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Bombshell Swimsuit – a pattern review-

April 22, 2016 by girlinspired 1 Comment

An honest review of the Bombshell Swimsuit sewing pattern.A quiet blog usually means we are B.U.S.Y. – which is pretty much life, huh?  We spent the last couple weeks in Maui and it was just the unplugged, family fun that we all needed to power through the end of the school year.  I spent the week before we left sewing for myself, something that I haven’t found as much time for in the last few months.  Packing for a tropical beach vacation can be quite easy – as long as you have a great swimsuit and a few easy things to throw over it, you’re set.  I, unfortunately, was in need of a new swimsuit.  I had heard about the Bombshell Swimsuit sewing pattern and decided to give it a go.  I figured nothing could be worse than swimsuit shopping, am I right?! An honest review of the Bombshell Swimsuit sewing pattern.

So…I sewed the suit.  And I wore the suit.  All day, every day of my trip.  I’m not even sure where to begin raving about this pattern.  I’M POSTING PICTURES OF MYSELF IN A SWIMSUIT ON THE INTERNET!  Doesn’t that say it all?  You guys – this is a must-sew for ALL body types.  The classic 1950’s silhouette is super flattering plus modest plus sexy.  From where I’m standing, it’s the trifecta of swimsuit styles.  As the pattern maker describes it: “With flattering ruched seams, a booty encasing seat and a skirt-like front, the Bombshell swimsuit hugs your curves while providing full (but sexy) coverage.”

An honest review of the Bombshell Swimsuit sewing pattern.

An honest review of the Bombshell Swimsuit sewing pattern.

This was pretty much my uniform my whole vacation.  I felt comfortable and stylish and pretty damn proud of myself for sewing my own swimsuit.  SO much better than trying to find something that fits my exact shape on the store rack!

I purchased the sewing pattern through Closet Case Patterns – it was an instant pdf download and printed out without any trouble.  There are a couple different styles – I went with the halter top for something new, though my other swimsuit (store-bought) has the “gathered bust maillot” top available as one of the other pattern variations and I looooove that style. (planning on sewing up the alternate variation asap!)  She also provides very detailed and well-photographed step-by-step information in a sewalong on her blog – so check that out if you’re struggling with a step.

I used a combination of serger and sewing machine for the suit, but you can absolutely get by with just a sewing machine.  In fact, I did most of the finishing with the sewing machine and mostly did basting with the serger.  I did appreciate the quick and extra reinforcement of serging the final side seams together and attaching the bodice to the bottom, but other than that, I’ll probably skip the serger all together next time.

I did not ruche along the back center seam of the seat, but I think I’ll give it a try on the next go-around.  The back is fine without the ruching – just simple. It made it quicker to sew without that step and less intimidating on the first try.  The back of the swimsuit provides full coverage – the fabric stays put and it’s totally comfortable – no riding up, no tight elastic.  Although the instructions for sewing in the elastic around the leg holes looked complicated, I found it easy to follow with both the pattern and my fabric in front of me at the sewing machine.

An honest review of the Bombshell Swimsuit sewing pattern.

The gathered side seams and the front “skirt” panel just makes this swimsuit!  It’s so stylish and modest in just the right places.  You end up with three layers of fabric over your stomach, which is especially nice when you’re over the age of, say, had a baby or three.  The halter top/bust portion came together easily also.  There is elastic sewn with a slight tension down each side of the bust pieces and this helps everything stay put.  I did rip some cup liners out of a super old swimsuit and added them to this halter version, even though it wasn’t included in the pattern.  A little lining makes me feel more comfortable – I just did a quick stitch around the perimeter of the cup to sew it onto the inside of the lining piece before sewing together the lining and the main fabric of each bust piece.

An honest review of the Bombshell Swimsuit sewing pattern.

As you can see, the suit was good for swimming, beach strolls, and cradling cute kiddos poolside.  Alrighty!  So, nothing but glowing recommendations for this pattern.

PATTERN: Closet Case Files Bombshell Swimsuit

FABRIC: paisley lycra from Joann Fabric & Craft, polyester thread, ball point needles

MACHINES:  Baby Lock Aventura Sewing Machine & Baby Lock Evolution Serger

Have fun!

