#and seam allowance added to the fold line

[dinosaurcharcuterie]

Derailing project of the moment, Project "Nephew's Birthday Gift" is... Technically done. Added side seams, because he's turning four, and pockets, because cool rocks exist.

I also kept the promise of it not taking up much space. It's about the size of a T-shirt, and I'm so very very tempted to just... Buy a T-shirt and play an innocent prank on the birthday boy.

And then the fiber craft demons struck, in the shape of a very charming man in the open air museum doing a demonstration with five dozen cards and sewing thread on a +5m inkle loom, and I decided nephew needs a knighty belt. Because that's what kindergartners care about: handmade decorative techniques that were available to people in the era. It's definitely not just that he wants a dress-up outfit to boink his brother on the butt with a toy sword in.

[buzzingroyalty]

how to grub your karkat

or you can use this for any other plush or if you wanna make a whole new plush entirely or whatever

disclaimer im not a professional in any sense of the word and theres anything technical im doing wrong or you think you can do it better by all means dont hold back

Things you’ll need

sewing machine unless youre really dedicated but doing it by hand is gonna be an agonizing feat i promise. I just used a straight stitch for everything

Fabrics: for the main body i suggest a minky or something soft, for the inner lining something in the same color as the main body and ideally with some stretch, and anything black for the legs. Less than a yard of each will do

if youre using minky or anything furry get a lint roller. Trust me

stuffing, i used polyfil

threads that match your fabrics

good fabric scissors

sewing needle for hand sewing/fixes

karkat plush (optional)

Heres the pattern i came up with! They are numbered for your convenience and pieces with the same numbers are going to be part of the same row of segments. cut everything out on the black lines (Make sure when you’re printing to fit the image to the page size.) on the left we have the belly pieces, the right is the main body, and we have the foot in between

Im using a relatively thin minky fabric, im sure you can use whatever but something with some fluffiness kinda helps to mask any imperfections in the sewing. When drawing out your patterns keep in mind what direction your fibers settle in and try to keep it consistent

On the wrong side of the fabric measure out at least a half inch seam allowance around each piece of the pattern, i used a centimeter and that worked but had me sweatin a bit.

For the main body pieces fold your fabric in half before you cut so you can have 2 of each segment that are mirrored to each other, i also extended all of the #1 pieces an additional centimeter/half inch at the top so we can fold them over at the very end. I highly suggest numbering the insides of all the cut pieces, especially in a way where you will remember what direction they are each meant to sit

After you’ve numbered all your pieces, set them aside and start making your feet!

Each of the 6 legs is made of two pieces, but i because i only had a swatch of the black minky i made up for the rest with some random black scrap fabric from an old project. Try to keep your fabric consistent if you can lol

I didnt give these pieces any more seam allowance on the fabric but i recommend adding a centimeter or half inch to the base of it to extend the length and have some more wiggle room

like so

Instead of cutting out 12 individual pieces and struggling to stitch them all together i started with 6, then pinning each piece real tight with the right/furry side down onto my secondary fabric, and slowly stitching around the shape real close to the edges- DO NOT CLOSE THE FLAT SIDE as we are going to stuff the feet through here

Now cut the shape out of the fabric and repeat till you have 6 feet

Now flip those bad boys inside out, stuff up, and if you wanna you can match them to their best pairs

now grab a pair of feeties and your #1 pieces and line them up, in this picture my belly #1 piece is shorter bc i forgot to add the extra centimeter and i recut that once i realized. Line those sides up with the right/furry parts touching and with the feet in between, flip it around to make sure everything's sitting the way you want it

Note. i didnt realize until later but i sewed my feet in upside down. save yourself the time it takes to fix it and dont make the same mistake

Straight stitch these layers together and repeat with the next two segments our good friends #2 & #3

Repeat this for the #2 and #3 sections but NOT THE #4, that part doesnt need feet! just line those edges up right/furry sides together and sew

the secret to the squish of the suit is making this inner lining from another fabric and stuffing it! I used what i had leftover from a stretchy red fabric for a kanaya skirt. For this we need to make a new pattern for each section, making sure it follows the curve of the round edge but the piece itself is shorter, almost like youre removing the seam allowance you added. Mine is a centimeter shorter on the top and on the bottom and reaches to the middle

Make one of these for each numbered segment,you only need to make half the pattern and you can fold your fabric in half on a crease and you end up with one symmetrical piece (bars)

Now you need to pin these pieces right on top of the wrong side of your numbered furry sections and line up the straight edges like so (disclaimer for LOTS OF SCARY NEEDLES !!)

