Valentine's Frock, Gathered Neckline Dress Tutorial

Remember this little Valentine's Day frock?  My little one has worn this dress 6 out of the 7 days that the dress has existed. She absolutely LOVES it (which I cannot say that about everything I sew for her).  Because of that I'm thrilled, thrilled, thrilled!  This dress is feminine, without being overly so, and oh so fun for the little one to twirl in.  It's perfect for parties or play alike. 

As promised, here's the tutorial on creating a version of this little number.   

Ready to make your own? 

Here's what you need:

• Lightweight cotton fabric. The amount depends on the size you are making.  For my almost 4 year old daughter I used 2 yards of fabric.  (I suggest using a lightweight fabric (shirting fabric, a light linen, or something else that is super light over a quilting cotton because their are lots of gathers on the neckline, lightweight cotton fabric gathers oh so wonderfully.  I used a pair of cotton curtains we had around the house.. so be creative with your materials!) 
• Iron on interfacing
• Piece of newspaper, typing paper, etc to draft a bodice piece
• Ruler (preferably a clear one like the one pictured below)
• Marking pen
• Fabric pen
• A ready to wear dress that fits your little one well
• Sewing supplies: sewing machine, matching thread, hand needle, scissors, and an iron
• Optional: 2-4 buttons for added detail

Click below to see the full tutorial.

DIY Flutter Sleeve Shirt

I love basics. Don't you?  I love basics with just a touch of edge; and I can't really find that in stores for my little one.

So I decided to make a simple top for the little one myself. I picked up a fabulous white jersey knit, a zipper, and some bias tape and went to work. 

I must say that my little one LOVES this top and skirt apparent from her working-the-camera-super-model-poses. (No, not one of these poses were prompted. : ))  I also made the skirt which I'll share more details on later. 

Unfortunately, I can't say she loves everything I make. She has quite a mind of her own so I never know if she will wear what I make. But this shirt she would wear everyday if I let her.  

Score.

Want to make a flutter sleeve top for yourself or for your little one? Here's how... 

Gather your supplies. You will need:

• Jersey Knit fabric, about1 yard for an adult or about 1/2 yard for a child (3 T). 
• 1/2 inch single fold bias tape in a coordinating color.
• Coordinating metal zipper.
• Small amount of iron on interfacing.
• Well fitted t-shirt to use as a guide.
• Fabric Marker.
• Pins.
• Scissors.
• Thread and Sewing Machine.

Click below to expand the instructions!

Quick Gift Idea..How to Make a Fabric CD or DVD Case

It's already the end of August. YIKES!  The holidays are on their way. Can you believe it? 

I feel as though I'm often scrambling to prepare everything. But not this year.  Yes, this year I'm starting early.

 During the holidays, my go to neighbor gift is a CD of our favorite holiday tunes.  

This year I wanted to improve the presentation of our gift so I searched online but didn't find anything that I loved. So I headed to the craft store and came up with this... 

 

This would make a really easy and amazing holiday gift, wedding party favor, or photographer packaging. Just slip a CD or DVD with anything  your heart desires and you're good to go.   

Despite the lengthy tutorial, it is a quick and easy project that can be done in no time! 

Click below for the instructions!

How to Sew a Fully Exposed Zipper

I am a bit obsessed with exposed zippers these days, and it's not just because they look cool. Exposed zippers are really the easiest zipper to sew on, in my opinion. You can add them to any project you're sewing or to any top, dress, or skirt you have already in your closet. So grab something that needs a style update, and let's do it. 





You will need:

• Zipper
• Iron on Interfacing
• A shirt, dress, or skirt ready for a style update
• Pins
• Fabric marker
• Scissors
• Thread, sewing machine

1. Cut a piece of iron on interfacing the same width and length as your zipper. 

2. Turn your shirt so that it is right side out. Find the mid point of the back of your shirt. Draw a line as long as your zipper down the center of your shirt.  Iron the interfacing centered on that line. Remember you should be doing this on the right side of your shirt!

