Elloh Handmade

Pleated Shirt Experiment

2012-01-20T13:07:00.000-08:00

I love pleats. In everything. So I decided to take my basic shirt pattern, add some inches to the front, and get to pleating. First version turned out pretty good. I might decide to make my own bias tape and redo the neckline, since pleats add a little bit weirdness to a regular hem. I'm mostly glad the pleats are all even and it's wearable.

Love the green color. Next, I think, is my first patternless knit shirt.

Trees Scarf in the Shop

2012-01-10T15:10:00.000-08:00

Cotton silk blend scarf featuring my trees pattern. One available!

New Year's Eve Shirt

2012-01-03T19:06:00.000-08:00

So, the dress turned into a shirt. I'm really happy with it. Just not with the pictures...I remember when I had a great camera. I'll be honest, part of the reason I don't blog is because of the picture quality.

Anyway, here's the random terrible photos.

Shoulder details (lace)

And the lace back with a better view of the color.

Back for New Year's Eve!

2011-12-29T13:48:00.000-08:00

Working on a dress for New Year's Eve. It's coming together slowly. So far I only have the basic shape done, but I'm thinking of doing some things with the sleeves, neckline, middle and back.

The fabric is a weird, stretchy, shiny, nylon, lycra stuff. More weird stuff I got from a $5 bolt sale at Wal-Mart in Utah.

Also, I just ordered a yard of this in cotton silk for a scarf request. Very excited to see how it turns out.

Easy Scarf How-To

2011-11-30T21:44:00.001-08:00

Whew! What a long break I took from sewing.
Here is a little how-to for the circle scarf/cowl I made a few weeks ago. (Thanks, Shannon! I totally forgot what awesome stuff I had in my stash till I went looking for something to sew up.)

I started with a quarter yard of fabric. This will make a skinny scarf. If you want something thicker, use a wider length.

Fold the scarf in half lengthwise (hotdog fold?), iron and stitch along raw edges.

Turn inside out and press.

Fold insides of one raw edge in and press. If you wanted your scarf shorter and closer around your neck, now is the time to measure and trim off excess from the end with the raw edges.

Tuck raw edges into the end with the folded in edges and stitch shut. Now separate the tube and iron out the crease in the middle to give it some volume.

ta-da! Easy right?

Now that I've gone through my fabric again I realized how many pieces I want to make into shirts. I also realized why I haven't been sewing. I've had a pattern sitting on my desk for about a month now and I really don't want to make it. I might not be all that into following patterns and more into either figuring things out or making simple shirts from wild fabric. It may be because I'm not much of a complicated dresser...Instead of ruffles and zippers, I like combining colors and texture. I also don't want to make anything into a skirt or take time to add buttons to anything...Maybe I'm just a simple sewer.

Anyway. I also had kimchi for the first time tonight and my stomach is not happy.

Two Scarves

2011-11-09T15:38:00.000-08:00

I took two pieces of fabric that were pretty soft but not long enough for a top and made two cowl scarves. Or circle scarves. Love them. Took about 5 minutes for each. I'll have go through my fabric now and see what's a bit too small for clothing and make a whole new scarf wardrobe.

Back by Popular Demand

2011-11-01T17:12:00.000-07:00

The bearded boyfriend! Hooray! I got a message from a previous customer on Etsy who bought 3 bearded men last year and asked for another one. These guys are always fun to make and cause many giggles.

Also, I went with Jake and our dogs to the Oregon coast (Cannon Beach) for the day yesterday. I have honestly never seen anything quite like it. So much better than the beaches in California. It already has a special place in my heart.

(Note: my new phone takes kick-ass photos!)

Small Projects

2011-10-27T12:21:00.000-07:00

Let's address some things.

I haven't been sewing very much. Since moving to Portland and becoming single (yes) I've had more to do and more people to meet. I've actually been able to make friends which is something I wasn't able to do at all in Utah for the whole year I lived there. I've also gotten involved in the design community here which is also something that Utah lacked.

So I've been busy.

Another thing, the camera I used to use to take beautiful pictures never belonged to me. It belonged to my ex. So now I take really shitty photos. BUT I'm getting the iPhone 4s tomorrow in the mail and the camera is supposed to be EXCELLENT. It'll suffice until I have some dough to drop on a camera.

So here's what I've been up to:

A green shirt made from fashion-show-leftover-fabric found at Wal-Mart ($5 for a whole bolt!). It's strange. It's mint. It's sheer. I'm not sure I like it.

AND I altered a pair of my pants into skinny jeans. They were initially supposed to be skinny jeans but when I bought them in 2006, I was not all that sure skinny jeans were going to take off. Or that I'd like them. Or that they are sort of necessary for petite women without curves. So I bought a size up.

Now these bad girls are rock-and-roll ready.

Before: (blurry, yes. left side is old pant leg. right side is new)

After: LEGSSSS!!!!!

Whew..felt good to blog. I have no work today and tomorrow and I'm planning on sewing so stay tuned!

New Samples In!

2011-10-20T14:38:00.001-07:00

Spoonflower was WAY fast this time. I ordered last week and got my samples the following week. They must have been able to shorten production time which is great for me because now I'll be more inclined to order and update my shop.

So be prepared for some new wristlets, bags, and POSSIBLY some knit cowls!

Delay

2011-10-18T12:41:00.000-07:00

I'm still alive, I promise. I've just had a week of vacation and then this week I'm sick, so I'm just barely alive.

I did sew last week and plan on starting a small project this week as well. Stay tuned!

Black and White Ikat with Pockets

2011-10-06T13:23:00.000-07:00

I was inspired by this tunic on Burdastyle last fall and it's taken until now to finally have my own version. I found the perfect fabric for it this summer and was thinking about the pocket situation for a while - wondering which sort of pocket I prefer. I'm really happy with the result, but not sure how much I like the craziness of the fabric yet...we'll see.

I AM thrilled though about the pockets being red and INSIDE and in the side seams. Quite the accomplishment for me.

Right!?! Pockets for everything from now on!

Layered Lace Top

2011-09-30T13:59:00.000-07:00

So here it is. My lace top. I'm happy with it, but I'll have to find out how it fits into my wardrobe. All I had were strips of scalloped edge lace that I overlapped and sewed together so the scallops create a layered look.

I love it with the cardigan.

It was a pain to hem around the arms and neck but worth it. This week was crazy. Expect more sewing next week and disregard my unmade bed in the background!!

Lacey

2011-09-20T14:42:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Kendi Everyday's post with a lace top, I'm currently working on piecing together some old lace I got from my mom to make a sheer pull over top similar to Kendi's. We'll see what happens!

Exciting News!

2011-09-19T13:09:00.000-07:00

Just a little recap of my OTHER creative exploits - I designed a graphic featured on Mashable.com. I'm getting some awesome traffic from that. I can't wait to get started on the next one.

AND I'm starting to do commission work with a surface design company (textiles, print, home decor). Very exciting for me since it's been a dream of mine since I discovered Anna Maria Horner's designs when I was still just doing web design in 2007. I'm beyond thrilled at the moment.

AND I might be starting some work on a French magazine cover. I'll keep you updated with that.

Things are lookin good! This year's been tough - especially with the recent move to Portland but I think I'm starting to see REALLY that things happen for a reason.

I'm also considering getting a tattoo. This seemed like the best way to break to my parents haha! I'll be waiting for your call, Mom (or Dad).

AMH Crop Top

2011-09-15T13:01:00.000-07:00

Well, ladies, I took your advice and went for the wacky crop top. I'm happy with it, but it'll take some getting used to. My wardrobe is slowly going from all black/blue to color insanity. Hooray!

You ever have one of those days (I know you do) that just doesn't seem to be gelling much with you? Today is the 4th time I've had maintenance people out to my apartment to fix the damn furnace and if that doesn't entail waiting all day for them to stop in, it definitely entails having a stranger coming in and out of my house and needing me to go let them in at the front of the building because guess what? The office of the building I live in hasn't set up my intercom yet. So yeah, this morning/early afternoon has been a little bit frustrating.

