sew-sew

Simplicity 2188 Sew-Along - part 3

2012-01-28T17:46:00.000-05:00

It's time for part 3! In this entry we're going to tackle the pleats and stay stitching.

Pleats
They may seem scary and confusing, but they're really not. It's just a matter or bringing the lines you've marked together and stitching them. We'll start with the center pleat first.
Locate the 2 lines you made in the very center of piece number 1.

To bring the 2 lines together, you want to sort of fold the fabric in half. Match up the two lines, and pin them together, like this:

Here's what it looks like when you unfold your fabric with the pins still in, just for a visual reference:

Stitch right on the line, remembering to backstitch at the beginning and end:

I decided to use contrasting thread for my top in order to make it more visible. I didn't realize it so closely matched the pink chalk lines, so I hope you can see it. A quick word about backstitching; don't go crazy with it. One or two stitches at each end is sufficient.

Unfold your fabric, and you'll have this:

As it says in the instructions, press this pleat flat, bringing the stitching to the center:

You've done it! You've just made your first pleat! Take a look at the right side of the fabric, and it should look like this:

The rest of the pleats will be made in pretty much the same manner, only you'll press them away from the center pleat. Pin your next pleat the same way you did the first one, bringing the lines together:

Stitch on the line, backstitching at both ends, and then press this pleat away from the center pleat:

You've made 2 whole pleats! You're on a roll. Flip the fabric to the right side, and give it another good press.

Finish sewing the rest of your pleats. When you're done, it should look something like this on the wrong side of the fabric:

And like this on the right side:

Remember to press as you go. As you tackle more projects, you'll make better and better friends with your iron. I like to think of my iron as the sidekick to my sewing machine.

Next, our instructions tell us to baste along the upper edge of the pleats. This is just to hold them in place in the correct direction Confession; I don't always do this. I didn't on the first top that I made. If you have pressed your pleats really well and are careful when you sew the neckline, you may not need the basting. I did it this time to show an example. Set the stitch length on your machine to the longest one, and stitch across the pleats, close to the raw edge of your fabric. I lined my presser foot up with the raw edge.

We are officially DONE with the pleats! Truthfully, this is probably the most difficult part of the whole project. That wasn't so bad, was it?

Stay Stitching

What is this step, and why do we need it? Stay stitching prevents curved areas (the neckline, on this garment) from stretching out of shape before we sew the neck facing on. If you look at the diagram in your instructions, you'll notice two curved arrows that point to the center of the neckline.

This is to indicate which direction to sew in. Starting from the shoulder, stitch to the center of piece number 1, and stop.

I like to stitch 1/2" from the raw edge. Seam allowances (which we'll get into more in the next steps) on patterns from most companies are 5/8", unless otherwise stated in the directions. Placing the stay stitching 1/2" from the raw edge will ensure that it won't be visible from the outside when the garment is finished.

Do the same thing starting at the opposite shoulder, and stopping in the center.

Once you've finished the stay stitching on piece 1(the front of your top), do the same thing for piece number 2 (the back of your top).

And that's that! In the next post, we're going to be working on the side and shoulder seams, and the neck facing. Thanks for sticking with me!

Simplicity 2188 Sew-Along - part 2

2012-01-25T22:51:00.000-05:00

Ok folks. On to part 2! In this installment, we'll cover cutting and marking. Warning: photo heavy post ahead.

Cutting out your pattern
Dig the first page of instructions out of your pattern envelope, and find the pattern layout for the blouse (view A, it's in the lower left corner).

This will tell you which pattern pieces to use (in this case, pieces 1, 2, 3, and 4). Pull out the giangantor pieces of tissue paper and locate the correct pieces in your size. Some sewists like to trace the pieces onto newsprint rather than cutting the pattern itself. I usually just cut the pattern unless I plan to re-use it quite a lot. If you do choose to trace, remember to include all of your grain lines and markings. Oh! And don't use your fabric scissors for cutting paper. It dulls them faster.

After I cut my pattern pieces, I like to press them with a warm iron on a low setting (no steam) to take out some of the creases and make them lay more flat.

Laying out your pattern pieces
Locate the correct cutting layout for your size. I don't always use the exact layout that's been provided with the pattern, but it's always a good place to start. For this project, you will fold your fabric right side out, selvage edges together. Selvages are the finished, non-fraying edges of the fabric.

Now we're ready to pin our pattern pieces to the fabric! All four of the pieces for this project will be cut on out on the fold. How do we know? Grain lines!

Each pattern piece is printed with a grain line. As stated above, a straight arrow means you place the pattern piece parallel to the selvage edge. An arrow that is pointed downward at the ends means you place the pattern piece on the fold of your fabric.

