hancock's house of happy: Pyrexophilia! A Vintage Pyrex Pattern Cross Stitch...

hancock's house of happy: Pyrexophilia! A Vintage Pyrex Pattern Cross Stitch...: I am so excited about this new free cross stitch chart. It is a big band sampler featuring vintage Pyrex patterns. Don't know about you but ...

Free Project - Strapless Tunic

Project provided courtesy of:JoAnn Fabric & Craft Stores

Strapless Tunic Supplies

1 yd light to midweight cotton fabric     1 yd 1/2" wide elastic     1 spool coordinating thread     Scissors or rotary cutter and mat     French curve     Basic sewing supplies     Iron & ironing surface     Sewing machine Directions Note: All seam allowances 1/2" Sizing: for size Medium Bust 36: FRONT: Cut 1 piece 21"x29" (wxl) BACK: Cut 1 piece 21"x28" (wxl) BELT: 5"x36". Belt measurements are for all sizes. Optional – For more room at hip and hem, add 1"-2" to bottom edge of front and back. Draw diagonal line from top to new bottom measurement. For size 32 bust, grade down 2" in width and 1" in length For size 34 bust, grade down 1" in width and 1/2" in length For size 38 bust, grade up 1" in width and 1/2" in length For size 40 bust, grade up 2" in width and 1" in length Cut front and back following measurements and guidelines listed above. Cut out belt. To shape the front piece at top, measure down 1" from top at sides and make a mark. Make a mark at the center front at top. Using a french curve, draw a curved line from mark at side to the mark at center. Trim the fabric above curve. With right sides together, stitch the side seams to within 6" of the bottom edge. Backstitch. Clip the seam allowance at the end of stitching up to the stitching but not through it. Press seams open below cut. To create side slits, turn the seam allowance to the inside. Make a narrow 1/4" double-fold hem. Topstitch in place. Hem bottom edge with a 5/8" double hem. Trim off 1/8" of seam allowance at side seams. Zigzag stitch together to finish. To make the casing at top, place the elastic around chest above bust and under arms. Stretch it slightly until it feels comfortable. Add 2" to the measurement and cut. Press top raw edge of tunic under 1/4" and another 3/4".12. Topstitch close to the inside fold of casing. Leave a 1½" opening. Thread elastic through casing using a safety pin. Overlap the ends 1" and stitch together to secure. Stitch opening closed. For belt, fold in half lengthwise with right sides together and raw edges even. Stitch along all edges, leaving a 5" opening for turning. Trim corners and seams. Turn right side out and press. Edge stitch along all sides.

PALLET HOUSE DIY

Here's a link with actual plans on how to make a pallet house.

If not a house, how about a shed, storage room, garage or, on a smaller scale, a child's play house .

http://www.tinypallethouse.com/2008/08/add-windows-and-a-door/

Making It Well: I Made My Own Dress Form!

Found this great tutorial on making your own dress form from brown paper tape from the office or art supply store.  This is the post from Jo at her blog, Making It Well.  Estimated cost:  $17.50

Making It Well: I Made My Own Dress Form!: 

Here's a list of supplies Jo used - she provides step by step instructions and pictures on her blog.

Well, shall we get started?

Here’s what you will need:

-paper tape

-scissors
-garbage bag or thin t-shirt you don't mind cutting up
-masking/duct tape 
-newspapers/fabric scraps/stuffing
-flip flops
-sponge 
-thick cardboard
-blow dryer (optional)
-an awesome husband or helper

Click here for Jo's complete step-by-step tutorial at Making It Well

Reuse Sewing Pattern Tissue Paper

1.  Craft a pretty bouquet.  Tissue paper flowers shown are by Montclair Made.

Found a clever site - Crafting a Green World, The Home for Eco-Friendly Crafts.   This is a blog post from Jackie Hernandez  using sewing pattern tissue in several re-purposed projects. 

Here are a bunch of inspiring ideas for reusing sewing pattern tissue paper.

 

2. Wrap up a gift or use sewing pattern tissue in the gift bag.  The cute wraps here are by Lil Fish Studios.

 

 

3.  These matching gift tags also by Lil Fish Studios look stunning with stitch detail and found buttons.   Comic books and greeting cards make great gift tags, but who would of thought to use sewing patterns.  All they need is a sturdy foundation.  

 

4.  Make flower tissue twinkle lights with this how-to from Everyday Beauty.

 5.  Decoupage letters.  These paper pulp letters with sewing pattern decoupage are by Copabananas.  You could get a similar effect with paper mache letters found at most craft stores.

6.  You can never have enough craft storage.  Decoupage a box with the tissue and cutouts from the pattern envelope.  The adorable sewing button box here are by Sewing Geek.

 7.  Junque Art Studio and Crab Apple Design makes really cool magnets using both the sewing pattern tissue and the pattern instruction sheets.  

