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Jamie Christina sewing pattern giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Pretty Ditty) — Wed, 30 May 2012 00:49:00 +0000

Welcome back!

I don't know about you, but the change in the weather has got me all maxi dress and sun dress crazy. So I figured lets celebrate the warm weather with a giveaway. Originally, I intended to giveaway 3 Jamie Christina Dress patterns, but I then realized that some readers are from other parts of the world that are experiencing their cold weather (happy thoughts to you) and some readers may already have the Mission Maxi and other dress patterns of mine. Having said that, I decided it would be best to allow the winners to choose their favorite Jamie Christina sewing patterns.

So, today I am giving away 3 Jamie Christina sewing patterns to 3 Pretty Ditty readers. Each winner will receive 3 sewing patterns.

To view all of the Jamie Christina sewing patterns click here.

To enter

1) Twitter - Follow me on twitter (link) and come back here to add a comment to this post with your twitter id.

2) Facebook - Like Jamie Christina Designs on Facebook (link) and come back here to add a comment to this post with your facebook id.

If you already follow or like Jamie Christina Designs, then all you have to do is leave a comment with your id.

Bonus entries

You can enter twice by following and liking Jamie Christina Designs.

Tweet or Facebook the giveaway and receive an additional entry. Be sure to let me know in the comment section of this post if you tweeted or facebooked the giveaway as well.

The giveaway will close on Friday June 1, 2012. I will announce the winners the following Monday.

Cheers,

Jamie

Maxi Skirt with Accordion Pocket

noreply@blogger.com (Pretty Ditty) — Mon, 28 May 2012 23:11:00 +0000

I made this maxi skirt for my little sis. Every girl needs a basic black maxi skirt in her wardrobe. However, I had to change it up a bit by adding the accordion pocket to the hemline of the skirt.

I love the way it turned out. Sure, it's not very practical to have a pocket along the hemline of a maxi skirt, but then again when did practicality become a priority of fashion? Another design tweak to the dress is the ribbon on the pocket. I used the wrong side of the ribbon to draw more attention to the pocket. The threads are all messy under the ribbon, which only adds to the aesthetic of the pocket.

Now let me just say that I searched the web high and low for a tutorial on how to make an accordion pocket and could not find one. Finally, after trying several more search terms, and still coming up short, I decided to look through some of my pattern making books. What do you know - there it was! So, expect a tutorial up some time this week on how to make an accordion pocket. These pockets are just too cute to be ignored!

I'm very excited for this week, because not only will I have a tutorial to share but I'm also having a giveaway! The Mission Maxi has been making it's blog rounds such as here, here, and here. With summer upon us, I figured lets have a giveaway with the Mission Maxi and a few other patterns.

See you tomorrow!

Jamie

WEDDING SHOES: UGG AUSTRALIA DOES BRIDAL BLING

noreply@blogger.com (Janice, Editor-in-Chief) — Wed, 23 May 2012 20:19:00 +0000

Brides are continually on the search to find unique ways to make their special day that much more memorable. Usually brides look to their feet and their wedding shoes to add a pop of color. The...

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WEDDING LINGERIE: LOLA HAZE IS ON SALE!

noreply@blogger.com (Janice, Editor-in-Chief) — Mon, 21 May 2012 17:00:00 +0000

It's that time for Spring sales! Lingerie brand Lola Haze is currently running a sale of 15% off sitewide (www.lolahaze.com) now through June 30th, using discount code LolaSpringBride. From...

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WEDDING CONTEST: YEAH WEDDINGS

noreply@blogger.com (Janice, Editor-in-Chief) — Mon, 21 May 2012 14:00:00 +0000

The Flashdance and Bash, Please are producing the YEAH! 2012 WEDDING GIVEAWAY on August 19, 2012 in Los Angeles, CA HERE IS HOW IT WORKS Sign up here, take your time (you DON'T have to do this...

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WEDDING SHOES: TIFFANY BLUE WITH ARUNA SETH

noreply@blogger.com (Janice, Editor-in-Chief) — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:10:00 +0000

If you are going to wear flats at your wedding, these should be the ones that you wear. Love the Liana in Tiffany blue by Aruna Seth. Perfect amount of bling and the color is divine. Must have...

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DIY Ombre Tights

noreply@blogger.com (Pretty Ditty) — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:14:00 +0000

About a week ago, I stumbled upon a blog post about ombre tights. It was love at first sight! I had to give it try, so I purchased 2 pairs of opaque tights from American Apparel (white and sangria). Through a series of trial and errors, I figured out how to achieve the ombre dye look on tights.

My goal was to have a clean gradient transition without any splatter marks or obvious gradient lines. I also wanted the gradient to fade to black. For the first dye job, I followed a video tutorial from the Martha Stewart Show on ombre dying (click here). This is a great video tutorial, however they dye cotton, where as I needed to dye a nylon blend. The end result was this...

Super cute, however my original intention was to have the gradient fade to black. Instead, the black dye only darkened the pink color. I believe part of the problem was that I used a RIT dye, which is better for cotton than nylon. Another possible reason for why it didn't take as well, could have been that I used hot water as opposed to the stove top method that uses boiling water. From what I now know, nylon needs to be really hot for the dye to take, which is why boiling water is recommended. So, back to the drawing board I went.

I decided to ask my facebook friends about dying nylon. Rebekah was kind enough to suggest iDye. I followed her suggestion and used 2 packets of iDye poly, which is for polyester and nylon. This worked amazingly well!

Here's how you ombre dye colored tights with iDye poly.

1) Purchase color opaque tights and 2 packets of iDye poly in black. As I already mentioned, I used American Apparel tights.

