew a few projects from the Weekend Sewing book and the machine worked well but was definitely not as easy to use as the current models. My husband went out and bought me my first sewing machine very shortly after I took up the hobby. He claimed that the older machine was so loud that he couldn't hear himself think no matter where he was in the house. He went to a great, little sewing shop close to our house, <a href="http://www.sundroptextiles.com/" target="_blank">Sunup drop Textiles</a>. The saleswomen were super helpful and directed him to the <a href="http://www.janome.ca/" target="_blank">Janome 4030QDC</a>. My husband bought the machine and set it up and surprised me.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeDwguqIwPRzeDhGVGd864mO13I0pYGDQK_EYOWYvimPOELhOazICKy_as1C6wEmDKL7BNbws83xw2yaELz6QEm8y24_2_Hk_1m34kqWQuU98d_NypHTUaiFt29esRCl18XXZ7Kt0r5NRP/s1600/photo+(16).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeDwguqIwPRzeDhGVGd864mO13I0pYGDQK_EYOWYvimPOELhOazICKy_as1C6wEmDKL7BNbws83xw2yaELz6QEm8y24_2_Hk_1m34kqWQuU98d_NypHTUaiFt29esRCl18XXZ7Kt0r5NRP/s1600/photo+(16).JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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I love this machine. I've never had a problem with it. It's really user-friendly and has more functions then I have ever used. There are 30 different stitches including button holes. The machine came with a zipper foot as well as a special quilting accessory kit. I've done most of my sewing with this machine and have never needed anything else. For my last birthday, my husband decided to go back to the same sewing shop and purchased a serger. He bought a <a href="http://new.husqvarnaviking.com/en-CA/Machines/H-CLASS-200S" target="_blank">Husqvarna Viking H/Class 200S</a>.<br />
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To be honest, I wanted a serger but was hesitant to use it. I was nervous about the whole knife business and I was so comfortable with my existing machine that I thought perhaps I didn't really need a serger after all. That was until I started back into making clothing. I began with my daughter's Halloween costume and I was able to stitch almost the entire costume with the serger. It made things so much easier because I didn't have to zigzag stitch to finish the ends. The more that I used this machine, the easier I found it was to use it. The threading of the machine is very well-laid out with diagrams and colouring to aid in the threading. The manual with the machine is also very informative and helps to answer any questions that arise. This machine came in handy as I was preparing for Christmas. Almost all of my Christmas gifts were sewn with this machine in some way.</div>
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I have both machines set up side-by-side in a little corner in my bedroom. This set-up worked great for my holiday projects as I was able to alternate between the two machines as necessary.</div>
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<br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01845181414786368740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9075872820710724307.post-54574367673384922242013-01-14T14:00:00.000-08:002013-01-14T14:00:01.570-08:00Toiletry bag<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A few years ago, my sister requested a toiletry bag to travel with. I searched for a patten that would be good and on a friend's suggestion I chose to do a modified version of Heather Ross' overnight bag from her book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heather-Ross-Weekend-Sewing-Book/dp/B001WB1ICA" target="_blank">Weekend Sewing. </a> </div>
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My friend had made the bag but had doubled the height to give it a bit more depth to hold taller items. I liked the shape of the bag and it seemed pretty easy to put together. I also chose to double the height of the bag, so that my sister could carry larger items. Along with doubling the height, I needed to adjust the length of the zipper and the top wrap-around of the bag. I chose a duck canvas for the outside fabric as I wanted it to be sturdy, so that the bag would be able to stand upright. I also lined the bag with a heavy-weight interfacing. I didn't want it to flop at all! I attached a little strap on one side that would allow you to carry the bag easily.</div>
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On the inside, I chose to attach an elastic to the top of the pockets, so that they would hold items inside the pockets snugly. I wasn't a fan of how the pockets were inserted into the pattern, so I cut out rectangular strips that would be the pockets. I then sewed these onto each of the side panels. This helped to make the pockets deeper then how they would have been in the original pattern.</div>
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I loved how this bag came together and how it looked when it was finished. And even better, my sister also loved it. As a little extra gift, I put together some bags (pre-snack sack era!) These were just made with an inner and outer layer of quilting cotton. This is being used to carry make-up and other items around with her everyday. </div>
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<br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01845181414786368740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9075872820710724307.post-11598119503598155862013-01-13T15:05:00.000-08:002013-01-13T15:05:54.714-08:00Christmas bags<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In an attempt to be more environmentally friendly, I decided that I would make some more snack bags for people as Christmas gifts. I chose to make a few that were a bit larger so you could even put a sandwich inside. Not necessarily, a wet soggy sandwich but definitely something that wasn't too moist!</div>
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I thought that my sister and brother-in-law would be perfect recipients, as they could also put snacks including nuts or candies in them. I chose fabric for their bags that was a little representative of their personalities or that perhaps made me think of them. </div>
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My brother-in-law got two bags, one with spiderman fabric;</div>
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and this great Mr. Potato Head fabric.</div>
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For my sister, I chose this Lorax fabric.</div>
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The inside of the bags were lined with nylon and I included my tags to show them it was handmade.</div>
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I made another bag for my daughter, she was with me when I was selecting the fabric and she insisted that she wanted some of the Little Mermaid. She's since put her stickers inside...not my original intention but it works for now, especially when she doesn't need snacks for school. </div>
