Easy & Quick Candy Cane Ornament

Scroll down for english, please. 

Esta é mais uma ideia natalícia que fiz o ano passado e que não cheguei a partilhar aqui no blog. 

Adoro embrulhos diferentes e originais quando chega a altura de oferecer as minhas prendas, e esta ideia em particular foi inspirada no papel que comprei no ano passado, cujo motivo eram as bengalas doces (e que podem ver na foto abaixo). 

Here's another Christmas idea from last year that never made it to the blog. 

I love different and original rapping when it comes to wrap my gifts, and this particular idea was actually inspired by the wrapping paper I bought last year, because of it's printed candy canes (picture below). 

Inicialmente o que eu pretendia era comprar umas bengalas doces verdadeiras, mas não encontrei por aqui. Não é que tenha procurado exaustivamente, apenas procurei pelos locais onde ia passando e nenhum tinha. Este ano por exemplo, já encontrei uma caixa de dez unidades numa das minhas lojas preferidas. Trouxe-a comigo e ainda está por decidir o que farei com ela. 

My first thought was to get the real thing but I couldn't find them anywhere. Well, It's not like did look that hard for them, I just checked each place I went on my daily routine and none of those had it. This year though, I have already found a box of them in one of my fave shops and of course I brought one with me, still I need to figure out what to do with it yet. 

Para tal usei pipe cleaners (a tradução literal é limpador de cachimbo, não sei mesmo que nome se dá a isto em português). Foi só juntar um branco e um vermelho e enrolar um no outro. Depois cortei ao meio e cada metade foi usada para uma bengalinha, é só arredondar uma das pontas. Como usei nas prendas (colei) não acrescentei mais nada, mas quem quiser pode também colocar um fio fino na parte arredondada e pendurar na árvore de Natal ou onde lhe apetecer. 

To make this, I just grabbed two pipw cleaners, one red and one white and rolled them into each other. Then I cut it in half and each part was used to make a cane, I just needed to round one of the edges in order to get it finished. Since I glued mine to my gifts, I stopped here but if you plan on hanging them on your Christmas tree or anywhere else, you just have to tight a thin thread to it to do so. 

Podem também cortar mais pequeno ou maior. Cheguei a cortar em 3 partes iguais e foram as que achei mais fofas. Usei em quase todas as prendas que entreguei o ano passado e ainda tenho algumas que talvez use este ano, embora ande à procura de algo diferente para esta vez. E por ai? Alguma forma especial de distinguir os vossos embrulhos? 

You can also cut your canes longer or shorter. I did cut some in 3 equal parts to make mine and those were the cutest ones. I used most of them on my gifts last year but I still have a few that I might use again this year, though I'd rather find something different this time. What about you? Do you have any tips to make your wrapping stand out?

12 Days of 1h Gifts |Guest Post|

Scroll down for enlgish, please. 

A Melissa do blog Rebel & Malice, tem publicado nestes últimos dias, ideias de presentes feitos à mão que conseguimos executar numa hora ou menos. Pelo meio tem algumas bloggers convidadas a partilhar algumas também e eu tenho o prazer de ser uma delas. E cabe-me fazê-lo hoje, com um passo a passo, para os ganchos coroa de princesa, que podem encontrar aqui. Entretanto, mostro-vos outras duas que fiz, uma delas a pedido da minha princesinha. 

For the last couple of days, Melissa from Rebel & Malice, has been hosting a series of handmade gifts that can be put together in one hour or less over her blog. Between one thing and the other, she also has guest bloggers sharing their own ideas too, and I have the pleasure of being one of them. It is my turn to do so, with a tutorial on how to make this princess crown hairclip, which you can find here. While you're staying here, I am sharing two more versions of these, one of them being a request from my own little princess.  

My Weekly Refashion Share #3 |Peter Pan Collar Tutorial|

If you're looking for the giveaway, please click HERE. 

Today I am sharing an outfit I made for G. I've been wanting to share this one on the blog for sooooo long, because it was one of those we fall in love with even before we finish sewing it. In one of my charity shopping trips I saw a pair of women's size flowerly capris, and I had my eye on it. I didn't bring it home because I was convinced to bring only the kind of pieces I went there looking for. But everytime I went there, they were still hanging, calling out for me, and eventually, one of those days, it came home. 

