Infinity Scarf Tutorial

I love fall fashion: knee-high socks with boots, the annual introduction of scarves. However, it is still in the 70s here in Denver, so the wool scarves can't be pulled out just yet (or at least not until Wednesday, when snow is in the forecast).

I found two pieces of this fabric in the remnant bin at Joann's. (Have I mentioned I love the remnant bin?) Since the fabric is so thin, I layered the two pieces to thicken it up some.

First, I sewed the short ends of the pieces together.

Folding the fabric "hot dog", I pinned the four layers together, and sew.

Trim the excess.

Turn inside out.

Pin the end of one side into the tube of the other, creating a loop.

And sew. This is the only seam that shows. I was glad I was able to match up the pattern for the most part.

Loop around twice to create the effect above. Today, I paired the scarf with a jean jacket and brass flower necklace.

Fall in Colorado

Fall has officially arrived in Colorado! Time to unpack my sweaters, boots, and knee high socks. I love the crisp air, crunching of leaves beneath your feet, and the sight of new beginnings. Bryan and I drove the foothills yesterday evening to spy the changing aspens before their leaves fell. I love spotting the pop of yellow an aspen provides in a forest of evergreens!

DIY: Circle Skirt

I found this great tutorial on making a circle skirt, here. I made one in the past for the girl I nanny, and have been dying to make one for me as well. I used the same idea as the tutorial listed, however I used two different kinds of fabrics, because, one, I didn't have enough fabric to make the full doughnut shape, and, two, I liked the idea of multiple patterns.

 First, to make the template. I taped four pieces of 12inches by 12 inches of card stock together. Using the template idea listed in the tutorial, I measured my waist. My waist is almost 40 inches + 2 inches for elastic give, divided by 6.28. Remember geometry? I don't either, but the original tutorial explains it a lot better than I do.

42 / 6.28 = 6.7 inches. Using a measuring tape, I measured an arch 6.7 inches from the corner of the template. I then measured another arch 17.5 inches from the first arch.

And Cut.

When lining up the fabric, I discovered I didn't have enough to make a full doughnut shape, so I cut off three inches for the trim.

I used safety pins to hold the template to the fabric and cut.

Here is everything, all cut, and ready to sew!

First, I ironed the hem for the bottom edge.

And sewed the hem and the four pieces together.

Here is the bottom fabric all sewn together!

Pin the bottom fabric to the underside of the main fabric.

And sew! (Please excuse the bad manicure!)

Yay! The hard part is done!

Pin and sew the elastic to the waist of the hip. Making sure the elastic is taut, stretch it as you sew to make sure it stays flat against the fabric.

A fun and flirty new skirt for fall! Plus, you are never too old to twirl in a skirt.

Happy Sewing,
Katie

In Lust: Fancy Tiger Crafts

Today, while journeying down Broadway I stopped into Fancy Tiger Crafts. As soon as a stepped through the door I fell in love and became obsessed. This store was made for me. I wandered the shelves of fabric bundles, organized by hue, mesmerized by the textures, patterns, and color combinations. Across from the fabric was (almost) ceiling high selves stuffed with every shade of yard imaginable. I'm still in awe.

Photo credit: Fancy Tiger Crafts

Located at 56 Broadway, this wonderful abode hosts all things needle craft created, from sewing and quilting, knitting and crocheting, to spinning and loom work. I could get lost in this store for hours. Hell, my mind is still lost in that store. They provide classes in all of the above for a reasonable price.

While more expensive than more common crafting store like Micheal's and Joann's, the quality is in the product. The fabric feels richer than its counterparts. The yarn is made from genuine wool, rather than mixed fibers. Needless to say, I'm in lust, and on the brink of love.

Here's what I got away with. 6 yards of fabric in 4 different patterns, and a skein of baby alpaca yarn.

Delhi Blue Ty Pennington Impressions

An impulse buy at the counter while I was paying, but well worth it! I'm thinking a dress or messenger bag!

Pineapple Harleq Turquoise Palmer

I'm thinking a dress or skirt for this beauty. Perfect for the fall months!

Foulard Teal Victoria & Albert Garthwaite

I'm so excited to make an end of the summer bow clutch with this gorgeous fabric!

Fine Feathered Whisper Anna Maria Horner Field Study

This is my personal favorite fabric find of the day. I want to make everything out of it! But, for starters I'm going to start with a pocketed tee or tank!

I fell in love with this alpaca yarn. Better yet, it's from Cascade Yarns in Seattle, another love of mine. No wonder it jumped out at me, even though I didn't know it's origin until I got home. Warm mittens for the Colorado winter to come!

DIY Maxi Skirt

With fall coming, back-to-school sales are continuously calling my name. However, my current budget doesn't allow for my dream shopping spree. Ho hum. I stopped at Goodwill today to hopefully fix my shopping itch.

I found this cute dress, by Forever 21, for $4.99. However, in all honesty my boobs won't fit into the top of the dress. I walked around the store three times and couldn't get the fabulous tribal print out of my mind, so I decided to transform it into a maxi skirt.

I cut the top of the dress off, attempting to cut evenly along the pattern.

To make the dress into a skirt I attached it to elastic (not stretched). I measured my waist and added 2 inches. The extra inches allow for seam allowance and makes the skirt easier to get on and off.  Fold the elastic in half and sew allowing a 1/2 inch allowance.

Fold the extra tabs of the elastic back and sew flat.

After looking for my straight pins for 10 minutes, I then folded the fabric over the elastic loop and pinned in place.

I sewed the elastic along the bottom edge of it, grabbing the fabric along the way. Loraine (my sewing machine) and I got into a fight half way through the skirt, where I had to rip the seam and start over, but it was worth it!

Cute and comfy skirt!!

Cost: $7.00 (dress and elastic) Time: 15 minutes