Project Run and Play

I love Project Run and Play. The creativity, sewing skills, and those darling models. This week was fashion Icon week. I like to pretend I'm involved, so here is who I would pick if I magically entered the mix with those amazing ladies.

Mister Rogers-

The classic cable knit sweater is a classic, and absolutely adorable on little boys.

His shoes are also the bomb. I love mixing in casual.

Frank Sinatra-

What a timeless man, his music and his look will never be out of style.

Amelia Earhart-

How fun would it be to make a little girls outfit based on her?! Adorable little leather jackets and boots. 

Gahhh. Someone should do this!

Audrey Hepburn-

Audrey Hepburn is probably over done. Yet I think it would be amazing to see a causal version of her classy fashion. 

Buddy Holly-

Thick rimmed glasses, Preppy seventies look. I think this would be beyond cute on a little guy.

If I had to just chose one, I think I would go with Amelia Earhart. The idea of sewing up a little pilot outfit is bubbling inside of me like fizz candy. Yum.

--Allie

Fabric Cards -- DIY

I always forget to get a card.

Always.

It was my moms birthday party, and I forgot the card... with 15 minutes till I needed to leave I whipped this little guy right up.

Extremely easy + super fast = Wahoo!!

I may never forget a card again after this...

I decided to make a few more, just to have them on hand.

Here is how I made it----

What You will need-

Card stock or card

Fabric

Scissors

Coordinating thread

1.

I free hand cut out my MOM shape. You could print out any picture you want, if you are picky like that, but I just went for it.

2.

First I switched my needles, I don't want to use my good, sharp needles for sewing on cardstock so I switched to some old ones I use for projects.

3.

I considered gluing on my letter, DON'T do it! It will get all over your machine and rip your paper. I ended up just setting it on the paper and winging it.

4.

I first went through with a more decorative stitch, then went back around with a straight stitch around the letters.

They are super easy and can add a personal touch to just and everyday card. Mix it up! Maybe do numbers for the birthday or a big letter for their name? For the holidays you could do a christmas tree or a firework!

The possibilites are endless and I hope you enjoy it!



Things these days...

I have discovered the best place to find my refashion projects. On every Sunday the DAV has a sale where there are a certain color tag that is five for a dollar or a quarter each. That can add up to some amazing deals especially when you can transform each piece into an article of clothing into something wearable. These are a few of the projects that I have completed in the past month.
First I created a skirt from a mens button up shirt. This was super easy and I got the idea off of Pinterest. I simply cut the shirt at the armpits and took in each side to make a nice fit. I then formed a casing and put elastic through! With the excess fabric I made a fabric flower to match from makeit-loveit.com


The next project that I have worked on is a one shouldered dress.

 I found another 20 cent bargin on a huge skirt with a simple elastic waistband. I used a free pattern I found on burdastyle, which I printed and pieced together. This dress turned out really good and I can't wait to make more! This is actually something I can see myself wearing to school and not feeling self conscious and wondering if people can tell if I made it myself.

I'm sorry but...

I do not want to make stuff for you.

I have to disagree with "how cool it would be if" I sew for you.

I really don't feel like slaving for hours on projects for you.

I like getting paid!!!

You can buy that on etsy.

I have a life too.

...

With the end of this school year quickly approaching, my time is becoming more valuable to me. I want to be helpful to people and I do love to sew. In the past I have been more that happy to take up an extra project or two. But when I get asked to make this, alter that, and the nonstop "Do you think you could...?" I get tired of sewing for other people. I feel that I am becoming more selfish with my time, and am completely content with that. The Selfish Seamstress has got the art of selfish sewing down to a beauty. I feel like her blog is often exactly how I am feeling. One of the funniest things I have found on her blog are the products she sells.




 I am in love with these things. I want to buy them, or atleast pin them all over pintrest! Enough venting for me, for now.
-- Allie

New Goals

Hello all of my invisible imaginary readers!
I have decided to take a pledge to not buy any new clothes for two months. I just now decided this as I am laying her sick at home, then knowing I needed another blog post, I headed over here to write about it. Plus last weekend I emptied almost half of my checking account on new clothes...
 there wasn't much in there in way....
Over there at Wardrobe Refashion they have a place where you can pledge two, four, or six months. There is also a life option, but I mean come on, who could do that?
Unless you're already really old and don't ever need new clothes...
With New Year's being just a few weeks ago, and me not making a resolution, this will be mine.
It also happens to be SUPER handy that my mom just cleaned out her closet. That women had more clothes than anyone would have expected. But its all in my favor! I scored some awesome granny stretchy wasted pants, a few button ups, and other odd pieces.
So I will get on that....
when I get up off this couch...
...

Christmas Is Near! and Ear Warmers!

This Christmas my family has decided to try a different route than normal. Instead of going out and buying each other the latest gadget we are going to make things ourselves. With my sister having her first baby due just a few days before Christmas we have all realized how much we have, no one could think of anything new that they really needed. This has been a bigger stretch for others, my mom Debbie for instance isn't the most crafty but is still making time to get her part of Christmas done. To me this plan seemed fantastic, I don't make any money so I was already planning on getting creative and making everyone gifts. Here is my list so far.

For my sister Stephanie I have made a tunic from a vintage 70's pattern and a ear warmer.

For my sister Aubrey I have made her family's stockings, tree skirt and also a ear warmer.

For my mom I have made broaches.

The boys are harder to sew for so I just tagged along with my mom for their presents.

Perks of still living at home!

. . .

Now onto the ear warmers, here are a few pictures of  ear warmers I have made in the past week:

These might be the easiest and cutest gift idea ever. I got the idea from many ideas that have been floating around Pintrest, yet used the pattern from the Six Sister Stuff blog.

http://sixsistersstuff.blogspot.com/2011/11/big-bow-fleece-no-sew-ear-warmer.html

It was so easy to do and there are so many possibilities. I love that it can be a great gift for less than a dollar. It also uses up my scraps which needs to be done! My favorite that I have made is the one with beads. 

Another reason I love these headbands is that I get to use hot glue. Ever since I was a little girl working with my mom in her class I have really liked glue guns!

Well have a Merry Christmas!!

Prom Dress Hatred.

I started sewing my prom dress when school began. I was so excited for it. I plan on entering the dress into two competetions to win scholarships. I started looking around for a pattern I wanted to use. They all looked the same, boring. You could tell that they were meant to be made about twenty years ago. Most of them had sleeves, which I definitely did not want. I finally found a dress that was workable, but it had things I wanted to change

 

I liked the sweetheart neckline of this dress and its A-line shape, but I wanted it longer. It took about two weeks to draw out a new pattern. After that I had to cut and pin the pattern, that took a long time, a very long time. I got burnt out on the dress after about the third week of cutting patterns, there were so many pieces! I am still working on it, have all SIX skirts sewn together, the bodice finished. So all I have to do is sew the skirts to the bodice, and hem them all. That doesn't sound like much at all. Until I tell you that I have to HAND HEM  them all!! That adds about an hour per skirt onto my project, therefore six more hours of work. Probably more, since I can only work on my dress for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Having such a short amount of time to work a day really makes the project seem forever. I am hoping to get the dress done by Christmas, and I have to get it done by Feburary. I hope I can do it!