If you look at the cutting layout, you'll notice that pattern piece number 2 is gray. That means you need to pin the piece printed side down, like so:

Continue to lay your pieces on the fabric, pinning as you go. I like to pin on the fold first and work my way outward on each piece. I ended up straying from the cutting layout slightly, as I was able to fit the neck facing pieces on the fabric with the main pieces.

Before we start to cut, notice the little triangle shapes on some of the edges of each pattern piece. These are called notches, and will help you match the pieces in the correct places when you sew. Here's where I get to share one of my favorite sewing tips! When I starting sewing with patterns, I learned that notches were always supposed to be cut in an outward triangle shape, like this:

and that's fine, but sometimes I couldn't get my pieces to match up quite as easily. When I starting taking sewing studio classes in college, my awesome instructor taught me a trick that honestly rocked my sewing world. Rather than cutting notches outward, she would make a tiny little nip inward, right down the center of the notch, using the tip of her scissors.

Heavens to Betsy! This went against everything I'd ever been taught about never EVER cutting into my seam allowances. But ya know what? A tiny little 1/4" nip didn't hurt a thing, and it made matching my pieces so much faster and easier.

Go ahead and cut out your fabric pieces, making sure to get all of the notches (however you choose to cut them). Once I started this sew-along, I realized I probably should have chosen a printed fabric rather than a solid color. It can be confusing to figure out which side of your fabric is the right side (the side that will face out on your finished garment) and which is the wrong side with a solid. After I've cut out all of my pattern pieces, I like to take a chalk pencil and make an X on the wrong side of each one.

This little extra step goes a long way in helping me distinguish the right side of the fabric from the wrong side throughout the sewing process.

Time to cut the interfacing! Fold your interfacing with the little white bumps to the inside, pin pieces 3 and 4, and cut.

Please excuse the wrinkles. I tend to buy interfacing in bulk when it goes on sale, and keep it in a plastic storage container. The wrinkles won't matter much in a few steps, anyway!

Now that we have all of our pieces cut out, it's time to move on to marking!

Marking

I'm not gonna lie, this is probably my least favorite thing to do when it comes sewing. Once the pieces are cut, I want to zoom over to my machine and get down to some serious stitching! But, it's one of those necessary evils that will probably save a lot of tears and frustration later, so it must be done. Luckily, this pattern doesn't have an excessive amount of markings. Let's start with the dots.

If you look at piece number 1, you'll see a circle with a letter M (or S or L, or whatever size you're making) in the middle, right under the armhole.

Look at piece 2, and you'll find the same circle:

These circles are pretty important. They tell us where to stop sewing in order to form the armhole of our blouse. You can't have a blouse without a place to put your arms, right? There are several ways to mark your pieces, but my favorite (taught to me by the same awesome instructor who showed me the notch trick above) is the pin and chalk method. It's a little bit awkward to explain, but I'm going to try my darndest and use a lot of photos.

We're going to make our markings on the wrong side (what will become the inside of your finished garment) of the fabric, so un-pin and unfold piece 1 and place it on a flat surface, right side up.

Next, lay your pattern piece over one side of your fabric, and use a few pins to hold it in place.

Ok, here's the tricky to explain part. Take a pin, and from the wrong side, push the pin up through the bottom of the dot, and back down through at the top of the dot. It'll look like this from the right side of the fabric:

And here's what it looks like from the wrong side of the fabric:

Now, on the wrong side of the fabric, take a chalk pencil and rub it over the fabric where the pin is, like so:

Remove the pin. Voila! You have a perfect little mark.

Ok, now repeat this for the opposite side of piece number 1. Remember, you'll have to flip your pattern piece face down, like this:

Once you have the other dot marked, you'll have 2 perfect little lines on the wrong side of your fabric where the armholes will be.

Good job! Now go and do the same thing with pattern piece number 2. Then it's on to marking the pleats.

Locate the dotted lines at the neckline marked with your size (in my case, the longer lines marked with M).

We're going to mark these lines in basically the same way we did the dots, using the pin and chalk method. I like to use one pin for the very bottom of each line, one at the top, and one in the middle, like this:

Rub your chalk pencil over each pin, just like you did for the dots, and you'll end up with 3 little lines.

Take a ruler, and connect the little lines.

When you're done, you'll have a nice straight pleat line.

Go through and mark each pleat line, and you'll end up with this:

aaaand we're done marking! Hooray!

If you made it to the end of this post, good for you! I know it was super long. I just want to make sure to include every detail. Next up, it's the post we've all been waiting for. It's time....to start....SEWING!

Simplicity 2188 Sew-Along - part 1

2012-01-24T13:43:00.002-05:00

It's the first day of our sew along! Are you as excited as I am? The steps will be broken up over several posts so that I can be as detailed as possible. First off, we'll cover fabric selection and sizing.

