Patterns :: Designer :: Amy Butler :: Sandlewood Jacket - Welcome to Above All Fabric

I definitely need to get this Sandalwood Jacket by Amy Butler pattern for my next "for me" project! The weather here is never extreme so it would be a great jacket I could wear!

Simplicity 3842 with Upgrades!

Remember this pattern:
And this fabric:

I combined them to make this top!

Ok, so I wasn't able to use the Diamond Mine fabric but I've got enough of it to make myself a purse to go with this outfit!! WOOHOO! lol That'll be in 2 weeks though.

This was a very easy pattern to follow and make. I did have to make a couple of "upgrades" though. lol The first change was a major one; the sleeves. I mean look at that pattern picture, they look like sausages or something! I envisioned for my top beautiful, flowy sleeves. It took me the better part of an hour learning how to make the changes necessary to the pattern to remove the gathers and change the shape. But they do look lovely! The second change was just not making the inset for the front. Since I had to wear a camisole for this top anyway I thought I might as well skip it.

One change I wish I would have made is the tunic bottom. I should have made it 1 size larger to give me slightly more ease. Other than that the top is perfect!

I decided to add this lace trim to the front after finding it in a large bag of notions I scored from a garage sale. I think it really finishes off the front of the tunic.

Here is a pic of the inside looking oh so lovely with french seams and all! Since this top was unlined I decided it needed a nice inside finish. It was my first time doing them and it does take longer with the extra step but it is so worth it!

You also get a peek at the bias binding that finished off the V neck. I didn't realize I needed it (I should have read the pattern thoroughly) but was lucky to also find this in my big bag of notions.

Working with this fabric was a dream! If you haven't tried sewing with Anna Maria Horner's Voile line I highly recommend you do so especially if you like to make yourself lovely clothes! It was so soft but not slippery. Very easy to sew with.

This top is going to be perfect for my trip to the hot and humid midwest next week.

Voiles are Heavenly

Little Folks Voiles
Coloring Garden - Sea
Diamond Mine - Ink

Isn't this picture just beautiful? And it's even more beautiful in person when you actually get to touch it! My new acquisition has been so fun to work with! It has even made pressing after the wash a pleasure just for a chance to handle it. I'm going to start cutting into it today and work on my new top.

IT'S OPEN!!

I've started listing in my Etsy shop Grace, Faith & Glory!

To find out great deals and special discounts become a fan of my Facebook Page!

90 Minute Shirt

Made Caleb a 90 Minute Shirt last night. Since it was my first time it definitely didn't take 90 minutes but the next one will be faster. =) I used an old long sleeved tshirt I found at a garage sale. The binding is from another tshirt that was super soft.

I really liked how easy it was to make. My pattern needs a little tweaking though. The front neck is too high but it is still wearable.

Isn't he too cute! This is him just woken up. lol I couldn't wait to try it on him this morning. (And for the record I did not wake him up; he was already up.)

I was finally able to use my "P.S. I Love You" tags that I bought at the Quilt Show I went to in the Spring. I think it's too cute!

More of these shirts will definitely be popping up. They are so easy to make! (Did I mention that already?)

Definitely Spoiled!

Last night I was browsing an online fabric sale and I was able to purchase some beautiful fabric to make a top for myself. My husband definitely spoils me. When he first saw me browsing, he mentioned that he thought I had enough things to make right now but he still said ok to buying the fabric!

What I bought was some of Anna Maria Horner's Little Folks voile fabric. I've been dying to see this fabric in person and be able to touch it but none of the local fabric stores carry it.

Coloring Garden - Sea (Main Fabric)

Diamond Mine - Ink (Accent Fabric)

Melanie at Above All Fabric was helping me out last night via Twitter figure out my yardage. At first I wanted to get the Torii Tunic pattern from her shop then I remembered I had this pattern:

Simplicity 3842 - Bias Tunic Top

I wanted to make a very "flowy" tunic top and this fits the bill! I'm not keen on those sleeves though. I'll be changing them to bell sleeves.

I've been wanting to fill up my closet with clothes that I've made for myself and this will be a nice addition to that.

Why Do I Create?

That question was posed to me by Candice at Made With Love. I answered her question this way:

I create because it does de-stress me (at least from my daily life stress lol). I love using something I've made or being able to give something I've made to a friend or family member. Each item that I make seems to have a little part of me with it. So when I put it out there as a gift or (soon) to sell I pray it brings a smile to the face of the person on the receiving end and that it makes them happy to have it and use it.

