Pinterest Challenge #6

Before I get on the subject, let me just make a quick note. Maegen Foster  was the lucky winner of the first week's sew along on Project Run and Play. She has compiled her favourite creations from the sew along and guess what? My Sad Cat dress was featured too. Thank you Maegen! You totally deserved to win!

Now, let's get to what brought me here. My latest project straight from my pinterest inspiration board was getting a look like the one inspired on the character Robin Scherbatsky from the tv show How I met your mother.

Well, it basicly means I needed a reason to finally refashion a  blue dress I was given. It belonged in time to my sister's mother in law, and of course, it ended up with me like most of all the old fashioned clothes nobody wants anymore. All I know is that this dress came from the USA a long, long time ago when they moved back to Portugal. And it is a so soft and warm knit fabric. 

I can tell you, it was ugly (not as much as the green one though). Well, you decide, see for yourself:

And yes, that's the after! With the blazer as in the inspiration look. I did go outside to get some nice photos taken, but when I took them I forgot why I was taking those photos, and didn't even wear my blazer. lol

I swear I acessorized the overlook with black earings and a large black bag (the one I use everyday, actually!). 

I liked the original neck collar, but it definately had to go. The changes I made were, getting rid of the sleeves (which means I got some fabric left and who knows, I might make anything matchy for G.), shortened the dress and add pleats on the waist line. It fits me just well. 

I used a belt I rarely use to complete my look. I enjoyed wearing it this time, I always feel weird with this belt, don't ask me why. I guess I am not a very belt person, anyway... Too bad I didn't get a single picture where my boots show entirely. They're old, actually it might have been the last time I wore them =( They are high heels and the only reason I still have them, is that I don't own any other pair of heels boots. 

Well, and this was me celebrating that I got to participate in The Sew Off competition!!! ahahah

Pinterest Challenge #5

The Pinterest deadline is tomorrow. What? Already? Yeah, looks like so! Good thing I have finished all my projects already. Today I am showing you the 5th and tomorrow the 6th and last one.

my 5th finished project was the cookies. My my pinspiration came from a friend's blog, here's the recipe source, which is written in Portuguese. Here's a (google) translation for you:

You'll need:

-300gr of flour,

-50gr of Custard Powder

-150g of butter

-100g icing sugar

-2 gems

-20ml of milk

-egg yolk

-chocolate bar q.s.

Join all ingredients until dough is uniform. Involve the dough in cling film and put it in the fridge for 30 minutes. Extend dough in a surface with flour, about 5mm thick and the cutouts are made with shapes. Place the biscuits in the oven on a tray lined with greaseproof paper. Brush with egg yolk and put in the oven for 12 minutes. Allow to cool and then melt the chocolate. Dip half cookie in the chocolate and place it on tracing paper to solidify your chocolate. 

google needed a helping hand, I guess...

I also used cream to mix with my melted chocolate bar. They turned out pretty tasty, and even a friend who is a cooker/baker said my chocolate was just perfect. I took those cookies to family lunch yesterday and the kids adored them. It was a great alternative to the chocolate eggs, which they all got a few of, but didn't eat because the had the cookies.
That's a try again recipe for sure!!!

The Quilted Chevron Dress - PR&P week 2 (and sew-vivor week 3)

If you've been reading my blog, you surely know that all I've been sewing lately has been created with fabric and supplies that I already had. I made a commitment of using what I have, before I buy any more. Why am I talking about that again? Well because it is The Riley Blake Chevron Week at Project Run and Play, and I didn't have any chevron fabric at all. 

My first thought, was turning this fabric into a chevron pattern, but then I had the last week of Sew-vivor sewalong in mind too, which theme is quilting. Well, I'm not a huge quilter, I don't even own a rottary cutter for sake, but I thought it was an excellent idea to combine those two themes into one project to allow me to sew along both challenges, saving me some precious time. Now even more, since I am competing for The Sew Off. 

I kept this dress pretty simple on the pattern. I used Emma Hardy's book cover pattern, but I had to adjust it to what I wanted. I really like the book, the good pictures and instructions, but I'm not so happy with the pattern sizes, just as I mentioned here.

What is there to mention about my dress then? The chevron quilting, of course.

This time I used left overs from a blue cotton sheet that I used in the past to make baby slings, and also a scrap of floral printed cotton too. I created a single chevron line all around the bottom of the dress. I choose not linning it except for the strap of patchwork. This was my second time quilting, I am terrified of doing it. 

