Simple Jumpsuit

Hi Everybody!

I just finished my Simple Jumpsuit Challenge project, and I'm really excited about how it turned out! It all started with a couple of circle skirts (on sale!) from Jockeywear, my favorite place to buy clothes.

...one of them in this knockout print:

Isn't it gorgeous?

Tunic To T-Shirt Tutorial - Easy!

Refashion: How to Make a Dressy T-Shirt in 20 Minutes

I whipped up a little t-shirt to wear to a golf dinner last weekend.
I started it forty-five minutes before my friend arrived to pick me up,
and it only took twenty minutes to make! It's amazing what a person can do when they put themselves under a little pressure.  

Best Tailoring Trick I Ever Learned

Well ladies, I am about to show you a fix for one of 
the most annoying fitting problems ever. You ready?

Pants that feel like they're crotching you to death. 
You know what I'm talking about. 

You make a new pair of pants, excitedly try them on, 
and find that they pull in the front, or you can't sit in them. 
Grrr!!

It's the one thing that can really keep you from getting 
any fashion mileage out of your newly-sewn creation. 

Tips For Sewing With Knits

Helpful Tips For Sewing Stretch Fabric

Today I want to talk about sewing with knits. My favorite fabric. Knits are so varied and versatile. Endless possibilities. From swimwear to activewear to t-shirts to dresses. There are so many things you can do with knits it's mind-boggling. 

I fell in love with knits the day my pattern drafting instructor took my classmates and I on a field trip to the DuPont factory near Kingston, Ontario. I watched in fascination as a pair of pantyhose was created in hmmm...about five minutes. 

How To Make a Cap Sleeve T-Shirt Pattern

How To Easily Alter A Pattern To Make A Cap Sleeve T-Shirt

Morning Everyone!

I thought I would share a simple 
pattern tutorial with all of you today.

As I was making my Simple Dress Design, 
it occurred to me that I could show you the easy pattern for it.  
I will start off with the cap sleeve pattern for the bodice. It's pretty 
straightforward, but if my instructions don't make sense 
for you, please ask in the comments or send me an email.
And if you are a newbie sewist, give it a try!

The Cap Sleeve T-Shirt
 One of my abslolute favorites. 

Goes together quickly. 
No set-in sleeves. 
No zippers.  
No hand-hemming (love that part!). 
All by machine.

Want to make a cap sleeve t-shirt pattern for yourself? 

Here's how...

Simple Dress Challenge

Hi everybody!

I can't believe it has been nearly a month since my last post.

But I have a special one today that I'm excited and happy about.

I joined Diane Vin's Stitch Once Rip Twice sewing group on Facebook. It's great to share ideas and interact with other sewists.

Her latest challenge was to make a simple dress.

Shoulder Adjustment On A Pattern

 The Shoulders Are Too Wide On My Pattern.
How do I fix that?

If you are just new to the wonderful world of sewing, 
Congratulations!

It's lots of fun, full of challenges, and yes, frustration too!
Learning how to make fitting changes on the flat pattern can save
time, dollars, and disappointment in the final fitting of your project.

My quick tutorial will show you how to overcome a common
fitting problem with a simple fix. 

Is the shoulder measurement
on a pattern wider than yours?

Refashioned Top

Drapey Tunic to Summery T-Shirt

Ha! I'm finally getting around to writing up my first refashion post! Things have been a little chaotic around here, but in a good way. I just found out a couple of weeks ago that I got into my first art festival, and I am beyond excited! It takes place on historic Whyte Avenue (also known as Old Strathcona) in Edmonton, Alberta, and I will be painting with over three hundred artists for three days! So...this means I will be extra busy making art for the next couple months.

Anyway, on to the post!

I was visiting Serger Pepper not too long ago and saw some of Irene's beautiful refashions. Next thing I knew I was sifting through my closet to find some clothes to make over. It didn't take long either, because many of them need a serious overhaul. Here is the first one. 

Repair A Chipped Baseboard

Hey Guys!
Hope you're all having a good day so far.

You know, sometimes a post can come out of the most unexpected things; like when Mr. M. was playing with the dogs, knocked my vanity chair over, and the darn thing took a chunk out of the baseboard. Honestly, sometimes it's like the kids never left home.

Anyway, I saved the chunk so that I could try and fix it.

Drop Cloth Decorative Cushion

Hi Everybody!

Mr. M. and I were taking what we like to call a Bumming Around Day a couple of weeks ago. That's where we head into Edmonton with no purpose except to spontaneously stop wherever we get the notion, maybe have a Tim's, you get the idea. 
We don't necessarily buy anything. We just hang out. 
Once in awhile we all need a day with no goals in mind, yes?

This time the car took us to Chapters...

Decoupaged File Box

Hey guys!