Reading a Sewing Pattern

Whether you have been sewing for awhile or just learning, this book offers comprehensive, easy to understand instruction for successful garment construction.

Here's a quick excerpt from the book on Reading a Sewing Pattern.

By Jan Saunders Maresh

Even though a sewing pattern might be labeled "easy" or "quick," the pattern instruction writers sometimes assume that you have a certain amount of general sewing knowledge. Nothing can be more intimidating than trying to figure out what all the hieroglyphics are on the various parts of a pattern. Don't have a pattern panic attack! Take a look at each of the standard pattern parts one at a time, and you'll be shopping for patterns like a pro in no time.

Reading the front of the pattern envelope

On the front of the pattern envelope, you often see several style variations of the same project. In the world of sewing, these style variations are called views. One view may have a collar, long sleeves, and cuffs. Another view may have a V-neck and short sleeves.

In home decor patterns, you may have several views in one pattern for a basic window treatment. Another pattern may have several pillow views. A third has several options for slipcovers. Views simply give you style options on creating the same basic project.

Reading the back of the pattern envelope

The back of a pattern envelope contains the following information about your project:

• The back of the project in detail: The front of the pattern usually just shows the front of your project.

• A description of the project by view: Always read the description of a project on the back of the pattern envelope. Drawings and photographs can be deceiving, but this written description tells you exactly what you're getting.

• How much fabric to buy: This information is based on the width of the fabric you choose, the view you're making, your size, and whether your fabric has nap or not.

If your fabric has nap, the pattern requires you to buy a little more fabric. Your fabric has nap if it falls contains any of these qualities:

• One-way design: For example, your fabric shows dancing elephants printed in the same direction. If you cut out some of the pattern pieces in one direction and other pattern pieces in the opposite direction, you'll find elephants dancing right side up on part of the project and upside down on another part of the same project. You need extra fabric so that you can get all your elephants going in the right direction.

• Fuzzy texture:Such as velvet, corduroy, Polarfleece, and some sweatshirt fleeces. When brushed in one direction, the fabric is smooth; when brushed in the other direction, it's rough. This texture difference translates into a color difference. You need more fabric to cut out the pattern pieces in the same direction.

• Uneven stripe: For example, the fabric has three colored stripes — red, blue, and yellow. To match the stripes at the seams, you need extra fabric because the pattern must be laid out in the same direction. If the front and back pattern pieces are laid out in opposite directions, the stripes are cut on the front, going from red, to blue, to yellow. The stripes on the back would be cut so that they go from yellow, to blue, to red. When you sew the seam together, the stripes won't match at the side seams.

• Even or uneven plaid: The color bars in a plaid must match both vertically and horizontally. If the plaid is not symmetrical in one or both directions, you need to lay out the pattern pieces all going in the same direction. This technique requires more fabric — for making the plaid match.

• List of notions needed for specific views: These notions include items such as the number and size of buttons, the zipper length and type, elastic width and length, shoulder pad style and size, hooks and eyes, and so on.

It's what's inside that counts

Inside your pattern envelope, you find the following items necessary for your project:

• Pattern pieces: Some pattern pieces are printed on large pieces of tissue paper. Others are printed on sturdy pieces of white paper called master patterns.

To preserve the master pattern for reuse, simply trace the size you need onto a piece of pattern tracing material. (This material is available through sewing mail-order catalogs and specialty fabric stores. Look for Trace-A-Pattern and Do-Sew brands.)

This way, you can trace off another view or cut out a project for someone else who is a different size without destroying the master pattern.

• Key and glossary: These references help you decipher the markings on the pattern pieces.

• Pattern layout: The layout shows you how to lay out the pattern pieces on the fabric yardage for each view.

• Step-by-step instructions on how to put the project together: Instructions are written in various degrees of clarity depending on your knowledge of sewing.

The project instructions may run more than one page. If they do, staple the pages together in the upper-left corner and post them in front of you as you sew. Then you can easily check off each step as you finish it. If you don't have a place to post the sheet, set it next to your sewing machine, folded to the section you're working on, for a handy reference.

How to Choose Sewing Patterns for Wedding Dresses

How to Choose Sewing Patterns for Wedding Dresses

Sleek Gossip features a great article today on how to choose sewing patterns for wedding dresses.

Making a wedding dress is a big task, but some people choose to do it. It’s cheaper than buying a dress, and it allows the dress to be designed more for the individual. However, some have no idea where to begin to find patterns for their wedding dresses. 

This is a great article with clear step-by-step instructions to finding the perfect pattern - and not always where you would think to look!

Vintage Sewing Pattern Wall Art

I am crazy about vintage sewing pattern art! 

I have been looking for ideas to showcase the artwork from my collection of vintage sewing patterns and display them so that I can enjoy them more. 

