Tutorial: Hemming with Hem Tape

I found the best possible fabric for a pair of shorts a few years back.
It is obnoxious, colorful, and a bit fishy.
I picked this cotton stretch sateen up at Joann's back when I use to work there. Therefore I began this project at least 4 years ago and while cleaning up my sewing room decided I am finally going to complete some of my unfinished projects, or UFO's as some like to say!

When I initially began these shorts, I cut everything out and then looked at the instructions. I was quite confused and not having the time or understanding I put them in a drawer and forgot about them.
After getting married and moving out, I came across these bad boys again. And finally, 4 years later they are complete out of desperate need for shorts this summer, because in case you haven't noticed, it is a bit hot outside and until now, I did not own a single pair of shorts since high school.

A pattern review and more pictures of fit and styling are on their way!
But for now, I will show you how I used some ribbon in my stash to hem them.

I had a spool of this hot pink ribbon in my stash and decided it would have to do as hem tape because I did not have actual hem tape in my stash and even though I could actually walk to the store and get some, I decided to save some money and time and use up what I already had at home.
Plus, I was getting increasingly excited about these shorts and did not want to leave the house until I finished them!

This pattern called for vents at the outside leg side seam. So I began by pinning my ribbon along the edge of the fabric, right sides together. 

I sewed around each leg a quarter of an inch in. 

 I then folded the ribbon over and pinned my hem in place. 

 I went around the leg twice, first at a quarter inch and then again at a half inch. 

I then tried them on and danced around the house! 

Ahhh, perfect!
More pictures soon!
Blessings,
Katie

DIY: Quick Crib Quilt for Nursery

As I mentioned in my June Fabric Haul video (there will not be a July video because I didn't get to finish everything from June! But there will be a August video, I promise!) I was going to make a quilt to gift to a friend who is expecting this month. They are having a baby boy, but I chose fabrics that would transition well between genders so they can keep the same look in the nursery, but have a different crib quilt print for either. I purchased these materials at Fabric Mart after they bought out a quilt shop that was going out of business. I picked them up for just $4 a yard and the cotton batting I had on hand for some reason... I think I used 1.333 yards of each print. I found the ombre first and then cut the floral to match the length because the ombre was the last of the bolt!

 Here is how you can make your own quilt in just a few hours! You can do this even if you are not a professional at sewing, all it takes is the ability to sew a line!

Layer your fabrics, prints facing out and batting in the middle.
Starting at one selvage, pin the edge and then pin occasionally as you work your way across the fabric, smoothing it out as you go. Cut off the excess fabric making sure all 4 sides are straight and matching.

I first used the ombre stripes as my guide to sew across the quilt.
I decided I wanted diagonal lines going across the quilt, so I laid my quilt out on my studio floor and used 1/4" quilter's tape to mark diagonal, starting at the corner, making a straight line across to the opposite corner. I then worked my way out from the center every 4 inches. 

 Sew right along the edge of the tape.
Remove the tape after you have sewed along each strip.
It's already looking like a quilt!
Just need binding!

 I had some of this blue quilt binding in my stash I picked up at my local Good's when it was in the clearance section for I think 50 cents a pack. It matched the floral print perfectly!

Open up your binding and flatten out the folds, but do not press!
Pin your binding tape matching the edge with the quilt edge.
One side of the binding will have a fold that is closer to the edge than the other, us that side to pin along your quilt.

Pin the first side of your quilt.

Begin sewing the binding using the fold as your guide like the image above. When you get to the corner, sew almost to the corner, stopping a quarter inch away. Pull your quilt out of the machine. Take the loose tape and fold it across the pinned tape making a 90 degree triangle on top. Holding the triangle with your fingers on the opposite hand, fold the tape over itself and your fingers towards the side without binding. Remove your fingers from under the tape and hold the top of the folded tape. Now you can pin the next side. Place back under the machine and continue along that side starting at the edge. Do this for all four corners.

If you run out of binding, leave yourself about 3" and make a seam with the next package of tape.

