Bubble Shorts

Hi! Kids Clothes Week is here! I am super excited! I have so many things already cut and ready to sew, let's see how many I can actually manage to finish this week... I am always just a tad bit ambitious... :) And this week is shorter to me since I am going to be away on an extended weekend, so I may leave for my mini vacations a bit sleep deprived in order to get everything done... :) 

These are the Bubble shorts - pattern by one of my sewing/blogging best friends, Marta from DoGuincho - and I can't tell how many I have made so far in the last year. I haven't blogged about all of them - I sew a lot of things that don't make it to the blog just because I'm lazy :) - but you can see my first ones here and my favorite ones here. :) 

5 DIY Knit Headbands

Hi everyone! Today I am over Peek-a-Boo's blog with my monthly contributor's post. I am sharing quick ways to make five different knit headbands and head wraps! 

It's a perfect (and easy) sewing project to use up all those knit scraps being kept on a huge bin (I know I am not the only one on this, right?).

I'm a Princess DIY

Hi! This blog has been a bit quiet but it doesn't mean I am not sewing. "Au contraire" the French would say. I have been sewing up a storm! I have about 20 items sewn and photographed but I haven't had either the time or the will to blog about them. :)

Today I am part of the Make Believe blog tour! When Chelsea - who blogs over GYCT - asked a group pf bloggers who would like to join a sewing series about making cool props for kids to play pretend I had to say Yes! My kids *love* to play pretend so this series would be perfect for them to get some new props!

Kids Clothes Week - contributor's post II

Hi! Today I am over Kids Clothes Week blog with a curated post with some a.do.ra.ble ideas on how to add cute animal ears to your kids wardrobe! Jump in here to see it!


Olá! Hoje estou no blog Kids Clothes Week a partilhar várias ideias a.do.rá.veis sobre como adicionar orelhas de animais nas roupas das vossas crianças! Os links que partilho são quase todos para moldes gratuitos ou tutoriais, mas também podem encontrar alguns moldes pagos que já vêm com as orelhinhas fofas. :) Dêem um salto até aqui para verem todas as muitas ideias!!


Happy sewing!

Kids Clothes Week - Contributor's post I

Hi! Today I am over Kids Clothes Week blog with my first contributor's post for this Spring 2015 edition of Kids Clothes week. (aka the most amazing kids sewing event :) ) 

The theme for this edition if "Wild Things"! So cool, right? 

I am sharing a curated post of ideas - patterns (both free and purchased), tutorials and fabrics - for making clothes for your kids inspired by woodland animals! Think bunnies, foxes, bears and deer. You can see them all here!



Olá! Hoje estou no blog Kids Clothes Week com a minha primeira contribuição enquanto colaboradora desta edição de Primavera 2015. 

O tema desta edição é "Seres Selvagens"! (um nome pomposo para dizer animais :) ) Super giro, não é?

Nesta publicação estou a partilhar uma série de ideias - moldes (tanto gratuitos como pagos), tutoriais e tecidos - para fazermos roupas inspiradas em animais da floresta! Pensem em coelhos, raposas, ursos e veados! Podem ver tudo aqui.


Happy sewing!

The Color Block Ziggy Top

Hey! How was the weekend? We are having a beautiful Spring weather around here. I have seen some people wearing short sleeves already, so that's a sign that Spring is really here. :)

Every time I get an email from my blogging friend Olu - from Needle and Ted - two things happen: I have a good laugh (she has the best sense of humor) and I know I will be in trouble... :) She always comes up with these fun pattern tours, competitions and the sort, for Madeit patterns, and I am always ready to jump into whatever it is because I just love Anna's patterns.

So, today I am joining the Just Add Detail challenge!
This friendly competition is all about grabbing the Ziggy top pattern - an oversized box kids top - and adding some detail to it or flip it around and make something completely different. :)

Sewing for a Baby

Hi! Today I am so so excited! This post is part of a huge online surprise baby shower for a fellow blogger -  Patrícia, over Pequeno Mundo a 3. 

Patrícia is a super lovely and wonderful person and she is having her second baby girl in just a few weeks (days?). Remember that post about two weeks ago about sewing for charity? It was her idea so the same group of bloggers who joined her request decided to give her back some of her generosity by throwing a surprise baby shower!

