Elemental Stitches

Winner!!

The winner is Tanya!  Yea!  Brae said she liked your blouse the best because it looked like My Meeba's dandelions.  She tells me that Meeba's is a game and they have glowing dot dandelions that she likes.  She likes the pink too.

I happen to love this one too.  I adore the fabric and the doily collar is adorable!  The little seed beads you added are the perfect touch for the collar and I LOVE that you used blueberry juice to dye the bias binding.  I tried that a while ago with cherry juice and loved the results.

Please check out Tanya's blog Washington State Apples to read about her project and see more great pictures.  Tanya I will be contacting you for your contact info tomorrow!

Thank you all again for making this so fun!

Happy Easter

I hope everyone is enjoying themselves this morning!  I wanted to have your winner announcement ready for you, but you are going to have to wait until tomorrow. 

Other then being busy with festivities, I have been having trouble deciding how to pick a winner.  I finally decided that the best way is to have my daughter do it!  She loves trying on clothes and loves drawing dresses for herself, plus these are little girl clothes.  She would make the perfect judge.  So today we are going to sit down and look at the pictures and I am going to have her pick her favorite.  Then I will announce the winner!

I also want to say thank you for joining me in this sew a long.  It means a lot that you have participated.  We are going to be awesome little sewers when this is over.  Thank you!

Carefree Clothes Sew Along Month 2 Project

Hi Everyone!  I am so excited to do this next project!  I am going to announce the winner of last month project tomorrow to give everyone who completed enough time to submit their link.  If you haven't submitted you link for march you can do it here.

We are moving into April and its getting warmer bit by bit.  Our little girls are going to need some new summer dresses for frolicking through Spring's wildflowers.  This month choose either the 

Dress with a Lace Doily

Or

the White Cotton & Flower Print Sundress

As the optional project we have the Black Linen Hat.  So adorable!  And who says it has to be black?  How about a white linen hat or a flower print hat to match your dress for this month?

REMEMBER

- You must make some sort of additional embellishment on your creation!  Add embroidery, tie dye, fabric printing, applique, quilting, patchwork, beads or something else that makes it truly unique.  Don't be afraid to change the pattern too!  Leave off the sleeves, make it longer or shorter, add another tier on the skirt, anything!

- to blog about your project AND/OR post photos in the flickr group.  If you blog add a button or a link to this post so your readers know how to join in.

- to leave me a link to your project in the comments section of this post so I can enter you into the contest for the month.

And the prize for this month is...

This book was just released recently and I cant wait to get it myself.  I love her other books and I am looking forward to making my own dresses this summer.  Happy Sewing!

Carefree Clothes for Girls Blouse - Sew Along Month 1

Month One is over and I just finished my shirt in the nick of time.  I was stuck on how to finish it.  I decided that the frayed bottom did not look very good with the linen I chose.  The linen was too formal for frayed edges. 

With that decision made, I hemmed the bottom and left off the frayed sleeves.  I didn't have a doily on hand so I embroidered a collar around the neckline.

This pattern was a breeze to sew.  If I used store bought bias binding I could whip one of these out in under an hour!

I wish I had a chance to do the pants for this month's optional pattern, but they will have to wait a bit.

I will have the next pattern ready to announce tomorrow  along with this month's winner!

Blouse Progress

I started on the blouse for Project 1 of the Sew Along.  I love the pattern.  It is so simple to sew.  I didn't screw it up once!

I have most of the pattern finished.  All I have left to do is the sleeves, decide on the embroidery and decide whether to leave the bottom to fray as the pattern says or not.  I thought about adding a ruffle at the bottom instead, but I don't think I have enough fabric left over.  The fabric I am using is an extra large men's linen shirt I bought at a thrift store.  I love those thrift store finds.  I got enough high quality black linen for a shirt and maybe that linen hat in the Carefree Clothes book.  Brae tried on her shirt and it fits perfectly.  I love the cut and the drape.  So far so good!  I'll have more photos up later this week.

If you want to join in the sew a long for Carefree Clothes for Girls check out this post!

Carefree Clothes for Girls Pattern for Month 1

I am so excited to start this sew a long.  It is a lot more fun and motivating to sew projects with other people! 

This month's patterns are:

Main pattern: Blouse with Doily Trim

Optional Pattern:  Pants with Lace Trim

Remember to change up your project a bit.  You must add some sort of embellishment that is not in the original pattern!  For this pattern you could use something other then a doily, make your own knitted trim, leave the trim off and embroider a border, use patchwork, applique or fabric printing to decorate the fabric.  Anything!  Use your creativity!  That is what I love most about this book.  It leaves so much room for creativity and alteration! 

Don't forget to read the rules and join the flickr group.

Also, don't forget to post a direct link to your flickr project photo or blog post in the comments section of this post so you are entered to win this month's contest!

This month's prize:

This book is the prize for the best project this month!  It has some great reviews!  I cant wait to see your projects! 

Carefree Clothes for Girls Sew Along Begins March 1st!