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I also stumbled across this fabric (All I want for Christmas from the Alexander Henry Fabric Collection). I had to buy a ton of it because I loved it so much. My intention was to make bags to go under the tree instead of wrapping paper, but I was too busy making actual presents that I never got around to making the bags. I am figuring that if I make them now I will be ready for next year and won't need to worry about them. But, this fabric was perfect for a friend of mine. I figured she could use it for her snacks (even though it is seasonal), but she's found her own special use for it. </div>
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All of these bags have zipper closures (which aren't that pricey), but I am thinking that I may cut down on cost if I switch to a velcro closure. I wanted something that would seal off the whole bag so you won't be dropping snacks everywhere you go, as well as something that would be easily washable. I may get a little adventurous and see what I come up with! </div>
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<br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01845181414786368740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9075872820710724307.post-68650023336942677712013-01-07T20:34:00.000-08:002013-01-07T20:37:19.747-08:00Christmas StockingEverybody in my family has a knit or crocheted stocking. My mom originally crocheted a smallish one for me, my dad and herself. She even crocheted our names across the top. My stocking also had a crocheted snowman. The stitch is quite tight and the stocking holds it's shape really well when it's hanging or stuffed. Over the years, my mom misplaced the pattern for the stocking. I found another pattern and made a stocking for my sister and husband. I also stitched their names into the tops and made a snowman for my sister and a train for my husband (he likely will kill me if he ever finds out that I revealed that little secret!)<br />
The pattern that I used was ok, I wasn't ultimately happy with the end product. The stockings were quite short and the stitching was loose so they got all stretched out and never held their shape. <br />
Since this time, I've learned to knit and I decided that I would knit a stocking for my girls. I knit my eldest daughter's stocking 4 years ago, using this<a href="http://www.canadianliving.com/crafts/knitting/holiday_stockings.php" target="_blank"> pattern</a> from Canadian Living. I free-stitched the lettering on the top and we used felt to make the penguin for the front. The penguin was stuffed with some polyfil to give him a little body. I didn't fully stitch the beak and feet so they stick out a bit. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Fhg5LZRkTw5h5_YbYOZBDZD29pPum72hBphEAd3_LMPgvG4-o-QhptGf94hNsy9qoDq5qoE2FpXiINYJlG4p0Xeopzjyw_8fPOfomjO5Wug8FXVXii7fzN0scQUVK8FGeAoaF5Yi5VQn/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Fhg5LZRkTw5h5_YbYOZBDZD29pPum72hBphEAd3_LMPgvG4-o-QhptGf94hNsy9qoDq5qoE2FpXiINYJlG4p0Xeopzjyw_8fPOfomjO5Wug8FXVXii7fzN0scQUVK8FGeAoaF5Yi5VQn/s1600/photo.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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I love this pattern. The stocking is a great size and can hold a lot of little gifts, it really holds it's shape and really easy to put together. I love the detailing with around the heel and toe as well as the ribbing at the top of the stocking. </div>
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I decided to use this pattern for my second daughter's Christmas stocking. We chose a nice teal colour and an off-white for the contrasting colour. </div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">I chose to do a reindeer for the front design. My husband cut out my design (I added the eyelashes!) I stitched this on as well as adding her name and the stocking was perfect.</span></div>
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I love these two stockings, they are so cute and I feel inspired to redo the whole set!</div>
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<br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01845181414786368740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9075872820710724307.post-75099974263001260812013-01-07T20:30:00.002-08:002013-01-07T20:31:46.634-08:00I think I need a bigger jar...I find myself constantly searching for things to do with my eldest daughter, that will be interesting and enriching for her as well as a fun activity for us to do together. I found this <a href="http://lets-explore.net/blog/ways-to-play-monthly-downloads/" target="_blank">website</a>, which listed 10 things to do with your kids each month. One of the things that we decided to try for the month of January was to put a jar out to collect rainwater. With us living in the south coast of British Columbia, we knew that we would be needing a rather large jar for our collection. My husband gave us a rather large glass jar from Ikea and we put it out on our balcony the 1st of January. The first few days were oddly dry (I don't believe we had rain until the 4th). Here we are on the 7th...and our jar is about 1/3 full. We may end up needing another jar.<br />
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While this may seem like a relatively simple activity, my daughter is super excited to check how much water she's collected every morning. It's a great way to make the winter rainy blues seem less blah and a little more fun!</div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01845181414786368740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9075872820710724307.post-42762344525938224622013-01-05T20:25:00.004-08:002013-01-05T21:41:22.347-08:00Everyone needs a pincushion!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Especially a cute hedgehog one! I saw the <a href="http://maker-land.blogspot.ca/2012/07/hedgehog-pincushion-tutorial.html" target="_blank">pattern</a> for this adorable hedgehog pincushion on the 2012 Handmade Holiday list. It was too cute to pass up, so I ran out to the fabric store to grab some faux fur and some felted wool. The pattern pieces were super easy to cut out. It was a bit tough sewing the little pieces together. </div>
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On the first go around, I was having some troubles lining the two sides up so that the fur would start at the same spot on either side of the head. I also needed to be careful with the fur, it was a bit on the longer side and I didn't want to clip it while cutting or get it sewn on the inside of the pincushion.</div>
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I think on my next go around with this pattern, I may add sand or steel wool inside the hedgehog so that it sharpens pins as you use it. The sand would also give it a nice weight for sitting on your sewing table. I was happy with her and figured she would make the perfect Christmas gift for my friend who sews! Of course, my eldest daughter promptly asked for her own hedgehog...I started to think about perhaps making her a larger size pillow version for her bed. We'll have to see. </div>