Admittedly i didnt estimate how long these pieces needed to be very accurately and overshot it a bit, if you start pinning it from the middle and continue outwards on either side thatll ensure its not too lose and you can cut off any excess after

The only exception is piece #1, if you recall we gave this #1 section extra seam allowance. This is so we can sew down that excess at the neck later and hide any of the inside that might show once its all put together. Do not connect the top edge to the inner lining! Since i added an extra centimeter earlier im gonna leave that hanging and pin + sew down the inner lining a centimeter lower than the top edge. LEAVE THE CURVED EDGES OPEN! DONT SEW THEM TOGETHER! those stay open to stuff

Straight stitch the lined up edges together

Now you have all these skinned pieces of little freak and we need to connect all these segments together making sure to sew UNDER the existing stitches so we dont see those on the outside when its all put together

Inside looks like a bit of a mess but thats fine bc its not the part that matters

Now stuff it! you might need a stick or pencil or something long and thin to get stuffing into the middle bits

Now thats its stuffed you can finally close those curved edges. Try not to sew over a thick mound of stuffing, push it in a little further to give yourself some space and you can fluff it back out after everythings closed. I cut off that excess lining fabric after sewing

Ough… they filleted my boy…

Finally, match up all the edges and lines and HAND SEW them right sides together. You will destroy your machine trying to work around that stuffing i promise. You also have an excuse to get up from your work desk and sew on a couch or smth. I used a standard backstitch for a tight finish and again, make sure you sew under any existing stitches so they arent visible on the outside!

Speaking of the outside, once you stitch everything together you can very gently flip this sucker inside out

This is @hatamonu’s cat Cocaina, aka Coco. Her perfectly square figure made it into my grub files somehow so shes essential to the tutorial

Check the fit and all thats left to do is roughly baste stitch down that excess neck fabric onto the stuffed lining and youre set! I gave the thread slight tugs as i went to tighten the opening a bit put dont tighten it too much

tadaaaaa

It fits pretty snug but starts to slip a bit with motion. Heres a bounce test

 If you do shake your baby make sure to safety pin the plush to the suit so he doesnt prematurely shed his exosekeleton

Now spread that baby fever and show your baby to the world

pics from the ALA 2025 homestuck meetup and supplied by para.dox.cos

Tysm for coming along this ride with me especially if you followed the prototype journey on twitter, much thanks to my more sewing savvy friend for the solution to my grub dilemma and for helping me design and build my dolorosa cosplay <3 much love and hopefully many more homestuck cosplays and meetups to come in the future!

[malk1ns]

january 3 @ panthers, 3-2 S/O loss

sidney out here doing sidney things.

geno...is not so much doing geno things right now. he's still drawing up plays that make goals happen, because that tying goal doesn't happen without his vision and hockey IQ, but he's in a slump right now. i think i have the answer as to why!

previous soulbond installments: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

As the season wears on, Zhenya makes a decision when it comes to the bond.

The specialists dragging them into meetings every other day, the added scrutiny in a season where they’re already being watched, is fraying Sid at the seams. He still comes to Zhenya’s house in his spare time, but he’s distracted, spending too much time on his phone and spacing out on their conversations.

Zhenya knows why. Neither of them are scoring, and the only time they’re allowed on the ice together is when Sid ignores the call for a change on the power play and stays out for the full two minutes.

The strategy they’ve been forced to adopt isn’t working. Sid’s slowly losing his mind.

So Zhenya changes tacks, all on his own.

Normally when he’s not on the ice he’s only half-paying attention, especially if his line isn’t due out for a shift for a while. He’s always done better when he has time to check out from gameplay and center himself for a few seconds. Now, though, he leans forward and watches when the first line is out, tracking Sid on the ice and watching plays develop.

And he pushes.

It’s not cheating, Zhenya’s pretty sure. Even if it is, he’d like to see someone try and prove it.

Sid was always going to rebound. He’s too good to have a down-stretch that lasts more than a few weeks. Even now, in his 20th year in the league, he has more talent in one hand than the majority of players could ever hope to have. 

If Zhenya helps out a little…well, that’s just being a good teammate.

He wasn’t quite prepared for the effect helping Sid out would have on his own play. It’s helping the team win though, or at least stay competitive in games where a few weeks ago they would have folded and gotten blown out. Zhenya can accept his own production suffering, can weather the media criticism and the whispers that he’s washed, if it helps Sid and the team.

He misses scoring real goals, though. Maybe he’ll get the balance figured out with more time; it would be nice to be able to help the top line and get a few goals of his own.