On top of that, I need to get my car serviced tomorrow and am without a ride. So it's bussy-bus time for me. Not looking forward to doing that all day tomorrow.

Sorry, blogs are not for venting. They're for smiles! haha. Ugh. Life is hard sometimes and I want to punch it! Oh well.

It's a comfy lil number. I'm pleased with it. The side had a nice little curve going into the back but I had to take it in a bit , so the curve is now straight...

Anyway, that's my sewing! Hope you loved it.

Story time

2011-09-09T11:22:00.000-07:00

Still going through my stash of fabric. I rescued this awesome 80's pastel puke-fest fabric (keep in mind that I love it despite it's hideous qualities) from some pillow cases I found in Utah. Good old Utah. So great for finding ugly things old ladies gave away.

Observe, my shirt story through crappy laptop photos):

Application

Side detail - fave part is the curved hem. I'm getting better at hemming and caring about hemming.

close up of the nausea that is my shirt. <3 There are dots. within the dots.

Is that a pocket!?!!?! Yes it is, lady. It's a pocket.

Super love this shirt because I finally got the neckline and sleeves the way I want.

Also, I have a yard of this Anna Maria Horner fabric. Not enough for a full shirt but enough for pillowcases. Or a crop top. Please weigh in your opinions. I really want to wear this bright print but i realize not everything can be a wacky shirt. or can it?

Have a great weekend!!

Southwestern Sass

2011-09-07T18:50:00.000-07:00

I had this southwestern fabric sitting in my stash for a while, just begging to be used for something cool. So it became a sassy little top for yours truly. Since it's so wacky I just went with a real simple square top, fitted at the hips.

I got the fabric in Utah at a thrift store. I had more than a yard so I think I salvaged it from a bed sheet or something. Not sure.

Either way, it's amazingly awesome.

And yes, there's my bed.

Reusable Bag!

2011-09-06T18:45:00.000-07:00

So here it is. My bag. It has two front/back panels, two side panels and one bottom panel. It's huge and a bit floppy but I think it'll work fine. We'll see though.

And yes, sorry for the terrible pictures lately. I'm without an awesome camera.

^ the curtain I made it from.

I'm working on a ton of easy shirts from my fabric stash so be ready for that!

Happy Birthday!

2011-09-04T16:17:00.000-07:00

My little man, Max, turned 1 yesterday and to celebrate I cooked a breakfast for dinner for him, me, Jake and Jake's dog, Fernando. We also had mimosas (Max and 'Nando don't drink) and got a little silly.

Yeah..I've been in a room all alone all week with my dog.

I also sewed him a sweet red bow tie to wear on his special day. He hated it, of course, but I got a good laugh out of it.

Hehe...I'm getting stranger every day. And you all get to watch my slow decline!!!! *$*(&@#$^saihfes;fkjeoslsel

I'm back!!!

2011-08-31T10:40:00.000-07:00

Here's my new sewing station! I ended up moving into an apartment sooner than I expected (last Friday) and finally got all my unpacking done. That means that the sewing begins NOW! My next project is going to be making reusable grocery bags out of a shower curtain I won't be needing (or using - I'm so over navy blue). We'll see how it goes...

So far, Portland has been great. Beautiful, even. Yesterday I played tennis in the most GORGEOUS park ever. I've already met some people I like and Jake and I have explored various neighborhoods. I think I'll be here a while :)

Let me mention though, that I (not thinking about it) put a picture of me with long hair on meetup.com on a tennis meetup group page and instantly got 3 men saying they would be more than happy to meet up and play tennis. And if you think I'm overreacting, I met up with one yesterday and he happened to be a lot older than me (his profile has no picture) and mentioned almost right away:

Oldster: You look different than your profile picture.

Me: Well, my hair is short.

Oldster: Yeah, I think that's the only thing.

You think?! UGH! I won't even go into how awkward the rest of the time was. So I came home and had some wine and changed my profile to "I'M NOT LOOKING FOR BOYFRIENDS AND NO I WON'T CHANGE MY MIND, TRUST ME. I JUST WANT TO PLAY TENNIS"

And immediately got a message from "heidi" who said "is all caps necessary? seems like you might be speaking directly to someone"

Only if that someone has a penis, heidi. Thanks for your input. I changed it to "Just looking for tennis partners - no dates :) Thanks!!" this morning anyway. I hope she sees that smiley face and knows that I'm being sarcastic in her direction.

Sorry about the rant. Had to do it.

On to sewing!

We've Arrived

2011-08-23T10:51:00.000-07:00

Well we really got here a week ago, but it's been a busy week full of loading/unloading packing/unpacking things.

I have to say, I am in love with Portland already. We've visited downtown, ridden the train, driven over all of the bridges. It's been a great week.

I won't be sewing for another couple of weeks since I still need to find a space for all that. But here are some snapshots I took with my phone of our various activities.

That's the stove I've been using to cook my breakfast...so awesome.

And We're Off!

2011-08-10T12:11:00.000-07:00

On Monday we'll be loading our things into some shipping containers and driving to Portland!

This week has included a lot of packing and visiting some of our favorite places for the last time. Jake also took to me to see the Great Salt Lake before we go.

We got up to the shoreline and also drove up into the surrounding mountains to get a better view. Such a great way to spend one of our last days here.

So, I won't be posting for a while or sewing for probably a bit longer. But I'll be back!

Pattern Preview

2011-08-08T17:27:00.000-07:00

Just a lil preview of some new designs that I'll be printing in the next couple months.

Stripes Stripes!

2011-08-04T13:43:00.000-07:00

I have such an obsession (along with everyone else) with stripes these days. MUST HAVE THEM. So I bought this size large shirt from the thrift store because it was in good condition and the knit fabric feels soooo nice. Obviously, though, it's a bit of a mess for a petite girl. So I took it in on the sides and made it less batwing and more tunic.

After: (this is when Jake told me to look at the camera as if I am a tiger)

See? Ferocious. And not at all looking like a boy...sorry...that slipped out. If anything, I think I look like a mom. But definitely not a boy. Although, I'd definitely choose boy over mom. No offense, moms.

Just thought I'd show you the arms in the first pic and the drapeyness which I find flattering in the second pic.

Anyway, jokes aside, what do I do with this H&M piece of dump? (see below) It's a cowl neck dress. I'm thinking of just cutting off the skirt and creating a waistband similar to the top above.

Ideas?

Otherwise, have a great weekend!!!

Pattern Punch Feature

2011-08-04T09:22:00.000-07:00

That's right, I was approached by Pattern Punch to be a featured designer for their launch this month! I'll be on the front page August 17th-30th, but since I'll be travelling and settling into Portland the week of the 15th, I thought I'd post it now.

You better believe I'm spending today working on flushing out some new sketches of patterns I have!

New Work

2011-08-02T11:30:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd share the reason why I've been so busy lately...just some of my newest projects I've enjoyed doing. Also...I have some sort of secret but exciting news..I might not even hint what it's about so you can think I'm pregnant or donating a kidney...

Sweetheart Heart Dress

2011-07-29T14:10:00.000-07:00

I've been toiling away with this new project. Some hours at night, some hours in the morning. Here's my final product:

Which came from this. I chopped off the top and constructed a pretty weak sweetheart top with three darts for each boob, attached it to the skirt with piping in the middle, added elastic to the top of the back piece for extra grip (and to avoid a booby show), AND added a zipper. P.S. you can't tell but the top is navy blue with white hearts on it :)

THE most complicated thing I've made so far....and all without a pattern. My 4th design. Not bad for a prototype. But of course, if you know me at all, I didn't really do the hem very well...which makes me a terrible seamstress.

Oh well. Expect more new things next week. Have a great weekend!

(here's a picture my dad took and sent to me today. I love it!)

Late Night Sewing = Terrible Photos

2011-07-26T09:51:00.000-07:00

Yeah so. These photos are incredibly bad and I'm pretty ashamed but it just happened to be 12 AM when I started sewing, so this is what you get.