Fabric Selection

If you take a peek at the back of the pattern envelope, you'll see some suggestions for fabric.

Most of the fabrics listed, other than matte jersey, are woven fabrics. I would strongly encourage you to use a woven rather than a knit fabric for this project. What's the difference between a knit and a woven, you ask? *puts on fiber and textiles hat*

In woven fabrics, the threads (or, yarns, as they are called in the textile industry) are interlaced at right angles, like so:

Did you ever weave paper strips together in art class to make place mats (over, under, over, under)? That's the basic idea behind woven fabric. There are other types of weaves, but we don't need to get into that at the moment. If you look very closely at your fabric, you can see how the threads are interlaced.

In knit fabrics, the threads/yarns form interlocking loops, like so:

Again, if you look closely at a piece of knit fabric, you can see all of the little loopy loops. Most knits are stretchy and kind of slinky. There are some knit fabrics that do not stretch, but that's another discussion for another day. *removes fiber and textiles hat*

In addition to fabric, you will also need thread and about half a yard of fusible interfacing. Interfacing is a lightweight material used to give more body and stiffness to certain parts of a garment, in this case, the neck facings (we'll get more into what the heck neck facings are in future steps. I know this part was giving people some trouble). It looks a little something like this:

It typically comes in white and black (maybe other colors as well?), fusible and non-fusible, several weights, and there's even a type of knit interfacing. You'll want to stick with lightweight and fusible for this project. The little white dots (you can see them if you look closely at the black interfacing) are a heat activated adhesive. I skipped the interfacing the first time I sewed up this top, but will be using it this time around just to show how it's done. If you have any trouble finding what you need at the fabric store, just ask one of the employees. They're there to help you!

One final suggestion. If this is your first sewing project using a pattern, don't buy fabric with a striped or plaid design. A solid color or an all over print are your best bet if you are a beginner.

Sizing

Take another peek at the back of the pattern envelope, and you'll find a handy size chart. Because we're making a top (view A), use your bust measurement to determine what size you need to cut out.

My bust measures 38", which translates to a size 16, or a medium in this case. According to the envelope, I need 1.75 yards of 45" wide fabric (check the end of the bolt when you buy, it'll say whether it's 44"/45" or 60" fabric). I always like to buy a little extra to allow for shrinkage, wonky pattern layouts, mistakes, any number of reasons. It's a good idea to wash and dry your fabric before we move on to the next step. Some people skip this, but I'm old school.

That wraps up the first post! No, we haven't actually sewn or even cut into any fabric yet. There are several little steps that need to be considered before doing either of those things. It may seem painstaking at first, but goes much faster once you start working on more projects. I promise!

Simplicity 2188 Sew-Along!

2012-01-23T11:51:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends!

I've had a few readers who are interested in sewing up the Simplicity 2188 top (from this post), but are having a wee bit of trouble getting started. Never fear! The Simplicity 2188 Sew-Along is here!

Now, I've never hosted a sew along before. I'll probably be winging it a bit, but will do my best to be clear and helpful. I know Simplicity patterns were just on sale for 99cents at JoAnn's on MLK day. Anyone know when they'll be on special again? I've said it before, and I'll say it again. NEVER pay full price for any pattern from the big 5 (Simplicity, Butterick, McCalls, and Vogue) if you don't have to!

Well, my fabric is cut, and waiting for the washing machine. The first installment should be ready to go in the next day or so! Let's do this.

Hot off the needles: Gap-tastic Cowl

2012-01-08T17:22:00.000-05:00

I've been knitting for a few years now, but it's not really my main gig in the way of hobbies. Winter always makes me want to take up the needles again, though. There are cowls all over the place right now, and when I saw my sister-in-law making one over the holidays, I decided to knit one up for myself.

I found the pattern on Ravelry (for free! yay!) and picked up the yarn (I used Lion Brand Hometown USA in Dallas Grey) at JoAnn's using a gift card. So, free cowl! I ran out of yarn and couldn't knit it up to the full 15" wide, but it still ended up being quite cozy and cushy. It's almost like a neck pillow! It will surely keep me warm during the cold Chicago winter (which hasn't actually happened yet. 40 and 50 degrees in January? What's that all about?).

Shopping for Sewing Patterns

2012-01-06T16:42:00.000-05:00

A fellow blogger and fairly new sewist (Hi Viktoria!) recently asked me for some advice on a choosing a pattern for a dress. It got my wheels turning, and I thought perhaps I could share some pointers with my readers. Most of my experience is with patterns from Simplicity, McCalls, Butterick, and Vogue (or, 'the big 4', as they are often called), but there are some great independent companies out there (Colette Patterns, Oliver + S, and Decades of Style, just to name a few).