Filed Under: Fashion, Pattern and Product Reviews, Sewing, sewing for women Tagged With: bombshell swimsuit, modest swimsuit, swimsuit, women's swimwear

Zippered Pocket Scarf and Pattern Book Giveaway!

December 7, 2015 by girlinspired 62 Comments

Zippered Pocket Scarf - Sew up this EASY scarf with a zippered pocket perfect for stashing your phone, ID, and house key! So great for walks, jogging, even a day trip where you want your hands free!You guys!!!  Are you looking for a really quick, stylish sewing project for someone who is always on the go?  This Zippered Pocket Scarf is SO clever and just perfect for stashing a phone, ID, and house key!  So great for walks, jogging, even a day trip where you want your hands free, don’t you think?  I found this sewing pattern – the Hipster Pocket Scarf – while I was perusing the new sewing book:  On the Go Bags—15 Handmade Purses, Totes & Organizers by Lindsay Conner and Janelle MacKay (Stash Books)(affiliate).

Zippered Pocket Scarf - Sew up this EASY scarf with a zippered pocket perfect for stashing your phone, ID, and house key! So great for walks, jogging, even a day trip where you want your hands free!This infinity style scarf was a breeze to sew and is labeled “beginner.”  Anyone can make one and it doesn’t take long.  I reduced the length so that it wraps around only twice instead of three times because I used a sweatshirt fleece and didn’t need it too bulky.  It would also be super cute in a lightweight knit for spring or fall.  The zippered pocket is super handy to keep your phone and house key tucked away safe when you head out for a walk.  I like to listen to music or podcasts while I’m walking and the headphones pop out the end of the zipper easily.  It’s awesome!!  My beautiful cousin modeled the scarf for me and she’s pretty excited to use it for running as well.

Zippered Pocket Scarf - Sew up this EASY scarf with a zippered pocket perfect for stashing your phone, ID, and house key!  So great for walks, jogging, even a day trip where you want your hands free!

Zippered Pocket Scarf - Sew up this EASY scarf with a zippered pocket perfect for stashing your phone, ID, and house key!  So great for walks, jogging, even a day trip where you want your hands free!

In addition to being the perfect workout accessory, I think you could wear this scarf a number of other places where you want your hands free and just need some keys and your credit card – Christmas tree lot?  Zoo?  Disneyland?  It’s like a totally stylish alternative to the fanny pack, am I right?

Zippered Pocket Scarf - Sew up this EASY scarf with a zippered pocket perfect for stashing your phone, ID, and house key!  So great for walks, jogging, even a day trip where you want your hands free!

Alright, on to a few more details about On the Go Bags—15 Handmade Purses, Totes & Organizers.  This book has all kinds of sewing patterns for a variety of bags: a car organizer, purse pocket/accesssory insert, tablet carrier, travel toiletry bag, men’s bag, grocery cart organizer, the list continues on and on.  The book is also broken down into beginner, intermediate, and advanced projects so that you can gauge your project accordingly.

On the Go Bags front cover

On the Go Bags Moms Minivan Organizer

On the Go Bags Cart or Stroller Caddy

The book is available this month at CTPub.com and January 7th on Amazon! Add it to your holiday wishlist now, and comment below for your chance to win a copy!  Also, be sure to check out so many of the other reviews during the On the Go Bags blog tour:

On the Go Bags Blog Tour

Tuesday, Dec 1: Shannon Fabrics / Sew Sweetness
Wednesday, Dec 2: Clover & Violet / Ann Kelle
Thursday, Dec 3: Radiant Home Studio / Melly Sews
Friday, Dec 4: Sew Caroline / Mia’s Creations
Saturday, Dec 5: ikat bag / imagine gnats
Monday, Dec 7: sewVery / The Girl Inspired
Tuesday, Dec 8: Stash Books / Fabric Mutt
Wednesday, Dec 9: Pellon
Thursday, Dec 10: Simple Simon and Co / Mrs. H
Friday, Dec 11: Emmaline Bags / Lindsay Sews
Monday, Dec 13: Sew, Mama, Sew

Giveaway!

Would you like to win a copy of On the Go Bags? Leave a comment on this post and you’ll be entered to win.  Giveaway ends 12/15 at midnight EST, and we’ll choose one random winner, who will be notified by email.  U.S. winner will receive a hard copy, and winner outside the U.S. will receive an e-Book.

