Refugee Crafter

iPad Case for Dado

2011-10-11T19:52:00.000-07:00

Why is it that men are so hard to craft/sew for? Other than the occasional mending job and the annual Halloween costume, Will gets nothing from all my crafty endeavors...except a hefty bill. Sorry Honey. Recently, however, I ran across a great tutorial for something I knew Will could use. An iPad case: The tutorial I used was actually for a laptop sleeve, but it could be easily adapted for any

Heads up!

2011-09-15T13:36:00.000-07:00

So uh, this isn't a very substantial project, but I wanted to share it anyway. Now that I know I'm having another girl, I've allowed myself to be taken over by the "pink side" and recently made this little girly headband. It's nice knowing that these things will be well-used by both my girls. It makes me feel so much better about spending so much time and resources creating. Not that I was about

Still Stitchin'

2011-09-09T21:28:00.000-07:00

Even though I periodically disappear from the blog-o-sphere, I rarely stop creating for more than a few days at a time. The things I create are not always substantial and not always documented, but I've usually got something in the works. I have quite a few things in the works at the same time usually...a few too many right now. Half-finished projects are hiding all over my house. I'm just never

Guess What?

2011-08-01T21:05:00.000-07:00

Being that we find out the gender of this baby in two days, I should probably officially announce that: Baby number three is due in December!

Rae Shirt Pattern and Thank you.

2011-04-26T12:48:00.000-07:00

Before I begin, I just want to say: Thank you. Thank you to all you bloggers and blog readers out there. I feel so goofy as I write this, but I really mean it. If it weren't for you all, I wouldn't have started sewing so avidly again. I wouldn't be constantly inspired. (I wouldn't have a "to make" list a mile long. :) I wouldn't have your lovely comments cheering me on. Thank you. Every once

Kasia Skirt

2011-04-04T21:39:00.000-07:00

I do sew for myself every once in a while. When I saw this FREE pattern on Burda Style, I decided "once in a while" started now. The fit of the pattern was spot on, and the directions were fairly easy to follow. I squeezed it out of just over a yard of stretch gray denim from "The Stash." (Something that takes up so much space in my house ought to be capitalized.) The only change I made was

Military Shirt

2011-03-26T20:22:00.000-07:00

I finally sat down and finished the shirt I started for the Boy Challenge at Project Toddler Runway with Shwin and Shwin. Funny, it's been sitting in my "to finish" box for over a month just needing sleeves sewn on and a few buttons, most of which I completed while the kids ate breakfast. For the love of procrastination! Argh. Ah well. It's done now, and I am so pleased! (So is Liam!) I

Another Belt

2011-03-17T16:36:00.000-07:00

Lots of crafting, not so much of the doing the hair and all, so...here's another dummy picture of another accessory. This bow belt was made using the fabulous tutorial by Tilly. The only thing I did differently (to save a bit of time) was to use quilt binding. It was just the right width and already pressed. I'm most proud of the cost of this outfit. I got the shirt off the clearance rack at

What I Should Be Wearing...

2011-03-17T16:19:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you've seen many of the "What I'm Wearing" posts. Well, this is a "What I could be wearing, if I'd bothered to shower, put on make-up, and do my hair" post. So...you get to see my recent creation on my dressmaker's dummy. Just a simple ribbon belt to dress up an outfit: I just sewed a pant hook to a grosgrain ribbon, and made a couple of flowers to clip on. Simple. I didn't use a

Most Intense Christmas Gift EVER

2011-02-21T16:38:00.000-08:00

I don't know how she did it, but somehow my sister weaseled me into painting a portrait of her as a child this Christmas. In actuality, she commissioned me to paint it as a Christmas gift to herself, but how she got me to agree, I'll never know. Man, she's good. I think she must have asked me just after Halloween before the holiday rush when I was feeling all ambitious...and naive. (Don't

Jean Challenge

2011-02-20T20:54:00.000-08:00

I'm still working my way through the Shwin and Shwin Project Toddler Runway challenges. I've had so much fun playing along! Here is my look inspired by the jean challenge. (Don't worry, I haven't skipped the boys challenge. I'm halfway through but have had a few unexpected delays. If all goes well, it could be my favorite.) Just a little jumper made out of chambray and photographed on a poster

Celebrate the Boy!

