Altering or Refashioning Garments

At the Sewing Summit, in Salt Lake City, in October, I went to a inspiring class by Melissa Esplin. She taught us about refashioning garments. She goes to thrift stores and finds things that anyone else might immediately dismiss and turns a man's shirt into a button-up skirt or completely changes the look of an outdated shirt. Her style is very different than mine, but her message rang loud and clear. I need to change the look of the clothes that I have bought for some reason and can't wear for whatever reason or don't like anymore. I have not yet totally changed anything from one kind of a garment to another, but I have done a lot of altering to make things more modest or to fit my taste more. Here are a few examples:

I LOVE this dress, but I bought it a size smaller than I wear. It was too short, and the neck was too wide. So I bought a small amount of black fabric that was the same stretchy "rayonish" feel of the dress and added some length in black. I topstitched and was very careful to make it flow and look right. Then I opened the neckline and took off about 5 inches of elastic for a smaller neckline. It fits perfectly now. I love it.

I bought this dress a few years ago and after the first time I washed it, it was too short for my liking. So I found two T-shirts that my son had outgrown and cut them. I added a small strip of folded white cotton between the addition and the dress and didn't even  bother to finish the bottom edge of the dress because it is knit and won't fray. I wear this dress a lot in the summer. It is so comfy and I don't have to worry when I lift my arms up that I am revealing too much.

Cute suit, right? I bought it right after I had a baby and couldn't even try it on because I was 3 or 4 sizes larger than usual. I bought it in this color and black because I liked it so much. When I finally lost my baby weight and tried them on, I found them to be WAY too low cut. They looked bad. I haven't gotten to the pink one yet, but I did make a change to the black one that has worked out very well.

I cut some fabric off an old black swimsuit that I don't wear anymore and applied a ruffle to the neckline. It added just a bit more coverage, and that was all I needed. I feel much more comfortable in the swim suit now.

This is my next project. I bought this Lands End dress and really liked it. But then I washed it and now it doesn't fit right. It is short and the neckline shows my bra straps. I also don't like the fold up sleeve. So I have some work to do. Wish me luck.

In My Happy Place

It seems like every time I have a deadline and HAVE to sew/write patterns/create ANYTHING, which it seems there is always some sort of deadline, I go through the same cycle. First I am excited to do what I am about to do. I can't wait to get moving on it. I start. I start cutting and sewing and thinking. Then I start getting interrupted. I dread interruptions.  You know? The phone rings, someone needs a sandwich, it's time to pick the kids up from school. And then I get back into it with deep focus. But the problem is that that I get so driven to complete my projects that I don't take the time to enjoy them. I am DYING to complete the thing so I can get on with other things.

I wish so much that I could just enjoy the whole process. Sometimes I find myself there. But usually, I grow impatient for the end of my process to see the finished project.

Well, now I am in an interesting place. I have completed so many necessary things over the past month and a half. And now I have been organizing my house and working on other things. And I find my imagination running wild. I have so many ideas in my head for fun projects and a really great pattern design idea that I can't wait to make.

But now I hesitate because I realize that the best part of the process is really when I am building it in my head. This is where I don't mind the interruptions. I can see a finished product in my mind, and that is sort of satisfying. This is my happy place. I think I'll stay here a while.

Babies Grow Up and the Storage Grows Too!

I have been thinking lately about how I would really like to preserve some of my babies' clothing and items that were important to me as their mom. I don't want to just collect all of their stuff so it takes up space in storage and clutters my house, collecting dust. But I am looking for some projects I can conquer in a year or two that would be a great way to preserve these memories. I love this bench, for instance, made out of a baby crib. It comes from Casandradesign.blogspot.com We have a cute crib that is very similar to this one. It would be adorable.

Then there are bins of baby clothes that I treasure. You never get any significant amount of money selling used baby clothing. And if you lend it to friends, it ends up coming back to you when their baby outgrows it. So as soon as my little Macy (21 months) is 4 or so, I am going to cut up all of hers and Savannah's (age 9) baby clothes, and make quilts for both of them. Then they can cuddle up to them forever and have a memory to hold onto.

I wish that I were showing you my finished products here, but I am still in the baby trenches. Before long, I'll show you what I come up with.

SO SO SO BUSY!!!!

At the start of January, Riley Blake hired me to design a bag pattern for them using their new line, Dainty Blossoms. I had to start from scratch and get through the whole process start to finish by the end of the month. Below are the fabrics I used, in two separate bags. The bag pattern isn't released yet, so I won't post exactly what I came up with. But I will show you these fabrics and the bag that I pulled together as a sample, made out of Amy Butler Fabric.

I call it the box bag. This pattern will be put in kits with Dainty Blossom fabric and all of the supplies needed to make the bag and sold in stores. So much fun! I love the result.

Also, I was testing a diaper bag and am still testing a changing pack to go in the diaper bag for Joel Dewberry. I can tell you now that the diaper bag he is coming out with is adorable and beautiful and will be available after Spring Market.

Additionally, I made a new Ruffle Duffle as a sample to sell my pattern at Pine Needles in Gardner's Village, here in Utah. Amy Butler's new line, Lark, has appeared on shelves and this is my Ruffle Duffle tribute to Amy. Very cute and oh so wild. I love wild combinations.

So as you can see, I have not forgotten you. Between a husband running for congress and many wonderful opportunities in my sewing world, I had to set the blog aside for a bit. But I am back. Hooray!

The Completed Amy Butler Weekender Bag

Most of what they say is true. This bag is not easy. I have made hundreds of bags and even worked extensively with Peltex, and I found the home stretch of making this bag to be tough. But the result is wonderful!!! The pink fabric is from Joel Dewberry's Heirloom Home Dec fabric. The lining and piping is made out of something cheap but just perfect on sale at Joanne's.

I added an extra long shoulder strap with some hardware to make carrying the bag extra easy.

I tucked the hoop that I connect the strap to, in to the side pocket. I would have to say that the hardest part about making this bag for me was getting all of the layers of fabric within the seam while trying to stitch next to the piping. I about killed myself doing it and then ripping it out and doing it all over again.

I also added a magnetic clasp inside of the outside pocket on one side for some added security. But I should have used a larger clasp because it is a little hard to get it to meet.

The inside is beautiful, but I will for sure add pockets to the inside next time.

My biggest advice is to follow the directions without variation if you want to make this as easy as possible. The biggest problems came when I tried to do things my own way. It was worth the hard work though. And I did have fun for the most part.

Swallow Messenger Bag now available on Etsy!

The Swallow messenger bag is my favorite of the many bags I have come up with so far. It is roomy, comfortable, and full of pockets. This pattern is now available in my shop, on Etsy. Check it out there:

http://www.aprilcobbdesigns.etsy.com/

Time just ticks away each day...

Since you probably haven't met yet, this is my husband, Jay Cobb. Really, he has nothing to do with sewing or crafting or the other things I usually post about on this blog... except that his recent endeavors have taken me away from making new crafts to blog about. I do have a couple of things up my sleeve, which I will tell you about when I get a chance. But I wanted to let you know what Jay has me up to so you understand why my posts are growing more sparse.

Jay has been holding town hall meetings and doing a lot of speaking in public.

Jay is running for US Congress in Utah's new 4th district.  This is a huge undertaking, and I am his right hand woman. I personally called over 125 delegates last week. See why I have no time?

Here is an article that just came out about him:

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politics/53086216-90/approach-cobb-district-field.html.csp

This is his website:
www.jaycobbforcongress.com

I promise I won't ignore you forever.

xoxo