After you have completed the first step of sewing the binding you your quilt, fold the binding over matching the center fold of the binding with the edge of your quilt. Fold under the tape at the fold and pin around the quilt. Sewing on the side that you already stitched your binding to, stitch in the ditch (the seam line) all the way around your quilt.

Check the other side and make sure the binding is getting caught in your stitches like the image above.
This is the opposite side of the fabric, you will see stitching unlike the side we stitched in the ditch where the stitching is hidden. 

I had to do a little hand sewing here and there were my binding was not completely caught in the stitching. I also stitched the corners so they would lie flat.
And that's it! 

A homemade quilt perfect for your baby's nursery, your children's room, or to give to a friend. 

Let me know if you have any questions about the process.
Blessings,
Katie

8 Things I Have Learned from My First Year in Business

I have officially been in business for 1.5 years now making handbags for my line A Girl Named Katie.
Business is tough. I was told a billion times when I started my business. And they are right. It is really hard. 

I make all of my products by hand.

This means that I must pay myself an hourly wage to make it worth my time.
However, I have learned that getting other people to pay for your time is really hard.

There is a lack of understanding of the time that goes into any type of fashion work when fast fashion companies can sell it for almost nothing.

A handmade business is not fast fashion and you will get what you pay for.

You are paying for someone to 

1. source the best materials for you, 

2. to create a pattern and make samples to test on models, 

3. and to photograph, market, and list on a website 

4. and then package it like a gift and ship it to you. 

And most times when it comes to small businesses on Etsy, 

that someone is one person who spends every hour of their day 

1. dreaming about their business, 

2. designing new products, 

3. cold calling shops, 

4. packing and traveling to shows, 

5. and being the customer service rep for the line.

It is a lot of work. Think of what you do at work every day. I am sure you do a lot too. Now think about what you get paid. You deserve that money for all the work you do, right?
Yeah, so do we!
We are every position of the company.

Here is a great article on why small businesses might cost more and why you should still seek to make purchases from them: http://www.sophiestargazer.com/stargazer-qa-usa-made-expensive-care/

So if you are thinking about starting a business in the near future that you want to eventually make your career, here are a few things I have learned in my first year of business:

1. Be prepared to spend all of your time making a go of it. And when it gets hard and you want to give up, it is ok to take a break and hit the drawing board again. Slow and steady wins the race. Take a day off once in a while. Grab lunch with a friend. The places that surround you are your best inspiration.

2. Not everything you make will be a hit. Know when to keep pursuing it and when to let it die. Do your research. Watch your customers, are they even looking at that item anymore? What are they looking for? Can you adapt your item to fit their need? But do not be quick to let it die, let it slowly die. Trends change and maybe it is not a hit right away, but in a couple months you might sell out!


3. You might have to make some things you particularly do not love to make in order to bring in money to pay the bills. It is a part of life, sometimes you have to do what you don't want to. But as your business grows, you will either be able to hire someone else to make that item, or you will be moved onto a different customer base that will appreciate the items you want to make.


4. Do not make anything too complicated that you cannot ask for help. Also, know your price range and do not make something that will take too much time and you will not be able to sell. This one has been the dead ringer for me this year. Sometimes simple is better, but not so simple that anyone can make it!

5. Know what your time is better spent on and what to hire out. If you are not tech savvy, do not spend three months designing something someone else could do in three weeks. Your time is money and sometimes it is better to ask for help and have it done right the first time than waste your time and have to have it redone later.


6. If you choose to invest in hiring out, do not go for the cheapest route. Take time to make a good investment. For example, if you need to hire a photographer for your product shots, really look at their work. Talk to other people who have used that photographer and make sure they are professional and timely. Do not hire someone for little and then receive blurry and dark images that will not help you sell your work. That is a waste of your time and money. Take the time to hire the right person that is going to help move your business forward. It is worth more than money and a good investment.

7. Make friends with other small business owners. They are probably going through or have gone through the same things you are dealing with in your business. Be open with them and ask questions about their company. Be supportive of their business, look to promote them in any way you can and make their friendship a priority. Growing in business is about who you know and who is there to support you with loving word of mouth.