So, for 1€ only, I thought I could make my daughter a new pair of skinny jeans, since I had just made a few pairs back then and it can get quite addicting when you're in love with a pattern. But then something lightened my brain and I was reminded of a great free shorts pattern I had seen many months before, and wanted to try ever since. It was time to do it and so I did. But, not only I made a pair of shorts from these old capris, I was also able to make another Izzy top out of the pieces I had left. AND I have even put up a tutorial for you on how to add a peter pan collar to your Izzy top/dress as I did for my Izzy Paris look. 

First things first, let me start with the shorts. The pattern I've used was the City Shorts Pattern, which is a 3-4y sized pattern, given away for free by Monica, over Another Dress. The fact that it was 3-4y sized kept me from sewing it earlier, especially because I have a skinny princess. I decided to go for it though and if it turned out too big, we could always wait until she grew into it. I just used a little less lenght in the elastic for it to fit her skinny waist as changes to the pattern, for all the rest I followed instructions, and I loved the final results. Once she saw them finished, she loved it too. I had them hanging and everyday she would ask me if those were made for her. The best thing is that I am sure this is something she will be able to wear for a long long time, once that waist gets too tight I can always replace the elastic for a longer one. And, because the fabric is a slightly stretchy denim, she can even wear it in different year seasons, with or without layers. 

Of course, I loved the scraps way too much to part from them, they were begging me to be used too, and I couldn't resist the plea. I had another Izzy Top in mind. I had just finished and publish the Paris look one, and Teri, the designer of this great pattern asked me if I could put up a tutorial on how to add a peter pan collar to her top (or give her permision to do so herself), and I immediately said yes, of course I would do it. It's a pleasure! Here's a reminder of that top:

Today, I am happy to finally share the tutorial on how to draft and add a peter pan collar to your Izzy top too. 

Drafting your own collar:

Start your Izzy top and follow Teri's tutorial up until step 10. Then come back here and draft your collar. 

In the 4th photo above, I've added just 1cm (3/4"), but you can add a bit more if wanted, just depends on how you want your collar to look like. The same happens with the width, mine isn't a very big collar, so you can add as many cm or inches as you'd feel comfortable with. 

Sewing your collar:

For this top I used the same fabric for the outside and inside of collar, but if you check the one above (the black and white one), there's faux leather with applications on the outside and stripped fabric on the inside. If you're using different fabrics too, you should cut 2 interfacing, 2 main fabric and 2 lining fabric pieces. If adding any applications, make sure to add them before you sew any pieces together. When interfacing, you can pick either the 2 main fabric pieces or the lining ones, it doesn't really matter. Then put main and lining right sides together pin and sew as shown on pictures above. 

Go back to Teri's tutorial to seehow to add the bodice lining, and come right back here.

And that's it. If you have any doubts, please feel free to ask and I will help if I can. 

KCW |day 2| It's a boy week |PR&P9#3|

I made it! I was able to get a new outfit done for my baby boy... by 11.30 am... yey! Which means I still have time to start something else, but, later I guess. KCW so far, so good. 

But today's look, does not only fit my KCW plans, it also fits the 3rd week challenge of Project Run & Play, which is "Design your fabric". I took care of that part yesterday... I used a potato and fabric ink to print a piece of a white t-shirt. I've cut a potato an dused one of the halfs to crave my design. Then I used a ruler to make straight lines so I could print between them. I first painted the potato and just pressed into the fabric. Allowed it to dry and ironed to set the ink to the fabric. 

Today my fabric was ready to be used. Actually, by yesterday's evening it was dry already, so I was able to cut and prepare the patterns I wanted to use, and cut the fabric pieces too. I picked Sewing Mama RaeAnna's Cupcake Top pattern for the top and the Fancy Pants Leggings pattern, by Titchy Threads for the bottom. I was a pattern tester for both, I did two Cupcake tops so far, and it's only the second time I use the Fancy pants. 