Mystery Challenge - Under The Big Top!

Hi! It seems like we are having an early Spring around here and all I want now is to sew cool Spring/Summer clothes. I have a curated board on Pinterest with SS15 trends and colors  and I can't wait to make everything I have on my mind. :) Here is the board, just in case you need some inspiration.

Today I am part of the Mystery Challenge, hosted by Amy over Friends Stitched Together. Amy is always sewing up a storm but she found the time to put together a group of fellow bloggers and friends on this sewing fun event! Each one of us was drawn a name and had to assign a theme for that person.

I assigned the theme "Rockabilly" to the uber cool and super talented Melissa who blogs over Rebel & Malice and, on my hand, I  was assigned the theme "Under The Big Top" by Tasha who blogs along with Amy. 

A Reversible Hooded Vest

EDITED: Seven hours later I'm back as I promised with the good photos! This little girl always wakes up in such a good mood! (I wish I was the same, ha!) I can't delete the photo above because that's the one I have linked to PR&P's link-up. Now to the good photos and the best smiles. :) 

A Free Japanese Smock Pattern

Hi! How are things in your neck of the woods? Around here it is still a bit cold and we just came back from a snow trip to the mountains for mid-term break. The kids had so much fun with the sledge. And (a-hem...) so did I. :) 

Today I am part of the Flip This Pattern series, hosted by the lovely sisters over FrancesSuzanne blog. This month the theme is Free For All and it is all about FREE PATTERNS galore! 

Dozens of sewing bloggers have been sharing their makings out of free sewing patterns. There are hundreds out there! I have a Pinterest board with nothing but free patterns for kids clothes and it is already counting 350+! (And I am sure there are a ton more yet to be found!) You can find it here.

The Multi-Apron

Have heard about One Thimble? Well, issue #6 is out and you shouldn't miss it!
One Thimble is a PDf digital sewing magazine full of super interesting articles and tutorials that cover several topics (in this issue there are 26 articles about sewing, photography, heirloom, sewing with knits, interfacing, handmade market, etc.) and you get 10 sewing patterns! (Which you can check here.)

I had the opportunity to sew something from issue #5 - the Moku Shorts - and this time I am showcasing one of the PDF patterns from issue #6, the Multi-Apron!

The Freestyle Harem Pants and The Phresh Blazer

Hey! I'm back to show you lovely readers two more makings for the BundleUP - Girls edition tour - the Freestyle Harem pants and the Phresh blazer.

Just in case you have missed my previous post, I have also made the Penny Vintage dress and you can see it here.

Marble Maze and "I spy" Fabric Games - a tutorial

Today I am over Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop blog with my monthly tutorial! 
I am sharing two ideas for last minute gifts for toddlers (well, truth be said my two oldest kids loved them too!) - the marble maze and "I spy" fabric games! They are super quick to sew! 

And now I'll have to go back to my sewing... I am finally starting to make all the Christmas presents... (Yes, I only have one week, I know... :) )

Happy sewing!

Hoje estou no blog Peek-a-Boo com o meu tutorial mensal. Este mês tenho dois pequenos tutoriais para jogos de tecido adequados a crianças mais pequenas (se bem que os meus dois mais velhos também adoraram!) - um labirinto de berlinde e um jogo "onde está?". Ambos são super rápidos de fazer!

E agora tenho de voltar para as minhas costuras... Vou finalmente começar a fazer as prendas handmade de Natal que tenho para oferecer... (Sim, eu sei que já só tenho uma semana... Não vamos falar nisso, sim? :) )

Boas costuras!

Sewing to Sell - a review of an amazing book

A book review and a giveaway!

Hi! As we are coming closer to Christmas I am finally finding the time to sew some Christmas gifts. I have started to make a list of a few projects (new and good old) that I want to make and this organizer was on top of the list.

As soon as I finished sewing this handy organizer I knew it had to be mine... So I am giving myself a Christmas present. :) 

I have been telling you later that I have a couple of new big projects coming up soon so organization and focus are the keywords here. I do need them now as much as I need oxygen. And I have always been a list and schedule kind of person. So I am using this organizer to keep together all my monthly and weekly schedules, a calendar, a few business cards, and lots of lists - to-do, to-sew, to-buy...