2) Decide where you want the color to end and the black to begin. Being as black is a slimming color, I felt it would look best with black going towards the thighs rather than a color. I wanted the color transition to begin around mid calf. You can either pin where you want the color transition to begin or you can eyeball the distance. I eyeballed it at about 9" from the toe seam of the tights.

3) Soak the tights in clear hot water to remove any finish on the tights. Let it sit there for about 5 minutes or so.

4) Follow instructions on dye packet for mixing dye over stove top.

5) Place tights in water waist first. Be sure not to dip the color portion of the tights into the dye mixture (see pic below). Lay the color portion over the pot and onto another pot. You don't want the tights to dangle over the pot, because it may catch fire, which would totally ruin the ombre look =)

6) After about 2 minutes of the dying process, gently pull about 1 - 2" of the tights out of the boiling water. This will help make the gradient less obvious. However, don't pull too much of the fabric out of the pot, because it will create a blotchy look (see mistakes to avoid pic below).

7) Once the dying process is completed, turn off the heat and let the fabric cool. Next, rinse the tights in cold water, making sure to not let the dye run onto the color part of the tights. It's ok if the color part gets wet and if the black blends with the color portion. You just don't want it to drip and run onto the color portion. I held the tights upright with the feet up, while rinsing the excess dye off.

8) With mild detergent, hand wash your tights. My washer has a hand wash cycle, which I used.

9) Dry your tights. This next tip is very important - Don't hang dry your tights! As your tights dry there will likely still be some excess dye leftover. If you hang dry them, the excess dye will make a lovely line down the tights as gravity pulls the excess water towards the ground. Trust me I know. No, I don't want to talk about it =(. You can lay the tights on a towel to dry.

10) Voila!

Mistakes to avoid...

~ Don't lift too much of the tights out of the dye in step 6 or else it will look blotchy as shown below...

~ Don't hang dry or else you will have dye lines running down your tights.

That's about it! Be sure to share your ombre tight creations here.

Cheers!

Jamie

WEDDING SHOES: A POP OF COLOR FROM LULU TOWNSEND

noreply@blogger.com (Janice, Editor-in-Chief) — Wed, 02 May 2012 13:42:00 +0000

Normally, I am not a big fan of wedges as wedding shoes. But I have to admit that I love this Valencia wedge by Lulu Townsend. It is just so chic and the flower on top is so whimsical. Just love it....

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Stripe Play Maxi Skirt

noreply@blogger.com (Pretty Ditty) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:47:00 +0000

I continue my maxi/stripe obsession with an Ella Moss inspired maxi skirt...

Actually, I made another one last summer, but never got around to blogging about it. Although I did tweet about it.

I'm pretty giddy about this design. It's fast, easy, and the stripes are flattering. Not only did I make several for myself, I also made one for my sister and daughter as well. Here's a pic of my daughter's maxi...

She is a comfort first dresser, so this maxi works perfect for my little barefoot bohemian girl.

I've drawn up a diagram of how to cut the 3 pieces (6 total for front and back) needed for the pattern. If you don't have a maxi skirt pattern you can use the Mission Maxi pattern. Simply mark the waist and cut. You may want to add a little fullness to the skirt if you want to achieve an A-line silhouette. Once you have your maxi skirt pattern, follow the diagram instructions below...

You can click on the pic to enlarge or print it out. Note the green grainlines are for lining up your stripes. It's important to pay attention to the stripe direction, because that's what makes the skirt so interesting and flattering. Also, be sure to add seam allowances to the cut pieces. The measurements shown in the illustration do not include seam allowances.

Enjoy!

Jamie

Apple

noreply@blogger.com (Pretty Ditty) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 18:14:00 +0000

The end of the school year is fast approaching, so I thought I should start on some gift projects for my kids' teachers. This is Apple. I think she's perfect for my son's kindergarten teacher. All three of my kids have been blessed to have had her as a their first teacher, which means she has received quite a few aprons from me. This time, instead of an apron, I thought Apple would make a better gift.

A teacher can never have too many apples.

Cheers,

Jamie

WEDDING JEWERLY: MODERN VINTAGE JEWELRY @ MODWEDDING

noreply@blogger.com (Janice, Editor-in-Chief) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 13:17:00 +0000

I love it when someone can put a modern spin on vintage jewelry. Modwedding has done just that. The pieces below are simply gorg. They not only make beautiful vintage-inspired jewelry, they also make...

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WEDDING VEILS: IDOJOUR WEDDING VEILS

noreply@blogger.com (Janice, Editor-in-Chief) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:52:00 +0000

I so love this unique flower horsehair fascinator by idojour. Perfect for when you just don't want a full blown veil. email your questions to: bridalwishlist@gmail.com & visit our sister site, the...

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Basket weave inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Pretty Ditty) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 16:10:00 +0000

Check out this tote from Free People...

Are you thinking what I'm thinking??? Ah yeh! But not with leather. If you don't know what I'm talking about then click here.

Cheers,

Jamie

DIY Hoodie Weave

noreply@blogger.com (Pretty Ditty) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:02:00 +0000

This hoodie project started with Laura's basket weave shirt over at Trash to Couture (link). I pinned her project hoping to make my band t-shirt look similar to her shirt. As you already know from reading that post, I had to shelve that idea. However, I was able to revisit it and happily it worked with this hoodie. I did things a bit different from Laura's basket weave shirt only because I wanted to use a sewing pattern rather than upcycle a hoodie.

