Sherwin-Williams Paint Fun!

I am not affiliated with Sherwin-Williams but I do get their emails. I stumbled upon this Chip It color swatching do-dad and I love it. You add it to your bookmark bar, go to any website, click the bookmark bar and choose the picture you want to swatch. It works just like Pinterest or Polyvore. I think it’s super fun although I’m not sure exactly what I’ll do with it. It gives you up to ten colors that go with your picture.

 

I’m often not very good with pulling out individual colors out of a fabric but this does it for you. Not only that, if you wanted to paint a wall that color, it’s all figured out for you! Just kidding although wouldn’t a Manor House or Daredevil accent be fun?

 

Okay, so how helpful is it? Maybe not very helpful but maybe just fun.

 

Look how I can pull out the individual colors out of this crazy fabric. For me, this is helpful. For others, maybe not.

 

I love how you can save them all too.

 

I love this fabric from Fabric.com.

 

Just some fun for yawl! You can just enter the URL of a specific picture too. Go to http://letschipit.com/ to see it. You don’t have to set up an account but I did so I can save my swatches. Again, I get no kickbacks, I just think it’s cool. Now I can emulate my favorite color site: http://design-seeds.com/.

Burda 05-2013 #103 Knotted Front Knit Top

I really liked this top from the newest May Burda. I think it’s springy and fun and that’s what I need. We are slooowly making it out of winter day by day. It’s consistently been in the high 30s and low 40s so bring spring on! Anyway, where was I? Oh, this top. I thought it would be a great spring top.

 

My mom is here. And her friend. They “helped” do the photos. Really helpful, let me tell you.

Mom: Well, pose already.

Me: I don’t really pose. Just take the picture.

R (mom’s BFF): You want me to include your shoes? Do you really want all that stuff behind your head?

Mom: Maybe do something with your arms.

Me: Take the freaking picture.

Mom: Siiiiiiiiiiigh. I guess that will work.

 

Mom: Oh wow!!!! Your shoes match. Oh my gosh, hey, R, R! Get her shoes in the picture.

R: Are you sure you want all that stuff in the background? Behind your head?

Mom: Her shoes! Just get the shoes!

Me: Here, freaking take a picture of the goddamn* shoes. Here? Close enough? Take one! Kids, let’s all be part of the shoe picture. Yay!

Mom: Honey! Perfect!!!

Me: Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiggggghhhhhhh.

 

Fantastic armpit pose for you all.  I wanted to show you the result of taking the side seam up an extra inch and a half. It was really low when I followed Burda’s notches. And no, that’s not armpit hair. But, ewwwwwwwww, it looks like it doesn’t it???

 

Regular, normal shot. Thank you R, you came through for me. The neckline was really loose on me and I solved that by just making the SA a bit bigger on the shoulders. I did the typical 5/8” on the back but I think the SA for the front shoulders was more like 1.5”.

 

Boring back shot but shows you the pretty fabric. I think I’m really tired of winter because I keep picking wild colors for my projects.

 

Close-up of knot. This took me forever to figure out. As you look at the photo, the right hand side is one piece. That stomach flap part is a continuation of the top right piece. The left piece goes only halfway down and connects to the bottom front. So, the right side is essentially two layers and the left side bottom is just one layer.

 

Here’s the main problem I had. See the right side? You sew from the side seam to the middle except that you leave a small slit open at CF. Then you take the half piece and put in ON TOP of the other piece, shove it through the hole and attach it to the SA. First, you have to attach the left side to the bottom piece though.

 

Here’s the left piece attached to the bottom front. You only sew to the first notch though. Then the gathered section (the circled part), which looks sewed down but isn’t, goes up OVER the section that includes the belly flap. I know I’m making this confusing but the main thing to remember is that the left side goes OVER the right side. I kept trying to make it go under and it just doesn’t work. If you look at the technical drawing, you can see that is the way they did it too. Hope they pictures are somewhat helpful.

I’m not sure what I’m working on yet but it might be kid pajamas. Or maybe girl dresses.

