My Latest Obsession

Well for one, fabric. but now I can get CASH BACK on fabric. That's what I'm obsessed with. Ebates. I may be totally late to the game, but I signed up before Christmas and I already have $54.82 cash back. They put it right in your paypal account!

This is how it works, you shop online at stores that have an agreement with Ebates. Each store has a certain percentage that you get back after you buy something. You just have to go to Ebates first, and click the link to whatever  store you are going to.

Here are some stores that I love and have cash back...

Fabric.com- 3% back

Modcloth- 4% back

Boden- 2.5%

Herroom- 4%

and so many more. So here is the deal, you should sign up, because free money, duh. If you use my code, you get $5 to start and I get $5 dollars too! Currently in my fabric.com cart I have some black gingham, and some Cotton and Steel Lawn. I would get $2.13 back. Plus they have Liberty fabric, I mean you can think of it like 3% off Liberty.  All these little amounts really add up, I have the app too, and I obsessively check how much is in there.

PS. These are all my own opinions and I really am obsessed. I just wanted to share this little tidbit with you guys as friends. I think everyone wants to save money to buy more fabric.


If you are interested here is my link.
http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=c8zLphJ7FdTbht970k%2FefQ%3D%3D&eeid=26471

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Liberty Madness

OMG you guys, I have hit the jackpot. I recently found a bunch of vintage Liberty of London fabric on the remnant table. It is kind of rare and expensive here in the USA., and to see it anywhere except NYC around me was kind of amazing.  Some were full yards of fabric others were bits and pieces already cut. There was even some for free in the scrap basket! AHHH! I'm the kind of person that squeals for joy in a store. People think I'm crazy.

I can spot a liberty fabric from a mile away. There is just something so distinct and lovely about it. And they are SO SOFT.  These fabrics are all Tana Lawn and 36 inches wide. There is no writing on the selvage, the print goes all the way to the edge. From what I gathered on the internet both of these facts= vintage. They were from group of fabrics that were dated from the late 80s early 90s. 

I went home and sorted it into piles on the floor. Most are recognizable prints, (Nike is even using them for sneakers now) and some I have never really seen before. One piece even has the tag on it from the Liberty shop!

I listed some of the 1 yard and over pieces in my Etsy shop. Now to decide what to do with all the scrap pieces. Some are very long (maybe 10 inches in width and 2 yards) some are square sizes.I could make a quilt for myself. The liberty quilts online are gorgeous but I find the idea very daunting. Quilting just may not be fore me..cutting out all those little pieces with the rotary cutter gives me anxiety. I have seen bags of Liberty scraps sold on Etsy, not sure if I should do this and am open to suggestions. 

                   

I did make myself a headband with some of the scraps. The tutorial can be found on the Liberty website.           

                     

These are the fabrics I HAD to keep for myself. This paisley is everything. There is 2 yards of it. Not sure what to do with it yet, but it will be beautiful. The floral on the bottom may become the Simplicity blouse 2154. There are a lot of versions of this blouse floating around the internet and they are all cute. 

So have you ever found some Liberty? Have you ever sewn with it? Any advice as to what to do with the scraps?

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Amy Sedaris Top

 Did you know comedian Amy Sedaris has a fabric line with Windham fabrics?  I love Amy's style, she always has the cutest dresses on, and she even makes me want to buy Downy Unstoppable (have you seen that commercial). I love all her fabric from Windham I have already made some pj's from the 'I like you' fabric. 

 I made this top for Fabricland, as a summer camp sample. The pattern is Simplicity 1693, a swing top with a peter pan collar. The body is made from tulip and polka dot fabric, and the collar is a printed rick rack! I LOVE RICK RACK, I might have mentioned that before ;). The stripe down the middle is a polka dot bias tape, that I sewed down on both sides. I also used the same bias tape to finish the armholes and neckline. Polka dots, rick rack, and tulips, I love how it all came together! 

I made this top months ago, and never tried it on. I've never worn this kind of top before and was unsure about the shape, but it's cute and comfortable. I like the hemline, how it is lower in the back, I guess it's a mullet top. Has anyone else used Amy's fabric? I have plans to use more of her prints, I can't get enough! 

