Canvas Storage "Bucket"

I promise I'm not turning into an anthropologie knockoff blog (altho...would that really be such a bad thing??)

Fell hard for this storage basket from the anthro site this weekend:

chevron pop canvas basket

Something that's actually an easy-to duplicate project.  If you're not at all familiar with creating a pattern for something like this by hand, there are several tutorials on the internets. This one looks good and even has measurements.

The anthro basket isn't horribly priced, but who knows about the fabric quality. When you make your own, you can customize the fabric and quality (and this project wouldn't take much fabric either, so you could invest in the good stuff).

There are lots of canvas and twills at Fabric.com. Love love love this one (and bonus! it matches my bathroom cabinet):

waverly sand art

I still haven't sewn a seam yet this month. But hey! There are a few more days left in January. It could happen.  I need to clean and oil my machine first. Poor baby.

A song in my head and a dress in my heart.

And a blog I adore.. But first, the song in my head. Do you watch the X-Factor?  Holy Amazeballs, Batman, I can't get enough of Carly Rose Sonenclar:

A fair portion of those 10 million youtube hits might be mine and my 3rd period class...we're all starstruck!

Nextly..I've got dress envy. Would you just look at this Colette Crepe?

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Gorgeous, right?  Ok and summery, and I'm heading into fall, but I. Don't. Care.  I really want to sew a Crepe now.

This one is super cute too, love the Lizzy House fork fabric;

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Frankly, I've been dreaming of this Crepe thing for a while now...ever since I noticed the dress Amy Adams wears in the final scenes of Leap Year was so similar in cut and style:

I had it all planned out in this post. I even still have the fabrics, prewashed and ready to go. Deep royal blue dotted swiss:

And a very-similar-to-the-original-dress chambray stripe:

All of which goes to show you...time has sped up way way WAY too fast this year and I plan way way WAY more than I will ever hope to accomplish.  Good thing the planning is fun.

I leave you with a blog I am loving right now, Miss Green.  She's adorable!  And has great style.

Happy Weekend!

knits and stripes and patterns, oh my!

I have finally broken my fabric fast and purchased some goodies, no thanks to Kristine who turned me onto Girl Charlee Fabrics.  I'm probably most excited by finally having my very own chevron SOMETHING...  Even if I'm late to the chevron party.  I got the B&W chevron knit:

Just what to make with it??  I saw an adorable skirt on Pinterest, but I've seen some cute tanks (a'la the Sorbetto) and even a few cute dresses. With a busy print like that, it would need to be something simple.  This is cute:

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 Hmmm.  Taking suggestions now.

 Then I caved to the pressure I always feel from nautical-esque stripes.  Stripes, why do I love thee??

And this glorious stripe with a floral...I'm seeing a dress with a swirly skirt.  Maybe something that wraps around?

This is pretty, maybe more swish in the skirt...  Pattern suggestions??

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And lastly, two small prints for (probably) more tees.

  Won't they be pretty in something feminine and girly?  Maybe that ruched center tee from Burda Style a few seasons ago.

 Or the Jalie sweetheart tee:

Good news...the Burda and the Jalie are already muslined.  Bad news...I want to start with the dress. Ha. Story of my life!

Hope you're having a lovely fall weekend!

new project time!

I'm ready to start something new, although it will likely be the weekend before I actually get a chance to.  I'm thinking I will probably go with this cute 50s Simplicity:

 

And I have this really fabulous kelly green checked fabric (that I don't have a photo of) but I also just got this pretty turquoise seersucker:

 Right now, I'm leaning to the seersucker, with a white waffle pique collar.  I love that this pattern has so many different options (but only one fitting required!)  You can have matching collar (the bias is really nice) or contrast collar, or just a square neckline with a pretty sash. 

What are you working on or dreaming of this week?

a lovely vintage pattern.

Just look at this lovely pattern I saw on Etsy this morning:

 

Alot of 1940s patterns have a high neckline that isn't terribly flattering to those of us with a larger bustline.  This is a beautiful neckline though!  And I'm in total love with the peplum and the BOW!

I also found this Simplicity from 1980.  Isn't it very 1940-ish?  I know the 40s were a strong fashion influence in the 80s, I just haven't noticed it quite as strongly as in this pattern (which has a daintier print than most c. 1980 dresses; that may be helping the illusion):

Isn't this 1940s pattern very similar?  (albeit, much more charming):

Still, I'm guessing that the former is much easier to get your hands on than the latter, and in your size for a cheaper $$ too.  Something to think about.  (Personally, there's just something so perfect about 1930-1950's era pattern instructions and diagrams.  They are just so concise and beautiful!)

Today is my "Friday" and I'll be having an unexpected 4-day weekend to lie in my pj's and "rest".  Sewing probably won't be on the agenda (drat it) but I expect lots of  Netflix watching and ripple-crocheting to occur.  Doesn't it feel like I've been sick more than usual this fall/winter?  Ugh.  Let's just say my fanny bum is sore from this morning's visit with a needle.  (haha!  A kind British commenter pointed out I had made a shocking admission.  Slang is so funny!)

