Ellie's Sew and Tell

Yes, another Giveaway to enter

2010-07-08T14:36:00.002-06:00

I'm a long time reader of Little Birdie Secrets.

In fact I think it was pretty much the first craft blog I started reading, which has in turned fueled a daily consumption of all blogs and sites crafty.

Little Birdie Secrets is having a giveaway. Oh what would it be like to win a giveaway, and this giveaway! I've been drooling over the Silhouette for months! It can do amazing things, I just love how it connects to your computer just like a printer, so no expensive cartridges to buy and buy and buy. I’d like to get one someday, sigh. But I think that winning one would make that day not a million years away. Good Luck to me! And Good Luck to you!

Want to win!

2010-06-09T17:46:00.001-06:00

I would love to win this giveaway at http://megannielsen.com/. I’d make a bunch of variations for some summery breezy additions to my wardrobe.

Temporary

2010-06-07T14:20:00.001-06:00

This is my new sewing set up for the summer. : )

Travel Pillow

2010-06-07T01:11:00.001-06:00

In preparation for a 16 hour drive (and move) from Boise, ID to Denver, CO I made a travel pillow.

I sketched a pattern

I cut it out of a too small but soft comfy shirt.

(I ended up adding an inch to my pattern in the middle/fold)

I got two U shaped pieces from the pattern.

Then I sewed the two together leaving a two inch gap on the right outside curve for inserting stuffing.

Then I stuffed my pillow with the stuffing from an old pillow I’m not using anymore.

I spritzed the stuffing with Lavender aromatherapy pillow spray that my dear friend Jenni send me for my birthday!

Its perfect, a slight scent, just enough- very soothing while traveling!

Refashioned Spring Outfit

2010-05-09T16:52:00.001-06:00

I haven’t had time for much crafting lately. But I found just enough time to fashion a new outfit.

So I had this navy shirt, its a good fit, three quarter sleeves. But it had a logo from a former job on the left side. I tried appliquéing over the embroidery but it looked terrible. So I pulled that off, and tried something new. I came up with this:

I sewed some of these fabric flowers—in the car (thats how easy they are) as we drove across the state to visit family--And then I hand sewed the flowers onto the shirt.

(Since we were on the road, the only place I got a photo was in the car)

Its been through the wash now and everything stayed secure, hooray!

I wanted to refashion the navy shirt so that I could wear it with this skirt I whipped up. It came from this lovely little number, Bought at Old Navy extra clearance clearance sale:

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XL weird tube top/one shoulder knit jersey dress, with floppy wingy sleeve. Yuck. But I loved the print navy and white print. So I cut it straight across the middle and added an elastic waistband.

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And ta da, I had a super comfy skirt, and for cheap, $3.00.

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So if you have a shirt with an old ugly logo, a few scraps of fabric, and a not so hot dress you’d like to cut up and turn into a skirt…you can whip up a new spring outfit too!

Baby Boy Baby Gift

2010-04-14T22:07:00.001-06:00

For a friend’s ~~brand new~~ (not so new) little monkey, baby booties and a stenciled onesie! It just took me 3 months to gift it to the recipient. Poor kid was born in January. His momma assures me it will still fit…we’ll see.

I just love freezer paper stencils! Cut stencil, iron, paint, wait for it to dry(impatiently), peel, and ta da!

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More instructions and links for Freezing Paper Stenciling how to at

this earlier post.

And my new favorite crafting tool:

Instead of using an exacto knife (which scare me) I picked up this nifty cutter, its got a ceramic micro tip. Its sharp enough but without a big bulky blade. And its got a snap on lid just like a pen. I love it! Now I have to/get to make more stencils!

Refashion: Grey & Blue Dress

2010-02-23T16:24:00.001-07:00

I took this clearance XXL dress and took in the sides and waist. Took it up inches and inches in the shoulders. Re-cut the sleeves and reattached them.

I’m still playing with how to make the pockets better. Thinking I’ll add a pleat to them, so they don’t gape open as much. Or maybe some shirring. We’ll see.