I used the Built by Wendy Hoodie pattern from her Home Stretch sewing book. I added an additional yard to the fabric requirements to account for the fabric needed to weave the hoodie with. I went ahead and cut out all of the pattern pieces, plus an extra pocket and back piece. For the extra pocket and back piece I added additional length for the weaving. I then constructed the pocket and back piece with the weave. Here's how I constructed the back piece.

1. Mark horizontal lines on the back piece. I marked a line every 1 1/2". I also marked a 1/2" seam allowance around the shirt, because I did not want to cut into the 1/4"seam allowance.

2. Mark the vertical lines on the extra back piece. Here you see the extra back piece with vertical lines marked every 1 1/2". Also, I did mark a 1/2" seam allowance around the back piece. Note: I used a 1/4" seam allowance when sewing.

3. Cut on the vertical lines from the bottom up to the 1/2" marked seam allowance on the extra back piece.

4. Cut the horizontal lines between the seam allowances on the main pattern piece. I did not cut through the seam allowances.

Close up showing the horizontal lines cut up to the seam allowance.

5. Pin the extra back piece to the main back piece. Notice the extra back is behind the main back.

6. From the right side, begin to weave the first strip of fabric by pulling the strip over and under each horizontal strip of fabric.

7. Repeat with the second strip, however, start by going under over rather than over under.

8. Continue to weave until the back is completely woven. Pin the strips to the bottom of the shirt. Cut off the extra length of the strips of fabric. Stitch along the bottom, securing the strips of fabric in place.

Once you have made the back piece, simply follow the patterns directions for constructing the hoodie.

After I washed the hoodie, the strips ended up twisting all around. I untwisted a few, but left some twisted because I liked the texture.

Cheers,

Jamie

VINTAGE WEDDING DRESSES: UNION MADE BRIDE

noreply@blogger.com (Janice, Editor-in-Chief) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:33:00 +0000

Bridal Lovelies, You know that I adore vintage. Vintage wedding dresses, vintage jewelry, vintage veils... Love all of it. So Etsy showcased this vintage shop, Union Made Bride, a few days ago and I...

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Band T-shirt makeover

noreply@blogger.com (Pretty Ditty) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 19:46:00 +0000

I love the Drowning Men and recently I purchased a Drowning Men t-shirt. The illustration on the front of the tee is by far my most favorite of the other Drowning Men tees I own. After trying it on, I decided to add a little edge to the rest of the it, so I broke out a raglan sleeve pattern and went to work.

Here's the before...

and here's the after...

I had to improvise with the back of the shirt. Initially, I wanted to weave the back much like this shirt. However, when I started to weave the back with black jersey knit, I felt like it was taking on a checker board appearance instead of the basket weave look which I had hoped for. So, I decided to shelve the weave project for later and improvised the back by adding stripes.

Shirt makeover details

First, I added the raglan sleeves to the shirt. Here's how...

1. Trace the raglan sleeve line to the shirt front. I used a raglan t-shirt pattern that I already had in my sewing patterns stash. Place the shirt front pattern on top of the tee, lining up the side seams and bottom of armscye. This shirt did not have a side seam, which made it a bit difficult to line up the pattern.

2. Here you can see the armscye and neckline has been traced onto the shirt front.

3. Repeat with the shirt back using the raglan shirt back pattern piece.

4. Cut out shirt front and back. NOTE: I did not cut the side seam. Just the neckline and armscye.

5. Trace Raglan sleeve onto sleeve material and cut out. Sew underarm seam of raglan sleeve. Sorry for the bad pick. It was night time and with kids you pretty much sew when you find time in 5 minute spurts.

6. Pin sleeve to shirt, matching shirt underarm seem to sleeve underarm sleeve and sew together.

7. Finish the neckline by sewing on a neckband made of the raglan sleeve material.

Back of Shirt

Now for the back of the shirt. Like I mentioned before, I improvised the back. Therefore, there aren't any decent pics to show the process. I'll do my best to explain.

1. On back of shirt, mark cut lines 1.5" apart. Please pay no attention to the strips of black fabric shown on the side of the shirt. I was going to weave them into the shirt.

2. Cut on marked lines. Be sure to not cut all the way to the side seams. Leave about 1/2" of fabric un-cut between the side seams and the cut lines. Your shirt should now look like it has strips of fabric.

3. The above pic shows 2 steps - cutting the strips and adding the black fabric.

To make the openings for adding the black fabric, cut every other strip off of the shirt. (I then finished the raw edges, which was more of a decorative step.) Place black fabric fabric behind the open areas and topstitch the black fabric to the shirt. This created the wonky stripes.

I did not sew black fabric to the top open strip area, because I liked the look of it being open there.

4. You can leave the hem alone or add your own hem. I changed the hemline to be an uneven hemline by shortening the center front by about 2" and gradually curving the hem to the side seams to match the back hemline.

Cheers,

Jamie

4 Square Top tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Pretty Ditty) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:29:00 +0000

Spring is in the air and I've got just the top to welcome it here...

I couldn't resist making this top after I viewed a similar top by Free People (the free people top is no longer on their site). It's super easy to make and only requires 1 yard of fabric plus some bias tape or ribbon for the shoulder straps. It's made up of (4) 18" squares. Here's the tute...

4 Square Top

I'd like to try to crochet the edges via this tute on my next 4 Square Top. Maybe pop some random color with the crocheting? I'd also like to try a lace fabric. Oooh... maybe crochet the edges of a lace fabric. That's what I'll do!

Anywho, if you make the top, please share your pics on the Pretty Ditty flickr group. I would love to see it made up in other fabrics.

