Making Stuff: Vintage Baby Dress {Mood Sewing Network}

by This is Carrie on September 22, 2013

You have got to check out my latest post over at the Mood Sewing Network.  It might be the best/cutest/most immaculate thing I’ve ever made.  At least I think so.  Starting off with a gorgeous Marc Jacobs print from Mood Designer Fabrics definitely helped this project get started on the right foot.

Finally seeing the dress on it’s recipient really sealed the deal. All-time favorite dress.  Such a doll.

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Making Stuff: Cutest Crochet Booties on the ‘Net

by This is Carrie on August 14, 2013

Booties are fun to crochet because they are highly rewarding without a whole lot of time investment.

Crochet Mary Jane Booties with contrast toe

Pattern: Chloe Slippers by Mamachee (If I were you, I’d go ahead and buy one of her pattern packages because you’ll definitely want a few…at least I did).

Yarn: Madeline Tosh Sport in neon yellow from Purl Soho
Angora Merino in natural beige from Lion Brand Yarn

Crochet Baby Boat Shoes

Pattern: Crochet Baby Boat Shoe Bootie by Whistle and Ivy

Yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light t in “smokestack” (gray) from Purl Soho NYC
Madelinetosh Tosh Merino light in “edison bulb” (neon yellow) from Purl Soho NYC

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When I spotted these fabrics over at Modern Yardage, I immediately pictured a  baby sunsuit. I love when fabrics speak to me so clearly and decidedly.

ManLove in Black &   Diamonds in Yellow

designed by Dolphin & Condor for Modern Yardage

Looking through my vintage pattern stash, I found the perfect sunsuit pattern–size 6 months. There’s no date on it, but it was produced by Hollywood Pattern Service and cost 15 cents.

Now I just need the perfect, 6 month old Hall and Oates fan to give it to.

Disclosure: I was provided with fabric from Modern Yardage at no charge in hopes I would make something fun and choose to blog about it.  All opinions, ideas and crazy baby sunsuits are my own.

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The Better Homes and Gardens Creative Crafts and Stitchery book I found at the $1 bookstore in Long Beach is full of creative inspiration.  While my version of the doily applique craft isn’t quite as amazing as their version, I’m pretty happy with how it turned out–a cheap and fun wall hanging for the girl’s room.

Supplies

Old canvas wall hanging found at a garage sale, spray paint (2 colors), a piece of old lace, a set of doily coasters, lace remnants, removable adhesive spray, glue.

Steps:

-Spray paint canvas with background color

-Once canvas is dry, use removable adhesive spray to stick lace onto canvas (spray lace, not canvas).

-Spray paint canvas with second color. Once dry, peel off lace.

-Position and glue on lace stems and leaves to canvas

-Glue crochet coasters at end of stems on canvas.

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The boys don’t get sewn for as often as the girls. But this month, they are the focus of my Mood Sewing Network project.

I have fallen in love with little European swim trunks this summer but they are crazy hard to find which makes them a perfect sewing project in my book.

Check out my post over at the Mood Sewing Network Blog for more details on these cute little trunks.

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While wandering through Tuesday Morning one day, I happened upon a pack of gorgeous Anna Maria Horner Cotton Voile fat quarters and a skein of luxurious angora yarn in the perfect shade of purple to match.  Right there in that store aisle, I pictured this dress in my mind.Pattern: Pretty Pink Collar designed by Loretta Schepp from the Crochet 2013 Day-to-Day Calendar (the 2013 calendar is pretty expensive now, but you can order the 2014 calendar now on Amazon which I am sure if filled with fun projects too).  Similar crocheted yoke/collar patterns can be found on etsy like this one HERE.

Yarn: A discontinued angora yarn found at Tuesday Morning (ours always has a little craft section).  Lion Brand Yarn carries a very similar angora merino yarn HERE.

