the other skirt

Today I'm wearing the other skirt I made, so I thought I'd take the time to take a picture. It's more full than the other one, which I was a little unsure about, so I made a pleat in front. This was the first skirt I made so there are a few little mistakes.

The other one went a lot smoother, because I was a pro by then. ; ) I took a picture of the pockets too.

It's kind of an awkward angle because I was too lazy to take the skirt off for the picture.

Even with the mistakes, I love these skirts and can't wait to make more.

Go here for the tutorial.

::American Jane::

I'm in love with my American Jane fabric by Moda! I found this little gem at an amazing sale in Pasadena. Now I just have to figure out what to do with it! I'll be spending my time here for inspiration and tutorials.

What's your favorite sewing project?

Before, After, and a little How-To

Before

After

Here's the result of my lamp makeover.


This isn't the original fabric I had chosen, but Hubba didn't like the original so I compromised. I also decided to use a different base. I'm sort of wishing I had stuck with the original fabric choice, but I do love the outcome. This was a nice facelift for the lamp. Now, I just need to find a place for it!

Supplies for the shade:

• one yard of coordinating fabric for the chosen room
• spray adhesive
• hot glue gun
• scissors

1. I started with a yard of fabric, rolled the shade on it to get an idea of how much I'd need, and trimmed the fabric modestly on the top, bottom, and seam. (When I say I 'rolled' it, I mean I grabbed an edge of the fabric, held it against the shade, and rolled the shade on it's side until the first edge meets more fabric, making sure, all along, that all sides of the shade are covered with fabric. Then I trimmed the seam vertically so there is a nice clean line going down the side of the shade in the end of step 5. My seams overlap.)
2. Then I used spray adhesive a little at a time. Line the shade up on the wrong side of the fabric and do a test roll to make sure there are no areas showing the original shade. When everything looks good, start back at the beginning (this will be the part underneath the final seam). Spray, roll, and repeat until the shade is covered, making sure to keep the fabric taut throughout to prevent bubbling.
3. Now trim about an inch away from the top and bottom edges.
4. Hot glue the edges all the way around, pushing the loose fabric to the inside of the shade.
5. I intended to cut a trim for the edges seperately and glue it on as a finishing touch but I think it looks fine without that touch. Plus it's a lot easier without one more step.
6. And for the shade I just taped off the areas where no paint was desired, went out on my porch, and used a coat of primer (I'd suggest maybe two coats) followed by as many coats of white spray paint as is necessary until you get a solid white base.

I framed some of the leftover fabric, too!

The 32-minute messenger bag tutorial -POPPY

I'm all about easy sewing. I haven't been using a sewing machine for too long, so I'm trying to take it one step at a time. I think I should make this easy-to-sew messenger bag. And so should you. Amy Smart, guest mom on Design Mom and quilter extraordinaire, has a tutorial on her blog. And she even has instructions for smaller kid bags! I love the idea of getting my kids involved. I just might be making one for me and two for my little guys. Think library bag or toy bag.

Amy gives me great inspiration. She posted a picture of this hoop-framed fabric art from Purl. I die over this. So beautiful. Perfect for hanging in a craft corner. I want to make a wall like this above my sewing machine table.