Sewing with my sister

I am crazy.  This is a fact I am reminded of from time to time–especially when in the fog of a new obsession.  You see, when I love something, I really really love it.  Take knitting, for instance.  Within the first three or four months I had learned to knit, knit scarves for almost every member of my family for Christmas, knit a hat, started leg warmers (seemed like a good idea at the time), shopped at every local yarn shop in my area, and started knitting my first sweater.  I was all in.

I am starting to feel the exact same way about sewing. I think I really really love it.  And when I love something…well, let’s just say, sewing and me, I am in.

One of the things I love to do with my crazy obsessive tendencies is share it with other crazy obsessive people. Like Kara.  For those of you that read my sister’s blog, you will already have seen a preview of our super crafty weekend. I taught Kara to sew last weekend.  (Fun side note: I also taught Kara to knit and it was about two months after I learned how to knit–just like with sewing!)  We had a blast buying fabric and sewing together.  Due to both an error that needed correcting and the intoxication from Japanese fabric we ended up sewing for not one day but two.  I am sure Kara will unveil all her finished items but here is what I accomplished last weekend.

First, more lounge pants.

Now I know you probably think I have thousands of pairs of lounge pants by now but you have to remember that most of them I made for other people.  This is my third pair…and I think my favorite.  I mean, look at this fabric:

I love fabric.

The pattern is again the Amy Butler Wide Leg Lounge pants found in her really wonderful book In Stitches.  I did make a slight adjustment on these where I took the legs in by about 4 inches total per leg to make them slightly less wide legged. I could wear these all the time.  In fact, I am wearing them now. Love.

You might think we stopped at each making a pair of lounge pants but no.  I also made a skirt.

The pattern is Amy Butler Barcelona Skirts, the a-line skirt version. You might think I am a little Amy Butler crazy but she really does have some great patterns.  I am sure eventually I will expand outside of her design bubble but I am not done with her quite yet.  I really think this pattern is a perfect one that can be used as a basic start to create all kinds of skirts with varying fabric and embellishment.  My mind is racing with all the possibilities.

I love this…I mean I can make my own skirts now!  Matching skirts for sweaters that I knit (don’t think I have forgotten about knitting–knitting and I are still BFFs.)  I am sure all my non-crafty friends are amused by my enthusiasm right now but come on, we all have our things. I just love that I am not fully done discovering mine quite yet.

This weekend’s sewing project: Kimono Robe.  Wish me luck.

Read Full Post »

Help people…and win yarn

One thing that is awesome about the internets is the ability to reach a wide group of people and in some cases, use that connection to do some good.  The very talented knitter and Australian blogger Jacqueline has organized a incentive contest to donate to the Australian Red Cross, helping the victims of the bushfires that recently devastated areas of Victoria. 

As if the warm fuzzy feeling you get from donating to a wonderful cause isn’t enough, in addition you could win all kinds of yarny goodness.  Yeah, I know.

Learn how to donate and to win yarn here.

P.S. I promise I will be back soon with a new post.  It has been a pretty busy and intense week but I am seeing a light at the end of the tunnel.  (This particular light happens to be a certain sister who will be arriving in my town tomorrow for a long weekend of knitting, sewing, movie going, DVD watching, restaurant trying, cookie making, target shopping, and whatever else we feel like.)

Read Full Post »

Gum Drop Pillow

Here’s the thing about sewing.  You can decide to make a pattern, buy the fabric, and have a finished object all in one day.

It’s a pillow/mini-ottoman!

While knitting will always be my first love, I have to admit that sewing is beginning to be a serious competitor for my affections.  Yesterday I went fabric shopping with my sewing sensei Tricia and saw the Gum Drop Pillow pattern by Amy Butler.  On a bit of an impulse I decided to make it…that day.

This is a great pattern and didn’t take too long–I love Amy Butler’s pattern instructions.  Very intuitive and clear.  Making the pillow was interesting and fun–the only part I would prefer to not do again was stuffing the pillow.  If anyone has any tips on how to stuff a pillow evenly please feel free to share them with me.  Stuffing took forEVER.  It is not stuffed perfectly but in the end I just had to call it close enough.

Side View

I promise there is knitting going on too.  All in all, January was a very crafty start to 2009.  As for sewing, I have enough fabric to make 4 pairs of lounge pants, one skirt, and a kimono robe.  Making stuff is fun.

Read Full Post »