Take your measurements before you shop, and don't be freaked out by the size number.
As you may or may not already know, pattern sizing is different from ready to wear sizing. For example, I typically buy a size 10 or 12 in ready to wear clothing. I cut a size 16 pattern when I sew. That's quite a difference! Relax. It's just a number.

Consider your sewing abilities.If you've never sewn with a pattern before, try to choose something simple. There are plenty of cute, easy to sew patterns out there, and people will still be impressed that't you've made a piece of clothing with your own two hands. Trust me. I'm not trying to prevent anyone from expanding their horizons. I just don't want people to get discouraged and give up on sewing altogether because of a pattern that was too difficult.

A few examples of some easy to sew patterns that are currently available.

The back of the pattern envelope is your friend.
The back of the envelope holds a wealth of information, including a size chart, how much fabric you will need, notions you will need, a list of suitable fabrics for the project, and a line drawing of the garment. Speaking of...

Check out the line drawing.
Seriously. Do this. I can be so easily swayed by what the garment looks like on the front of the envelope. Remember the blouse I made a few posts back (Simplicity 2188)? I wasn't a great fan of how any of the items from this pattern looked.

Rather than just dismissing it as a pattern I didn't like, I studied the basic drawing. As it turns out, it was the way the blouse was styled that I didn't like. Things like fabric choice and styling on the front of the pattern can really influence the way you feel about it. Try to keep an open mind, and look. at. the. drawing!

If you can wait to buy, then please do so.
Please, please don't pay full price for a pattern from the big 4. JoAnn's typically has a sale on these patterns every couple of weeks. Simplicity, Butterick, and McCall's usually run between .99 cents and 1.99, Vogues are typically 3.99 (I did see them go down to 2 for $5 a couple of times, but that doesn't seem to happen very often).

A few of my most recent pattern purchases...on sale of course!

Remember, the major pattern companies have their full catalogs available to view online! I like to glance through every so often, and keep a list of patterns I might like to pick up at the next sale. It beats fighting the crowd at the store to get your hands on a pattern book!

I hope that some of you found these tips helpful. Feel free to comment or email me (asbuchholz AT gmail DOT com) with questions! I'll try to be as helpful as I can.

It's a major award (again)!

2012-01-04T14:51:00.000-05:00

Hello mein lieblings! The lovely Stacia of Free to be Stacia Lee has nominated me for a Liebster Award!

Liebster means "dearest" in German. This award is given to bloggers with fewer than 200 followers

The award has these stipulations:

1. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.

2. Reveal your 5 blogger picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.

3. Copy and paste the award on your blog.

4. Hope that the people you have sent the award to will forward it to their favorite bloggers.

Thank you, Stacia, for the nomination! And now, on to my 5 blogger picks:

1. Viktoria with a K

2. Little House on the Frozen Prairie
3. Cheetah Velour
4. Year of Liberty
5. literate & stylish

Blogger Secret Santa

2011-12-30T16:23:00.000-05:00

I signed up to participate in a Blogger Secret Santa Swap organized by Viktoria (of Viktoria with a K) and Mary (of babble & bloom) thinking it would be a fun way to get acquainted with other bloggers. My Secret Santa was Heidi of Literate and Stylish, and just look at all of the fun things she sent!

Gum (how did she know I had a gum habit?), a cute notebook that will be perfect to carry in my purse, some fun lip gloss to experiment with, and some warm knee socks! But, that's not all...

2 thrifted necklaces! I wear beaded necklaces quite often, so these fit in with my collection perfectly. How I never visited Heidi's blog before, I will never know. We have a very similar taste in clothing, and I just love reading about her thrift store finds! She is now a permanent fixture on my Google reader.

A big thank you to Viktoria and Mary for putting this swap together! I had fun, and hope to participate again in the future!

Super Secret Sewing Project: TARDIS Bag

2011-12-29T13:17:00.001-05:00

Remember the secret sewing project I mentioned a few posts back? Well, here it is!

My bestie looooves Dr. Who. A couple of months ago she posted a photo of a similar bag on my Facebook wall. I thought it would make a perfect Christmas present, and I just happened to have most of the materials on hand! The only items I had to purchase were the webbing and the slide and loop for the strap. Here's a closer look:

The bag itself came together pretty easily. The embellishment took the most time. I embroidered the lettering onto a piece of wide bias tape, and made the windows out of some scraps of white fabric. Admittedly, I know very little about Dr. Who, so I relied on lots of photos for the details (thank goodness for Google image search). Hopefully I got things correct!

