kcwc: day five

September 24th, 2010

I cut out this skirt for kcwc in the spring, but then the pockets and the piping started to looking very difficult and it found it’s way to the bottom of the pile. Well, it turns out the piping wasn’t hard at all–a little fiddly maybe, but it turned out.

The pockets on the other hand are now in the garbage. You can’t see the back pockets the pattern picture, but they are cute little curved things with piping around the bottom, and a horizontal buttonhole on the top hem, oh and they are top stitched too. I have no idea how you are supposed to make buttonholes look good on knit fabric or top stitching for that matter. Whatever, maybe I’ll have to courage to try again in the spring.

Or if my daughter demands it, because she’s pretty peeved that the pockets in the front are fake. And really I was kind of annoyed too, when I figured out what the diagrams were telling me to do. This is another pattern from Everyday Bottoms; it seems like I’m having a japanese kids clothes week, but the patterns are so damn stylish I can’t not make them.

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Today’s giveaway is a new book, called Sew Tina!, by fabric and pattern designer Tina Givens. The book doesn’t even hit the shelves until October, so this is a super special sneak peek! It is filled ideas and patterns for children’s clothes, accessories and things for their rooms. I haven’t seen the book yet, but if that cute little dress is any indication, it is sure to be fantastic.

To enter this giveaway tell us if you are a work from patterns or dive right in without a plan kinda sewer, or if you have read some extra good craft books lately or what you had for breakfast. Good Luck!

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The winner is

#114: Carolyn!

Congratulations!

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134 Responses to kcwc: day five

  1. Kirsten says:

    I am a bipolar sewist. Frenetic one month, usually to get my sewing mojo back and then slow and methodical when I have a couple of sewing failures back to back. I have to girls, five years apart who love to coordinate but not match and share a room…..oh the fun I would have with this book.

  2. Jill says:

    I like making up my own patterns, or using very simple patterns. I tend to improvise and hope for the best. :)

  3. ChelseaB says:

    I’m definitely a work form patterns kinda gal. I’m not very adventurous when it comes to sewing, but I’m trying to be more so! The book looks very cute. :-)

  4. Steph says:

    Malto meal – yummy! And, I’m a pattern girl!

  5. Katie says:

    This book looks awesome! I totally need a pattern. The more I sew the more I realize how much I like the pattern to tell me EXACTLY what to do. But I’m starting to get enough experience now where I can usually make something up when the pattern doesn’t do that.

  6. Lila Jo says:

    The piping details on the front are wonderful! I find myself drawn to patterns lately, I love that somebody else has done all the thinking for size and construction already!

  7. Brianna says:

    I always use a pattern, but the other day I just winged it and found it was quite fun and adventurous! :) I love the dress on that little girl it’s so beautiful!

  8. Tanja says:

    Great-lookin’ book! I am on an Oliver and S binge, and I like to use freezer paper to trace the pattern so I can save the original. I also like Weekend Sewing.

    I had for breakfast the same thing that my kids and I have had everyday this week – a toast and jam sandwich -beacause I am spending every extra morning second sewing!!!

  9. Kimberly says:

    Love the skirt and would love a chance at this beautiful book. I’m a pattern gal but want to try my hand at pattern-making as well. And I made a green smoothie this morning: frozen peaches, fresh raspberries, orange, kale, plain yogurt and ice. Delicious! ;)

  10. Bethany says:

    Having the mind of an engineer, I have to have everything calculated, and have a plan for the pieces needed for construction and also a plan for the construction steps. Altough, I think this impedes my creative juices so I’m trying to break away from what I feel comfortable with.

  11. Delia says:

    I use patterns, but I am taking a sewing class, so hopefully someday I will be able to create my own patterns. Breakfast was lots of coffee, a nibble on a chocolate chip pancake (that I made for the girls) & an egg.
    BTW- Love the skirt. I think I would try making it in a woven. Pockets would be much easier as well as buttonholes.

  12. Marie says:

    I use patterns the first time with some junky fabric and then make my own modifications to use with good fabric.

  13. Tiffany says:

    Right now I am a work from pattern kind of gal, but I hope one day to have more courage and be a dive right in person and design my own patterns. I am still learning a lot about sewing so I like using patterns.

  14. Nancy says:

    I like both – using patterns and making up my own.

  15. Bailey says:

    I am the kinda gal that starts with a pattern…and then it all goes awry as I start to add this, take off this, ruffle this ect….

  16. Kathleen says:

    Its making kids clothes that has given me the confidence to do things without patterns, and now I’m even thinking of making grown up clothes again!

  17. Cindy says:

    Pancakes for breakfast!
    Mostly I work from patterns but every now and then, I make it up as I go along.

  18. I always work from patterns even if I have to make my own. I have always been jealous of my sister who doesn’t need any.

  19. Kasey says:

    Mostly I work from patterns, or more often, tutorials. But lately I’ve been winging it more and more often–usually with pretty decent results.

  20. Jenny Wiebe says:

    I’ve always used a pattern for sewing clothes, but when it comes to accessories and such, I usually wing it.

  21. Laura says:

    I love working from patterns & find the japanese books to be wonderfully liberating but also a puzzle from time to time as your pocket tale suggests.

    Every time I go off the patterns and try to get creative I find myself in a pile of trouble.

    My breakfast was yogurt, berries and granola. My coffee intake was limited by tardiness. And I love your blog and that cute magenta skirt.

  22. Sandra says:

    I love that the web for tutorials. I often start with patterns then wing-it and try to make it my own. My littlest is on the small side and often the patterns are just way to large for his slim frame. Winging it is a necessity :)

  23. Kristie says:

    I like to go both ways, with a pattern, and without. Some things need a pattern. Other times, a seam ripper comes in very handy.
    I love the idea of focusing on something specific to sew for, for a week. I haven’t been able to sew every day, but I did make some backpacks for my kiddos.

  24. Jamie says:

    I started off with tutorials that I found on my favorite blogs and a couple of patterns from books. I usually follow the directions and then add a little embellishment to personalize it. I did make one dress from my own design and it turned out pretty well.

  25. Jenn S says:

    I ate pecan pie squares for breakfast. I’m down like that.

    <3 that top!