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<br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01845181414786368740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9075872820710724307.post-90835049008338963172013-01-03T21:28:00.000-08:002013-01-03T21:29:38.031-08:00Tree of Life BlanketThree years ago, my little sister got married. I wanted to give her something special for her wedding that she would remember and be able to keep for a long time. I found the tree of life <a href="http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/70122AD.html" target="_blank">pattern</a> after doing some online searches. It was perfect. I loved how the trees intertwined and I loved the leaves around the edges of the blanket. It was the perfect gift for my sister's wedding. I chose a tan lion brand wool-ease wool, as I didn't want something that would be too bulky or scratchy. The recommended wool was great, not too chunky and soft. The blanket did require a bit of concentration, there was a lot of cabling, which I hadn't done before this blanket! The edging was the most intricate work and it was frustrating trying to get everything to line up.<br />
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I really liked how this blanket turned out. It was a bit more narrow then I actually wanted it to be, definitely a lap afghan. But the intertwining the trees was exactly what I was looking for as a wedding gift for my sister and her hubby!</div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01845181414786368740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9075872820710724307.post-82437732156004976792012-12-02T21:18:00.000-08:002012-12-02T21:20:20.826-08:00Baby's BlanketWhen my first daughter was born, she received a ton of baby blankets. Her favourites were always the ones that had satin on one side and minke on the other. She loves how cool and soft the satin is while the other side is "warm." My youngest daughter didn't receive nearly as many blankets and while we've been on the hunt for these special satin blankets, we've never been able to find one. I decided that I would make one of these for her and give it as a gift for Christmas. <br />
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I bought some beautiful raspberry minke, satin and then blanket binding. I began by sewing the minke and the satin together (wrong sides together). I then pinned the blanket binding around the blanket, one side at a time, stopping at each of the corners. </div>
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Upon reaching the corners, I mitred the corners by bending the binding around the corner and then folding the excess fabric into a diagonal line. There are many tutorials on how to do this, I checked out <a href="http://www.sewing.com/downloads/projects/bb4147.pdf" target="_blank">this one</a> from sewing.com. I am happy how this turned out, but it was extremely frustrating sewing this together. The satin and the minke are both super slippery and I found that I needed to pin every 2" to prevent the binding from sliding around on the blanket. I ended up going back after having sewn the blanket to hand stitch the underside where I had missed the binding. It did get better as I went along and I think that my daughter will likely love it, but I will definitely think twice before making this type of blanket again!</div>
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Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01845181414786368740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9075872820710724307.post-86132320588613511022012-12-01T21:46:00.003-08:002012-12-01T21:46:49.814-08:00Sleep Sacks Round 2 (& 3)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My youngest daughter is growing like a weed and her little sleep sacks are no longer fitting. As the weather changes, it's becoming more and more important that she stays warm while she's sleeping. I decided to make her two new sleep sacks that were longer and wider. Once again, I adapted the tutorial from <a href="http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2011/11/wearable-blanket-for-baby.html" target="_blank">Make It and Love It</a>. To create the pattern for these sleep sacks, I took a larger t-shirt of hers and traced the neckline and shoulders. I then extended 30 " below the neckline (along the fold) and made the bottom wider slightly.</div>
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I cut the pattern out, after tracing it onto freezer paper and ironing it onto the fabric. I cut the back piece on the fold and the two front pieces, lowering the neckline. I sewed the separable zipper onto the two front pieces, zipping down from the neckline towards the feet. I started the zipper at the top of the neckline and then sewed downwards. There was a small bit of fabric that was longer then the zipper.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiu4Gcp3VZ7gdBqya9tCJboorSI-KJTozKoyDGGF4ur_I4rK2yuxZSdwsbQzovivzAeJi4rhdzJwFrBjiS-i-78FEkM5lKgtHzICIlpvt0PeqnxRr23wGftcKZUw23WkGNQ_Jxk31rQchN/s1600/20121027_AHF_040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiu4Gcp3VZ7gdBqya9tCJboorSI-KJTozKoyDGGF4ur_I4rK2yuxZSdwsbQzovivzAeJi4rhdzJwFrBjiS-i-78FEkM5lKgtHzICIlpvt0PeqnxRr23wGftcKZUw23WkGNQ_Jxk31rQchN/s640/20121027_AHF_040.JPG" height="640" width="478" /></a></div>
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I sewed the bottom of the two front pieces together so that her little feet wouldn't get drafty with the opening.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKGhKmjXGvHSy-D4zupbcnj1lXRhEbJU2cH07tjUtstOKkdaVmWb7NwZjAiHHwWVMk_sStKK2IpKlGshLkBlxYpc0eWcFdL6zFoGX7cU_syu68KYOPG0WgSj0UsdMThMvQ5o4GAE8KiS3z/s1600/20121027_AHF_041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKGhKmjXGvHSy-D4zupbcnj1lXRhEbJU2cH07tjUtstOKkdaVmWb7NwZjAiHHwWVMk_sStKK2IpKlGshLkBlxYpc0eWcFdL6zFoGX7cU_syu68KYOPG0WgSj0UsdMThMvQ5o4GAE8KiS3z/s640/20121027_AHF_041.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></div>
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I then sewed the front and back pieces together at the shoulders and along the side and the bottom.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5iUqVhJE1sfb4y1HLeyyCdnn8WEo9K0HKtz0VAtthWixZ3RMjNsmbq7b06FJMqlOwoPrsCe9rw_CbgmPHcj_TBKX-MP9jQLvinhLw8XDFwRbbiCaxcsO69bySArSFA-oUnTDIQytHT3EP/s1600/20121027_AHF_042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5iUqVhJE1sfb4y1HLeyyCdnn8WEo9K0HKtz0VAtthWixZ3RMjNsmbq7b06FJMqlOwoPrsCe9rw_CbgmPHcj_TBKX-MP9jQLvinhLw8XDFwRbbiCaxcsO69bySArSFA-oUnTDIQytHT3EP/s640/20121027_AHF_042.JPG" height="640" width="478" /></a></div>
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This is the sleep sack flipped right side out.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXII1R7m4TgDO36XLgXsKMVyeioGNssG57Xu4Rr59tyLLCyQ22v3mG3UqOf3l0DE31dNfDTZwmTs4fCCqSMqJgMwwbd5oMlpK79Pvqccbkgx_Vb1mxnz2ywRL3ahYEQfRsLOEuPlARGXH6/s1600/20121027_AHF_043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXII1R7m4TgDO36XLgXsKMVyeioGNssG57Xu4Rr59tyLLCyQ22v3mG3UqOf3l0DE31dNfDTZwmTs4fCCqSMqJgMwwbd5oMlpK79Pvqccbkgx_Vb1mxnz2ywRL3ahYEQfRsLOEuPlARGXH6/s640/20121027_AHF_043.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></div>