I think she liked it :)

Fabric-by-Fabric One Yard Wonders: The Great Blog Tour

2011-12-28T22:35:00.001-05:00

So many fantastic projects, so little time. I am a huge fan of Fabric by Fabric One Yard Wonders, and I'm not just saying that because I'm a contributor. This baby is chock full of things to sew at a variety of skill levels. A few of my favorites:

Chic Carryall:

What a great little bag! There are several cute purses throughout the book, so it was difficult to choose a favorite.

Scruffle Scarf:

Whipping up a couple of these would be a nice way to add a pop of color to any outfit.

Pajama Boots:

I am hoping to make these and use them as liners for my rain boots. They look pretty similar to the fleece boot liners I've seen in stores.

Kids Chair:

I kind of want to make this for Dottie! It looks to be just about the right size. Yes, I am a crazy dog lady.

Pig and Piglets:

Ok, so this stuffed pig and her piglets are cute enough on their own. But, guess what! There is a zipper underneath the mama pig, and you can fit the piglets inside! I've showed this to a few people who thought that little feature was weird. I think it's kind of awesome.

Be sure to check out the other contributor blogs on the Fabric by Fabric One Yard Wonders Tour:

12/12/2011 Becka's Project Journal

12/13/2011 Craft Buds

12/14/2011 Patch Work Duck Designs

12/15/2011 Patch Work Duck Designs

12/15/2011 A Spoonful of Sugar

12/15/2011 Nifty Kids Stuff

12/15/2011 Becka's Project Journal

12/16/2011 Nom Nom Nom

12/16/2011 Quaint and Quirky

12/17/2011 ikatbag

12/17/2011 Two Brown Birds

12/18/2011 Sharon Sews

12/19/2011 LBG Studios

12/19/2011 Carolina Fair Designs

12/19/2011 Under Construction

12/20/2011 Little Blue Cottage

12/21/2011 Craftzine

12/21/2011 Neuroses Galore

12/21/2011 Emily Steffen

12/22/2011 Jenna Lou Loves You

12/23/2011 Spincushion

12/27/2011 One Inch World

12/28/2011 Sew Sew Etc.

12/29/2011 While Tangerine Dreams

12/30/2011 Studio Cherie

January ‘12 Lu Lu Carter

January ’12 Fiberosity

January ’12 Zuhause

January ’12 Obsessively Stiching

January ’12 No Bad Days

January ’12 Craft & Cackle

January ’12 AfricanKelli

Happy Saturday

2011-12-17T15:47:00.000-05:00

A cute photo of Dottie, just because.

I love this dog.

Goings On

2011-12-16T16:11:00.002-05:00

Hi friends! I hope you are having a magical time preparing for the holidays. We're getting ready for a week and a half of travel to visit our families over Christmas. I've also been working on a SUPER SECRET sewing project, which, of course, I cannot show any of you until after Christmas (note to self: take photographs of SUPER SECRET sewing project before wrapping it up).

What else have I been up to?

- tying up the loose ends of moving, including getting a new drivers license, license plates, and registration. Secretary of State Jesse White and I are totally best buds right now (not really. I've been at various Secretary of State facilities quite a lot, though).

My new bestie

- making a beautiful batch of salted butter toffee and seasoned oyster crackers for gift giving. I may or may not have eaten a few pieces. I can't really say.

- deciding what to wear to a Chanukah party (my first one!) being hosted by 2 of my dear friends. For those who have celebrations to go to, Stacia over at Free to be Stacia Lee has some great outfit suggestions.

- flipping through my copy of the fabulous new book, Fabric by Fabric One Yard Wonders! It's available in bookstores now, and hoo boy. This book is HEAVY. That just means it's packed with awesomeness! My project starts on page 152.


lookin' dorky at Barnes and Noble.

Fabric by Fabric One Yard Wonders is currently on a blog tour, with a post by yours truly on December 28th. Be sure to stop by the other contributor blogs and check out their projects!

12/12/2011 Becka's Project Journal

12/13/2011 Craft Buds

12/14/2011 Patch Work Duck Designs

12/15/2011 A Spoonful of Sugar

12/15/2011 Nifty Kidstuff

12/15/2011 Becka's Project Journal

12/16/2011 Nom Nom Nom Nom

12/16/2011 Quaint and Quirky

12/17/2011 ikatbag

12/17/2011 Two Brown Birds

12/18/2011 Sharon Sews

12/19/2011 LBG Studio

12/19/2011 Carolina Fair Designs

12/19/2011 Under Construction

12/20/2011 Little Blue Cottage

12/21/2011 Craftzine

12/21/2011 Neuroses Galore

12/21/2011 Emily Steffen

12/22/2011 Jenna Lou Loves You

12/23/2011 Spincushion

12/27/2011 One Inch World

12/28/2011 Sew Sew Etc.