Starting with the top, I did the 6-9 M size. I've got enough clothes for the boy for the first months; clothes that came from big sister and are neutral, so most likely, I will only make smaller sizes if I really want him to have something special. I used the back of my own t-shirt for the front of this one, I couldn't save the front because it had a print on it. I thought I had some more white t-shirts to refashion in my stash but I didn't, so I stole one of my hubby's. I'm betting on how long he'll take to realise it... maybe never. I used scraps of black knit I had used to make myself a dress a long, long time ago. Everything went perfectly well with this one, apart from the fact that the collar stretched out a lot as I added the binding. Buahhhh... It kinda ruined my top, but maybe I'll get to fix it later. 

When it comes to the pants, I used the 6-9 M size, and since I had a little bit of the self-printed fabric left, I had to use it in the back panel. Doesn't it look cute? Can't wait to see a diaper bum in it. This is such a quick and easy sew, and so satisfying. The rib knit is still from the same leftovers I have used in the Panda hoodie. 

And that's it! Two more items crossed from my list. Let some more come. 

Snowflakes & Lace Series

I was so honoured to be asked by RaeAnna and Veronica to take part of their Snowflakes & Lace series. My hyper active brain started working, what to do, what to do?! My first thought was making something for myself, then something for my daughter, then something matchy for both... I just couldn't decide, I was so excited about it. Then I had a few things happening in between the time I knew about it and the day I should be done with my post, and I didn't think much about it. 

As my days to work on it started to be less and less I had to make up my mind, and since there is Refashion Month going on, I thought I'd put both things together and do some selfish sewing, after all it's been a while since I last sewed for myself. 

 

I did make an imaginary sketch of what I wanted to do and since I was lacking lace in my stash... - ok, maybe I wasn't, but for this time only I felt like go thrift shopping and I came home with 6 pieces and only spent 6€...- I bought this lace covered shirt for 1€ at a local charity shop. Then I went looking through my refashion clothes stash and found a 10/12 year size undershirt that was almost a perfect fit on me, wasn't it too short on the sleeves... did I ever mention I am a petit size?! hehe The undershirt was kept because I loved the striped purple fabric. I just couldn't let go of it. 

So, yes! I decided an undershirt was perfect to make myself a new top. Only after I was finished I realised I made it for summer, but by then I'll be about to give birth, I don't think I will get to wear it that much this year, but who cares? There's always next year. Besides, I've saved the rest of the lace and maybe I can add some to the sides to get some extra room in a few weeks?!

How did I do it? Well, I started by ripping off the original sleeves from both tops, then pinned the lace sleeves to the striped shirt. After sewing them with a zig zag stitch I cut the sleeves to the lenght I wanted them and finished the seams. I thought the armholes looked too tight for me and decided to make a cut and get it wider. That was a mistake! They got too wide (3rd picture top, below). 

I also had to do something about the collar. It was clearly from an undershirt, so I cut the elastic off, and from the edges of the original lace sleeves I cut at about less than 1", the idea was to add it all around the collar and finish with a bias tape. It didn't worked out as I had envisioned but it worked somehow. At least it looks more like a normal shirt collar now. 

The top was a bit too short, especially because the baby bump is showing already, so I had to enlarge it. To get it done, I went looking in my bin of scraps and leftovers from other refashions, I wanted something white and knit that I could use in my shirt. I found half shirt which was perfect, the width was exactly the same from the one I was trying to fix. Bonus! I used a piece from it, to attach to the striped shirt. I should have put it on and mark right under my breast, but I didn't, so I wasn't very please after I finished and finally tried it on. 

To finish off my top, I cut the bottom of the original lace shirt and added it to my new shirt, giving it a little extra lenght. I was very pleased when I finished and I love my new top. Too bad it's too cold right now to wear it inside. 

Now the interesting part. If you want to be a lucky winner for these:

... make sure you enter the series giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tutorial: How to add a seam pocket

I guess I started to really like RaeAnna after we competed together for The sew Off. After I was voted out, I was crossing my fingers for her. I'm glad we have been in contact after that, and I was really happy that I was able to test one of her patterns as I told you in my previous post. 

That said, I have to admit that I am terrible happy to announce that she has released her newest pattern:

The Bumblebee Dress

Visit her blog to know more about it. 

