Project Run & Play Week 2: I'm an Autumn

Week 2!  Project Run & Play has Autumn on the mind and I couldn't be more on board with cooler weather and cinnamon EVERYTHING.  Nom nom nom.  This theme is met by using the color pallet of Autumn as your inspiration.  Autumn, itself, is super inspirational, so I was excited to get started.  Here's my little Autumn Fairtytale look.

Normal colors of fall include the reds, oranges, yellows and browns that we've all come to know and love.  But while I was looking for the perfect set of Autumn hues, I came across this picture and had an AHA moment.  It spoke to me and I had to answer back.  So deep of me, I know.  I'm still far from the Earth's core though...

I started with the top.  I've had this fabric for a couple of years now and finally got the cajones to cut into it.  It's just perfect for fall and my girl really loves it.

I used Create Kids Couture's Loretta's for the top.  It's cute, simple and comfortable.  PERFECT!  Sleeveless works until November here, so it IS a fall look for my weather.  Maybe you'd freeze your tush off, but no sleeves is awesome in my home.

I did NOT make those jeans.  In fact I did make a pair of pants but the fabric just didn't flow in the end- just too much print. i wanted solid brown corduroy, but no one had any ANYWHERE.  What the ever loving crap, people!?!?!?  Since that's all I was willing to shell out money for and it wasn't gonna happen, I just slapped some jeans on her and called it done.  Haha!

Now on to the COAT!  This coat is my favorite part.  It took a million hours to make (roughly), but it was worth every nanosecond. 

I used a vintage Butterick pattern that purchased on Etsy.  I ADORE vintage patterns...mainly the way they smell.  But I always feel cooler when I sew one up, too.  Like "Hey, I can sew like they did when shiz was more difficult.  10 points to me!"

The length is what drew me in and clearly it had a dramatic affect on my daughter, too.

The coat is fully lined and includes a separating zipper, princess seams, and faux fur trim.  The trim took about 6 hours to hand-sew on and my fingers were bloodied by the time I had finished.  I should invest in a thimble.  

Since the pants were a no-go this time around, I wanted to make sure I made SOMETHING else...a flower crown it was!  There's nothing I love more than some pretty theatrics, so I just grabbed that glue gun and played Mother Nature for a while.  

Well, that's it, people!  I hope you like what I created this week.  We do!

I can't wait to see what you all sew along with and what the competitors TURN out.

Har har har...Got the puns going on ON POINT.

Happy Autumn, Y'all!

-Crystal-

Project Run & Play Week One: Pokemon!

Its that time again!  I'm so super excited that PR&P is back with a new season and a new set of themes.  I always like to sew along and since my SewJo came back, I dove right into these themes.  Let's get on with it...week one: Pokemon!

We love Pokemon around here. Well, we love the show.  We haven't had a chance to play Pokemon Go because our phone is old and can't support it...we're soooooo out of touch.  But the cartoon is a big hit in my home.  When trying to pick the perfect character, I tried to incorporate my sewing style and personality with my daughter's favorite color and there you have it!  Slurpuff!  To see this Pokemon in action, get your tush to the TV, turn on Netflix, select Pokemon XY and get to episode 27.  Its a fun one FO SHO.

Slurpuff is a fairy Pokemon that resembles something you'd find in a sweets shop-meringue!  They have very keen senses of smell and a body of puff.

For the patterns I used the Maggie Mae dress by Shwin and altered it to what I wanted.  I contoured the bodice at the waist, added an invisible zipper to accommodate that, added some lace overlay and ricrac and added a full double skirt with pretty scallops to make it all Slurpuffy.

When she's in the dress alone, she's more like Swirlix- Slurpuff before it's first evolution.  Pretty super geeky of me, no?

I also added a little sash because sashes are awesome.  Dresses love sashes.  Give that dress a sash.

I wanted to add a little bright pink bolero because I love the bubble shape Slurpuff has.  Its playful and another way for me to incorporate the retro style that I love so much.

And the PINK.  Oh my gosh the pink.  Slurpuff is a pink poofball of PaPOW.  This pokemon was just the perfect inspiration for me AND my girl and we're both super happy with the outcome.  

Thanks for reading!  If you're sewing along, make sure to link up so everyone can see and get inspired.  I choose YOU, y'all!

-Crystal-

Project Run & Play: February (Crystal)

It's time for February's Project Run & Play challenge! This month's featured past contestant is Susan from Living with Punks and she's chosen her Mademoiselle muscle tee tutorial for us to change up.  My girl is all about the lounge wear lately- I guess my yoga pants addiction rubbed off.  I knew an all knit look would tickle her fancy, so I went with it.