January ‘12 Lu Lu Carter

January ’12 Fiberosity

January ’12 Zuhause

January ’12 Obsessively Stiching

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2011-12-01T17:11:00.000-05:00

...and I thought I'd share some of my favorite holiday decorations with you!

My Christmas centerpiece! I like how it goes so well with the retro vibe of our table. The Santa glasses came from Goodwill, and the colorful ornaments (plastic) came from Target. The cake stand is something I use year round, and was a gift from my mother-in-law. Here's a close of up the little angel figurines:

I picked these up at a garage sale. $1 for the set. So cute!

This tatted star was a handmade gift from my neighbor, Isabel. She sent it to me in a card the first Christmas I moved away from my parents' house. I was always over at her place, either asking to play with the vintage toys she kept on her sun porch or hinting around for one of the Snickers bars she kept in he freezer. She passed away a few years back, and this ornament always makes me think of her.

A couple of vintage angels I picked up at various thrift stores. The one on the right is a candle holder. I love the paillettes on the skirt of the one on the left! How shiny and glam.

My mom and dad made me this snowman by sponge painting a canning jar, stuffing a small string of white lights inside, and topping it off with one of those super stretchy gloves and some ribbon. Easy peasy! I think they did the same thing for Halloween, swapping out the white paint for orange to make pumpkins.

And finally, my Nativity scene! Yes, those are S'mores snow people. Mini marshmallow baby Jesus came out a little blurry in this photo. My mom has a super fancy antique Nativity scene packed away for me to have someday, but for now, this is small, fun, and fits my personality.

Stop the presses...I finished a sewing project.

2011-11-20T18:38:00.000-05:00

Oh, hi there. You'll often find me casually leaning on bookshelves. Can you tell I'm not a style blogger? Have I ever posted a a photo of myself here?

Ladies and gents, the first sewing project I've completed in our new place. This is a super simple top from Simplicity 2188. No buttons, no zippers, and only 4 patterns pieces. Easy peasy. This would be a GREAT project for a beginning sewist. I used a nice orange cotton blend (I think) from my fabric stash. I ended up using the wrong side of the fabric. The right side had a sort of a sheen to it, which is fine, but not really what I wanted for this top.

Pleating detail at the neckline.

Right before we moved, I did a major closet clean-out, and ended up seriously lacking in the shirts/tops/blouses department. I actually made this to layer under jackets and cardigans, but I kind of like the way it looks on it's own as well. Not exactly practical for a Chicago winter, but I'll trot it out solo come Spring and Summer.

Super Simple Cinnamon Apples

2011-11-13T21:25:00.000-05:00

We have a bunch of chocolatey stuff in the house right now (I just made 5lbs of Great Grandma Ida's fudge last week), but I was craving something different for dessert. Cinnamon apples to the rescue! These are a snap to make, and require only a few basic ingredients. They'd be yummy over ice cream, or with pancakes, but I like to eat them just as they are.

1 to 2 T unsalted butter
1 large apple, peeled, cored, and sliced
2 T brown sugar
a pinch of cinnamon to taste

Melt butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Toss in apple slices, and cook until slightly softened (3 to 5 minutes or so). Mix in brown sugar and cinnamon, and raise heat slightly. Cook for 5 to 7 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve and sprinkle with more cinnamon if desired.

It's coming together!

2011-11-10T15:56:00.000-05:00

Slowly but surely. Our books have a new home, and have been liberated from their boxes!

I'm so happy with our new table and chairs. We needed something small, and this cute round table from CB2 fit the bill.

I love how everything matches the (impossible to drink out of) blue and white mug I've had for years.

Here's a view of our kitchen. The previous occupants were kind enough to leave their pot and pan rack behind. Please ignore the dirty dishes.

We still have a few boxes to unpack, it's true. We sold/gave away/tossed a lot of things before we moved, but it sometimes feels like we didn't make much of a dent!

Settling In

2011-10-26T11:48:00.000-04:00

We made it to Chicago (relatively unscathed) at the beginning of the month. Most of the boxes are unpacked. Our new apartment is very different from our old one, so it's been a challenge to get everything just the way we want it. Dottie, as you can see, has found her perfect spot on the couch.

Her first week was a bit rough (she stayed with my parents our first week here while we moved in and unpacked). She's basically a country dog, and throwing her into a city with lots of new sights, smells, and sounds was hard. The sound of the nearby train was scary for her at first. She's never been fond of other dogs (and there are LOTS here). She had us pretty worried for about the first week and a half; sleeping much of the time, not showing any interest in playing, not even waking me in the morning to take her outside. She was still eating regularly, so that was a good sign.