First I made some wide leg linen H&M pants into nicely fitted slacks.

See my creeper dog there?

And then I tried this dress on...that I got from a Goodwill in LA and only wore twice for obvious reasons.

I'm clearly too sassy for this dress. So it's time to sass it up. Here's the progress. And, yes...that's piping.

Baseball Tee

2011-07-14T12:15:00.000-07:00

I love baseball t-shirts but I never find any that are flattering or fit well so I decided to make one yesterday. It's a little off but a good start.

I used one of Jake's Hanes shirts in large and the red skirt I made a while back but (like I thought) haven't worn.

Used another shirt with a little more stretch for the template to resize the large tee.

I cut the sleeves where my arm pits would be to the collar, cut off the collar, and resewed the narrow shoulders.

I then cut a sleeve shape out of the red fabric had it taper outward to fit the arm holes of the big tee. Then I sewed the sleeves to the shirt.

I took some remaining red fabric and pinned right sides together to the shirt collar. I sewed that all the way around, then folded over the collar, and sewed to the inside.

Voila! A snug (maybe too snug) and girly baseball tee. I love it!!!!!(#*)@(%#*&)(#$*#@

Going to have to make more, of course.

To Do Pile

2011-07-12T11:43:00.000-07:00

Going through my closet and either getting rid of things or altering them to fit better. This is my pile of to-dos. Some dresses to fit/shorten, some dresses to make into skirts, some pants to fit. So this is my week. I've already done three shirts and one pair of linen pants.

I'll document the best transformations...some I might have to abandon..

Western Shirt Redo

2011-07-07T11:33:00.000-07:00

Let me tell you about my day so far. My blowdryer shot fire at me and then stopped blowing hot air. And that wasn't the first time fire came outta there onto my head...it's just now causing a problem because my dryer doesn't work.

And THEN I cut my finger with thread. Yep. A good little cut that hurt and felt more like a burn. So yeah, my life MIGHT suck today. And don't tell me people have it worse. That's all subjective.

Anyway, my husband is awesome at finding sweet old clothes and wearing them regardless of trends. He recently passed on this old western beauty to me and I had my way with it.

Not the best picture but I had to post it so you could see how much of a creeper my photo-bombing dog is. Super creeper. He just wants to love...what's so wrong about that? (Everything.)

And here is the transformation:

The print is pretty manly, so I wanted to go to extra lengths to still feel girly in it. I slimmed it down A LOT so it could hug my hips and give some definition in that area. I also shortened it. (duh) I cut the sleeves, shaped them more, and added tabs to hold them up because I thought that would be more feminine than just rolling them up or making a cuff.

New favorite shirt!

Plaid, Plaid, Puke

2011-07-06T10:08:00.000-07:00

So here it is...My awesome 70's shirt in plaid. Don't be fooled..those sleeves are puffy. I even fitted them better and they're puffy. I like how nicely this shirt turned out, but I don't think I'll be wearing it any time soon. I might consider making it in a solid color and with regular cap sleeves since it was a relatively easy pattern (except for the *#!* ##@** pleats). So...anyone want a crazy plaid shirt??

Btw, I used this pattern.

Back in Action

2011-07-05T11:56:00.000-07:00

So you all remember my little pleats catastrophe right? I thought I'd never revisit the shirt that'd been sitting there for probably 2 months, but this weekend I made some real progress. I did the neckline facing, collar, and started on the sleeves.

I should have the complete version tomorrow! But I can tell you it's going to be pretty wacky. Plaid...oh, plaid.

Good to be home...

2011-06-28T08:53:00.000-07:00

Well, Texas was great fun. Lots of good food and good drink, and I finally got to meet my long-lost cousin (?) that I've been chatting with online for probably 10 years but never met. I also flew for the first (and second) time in my life and was thoroughly terrified for some parts.

I had a wild weekend with some very much-needed girl time and now it's back to the grind. I'm glad to be back home with my dogs and Jake but not so excited about the ton of work I have to catch up on...

Sewing might have to wait a couple days while I get back into the groove of things, but I promise you I'm gonna tear it up once I get to it!

Just a Note

2011-06-22T21:10:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I won't be sewing this week or blogging much since I'll be spending all of my time cranking out work so I can have Friday off so I can go to Texas. I know. I'll tell you about it later, Mom.

See ya! and enjoy your weekends, I'll have lots of photos (hopefully) when I get back.

photo courtesy Texas Liberal

90's Skirt Refashion

2011-06-21T09:59:00.000-07:00

I found an awesomely 90's maxi skirt at the thrift store a while back and decided that it MUST be converted into something playful. So feast your eyes...or try to...

It's ugly (maybe even fugly) and bright green and sorta floppy but I love it. Eat your heart out, Forever 21 - you can't top this!

I may have also stolen some poses from Vivat Veritas.

Oh and I forgot to tell you that we adopted another lil Chihuahua - this one is Max and he's a Chihuahua/Terrier mix. He's super tiny, only 9 months old, and my little sidekick. He hasn't quite warmed up to Jake yet, and I hope he never does!!

The "Grand" Finale

2011-06-20T10:12:00.000-07:00

Get it? Because the end of our trip was an adventure at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. I still can't fathom just how massive the Canyon is. And for someone with a fear of heights, it was definitely hard to walk out even on the ledges with railings. I think I ran away from the edge twice when the wind picked up. But, aside from being a weenie, I loved it.

Greatest anniversary present :) Thanks, Jake. Love you!

Vacation Update

2011-06-15T12:44:00.000-07:00

We're halfway through our vacation and so far we've done tons of hiking, some canoeing and spelunking, and off-roading.

Print & Pattern Feature!

2011-06-10T09:12:00.000-07:00

So apparently I was featured on Print & Pattern last week and had no idea until a reader of the blog emailed me about it.

I read the email at midnight and checked Print & Pattern and flipped out! I'm so excited! This means a lot to me since I was unsure of my patterns and if anyone else liked them and all that. So expect some more pattern work!

Don't forget to read up on Healing Hearts, too :)

Also! I forgot to mention, I'll be out next week as my husband and I are going on a week-long vacation with my family to celebrate our anniversary. I set up email posting though so at the very least you'll have a few snapshots of our activities.

Have a great weekend!

Elloh Handmade x The Heart Touch Project

2011-06-09T19:52:00.000-07:00

I worked with The Heart Touch Project last year while I still lived in California. I worked with the founder Shawnee Smith as a freelance designer doing some pro-bono work. I really liked Shawnee and the other volunteers that I met and was moved by their motivation.

From their site:
The Heart Touch Project is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to the training and delivery of compassionate and healing touch to homebound or hospitalized, men, women and children.

I was especially moved by this because I remember when both of my parents did hospice work - they worked on call and long hours all of the time giving their care to other people and I always thought it was very noble. I still do. So for me to work with Shawnee again and in this way - through my creations that I put a lot of love into to give to people who can then love my creations - is really exciting for me.

So, I'd like to introduce you to Healing Hearts plush toys.

I have so many scraps from sewing my plush toys that I can't use them right away. I also don't want to let them go because I feel like they can still serve a purpose. So I decided to use them to make dolls to sell in my Etsy store and then donate the profits to The Heart Touch Project since I've already worked with them and I feel more personally invested than with any other non-profit organization.

The dolls even have a special Elloh x Heart Touch tag.

I'm really glad to be giving back. So go ahead, take a look at Heart Touch and all of the good they do. And then if you want, donate. And not through me...feel free to do it on their site.

Caring and healing touch is such an important thing - vital to human beings. I'd just like to support them in their work.

Progress

2011-06-08T12:26:00.000-07:00

I'm not making much of it, but here are some updates.

More squares for top secret project.

Neck of shirt...needs to be seam-ripped and restarted as well. This shirt will never end. And the sad part is that if I dedicated a night to it, I could get really far, I just have too many things to do.

