Finally finished up a few projects...

that have been on my to-do list for what seems like a century. Both projects are for my mom to hang in her classroom (she's a math-science teacher). First, I thought I would make a quilt that she could hang in her room to brighten things up! Here is the finished Unwind pattern from Jaybird quilts in Little Apples fabric. (which seems like an entirely school related fabric choice;) ):

I love how it turned out and I must say the pattern was easy to follow and was a ton of fun to make. For  the backing I used a vintage sheet that I got from my grandmother when she cleaned out her craft room.

The other project I decided to make was a mini-quilt that my mom could hang outside by her door with her name on it. It turned out like this:

I found the test tube and beaker paper piecing patterns online. They were really simple and I think that they turned out well. Plus as an added bonus this project was made completely with scraps from my fabric stash!! Hopefully, I will be able to cross off a few more projects this week since I am on vacation for a few days! Happy sewing :)

Updates

I think I finally got my little blog redo to a great spot and I added a tutorials page. Here you can find all the free tutorials (sorted by categories), I am hoping that this makes it easier to find them and I also updated all the links to a new site for downloading the pdf files. By the way a huge thanks to Craft Gossip for featuring my bookmark tutorial on Tuesday.

In other news, I have been busy sewing a ton of new things. Here is my giant to sew list:

One of the my many sewing to-do lists is filled with nothing but personal projects a.k.a the list of projects that I really wish would get done but always get pushed to the back burner. As a goal, I try to spend at least 2 or 3 days a month working on projects of that list. Mainly, so I can add more to it. They are not in any particular order (I tend to start/stop and jump around the whole list) but these are the things that are currently in progress (*note the x's are for my son's name Xavier, its just easier to write x):

X Blazer- I have an idea for this (its based on a vintage blazer that x loves but he already outgrew it) and already picked up the materials

Rocket Quilt- The top is pretty much finished (its a wall hanging, but I can't decide what I am doing for the backing)

X Underwear- since he is in the potty training phase and I really dislike the boys underwear choices (plus the cost) that are out there on the market- I made my own pattern. I have 15 pairs in progress they just need some topstitching and elastic on the waist. They are made out of old t-shirts so the only cost I have in them is the elastic. *sorry that the picture is sideways blogger is doing something weird to it

Study Hall Skirt- the Anna Maria Horner pattern, it is cut out and ready to sew and I finally picked up some ivory thread for it, but now it just sits in the to be done pile.

Summer Blouse- again its all cut out (the pattern is from the Weekend Sewing book by Heather Ross) and is sitting on my table

X Shorts and Pants- I have 3 pairs of pants that just need to be hemmed and elastic added to the waist, 1 pair that just needs the elastic finished up. (the pattern is the lounge pant from my tutorials)

Slippers- from the Handmade Beginnings book by Anna Maria Horner my goal is to get these made before fall really sets in since my other slippers fell apart in the spring- I have all the materials just need to make them.

Skirt Redo- I finished this skirt by doing an online sew along (that part was the fun part) but I don't like the way the skirt looks on me so I want to make it in to a dress by sewing it to a tank top

*The giant pile of in progress projects and this photo is uploading sideways the wrong way too...

X Tops- I have 4 of the kai's shirt cut out from the Weekend Sewing By Heather Ross book, 1 is actually almost finished up

Wonky Star Quilt- I recieved all of my blocks from the  Magic Valley Modern Quilt Guild Wonky Star Swap and now I need to make the quilt top. 

Houndstooth Cape- I have the fabric and the pattern cut out to make a cape for fall- yeah that was last fall so hopefully this year I will get it finished up.

X chair- I found a pattern for one of those small plush chairs for toddlers and have most of the pieces cut out   

Do you have a crazy list of projects that you want to make? And if you made it through reading that giant list of projects- here is a little photo of a flower on my computer:

X has really been into picking and surprising me with flowers, that was the latest one! 

