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the perfect pants pattern!

butterick pants pattern

In addition to the perfect t-shirt, I’m also trying to find the perfect lounge pants. I know it’s hard with elastic waistbands — the fabric always seems to bunch up in the front when you sit down — but I would like to minimize the amount of bunching!

Remember these pajamas? They are from Simplicity 3935. I’m pretty sure I made them a size too big, but even still, they’re kind of baggy around the tummy. I’m hoping to give them a little makeover soon.

Next are the lounge pants from Sewing Green. I love these pants, especially the little curve in the leg and the small boot cut flare. I was so excited to make a muslin and so disappointed when they didn’t work out. Great pattern, just not the right pattern for me.

Just as I was about to give up, I was looking around online and found an easy straight leg pattern — a style that works well for me. Better yet, Hancock was having a 99 cent pattern sale over the weekend. I drove up Saturday and purchased it on the spot. Success! Finally!

Now I’m planning an assembly line of production. I’ve been squirreling away thrifted sheets for jammies. I’ve also got some thrifted pants that I’ve been dying to refashion. They’re the real reason I wanted to find a non-bunchy pattern. I’d like to actually wear them outside of the house!

sales: Have you ever paid full price for a pattern? Whenever I find something I like, I stalk the fabric store flyers until 99 cent pattern day. Such a bargain!

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recipe: thrifty crispies

homemade bread and croutons

Around the same time that I was reading Silverstone’s Kind Diet, Elli Metz was sharing her thoughts about Pollan’s In Defense of Food. Her post made me get up and check the label on my favorite store-bought bread. It didn’t have 32 ingredients, but it did have 16, most of which I couldn’t pronounce.

I decided to pull out my bread machine and we’ve been eating homemade ever since. When I bake bread in the oven, I use the Artisan Bread recipe and make small loaves. It’s too hot in my kitchen during the summer months to use the oven, and the bread machine makes such large loaves. It’s hard to finish it before it goes stale.

One day last week I made a big batch of hummus and realized I had nothing for dipping. Then I thought: stale end of bread = croutons! I made mine really big and now I’ve also eliminated store-bought pita chips for snacks.

Thrifty Crispies (or just really big croutons)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Using a serrated knife, cut that stale hunk of bread into dipping-sized pieces. Watch your fingers! Depending on how much bread you have, put 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a bowl and add some seasonings. I use a little salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Add the bread to the bowl and toss until lightly coated.

Place them single layer in a baking pan or cookie sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes. Stir once and then bake the other side for 3-4 minutes. The time will depend on how big you cut your pieces. Don’t let them burn!

Cool and store in an air tight container.

These don’t last very long in our house. I like them with hummus, but my husband and daughter snack on them straight out of the container.

thrifting: I got my first bread machine on freecycle. It was a little dusty, but with some elbow grease, it cleaned up nicely. Plus, it was free! My current machine came from a garage sale and was a little pricey relatively speaking, but it matches my kitchen appliances. You can usually find them “as-is” at the thrift store for around $10.

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last minute birthday gift

purl bee fabric beach ball

I had planned on telling you about the lounge pants I made today, but while I was finishing them there was a knock at my door. Our new neighbors invited us to their daughter’s birthday party — this evening. It was quiet time and my daughter really needed a nap. I didn’t want to risk a trip anywhere, but could I make something that fast?

Then I remembered the Purl Bee beach ball. I’ve made a bunch of these and they’re always a hit with kids. The pattern is really easy and I got done with an hour to spare. The only bummer: we had to leave the party early because we had plans later in the evening. I really love watching kids open gifts that I’ve made by hand. I hope she liked it.

stash: I can’t believe I’m almost out of polyfil. Must thrift some more soon.

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my creative space

my creative space

In my creative space today I am grateful that I love the process as well as the finished product.

Now that I have mornings back to myself (thank you summer camps!) I’ve been doing more sewing. You’d think that a peaceful house would mean überproductivity, but I find myself spending too much time with my friend Sea M. Ripper.

Maybe it is too quiet?

Have a peek into some other creative spaces over at Kirsty’s blog.

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shop: handmade cotton coasters

crochet coasters

Remember my stash-busting garden scarf? I still have some little bits of those pretty colors left and have been working on some projects to use them all up. Combining them with natural colored yarn again, I designed these cute coasters. You can find more pictures and details in my shop. I’m working on some other stash buster ideas, too. Stay tuned!

p.s. I plan to have the pattern available in my shop soon!

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shop: set of upcycled crochet covered vases

set of two upcycled crochet covered vases

They’re finally here! I think I love these too much to list them, but I can make more. Lots more, actually. I used wool from the big spool and clear plastic containers handpicked out of my very own recycle bin. More photos and all the details are in my shop.

Have a great weekend everyone!

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thrifty thursday

aunt lydia's denim quick crochet

I looked and looked for cotton yarn from every thrifty means available to me and finally caved and bought some from a craft store. Now, all I see is cotton! I got a nice sweater that’s in the unravel pile and the above lovelies for a buck each at a garage sale. I may have gotten a little out of control and bought a pink and purple, too. Oh, well. You can never have too much dishcloth yarn, right?