Amazing finds at Wal-Mart: Floral Ikat - 2.5 yards for $11 and 3 yards of wacky, VERY stretchy knit for something like $6. I can't wait to start on these...I must stop buying fabric until I finish that stupid plaid shirt though. That shirt should have just been a pair of shorts. Boo.

I also made this Brown Butter Banana Bread only I used blueberries instead of strawberries and it turned out very nicely.

Weekend Recap

2011-06-06T12:40:00.000-07:00

I have to say I didn't do any sewing this weekend. We did have a fire in our fire pit twice AND we played Life twice (I also even ruined the game by spilling red punch all over it because I was trying to play for Jake who was talking too much). I also scored that wacky green fabric at a thrift store. It's a huge ugly skirt with pleats and an elastic waistband. And I know exactly what it's going to be turned into.

Tackling and Battling

2011-06-03T13:20:00.000-07:00

See those pleats? So nice....Especially on the lower half of the shirt. Oh, they're still uneven but they're neat. I'm hoping no one will notice.

I'm planning on making some real headway with this shirt this weekend. But a bobbin might run out of thread and I'll have to stop - which is what happened last night. Just in time though, because I'm not sure you should pleat while you drink wine.

Check out this patchwork work (?). This is for my special lil project coming up. This weekend will also see a few more of these 15x14 inch squares sewn up.

What are you working on this weekend? I hope it involves BBQ.

Cranberry Dress into Sassy Pencil Skirt

2011-06-02T12:51:00.000-07:00

I have many pieces in my closet that are 4+ years old because I couldn't think of a good reason to get rid of them. My style and preference changes so much that when I get rid of all my dresses, I want them back. Same goes for my ugly plaid button-ups.

So this dress: obviously I couldn't let it go last Thanksgiving even though I was repairing the waistband right before leaving for my sister-in-law's house. Obviously.

I bought this in 2006 or 2007 for a work party and have worn it for holidays since.

I love the cranberry and the knit fabric is so stretchy and comfy. So I made a pencil skirt using C&C's tutorial.

So sassy, right? My husband calls it a "stretch pants skirt" for the reason you are about to see...

Oh hai, butt! It seems as though this skirt has defied genetics and given me a butt. However small, it is there and it is SHOUTING at you. So take a good look. Because I might not be wearing this skirt that often. I might have to get used to being so sassy...

Oh yeah..and enjoy that stupid mismatched hem. What an amateur. I think the side seams bunch because the fabric should probably be used for underwear instead of a shapely skirt.

Shapes and Leather

2011-06-01T11:13:00.000-07:00

What you're viewing is the completed mini-collection of wristlets featuring my fabric designs. You can see more details here. The two on the top right have soft leather backs and straps AND the blue geometric one has a shiny gold lining fabric.

These are really fun to make and pretty easy, too. I had to buy a heavy duty needle to tackle the leather parts and I was really impressed how well that worked. Working with leather with a normal needle just shouldn't happen, ever.

So there you have it. Now it's on to tackling a certain pleated monstrosity I have laying around, a ton of refashions from my own closet, a new boyfriend (doll), and a very exciting partnership with a non-profit from California that I had the pleasure of working with last year. More on that later.

Weekend Recap

2011-05-30T12:50:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. It's a 3-day weekend but since I'm actually working today and getting emails for more work, then I'm gonna say my 3-day weekend is over. Sigh.

Anyway, this weekend was dark and gloomy and rainy and we even had the rain freeze over last night/this morning. Utah isn't really giving me many reasons to stay much longer...
We watched the rain one evening for a bit and the next day was nice for about 5 hours so I took advantage of that and took my book and a blanket outside. I also finally finished Cold Mountain and it's definitely one of those books that leaves an impression. I recommend it.

Off to work!

Victorian Seahorses

2011-05-27T10:47:00.000-07:00

I used more of the samples I ordered from Spoonflower to make this little wristlet. I think "wristlet" is a dumb word but that's what these things are called so I just have to fall in line again. Anyway, I really like this seahorse fabric and I like it even more when paired with gray and...

Is that houndstooth?! Yes, yes it is. Classy.

I also messed around with some paint, pearl pens, and a stencil I made.

It's just cute. Hopefully it can hang above my desk soon.

Have a good weekend!

May Giveaway Day Winner!

2011-05-26T10:21:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who posted lovely comments about the elephant!

The winner of the giveaway is Rachael from Cut Sew and Repeat.

Rachael, I'm emailing you shortly for your details.

Hooray! Let's have another giveaway soon :)

Totally Totes Tote

2011-05-25T11:19:00.000-07:00

Looking for my giveaway?? Here it is.

My latest project was a tote bag. I used a fat quarter of the geometric fabric I designed and made a pattern for a bag with two pockets inside. This is probably the most well-made item I've made to date. I took a lot of extra care with it and was thrilled that it came out so clean and nice.

I'm excited to get my fabric designs out into the internet world and see what people think.

Also, I wanted to share with you the outfit I made up yesterday. I loved Kristen Wiig's pairing of a blazer with a dress in Bridesmaids and I've read a few blogs that noted it as well. I'm pretty new to accessorizing and dressing up and making an effort so I'm still really amped when I come up with something I think goes really well together but wouldn't be my first choice. AND since I work at home and don't see anyone, I must share.

Necklace: Forever 21
Jacket: Thrifted (Ann Taylor)
Dress: Ross
Shoes: Payless

AND I thought I'd show the true functionality of this outfit by posting a picture of how good it looks even when I'm fixing my hair.

May Giveaway Day!

2011-05-23T02:00:00.000-07:00

It's finally May Giveaway Day!
I worked long and hard on my giveaway prize. I tried some new techniques and I used two fabric combinations that I'd been saving in my back pocket for a while.

An elephant! With a trunk and ears and blue flowers all over it. She's about a foot tall and VERY soft and plushy. I loved the gray plaid with the yellow floral print the second I saw it together in the discount bin at my local fabric store. When I thought of the elephant, I knew it would be perfect.

I wanted to create an animal with a sectioned body to give it more personality. For reference, I turned to the only stuffed animal I own that I didn't create - Patches, a silly bear I've had since I was a baby. He looks pretty worn now but I remember when he was brand new. His nose has had to be stitched on again and my mom likes to tell the story of when I took him in the bath with me. Patches has been very well-loved. The stuffing has settled and uneven in some places and he's more like a pillow now than a doll and I love that about him.

So this elephant is brand new, created just for a lucky winner - but it's also very well-loved. She can sit up on her own but has floppy ears and arms/legs. She goes perfectly on a shelf but also fits nicely in the crook of a tiny little arm. As soon as I finished her, she felt like an old friend. Instead of passing along to you a friend to break in, I thought I'd share one that felt like it had experience being a special companion.

All you have to do is comment below between today, May 23rd, and Wednesday, May 25th, telling me what you would name your new old friend. Please leave me an email address or a way to contact you if you win in your comment! The winner will be picked randomly and announced on May 26th. I will ship to international participants as well.

The giveaway ends on May 25th.

I can't wait to see what names you all come up with!

Oh Blessed Friday

2011-05-20T13:35:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure why I care so much about Friday today. I haven't worked very hard this week on anything besides staying sane. I won't really be kicking back this Friday because I've sort of done that all week.

Truth is, I haven't felt too creative this week outside of my freelance work. I'm hoping I had a good break to start in and get a few projects done this weekend.

I did bake though. I made these Cheddar and Black Pepper Biscuits and served my husband breakfast for dinner. Huzzah!

Don't forget about my giveaway either...

I also turned one of my husband's old shirts into a cute tank top that I then promptly wore out to meet friends. But not before I also whipped up a prototype for a wallet. (photo of shirt "before" is after I cut the neckline. oops.)

Simple, not super great but I love the stripes.

Have a great weekend!!!

Pleats Plz

2011-05-19T09:17:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry to say that the above photo is, in fact, a shirt I'm working on. Those pleats have been murder for me. They are tiny and need to be pressed and I'm actually in the process of seam-ripping all of them to start again. SIGH. Big, internal, frustrated sigh. I'm just not a perfectionist when it comes to making clothes. But this time, I really want to do these pleats nicely and neatly. I have no idea when this shirt will be finished.

