Ribbon wreath.

I decided to take the hot glue gun way out because it's what I know. I cut strips of ribbon in lengths I liked and folded them over and glued rows then trimmed with lace row. Added a snowflake from dollar store. 6.49 white ribbon 3.49 red ribbon $1snow flakes x2 I already had the lace and wreath form but they had some at dollar store too. I actually got 2 wreaths out of the ribbons I purchased it at Michael's. I'll add the second wreath when I finish it. 

Sweater/sweatshirt

 I have been so busy, I have neglected my blogging, I did manage to fit in some sewing and have the time to post about it. :)

I love this Free People sweater. 

Yes I know I love all things Free People! Lol

So I decided to make it. Suprise suprise! 

Step one, 

Go to thrift store. Purchase a sweater and a sweatshirt combo you like. :) they need to be similar sizes most importantly in the arm area. 

Step 2 take a deep breath and cut I to them. 

I started by cutting off the arms. Then cutting from the center of the sweater because I quickly found the side seams were too bulky. 

The bottom will be the top and the long edge will be the bottom. 

Cut off neckline by folding shirt in half and trimming an inch past the original collar, nice swooping collar now. Cut of the bottom ribbing. Set aside. 

Line up arms of sweatshirt and sweater cut accordingly. Trim up the side seam and trim the top wide enough.

 

Pin. And pin. Bc the stretch sweater will stretch if you don't almost over pin. 

Problem! Ahhh pin with a lil stretch this is why I told you to make sure your combos have similar arms. 

Now sew!! I did it all at once but looking back probably easier to do body first then the arms. But I'm rouge! I sewed over every area 3x with the sweatshirt being the outer hem kinda raw seam. 

Make sure you give the bottom edge lots of attention. I did a close zigzag along the sweater side edge. Then give it a trim

Bc you will have some stragglers! :) 

End result FAB!!! And mine cost under $4.00! I decided to used the bottom ribbing to add a neckline. Just now as I look at the original. Keep the seam from splitting. :) I will post another photo. 

Love it!! 

Swants

So I couldn't resist when one of my "friends" posted this on Facebook! And I made a pair. Love love love my swants! 

http://westknits.com/index.php/2013/11/swants-tutorial/

Fun and up cycling woot woot!! Now you go make some too! 

Art in the classroom

I volunteered to teach art in the classroom every week (yikes) this week we made Japanese blow art fall trees. 

Sugar Skull clay pot.

This week has been a super craft week! I was able to finish 2 projects I started last week, and help Eman finish his costume. 

I love the way my sugar skull terra cotta planter turned out, and Evans costume is just what he wanted. And I got in some free motion too!! :) 

I just love Halloween! 

Halloween Decorations

One more post because I love it so much. Information on how I made them in previous posts. 

Halloween Garland

Last Monday I also purchased these doilies at the .99 cents store and I knew I wanted to make garland with them. Very easy project. I bought 4 packs so $4.00 plus tax and I already had black yarn scraps. So I put my IDT foot down and sewed away. Super quick super cheap end result very nice. 

Halloween Wreath

Almost all items purchased 2013 at the .99 cents store. 

I had the jumbo hoop from my old wreath. Spray painted it black. 

And the spider is from Micheals Craft store last year but I am sure they have one this year too. 

One spool of ribbon

Feather boa

Bats

Large bow

All bought last week. 

I taped the ribbon in loops in the inside of the hoop so it can be removed. Boa I got glued to the outside of hoop. Ribbon I used the metal twist tie from the packing to affix it to my hoop. Bats I got glued on. 

I laced the lace thru the hoop center. Then sewed the ends together.

Hang

Love! 

Total cost $5.00 ish having owned the lace and wreath and spider. 

Another Free People project

Yesterday I did some sewing and got a new phone. Unfortunatly I thought I saved my other pictures so I could create a tutorial, as a draft so I could post the whole project but I didnt :( 

If you don't know by now I love FP but I can not afford it. So I stalk them and replicate what I can. 
With my own twist of course.

So I will walk you thru this. 

 http://www.freepeople.com/clothes-tops/behind-the-flannel-buttondown/

So I purchased a nice silk scarf and Woolrich flannel at my favorite thrift store, Sav Mor. lil name drop...I think they were both under $2.00

Washed them.

Let them sit for a while before inspiration set in. As soon as the weather cooled off I was like ok its time.

So I cut the back of the flannel out leaving a one inch seam.

Pinned the scarf with pleats to match the length of the cut out flannel along the top.

