I just couldent stay away

Yes I'm back at it after a brief but very much needed brake I'm back in business and very excited to be doing what I love to do.

Slipcovering is in my blood I guess. While on my brake from slipcovering I have done 4 complete slipcovers for myself and family.  I just can't stop myself.   I'll have pictures of what I've been up to in a week or two  but for now I'm off on a top secret, week long vacation.
Have a good week!
PS. have you ever slipcovered your lamp shade?

two dollars + two hours=....

Equal's fun pj's. Spring is here and that means garage sales are everywhere.

 Although I did not find what I was looking for ( chairs to slipcover) yeah I'm back at it, more on that later.  I did find a great vintage linen table cloth.  The table cloth was just big enough to eek out a pair of pajamas for summer.

 I used an existing pair of pajama pants for the pants pattern and the top was a pattern from this book   

I really had to get creative with the placement of my pattern pieces but I do like the way they turned out.

hope you're finding great stuff out there too.

New Items in my Etsy shop

Some new things in my Etsy shop.

Great new expandable burlap and leather bag

 Handles on both options of sizes  check it out I think this is just the coolest thing!

 also some new makeup/brush bags made of vintage barkcloth

I will be back later this week with some exciting news hope you'll stop and visit again.

Book Review~ Simple Modern Sewing

 This is somewhat new for me but also something I have been wanting to master for quite some time, ie making my own clothes.  I have tried numerous times before, with less than desirable results.  So in an effort to learn how to master this I have decided to do a post on my progeess, successes and failures, etc.  I saw this book on another blogger's reader list the other day and loved the clothes on the cover so I went directly to Amazon to see if I could take a peek inside the book... I could not.  So I bought it and read a couple reviews through Amazon and thought, "humm, maybe I could elaborate through my own experiences".
First, let me say that I rarely use traditional patterns because I have a hard time understanding them but I do have a basic knowledge of how to read a pattern and feel I have an even better ability to visually figure things out.  Give me lots of pictures please! 
Ok, for the book itself...it is beautiful!  I love the pictures and there are examples of every pattern put together.  I was super excited to get started.  I chose the blouse on the cover to start with.  It is one of my favorite styles.
I pulled out one of the two pattern sheets.  Yes, one of two sheets for all eight patterns!  The patterns are stacked one on top of the other for four different sizes.  (be prepared to be challenged).  The pattern that I chose had four pieces to it.  It took me well over 30 minutes to figure out what I was looking at and to get the pattern traced onto my butcher paper.

What is different about this book is that the patterns do NOT include the  seam allowance so you have to figure that in when cutting out the pattern itself. 

 Ok so I really wanted this to fit me correctly.  I always end up with way too much room under the arm, so I made up a quickie out of some muslyn I had.  Sure enough there was  too much room around the armpit. 

 When I went to make the real deal I took it in about an inch on each side.  Much better.

 The rest of the consturction was very simple and straight forward.  I was able to get the  pattern finished up within about an hour

 I could have gotten the back gathers a little more even.

 

Here is that little stripe that is not quite straight.   When putting this whole project together I starched my fabric since I used linen fabric and it has a tendancy to move around abit.  When I finished the whole thing it did look a little stiff and boxie so I quick threw it in the wash to see how it would look when it relaxed.

 Much better except for the fact that the bias tape I made at 1.5 inches was obviously too wide and it curled around and popped over the topstitched seam. Therefore I added another row of top stitching.  Next time I will make my bias tape at 1 inch.

 Here is the finished and washed product. For the most part I am happy with it and am excited to make another one!

 Oh yeah.  I did not put the little cap sleeve on  because I want  to
 be able to wear the sweater  I've been working on and  didn't want  the material wadding up.

 There you have it my review on this pattern and the book its self

I'm looking forward to the next project from this book!

Ok, one more....

Actually this is a slipcover job that I committed to before my decision to take a year off.

It just took a little while to get  all the pieces in order .

At any rate here she is!  done in a beautiful relaxed linen

This was a pottery barn couch made to be slipcovered  so it had these great strips of Velcro under the arms and across the front seat  which made it possible to make a looser fitting slipcover look more fitted
love  the fabric my client picked out it was wonderful to work with!

oh shes got me thinking about a new slipcover for my couch!!!
PS   I'll be back next week with a little something new

A little something for my sweet Autumn

A chair that I did for my daughter last month.  Fun fun fabric choice.  Its soooo her.

Taking some time off

A year to be exact!

I have been toiling  for quite some time now and have decided that I need a break from the slipcovering scene.  I'm just not having fun with anymore  so I thought taking a brake from it would help me decided if I just needed a little break or if this chapter of my life is closed. So, 1 year is the plan.   Thank you to all of my clients and to the  shop owners that have helped make my business what it has been over the past several years.
I look forward to what is around the next corner.

The last projects of the year

A great old rocker that needed a new look for a new mother!

 So sweet for a little boys nursery. love the red.

and one last project for one of the shops that I sell threw  these set of parsons chairs in a great red and cream fabric  birds and flowers love it!
Happy New Year!

Another one for Barb

A great chair I mean great bones and so comfortable! but the stripes had to go. Barb found this chair and footstool that were not a set, at a Thrift store.

 She wanted to give a new look and opted for something neutral.  I was in total agreement as I am all about neutrals since I love changing my decor for the seasons.  This was the ticket!

 This color fabric went with almost every pillow I sat on the chair ( again I thought I had more pictures ) anyhow  I was so pleases with how it turned out

oh yeah and for those stripes, It took black out drapery lining to hide them  but there is no sign of them now.
I was so happy to get a call from Barb after she got the chair home to tell that she Loved the chair and it went perfectly everywhere she put it.    yahoo!!

I've Figured it out!

Well, finally about a month after I got my new "smart" phone, with  the help of a very patient  son I have figured out how to get pictures that I've taken with my phone onto my computer! I really have been working.

   anyhow.... here is one of my November projects and I really thought I had taken more pictures. There were six of these chairs these 4 and then 2 captains chairs. Amy chose white linen and a pretty robins egg blue print.

Of course a little extra detailing on the back since with dinning chairs you see more of the back than the front.
I will be posting the rest of my November projects this week!