I decided to change the way my fabric is organized yet again. I had it on a garment rack, hung up with skirt hangers and this worked for a little while but I felt like it was taking up too much room and looked messy. I needed to make way for my new dress form! Also, it just wasn’t quite visible enough.

I decided to color coordinate and roll up my yardage in put them into my Ikea EXPEDIT bookshelf.

Here is what it looks like now:

It almost looks like I have a reasonable stash and not one that is completely out of control!

Here is my cutting table arrangement. I did buy a huge ass cutting board to go on top of it recently and it is not in this picture. Instead, you get a very magnificent cat named Foxtrot:

The bottom shelf is one bin of larger patterns, mostly ones that have been completed and have tracings, etc making them bulky and also my muslins fabrics. The second shelf has a bin of patterns and a bin of medium sized scraps and the top shelf has two bins that contain projects in progress an so the contents rotate as needed.

In this pic you can see my sewing machines, a large bin of bulky fabrics, a book case, a corkboard with all kinds of crap on it that recently all just fell down onto the floor and made a big mess and the cutting table again. The mirror in the bottom right has to go, it can’t be hung up and I want to set up a dressing room type mirror like a friend has in her studio. the EXPEDIT bookcase is to my right but you cant see it in this picture.

When I get home I will either continue to work on my dress form or I will sew up a bathing suit really quick in time for Maui. I have some black with large red polka dots lycra and a new kwik sew bathing dress pattern with princess seams.

Reds and pinks!

Here are some fabrics I picked up cheap at the East Bay Depot for Reuse the other day:

Check out those awesome plaids. I plan on making Jack a stylin’ wardrobe of plaid pants for fall while he is still young enough not to know to protest. maybe a shirt the the flamingos to go with them? heh.

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My scraps stash has reached epic proportions. It’s absurd, really. I need help. What can I do with all this stuff!!? I’m in full on pack rat mode though. I look at the several bins of fabric scraps and think, “Okay, I should get rid of all this somehow.” but then my brain rebels instantly, “NO WAY! What if I need this someday?!”.

What IF I need it someday? The world would implode, clearly, if I no longer had all these scraps. SHEESH!

One way to help get rid of the tail ends of satin blanket binding is to use it as little tabs for blankets and bags. On this travel lovey I sewed the edges of the binding together, doubled it over and sewed it into the edging of the blanket. You can then use little tab to attach toys and linking rings to the blanket. For a bag you could attach a D ring or the like.

How To Make Your Own Applique
- Cut a simple shape out of your desired fabric. A bird, some circles, a tree, a flower, the star ship enterprise… whatever.
- Pin the cut out fabric onto some heavy duty tear away fabric stabilizer – the iron on kind works well.
- Iron it on. You can double it, with the second iron on side face down if you want your applique to be stiffer and to be able to iron it to your final project.
- Now you need to sew around the shape using a satin stitch – use a zigzag stitch with the stitch length moved WAY down. My machine comes with a special satin stitch foot that basically has a grooved area where the stitches pass though uncrushed by the foot.
- Once you’ve sewn around the shape go ahead and tear away the excess stabilizer
- I sometimes sew around the shape twice to make the satin stitch look thicker.
now you are ready to sew your applique
- Iron it on to your final project and then I usually satin stitch it again. or just straight stitch it on.

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I was in Peidmont Fabrics the other day when my hand reached out for this gorgeous Liberty of London cotton lawn print. I mean look at it?!!! Doesn’t your heart go out to it? However, my hand trembled and quaked as I check the price tag at 37.00 a yard. Instead of a dress then, I bought a tiny bit and made some handkerchiefs. Raise your hand if you think I am nuts.

Then i made a tiny one. Raise your hand if you have changed your mind.

The handkerchief goes really nicely with the pair of delicate rose colored with pearl trim spats I just made too.

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It’s suddenly all about layering. In fact one of the projects I would LIKE to be doing soonish is developing into an absurd amount of layering.

Starting with a swatch of fabric. freezer paper stenciling it, then adding stitching wth embrodery thread arounf the boarder of the stncil so that it look like a patch sewn on., scan it and manipulate in photoshop. Hhahahaha.

Why is my brain working this way? why not just MAKE A PATCH? Or do the whole damn thing in PS? Anyone? Anyone?

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Jen of Volatile Gas World and

Maggie of  ‘Stop! Take some time to think…’.