I didn't make her a dress because honestly I didn't want to.  Such a great reason, I know.  But good enough for me!    I also wanted to use the tank in a way that would be a little unexpected, so I used it to make a scarf neck cardigan.  No, I didn't use the shirt pattern to make the shirt...I make lots of sense. I like the long, drapey, comfortable look of this cardigan and the black and white polkadots are super fun. 

 

I used the tank as a base then extended the front 11" and made some dolman sleeves.  Easy peasy and comfy womfy for my wittle wovey dovey.

 

The shirt without the cardi is hilarious.  I had no intenton of making a guinea pig shirt, but when I asked my kid what her favorite animal was, she said "Guinea Pig".  Challenge accepted!  The pattern I used was the Skipper Top by Sew Much Ado.  I just did a little colorblocking and busted out the iron-on transfers.  

 

The Pants are the Nightfox Pant by Puperita.  These pants are so super comfy and I want them for me. I've made them for my son before and he loves them too.  I totally dig a pattern I can use for both of my kiddos.  My cheap little heart sings.

One more picture of the shirt because...well...guinea pigs!

 

Well, that's it!  I hope you like it and can't wait to see what all everyone else links up.  There's some great stuff already <3

-Crystal-

Project Run & Play: January (Crystal)

Project Run & Play is back and with a new temporary format.  You can go HERE to read all about the changes because I'm too lazy to tell you myself.  Real talk, yo.  The basic thing that you need to know is that they are now doing a once a month dealeo with no pre-selected contestant...just us sew-alongers.  One past favorite contestant picks a tutorial from their blog and we change it up and link-up.  This year starts with  the Bubble Dress tutorial by Alida from Alida Makes!  Here's my change-a-roo:

I went pretty simple with the changes.  I made it a top, put the straps on backwards, and made them go through a couple of buttonholes and tie in the front.  I think it's super cute and will be awesome for the spring/ summer weather that will be here before I'm ready to deal with it.

I used a green floral lightweight satin that I picked up from a thrift store for a whopping $2 for 2 yards about a year ago.  Poppin' tags like a boss.  I interfaced the straps so the bow would hold up and not flop around like a limp...thingy.  It doesn't. I hope you giggled just now.

Maybe you just made this face...

So that's it.  My super fun and simple summer tank.

-Crystal-

Project Run & Play Sewalong- Season 10: Week Four (Crystal)

It's Signature Style time over at Project Run and Play, and I totally decided to go nuts and have fun with this one.  Maybe a little too much fun...almost got myself into trouble with the amount of fun.  But don't worry, I was Saved by the Bell.  Smooth intro, Crystal.  Smoother than Mr. Belding's Balding head.

Now, I know what you're thinking:

"This is wilder than than one of Jessie and Slater's fights" 
"This is sparklier than the Zack Attack blazer."
"Holy Hot Sundae, this is bright" 

But, dude, it's so me!

I am ALL over color and crazy.  I'm a *bit* on the theatrical side when I sew and usually tame it a smidge for the sake of your eyeballs.  But since we're doing a signature style, I just couldn't leave it alone.  I let it flow, and I love it more than all of the Buddy Bands in the world.  I adore seeing kids dress in fun things because you can only do it for so long before you exit "adorable" and enter "institutional."  Kids don't need to dress as serious as a caffeine pill addiction.

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This dress looks like something Kelly Kapowski's barbie doll would wear.  The fabrics I used were: An acid wash print cotton I found at Joann's a year ago, some sparkle 2 way knit of doom, and the pink stuff I'll talk more about later.  The biggest Papow is all those ruffles.  I normally don't "do" ruffles.  They're hell to sew when you don't know how to use the ruffler foot you spent $35 on and when ruffling on the serger is something you just never got around to attempting.  So yeah, I hand gathered those ruffles...all of them.  Over 160" EACH ruffle (4 of them anyway), but it was sooooooo worth it.  The pattern I used to get my ruffle measurements was the Francesca's by Create Kids Couture.  I really do love Create Kids Couture patterns and I love the ladies in their FB group page even more.  They're just friendly. My daughter FLIPPED over this dress.  She can't wait to wear it to school....which brings me to the bodice.

I needed something with enough coverage for dress code (3" strap minimum), but the Francesca's bodice just doesn't have that. I decided to make the bodice using the Saffron Twirl Dress by Paisley Roots for the front.  For the back, I used the Saffron back piece for the arm holes, but layered it over the back of the All Spice (same designer) and added a little extra to create a button placket to close it up.  Then I used the All Spice flutter sleeve to make the cap sleeve. The Saffron has deeper armholes than the All Spice, so I knew I'd need the width of the flutter instead of the actual cap sleeve...so confusing, but it totally worked as planned.  The fabric is amazing.  It was found at the same yard sale the My Little Pony fabric was at and then was given to me.  Most people wouldn't have been so excited to receive this fabric, but I SQUEALED.  And it totally looks like it fits in with the Saved by the Bell opening credits.

