It feels like ages since the last time I posted something. Thanks to everyone who commented or sent me an email asking what’s going on with me. You guys are great! The last two weeks have been a bit hectic and sometimes life gets the best of me and I don’t even feel like hanging around on the web. So please bear with me if I don’t post that often in the next couple of weeks, I’ll try my best not to disappear for too long :)

I haven’t felt really crafty lately, but this morning I woke up and went straight to my sewing machine. Et voila: the Summer Blouse, take two!

This time I lowered the neckline by 2 inches (still too high for my taste), took in the sides by 2 inches (still too wide), shortened the sleeves by 4 inches (they’re 3/4 sleeves now even if you can’t see it in the picture) and made it 4 inches longer which is a good length for me I think. I used two Heather Ross Mendocino prints, and even though I love the fabric I think it has a bit too much body for this kind of shirt. So next time I’ll try and use something with a bit more drape. Yup, you heard right, I’ll make at least another one :)

In other news, spring has finally arrived in Germany and I can’t wait to wear my flip-flops!! I hate being in shoes and socks and I would love to walk around bare foot 24/7. Tomorrow we’re invited to a barbecue so I’ll have to get going and get some nice steaks and cheese, and after that I’ll be back and do some blog reading. I’m sure I missed a lot :(

I don’t know what’s wrong, but I really can’t bring myself to sew anything. It’s raining outside, I have a cold (but have to go to work anyway) and my overall mood isn’t that great. I can’t even bring myself to waste my time surfing the web, which is a first for me. So to force myself to do anything else besides working, sleeping and being cranky, I thought I’d post the Summer Blouse from Weekend Sewing I made two or three weeks ago.

This is the first version, so please excuse all the wrinkles and the fraying hem.  I used some vintage bed sheet which turned out to be a good choice, because I really have to practice the binding and sewing on  the placket neatly. Again, I went with the large size, which fits perfectly around the bust but is a tad too wide around the waist and definitely too short. If I lift my arms there is too much belly action going on for my taste :) I’m also thinking about a v-neck like Ashley suggested. Overall this blouse is pretty easy to sew, but I would definitely recommend making it longer and to go slowly with the binding, because it’s kind of tricky to sew it on nicely, or maybe that’s just me :) 

If I ever get out of my crafters block, I’ll make the final version with the fabric I actually bought for it - Heather Ross Mendocino Kelp Stripe in brown.  I’m loving the cotton poplin and have to hold myself back from buying more of the Mendocino line before it’s sold out.

Edit: Next time I take a picture in the mirror I really should clean it first before I wonder why all the pictures are so blurry, duh. 

The good news: I made my first dress! The bad news: it doesn’t fit. I know it looks quite wearable in the photo but that’s only because there is a binder clip holding it together at the back :) But let’s start from the beginning and please excuse my scary face expression in the picture.

I really wanted to try the Kimono Dress from Heather Ross Weekend Sewing and found the perfect linen for it, but before I screw up the 24 Euro/meter fabric, I thought I’d go with something cheaper first. So I bought this really cheap dotted viscose that was pretty enough to wear it in public if the dress would turn out fine. 

The pattern was really easy to follow, up to the point where you have to join the bodice with the skirt, using elastic thread to shirr the fabric. I don’t know if it’s my machine, the fabric, the thread or my sewing skills, but I couldn’t get the fabric to shirr up for the life of me. Any tips on that? Fortunately I still had some elastic lying around, so I just sewed in an elastic waistband and tried it on. Well, guess what: the bodice is waaaayyy too big. I have no idea how to fix this, other than ripping the thing apart and even then I don’t know how much I have to take in. And if I take in the bodice, I have to make the same adjustments with the skirt too, but that one is fitting quite nicely. The skirt still needs hemming and I didn’t make the obi sash (I used a scarf for the picture) because there is no point in an obi if I don’t have the dress to were it with, now is there?

Even though I can’t wear the dress it still feels good that I made it! I can’t just go on making more bags. Oh wait that’s not true :)

Just a quick post to let you know I’m still alive and crafting. I finished another bag from my list, the Highbrow Hobo from U-Handbag to be exact. This bag was pretty easy to make, even though it took me around 4 hours to finish it.  I love the shape and how big it is! I used some Ikea fabric (new collection is out!) and I found some cotton for the lining in the exact shade of green like in the Ikea print. 

On second thought, white might not be a good color for a bag, because while I was cutting the fabric on the floor, my cat came back from a stroll and walked right over it with his muddy paws. So the bag has already a lovely cat paw shaped stain. But hey, maybe this will gonna be my trademark, who knows :)

In other crafting news: I made the first version of the Summer Blouse and I’m glad I used a bed sheet, because I messed up the binding and plancket. And it’s way to short for me. So back to the drawing board and sewing machine.