Slowly, Sid calms down. He settles into the team again, laughing with the guys and teasing the kids and getting his swagger back. Zhenya knows he made the right decision when Sid passes Mario for the franchise lead in assists, and Sid drags him into bed that night and proceeds to take him apart so thoroughly that Zhenya cried at one point.

Zhenya thinks he can go through a season like this, even if he doesn’t quite crack 20 goals, if it means he has Sid, and he has the team, and the team starts winning more.

He should have known Sid would figure it out.

He’s not sure what tipped Sid off against Florida. There was that shot on the wide-open net Zhenya missed, and there was the mess in overtime, where he almost had the game-winner and couldn’t even get off the ice.

Sid lets Zhenya linger after he changes, saying hi to his friends who drove up from Miami to watch the game, but once they’re back at the hotel, he follows Zhenya back to his room. Zhenya can feel how irritated he is.

“Before you start, let me put on pajamas,” Zhenya says as Sid shuts the door behind them, interrupting whatever Sid was about to start in with.

Sid deflates, but he nods, crossing his arms and watching as Zhenya digs in his bag for his sweatpants.

He smirks a little when he pulls his pants down and Sid’s interest spikes. He can’t be that mad, then.

“Oh, I am,” Sid answers out loud, and Zhenya sighs gustily as he tosses his suit into his bag and slouches to the bed. “G, what are you thinking? Did you really think I’d never notice that you’re…I don’t know, sacrificing yourself for my play? Did you think I’d want this?”

“No,” Zhenya snaps, rolling his eyes. “Of course I’m not think you’re want me play like shit, like, obviously. But it’s help, yes? We’re win more now, specialists leave us alone when you’re scoring, like, it’s good for team.” He stares Sid down. “I’m wrong? You can’t say, I know I’m right.”

“That doesn’t matter!” Sid explodes, pushing off from the wall and stalking towards the bed. “You’re fucking up your game to…I don’t even know what you’re doing. How the hell are you so good at playing with the bond, first there was that goal you grabbed from me a few months ago now this, and I can’t even…” He takes a deep breath. “It doesn’t matter. You can’t do this, G, you have to stop.”

“Hmm, no,” Zhenya says, smiling when Sid’s eyes practically bug out of his head. “My choice, Sid. Okay, yes, it’s not so good for my game right now, but I practice, it gets better. It’s more important for your line to be best right now.” He holds up his hand before Sid can interrupt. “No, it’s true. You’re captain, like, guys look to you the most. When you’re play best, do crazy things like perfect pass, edgework, it’s make everyone want to try harder for you. Whole team gets…lift? Not sure how to say, but you’re example. It’s not the same if it’s me.”

Sid opens his mouth, but Zhenya can feel when he accepts what Zhenya’s saying as truth. “I still don’t like it,” he mutters, turning to his own bag and tugging out his sweatpants with an unnecessary amount of force. “This wouldn’t be happening if they’d just let us do what feels right. It’s stupid.”

“Yes,” Zhenya agrees, opening his arms so Sid can crawl into his embrace. “They very stupid, we’re say this many times. Can’t change it though, they’re here, they watch. Maybe soon they’re think we adjust like they want, they leave and we do our way, see what happens. But for now, we do this.”

Sid sighs. His thoughts are too fast for Zhenya to pick anything specific out, just a general feeling of unhappiness. “I still don’t like it,” he mutters. “It’s not fair to you. I hear what they’re saying.”

Zhenya shrugs. “They always say about me, every year. What’s new? Maybe you’re give me goal next game, like, shut them up for a while. Maybe I keep not doing media so much and they’re forget if they have fun goals to talk about with you. It doesn’t matter, though. More important that team comes together, like, try hardest every night.”

“I don’t like when you’re this reasonable,” Sid says, turning his head so he can wrinkle his nose up at Zhenya. “And, hey, if you’re so self-sacrificing, why didn’t you do anything during the shootout? We could have used a win tonight.”

Zhenya shakes his head solemnly, pulling a mournful face. “Can’t help your shootout, Sid,” he says. “It’s too late, like, you’re too far gone. So boring, don’t even try, I push and push and nothing. Hey!” He squawks, trying to twist away from where Sid’s digging his fingers into Zhenya’s side.

Their play-wrestling must be loud, because Kris in the room next door bangs on their shared wall after just a few minutes, before it even had a chance to turn into something a little more fun.