Cheers,

Jamie

BRIDAL JEWELRY: TATABORELLO

noreply@blogger.com (Janice, Editor-in-Chief) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 13:18:00 +0000

I am loving how exquisite and completely unique these pieces are from Tataborello. The mix of silk flower petals, Swarovski crystals and pearls blend together to create something that will add the...

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Bias Mission Maxi

noreply@blogger.com (Pretty Ditty) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 22:28:00 +0000

My new favorite - Mission Maxi Dress cut on the bias. I matched the stripes so that I could create a chevron print with the striped fabric. I also wanted to try something different with the back, so I cut out view B and added a braided piece to the back.

I used this tutorial to make the braid. To determine how long the braid should be, I measured the distance from center back to the neckline. I then doubled that length for the braided fabric. After I braided the fabric, I pinned it to center back and measured how much of the braid I needed to cut off. I made sure to allow extra fabric for the seam allowance when sewing the braid to center back.

The dress is cut on the bias with 2 front pieces and 2 back pieces rather than cutting one front and back on the fold. Be sure to add the seam allowance for the center seams. I didn't even think of folding the fabric on the bias and then cut the front and back pieces on the 45 degree angle fold. This would have eliminated the center seam and the chevron stripes would have lined up perfectly. I'll give that a try next time. Actually, that would be a bad idea. I would have diagonal stripes and not chevron (thanks Caroline for the warning).

I also altered the pattern slightly. I dropped the armscye 1" and lowered the center back by 1.5". I adjusted the hem by extending it 3" on each side. Below is an illustration of the alterations (click to enlarge).

Now all I need is warm weather so that I can wear the maxi. It hailed yesterday and we are on spring break right now. Crazy!

I love this infinity scarf! It's from Urban Outfitters. I usually get headaches when I wear scarves, but not with this scarf. It's light weight and super drape-y. Not to mention the snuggle factor is off the charts with this scarf.

For now I'll have to cover up my Mission Maxi with a long cardi, scarf, and thick tights to keep me warm.

Cheers,

Jamie

WEDDING VEILS: EMI SUZUKI

noreply@blogger.com (Janice, Editor-in-Chief) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 15:23:00 +0000

Love the sinamay and pearls that adorn this lovely headpiece by Emi Suzuki. The ivory color of this piece is just amazing.email your questions to: bridalwishlist@gmail.com & visit our sister site,...

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WEDDING DRESSES: CHARLOTTE CASADEJUS

noreply@blogger.com (Janice, Editor-in-Chief) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:00:00 +0000

We love the beautiful Margot dress by Charlotte Casadejus. We know that feathers were so last year. But we don't care.email your questions to: bridalwishlist@gmail.com & visit our sister site, the...

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WEDDING JEWELRY: MAGPIE VINTAGE

noreply@blogger.com (Janice, Editor-in-Chief) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 13:14:00 +0000

This cuff by Magpie Vintage is magnificent. I love the big wide ribbon with the beautiful pearl details at the end. Such a great substitute for a clasp. Such a perfect bridal accessory to finish your...

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WEDDING DRESSES: PROJECT RUNWAY ALUM RAMI KASHOU & BEBE

noreply@blogger.com (Janice, Editor-in-Chief) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Project Runway Alumnus, Rami Kashou is releasing a line of wedding dresses for Bebe. It doesn't surprise me at all to see him venture from special occasion gowns into bridal. The gowns will not be...

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RING PILLOWS: BEAUTIFUL PILLOW AT BAB'S BOUTIQUE

noreply@blogger.com (Janice, Editor-in-Chief) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 14:42:00 +0000

I love the big beautiful pink flower on this ring pillow by Bab's Boutique.email your questions to: bridalwishlist@gmail.com & visit our sister site, the capitol fashionista...

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WEDDINGS: GREEN SHOES FOR THE ST. PATRICK DAY BRIDES

noreply@blogger.com (Janice, Editor-in-Chief) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 18:46:00 +0000

For all the bridal lovelies getting married on St. Patrick's Day, here are a fabulous pair of green Swarovski crystal encrusted shoes for your special day. Available at Venus in Chains.email your...

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WEDDING VEILS: NINA SHOES

noreply@blogger.com (Janice, Editor-in-Chief) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:00:00 +0000

I had no idea that Nina Shoes (famous for their evening and bridal shoes) sell wedding veils. They actually have some beautiful styles available. See this one and their entire line on their web...

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WEDDING CAKES: UNIQUE WEDDING CAKES AT PINK CAKE BOX

noreply@blogger.com (Janice, Editor-in-Chief) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 13:51:00 +0000

Love this adorable and unique wedding cake from Pink Cake Box. They are definitely one of the places to go to get a wedding cake that is not quite your typical wedding cake.email your questions to:...

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WEDDING CAKE TOPPERS: JAYNE DANGER

noreply@blogger.com (Janice, Editor-in-Chief) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:47:00 +0000

Totally love a cutesy wedding cake topper. Definitely have to admit that octopus bride and groom cake topper is cute (but weird, too). So if you want something totally unique and different, this is...

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WEDDING DRESSES: DESIGNER TONY HAMAWY

noreply@blogger.com (Janice, Editor-in-Chief) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 21:19:00 +0000

While I was at Bridal Market last October, I met this amazing designer, Tony Hamawy. He had the most beautiful gowns (bridal and special occasion). I was floored. I sat and talked with him for quite...

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WHAT LIES BENEATH: LINGERIE FROM MADE BY NIKI

noreply@blogger.com (Janice, Editor-in-Chief) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:25:00 +0000

Yes, yes, yes. We know that your dress is one of the most important parts of your wedding planning. But trust us, your lingerie is pretty important, too. You want to feel sexy and desirable on your...

