Coming Up for Air - and Bachelorette T Shirts

I survived graduation week/month/year!  I can't wait to share some fun details with you.  In the mean time, enjoy these shirts Annie designed with her cousin for a bachelorette party!

Graduate's Memory T Shirt Quilt

I am in full graduation mode!  (And I just did this all last year...).  My daughter is graduating in a week, so amidst the honor banquets, concerts, and end-of-year activities, I'm preparing for a graduation party with about 100 guests.  (We have big families!)

Inspired by Liz from Living My Sweet Life, I went to check out the quilts over at Amy's Creative Side, who is hosting a quilt festival.

Take a look if you want to be amazed.  I don't pretend that my quilts are in the same class as those beautiful quilts, but my T Shirt Quilts do tell a story.

This is the story of an amazing young lady.  She was reading at a young age and aspired to acquire knowledge all of her 17 years!  She started piano lessons (a requirement in the family) and grew to become an accomplished accompanist.  In addition, she plays clarinet in the marching and concert bands.

So this musical sashing fabric was the perfect choice for this quilt.  The various colors of the notes help to tie together the variety of colors in the tee shirts.

 

A 12 T Shirt Quilt hardly can tell the entire story of her life.  (When I graduated from high school, I was known as a hard-working, bright gal.  But today, high school kids are freaks of nature!  Not only do they balance difficult work loads, but they are involved in tons of extra-curricular activities!)

Usually when I make a T Shirt Quilt for a high school grad, the grad selects the shirts.  We all know how they collect them!  But they also have a hard time parting with them.  (Sometimes moms will buy a second t shirt just to put in the quilt.)  So my daughter selected a prom shirt, marching band and a shirt from the Fest, an amazing festival filled with Christian rock bands.

And yes, she **hearts** Brady Quinn.  Long story behind that....but I will save that for my special graduation post about her.

Her years have been filled with playing piano.  She played for the local youth chorus, playing many venues from downtown theaters to a square in Copenhagen.  She also played for the high school musicals.

This past year she was the music director for the musical.  Not only did she attend the rehearsals, she played the lead piano and conducted the pit!  

The part that I love most about making T shirt quilts is that they often tell the extraordinary story of ordinary lives.




The part that the recipient loves the best?  That this is a cozy, functional blanket!  The high school grads love to take these to college and they are completely washable.  (I'm proud to say my son's blanket came back intact!)

With fleece on the back and being machine washable, this quilt is meant to be used!  Although it is nice enough to display, too.

One quilt.  Twelve T Shirts, a fraction of what she owns.  One amazing girl.

Upcycle a Dress into a Sassy Apron

I bought this dress to wear to a summer wedding.  I love the classic styling, but my matronly body no longer likes sleeveless dresses.  So I decided to cut it into a fun apron that would make me feel like Donna Reed in the kitchen, even when I wear a t-shirt and jeans!

1. Prepare neckline.  This dress was a halter style and sleeveless, which made it perfectly simple to convert to an apron that slipped over the head.  If you have a standard dress, simply cut across the top, finish the edge and add straps.  Use an existing apron as your guide!

Cut along back neck edge.  A halter strap will remain.

2. Mark and cut the sides of the apron.  I simply eyeballed the cut of the apron I desired.  Again, if you are unsure, place an existing apron on top of your dress to get the design from the top to the side.  Cut along the mark from the neck to the waist.

3. Fold the apron in half and cut the other side.

4. Now that you have the top of the apron, you have to cut off the back part of the dress.  I decided to have the apron extend an inch or so beyond the side seams.

Again, fold the apron in half and cut the other side equal to the first side.

5. Determine the length of the apron.  I shortened my dress about 10 inches and then cut.

6. Finish bottom and sides.  I finished the sides and bottom of the apron by folding fabric 1/4" to the wrong side and pressing.  Press again to enclose the raw edge and stitch.

7. Finish arm and neck edge with extra-wide double fold bias tape.  Depending on the style of your dress, you may be able to finish all raw edges by folding the edges under as in step 6.  In the case of the halter, the exposed edge along the cutting line was too thick to fold, so I used bias tape.

8.  Sew on straps at the waist line.  This dress came with a pink ribbon, so I cut it in half and sewed it to the sides, folding under the raw edges.

Enjoy!  The perfect style to keep my front covered (half-aprons just don't cut it for me) and make me feel like I'm a little more stylish than I really am!

 

New from the Studio

Brown and Pink Headband

Brown and Green Paisley Headband

Custom Oversized Beach Tote

This last item is the same great size as my oversized beach totes.  (I keep mine filled with towels and ready to go in my closet!)

There are amazing fabrics from which to choose.  See #3 and #4?  Those are the same fabrics as the black mod dot fabric shown above (which is now sold out.)  These fabrics are a high quality, decorator-weight cotton oxford, 8.7 ounces per square yard.

The great features of this bag begins with its size.  There are very few oversized totes on the market.  This bag can hold ten towels, or a beach quilt and several towels.  It folds easily to pack in your luggage for beach trips.  And the best part is that it is available in fresh, modern fabrics!

This new line of custom bags will also have some additional features, including a key clip and a pocket to secure your keys, cell phone and other items.

Wishing you a good week!

Stash Bag Giveaway and This and That on the Net!

