Sunday, April 28, 2013

Cardi and a life lesson

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The sweater I am sharing today is from Stretch & Sew pattern #300.  It’s the same pattern I (Major Moma) used for this sweater.  I love the orange pullover and wear it all the time but I wanted to try it out as a cardigan.  I know for many of you that it is now spring and warm, but where I live, spring can still be chilly and a cardi is perfect for its versatility.

I bought this great stripe, light weight sweater knit from fabric.com (I know, I am a frequent shopper with them.).  It sewed up great.  I used some spare black knit for a facing at the neck and down the front. And the buttons were from a collection of giant Ziploc bags that my mother(our co-blogger, M) sent me.
source 

I loved the results.  I tried it on and showed the husband.

Me, as I give a silly pose in my just finished cardi:  Look at me

Husband, dutifully looking replies: “It is too tight, the buttons are pulling

I was mad.  How could he say that?  How dare he tell me  … the truth.  After I stomped away angry, I looked in the mirror and saw the buttons were pulling; right at the bust line.  I hate it when shirts do that.

But the sweater turned out perfect.  It was just how I envisioned it.  Except it did not fit me.   Do you ever keep something around because it meets your ‘wants’ but not your ‘need’?  How silly it is for me to do that because I end up not using it anyway.  Or I am frustrated when it does not do what I need it to do.

I laid the sweater aside for a couple of days.


vintage cardi done modern
If you look closely, you can see I did not button a button.  ugh.
I then went and hugged my husband.  I told him I was really upset that he criticized the sweater.  He explained that he thought he was helping me out because he knows how much I hate pulling buttons.  And if I knew about it, I could fix it.

I should have been thankful for his honesty and confidence in me.  But I was still a bit upset that he told me something I did not want to know.

I went back to the sweater and cut it along the side seem from the bottom hem to the wrist cuff.  I cut the cuffs off.  I then found some gunmetal grey rib knit fabric.  I cut long strips about 3 inches wide. Then, I sewed them to the side seems.  I then added new cuffs to the sleeves in the same rib knit.

Now my cardi has racing stripes!
vintage cardi done modern
I also like how I have the hem ribbing stripe going the opposite direction.

I even like it better than the original.  And it fits.  I learned something through this sweater.  Sometimes I am too sensitive to helpful feedback.  And sometimes I am not flexible enough to welcome life’s bumps in the roads that may send me down a more interesting path.

How about you?  Do you blindly charge forward even when you are going somewhere you don’t want to be?  Or do you stop, re-assess and are willing to go down a new path … even if that means backtracking?

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Blog improvement

Pin It Soooo, none of us are very tech savvy.  It is amazing that we actually post on a blog.  Actually, it was M who first started reading blogs, and as our mother, she is the oldest of us all and thus that shows how technically lame her girls are.

However, slowly, we are trying to improve the site.

One improvement we just made is to your left ... Social Media Icons.  We have had a FB fan page since February, but barely anyone knows about it.  But now, we have a cute little button that you can click to get there!  And, there is a pinterest button that sends you to Major Moma's pinterest account.  And there is a flickr button that leads you to our Inspiration Point group page!  Wow.  Look at that.

{Oh, and about the Inspiration Point.  We are not having one this month.  We all were just to busy to do it.  But, it will likely start up again in May.}

I would like to give a shout out to A Typical English Home.  It is thanks to her tutorial that we were able to make this small improvement.

So now the implied request (I guess not so implied now) is that you all should come visit us in those other social forums!

Thank you,

M, Mc H, Major Moma, and Winocologist

Monday, April 22, 2013

chill shirt

Pin It Hello all!  After sharing only kids clothes for a while, I thought it was time to share some thing made for me (Major Moma).  I used the same pattern as Burda chill dress that I shared earlier but this time with a lot less issues.  Also, this time I made it as a  tunic! ( Chill Dress 11/2012 #136A).


The fabric I uses is a silky knit with stripes of individual sequins sewn on to the fabric.  I used this fabric previously on a shirt I made my daughter as part of her Fall 2012 collection.


