How To: Felt Coffee Cozy

Tutorial:

My mom requested my help in making another coffee cozy, this time using felt, similar to one she had seen in a Better Homes & Gardens video. I changed the way I made mine slightly and added buttons as a cute finishing/detail effect. Not to mention I found this awesome felt for 25 cents! I was actually really surprised by the different varieties of felts my JoAnn's fabric store had. I didn't realize patterned and textured felt existed, who knew? When I saw this textured red piece I really liked the color, and the way that the texture draws your eye. This is a simple project that won't take very much time and is great for beginners and above, all in all it took me about 30 minutes to complete. I've posted the step by step breakdown after the link!

Tutorial:

My mom requested my help in making another coffee cozy, this time using felt, similar to one she had seen in a Better Homes & Gardens video. I changed the way I made mine slightly and added buttons as a cute finishing/detail effect. Not to mention I found this awesome felt for 25 cents! I was actually really surprised by the different varieties of felts my JoAnn's fabric store had. I didn't realize patterned and textured felt existed, who knew? When I saw this textured red piece I really liked the color, and the way that the texture draws your eye. This is a simple project that won't take very much time and is great for beginners and above, all in all it took me about 30 minutes to complete. I've posted the step by step breakdown after the link!

May Wishlist: Travel on A Budget

Exactly a month from tomorrow I'll be hopping on a plane with my sister and flying to Italy to spend a week traipsing around Rome, Tuscany, and Venice! I am so excited, I try not to think about it too often so that I don't get distracted. My sister has done an amazing job of planning our itineraries for our days in the different cities, I just wanted to go exploring but she said for our first visit we at least had to see the famous sites. Agreed. My job is to figure out our driving directions, which I have penciled in to do on my calendar this weekend. In addition to making copies of my passport, and all of our travel arrangement documents I also wanted to get a few new things for the trip. However I don't want to blow the whole 'wants' part of my monthly budget (yes, I have a budget) on clothes and other miscellaneous goods. Especially when I'm planning on spending money on food, gelato, and souvenirs to bring back stateside. So my wishlist for this month contains items that are $30.00 or less, and it's not very long because I actually plan on buying most of these items. I mainly wanted things that were light weight and would be comfortable to wear and travel in seeing as how we will be walking a lot. This was harder than I expected, but I still managed to find things I liked, and I hope you all will as well!

Click the link to see things I picked out

Exactly a month from tomorrow I'll be hopping on a plane with my sister and flying to Italy to spend a week traipsing around Rome, Tuscany, and Venice! I am so excited, I try not to think about it too often so that I don't get distracted. My sister has done an amazing job of planning our itineraries for our days in the different cities, I just wanted to go exploring but she said for our first visit we at least had to see the famous sites. Agreed. My job is to figure out our driving directions, which I have penciled in to do on my calendar this weekend. In addition to making copies of my passport, and all of our travel arrangement documents I also wanted to get a few new things for the trip. However I don't want to blow the whole 'wants' part of my monthly budget (yes, I have a budget) on clothes and other miscellaneous goods. Especially when I'm planning on spending money on food, gelato, and souvenirs to bring back stateside. So my wishlist for this month contains items that are $30.00 or less, and it's not very long because I actually plan on buying most of these items. I mainly wanted things that were light weight and would be comfortable to wear and travel in seeing as how we will be walking a lot. This was harder than I expected, but I still managed to find things I liked, and I hope you all will as well!

Click the link to see things I picked out

Just in Time for Spring and Summer: Maxi Skirts

I've had a busy past couple of days, this past week in fact, and right when I was ready to post this last night I realized I had left my laptop charger at work. It's the end of the semester and so I have a ton of projects and finals I'm getting ready to prepare for. I did make it over to JoAnn's on Sunday and used up some of my 50 and 40% off coupons!  I didn't find any fabric that I loved for my Minoru Jacket, which is okay because my pattern still hasn't arrived yet, but I picked up some jersey knit and this other stretchy fabric that I used to make some maxi skirts. I have enough of the stretchy fabric left over that I'm going to make a beach/cover wrap dress with!

Copyright Miriam Tribe - madmim.com

I've had a busy past couple of days, this past week in fact, and right when I was ready to post this last night I realized I had left my laptop charger at work. It's the end of the semester and so I have a ton of projects and finals I'm getting ready to prepare for. I did make it over to JoAnn's on Sunday and used up some of my 50 and 40% off coupons!  I didn't find any fabric that I loved for my Minoru Jacket, which is okay because my pattern still hasn't arrived yet, but I picked up some jersey knit and this other stretchy fabric that I used to make some maxi skirts. I have enough of the stretchy fabric left over that I'm going to make a beach/cover wrap dress with!

