Top 5 of 2017 |REFLECTIONS/GOALS|

Scoll down for english, please!

Antes de escrever este post fui ler o semelhante dos anos anteriores (de 2013 a 2015), e é engraçado como a maior parte das decisões que tomei, principalmente em 2015 se enquadram naquilo que pensava escrever este ano também. Aparentemente não foi em 2016 que a minha motivação entrou em queda, e sim a meio do ano anterior. Desde então que tenho tido uns altos e baixos, parece até que essa motivação se tornou bipolar. Enfim... Hoje reflito nisso tudo, e vou deixar por escrito o que espero para 2018 no que toca às minhas costuras e a este blog. 

Before I started writting this post, I went back and read the similar ones from previous years (from 2013 to 2015), and it's funny how most of the decisions I made back then are quite similar to what I was going to write this year as well. Apparently it was not in 2016 that my sewing mojo went on holidays, but in the middle of the previous year. Ever since, I had ups and downs, like my mojo has suddenly turned bipolar. Oh well... I reflict on all that today, and I'll write down what I hope for 2018 as for my sewing and blog is concerned. 

#1. Nada de compras!- Este é um dos meus maiores objetivos para o próximo ano. Em 2013 desafiei-me a não comprar mesmo nada a não ser que fosse mesmo, mesmo, mesmo necessário. Desde então tentei manter o hábito mas mais descontraidamente. Durante 2017, não posso dizer que me tenha portado mal, os tecidos acima foram os únicos que comprei (os que já usei têm um "X"), mais dois outros que usei num pufe que fiz para o meu sobrinho, e renda para o soutien, aos quais não tirei foto, ainda assim, dei por mim a comprar alguns tecidos sem necessidade nenhuma, apenas por impulso.  

#1. No buying / Sew from my stash - This is one of my main goals for the next year. Back in 2013 I challenged myself to stop buying unless I really really really needed to. Ever since I tried to keep the habit but in a more relaxed way. Through 2017, I can't say I didn't behave, the fabrics pictured above were the only ones I bough (the ones with the "X" are the ones I used already), plus two other I bought to make my nephew a puff, and the lace for the bra but failed to picture, still, I know I bought a few of these on an impulse, no real need. 

#2. Reciclar/Transformar mais! - Não tenho reciclado tanto este ano, foquei-me mais em baixar a pilha de tecidos que tenho em stock e as roupas que tenho para reaproveitar foram ficando encostadas. Entraram mais algumas para a pilha que me foram dadas, tirei algumas pelas quais já não sentia conexão nenhuma para doar, e agora mais recentemente ainda comprei mais umas peças que encontrei a 1€ cada. Estão na foto acima, e já usei duas delas. Ah! E com isto gostava de dizer que penso trazer o "Refashion Month" de volta. 

#2. More refashioning! - I haven't done it as much this year, I focused on down sizing my fabric stash so the refashioning pile got a bit to the back of my head. A few more pieces were added to my existing pile, I took a few away to donate because I didn't identify with them anymore, but I also more a few more recently, I found them for 1€ each. They are the ones on the above picture, I used two of them already. Oh! I am planning on bringing the "Refashion Month" back.  

Apenas algumas das coisas que fiz que nunca cheguei a partilhar aqui.
Just a few of the things I made and never got to share here. 

#3. Publicar o que faço! - Tenho deixado imensas coisas que fiz por publicar. Acho sempre que posso fazer no dia a seguir e depois no outro e nunca chegam ao blog. Tentei contá-las e posso dizer-vos que as peças que nunca chegaram a ser publicadas foram praticamente em mesmo número que aquelas que sim. 

#3. Post what I make! - I've been leaving so many things I made unblogged. I always think I can make it the next day, and then the next and they never make it to here. I tried to count them and I can tell you they are nearly asmany as the ones that did make it to the blog. 