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WEDDING HEADBANDS: KALIVODA

noreply@blogger.com (Janice, Editor-in-Chief) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:00:00 +0000

You just have to love this adorable and whimsical headpiece by Kalivoda. If this doesn't make a statement, then we don't know what will! Available on their web site.email your questions to:...

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Valentine's Day Top

noreply@blogger.com (Pretty Ditty) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 04:58:00 +0000

For Valentine's Day, I decided to make myself a top. I pinned a similar top on pinterest and used it as my inspiration. Initially, I was apprehensive about using similar color choices for fear of clashing. I changed my mind several times at the store, placing the bolts in my cart and then taking them back out, all to return back to the bolts and placing them back in my cart again. That would have been a moment where I needed my kids with me, because when they go shopping with me, I never have the time to change my mind about fabric. They've conditioned me to operate within a 12 minute window, whereby I get into the store, pick out the fabric, cut the fabric, and get out of the store and back into the car before someone is very unhappy with me. Whew! My heart rate goes up just writing about it.

This time they weren't with me and after several back and forth moments, I decided to go with my color choices. I'm happy I did.

Here's a sleeve view...

Changes I would make...

~ The seams have some puckering, which may be because I cut the silky polyester on the lengthwise grain.

~ The sleeves have a rolled hem finish, which looks wearable to me, but could look better. Next time, I'll try a sleeve facing and I'll cut the pattern on the crossgrain.

***

Changing topics...Like many of you, I watched the Grammys last night. I always get anxious to see what the artists will be wearing each year. Insert record scratching noise HERE...I don't know... is it just me or did it seem like last night's Grammys red carpet walk was the entrance to a Halloween party? What's with all of the costume themes? Or am I just getting old? Insert crickets chirping awkward silence HERE....

I must say that I did like Rihanna's black dress. She looked amazing in it! I also liked Paris Hilton's dress, specifically the godets. I'm a sucker for godets. So I guess there is fashion hope out there in Grammy land =)

Cheers,

Jamie

DC BRIDES: ONE LUCKY BRIDE WILL SAVE ON HER WEDDING AT RIVERVIEW TERRACE

noreply@blogger.com (Janice, Editor-in-Chief) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:58:00 +0000

Gaylord National Resort Unveils Once-in-a-Lifetime Dream Wedding Offer with Gilt City DC and One Lucky Couple Will Save 40 Percent Off an All-Inclusive Waterfront Wedding at RiverView...

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WEDDING JEWELRY: NOBLE HOUSE DESIGNS

noreply@blogger.com (Janice, Editor-in-Chief) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:54:00 +0000

Can't you just see yourself wearing this amazing necklace with your strapless wedding dress? Love this necklace by Noble House Designs. This is for the bride that is totally going for the "WOW"...

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Abbey Coat pattern giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Pretty Ditty) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0000

A Sewing Journal is giving away 3 Abbey Coat sewing patterns! The giveaway will close this Sunday (1/8/12), so click on over to enter. Here is the link.

Cheers,

Jamie

The Abbey Coat lookbook

noreply@blogger.com (Pretty Ditty) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 16:39:00 +0000

Here's the Abbey Coat sewing pattern lookbook...

Cheers,

Jamie

The Abbey Coat sewing pattern

noreply@blogger.com (Pretty Ditty) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 21:13:00 +0000

It's here! The Abbey Coat sewing pattern has arrived.

I'm so excited about this coat pattern! The Abbey Coat is a semi-fitted, fully-lined coat, that can be made with or with out a flounce. The coat features princess seams, 3/4 sleeves, and a peter pan collar. The sewing booklet includes instructions with color illustrations for every step. As always, full size pattern pieces and a glossary of terms accompanies the booklet. The Abbey Coat can be made in sizes 2 - 18.

The Abbey Coat is now available here and here.

Cheers!

Jamie

Porcelain plate drawing tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Pretty Ditty) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:34:00 +0000

I'm very excited to share this tute with you today! Yes, this is yet another pinterest find of mine - ***Porcelain Painting*** Disclaimer....You don't have to be an artist to make these. If you know how to trace then you can do this.

The above pictured plates are Christmas gifts for my cousin's family and my brother. The plate on the left is for my cousin's family and the plate on the right is for my "hard to shop for" brother.

Before I began to make these Christmas gifts, I searched the internet for some info on the process, which lead me to this very helpful tute by Doe-c-doe.

Here's how I made my plates...

Material list

(I purchased all of my supplies from Michael's except for the plate, which is from Crate and Barrel)

Carbon paper or some type of transfer paper
Porcelain pen (I used Pebeo bullet tip for my cousin's plate and fine tip for my brother's plate) or paint ( I did not like the paint at all! I highly recommend the pen)
Pencil for tracing
Porcelain plate
Tracing paper
Paper

1. Trace the shape of the plate onto paper,

2. Within the circle, draw the picture you want to transfer to the plate. Or, print a copy of the image you want to transfer. For my brother's plate, I used Duy Huynh's A Chorus from the Brain Forest. I cut out the key images and taped them in the circle.

3. Cut out the sketch and tape the sides to the plate. Leave the bottom and top open for sliding the carbon paper under. Notice I did not cut out a perfect circle. Try to cut away any dead space. This will make it easier to tape to the plate.

4. Slide the carbon paper under the tracing paper. The coated side should face the plate. Use a sharp pencil to trace over the image.

5. As you can see, the image transfers pretty good onto the plate.

6. Follow the directions on your pen and trace the transferred image. I found the bullet tip pen flowed very well; where as, the fine tip pen had some issues with it's flow. However, the bullet tip would have been too thick to have used for my brother's plate. It's probably a good idea to have both tips on hand. I did try the paint and it was horrible for what I was trying to accomplish. The color was more of a blue black and I was unable to produce consistent lines.