Copyright Miriam Tribe - madmim.com

My Minoru Jacket

I finally did it, I bought a pattern to make a jacket. The 1103 Minoru Jacket pattern by Sewaholic to be exact! Here's what the lovely thing will look like, hopefully, when I'm done.

Isn't it awesome! There's a hidden hood in the collar too

I haven't purchased a pattern since my sister and I bought Margo Anderson's Elizabethan Lady's Wardrobe pattern that we used to make full costume period pieces to wear to a Renaissance Faire. At the time the pattern was way beyond our skill level, but we were determined and both of us working through things together were able to piece together two fantastic dresses.

Both dresses are currently entered in a costume contest, feel free to vote for either of us to win $100

After a years worth of work we were both off of sewing for a while, but since then I've always contemplated making normal dresses or pieces of clothing. However, I'm not at the level where I can simply draft my own pieces, which is where patterns come in. I don't know if it's just me, but the images on the front of pattern bags just really throw me off. They just don't ever look like things I would want to wear, even if the finish product would come out really awesome, but I blame that on the artists. For years tons of people have used these patterns to make themselves affordable clothing, so I guess I should try to start being more trusting. Nowadays there are a lot of pattern companies that sell fashionable patterns (Project Runway, Vogue, etc).

That skirt is kind of cute, right? Maybe???                 Minoru Pattern - $17.98

After seeing other blogger's version of the completed Minoru Jacket I knew that the pattern was trustworthy in addition to being stylish and I went ahead and bought it. What's really awesome is that Tasia, the creator of Sewaholic Patterns has her own blog that's different from the pattern website. On it she features her latest projects, but she also does sew-along's where she's posted step-by-step photo instructions along with many other helpful tips for a specific project. She has one for the Minoru Jacket, so in addition to the instructions that come with the pattern, if I get stuck at any point I'll be able to just follow along with picture directions which is a godsend. I'm planning on looking around for fabric during the week and this coming weekend. I have a feeling I'm going to make multiple versions of this jacket and for the first one I'm going to try a spring jacket. I'm thinking yellow outside, with some kind of navy lining. I also feel like a cozier tweed/corduroy version of this would be nice for a fancier winter version, and maybe if I'm crazy enough a sporty version with a mesh lining. Can you tell that once I get going my imagination just runs wild? I'll keep you posted on my fabric choices and some pictures once the pattern arrives.

I finally did it, I bought a pattern to make a jacket. The 1103 Minoru Jacket pattern by Sewaholic to be exact! Here's what the lovely thing will look like, hopefully, when I'm done.

Isn't it awesome! There's a hidden hood in the collar too

I haven't purchased a pattern since my sister and I bought Margo Anderson's Elizabethan Lady's Wardrobe pattern that we used to make full costume period pieces to wear to a Renaissance Faire. At the time the pattern was way beyond our skill level, but we were determined and both of us working through things together were able to piece together two fantastic dresses.

Both dresses are currently entered in a costume contest, feel free to vote for either of us to win $100

After a years worth of work we were both off of sewing for a while, but since then I've always contemplated making normal dresses or pieces of clothing. However, I'm not at the level where I can simply draft my own pieces, which is where patterns come in. I don't know if it's just me, but the images on the front of pattern bags just really throw me off. They just don't ever look like things I would want to wear, even if the finish product would come out really awesome, but I blame that on the artists. For years tons of people have used these patterns to make themselves affordable clothing, so I guess I should try to start being more trusting. Nowadays there are a lot of pattern companies that sell fashionable patterns (Project Runway, Vogue, etc).

That skirt is kind of cute, right? Maybe???                 Minoru Pattern - $17.98

After seeing other blogger's version of the completed Minoru Jacket I knew that the pattern was trustworthy in addition to being stylish and I went ahead and bought it. What's really awesome is that Tasia, the creator of Sewaholic Patterns has her own blog that's different from the pattern website. On it she features her latest projects, but she also does sew-along's where she's posted step-by-step photo instructions along with many other helpful tips for a specific project. She has one for the Minoru Jacket, so in addition to the instructions that come with the pattern, if I get stuck at any point I'll be able to just follow along with picture directions which is a godsend. I'm planning on looking around for fabric during the week and this coming weekend. I have a feeling I'm going to make multiple versions of this jacket and for the first one I'm going to try a spring jacket. I'm thinking yellow outside, with some kind of navy lining. I also feel like a cozier tweed/corduroy version of this would be nice for a fancier winter version, and maybe if I'm crazy enough a sporty version with a mesh lining. Can you tell that once I get going my imagination just runs wild? I'll keep you posted on my fabric choices and some pictures once the pattern arrives.