Acabei o pufe a 24 de Dezembro, foi prenda de natal do meu sobrinho e não tinha um fundo de jeito para tirar foto. A gata não ajudou. Foi o possível e não vou stressar por isso.
I finished this puff on the 24th of December, it was a christmas gift and I couldn't find a decent background for it. The cat didn't help either. It was the possible thing to get and I am not stressing over it. 

#4. Ser mais realista! - Naquilo que quero e posso fazer. Naquilo que realmente sou eu e não me deixar levar por aqueles/as que acompanho. Isto tem muito a ver com o ponto anterior, por vezes não publico à espera da melhor luz para fotografar a peça, do melhor isto e aquilo, mas sejamos verdadeiros, não pretendo fazer dinheiro com o blog, se a luz está mais fraca num certo dia, acho que preciso de tirar a foto mesmo assim, senão nunca chego a publicar nada. 

#4. Keep it real! - What I want and what I can achieve. What I really am and not get carried away with others I follow do or say. This is largely related to the previous subject, sometimes I might skip posting while waiting for a better light to get photos taken, best thi and that, but let's keep it real, I'm not planning on getting any profit out of this blog, if the light is bad on a certain day, well lei it be and shoot that photo either way, other wise it might never get to the blog. 

#5. Voltar aos videos! - Talvez não em formato podcast como fiz no passado. A ideia já cá está há imenso tempo, cheguei mesmo a gravar um video (há cerca de um ano, sei-o porque nele ainda aparece a 1ª macaca da G. e está quase a fazer um ano que a perdeu), mas nunca cheguei a editar e como tal muito menos a publicar. A ideia tem andado a martelar com mais insistência ultimamente, por isso devo mentalizar-me e voltar a eles.

#5. Back to videos! - This might only matter to my portuguese readers as I only film in portuguese, but anyway, I am planning on getting back, not on a podcast format though. The idea has been bouncing in my head for about a year now, so I guess it's time to get something done\about it. 

Holiday Debut Blog Tour

Scroll down for english, please!

Já está tudo em modo de festa? Ah pois é, Dezembro cheira a glamour e aconchego. E eu tenho o prazer enorme de participar neste tour, com tanta gente talentosa, e criações tão magnificas, perfeitas para estes dias festivos. Este tour, apresenta 3 moldes, de 3 designers que celebram assim, o fim do seu primeiro ano como designers. Os moldes são o Fishtal Kimono (Chalk & Notch), o Abby Footed Tights (The Wolf and the Tree) e o Blue Ridge Dress (Hello Holly Patterns), e eu, hoje, apresento-vos as minhas versões dos dois primeiros. 

Are you all into festive mood? Oh yes, December smells like glamour and cosiness. And I have the great pleasure of being part of this tour today, with a lotof talented people, and gorgeous crestions, perfect for the holidays. This tour, presents 3 patterns, from 3 designers that are now celebrating the end of a year as new designers. The patterns are the Fishtal Kimono (Chalk & Notch), Abby Footed Tights (The Wolf and the Tree) and Blue Ridge Dress (Hello Holly Patterns), and I have picked the two first ones to show you my versions today. 

Ambas as peças me deram imenso gozo, e foram super rápidas de fazer. Comecemos então por onde eu comecei também, que foi por escolher o tecido para as meias. A partir dai tive que escolher o tecido para o kimono, queria algo que fosse digno das festas, mas que ficasse bem com as meias e que desse também para conjugar com outros looks no dia a dia. E depois de analisar bem as possibilidades de todos os meus tecidos, acabei por escolher o mesmo veludo preto que usei para fazer os Bubble Shorts, o molde da Marta (Do Guincho), e que infelizmente já não servem à G. Infelizmente também preto e veludo não são propriamente a coisa mais fácil de se fotografar, e os detalhes nas costas do mesmo, ficam impossíveis de serem vistos nas minhas fotos, e é por isso que não há nenhuma sequer. Ó sim, e ela tem um buraco mesmo no meio da blusa porque caiu mesmo antes das fotos e rasgou-a, para grande tristeza minha, já que é uma das minhas preferidas. 

