Up Next | Summer Sewing

Posted in 30 Before 30, Inspiration, Work-in-Progress by blancapate

Hey all!!

The weather’s already crept up to 3 digits here in West Texas, so I thought it’d only be appropriate to sew up something light and airy to kick off the summer! I’m going on a couple of trips next month, and think that Grainline Studio’s Tiny Pocket Tank will be the perfect blouse to pack along in my suitcase. I really love its swingy shape, and am in need of a quick and easy sewing project this week. :)

I’ve already taped together and cut out the pattern, and made my usual adjustments (SBA, added length, and I also raised the neckline a bit).

I have plans to sew up the tank top in a lightweight chambray gauze and some shirting fabrics I already have on hand. I’d also love to try it out in a cotton eyelet, to dress up the usual jeans and cardigan look. I’ve been thinking about adding buttons to the back, because I always get nervous when taking off a woven shirt without buttons or a zipper – I’m always afraid I’ll get makeup all over the neckline. But.. I’ll take it step-by-step, and see how it goes. ;)

This past weekend, I also got a bit of a head start on one of the goals on my 30 before 30 list. Jose had a couple of pairs of blue jeans to give away, and I kept them, thinking I could make some sort of use out of them in my sewing room. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to make out of them until I ran across these amazing quilts by Folk Fibers.

I have a special love for Log Cabin quilts, and really think that old jeans were made to be recycled into the pieces that make up this design. I decided to use a quilt pattern from my Modern Log Cabin Quilting book. I cut out 2 inch strips from Jose’s recycled jeans, then chose a combination of unbleached muslin, and a couple of white Kona cottons as my contrast. Here’s my first test block, below. I’m in love!

And here’s the pattern I’ll be using for the quilt:

I’m not in any hurry to complete the quilt, especially because it’s partially made out of denim (and will end up being a pretty hefty bed cover!). We won’t be needing anything heavy on our bed for several months, although, for some reason, I’m always inspired to quilt something new in the summer. Kind of counterintuitive, but I suppose it takes several months to finish up a quilt before it gets cold outside again. :)

I hope you all have a lovely week!! I’ll see you again before the weekend. Hopefully I can show you a couple of new tank tops by then!!

xoxo ~ Amanda

17May2013

What I Made | A Couple of Drapey Hollyburn Skirts

Posted in Finished Projects, Sewaholic Patterns by blancapate

Hey ya’ll! Happy Friday!!

I spent a good part of this past week working on a couple of new Hollyburn skirts with fabric from my stash. Both of these fabrics have a considerable amount of drape to them, making each one perfect for a half-circle skirt like the Hollyburn!

The first fabric I used was a very liquid chambray – I would guess this fabric has some sort of Tencel in it. This is by far my favorite skirt I’ve ever made. The fabric was very lightweight, and has a lot of drape to it, but extremely easy to work with. Jose made the comment that it has a very “cowgirl” look to it, which, living here in Texas, I take as a compliment!

I think what takes it to the next “cowgirl” level is that I lined this skirt with a floral silk georgette I had on hand. Nothing like lining a chambray skirt with floral silk, don’t you think?

Also – these are the most amazing buttons. I wasn’t too impressed with the wood buttons that the local Hancock Fabrics carries, so I ordered these from anthonyswoodshop on Etsy. According to the seller, these buttons are special because they are “cut so as to capture the strength of the wood, unlike tree branch buttons which tend to split.” This means the buttons can be machine washed and dried, unlike other wood buttons that are sold at the local fabric store. :)

The second skirt was made with (what I assume to be) a black cotton crepe. I didn’t care for this fabric as much as the chambray, but it still made a very basic, wearable skirt in the end. I lined it with a synthetic black and white houndstooth I had on hand (Roll Tide ya’ll!), and I added belt loops to the waistband rather than button tabs. I’m pretty pleased with the result, as you can never have too many basic black skirts in your closet.

(Here you can see the inside of my hand-picked zipper!). :)

The weather here in Midland is really starting to heat up – the high today was 102 degrees (F)! The dogs have been extra lazy because of it, and I don’t blame them. I think my summer hibernation will start this weekend. I can’t complain, though, it gives me an excuse to stay inside and sew!!

Here’s what Blanca thinks about the hot weather:

Hope you all have a fun weekend!

xo ~ Amanda

13May2013

30 Before 30 | Nicole’s Classes, Photo 101

Posted in 30 Before 30, Blanca & Canela, Photography by blancapate

I’m already off to a running start with my 30 before 30 list! Now, I must admit, I enrolled for this course way back in January, but still wanted to include it on my 30 before 30 because it’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time!!

The class I’m taking is called Photo 101 by Nicole Hill Gerulat, and it’s an online class available at Nicole’s Classes website. I actually found the course online about a year ago, but didn’t give in to signing up until I read a review on Making It Lovely (written by another Nicole, whose blog I just started following this year!).

Although I’m just one week into it, I can already tell you that it is sooo worth it if you’re considering taking an online photography course. The information and feedback is very thorough – I’m happy with how interactive the course is! Basically, you’re assigned reading material and videos to watch each week, and then you take the information you learn and apply it to your weekly homework assignments. There’s an application specific to the course, where you upload your homework photographs, and the teacher provides feedback for each shot. That’s what I like best about the class – is the feedback. Just like with sewing, when going about learning a new skill on my own, it’s nice to have a professional’s feedback and direction. :)

Here are some shots from my first homework assignment. We were asked to shoot a series of “A Day in the Life of…” and choose an object or person to follow for a day. Of course, as always, Blanca and Canela served as my muses. ;)

I’ve really been interested in photography since I took a couple of classes at my high school. However, “back in the day” (I’m about to sound old here), we didn’t have digital DSLR cameras. Back then, I had to learn about aperture and exposure the hard (and expensive) way – with film. Although I remember learning a lot about the dark room, I can say that I never fully understood the balance between exposure, aperture, and ISO. Now that digital DSLR cameras are around, and their quality is (just about) up to speed with their film counterparts, I feel more comfortable experimenting with the different concepts.

I’m taking a couple of big trips this year, so Jose surprised me with an amazing new camera for Christmas. :) I helped him pick it out, and after reading a bunch of reviews, I decided on a pretty basic Canon Rebel t3i camera body. I bought this 55mm lens along with it, and since then, I have noticed a huuuuge difference in the quality of my shots.

I’m really excited to be taking this Photo 101 course. I’ll keep you all updated on my progress these next couple of weeks!

Here I’ll leave you with a glimpse into how Blanca and Canela spend about 90% of their day:

Blanca Pate

The Story of How I Learned to Sew

Up Next | Summer Sewing

What I Made | A Couple of Drapey Hollyburn Skirts

30 Before 30 | Nicole’s Classes, Photo 101

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