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custom cashmere sweater bag

Remember the little peek I gave you of the custom cashmere bag? It’s finished!

drawstring sweater bag

It’s based off of Simplicity 3531. My friend gave me the pattern to let me know what she wanted. Problem with working with sweaters, though, is that the sweater dictates the pattern, not the other way around. I was worried that it might not turn out exactly how she wanted.

cashmere sweater tote

I think it looks better than ones pictured on the envelope. I was most concerned about the drawstring, but the cashmere ruffles up nicely.

sweater purse

I like it so much, I’m thinking about making a few more.

refashion: custom bag for a friend, sweater was thrifted, she provided the coordinating fabric

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what time is it?

Bella is learning how to tell time. Right now she knows:

8:30 am: stock market opening bell (she loves watching this on cnbc)
12:00 pm: lunchtime
5:00 pm: clifford the big red dog on pbs kids

This weekend was our neighborhood garage sale. We stopped by to say hi to our neighbors and found the cutest little clock!

clock

I love how it is both digital and conventional. It tells a time and asks her to move the hands to the proper positions. It also has a little cuckoo bird that makes music. She’s been playing with it practically nonstop since Thursday afternoon. I had to take a picture of it on the counter because when she has it, she’s so absorbed that I can’t get her to look at the camera. All of this fun for $1. Love it!

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new on julie-k: wardrobe refashion: t-shirt to cardigan

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wardrobe refashion: t-shirt to cardigan

A few days ago I went to straighten up downstairs for house guests and I found this shirt in the closet. I forgot that my mom had left it for me after her last visit. She wasn’t happy with how the v-neck looked. When I tried it on, I thought the same thing. It didn’t look bad; it just didn’t look great. It was a nice size on me, though. I liked the colors and it’s really soft.

t-shirt to cardigan

I decided to turn it into a cardigan. I’m always chilly in the summer when I’m inside in the air conditioning. I think this will be perfect to throw over a tank top or short sleeve shirt.

t-shirt to cardigan

How I Did It
• Made the bias tape out of some black cotton from my stash.
• Removed the buttons.
• Cut a straight line from the v-neck to the bottom.
• Sandwiched the raw edge in the bias tape and pinned.
• Sewed all the way around 1/8 inch from the inside edge of the tape.
• Sewed all the way around 1/8 inch from the outside edge of the tape.

I really like how it turned out. I did an ok job sandwiching the edges in the bias tape. I may fiddle with how I do that in the future. Overall, I think my first wardrobe refashion was a success!

refashion: If you have a shirt that you really like, but it doesn’t fit well, turn it into a cardigan. Cotton for bias tape from my stash, shirt from my mom.

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too many projects started…

…not enough finished.

I’ve been really busy lately, but don’t have many pictures to post. How does that happen? This week I worked on a custom sweater bag with coordinating box bag. It’s almost ready for pics. Here’s a peek.

cathy bag

Doesn’t it look soft? It’s cashmere and sewing up beautifully.

I also finished up a gift for a friend who is moving at the end of the month. She brought some yarn to knitting group to destash because she didn’t want to move it all back to NYC with her. The yarn was so pretty and soft I decided to knit a cowl for her. You can check out pics on her blog. I’ve been really bad with pics this week. I just realized I didn’t take one of another box bag I finished and mailed off. Oh, well.

I’ve also started some refashioning projects. The denim pants are halfway to becoming a skirt. The striped shirt is going to become a cardigan. The floral shirt and jacket were from my neighbor’s garage sale.* I wasn’t planning to buy anything at the neighborhood sales this weekend, but felt I should at least stop by and say hello. I’m not sure how these made it home with me. Oops! The jacket has a removable quilted lining! Both are a little too big, but should be easy to resize.

refashion

A tablecloth sort of kind of came home with me as well. I’m thinking it will make some really beautiful tote bags.

table cloth for tote bags

All right. Better stop writing and start sewing so I have something to post tomorrow!