Both pieces were amazingle fun to make, and quick. Let's start from where I started too. which was the fabric for the footed tights. From there I had to pick the fabric for the Fishtail Kimono. I wanted something suitable for the holidays but alsowearable with daily looks. And after going throgh all the fabrics available on my stash, I picked the same velvet fabric I used for the Bubble Shorts by Marta (Do Guincho), and sadly don't fit G. anymore. Sadly as well, velvet and black aren't really the easiest thing to shoot, and the back details are nearly impossible to see in my photos (and that's why I am not posting a back view of this). Oh yes, she does have a hole in her sweater because she fell right before we started photographing, and it ripped, I was so deeply sad, because this is one of my faves. 

O kimono vem com opção de ajustar a altura das mangas e do corpo. As costas são compostas por duas peças, sendo que a parte de baixo é franzida no centro criando um detalhe interessante e feminino. E os tamanhos vão do XXS (18-24M) ao XXL (12 anos). Embora as medidas da G. a enquadrassem no S, eu fiz o XS e ainda bem, porque ainda assim, é bastante largo. 

The kimono comes with lenght and sleeve lenght adjustment cut lines. The back are built out of two pieces, and the lower one gathers in the center, creating an interesting and feminine detail. Size range starts at XXS (18-24M) to XXL (12 years). Although G.'s measurements would fit her into a S, I chose to make the XS and I am glad I did since there is a lot os ease in this pattern. 

O nosso look pode não parecer muito festivo, bem sei, mas não temos o habito de nos vestirmos formalmente nestas ocasiões passadas em família, claro que ainda espero fazer um vestido para ela, mas nada demasiado glamoroso. Mas continuando, e passando então às meias. Foram uma surpresa agradável. O molde traz na realidade dois moldes, um indicado para tecidos com elasticidade em dois sentidos, e outro para tecidos com elasticidade nos 4 sentidos. O meu, foi o segundo. A cintura também oferece dois acabamentos: cintura com dobra (tipo yoga) e cintura com elástico. Neste caso não segui as instruções e apliquei o elástico da mesma forma que faço sempre. São 17 tamanhos disponíveis, dos 0-14, e sim, pergunto-me se me servirão a mim também?! 

Our look isn't as festive as you'd imagine, I know, but we don't usually fancy up much for those family celebrations, of course I am still planning on making her a cute dress, but nothing too glamorous. Anyway, let's move to the footed tights. Those were a good surprise. The patterns comes actaully with two patterns, one for two ways stretch fabrics and another one for 4 ways stretch fabrics. I used the last one. The waistband has two ways too, one is a yoga waistband and the other one is an elastic waist. I went with the second option again, but I didn't follow the instructions tofinish it, instead I did it as I always do. There are 17 sizes in this pattern, from 0 to 14 years and yes, I am wondering if they fit me too?!

Alguém reparou nos outras peças feitas à mão desta publicação? São outras 3: A boina feita pela minha mãe (eu tenho um igual), a macaca, a amiga inseparável dela desde os 17 meses - aqui recusou-se mesmo a largar a macaca, já que tinha caído momentos antes - e também os calções (Morocco Shorts - Petit a Peit and Family) que fiz para o Top Stitchers em Maio. 

Did anyone spot the other handmades in this post? There are 3 of them: the beret my mom made (I have got a similar one too), the sock monkey, her best friend since she was 17 months old - she really refused to part from it in here, since she fell right before - and also the Morocco Shorts (Petit a Peit and Family) That I made for my Top Stitchers entry in May. 