It has the perfect size to keep my beautiful new notebook, so I can jot down all my ideas and thoughts for the upcoming projects. And just in case you are wondering where I got it, it was offered by my blogging friend Constança from Saidos da Concha. (If you don't know her blog I can tell you that you are missing one of the most amazing blogs on homemaking and crafts.)

This organizer was made using one of the 16 patterns from the book Sewing to Sell - How to Sell Locally and Online, The Beginners Guide to Starting an online Business, by Virginia Lindsay. 

Virginia is the creator of Gingercake Patterns and Gingercake blog. I immediately felt connected with Virginia once I read her about page. Her story is the same as mine and (I bet) the same as so many of you. She started sewing again when her kids were really small and she was spending more time at home. And then she goes on " I loved all the bright and beautiful fabrics available and I became addicted to searching for new projects all the time!" and I was all hands in the air "That's me! That's me!"

Virginia has some great patterns on her pattern shop and some handmade items on her Etsy shop, so make sure you visit both and get yourself and your loved ones some Christmas presents! :)

Sewing to sell is a book that focus on several aspects that you need to have in mind when creating a home-based sewing business. Virginia talks about how to find your sewing style, how to identify your customers, how to choose which items to sew and sell and what materials you need for that. She also talks about the whole process of setting up a business and starting to sell, attending craft shows, photography, marketing, pricing and packaging. There are lots of great interviews with business owners and useful tips!

 If you are planning on starting a handmade/sewing business this is a must read! I know it is helping me a lot! Having all the things that I need to set my business in one place and so clearly explained is truly helpful.

Another great thing about this book is that it comes with sixteen projects (patterns and instructions!) for you to make and sell freely! The projects are organized in categories (projects that are useful items, projects that make the best use of materials and projects that are great sellers) and include items for kids and babies, fashion accessories, for the home, to gift someone, and for the sewist and business women. They include, among others, a cute pincushion, a insulated lunch bag, a oven mitt, a baby set, a quilt, and a few bags and pouches. (see images below, courtesy of C&T Publishing)

And the Handy Organizer that I chose to make (image also courtesy of C&T Publishing).

I have used three different Japanese fabrics that I had sitting on my stash for years!... They are all cutesy and made of cotton and linen. I have a crush on Japanese fabrics. I love their quality and prints. 

These Japanese zakka fabrics were the first I bought when I first started to buy fabrics a few years ago when I started to blog (back in 2007) and started to think about going back to sewing again.

Here is a photo of my cotton+linen Japanese fabric stash.

This is my do-not-cut stash. I bet you have your own, right? :)
This is actually the second time in so many years that I had found the courage to use these amazing fabrics. First time was to make my kids a fabric game, blogged here.

Actually, there is a whole chapter on Sewing to Sell about buying and using fabric!
Virginia's advice is to have a plan - build a stash wisely, making smart fabric-buying choices. I needed to read that!

I have a huge fabric stash. I call it my "private fabric store" since I can just go there and get almost any kind of fabric type and print I want... Although that seems to be a good thing, on one hand, on the other hand sometimes it isn't that great...  

I buy a lot from my local fabric store. They have a dozen of huge bins full of good remnants and bolt ends. They should be called the treasure bins. :)  So, I am the kind of person who usually buys fabric without having a specific project in mind... I just hoard whichever I like and see potential in. But I have to make myself some justice and let you know that I make choices - first I grab every single remnant I like but before I go pay it I stop for a few minutes and go through all that (sometimes 10, sometimes 20) fabric and I often end up leaving some behind. (And I almost always regret that I did... but that's another story! :) )

From time to time I buy yardage when I have a specific project in mind and I have never bought bolts. 

So, I really feel like I need to change my approach when it comes to buying fabric... I need to be more pragmatic and project oriented. Now that I am going to start a small sewing business I feel like I have to make smart buys. And that also goes by buying coordinated fabrics... Sometimes I need to make an outfit - top and bottom - and I have a hard time finding perfect coordinates on my stash...

Another problem I have sometimes is that since I mostly buy remnants, I often end up not having enough yardage to make what I want... I have lots of single yards... Not a long time ago I could easily use just 1 yard on a dress for my girls, but not anymore... So now I can only use them to make tops and blouses for them. 

How about you? What's your fabric buying method? Do you hoard or do you buy when you need it?