I have made 3 already! Yes, three dresses using this pattern. Well, one is actually a tunic, but that's just a small detail. The first you were able to see in my previous post, second and third were done with the final pattern, which is the one you get when purchasing it. I loved working with this pattern. 

I will save the third for another post and jump to my third version, for a little reason: I have put a tutorial together on how to add pockets to this dress - in my case, tunic and would like to show you already.

I will only meet my model later today, so for better pictures of it, you will have to wait until tomorrow or a little later. Besides, although it looks finished it isn't. I still need to make button holes and sew my buttons to it. I was just feeling too tired to do that almost at 1 a.m.

Shall we move on to the tutorial now? Read more about details and changes made to the pattern HERE.

I did a couple of changes to my pattern, being one of them adding seam pockets. And here's how I made it!

To draw your own pocket, just place a piece of paper on top of your skirt (on one side) and free hand a kind of half-heart-shaped figure, turned upside down like in my image number 1. I placed my pocket beginning at about 2" from the top seam and it worked just fine. 

Repeat for the other side and you've got your pockets in. If you have any doubts about this tutorial, please feel free to contact me.

If you are making your own Bumblebee Dress, don't forget to share it in the flickr album. There's a link party for this pattern too.

|day 30| Refashion Month Guest: Stacey from Boy Oh Boy, Oh Boy Crafts

Yes, technically I know it is the 31st already, my own fault that I couldn't bring it sooner to you. Today, the last guest from this series is Stacey from Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy Crafts! she's been one of my favourite bloggers for a while. She's a very talented mom of three! Go there and check for yourself!

Hi, I'm Stacey and I blog over at Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy Crafts.  I'm so excited to be a part of Refashion Month. I love the idea of taking something less than stylish or worn out in a few places and remaking it into something fabulous.  We've been living overseas in Europe where the thrift stores are more like outlets, so most of my previous refashions have come out of our closet.  I've very excited to be moving back to America, where I can utilize the amazing thrift stores in our area.

Here are a few of the refashions I've done this past year:  T-shirt Hoodie, Men's Dress Shirt to Kimono PJs,  T-shirt to Pullover, Lumberjack Pants, Ninja Kit, Pillowcase R2D2 Costume

Today, I'm sharing a super simple tutorial for changing an ill fitting maxi dress.  I've had this strapless maxi dress for a few years now and never wear it.  I had ordered it on-line and should have returned it.  It was just not flattering for my body.  Too much bulk on the top and who wants to go around wearing a strapless bra when they're wearing a comfy knit dress? 

To make the new dress while keeping the nautical style, I simply cut directly above the drawstring. 

Then I grabbed a ribbed tank, put it on inside out, marked where I wanted the tank to merge with the knit skirt, and cut 1/2 inch below this mark.

With right sides together, I pinned the tank and skirt together and sewed using a 1/2 inch seam.

And that's it!  A quick and simple refashion that takes a too frumpy dress and transforms it into something comfortable and cute. Thank you for having me today!  Feel free to stop by any time in our neighborhood.

|day 22| Refashion Month Guest: Theresa from Theresa's To-Do's

I don't know Theresa, from Theresa's To-Dos for too long, but I genuinely adore her... so I had to have her making part of this series. I understand deeply on her quest for a decluttered and organized life, and of course, I enjoy checking every little thing she created for her twin boys or herself. She has taken the challenge to refashion all through the month, so check her blog to see all the other things she's been refashioning. 

Hello House of Estrela, I am so honored to be included in Magda’s fabulous line-up of refashioners. My name is Theresa, and I document my life projects at Theresa’s To-Dos. I have self-diagnosed Crafter ADD (which has spiraled out of control since Pinterest). I dabble in a little bit of everything, but sewing is my all-time favorite. Most of my refashioning is for my twin boys…but once in a while I find time for a Mama refashion. When Magda asked me to join in this series I was planning on showing off a little boy refashion (because that’s what I do best). Yet there was a pink glow coming from my closet that screamed, “FIX ME!” So to quiet the demons in the closet, I obliged. I picked this dress up at Old Navy a few years ago. It was on clearance for $7.97. On that particular day all clearance was an additional 75% off, making this little number only $2.00! (I think I forgot to mention that I am also a recovering clearance rack addict.)  