E agora, só para quem quiser a oportunidade de ganhar um prémio composto por 22 moldes, um vale no valor de $120 para a loja da Rachel Allen Marcian, 'Sew Very Rachel', fica aqui um sorteio abaixo. As designers de Chalk and Notch, Hello Holli e The Wolf and the Tree, estão igualmente a oferecer 20% de desconto durante o tour, usando o código"Holiday"!

If you want to get a chance to win a grand price of 22 patterns, $120 fabric gift cards and a $25 gift certificate to Rachel Allen Marcian's custom clothing store 'Sew Very Rachel', make sure to enter the giveaway below. Besides, Chalk and Notch, Hello Holli and The Wolf and the Tree also have 20% off during the tour with coupon code 'Holiday'!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Não percam as publicações das outras bloggers que participam deste tour. Vale a pena.

Remember to visit all the other bloggers participating in the tour. You'll love it.

Monday, Dec 7th: Willow & Stitch | East & Eden | In a manner of sewing | Climbing the Willow

Tuesday, Dec 8th: Kaleidothought | Feathers Flights | Connected by a Thread | Call Ajaire

Wednesday, Dec 9th: Rebel & Malice | Free Notion | The Whole Sh-Bang | House of Estrela

Thursday, Dec 10th: Candice Ayala | Cindy Parrett | Hi and Hello | Made by Toya

Friday, Dec 11th: Just Add Fabric | Conversas de Hermanas | Glitter+Wit | Sew Starly

Saturday, Dec 12th: Paisley Roots | Petit a Petit + family | Life With Zeke | Made by Sara

Sock Monkey Costume Tutorial (the refashioned way!)

Since last year, I never got to blog about the costume I made my little girl for Carnival, and since we are already celebrating it again this year, I thought I could bring home, the Sock Monkey Costume tutorial that I first shared over at Get Your Crap Together for her 31 Days of Halloween Series. Enjoy!

Hello! My name is Magda E. and I blog over House of Estrela. I live in Portugal, and we don't have a strong tradition on Halloween. It might have become popular to celebrate it from 10 years to now over here, mainly school parties, bars having themed parties, etc. Trick or Treat isn't that common, and the costumes are mainly witches, vampires, zombies... We called it "Dia das Bruxas" (Witches day) and I love it. It also happens that my birthday is just two days before Halloween, so I get to make wonderful themed parties if I want to. I actually only made one great Halloween themed party, but it was huge and I had a great time preparing it and having it. 

Back to the costumes, around here, they are more popular around February, for the Carnival. And this year, I have made a sock monkey costume for my daughter. Don't know why, I never blogged about it so far, but with Halloween approching I think it is a wonderful time to not just blog about it, but to share a tutorial on how I made it. 

Following my self challenge of not buying any new fabric for the year, I tried to work with what I had.

I made the little one a sock monkey and it has become her best friend, which she carried all around, so we all thought it was a great idea to dress her up in a sock monkey costume.

The sock monkey I made her was this one HERE, and I wanted to make her one that would look the same. I visited a second hand market in search of some used clothes with similar prints but I couldn't find exactly what I wanted, so I had to stick with plan B instead, and just find a shirt we all liked. I came home with two shirts I was able to use. They both, together, costed me 1€. So, if you want to know how I made a sock monkey costume out of one euro only, then keep reading!

I used a grey shirt for the main body and a red one for the details.
The first thing I did, was to use a shirt that fitted my daughter to draft a pattern for the top of the monkey outfit. Then cut a front, a back, and two sleeves on the grey shirt. I started by sewing the shoulders together and added the sleeves, as shown on image above. 

I then closed the sides and attached the original collar, resized, which I had previously cut from the shirt and saved.

The next step was to make the pants, and for that matter I, again, used a pair of existing leggings (in this case) to cut the leg pieces (2 of them). I pinned them together inserting one inside the other with the right sides facing, and then sewn it. Since I reused the original sleeves from the grey shirt to cut them, I didn't have to worry about making a hem.

