On A Little Bit of Spring

A few weeks ago, I made a spring themed garland. 

This originated with the desire to make some flowers with my Knit-Wit, but needing to have something to do with them other than just leave them randomly sitting on the arms of the couch, which is where the extras seem to end up. 

While I was originally intending to slip cord through the center beads to hang them individually, I realized between the yarn holding the bead in place and the pipe cleaner leaves it would be too tight, as well as resulting in them hanging straight down. After a bit of trial and error with trying to wrap the pipe cleaner around the jute cord (a frustrating endeavor), I ended up just tying them to the cord with little pieces of yarn and then slipping a few petals over the pins I used to hand the cord to keep them straight.

 

 

To add to the garland, I bought some flat wood chicks and bunnies at the dollar store (actually writing this post, I'm realizing everything I used in making this with the exception of the pipe cleaners is from there). I painted the chicks bright yellow and used hot glue to attach baker's twine to them and the rabbit in the center so they could dangle. With the two outer edge chicks I made little hooks out of floral wire so they could hang from the jute cord since the placement looked better than hanging them from the push pins. To finish it off, I added a few large beads on the end of the cord giving me a very cheerful spring garland to grace the fireplace. ♥ 

On A "Hoppy" Spring!: A Photo Post

Continued failure to get blog posts written and up, so a quick photo post to wish everyone a happy first day of spring!

"On your mark, get set, HOP!"

♥🌼♥

On Spring Crafting Ahead: A Photo Post

Starting off spring with a cheerful chick!

♥ ♥ ♥

On a Skirt for Spring and Making a Scalloped Waistband

Over the past several months I seem to have been sewing up a storm of spring and summer clothes. And this past week, after finishing a 1950’s sundress, I decided I would revisit Simplicity pattern 3773 for a third time, using some wonderfully lovely cherry blossom print I bought a few months ago. As some of you will remember, this was the pattern I wrote about improvising last summer here. Well, once again I did not have enough fabric (this print was subtly one directional, which I didn’t notice when I bought it) and went through that process again. Then I decided that I wasn’t going to use a zipper or snaps for the side opening, but that I was going to use buttons and hand-stitch the holes.

I didn’t have enough printed fabric for the waistband, so I went with green and while I was at it decided that I wanted a scalloped waistband not a straight one as the pattern called for. Having never done a scalloped waistband and owning no patterns with one, I sat down at the computer to do some research and found almost nothing of any help. I remembered several other bloggers having either worn or made skirts with the scallop in front, so I searched for a few of those pictures to use as a reference and went to work drafting my own pattern piece.

First, I measured a piece of tissue paper to match the length of the original waistband. For the width, I made it a bit wider than the original because I wanted to allow room for the arches on scallop, in addition to the fact that I wanted a slightly wider band anyway.

(Click to Expand)

On the original pattern the center line is marked, which I transferred to mine so I would know where the dip of the scallop should go. I also marked the seam allowance at the bottom. Next I sketched out half the scallop to one side of the center line. Then I folded the piece in half on the center line and traced the other side, which gave me matching arches. Having done that, I went around the top edge and marked the seam allowance. 

Next I cut out two pieces, stitched them together along the top (NOT the bottom or sides), and clipped the curves. While I don’t know if it was really necessary, I added interfacing to the scallop so it would lay flat instead of flopping forward.

 

After that I followed the pattern instructions for attaching it to the skirt.

(While this is not a terribly wonderful set of instructions, if know of anyone else who might find this helpful, feel free to share the link)

Of course, now having a scalloped waistband, I wanted scalloped pockets! (Just think of it as If You Give a Mouse a Cookie sewing project) I drafted another pattern, made bias tape out of the same green fabric I used on the waistband for the curves, and sewed them on. Finally, I made more bias tape for the hem and…viola, finished skirt!   

Happy Spring!

♥♥♥

On Things That Are Green

There are a great many things in this world that are green, among which can be found plants, bugs, eggs and ham, houses, frogs, and jackets worn by little men as they go trooping up the mountains and through glens.

With spring having begun last week, let us look at the first two items listed; both which we will be seeing more of in the coming weeks. Plants, which make up the majority of green things, can lead an individual to happiness or distress. If you find yourself surrounded by them in a garden it can be most pleasant and provide you with a relaxing afternoon or they may make up that tasty salad you had for lunch. In contrast, an encounter with poison ivy will most likely lead to a great deal of itching and most likely the wish that you had paid more attention to the plants you had touched. Bugs, unlike plants, usually bring about thoughts of disgust or of horror and more often than not appear on an individual seemingly out of nowhere to bring one to a sudden state of shrieking in attempt to be rid of them. While this is not the case for all green bugs, few would probably be glad to find themselves the unsuspecting transportation for a grasshopper or caterpillar.

And with that, as you go about your week consider all the lovely green things around you and try not to go near plants that will make you itch! ♥