Day 4 and 5 a little late...

sorry for my tardiness with this post, better late then never I guess. I have been busy harvesting (carrots and tomatoes), so I have been blanching, freezing, canning, etc. Which takes all day it seems. Then when I started typing out this post the internet went out, of course, so here it is finally. My favorite tools or fun things that I use for sketching:

First up I used the pattern for the colored pencil roll up from the Last-Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts book.  Fabric is the Project Runway line found at Hancock Fabrics.

This holds all of my sketching pencils, pens, erasers, and blenders. (I really wish I had this when I was in school because it keeps everything neat and tidy and is so easy to carry around)

 

 *all rolled up

 

 *tied up with a bow

 

*the outside 

  

*all filled up 

My favorite way to add color:

 

*colored pencils

  

*markers 

I usually use freezer paper to trace my patterns onto:

                                          

 

*my weight for holding down patterns (I have 3) my dad made them for me out of scrap metal.  

What I love to watch while working on projects:

 

  

as if you didn't know about my golden girls and murder, she wrote addiction- (i need to complete my murder, she wrote collection, and then to get started on Beverly Hills 90210 -the original, dr. quinn, and then we will see....) 

Now onto my favorite sewing things:

  

*my fiskars cutting mat, ruler and fabric scissors.

  

*bias tape makers

Some of my favorite organizational things around my studio:

  

*shoebox turned into bias tape box

 

 *the pink binder holds all of the tutorials/patterns I find online for quilts, purses, toys, etc. The orange binder is how I organize my fabric. (inside view below)

 

Inside you can see business card holder sheet protectors, I sort the fabric by designer or store and I printed business cards that say:

Fabric name

Designer

Location Purchased

Yardage

Width

Date Purchased

Notes

Plus ther is room for a small swatch and I cover the entire back of the card with a large swatch and slide into the slot. I love doing this because I can easily take it to the fabric store to match things up. I also stick my interfacing swatches on there as well.

At the back of the binder you can find this:

 

*all of the instructions for the interfacing that I buy. I keep it, fold it, label, and stick it into a normal sheet protector.

  

* clear bobbin box (got it at walmart)

  

* a shoebox lid turned into pin storage. Makes it easy to move them around. 

So there you have some of my favorite things from around the studio.... talk to you all tomorrow!!!! 

Back to School Day 3

so many books so little time! It is so funny one of the few things that my husband and I actually have in common is that we love to read. I mean really we are always reading something, but one of the quirky things is that we like to own our books. There is just something about having them, rereading them, keeping them on the shelf. So needless to say we have tons of books (*I love magazines, too, and yes, I have stacks of them all over.) Most of my books are still in boxes in the garage until we move to our own place, I just hunt down what I need. Here is a look at two of my fashion/sewing book shelves. (my must have books- some are just there cause they were mixed in with them)

 

sewing, beauty, product development, costume

  

inspiration, draping, and random books

now if there was only 1 book that I could keep from here- say in case of fire or something; it would be this one

  

also known as the "Bible" in my little fashion library. I really love everything about this book and it is my favorite book ever.... I really had I hopes of designing wedding gowns, but I slowly faded from the idea not sure why!?

Some of my favorite textbooks from school- I still use them as reference quite often.

  

*love the way it explains color theory

  

*fashion illustration

  

*a great resource for putting a portfolio together and really explains a lot about the fashion industry

Now for my favorite sewing books:

  

* I think that this book really is a must for any sewer. I use it to reference all kinds of things. It really covers everything with great diagrams and instructions. I look up styles of pockets and things like that. It is a really helpful book. 

  

*if you like to use a lot of different fabrics, I found this to be a great resource. It tells you how to treat the fabric, what needles work best and care instruction. So helpful!

  

*Great for draping on a dress form. It reallys helps to learn the process. 