I’ll email to get your addresses. Now, Jen I certainly have some good ideas of what to send but Maggie I don’t know at all. So I will have to go read her archives to get an idea. I think that’s a lot of fun. I like to try to guess things that people will like althoug how spot on I ever am is debatable… but the fun is in thinking about it.

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The problem I sometimes have is that everyone is using the same pool of materials. The internet makes the world a smaller place and I can acquire fabrics or papers or whatever from anywhere… and so can everyone else. What you come up with out of this mass pool of materials is still unique and creative and one of a kind. Still though! I want to see MORE uniqueness and creativity in the form of materials as well.

Two (newish) online sites are providing help for that form of start from scratch creativity, Ponoko and (still in beta) Spoonflower.

What is Ponoko?

Ponoko is a service that lets you design 3d items from a variety of materials. You can design a wooden table and they will manufacture it for you and then, free of charge, you can set up a shop on their site to sell it to other people as well. It’s a wonderful ‘green’ approach to manufacturing as each one made is going off to a good home right away!

What is Spoonflower?

Spoonflower is a husband and wife team fabric printing company. You create your own fabric design and they are reasonably priced and offer swatches, fat quarters and fabric by the yard.

Jessica Rosenkrantz of nervous system design has created this lovely fan using Ponoko. You can buy it on Ponoko as well!

Kim Fraser from Spoonflower upkeeps the Spoonflower blog.

Shopworthy has blogged about making a backpack for her son out of fabric that he designed and was printed by Spoonflower. So cute!

Cross posted on BlogHer.com

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The fair is November 2nd at the San Francisco County Fair Building in Golden Gate Park and is focusing on hand made Plush Art. Here is the description from the web site:

You Bazaar! will be on November 2nd 2008 from 10am to 5pm at the San Francisco County Fair Building in Golden Gate Park.  You Bazaar! will feature 30 select craft vendors selling quality handmade wares and a series of rotating workshops throughout the day with some of your favorite plush designers. While we would like to use this event to promote plush art we welcome all crafters to apply for a vendor space. This will be a fun family friendly event to kick off the Plush You SF Show, opening Friday, November 7th 2008 and excite customers for the holiday shopping extravaganza Bazaar Bizarre San Francisco on Sunday, November 30th 2008.

Go on over to the SF Bazaar Bizarre blog to see my first interview. I can guarantee that you will fall in love with Planet Tokki and it’s creator, not only is her plush art divine but the complex and detailed background of Planet Tokki will make you giggle and swoon.

Be sure to come visit the You Bazaar! Fair on November 2nd!

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surprise gift in the mail!!

Originally uploaded by not halfway there
I got the best package in the mail form bebellyboo last week.

Check it out:
Chocolate cookies, book for Jack, toy for jack (i’ve been wanting one of these but never managed to buy one), 2 awesome fun fabrics (mermaids! fashion girls!), and some fabric pastels and fabric pen.

All very cool and totally stuff I get myself. I think Bebellyboo and I have been reading each other since right before our babies were born. There was some point when I was pregnant when I was terrified and desperately looking for other people in my same situation and people just ahead of me. So Bebellyboo was right where I was and also crafty and fun and although she does occasionally claim she is taking a blogging break I always know she will come back.

*Updated*
I received my PiF gift from 3Giraffes this week! It’s pretty cool. One is the mood magnets. My bathroom door is metal so this will be perfect for that. Except why is there no “Frumpy” option?!!? I’m screwed!

Okay, the other thing is this book “embellishing techniques and projects”. I would never buy this book for myself, although I do not know why because I LOVE IT and have had a great time looking through it. the projects are cute, the style is fun and it has real actual useful information about sewing and craft tools and materials. And I’m not sure if the model shown through out the book is the author, but either way she is totally cute and the blue shoes she is wearing on page 66 make me die with envy. I have been looking for blue shoes in just such a style for EVA. not that I have anywhere to wear them…
WEll that was off topic… moving right along… here is a picture of the gift!

Thank you 3giraffes!

*updated*
SO!
I will now hold a DOUBLE PiF contest because I’m a sucker for going to the post office.

To enter leave a comment. Er… on Monday I will pick TWO WINNERS (!) with a random number generator and that person will have to tell me their snail mail address (muahahaha) so that I can send them a little gift.
then, unless they are super grumpy, they should hold their own contest.

so leave a random comment please!

