Fat Quarter Tote for Riley Blake Designs ~ 'Seaside' Fat Quarter Bundle Giveaway

Today you can find me guest blogging over at Riley Blake Design's blog sharing my tutorial for the Fat Quarter Tote made from one of my favorite fabric lines, 'Seaside'.

To check out the Fat Quarter Tote Tutorial click HERE.

And guess what?

 I am giving away a FULL Fat Quarter Bundle of 'Seaside' from Riley Blake Designs to one of you!

The Bundle includes 25 Fat Quarters from the 'Seaside' collection.

To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment answering the following question:

If you win, what will you make with the fat quarter bundle?

For additional entries, leave a separate comment if you:
1) Are a Fan of The Cottage Mama Facebook or Twitter Page
2) Are a Fan of the Riley Blake Designs Facebook Page
3) Are a Follower of The Cottage Home Blog (email, RSS Feed or Google Friend Connect)

Giveaway is open until Friday, July 27, 2012 at midnight (CST).

Guest Blogging at Kojo Designs ~ Sewing for Me Series

Just wanted to let you know that I'm guest blogging over at Kojo Designs today sharing my Nursing Infinity Scarf tutorial.  This guest post is part of the 'Sewing for Me' series hosted by Kojo Designs and Sewing in No Mans Land. 

If you get a chance, I'd love for you to head on over and say hello!

Click HERE to visit Kojo Designs!

Altered Couture Magazine Fall 2011

It happened again - The Cottage Mama was published in the Fall 2011 Issue of Altered Couture Magazine!  I'm so thrilled to be part of this wonderful publication for the second time and I have to admit, I don't think I will ever get tired of seeing my work in print.  This issue of the magazine is full of all sorts of tutorials and inspiration for altering your fall wardrobe. Oh, how I love fall!

In the fall issue I have three pieces that are featured........

The first two pieces are combined into one article and they are my Shawl Collar Sweater and T-Shirt Shrug.  Both of these are easy fall pieces that can be made for next to nothing and both in under an hour.

The third featured piece is a felted wool coat I made last year for my oldest daughter, Savannah Rose.  The coat is made from several different felted wool sweaters as well as some felted wool yardage.  My favorite things about this piece are the leaves and the little mushroom button.  The coat will be too small for Savannah this year, but should be just right for Miss Matilda.

The fall issue of Altered Couture is on newsstands now, so if you love upcycled, recycled and repurposed fashions, I highly recommend you pick up the latest copy.  This is a quarterly publication so it should be available for the next three months.  Again, I'm so happy to be part of the Altered Couture family and I'm looking forward to sharing my winter piece with you in the next issue.

To view step-by-step tutorials for some of these pieces, visit my TUTORIALS tab for more information.

Sew Serendipity by Kay Whitt - Signed Book Giveaway

 

I mentioned in last weeks "Quilt Market" post that I would be doing a book giveaway this week.  Well, here it is, just as promised - "Sew Serendipity" by Kay Whitt.

One of the first people my mom and I met at International Quilt Market was author and pattern designer, Kay Whitt.  We just happened upon her booth where she was sharing her gorgeous pattern designs, her wonderful book and was sporting the most adorable dress that you can see in the picture above (made from one of her own patterns).  And as I mentioned before, she was a true ray of sunshine.  So warm and friendly and more than happy to help an aspiring pattern designer with the ins and outs of the industry.

Later that day, Kay was doing a book signing for her book, "Sew Serendipity" and I received a signed copy of the book from her publicist.  Would I love to add this book to my stash? Well, absolutely!  But I have quite a few sewing books and I decided that the book would be better in the hands of one of you.  So that leads us to our giveaway.

Today I'm giving away a signed copy of Kay Whitt's "Sew Serendipity" sewing book.  Now even though I am giving this away, I had to take a peak inside to make sure you all would really like it.  And guess what?  It's a total winner!  This book is geared towards women's clothing and has many great skirt, tunic, dress, and coat patterns.  But it was the coat patterns that really won me over.

Oh, how I love this coat.  Love, love, love.  It's just so sweet and feminine without being over the top.  I'm always thinking of children's clothing, so I could totally see something like this on my little girls as well as myself.

I thought this one was really hip and fun with this modern fabric.  But it could also be toned down in a more subdued fabric.  This shape would be really figure flattering on lots of different body types.

And I just can't stop looking at this one!  So classic, yet modern - just my style.  If any of you win this book and would like to make this for me, I would gladly take it off your hands.  Just kidding, but isn't it adorable?

The book contains tons of illustrations throughout that makes it very easy to understand.  Kay does all the illustrations herself, which are just awesome.  I also love some of the other earlier chapters about getting a truly custom fit as well as her sewing tips and tools of the trade.

If you have ever been interested in sewing for yourself or another woman in your life, you are going to want this book.  So here's how to win...........