I am not sure if these books are still in print. I bought most of my through barnes and noble. Some are textbooks and written as such while the Complete Sewing Guide and Fabric Savvy are geared to the home sewer. Your local library might have them as well if you are interested in them. 

I really have been working in my studio as proof here is the mess that I need to clean up before I start anymore projects. 

  

up next for tomorrow- my must haves for sketching, sewing, and organization .... 

Day 2....

of my little trip down memory lane also know as Back to School: My College Days!

Here are two swimsuits that I designed and sewed for my first fashion show! These are photos that I took for my portfolio in 2005.

 

  

Next up a knitted shawl in bright orange:

  

  

there were a ton of projects throughout school and at the end I chose to design a wedding gown for my senior project. It is probably one of my favorite things I have ever made. 

 

  

(* I really need to take new photos of this with an actual model in it) 

anyways, tomorrow I will be sharing some of my favorite fashion/sewing/inspiration books with you.  

Okay here is a long post....

*lots of photos ahead!

First of all it is Back To School Week here on the blog: a look back at my college days! I thought it would be fun to remember all the good times and hard work. Plus, always loved shopping for school supplies and getting ready for a new school year to begin. It really feels like a clean slate and that there are so many possiblities.

One of my favorite things to do was to do fashion illustrations, I am working on getting back into the habit of sketching on a daily basis. Here are a few of my favorites, I plan on framing some of them to hanging them up one day in our living room.  (as a little side note, for the illustrations please do not use them or copy them with out shooting me a quick email to get my permission- kzjostudio@yahoo.com. I just want to keep track since they are my original artwork. Thanks so much!)

  

  

  

most are done with marker, a few are done in the computer. 

Tomorrow, we will look at a few of my favorite projects that I made while in school....

Okay onto the project front, I was busy working on a bunch of projects for a gift for my cousin who just turned 13. I really tried to keep it upbeat and tons of fun! She really loved them! I still have a couple of things to make and mail to her since I didn't get them quite all finished.

 

(pattern is the buttercup bag from Made by Rae)

I made a little zebra yo-yo (the bag is lined in zebra) and added some bling along with some black piping.

  

(sleeping mask pattern from Amy Butler's In Stitches book; fabric is Wonderland by MoMo from Moda)

I thought this was fun and great for road trips.

  

(some scrappy notebooks from The Last-Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts book)

It called for store bought notebooks, but I just cut up some some white paper and colored cardstock. Sewed a straight line down the middle and there you go a note book. I sewed on the fabric and stamped two little things on each one.

  

(colored pencil roll pattern from The Last-Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts book; Amy Butler fabric-the print; the outside is also the print but I forgot to take a picture of it all rolled up. The solid is from JoAnns.) 

I loved this project. It worked out really well and I am planning on making one for all of my sketching pencils.

 

(yo-yo necklace pattern from Sew Stylish) 

This was a really fun project that used up my scraps and it looks really cute on!

  

A tissue case with some fun lime polka dot tissue.

A also made a couple of crayon rolls and some notepads. I totally forgot to take pictures, but I cut legal sized paper in half then made a cover with a solid piece of cardstock, with a hambly screen print on top, bound it with the bind it all, and added some stickers, along with their inital on the front. I thought the were totally cute and made a great gift for a young child or they would make an awesome sketchbook. I think I will put one together and show you tomorrow. Plus I got to pick out some girly fabric for this project.  So fun!

A quick garden update: today's harvest yeilded all of this----

 

lets take a closer look- shall we!!!

  

some baby boos

  

some cucumbers- these are becoming bread & butter pickles tomorrow!

  

  

these tomatoes became a homemade basic marinara sauce that I canned and is oh sooo yummy!

  

a giant box of zucchini!!

so there is a ton of stuff that has been going on talk to you all tomorrow! 

p.s. I thought it would be fun to find out it there is anything that you want to know about what fashion design school is like or any other random questions. I would love to answer them on friday on the last day of back to school week. So post them in the comment section and see if yours gets picked!!!