For the monkey's tail, I cut a long stripe from the grey shirt and a rounded edged (on the fold) piece from the red shirt. Then I sewn the grey into a tube and sewn the red all around leaving an opening on the opposite to the rounded edge. I've inserted the red piece into the grey tube (right sides facing) and sewn them together. Turned it around and stuffed it.

I've grabbed the pants again, and handsewn a red patch that I've previously cut from the red shirt - no measuring and no pattern for this, just followed what I thought to be the rightsize. I've zigzagged the edge of the seam, folded it and inserted an elastic at the waist. To finish it off, I handsewn the tail to the pants, right on the seam line, on the center of the back.

The last thing I made was a matching hat. Used an existing one for size. Cut 2 red pieces for main hat part, then cut 4 ear pieces from the grey shirt.also cut two smaller ear pieces from the red shirt. I've sewn one of the red pieces on one of the grey ones. The grey was right side up and the red has wrong side facing the right side of the grey. Once it was done, I've put one of the other grey pieces facing right sides together over the pieces I had just sewn and pinned the ears on each side. Put the two reds together, right sides facing, with ears sandwished in between, and sew. Turned around and my monkey hat was ready.

Here's how to cut the two shirts in order to get the best of existing seams and keep the hemming away.

This is a very quick project, so if you've been waiting until the last minute to make your costume, just start now and you'll have one in no time.

Baby Leg Warmers and a little extra

Please excuse the mess behind us and the fact that I still was wearing my pajamas ;)

I just realised that there's a few things handmade in this photo, when in fact I only wanted to picture one. hehehe

That thing I was hoping to take the shoot to was the adorable leg warmers baby G. is wearing. They were made by my mother. This is the second pair, she actually made a pink/salmon pair before, but G. hasn't used them yet, and this one is by far much cuter. Mom had made two pairs before for my nice. She's a quick knitter. The same can't be said about me. I could only stitch one way, and it was straight, I never knew how to start, and easily forget how to end something. Not to say I would take months to actually finish anything i'd knit. 

Though a few weeks ago, I asked mom to  p l e a s e  teach me again (!), I wanted to make G. a scarf. And I have learnt how to start it on my own. Mom tried to thaught me but I was being a very slow learner and she quit. =( Shame one me. But then, I decided I was going to pull it through, and after a single try I made it. I finally understood how to make it. 

Only a couple of weeks after, the scarft was done. what?! But baby G. won't let me put it on her. Not even to take a single picture =( So I had no choice but to use a bear as a model. At the edges of the scarf I attached two pompoms. I didn't make a pompom in years, and I made them amazingly fast. Hurray for me!

My next goal is to make her a bonnet... f e a r  i t! 

I actually finished another knitting project right before I started the scarf, but it still needs a little button touch and then I will share it. 

Now let's get back to the beggining of this post. Let me just point out the other handmade stuff showing on the photos above. 

First thing is the hair clip hanger baby G. is holding on her hands. It was a blank canvas I turned into a clip hanger, and it matched the decor in her room. It is made of the same fabric I used for her curtains, bed cover, pillow, and crib protectors. 

Second thing is the sock monkey I have showed you here. 

Third thing, is the clip with the red flower on it. I made it a while ago, way before she was born. 

My first Sock Monkeys

I've been working on a charity project lately. Someone has asked their readers (portuguese blog, that's why I'm not sharing here) to make sock and glove dolls to share in some pediatric hospitals. I never made such dolls, though I would like to try sometime. I joined the cause. I started by making one only. But my precious little girl thought it was pretty cool to hang around all day, so I had no choice but to give it to her.
I made two more sock monkeys to make up for this one she kept.

Here's the tutorial I followed.

So, I bought new pairs of socks and started them. Here's how they ended up like:

And she was trying to make these two her own as well, she played around with them for a little, before they were finished and then allowed me to give the final touches. 

Aren't they so cute? And I'm very proud of my three first sock monkeys! Do you like them?