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I really like how each size has it’s own pattern paper. I would have been seriously annoyed it I had to use chalk to size it. This one is size 2.

I used some left over black fleece that was Vim’s (I think left over from his scary-ass bunny costume). And I took apart the very first thing I ever sewed with my crappy kenmore – a blue corduroy ‘body pillow’ pillow case. I was pretty proud of it then but since I no longer use the comforter that matched it I figured I was in the clear to rip it up. I also used the cute bunny buttons that I bought for Vim (i can’t remember why I bought them).

It;s kinda pimpin’ with it’s shawl-esque collar, dontcha think?!

I am planning on making Jack a ‘smoking jacket’ version. Black velvet with pink tie material will look outrageously awesome on him I’m thinking.

I recommend the sew baby wonder jacket pattern. The look and feel of this jacket are so easily altered by the materials, I guess that is true for anything… but I really like the way his jacket turned out. It’s cute and cozy for him and I feel pleased that I was able to make it.

I’ve started a new one already with this baby wale corduroy and some brown minky.

My next project for jack will be a pair of pants made form this fabric… heh.

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This is primarily a social conference, eh? We all want to see everyone in their cute outfits and shoes and we want to be admired too. Although I do need to look at the schedule again to see if there are even any vaguely technical sessions beside the ‘make over tent’.

I’ll be wearing cute dresses and skirts so I better shave my legs, get my eyebrows waxed and a mani/pedi or and redye my hair probably. I’m sure I have roots from hell.

My mom has posted  a picture of her own shoe dilemma.

Also, I need to finish sewing some stuff for the swap meet, clean my house since my mom will be here TOMORROW and entertain a baby with the attention span of a doodle bug. Good luck me! HAhaha. I predict that 1 or none of these things will get done today.

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Anyway. It comes prestained as it is one of Vim’s old ratty ones. HIlarious! Vim is super cute when he sews.

Already i have completed a bunch of basic mending tasks that have been sitting around in my sewing room waiting for me. Some for actual YEARS have been waiting to completed. Also many of the decorative stitches have been tested and gloated over.

I swear.. sewing with this thing is sweet. Right now I have it on the kitchen table because the sewing room is in CHAOS as i rearrange and organize. I didn’t want that thing to happen where I put off projects because my room isn’t clean. So for now it’s on the kitchen table.

What shall my next project be!!! I’m thinking I will whip out a bunch of baby blankets and then sew myself a dress.

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So I bought a med/low Bernina model. The Activa 240? 230? I think I got the 230 and it does have the free hand system on it. But maybe I got the 240! I can’t remember! It should get to the shop by Friday. And then I promptly go on vacation for 2 weeks.

I haven’t been totally idle. Note the Bad Badzt Maru patch sewn on to Jack’s Old Navy windbreaker. Cute! Also, too cool.

It was during this project (all 2 minutes of it) that my sewing machine motor pooped out.

I also finished painting my kitchen and put up cabinets. I just haven’t taken a picture of it yet. It has o be clean for a picture to be taken and it almost never is actually completely clean with all dishes put away.

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Well, CRAP! I guess I’ll have to go out and purchase a new machine. This fills me with dread. Also, glee.

I went to one small sewing machine/vacuum store. Why in all that is holey (or sucky, as the case may be) are vacuum stores and sewing stores paired? WHY? Every time I go into a vacuum store that also has sewing machines the sewing machines are all from 1983 and are all dusty and they also maybe sell like 2 colors of thread from 1977 and a have a few packages of needles dug up from someones grandmothers closet. WHY?

I purchased my current sewing machine from sears. I went in with Badger and picked out the cheapest one and departed, gloating, with a gleam in my eye. I did not research features or give a crap about decorative stitches or servicing or whatever else I am supposed to care about. I had no idea.

Now I care slightly more. Researching online has been done but I find it fairly useless int he long run. There are infinite numbers of machines listed online but when you enter a store they only have a few to look at and they are never exactly likethe ones you looked at online. This reminds me of looking for a car.

Speaking of which. I have been coveting a new station wagon for like a year now. But now that I am for reals gong to be a stay at home mom I am picking up the pace adn possibly really going to start looking. Our good stroller doesn’t fi in my current car. and that is highly annoying.

Okay, I am off to Target and to the sewing machine store on piedmont.