2011-02-13T20:06:00.000-08:00

I've been waiting for this all year! "Celebrate the Boy" with Made by Rae and Dana Made It starts this week! Yay! In anticipation for the beginning of this momentous occasion, here are a few shots of a couple of shirts I made for Liam this Christmas. See, I do make things for my little guy sometimes. Not just cloth napkins. I even got a thumbs up. Liam is very into Star Wars, especially

Sequins

2011-02-07T22:44:00.000-08:00

Here's my next installment inspired by the Project Toddler Runway challenges. This one was for the Sequins, Feathers, and Fur, Oh My! challenge. (If there is a big enough response, I'll make a tutorial for the skirt.) So, uh, where are the sequins? Well, I totally would have been voted off the show for not adhering to the theme. This outfit was just one of those outfits that just kept

Christmas Camera Strap

2011-02-03T10:23:00.000-08:00

We now interrupt our regularly scheduled sewing with...more sewing. I still have a couple of Christmas projects I never posted. Seems like I'm always playing catch-up.Here's the camera strap cover I made for my sister-in-law. I followed this tutorial pretty closely but added ruffles and a lens cap pocket. The back side was done with a crushed-velvet-like knit for comfort. Oh, and I padded it a

Pink Peekaboo Pleats

2011-01-24T11:07:00.000-08:00

I'm still following Project Toddler Runway with Shwin and Shwin, and I'm still loving it. I'm behind as usual, but still plugging along. I'm still not sure if I'll do every challenge, but I'd like to try. The challenge a couple of weeks ago was to make an outfit based on an accessory. Here's the outfit I came up with:I was inspired by these shoes below from Crazy 8. They're ridiculous, I know,

Project Toddler Runway? I'm there.

2011-01-13T10:22:00.000-08:00

I've been following (and loving) Project Toddler Runway with Shwin and Shwin and thought I'd join in on the fun. (Well, join in on the fun with my own deadlines. I don't sew well under pressure. I get all tense with a severe case of sewist block.) The first week was a "Shirt Off Your Back" theme. I've never been very good at refashioning, but I thought I'd give it a try. I've been working on a

More Scaves for Christmas

2011-01-13T10:11:00.000-08:00

What can I say? I love this scarf and this pattern. By this point, I've made four of them which is really saying something. I kind of have pattern ADD and rarely make same pattern more than once. (This one went to my mother-in-law.)This one also went to my mother-in-law. I just did a rolled hem around the edge. Simple, but word to the wise use a stabilizer on such fine fabric. Took me three

Christmas Mittens

2011-01-13T10:09:00.000-08:00

My mom asked me for a set of these a year ago...better late than never? At least by now she'd forgotten all about it, and now they were a surprise!I used this free pattern on Ravelry, and they worked up more quickly than I expected. Yay!I liked the pattern overall, but I added five or six rows to the thumbs. Maybe I have unusually long digits (doubtful), but the thumbs as directed by the pattern

Peasant Shirt Revisited

2010-12-13T21:20:00.001-08:00

I made this one back in September, but it didn't really fit then. Now it's almost too small. Glad to know she's growing.It's another peasant shirt like the one I made here. This time I just put the bias tape on the outside.The fabric was a gift from my mother-in-law given quite some time ago. It's this lovely little cherry print. I've got a thing for cherries. However, the fabric was a

I've Got Nothin'

2010-12-13T21:04:00.000-08:00

It's that wonderful time of year where I can't post about half of my projects. It makes me a little giddy! I'm sure many of you are in the same boat.That said, here's a glimpse from the half I can blog about. After all, Liam can't read much, and I doubt he's got my blog on his blog roll anyway. Then, there's the fact that I sewed these in front of him with a surprising lack of questions asked. (

New Old Sweater

2010-11-27T14:37:00.000-08:00

Have you been following "Embellish Knit Month" at Grosgrain? Me too! Have you been completely and totally inspired? Me too!I finally took this old sweater below and made it into something I LOVE.This sweater never fit very well, but it was a great color. Seeing Kathleen resize and redo so many sweaters finally gave me the courage to try it myself. (I've been a little hesitant, because, well,

Tossin' Cookies

2010-11-16T22:27:00.001-08:00

I know, I know. What happened to Halloween? I still need to upload a few Halloween pictures from my camera. I, uh, got distracted. Story of my life.Lately, I've been distracted with preparing a small presentation on giving and wrapping holiday treats for my women's group.Here are a few cute ways to dress up those goodies. I'll start with this one complete with a video tutorial:Do you have any

Halloween Sewdown Linky

2010-10-25T19:53:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for joining me this week. Although it has been productive (and fun), a week just wasn't enough. The kids costumes are done, but I still have Will's and half of mine to finish. I'm hoping some of the rest of you are still sewing it up too. Misery loves company. (Well, not misery exactly, I like sewing, I just don't like sewing with a deadline. Alas, farewell to my Project Runway

Jedi, Jedi, Sith

2010-10-25T16:43:00.001-07:00

I finally finished Liam's costume, and boy, is he thrilled!We're talking jump out of your boot tops thrilled.You know he thinks he's the stuff from that smirk on his face.But if that's a smirk, I'm not sure what to call this expression. I think "fierce" might fit it...in all senses of the word, Tyra Banks included.Perfect for all those Jedi battles. Our home is a warzone. "Duck, duck, goose"

Literally Halloween

2010-10-23T23:04:00.001-07:00

Okay, so this is really just as much of a filler post as it is a documentation of great costume ideas. I realize with just one week left you probably *hopefully* know what your children are going to be for Halloween. However, if you're like me and start thinking of next years costumes as you pack away the pumpkins, you'll be getting a head start.Here are a few literary based costumes (click on