8. If you are a small business owner, make yourself stand out. Build friendships with customers or followers. Create a blog or other social media outlet to include them in your life. They want to get to know you and it will keep them coming back! Know what to keep private and what to allow them to see. But be honest. Do not create a fake persona. Let your personality to attract them.

I hope these lessons I have learned can help others who are starting a business. 

And maybe those who are not, can appreciate small businesses a little more. 

Think about shopping small the next time you need a gift, a new outfit, or a place to eat!

Share your website, blog, or facebook in the comments!
I would love to check out your business or blog!

Blessings,
Katie

Project: Dining Chair Transformation

Before we were married, Josh and I spent our evenings together shopping craigslists and thrift shops for furniture for our future apartment. I knew I wanted a vintage inspired kitchen from the beginning. Originally I wanted all white appliances and turquoise walls. Still a lovely idea, however we rent our apartment from my in-laws. I quickly re-strategized my plan to find a more neutral wall color when the time comes for us to moved out, they will not need to repaint the walls a less, how shall I say, subjective color. I mean, I would love it, but how would the next person feel about aqua kitchen walls?!

Therefore, I settled for a light gray. Not as exciting, but it works.

We found this adorable dinette on Craigslist. I bartered with the guy and brought it down to about $40 I recall and we went to pick it up. It came with caned chairs (similar to this one on Etsy;) which Josh was unsure about how long they would last from the beginning. Fortunately the caning was not the problem. The screws must have been improperly replaced at some point and were too short and narrow. The chairs wobbled and creaked! Every now and again the screws would come right out of the chair on their own (side note, if that guy can sell that chair for $80, I better start fixing our chairs!) I screwed them back in multiple times knowing I needed to permanently fix them at some point. After the screws came out yet again, I just decided to get new chairs at the thrift shop. Someday we will fix the other ones.

I picked these up for $10/chair.

Not the most excited thing, but I liked the mid-century lines and I thought they would work well with our kitchen theme. The previous owner got crafty and covered the seats with a pillow case.

It was not the best job, but hey, they tried, so I will give them some credit. 

Once bringing them home and placing them in the kitchen, I decided they should be painted white and have some type of geometric black and white print cushion. I dug through my stash and found some home decor fabric I purchased from Fabric.com a while back in a black and white chevron. How cute!

Yep! Good choice! They are super adorable.

And they look great with our table and fit in wonderfully with the kitchen. I will have to do a kitchen tour soon! It took 2.5 cans of paint to give the chairs three coats of paint.

 One of my friends from high school just graduated college (she studied PR and needs a job if you know any good leads!) I asked her over for one of my personal favorite dishes, Waffles topped with fruit and whipped cream! 

Yet another great decision!

Make sure you enter our June Fabric Giveaway!
Giveaway ends June 13th at midnight EST

Blessings,

Katie

Project: Old Chair, New Paint

I did a quick DIY this week and gave an old chair I found at a thrift some a new look with some paint.

I love the shape and design of the chair, but the paint was very worn. Otherwise the chair was in great condition. I decided to pick it up to be used as Josh's nightstand, as I decided his current nightstand should be in our living room to holding our goldfish plant, because I originally bought it to use as an end table anyway!

We don't really have much of a theme going on in our bedroom right now other than some country rose wallpaper which neither of us are into, but Josh would rather leave it up than go through the work of painting the room. I on the other hand welcome the challenge.

I thought long and hard about what color I wanted this chair to be. When I first bought it I thought I would just paint it gold and be done with it. However, I came across something with gold feet and that vision stuck in my head and I knew I wanted this chair to have gold feet.

Which then I went between black or white paint, but I settled for the white to brighten the space.

I used painters tape to tape the original seat. I loved the black seat and it was still in perfect condition.

After painting the entire chair white, I measured up from the bottom how much gold I wanted on the feet. I taped off each of the legs and painted them gold.

I think it came out great! I just love those gold feet!

 Now for that wallpaper...

