Month: June 2011

More sewing for me! This is the Lisette Market Skirt and Top, made in the exact same fabric as pictured on the pattern envelope. Not very original of me, but the fabric was 50 percent off, and I like pink! I admit, the skirt fabric is not something I would have picked out on my own, and even when I was making the skirt, I was having second thoughts, but once it was all together I do like it.

I’m not sure how much I like the skirt and top together. It’s a bit LOUDER than my usual style. But I wore the outfit to work this week and got several compliments.

Both projects were fairly easy to sew, even though I have never made a pleated skirt before. The only part I wasn’t sure of was the twill tape used for the skirt waistband. It wasn’t clear to me whether I should be folding over the raw edges of the top of the skirt and then covering them with the tape (so both edges of the tape would be exposed on the inside), or if it was more like sewing a quilt binding, with the tape folded over. (I did the latter). I asked my husband if anything looked wrinkled when he was taking this picture, and he said no, but now I see how wrinkled the skirt is! It looks much better freshly ironed.

I made a size 8 in the skirt. My waist measurement puts me at a 10 but since this sits below the waist, I went by my hip measurement. I ended up taking in the sides even a bit more, so maybe I could’ve gone with a 6.

The top was very easy to make. I made a 6 and it fits well, though I wish I had made it a bit longer.

I have not packed anything for myself yet for my trip, yet I keep trying to squeeze in a few more craft and sewing projects! Here are some little travel game folders I made for my son and the friend who will be traveling with us.

I got the idea from THIS tutorial at Creating My Way to Success, and had originally planned to follow her instructions to make a fabric folder with paper Battleship game sheets. But I knew I didn’t have time to do that, so I improvised with cardboard, and added a plastic sheet so the game board can be re-usable.

I made both of these out of one recyled cereal box. I started with a piece of cardboard from the box roughly 10.5″ X 6.5″ (I say roughly, because even when I use my paper trimmer, I can never cut cardboard or cardstock straight. It’s always crooked, and even when I measure the midpoint to fold it in half, still crooked). I cut a piece of transparency film slightly smaller (No idea why I bought this film. Probably for some failed project. I’m thinking you could also use a plastic file-folder or clear document sleeve?) and sewed it to the carboard in three places: right along the fold, and along both the top and bottom. That creates two pockets that are open on both sides for the game pages to slide in and out.
I didn’t add them until later, but that would have been the best time to add the little loop of elastic in the fold to hold the marker, and the elastic on the outside for the closure.
I covered the fronts (which had the cereal box graphics on them) with some adhesive cardstock I think I have had for about 10 years. I used to be like that when I did paper scrapbooking _ always hestitating to use the “good stuff” and then never using it. For the green version, I did the sewing after adhering the cardstock, but I like the orange version better. The buttons are glued on.

In addition to Battleship, I downloaded and re-sized pages for tic-tac-toe, two dot games and lined paper for writing. For some, I printed them back-to-back, but left some blank, in case the kids just want to draw/doodle. (Just google “pencil and paper travel games” and you’ll find some).

Here are some links to the sites where I found the printable games:
Pencil & Paper Games from the editors of FamilyEducation
Battleship printable from MomsMinivan.com
Pencil and Paper Games from Today’s Parent

We tried these out with just regular markers, and they wiped off fine using a paper towel or a scrap of flannel, though they smudge pretty easily. Would dry-erase markers be better?

I quickly tried to teach my son how to play Battleship this morning and he was still a bit confused about following the grid to find the right box, so we’ll see how that goes…

Just in time for our big vacation to France (!!!), I made this Passport Dress from Sew Lisette (Simplicity 2209). I really like this line of patterns by Liesl Gibson, the designer of the Oliver + S children’s patterns. In fact, I bought 3 of the 4 patterns when Jo-Ann’s had the Simplicity pattern sale for 5 for $5. The Lisette line of fabric was also on sale for 50 percent off, so I stocked up and plan to make the jacket that goes with this dress out of a green twill, a skirt, top and another dress. We’ll see how well that goes!

This dress was surprisingly easy to make, though my measurements are a bit challenging in that I have a small top and hips, and larger waist in comparison. So I made the waist a little bigger. And I had to chop at least three inches off the length of the skirt. The top is still a little loose, so I will have to wear my super-padded bra and stand up straight! (I’m also noticing a weird crease in the top of the picture, but that isn’t there now).
My husband actually noticed and complimented the diagonal darts at the waist (hard to see with this print), and said the dress made me look taller (I think that’s the high heels!). It’s not Paris chic but it will do!

More shirts made with my Silhouette machine, this time using the smooth heat-transfer material instead of the flocked. Again, I used coloring book pages for the designs, though I tweaked them a bit in Photoshop to get rid of some of the details and make the outlines thicker.
I nearly gave up on the Millennium Falcon — SO many tiny pieces of vinyl to peel away. I accidentally pulled off a large piece with a bunch of little pieces and was complaining to my husband, who told me to get a grip: the six-year-old who gets this shirt is not going to notice. He’s probably right.

This shirt is for my niece who turns six next month and is in a My Little Pony phase right now. Personally, I think they’re a little creepy looking, but MUCH easier to cut out than the Star Wars ship!

I realize I haven’t been posting much lately. My job is getting hectic with all the presidential candidates, and possible candidates, coming through. Yesterday, for example, I spent several hours waiting outside a hotel for this: