Jersey Blouse Pt. 2 - A No Napkin Monday Project

Three Things

To continue on my sewing adventure with Butterick B5678 using cotton jersey fabric....

1.  I love my serger.  It's like a magic machine.  How did I ever sew without it?

2.  Sewing with jersey fabric is hard and frustrating!  But when I look at this photo of one little perfect collar point, I feel proud.  I just need to avoid looking at the other collar point.

3.  After a long, and somewhat frustrating day of sewing, a serged and rolled hem is just the ticket!

I still have the button holes to make and buttons to sew on before it's wearable.  I'm hoping it will be an easy Monday project next week.

So Much New Fabric

Drowning in New Fabric

... and happily so.  FORTY! bolts just arrived, and we have yet to unwrap them all, let alone get them on our website.  So check on our New Fabrics section of our web store in the coming days.

On another note, I am looking for an online photo editor to replace Picnik, which is going bye-bye in April.  There are tons of them out there, but I'd love to know if any of you have recommendations.

I made the above animated photo using LunaPic.  Pretty cool, isn't it?

We Made You Some Valentines

Lavender Valentine Sachets

Could be for you .... could be for your valentine....

They are filled with lavender and fluff

All sewed up in a fabric heart

Hanging on our Valentine Tree

Filling the store with the aroma of lavender goodness

Valentines available at Picking Daisies

Jersey Blouse Pt.1 - A No-Napkin Monday Project

rain, rain don't go away 

We finally got some much needed rain here in California.  It's been so long that I actually found the blustery sky a bit mesmerizing and distracting today.

But despite the distraction of stormy weather, I managed to start in on my next sewing project, a blouse from Butterick Pattern B5678.  To challenge myself, (and because I love the fabric) I am going to sew it from a cotton/lycra jersey fabric.

I could tell right away that it was going to take a bit more time, because even laying the fabric out flat and straight was slow and difficult due to it being so stretchy.

And as I cut the pieces, the fabric would curl up... just another small challenge.

But I got it all cut out, sewing marks and notches made, buttons chosen, and interfacing ironed in.  Ideally, next Monday I can just turn on my serger and start sewing.

Valentines by Tracy Taylor

It's Time for Our Second Annual Valentine Event

Featuring artist Tracy Taylor

Join us for the Valentines Party in conjunction with Art After Dark on Friday, February 3rd from 6 - 9pm.

Again this year, Tracy Taylor has created ten new Valentine watercolor paintings.  These original pieces are available for $149.00 each and you can view them individually on our website.

"Valentine Cards?" you ask.  Well I'm delighted to tell you that Tracy has created Valentine Cards from these new paintings.  Sets of 10 cards contain one of each of the prints, and are also available on our website.

Don't miss out.  Last year was a complete sell out and we are absolutely honored and delighted that Tracy has created a whole new line of 2012 Valentines for us!


View Original Art on the Website
View Valentine Cards on the Website

Set The Table with Orange and Teal

Featuring a Lovely Picking Daisies Tablecloth

Don't you love the fluid motion of a soft cotton tablecloth?

Orange and Teal are such a lovely color combo!

Yes, this Orange Cream Soda from Pithy Little Soda Works tastes as good as it looks!

You can dress up anything with a little bunting.

 Hanging in our window over our table is this adorable Pom Pom Garland we made using some of our same fabrics used for the table linens.

Inspiration: Picking Daisies Custom Table Linens, Pithy Little Soda Works, Picking Daisies Tiny Pom Pom Garland

Tiny Fabric Pom Pom Garland

Fabric Pom Poms are the new "Black"

Last year we saw fabric bunting decorating windows everywhere.  This year, fabric pom poms seem to be taking their place.

We are particularly smitten with the tiny pom pom garland that's been popping up in many of our favorite blogs.

 Above blogs clockwise from ul: The Little Things (tutorial), Oh Happy Day, Picking Daisies, Once Wed (tutorial)

With guidance from the tutorials in a couple of the blog posts above, we made our own tiny Picking Daisies fabric pom poms.

Strung them all together with a needle and thread

 And decorated our window!

Cute and fun, aren't they?

Speaking of cute and fun...

Handmade Ryan Gosling

New Fabric - Love City

New Alexander Henry Fabric - Love City

... and just in time for Valentine's Day.  We love the striking taupe/grey and ivory color tones in contrast with the light and whimsical sketches of love in the city.

Another wonderfully unique print from Alexander Henry, and we have fabric and napkins. available for you at Picking Daisies.

New Fabric - Hay Wire

New Alexander Henry Fabric: Hay Wire in Yellow

We adore the fabrics from Alexander Henry Fabrics because of their avant-garde design, and this new print is no exception.  Reminiscent of Mid-Century art, this fabric is really wowing us!

Fabric and napkins are now available at Picking Daisies.

Fleece Pullover - A No Napkin Monday Project

Done in time for Lunch Out in the California Sunshine!

I made this for my daughter using Jalie pattern 2911.

I actually started last evening, cutting out all the pieces during family movie night watching Iron Man, which then turned into watching The Dark Knight.   .... a lot of super hero action going on at our house last night.

It's the second time I have made a pullover from this great pattern.  The first was this wild zebra print one I made for myself.  It's such a super easy pattern that I think I'll be making a few more.

New Fabric - Asian Floral

Kaori Floral by Alexander Henry Fabrics

Indochine is Alexander Henry's fabric line of pan-Asian inspired designs. Kaori Floral is one of their latest additions and we love it!

We now have it available at Picking Daisies in dinner napkins and as yardage.

Lovely, isn't it?

New Fabric - Mustaches!

Where's My Stache? from Alexander Henry Fabrics

This little treasure has arrived at Picking Daisies, and it's available in yardage and napkins.

Our brains are spinning with ideas and possibilities.  What fun we will have!

How would you use this fabric? We'd love to hear your ideas.

Dog Snuggie - A No-Napkin Monday Project

Tomorrow will be the first day Picking Daisies will be open since the day before New Year's Eve.  Though we've been back and forth quite a bit, doing inventory and reorganizing, we haven't been seeing our wonderful customers.   I though it best to work on a quick project today since my brain is busy thinking about the busy day ahead.

As if Schatzi doesn't get enough attention, I though I'd re-fashion a little doggie snuggie for her.

 

 

 

 

 

   

 Though Schatzi is exasperated with me for taking so many pictures, she actually quite loves her new snuggie.

No-Napkin Mondays

My Plan for 2012

Since Picking Daisies is closed on Mondays, I plan to make Mondays my play-day .... a play-day suited to a seamstress, that is. 

I will happily live in the world of napkins for the other 6 days of the week.  But on Mondays, I will have fun with the many other things I want to sew - a list that keeps on growing!

Yesterday's offering may look less than impressive - just these two little Pom-Pom's.

But considering that it was preceded by an entertaining move of my sewing room from one end of the house to the other, it's actually quite something!

Here's my new window on the world.  Maybe it's also a little to blame for my small two Pom-Pom production since a view can be a lovely distraction.

Happy New Year 2012!