And now I have a super comfy simple dress, that fits! And for about $3.00, and an hour of tinkering.

Here’s me and my hubby after church on Valentine’s Day (wish I had a few fabric flowers pinned on too, forgot):

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More Fabric Flowers!

2010-02-23T16:08:00.001-07:00

So the inspiration for these flowers comes from having to read a book for a class over the weekend. I got an audiobook version of it, and blissfully listened my way through it, while making pretty little flowers. Here some of my creations:

Instructions on how to make the flower in this post.
Then I sewed on a pearly shank button in the middle.
Then, folded a piece of sheer ribbon and stitched it to the back.
Next, sewed the pin piece to a circle of white felt.
Last, I used Tacky glue (inspired by this tutorial) to adhere the felt to the fabric. I love this stuff now!

I did a few singed silk flowers too. I mentioned them earlier in this post.

I really love the way they turned out this time! Plus it kept my hands busy while I was listening to my homework!

Some Lite Reading

2010-02-05T21:02:00.001-07:00

I have so much to learn. I love my Library.

Navy Stripe- Shirt Altering

2010-01-22T22:56:00.001-07:00

So good ole’ Old Navy had another 50% off clearance sale. (Thank you Jenni, my girl on the inside, for the heads up). I went and picked up a few more things to refashion, and I’ve been working of my other works-in-progress too.

So this one isn’t a true refashion. All I really did was resize it. (Cost= $2.49)

However, I completely took it apart to do so. Mostly because of the neckline- love this style. Don’t know what its called, anyone know? I decided to take it up in the shoulders to make it fit better, higher, and less saggy. A few inches makes a big difference. (pinned:)

This is what the inside construction looks like (inside out). Front and back pieces overlap to create the shoulder seam where the sleeve is attached. So I trimmed/ripped out the shoulder seams and side seams. I then overlapped the flaps more and stitched them in place.

Then I tried a new way of attaching sleeves, which is the EASY way! Sew the shoulder seams, flat, then sew up the side seam and sleeve seam in one pass. Really good tutorial here, its worth checking out! I’ll never do set in sleeves the hard way again, unless I have to. The sleeves were already perfectly finished, I just had to unstitch the bar stitch that was keeping them tacked up. I always need more long sleeve shirts, my arms get cold easy, so I’d prefer to have them long instead of leaving them rolled up. Oh and they were a bit wide, so I took them in as well.

I usually try to get by with using as few pins as possible, but this knit tended to roll up on the edges. Also, I wanted to get the stripes lined up as best I could.

Then finish up with a twin needle hem. The neckline turned out pretty good.The alterations were pretty effective.

I’m thinking about adding a stencil. I really like the sailor feel of the navy and white stripes. So I was thinking along the lines of the Navy theme, I’d do an anchor.

What do you think? Too Cheesy?

Which color? (these are just photoshopped to get an idea)

Indecisive some more

2010-01-22T21:40:00.001-07:00

So, I got this basic Old Navy shirt in the sale last week. Its my favorite kind- long sleeve, perfect comfortable neckline, basic. Its great….but…I just love these freezer paper stencils, and I can’t just leave it plain. (hey, at least its not a bedazzler!)

So I don’t remember now where I plucked this picture from, but I just love the flower design.

And sometime ago I thought, hmm that would make a great stencil.

Just add a little photoshop/corel draw time and viola:

So the background is the approximate color of the shirt that I want to stencil, (turquiose?). The color squares to the right are the paints that I have right now: black, green, pink, brown, white, navy, orange.

So because I’m a indecisive nerd, and because it was so easy, I made these different color combinations.

Which do you think I should do? Suggestions?

Hoping to do this project this weekend. I’m on a craft kick.

Black Sweater fix up

2010-01-22T21:38:00.002-07:00

While I was back home at Christmastime, I found an old sweater of mine. (Remember back in Junior High when dusters sweaters were totally “in”). Well, its still a great sweater, but the sleeves were all stretched out- drove me crazy!

So I turned it inside out and took in the sleeves with a straight stitch- drastically at the wrists. (I think I might take in even more up to the elbows.)