See that expression? It says, “What were you thinking!” There are many reasons this dress hung in my closet so long. The top ruffle paired with the drop waist just wasn’t cutting it. The bottom hem was also at a very awkward length. There is a positive here. Even though pink isn’t my favorite color, the fabric is a light jersey knit- perfect for Julys in Michigan! Let’s get started.  

The first step was to move up the waist, which also fixed that awkward length. This just required a quick snip across the top. I didn’t measure, just cut. The back was cut lower than the front. Thankfully, that hideous ruffle was removed in the process.

 

The next step is to make a casing for elastic. Fold the top to the inside. *Large enough to fit your elastic, plus seam allowance. Pin it down.

 

Sew with a zigzag stitch, leaving an opening for the elastic. Insert elastic. Sew elastic ends together, and tuck into the casing. Stitch opening closed. Technically you could stop right here and call yourself done. You now have a cute strapless dress. Strapless doesn’t work for this mama. I am frequently seen corralling a two year old boy under each arm. That alone is a sight that makes strangers gawk. I don’t want to add an awkward boob shot to the scene.

 

I cut the straps from the strip I snipped off earlier. Then sewed them in place. Next draw a vertical line down the middle front.

   

Gather the fabric along the line. Run a stitch through the gather. Tie it down, and try on! Admire your now wearable dress.

 

Refashion Month |first| Sew along guest: Olga from Kid Approved

When I was planning this series, my first idea was to have a guest for every single day, from the 1st to the 31st of July. And I made a huge list of my favourite bloggers, to contact and try to have them. Some couldn't and it's understandable, but I was left with more days left than guests. I then decided I would leave the weekends opened and do a guest a day through the week.

But, then I was contacted by Olga, she was wondering if she was in time to join the series. I had announced it already so, another idea clicked my mind! The weekends! Of course! So, for people who wanted to join us, I have opened my weekends to them!

So, Olga, from Kid Approved is my first sew along guest! Check her blog, I'm sure you'll love it!

My name is Olga and I blog together with my friend Oksana at Kid Approved. I mostly sew for my four children with occasional selfish sewing for myself. I believe in creating children's wear that's unique and whimsical, but at the same time functional, comfortable and age appropriate. Since I am also a huge fan of refashioning, I am super excited to be here today as Magda's guest.

A few years ago I was looking for a basic beige top that would go will all my bottoms, mainly my skirts. I couldn't find anything until I came across a beige t-shirt at Target. I bought it thinking it would solve all my clothes dilemmas and then maybe wore it once because seriously look at this.

Yawn. Can it be more boring. It was definitely time to turn it into something else, like a t-shirt for Ania.

This is what I did.

1. Cut the shirt apart at the seams. Use your favorite t-shirt pattern to cut out a new shirt for a child. If you can save the bottom so you don't need to hem it!

2. Join the front and back bodice pieces right sides together at the shoulder. If you have stretchy material, reinforce the shoulder seams ( I use clear elastic tape), otherwise the shoulders will droop and not look pretty.

3. Position neck binding as shown in picture and stitch it to the neck opening, stretching the binding, but not the shirt underneath it.

4. Once the binding is attached, join the other shoulder seam. Make sure everything matches perfectly at the neck! Next attach the sleeves ( I chose to add binding to my sleeves as well). Turn the shirt inside out, align the side seams and the underarm sea, pin. Sew the side seams and the sleeve in one continuous action. Repeat on the other side.  If you saved the hem from the original shirt, you are done! The shirt was cute, but there was no stopping  me, so I added a reverse applique.

5. Draw the shapes you want onto the shirt. I used two hearts. Next, pin the fabric you would want to show, right side to wrong side. Basically, the contrast fabric would be inside the shirt. To prevent puckering, pin the tear away paper used for machine embroidery on top of your contrast fabric. Don't have that? Tissue paper works too. Slowly stitch around your shapes.

6. Carefully cut the top layer, so the contrast fabric is visible. That's it!