2012 August

From the monthly archives: August 2012

Sewing with Ribbons

Posted August 30, 2012

I can tell that you’ve been missing seeing my little munchkins on the ol’ blog lately. Right? No worries, in the midst of sewing Washi Dresses, I found some time to sew for this little stinker, so I have a few finished projects to share.

This yellow top was made with my Pierrot Tunic, without the neck ruffle and with pockets added like Anna’s cute pink voile version.

The ribbons are from Michelle of Wunderpop, who sent me a pile of ribbons last spring to try out.

I knew immediately that the green ribbon needed to go on a Pierrot Tunic, even though they would have been just as cute for Elliot on something boyish. It…

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backpack roundup

Posted August 28, 2012

My Elliot starts kindergarten next week. WAAAAAH! Unbelieveable. With back-to-school season here, I thought we should take a peek at all the great backpacks that people have been making with my Toddler Backpack pattern. The original pattern was intended for preschool-aged children, 2-5ish (hence the name, “toddler”), but has since been updated to include easy instructions for enlarging it for a school-aged child so it can accommodate the normal 8.5×11″ sized notebooks and handouts and whatnot. At the top of my current To Sew List is a school-sized one for E. Only time will tell if this backpack actually materializes by the first day of kindergarten or not.

1. Helicopters, 2. Rapunzel, 3. Numbers, 4.

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Washi Dress Bodice Lining Video Tutorials

Posted August 24, 2012

I’ve put together a little series of not-exactly-high-quality-but-still-informative video tutorials to show how I do a partial (bodice) lining for the Washi Dress. You can see what this looks like on these inside-out pics of the Aqua Washi Dress here:

The lining I used is a white cotton batiste. Batiste is quite soft and lightweight yet still does a great job stabilizing the neckline on the double gauze dress. You could also use solid voile or that crazy-cheap poly lining stuff for the linings. I like to line the Washi rather than use the facings when I am making it with shot cottons, double gauze, or voile. In some cases I prefer a full lining (as with the maxi dress, I’ll…

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Flash Back to School Sale!

Posted August 20, 2012

School is almost back in session (or already back in session…waaaah!) and cooler weather is just around the corner.

That means it’s time to sew some FLASHBACK SKINNY TEES! Let’s have a sale!

Here’s how to use the coupon code:
1) Add both Flashback Skinny Tee sewing pattern pdfs to your shopping cart

$10 – Flashback Skinny Tee

$10 – Flashback Big Kids

2) Enter the Discount Code FLASHBACK to get your $5 discount

3) Check out!

More Good Stuff…

Want more info on the Flashback Skinny Tee sewing patterns?
Flashback Skinny Tee (sizes 12 mo -5T)
Flashback Skinny Tee for Big Kids (sizes 6-14)

If you’re new to sewing with knits, don’t forget to go…

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And the hair…

Posted August 17, 2012

I’ve had a few people ask how I did my hair in the maxi dress post:

I used the Simple Gibson Tuck tutorial from Sara Lynn Paige. As you can see by comparing the picture above to the picture below, I have really thick hair so on most people I think it will look more like the picture below unless you use the roller which is optional in the tutorial.

Click on the image below to go over to SLP for the tutorial:

image by Sara Lynn Paige, used with permission

Sara is a fantastic professional photographer. Her website is full of really amazing photography and is really fun…

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How I take photos of myself

Posted August 17, 2012

Came across this photo and thought some of you might find it interesting. Someone asked me the other day who took my photos and I said “ME!” Mr Rae is usually at work when I want to take pictures, and he doesn’t really know how to use the camera in manual mode anyway.

So here’s what I do: I have a wired shutter remote from B&H, and attach it to an even longer cable so that I have about 12 feet of cord between me and the camera, which is on a tripod. Then I stand in the entryway to our house — the only place in my house with a white-ish wall that has enough light for photos — and press the shutter…

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Summersville Washi Tunic

Posted August 14, 2012

Washi Week!!! OK, last one, I promise (for now).

I admit I fell pretty hard for Lucie Summers‘ Summersville collection. It’s so modern and basic, I can see it as table linens, boy shorts for Elliot, twirly skirts for Clementine and Wiksten tanks. So I bought a pile.

And the paint-brush stroke print just seemed perfect for a casual Washi top, with shorts in the summer or jeans and a cardi in the winter. I admit that normal persons would probably not wear it with green skinnies, but then I am not a normal person.

But just to show that I can pull off “normal,” here it is with a pair of jeans:

Here you get a nice view of the…

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Purple Washi Dress by Karen

Posted August 13, 2012

You didn’t think Washi Week was over, did you? There’s MORE WASHI this week, the first is from my friend Karen! I made her come over the other day for a quick photoshoot so you could see one of the many amazing Washi dresses she’s made for herself:

In addition to being great friends, Karen and I teach sewing classes and run crafter meetups together here in Ann Arbor. She is usually the first person to test my patterns. If you know her in person you know that in addition to being endlessly cheerful she is also incredibly generous. She sews up multiple versions of the patterns before they are released in…

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Aqua Double Gauze Washi Dress

Posted August 10, 2012

Another Washi Week Washi for you today, just in time for you to sew your own this weekend!

If you want to make absolutely the most comfortable Washi Dress in the universe, you really must try double gauze. It is SO. SOFT! Wearing this dress is like wearing pajamas. Is that not a good thing to say?

(earrings from bsidemetalworks)

I purchased this Echino double gauze from Charmstitch about a month ago and regret to inform you that it was the last on the bolt. However, Laura still carries a number of Nani Iro double gauzes that are just as gorgeous. They are definitely worth the price, though I would never have cut…

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Washi Sewing Pattern PDF is here!

Posted August 9, 2012

You. guys. I am so excited to finally be able to announce that the Washi Dress Sewing Pattern PDF is now available for purchase. Yaaaay!!! *KERMIT ARMS*

I am so proud of this fantastic pattern, I think you’ll really love it! For more information on the pattern, size charts, yardage, links to tutorials, photo pools, and MORE, please visit my amazing new Washi Page.

If you just want to buy the pattern already, click below to purchase: