Swim Suit

After my presentation on swim suits, I realized my girls' swimsuits were awfully small! So I promised them a trip to the pool and had to whip up some suits. This is Kwik Sew 2884 with some alterations to the top. The bottoms were made like the pattern.

My 7 year old is a girly girl so I knew it had to pink and it had to be frilly! Originally it was more of a tankini but her torso is so long that it just looked like her suit was too small so I chopped it off and added a contrast band with elastic.

As for the crossover top, I used the pattern for the tank top and drew a line curving from a little past center front to the side seam for the right side. The left side I cut off at the curve and added a seam allowance. I sewed the shoulder seams and added the ruffle to the front pieces, folding the ends under a little at the shoulders. I sewed elastic all the way around the neckline. Then I sewed the left side under the right side and topstitched with a zig zag. Start the zig zag on the right side front and go around the neck ending under the ruffle as close as you can get to the seam. I think the next version I will add binding rather than ruffles and see how that works.

My favorite part of swimwear is making up new designs! It's so easy to take a basic pattern like this one and cut it up, add new details, and make it your own.

My big girl's bathing is next. It's finished, I just have to get her to slow down long enough to get a picture!

NEW CHALLENGE: name tags!!!

Well for those of you that missed the meeting Monday it was delightful as always! We had beautiful weather and sat on June's screened porch and sipped fancy strawberry drinks and chatted. The food was fabulous and the evening lifted my spirits.We discussed that we should all have name tags since we seem to be getting new members faster than we can learn names!

We decided that it should be a name tag challenge so here it is...Make (however you choose to interpret that) a name tag that shows your personality and style. There will be a prize involved so try your best to make something fabulous!You have a month to get this done and we will model them for all to see at the June meeting. If you don't make one, you will wear the badge of shame (one of those stick on My Name Is...)I think this will tie into the fabric and fringe program at that meeting just great too!Go, get busy!!Rena

Yea, I'm here and home from Skip's. Never did I think it would go so fast and so well too... He actually drove today for a 10 min trip--that was enough but... Wow! The elephant is only a few stitches from all finished...Yea, yea and double yea!!! June

i have no clue

This whole blog thing is new for me. As you can see, I have figured out how to sign up for google (oy vey, another password to remember) and I guess I can post. So do I just remember to show up to the blog once a week to check out all the stuff we have sent each other?

I am trying out a Lyla Messinger pattern for a T shirt, making two muslins large and extra large so I can screw up before I cut into my purple bamboo. I am taking the sewing and knitting classes this weekend and suspect that Barb Callahan is bringing some fabric to sell....

what is this thing at the end called Labels for this post.........am I supposed to write something there too. And can anyone get into this blog or is it just by inviation from the blog mother Hellene? I suppose I will need to learn how to take a photo, put it on a computer and transfer it to a blog....lots ot learn, lots to sew, so little time

Martha Fabric Shops in Japan!

Here's evidence that Martha will go anywhere to shop for fabric!! With Pam Uchida in Osaka last year.

Look at ALL that fabric!

Places to go for ideas!

Here's something Desi told us about on Monday evening that sounds interesting:

"CraftStylish" - also from Taunton Press. There is a website and a magazine related to this topic. You can find out more at www.craftstylish.com - think "Sew Stylish", but for all types of crafts! Neat ideas on ways to express your creativity!

Also, I am not sure of who is aware of the upcoming "Indie Craft Experience" on June 7th in Centennial Olympic Park. It's worth checking out their website (http://www.ice-atlanta.com/) From my understanding, this is a juried "Craft fair" of independent crafters. It's not your typical type of craft fair - think artist-type crafters, not the usual crafters you see at a country fair. Looks like a great event!

It's all Hellenne's fault!

Wow! This blog spot is a great idea for our Neighborhood Group. We never have enough time to share all that we want. I'll look forward to everyone's posts.

I am busy trying to meet the ASG Creativity Contest deadline. I'm working on Simplicity 3688 with a bit of 3631. This is all Hellenne's fault. She challenged me to try for it last Saturday. Actually, thanks, Hellenne. It's fun to push myself a bit. When I last talked to Hellenne about it at Spring Fling, I still had a week to go. And my calendar was pretty empty.

Well, today my daughter, grandson (7 months), and granddaughter (2 years) came over. All 3 are sick and my daughter was operating on about 10 minutes of sleep. Boy, do I feel guilty for wanting to sew instead of taking care of all of them! And, tomorrow, my daughter-in-law and another grandson (2 years) are driving in from SC to spend a long week-end. Whoa! So much for the free week!

As Hellenne pointed out, it doesn't have to be absolutely finished - just enough to photograph. Hmmm... Also Ginny pointed out that it's good practice to try even if you later decide not to submit. My goal is to create something I might actually wear, and to try out some new techniques. Tonight I'm working on Cynthia Guffey's "mock Hong Kong finish with interlining." It looks pretty. I hope it fits.

Great to see everyone on Monday. I'd love to hear what everyone is sewing, either virtually or actually.

PS - Hope I'm not a bad Grandma. I really, really do love being with them!