Then I trimmed off the excess. And zigzagged the seam to reinforce and contain the raw edge(don’t need no stinkin serger…well someday I do want one, but for now my machine has some stitches that mock serge).

I also added a big black button. I had a horrible time sewing a buttonhole, but it does the job okay. I can wear it with or without the tie now.

(awful picture of myself) Well, a simple fix up. But something I never used to be able to do.

Twin Needle

2010-01-22T21:36:00.001-07:00

Yay! I now have a twin needle. (two actually, 2.0mm and 4.0mm) You need a twin needle to get that finished look on the hems of knits/clothing, like this:

I am really excited, using it should make the things I sew look more finished, less homemade. And it should help them last longer. Plus, my machine has a lot of stitch settings for a twin needle, I’ve been wanting to try them out. Decorative stitches that should work well with it too. I have no experience sewing with one, but I am excited to test it out.

Fabric Flowers

2010-01-14T16:17:00.007-07:00

Help! I can’t stop making these!

Seriously, these flowers are so easy to make, they are addicting! Once I got the first one down I was on a roll. I just kept making them while watching shows, and before I knew it I had over a dozen of them!

I basically followed this tutorial, except I didn’t glue mine, I hand stitched them in place instead. Usually I avoid hand stitching like the plague. But since all the stitches are mostly hidden I was very messy and just made it up as I went along. Also, I really like how they are supposed to be imperfect, with the frayed edges and such. I l-o-v-e projects that don’t require precision!

Here’s the basics of how to make them:

Just start with a strip of fabric (all of mine were different sizes, I didn’t measure at all, yay!) this is also a great project for using up scraps.

--notice the band aid, one more reason I avoid sewing by hand, needle injuries are inevitable. I need to pick up a thimble.

Then, Knot one end of the fabric, this will become the center of your flower.

Then, thread a needle, knot the end, and take a stitch of two through the back of the knotted fabric.

Then you’re ready to start twisting the fabric-loosely or tightly, varying, whatever- and wrapping it around the center knot in a spiral.

Stitch the surrounding loop of fabric to the center knot. Then as you continue to twist and wrap, stitch the fabric to edge of the next inner loop.

Sounds complicated but you’ll end up with something like this on the back. (I used the yellow one with white thread so you can see the stitches easily) You can do it with less stitches too.
Now I have to decide what to do with them! How do I finish them up?

They make great corsage pins for accessorizing shirts!
And I want to try some out as hair clips or as part of a headband. Not sure if I can pull that off, pretty trendy for me.

I love tons of different color combinations. So I’m not sure which ones to cluster together and which ones to leave separate.

Maybe I’ll leave them all separate with pin backs on all of them, So I can always mix and match.

What do you think? Which combos are the best?

Dollhouse Curtains

2010-01-05T20:43:00.001-07:00

This was such a fun Christmas project.

My grandpa, my mom’s dad, was a woodworker. He built my mom a beautiful dollhouse. My sisters and I played with it as children. But for the last ten years, its been stored away in a corner of the garage. Since my grandfather passed away two years ago, my mom’s been wanting to get it out and fix it up.

For Christmas, my sister Maren unearthed it from the depths of the garage, disinfected it(mice, eek!), replaced the floorboards, and had it re-varnished. My sisters Sarah and Abby bought cute little furnishings for the rooms. And I made the curtains for the windows(the original glass windows had all been broken out).

Luckily, I had some material from my Grandma Ruby’s fabric stash. I think it was originally curtains; sky blue with little white polka dots.

I made 9 sets of tiny curtains. Here’s how they turned out, really simple:

Shirt Refashion/Ruffle Top 1

2009-12-30T00:18:00.002-07:00

So I absolutely love a lot of tutorials for ruffle tops I’ve seen on some of my favorite sewing blogs. This is just the first variation I was able to try. The main tutorial I used is from the homemade by jill blog, and this tutorial too from Make it and Love it.

So I took a shirt I liked the fit of and traced around it, I used the back of some Christmas wrapping paper…worked awesome by the way. (Next time I’ll leave even more room for seams, etc). Just turn inside out, and tuck the sleeves inside to trace.