She has slowly come around. The train doesn't bother her anymore. In fact, this is her favorite spot to explore:

The grassy lot by the L tracks. We have a great little park nearby, but she prefers this place. Lots of sticks and stones and unkempt grass. The occasional piece of trash. I've been careful about it, and we haven't found anything dangerous there yet, so I think it's fine. We're still working on being ok with other dogs. I don't think she'll ever be super best friends with them. If she can seem them without barking like mad, I'll be happy.

A few observations about our new home:

- People here LOVE Halloween. Decorations everywhere.

- There are a lot of weird looking strollers, each carrying multiple babies and children.

- I thought I might lose some weight from all the walking I've been doing. Wrong. And that's because...

- There's a ton of good food here. We already have a couple of favorite neighborhood places, and have been exploring a few in other neighborhoods with our friends.

- Having an iPhone has been helpful. I'm not really a fancy phone person, but can totally understand having one in a city. I think it has actually made me a little more brave about exploring, because I know that if I get lost I can always get directions home.

I hope to update with some photos of our new place soon!

Do you Paperbackswap?

2011-09-07T09:58:00.000-04:00

I do!

I honestly can't tell you how it got started. I probably just read about it a few years back and went from there. It's very simple. After you join, post 10 books that you don't want or no longer need. You will receive 2 credits after you post, which you can use to request books you want from other members. How do you get more credits? Members will (hopefully) request one of the books you posted, and after they receive it you will get a credit.

This site helped a LOT when I was trying to complete my BSC collection. I was able to find some of the more rare books that don't usually turn up in thrift stores or used book shops. Keep in mind that you are responsible for paying postage when you send a member one of your books, but media mail doesn't cost much. Also keep in mind that when you request a book from another member, that person is responsible for the cost of mailing it to you. So, it all sorta balances out.

Because of our upcoming move, I am trying to clean out some of the books we no longer need. Anything to lighten the amount of stuff we have to take with us! Please take a look at my bookshelf, and see if there is anything you want!

Big News!

2011-09-06T13:40:00.000-04:00

No, there are no babies in my future, not the near future anyway.

Yep! We're moving...to...Chicago!

Aaaand that is why I have been less than present on my bloggy blog lately. We've been looking for an apartment for weeks now, and boy was it hard to find a place! But, find a place we did. Well, I should say, Ed did. I haven't seen the new place in person yet, only via photos and video. It'll be a surprise (sort of)! Anyway, I've been doing some MAJOR cleaning out, especially in the area of sewing and craft supplies. Big time stuff. I think it's a very good thing. Having an overabundance of supplies seemed to hinder my creativity in a way. I've always felt like I had to clean things up in my sewing area before I could really work on projects, and usually ended up not doing anything at all. Boo to that. Hopefully, paring things down will help, and I'll be sewing up a storm!

I'm excited about the move, but also a little freaked. I grew up in a town of about 4,ooo people. I've lived in a town of about 25,000 for the last 9 (!) years. This will be quite a change. But! I have some wonderful and very helpful friends there. I'm sure we'll adjust. It'll be an adventure, for sure!

Homemade Olive Garden Breadsticks

2011-08-15T17:03:00.002-04:00

YES. I am on such a "homemade" kick this summer. I've made coffee concentrate, homemade yogurt (I'm still tweaking the consistency, but once I've perfected it I'll write a blog post), and even a version of Boursin cheese. The texture wasn't the same (Boursin is more crumbly, this was smoother), but man-o-man was it delicious on crackers. When I stumbled upon a recipe for Olive Garden breadsticks on Pinterest (are any of you guys there? Come find me, and we can follow one another!), I knew I had to give them a try.

unbaked breadsticks, ready to rise.

Now, I know there may be some of you that are thinking "Olive Garden! Pshh. That's not real Italian food. How. Dare. You." I am great lover of fine food. When I go on vacation, my favorite part is trying new restaurants. I have eaten in some pretty swanky joints, let me tell you. Know what else I like to do? Eat Olive Garden breadsticks. You can't tell me they're not delicious, authentic Italian or not.

aaand fresh from the oven!

I must say, they turned out very well. The texture was pretty spot on, even if I shaped them to be a little thick (note to self: dough rises and expands.) Next time I will follow Sandra's advice and cut back on the salt. They turned out a little browner on top than I wanted them to, but they were still soft rather than crunchy. Over all, I'd say this recipe is a definite keeper. I've made OG salad dressing and stuffed mushrooms, have the recipe for their Mozzarella Fonduta (YUUMMM), and now, their famous breadsticks. Those are pretty much my 4 favorite things on their menu. I may never set food in an Olive Garden again. Thank you, Sandra of Full Bellies, Happy Kids!

There's a sale at Penney's!