Again I completed the look with non-mommie-made pieces. White tights, a simple white sweatshirt and a blue cardigan were the pieces I used to complete the look. We tried to get some pictures without the cardigan, but it was getting windy and cold again and we didn't want to risk it. Nothing's worth my kid getting sick, right?!

Again I went with something that already fits and might fit for quite a while still. The straps are adjustable and quite long to grow as she does. She looks terrible cute in it!

The Sew Off Contestants

Wanna know why I said I was so happy today? I made it! I am one of the twelve contestants for The Sew Off... I still can't believe it!!! I'm competing with a whole lot of talented ladies, I'm happy just for the fact that I was chosen to compete! Of course I'm excited to know how far will I go, but being there is already great for me!!! =) 

Featured

Do you follow the Refashion Co-op blog? 

Do you know their new Refashion Friday Link up? 

Well, I used to colaborate with the blog but then I got busy and since I couldn't keep up with at least one refashion every 30 days, I decided to step out. Then I started sewing a lot again, and refashioning as crazy, so I was happy when they came up with the linky party, because I could share my projects still, even if I wasn't a colaborator anymore. 

Was I surprised or what, when today I saw that out of 22 links, THREE of my own were most viewed ones!!! Yay... I'm pretty happy today... and that's not the only reason why. Soon I will tell you but not just right now. 

Let's talk about the Pinterest Challenge

I did not forget about it! No no no! And even though it may seem that I've complete lost track on this challenge, let me tell you: I did not! I just don't seem to get my pictures taken, since I've been so damn excited with other sewing challenges. 

Anyway... let's get back to my challenge pinspiration board:

So, father's day activity, cell phone case and button placket are checked out of my list. Yay for me!

Today I am showing you my version of the cell phone charger support. again I pinned something but had another one going on in my mind. I'm all for recycling, and I couldn't help thinking I had to try this:

source

I had actually started a while ago, I did prepare my empty bottle, and cut (even though mine was too thick and it was hard to do it neatly), but it layed around for a few months, until I came across pinterest challenge and decided it was about time to give it a finished look. 

I used the decoupage technique on mine, and got this:

As for the two remaining pins, well, one is ready (only need the pictures) and I'm just finishing the last one... yammy!!! 

did you miss it?

Pinterest Challenge #1

Pinterest Challenge #2

Pinterest Challenge #3

The Sad Cat Dress - PR&P week 1

Today is the day The All Star Season over at Project Run & Play starts. I've been waiting for this day to post my own Art Inspired creation. 

When I first read the themes, I immediately thought of Pablo Picasso and Van Gogh. But, as my euphoryia calmed down, I thought of something less obvious, and I went the only way I could. I chose the art of a Spanish artist, she's so talented, and I've been a fan since I saw her first illustration. 

I chose to be inspired by Victoria Francés. I knew I wanted to fabric print one of her illustrations, but let's face it, it was going to be part of a little girl's dress, and her sad, gothic, sexy vampire world wasn't really appropriate. 

Lucky for me, she doesn't draw only realistic pictures, she's got things such as Misty Circus, and that's what I held on to for my project. 

source

I selected one illustration that I found appropriate, printed it on a normal paper before anything else and I kept staring at it, until any light would turn on my head. When I realised it, I was sketching on the same paper that lovely sad cat. Uhmmm... it'd be nice to use my own sketch - I thought. 

I thought about all the ways I could print the image to the fabric but although not really what I liked best, I decided to use transfer paper, so all I had to do, was create a reverse image of the original, enlarge it and print it. I then cutted the sillhouette and pressed it with the iron to the final fabric. 

I made a dress with linen fabric on the exterior and cotton (from a white sheet) on the lining. Again, I didn't buy anything for the project, used all thing I already had at home. so, sadly for me, the black lace wasn't enough for the bottom seams. My first plan was to use it there too, but wasn't enough so I had to come up with a different solution. 

details

This turned out just too sweet - I think!

To create the pattern I used an existing dress, and really didn't any changes while tracing it, only that the original dress had 5 buttons on the back and I have used 6 on my own. Plus the original dress didn't have any seam allowances and I had to add some to mine. as for fabric or anything else, those two dresses have nothing in commom (sorry forgot to take a picture!). 

For the photoshoot I used some other garments too because it has been too cold, windy and rainy to have her wearing only the dress, and since I didn't want to make anything else, like coats or whatever (she's got too many!!!) I had to use other pieces not mommy made! Plus I wanted to make this shoot at this particular place, since there is a gothic church (but daddy, the photographer didn't get a single shoot of the building) :(

But the look is great! I love it! So, do you?!
Go check all the people sewing along HERE!