(I apologize, the lighting in the pictures is terrible, it was dark of night.)

This was the original shirt. XXL and really drapey.

This is the shirt laid out flat. Lots of material to work with.Then, I cut all the seams apart. And then I used the pattern pieces I made earlier to cut out the parts of the shirt. Sew side and shoulder seams

With the sleeves sewn in.

Time for the ruffle part! I used elastic thread. You hand wind the elastic thread onto the bobbin, and use regular thread for the top thread in your machine. Then just run a straight stitch down the middle of your fabric.
I cut two widths (1 & 3/4 inch and 1 inch) of fabric from the leftovers I trimmed off the original shirt. Then I layered the wider one underneath the narrower strip and fed them through my sewing machine.
And it was like magic, seriously. Perfectly spaced ruffles came out the other side! So much easier than basting, pulling threads, having those threads snap, sewing it again, and then spreading to out evenly.

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Then I sewed the ruffle to the neckline, and viola!

Here’s me wearing it on Thanksgiving!

Silk Flower Pin

2009-12-29T16:33:00.004-07:00

I found this beautiful silk in the remnant bin at WalMart for about $.50 for each color. I’ve seen these silk flowers on blogs and this etsy shop. They are pretty easy to make, a tutorial for organza flowers, but basically the same process,

Step 1- Cut out circles of silk. Big, small, smaller, smaller.

Step 2- Burn the edges of of the silk circle. I used a candle, you don’t have to get too close, the heat from the flame will melt the edge. This will seals the edges and keeps them from fraying and it curls the edges in like a ruffly petal.

Step 3- Layer the silk circles.

Step 4- Sew the layers together. Sewing on a bead like you would a button. I used invisible/clear thread. Not the easiest to work with, but since I’m not a very accurate hand sewer I like how it hides my mistakes and gives a nice finish.

Step 5- Then I flipped it over and sewed on a pin back. Could also have hot glued it on.

Turned out pretty good. I’d like to make a pin with a cluster of a few, or a headband with a line of them. And I’ve still got the gold silk to try out. I’d also like to make something like this tutorial.

Refashioning

2009-12-29T15:14:00.001-07:00

Since I got my sew machine (yeah that is a “sewing” machine for the rest of you. My husband thinks I’m crazy for calling it that, but this weekend I heard my mom refer to her sew machine)…So, since I got my sew machine, I’ve been gearing up to attempt sewing clothes, for myself. That intimidates me. But sewing your own clothes seems like a great way to be frugal- and get the fit and style just the way you like it.

Anyway, I went to the fabric store and I was surprised that 1 yard of fabric costs as much as a store bought shirt. Hummphff. It didn’t used to be that way. I always thought my mom sewed for us because she was being thrifty. I asked my mom and she said that these days almost all fabric is made cheaper in other countries and then imported here to the states. So, prices have gone up and up. But you can still find good fabric deals though.

I don’t want to by expensive fabric just to mess it up on my first attempts at clothing construction. I’m not a pro. Its just a hobby, and not one I want to sink tons of money into all the time.

So my solution? Refashioning. There are some great blogs about refashioning, some listed to the right. Anyway, I’m inspired by other bloggers who shop at thrift stores, mend, tweak, and embellish, making wonderful things out of their super inexpensive finds.

So I looked at a few stores and didn’t find anything promising. Then I stopped in at Old Navy. Checked out their clearance, they have great clearance. But never the right sizes, either xxxlarge or xxxsmall. I figured I could take in a few things if I got them big enough. So I had tons of selections of XXL shirts perfect for some cutting and resewing projects.

And It just so happened that Old Navy was having an extra 50% off all clearance. Awesome for me, since clearance was all I was interested in.

I got 8 shirts for $13.42, Original price= $114.00.

I’ve only had time to refashion one, but I’ve got a lot of ideas for the rest.

Christmas Came Early

2009-12-29T14:17:00.000-07:00

I didn’t wrap it up or put it under the tree or open it up on Christmas morning, but part of my Christmas was this rotary cutter set.