Filed Under: Giveaway, Pattern and Product Reviews, Sewing, sewing for women Tagged With: scarf sewing pattern, zippered pocket scarf

Summer Skirt Tutorial and Summer Shoes

June 1, 2015 by girlinspired 1 Comment

Cute maxi circle skirt - so pretty for summer!One of my top wardrobe requirements for the summer is having an easy pair of comfortable shoes that I can wear daily.  They have to be comfortable, stylish, and also stand up to the elements for trips to the pool, the park, and barbecues.  I don’t like to spend a lot of time planning outfits for our summer activities and I love the ease of having a pair of shoes that will carry me through whatever we’re doing each day.  When I got a peak at Crocs new line of shoes, I thought that they just might fit the bill for my summer shoe needs.  Today’s post pairs a tutorial for a casual summer skirt with these fun wedges! Maxi Skirt and Cute Wedges! These A-leigh Shimmer Leather Wedges kind of blow my mind.  They have the incredible “sink your toes into marshmallow pillows” feel of all the Crocs shoes I’ve tried on and they are so stylish!  I pretty much haven’t taken these off since I got them! You know when you walk in your door after running the kids to school or running errands and the first thing you do is kick your shoes off to let your feet be free?  Not with these shoes!  They’re more comfortable than walking around barefoot!  I’ve never worn wedges that didn’t feel hard under my heels, and I really love that these are so wearable.  The uppers are black shimmery leather – they look nice, but I’m not worried about getting a little dirt, grass, or water on them.  The strapping also feels flexible and soft around my toes.  My only issue was that the strap was a bit loose, but I just punched an extra hole and now they’re fine! Cute maxi circle skirt - so pretty for summer!The bottoms of the shoes have traction, making them suitable for many of the outdoorsy places we like to go in the summer.  I pictured wearing them lakeside and needed a flowy summer skirt to go with them.  So, naturally, I rummaged my knit stash and came out with this yummy blush knit.  For a flowy skirt without a bunch of bulk around the waist, I decided to sew a long circle skirt with a dropped waist.  Let’s see how to do that: Cute maxi circle skirt - so pretty for summer! Choose a fabric that is very lightweight – tissue weight – and has some slink in it.  Begin by folding your fabric into fourths and then creating your circle pattern.  There are oodles of circle skirt tutorials out there if you need more help creating the pattern.  It’s quite simple once you have your fabric folded.  You can see more details in this circle skirt tutorial if you’d like.  Cut out the hole for your waist.  If you have larger hips and want to make sure the knit falls loosely over the hips with a dropped waist, you can use your hip measurement here.  Then, measure down to the desired hemline; there’s no need to hem this fabric, so you don’t need to add extra length for hemming. Cute maxi circle skirt - so pretty for summer! Next, make the waistband.  Cut a strip of fabric the length of your waist (or hips if that’s the measurement you used for your skirt opening) and 8″ wide.  The stretch of the fabric should run the lengthwise.  Join the two raw edges together (right sides together) and serge or sew. Cute maxi circle skirt - so pretty for summer! Summer Skirt Tutorial Summer Skirt Tutorial Now, grab some 1″ wide elastic and cut a piece the length of your waist measurement.  Sew the two ends together and try it on to make sure it’s snug but comfortable around your waist.  Now place it around the loop of fabric that is your waistband and move it to the center, as shown in the middle picture above.  Fold the waistband down around the elastic so that the elastic is encased inside.  Pin the raw edges of the waistband together.  Now your waistband is ready to attach to the skirt. Summer Skirt Tutorial Slip the waistband over the waistline of the skirt so that all the raw edges are facing up.  Fit and pin the waistband to the skirt and serge (or sew using a zigzag stitch) together. Summer Skirt Tutorial Flip up the sewn waistband and wiggle the elastic to the very top. Summer Skirt Tutorial Summer Skirt Tutorial You can leave the skirt as is or add a narrow zigzag stitch all the way around the waistband to hold the elastic snug at the top. Cute maxi circle skirt - so pretty for summer! And that’s it!  A breezy summer skirt!  It’s lightweight and comfortable – easy to wear, but still looks pretty! Cute maxi circle skirt - so pretty for summer! Paired with my new wedges, I feel ready to get outside and explore with my family this summer, while also feeling put together. I love creating outfits like this! Cute maxi circle skirt - so pretty for summer! Now, it’s your turn to create a summer outfit that will keep you feeling good! Click here to check out all of the new shoe styles that Crocs.com has to offer! How would you style your favorite pair?

