Sewing for Myself (back from a break!)

The past few weeks have been about focusing on my family, enjoying the last few days with my kids at home before they start school (even my baby girl, Catherine is starting preschool next week), taking a weekend trip to New Orleans with the kids and having lots of playdates with friends (and it's always refreshing mommy time, too!).

I needed to take that craft break to refresh myself and restart my creativity! Does anyone ever take a crafting break? It isn't that my inspiration notebook isn't jammed packed with designs, ideas, and drawings of things that I want to make. No, that isn't the problem. I just needed to step away from my sewing studio and hang out with my babies (okay they are 3 and 2 years old but will always be my babies). That gives me pure joy!

Well it's time to get back to what I love to do! Sew, create, make patterns and design. Here's a dress I'm making for myself. It's gathered at one side and has a side zipper. It's draped and feminine and when I see it I want to wear it NOW (but it needs to be sewn)...so I will keep you posted.

Kelli from Small Town Stitcher just posted about the top 5 things she wants to accomplish now that her kids are back in school. I think this is such a great idea because I know if I write it down it is more likely to be done!

TOP 5 THINGS I WANT TO DO :

(in September)

1. Finish a dress for myself with a side zipper (see photo above...I LOVE IT and can't wait to wear it!)

2. Research and buy a serger (What kind do you have?)

3. Make a new fall pattern for WOMEN! (I have two in mind)

4. Sew Catherine a peasant dress.

5. Get back to BLOGGING! I 've taken a huge break!

What are you working on?

Captain Hook costume from curtains

A little treasure and adventure today...

(Does anyone else like Jake and the Neverland Pirates?)

ARRGH!

My little boy, John Patrick, LOVES getting into a costume. He has so many hats that he has his own hat box in his room. Whether it's a cowboy hat, a bandana and boots, Woody pajamas at night, a Peter Pan hat and a green shirt, a fireman hat and fireman boots...he's always pretending to be someone. 

We just started reading the book Peter Pan to him at night and he wishes he could have his own pirate ship like Captain Hook. When we play pirates I have to be Smee and he makes me sweep his ship. :) 

He loves Captain Hook so much that I thought he needed a Captain Hook costume to go with his pirate hat. My sister gave me some old curtains that were in her house (solid red one in the laundry room) and I knew they would get put to use one day. Now was their chance! 

Here are some of the steps: 

1. Get some material (or old curtains)

2. Cut out a pair of pants, a shirt front and back and 2 sleeves.

3. Put the shirt front and back right sides together, pin at the shoulders and sew the shoulder seams.

4. Lay open the shirt (right sides up), lay your sleeves right sides down along the armhole curve, pin and sew.

5. Lay your shirt right sides together and sew from the bottom (wrist of the sleeve) up to the underarm area, and all the way down to the bottom of the shirt. 

6. Hem the sleeves.

7. Hem the bottom of the shirt and the neckline.

8. Embellish with fabric of your choice.

AHOY!

Try making one for your little Captain! I'm off to sweep the deck!

WINNERS of Sew Chic Upcycling Event

Sarah and I want to THANK all of you who joined us these past two weeks for our Sew Chic Upcycling Event! We hope you have been inspired to recycle, upcycle and rethink clothing items that you already have. Your closet is full of free fabric - all it takes is a little imagination and a sewing machine.

Our linky party was such a success! Be sure to check out a few projects that catch your eye and leave some comments. Encourage these ladies to keep crafting because they are very talented!


Now it's time to announce the WINNERS! 

And the winners of the

Sew Chic Upcycling Event are...

First Place:

Patchwork Shorts

Jamie from Scattered Thoughts of a SAHM

Second Place:

Upcycled Turtleneck

Stephanie from Make Home Make Sense

Third Place:

Upcycled Floral Skirt

Rachel from Maybe Matilda

Congratulations!