Three ways to enter.  You may enter up to three times total.  Please leave a comment for each entry.
1) Leave a comment.  You can say whatever you would like. (1 entry)
2) Follow The Cottage Home Blog. (1 entry)
3) Become a fan of The Cottage Mama on Facebook (click HERE to do so). (1 entry)

Giveaway will be open until Friday, May 27, 2011 at midnight (CST).

Lightweight Spring Infinity Scarf Tutorial

Have you seen the "infinity scarves" popping up in all the stores?  Basically is just a round tube of fabric that you can loop around several times to add an instant pop of color to any outfit.  I think these are great for the woman on the go because it stays in place really well.  Whenever I try to wear a regular scarf, it never ends up looking as nice as it did in the morning, but this one will look great all day long.  This project was very easy and only took about 20 minutes.  If you are a beginner sewer, this would be a great first project as it only involves straight lines.

I recently walked into my local Joann's and was instantly drawn vintage-inspired floral fabric.  Then I went up and touched it and.......(swoon).....did you know that Joann's carries cotton voile?  Who would of known (maybe you did, but I didn't)!  I was SO excited when I came across this super-soft voile.  If you've never felt voile before, it is so, so soft and is usually made from 100% cotton, although you may occasionally find a blend.  It is a bit more expensive than your regular quilting cotton, but I had a 50% off coupon, so mine was really reasonable.

You can use any light-weight fabric for the infinity scarf, but I love the drape of the voile.  You could also use a cotton knit, but that may get a little warm during the summer months.  Use whatever you like and whatever makes you feel fabulous!

Supplies:

Lightweight cotton fabric (2 yards.....though you will have lots leftover)

Scissors

Sewing machine

Thread

Hand sewing needle

Iron and ironing board

Directions:

Cut two pieces of fabric 12" X 60".  I cut mine at the same time with the fabric folded in half.  The 60" is why you need to purchase a lot of fabric, but you will have the whole other side to use for another project.

Now you have two long pieces of fabric.  Lay them on top of each other (right-sides together) and sew down both long sides, but leave about 3" on each end open.  Turn right-side out.  You will have one very long tube of fabric with four little sections on the ends that were left open (each of the corners).

In the next step, you are going to want to sew the short ends together.  Place two of the right-sides together and sew.  Then do the same with the other side.  You will have two tiny openings on both long sides once your short sides are sewn closed.

Hand-sew the two small openings closed with coordinating thread.  You can use any stitch you like.

Once you've closed all the openings, press your infinity scarf and your new accessory is complete!

Loop your scarf around twice and place it around your neck.  You could certainly wear it long as well, but I think it looks great double-looped.  I will probably wear mine with tanks and tees this summer.  It would also look cute with a little spring coat as well.

The infinity scarf can easily be made during a naptime.  Make one or make several to dress up those plain t-shirts this spring.  You can also make this with two coordinating fabrics - one for the inside and one for the outside.  Get creative and make it your own!

Early Empire Cinch from Handmade Beginnings

I have been wanting to make the "Early Empire Cinch" from Anna Maria Horner's book, Handmade Beginnings - 24 Sewing Projects to Welcome Baby since before I was even pregnant.  I purchased this book because it had some projects that I wanted to make for Matilda and had some really great baby gift ideas.

There is an entire chapter in this book dedicated for "Mama Sewing" and that's where you will find the "Early Empire Cinch" plus tons of other great projects for anyone who is expecting.

I had my husband snap a few pictures of me before I went out to run some errands so you could see the cinch in action.  I really made these with the intention of wearing them with some t-shirts or to wear with dresses.  But alas, the Chicago weather is still pretty chilly, so I paired it with one of my lose fitting sweaters and I think it looks pretty cute.  I love how much it accentuates the baby bump.  Oh, and by the way.......that's my 20 week baby bump in these pictures.

You can wear the cinch with the large part to the back or in front.  I tend to carry my babies pretty high, so it worked better for me in the back.  But if you carry low, it would look adorable with the large part in front.

I made two different cinch's for myself and both of them are reversible.  So that's four looks for the price of two!

I made this first cinch with a lot of scraps from my fabric stash and a little bit of yardage.  I have A LOT of scraps, so I love projects that cause me to use them up.  I made sure that the scraps were all in the same color family - mostly pinks, blues and greens.

I made the outside of the cinch with the thoughts that I would pair it with a black maxi-dress that I have for summer.  And as you can see, I made the inside brown, so I can pair this with more neutral clothing or create a more casual look.

I made the blue and orange cinch to go with a rather boxy maternity dress that I recently purchased from Old Navy.  This cinch really helps to give the dress more shape and again, emphasize the baby bump.

For some reason the dress looks a little red in these pictures, but I promise it's deep orange and it ties in with the deepest shade of orange in the teal fabric.

The inside of the above cinch is blue and orange polka dots and can be reversed to reveal and entirely new look.  Not sure what I will pair with this one, but I think it would look cute with jeans and a tee.

I don't usually take a lot of time to sew for myself, so I've been having a lot of fun creating some new outfits and accessories for my expanding figure.  I think pregnancy is such a beautiful time and should truly be celebrated.  So if you are expecting, take a little time out and make something pretty for yourself - it will make you feel great!