Wishlist: Clothes

So I was originally just planning to do a Wishlist every month around a central theme, whether that be the month, the season, or a color. But I was on Pinterest last night and saw a picture of the most awesome Harry Potter themed shirt I have ever seen before.

Harry Potter spells!!! Spell Tee - $10.00

  

More shirts after the link!

So I was originally just planning to do a Wishlist every month around a central theme, whether that be the month, the season, or a color. But I was on Pinterest last night and saw a picture of the most awesome Harry Potter themed shirt I have ever seen before.

Harry Potter spells!!! Spell Tee - $10.00

  

More shirts after the link!

Bedroom Makeover

There are two bedrooms in our current apartment. The biggest bedroom we sleep in, C keeps all of his clothes, and I hang half of my clothes. The other bedroom is used as a guest bedroom, and in the closet is a futon mattress, storage boxes, the rest of my clothes in a dresser, and all of my craft supplies. We'll call the guest bedroom my bedroom. So my bedroom currently is very ugly in my opinion.

Extra dresser I have no idea what to do with yet

 I didn't really mind it too much, until I redid my dresser. I'm tired of ugly cheap floor lamps, and mismatched bedding, old comforters, etc. I don't really have much space and because we live in an apartment, we don't really want to mess with painting. But that's no excuse, I read tons of design blogs where people living on a budget or in small spaces have 'to die for' looks. The dresser is such a focal point I decided to re-do my whole bedroom giving it a put together more grown up look. I made a theme of things I want to do to pull the space together, but I got side tracked the past couple of months and haven't really gotten anything for it completed besides the wall art C and I made. Click the link to read up on my new theme and plans.

There are two bedrooms in our current apartment. The biggest bedroom we sleep in, C keeps all of his clothes, and I hang half of my clothes. The other bedroom is used as a guest bedroom, and in the closet is a futon mattress, storage boxes, the rest of my clothes in a dresser, and all of my craft supplies. We'll call the guest bedroom my bedroom. So my bedroom currently is very ugly in my opinion.

Extra dresser I have no idea what to do with yet

 I didn't really mind it too much, until I redid my dresser. I'm tired of ugly cheap floor lamps, and mismatched bedding, old comforters, etc. I don't really have much space and because we live in an apartment, we don't really want to mess with painting. But that's no excuse, I read tons of design blogs where people living on a budget or in small spaces have 'to die for' looks. The dresser is such a focal point I decided to re-do my whole bedroom giving it a put together more grown up look. I made a theme of things I want to do to pull the space together, but I got side tracked the past couple of months and haven't really gotten anything for it completed besides the wall art C and I made. Click the link to read up on my new theme and plans.

How To: Save your Shirts

Tutorial

 Hey everyone! I can't believe I'm saying this, but this week has been crazy so far and it's only Tuesday. I didn't get nearly as much done crafting wise as I wanted to this weekend, but that's okay. Rushed projects never turn out as nice as something that had time spent on it. What's most frustrating is the huge list of ideas I have penned down on a notebook at home, and not having enough time during the week to get to any of them. I'm really starting to understand why my favorite craft blogs don't post everyday, or the reason for having staff for the ones that do post everyday. Regardless of all that I was able to take in a shirt my mom had sent me the other day. It was too loose on her, and when I put it on it just made me look like a box. This is such an easy fix, and a simple way to give those looser pieces in your closet another chance before you toss or donate them. Click the link for the step by step.

Tutorial

 Hey everyone! I can't believe I'm saying this, but this week has been crazy so far and it's only Tuesday. I didn't get nearly as much done crafting wise as I wanted to this weekend, but that's okay. Rushed projects never turn out as nice as something that had time spent on it. What's most frustrating is the huge list of ideas I have penned down on a notebook at home, and not having enough time during the week to get to any of them. I'm really starting to understand why my favorite craft blogs don't post everyday, or the reason for having staff for the ones that do post everyday. Regardless of all that I was able to take in a shirt my mom had sent me the other day. It was too loose on her, and when I put it on it just made me look like a box. This is such an easy fix, and a simple way to give those looser pieces in your closet another chance before you toss or donate them. Click the link for the step by step.