On another note, I did do some thrifting last week and had two great finds. About 4-5 yards each of nice woven fabrics - super silky with a nice drape but not stretchy. I'm going to plan some high-waisted shorts for the red fabric that has a semi-chevron pattern on it.

Oh, yeah. I couldn't get a picture of them because as soon as I laid them out, Fernando jumped on top. Yes, that's a sweater. And no, I couldn't bear to make him move.

I also snapped a picture of the special project I've been working on for the May Giveaway Day. I'm excited to finish it!

Rocket Dress to Skirt

2011-05-17T10:08:00.000-07:00

I know, it probably seems like I just got done with a giveaway but I just found out about May Giveaway Day on Sew, Mama, Sew and since I'm working on a lil something special, I decided I had to participate. So be ready - Monday, May 23 to Wednesday, May 25 - win something special. Something special that might be wearing a skirt.

Now, on to business. I have a pile of clothes that I want to refashion into wearable pieces since various parts seem to be falling apart. This "rocket" red dress (below) was just a little too big/low cut/not really my thing anymore. Since the red color is still fun, I decided to take some of the leftover knit fabric from my latest creation and change it into a skirt. And what a skirt it is.

Simple project but I'm happy to lengthen the life of this dress even if it's just for sitting on the patio all summer.

Winner!

2011-05-16T12:32:00.000-07:00

My first giveaway and the winner is actually someone I've chatted with a few times, so I'm even more excited to send her a little gift.

Congrats, Alicia, and thanks to The Tootsie Wootsie for hosting my giveaway!

Weekend Recap

2011-05-16T10:40:00.000-07:00

I can't say this weekend wasn't amazing. Friday, we finished work early and saw Bridesmaids. I really suggest you watch it. We laughed the entire time even though everyone else in theater, I think, was either offended or clueless. But I promise, if you're into humor, you'll like it.

Saturday, I went to Salt Lake and hung out with friends. Then Sunday was back to Salt Lake for six hours of BBQing, slip-n-sliding (my idea), live music, and fun times.

I also made Jake whole wheat pancakes from scratch on Saturday. Because I'm super wife. I definitely feel like super wife as I type this in my PJs at 11:38 AM.

Oh, and Jake mowed our lawn that was full of dandelions. Because he's super husband.

New STUFF!!!

2011-05-12T10:42:00.000-07:00

(Looking for my giveaway? Here it is.)

I'm not much of a runner or exerciser at all. I like to get my exercise by doing things I already like to do rather than putting myself on a schedule.

With that said, I'd like to relate my little experience this morning. Today was a self-proclaimed vacation day. I woke up, read, bugged my husband to wake up, woke up the dog to bug my husband to wake up, and decided I'd go for a jog with my little friend.

I put on my shiny new Puma shoes that I inherited from my sister-in-law due to some sizing misunderstandings, put on my little black workout top with a built-in bra, and some black shorts. I stood in the mirror and was already jazzed about how fit I was. I looked at myself, posed a few poses, and decided I'd make running an every day thing for sure; It already felt so good.

Finally, I'm outside with my dog, quickly running behind his little Chihuahua butt that can run at speeds I wasn't anticipating. About 2 minutes later, I'm running through the baseball field behind our house thinking to myself "This little SOB can run. Forever. WHY?!"

After about 20 minutes of recovery with a glass of water on the floor of our living room, I was decidedly against fitness, sweat, and feeling like my head is going to implode and that the lights may be dimming - are they even turned on? Where am I?

So there you have it. I'm Lorena, I'm 24, and I am not going to try to pretend that I'm some sort of crazy exercise person EVER again.

There's some new stuff in my shop! A cowboy bear with a vest and leather details, a silly floppy-eared bunny (fabric I designed on the ears), and...could it be?! Yes, the boyfriend with a removable beard is BACK! And I'm very excited.

I also got some more proofs of my designs from Spoonflower! Very happy with these - expect to see some fabric in my shop soon! Well..like in a month because it takes forever to get it.

Also, did any of you watch the Office, episode 23 recently? Did you see Erin's AWESOME shirt? If not, here it is:

Is there anywhere I can buy this? No, is there any way I can make this? I'm going to ponder the last question and get back to you. Any ideas? Seems simple enough - like you could just sew a little piece of fabric there to hold the top down and the bottom up. But it does look like it goes through the front of the shirt..hmmm

I love Erin and Angela's style on that show. They're always wearing something really feminine and making great color combos.

Two Shirts, No Pattern

2011-05-10T09:12:00.000-07:00

Don't forget about my giveaway...

So I hear there's an H&M coming to Utah. Not so excited now that I know how cheaply made their clothes are. And especially now that I sew. But I probably will browse the store for ideas. Same goes for Forever 21. Or XXI or whatever they're calling it now.

On Friday, I wore a top that I really do like from Forever 21, only I realized that it was REALLY simple to make. About 20 minutes later, my sister-in-law asked me if I had sewn it; a question which reminded me that my mom asked me the same about the same shirt over Christmas break; a memory which set the wheels in motion...(semicolons?)

All I did was fold the original in half, trace, cut, sew, measure some knit for the waistband, sew, and add bias tape to the arm holes and neckline. So easy.
Here is the fabric. Pretty wacky, right? Love it. It's a slightly stretchy, thin knit.

Here's me sporting it with big hoop earrings: (btw, you'll notice a lil white piece on the shoulder in the second picture...yeah..that was the edge of the fabric where the name and the artist are printed...yeah..I'm not much of a perfectionist.)

I also took this picture, but there was just something a little off about it. Oh, that's right. I look dumb.

Elloh Handmade Giveaway!

2011-05-09T09:38:00.000-07:00

That's right! It's a giveaway: $15 to use in my shop.

See the official rules at The Tootsie Wootsie.

Weekend Recap

2011-05-09T09:35:00.000-07:00

Last Friday it snowed all night, this Friday - not so much. Saturday we woke up to what I felt like was the warmest weather I'd experienced in ages. It went from cold to BLAZING no problem. It was a beautiful day with lots of activity in our neighborhood. And then, of course, it rained all day Sunday. But Saturday was amazing. I sewed an original top (will blog later) and turned another shirt and a dress into two new items of clothing (will also blog later). I also finished a little guy who MIGHT look like a cowboy. All this while an announcer was booming from the skate park behind our house due to a Volcom skate competition being held.

This weekend was perfect. And might I add that I also made enchiladas and these Sweet Tea Bourbon cocktails from Joy the Baker?

YUM.

Hooray!

2011-05-04T09:23:00.000-07:00

Well guess what? I'm Burdastyle's Featured Member this week! It was pretty exciting to get to my computer and see myself on Burdastyle's blog. So go and read it and let me know what you think!

Mother's Day Gift

2011-05-03T13:03:00.000-07:00

I think it's ok if my mom chooses to read this post since she does know what she's getting and she even picked out the fabric herself. BUT if she chooses not to read any further, I'll understand. I pieced together two different fabrics and made these simple placemats for her. The back is a linen muslin that goes nicely with the colorful front. I made some quick napkins as well. (hello, rolled hem)

Sending them today!

And here's a lil (yes, lil) sneak peek of my next project.

Weekend Recap

2011-05-02T09:03:00.000-07:00

This weekend happened to be pretty eventful for us. Aside from reading most of the day in bed with our pooch, we went up to Salt Lake for dinner and a show with some friends. And after it got done snowing Friday night, it was a little sunny on Sunday. I also made a silly lace headband that I had a good time wearing yesterday.

Oh and...don't mind the weeds in our grass :/

Lotso Triangles

2011-04-28T11:49:00.000-07:00

Finally finished my table runner! Yes, it took a lot of time and yes, it was also sort of a pain in the butt. But (hah) I love it.