The blog,  Shelly Inspired, features a tutorial on framing actual pattern envelopes, but you could also scan and print the envelopes for framing, or work up a cool collage of scanned pattern images from different envelopes.  

Such a cute idea to turn those pattern envelopes into wall art. 

Organizing Sewing & Craft Supplies

How to Organize Sewing and Craft Supplies

Sewing and craft supplies are easy to misplace and lose. Get it all under control with easy and interesting ways to organize all your sewing and hobby items.

Sewing supplies as well as arts and crafts needs are not just always, in demand but also, always getting misplaced, resulting in panic, stress and buying things that you’re bound to find someday. The easy solution to this chaos is to organize all your sewing and crafts supplies so that each time anyone in the family needs to sew or make a school project, they’d know where to look. Moreover, you would be able to keep a tab on what needs to be bought or replaced, making a big difference to the family budget.

Collect Everything Together

The first thing to do would be to gather all your sewing and craft supplies and place them in front of you. Start putting them together into neat piles-colors, paint, glue guns and tubes, threads, needles, wool, cotton, buttons, trims, lace and anything and everything that you would use for sewing or arts and crafts. Take a good look at the piles you’ve made and see how many containers you would need for them. This would take you to the next step.

Use Divided Clear Containers

Since most of your sewing and craft supplies would include a lot of tiny stuff that would often, disappear when you need it the most, it would be a good idea to invest in a couple or more of divided clear containers. Use these containers to store all those sewing and crafts supplies that get lost when shoved into drawers or closets or large boxes.

• Use separate containers for sewing and craft supplies.
• In one divided container store all your buttons, hooks, lace, trim, ribbon and ribbon roses, thimbles, spare buttons that you get with your clothes, needles, tape measure and all other small sewing supplies. Also, put in a pair of scissors.
• For threads, use clear containers that come with spindles to hold sewing machine threads and invest in a plastic container that comes especially to store embroidery threads.
• Put all crafts supplies into another divided, clear container. Glitter, motifs, ribbons, and anything else that you use for school and crafts projects should go in here. Put a separate pair of scissors, a child-friendly one, in this container. Tubes of paint or glue can also, go into clear jars.
• If you do a lot of sewing and craft work, it would be a good idea to organize your supplies according to type- cross stitch, fabric paint, everyday sewing, quilting, knitting and so on.

Storing Paper and Cloth

Paper and cloth of all kinds is used for both sewing and creating crafts, so it is important that these be stored along with your other craft and sewing supplies. Both cloth and paper should be stored either rolled up and tied loosely or spread flat and smoothed out. If rolling it up, store it all in a tall container. You could use an old jar for this.

If spreading paper or cloth flat for storing, slide them into folders such as a CD folder or even, large Ziploc pouches, and label them, identifying what kind of paper or cloth they hold. So, when you’re looking for them, you wouldn’t have to open half a dozen folders.

Organize Storage Space

Once you have everything sorted, you would need to identify a proper space to store your sewing and crafts supplies. Wherever you decide to store them, ensure that you keep all of them together. So, your clear containers, paper and cloth rolls as well as folders should all be together in one place.

Keep a few small empty containers to hold any miscellaneous stuff. Store in a cabinet or closet or even, on a shelf but remember to put up a pen and paper to jot down anything that needs to be replaced to save you time and effort from going through everything when you’re about to leave for the store.

Keeping all your sewing and crafts supplies in an organized manner would save you a lot of time, effort and money. Knowing that you have everything at hand would prevent undue stress and bother over school projects, missing buttons or torn shirts.

So, take out some time now and organize all your sewing and crafts supplies to enjoy the results later.

I Finally Did It!

Yes - I finally did it! 

Here is (or soon will be) all of Carol's Tag Sale - from across the web to this one compact site. 

There is lots more to come soon! 

Right now, http://www.carolstagsale.com/ is still directed to my About Me page on eBay.  Before this blog, it was the only site with links to all my selling venues.  Believe me, this blog will be even better!  The hub of activity for Carol's Tag Sale - posting to Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, pattern & crafts listings on eBay and Etsy.  And - on the subject of Facebook - I'm setting up a real page.  I have been busy!   

Until this all gets set up, you know that you can still visit me at http://www.etsy.carolstagsale.com/ and http://www.ecrater.carolstagsale.com/ and http://www.ebay.carolstagsale.com/ for great deals on new and vintage sewing patterns and crafts. 

NEWS:  I have lots of new and gently used costume sewing patterns to list this next week.  You can see the costume patterns I have for sale right now on Etsy at http://www.etsy.com/shop/CarolsTagSale?section_id=7216682.  

If you are looking for a certain costume, just convo me through Etsy and I will see if I have it. 

See you soon!