Finally! After weeks of waiting, emails from Amazon about delayed delivery and searching the web for projects, my copy of Heather Ross Weekend Sewing arrived. I can’t wait to get started on the Summer Blouse, but before I’ll cut into the fabric I bought for it, I’ll test drive it with an vintage bed sheet I found at the thrift store for 1 Euro. But now, with no further delay, the review.

The book starts with an introduction from Heather and some ideas how to set up your sewing space. The pictures and layout of the book are beautiful and the only thing I would have changed is the pattern storage, because the two pattern sheets are glued onto the first and last page of the book. I really wish there would have been a pattern bag like Seams to me and Institches have, and a spiral bound would have been nice too. 

The book is divided into four Chapters: Home and Away, Dressing up and Down, Sewing for Kids and Sewing Basics. I really like that in between the projects you find recipes (like peaches with basil, yum), general sewing tips and a sewing play list (which is close to what I listen to when I sew). On every project page you’ll find the finished dimensions, materials needed and fabric suggestions. As far as I can tell without actually sewing anything, the instructions are clear and nearly every step is accompanied with an illustration. If you’ve ever been to Heathers blog, you can imaging that these hand drawings are a lot clearer than most of the photos you’d get somewhere else. 

Home and Away
Here you’ll find some basics you’d get in most sewing books like napkins, a drawstring bag, pillowcases, dishtowels and a apron. If you already have some sewing books, you’ve probably seen and done these projects before. Nevertheless, there are projects like the Everything Tote, the Guest Room Slippers or the Weekend-Away Travel Bag (which is actually a boxy make-up pouch), which are a bit more challenging than your average beginners sewing project. 

Dressing up and Down
In my opinion, this is the highlight chapter of the book! You get 5 totally different kinds of dresses, a blouse, pajamas, a wrap skirt, a bag and a head scarf. I’m totally in love with the Summer Blouse and this will be the first time I’ll try some garment sewing (I don’t count the PJs I made). The dresses are different enough to suit different body types. While I really like the All-Weekend and Trapez Sundress, it wouldn’t fit my body type (I’m on the chubby busty, curvy side), but I’m sure I would look great in the Kimono Dress and maybe in the Saturday Night Silk Jersey Set. With every dress pattern, you get suggestions what kind of fabric would work best for the project. The only thing missing, at least for me, are some tips on how to alter the pattern (if you’re tall, curvy, shorter) or suggestions on how to spice things up (making a shirt out of a dress like the illustrations Heather has on her blog). I’m sure the more experienced sewer knows how to do this, but some inspiration would have been nice for everybody else who doesn’t read Heathers blog, and would have lifted the book to a whole new level. 

Sewing for Kids
I don’t have kids so it’s always hard to review a chapter like this, because I don’t have any use for it. But if you do have some kiddos at home, I’m sure you’ll like the projects. You get two adorable dresses, some cute bloomers, a great shirt (and the tip that you can make it out of hubby’s old shirt) , basic toddler pants, baby blanket and an absolutely adorable baby kimono. And to top things off, the recipe for blueberry mash and tips about sewing with kids. 

Sewing Basics 
Sewing basics are sewing basics so not much new here. You’ll get the basic stitches, how to choose a sewing machine, sewing tools you need and so on. I liked that she focused a bit more on the different kinds of fabric like in the other books I have. 

Final thoughts
I really, really like this book but then again I’m biased because in my opinion Heather can’t do wrong :)  Even though I’m not a fan of all the napkins and dishtowels projects, it doesn’t feel like they were chosen just to fill the book. They make sense with the whole concept of Weekend Sewing and making time for your favorite craft. To use Heathers words: Weekend isn’t just a pair of days, it’s a state of mind.

So do I recommend this book? Hell yeah! If you are totally new to sewing this book might be a bit challenging, but if you’re like me (beginner with some experience) it’s just perfect. Especially if you want to try out some garment sewing. Even if you’re an experienced sewer I’m sure you can get a lot of inspiration from it. The bottom line: Go and buy the book!

Still unsure? Maybe these links will help you out:

Find more project pictures here

Sneak Peak inside the book

Ashleys version of the Summer Blouse

Weekend Sewing Design Challenge on Heathers Blog

And yet another item from my Project List done. I actually made the sleeve on Tuesday but haven’t gotten around posting it. The moment I got the bear fabric I knew I wanted to use it for my MacBook sleeve. But since I only had a half yard of it,  I had to use something else for the body because otherwise the bears would have run in the wrong direction. So here it is: my new cozy, envelope style. 

I wanted to use a snap button like Shannon suggested, but luckily I tested them on some scraps I had left over, just to find out that they ripped the felt :( Since I had already sewn everything together, there was no way of adding some interfacing and so I had to come up with something else for the closure. Not many options there, so I went with two buttons wrap around style. 

If anyone is interested, I’ll try and post a tutorial for this sleeve, just give me a couple of days :)