 

*I never actually swear in front of my kids.

Jalie 3243 - Pull-on Pants Alaskan Style

This is one of the Jalie patterns I bought the other day in my Jalie haul. I love the simple pattern and I love the fit of Jalie. My kids are always asking me to make them pajama pants and this is the perfect pattern for that. Of course, I could draft one from my trusty KS3234 but this is so much easier and it’s all the sizes! So far, I’ve made the size M (for size 9) and H (for a 4T). Both seem to fit well. I have my size traced out but I have not made any pants out of them.

 

So, I’m sort of embarrassed to post about these pants. I made them in one hour. Like, really, one hour. From tracing to hem. There are no pockets or nice stitching. Here’s how it went down.

Husband: Oh, hey, we are going clamming. Did you know kids’ rain gear was so expensive?

Me: Oh?

H: Yea, these pants were $40 and I’m not sure she’ll be able to wear them until the end of summer. They only had this size. Do you think you could whip up some rain pants that she could wear?

Me: Oh, gosh. Probably. When are you guys leaving?

H: Oh, I think the guys are getting here in about an hour.

Me: Blink, blink. Uuuuuuh.Do you mean you want a pair of pants in an hour?

H: Blink, blink. Uh, yea?

Me: [Thump, thump, thump as I run down the stairs to the basement]

 

The $40 pair is on the left and my pair is on the right. I didn’t have elastic that was wide enough but I made due with the 3/4” elastic I had. The pattern went together easily and I really like the contoured waist band. It seems less bulky than the waistbands you just fold under and sew.

 

I made them out of this fantastic Polartec fabric. I’ve used it many times and it’s freaking awesome. It has a slight amount of stretch but it’s also wind and water proof. I used it to make this vest also.

 

Here she is on the beach with the pants and the raincoat I made her last summer (also a Jalie pattern). I’m happy to report is was warm and dry and cozy even with the 40 degree weather and wind.

 

They didn’t get many clams but they did get some big ones!! And no, she didn’t really bite it. These are razor clams and yummy. I’m hoping they get a whole bucket load for me.

 

 

While the men (and cute daughter #3) went clamming, we went to the zoo and watched all the wildlife. Oh look, here’s a snow leopard. Oh wait, that’s just one of my cute daughters.

 

Mangy little guy.

 

Lots of fowl coming in the last few days.

 

And in other news, little girls got new cute glam haircuts and grandma’s in town so they steal her glasses.

I actually have more to show you. I have made a top and I think you’ll like it.

Jalie 3024 - Twice!

I’ve made this modified Jalie 3024 a couple of times before and I’ve worn them quite a bit. They are dressy enough to wear with heels and jewelry for a casual dinner but comfortable enough for me to wear them to work. I made two this week and I really like them. Well, I love one of them and I’m kind of meh on the other one. First off, I love this one. Love it. I did the same things as this dress here so one side is a v-neck and the other side is the boatneck. What I love about it is that you can reverse it and get two different looks from it. I think it looks good either way. Here’s version one with the v-neck in the front.

 

And here is version two with the v-neck in the back.

 

I often wear these dresses with a light jacket. I often wear this expression too while I’m at school and the boys are wielding lit Bunsen burners and alcohol. Actually, my daughter was trying to scare me so I was looking scared. Scared. People. Work with me here.

 

Here’s the dress flat so you can see it.

 

I used wash away stabilizer for the coverstitched hem. The fabric was too “grabby” and kept getting stuck under the foot. This really helps the foot glide over the fabric. Then, I trimmed the stabilizer and dipped it in some hot water to get rid of the rest.

 

Here’s the second one. I used up the remainder of this fabric (from the man-nipple shirt). I had very little so I had to piece the back. You can see in the right picture how the zigs go up and then back down over my chest. That’s because there is a seam there. It’s the best I could do. I didn’t have enough fabric to match the design between the bodice and the skirt. I think that would have made a huge difference. I think it still looks okay under the Jalie cardigan and under my jean jacket. I don’t really like the v-neck in front at all. This may become just a skirt and I’ll hack off the top.