Blessings,

Katie

That 70's Chair: Pt 1

There is something about this chair I just fell in love with when I saw it by the dressing rooms of my local thrift shop. They don't normally carry furniture, and I assumed at first that this was just a chair for the dressing room. I cozied up on it while I was waiting for Josh to try on some pants and as I was telling him through the dressing room door how much I liked this particular chair, I noticed it had a plastic bar attached to it that was missing the price tag. Low and behold, this looker was for sale and only $10. 

Sold! 

It was not the color of this chair that caught my eye, but the shape. It was sleek, classic, and surprisingly comfortable. I dwelled on what fabric I would use to cover it. At first I thought I would make it apple red. And then I thought that was too room specific, and with plans of moving in with Josh after our wedding in the near future, I decided on a black and white chevron. Once we moved in and I knew where I was going to place this chair, I changed my mind again!

I finally decided on a black velvet. Why did I not think of that from the beginning?! Of course this chair is meant to be covered in velvet!

I decided to cover the chair with a fitted slipcover that will need to be sewn shut under the arms.
I began to make a muslin for the chair so I could get it as close as possible.
I draped some muslin over the chair and pinned it, smoothing the fabric as I went along.
I made separate muslins for each section, the back, front, and seat. 

I marked the draped pieces with a marking pencil following the curves of the chair and cut the shape out of the muslin. 

Once I finished my muslins, I pinned them to my velvet and cut out the pieces, allowing seam allowances on all sides. 

I am going to sew the front, back, and seat together leaving an opening at the bottom of the arm. The opening has to be long enough that I can slip the covering over the chair. 

This is just part one of the process, but I wanted to give you a quick preview of what I am working on!
I am hoping to have some time to spend on this project this afternoon. I would love to have it completed by this weekend since I have several more chair projects on my list!
Catch ya soon!
-Katie

DIY: Quick Vintage Bench Revamp

Hello!

Here is a super quick DIY project I recently did to an old bench I bought from a thrift shop.

I bought this bench to put in our breeze way so my husband could put on his work boots and take them off again when he returns home.

I was looking for this shape specifically because I like the mid-century look. 

I found this bench for a couple bucks, and while I like the shape and legs were in good condition, I was not a fan of the brown vinyl. I tried to enhance it by throwing a fur on top but it just didn't do anything for me.  

I decided to cover it with a vinyl I picked up for cheap in a color I liked and would look better with the fur I wanted to use.

So I quickly pulled out my handy dandy staple gun and got to work.

So there it is! All finished.
The bench is a fresh mix of vintage and modern.
Unfortunately I lost the piping in the covering process, but I like this color so much better!

I have a few chair remodels I am currently working on.
Check back to see how I revamp "that 70's chair"

Also, if you are in Philly this weekend, we will be at Penn's Landing for the Art Star Craft Bazaar.
Come by to check out our bags in person! We would love to meet you!
Katie

Craft Party!

The other weekend I invited some of my lovely friends over to join me for a crafty brunch. 

I treated them with homemade waffles, fresh fruit, strawberry bruschetta and french breakfast donuts fresh out of the oven.

I asked each guest to bring a mug or plate to decorate because we were going to make sharpie mugs!

Have you tried this?!

The girls made some cute mugs and I decorated a couple of plates I thrifted a few days earlier.

We used Sharpie oil-based paint pens and after waiting a couple days I baked them at 425F for 30 minutes. I popped them in the oven as it was preheating so the ceramic could slowly rise to temperature. Once they were done I turned off the oven and left them cool with the door closed for 15 minutes. 

I cracked open the door to let them come down to room temperature.
They look good!

If you are looking to doodle on some of your own mugs, use caution when decorating with strong oil-based paints and when baking. Make sure you ventilate the room for safety.

It is recommended that you hand wash your new dishes. 

If you are decorating mugs, only decorate the outside of the mug. For plates, use them as decoration or serving trays. Do not eat or cook on them. 

We had so much fun we are going to have another one soon and I can't wait!

What should we make next?!

Have fun crafting!

Love, Katie

Wedding Day: Reception Dress + First Dance

I have a ton of exciting news to share with you this week!