A while back I posted this tutorial for decoupage, and I am not sure what happened, but the post disappeared from my list in Blogger. I could have inadvertantly hit the delete button, who knows? Any way, I'm going to try re-posting it from memory. (We'll see how that goes!) This is my first attempt at decoupage, which I have always wanted to try. 

I guess it's not much different from collage, is it?

Treadmill Table

Hey Everybody,

Today I am sharing a little project that took half an hour to make. 

An accessory for my treadmill.

I have to confess I have been neglecting my fitness for most of the winter. 

Okay, for all of it, but I decided this morning to get 

on the treadmill for thirty minutes a day. 

So I dusted it off and jumped on. 

It really was quite dusty.

But first I built the table. 

I like to have everything at my fingertips when I walk, so I need more than 

just the water bottle holder. I need a place for all my other paraphenalia, 

like the remote, a snack, music, and earbuds. 

This is what I made. In thirty minutes.

A custom table for the treadmill.

My Eight Dollar Ottoman

Hi Everyone, 

Mr. M. and I love to sit down and watch a little TV in the evening with our pets, 

a cup of coffee, and some Dad's cookies (our favorites, next to home-made). 

The only thing missing was an ottoman; one of the handiest pieces of furniture 

a person can own, wouldn't you agree? I put one together before I started blogging, 

and thought since I'm making another one, I would share how I did it.

Quick Fix: Make a Loop to Hang Up Your Hair Tools

Hi Everybody,

Today I have another quick fix to share with you. 

My hair dryer has a handy loop on it so that I can hang it up and keep it 

off the vanity counter while I am putting on my face in the morning.

 

This is where I keep my face. 

(Shhh, don't tell anyone).

Undo a Chain Stitch Quickly

Hi Everybody!

Today I have for you a super quick and easy tutorial on how to undo a chain stitch. 

You can see this stitch everywhere, from blue jeans to exercise wear, t-shirt necklines, 

you name it. It is a popular stitch in the garment industry, and can it ever be annoying 

when it decides to unravel on you. I have a technique that shows you how to take advantage of this when you want to undo a seam. 

I bought myself a drop cloth so that I could make some drapes and throw cushions.

I just love the oatmeal color and the texture of a drop cloth.

 This thing has a seam from top to bottom that I need to pick out. 

That's a twelve foot long seam. Whew!

So here is my technique to get around undoing this seam the slow way... 

Yoga Pants Fix

Hey Everybody!

Do you love your yoga pants as much as I do mine? I have several pairs that I bought from Costco. I wear them around the house a lot. They are just so comfortable. But once in awhile when I buy a pair the fit at the waist isn't quite right, or maybe it's just that the fabric is a bit too stretchy. But they slip. Not a lot. 

Just enough to drive me nuts be slightly annoying.
But I have a fix for that.

Shoebox Labels

Organize Your Craft Room Inexpensively With Clear Shoeboxes

Hi There Everybody!

Woohoo, the sun is out! That's a big deal if any of you have 

been experiencing one of the gloomiest winters ever, as we have up here in 

Central Alberta. Right now though, we are in our second week of brilliant sunshine 

and my little girlies couldn't be happier! Check out their snowball feet.

Heart Shaped Trinket Box

From a Chocolate Box to a Jewellery Box

Mr. M. brought this box of chocolates 
home the day before Valentine's day. 

It has little compartments inside. I thought if I dressed it up
it might make a pretty box to keep some jewellery in. 

I think he knew I'd want to do that, so this post is really his idea.

Bead of My Heart Valentine's Art

Create Valentine's Art With Beads or Old Necklaces

Hi Everyone,

I have three large candle jars full of beads and old necklaces. Some of them were 

given to me by my grandma on my mom's side. When I had sleep-overs at Grandma's,  

we would sit on the edge of her bed and rummage through her jewellery box 

and if one of her necklaces was broken or she no longer used it, she gave it to me. 

I thought that was just the greatest thing ever.

Split Zipper Fix

What To Do When A Zipper Opens Up From The Bottom

Twelve days after I published the post on how to fix a broken zipper slider 
this happened:

To my favorite work coat. I did the zipper up in kind of a hurry, because my tiny dog with the heart of a lion who thinks she can withstand twenty degrees below zero decides to chase the squirrel halfway across the acreage. And only then remembers that she must travel the same distance to get back again. So I rushed out to pick her up before her feet froze, did the zipper up wrong, and it split open from the bottom.

She warmed up on Mr. M.'s lap. 
Smile for everyone, Penny.

Under Sink Re-Organizing

Quick and Cheap Organizing For Under The Sink

Hi Everyone!

I saw a post on Hometalk about a week ago, and was immediately inspired and 

motivated to follow this lady's lead. She covered the area under her kitchen 

sink with vinyl wallpaper and re-organized it. Wallpaper and I are not friends, so I opted to use stick-on tiles instead. The next time we were in Edmonton we went straight to the Home Depot and bought a package of commercial grade tiles ($35). I wanted to have enough for under the kitchen sink and the two bathroom vanities. 

