Lily Bird Giveaway Winners!

Better late than never, right?
Ready to find out who the winners are?

#39, 91, 3, 17, 20, and 30

You'll have to trust me on this one and will have to look up your comment to see if you are a winner (although if you are I will do my best to contact you later tonight)!

I broke my right thumb. Ironically I was moving around the sewing room when it happened and dropped the lid of storage cube on my hand. Thus the hemming tips haven't made it to the blog. My Jalie pullover remains unhemmed.
Did you guys get yours finished? I'd love to see them if you feel like uploading them to the Sew-a-long Flickr Group!

My thumb has been hurting like crazy (thus I don't feel like copy/pasting all of the winner comments). You don't realize how much you use your thumb until it is hard to use. My girls went to school with really bad hair today. Looked almost like Dad did their ponies. And their buns for ballet. They were interesting. :)
I finally went to the Dr, and after him working on my thumb with a lighter and a paper clip, at least the throbbing has gone away (I won't go into details but I'm sure you can imagine what happened there- ouch).
Now I hope the bone heals quickly and I can get back to sewing soon.

Have any of you ever had a broken thumb? How long did it take to feel better? Thankfully mine is broken above the knuckle so I can still move it.

If you are popping in and this post is days old and you're wondering where I went, see THIS post.

Thank you again for reading! I'll try to pop in, in the next couple of weeks. :)

If you missed this past giveaway and haven 't been over to Lily Bird Studio yet, pop over and check them out. Adorable patterns for your little people!

Sew-A-Long Interruption

If you’re keeping up with the sew-a-long and read my post yesterday, you know that I was having issues with photo storage.

Thank you to sweet Charity who commented letting me know about Windows Live Writer. It’s awesome! If you have a blog, you should try it.

That said, that is all I had time for. To figure it all out (I still haven't completely figured it out). I still do have a hemming tip for you, but that will have to wait until the weekend. We have a really busy day today.

You know, I just realized though that I didn’t share anymore with you about my now 7 yr old’s, sniff, candy themed birthday party.
Like usual, we went home made on the cake.

There actually is cake in there!

I first saw the idea HERE.
If you missed it, check out THIS post for free candy themed birthday printables. :)

Hmmmm...anyone know how I can get my signature to stay in Live Writer?

Jalie Sew-A-Long Day 3

Ready to dive in and get most of your pullover done?
Before we begin, a couple of things...

1. I'm sorry for the crappy photos- it was dark.
2. I just reached my limit for photo storage on Picasa. Should I pay for more or is there an easier (free) way to host my pictures? Anyway because of this I had to scale down the pics. So, we're missing pics of a couple of things but hopefully what I lack in pics I can make up for in text! :)

 What are we looking at? The result of losing a couple of photos (I promise I've kept the important ones)!
Try to ignore this photo for a moment and take your shirt front piece and your shirt back piece and put them right sides together. Sew the shoulder seams. Now we'll get to this picture.

Grab one of your arm pieces and matching the midpoint of the top curve to the shoulder seam sew on your arm piece. Do this to the other side as well.
It's a good idea to pin first, and it is a good idea to sew it on with the arm piece on the bottom and the shirt piece on top. Much easier to navigate the curve on your machine.

Now sew your side seams on each side. Start at the bottom of the arm and go all the way down to the bottom of your shirt.

Ok, Jalie now wants you to hem the arms and the bottom of the pullover. Don't do this just yet, we'll do it at the end. That way you can try it on and have a better idea of the length you want.

Starting a couple of inches up on one side of your neck opening, stay stitch 1/4 inch in. Go around the bottom and then up the other side a couple of inches. Jalie says to do this on the right side of your shirt, so do it on the right side unlike me (it doesn't really matter).

Make sure that your pullover is right side out and pin the bottom of  your collar to the bottom of your neckline. See the next photos for more details on this!

When pinning on the collar make sure your raw edges are even and the 1/4 inch seam on the side of your collar is aligned with the 1/4 inch stay stitching that you just put around the neckline.

And on the right, same thing. Seam on the collar lined up with the stay stitching on the neckline.

Now, sew along the bottom of your neckline/collar to join the two pieces. Make sure that you start your sewing exactly where the 1/4 inch seam on your collar starts and end your stitching on the other side in the same place. DO NOT go over this line or you will end up with puckering on your neckline.

This was really hard to take a photo of, so stay with me and hopefully you will get what I'm trying to say. :)
To the right of the photo is the bottom of your neckline that you just sewed. After doing that start matching up the rest of your collar with the edges of your neckline and pin all the way around. This is about tricky at first, but just be patient. make sure the seam at the back of your collar is right in the middle of your back piece!

Here we are all pinned.

Now, starting at the bottom of your neckline, sew all the way around to join the collar to the body of your pullover. If you can, sew along the collar seam that is already there. As you can see by this photo I chose to sew just outside of it. If you end up not sewing exactly on the seam you will be able to see stitching when you turn it right side out and I didn't want to chance that.