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How about a GIVEAWAY!

You guys were so overwhelmingly nice about my wiggle dress, I decided it is high time for a GIVEAWAY! 

4 yards of this Marc by Marc Jacobs cotton canvas print can be yours! Please leave a comment below answering the question...what is your favorite thing about sewing? AND follow me here on blogger or instagram, or twitter, just so I can get in touch with you.  The giveaway ends Wednesday, March 20, at 11am est. Anyone is welcome to enter!

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Stashing for Spring!

I've heard myself say many times that I don't stash fabrics, that I buy fabric for a project and then sew it right away. Well I am a big fat liar, or in denial. I am out of space in my craft closet and must face facts, I have a lot of stashed fabric and I want to use it. 

Some of it I bought online with other things, made the other things and stashed the rest of the fabric ( I can't just order one thing because I HATE paying for shipping). Some are from the clearance rack of my local fabric store, sometimes they have things that are so cheap I buy way too much yardage of. And some are from the garment district, and I thought I HAD to have them and now they sit in my closet. So I pulled out the fabrics that are suitable for spring/summer and am going to sew with a plan. 

I really only have plans for the bow print, which is a Marc Jacobs remnant. I think it would look cute as Colette Patterns Hazel. The line of bows would work nicely with the v-shaped bodice in the Hazel. 

The second fabric, is a also a Marc Jacobs cotton print, I only have 1.5 yards of. The print is so over-sized  that I'm not sure how it will look as a blouse.  I haven't seen what this fabric was originally used as, it would make a super cute sundress, but I don't think I have enough!

The third fabric, is a vacation print cotton, I bought at my local fabric store for $3.50 a yard and I got a little carried away and bought 5 yards of it. This will make a really cute sundress, I just have to find the right vintage pattern. I also might try to bleach it to tone down the colors a bit. 

The cherry print Anna Sui I have used before, and the lovely Gail of Today's Agenda, found some more of it near her and was nice enough to send me 3 yards of it. I think she has some too, but I have no idea what to do with it. It is a lightweight silk, very drapey, need some help deciding what it would be good for! 

The last fabric is also a silk fruit print, which was meant to be a lining in last years coat, but I thought it was too pretty just to be lining. So now I have 2.5 yards of silk and don't know what to do with it!

I'm sure some of you can relate, do you have plans for all of your fabric? Does some of it sit around forever just waiting for the perfect project? Any suggestions of what to do with the silks? 

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I'm Coat Crazy!

I'm starting another coat! I've always had a serious addiction to coats, and now I'm addicted to tailoring and the two combined is impossible to resist. The pattern is the Abbey Coat from Jamie Christina, who I never knew about before I spotted this coat pattern. The pattern comes in a neat little booklet, and has extensive instructions. I will be adding the tailoring techniques I have learned so far: bound buttonholes and padstitching the collar. The full length version, is perfect for winter, with the addition of longer sleeve. 

The gorgeous blue wool is from Mood, thanks to a gift certificate from my In-laws. For the lining I chose an off white sunback satin material, a suggestion from Gertie's latest coat sew-along. One side is satin, the other is some kind of flannel for warmth, no need to interline! I also got some off white faux fur for some accents. The buttons are from Pat's Custom Buttons and Belts, in Lodi Ca.  I love getting custom buttons from her, they always look perfect, such a speedy delivery even though it's across the USA, and they really make projects look more professional. These buttons only cost me about $13.  I LOVE buttons! Anyone else feel the same?

The wool is going in the dryer to shrink, but I'm not sure how to pre-wash the satin, any suggestions? It's cold outside today, I've got to get started on my muslin!

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Ford Peplum Shirt : Vogue 8815

Remember the Prada inspired fabric I designed from Spoonflower? Inspired by the Prada Spring 2012 line, but personalized with some of my favorite cars. I finished this shirt just in time for my family's trip to the racetrack. This year we went to Watkins Glen, New York, which was beautiful, we had such a great time.

