Project #11a-11n

Clutch Mania

So I decided for the end of the year to make thank you gifts for the teachers at the school I work with, and I have 3 boxes full of fabric swatches that a friend at Pratt gave me, so I decided to shoot two birds with one stone and make some gifts out of those swatches. And this is what happened.

I made 14 in bags in the space of 5 hours. I was getting button holes done in 45 seconds. They are quite simple and I actually complicated them more than I needed two. It's two swatches and a button, pleated on the bottom for expansion room and buttoned at top to keep the flap down. Very simple design, but the fancy upholstery fabrics make the clutches durable and elegant without crazy designs. I was lucky enough to have friends and family help me start a great button collection a few years ago. It was fun and simple and I got them done! That's my favorite part.

Project #10

Cat in the Hat

Yes, clearly this project was from colder days. A knit hat. On a ferocious looking cat. It's a simple knit that I've decided not to dwell on considering the current temperature. Needless to say, its a cute hat. Quite easy to knit. Got the pattern from this book, which is also full of some crazy fun patterns - way more than I'd ever wear, but fun anyways.

Project #9

Ducks

Tan on tan, not a good combo. (Especially not in a stretchy, unshapely skirt). Tan over bright pink and teal combined with ribbons upon ribbons, very good combo.

And the lace kinda looks like ducks for some reason.

I love the fringe. And I love the lace. And I love the colors.

I love the ducks.

Project #8

Drab to Fab

I saw this really beautiful cardigan one day and decided the fabric was too great to leave. But it is a stretch knit, which I avoid working with, so instead of totally restructuring it and turning it into a bag, I went for an easy fix. The original size was XXL (and I am a small).

So I made it a permanent wrap. I tacked the bottom corners to the opposite seam and then sewed the front two panels together at the bottom. It's still baggy, but more fashionably so now. Now I just need to get more into wearing cardigans.

Projects #6 and #7

Petals to the Metals

So I had a Scrap Night a little while ago to get rid of the duffel bag full of scraps that I own. Didn't make a dent in the fabric but some pretty flowers were created. It was a night full of experimentation and this is what I came up with.

The first was a slightly triangularly shaped fabric that I twisted and curled around itself into a flowerish shape.

The next is my favorite. It was an old mens shirt with vertical stripes. I cut it into strips, folded the strips in half so the seam was in the back and then lay them on top of each other at varying angles. I love it with the little pink button in the center.

So at the moment I just stick a bobby pin in the excess fabric in the back and pin them in my hair. And I probably wont ever do anything more permanent because hey, it works!

Project #5

Recycling

So I had been working on a paper garbage bin made from old paper (you get it, recycling for my recycling bin). But the pattern took forever. It looks really cool, it just takes forever to make, so I decided I needed to just finish it, so I did. So here is my wastepaper basket from folded and woven magazines. (I had literally just finished gluing when I took pictures, so the paperclips are keeping the ends in place. Not permanent, those paperclips).

As you can see the bottom is the best feature. But to get it you have to fold 4 pieces of magazines for one square. A lot of folding in thirds. I dislike thirds in folding. Very difficult to be precise and I'm sort of a perfectionist in that way.

So I finished it up with just a simple basket weave, folded down the ends and glued them in place. It was a 'I need to finish something' day.

Project #4

Menswear

I know, it's no longer January. Far from it, Happy May. But since I really still want to get my 31 projects done, I'm aiming for 31 projects in 12 months. And I think I'm going to make it. So here we continue...

Probably my favorite project. It's been in the makings forever, but now it's here. I've worn it twice. I love it.

It's a mens shirt worn backwards. Thats it. I unpicked the collar which created the neckline. I cinched the sides of the shirt to fit under the arms. I cut off the sleeves, pulled the extra fabric back to the side and added pockets in the fold it created. The front of the shirt is now the back of the dress (love the buttons) and I used some extra fabric from the sleeves to make a halter with a support strip in the back so the dress wouldn't sag. I also made my first buttonhole on my machine. (yay firsts!). It's fabulous, and it doesn't blow up in the wind. bonus.

This is my favorite dress.

Project #3

Time to Write

I've had the idea for a pencil case for a while. It reminds me of my mothers German leather one, but I'm not a huge zipper fan, so I did a continuous flap with a strip to wrap and tie. The skirt I made it from had that great white inside so I didn't line it. My favorite: The contour of the flap.

Project #2

Roots-

This was an old sweater from a swap that needed some fitting and I hate taking in side seams, so I got creative. The front is military inspired-ish, and the back is all about tree roots. It's just cinched and hand sewn. There were a lot of pins involved. The a-symmetry's my favorite.

31 Projects in 31 Days - Project #1

It's January! I know, I'm behind the times, but I am doing my projects, I'm just not doing well at documenting them. So here are they are, little by little.

Project #1- Kathryn

This is one of my favorite silhouettes. The blue is an old fat quarter and the orange is a great piece of old silk. It's 3 rectangles, one bag, one lining, one handle (which goes from the bottom corners and helps give it its shape. The pleats give it more shape and a little more texture. So beautiful.