Movie Monday - Simplicity Pattern for Smartness (Vintage)

Who knew Simplicity patterns can even pave the way to a bright complexion and silky hair?!?!?

                           

Actually, other than the parts with Johnny, it's not a bad video.  It's a great review for beginner sewers on how to read a pattern and get the perfect fit.  Funny how patterns haven't changed very much at all since 1948~

Sunday Inspiration

Butterfly Cushion

After two weeks of nothing but craft fails I decided to go back to basics and just make something that I've been putting off for no good reason.

Here's what you need to make your own cushion covered in fluttering butterflies:

Materials:
-cotton remnant, heavy weight fabric, interfacing
-standard sewing kit
-not shown: 1 piece heavy weight paper and a pencil

This is what my cushion looked like to start with:

It's super cute and cozy for the cold weather months but I wanted to switch things up a bit.

Steps:
1) I took off the fuzzy cushion cover, turned it inside out, and measured it.  I didn't have quite enough of my heavy duty cushion cover fabric but I was able to make it work because the cushion itself is down, so it's super squishable.

I didn't take photos of making the cushion cover itself.  There are loads of tutorials out there, plus it's the simplest thing in the world to make.  Just sew up three sides, leaving room on the last side to insert your cushion.

Before you insert your cushion and stitch it closed though, let's decorate it!

2) I used a remnant of cotton I had.  I didn't have much so I covered the back of the whole piece with iron-on interfacing to stabilize it.

3) While you're letting your interfacing cool down a little bit cut out a pattern for your add on shapes.  I made two butterflies, one just slightly smaller than the other.  Use any shape you like~

4) On the back of interfaced cotton trace out as many shapes as you think you'll need.

Doing it by hand like this is a bit of a pain but it's the only way to ensure that you'll use every itty bitty space you can.

5) Cut out all of your shapes and start determining a pattern on your cushion.


6) I couldn't get as many shapes out of my fabric as I would've liked so I decided to add some texture but layering some of them.  I basted a running stitch on the small butterfly, ruched it up, and then hand sewed it to one of the larger butterflies.

I liked the look so much that I decided to gather all of them!

They don't all have two layers but I like that.  Butterflies aren't supposed to look the same~

7) Hand stitch your shapes onto the front of your cushion, insert pillow form, hand stitch opening closed.

I used a similar technique as this to make my Fluttering Butterflies top for my niece.

Do you change your decor when the seasons change?  Cushions are the easiest way to add colour and something new.  What are some of your tricks?  Leave a comment below~

Tell a Tale: Every Last Cuckoo

This book is almost worth reading just because of the pretty cover~

Summary (from Goodreads): Sarah Lucas imagined the rest of her days would be spent living peacefully in her rural Vermont home in the steadfast company of her husband. But now, with Charles's sudden passing, seventy-five-year-old Sarah is left inconsolably alone. 

As grief settles in, Sarah's mind lingers on her past: her imperfect but devoted fifty-year marriage to Charles; the years they spent raising their three very different children; and her childhood during the Great Depression, when her parents opened their home to countless relatives and neighbors. So, when a variety of wayward souls come seeking shelter in Sarah's own big, empty home, her past comes full circle. As this unruly flock forms a family of sorts, they with Sarah nurture and protect one another, all the while discovering their unsuspected strengths and courage. 

In the tradition of Jane Smiley and Sue Miller, Kate Maloy has crafted a wise and gratifying novel about a woman who gracefully accepts a surprising new role just when she though her best years were behind her.

Rural Vermont - WOW!

Review: This was an interesting read and a peek into a change near the end of one's life that isn't talked about very much. When a spouse dies after a mostly happy lifetime together how does the person left behind even begin to comprehend a new life on their own?

Sarah's transition to independence occurs very slowly for the most part, which is quite natural. But there were parts of her story that I thought progressed a bit too quickly.

I was filled with a lot of anxiety each time I had to read about her walks out into nature, sure that at some point she was going to stumble upon a wild animal that would do her in. I scanned much of the long descriptions of her photography because they just seemed like filler. It was enough for me to know that she had found a new hobby and was enjoying it.

Not being married myself, and still quite young compared to Sarah, I couldn't really relate to her, but I could see glimpses of how I hope to live my life when I do reach her age. I hope that I'm as open minded to new experiences as she is and that my life is full of friends and family who come together to celebrate the everyday.

I think this looks like Sarah's Vermont~

Have you read this book or any other by Kate Maloy?  Could you imagine taking in a house full of strangers when you're going through a major life transition?  Leave a comment below~

Raspberry Refashion

Right now I'm all about using whatever fabric and notions I already have on hand to try to thin out my massive stock of STUFF.  Part of this movement includes refashioning a few things I have instead of throwing it all in the donate bag.

Like this cute little peasant dress.

Ahhh the sun!  I vaguely remember
what that feels like~

I made it a few years ago for my now non-existent Etsy shop.  It never sold and I've never worn it.

So I made it into an adorable sundress for my niece!

She hates it when she has to tie things around her tummy area so the belt isn't attached and it still looks cute enough without it.

I was going to try the rouleau method of making straps but it just wasn't working for me so I went into my stash and found some pretty seam binding and finished the top edge off with a scrap of crocheted lace.

Even if she only wears it once, she'll still have gotten more use out of it than I did.

Have you started making summer fashions yet?  It's still cold and rainy/snowy (yes, SNOW!!!) here but I'm hopefully that someday the sun will come out again and I can leave the house without a sweater on.  Leave a comment below so that I can live vicariously through you~

FREE Underwear Patterns

There's nothing that bugs me more than clicking on a link that is supposed to take you to a DIY sewing tutorial and the post starts with "Trace a piece of clothing you already have".

You know how much I like to make my own underwear so I scoured the net to find a collection of free patterns....that are actual patterns, no tracing old underwear involved at all.

1. Sweet Cotton Panties from GoMakeMe

I'm not sure how practical these would be under a pair of snug fitting jeans, but they sure are cute and would be great paired with a pretty camisole.

2. Rosy Lady Short from Clothhabit

The older I get, the more I appreciate underwear that covers your entire bottom.

3. Rosy Lady Short from Clothhabit in lace

Even prettier in lace.

4. T-Shirt Undies from Indigorchid

My all time favourite way to recycle old T-shirts is by making them into undies!

5. Hipster Undies from HappySeamstress

These look stylish and comfortable!

6. Lowrise Undies from Hanty

You'll find more than one pattern for undies when you visit this site~

7. VeryPurplePerson gives you the low down on how to achieve different looks with different kinds of elastic along with her pattern.

There you go!  Make a different style for each day of the week.  You can check out my own homemade undies here, here, here, and here.  I've always used my favorite Kwik Sew pattern but next time I need to use up some scraps or an old T-shirt I'm definitely going to give one of these patterns a go.