I also forgot to blog about the gem you see below. My dad has always been a carpenter but these past couple years he has been making small structures. He brought the cottage below for me a couple weeks ago. I have a deep, deep love for miniatures and dollhouses. Every time I peek into this little cottage I get an immediate feeling of curiosity and almost feel like I'm looking into another world. I love the rustic feel of his creations and I keep thinking I should fill it with stuff but I really like it the way it is.

My Dad doesn't do much promotion for himself online so I had to take the opportunity to show you all.

Last Shirt Version

2011-04-26T12:51:00.000-07:00

Well here we are. We've come to the last combination of colors/fabric I had planned for the pattern I drafted. This one took a little more time since I experimented with the straps and arm holes. I ended up making the straps thinner and arm holes bigger and it's much more comfy. It's still a little bunchy but I'm pretty much over it. I have a few more destash shirts I want to do, but I'm going to have to move on to something bigger and better for now.

Weekend Recap

2011-04-25T09:46:00.000-07:00

This weekend I finished The Reader - wasn't my fave but still really good. I'm starting to see more about it now that I let it sit with me. Then I picked up another book: Cold Mountain. Spent all day Saturday reading. I also baked these Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls. Way too delicious. And of course, we spent time with our new best friend, Fernando.

Christmas in April

2011-04-21T13:50:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share with you all of the goodies I got over the weekend/Monday/Tuesday.

Tons of new books to read. Some my parents saved for me and brought and some I got at the local thrift stores when we went.

The Dune trilogy in awesome hardcover versions with equally awesome artwork. Also found and saved for me by my parents.

Another gift from my parents: fabric from a yard sale. There's tons more AND a bag of leather pieces to mix in with my new creations.

Yet another awesome find from my parents. I need to set apart some time to really get into this one.

This map of antartica is dated 1958, I think, and we got it at an antique mall in Salt Lake City. That antique mall really was great. I'm hoping to go back when we really start to decorate, but for now our project is to figure out how to mount this map and display it.

AND some bud vases that I've been keeping an eye out for. I got the first two (tall and short) at once and the third one the next day. I thought about keeping it all matching but I like how the shapes on the odd one out seem like a variation of the first two.

So as you can see, it was indeed a holiday around here this past weekend.

Weekend Recap

2011-04-18T15:52:00.000-07:00

This weekend was PACKED full of family fun time. My family (mom, dad, and brother) came to visit Jake and me all the way from California. They're actually still here, but I have some down time to blog. We went to downtown SLC and did some shopping at an antique mall, we did some thrifting, and we ate way too much delicious food. We also visited the Kennecott mine, which I'll have you know is man's largest excavation - visible from space, even.

My parents brought their little chihuahua terrier puppy (a girl) and she had a hard time with our chihuahua (a boy) that we got the day before they came. They're still battling a little but they're much friendlier than when they first met.

I'll have to take pictures of all of our finds and gifts from California and the new addition to our family.

New in the Shop!

2011-04-14T20:56:00.000-07:00

Two new owl pillows. I adore them both. And did you see the wings on the pink pillow?? Yep, that's the fabric I designed. I'm excited about getting to use some of it. You can see them both here and here.

Also, lizajane (she is also the Featured Member this week on BurdaStyle!) nominated me for another Stylish Blogger Award. I wish I was feeling more creative but SIGH...I've been working non-stop this week on creative stuff - both for work and fun. I may just have to answer 6 questions and nominate a few new bloggers I've found recently.

Trust me, I have 6 more weird things about me for sure.

1. I used to paint. I was actually obsessed with painting in acrylics for about 4 years. I gave it up a year ago. I just stopped feeling it. I still draw, but I can't bring myself to paint again. Maybe I'll show ya'll my paintings.

2. My husband and I got a chihuahua today and I'm absolutely in love. I'm also a TAD bit allergic to dogs/animals. So, we're doing a test run to see how I do. I hope I don't have to give this little guy away because we're both already very attached to him.

3. I wanted to be a forensic scientist for the longest time but then I found out that I have a definite fear of blood. Only other people's blood, too. So that career choice was definitely out.

4. I taught myself a good amount of French and a lot of American Sign Language when I was about 10 or 11. I don't remember any of it but I really loved both languages.

5. I don't speak Spanish and never have, really, even though I'm Mexican and both of my parents AND my white husband speak Spanish fluently.

6. My worst fears are spiders, heights, and being attacked in the shower/bathroom. Spiders and heights both make me feel nauseous and bring me to tears. For our honeymoon, we hiked Angel's Landing at Zion National Park in Utah and when it got to the knife's edge of the hike I was paralyzed with fear and everyone walked by me while I cried. I was pretty ashamed.

So there you have it. The terrible, terrible details about me.

Now go visit these bloggers, whom I nominate.

Ashley at Refurl (just found her blog recently but I'm def a follower)

Fiona at Hop Skip Jump

Prudence Rabbit

Poppalina

Paunnet

And Audrey at Audzipan Anthology

Have fun!!

Third Version of My Tank Top

2011-04-12T10:42:00.000-07:00

I'm still doing my de-stash project (not to be confused with de-stache) so I'm still going through my fabric supplies and figuring out how to use the weird (too small) pieces of fabric I put aside for clothing. You may remember the tank pattern I drafted and the second, wacky version I made. I took the pattern and made a third version with two different halves: navy blue top and facing and stripes for the bottom.

It still droops a bit on the left shoulder and I promised to fix that last time but it was too long in between sewing sessions, so I forgot. But I WILL try and do that this week when I make two more versions. Also, I know it bunches a lot (on this version) around the arm pits....I'll have to work on a new version for cotton instead of voile.

Check out that nice stripe job, eh? Seems pretty pro right? I wasn't even going to pay attention to the stripes until Jake's mom reminded me about them. And I would have worn it anyway. That's just me. But I'm very happy about how good they look.

I have four more shirts to make (two of mine, two of the 80's pattern) before I can move on to the full yardages of fabric I have saved for clothing. Lots of work ahead.

Weekend Recap

2011-04-11T10:42:00.000-07:00

The weekend was really cloudy and rainy (it even snowed a good amount overnight on Friday) but it all cleared up on Sunday just in time to grill some salmon. So delicious. But after about two hours, it got too cold to keep the grill hot so I had to pack it up and pretend to grill inside with my broiler. It was good while it lasted.

I also had my first experience sewing with striped fabric (with some pointers from my mother-in-law). I'll show you that later.

Some New Projects

2011-04-08T12:28:00.000-07:00

I've expanded my project list with about 20 new ideas just this week. In some ways it's good. I love to be busy all the time. In some ways it's bad, because some ideas that were good just die when better ones come along because this list is so long.

Made this little owl for a friend's baby shower. I definitely love him and I'm excited to give him away as a special little gift.

And I decided that even though everyone's doing the owl trend in design and even though I swore I would never hop on that bandwagon, I do like the one I made and I might have to make 2 or 3 more. The problem is, I think people follow the owl trend and don't even know why. They just know that it's like the deer and cupcake (which I've also done) and whale trend and that they should like it. Or maybe they do know why they like it. But I doubt it. Working 2 years in marketing tells me they don't know why they "like" it, they just follow. But as a designer, I can't ignore the trends and I can't ignore the fact that I made a darn cute little owl. I just hate trends...

Did I repeat myself a bunch just then?

Lately, I've also fallen in love with applique. Maybe madly in love. This the first half of a table runner. (Triangles, another trend I can't ignore, but I've always loved geometric shapes.)

Just a new pattern for you. Thinking it'd be more for baby/girl stuff.

A new illustration. I did the drawing a while ago but hadn't digitized it until recently. It's strange yes. Probably makes you feel uncomfortable, yes, but I definitely have that creepy side to me. That's the versatility of a designer for you.

Have a great Friday!
My rabbit is showing at Eve-N-Odd Gallery tomorrow night. I can't wait to see more pictures.

Girls Girls Girls

2011-04-06T08:29:00.000-07:00

Two new dolls I finished last week - Courgette and Aubergine (Zucchini and Eggplant). Sort of a series, sort of just an idea I had floating around in my head for a while.

