DIY Fabric Wreath

If you sew, you probably have a ton of fabric scraps. I hate wasting things, and I wanted to figure out a new way to use some of my scraps.

This is what I ended up with ;)  This wreath is is not too christmassy, and I can imagine making one for every season (this one reminds me of springtime). I might sew a loop of fabric to hang it from, but right now I've got it on my wall hanging from a nail. I'd love to add it to the door of my future craft room. I'm just dreaming for now, and it has a temporary home above my printer.

All you need: fabric scraps about 7 inches long, and a wire hanger. Bend the wire into a circle, and tie on your fabric scraps with simple knots.

Sew A Closet Organizer

I was cleaning out my closet and I had no idea how to store my belts. I ended up searching the internet for a quick fix. I had no boxes or hooks available, but I did have lots of fabric. This organizer works really well! I have so much space now. It's basically one rectangle of cloth, with 4 rows of 3 pockets. It took about 2 hours in total.

Here's a full photo of it hanging:

I haven't included photos with this tutorial but it only involves is sewing a bunch of rectangles together.

Closet Organizer Sewing Instructions

You will need:

• A - 1 large rectangle of cloth for the backing - twice the finished size.
• B - 4 rectangles of cloth for the pockets - one for each row of pockets.
• C - 3 rectangles for tabs.
• 3 pieces of Velcro

Directions:

1. Take A and fold all the edges down. Iron the edges.
2. Fold A in half, and sew along 3 edges, keeping one of the short ends open. This will be the top of your organizer.
3. Hem the edges of each B piece.
4. Pin your pockets to A, and sew along 3 sides of each pocket (making one long pocket). Make sure the opening faces the top.
5. Sew 2 line of stitches down the entire length of A, to create pockets. 
6. Fold your C pieces together and sew them into thinner rectangles. (You can use the handle instructions from this tutorial)
7. Sew Velcro to the C pieces leaving at least 1 inch of space at one end of each tab. 
8. Insert the tabs into A, and stitch along the top to close it and finish it.

You can use any set of measurements to suit your needs.

Stretch Pencil Skirt

I managed to acquire a bunch of striped knit fabric. I loved the color but wasn't sure what to do with it at first. I ended up finding a tutorial for drafting up a basic pencil skirt pattern and putting it together. I decided to try it out in the striped fabric for practice, and it turned out pretty well ;)

The waistband is black elastic. A bit hard to see in the photo.

I should have ironed it, but I was impatient to try it on!

I think I'll try sewing another of these in jersey fabric. It's pretty comfortable, and only took about an hour from start to finish. Check out the fabulous tutorial here.

Dress to Skirt Alteration

This is my latest quick sewing project. I had a strapless empire-waisted sundress that was too tight in the bust but I loved the pattern of the skirt. I spent one evening separating the top portion from the skirt portion of the dress, and another attaching the skirt to a black elastic. Easy peasy!

If you plan on doing this to a dress I'd recommend that the skirt-to-be already has gathers so that it has enough give when you attach an elastic.

The skirt detached from the top.

Skirt with elastic added. I used this tutorial for adding elastic via Freshly Picked.

And the awkward contorted mirror shot.

I'm still surprised how fast and easy that was! I think I'll try another skirt for my next project.

Sewing Project: Lace and Jersey Top

I finally fired up the sewing machine for the first time in a long time. I don't have a lot of experience making my own clothes, but I thought I'd try. I used an existing tshirt to trace out a pattern and modified the neckline into a scoop. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, but I did end up making a few mistakes along the way.

Notes for next time:

• I need to add more generous seam allowances when working with jersey. It's slippery and curls.
• I need to sew the shoulders first, then attach the sleeves, then sew up the sides, and sew the bottom hem last. 

For my next project, I think I'll attempt a simple skirt. I'll let you know how it goes!

Simple Food

This was a really quick and healthy dinner. Ground turkey sauteed with onion, garlic, and kang kong (Chinese water spinach / morning glory), and soy sauce, served with a side of steamed rice. You could always substitute spinach or watercress for the kang kong if you want to try something similar. To me, this is comfort food ;)

Pommegranate

Just a summer snack.

Sweet Treats

It's a purple birthday cake! The sponge is ube (purple yam) flavored, and very yummy. 

And some tasty mint chocolate chip bite sized cup cakes! These were just the perfect size, and I usually don't like icing, but this icing was mint flavored, with bits of chocolate. 

My sweet tooth was sated this weekend. :)

Evening Walk

Went for a walk, and took some photos of the city as the sun was going down.

Gnocchi with Spinach

Lazy Sunday photo:

The sauce was a combination of whatever I had on hand: bits of spicy capicola, garlic, spinach, and tomato sauce. Served over squash gnocchi.