Start with a Sweatshirt Book

As the weather is getting cold here in the south, I started going through my sweatshirt design books, to find something to decorate my newly bought sweatshirts.

I found this book, Start with a Sweatshirt, by Nancie M. Wiseman.

I was happy to see written how to steps for sizes up 3X in this book. Since it is the Christmas season, I keep changing sizes, not all good.  But, as everyone else, I will worry about losing weight after Christmas.  But that is another story.

My favorite jacket is the one called "Mandarin" on page 9.  It uses oriental fabric (which I have tons of) and the fabric is cut into rectangles, with the ends cut at an angle.  This way you can showcase all that beautiful oriental fabric.  Also, the sweatshirt jacket is open in the front.  You can use buttons or fabric ties to close it, or you can keep it open.

The instructions are easy to follow with guidance for sweatshirt prepping and alternate sleeve attachment given. Binding tips are given in the introduction.

So, check out this book.  You will love the designs.

Sewing Machine Song

I found this video on Youtube. It is Betty Hutton singing "The Sewing Machine Song" from the 1940s. Too fun.

Enjoy

New Sweatshirt Patterns

If you are a cat or dog lover, these designs are perfect for you.

This Wild Cats pattern has whimsical cats appliqued onto a sweatshirt, and the pattern includes instructions to also make a purse and a hat.










This Beagles and Bassetts and Bones pattern includes several dogs appliqued onto a sweatshirt, along with instructions to create a matching purse.










Thanks, Lydia

Recycle Fashion Friday

I absolutely love fashions made from recycled materials. So, I'm starting a new trend called Recycle Fashion Friday. Every Friday I will post an etsy store or blog where the artist is using recycled or upcycled materials to create fashion.

My first post is a handbag made from recycled vintage ties with an Ohio State theme.










What a wonderful idea. This purse was created by She-Su Designs. This etsy store also has a wide variety of fashion items such as hats, accessories, scarfs and clothing.

According to the shop's profile, the designer wants to limit the amount textiles that end up in the landfills. Check out her shop and support the designer.

Thanks, Lydia

A Great Idea Using Recycled Materials for Clothes

I really love when recycled materials are used for making clothes.

This is a video of a woman in Chile who uses cigarette butts to make yarn, and then turns the yarn into fashion.



I wonder what else we can use just by looking at the world with different eyes?

Lydia

Organizing My Thrit Store Finds

This morning, I was organizing my DecoArt acrylic paints where I write down the color, color number and paint the color onto small cards. These cards are then put into a binder, using the clear baseball card sleeves I found at Walmart.

This way, when I need a paint color, I just check my binder to see if I have it.



I absolutely love to buy clothes from the thrift store. I look at the clothes as if they were fabric, so, of course, I have tons.










And my thrift store finds are all jammed into my fabric closet. Since they are so jumbled, I don't know what colors I have.










So, I was thinking, why not organize my fabrics like my paints.










So, I ventured into the fabric closet and cut a little piece off of each thrift store find. Then I took these small pieces, glued them onto blank cards and filed them into a binder, again using the clear baseball cards sleeves. And Voila! I am organized. :-)













Hmmmmm, my yarns need organization.

Peace,

Lydia

I love fabric Yo-Yos

I absolutely love fabric yoyos. In case you are not sure what they are, yo-yo is a little circle of fabric that was traditionally used in quilting and patchwork projects.













Yo-Yos are supposedly easy to make. They are circles of fabric, around the edge of which a line of running stitch is made with a sturdy thread, and this is gently gathered, bringing the edges into the center and forming a ‘puff’.













I, however, can not make Yo-Yos to save my life and I know they are NOT easy to make. I have tried to make them by hand and I have also tried to make them using machines. None of my methods ever work and I just get frustrated.













So, I bought these Yo-Yos from Donna at YoYoCottage. They are absolutely gorgeous and come in many different sizes and colors.

I might have to carry them with me in my purse for a while and play with them.

Lydia