Snappy Dyed Wallets

I might be crazy for doing this, but I just signed up for my second half-marathon!  This one is in just a few weeks, but my sister and I picked it out a few months ago and have been training diligently (ahem, almost diligently) so I'm suuuure it will go splendidly.  We chose one in Annapolis, Maryland, and we're going to make a weekend of it and spend a few days with my parents (and of course, their two pugs, Lucy and Ricky) on their sailboat.  I can't wait to parade those little dogs around town, eat ice cream and seafood, and do some exploring in Annapolis.  Here's to hoping I survive the race, as well!

Before I embark on that adventure, however, I have a few more projects up my sleeve: including the second installment  of the dip-dyed adventures (earlier adventures can be seen here!)  For this project, I used a couple of dip-dyed striped pieces.  I have been steadily working my way through them, in an effort to use these pre-cut pieces up before I forget what project I cut them out for (not like that's ever happened before or anything.)  To create the stripes, I folded my fabric pieces, clipped them with clothespins, and then dipped them into the dye, leaving some un-dyed at the top.  Once they were somewhat dry, I unclipped them and set them with a fixative to avoid bleeding.  What a triumph it was to pull my little pieces out of their buckets and to see that they actually had stripes on them!  Once all of the dyeing was completed for the outer pieces, I cut the insides bits and pieces from this great light blue/silver metallic lining that I found last week at Joann's, and already used for some zippered pouches.  I layered the inside pockets to make room for credit cards (or in my case, a vast array of coffee shop loyalty cards) and a few larger pockets for cash, receipts, lists, pet photos, etc.  I put a zippered coin/trinket pocket on the outside, and voila…a wallet!  I hand-sewed a snap button to the inside (post-photo shoot-I'll upload a complete photo as soon as I snap one!) to keep everything tidy and closed up, and declared these beauties ready for their internet debut.  

One of my many sewing "helpers" taking advantage of some good morning light

My mom and I have also been spending some time on a super-secret project that I will be able to share in just a few weeks (if you can manage to contain your excitement that long, that is.)  I'll be posting a sneak peek this weekend, and the will be revealing the finished project soon, so stay tuned!  Hope your weeks are going wonderfully, thanks for stopping by!

  

Table fancy

Dearest blog world: I promise I haven't forgotten about you. I know you've heard it all before, but I've just been so busy at school. Not only have I been doing lots of musical things, but I'm officially working my post at the library, as well. That's right, folks, I'm a real, honest-to-goodness reference librarian, complete with thick-framed glasses and a wheeled chair in which to pretend I'm doing actual work.  Life is good!

On the home front, I've been dealing with some minor behavioral "incidents" with Oliver. These have mostly involved raucous trash parties, and some presents of the #2 variety in the living room. I usually call them "incidents" or "on-purposes," because I just know they're not "accidents." But who can stay mad at that face?

I also finally got around to re-upholstering the folding table and chairs in our living room.  This card table and chairs was a wedding present to my parents thirty-something years ago.  I took it with me to Boston when I lived there a few years ago, and my mom helped me re-upholster it then.  While I still love the funky prints we found, they were looking a little worse for wear:

 
I took all of the seats and seat-backs out of the chair frames, and spray painted them gold. This part of the process did not go quite as I had planned, largely because of the plummeting temperatures and blustering winds on my back balcony in Cleveland. I wound up almost completely covered in gold spray paint (as did the back balcony) while the chairs are spotty, at best.  As luck would have it, the set was a golden-beige color to begin with, so I'm hoping I can get away with a shoddy paint job.  Fingers crossed! 

For the upholstery, I used navy blue cotton ($2/yard at Wal-mart) and a sheer pink polyester blend ($1.50/yard at Wal-mart.)  I covered all of the chair pads, as well as the table top, in the navy blue cotton.  For the chairs, I covered the navy with the pink, and I left the table navy.  Cutting out the fabric was simple enough (and I used the previous upholstery pieces as general patterns) but getting the new pieces attached with the staple gun was a battle.  Thank goodness for reliable (and strong-armed) help...I just knew Sean wanted to help me with a project when he visited!  I love the combination of the dark navy, this peachy pink, and the gold frames.  It was just what I had in mind!  Overall, this project was pretty simple: just dissemble the table and chairs, cut out the pieces of fabric to cover the pads, staple them on, and re-assemble!   My favorite part of the new setup is this lacy vinyl overlay that my mom found for me at a local craft store in Pennsylvania.  My original intention was to cut it so that it fit on the table top, but I have yet to do so.  I sort of like the way it looks as a table cloth, so I may try this out for a bit before I snip off the ends.  It sits just under the glass top, and the white lace patterns contrast with the navy table top perfectly.  Since it's vinyl, it wipes clean easily when I (inevitably, and quite often) spill food and/or coffee on it.

Happy Holiday Season, everyone!  I hope you're feeling better than I am today (I'm suffering from my annual "the-semester-ended-so-I'm-immediately-sick" cold.)  But this is giving me some much-needed time to do a little bit of catching up, and Ollie is certainly an adorable sick buddy.  Happy Monday, and thanks for stopping by!