It actually looks quite cute on her, but I never have gotten a picture.
The fabric is from fabric.com and it really is nice to work with.  It has plenty of stretch but is not so stretchy that it slips around and puckers.  Also, it is nice and smooth; other than the sequins.  I left the edges raw but the neckline is faced using bias tape. 


I thought a glass of champagne would be a good prop. 
However, the legos to the left sort of take away from the mood.
I thought it would be a a nice night-on-the-town shirt since it has the sparkle.  But I have actually worn it more with jeans running around errands than actually on dates with the husband.

I like the shirt version of of this pattern much more than the dress and I know I will get a lot more wear out of it.

Do you wear sparkly clothes for errands?  Or do you reserve them for actual occasions?


Thursday, April 18, 2013

Parenting Lessons Learned

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This is  Mc H. I am only a couple of years into this parenting teens gig. I learn something new about myself or my children every day.  Hubby and I like to call it leapfrog parenting. They jump ahead and then we jump to catch-up. Recently I was thinking about a list I made and wanted to resurrect it maybe add some stuff I have learned recently.


Parenting and the lessons learned (so far)


1.       I have been given stewardship of another human being (or 3 in my case).  Raise them to release them well. Like an arrow, I can do all the prep I want but when it is time, the release is the most important.

 

2.       Sleep is awesome. I didn’t sleep for the first 10 years, so I treasure it now.

 

3.       Be flexible.  You can plan all you want. Try not to freak when all your plans change.

 

 4.       Underwear gets dirty, shirts get dirty, jeans NEVER get dirty.  We will do enough laundry in life, give yourself a pants break.

 

 5.       Learn to cook.  I know, weird parenting advice, but seriously learning to cook will help you in every stage of child rearing.  From baby food to where I am right now teaching my teen how to menu plan and cook healthy.

 

 6.       Say you’re sorry…and mean it. To your children when you are wrong, and to your spouse. And faking it makes you look like an ass.  Your children can see right through that.

 

 7.       If you fight in front of your children with your spouse, then make-up in front of them as well.  It just isn’t realistic that you will never fight in front of your kids.  So when you do, make up in front of them.  Let them learn how to resolve conflict.

 

 8.       Potty training is from the devil. Don’t do it. They will figure it out.  Go to any football stadium 99% of them are potty trained.  Don’t kill yourself over this.

 

 9.   Sing and dance often.  I sang my kids to sleep. I sang sitting on the bathroom floor during potty training. I sang their alphabet, grammar and reading rules.  I sing and dance now just to embarrass them show them I am a person too. 

 10.   An old pastor taught us this rule: Never enter into a battle of wills with your children.  When you do, win at all costs.

 11.   A healthy marriage is the best thing you can do for your kids.  Work on it.  Date your spouse, remember your kids will move away, but you have a lifetime with your husband/wife.  Have sex. I’m not being crude, intimacy is important. 

 12.   Love unconditionally.  Your children are people. They are real human beings who have their own thoughts, loves, passions, dislikes and they might not be yours.  But you love them no matter what.

 13. Teens need to talk. Give them space and time. You have to listen to the twenty minutes of mind numbing nothing to get too how they are really feeling.

 14.  Expectations are okay to have.  I expect my children to act a certain way, behave with kindness, have manners. I can enforce those expectations. It doesn’t make me a terrible parent it makes me a good one.

 15.  Puppy love is still love to the puppy. This is a new one for me and I am sure I will keep learning it over and over. You might not see life altering heartbreak, but to your children it is. Teach them love, loss and healing, Even puppy love loss.


 That is all the parenting wisdom I have.  I screw these up all time. Then I go back and remember and try harder, love more, jump again.



If you are interested in hearing more from us, there are a couple ways for you to keep in touch!





Monday, April 15, 2013

Easter finest

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It is the last week in PRP All-Stars and the theme is formal wear.  One of the suggestions was an Easter outfit and that was perfect for what I had already planned.  I (Major Moma) have been trying to get some spring clothes in my eldest daughter’s wardrobe but until two days ago, it still has been below freezing.  This has created quite the fashion dilemma. 

