Welcome to the Jungle...

Remember the Halloween costume I made for Pearl last year?

Well, this year for the Pattern Review Costume Contest, I made little Fritz a LEOPARD OUTFIT!

 In "captivity."

In the "wild."

On the prowl.

Scavenging for food?

Lions and Leopards and...

 Roxy...oh my!...

Pearl got second place last year, this year Fritz should take 1st!  Vote for our cute little leopard dog cat thing.  

The pattern Review:

Pattern Description: 

Dog costumes in 3 sizes: Elvis, Bumblebee, Cow, Lion
Pattern Sizing:

S - M- L . I started with a small and shrunk it down to 60% on a xerox. Because I made the pattern before, I increased the size of the pattern by slashing and spreading (which worked, to an extent).
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

More or less. After I shrunk it down, and the graded the pattern up a bit, it ended up still being too small. I made this version a shirt as well and did not include the tail. I decided the problem with the fit was in the back legs. Maybe it was in reducing the pattern on the copier that did it, but the back legs are drafted poorly. There needed to be even more ease between the my dog's rear and his leg.
Were the instructions easy to follow?

I did not use them, but they seemed okay.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

I think the pattern is cute, but not drafted well. I thought it was me the first time around, but I am more experienced now and I think it is the pattern. I wish the pattern companies made patterns for tiny dogs :)
Fabric Used:

Leopard print polar fleece from the swapmeet.
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

I shrunk the pattern down to 60% of the original and added back 1/2" seam allowances. I then slashed and spread and added an inch to the circumference about an inch to the length and split the legs open a bit for some more room. It still didn't fit in the back so I made it a shirt instead of a jumper.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

Nope! I think I'll just use my self drafted dog pj pattern the next time I make a doggie onesie. I'll probably use the hood pattern piece and the ears again though.
Conclusion: 

Try something else if you have little dogs. It may work for larger breeds. 

Crafty Cakes

I'm a sucker for cute cakes.  Found these on a blog I read and thought I would share.

Aren't they awesome?

More on Cake Wrecks!

Water-Casting Fun!

For my birthday, my parents bought me a Groupon to take an art class at the Saw Dust Festival in Laguna Beach.  It was actually my idea so I asked for it :)

I finally used it this weekend to take a Water-Casting jewelry class. Basically, you melt down metals (silver, copper, gold if you are lucky) in a crucible using a very, very hot torch.  Once the metal is molten you dump it into a pot of water.  That is it!  I got to dump it into a can of water and broomsticks.  Yes, broomsticks.  It created some really rad shapes.  Here is a basic tutorial I found online.

I volunteered to go first because the rest of the class was scared. It was a really big torch (That's what she said! --OFFICE JOKE, can't help myself).  I've had some experience with metal-smithing and water casting so I thought I could go first.  My first attempt went well and this is what I got:

This pieces is a 50/50 combination of sterling silver and copper.

On my second attempt, I got this:

This piece has more copper in it, about a 40/60 combination.  I added a pearl on this one too.

If I access to a torch again,  I would totally make more.  It was a lot of fun and really easy.

Two of Six reasons sewing has been slooooww going...Glass Fusing!

Remember in this post I talked about glass fusing?  Well here are two of the finished plates.  I forgot to take pictures of the other four before I gave them to my parents.

I'm done! Finally!  I just heard that they arrived in one piece too.  I've been able to focus on sewing.

I did finish my silk blouse (pictures to come) and also made a pj set from my vintage 1984 Disney fabric.

I should be packing....must get back to it!

Not much sewing....Other Crafts!

  I've been spending a lot of time at the Craft Center...and not sewing!

Before I was a sewer, I was and still am a crafter.  I've dabbled in ceramics, silk-screen printing, glass fusing, stained glass, wire jewelry, sandblasting, lampworking, computer graphics (aka photoshop fun), weaving, knitting, crocheting, fabric dying, bookbinding, and the list goes on.

Currently, I have a lot of sewing projects going on at once and nothing is finished.  I'm going to attribute this to the fact that I hate my sewing space.  I have poor lighting, very little storage space, and only a small space to actually work.  When I move back home, I'm going to have a nice dedicated space to sew, but it will most likely still be a mess.  Another reason I'm so far behind on my projects is all the crafts I've been working on.

First, my Dad asked for a b-day present of a sandblasted beer mug he will use to drink tea.  I designed what was to be put on the mug, and adhered the decal.  Two nights ago I watched some old Gilmore Girls and carved out the design by hand.  Today I blasted it! Here's the finished product (just don't show my Dad :-P)  The angle the picture was taken makes the lettering look crooked, but it is not.

It says "Carpe Intestinum" (Seize the Intestine)...apparently General Surgeon humor...

He also asked for a set of fused glass dessert plates.  Both my mother and I have no idea why he wants them, but I guess I have to make them.  I spent half my day last Saturday getting them ready to be fused.  I hate glass fusing and these plates made me really cranky.  I forgot how much I hate cutting and grinding glass. I had shards in my hair, they whacked me in the face (I was wearing goggles!), and I even found a couple of small chips down my bra later.  Ugg.  To make things worse, I forgot how difficult it is to cut irridized glass.  Only two pieces cut correctly and the rest I had to use to make frit (frit is tiny chunks of glass).  So I have a set of 6 hopefully. Today  I re-ground all six pieces and prepared them for slumping.  I will post final pictures.

Lastly, I decided to take a Beginning Precious Metalsmithing class!  I'm having a great time so far.  I decided to make a ring similar to this one:

By Lake on Etsy.

I brought this picture in to my instructor thinking I would in no way be able to make it, but he said I could.  I was apprenhensive about recreating someone else's work, but my instructor assured me that if I put as much effort as I am into making the ring and not selling copies, then it is okay. What do you all think about the taking inspiration from Etsy?  So far I have just made the band part.  I'll keep you all updated when I finish my first real ring!

I have ugly veiny hands!

On the sewing front, I'm at a stand still with the black and white batik silk blouse.  I instead cut out a pair of shorts from Simplicity 3849, View E.

And a silly pair of PJs (my only TNT pattern, haha!) from some cotton baby Mickey Mouse and Friends fabric from 1984!  My friend was giving it away and I snatched it up because it was from the year I was born.   And I already cut into it! Go me!