Sometime ago I decided to organize my stash - a tough task I can tell you... By the way, how do you organize yours? By type of fabric, by color, by print?... 
I came to the conclusion that I did not have many solids... Solids are basics that everyone must have! They can be coordinated with any print and between themselves to make gorgeous color blocked outfits.

These are from my stash. It is about 1/10 of what I have from each category... Cottons and rayons (top left), corduroy, twill, denim and flannel (top right), tweed and wool (bottom left) and knits (bottom right)...

These are my precious... :)

Sewing to Sell is an amazing new book from C&T Publishing (which means great standards and quality) and it was released about one month ago. This blog post is part of a book tour so make sure to have a look on these blogs if you want to know more from Sewing to Sell and see a few more handmade items from the patterns that come with the book.

Giveaway!

And guess what? You can win a copy of Sewing to Sell! C&T Publishing will be sending a copy to one of you - USA only! Winners will be picked randomly by Random.org, by Dec. 22nd.
Just leave a comment below - I would love to know more about how you buy and use your fabric! 

Happy sewing!

12 Days of Christmas!

Hi! Today I am joining all the Holiday fun over Sew McCool for the 12 Days of Christmas blog tour, with two super quick and simple projects for you to make - a fabric box and a pouch! They are perfect for holding some candy or to gift small items. 

I had these two projects on my to-sew list for a while now. They are inspired in an old Japanese magazine that I have (in the French version). I love LOVE Japanese design and aesthetic! They make the most beautiful things...

These can be made with any size and fabric print but since this is a Christmas tour I had to go with some Christmas prints, right? :)

You will need:

• For the box: two squares of 8''x 8'' from two different fabric prints and one square 8''x 8'' from fusible interfacing.
• For the pouch: two squares of 6''x 6'' from two different fabric prints and about 25'' of ribbon.

How to make it:

The basic construction for the two projects is the same, only the final step is different.

1. Place the two squares together with right sides facing - if you are making the box, iron the interfacing to one of the squares prior to this step. Pin and stitch all around with a 1/4'' seam allowance leaving a gap of about 2''.

2. Clip corners. Turn right side out, making sure all the corners are neat. Press. Close the gap with a slip stitch.

3. Mark with pins 3.5'' for the box and 2.5'' for the pouch from the corner on all four corners. Fold corners as shown in the picture above. Press.

For the pouch follow step 4. For the box jump to step 5.

4. Making the pouch: Stitch 1/2'' from the folded edge to create a casing. Insert the ribbon through all four casings with a ribbon needle or a safety pin. Pull to gather the pouch - this will form those cute petals - and tie a bow. You're done!

5. Making the box: Make box pleats on all four sides (as shown above). Mark the center side and the corners crease edge with pins. Fold one of the pleat sides and stitch close to the edge. Fold the other side of the pleat and stitch. (You can stitch the pleat at once but personally I prefer to stitch each pleat "flap" in separate on the inside so the stitching won't show on the outside of the box.) Repeat on all sides. You're done!

If you are looking for Christmas decorating tutorials check this two I have made: 

• A Christmas braided fabric breath
• Christmas pillow/cushions covers

Have fun and have a great Holiday season! 

Join all the 12 Days of Christmas fun! Don't forget to visit all of the bloggers who are creating tutorials for the Sew McCool 12 Days of Christmas challenge. Voting will begin on www.sewmccool.com on December 13 and go through 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern time on December 20.

December 1 - The Inspired Wren |  Swoodson Says | Felt With Love Designs

December 2 - Sew Outnumbered |  So-Sew-Easy | Call Ajaire

December 3 - Friends Stitched Together | Sew Maris | Phat Quarters

December 4 - How I Make Stuff |  Falafel and the Bee

December 5 - Beth Jarrett | Just Joshin

December 6 - Molly and Mama | Bee Quilted Beauties

December 7 - Vicky Myers Creations | Sprouting Jube Jube

December 8 - Addie K | Not My Tree

December 9 - Lulu & Celeste | Made By Sara | GYCT Designs

December 10 - Bluebird & the Boy |  Ginger House Designs | Coral & Co.

December 11 -  Britches 'n Bloomers | Kelly J Designs

December 12 - Mae and K | Gracious Threads | Knot Sew Normal

Happy sewing!