7. According to the instructions on the Pebeo pens, let the the plate dry for 24 hours then bake at 300 degrees for 35 minutes. If you are using a different brand of porcelain paint be sure to follow the manufacturers directions.

I should also mention that they make ceramic pens for ceramic dishware too.

Cheers,

Jamie

Cupcake half apron

noreply@blogger.com (Pretty Ditty) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 03:55:00 +0000

It's been awhile since I've made an apron. So much so that I actually had to break out my instructions to make sure I made it correctly. I made the above pictured apron for my son's kindergarten class raffle basket. The basket's theme was "baking" and I was very excited to contribute an apron to the cause. One mother suggested that I fulfill the theme by making a Pillsbury themed type of apron...uh...OK. Anyhoo...I used the half-apron version of the Cupcake apron pattern with the tulle underskirt option. If you look real close you can see the black tulle peeking out from underneath the apron.

When I wrote the instructions for the Cupcake apron, I purposely designed the tulle underskirt to require 9" of netting. The reason for 9" is that it allows you to use birdcage veiling as an option. Birdcage veiling is available in 9" widths, which makes it very convenient to use. Quite some time ago, I made an apron with black birdcage veiling, but my sister snatched it up before I could take any pics of it. Sisters! Even as grown ups we still take each other's clothes. What can you do about it :)

Cheers,

Jamie

Brownie Waffle

noreply@blogger.com (Pretty Ditty) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 06:04:00 +0000

Another pinterest find - the brownie waffle (link). We made these the other night and they were delicious! As you can imagine, it was very easy to make. Simply heat the waffle iron and add the brownie mix. We topped it with ice cream, whip cream, chocolate syrup, and sprinkles.

***Pattern news***

The new sewing pattern will go to print this week. Hooray! I can't even begin to express how excited I am about this pattern. The testers really liked it and felt the pattern was great for an intermediate sewer. If you like Mad Men and Peterpan collars I think you will fancy this pattern.

Cheers,

Jamie

Halloween lovelies

noreply@blogger.com (Pretty Ditty) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 17:30:00 +0000

After pinning quite a few painted pumpkins on Pintrest, my family and I decided to give it a go...

They sit next to my fireplace along with some other Halloween lovelies...

I made the banner out of luggage tags that I found at Michaels. The tags were a little to perfect, so I painted and antiqued them with a burnt sienna color. I then printed out the word "Harvest" in a Rosewood font and glued each letter to a tag. To add to the Halloween vibe, I covered the front of the tag with birdcage veiling...

Vinnie the vulture looks down over the fireplace. He too was a great find at Michaels!

And what's Halloween without Abigail the librarian hanging out with the crew...

I bet you can't guess where I purchased the black glittery trees from??? Michaels! I know. Crazy.

Happy Harvesting!

Jamie

Photo shoot

noreply@blogger.com (Pretty Ditty) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 18:36:00 +0000

Hello there!

I'm putting the finishing touches on my new sewing pattern. Here are a few pics from the photo shoot we did last Sunday. Pierre Olivier was once again my photographer.

It certainly was a family affair with my sister coordinating the shoot and my brother as a prop in some of the pics...

It was nice having him there playing his banjo. At one point in the shoot some local folks, who I believe lived at the park near by, came over to watch the shoot. They had a parrot with them and the parrot would dance every time Nathan would play the banjo. Yes, we did include the parrot in a few pics. We really didn't have a choice, because the owners were INSISTENT that the parrot be in some pics. I hesitated at first, since I was concerned that the parrot would poop on the garment. However, the parrot's owner assured me that he, the parrot, had "morals" and would never do such a thing. So we let him in some shots.

He is handsome!

Soon I will be back to posting, but in the mean time I am determined to wrap up this pattern. Before I'm off, I wanted to share a video promo of my brother's band, The Drowning Men's current tour. They just signed with Borstal Beat Records, which is Flogging Molly's record label. I'm very excited for them! Here's a video promo for their tour with the Airborne Toxic Event...

Cheers,

Jamie

New website

noreply@blogger.com (Pretty Ditty) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 14:27:00 +0000

I have a new website and me like-y a lot! The new site features all sorts of goodies such as a freebies page, a lookbook page, a press page, and a shop page that allows me to add a whole bunch of pics for each pattern. So please come on over and have a look around.

Speaking of press, this months Sewing World issue did an article on Jamie Christina Designs.

Alice Synge of Backstitch wrote the lovely piece and gave me an opportunity to convey my motivation behind the sewing patterns. I also got a chance to talk a little about my mom and granny, which means a lot to me.

Other news to share... I've been busy working on a new sewing pattern. As I get closer to the release I'll share more info about it, but for now I can tell you that it's the PERFECT pattern for cold weather. Ooooh I can't wait!

Cheers,

Jamie

Must make

noreply@blogger.com (Pretty Ditty) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 17:34:00 +0000

Here are a few things I need to try...

Source: s633.photobucket.com via Jamie on Pinterest

Hermes guide to summer scarf knotting via Everything Fabulous.

Source: annamariahorner.blogspot.com via Jamie on Pinterest

Easiest dress ever via Anna Maria Horner.

Source: citified.blogspot.com via Jamie on Pinterest

Hair Chignon via This is Glamorous.

A paper beaded necklace (link).
Instagram poster (link).
Matte nails in black (link).

Lastly, Pizza Skewers with garlic dipping sauce. Can I hear an "Ah Yea" out there!? These look so delicious and easy! I'm in trouble now.

