The Embroidered Fox Jacket

This week for on Project Run & Play, the theme is "It's All In the Details." I decided to go with embroidery, something that I love to do and that I feel adds a big wow-factor to garments.

My idea started with a little embroidered fox. I used the pattern in Aneela Hoey's book Little Stitches to guide me.

After making a jacket for my daughter last week, I decided I should make one for my son too. Since he is a big nature and animal lover, I thought a fox theme would be perfect!

 

My son LOVES the color green, and I was so happy that I had enough of this pinwale green corduroy for the outer layer. Once again, I used Shwin&Shwin's Abbey Jacket Pattern for this jacket. For my son, I decided to omit the oversized button-flaps that I used on my daughter's Chevron Jacket and use two vertical columns of buttons instead.

Again, I fully lined the jacket, this time using a super soft flannel shirting fabric from my stash. I also did some piecing around the center, changing up the pattern a bit, to work in the two cute foxes.

But before I explain the inside details, let me talk about the outside just a little more. I embroidered another fox for the front of the jacket, and on this one, I added my son's initials. Just for a personal touch. (I don't think he's realized they're there yet!)

 I also decided to take the fox theme a little further and add some Fox patches to the elbows!

I used the same basic shape of the tiny fox face and then used a backstitch to outline his nose and mouth, then a satin stitch for the eyes. And then I used three different colors to frame the face with a straight stitch. I think the patches look cute and tie the fox theme together a some more.

Now for the inside, I figured the kid needed

 a pocket. So I put a small one in for him. I also embroidered a message on both sides of the insides of the jacket.

The other side has this message below. (I used the font in the book S is for Stitch, by Kristyne Czepuryk).

 

My son can't read yet, but when he learns, I'm hoping these messages will be a nice surprise.

So The Fox Jacket is a light, semi-formal jacket for spring or fall with room to grow as well. I love the bright green color of this fabric - he'll be easy to spot if he roams! And, truly, I love seeing my son in clothes I've made for him. 

Stitched with love, isn't that right?

 As an aside, it's been quite an adventure for us this week, getting this jacket done. Wednesday night I was sewing away and went to change my needle (being maybe an hour from the finish, tops) and couldn't get the needle in straight -- again! (I paid $96 to have the alignment fixed just last month!) I wanted to cry! I was so close to being done. I ended up borrowing a friend's sewing machine the next day (she was so sweet to let me borrow it last minute AND drop it off because my son woke up Thursday morning sicker than a dog.). Anyway, it took me a bit to figure out the new machine, and then I couldn't figure out her button-holer so improvised with a tiny zig-zag stitch. At one point, I broke a needle in my serger... And all the while, I felt the sickness creeping up on ME! I somehow convinced my son to get off the couch and get some pictures done and after that, collapsed myself. Thank goodness my husband came home and took care of everything -- I was so sick last night! I will spare you the details, but just getting this jacket done in time is a HUGE accomplishment for me!

 Now I'm ready to go crawl back in bed -- AFTER I link up with Project Run & Play. Check out the other amazing garments while you're there!

I'll also be linking up with these parties.
 

Embroidered Jar Cozies and more

While the sewing machine was away, I got my embroidery needle out to play! I decided to make some jar cozies so that I could look at some little prettiness every day. I have been using some plain jars in the bathroom to hold make-up and hair brushes and thought it was about time to dress them up.

I so love the old fashioned look of embroidery. It reminds me of both my grandmother and great grandmother who lived in the hills of New York and had homes decorated with many little embroidered details - linens, pillows, dolls, etc. - many of which they made themselves. Back when I was little, I didn't appreciate all the hand-made goodness that I saw and touched. But now I do! And it's just so relaxing to sit back, watch a show (like Downton Abbey -- did you see Cora embroidering in season 2?), and get some crafty goodness done.
This embroidered girl with a stick horse is bigger than the cozies, though it's hard to tell in these pictures. I'm planning on putting her on a pillow! This one took some time - I actually finished her before my sewing machine broke, and then just stuck to some small projects, such as the cozies, while my machine was being repaired. Once it came back to me, I was able to sew up the cozy part. :)


 

All these projects came from this beautiful book by Aneela Hoey, Little Stitches.

You might know Aneela Hoey from her fabric collections such as the popular Little Apples line. I first came to her work when I was in my quilting phase and made the girl on a swing mini-quilt. (I did two of them, in fact, and both are still hanging in our home!)

But back to this book. Not only are there dozens of adorable designs to embroider, and projects to complement them (like the jar cozies), but Aneela also includes the iron-transfer pages in the back of the book!! And each design can be used at least 3x! Can you believe that?? It's such a phenomenal value for the price! I'm very addicted to this book right now. There are many more projects I want to make!

Well, that's it for now. I did just finish a dress for my daughter and need to take pictures of it. It's really lovely and I can't wait to show you. :)

Thanks for reading...linking up with these parties!

Gymboree Knock-Off

You know, I look at these two pictures and part of me STILL wants that Gymboree top. I mean, I don't have an embroidery machine and that factory manufactured top looks so pulled together. But then I look at my cute little girl in the top her mama made her (as best she could, pulling ideas from a tiny picture online) and think, she's better off with this one. It's a better story.