So there you have it: Bayside Barbie. I believe Lisa Turtle would wear this to prom making Screech even screechier.  She'll have to take a number, though, because I don't think my daughter will ever take it off.

 

-Crystal-

P.S. One child + Mommy's Heels = HILARITY

Project Run & Play Sewalong- Season 10: Week Three (Crystal)

It’s week 3!  And this time I’m ON TIME with my post.  Applause welcomed.  This week is all about denim. Jay Leno would be ecstatic (that one’s for all of you Adam Carolla fans).  Denim is actually pretty versatile, and way fun to sew with. I thought a looooooooong time on this one and then stopped thinking and just started sewing.  This is what appeared from my chaos- The Denim Darlin’

We’re not really cowpoke over here.  We’re city slickers to the max.  As a matter of fact, a bee got into my house today and I swear to you it made me a wreck.  I’ll be hearing bees in my sleep.  Even though I may be the indoorsy type, I love the cowgirl LOOK- especially the whole “worker meets ethereal being” effect denim and chiffon make.  It’s just lovely.  Did you just picture Arwen Evenstar driving a tractor and feeding hogs?  Just me?  Ok, then.

I used the Jane pattern by Violet Fields threads and took off the sleeves. I added an extra column of buttons because the dress was just too loose for my taste.  Since I used denim from an old pair of pants, I couldn’t just make a new one.  BLAST!  But, I made it work like a hotty farm hand.  I think it turned out pretty sweetly.  I dig it like ...a piece of heavy equipment that...digs.

I added a few pickups, flowers, and some pretty rose trim to make it a bit more flouncy and girly since my little peanut likes things that pixies would wear.  Pixie cowgirl...Tinkerbell shoveling poo...

That’s it!  I kept it pretty simple and my little cowgirl is ready to go to the grocery store and ride a motorized horse.  Seriously, I’m afraid of riding horses- tried it once as a grown woman and cried like a baby as it moved.  I mean, it’s a ride that THINKS ON IT’S OWN.  Scary stuff, man.    I can’t wait to see what everyone else sews up!

-Crystal-

Project Run & Play Sew Along- Season 10: Week Two (Crystal)

It's week 2 of Project Run & Play and the theme is "Hand-me-Downs" which translates to upcycling (essentially)...which translates to FREE (nearly)...which translates to WOO HOOOOOOOOOO (totally)!  Lets jump right in, shall we?

I decided to do a boy look this week since my little guy has officially grown out of all of the hand-me-downs we inherited from the wonderful male cousins that came before him.  Since 3T clothing usually doesn't outlive the year of use because boys turn into filthy and crazy daredevils that destroy everything, I was so sad to know I'd have to buy stuff.  The death of a cheapo.  So sad. Luckily I can upcycle and BAM!  Stylish stud

Imma gonna go ahead and start with the fancy pants he's wearing.  For this look I used a pair of MY old pants and a GIRL pattern.  I totally reused girly things for a boy look.  I bleach dyed the jeans using the preschool method of tie dying with random rubber bands all over.  It turned out just as I had pictured and worked like magic with the Sis Boom Katie pattern.  I forgot to get a pic of the jeans before I bleached 'em...whoops!  But I got a pic before I cut them, so points for me!

The vest was ALSO a "girl" pattern.  I used the Allspice by Paisley Roots without the pintucks to make it.  I added some length to get it to be manly and decided to go reversible because it's just cool.  The peach side has pockets (the original pockets from the fugly shirt from Grandma- she wouldn't even wear it) and the khaki green side has some custom stitching.  For that side, I used a pair of my husband's old torn up shorts.  Seriously, I don't even want to know what kind of bathroom issues cause a hole THIS GIANT to form in the crotch seam.  Gonna leave that one alone. All I had to purchase for this look was a reversible separating zipper.  That's it for the WHOLE LOOK.  YAY!

The hat pattern is from Apple + Fig. and is SO COOL.  The size ranges from baby to adult, so it's a good use of the dinero.  I used the rest of the mystery injury shorts to make it and added a little sea turtle reverse applique with the leftover bleached denim.  My boy loves sea turtles...it wasn't just some random "I like turtles" moment.

The shirt was made from a shirt.  So clever, I know.  But I love the fabric of this shirt and my husband didn't like the original, so yeah.  I made it better.  I used the Flashback skinny tee from Made by Rae.  It's so cool!  Love this pattern.  Easy and comfy and the perfect fit.

That about sums up my look!  4 pieces that can be interchanged with the rest of his wardrobe.  They'll blend right in with his other stuff....like a dresser ninja!

-Crystal-