Off now to pitifully ask the kids to fold laundry and do the dishes. Bless Lu, she took care of this one.  (Kristine says no one ever died from a dirty kitchen/over-full laundry, but I'm suspicious of her sources.)

ps...I've been searching the internets tonight for an appropriate fabric for my sewalong top (I have bottom-weight fabric).  I think I'd like a silk or possibly a blend in a print, and I mostly have solids.  I love love love this:

but can't find anything else I'm dying to have from Fabric Mart (I know, shocking, right?)  I hate to order just one thing.  If you've seen something especially lovely you think would work, give a girl a shout-out!  Here's my top pattern for the sewalong in case you need a reminder:

saturday again.

I have a serious love of Saturday.

Oh. And have you seen this?



The most fascinating thing I've watched in a long, long time. Highly recommend its placement in your Netflix queue.

Neeexxxtttt....We have a new Joann's! Er, we now HAVE a Joann's. Previously the only source for fabrics/patterns near me was Hancocks, a few indie quilt shops and Hobby Lobby. I made my first stop yesterday. My thoughts...too much "crafty" stuff (more than half the store) and too much fleece. Messy dress fabric section with mostly synthetic fabrics.

So basically it's my local Hancock's, better lit, with fewer buttons. Ah well. It's still nice to have another option! Hope it makes it longterm.

I didn't have trouble finding something to buy, they were having a 50% off most fabrics sale. I got these two plaids: (poly/rayon blend)



Some lightweight white linen for another "anthro" top (yes, I'm going to finish this one and make another. Shut your snark.)


This brown "boucle"-ish fabric (and some brown Bemberg to line):


Yummy moss green rayon knit (brighter and mossier than this photo):


Don't have a clue what I'm making with any of it but the white linen, but probably (in order): skirt, skirt, top, jackiet, top.

I have a real desire to sew today, so I plan on doing that in some form or another once I unpack and start some laundry. I've been away at a conference for a few days. I love Saturday's, but I HATE unpacking!

Have a good weekend!

saturday agenda:

Here's the agenda for today, class:

1. Post on the Literary Girls.
   
2. Finish anthro top.
   
3. Alter this pattern and *CROSSES FINGERS* cut out (Vogue 8701):

I'll be making the pretending-to-be-a-vintage-pattern-dress:


using this amazing fall plaid:


Note the tiny bit of green in the plaid in this close up...


Ok, so I did say a "tiny" bit of green.

Gotta finish that anthro top first. And somewhere I need to squeeze in time to cut out that blue skirt to match! Yikes. I need a vacation so I can work on all these projects!

FO's tomorrow! (still CROSSING FINGERS)

built by me. again.

You might remember this cute Built By Wendy Simplicity pattern from last summer, I had good luck with it in a woven (although it's technically for a knit). Simplicity 3692:


I'm thinking another woven, something light and airy. I have lots of cotton prints in stash that would love to be used up (so I can buy more...uh, more on that in a minute.) I also have a striped knit that would like to be that nautical version.

I also want to make this one up again. You'll remember I just did reconstructive surgery on a top (adding sleeves) here. (Hmmm. I never did show you the finished product did I? Will have to get on that asap.) Simplicity 3835:


Both of these patterns remind me of my beloved Japanese craft books. If only I didn't have to do such major alterations to these patterns (i.e. grade WAY UP) to make them work! (The ONLY reason I haven't ordered Machiko Kayaki's newest book.) They're mainly for inspiration.

And about that need for new fabric...The more I sew up my stash, the more my stash begs to be replenished. I've been trying to stick to "sales" and ebay or etsy. All of these cute finds are winging their way to me as we speak...

Jessica Levitt Timber - Apple:


Adover Ohh La La Paris Market:


Bernatex Happy Trails Cowboys:


Heather Ross Equestrian:


Heather Ross Frog Pond:


Erin McMorris (Free Spirit) Go Bicycle:


I am SO in love with the little gray bicycle fabric!!! Oh ok, I'm in love with all of them! As usual I only have a very vague idea of what they'll end up being in garment form, but that's half the fun.

Guess I better finish that stack of UFOs and take some pictures before they all get here, huh?

ps...Weight loss update...I'm at the halfway mark! Woohoo! I don't know how that happened. I fully expected to be stalled this week (again) but no! I lost! Just in time too. I was maybe a tad discouraged the past couple of weeks, and this has pushed me back into the eating better groove.

have a great Monday everyone!

summer day 2.

New summer purse, via my local flea market:


(note how the yummy goldenrod color was throwing off the tint of the photo though...the bottom portion of the wall in that pictures is the more accurate wall color!)

Please tell me why even though I have two NEARLY finished UFO's, all I want to do is start something new? Maybe involving vintage feedsacks and scruffy old laces?


Or polka dots in blues and sunny yellow begging to be a pert little pocket on a new-but-thinks-it's-a-vintage-Laura Ashley-print??


Hmmm? Why does that happen?

Good thing I'm off tomorrow. And the day after that. And the day after that. And the day after that...and the, well, you get the picture.

OH! The cactus bloomed today...only happens once a year and I've been waiting for it! Oh, you weren't? Sorry. I took a picture for you anyway.

(Unusual choice for a farm dog, but we'll keep her.)


Now, I gotta run. I just popped the yummy Chris Pine in the dvd player. He & I have afternoon plans. We're cutting into that Not-Laura-Ashley print and thumbing our noses at the pile of UFOs. What? You wouldn't pair Star Trek, large rose print, and cheeky dotted pockets?

Well, I live on the edge.

Priscilla asks: "Have you stopped and smelled the flowers yet today?"