I am so excited to start this Sew A Long!  We are going to start March 1st to give everyone time to order their books.  If you want to help me out you can buy your copy through my Amazon Bookshop.  Starting in March should give you plenty of time to get your books!

You could also try finding it at your library, but its a new book so they may not have it yet.  Or if you can buy an extra to donate to your local library so other crafter's in your area have this great resource!

Rules and Guidelines

-I will announce the patterns on or around the 1st of every month.  We will have two patterns for most months.  One is the main pattern for that month and the other is an optional smaller project from the book for those with extra time and energy!  Some months that have a difficult or time consuming project only have the one.

-You need to join the Carefree Clothes for Girls Sew A Long Group on Flickr.

-You must make some sort of additional embellishment on your creation!  Add embroidery, tie dye, fabric printing, applique, quilting, patchwork, beads or something else that makes it truly unique.

-When you finish take some pictures and post them to your blog or flickr page.  Be sure to tell us about what you did and how you embellished the pattern.  Be sure to link back to this post and include one of these buttons somewhere in your blog post (and elsewhere on your blog too!).

                 

 

-Submit your photos to the flickr group Carefree Clothes For Girls Sew Along.  Give them the tag "CarefreeClothesSewAlong" and add a link to your blog post in the photo description so we know where to find more about your project.

-IMPORTANT!  Submit a link in the comments section of the pattern post for that month's pattern so you are entered in the contest for that month.  If you don't post your link you will not be entered in the contest.   

Well, that's it!  I will announce the project for March soon so you can have a little extra time for the first project. 

Have a fabulous weekend!

Carefree Clothes for Girls Sew Along

I need a big craft project.  I have been taking a break from big projects since I left school and now I am itching to start something new. 

I recently got Carefree Clothes for Girls for Christmas and I was wondering if anyone was interested in a sew a long.  The whole book, one project a month for 12 months.  Its not too crazy!  At the end of this we will have great skills and a wardrobe of keepsake clothing for our daughters.

I love the patterns in the book.  They are simple for a beginning clothing maker like myself and perfect for embellishing. 

Actually they are so perfect for elaborating upon that I think that should be part of the challenge. 

We have to use another type of art, other then sewing, to make each pattern unique.  Something like embroidery, fabric painting, block printing, applique or whatever inspires you!

I am one of those people who love to try all different types of arts and crafts, but I am not often able to combine them.  This should get our creative juices flowing!

I realize that there are actually 20 patterns in the book not 12.  The other 8 patterns are smaller items like hats and scarves.  I will include one of these patterns for each month as an optional challenge.  

Plus I am going to have a prize for the group's favorite project of each month.

If you are interested leave a comment below and let me know if you are in!

Scrappy Earthworm - A Free Sewing Tutorial

  

I read about the Sew, Mama, Sew contest at the beginning of this month and realized that I actually had time to participate!  I have been working on my little Earthworm off and on all week and I finally have everything finished!

So here it goes! 

I like my projects to be very free form and very easy to do without a pattern.  So feel free to experiment and create to your hearts desire!

Scrappy Earthworm Tutorial

1.  Gather up your scraps that are at least 7 inches long and 1.5 inches wide.  I have lots of small amounts of fabric in little piles all over so I used those. 

2.  Cut the fabric into 7 inch long strips.  The width can vary between 1.5 inches and 3 inches.  I used several different widths, but you could use all the same width too.

3.  After all your strips are cut out decide on your pattern.  Sew the strips together with a 1/4 inch seam allowance until you have a long rectangle of sewn strips.  Make it as long or short as you like.  Remember I said free form!

4.  Iron your seams flat on the back and fold the rectangle in half lengthwise, right sides facing each other.

5.  Cut a rounded head shape and a pointy tail.  No need for a pattern or a ruler here.  Just wing it.  If you really need help use a small bowl as a guide for the head.

6.  Sew along the cut edge leaving a 2-3 inch opening a few inches below the head.

7.  Turn worm right side out and stuff his head until its filled out.  Mark the position for his eyes.  Embroidery his face or use buttons, this is where you get to use your creativity!

8.  I went for simple with just his cute ivory buttons as eyes and pink thread for his pupils.  I love his pointy nose!

9.  Continue stuffing your worm until he is the firmness you want.

10.  Sew up the stuffing hole with an invisible stitch and enjoy your worm!

Need some ideas to get you started?

1.  Make a snake instead of a worm by adding a red felt tongue.

2.  Fill him with beans or rice for a great draft stopper for windows and doors.

3.  Make a shorter worm and fill it with rice as a Hot Rice pack for your neck and shoulders (leave off the buttons for this one).

4.  Use solid colors and after you sew the strips into a rectangle embroider a different pattern onto each strip.  Make him a long adorable embroidery sampler!

Hope you enjoyed this free pattern!  Have Fun!

Alice in Wonderland Costume Contest

I know I promised an embroidery update (working on it!), but I had to show you all this costume.  Kathleen from Grosgrain sews amazing clothing and costumes which she posts as giveaways on her blog.  I fell in love with her Marie Antoinette costume and subscribed to her blog.  Now I see this amazing inspiration.

 

Check out her blog and enter to win these dresses!