Cheers,

Jamie

Pinterest & Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (Pretty Ditty) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 13:42:00 +0000

Source: passionnailart.com via Jamie on Pinterest

How fun are these! It's newspaper print on nails and it's super easy to do.

1. Paint nails with nail polish.

2. After polish has dried dip nail into alcohol. I used rubbing alcohol, but the directions suggests vodka. I was all out of my week's supply... ;) Kidding!

3. Press a strip of newspaper on top of the nail (nail should be wet with alcohol).

4. Gently pull strip away.
5. Apply a top coat after nails have dried.

Here's my first attempt...

Not bad, but I smudged the index finger.

Here's my daughter's nails...

I discovered this tute via Pinterest.

On a different note, I've joined Facebook. I know. It was a moment of weakness. I've tried so hard to hold out all these years, but finally I was like what the heck. And you know what? So far so good. When you work from home you kind of miss co-workers. You don't get to chit chat about the kids, who's dating who, who's had botax (which I totally think Megan Fox has... I'm just sayin), and all that meaningful stuff. Now with Facebook, I consider my "friends" my co-workers. When I need a break from work I just click on over to the water cooler and chat.

Anywho, I'm happy to announce there is a Jamie Christina Facebook page. As I navigate my way through the wonderful world of social technology, I'll add more to the page. Here's the link.

Cheers,

Jamie

Love me some fabric!

noreply@blogger.com (Pretty Ditty) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 15:14:00 +0000

This past Saturday, my mom and I went to LA for a fabric shopping trip. Both of us went there in search of coating fabric and jersey knits. First on our stop was Mood Fabrics.

I had never been to Mood before, so as you can imagine I was both excited and nervous - excited to see the fabrics that I've coveted since watching Project Runway, but nervous that possibly Tim Gunn would be there and question all of my fabric choices. "Jamie, I just don't think that fabric compliments your signature look." Or, "What were you thinking when you grabbed that atrocious fabric?" "I just, I just have a hard time seeing your vision." Oh how the mind can wonder. Thankfully, Tim Gunn doesn't hang out at Mood Fabrics, so that wasn't a problem. As a matter of fact, I shouldn't have been nervous at all, because the Mood sales staff were extremely helpful and kind.

The store is well organized with signs above each fabric section identifying what type of fabric it was. And yes they do have everything from lace and leather to woolens and every type of silk you can think of. Their price point was consistently higher, which is what I expected, but the quality of the fabrics is exceptional.

Searching out fabric is made easy since swatches hang from the end of the rolls. You can also request swatches to take home. I believe you are allowed up to 12 swatches and any more than that will cost a 1/4 yards worth.

I purchased 2 jersey knits. Both fabrics were $14.00 a yard.

I actually like the wrong side of this fabric better.

How dang cute is this heart fabric?! I purchased it for my daughter, buuuuut I may have to keep some for myself.

I did find some great coat fabrics (wool); however, the fabrics I was interested in were at least $30.00/yd and I needed 3 yards. I just couldn't pull the trigger on that. I may go back... I'll think about it.

After we forced ourselves to leave Mood, we headed to the garment district (now called the fashion district). I've been to the garment district twice before, but this time I came prepared. I found a great shopping guide for the garment district on Patternreview.com. Here is the link. I mapped out where we wanted to go according to the pattern review guide. This helped eliminate the overwhelming feeling one can get when visiting the plethora of options within the district. Basically, if a shop wasn't on my list to visit then we didn't go in. Plus, I knew what to look for in the shops that I did visit.

At Michael Levine I purchased 2 striped jersey knits...

and a striped sweater knit...

All 3 fabrics were $3.00/yd, but with a seller's permit you get an additional 20% off. So, if you go to the garment district be sure to bring your seller's permit (if you have one).

I can't remember where I purchased the next fabrics, but I can remember the price...

cotton woven fabrics $1.75/yd

jersey knits $1.00/yd

knit 3yards for $5.00

There is definitely a difference in quality between the Mood fabrics and the $1.00 fabrics, but my thinking is that I will use the $1.00 fabrics for "play fabric" and the Mood fabrics for the real deal stuff.

At the end of the day we stopped at Starbucks, which is conveniently located in the district.

My mom!

She was funny to shop with. There was no way I could haggle with any of the shop owners, because every time we walked into a shop she would say, "Oh wow, I can't believe the prices! All of the fabrics are so beautiful." She was cute and the prices really were great.

Cheers,

Jamie

Beaded Headband tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Pretty Ditty) — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 14:09:00 +0000

About a year ago, I made a beaded headband inspired by my beaded necklace tutorial. Since then I've been meaning to write up a tutorial to make one and just haven't found the time until now.

The tutorial includes the option to make a double or triple strand headband. Once you've made the headband you can embellish it as you please. I like to make fabric flowers and hand stitch them to the headband. The tutorial does not include instructions for the flower, however there are plenty of great tutes available on the web. I used this one for making the flowers.

Another idea is to add birdcage veiling around the flower. I haven't had a chance to give that a try yet, but would love to see it. If you make a beaded headband, please be sure to share on the pretty ditty show and tell flickr group.

Below is the pdf. Download and enjoy!

Beaded Headband Tutorial

Awww wook!

noreply@blogger.com (Pretty Ditty) — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 14:58:00 +0000

This is Rosie. She is oozing with sweetness...

And guess what? We have another bunny...

This is Anakin. He's the brains of the bunch. Yes, I did write bunch...

This is Heavy (named after a clone trooper) and he's all personality.

Oh, but wait! There's more...

Lastly, this is Thumper. Everyone has to have a Thumper eventually.