Filed Under: Patterns and Tutorials, Products We Love, Sewing, sewing for women Tagged With: circle skirt, sewing tutorial, sewing with knits, summer skirt

Hem Your Jeans into Capris and $250 ECCO Giveaway

April 2, 2015 by girlinspired 155 Comments

ECCO Sculptured Shoulder Bag I am pretty darn excited about today’s post because I was able to work with one of my favorite brands to put together a functional, stylish outfit AND give one of YOU a $250 gift card for ECCO shoes!  Pretty great, right?!!  One of the simplest things that we can do to change our clothes is to sew a new hem and I’m going to show you just how easy it is today.  I paired my newly cropped jeans with a handmade blouse, a pair of casual ECCO flats, and the most scrumptious ECCO shoulder bag.  The outfit is casual, but definitely put together, and I think it will work well for shopping, a lunch date, and skipping over to all of the kids’ school functions that tend to pop up this time of year. ECCO Sculptured Shoulder Bag and ECCO Touch 15 Patch Ballerina Flats I took a pair of jeans from my donate pile and decided instead to turn them into useable capri pants for the spring.  The jeans fit just fine, but the style was bulky and heavy around my ankles, not to mention too long. Quickly HEM your jeans into capris! To hem your jeans into capris, you will need just a few supplies:

  • pins or clips
  • washable fabric marker
  • scissors/rotary cutter
  • pinking shears (optional)
  • heavy duty/denim sewing needle
  • thick thread appropriate for detail stitching on denim
  • sewing machine

Quickly HEM your jeans into capris! First try them the jeans on and mark where you want your new hem to be.  I find it easiest to scrunch the leg up around your knee until you find the right length and then put a pin at that same height on the other pant leg. Quickly HEM your jeans into capris! Once you have the new finished length marked, the hemming is simple!

  1. Mark 1″ below the desired finish length and cut the bottom of the pant leg straight across through all layers.  This will give you enough excess fabric to make a double-fold hem.
  2. If the pant leg is too wide, you can taper it in at this point.  Figure out how much tapering you want to do by trying the cut pants on inside out.  Pinch along the inside of the leg and mark the starting point of your taper (mine was 8″ above the bottom) and mark how far in (mine was 1/2″).  Use a washable fabric marker to mark your taper line.
  3. Sew to taper the leg – work on the inside seam if possible.  On these particular jeans, the inside seam was topstitched so I had to taper the outer seam, which turned out fine, too.  Use pinking shears to cut down the seam allowance from your tapered side and reduce bulk to 1/4″.
  4. Fold and press up the bottom edge of the jeans by 1/2″.  Fold and press another 1/2″ to create a double-fold hem.  Pin or clip in place.
  5. Set your sewing machine to a bit longer stitch length (I lengthened the stitch to a 3).  Working slowly, sew your new hem approximately 3/8″ from the edge.  It may be easiest to sew with your jeans turned inside out and place the sewing needle inside the cuff to stitch on the right side of the hem.  Add a second row of stitching if desired.
  6. Repeat for the second leg and you’re done!