But let's start with just one thing at a time. 

Congratulations to our dear friends, Josiah and Megan who are expecting their first child!

Gah! We are so excited for them!

Josiah and Megan were our fabulous musicians at our wedding reception.

We are so blessed to have them in our life and were so happy they could share their talents to make our wedding even more special. I told them the week of our wedding that we were going to have our first dance to one of the songs they were covering for our reception. 

We danced to Holy Wedding by The City Harmonic. It was beautiful and exciting to have our first dance accompanied by two people we love.

I knew I wanted to have two dresses for our wedding and at least one of them I was going to make. 

I chose to make my reception dress, that I seriously only started the week of our wedding.

I put the last stitch in the morning of our wedding!

But I could not have been more thankful I had a second, shorter dress to wear that day. 

Boy was it hot! And dragging around a gown all night would have been a bear!

I made a tea-length dress, with a full skirt and lace bodice that was accented with pearls and sequins.

I used a beautiful ivory satin for the skirt. 

I kept my accessories simple with cute glitter flats and a teal bow in my hair.

The dress was sweet, romantic, and classic. 

Everything I could have wanted. 

For the most beautiful wedding I could have imagined.

This past Monday marked 6 months for Josh and I as a married couple.

We are so excited for the next six!

Stay warm!

Katie

Wedding Day: Reception

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

Today I am sharing our pretty decor and delicious dessert bar from our wedding reception!

My lovely friends, Justin and Laurie helped me get the reception set up. They did a phenomenal job!

Justin and I made this faux fireplace out of cardboard boxes. We borrowed the chairs from our friend, Char.

For seating we made hay bale sofas and used pallets as coffee tables.

Both borrowed from our uncle's farm. We dressed up the bales with inexpensive fabric and thrifted table clothes. Burlap-wrapped mason jars with mixed flowers and candles were placed on top of the pallets. 

We had a dessert reception, since our wedding was held in the evening at 7 pm.

Our aunts and friends made all of the delicious treats!

My boss at work made our airplane cookie favors as a wedding gift.

Super cute and tasty!

Another one of our friends made us an awesome cheesecake as our wedding cake!

It was a relaxing evening and all that we could have hoped for!

Pictures of my handmade reception dress coming soon!

Love, Katie

At Home: DIY Photo Canvas Gallery Wall

Good Day!

Are you enjoying the snow?!

I, myself, am not particularly a snow person. Don't get me wrong, it is absolutely beautiful, but I could really do without having to drive in scary conditions. 

Luckily we were snowed in and didn't have to go anywhere during this past snow storm. 

So I convinced the hubster to help me finally hang our gallery wall.

We hung photo canvases on the long wall in our living room, being careful of the plaster walls, we made good use of Command hooks. And of course, I made them myself to save money!

Wrapped photo canvases are expensive!

I like to order my prints from a professional printer called Nations Photo Lab because they do a fantastic job at a great price. However, when I priced out the cost for my canvas project it would have cost me $597 + s&h. Way more than I wanted to spend on said project. 

Using InDesign I laid out my dream wall with help from the column tool.

Once I laid out my design, I began putting pictures in the shape to decide what size print I would need.

I ordered my prints from Nations Photo Lab where they offer linen prints. I love the linen look and thought it would give the perfect illusion to a photo printed on canvas without the price tag.

The prints cost me $70.05 + s&h for sizes ranging from 12x12 to 20x20.

 The prints look fantastic and I could not be happier with the linen paper!

I used rubber cement to adhere the prints onto the canvas. Rubber Cement is acid free and photo safe.

I purchased the canvases from Michael's when they were on sale for $25.71. 

The canvases don't need to be fancy, just the cheapest you can find!

Hubs helped me measure the perfect placement on the wall, making sure everything was straight and an equal two inches apart. Our gallery is 64" long by 38" tall. 

 I chose an aqua color to paint the edges of the canvas to add a fun pop of color.

The total cost for the project was $99.05.

Yep! Under $100! We save almost $500!

Are you ready to freshen up your space with a gallery wall too?!
Enjoy! :)
Katie