Archive for December, 2010
Fabric Bunting Banners
I recently added fabric banners to the shop. Banners, bunting, garland… they have a variety of names, and they are so fun! Some people use them over and over for birthday parties; others keep them up year round to decorate kid’s rooms, or even other areas of the house. They look great outside draped along a fence too. I hate buying decorations each time one of my kids has a birthday, so this is a nice ecofriendly alternative to disposable party decorations.
It’s a handmade Christmas
I love to create handmade gifts, and I also love to try my hand at new things. Sewing something for the first time, whether it’s from a pattern or tutorial, or just merging ideas that I’ve seen with new thoughts of my own is so satisfying. Not only do I get to be creative with design (picking fabrics that coordinate, etc) but it always surprises me how much problem solving and critical thinking goes into creating. So come Christmas, my list is long of all the darling new gifts I’d like to sew for my friends and family. And of course sewing something for the first time will take me 5 times as long as something that I’ve done before, so I can never seem to finish my lists. But I sure have fun trying!
SALE!
This week all handcrafted originals in the holiday shop are 10% off! Just enter coupon code SAVE10 at checkout.
Happy shopping!
Deconstructing the Twirly Skirt
I’ve spent a lot of time making decisions about the construction of the twirly skirt, so I thought I’d share my thoughts and final decisions with you.
1. The Seams. How to finish the seams? There are certainly a lot of options, but ultimately I decided on the french seam (see pictures below). It’s perfect for skirts that are going to be played in, not just looked at or hung in a closet. French seams are tough. It’s a seam encased in a seam, so it should withstand all the adventures that await your kiddos. Plus I love the look of the french seam – it’s very professional and polished; not a stray thread in sight.
2. The Hem. Of course I could just do a standard hem on the bottom of the skirt, but what fun is that? To me, the hem is a perfect opportunity to add a coordinating fabric that takes the skirt from ‘that’s a cute skirt’ to ‘I must have that skirt. Now.’ So I have two versions. One has a wide panel of coordinating fabric on the bottom of the skirt; the other, a coordinating bias trim that adds a touch of whimsy. My shop will feature both versions.
Twirly Skirts
New…. the Twirly Skirt! Well it’s not really new, I’ve made variations on this skirt in the past, but this wardrobe staple will soon be offered through my etsy shop and at Urchins in a large variety of sizes and patterns. Here’s a peek!