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I cut strips of bias to finish off the edges of the armholes and the neckline. I didn't bother doing anything fancy with these as the edges won't fray. I think it did a nice job of finishing off the sleep sack, though. One my daughter wears this to sleep she looks so comfy and cozy. I love the way it stretches and she has tons of room to move around in it, she can even crawl.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkaAgzNY4_W_OQAuSMtLGdvK-Y6yXjWSro4dtz2sZHkT1aUlt8a5qGYU0zplaPgLHcX5lLdJm_A0dGl77WOW82PVvBb9JNmh3YSIbIENJbXkcas6RtkWj6Sd-FjnJ8GczgE6XJGNFP9-Xm/s1600/20121028_AHF_046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkaAgzNY4_W_OQAuSMtLGdvK-Y6yXjWSro4dtz2sZHkT1aUlt8a5qGYU0zplaPgLHcX5lLdJm_A0dGl77WOW82PVvBb9JNmh3YSIbIENJbXkcas6RtkWj6Sd-FjnJ8GczgE6XJGNFP9-Xm/s640/20121028_AHF_046.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></div>
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I duplicated this pattern in a minke/cotton mix. The interior of the sack is a pink soft minke while the exterior is this cute ladybug quilting cotton. I sewed the zipper in, between the two fabrics. I then followed the pattern exactly but with two fabrics.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg90QEsNVHR2MwCEZXTF4Jgo5aBq_lU2Zg2ubb2YzufoV_577lfp5FUmaQFy_ouHj4CKlbhm6aEap_ubqoiPxuGM-V0TTQXLbWuAHWB3zP5Hsa4BAWMBHDpTI0xzSuN9YCUky9ij8puvoJO/s1600/20121027_AHF_039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg90QEsNVHR2MwCEZXTF4Jgo5aBq_lU2Zg2ubb2YzufoV_577lfp5FUmaQFy_ouHj4CKlbhm6aEap_ubqoiPxuGM-V0TTQXLbWuAHWB3zP5Hsa4BAWMBHDpTI0xzSuN9YCUky9ij8puvoJO/s640/20121027_AHF_039.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></div>
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I used a store bought bias tape around the armholes and neckline.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZnnFxg7RPpREaniKCkLWCyDO19cqac4gvFWcSD2xm6wy8cBsEi9hw9c9Y6lTApXw9ShxJqfNUMGNqw3Fz6YTKL1k3G6BcjqDI115cA8u1HuEu3-ffvrPwa6SZGq1aOfbUoVWYEL4vmlg/s640/20121027_AHF_045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZnnFxg7RPpREaniKCkLWCyDO19cqac4gvFWcSD2xm6wy8cBsEi9hw9c9Y6lTApXw9ShxJqfNUMGNqw3Fz6YTKL1k3G6BcjqDI115cA8u1HuEu3-ffvrPwa6SZGq1aOfbUoVWYEL4vmlg/s640/20121027_AHF_045.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7gPw1R0hm0Foy_13Q4lRHRPE5NNKHc3zTHI17o0IgqFUlyqeglKk3OP2M5reLB6dJlN7CPnejyzDRkadCxmSQ5JyAeNtOlxAR5beVtnErfdMfrPu3fS_6bXBa6afVvkPjbGzN1YFvCrsT/s1600/20121027_AHF_044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7gPw1R0hm0Foy_13Q4lRHRPE5NNKHc3zTHI17o0IgqFUlyqeglKk3OP2M5reLB6dJlN7CPnejyzDRkadCxmSQ5JyAeNtOlxAR5beVtnErfdMfrPu3fS_6bXBa6afVvkPjbGzN1YFvCrsT/s640/20121027_AHF_044.JPG" height="476" width="640" /></a></div>
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Of course, I've added one of my new fancy labels! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_rYZRqngoTBEYZ6Dn6Bh11GA4aoOWL3Xh6EfIkuUnxsEEv1O8p1Tljk9jbw_E8rKElTPkPmyzJ1_8RAsdMV-yuLjG2w0Lay5uqwW4m1M72aRp_AWtM_X_gb3oq6yIwujRAs3Qy4I-fSx7/s1600/20121115_AHF_006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_rYZRqngoTBEYZ6Dn6Bh11GA4aoOWL3Xh6EfIkuUnxsEEv1O8p1Tljk9jbw_E8rKElTPkPmyzJ1_8RAsdMV-yuLjG2w0Lay5uqwW4m1M72aRp_AWtM_X_gb3oq6yIwujRAs3Qy4I-fSx7/s1600/20121115_AHF_006.JPG" height="476" width="640" /></a></div>
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I think that this sleep sack is super cute. I love the fabric and the minke is so soft and cozy. My only complaint is that the sleep sack seems a bit tight. The fabrics were all cut from the same pattern and I used the same seam allowances for both. Perhaps the lack of stretch to the fabric made the difference in the two? I'm now considering ripping the zipper out of this cute ladybug one and using it to make another fleece sack. I will definitely think again before making another sleep sack like this!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlGHmAC_F5lzM5hE6MFg0ycOAE7FLrlSGByFxAP3JLhyphenhypheneSNa6ceFNcx3FasGkjJ_8dQa-IpeHEHLASi66_gbDRVYDOnlx88OSspo9HGgW2Z0TWo-0DMjpEmkzfXwWBB5uQPoMCm_Lvegra/s1600/20121115_AHF_007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlGHmAC_F5lzM5hE6MFg0ycOAE7FLrlSGByFxAP3JLhyphenhypheneSNa6ceFNcx3FasGkjJ_8dQa-IpeHEHLASi66_gbDRVYDOnlx88OSspo9HGgW2Z0TWo-0DMjpEmkzfXwWBB5uQPoMCm_Lvegra/s1600/20121115_AHF_007.JPG" height="640" width="478" /></a></div>
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My four-year-old loves to wear skirts and leggings (often together). I've been finding that lately, they aren't selling skirts for her size in the stores. I've decided to make her a skirt (and some leggings) for Christmas. I figured that a circle skirt would an good way to go. I found this <a href="http://www.danamadeit.com/2008/07/tutorial-the-circle-skirt.html" target="_blank">tutorial</a> at MADE and chose a pink jersey knit to get started. My daughter measures 21" around the waist and I decided to make the skirt about 11" long so that it comes to her knee level. I cut out the circle of fabric according to the tutorial and serged the edges. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJ7O_ybR5m8hXTN2oRNIYEFjNoVTM0SeTYgusHdO3iEh2HtoZk_sLmKglnZ-7OLyl4BQHhmrd6h1X-p3cPXHPr5k9pPKjfjA_zWR5RgR-_OCTxXTBrsRFRFnqO-ETzkQ5Cg26VSZMlGfy/s1600/20121115_AHF_001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJ7O_ybR5m8hXTN2oRNIYEFjNoVTM0SeTYgusHdO3iEh2HtoZk_sLmKglnZ-7OLyl4BQHhmrd6h1X-p3cPXHPr5k9pPKjfjA_zWR5RgR-_OCTxXTBrsRFRFnqO-ETzkQ5Cg26VSZMlGfy/s1600/20121115_AHF_001.JPG" height="478" width="640" /></a></div>
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I then serged the elastic edges together and fastened them down with a straight stitch. I covered this up with one of my new fancy labels! I pinned the skirt to the elastic, being sure to line the front and back of the skirt up with that of the elastic. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3JIrJJ-sh_SHEqn8BXiF8pM83DoaPIKyQfIQFuBj1kIorpraK0DXjQvnzGC_tcLeiwgyXUUHJ_NjTTURgkaxB2cCT2zmZWOro6PgI7R6iQTCnngM7a_-ADwS6-7-VgPp05a5VjjxYOlBm/s1600/20121115_AHF_002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3JIrJJ-sh_SHEqn8BXiF8pM83DoaPIKyQfIQFuBj1kIorpraK0DXjQvnzGC_tcLeiwgyXUUHJ_NjTTURgkaxB2cCT2zmZWOro6PgI7R6iQTCnngM7a_-ADwS6-7-VgPp05a5VjjxYOlBm/s1600/20121115_AHF_002.JPG" height="478" width="640" /></a></div>
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I stitched the elastic to the skirt using a straight stitch, being sure to stretch the elastic to match the skirt, as detailed in the <a href="http://www.danamadeit.com/2008/07/tutorial-the-circle-skirt.html" target="_blank">tutorial</a>. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLcJ3LfkQyDc5YwuIxbfD8U1OsEfeGsD2bbxHhhVaZpZMu7jLvbh7izAA-1DbkXmFzmiUEVu9_wOBTqE3Bj2rsxCGUTiMhWfI1DjWFGKOF5Jpheruf2uYC-ajpo9HPdzQRgcRRPo5YhQ-u/s1600/20121115_AHF_003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLcJ3LfkQyDc5YwuIxbfD8U1OsEfeGsD2bbxHhhVaZpZMu7jLvbh7izAA-1DbkXmFzmiUEVu9_wOBTqE3Bj2rsxCGUTiMhWfI1DjWFGKOF5Jpheruf2uYC-ajpo9HPdzQRgcRRPo5YhQ-u/s1600/20121115_AHF_003.JPG" height="342" width="640" /></a></div>
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I haven't hemmed the skirt, it isn't necessary with the knit fabric and I wasn't sure how long the skirt was actually going to be on my little one. I will include photos of my daughter wearing the skirt after she receives her present...hopefully she likes it!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHEAWWgWrKo18SW69ladANbXty5OIf6jDHbN-Db0o6LlVSWDtoFYWv_9ge0RQDB6xW4mD9yyIbwfu0kK-KSUYKw00rpNnS-pp_pcGsTo8Pj_f61lAMDH0z2Yn1vnASa7rTo1MvP63cW00D/s1600/20121115_AHF_004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHEAWWgWrKo18SW69ladANbXty5OIf6jDHbN-Db0o6LlVSWDtoFYWv_9ge0RQDB6xW4mD9yyIbwfu0kK-KSUYKw00rpNnS-pp_pcGsTo8Pj_f61lAMDH0z2Yn1vnASa7rTo1MvP63cW00D/s1600/20121115_AHF_004.JPG" height="396" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01845181414786368740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9075872820710724307.post-83384164806949943172012-11-17T20:59:00.000-08:002012-11-17T20:59:25.901-08:00Clothing Tags<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