I'll continue Candice's question.

Why do you create?

DIY - Not as Easy as It Looks

Design It Yourself - Not as easy as it looks.

After our last trip to Disneyland (we go quite frequently) I felt the need for a small yet hold it all wallet. Something my ID, cellphone, change, chapstick, and season passes could all fit in AND it could go on my Disney Pin Lanyard.

No big deal right?

I spent the better half of an evening measuring, drawing, and planning exactly how my wallet would look. The next morning first thing I started to actually make it.

It was exciting seeing my ideas come into reality while working on it!

The coin pouch even had a zipper (the first one I've ever done!)

Once I was done I was very pleased with my work but I could see some flaws and problems already.

I forgot to allow width for the folding the wallet does. The coin pouch is too small to hold the large chapstick I like to use. The cellphone pocket and the ID pocket should be reversed. And I can't for the life of me get the fusible velcro to fuse because that part of the wallet is too thick.

A Wallet of My Own Design

All these problems are fixable. I'm going to make changes where necessary and this time use some muslin so I don't use up the rest of my chosen fabric until I know I've got it right.

In the meantime I'm using my wallet and it works fine except for it's flaws and I'll enjoy having my flawless one made. =) Once I get it right I may start selling them in the shop.

On other designing notes I pulled out some blank cards so my daughters and I could make some special cards to send to grandparents. They made thank you cards for the recent visit and spoiling my mom and dad did this weekend. I made a get well soon card for my grandma who recently had surgery.

We had fun with rick rack on our cards!

I get my sewing talent from my Grandma. She always made us fun stuff. I remember when she made my sister and I matching Snow White costumes for Halloween. She also was the one who made our baby blankets. I still have mine, it's in pretty bad shape though. (I have a sibling who still actively uses their baby blanket.)

I got to play with my fabric today! However, while I was pressing the dryer wrinkles out I discovered 4 pieces were cut to the wrong length. =( Boo! Which put me 3 Origami Handbags short of my goal. Oh well.

Ok, I've got a question for any that have made it this far in my ramblings. Should I wait to list things once I've got a lot made or list as I make it?

Thanks for your opinions!

Pretty Fabric!

It sure was a good thing there was so much beautiful fabric that I was able to bring home today because otherwise this shopping adventure would have been a shopping nightmare!

The fabric stores I frequent are in the next town 20 minutes away (there are no fabric stores where I live besides Walmart which has a woefully lacking fabric department).

I received mailers recently for sales that were going on at both stores! I was excited to check them out. I loaded up my 4 children and we were off! I went to Beverly's first where they had all their print knits on sale for $2.44 a yard. After going through them all for an hour I was finally able to whittle my selection down and went up to the counter. (During this hour my children were behaving less than stellar. Plus there was a very grumpy grandma behind the cutting counter who didn't seem to like children that made any noise.)

I made my way to the registers where there was a nice lady ahead of me that thought my children's antics were very cute. She let me go ahead of her in line so that I could corral my wayward bunch out the door. Upon reaching into my purse I discovered that I had left my method of payment at home. I was not happy. The nice lady behind the counter offered to hold my fabric for me so I loaded the children into the van and we drove the 20 minutes home. I grabbed my forgotten items from off the counter and we drove 20 minutes back to the fabric store. At least the kids got in a nap during that 40 minute wait in the van.

The fruits of my labor from Beverly's:

Once we made our purchase at Beverly's we went next store to Betty's! Where the woven cottons that were on sale for $5/yard were now on sale for $4/yard.

The kids were better behaved in Betty's (I think the nap helped) except for a very embarrassing episode with my 3 year old by the register. There were so many beautiful fabrics that I spent WAY TOO MUCH time making my selections. I had wanted to be home at 5pm to start dinner, we didn't get home til 6:20.

My haul from Betty's:

2 Selections for the Pretty Pillowcases

A Stack of 5/8's for the Origami Handbags

5 yards of loveliness for the Phoebe Bags

I also wanted to find some boy fabric for some boy themed Crayon Wallets but there wasn't much boy stuff that I liked (in the sale section that is).

Unless I'm able to sweet talk my husband into letting me buy this Pirate Cove Bundle from Above All Fabric. There won't be much in the way of boy Crayon Wallets in the shop until I'm able to sell some of what I've purchased today.

Have a great day everyone and have you been to a great fabric sale lately?