3. Sew 1/4 away on both sides of the center line.  When you reach the bottom of your line, pivot and turn then sew 1/4 an inch and pivot and turn and sew 

4. With scissors, Slash down the center line. Iron the raw edges over to the right side of your shirt. Pin and sew in place. 

5. Pin the zipper on your shirt so that the zipper teeth lines up with the with the slash.  It should look like this:

Wrong side:

Right side:

6. With your shirt on the right side. You will sew two lines around your zipper. The first should be 1/4 away from the zipper edge. The second should be as close to the zipper teeth as you can. 

You're DONE! The right side of the back of your shirt will look like this:

While the inside of your shirt should look like this:

That's it!

Loves,

Amber

How to Make a Lace Crown. No Crocheting Required!

If you're a photographer, I'm sure you've seen some those adorable newborn crowns.  

Here's a quick and easy way to make one.. no crocheting required.  

Made larger, these would make adorable party favors for a big girl party or maybe even for yourself. : )  Oh.. the possibilities!

                             

                   

                             

Here's how you do it..

• You will need:
• Mod Podge
• A strip of lace (For a newborn, I used about 2 1/2 -3 inches of lace) 
• Fabric Paint and Paint Brush (This is optional. You will need it only if you want to change the color of the lace.) 
• Hot Glue Gun

1.  If you want your crown to be a different color then the lace, mix a bit of Mod Podge with your fabric paint.  I did about one part paint to one part Mod Podge.  Paint your lace.

If you are leaving your lace the color it is, simply paint Mod Podge onto your lace. 

2. Let dry until the paint is a tad sticky.  (You don't want it to be completely dry). 

3. Form a circle and hot glue the lace together; be sure to keep the lace pattern consistent. 

4. Let dry by placing the crown on a cup or something else circular.  

5. You're all done!

 Loves,
Amber

How to Sew a Pleated Detail onto a Bodice.

As promised, I just finished up a tutorial on sewing the pleated bodice from my French Inspired Boat neck dress.   You can add this simple detail to any shirt or any bodice of a dress; just do so before you sew the neckline. 

Here's how you do it..

*Note, the finished width of the detail will be about 2 3/4 inches.  If you want it wider or narrower, it will take a bit of recalculating but it is very doable.*

1. Measure and cut out your fabric. Make your fabric as long as you need by 6 1/2 inches wide. 

2. Next, you will mark some guides on your fabric. Draw a line that is 1 1/4 inch away from both of the raw edges of your fabric (length wise).  Draw another line that is 1 inch away from the line you just marked. Do this for both the left and right sides. 

3. Pinch your fabric together so that the first two lines you drew line up.  Pin in place and sew down the line.  (I had extra lines drawn here. Just ignore them.)   Do this for both sides of your fabric. You should now have two pleats. Yeah! Iron so that the pleats fold towards the raw edge. (Clear as mud, right? Feel free to leave a commentwith any questions!) 

4. After you have sewed the first two pleats, fold the fabric in half length wise.

5. With the fabric still folded in half, sew 1/4 of an inch away from the last stitching line.  

6. Unfold your fabric. Flatten the top pleat down. Iron in place. 

7. Now you will clean up the raw edges.  Turn your fabric over to the wrong side. Along the length of your fabric, fold the raw edges down. Iron in place. 

8. Pin the fabric onto the bodice. 

9. Edge stitch along the edge of the fabric. 

10. For added durability, unfold the pleats and sew down them. The stitches will be hidden by the pleats. 

You're done! Finish your bodice as usual.

Loves,
Amber

Designing Your Own Fabric {Painting a Pattern on Fabric}

So I have a confession; I'm a bit of a cheapskate.  

I blame it (lovingly) on my mother who required me to purchase my school clothes with my own money after I refused to touch the wardrobe of clothes she had purchased for me. (The clothes I picked were not much better, I assure you. : )

To this day I won't buy clothing that's not on sale. It's ingrained in me.  

When my little lady was growing out of her clothes the cheapskate in me came out.   I had a very specific idea for a dress that I wanted to make her but none of my fabric on hand fit the bill.  So I went to work. 