Make sure when you first start at the bottom of your neckline that you again start your stitching right at the seam or you will have puckering.

Say a little prayer that you matched everything up perfectly and turn right side out and you should have this. no puckering! Phew! If you have puckering get out the seam ripper and try again. This can be really tricky, but once you get it, you'll remember for next time.

Now, we're almost done! Just need to hem!
I have a little trick that I like to do when hemming knits that I'll tell you about tomorrow.
That is, if I can find photo storage... :)

Jalie Sew-A-Long Day 2

I hope you can all forgive this late post. My sewing machine decided to give me a bit of attitude. The foot petal stopped working! It has been giving me some grief for awhile. When I start sewing it just wants to sew one stitch. Over and over again, slowly, then after a minute or two it runs like normal. Almost like it needs to warm up? Well last night it didn't want to work at all. After a couple of hours messing with it I was done!
Today, I turn her on and she is working like normal. Fingers crossed.

So, today we'll work on the collar. Did everyone get their pieces cut?
If you haven't started yet and need some guidance on knits to use, or needles, you can check out THIS post and THIS post back in the archives that touch on both.

Now, for our collar.

Take two of your collar pieces. Stack them right sides together and sew down the longer of the short edges.
Do this with the other two collar pieces. You don't need to finish these seams, they won't show.

Now, unfold both of your collar pieces and stack them on top of each other, again right sides together. Sew all along the top curved edge, from one end all the way to the other.

Turn right side out and PRESS. Please people, press! I don't like to iron things in my daily life, but this is so important while you are constructing a garment. It will make your finished results so much nicer. Press the seam in the middle of your collar flat.

Now, the pattern asks you to finish your bottom edge by using a zig zag stitch, and then putting in a stay stitch 1/4 inch up. If you have a serger you could just serge the bottom, but I'm using my sewing machine.
Now, I find when doing a zig zag stitch on knits it can sometimes bunch them up a little bit. Because of this, I chose to do a straight seam 1/4 in and then zig zagged the edge.

It is hard to see in the previous pic, but this is what you want. A straight seam 1/4 inch in and then a zig zag stitch finishing the seam. Don't mind my zig zag, my machine was having an issue...

Ok, now we want to fold our neckline as shown matching the short raw edges. See next photos for an important note.

When pinning the raw edges you want to make sure on the left that the top layer of your collar is pinned to where you have your 1/4 inch stay stitching, not right to the very edge.

And, on the right, the same thing. The bottom layer should line up with the stay stitching.

Sew together with less than a 1/4 inch seam allowance (I used about 1/8th).

Now, when you open up your collar (looking at that seam), this is what you should have. See how the seam allowance is free at either side?

Ok that is all for today, but now that my machine is back to normal we'll aim for a morning post tomorrow.
If you have any questions leave them in the comments and I'll try to answer them in that post! :)

Now, I need to go and scream. I just heard that we are expecting a snowstorm tonight. Tell me it will end!

Jalie Sew-A-Long Day 1

Are you guys ready for the first day of our sew-a-long? Like always, if you have any questions, leave them in the comments section of this post and I will try to answer them in tomorrow's post. If this is the first you're hearing about this sew-a-long and are wondering about the details, see THIS post.

Today we are going to measure, trace and cut. Probably to many of you this seems pretty self explanatory. I don't want to leave any beginners hanging, wondering what to do. So, let's start with the basics.

Measuring

Jalie gives a great diagram on the pattern showing the three measurements you should take. You can then match them to the sizing on the envelope to choose your appropriate size. Now, if your measurements don't match a size exactly you will want to size up to the next closest size (of course if you are semi experienced with patterns you can cut between sizes but for those of you that are beginners sizing up to the next closest size is the easiest option).

It is very important for you to measure yourself! Don't just choose the size you think you wear in store bought clothing. Although Jalie I feel is pretty true to size, many pattern sizes do not reflect accurately the sizes found in stores. By taking the risk of not measuring you are putting yourself at risk of spending your precious time making something that will wind up too big or too small.
Try to not to get hung up on the number on the pattern and focus on the fact that you will have a well fitting pullover. We all wish we were a size 4, but what is the point in having a size 4 top if you'll fit a size 10?

Once you have figured out your size you can look at the top of the size chart for a coordinating letter. That letter is the letter you will want to trace on your pattern.

Tracing

The reason you want to trace your patterns is so that you can use them over and over in a multitude of sizes. If you cut into it you will most likely be stuck only able to make that size.
Now, those of you that sew on a regular basis I'm sure have your own way of tracing. Pattern Ease paper is very popular and like brands can be bought in your local fabric shops. Paper specifically made for tracing patterns. Easy to see through and easy to use.
I never, or rarely ever, use pattern paper. The reason is, it is expensive for me to buy here. Or at least more expensive than what I use....