By the way, have you noticed the triangle trend in design/art? I'm sure you have.

High Seas

2011-04-05T09:25:00.000-07:00

I know I don't often post other people's work. I feel like there are a ton of blogs that already do that and we probably already read the same ones. But, I think I could make an exception for someone's work that really made a difference to me for whatever reason.

Cartoon Monster creates kinetic wood sculptures that involve boats and the ocean. Some pieces are really tiny and some are huge. I can't really explain to you how these sculptures moved me. I saw a video of one of them in action and I could not help but get a little teary-eyed. Maybe wooden toys remind me of being at home with my family, or maybe it's the lighting in the photos, or maybe (now I'm probably going to read too much into it) I feel like the boat - just tiny and sometimes really alone but still moving quietly along on the big ocean. There's something about how the little fragile boat just keeps sailing.

Either way, I love these. Especially this one. It's almost like the fantastic things a child can dream - sailing your boat through the stars.

Weekend Recap

2011-04-04T10:06:00.000-07:00

The weekend started out with a bit of thrifting, then turned into a fun night out with friends. The next day, we enjoyed a hearty breakfast at a place in town that we'd been eyeing. And it truly was all we hoped it would be. I haven't stopped dreaming about that food since. And who can beat a restaurant that has booths lined in cowboy print fabric? Who?!

I also got a nice mini tour of Utah Valley University, which made me lament the fact that I didn't try a bigger, nicer university when I had the chance to, 7 years ago. But, then I remembered how much I hate school and how much I loved having a degree after 18 months.

P.S. that petrified cat is the scariest/worst thing I've seen in person.

My Fabric is Finally Here!

2011-03-31T12:32:00.000-07:00

Hooray! Yesterday I received my little fabric stash with my own designs from Spoonflower. It took what felt like forever but it was totally worth it. I ordered without looking at their color guide (I know, I know), but my colors still came out just as they are on screen. Some of the line work on the seahorses print is too dark and not very visible - that's probably the only color that's off. The quilting weight sort of feels like not-so-great muslin but I'm still very pleased with the product. I now have a better reference for sizing and what-not, so I'll be reordering a few of these and some new ones in a month or two. I can't wait to start cutting up these little samples for some new projects!

Oh, and Jake moved all my stuff upstairs into one of our spare rooms and I'm already loving it. I still have to "unpack" but I'm looking forward to getting attached to this little room.

New Site Design

2011-03-30T15:30:00.000-07:00

For a graphic designer (or at least me), redesigning your own portfolio is just about the hardest thing to do. How do you choose to represent yourself? Do you want to look trendy and cool or buck the trends and do something ugly or weird? Do you make something unlike the rest of your work or pay no attention at all to the design and let your work speak for itself? Or do you just use one of the million template sites out there for designers?

So you can see, now, how it's big news that I redesigned my website and it actually made it's way online. It's the other side of Elloh Handmade: Elloh Design. Where it all started. I'm hoping to keep up the textile design and illustration and get some new clients/work, but this is simply just a show-and-tell :)

Lya Doll

2011-03-29T10:54:00.000-07:00

Lya is my most recent plush creation. She's cute and simple, with triangle hair and a separate skirt tacked on to her body. I'm torn between using this pattern for future dolls or just keeping it organic and making them all completely different. We'll see.

See more photos here.

Weekend Recap

2011-03-28T09:49:00.000-07:00

The weather was beautiful this weekend, so we spent some time (4 hours) napping outside on a blanket. That was the best way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

More Pattern Experiments

2011-03-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

I was inspired by Audzipan's display of her fabric design and decided to share with you some of the patterns I've been working on. I recently ordered samples of these from Spoonflower, and they should be here in the next week. I'm too excited to see what they end up looking like. Hopefully soon I'll have the guts to show you some more.

Right now is a weird stage for me in my design career. I've always been a full-time web and part-time print designer. Now I really feel like I want to move away from branding myself as a web designer and explore the type of design I really love: print, illustration, textile, etc. I'm in the process of changing my online portfolio from a showcase of work to a showcase of my personal style, but it's difficult to believe anyone would be that interested in my wacky ideas for fabric or art. Somehow, I feel better sharing all of this - like I can really move in that direction instead of feeling like it's a big special secret I'm keeping all to myself and thinking about way too much.

Any feedback on these designs is appreciated :) I still have a few in my back pocket for a later release.

New Location

2011-03-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

That's right! My plush goods are now on display and for sale at Lemea's Gift Gallery on Main Street in American Fork. Now I just have to work on making my space a little prettier, but it's a good start.

Some Dux

2011-03-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

These are my two newest creations. Even though it's still gray and gloomy here, it has to be spring somewhere, right?

Weekend Recap

2011-03-21T11:13:00.000-07:00

This weekend started off with lots of walking and exploring Salt Lake City with friends. We saw some galleries, ate some food, had some drinks, road the train around. I loved it - We haven't had a night like that since we lived in LA. Then we spent the next day with family, which was also fun. And Sunday was a very lazy day. I napped in the middle of the day and finally got around to making more labels and going through my awesome stash of old rick-rack.

Sending/Receiving

2011-03-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

This week I sent my little nerdy rabbit friend all the way to Florida for a show at Eve-N-Odd Gallery. The show will be April 9th, it's dedicated to bunnies, and it'll last a month. I hope he enjoys his journey!

I also received a very welcome gift from my mom in the mail: a huge box of felt and assorted fabrics. And the little smiley face in the "O" was so simply stated that it made me giggle for a while. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2011-03-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

I usually don't care about St. Patrick's Day at all. I actually think, along with Valentine's Day, that it should be totally disregarded as a minor holiday. Especially because I don't use it as an excuse to party with friends anymore. Maybe I'm just bitter, then. Either way, this year I have to give every holiday/season change/whim some recognition with some sort of dumb craft. I thought about making a plush leprechaun but I couldn't get over how creepy leprechauns are, so I made this little leprechaun heart with a few adaptations from the strange mythical man. And since I made this in February, you'd better believe I'm excited to sport it about town.

A Bright Blue Shirt

2011-03-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

I've been working through my stash of fabric saved just for shirts/skirts/etc. Here's a simple shirt made from a pattern from the 80's.

I really like the little "tuck" in the front and back. It's a good way to make a simple shirt just a little different. I used an obviously very blue woven material that's lightweight but heavy at the same time. I don't know how else to explain it.

I also had to add 4.5 inches to the bust (not bragging) but keep the hip measurement the same. I probably did it in a very lazy way but I moved the pattern away from the fold 1 1/8 inches while setting it up to cut, then angled it so the bottom still hit the fold. Turned out alright. I had to take it in an inch on each side around the hip, still. Only thing that turned out not so much like it should have is the neckline - it came out too wide from adding the inches. So next time, I'm going to make sure to bring the neck in to the original position as well as the hips.

This shirt also came with a front/back facing for the neckline but that didn't quite work with my material, so I just hemmed the neckline.

All in all - success!

Sweater Revamp

2011-03-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

I have been looking for a mustard-colored cardigan for months. They do exist, but they exist online for $60 and that's just not my style. After keeping an eye out for a while, I saw this perfect sweater from H&M at my local thrift store. Not only is it mustard colored, it's also got stripes - another of my current favorites. But it's not a cardigan. It's a pullover sweater, which I don't do well.

So it's time to cut it up and get that much closer to my dreams. I saw a tutorial for this a few weeks ago but I can't find it anymore. Turns out, there are tons all over the web.

The sweater.

I cut it up the middle. No need for a ruler; eyeballing it turned out alright.

Got my very old bias tape out, opened it up and pinned/stitched one edge to the right side (of the fabric) of one of the sweater's new openings.

I then turned the bias tape to the inside, folding it again and creating a new edge for the sweater's opening.

There you have it. And, no, I didn't wear stripes with stripes that day - this photo is purely for educational purposes.