First Prize

1 sewing pattern of your Choice from Seamingly Smitten ($7 Value)

1 sewing pattern of your Choice from Yards and Yards ($6-8 Value)

1 Monogram Sign from Signs by Andrea ($40 Value)

1 Camera Strap Cover from This Crazy Blessed Life ($25 Value)

Second Place

1 sewing pattern of your choice from Seamingly Smitten ($7 Value)

$10 Shop Credit to Johnny in a Dress

$10 Shop Credit to Harper N Co  

Third Place

1 sewing pattern of your Choice from Seamingly Smitten ($7 Value)

1 American Beauty Kindle Cover from Sadie Sez

$30 Avon Grab Bag from Emily Fish

*************************************************

Thanks again to our sponsors!

Be sure to check out their sites. These ladies were thrilled to be a part of such an exciting event that encouraged crafting, sewing, upcycling and repurposing.

Sew Chic Upcycling - Cargo pants to romper

Thanks so much Sarah for co-hosting this Sew Chic Upcycling Week with me! I am absolutely loving all the guest posters' refashions. I was a little intimidated to come up with one after seeing everything they created, but I went for it and I hope your readers do, too!

I'm Jenny from Seamingly Smitten and if you're like me and have a crafty brain (meaning you have way too many things you want to make or do and of course not enough time) then you MIGHT have a pile of fabric or clothes laying on the floor of your closet waiting to be turned into something amazing.

Now this pile has to be tucked away into the back corner so your husband doesn't see it or else he would pack it into a bag for Goodwill and drop it off on his next trip out the door.

(I love you, Patrick!)

This Sew Chic Upcycling Event was the PERFECT reason to grab something from that pile and start sewing!

I'm going to show you how to turn THIS:

into THIS romper:

Let's get started! (I'm sizing this for a size 2T)

1. Find a pair of cargo pants (or any pair of pants) and a coordinating shirt for the sash and ties.

2. Cut off the bottom 12 inches of both pant legs.

3. Cut up the side seam and open each pant leg so you have this:

This will be your front and back of the top of the romper

4. Now we will size the pants down. My daughter's waist is 19 inches around, so I need 10 inches in the front and 10 inches in the back of the pants at the waist. Center and measure 10 inches along the waist. Draw lines down each pant leg. Cut along the lines.

5. You will have this:

6. Lay your two top romper pieces right sides together. Pin down both sides. Sew down the sides.

7.  Lay your pant legs right sides together, pin the sides of the pant legs and sew down each side.

8. Pin the inseam (crotch area) and sew.

9. Now you have your two pieces. Starting to look like a romper? Can you see it?

10. Turn your top of the romper upside down and inside out. Open it and slip it around the shorts you just made. You are pinning the bottom opening of the romper top to the top opening of the shorts for the romper.

11. Sew all around the pinned area and turn right sides facing up.

Almost done!

12. Fold down the top of the romper to make a casing. I folded down 2 inches. Sew around this casing, stopping 3 inches before your starting point so you can put in the elastic.

13. Cut a piece of elastic 2 inches shorter than your child's waist measurement. Use a safety pin to thread your elastic through the casing. Sew the ends of the elastic together and sew the casing closed.

14. Hem the legs, use the shirt fabric to make a sash and some shoulder ties. Sew the shoulder ties on and you're done!

Let's go back outside, Momma!

Thrift it, Repurpose It, Remake it

and Wear it!

Also, check out another Sew Chic Upcycling creation on my co-host's blog:  Sarah from This Crazy, Blessed Life

Now it's YOUR TURN! Link up YOUR original upcycled creations for a chance to WIN PRIZES! 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners will be announced August 12th.

LINKY RULES:
1. Link a CLOTHING project you upcycled or recycled.
2. Add this button to your blog or post so more people can join the fun!
3. Follow Seamingly Smitten and This Crazy, Blessed Life

And add this button to your post!

<a href="http://thiscrazyblessedlife.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n504/Rah1515/RefashionWeekcopy.jpg" /></a>

Go ahead, show us what ya got!

A HUGE Thank you to our SPONSORS:

Check back tomorrow for more upcycled projects!