See that photo above? I know, pretty horrible photo, but it is my pattern taped to my sliding glass door. It gives me more than enough light to be able to just trace my pattern onto regular easel paper. You know the stuff you buy your kids on rolls? Whenever any of my friends are going to the city, and to Ikea specifically, I get them to pick me up several rolls (it seems to be the cheapest place). They last me a long time and are really cost effective. I cut out my pattern pieces and store them in large ziplock bags. 

 Here are my pattern pieces. You should have a trace of pattern piece A, B, AB, C and then either D (collar version), or E (hood version). You will see the hood on my tracing but I will be completing the sew-a-long with the collar version (I accidentally cut through my fabric with my rotary cutter thus not giving me enough fabric for the hood).

Cutting 

 Piece AB is needed to make up the back as well as the front of your pullover. To cut the front, piece together piece A with AB as shown (remember to cut on the fold with your stretch going width wise).

 And here we are with piece AB paired up with piece B to make up the back (again cut on the fold with stretch going width wise). The pattern advises you to tape the pieces together but I didn't.

 When you're finished cutting this is what you should have.

1. 1 Back Piece
2. 1 Front Piece
3. 4 collar pieces
4. 2 Sleeve Pieces (also cut on the fold) 

We'll stop here because I realized at this point that I didn't have any dark thread. :) See you tomorrow when we'll get sewing!

Lily Bird Giveaway!

This may be the last giveaway on my blog, and it's a good one! :)

Have you heard of Lily Bird Studio? If you're thinking no, take a close look at the patterns. Cecilia from So Tei Tei has changed her name and has some new patterns for sale!

 Love these cute skirted leggings! These are so popular right now, I see them everywhere.

What could be cuter on a little boy than a little button up shirt? Does Dad have some old shirts in the donate pile? They're perfect for making shirts for little boys.

Are you enjoying nice weather? Our snow is finally melting and it makes me so happy! Always puts me in the mood for summer sewing, and this dress is adorable.

These cuff shorts though, are still my favorite.
Many of Lily Bird Sudio's patterns go all the way up to a size 8, have clear step by step photos, and are really reasonably priced.

For the Giveaway

Head on over to Lily Bird Studio, come back and leave a comment with your favorite pattern.
6 winners will each win a pattern of their choice!

One comment per person please
Giveaway closes Friday April 15th 7PM PST
Please leave a way for me to contact you if your email isn't in your blogger profile.

Good luck! :)
Check out the Lily Bird Blog for free patterns and tutorials! Cecilia has some really cute things on her blog I think you'll love. You can also follow Lily Bird Studio on Twitter to keep up with all of Cecilia's latest pattern news!

See something you love and don't want to wait?
Lily Bird Studio is offering all of you a 15% discount on your order. Just enter IGLOO15  at checkout! This discount will be good for the duration of the giveaway. :)

See you tomorrow to start our Jalie Pullovers!

It's Quiet Around Here

I have something to share with you, but first....

Are you ready for next week? We are going to sew the Jalie pullover! I know I haven't really advertised this sew-a-long since my post in early March. I hope some of you will still be sewing it with me. Truth be told I still haven't even opened this pattern, and I've heard through the grapevine that it can be a little confusing. Let's all hope this isn't the case, and I can actually help some of you! :)
If this is the first you're hearing about this sew-a-long, you can read a bit more about the pattern we chose HERE.

Now, for my news.
You have probably noticed things have been really quiet around here the past few weeks. I have been busy. Basically just busy with my children and everything that entails. My kids are really and truly my life. We spend a lot of time together and my husband and I both try to stay involved in just about everything that they do.
Because of this I sew at night, sometimes in the middle of the night. I steal other moments when I can. Sewing is really a great stress reliever for me and something I love to do. This blog has been such a great and fun place for me to come to share sewing related things as I don't know a single person in my real world that enjoys the same hobby.

That said, sometimes when I'm sewing at midnight, I just want to sew. Keeping up with this blog has often been a lot of work. Taking photos, editing them, writing posts.... An hour sewing project can easily turn into 4 or more once I take photos and write up a tutorial or pattern for all of you (which I have loved doing). But, I just don't have the time to keep up with it.  Giveaway posts also take up a huge amount of time once I grab pictures, write up a post, write a winner post, email everyone involved. It may not look like it, but keeping up with a blog can be very time consuming.

I guess what I am trying to say, in this rather roundabout way, is that after the sew-a-long next week I will no longer be blogging like I have in the past. I was considering shutting down this blog entirely, but have been thinking on it and am going to keep it just as it is, at least for now. So, I hope you will enjoy looking up past tutorials and will pop in from time to time.

I hope to also pop in from time to time. Maybe a couple of times a month. I'll see how it goes.

Thank you for reading, thank you for sharing your photos, I really appreciate it! I didn't know if anyone would read when I first began this blog, and was so happy to meet so many others that love sewing as much as I do.

You guys are the best!