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The next roll revealed Davee as the winner! woot!

I shall be emailing him to get his address since he sneakily moved to another city with out me knowing.

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Now, normally I would consider this distinction to be about whether or not one used ONLY ones hands to produce an item or whether one used a machine at HOME or otherwised produced something in a non factory assembly line type setting.

But this person was making a distinction between SUCKY and NOT SUCKY. Handmade being the not sucky and homemade being the sucky. Handmade is neat with attention to detail created by a skilled crafts person. Homemade is an unskilled creation by some jerk.

Somehow this struck me right in the heart of my insecurities. OMG! My stuff is homemade in the worst way. Lines are crooked, there’s a spare thread hanging off it, she SO OBVIOUSLY fucked up right here and tried to fix it in her UNSKILLED, BACKWOODS way. She means well…

I’ve been stressing about this FOR A WHOLE YEAR! I took down my Etsy store because of it, in fact I never even told anyone about my etsy store while it was up. Now, this crappy untrue distinction is all I can think about and I almost feel like it’s sucking out my joy of sewing.

I like the things I make and, usually, I have fun making the things I make…

When I order something from Etsy or another online venue I can usually tell if it is someone with a slick company or if it is someone crafting from home in their spare time. I order from both types and I genuinely lurve both types of items.

I’m sort of sad that I’m not a neater seamstress. I used to be perfectly okay and even reveal in my slapdash fun way of creating stuff and trying new things. Now I miss it and feel bad all around.

SO! Identity crisis and insecurity lameness aside! Let’s have a give away of my imperfect stuff! WOOT!

Random Commenter Shall Get Imperfect Yet Perfectly Cute and Useful Baby Lovey!

Comment on this post and on Monday I will pick a random commenter to win this cute little orange minky dot and sushi quilting fabric with satin edging baby lovey sized blanket. Great for traveling! great for young babies who can’t have full sized blankets in crib with them!

Comment away folks!

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In other news I made two more baby blankets yesterday. HAhaha. I fucking HATE satin binding right now. I tried a new binding technique that Vim used and it’s a total pain in the ass. I used this piece of an old t-shirt, blue minky and blue satin binding.It came out messy but still hilarious.

Then, I made a small lovey without the binding. It’s black minky with red flannel and a fucking PIRATE HELLO KITTY pocket. Ha.

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Should I reopen my Etsy shop?! I’ve been making totally cute lingerie bags out of recycled shirts as well. Plus the usual spats.

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It’s already summer here. I HATE being hot. Unfortunately I am sweaty and hot when t is like 70 degrees out. GREAT! Fortunately I have pantaloons to make things better.

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I have not done much crafting lately because I have been reading ROMANCE NOVELS. That’s right. Romance novels. 12 of them to be exact, 6 in each series. Here is the last one I finished yesterday:

People are getting married and having babies all over the place and I find that I want to hang around discussing babies and wedding dresses and shopping. I blame these dumb books. Really, after reading these all things girly should be making want to HURL.

I have GOT TO STOP reading stupid books. I might as well be watching Blossom reruns.

In more crafty news I just got this in the mail a few days ago. Lovely! What a surprise as I orderd this like 3 months ago but it was back ordered!

I LOVE Alexander Henry fabrics. What shall I do with this? I was thinking when I bought it that I would make myself some nice pillow cases. How nice would it be to go to sleep and wake up with these sweet birds under your head? With your head CRUSHING these sweet little birds. How could you?!

An apron might be nice too.

And with that I shall leave you with Miss Piggy singing Peaches ‘fuck the pain away’.

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I’m not averse to going back in there and poking around. It might be that I hate forums. I hate sorting through peoples responses. I wonder what other sort of socail media type sites would work. What about a twitter for crafters or twitter could have “channels”.

Does anyone use craftster? How do you use it? What other crafting social media type sites do you use? Er… are there any other ones? I can’ t think of any right now. Threadbanger counts I guess, for fashionistas. Actually, I love Threadbanger anddon’t go over there enough. I need ot add to my blogroll.

I love hearing about and seeing other people crafty goodness, ideas and techniques and creative flights of fancy but rarely get to actually connect with other crafters. This is one reason I am going to do more needlepoint as it is more social and portable (and isn’t knitting). Maybe I’ll go look forthe church of craft people that I think meet in oakland.

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