For Christmas last year, I made some flannel pyjama bottoms for my husband. He really likes them and wears them often. The only problem with the pants is that I didn't mark the front or back with a tag. Since that time, I've also made many other gifts for people and I would love to be able to mark that I've made them. I saw this post on <a href="https://www.google.com/reader/view/?hl=fr&tab=mq#search/tag%20iron-on%20transfer/0/user%2F07624343379571821541%2Fstate%2Fcom.google%2Freading-list" target="_blank">ikat bag</a> on making your own labels using iron-on transfer paper. I picked up some iron-on transfer sheets from <a href="http://www.staples.ca/ENG/Catalog/cat_sku.asp?CatIds=&webid=626205&affixedcode=WW" target="_blank">Staples</a> and designed my label. I then printed these out on the transfer paper (remember to flip the image horizontally). I cut the labels out into strips and then ironed them onto strips of ribbon. I made quite a few of them so that I would have them ready to go (especially with all of my upcoming Christmas sewing, heaven forbid we should have any more unlabeled pj bottoms!)</div>
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I was so pleased with how they turned out. They look exactly like clothing labels from what you would buy in the store!</div>
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<br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01845181414786368740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9075872820710724307.post-26912186305610934332012-11-05T07:00:00.000-08:002012-11-05T09:37:29.051-08:00Princess CloakThe weather in Vancouver for Halloween 2012 was 13 degrees Celsius and very wet. In order to protect our little "princess" from the elements, I decided that she required a cloak to keep her dry and warm. I decided to adapt the cloak from the Red Riding Hood Cloak from<a href="http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2012/10/halloween-costumes-2012-little-red-riding-hood.html" target="_blank"> Make It and Love It</a>. <br />
I used a kitchen bowl to form the neckline of the cape. I then measured 24" from the edge of the bowl and using a string and compass method I cut 1/3 of circle from both the satin and the purple fleece. I stitched these two pieces together (not including the neckline of the cape). I left the neckline of the cape open. I flipped the cape right sides out and basted the neckline.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL07B5DtDtuye3gCi-Rpv8MXe6NuGk3_bxZNuXYIRjGhws7G4xoaVaZU9TkFI-x81rUCEDe5p9KupgiLKknzJtn148Gbe9I_DhjYCnISA6LLfd7sHXMzmXI1sC8C9SbNrJbjw_OxMWQBmm/s1600/20121021_AHF_013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL07B5DtDtuye3gCi-Rpv8MXe6NuGk3_bxZNuXYIRjGhws7G4xoaVaZU9TkFI-x81rUCEDe5p9KupgiLKknzJtn148Gbe9I_DhjYCnISA6LLfd7sHXMzmXI1sC8C9SbNrJbjw_OxMWQBmm/s640/20121021_AHF_013.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I cut the hood out, in both the fleece and the satin. The height of the hood was 12" tall and 11" wide at the widest part. I sewed the two pieces together down the back, right sides together in both the satin and the fleece. I then joined the two hoods together and flipped them right sides out. I serged the hood neckline to the capes basted neckline. </div>
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I cut some of the crushed velvet material on the bias and used it to cover the serged joining seam. I added the two ties to each end of the neckline. I had bought some silver decorative trim, that I used to line the back seam and then decorate the two ties. I wanted to add some velcro to the ties but opted to just tie them for the sake of time.</div>
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This cloak was so cute on Isabella and really gave the princess costume the final touches that it needed. It also helped to keep her dry and warm. The outside of her cloak was wet, but her dress was dry and her hood kept her head dry.</div>
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<br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01845181414786368740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9075872820710724307.post-1348695149460137002012-11-04T09:34:00.000-08:002012-11-04T21:13:30.022-08:00Halloween PrincessThis year for Halloween, my four year old decided that she wanted to dress up as a princess. I was actually really looking forward to making this costume and embellishing it with all sorts of rich looking details. To begin with I found a tutorial of something similar to what I was going to make. I chose the Cinderella dress from <a href="http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2010/10/cinderella-dress-halloween-costume.html" target="_blank">Make It and Love It</a>. This dress had enough princess flair to make my little "princess" happy. I would need to make some alterations, to account for our colder climate. <br />
My daughter and I began with a trip to the fabric store. She had mentioned she wanted her dress to be purple, so we chose some crushed velvet for the bodice, a bright pink lycra for the centre of the bodice and some blue satin for the skirt. Once again, I was doubtful that the colours would all work together, but it ended up coming together quite nicely. <br />
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I began with the bodice and chose a shirt from her closet that fits her well, traced this onto freezer paper and cut out the fabric for the front piece on the fold. For the back pieces I added an inch to account for the overlap of the velcro closure. For the sleeves, I chose to do a puffed cap sleeve out of the satin and then a longer sleeve out of the crushed velvet. This would keep her warm when she went out trick or treating. I measured the diameter of her bicep, wrist, the length of her arm as well as the opening for the sleeve. The crushed velvet sleeve looked like this. I cut out 2.</div>
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The puffed sleeves were made to be 12" wide at the widest part and about and 4" tall. I then tried to match the curve to the opening of the sleeve. I cut the band for around her bicep to be 10" and allowed for a bit of gathering on both sides of the puffed sleeve. I basted both the top of the sleeve and the long end, that would be attached to the band. </div>
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I began by joining the front and back pieces together at the shoulder. I then pieced in the sleeves, sandwiching the puffed sleeve in between the long sleeve and the bodice. I cut out the centre pink piece for the bodice and sewed that onto the bodice and used some purple sparkly rick rack to crisscross across the chest. I hemmed the sleeves at the appropriate length. After attaching the sleeves, I stitched down the sides of the bodice and sleeves, closing the top part of the costume. <br />
