Emily_sews_stuff

This year has been a blur of sewing lots of costumes, a prom dress, and now more costumes. But when I got the invite to join the Project Run and Play Beach Bash, I still couldn't turn it down. Sewing up an outfit just for summer fun isn't something I've had much time for! My tween, or as they're called in our house, weenager (she can't be mad, she made up the term) informed me she “needed” more crop tops. Apparently all of the t-shirts she's refused to give up since early grade school don't count as crop tops? When looking through my choices, I knew immediately that she was going to love the Striped Swallow Designs Midsummer Dream . I usually ask her what she'd like and get her input on fabric and patterns, but I decided to surprise her with this one because I knew it would be a winner--no pre-approval needed.  I had several fabrics in my stash that would have been great for this pattern but landed on this striped double gauze from Joann (RIP). I bought ...

While I wish that summer would last a few more months (or all year), my daughter is ready for cooler weather. When the chance to participate in the Project Run and Play Fall Favorites event, I knew she would be a willing model. I love plaids, despite my personal challenges in pattern matching, so I loved the idea of partnering with Cali Fabrics for the week one theme: Plaids.  The Project Run and Play shop has a ton of fun options for fall wardrobe planning but rather than give my ten year old daughter free rein to choose whatever she wanted (she'd probably still be browsing now and trying to decide), I narrowed it down to a few patterns and let her have her pick. She quickly picked the Cedar Coat . I had a feeling this might be her choice because she's been very jealous of the Sofiona Limestone  jacket I made myself last year and wanted one for herself but it's not available in girls' sizing. The curved hem and belt of the Cedar looked close enough to make her happy u...

  My youngest daughter announced that she’d decided she wanted to be a pirate with her friends for Halloween and I couldn’t be happier. It also happened to coordinate perfectly with the Peony’s tester call for Character Week (an annual tradition that works well timing-wise since Halloween/trick or treat isn’t such a big thing in Australia from my understanding, but we still get the pattern sales).  We did the pirate thing years ago when my oldest was in preschool. Even my husband, who must be Australian at heart because he doesn’t dress up either, was willing to get in on it (just kidding—he’s 6’10” and doesn’t need costumes to draw extra attention to himself and also, they don’t fit him). Of course this meant I had to make him a custom ruffly shirt. It was totally worth it because we looked amazing of course.  Since that was all before Juliet was born, I was happy to get to create a pirate costume for her. She wanted me to also make costumes for all of her neighborhood f...

 As a Project Run and Play "alum", I had the opportunity to participate in the release of the Collection 10 Lookbook--Project Under the Sea! It was hard to believe summer would ever get here when I signed on back in March, but it's sunny and 90 degrees now.  While I'm landlocked in the midwest, my daughter spends nearly every day in a pool, sprinkler or on a slip 'n' slide, so we never seem to have enough swimsuits. I picked up the Minnow suit from Sofiona when it released last year and never got a chance to put it together, so I knew I had to do that first. One of my first swim patterns, and my first Sofiona pattern was the Sturgeon . Every time I start one of their patterns I think "uh oh, I've gotten in over my head this time" because their designs are so uniquely designed and I can't believe there's any way I can put together anything so complex. But I really should know better by now. Their patterns are wonderfully designed and their...

 I can't believe it's week four and I'm still here! I am extremely grateful for anyone who voted for me the last few weeks. I am a sonographer and NOT a designer; I have never done as much modifying and drafting as I have in the last month, and no matter the outcome, I'm happy. Also, I'm very tired--since I didn't expect it to make it this far, I only cut out my outfits Wednesday and began sewing Thursday.  I kept my theme of song titles for my week four designs, Wildflowers, which also gave me inspiration for my designs. We live in the middle of Illinois prairieland, and wildflowers are starting to pop up (though not enough for a good backdrop for pictures, so use your imagination here).  We tend to be very casual, with few occasions to get very dressed up, especially in the last few years. When I make clothing, I want it to be worn over and over, even if it's just to play in the yard. I'm not sure the correct term to sum up my "signature style...

  Juliet can be...a bit of a handful. She gives us a hard time about most things, to be honest. But one thing we almost  never  have trouble getting her to do is eat her vegetables. One time last summer, she lied and said she was going outside to play with the neighbors, but then snuck out back to the garden and...made a salad??? No exaggeration, the girl had Romaine hidden under her shirt. This week's Project Run and Play theme coincides with our favorite time of year: planting season! The first thing that came to mind when I heard of this week's theme, Lettuce Turnip the Beet, was our vegetable garden. We grow a variety of vegetables every year: tomatoes, peppers, herbs, zucchini, cucumbers, peas, beans, and yes, lettuce and beets (I'm not sure I'd know what to do with a turnip though). Juliet and I have been taking an online vegetable gardening class and starting our plants in our basement in anticipation of warmer weather. This theme let me combine two of my favorit...