Pinned right sides together starting with the top folded up past the collar turned so I could pins side. This is where the pictures would have been handy because if your not a sewer it doesnt make sense without an image. Your gonna tuck the arms in so its all right sides touching pinned. 

Then SEW I used a strait stitch. Partly because I wanted to keep the scarf original so in case one day I decide to up-cycle it again. 

Then tada. Wear it. 

My total cost probably about $5 

Savings of $122 :) 

More money to thrift PRICELESS. 

The scarf up close is quite pretty. Marked made in Italy Bullock's Whilshire

If your still with me I love my new Iphone5c. Bummed I lost a few pictures but thats the story of my life. 

Enjoy your sewing time.

KSN

Trash or Treasure?

So I was driving home Sunday afternoon with my father in law. And saw a beautiful blue shelf on top of my neighbors trash. I promptly walked back and got it. It's perfect for my patio. I love reusing. I bought a pretty blue paint to paint the shelf blue last week. Just waiting for the weather to cool off :) 

September

School started. My son is a year older. Back in the routine of volunteering :) had company, twice. But today I received a call that my son stuck up for a kindergarten child. I am so proud of the lil person he has grown to be. 

E and L

Last week

Under my machine last week but turned out good, I have a very hard time taking pics of the back of my items so pardon the lack of pic it's super cute! I bought a filet style crochet sweater at the thrift store. Attempted to nicely deconstruct it but that ended up taking too long so I just cut it. Cut out the back of a baseball shirt not out just cut. And pinned actually using a lot of pins the sweater to the baseball shirt. And sewed :) looks great! 

Avery

The other day was my friend Avery's birthday she is 1. Her mom is a photographer so I decided I would make her a dress. The stars were aligned bc Joann's was having a .70 pattern sale. So I purchased McCalls pattern 6529

http://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m6529-products-16311.php?page_id=96

And then I decided I should make something for her 2 siblings too! Lucky I found this nice tutorial :) 

http://purlbee.squarespace.com/the-purl-bee/2009/3/3/mollys-sketchbook-little-boys-tie.html

Other child's outfit is still just an idea and fabric waiting to be stitched. 

Food this week

Things I cooked this week. 

Quality control?

I have been unlucky enough this past week to purchase some crap products. What has happened to quality control? Name brand sewing notions quality is down the drain!! Admitiy I use basting quilt spray and lots of things bc I don't care for pinning uggg I mean who has time for that. So my needles get gummed up and funky. So I bought some new ones instead of doing what I knew I should and sewing a metal mess inside a pin holder. 

Black jacket

So I was lucky enough to get signed in to the Volcom warehouse and get 45% off. So I scored this plain black light weight jacket. But it needs something I decided. So I dug thru Evans too small pile and found a skully bones shirt. And sewed it into the back. End result is affordable cool. 

Steam function

So I'm not skilled in the ways of my new dryer YET. But I bought some fabric. And well it had a nasty crease in it. And I bed to cut on some interesting folds so I figured I would "try" it. Well my fabric is sipping wet. I rung it out. Wiped out my dryer. And put it on a dry cycle. What is up with that? There was a puddle in my dryer! I wasn't washing it. I just wanted to steam it. Lesson learned I guess it wasn't faster then ironing, but I did free me up to cut the bottom of the dress. Do the dishes and make tomorrows coffee. 

Laundry

For anyone who cares I still love my washer and dryer! 

Under my machine today.

So I scored this awesome apron for .49 yep half a dollar and took an old from when I was uber skinny favorite tank top I saved all these years. Not sure how a managed it considering. And repurposed it. Ahhh hopefully another long life.  

Mans dress shirt upcycle attempt 1

So I have this favorite shirt, and it's getting pretty worn out. I try and wear it less but I love it. So I am trying to recreate it. The first attempt wasn't quite right it was a tad too tight on my boobs :( 

My new jacket

So I scored a cool military style coat from thrift store. And a huge doily :) so I put them together!!! Love it! The pink under is a t-shirt. 

Salvation Army Fiesta

So last Friday I had to get my oil changed. Pesky oil change REQUIRED signal was going off every time I drove. Lucky for me I had a coupon and the Salvation Army is located a block away. So here is my loot from the day :) good thing the Fiesta was 50% off other wise it was quite over priced. 

Back to reality.

My son and I were lucky enough to go to Alaska for 16 days. :) it's so beautiful and clean and fresh there. Well minus the 95,000 acre fire in my dads back yard. I had little to no reception there. So didn't get to post often but took some beautiful photos and visited my much missed family. And a few friends.