Fabric: Anna Maria Horner IC Voile Collection. I used 3 of the 10 fat quarter pieces in the bundle. Looks like she still has this pack available on her website for 1/2 off the original price.  It’s GORGEOUS fabric.  The mom of this cute baby of couldn’t believe it was 100% cotton and not 100% silk.

p.s. Isn’t she (still) so beautiful? She’s grown up a lot since she modeled the Crochet Baby Turban for me.

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Making Stuff: Gunne Sax Dress Refashion

by This is Carrie on July 18, 2013

I found this homemade “Gunne Sax” dress at Decades Vintage Clothing store in Salt Lake City during my Sewing Summit trip last fall. I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for that era of Jessica McClintock design so I snatched it right up.  Turns out this dress was made for a woman who was 6′ tall with a 26″ waist with a love for HUGE ruffles around their neck.

I was a little sad this refashion wouldn’t be for me, but with those waist measurements, there was just no way. Instead, Princess got a new dress.

Steps (sorry no before photo–I just started hacking):

-Chopped 2″ off the neck ruffle and sewed the lace back on the edge.

-Took 8″ of fullness out of the ruffle at the shoulder seams.

-Put in new elastic around the neck to replace the aged elastic that was losing it’s stretch.

-Removed the ruffle around the hem, chopped off about 1 yard of length, then added the ruffle back on.

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On a slightly ridiculous whim I used my first Mood Sewing Network monthly allowance to purchase a gorgeous piece of designer silk.  Before I cut into that gorgeous and expensive fabric to make my dress, I decided to do something I NEVER do.  I made a practice dress.

I decided to use this thrifted McCalls pattern from 1978 but knew I would have to shrink it down a bit (not only because it was a size 14, but because I needed the pieces to fit on the very small piece of fabric I purchased from Mood Fabrics.  Armed with cheap fabric from the stash with similar hand to the silk and rayon jersey I had planned for the REAL dress, I quickly made up a sample dress.

You gotta love it when you’re sample dress turns out way better than you ever imagined it could..you know…for being a sample dress.  I ended up wearing it out that very night.

With a success under my belt, I cut into my designer silk with a new confidence for someone who rarely ever makes herself anything from scratch.


Check out the finished product over on the Mood Sewing Network blog along with more of the story behind the fabric!

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Making Stuff: Crochet Triceratops

by This is Carrie on July 1, 2013

This cute little dinosaur found a home with my cute little niece for her first birthday.

Pattern: Triceratops by Joanne Succari Designs

Yarn: LB Collection Cotton Bamboo in Hibiscus

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I’m addicted to fabric and Mood is my dealer

by This is Carrie on June 19, 2013

Even though it was over 12 years ago, I still remember the day a co-worker guided me into that old, rickety elevator on 37th street and introduced me to Mood, my little slice of heaven on earth. I had just  moved to NYC with my husband for what we thought would be a fun adventure–him in law school and me living my dream of working in the fashion industry in NYC.  Most days, I would just go and “window shop,” knowing our tiny student budget and escalating school loans could not support a budding designer fabric addict.  In our 400-square foot studio apartment, it was difficult to sew much of anything anyway. Other days I couldn’t resist taking something special home (even if I did have to hide it in the back of the closet for months at a time).  Every so often, I’d take on a special sewing project for a friend and it’d give me an excuse to walk the aisles of Mood with someone else’s money in my pocket with the goal of creating a timeless keepsake (something that can only happen when you start with the very best fabric).

When we decided to move our family back west to southern California after nearly seven years in NYC, I knew the thing I’d miss most was having a best friend who lived upstairs from me. The thing I’d miss second?  Shopping at Mood Fabrics. The opening of an LA store a few months after our move sure helped ease the pain.   A couple weeks ago, I had the chance to visit the new and twice-as-big location in Los Angeles.

Check out photos from my trip to the LA Mood Fabric store on the Mood Sewing Network Blog and stay tuned for my monthly posts there using fabulous Mood Fabrics!

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