Quickly HEM your jeans into capris!I am thrilled with how my new capri jeans turned out – they’re lighter and easier to move around in – perfect for spring.  Also, they go great with these adorable ECCO Ballerina Patch flats.   The shoes feature soft leather uppers, a breathable full leather lining, and foam insole for added comfort.  The outer patchwork design is sewn from a variety of rich leathers that are light and flexible.  My ECCO boots that I wore daily this winter (including hours of touring through Paris last Fall) have proven comfortable and these flats seem to provide the same stylish comfort.  I love a pair of shoes that I can wear throughout the day.   Marigold Blouse - sewing pattern ECCO Sculptured Shoulder Bag and ECCO Touch 15 Patch Ballerina Flats ECCO Sculptured Shoulder BagI also added this ECCO Sculptured Shoulder Bag to my outfit and let me tell you, it is divine!  It’s made from cow leather and features water-repellant Baby Ottoman lining.  The gunmetal hardware blends so nicely with this subtle Woodrose color and I kind of love that it will coordinate with lots of looks so that I can use it daily.  Nice and big and ready to stash whatever this busy mom needs!  The inside has a dedicated phone pocket, zip pocket, and key ring strap – nothing’s getting lost in the bottom of this baby, but I’m pretty sure it will fit all the things!!  Dreamy! ECCO Sculptured Shoulder Bag My blouse was handmade by me.  It is the top version from the Marigold Dress Pattern and I love the elastic waist and pretty neckline.  I used gold buttons on this one to dress it up some and the big bow tied sash gives it some added style.  Cap sleeves make it great for the warmer weather!  The fabric is a polyester I picked up at Britex last Fall. ECCO Giveaway ECCO Sculptured Shoulder Bag Alright, friends!  It’s time to give away the most awesome prize!!  $250 for some ECCO shoes of your very own!  Can you already smell the sweet smell of that real, supple leather?? What’s your favorite spring shoe trend? Tell me below in the comments for a chance to win an ECCO shoe card worth up to $250!!  Eek!

Entry Instructions:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

  1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
  2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
  3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
  4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

 

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older (or nineteen (19) years of age or older in Alabama and Nebraska). Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the [email protected] email address. You will have 2 business days to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 4/2/15 – 4/30/15.

Be sure to visit the ECCO brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!

Filed Under: Fashion, Patterns and Tutorials, Products We Love, Sewing, sewing for women Tagged With: giveaway, my style, pattern review, sewing tutorial

Hanging Jewelry Organizer

February 13, 2015 by girlinspired 7 Comments

 

Hanging Jewelry Organizer - vinyl pockets make it easy to see and organize your jewelry!

We are doing some MAJOR cleaning and de-cluttering in our home.  We’ve been here a good number of years and the stuff has really piled up.  It feels SO great to get rid of all the stuff that is just taking up space and sucking up my energy.  I keep finding that each cleaning task leads me down a rabbit hole – before I can sort through that, I have to sort through this, and clear out that, and have a place for this.  One such rabbit hole in my master bathroom led me to the realization that I desperately needed a better system of storing and organizing my jewelry.  I love the fun trends in accessories, but I can’t even fit one of those chunky necklaces into my jewelry box, much less my whole collection.  I sewed a hanging jewelry organizer to keep many of my earrings, bracelets, and necklaces safe and visible.  The clear vinyl pockets make it easy to quickly find what I’m looking for and the built in hanger makes it simple to keep the whole thing right in my closet.  Today, I’ll show you how to make your own!

Hanging Jewelry Organizer - sewing tutorialYou will need:

1 yard of home decor or upholstery fabric (the heavier fabric will help the organizer hold its shape)
2 packages (4 yards each) of double fold bias tape
1-2 packages (3 yards each) of extra wide double fold bias tape
clear vinyl shower curtain liner
ruler and disappearing ink fabric marker
large heavy-duty wire hanger (18″ wide)
matching thread
heavy duty sewing machine needle

Hanging Jewelry Organizer - sewing tutorial

Step 1:  Begin by cutting two vertical pieces of fabric 20″ wide by 35″ long.

Hanging Jewelry Organizer - sewing tutorial

Step 2:  Place your hanger on top of the fabric pieces and draw a line approximately 1″ above the shape of the hanger.  Trim away the excess fabric to approximately follow the curve of the hanger.  You will want at least an inch around every side of the hanger so that there is enough room to maneuver while you’re stitching the hanger into the organizer later.  To ensure that both sides of the organizer are symmetrical, fold the fabric (both pieces) in half vertically, and cut your drawn curve this way – when you open the pieces up, everything will be nice and symmetrical.

Hanging Jewelry Organizer - sewing tutorial

Step 3:  Cut six sections of clear vinyl from the shower curtain liner.  Each sections should be 4″ tall by 20″ wide.  These will become the pocket pieces.

Hanging Jewelry Organizer - sewing tutorial

Step 4:  Using the double fold bias tape (the more narrow bias tape), cut pieces approximately 21″ long.  Open up each piece completely.  Place the opened bias tape right side down on top of one vinyl pocket piece.  Match up the edges along the length.  Holding the bias tape in place with your fingers (pins will leave holes in the vinyl so avoid their use or be sure to only place them right along the very edge), stitch the bias tape along the top edge of the pocket piece.  Be sure you are stitching about 1/8″ from the edge – right in the first fold of the bias tape.