Weekend Recap

2011-03-14T10:43:00.000-07:00

This weekend was one full of food. I cooked a couple dinners, did some baking, and made pancakes for Jake for breakfast TWICE. We also went to a BBQ where we had elk meat, burgers, and steak. And we went out to eat once as well. So, pretty much food and I are all caught up and familiar with each other after the weekend. It was also warm enough for about 4 hours on Saturday for sandals. So I took advantage of that. We got to go visit our house which they broke ground on last week. Pretty exciting. And of course I did some sewing.

I didn't get any pictures of it because it was consumed much too quickly, but I made this Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread from Joy the Baker. So good.

Recipe: Mushroom Sauce

2011-03-11T08:00:00.000-08:00

It's not the most attractive sauce, but it is delicious on rice, chicken, noodles, whatever.

2 cups mushrooms
1 cup spinach
1/2 tbl. worcestershire sauce
1 tbl agave nectar
salt/pepper/garlic to taste

Puree and enjoy! Can be cold or hot.

Nerdy Rabbit

2011-03-10T08:00:00.000-08:00

Going to take a break from the rabbits for a little bit but I had to share this guy first. He's made out of fleece so he's really soft. I also love how I have a scarf JUST like his. See more here.

Second Version

2011-03-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

I took my finalized shirt pattern I created last week and made another version out of this crazy polyester fabric that was at Wal-Mart for $1.50 a yard. So loud, so awesome.

I also tried the DIY fabric labels tutorial I posted last week. (See it here if you missed it.) I serged the edges pretty close to prevent fraying. Love these little labels - they're a great addition to the plush toys I've been making.

Earring Round-Up

2011-03-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

I'm not into accessories very much, especially if they're sort of over the top or too dangly or big or make too much noise. I usually have to remind myself to wear one of the few necklaces I have or a scarf. But I will wear earrings everyday. I hadn't bought earrings in a few years, so I decided to do a little shopping on Etsy.

The fun thing about buying from Etsy is the care and detail taken in the packaging of the items. It's so nice to get a little gift wrapped up in a box with ribbon and sometimes a few extra goodies :) A few of these sellers, too, I've continued to talk to and read their blogs, so it's a lot more personal.

1. White Drop Earrings from Sparkling Bliss
2. Pebble Gray Sterling Silver Studs from Allison Moore Designs
3. Gunmetal Bow Earrings from Reverberate
4. Silver Lotus Flower Earrings from Piixl Jewelry
5. Olive Pom Pom from SoukySuz

Weekend Recap

2011-03-07T09:47:00.000-08:00

The weather was beautiful this weekend. Even though yesterday was pretty gray most of the day, I loved it. We spent some time doing karaoke, some time with family, and some time doing nothing at all on the couch. Successful weekend.

Stylish Blogger Award

2011-03-04T15:48:00.000-08:00

Amber of The Evening Tree nominated me for the Stylish Blogger Award and to accept I have to dish out the dirty details on myself with 7 facts.

Thanks, Amber!

1. I was born in Texas and lived in California all of my life until July 2010.

2. My aunt is Selena's (the singer) second cousin. So that makes me...musically talented at all? No. I sing terribly, but it's something I love to do. I also played guitar in high school but gave that up after a couple years.

3. My ears aren't the same. They're each a different shape and one sticks out more than the other.

4. I get the words "chicken" and "kitchen" mixed up a lot when speaking and it's very frustrating.

5. I love horror movies. From terrible, lame B movies to campy classics to seriously scary stuff. The worst part is - I'm not immune to all of them. I really do get scared and regret it later, but I always come back.

6. I was once on the History Team in Jr. High. I brought the whole team down, though, because I didn't know anything about history, nor did I try and study before our competitions. That's sort of how I've continued to live life.

7. My favorite person in the entire world is my little brother. He's soon becoming a man and I'm still remembering when he was a baby. I hope in the future we can make up for time we have spent apart.

Geez only 7? I can talk about myself for days.
That was fun though, so now it's time to hear from the next victims. I'd like to nominate the following bloggers.

Jorth

Michelle of Sparkling Bliss

Jelena of Just2Chilli

La Petite Josette

Corie of Red Letter Rising

Julie

Shalon of design art soul

Friday Feature

2011-03-04T10:20:00.000-08:00

I'm featured over at Mama's Sewing Room as her Fabulous Friday Feature! Thanks, Kathleen!

Leaping Rabbit

2011-03-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

Meet my newest creation. This rabbit is a foot long and is really winning my heart every day that goes by.

Also, check out this tutorial on how to make your own fabric labels. Pretty cool.

Drafting a Pattern Day 2

2011-03-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

And now we come to the finished product! I'm very pleased with how it came out. The right strap is a little droopy because the arm needs to be adjusted a little but not a big deal. I plan on making a few more variations with the fixed strap, maybe some pleats, maybe less billowy.

And this is how I dressed it up for going out on the town. Now it's just time to start going through the weird yardages of polyester I have and destash a little by making a few more of these.

Drafting a Pattern Day 1

2011-03-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

So I don't know if you remember this first shirt I designed without a pattern. I was really excited about upcycling the skirt and making the top half and sleeves out of sheer black fabric. That shirt I just went nuts with and didn't do a muslin for. Which resulted in 8 hours of work.

This time I decided to take about 4-5 measurements and draft my own pattern FIRST and make it out of muslin before I try and tear into some fabric. It took me 3 hours to get a muslin version that fit well and about 30-45 minutes to make the actual shirt. The top has four pieces since I knew I'd be using a gauzy voile-like material: front, back, front facing, and back facing. This makes it less sheer at the top. I left the bottom loose and billowy since I wanted to add gathers.

Sewing front and back together on the right side.

Finished top half with facings - muslin is a little too thick for two facings, but it worked well.

Cutting up the bottom part which I keep calling the "skirt" in my head. I originally had a parallelogram going on but that resulted in a HUGE triangle once I put it on.

Gathering the bottom half.

Preparing to sew the bottom to the top.

Success!

Starting to cut into my fabric that I'd been saving just for this project for a month. Now here's the sad part. Yes, I made my own pattern. Yes, I made a muslin first (even ran out of muslin). So, yes, I should have known just how much fabric I needed. But I didn't. I was missing about a yard and a half to finish with this fabric.

So here's the replacement fabric. Two and a half yards of a very similar voile-like material. I wasn't sure about it at first but I chose it because it was the closest to the original fabric.

I'll have the big reveal tomorrow!

New/Upcoming Projects

2011-03-01T08:00:00.000-08:00

Last week I made a bunch of party favors for my Mom's next party. Thought I'd share those since I had a lot of fun making the color combinations for the bookmarks and then tying them up with pretty ribbon.

I also thought I'd share my next project. I can't say when I'll do it but it's definitely in the queue. I found 3 yards of this plaid stuff at Savers and this pattern at the thrift store in Sandy. I'm going to make the top, since I'm starting to have way too many dresses and this plaid seems a bit much for a whole dress.

Weekend Recap

2011-02-28T11:16:00.000-08:00

Well this weekend was pretty wild, if I say so myself. I haven't been as busy over the weekend for a while. First, Jake and I celebrated karaoke night at our local bar, which led to me being in bed all of Saturday, recuperating. Then, on short notice a friend invited me to Wendover. I'd never been but I had a great time. Had my first gambling/black jack experience. Very nice to get out of town for a few hours. Then Sunday, I did some more driving, had a lunch date which led to a dinner date. The weekend went by way too fast.

Bear Skinning

2011-02-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

A lot of good things come from thrifting, as you've seen me demonstrate. But another good thing is that you can rescue cute, cuddly, unloved, unwanted stuffed animals from the grasping, dirty, clutches of children in the thrift store. Then you can cut up the animals and put them to better use as hair for new stuffed animals and they no longer have to worry about being lame and too cute.

Our victim: Dr. Smiley Purple Pants.

We start with an incision in the butt crack because it's funny.

And then we go to town, starting with legs for long pieces. Later, the stuffing can also be harvested for the new doll.