 I had a good time putting this top together, improvising as I went. Once again, I started with Rae's basic Flashback Skinny Tee pattern (5T for my little one) and added a little poof in the sleeves, along with the tutu, and this embroidered bunny.

Can you see that I put ballet slippers on this bunny?? Adding the 3-D tutu and bow are the details I enjoy most. I talk about the really easy way to add a bow in this post from not too long ago, in case you're interested.

I also look at these pictures and think, they're not my best. I should've ironed that wonky collar. And I should've taken off my daughter's undershirt so there wouldn't be a goofy ridge on her chest, right above the bunny. But these are things I notice (...did you?).

My daughter loves her ballet class, hence my new obsession with shirts/tops/outfits depicting dancers. When I discovered that Gymboree had a line of "Glamour Bunny Ballerinas" back in the fall I was sorry I missed the boat!(amazing what eBay turns up)

My photo shoot with the little one was up and down. Her brother running up and down the hall was so much more exciting! And bribing her with Swedish Fish only went so far. When she was done, she was done.

Happy sewing, all!

Linking up with these parties.

Knit Dress with Embroidery

This dress has been in my head for a long time -- pretty much ever since I bought the fabric a year ago.

The story is, my daughter had a store-bought dress very similar to this one, but of course I knew it wouldn't fit forever. So I put her in it so much to squeeze in as many moments as I could before it would officially be too small. And now that it most definitely is, I realized it was about time to cut this beautiful striped knit fabric and get down to making a new dress, just like the other one.

I used Rae's Flashback Skinny Tee (size 5) for the bodice and improvised with the collar. I chose the shorter option on the pattern for the cuffs which turned out to be the right choice. And I did the suggested zig-zag stitch on the hem. Just for a point of reference, this is about the same size bodice I used for my son's Allosaurus Shirt (for his, I did add an extra half-inch all the way around the size 5).

What I love most about this dress is the embroidery. Doesn't it jazz thing up? And it was the easiest, quickest part too! The original dress had a very similar design and after everything was sewed up, I ironed on some interfacing to the inside of the bodice to give the knit some extra support, then pulled out my embroidery hoop and did some simple 6-strand stitches in a wavy line.

And I got the embroidery done while relaxing in front of a tv show. Love that part about embroidery. Low stress. As for my daughter, when I gave her the dress, the first thing her little fingers did was go straight for the buttons. Just fingering them a bit. It's so sweet watching her touch, admire, play with, and ultimately WEAR something I made her.

For the next time around, I'm going to work some more on my gathering. I sewed the seem below the gathering stitch, but just read on another blog that perhaps I should've sewn above my gathering stitch. I'll keep that in mind. I love how other blog posts can be so timely.

Have a good week!

Embroidered Hoop

After several episodes of Friday Night Lights, I finally finished this embroidered hoop!

 The pattern is from Sarah Jane Studios, which I bought online and got an instant download. I don't have a lot of experience with embroidery, but enjoyed switching over from sewing for a bit. Plus, I like that it's something that I can do while relaxing in front of the tube.

 I'm playing around with some other fabrics in hoops, but obviously these ones just don't all work together. 

I'm not sure whether I'll try to coordinate with some other fabrics or just hang "November" on its own. I need to look around a little more on Pinterest for some inspiration...

 As for now, I'm just happy looking at my little November girl as she is! (I picked November because it's my daughter's birth-month, but Sarah Jane Studios as all 12 months and they're all so cute!).

House Warming Pillow

 I have been in the middle of some bigger projects lately (and haven't been posting), but had to stop everything to finish (er, start AND finish) a pillow case that I wanted to make for a friend. Her last minute visit from Canada kicked me into high gear.

I sewed a bunch of strips together, made an envelope closure, and ironed on (and later stitched to secure) a little label on the back corner. Oh, and I also put a line of yellow embroidered stitches across the front (not sure if you can make those out in the top photo!).

Anyway, my friend was really happy and surprised by the gift! She told her daughter she'd have "a little reminder of Mary Jo" right there in her new house with her. Can't wait to visit! :)

Peacock Pendant Necklace

When I saw the tutorial HERE for the Proud as a Peacock Necklace, I got so excited! I've been doing a little embroidery here and there, and I just loved this look of a peacock feather on a pendant.

So I got to work, using the embroidery floss I had on hand. Most matched what Emily used, except for the outer layer. While hers was a bluish-green, I only had green, and more green. So I first used a light green, and then filled in the spaces with a dark green.

I think it looks good (though I secretly like Emily's more). It's definitely a statement piece!

Linking up here:

Our Creative Spaces
Ginger Snap Crafts

Embroidery on a Pillow

I've been meaning to make a new pillow cover and finally got around to it a few weeks ago.

And get this, I went all out and did some embroidery around one of the flowers. Can you see it? I traced the orange outer petals, the dark-orange inner part, and the white part as well. I think it gives the pillow a little more interest. And it's fun to touch. 

 And it gives the room a little more color.

Contrasting patterns on couch and pillow, but I'm ok with it. :)

Linking up here: Our Creative Spaces