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I closed up the back of the costume by folding over the hem and then adding velcro to both the front and back pieces. </div>
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To finish off the collar, I cut some of the crushed velvet on the bias (about 1.5" wide and the length of the neckline. I then sewed this strip around the neckline, folding in the rough edges. </div>
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F<span style="text-align: left;">or the skirt, I cut two rectangular pieces from the satin, (24" by 45"). I serged the short edges together and basted the top edge of the skirt. </span></div>
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Turn the skirt right sides together and slip the bodice inside right sides out. Pin the skirt to the bodice and sew around and then serge the edges. </div>
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Flip the skirt down and hem the bottom according to the length needed for your little princess. </div>
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My little princess was thrilled with her costume. We were able to put warm pants underneath as well as two long-sleeved shirts to help keep her warm on our rainy Halloween night. We topped the costume off with a little tiara. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNbCVUGCd5rz3xm2kdQaaSBikZOgKgE08fPK9lfDWwTWlpXnkjo8cJesFRDfHTNKUTV_vMigRiD7qGdtAM4YtVqIKcJvw7DBQNYFCLwmsVTFibhJVBvvCSEz8uVmfRozp0mripeVxj_H6E/s1600/20121101_AHF_028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNbCVUGCd5rz3xm2kdQaaSBikZOgKgE08fPK9lfDWwTWlpXnkjo8cJesFRDfHTNKUTV_vMigRiD7qGdtAM4YtVqIKcJvw7DBQNYFCLwmsVTFibhJVBvvCSEz8uVmfRozp0mripeVxj_H6E/s640/20121101_AHF_028.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01845181414786368740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9075872820710724307.post-71210225267283692682012-11-03T15:10:00.001-07:002012-11-04T20:21:25.834-08:00Roman BlindsLet me begin by saying that I REALLY don't like horizontal blinds. They are just great big dust collectors. Of course, our house came equipped with nothing but venetian blinds. My husband (the taskmaster) declared one day that I should learn how to make roman blinds. He even bought me a serger for my birthday, which I later learned he figured I could use to make us some blinds. The window that he really wanted us to work on is our 7 foot wide bedroom window. Me being the practical one in our relationship, thought that it would be better to begin with one of our smaller windows. <br />
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To be honest, I wasn't super thrilled about the idea of making roman blinds. For one thing, choosing fabric to match the walls and decor is really difficult. It typically involves me going back and forth to the fabric store with swatches of fabric until we find one that fits. The second thing that I absolutely dread is having to cut yards and yards of fabric in straight lines! Luckily, my husband volunteered to do the cutting. </div>
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We chose a lighter fabric for the front, and a thermal blocker for the back, which blocks out about 50-70% of the light and also helps to insulate. We bought enough fabric to furnish two smaller windows (one in the kitchen and one in the bathroom). The saleslady at the fabric store was nice enough to map it all out for me, detailing the number of rings, the length of strings and the distance between the dowels. Combining this knowledge with what I had found on various websites (<a href="http://www.terrelldesigns.com/" target="_blank">Terrell Designs</a>, and <a href="http://brownpaperpackagesep.blogspot.ca/2012/02/how-to-make-custom-roman-shades.html" target="_blank">Brown Paper Packages</a>), I figured I was ready to get started.<br />
We measured our window and had to make a blind that was 33.5" wide and 33.5" tall. We cut the exterior fabric to be 35.5" wide by 43" tall and the interior fabric to be 34.5" wide by 48" tall. We also cut out strips of the thermal blocker that were 3" by 33". These would be the pockets for the dowels. I began by hemming both the exterior and interior fabrics separately at the bottom of the curtain. I then measured the placement of the dowels. I was told to leave 8" without a dowel at the top of the curtain, I then measured 3.7" according to the calculations of the saleslady for the placement of each dowel. I marked each placement with my aqua-trickmaster pen. I then sewed the pockets onto the front of the thermal blocker. <br />
From here, I sewed the front and back pieces together with the right sides together. According to the Terrell Design website, I sewed the one side of the fabrics together and then realigned to sew the other side together. This allows the exterior fabric to wrap around, keeping the seam hidden from the sides of the blind. When sewing the sides, I was careful to not close the pockets for the dowels. After sewing the two sides, I flipped the curtain and ironed the edges. I inserted a dowel into the bottom hem of the thermal blocker and into each of the pockets.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipdOuTNXM6diuupgUersb_v0Dl9-_Q5UoiM80-FOUMir81ef39LZmz95FbZqNJNNlujUWoLKT55rfFSfbAyzf3spsJYXhzPEBhCDv6Xy_f2ZafS5rHQz67fG0UDNe15-ug_qKciHuP-B8f/s1600/Slide1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipdOuTNXM6diuupgUersb_v0Dl9-_Q5UoiM80-FOUMir81ef39LZmz95FbZqNJNNlujUWoLKT55rfFSfbAyzf3spsJYXhzPEBhCDv6Xy_f2ZafS5rHQz67fG0UDNe15-ug_qKciHuP-B8f/s640/Slide1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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My husband covered the headrail with the blind fabric, attached the screw eyes for the strings as well as the pulley along the right side. We stapled the blind top to the headrail. I then marked the placement of the screw eyes and pulley and attached the rings to the alternating dowels in the corresponding places. I proceeded to string the blind by tying a knot after the bottom ring and then pulling the string through each ring, up through the corresponding eye screw and then into the pulley. <br />
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After making the blind, I realized that roman blinds are not as complicated as I had originally thought. They came together nicely and are definitely a HUGE improvement over the horizontal blinds that they replaced. <br />
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Upon hanging the blind, we realized that by deciding to put the pockets onto the back of the thermal blocker my measurements were off. Therefore the blind doesn't pull up as high as I wanted it to and there is a bit extra hanging down below the blind. These are definitely things that I will need to take into account for the next set of blinds that I make.<br />