*If you are looking for kids clothes and toys, come to our neighborhood this weekend. The garage sales are kid central around here!

recycle and refashion: sweater was thrifted, client provided coordinating fabric, box bags made from stash fabric, clothes are from my closet, my mom, and garage sales, tablecloth from garage sale

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how to sew a placemat zipper pouch with only four seams

zipper pouch tutorial

I found this cute Orla Kiely placemat at Target a few weeks ago and wanted to make something quick and easy for my knitting. Because the edges are already finished, I only needed to sew four seams. If you want a gusseted pouch, you can sew two more seams. Either way, it’s a very fast and easy project.

zipper pouch tutorial

Materials
a placemat (mine was 14 x 17 inches)
a zipper that’s at least 14 inches
coordinating thread
heavy duty sewing needle
zipper foot

zipper pouch tutorial

Using your zipper foot, stitch each 14 inch side to the zipper, beginning and ending 1/2 inch from each side.

zipper pouch tutorial

With the zipper halfway open, turn the placemat inside out. Sew your side seams while holding the zipper out of the way. (This is why you left 1/2 inch unsewn on each side.)

zipper pouch tutorial

Turn the placemat right side out and you’re done! If your zipper was longer than 14 inches, you can trim the extra.

Optional Gussets

zipper pouch tutorial

Box your corners, but don’t trim. The triangles are small and won’t take up much room. Plus, you’ll have no raw edges that might unravel.

zipper pouch tutorial

Want to see more projects using Orla Kiely placemats? Thimbly Things made a cute purse with hers and linked to a bunch more adorable bags.

refashion: Using finished items like placemats make your projects fast and easy because your edges are already finished.

Thanks to Whip Up, Craft Gossip and One Pretty Thing for linking to my tutorial. Subscribe to my RSS for more crafty goodness!

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vacation fabric: omaha tote bag

I don’t buy a lot of my craft stash new, especially without a sale or a coupon. There are times, though, when I indulge myself and it’s usually on vacation. No matter where we go, either for a week or just a night, there’s usually a yarn or fabric store to visit. I try to buy something that I normally wouldn’t find in Lincoln. Most of the time it is yarn. Last year, when T and I had “date night” in Omaha, it was fabric.

amy butler fabric

All I really wanted for Mother’s Day this year was some time to myself to sew something for me. Kind of self-indulgent, I know, but I always seem to be making for someone else these days and this fabric has been calling to me. I didn’t buy a lot — only 1/2 yard of each. I am planning to make a matching zipper pouch and change purse. To make the most of the floral print, I used some yellow fabric from my stash for the lining. I was planning to box the corners, but I kind of like the squareness without them. What do you think?

stash: floral print was “vacation” fabric, lining fabric from garage sale, batting was a remnant, zipper thrifted from goodwill

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early mother’s day lunch

oven patio

Yesterday morning we went to the Farmers’ Market, as usual. The weather was beautiful. I commented that one day I’d like to sit out on the patio at The Oven and have lunch. It’s the perfect spot for people watching. Then I thought, why not today? That’s what I’d really like to do to celebrate Mother’s Day. So what if it is on a different day.

oven patio

I ordered my favorite comfort food: chickpeas with poori (deep fried bread). It was heavenly! Bella was an angel considering that she had spent a lot of time already running around Iron Horse Park. It was a truly delightful morning with my two favorite people. Thanks T and M!

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new on julie-k: embroidered handprint for mother’s day

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embroidered handprint for mother’s day

bella's handprint

My mom really wanted a handprint of Bella. When she last came to visit, she spent a lot of time tracing Bella’s hand, along with Pete the Penguin’s wing and Puppy the Dog’s paw, of course. I traced one of those handprints onto some muslin and embroidered it. It turned out way cuter than I thought possible. I made one for my mother-in-law and hope to make one for myself.

bella's handprint

notes: embroidery hoops from goodwill craft bin, muslin and embroidery thread from my stash, inspiration from plumpudding

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bella’s garage sale score

garage sale score

Yesterday morning was beautiful. Lauren and I plopped the kiddos in their strollers and went cruising for some deals at her neighborhood garage sales. Check out what we found for Bella: 101 Dalmations II and Cars, $2.50 each. This Minnie Mouse book was only 25 cents! She’s already read it too many times to count. I love how she gets completely absorbed in a new book.

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new on julie-k: crafty garage sale finds