[najia-cooks]

うどん / Udon (thick Japanese noodles)

Udon are thick, chewy Japanese noodles. They have a place in 和食 (washoku; "Japanese food" or "harmonious food")—'traditional' Japanese cuisine that predates the increased opening of Japan to foreign trade and influence in the Meiji period. Conventionally, udon are eaten hot or cold in soups and with dipping sauces. Yaki udon and curry udon are udon dishes more associated with 洋食 (yoshoku: "Western food").

In some places, udon may be purchased dried, fresh, or frozen, but in others they may be unavailable. This recipe lets you make delicious fresh udon—with much better, chewier texture than dried or frozen—no matter where you are, with just flour, salt, and water.

Recipe under the cut!

Patreon | Tip jar

Makes 2 servings.

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cup (200g) all-purpose four

1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp (90g) lukewarm water

10g kosher or flake salt (about 2 tsp David’s kosher salt—volume may vary by brand—or 1 tsp table salt)

Potato starch or cornstarch (for dusting)

Instructions:

To make:

1. Add flour to a large mixing bowl. If measuring by volume, measure flour by spooning it gently into a dry cup measure and levelling off the excess.

2. Dissolve salt into water to create a brine.

3. Slowly add brine to flour while mixing to distribute evenly. Mix and press dough until it just comes together into a ball with no dry flour remaining; it’s okay if the ball has cracks in it or seems “shaggy.”

If dry flour remains, wet your fingers and continue pressing. Be careful not to add too much water; the dough should feel too tough to knead by hand. Cover and allow to rest for 30 minutes.

4. Knead the dough by hand for about 200 turns, until smooth and pliable ("as soft as an earlobe").

Another common Japanese method which will spare your hands is to place the dough in a large resealable plastic bag, leaving a little bit of air. Step on the dough with your heels (starting from the center and working your way out) until it is flat. You can also place it between two pieces of parchment paper and place kitchen towels below and on top of it before stepping on it, if you don’t have a large enough bag.

Remove the dough from the bag and fold the edges in towards the center, like an envelope; then fold the corners into the center to form a ball, and place it seam-side-down back inside the bag. Repeat this (stepping on the dough, folding it and gathering it into a ball, and placing it back in the bag) four more times, or until the dough is smooth and pliable.

5. Allow the dough to rest, covered (or sealed in the bag), for 1 1/2 to 3 hours (closer to 1 1/2 hours if your kitchen is warm; closer to 3 hours if it is cold).

6. On a working surface lightly dusted with starch, flatten the dough into a disc with your hand, then roll it out with a rolling pin into a rectangle about 1/8" (3mm) thick and 12" (32cm) long. You can do this by rolling it out in one direction, then flipping the dough 90 degrees and rolling again. Then, wrap the dough around the rolling pin as you roll diagonally from corner to corner, first in one direction and then the other, to even out the thickness of the dough and shape the corners of the rectangle.

7. Dust the surface of the dough with more starch and fold it in thirds lengthwise (so that the folds are parallel to the 12" long edge).

8. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough widthwise (perpendicular to the fold lines) to create noodles about 1/8" (3mm) in width. Cut straight down, rather than moving the knife back and forth in a sawing motion, which would tear the edges of the noodles.

9. Pick up and "plop" the cut noodles down using your fingers while adding a bit more starch to ensure that the noodles don't stick to each other.

To cook:

1. Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a rolling boil. Shake excess starch off of the noodles and add them to the pot.

2. Cook, stirring occasionally with chopsticks or a pasta spoon, until the noodles no longer taste raw, 10-13 minutes.

3. Drain and rinse with cold water to halt cooking and rinse off excess starch.

To use the noodles in hot soup, dip the noodles into a pot of hot water to bring up their temperature; portion them into individual serving bowls and pour your broth over them.

To store unused noodles, place individual portions into ziplock bags or tupperware containers lined with parchment paper; freeze for up to a month. Boil noodles directly from frozen for 12-15 minutes.

[dollsahoy]

Hi, so I saw your addition to the "things I wish I knew about sewing" post about interfacing, and was wondering how that applies to smaller scale clothes? Not just 1/16th (even though that's the scale most of what I have are), but like, in general.

I generally do skip interfacing doll clothes. Sometimes I will add some fusible webbing to the upper piece of a collar...sometimes.

But I do use facings on 1:6 necklines made from woven fabric all the time, because it is so much easier, to me, to sew on that extra piece, clip the seam allowances, then turn it to the inside out and flatten with my fingers.

I usually make my facing piece large enough to reach the arm holes, which allows me to also finish the arm holes with that facing piece as well if there are no sleeves, or catch the edges of the facing in the sleeve seams to hold it in place.