I know what you're thinking. Is she auditioning for some animal hoarder reality show? No, I am not. Let me start from the beginning.

About 2 months ago, we noticed a domestic gray dwarf rabbit in the neighborhood. The rabbit seemed quite content with living the free life, so we decided to leave food and water out at night for the rabbit. Our next door neighbors did the same. We decided to name him Gunther. They decided to call it Roger. We all enjoyed taking care of Gunther/Roger and would talk with the neighbors about where we last saw him and how much fun it was for the kids to experience this.

Last Friday, my daughter decided to practice her cartwheels out in the front yard when suddenly mid-cartwheel she noticed a white fur ball run across the yard. She went to see what it was and realized it was a baby bunny and alerted us to her discovery. Quickly, we ran outside and saw the little bunny balled up in the corner of our door step. My husband scooped the bunny up and placed him in our dog kennel (minus the dog). It was then that we realized Gunther/Roger was not a boy after all...it was a Jessica! At this point we were all oohing and ahhing over Heavy our new baby bunny, not realizing that there would be more to come over the next two hours.

Approximately, one hour after we found the first bunny I noticed a cat trying to get something in the bushes. Well, as I'm sure you've figured out by now the cat was trying to capture 2 more bunnies dashing through the yard. I quickly shooed the cat away and added 2 more bunnies to the kennel. My kids were elated to say the least that we had 3 bunnies. And, at the moment, so was I. I love animals. I love babies. I love baby animals. It was my birthday too! I was thinking to myself, "Wow! We have 3 bunnies!" Then, 24 hours later I was thinking to myself, "Yikes! We have 3 bunnies!"

We began to stress about if we had done the right thing by taking the bunnies in. Maybe we should put them in the bushes where we think the nest is. What if the cat comes back? Does the Mama rabbit miss her babies? Will the raccoon eat them if we put them back (oh yes, even a raccoon was trying to get a piece of baby bunny)? Will they die if we keep them? Will they multiply again? My poor husband! So after all of the what ifs, we decided to call our veterinarian. He said that the bunnies best chance for survival was with us and not the wild, because they are domestic rabbits. That was all we needed to hear. My maternal instincts kicked in and off to the pet store we went.

Ah...but there are 4 bunnies you say. Yes, that night after we returned from the vet's office we were outside with my neighbors talking about the new additions when my son noticed a little black ball of fur by the trash cans. "How many do they have," I thought to myself? We were already committed at that point with the 3 bunnies, so we added Aniken to the family. I don't think there are anymore bunnies in the front yard. If more appear, I may have to take Jessica (a.k.a Gunther) in to get fixed. That is if I can catch her. She's a free spirit.

The good news is that my neighbors have agreed to take 2 of the bunnies after they get a little stronger and older. So in the end we will only have 2 bunnies... I think =)

Have I showed you Rosie...

Do you see the wittle arms? Too cute!

I think she's my favorite.

Cheers to baby bunnies,

Jamie

Wedding Gift | Bridal Registry | Ideas

Jamie Christina sewing pattern giveaway

Maxi Skirt with Accordion Pocket

WEDDING SHOES: UGG AUSTRALIA DOES BRIDAL BLING

WEDDING LINGERIE: LOLA HAZE IS ON SALE!

WEDDING CONTEST: YEAH WEDDINGS

WEDDING SHOES: TIFFANY BLUE WITH ARUNA SETH

DIY Ombre Tights

WEDDING SHOES: A POP OF COLOR FROM LULU TOWNSEND

Stripe Play Maxi Skirt

Apple

WEDDING JEWERLY: MODERN VINTAGE JEWELRY @ MODWEDDING

WEDDING VEILS: IDOJOUR WEDDING VEILS

Basket weave inspiration

DIY Hoodie Weave

VINTAGE WEDDING DRESSES: UNION MADE BRIDE

SPONSORED LOVE: MEN'S WEDDING BANDS AT TUNGSTENWORLD.COM

Band T-shirt makeover

4 Square Top tutorial

BRIDAL JEWELRY: TATABORELLO

Bias Mission Maxi

WEDDING VEILS: EMI SUZUKI

WEDDING DRESSES: CHARLOTTE CASADEJUS

WEDDING JEWELRY: MAGPIE VINTAGE

WEDDING DRESSES: PROJECT RUNWAY ALUM RAMI KASHOU & BEBE

RING PILLOWS: BEAUTIFUL PILLOW AT BAB'S BOUTIQUE

WEDDINGS: GREEN SHOES FOR THE ST. PATRICK DAY BRIDES

WEDDING VEILS: NINA SHOES

WEDDING CAKES: UNIQUE WEDDING CAKES AT PINK CAKE BOX

WEDDING CAKE TOPPERS: JAYNE DANGER

WEDDING DRESSES: DESIGNER TONY HAMAWY

WHAT LIES BENEATH: LINGERIE FROM MADE BY NIKI

WEDDING HEADBANDS: KALIVODA

Valentine's Day Top

SPONSORED LOVE: WEDDING INVITATIONS AT MINTED.COM

DC BRIDES: ONE LUCKY BRIDE WILL SAVE ON HER WEDDING AT RIVERVIEW TERRACE

WEDDING JEWELRY: NOBLE HOUSE DESIGNS

Abbey Coat pattern giveaway

The Abbey Coat lookbook

The Abbey Coat sewing pattern

Porcelain plate drawing tutorial

Cupcake half apron

Brownie Waffle

Halloween lovelies

Photo shoot

New website

Must make

Pinterest & Facebook

Love me some fabric!

Beaded Headband tutorial

Awww wook!