Almost ever year we travel to a different racetrack, as part of the Shelby American Automobile Club and my Dad and Brother race their cars on the track. It's always fun to go for a few days and see the all the cars, and spend time with my family.  It was 6 years ago at the convention I met my now fiance!  (That's his yellow car)

I never like to wear a men's t-shirt, and the shirts meant for women are usually not my style, so  designed and a more feminine shirt to combine my interests; cars and sewing. A peplum top was the perfect design for this masculine car fabric. I used Vogue 8815, and added a bit of matching light blue rick rack to the hem. There were so many cool cars there, no one even noticed my shirt!

I even helped to fix one of the cars!

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Prada Inspired Car Fabric

I've been wanted to make my own car fabric for forever, and trying to figure out a way to make it wearable, and chic. When I saw the Prada Spring/Summer 2012 runway, I knew what I had to do.

Prada Spring/Summer 2012
Source

My family has always been into cars, and every year we spend time at a racetrack, racing Shelbys. This is even how I met my fiance. I wanted to make a shirt I could wear that wasn't a icky t-shirt. I can't draw so needed something that I could scan and photoshop into an image. It took me a little while to find the perfect thing to scan and use for the basis of the images, but it was right in my attic. My Dad's copy of Ford's 1970 performance guide. So I scanned the images and with the help of photoshop (and a lot of help from my friends), I made an image for spoonflower, the company that prints whatever fabric you can think up.

AND VIOLA!

My personalized car fabric. I ordered two yards of the cotton poplin. I love it, I'm planning on making a sleeveless peplum blouse, just in time for the car even in the beginning of June!

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New Fabric

Look what I scored, four yards of Marc by Marc Jacobs navy and light pink cotton voile. I bought it at Gorgeous Fabrics, she only had ten yards and is now sold out. I love finding designer fabrics and making my version of the dress for less.

This is the Marc By Marc Jacobs dress which was over $350, and would probably be a little too short on me. I think I can make a more flattering dress for way way less. Maybe another version of Chantilly? Any other suggestions?

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Blue Dress

As an avid follower of Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing, I have been in love with her yellow dress that she made ever since she made it last year.  Recently she posted that McCall's had a similar pattern out (M6350) I knew I had to make it!

Isn't it gorgeous!

I gathered my supplies, a cotton blue jacquard from my stash, cotton batiste for the lining and silk organza for bodice lining. It will also have boning, I bought the spiral steel boning, which is what Miss Gertie used. The McCalls pattern comes in cup sizing, but i still had to do some sizing up in the cups and make a few muslins. It's coming along, and hopefully I can wear it to my brother's college graduation next week!

Lots of fabric!

final muslin

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Fabric Shopping!

Have a look at some of the fabric I've been hoarding lately.

A silk Milly print from Gorgeous fabrics. I plan on making basically the same exact dress. It's very similar to the simplicity 2444 dress I made, just without the sleeves and collar. Very cute and without the $400 price tag!

This is what I'm currently working on a navy polka dot ceylon dress. Hopefully I can wear it on Easter.

I'm loving this postcard cotton print I bought at my local fabric store, perfect for a summer dress.

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Thank you Mood!

I went to Mood this week to get some fabric for the projects I've been scheming. The bottom is a white with blue squares shirting cotton. It will be perfect for a summer blouse, it looks really cute and retro.

The second is some kind of silk crepe I will be making this blouse with. I bought really cute buttons which you can't really see and all I need is some piping and it will look just like a top from Anthropologie.

The third is a cotton/silk blend that I'm going to make into a dress, possibly for Christmas. I'm going to make the dress with the stand up collar, which is just screaming for a pin. Hopefully i have enough fabric to make the version with sleeves. Hopefully. I also went to pacific trimming and bought a riri zipper to use with it. I'm very excited about it. Is it strange to be excited about a zipper? Riri zippers are made in Italy, and I've noticed its the kind of zipper they use in some of my fancier purses. I'm going to make muslin for the dress and see how it fits, this is the first time I've really used a pattern from the big pattern brands.

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