2011-08-08T15:01:00.000-04:00

(Anyone get that Airplane! reference? No? Nevermind.)

Actually, there's a sale on in my shop! You see, I am very close to 100 sales. In order to help me reach this milestone (and because I love my awesome customers!), I have decided to hack 20% off of every order until I reach 100. The person who buys the 100th item will win a special prize (which is uh...yet to be determined. It will be wonderful. I hope.)! Just enter the code AWESOMESAUCE at checkout, and receive 20% off! It's just that simple. Go forth and shop.

What's that? You need some help deciding what to buy? Well, I happen to be an expert shopper, and I'm here to help.

Is there a new baby in your life? Want to tell the world about it? Do it with these vintage lamb-tastic birth announcements:

Planning a coffee morning with your far-out best friend, but your mugs just aren't groovy enough? These outta-sight flower mugs are just the ticket:

Just broke up with your boyfriend or girlfriend, and need new hosiery? Give these Bachelor Girl stockings a try:

They pair most excellently with this lingerie pattern (ooh la la!):

So, as you can clearly see, I have something for everyone. Visit my shop to view the rest of my wares!

Shop Local: Week 4

2011-07-27T15:44:00.000-04:00

My final Shop Local post! A few days late. The weekend sort of got away from me, and then I spent last evening with Ed at a concert (The Decemberists!)

So, what have I learned from these posts? Most of my local purchases involve food. This could be due to the fact that my little town seems to have a lot more local restaurants and such than it does traditional retail businesses. I also really, really like food. What else? We definitely spend more than $50 per month at local businesses (check out the 3/50 Project to see what I'm talking about). In the future, I hope to make even more purchases at local businesses. Maybe even some that are not food related!

Broken Rocks Cafe - picked up takeout for lunch one day. They've had some great summer specials lately!

The Faithful Little Cupcake - I like this business. I want to see them stick around. If my small cupcake addiction helps them out, then so be it.

Gallery in the Vault - A neat art and gift store located in a former bank. Admittedly, I didn't buy anything on this visit, but I did see a couple of things that would make a great gift for my mom's birthday next month. I plan to return.

Scales to Tails Seafood Shoppe - our local fish store. I'd like to incorporate more fish into our diets, so I will probably be stopping here at least once a week.

One Yard Wonders Sew Along at Pink Chalk Studio

2011-07-25T16:33:00.000-04:00

I wrote about Pink Chalk Studio's One Yard Wonders sew along a few months ago. Well, they've reached my project, The Newborn Flyaway Jacket! I love the fabric they chose, and can't wait to see how it turns out. Be sure to stop by and check out all of the projects!

Why I sell vintage on Etsy

2011-07-21T15:53:00.000-04:00

One of my many finds, available for your buying pleasure in my shop!

I love kooky stuff. I used to scour thrift stores, estate sales, and antique shops, and scoop up anything that caught my fancy. I especially love things that are sewing related (of course), but never limited myself to just one category. I was just a collector of 'things.'

Well, all of this collecting of 'things' has led to having too much stuff in a too small space. I've really cut back on buying, and really really think about whether or not I truly love or need something before it comes home with me. But, what to do with the too much stuff in the too small space? I didn't want to just haul it all off to Goodwill without a thought. I wanted these items to find new homes with people who appreciate old and kooky things as much as I do.

Enter my Etsy shop! I am confident that when I sell something, it's going to someone who really loves that item. Otherwise, they wouldn't be buying it. This was especially important to me when I decided to start paring down my collection of sewing patterns. I started collecting when I was 10. I'm 30 now. There are quite a few, as you can imagine, but I knew that I'd never ever sew all of them up. It makes me happy to know that each pattern is going to someone who will enjoy it.

With that, please take a look at my shop if you're in the market for something kooky. I've just added quite a few new items, and plan to add more in the coming days!

Shop Local: Week 3

2011-07-18T10:31:00.000-04:00

Not much to report in the way of local businesses, as I was out of town for about half the week.

Green Leaf Restaurant: What can I say, it's conveniently located across the street from where I work, and has delicious grilled cheese.

Edzo's Burger Shop: This one is not local to where I live. Ed and I stumbled upon it while we were adventuring just outside of Chicago over the weekend, and it was TOO GOOD not to mention. We *might* have gone a little overboard on the amount of food we ordered, but it's not often that we find ourselves in Evanston, so whatev. Delicious burgers (Ed had the char burger, I had a griddled single), delicious and creative fries (we had an order of old fries, which are really just super cooked and brown, as well as truffle fries), delicious shakes (we split a chocolate). Open from 10:30am until 4:30pm, so that the owner and employees can make it home to have dinner with their families in the evening (LOVE that!).