 

I used a purple picot elastic to finish the edges on the neck. I like the binding but it’s not enough to save the dress. This is wrong side.

 

This is right side.

 

What do you guys think about the purple version??

Jalie Cardigan - Real Pictures

First off, Jalie patterns are a bit different than before. Now there are alternating colored lines. I used size R which happened to be orange. I think of all the colors this one would have been the most hard to see because of the shade but I had no problems. It was much easier to trace. 

 

How fun is this cardigan? There are only three pattern pieces and the fit is, as always Jalie-perfect. I made my standard size and I’m very happy with it. I added some shoulder bling because, well, everyone needs a little shoulder sparkly. (Do you see sunglasses on my head? That’s because there is finally some damn, freaking light. Screw you dark, cold Alaskan winters!)

 

Up close and personal with the shoulder oooh-la-la.

 

I used a purple heather (Swap Meet fabric) for the main part of the body and a gray knit with Lurex (also Swap Meet) for a little added sparkle for the contrast fabric.

 

This pattern uses quite a bit of fabric. It’s longer plus there is that extra section that is extra wide because that is what gets folded back over to create the pocket. You can see there is a very clean finish on the inside.

 

If this was a Burda pattern with Burda directions tell me how to do this, I would have never understood how to construct the pocket. Instead, Jalie has very clear pictures on how to sew the pocket together.

 

I love this pattern. It’s a great cozy-up casual cardigan. I really like that you can add contrast fabric or not. This is definitely a pattern for more drapey knits. A knit with more body may become pretty bulky at the pocket areas. I like how the pockets drape.

 

I have two other things to show you too. Too tired tonight to stay up and post pictures though. You people will just have to wait.

Jalie 3248 - Drop Pocket Cardigan

Proper review and photos tomorrow but I thought I’d show you the cardigan I just made. I really think it’s cute. I added some gray with Lurex as my contrast fabric. This is a crappy iPhone photo but I’ll take some real ones tomorrow. I may have to add some more shoulder bling.

I made my normal size R. More photos tomorrow!

Burda 04-2011 #122 Cap Sleeve Knit Top (April Burda Challenge!)

I am still debating whether to join the Pantone Color Contest. I have some ideas but I’m still thinking . . .

This knit has been sitting in my stash for a few years so I decided to made a knit top out of it. I think it’s cute but I’m not sold on it. It is two pieces (it used to be four pieces but more on that in a minute) and very easy to make. The collar is a funnel collar and the sleeves are cut-on cap sleeves with binding. It’s very red and I’m not sure it’s my red. I usually go with reds that are more in the blue range. This is very strongly in the orange-y red camp. What do you ladies think? Is it okay with my complexion?

The original had a zipper but I omitted it after reading Miss Celie’s blog about this shirt.

 

Usually I got for shirts that are more fitted. I kind of like this boxy, longer silhouette. Here you can see the cap sleeves and the loose front.

 

Here’s the shirt next to my Pantone deck so you can see it matches the Poppy Red color from Pantone. You can also see the basic shape of the top. It’s pretty straight on the sides.

 

Here’s the inside. The pattern originally calls for two separate facing pieces (front and back). When I traced it, I moved my shirt front piece over and just added the facings to the front and back that way. Now, the pattern is only two pieces. I did not finish the edges because that usually just adds bulk.

 

Here you can see the little nip I put in the CF facing. This way I’ll know which way is the front and the back. I’ve had issues with another Burda top like this and I could never figure out which way was which.

 

Here’s a close-up of the sleeve binding. The bindings are quite a bit smaller than the sleeve so it gives a nice gathering look on the sleeves.

 

Here’s the sleeve from the outside.

 

I’m still trying to figure out what to do for the other piece of this contest. I had the blue and linen-colored gauze fabric but I didn’t really know what to do with it. We’ll see.