Empire Waist Dress - Comfy Sews Vs. Cozy Knits

Shannon from Luvinthemommyhood invited me to participate in her latest "Versus" series - Comfy Sews vs. Cozy Knits.  Guess which side of the ring I'm on?.........ding, ding, ding......you guessed it, Comfy Sews.  I love Shannon and her blog so I'm thrilled she has chosen to include me again!  You might remember my Shawl Collar Sweater tutorial that was included in the last round.

For this challenge I decided to create an easy Empire Waist Dress.  As most of you know, I am pregnant with baby #3 and I wanted to create something super-comfy to wear throughout the summer during this pregnancy.  I made this dress from a shirt that was a little too boxy for my body and some additional jersey knit yardage.  The dress will take you only about an hour to complete and is great practice for sewing with knits.

This dress could certainly be made the exact same way for a non-pregnant person and would be just as cute!  So let's jump in the ring and let the battle begin..........

Empire Waist Dress

Maternity and Non-Maternity

Supplies:

1 shirt

1-1.5 yards jersey knit fabric (60 inches wide)

Scissors

Sewing machine

Iron and ironing board
Ball-point sewing needle (for sewing with knits)

Directions:

Grab a shirt.  I chose this one because I liked the print but I always felt like it was a little boxy in the waist area.  You could certainly use a simple t-shirt or any shirt that you are ready to transform into a dress.

Cut off the bottom of the shirt.  I left the top of my shirt 13.5" long from the shoulder to under the bust line.  Try on your shirt to figure out how much of the bottom you would like to take off.  Make sure to allow for a 1/2" - 1" seam allowance for attaching the skirt piece.

Here's the top of my shirt after it had been cut.  There were also a couple of fabric ties at the top that I decided to remove as well.

And what will I be doing with the bottom of the shirt?  Well, that is going to be turned into a skirt for one of the girls.  I like a little cheesy "mommy and me", so I think it will be just darling on Miss Savannah or Miss Matilda.

Since this shirt had buttons down the front I decided to sew the button area shut.  I used my zipper foot to make this happen.  This way I don't have to worry about any buttons coming undone.

Now it's time to cut your knit fabric.  I chose a jersey knit because it is SO soft, super-stretchy and very light-weight.  If you are making this as a maternity dress I would highly recommend sticking with jersey because of the amazing stretch.  If you are making this non-maternity, then you could still use a jersey knit, knit interlock or you could even use a woven cotton if your top is made from t-shirt material.

I cut the skirt portion of the dress 27" long x 60" wide.  I am about 5'5" and this fell right below the knee.  Cut the skirt any length that you like.

Cut 2 pieces for the fabric ties.  These were cut 32" long x 4" wide. 

When sewing with knits you will need to change out your needle to a ball-point needle - these are specially designed for sewing with stretchy knits.  Fold the ties in half lengthwise and sew one short end and down the long end.  You should have one short end still open.

Clip your corners, turn right-side out and press with a hot iron.

For the skirt, fold in half, right-sides together and sew down the short side - in my case this was 27".  I used my serger because I like using it for knits, but a regular sewing machine would work just as well.  This seam will go to the back of the dress.  Now run a gathering stitch around the top of the skirt.  Set your sewing machine to the longest stitch length (5.0, in my case) and sew all the way around the top making sure not to back-stitch at the beginning or the end.

 

Gather the top of the skirt by pulling on the bobbin thread.  Gather the skirt until it is the same width as the bottom of the shirt piece.  Place the skirt and the top, right-sides together and sew in place.

Press the seam between the skirt and the top upward.  Again, I used my serger, but that was just because it was easier for me and finishes very nicely.

Now it's time to attach the fabric ties.  Normally I would place these in a seam, but that didn't work out for this dress.  Stitch the ties on either side of the dress.  If you are going to have the dress tie in front then you want the raw edge pointing towards the front so that when it ties it will be covered up.

Here's the fabric tie on the side.  You will not see the raw edge when you tie the bow in front.

I decided to leave the bottom of the dress with a raw edge because I find jersey knit doesn't fray.  If you would prefer a more finished look definitely sew a hem, but make sure you allow for that additional length when cutting the skirt piece.

This dress is incredibly comfortable and will definitely grow with me through out this pregnancy.  It's still a bit chilly here in Chicago so I paired it with a cardigan and a pair of leggings.  I'm so happy to have breathed a new life into this shirt.  

Maternity dresses can be pretty expensive, so this dress was a bargain at $3.00 total for the jersey knit (which was found in the 50% clearance section at Joann's).  So, what do you think?  Have any shirts that you might transform into an Empire Waist Dress?

Thanks again, Shannon, for inviting me into the mommyhood - you rock, girl!  This is just week one of Comfy Sews vs. Cozy Knits, so make sure you guys all visit Shannon's blog and check out some of the other fabulous projects from some seriously talented bloggers.