Quick Fix For Adjustable Bra Straps

Quick Fix For Adjustable Straps That Won't Stay Put

Hi Everyone,

I have another quick fix for you today! It takes about ten minutes max, 

and will keep those pesky bra straps from re-adjusting themselves.

Beef Up Your Bra Straps

Fix For Weak or Worn Bra Straps

I love pretty lingerie! Who doesn't? But if you've ever gone 

bra shopping and come home with one that doesn't fit right, 

it can be very frustrating. 

This is exactly what happened with my latest purchase. After wearing my pretty new bra for awhile, it became apparent that the straps needed some beefing up. We live an hour from the city, and I really didn't feel like running back to make an exchange, so I came up with a solution. 

Create a Valentine's Collage

Create Valentine's Art From Paper You Make

Hi Everyone,

I love to make my own papers for collage, and thought I would share with you this fun and easy way to make some for yourself, and use them to create some pretty Valentine's art.
I repurposed an old frame that had an elephant print in it. 
It was time to say Bye-Bye to Mr. Elephant and Hello to some Heart Art!

Quick Fix For A Broken Zipper Slider

Fix A Broken Zipper Slider in Minutes

Hi Everyone,

I have a super-handy quick fix for you today. First I have to show you my pretty work coat. Jack loves to make a bed out of it, so it's usually littered with gray hairs, 

but that's OK because they match mine. 

I bought this coat at a work warehouse sale; 75% off (gotta love that!) the first winter we moved to our acreage, and it is my faithful friend in the extreme weather. I chop and carry firewood in it, shovel snow in it, and do all kinds of fun winter activities in it. 

Quick Fix For A Chipped Floor

Fix A Chipped Floor In Seconds!

I dropped my kitchen scissors the other day and they made a chip in my laminate floor. 

A big one. Am I upset? Nope, because I have a fast fix for it.

Handy Notepad From Scrap Paper

Hi All,

I'm very excited today, because we have had above zero weather for two weeks now, and ONLY have four months of winter left! It has been crazy cold here this year, minus 25 to minus 40. Yikes! I'm itching to be outdoors building something, anything! Soon, soon... 

Anyway, I was searching for a piece of paper last night to jot down a phone number, 

Displaying Artwork With A Cereal Box

Hey Everybody,

I have a super-fast and easy tutorial to show you today.

Our local art society displays our paintings in the businesses around town on a rotational basis. Hanging very small pieces can be challenging, because we don't want to mess up the walls with nails any more than we have to. My latest series is comprised of twelve canvasses ranging from 6"X 6" to 8"X 8", so I have been trying to figure out a way to hang them in each of their groups on only one nail. A fellow artist in the club came up with this idea (Thanks Carol!), and I thought I would share it with you.

What's that? Of course you use a cereal box!

Sturdy Cereal Box Organizers

Making Drawer Organizers For Mr. M. & Me

Mr. M.'s desk drawers are a nightmare, they really are. Kind of like my sewing
room, and when I hear him grumbling from behing the door 
(along with a bit of colorful vocab), I feel his pain. 
I have been doing some organizing and decluttering in my areas, and I
thought it was high time he reaped the benefits of my amazing talent for 
building cereal box drawer dividers. Below is my ever-growing collection. 

Cottage Cheese Filling For Varenyky (Pyrohy)

Hi Everyone, 

Well, another Christmas is coming up fast for us. Ukrainian
Christmas is celebrated on January 7th, so I'm whipping
up a batch of pierogies in anticipation of watching the
kids wolf them down. I thought I'd share a very old recipe
from a traditional cookbook of mine.

Here is the third filling recipe for homemade  pierogies. I married 
into a Ukrainian family and quickly discovered that I love their food! 
My mother and father-in-law make huge batches of pierogies every Christmas. The kids love it. 

Potato And Cheese Filling For Varenyky (Pyrohy)

Hi Everybody!

I have another pierogy filling recipe for you today.

Potato and cheddar cheese. 

These are wonderful with sour cream and mushroom gravy.

It's the favorite in our house.

Sauerkraut Fillling For Varenyky (Pyrohy)

Hi everybody,


I've been busy getting ready for our Ukrainian Christmas dinner on January 7th. My MIL and FIL always had a huge feed for the family at Christmastime; such good food! I've made pyrohys myself, but have never tackled the sauerkraut ones until this year, mostly because filling them looked like such a pain pretty challenging. But they're worth the trouble. Many tasting sessions confirmed that! 

How To Make Varenyky (Pyrohy)

Hi Everybody,

Hope you're having a good day so far! 

I'm just whipping up a fresh batch of pyrohys for Ukrainian Christmas and thought I'd share my recipe with you. It is taken from a book that is a compilation of recipes that were collected in the Western Ukraine before the Second World War.