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

Project: Blue China Dress

I can't believe my best friend Liz is married!

She was a gorgeous bride and I cried a little bit when I first saw her in the gown she designed. 

And I was so happy she was able to use some lace that I used in my wedding for her dress.

For months we went thrift shopping to gather items for her home and her wedding.

It all felt a little out of control as the day became closer and she sent me pictures of her bathroom floor covered in thrifted candle sticks and glasses. She collected a crazy amount of blue china plates for their reception. It was actually quite impressive how many blue china plates are in thrift stores!

I knew I wanted to make a blue china plate inspired dress to wear to her wedding at an adorable bed and breakfast near by. I mentioned this project in my June Fabric Haul video, so it is finally time I reveal it to you!

I used Simplicity Pattern 1418 and this blue floral cotton sateen from Fabric Mart.

I went on quite the hunt for this floral fabric and finally found the perfect one after searching several local fabric shops and four rooms of fabric at Fabric Mart. 

So there it is!

I absolutely love this dress. I felt awfully classy!

I see it making some reappearances at a tea party or two in the future.

Congratulations, Jeff + Liz!

I wish you the happiest marriage and the best success in your life together!

And now that the wedding is over, I am totally stealing my best friend back for coffee, asap.

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

Etsy Shop Favorites!

Today I put together a little list of businesses I have purchased from on Etsy and have become a big fan of their products and wanted to share with you: 

Not One Sparrow sells handmade jewelry from New Hope, PA.

I ordered from Ina for my wedding last year. I purchased the above earrings for each of my bridesmaids and ordered a gorgeous vintage-inspired pair for myself. We have worn these time and time again!
I have a huge wishlist for her shop because I kinda want everything!
She offers several styles of classic drop earrings, studs, and bracelets in gorgeous rich colors.

Shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/NotOneSparrow

Aubrey Elizabeth Apothecary has the cutest soaps!
I ordered some of these macaron soaps for my bathroom when it was Kate Spade themed.
I am very interested in trying out some of her lip scrubs. I have been looking for a good one and she has some citrusy options that sound nice!
Shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/AubreyEApothecary

Fleet Collection dresses are my favorite. I own about three now and they are worn often and for almost every occasion. I have worn them for interviews, meeting clients, to church, weddings, and showers!

I loved my mint dress so much (which I wore during my lookbook shoot!)  I ordered another one in coral and recently wore it to Liz's Bridal Shower.
I love seeing pictures of bridesmaids wearing their dresses posted on their Facebook. They always look so lovely! If only they came out with the dusty rose color in time for my wedding!
Shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/FleetCollection

 Zoet Bathlatier offers luxurious candles and bath items.
I found this shop at Clover Markets, where we both are vendors, and smelled every candle in the tent! They are wonderful unique fragrances and I had to pick myself up one!
I can't wait for her Pumpkin Lager to come out in the fall again!
Shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ZoetBathlatier

Firebird has incredible scents of lotion and soap.
I tried a sampler of her soaps and every scent was unique and refreshing.
My personal favorite product is her body lotions. I love the lavender wood scent!

I am almost out and have to get some more!
She has great seasonal scents too that I can't wait for them to come out in the fall!

Shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/FirebirdBathBody

The Paper Fairy is my go-to shop every time I am about to have a party.
They have so many fun things from printed goodie bags to flashy paper straws and cupcake liners.

Every time I look there are new awesome products being added to the shop!
So next time you throw a shin-dig, you know where to go!
Shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ThePartyFairy

What are your favorite shops on Etsy?

Comment below, I would love to check them out!

Project: Wedding Dress Complete!

As promised I am sharing some pictures of the wedding dress I made for my cousin's wedding this past weekend! But first, I am going to hold you in suspense (unless you just scroll to the bottom right now, but wait!) by showing you this dress that my momma made me!

Look familiar? Yep, it is the same dress my bridesmaids wore in my wedding!

It is so pretty and classic I needed one for myself!

We used Vogue pattern 8241. We found a pink knit that is on the mauve side. The material is almost like an activewear knit. It is a super comfortable dress and it breathes! Which is something I was very concerned about for my bridesmaids. We had a July wedding, and knowing it would be hot, I looked for any fabric that could look dressy but would not make them too warm. I was looking for a rayon challis or knit until I came across this one for $1/yd at Fabric Mart! I bought the whole bolt!