Hello headbands

I have been working on some bigger projects, but I couldn't resist a quick headband-making session this morning.  I find myself wearing headbands more and more, and I love the comfort of an elastic one, versus the stiff kind that pinch behind the ears.  I used some trim I had left from this cardigan and these place mats, and just added a little elastic...easy as pie!  They're so comfy, I'm already wearing one!  Here is how they turned out:

When I made my last batch of headbands, I sewed them by hand. But today, in the interest of speed (and sturdiness) I sewed these babies on my machine.  They seem to hold up pretty well, and they took just moments to assemble...my kind of project!  Between the headbands, the beautiful sunshine, and some great reality tv, it's been a great Friday.  I hope you all had great Fridays as well, and I wish a happy weekend!  Thanks for stopping by!

Thrifty Tuesday

Today my sister and I made a trip to our local flea market.  I was tempted by so many different vintage fabrics, doilies, notions, and buttons; but somehow I managed to make it out without spending more than five dollars (it's a miracle!)  In the end, I settled on a gorgeous yellow lace runner and a mixed pack of vintage handkerchiefs.  

 

I can't wait to come up with some ways to use these in upcoming projects!  Although some of the hankies are so beautifully embroidered, I might not have the heart to cut them up.  I'm thinking of framing some of them along with some vintage needle cases to hang in my future sewing room.  I've also been attempting to think of projects all afternoon that would create a need for me to go and pick up some extra buttons and notions I found.  I'm sure I'll come up with something!

After much deliberation, I decided that I've held off for long enough, and I took a peek at some fabric online today.  I have built up a small collection of sewing patterns that I had every intention of using when I purchased them, but lost my nerve before I even started.  For some reason, sewing clothes from scratch intimidates the bajeezus out of me.  While I've taken on a few clothing projects, I've really stayed away from this challenge by sewing projects that don't require fit, or by modifying garments that came to me pre-assembled.  Now's the time to take on these patterns!  In order to do this, I just have to get some new fabric (yes, it's an excuse to go fabric shopping, but I'm going to seize the opportunity!)  I'll keep you all posted as I take on these new and exciting projects!

Lace-pocket cardigan

Today was a great day!  I had a delicious lunch at a favorite downtown spot with my mom, and we've had quite a few bouts of beautiful sunshine.  Now we have a cozy fire crackling in the fireplace and I'm brainstorming some more sewing projects.

I'm steadily working through my reject clothing pile by making some small improvements to make me want to wear those things again.  Today, I used some of that gorgeous teal lace I picked up yesterday and dressed up a plain grey cardigan I've had for a few years.  Here is what I started with:

I do love long sweaters-and cardigans are a real wardrobe staple for me-but this was a little boring for my taste.  And in case you haven't already been tipped off to the fact that I don't like long sleeves (because I hem the sleeves of just about everything I wear) I also took up the sleeves on this little number.  Apart from the sleeves, all I did was stick some lace to the pockets and call it a day.  Here is how it turned out:

 

I re-used the original cuff by trimming some fabric from the middle of each sleeve and re-attaching the cuff a little higher up.  Super easy way to have a nicely finished (but shorter) sleeve!  Here is a close-up of one of the lace pockets:

I love that the scallop design of the lace almost creates a chevron design on the pockets.  And isn't the color just amazing??  It was a challenge, but I resisted the urge to just keep adding and adding (I thought about putting some more lace on the sleeves, collar, down the front, and just all over the place!)  but I think I made the right choice.  Simple is good!

I hope you all had wonderful Fridays, and thanks for stopping by!

Blue jean blues

Today I searched high and low for a new pair of jeans.  Actually, I only went to one store (but I did look really hard there!) and I came home empty-handed.  But while I was there I was struck with the idea to try to improve the fit of a pair of jeans that I've had in my closet forever and haven't really worn.  I picked these jeans up at a second-hand store last year sometime, and I've only worn them a few times.  They were a little too long for me, and I wasn't crazy about the way the flares fit.  Here they are before the transformation:

The photos were a challenge today, since I was working solo (except for Oliver, who's a trusty sidekick, but not such a whiz with a camera.)  I had a tough time trying to photograph my own legs.  My legless dress form didn't really didn't have a prayer for this pants-only photo shoot.  Anyway, here is the best "after" shot:

I didn't make any major changes, but I took in the flares so they're more of a boot cut/skinny jean now, and I shortened the legs a little.  I didn't sew the cuffs in place, but I like the cuffed look and it was rainy this afternoon, so I wore them that way today.  I hope I get some more use out of these jeans now!

On an unrelated note, I stopped in the craft store this afternoon and I could not leave without picking up some trim.  They were priced at three yards for a dollar!  Three yards!  For one dollar!  Here's a peek at what I got: 

I'm particularly fond of the teal scalloped lace.  I can't wait to make something with these!  I'll be sure to let you all know when I do!  Thanks for stopping by!