But Abi had asked for a blazer, so I figured that could help keep her warm and I can make a more warm-weather item for underneath. 


preteen peplum blazerpreteen peplum blazer
Peplums are all the rage right now, so I made an asymmetrical circle peplum on the jacket.  It is longer on the sides and sort of creates a bustle effect.  It has a simple pointed collar and buttons down the front.  I completely designed this jacket from scratch and I have decided that I really love the design aspect of sewing for my children.  Especially as Abi starts to want a more grown up look, I like how I can really make something that suits her.

preteen peplum blazer
I had to make the sleeves twice.  The first ones were super skinny. Thankfully, I had enough fabric to cut entirely new sleeves.  The fabric was the left over from my friend’sShirtwaist dress.  So that was a bonus to get a jacket out of it.
Egg hunt at friend's house; too cold outside


The dress is from a simplicity pattern 3881.  I changed out the skirt for a circle skirt.  And I adjusted the sizing.  I cut out a size 8 for the width and size 10 for the length.  I thought that would narrow it down enough.  But it still seems quite big.  And the v-neck was still quite deep for an elementary schooler (that was cut at a size 8 too.)

The pattern itself was super easy and a quick sew.  Instead of sewing normal elastic to the seam allowance of the waistline, like the pattern said, I used clear elastic.  As you would know from my tutorial, I really think clear elastic is very versatile.  Using iron-on vinyl cut on a silhouette, I made a cute little flower on the bodice.  Of course that never showed on Easter because of the jacket.  But, during the summer, it will be a nice decorative element.

Are you sewing for spring?  Or, if you are in the southern hemisphere, are you ready for fall?

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Light at the end of the tunnel

Pin It Melissa at Melly Sews and Stacy at Oh Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy are hosting a series called Sew In Tune.  The premise is that they take turns with a lot of other bloggers designing clothes (mostly kid clothes) inspired by songs.

It is a fun little series and they come up with some fun and wild outfits.  I (Major Moma) thought I would play along and I made a shirt for my youngest. 

First the song:  Tunnel, by Third Day.


Third Day has been one of my favorite bands since I was in high school so many of their songs remind me of periods in my life.  This particular song is very meaningful for me as it helped lift my spirits during a trying time.

I was listening to this album when I was studying for the bar exam.  I don't know how familiar you are with this test, but to become a lawyer, after you graduate law school, you have to take the world's worst test.  In Washington State it is two and 1/2 days of essays.  (By the end of it, I could not move my hand because it cramped from so much writing.)  I studied for for eight weeks.  The first 5 weeks I studied literally 12 hours a day.  Then, to keep from burning out, I went to eight hours a day.  And this was hard core studying.  I was memorizing law, taking practice tests, and trying to solidify everything I had been taught over the past three years.

I also was living away from home during all of this.  My husband and toddler were living in Virginia while I had to study in Washington.  This was a blessing and a curse.  A blessing because I was better able to focus on my studies without other responsibilities.  A curse because I did not have them.  I missed them both terribly and I really could have used a hug or two during these long days.

The chorus really held a lot of meaning to me then, and still is encouraging today as I meet new challenges.

There's a light at the end of this tunnel
There's a light at the end of this tunnel for you, for you
And there's a light at the end of this tunnel
Shining bright at the end of this tunnel for you, for you
So keep holding on

Now for the Shirt:

The fabric is a medium weight sweater knit with some, but not a lot of stretch. (it is on sale right now and really is a great deal)  What I also thought was fun is that the back side is different, but just as cool looking as the front.  I took advantage of this and reversed it for the sleeves and the collar.
embroidery
We are starting potty training and hand stamps are the reward for sitting. So that is why she has ink everywhere.

