There's The Box and Then........

 there's completely out of the box. From the World of Wearable Art, WOW, an organization in Australia that attracts designers and artists from all over the world, these pictures represent the 2011 winners.

The home page of WOW describes the show in this way;

 Step into a world

 where art and the human form combine,

 where dance, music and lighting

 tell a story of the body as a canvas;

 

 where the lines of fashion

 and art

 blur

 and merge as one.

You can see more and learn more about WOW here.
I hope you've enjoyed this little trip outside of the box. Although none of us would wear any of these pieces, I think that they are quite inspiring and can give the artist in all of us a world of inspiration.

Scrap Happy 1

Back in October I bought this issue of Country Living magazine. What caught my eye was the twist on the pumpkins. Such fun.

For the little green calico pumpkin in the lower portion of the picture, they instructed you to find a fabric, theirs was a Liberty of London fabric, photocopy it and then decoupage it to the pumpkin. The pumpkins aren't real pumpkins, but the "Funkins" that you can buy at craft stores.

As I read the instructions, I thought, there is no way I am going to go to the trouble of photocopying fabric, I do have plenty to spare. And besides, what a great way to use scraps!

So I started with the "funkin". I just happened to have a hat stand that would work perfectly as a drying stand.

All I did was rip strips of fabric that were about an 1 1/2 wide. I used an old brush and a jar of Mod Podge. Very generously apply the mod podge to the funkin surface and lay a strip on. Once the strip was on, I brushed mod podge over the strip which seals the edges of the fabric.

Continue to work around the funkin.

Once I had the surface covered with strips and mod podge, I was going to allow the mod podge to dry and do another coat, but I was quite liberal with the modpodge and there really was no reason to add another coat.

In the end, I thought it made for a nice, unexpected touch to my fall flower arrangement.

I don't know if there are any funkins to be had at this point. I should have posted this sooner. But, maybe file the idea away and give it a try next year. A great project to share with your children, or for the kid in you!

Monday Morning Inspiration

What Is Success?
To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people
     and the affection of children;
To earn the appreciation of honest critics
     and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty;
To find the best in others;
To leave this world a better place whether
     by a healthy child, a garden patch
     or a redeemed social condition;
To know even one life has breathed easier
     because you have lived;
This is to have succeeded.
                               Ralph Waldo Emerson

This is one of my favorite pieces. It always brings me back to what is truly important.
As this new week begins, I would like to look back for a moment and say thank you to so many who have touched my life is such a special way this past week.
Miss P, thank you for the excitement in your voice when you hear my voice on the other end of the line.
Shams, what can I say? You took the bull by the horns and opened up my world. Thank you.
D. Cameron, I think you have pinned every Free Pattern Friday to your Pinterest board. Thank you.
J Hammons and Kay Yaws, thank you for your pins and your lovely comments.
The lovely comments I've received from so many on the piece I did about my grandfather, thank you.
All of you who have sent such lovely emails and asked for the poinsettia napkin ring pattern, thank you.
Those of you who have included a link to my blog through yours, kbenco , mahogany stylist, la machinacoudre, sew intriguing, la bobine, Paco Peralta, Sewing Saga, Sewing Niche, Sew Ruthie, Weirwood Station, thank you, thank you.
And last, but not least, C. Nelson, thank you for your words, "I look forward to your blog entries, like reading my favorite columnist in the newspaper." For someone who loves to write, no words could be sweeter.
As this Thanksgiving Week begins, I wish you all a lovely week full of blessings.
And in closing, some lovely pictures of Fall that I took while on a hike with my dogs this past week.

The Poinsettia Napkin Ring Pattern

Just a quick update. Last December I posted a napkin ring made from felt as a little Christmas present from me to you.

So easy to do and it looks wonderful on a holiday table.

There are just three pieces, a flower shape, a leaf shape and the band which looks like a dog bone.

A few people have recently asked for the pattern but were afraid that since I posted it last year that it may not still be available. IT'S AVAILABLE!!! If you would like the pattern, just email me, sewbussted@yahoo.com, and I will be happy to send you the PDF pattern.
Stay tuned, during the first week of December I will post another little Christmas  present from me which will also be a free PDF pattern.
Happy Sunday!
Rhonda

Fabulous Free Pattern Friday

Hopefully you read my post yesterday and know that I waited to do yesterday's pattern until today. I won't post a picture of me in the jacket until tomorrow. We have had a very dark day today, so pictures of a black jacket are a bit of a lost effort. But...tomorrow the sun is supposed to shine.
Today's pattern is just exactly the same as,

the Paper Bag Top I did for you in this post in October, with the following exceptions.

The  jacket is done in a bamboo knit. You can do it in another knit, just make sure your knit has a two way stretch. I like bamboo knits as they have the most beautiful drape. The collar area is wider than the other piece I did,

and the drawstring casing goes all the way to the edge.

You can see in this picture that it's really a rectangle that has sleeves and a drawstring that forms the paperbag look. Real easy to do unless you're like me and put one of the sleeves in on the wrong side. Oh well, we're all human.

Here are the measurements that I used.
My rectangle measures 54" wide by 42" long.

