Feeling Ruffley

*********** Husband just came in and said I need to take better pics of my creation because it is so much cuter in real life with some added things like a Hook and Eye to close the ruffles! So better pics to come ***************


Now it's true. I love almost anything at Anthropologie. Back in my "hay-day" of event planning, I had a wardrobe stacked with this stuff. The best dresses and sweaters.. all justified with the "I have to look the part!" mentality. Those dresses now all live at my friend Jordan's house where she can now take them on a date or to her office.

My love for this store hasn't withered away with my new job as Mom! I swoon every time I walk past their elaborately decorated windows of old recycled plastic bottles.
(photo credit: This Flickr Page) The merchandise screaming at me "YOU NEED ME! Take me to the Park! I promise your kid won't smother my $280 linen frock in strawberry sanded gunk! Buy Me!" When I enter this store, I usually text said friend from above and say "Why am I here? I am so depressed I can't buy anything here!" You see, there is this new justification I have to have now.. where am I going to wear most of this stuff? To the park? Is there a fashion police squad at the Zoo? Umm no. So you see.. $280 for a dress these days.. just not part of my life.

HOWEVER, since I have decided that I am going to be crazy DIY clothing mom, I can try my hand at making my own version of these lovelys. Like this sweater:



Now I think this woman is gorgeous. Just gorgeous and I wish I lived in that cute little place she is standing.. and I REALLY wish I could pull off those shorts.. umm.. didn't I mention I had a kid.. HAHA.. those days are sooo gone.. OK. back to the sweater. I love it. I love those ruffles. I am a sucker for ruffles! The more ruffles the better. But you see, this sweater is $88. I just can't do it.

So, I bought this little number for $10.


I read this tutorial on how to add a ruffle collar:
http://www.sayyestohoboken.com/2009/10/diy-plum-ruffle-tee.html

And I came up with this:


And I like it:


Voila! A feminine sweater for a little over $10.

It's not quite there.....

Here it is! 12 hours of work.. hanging on my door. It's my first pattern to use.. and I think I am in love.. and get this.. It fits!!!! A dress... just for me! I will have many more details later.. but this will get you started!

Made by Brad

While surfing my daily blog read on Make it and Love it I found this really cool video. I really want these for my little one.

Spring Napkins

I finally made our family napkins. After realizing that our very nice and fancy (wedding) Hotel Collection napkins, in about 1000 thread count.. oh and in white.. was slowly turning into our dust rags.. I decided it was time to bust the sewing machine out for some much needed napkins. The fabric was bought about 2 months ago and after being threatened by my husband that he "was going to go and buy paper napkins" GASP!!!! I made them. And I love them. And I love that said husband thinks they are "too nice" to use for meals! I love that!

I must have been fabric shopping with Hudson when I bought the fabric. I had enough of the orange fabric, but only 1/2 of the flower pattern.. don't quite know how I thought that was going to work. So after going back to the fabric store and realizing they no longer had that pattern.. I was simply put.. sad. Then I figured that I could just make a bigger boarder using the orange fabric.. and Voila! The perfect sized napkins.






And with your scrap pieces of fabric.. make your little ones their own napkins.


Here's a tutorial on how to make your own napkins.. or better yet, you can purchase some at my etsy shop ;-)



First things first: pick your fabric. I like to use 100% cotton or linen. Go to a place where you will have good service and tell them how many napkins you would like to make. I like to make 8 or 10.

Step 1: Take some cardboard and cut out the size that you want. I chose 18x18. Your napkin will be smaller than that because you will have an inch of folding. Take the cardboard and trace it onto your fabric. You can buy a fancy fabric marker or just use a marker (it will be folded). If you are doing a double sided napkin, do this for both fabrics.
Step 2: Cut the squares.
Step 3: Match your front and back pieces of fabric. Right sides out.
Step 4: Fold in all four corners a 1/2 inch. At each corner snip the corner to reduce bulkiness. Press (a lot).
Step 5: Fold over again 1/2 inch. Press. A lot.
Step 6: Pin your ironed edges.
Step 7: Pin the corners. Making sure that there are no fraying edges.
Step 8: Sew all four edges and corners. Making sure to knit backwards at the front and end to reinforce. I also like to sew all four corners of my corners for a decorative stitch.
Step 9 and 10: Give as a gift to your mother-in-law or friend/family or enjoy for yourself.

Voila! Napkin making! Just a note.. napkin making is very labor and time intensive.

Let me know if you make these. I would love to show your work!

Cheers!
Lora