I modified a couple basic patterns and created this double collar long sleeve henley.  Yes, it has two collars.  (I am trying to be creative ... I don't think I will do it again.)  One is a rectangle and the second is a large peter pan collar.


applique
The trains are driving in and out of the tunnel!
appliqueIt is the applique that ties it in with the song.  I wanted to make a train tunnel.  I used a coloring book image of a train tunnel and used it as a template to cut some denim into the right shape.  I reversed the denim on parts of the arch to create more depth to the image.




I then used embroidery thread and sewed the bricks, grass, and other detailing lines.
Finally, I wanted to add a light in the tunnel.  For this, I tried a technique I had heard about a few years back that several quilters who "thread paint" use.  I took scrap embroidery thread and balled it up on the fabric.  (I put a scrap of interfacing on the back of the fabric where I was placing the thread.  I placed a little bit a glue stick glue there to help it bunch up and stick a bit.  Then, I threaded my machine with the same color embroidery thread.  I changed the foot to a free motion embroidery foot and let down the feed dogs.
This allowed me to move the fabric in tight little circles, carefully keeping my ball of threads all balled up while I tacked them down with my circles. In the end, my threads created a 3-D effect of a light.
Unlike the double collar, I really like how the thread painting turned out.  I will do that again.
Isa loves trains, so when I explained that it was a train tunnel on her shirt, she was very excited.  And since she is a girl and trains (for some odd reason) are often a 'boy thing', I added the lace to girly it up a bit.  She wears her brother's hand-me-downs all the time, but since this was made for her, I thought it would be nice if it was distinctly a girl's shirt.
So there it is.  I like this shirt because it reminds me that even during difficult times, there is hope.  And she likes this shirt because  it is associated with trains. applique

And hopefully, if you are feeling discouraged or overwhelmed, you also can gain hope.


You got your disappointments and sorrows
I'm gonna try and give a little hope to you

Monday, April 8, 2013

I love embroidery

Pin It This week's theme over at PRP is "Its all in the details."  The focus is on the small little details that really can make an outfit special.  I (Major Moma) am sure there will be beautiful pin tucks, piping, and other wonderful elements in every one's creation.

But what is my favorite detail?  Using my embroidery machine!  Yes, the lovely hand embroidery ladies do is wonderful, but for me, this industrial style is perfect.

When I came home from a year deployment, my husband had the Brother 4000D waiting for me. 

And I love it.

So, that is what I used for my detail driven outfit.

It is a dress with leggings.

girl Burda Style #152 11/2012
The bribe of the sucker got her outside, but smiles were not in the deal.
If you have hung around the blog for any length of time, you would see that this year I have had a thing for zebra prints. And I still had some zebra twill my friend sent me from Korea that I had not cut into. At first, I was thinking that it would make a great jean-jacket for my daughter. But, then I changed my mind.

The dress is from the November 2012 issue of Burda Style, pattern # 152.  It has an umpire bodice with a pleated skirt.  The skirt is slightly curved and with the pleats it creates a bit of a tulip shape.  I really like the shape of this dress.  But my daughter did not.  She thought it made her look 'fat'.  Oh please ... you are a 9 year old bean pole.  I wish I did not have to have this conversation.




The neckline is like a boat neckline but has this little band on it for a collar.  It calls for a snap on the shoulder but I put a pink zipper there instead.  And really, the neckline is so wide, no snap or zipper is necessary.  At least not for Abi.

girl Burda Style #152 11/2012girl Burda Style #152 11/2012

I bought the embroidery files from embroidery library on sale.  I normally don't use such big files, but it was fun to add such a beautiful picture.  I loved how it is a zebra patterned butterfly on my zebra print fabric.  (I own a leopard version too that I have yet to find a suitable project for.)

And I did not stop at the massive amounts of embroidery (large picture on right side, large butterfly on left, and small butterfly on right sleeve) that took hours to do.  I added a 3-dimensional element.  I appliqued pink felt flowers onto the flower bunch and next to the big butterfly.  Also in the flower bunch, I tacked on layers of tulle and silk organza cut in the shape of the flowers on top of embroidered flowers.



This may have been too many details ... 

But the pants are simple.  These are basic leggings that I drafted using my wild ginger software.

What is your favorite embellishment?

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