This jacket is meant to be very drapey, so if you are a little larger, add 2" to the width, up to 4" to the width. You can also add to the length if you would like a longer jacket.

Now, measure across your back just to the side of your arms. This will determine the space between your armholes.

Measure around your armhole.

Now, with your rectangle in front of you, measure down 10" for the collar. Measure down another 4" for the distance between the drawstring and the top of your armhole. In the above picture you can see a dash at the top of the rectangle. This is the midpoint of the rectangle. Take you back measurement and divide it in half. Do not add ease because this is a knit. If your back measurement is 16", divide that in half, 8". From the midpoint, measure over 8" on either side for the edge of your armhole. What I did to draw in the armhole was take my tape measure and form an oval with the measurement of my armhole and laid it down where the edge of the armhole should be and the distance down from the top edge that I determined for my collar and shoulder area.

Draw in the armhole. Remember, this is a knit and knit fabrics are very forgiving, so if your armhole isn't exactly perfect it will be okay.
For the sleeve, take a sleeve pattern from a t-shirt that you like and simply use that sleeve.
For my jacket, I did not finish the edges except for the bottom edge of my sleeves so that they wouldn't stretch out of shape.
Cut a piece of fabric 1 3/4" wide by the entire width of your rectangle for your casing. Turn under the edges 1/4 and stitch to you rectangle. Stitch another line down the middle of your casing so that you can have two drawstrings. You need two drawstrings in order to draw up the neckline and tie. Cut your drawstrings. Cut the drawstrings approximately 75" long by 1" wide. I like for my drawstrings to be a little extra long. They have a nice movement that I think looks very feminine. Stitch your drawstrings with a scant 1/4" seam allowance. Turn and then thread through your casing. You're finished. It's really quite simple. I am going to do this again and use a draped sleeve. I think just about any sleeve pattern would look lovely with the jacket. I know the black fabric makes it very difficult to see, but as I said yesterday, I have one that I've worn out and I love it and it's become a staple of my wardrobe, so black is what I needed. The next one I do will be a color that is much easier to see. Give me about two weeks and I'll have another for you to see. Do give it a try. I think you will love it as much as I do.
Hope you're all having a lovely weekend.
Rhonda

A Quick Update

This will be this week's second pattern. A friend asked if I ever make mistakes. You betcha!!! I'm going to ask for forgiveness as I will post the instructions to this jacket tomorrow morning. I was putting in the second sleeve and I realized that I had put the first in on the wrong side. You know the feeling when you've done something, well, kinda stupid, the head falls in disgust as you realize the work that will be involved in correcting what you've done followed by a few let's say, choice words. When I saw what I did, I realized that I'm tired and that it will be better to post the instructions tomorrow morning when I am rested.

The jacket has a great, adjustable collar. This is my second jacket. The first I have worn out, so you can see that it's a favorite. So, please forgive me and come back tomorrow morning for Fabulous Free Pattern Friday, a day late.
I'll have a picture of me in the jacket in tomorrow's post.
Thanks so much!
Rhonda

Fabulous Free Pattern Friday

Good Morning Everyone! I do know it's Thursday, I just thought I would give you a little bonus this week. Yea!!

The Fleece Ski Hat
The weather here in Chicago is beginning to turn. I'm so happy!! Fires in the fireplace, hot chocolate, snowshoeing, skiing, hot spiced wine.....I love it all.
Today's little pattern is so super easy. A little rectangle as usual. There will never be a reason to buy another fleece hat. I bought the fleece for this hat at Joann's. It was on the remnant rack and the entire yard I think was about $4.00 and then I got 10% off that. I can get 6 hats out of a yard of fabric, that brings the cost down to about 60 cents per hat! Wow! Now there's a reason to sew.
Begin by measuring your head. I should have included a picture, sorry about that. Just measure around your head. Remember, this is a snug fitting cap so you do not want any ease. For the length, I used 12", this should be enough to give you a 2" hem as well. A typical head measurement is 22". If this is good for you, your rectangle would measure 22" x 12". Remember, no need for ease, the fleece will stretch.

I did the entire hat on the serger. Begin by sergeing the bottom edge of the fleece.

Fold and serge the seam which will become the center back seam. At this point, try on the hat. If it isn't snug enough, simply cut of the serged edge and sew another seam.

Turn up the bottom edge. You can use a zigzag stitch to sew in place. I like to use a double needle and sew from the right side. I get a nice double row of stitching and on the back side I have the zigzag stitch that I need for the stretch. Once you have sewn the hem in place, fold your hat as you see in the above picture.

 Serge the seam at the top of your hat.

The hat could actually be worn at this point. You could put some tassels on the corners and make it rather fun, but I wanted something a little less funky.

 Wow, I look like Thor in this picture!! At this point, try on the hat and pinch the corners,

pin the corners,

 and then serge across the corners.

And you're finished. The hat takes no more than 30 minutes to make, start to finish. I made two yesterday, one for me and one for my husband. A friend came by last night and my husband was showing him the hat. He tried it on.....and it went home with him. No problem, I'll make another. Really great for presents. I'll meet you at the remnant bin at Joann's!!

Have a wonderful day!

My Little Bit on my sewing table. She started her life off as black as the night. I swear she's going to end her life completely white. Too funny.