New Fabric Designs!
If you have a Spoonflower account and follow my account, you've probably noticed some new designs. I've been working on a fabric collection based on paint.
The first fabric, called Black and Blue Mirrors, is a simple black and blue repeating pattern. I created this design using acrylic paint and paper. I then scanned the painting into my computer and cleaned it up as much as I could before I ordered a yard of fabric from Spoonflower.Why did I order a yard of fabric, you ask? 
For a swap with Alice the Insane, of course! I gave her a yard of my design printed on cotton poplin ultra in trade for a super cute bag that she made to match our Kylo Ren and General Hux cosplays that we wore to MCM London. 
I really like the bag she made, and I've been using it so much! It's a really good size for everything I need with me on a daily basis.
I love the dress she decided to make from the fabric, I think she did an amazing job keeping the pattern intact and that having the design off center was fresh and different.
She added bias binding to the neck edge, and the dress opens at the side with a zipper. Isn't it lovely?
This is the other fabric that I designed, also made using acrylic paint, paper, and a scanner. It's only the second fabric in my 'Paint' fabric collection, and I'm hoping to add at least two more painted fabric designs over the summer.
Be sure to check out Alice the Insane's facebook page!If you're interested in purchasing either of these fabrics, they are available here.
All Grown Up Slouched Hat
I made this hat using the All Grown Up Striped Slouched Hat pattern. The pattern calls for the hat to be made using an aran yarn, but I used a double knit (a double knit is thinner than an aran). In order to be able to make the hat to fit my head, I only needed to change the length off the hat. I used a 5.5 mm (I) crochet hook and made the small adult size. I crocheted about 6 more rows in the stripe pattern than the pattern asked for.
Perry the Platypus Dress
The dress is another pattern from Gertie's New Book for Better Sewing. It's the Sweetheart Sundress, although I modified it to better fit the idea that I had in my head. I changed the front of the dress so that it is no longer just two pieces (one on each side), but is now five (two on top, three on bottom), changed the back piece by separating the piece along the darts into three separate pieces, and changed the side zipper in order to make a more fitted dress.
The skirt is a simple gathered skirt with a wide lace trim to add a bit of interest to the dress. The first time I applied the lace to the dress, I accidentally melted a segment of the lace with the iron and had to tear out the whole trim and replace it with new lace.
This is the inside of the dress. Only the top is lined, and I hand sewed in bra cups for support. The zipper is on the left side, and I did not encase it in fabric on both sides because I was trying to avoid hand sewing as much as possible.
I found this fabric at Joann's while looking for a fabric I could use to make a comic book print dress. I think that the fabric fits the criteria I set, because it includes animated characters in a comic book print design. It's a cotton blend printed with the Phineas and Ferb characters with a focus on Perry the Platypus.
The Zig-Zag Dress
I made the zig-zag dress a little over a year ago, sometime in the year 2013. It was part of my "Greyscale" Collection, which, as the name suggests, is a collection made from fabrics in shades of grey, black and white. The collection was inspired by the outfits in old black and white movies.
The pattern is Vogue V8808 cut out in option B. I really like this dress style, especially the collar, shape, and length combination. I made the zig-zag dress before I had been told it is a much better idea to trace the pattern pieces, so all of the pieces are actually cut out of the original pattern paper.
I'm really proud of the pattern matching on the princess seams (zig-zags AND curves? What was I thinking?!), but not of the pattern matching on the side seams. The reason for this is probably because I sewed and serged the side seams of the lining and the outside fabric at the same time.
Because the zig-zag fabric was very lightweight and see-through, I did not make a full lining, and instead ended it above the knee with a terribly uneven hem. Luckily, it's not obvious that the lining hem is uneven from the outside, and instead looks like it transitions smoothly from lined to unlined.
Despite its flaws, I still really like the zig-zag dress - I mean look at those princess seams!
Winter Gifts! (Part Two)
I apologize for this post being so late, I did not have all the pictures until recently.
For Christmas, my friend Hilary gave me some beautiful red alpaca yarn, which I quickly made into fingerless mittens from this pattern. The pattern was quick and easy to make, and looks beautiful!
In return, I made Hilary a knitted reversible cowl, called the Boomslang, in dark pink and white yarn (modeled by my sister). This cowl worked up fairly quickly for a cowl but still took quite a bit of time. I'd intended to give her the cowl before winter break, but I ran out of time and instead had to give it to her after break.
For my cousin’s birthday on January 13th, I made her a hat! I based it off off of this pattern. I had to heavily modify the pink cupcake shape in order for it to curve properly, and then I ran out of yarn and was unable to make the icing ruffles around the edge, but I'm still pretty happy with how the hat turned out.
"Spark" Slouchy Hat
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A slouchy hat made with three colors of yarn in double and treble crochet.
White Queen
This is the "White Queen" dress and jacket from the collection Alice in Wonderland.The sleeveless dress simply slips on, while the jacket laces up in the front.
Cheshire Cat
This garment is the "Cheshire Cat" dress from the collection Alice in Wonderland.The dress is made out of stretch knit, and has a zipper in the back to keep it on. The top part of the dress is made out of a series of straps.