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Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01845181414786368740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9075872820710724307.post-14170507842409413262012-09-27T21:08:00.000-07:002012-11-04T21:14:43.527-08:00Library Book Bag<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">A while back I decided to make a bag that my daughter could take with her to the library. This bag would need to hold the books that we would take home as well as a place for her library card. I had previously used this </span><a href="http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/2011/06/summer-sewing-summer-reading-library-book-bag-by-mo-bedell/" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;" target="_blank">pattern</a><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"> to make a similar bag for my daughter's friend. I used this pattern again to make the bag for my daughter but rather then put an apple applique on the front, I used various fabrics to write "Books". The letters were made using interfacing and were stitched onto the front pocket using a blanket stitch on my sewing machine. I used an accenting colour to each letter for the thread. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNywx5o8aPCRtsQoSEamQT9K8iONG1CjeRElSpks_CVPic1I18BP8ju9JDv_Q_vo9kbZml3qyJjFKSJwrS36bnhQ5FGeyMQ4k_B_DEgiCJq68NUAxguACIrtji_wQ8N4exRZbGdbQ3Grk/s1600/IMG_3388.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNywx5o8aPCRtsQoSEamQT9K8iONG1CjeRElSpks_CVPic1I18BP8ju9JDv_Q_vo9kbZml3qyJjFKSJwrS36bnhQ5FGeyMQ4k_B_DEgiCJq68NUAxguACIrtji_wQ8N4exRZbGdbQ3Grk/s640/IMG_3388.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The fabric that I chose for the letters is from various children's classics. The Lorax, Winnie the Pooh, Richard Scarey, Berenstain Bears and Arthur. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJY7asYWMi5zI4yzXtYH551a5nBnzR7VVd42kj9MU6qVgvPwYP3eS1feAFE2CI3QA6KiZmt4lEmS7TF0MfWFzQpVPx0slUmHI9sEmTKj2e1WRyi1hF_7Sc4uHD7AqGPA6qg_2w2ftKa_tI/s1600/IMG_3390.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJY7asYWMi5zI4yzXtYH551a5nBnzR7VVd42kj9MU6qVgvPwYP3eS1feAFE2CI3QA6KiZmt4lEmS7TF0MfWFzQpVPx0slUmHI9sEmTKj2e1WRyi1hF_7Sc4uHD7AqGPA6qg_2w2ftKa_tI/s640/IMG_3390.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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On the strap, similar to the <a href="http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/2011/06/summer-sewing-summer-reading-library-book-bag-by-mo-bedell/" target="_blank">Mo Bedell pattern</a>, I included a small pocket, with an elastic closure to hold her library card. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ROUBMIt9vTvF242bG_t5x9YAL6wYN5KNFPEge6qj8DAQDE6Vj6U8YUaRCm0mPsbgTIryBMe1XXWSqO4QOFZY8M028IlKCIrX24Yv3P5jlSt8R5DIFvCCBccJZ6tMUOJZ_ogCTzFltwJb/s1600/IMG_3387.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ROUBMIt9vTvF242bG_t5x9YAL6wYN5KNFPEge6qj8DAQDE6Vj6U8YUaRCm0mPsbgTIryBMe1XXWSqO4QOFZY8M028IlKCIrX24Yv3P5jlSt8R5DIFvCCBccJZ6tMUOJZ_ogCTzFltwJb/s640/IMG_3387.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Overall, I was really happy how this bag turned out. The canvas exterior makes it sturdy enough to fill with books. The pattern is really easy to follow, and the bag looks really good when it's finished. I love how polished the french seams are inside the bag. The lining of the front pocket allows you to put any applique that you want.</div>
<br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01845181414786368740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9075872820710724307.post-81868001139355245182012-09-26T20:22:00.001-07:002012-11-04T21:15:28.039-08:00Birthday Owls and Swim BagsBack in May, my daughter turned four and for her birthday party we had a slumber party with two of her best friends. The theme of the party was a Night Owl party as I figured that none of the kids were going to get any sleep (I also loved this idea from <a href="http://snowybliss.blogspot.ca/2011/02/night-owl-party.html" target="_blank">SnowyBliss)</a>! The girls ending having a great time, they decorated cupcakes, painted and slept in a tent in our living room.<br />
To go with the theme of the party, I made a few favours for the girls. One of the things that I loved from the SnowyBliss party was the <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/69453030/hooo-ray-owl-pattern" target="_blank">owl stuffy</a>. I decided to buy the pattern and make each girl their own owl, which would hopefully help them to feel comfortable enough to sleep in a strange house! I made all of the owls the same, giving them each a frilly skirt and altering the colours just a bit between all three. I ended up using fleece to make the owls as I figured it may be necessary to wash them at some point and in my opinion fleece is just a bit more cuddly then felt. I also ended up using my machine to blanket stitch around the eyes and stomach. I figured it would save me tons of time. Below is a photo of my daughter's little owl. <br />
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At the end of the party, I gave each little girl a treat bag. I ended up making little bags that I filled with a few things that the girls would enjoy. The bags themselves are simple with a quilting cotton on the exterior, the lining is waterproof. All of the girls have done swimming lessons together and I figured these bags could be used to put their wet bathing suits into after going to the pool. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSkiu673rEHHy0pKZnh-W0Bc6ZkAge2tNurWgkk5r7lI__z2lqS7vmWW63bE79kAdujk72i2i_ZMAmZGbn2FZ5N4Ohbv2zK5eVxC1TABKOZrRRfHOlzxIXbGGVibGKUteaKx3kbzcmy81Z/s1600/IMG_3376.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSkiu673rEHHy0pKZnh-W0Bc6ZkAge2tNurWgkk5r7lI__z2lqS7vmWW63bE79kAdujk72i2i_ZMAmZGbn2FZ5N4Ohbv2zK5eVxC1TABKOZrRRfHOlzxIXbGGVibGKUteaKx3kbzcmy81Z/s640/IMG_3376.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here you can see the inner lining of the bag that is waterproof.</div>
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<br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01845181414786368740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9075872820710724307.post-62769460656390974362012-09-06T21:23:00.001-07:002012-11-04T20:22:52.956-08:00Sleep Sack<br />
My second little one is quite the kicker, while she sleeps. Ever since she was born she kicks her blankets off as soon as you lie her down and they somehow manage to get from her feet up to her head. A good friend of mine, made her a lovely sleep sack, it was lined with minke, making it so cozy. This was the perfect gift for my little kicker!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEignW-v01G8UfAycfGEPkP3xJsD2n2DNzX657hp44Mq23488xwxhifsBYcQGFqC4bj25stIAny-wY1IrpqMKDIPPKkI-GUg7fz9QGEnADgupak9Jr_sC82-Mgy1szVcS6imQqNmh7xdFVE/s1600/image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEignW-v01G8UfAycfGEPkP3xJsD2n2DNzX657hp44Mq23488xwxhifsBYcQGFqC4bj25stIAny-wY1IrpqMKDIPPKkI-GUg7fz9QGEnADgupak9Jr_sC82-Mgy1szVcS6imQqNmh7xdFVE/s640/image.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