Thank you Santa/Stodd

Yay! I love it!

Patchwork Belt

2009-12-29T14:11:00.001-07:00

I made this fabric belt, after reading this blog and this blog. Mine turned out…meh. So maybe I’ll try it again sometime and make it more sturdy.

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Appliqué Onesie

2009-12-29T13:39:00.001-07:00

This little onesie went with the baby booties I posted below, for my niece Caelen.
I have a lot to learn about appliqué, it was harder than I expected. It seems so easy, but it was tricky for me to get everything to lay right, and to get the stitching nice and even.

Again, a project that I want to try again.

Some sites that have great tips and instructions:

http://rubyinthedustdolls.blogspot.com/2009/02/how-to-make-t-shirt-applique.html

http://barbarabrandeburg.typepad.com/photos/easy_applique_tutorial/basketblocks_1.html

Baby Booties

2009-12-29T13:27:00.001-07:00

I made these sweet baby booties for my niece Caelen when she was born. I used this easy tutorial, a pdf with instructions and pattern. They did turn out a little big for a newborn, but the pattern did seem to be easily resizable.

Perfect Fabric Headbands

2009-12-29T13:11:00.001-07:00

This is a project I did a while back, and I’ve made it a few times. I made this fabric headband using this tutorial. I like wide headbands, but i have a sensitive head, and I can't stand the way regular headbands pinch behind the ears. With this pattern, its a soft comfortable alternative. And I can make it just the right size for my smaller than normal head (I have to buy kids glasses and sunglasses).

I think I should make a few more.

Freezer Paper Stencils

2009-12-29T10:34:00.001-07:00

I've been wanting to try this forever. I saw this fun craft all over blogs.

Verdict: I loved it and am going to be doing a lot more of it!

More instructions, another great tutorial, this blog, and another!
And you can Google and get a ton more.
Oh and hey if one happened to be a proud owner of a circuit, you could make some amazing stencils!

Straightener Travel Pouch

2009-12-23T17:47:00.001-07:00

So if you have a hair straightener, or a curling iron, you know they can be a pain to pack. They get super hot, and take a long time to cool down. And you can’t just throw them in your suitcase that way. Which can be really frustrating if you’re in a hurry, and you’re waiting on just that to cool down. You may have attempted to cool it down by running it under water. But a good straightener is too dear and pricey to chance ruining it! (plus then it just drips on everything in your suitcase.

So I made a travel pouch for mine, using a potholder. Really cheap and easy, here’s how.

Hello World

2009-12-16T03:40:00.003-07:00

Well, I wanted to start a blog to showcase my sewing, crafts, etc. So here it goes. But you should know, I’m a beginner in pretty much any craft I try.

My parents gave me a sew machine last year for Christmas. And I felt a little silly accepting it, I didn’t sew, didn’t know if I wanted to learn, or if I could. I had sewn a little growing up, a simple apron, or a few quilt tops. But my mom, who is an excellent seamstress, was always there to rescue me when after a stitch of two I’d look up panic stricken asking “now what!”.
But I went home, and started reading sewing blogs, and how-to sites. And I got excited!

But I suffer from acute-craft-hesitation, I have so many projects that I want to do, I’ve got lists and lists of ideas. I’ve got the time. I have most of the materials, or could gather them up easily. But its like staring at a blank page, not being able to make the first mark. Eek, once you cut that fabric, its over, especially when you only have just enough to make it work.

I’m a student, and a wife of a student. I don’t have a big budget. So I love crafts that refashion and reuse.

I’ve attempted a few things, with varying degrees of success. Sometimes I get frustrated, throw my hands up, and the project ends up in a heap that I swear I’ll come back to eventually. But a few projects have turned out pretty good, and I use or wear them all the time.

I hope having this site will help me to get over my hesitation and get to creating and show and telling! I appreciate all comments too!

Check out my favorite inspiration blogs listed on the side!

And if we’re friends or family let me know {email me: ellendavenport(at)ymail(dot)com}, and I can send you an invitation to my private personal blog.