Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Write On!

Portable entertainment is a necessity with a toddler in tow. Art is such a great alternative to portable DVD players so I crafted these chalkboard placemats for doodling on the go. You can buy the chalkboard oilcloth by-the-yard at certain fabric stores or hardware stores. I backed the chalkboard with a colorful oilcloth pattern so that the entire piece was waterproof and durable. For the chalk pouch, I simply folded 1 long piece of oilcloth to form a pocket and added an industrial snap to one side of the pouch and one side of the placemat. This way you won't loose your supplies, but can remove them when you need the entire surface for your masterpiece. Another detail I added was a strip of felt on the backside of the chalk pouch that functions as the eraser. The entire pouch closes with a dot of Velcro to keep the goods inside. The article and instructions can be found in the April '09 issue of Sew Simple magazine.

Friday, October 31, 2008

Viking Girl

Oops, I did it again. I couldn't resist yet another off-beat Halloween costume for my 1 1/2-year-old daughter. She already had the viking helmet, which she often wore around the house. I merely switched out the stumpy red braids for the long, blonde locks that I got from a beauty store. The gown was taken from a angel costume pattern which I trimmed with the brocade ribbon. The belt is a gold braided belt, wrapped multiple times. The trickiest element was the "chain mail" crocheted vest. I am a bit amateur when it comes to making knit or crochet garments without a pattern. Needless to say, it took more than a couple tries to get it right. The silver metallic yarn worked perfectly, although it wasn't the easiest to crochet. I fastened the straps with suspender clasps for easy on and off action. Although she probably had no clue what she was dressed as, she really enjoyed wearing the costume and we had such a great time trick-or-treating.

Saturday, February 9, 2008

That's a Wrap

Working with Craft Magazine is always a joy. The projects are fun & creative and the staff is equally talented. Not only did I design this simple wrap skirt project for a recent article, but got roped into modeling the final product for the publication. I think I'll stick to being crafty...
This is the patterned side of the skirt. The grosgrain tie waistband allows for ever-expanding waist sizes. The pocket was just a bit of flair to add interest.
Reversed, I used a heavier dark-wash denim. It adds great weight to the skirt and allows the wearer to simplify the look. When the wind blows, you get a hind of the print on the inside.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Mini Me


No, we don't dress alike (yet), but I was pretty proud of my recent garment transformation. I wore this dress over my bulging gut when I was pregnant. Post-pregnancy it was stretched beyond repair so I re-cut the fabric and fashioned a mini version for Adeline.