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I've since tried to make 2 sleep sacks of my own. The first one has snaps on the shoulders and a zipper that goes along the bottom and up one side, much like the style of the gift sleep sack. I was trying to make this sleep sack larger then the original gift and I wasn't thrilled with the way it turned out. I found it difficult to get the shoulder snaps to match just perfectly and I feel like I made them a bit too wide in the end.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimnl1NsXdUWzznuSmX0hVlMewwJ7nh13aRz6qeaQ7kTEJeVcmKhNsga30SHCHuptxW2xSs5XoOFSYgOptx_UHjmazA8L_H7N_7fGj78CSQehqX0Mp5VVxiupeVRsNDl4ynvpR1PqUSIef3/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimnl1NsXdUWzznuSmX0hVlMewwJ7nh13aRz6qeaQ7kTEJeVcmKhNsga30SHCHuptxW2xSs5XoOFSYgOptx_UHjmazA8L_H7N_7fGj78CSQehqX0Mp5VVxiupeVRsNDl4ynvpR1PqUSIef3/s640/photo.JPG" width="478" /></a></div>
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The second sleep sack that I made was for my newborn niece. For this one, I used a store-bought sleep sack (from Babies R'Us) as the prototype. I decided to try to have the zipper come up the middle.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPueoNtTdOE8AodKFU2-Xo2ls4QQBmkofsjF7p13OzaiPC39wpgiC7T3x6oQLbyh6VEAZLggdMyaKS_dm4s30PBgndyvxTDFXnFDSFz9XRLdjTBkanLvgMDzvpPcgfFgsD-vO68aiYsISx/s1600/IMG_2429.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPueoNtTdOE8AodKFU2-Xo2ls4QQBmkofsjF7p13OzaiPC39wpgiC7T3x6oQLbyh6VEAZLggdMyaKS_dm4s30PBgndyvxTDFXnFDSFz9XRLdjTBkanLvgMDzvpPcgfFgsD-vO68aiYsISx/s640/IMG_2429.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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This one was much easier to put together, the only tricky part was completing the zipper at the bottom. I had chosen a separable zipper (which I had never sewn before) and I made the zipper zip up towards the neck so that the opening of the sleep sack would be wide enough to fit the baby in. After a bit of fiddling I managed to get this to work and it looked pretty good, unfortunately I didn't take a photo up close.</div>
<br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01845181414786368740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9075872820710724307.post-88143789515193021282012-09-04T21:36:00.000-07:002012-11-04T21:15:55.002-08:00Snack sacks<div style="text-align: left;">
My little family is heading out on an adventure this coming weekend. We are flying to Toronto to visit with family. It will likely be a busy few weeks but we are all looking forward to it. I thought that it would make things easier if we had a few reusable bags for snacks, this would help cut down on Ziploc bags and also save space because I wouldn't need to carry Tupperware everywhere.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitJnQ82WLH8JycOYzNGFEjphyvsb2pGD31U_GczvXaC-nS94i_TNzR6jirPWbwlnYyN1sNYjoyhCpes-pExR1UFFTWvS0ZoyKN4zn1EpoXjJ62NY2v0vs5yZjtEj3Jhp_lWTdyuq2Kayls/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitJnQ82WLH8JycOYzNGFEjphyvsb2pGD31U_GczvXaC-nS94i_TNzR6jirPWbwlnYyN1sNYjoyhCpes-pExR1UFFTWvS0ZoyKN4zn1EpoXjJ62NY2v0vs5yZjtEj3Jhp_lWTdyuq2Kayls/s640/photo.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I used some quilting cotton scraps that I had on hand, some nylon for the lining and 7" zippers. I figured the lining would keep the bags semi-waterproof, but would also allow for the bags to be washable. My eldest daughter helped to choose the zipper colors, they weren't what I would have chosen but in the end I think they look pretty good. Perhaps next time I will add a little tab on the end of the bag to make it easier for little hands to open. Overall, these little bags were really quick to whip up and they should come in handy for our little vacation!</div>
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Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01845181414786368740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9075872820710724307.post-19427556028535464082012-09-03T13:28:00.001-07:002012-11-04T21:16:23.357-08:00Tea and Crumpets ApronI have a friend who is just one of those women who in my eyes, does everything beautifully in the kitchen! It was her birthday (a million months ago) and I wanted to make her an apron that would be fancy and frilly! So, I did some internet research and chose the <a href="http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=23575830&catId=HOME-KITCHEN-APRONS&pushId=HOME-KITCHEN-APRONS&popId=HOME-KITCHEN&navCount=6&color=040&isProduct=true&fromCategoryPage=true&templateType=D" target="_blank">Anthropologie Tea and Crumpets Apron</a>. I was delighted to discover that there were others who had tried their hand at making this <a href="http://modestmaven.blogspot.ca/2012/01/tea-and-crumpets-apron.html" target="_blank">apron</a>, and I even found a free <a href="http://www.sewinginnomansland.com/2010/12/20/eighth-day-of-christmas-8-maids-a-milking-aprons/" target="_blank">pattern</a> that was available. <br />
I used the pattern and other blogs as suggestions for my own apron design. I decided to go with a darker colour as my aprons are usually covered in food whenever I cook! I chose a Kona black for the main body of the apron. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Acvnv7YDH5OkuHrzAuuiSv3mx7_grL6zyblz7pAqtqJPAia_yNdiEb-iK0sIRtSUN0kJiclexH6dLtGDYFyCwLvIh21i7n-0xFJOy6QB8WrXp5_4WJgVTdVNpHZkdLOx4O3kiAjh_lR_/s1600/IMG_2977.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Acvnv7YDH5OkuHrzAuuiSv3mx7_grL6zyblz7pAqtqJPAia_yNdiEb-iK0sIRtSUN0kJiclexH6dLtGDYFyCwLvIh21i7n-0xFJOy6QB8WrXp5_4WJgVTdVNpHZkdLOx4O3kiAjh_lR_/s640/IMG_2977.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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I loved the ruffling everywhere it makes it so pretty and dainty looking. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiE1zGO4cTB3bOJ_77eFSRV3tm_AwYb7j_XOeGjTVhdiT0Y4YKme-NcOGK8bwPlfJ14dtyNC7pi-QZ-CAvLrpZYgt1xaCYo5Eqq7Ra7ltVFgLHmzEvBglR2np_UIQ9JohnFWONtUskTGFx/s1600/IMG_2973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiE1zGO4cTB3bOJ_77eFSRV3tm_AwYb7j_XOeGjTVhdiT0Y4YKme-NcOGK8bwPlfJ14dtyNC7pi-QZ-CAvLrpZYgt1xaCYo5Eqq7Ra7ltVFgLHmzEvBglR2np_UIQ9JohnFWONtUskTGFx/s640/IMG_2973.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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After making this apron, I realized that there were a few things I would change...</div>
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For the neck strap, I only used one continuous piece of fabric, these means that it isn't adjustable. While I thought that would be ok, it would actually be nice to adjust that piece to make it tighter or looser. Perhaps a clip of some sort would be good?</div>
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The original apron is quite gathered in the skirt part, I was intending on doing this as well but ended up getting swept up in the sewing and forgot all about it. My next apron will take that into account. </div>
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I really love the way the white piping around the waistband looks. This part was super finicky and it was really hard to get it so that just the right amount of white material was showing. I had to play around a lot with the waistband, in the end I was happy with the way it looked, but I used my seam ripper A LOT! Overall, I was pretty happy with the way the apron turned out. I would likely do it again but be sure to include those minor adjustments.</div>
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<br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01845181414786368740noreply@blogger.com0