She used a hanging button closure at the top of the keyhole. I found a bag of large buttons that looked like pearls at Fabric Mart in the clearance section. Picked them up for 10 cents for the whole bag!

I found the wide lace for the bottom at a thrift shop in packs of 5 yards for a dollar!

I dressed it up with a brown belt, vintage-looking rhinestone drop earrings, and nude heels.

And now, after dozens of fittings, muslins, and hours of pinning and stitching...

Candy's dress!

 Candy was looking for a simple, elegant gown that was vintage-inspired.

She came to me with the idea of an all lace gown with a scalloped neckline and a-line skirt.

She was ultimately looking for something modest and comfortable.

We used Simplicity Pattern 1460 as a guide for the top. 

I used a cotton lace with a swirl pattern in an ivory. I lined the lace with a white poly charmeuse.

I found some floral bridal lace trim to give her the scalloped edge she wanted.

I had to draft the skirt myself so I could get the shape I wanted. The skirt was four pieces that flared out to give her a full bottom that puddled around her. I added four box pleats to the back to make it fuller.

We finished it off with a champagne bow. The dress is fully lined with white poly charmeuse I purchased from Fabric.com for a great price!

The top closes with pearl buttons. I made her veil as well. I had to have a lot of patience glueing on tiny pearl beads with a tweezer! But it was all worth it. She looked gorgeous in this gown!

Congratulations, Candy + Chris.

May you live a life full of love and happiness!

And thank you so much for allowing me the honor to make your gown!

-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

Olivia Pope-Inspired Dress + Aussie and the Fox

So, it's been long over due, but the Olivia Pope-Inspired Dress I have been telling you about is finally here! Yep! I finished it and wore it last night for date night with the Hub! It felt like the perfect occasion.

I used Burda Pattern # 7232
The pattern was pretty complex with the way the back attached all together and then to the skirt. But once I took a good gander at the pictures in the pattern it went together rather quickly.  I would recommend making some additional markings for yourself when you cut out the back pieces. It was a bit challenging to figure out the direction the points were going. 

The inside it completely lined with no exposed seams. I used a white stretch cotton sateen I picked up at Fabric Mart in the clearance section for $2.00/yd. I used the cotton to line it as well because I wanted the dress to hold its shape and I knew I would not be able to wear a slip with that back! Or a bra for that matter!

I purchased a stick-on backless bra from Target. I was rather nervous about the bra situation. They kinda have the same stickiness of a mouse trap... My first thought was "will my these come off?!" "Am I going to have sticky boobs afterwards?!" But no worries. They came off and all is fine and well! Rest assured.

So yeah, here is the dress!

And a nice view of my front yard. #livingthefarmlife

I used buttons that look like pearls to close the back.

The front is also not very bra-friendly. But it sure looks hip!

I sewed all of the "pearl" beads on by hand. (I purchased a little bag of them at Joann Fabrics.)
Probably while watching a marathon of some terrible show on TLC that Josh would not approve of, like Hoarders or Extreme Couponing. Both shows which make me feel super-charged afterwards making me want to scrub every cranny of the entire house and run to the store to buy 100 bottles of toothpaste that will last me 50 years but were free just so I can say I did.

We decided to celebrate our dating anniversary this year at a new restaurant in Lancaster that I have been wanting to try since my birthday, last October...
But after spending 5 years together and almost one year of marriage, it seemed like a good time to finally go out on the town. So we drove into the city for our late night dinner reservations at 8:45 pm. It was definitely a stretch for this girl considering I like to be on the couch under a blanket at that time of night. I don't know what happened. Being married has made me old. But I was going to prove the night wrong and show it I am young and alive! 

(Not mentioning the couple seated next to us at the restaurant were probably in their mid-50's...)

Aussie and The Fox is a mix of classic staples with an Australian flair.
The menu offered a unique burger, tasty pasta, roasted chicken, fancy fish, and a popular pork loin. 

I tried the Aussie Burger, which was surprisingly delicious. I was a bit concerned about this egg and beets business. I'm PA Dutch. I like what I like and I like potatoes. But this was certainly something different and Josh and I both really enjoyed it. Definitely putting this on the list of things to eat again. I think trying new restaurants is pretty exciting. I love dressing up, going somewhere new and trying as many new and interesting things that I can in one evening. 

Especially when it gives me an excuse to wear an awesome dress I just made!

I will leave you with a quite a lady at a fabric store once told me:
"Don't make the dress for the occasion, make an occasion for the dress!"