See this sweet little stash bag?  You could win one by visiting my Twitter friend Jen's lovely blog.  I designed these bags to stash wet things, like damp mittens or doggy sweaters.  I think it would be great for doggy toys or doggy clean-up bags.  But use it to stash anything you collect around the house:  kids' toys, hair bows, bath toys or yarn!

My son just returned from his first year in college.  Remember the Sponge Bob stash bag I made for him?  (Read all about it here.)  Well, I'm proud to say that bag survived an entire year of going into the shower and hanging on a hook with at least three large containers in it!  Frankly, I'm surprised it held up so well!

So, if a college grad is in your future,  you could also use the stash bag for shower supplies.  So head on over to the contest!

Some other excitement happening on the internet.  I won these amazing fingerless gloves from the fantastic LazyTCrochet!  I always love winning prizes!  These gloves are sooo soft and perfect for the chilly spring we had around here.  Plus, they cover up my hairy arms....

Since we were on the topic of dogs, I thought I'd share this adorable puppy and kitten stationery from my friend Fiona.  I will be sharing an interview with this lovely woman soon!

Remember when there was a Saw Whet Owl in our front yard?  I purchased this lovely note card.  Isn't it adorable?

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend!

Prom (Boobfest) 2011 and McCall's M5806 in Silk Crepe de Chine

Let's just get this out of the way:  I have opinions about prom.  (I know, you are surprised!)  So we might as well start with the date.  We all know that the boys are irrelevant.  They are simply an accessory on this day which is all about the GIRLS!

My tradition of making dresses for my daughters began long before most of these photos.  I loved sewing for the girls (and my boys) when they were young.  Then they hit the tween years and there was less opportunity to sew for them.  Until I hit the time of Confirmation and went shopping for Church-appropriate dresses.  There were none to be found!  So we started collaborating on dress designs.  Furthermore, my daughter played piano for a local youth chorus and needed dresses for the "big stage."  And so began the tradition of making my daughter's dresses.

She did not mind wearing dresses multiple times.  As long as she wasn't paying for it, she was fine with that!  In fact, she never bought a prom or homecoming dress.  She either borrowed it or I made it.  (And if Mom made it, it came from Mom's sewing budget....smart girl!)

I really loved last year's dress the best.  It was stunning in person and I loved the bias cut on her.  We scanned the patterns this year and she settled on this McCall's Create It pattern M5806.

Last year's bodice was shirred, so I did not want to do that again. My daughter decided she wanted a strapless, plain bodice and waist.  I was concerned about the gathers because I did not want it to be too full as in past dresses I have made.  The fabric had to be lightweight and she was drawn to blue.  We finally settled on this lovely silk crepe de chine from NY Fashion Center.  The fabric was lovely and lightweight and our order shipped very quickly!

I was concerned about the dress being strapless.  I have a pet-peeve about girls (and women) pulling up the dresses.  But for my daughter I was willing to try.  After all, I do see many brides wearing strapless dresses! 

I made a muslin before I cut into the silk.  The fitting went well.  I sewed the dress without too many travails.  I even learned how to add boning.  It was not that difficult.  Every seam on the bodice has boning.  Despite this, when she exhaled, the dress slipped down.  So I pulled and I tightened - to the point that I could not get the zipper up.  So I loosened.  My research showed that to fit a strapless dress well, you need to make it tight in the waist and hip (you don't want to smash the boobs).  So I focused, next, on the waist.  Unfortunately, there is not much material at the waist and none for the hips, so I could only make it so tight.

Annoying college brother playing jazz.

I turned to my Twitter and Facebook friends for advice and had many lovely suggestions which I shared with my daughter.  In the end, inspired by her silver and rhinestone shoes, we decided that rhinestone straps would be a simple and elegant solution.

We searched stores for belts and/or necklaces that we could repurpose into straps but had to settle on this trim we found at Joann's. 

 

What about accessories?  Not being the fashion icon that you all may think I am, I again turned to my friends for help.  My daughter asked her friends and between items she borrowed, bought and her grandmother bought, she decided on earrings, bracelet, and a hair clip.

Speaking of hair.  Remember the days when you did your own hair and make-up?  My daughter and I have had this conversation every dance.  She wins because she pays.  I think this was my favorite "down" "up-do".  I like the soft curls.  The bump adds a touch of elegance and the entire look is soft.  Too many up-dos look like helmet heads (if you want to know my opinion....).

My very lovely niece has done my daughter's make-up.  I love the very natural look!

I was still a bit worried that the gathers were too stiff.  The pattern calls for sewing the main fabric to the lining and then gathering.  I wonder how it might be if I used the lining as a "slip" rather than gathering the lining? Has anyone ever tried that?

In the end, the dress had a simple elegance which I love and my daughter loved.

She wore a one-of-a-kind dress and she could dance in safety.  (Her dad was happy about that!)

And the thing about boobs?  You will see a lot of them at prom!  Why?  Why moms and dads do you allow that?  (I know the boys probably aren't complaining.)

Sisters!

Tradition.  It runs strong in this family.  Now that my daughter will be heading off to college, I probably won't be making so many formals for her.  But I made the dress, I complained about the excess hype that is prom today, she had her hair and nails done, we took hundreds of photos....and she took her traditional photo with her best friend.

Girls just wanna have fun!

Oh ya, her date?  He's sweet.  And dapper - he wore tails!  And he was more than just an accessory since he is such a good friend to my daughter.  (That alone is no easy feat with her strong personality!)   I even convinced him to sing before they headed out.

I'm going to miss this....