A white sheet, fabric paint, freezer paper and hole punch later I had the perfect fabric, designed by yours truly.  Oh happy day!

                          

Want to design your own fabric pattern? 

Here's how..

First up, gather your supplies. You will need:

• Fabric
• Fabric paint (I used acrylic with a fabric medium)
• Paint brush
• Freezer Paper (Enough to cover your fabric)
• Ruler
• Decorative Hole punch (I used a regular hole punch which made the process a bit more labor intensive.  Martha Stewart makes holes punches that work all over the page.  This would have saved me some major time.)
• Iron

Here's what you do:

1. Plan out your pattern.  (I wanted my fleurs de lis to be two inches apart horizontally and 1 inch apart vertically.)  Using a ruler, mark on your freezer paper where you want the design to be.  If you don't have a hole punch that can punch all over the page (like me), cut your freezer paper into long even strips. Your strips should be as wide as you want your vertical pattern to be.  For example, I did 1 inch strips because I wanted my pattern to be 1 inch apart vertically.  After your strips are cut out, mark where you want your pattern to be horizontally (I did 2 inches apart). 

2.  Using your hole punch, punch out your design.  

3. Iron your freezer paper onto your fabric using the wool setting.  Because I had strips, I staggered my pattern so the fleurs de lis lined up diagonally, horizontally and vertically (See the  the photo below). 

4.  Using your fabric paint, paint your pattern. Be careful not to get fabric paint where you don't want it! 

5. Let dry then peel off the freezer paper.  You're all done!

I can't wait to show you what I made with my custom made fabric.  Here's a sneak peek:

Loves,
Amber

20 Minute Midi Skirt

It seems it's the summer of skirts here in my neck of the woods. Hope you haven't tired of them yet, because I just can't get enough of them.  : )


Here's a very quick and easy skirt that will be finished in no time; I promise!  It is made from a oh so comfy knit hounds tooth fabric I had on hand (love when I find treasures in my stash). The knit fabric makes this skirt as comfy as my favorite sweats. Love, love, love.


Don't hesitate to change the length of the skirt to fit your style. Go short, midi, or go maxi length, you just can't go wrong. 

Close up of the folded over waistband:

Here's what you will need:

• About 1- 1 1/2 yards of knit fabric. 
• A high waisted skirt that fits you well (preferably knit but not necessary)
• Scissors
• Fabric marker
• Pins
• Sewing machine and thread

Step 1:
Take a skirt that fits you well and place on top of your folded fabric.  Trace around the skirt, adding 1/2 an inch of seam allowances on both sides.  I wanted my skirt to be much longer than the gray skirt I was using as a pattern, so I cut the skirt pieces about 10 inches longer than my gray skirt.  

Step 2:
Next let's cut out the waistband.  Measure your waist.  Add 1 inch to that measurement. This will the be length of your waistband.  
Cut out a rectangle that is the following dimension:
 your waist measurement + 1 inch by 10 inches 

Step 3:

Check to make sure that the waistband (when folded in half) and the top of the skirt pieces are about the same width.  If not, alter the skirt pieces by tapering it to fit the waistband. 

Step 4:

 With rights sides together, sew the two side seams of your skirt pieces together.  To give it a nice clean finish you can serge or overlock the seams. 

Try it on to check the fit. If you need to the take the skirt in or let it out, do so now. 

Step 5:

Fold the waistband in half width wise.  With right sides together, sew along the dotted line below using 1/2 an inch seam allowance.

You should now have a circular waistband.

Try the waistband on to check for fit. 

 Step 6:
Check that the top of your skirt piece and your waistband are again about the same width. 

Step 7:

Fold the waistband in half, length wise, and pin to the the skirt; all raw edges should line up at the top. 

Step 8:
Sew the waistband to the skirt using a 1 inch seam allowance.


After you sew the waistband on, serge, overlock, or zigzag the raw edges to give it a nice clean finish.  

Step 9:
Fold the waistband up and press in place.

Step 10:
Hem the bottom of your skirt.

You're done!!