-Katie

First Video!

Hello! 

Today I have something fun and new to share with you! 

I finished my first video blog! 

It's pretty self-explanatory so I won't do a big description and I will let you go ahead and watch it.

I feel a bit silly in front of the camera. Yet, I felt that adding videos to my repertoire would not only help you get to know my products, but help you get to know me a little better as well!


So I hope you enjoy this beginner-attempt video of What's currently in my bag!
Suggestions are welcomed.

Thanks for watching!
Katie

Links:

Handbag: The Suedette Town Bag in Dark Rose

Wallets: Target ; Blue Wallet ; Brown Wallet

Phone Case: Vista Print 

Sketchbook: Amazon 

Chapstick: EOS 

Make Up: Mark ; Lip Gloss

Hook Up Mascara & Perfume are discontinued

Outfit:
Blouse: Vintage from Thrift Shop

Music:
Adele: Right as Rain

Giveaway Time!

Hey there!
I hope you had a fabulous weekend with your mommas!
Josh and I had a good time in Philly, enjoying some sun and meeting everyone who came out.

So today I am back in the studio and ready to finally work on my Me Made May projects.

On the cutting table are some polka dot skirts and sugar pop tops using Sew Caroline's new pattern.

I am hoping to check off a lot on my sewing to-do list this month!

But now for the important part:

We are continuously trying to improve this little business of ours. But we can't do this without you!
We want to hear from you about what you are looking for in a handbag and where you want to find those handbags. Therefore we are hosting a Giveaway! 

We appreciate everyone's support and love for our products, so to show our appreciation, 

we are going to give away a $50 gift certificate to one randomly selected winner!

To enter to win all you have to do is complete our simple and quick survey based on your honest opinions and past experiences.  (only 2-5 mins of your time!)
Just follow this link:

Click here to take survey

Thank you and best of luck!
Katie

Mother's Day Sale!

Shop: www.agirlnamedkatie.etsy.com

Me-Made May Pledge

Today I am making my Me-Made May '14 pledge. 

Some of you are probably familiar with this challenge by now, but for those who are not here is the lingo. For the duration of the month of May you are to challenge yourself with either making pieces for your wardrobe or make it a point to wear your handmade items.

Last year I wanted to pledge but was swamped with preparing for our wedding, moving, etc. etc.
But this year I am jumping in with both feet!

I, Katie, of a girl named katie pledge to create pieces to fill in the holes of my wardrobe by making more cake and less icing for the duration of May 2014. 

Let's narrow that goal down a bit to something more specific.
Since leaving my day job to pursue my dream job I have noticed that I have a very limited selection of fashionable tops and skirts. At work I wore a lot of old tshirts, warm "granny" sweaters (as my husband refers to them as), and jeans. I was always cold. Year round.
Any shirt you wore into the place was bound to get holes.
Eventually I just gave up and called it a day.

Recently I have been sewing some fun projects that frankly, have no purpose.
My Olivia Pope dress is awesome, but I have absolutely no idea where I am going to wear it.
But as a wise woman in a fabric store once said "you don't make a dress for the event, you make an event for the dress."

So, loaded with cotton and some tried and true patterns I am going to make some simple blouses and skirts with fun prints for summer. I already pre-washed the fabric!
My goal is to make 3 blouses and 3 skirts.

Are you doing the challenge this year?
What is your pledge?

Project: Olivia Pope Inspired Dress

Finally, a preview of my Olivia Pope Inspired Dress I have been telling you about since late February. I've been working on this dress on and off, whenever I need a mental break from sewing handbags for all the shows this season. 

It is almost complete! I just need to sew on the buttons to the back of the dress. 

I decided to try my hand at beading for this dress.

This pattern is from Burda and features a unique bodice design with triangles in the back that button closed. I'll get you some more information about this dress in my final post about this project.

This dress is all white, using a cotton sateen and white pearls. 

It is confident, edgy, and sophisticated like Olivia Pope.  Hence the inspiration.

In case you are just tuning in, I am crazy about Olivia Pope's fashion on the TV Series Scandal.

You can catch up on Scandal on Netflix, the season just ended on TV the other week as it was shortened for Kerry Washington to have an adorable child. As hard as it is to wait to see what happens next, I guess it is ok. We'll give you this one. 

More soon on this dress and another dress I have been making in secret. (A wedding dress!) 

Shhh. =]
Love, Katie