Hanging Jewelry Organizer - sewing tutorial

Step 5:  Once you have basted the bias tape in place, fold it up again along its original folds and flip it up and over the edge of the vinyl to the “right side.”  Now, topstitch along the edge to conceal the basting stitches and create a fully encased top edge to the pocket.  Repeat for all six pocket pieces.

Hanging Jewelry Organizer - sewing tutorial

Step 6:  With the extra wide double fold bias tape, wrap the bottom edge of each pocket piece and pin the bias tape (keeping the pins only on the bias tape) into place.  You’re simple opening the bias tape partway and inserting the vinyl into the fold.  Repeat for five of the pocket pieces and set them aside.

Hanging Jewelry Organizer - sewing tutorial

Step 7:  Now we will prepare the fabric for attaching the pockets.  Beginning at the bottom of the fabric (just the front side of the organizer), draw a horizontal line with your disappearing ink fabric marker 4″ from the bottom edge.  Draw five additional lines, each 4.5″ from the line below it.  You should have six lines all together.

Hanging Jewelry Organizer - sewing tutorial

Step 8:  Mark where you would like your vertical lines to be on the finished organizer.  Each horizontal pocket can be divided into sections of varying widths.  For ease, I divided two pockets into 5 – 4″ sections (smaller for earrings and bracelets), three pockets into 4 – 5″ sections (larger for chunky necklaces), and the bottom pocket into 2 – 10″ sections (extra large).  Mark these vertical lines now so that you can easily follow them when your pockets are sewn on.

Hanging Jewelry Organizer - sewing tutorial

Step 9:  Pin the pockets onto the fabric.  The top edge of each pocket should align with each horizontal line that you marked.  The pocket that does not have extra wide bias tape on its bottom edge will align with the very bottom edge of the organizer.  You will need to pin the pockets into place along their top edges AND repin the bottom edge of each pocket, making sure to keep the extra wide bias tape fully encasing the bottom edge of each vinyl piece.  It is probably easiest to pin and sew one pocket at a time, beginning with the top and working your way down.

Hanging Jewelry Organizer - sewing tutorial

Step 10:  To attach the pockets, you will sew two rows of stitching on each pocket.  These two rows of stitching should be along the two edges of the extra wide bias tape running the length of the bottom of each pocket.  DO NOT SEW horizontally along the top edge of each pocket – simply leave the pins in place for now.   The top edge needs to stay open so that you can tuck your jewelry in!

Hanging Jewelry Organizer - sewing tutorial

Step 11:  Once all of the pockets have been attached along their bottoms, it’s time to sew the vertical lines in to make the pocket dividers.  Because you’re sewing on top of the vinyl, it may get a little tricky to keep your presser foot from sticking.  Hold your fabric firmly so that you can help to keep the fabric moving.  If you have a teflon foot for your machine, it may come in handy.  You can also place strips of tissue paper between the presser foot and the vinyl (you can find more information on sewing with vinyl or oilcloth here).

Hanging Jewelry Organizer - sewing tutorial

Step 12:  Now it’s time to attach the back of the organizer to the front and finish the edges.  (Please note that you can add pockets of any size in a similar manner to the back of the organizer for even more storage space.  Simply follow the same techniques outlined above before continuing with Step 12.)  We will need to first finish the edges at the top center where the hanger will poke through.  Cut two 3″ pieces of double fold bias tape and attach them to the top center of each fabric panel as shown (use the same techniques as Steps 4-5.)

