Sewing: A Gift in Black and White

I'm so excited: I just made my first gift with my newly acquired (okay, newly just-starting-to-be-acquired) sewing skills!

This is from BurdaStyle's Marcel Eye Mask pattern, which now costs a dollar. Not a bad price if you're not into drafting the pattern yourself (I downloaded it ages ago, before sewing was something I took seriously... lucky me, because lady-shaped people love this).

The back and the front are two different patterns from the same bit of fabric I got at Whipstitch. I promised to post the skirt I made in the same fabric, and as soon as my husband is around to take pictures for me I really, really will. 

The ties are a sheer, black ribbon. It's filled with lentils, scented with rosemary (one of my favorites!) and can be used hot or cold as an eye press. 

The two sides really make me want to try this pattern again in a Jekyll/Hyde theme. What do you think?

New Hobby: Sewing?

Let's list my hobbies:
* Crocheting
* Baking
* Cake decorating
* Paper Mache
* Halloween (wait, move that to the top)
* Writing
* Blogging
* Tatting
* Cooking
* Knitting
* Drinking
* Photoshop
* Planting things
* Quilling
* Home renovation (is that a hobby?)
* Watching Horror movies

That isn't all of them, I'm pretty sure. AND I'M ADDING ANOTHER ONE:

Sewing.

That's right; I've been learning to sew at work. I have made... *drum roll* a skirt! Which isn't pictured yet; I'll post it for you soon. I actually didn't murder the pattern, but then again I had a ridiculous amount of help.

I've also made 4 very misshapen Halloween napkins. I'll post those too, if everyone promises not to laugh too hard. They are made from a cotton witchy-print fabric that I've had so long I don't even remember buying it.

Barely a month in, and already I'm getting ahead of myself. I've spent half my down-time looking at Halloween quilts! (let's not add 'quilting' to the list just yet, shall well?). Still, look how pretty:

Nostalgic Halloween

Coffin Quilt

I feel strongly that someone should
make the Sleepy Hollow quilt for me

Someone save me, or at least my husband, from my all my expensive hobby-acquiring habits!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Cockroach Magnet

Eww, eww, eww -- if you never make this, I won't hold it against you. It looks too close to real!


Oh yeah, my skin is crawling just thinking about this project. Bugs? Super-scary.

Nuno Life has posted this fabulous project, complete with how-to. A few of these hanging out on your fridge will effectively keep me out of your leftovers. :)

Tiny Hat for the Best Man

Gosh, this is embarrassing to admit:

My fiance and his best friend, our Best Man, really love Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job!

I occasionally find myself singing some from Casey and His Brother (especially the one you'll hear if you FF to 3:50 in this video) because of them. And I hear, "I got this tiny hat at Tiny Hats," more times that I really want to tell you about:

It only seems appropriate that the best man, who will otherwise be outfitted in traditional wedding formal wear, per the groom's self-described "boringness," should have a tiny hat.

I expect to hear, "I got this tiny hat, at Tiny Hats" ALL NIGHT LONG. I don't know what I'm volunteering to do this to myself.


The Tip Top Hat Tutorial by *chioky on deviantART

Free Cape Pattern @ Fitzpatterns

Thanks to Take Charge of Your Wardrobe, I finally see the possibilities of this cape from Fitzpatterns. Every other time I've been to their page of free patterns I have overlooked it.

It's free -- just go through the steps to 'purchase' and make note of the fact that the charge for the medium pattern is $0.00. They send it to you digitally.

This will be so cute with a skull-patterned lining.

Moonstitch - Zakka Style Owl Pennant

This is a very sweet pennant design, from Moonstitch.

Rather than using the blue, beige and reds I think it would be nice in blacks, and grays, and oranges for a vintage-looking Halloween design. But you know -- Christmas cheer is nice too.

Enjoy!

[EDIT] Check out this adorable BAT VERSION over at Shadow Manor!!

Skull Happy Cocktail Apron

40's and 50's housewife fashion is tragically adorable. Sitting at home by myself this past weekend, yards of black and silver skull fabric hanging out in my craft box and no internet to speak of, I was compelled to sew a gothic cocktail apron.

What could be better than spooking-out such a nostalgically happy fashion statement? You just need 1/2 a yard to a full yard of excess fabric (depending how how big and how many pockets you want). Holiday prints are always for sale, even if they aren't always on-sale.

And cocktail aprons=super easy sewing projects. Great for beginners looking to make something neat!

I found my pattern over at pattern bee and adapted the lengths to suit my tastes, but if you don't like the style or despise pockets you could try out this step-by-step tutorial or go to eHow for an entire series of videos. I made the body and trim of my apron from plain black cotton I had lying about, and did the pockets in my silver-skull fabric.

I don't really remember the measurements other than that I cut the apron 26" wide and gathered the top under the waistband to about 20" -- I mostly just cut it to feel, laying it out and testing as I went. The borders/trim/waistband/ties are all about 1 1/2" wide. I cut my waistband and the ties long enough to tie in the back or wrap around and tie comfortably in the front.

Not very precise, I know.

Now I just need to make a vintage dress and tulle petticoat to wear with high heels around the kitchen while baking creepy cupcakes. ;)

I'm so Petti

Check out this adorable punky petticoat tutorial! The embroidered chandelier is fantastic. I would like really neat on just about any piece of clothing, I should think. Can you imagine it on a fitted jacket or a nifty bag?

I reminds me that I've been holding on to a tutorial about petticoats from the Anticraft for awhile now, meaning to make one. What I really want to do is a see-throughish, rough edged petticoat like Gypsy Moon once offered as part of their World's End collection. That whole line was just to die for (even though the pictures look broken, click and open them up -- some really stellar stuff in there to inspire your inner seamstress).

Simplicity Gives You Wings

Simplicity has a cute little tutorial for how to make simple wings on their "Classroom" website. Shockingly, it was the 'bat' wings I was drawn to first. I've always wanted some of those!

Just last night I was telling my father how if I were to get a tattoo it would be of large bat wings running down from my shoulder blades. I just adore bats.

Felt Kitty

A little black kitty is an excellent sewing craft, don't you think? And this one looks so scraggily and odd.

I love BurdaStyle and their free patterns.

1912 Dress

How nifty; a turn-of-the-last-century-ish dress.

Go take a look!

Fabulous 40's Style Dress

I find Craftster horrific to navigate - but it's filled with so many fantastically talented people showing off such amazing creations that I just can't pull myself away.

Take this 40's Style Dress, for instance, by thelovecats.

She drafted it from a pattern detail on VintageSewing.info - I'm sure it was a painstaking process, but the result is enviable. It is one of the sexiest dresses I have ever seen.

Really makes me wish I was better at sewing. But learning is what the internet is all about:

• Sewing Book: Free Online Lessons
• About.com: Free Sewing Lessons
• PatternsThatFitYou.com Free Instructions