Hanging Jewelry Organizer - sewing tutorial

Step 13:  Place the two fabric panels wrong sides together, matching all the sides evenly and pinning here and there to keep them aligned.  Now we’re going to add bias tape all the way around the edges of the organizer.  I used the narrower double fold bias tape and I think the finish looks nice and neat.  You can also use the extra wide bias tape and it would be even easier to finish off the project, but you would lose a bit of storage space in the pockets.  It’s up to you!  Either way, open up the bias tape like you did before and match the right side of the bias tape to the BACK SIDE of the fabric organizer.  Baste it into place all the way around the perimeter, sewing along that first fold (about 1/8″ away from the raw edges).  Be sure you are catching all three layers (front panel, back panel, vinyl pocket edges) in the stitches.  I found that I needed to keep the pocket edges pinned so that they wouldn’t stick on the machine as I was sewing and get nudged out of place.  Work slowly and carefully – use a heavy duty machine needle to easily sew through the bulky layers, particularly where you are sewing over the top and bottom edges of each pocket.  BEFORE you completely stitch on the bias tape, tuck the hanger up into the organizer so that it can be sewn in.  We left that extra 1″ of wiggle room around the hanger when we designed the organizer so you should be able to maneuver it to the side as you sew on the bias tape with the hanger in place.

Hanging Jewelry Organizer - sewing tutorial

One more note about attaching the bias tape edging:  Start and stop the edging about an inch to each side of the top center.  Overlap the edging that you added in Step 12 by about a half inch on each side.  Also, fold the bias tape back over on itself as shown in the picture above so that when you flip the whole thing to the front side, those top sides of the bias tape will have a neat finish instead of a raw edge.

Hanging Jewelry Organizer

Step 14:  Almost done!  You just need to flip that bias tape around to the front side of the organizer and topstitch it down.  Because you have some bulk tucked in there, I highly recommend trimming down any uneven edges or excess fabric/vinyl.  This way, you will be able to wrap the bias tape all the way over the edge and stitch it down to cover the layers and basting stitches underneath.

Hanging Jewelry Organizer - sewing tutorial

Fill her up with all your pretty jewelry, hang her up and out of the way, and give yourself a pat on the back for getting another piece of your home organized and more functional!

Hanging Jewelry Organizer - vinyl pockets make it easy to see and organize your jewelry!

 

 

***This post was first published on The Creative Spark.

 

Filed Under: Home Decor, Patterns and Tutorials, Sewing, sewing for women Tagged With: jewelry organizer, sewing tutorial

Paris Style – Striped Parisian Top

January 12, 2015 by girlinspired 3 Comments

Easy to sew striped Parisian Top

Last year, I started sewing for myself.  It takes a good deal more time to find patterns, fabrics, and a fit that work well for women’s garment sewing than it does for the kiddos.  I have been revisiting some tried and true patterns and would encourage you to do the same.  After sewing a bit for yourself, take a look at the pieces in your closet and think about which ones you’re wearing over and over again – then try sewing them in a new fabric.  One of my favorite garments was this Parisian top that I sewed for Pattern Anthology last spring.  I made a new version for my trip to Paris last fall – could not stop thinking about how fun it would be to wear a Parisian top in Paris.  ha!

view of Seine River in Pairs

Easy to sew striped Parisian TopThis time, I made the top with a striped cotton jersey knit from Riley Blake. The 1-inch striped knit was perfect for an adult garment and the top is SO comfortable to wear.  I used some leftover black peachskin from this dress to make a crisp collar.

Easy to sew striped Parisian Top

This shirt really just fits like a dream.  It’s loose in all the right places, but isn’t baggy – keeps some shape and looks good.  The tiny bit of ruching on the shoulders just give that feminine touch that I love so much.  Gathering at the shoulders and the classic collar turn an otherwise casual shirt into something that is wearable for …well, for the streets of Paris.

Easy to sew striped Parisian Top

I’m going to rave for just a minute about this fabric, in particular.  It’s thick – which is nice when you’re wearing it – I don’t feel like anything is showing through and the top just feels substantial.  I’d also like to take a moment and point out that perfect stripe matching there on the shoulder.  I layed out the sleeve pattern and bodice pattern together to make sure that the underarm seam fell in the same spots on the fabric – resulting in good match-up for the finished shirt.

Easy to sew striped Parisian Top

SO!  Striped Parisian in Paris – perhaps a little cliche!  But, you gotta love it!  If you haven’t sewn this top yet, it’s a great one to start your year off with.  It sews up really fast!!  And it’s super stylish!  Also, get some of the knit!!

Inquire about the Parisian Top sewing pattern at Andrea’s Notebook.

Find the Riley Blake Designs Knits here.

Happy Sewing!

 

Filed Under: Fashion, Pattern and Product Reviews, Sewing, sewing for women, TRAVEL

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