...and, honestly, if the bodice of a doll dress is short enough, that facing is almost a lining. I think a lot of people line doll clothes to get the same effect as using facings. (Facings are generally made from the same fabric as the outside of the garment, while lining is generally a different fabric)

Sorry if you were specifically asking about interfacing and not facings--this answer is mostly for people who are still learning the difference between facings (pieces of fabric sewn to an edge, right sides together, then turned to the inside) and interfacing (reinforcing layer added to the inner side of fabric, usually on a facing)

I am so confident that facings are the easiest way to finish a neckline in a garment made from woven fabric that I included a facing in this doll shirt pattern I made and shared a few years ago

The kind of facing that extends to the arm holes is in this pattern

(I keep specifying garments made from woven fabric because the easiest way to finish the edge of a knit fabric garment is to sew a folded piece of knit, slightly stretched, to that edge. I suspect some people new to sewing will find it counterintuitive that it really is easier, in some situations, to finish an edge by cutting and sewing on an entire other piece of fabric...)

And if none of this answers your question, let me know that I got carried away on something else!

[tj-crochets]

How do you make stuffed animals? I’ve bought a pattern for less complicated animals, but you made that blorbo and I don’t think there are any templates for that? What should be my next step in developing my animal making skills?

Hey! This answer is probably going to get pretty long, so it's going below a read more

You're right, I did not use a pre-existing pattern for the blorbo plushie. There's a couple different methods people use to create plushie patterns; if you find you don't like the method I use, that doesn't mean you can't make plushies! Keep trying until you find methods that work for you In my experience, the best way to develop skills in plushie pattern making is to sew a bunch of different plushies. While you use patterns, look at how the pieces look in 2D on the paper and how the end up in 3D in the finished plushie, and start to make a note of what it takes to make simple 3D shapes like a sphere (darts or different segments), a cube (six squares), a cylinder (a rectangle with two circles for the end pieces) If creating a new pattern entirely from scratch seems too much to start with, you can repurpose pieces of other patterns*! I've got a fluffy ostrich-y bird pattern that's just a pattern for a round dumpling for the body, a pattern for a...I think it was a snowball for the head, and then some simple rectangles to make the cylinders of the neck and legs. Another thing! A lot of plushie pattern making for simpler plushies made of knit fabric is just drawing. My manta ray patterns are just a drawing of a manta ray, plus a seam allowance added around the outside. Same with my eel pattern (mostly. it has one dart), my fish pattern, my other manta ray pattern...there's a lot of patterns you can make flat when you're starting out and use stuffing and the stretch of the fabric to make 3D. It's still what I use for simple flat pieces of patterns like wings, arms, ears, etc. That reminds me: seam allowances! I use 1/4" seam allowances, because that's what my sewing machine is set up for and it's the most common seam allowance I've seen used for plushies. You can use whatever seam allowance you want, but I have found it's a loooot easier if you have a tool you can use to add your seam allowance once you've drawn your pattern. I use two mechanical pencils taped together whose points are 1/4" apart. I put one pencil on the line I drew for the pattern, and use the other pencil to draw the line of the seam allowance. A few other tips, in no particular order but numbered so I can keep track of them 1. when matching up pieces of a pattern, make sure they match before the seam allowance is added. It'll make your life easier 2. fold paper to get symmetry in your pattern pieces 3. if you need to match a straight line to a curved line, or two curved lines together, you can use a pipe cleaner to measure the length of the curved line and then straighten the pipe cleaner to know how long to make your straight line (like matching the bottom of legs (rectangular pieces) to feet (circular pieces)) 4. If you are creating a pattern to use with a particular fabric, check how much of the fabric you have BEFORE you draw the pattern just like an inch too long to cut out of the fabric (I learned the hard way lol) 5. if you are worried your pattern won't turn out how you want it to, you can always start with monsters. There's no wrong way to make a monster plushie, you can just accidentally make a different monster than the one you intended to make. It's still a monster plushie, and that's not a bad thing to make! :D 6. if you have multiple pattern pieces coming together at the same point, like the top of a beach ball or the top of my octopus pattern, think about what angle you want that junction to form. For the octopus, I wanted the very top of it to be flat, so I made sure the pieces coming together totaled 360 degrees to be a flat circle. If I'd gone for less than 360 degrees, it would be pointed, if I'd gone for more, it would be kind of ruffled? Almost? Point is: divide the angle you want by the number of pieces you want to form that angle to get what the angle should be at the point each piece comes together *don't sell patterns made from pieces of other peoples' patterns though

[charmsponies]

My Little Pony basic dress sewing tutorial below the cut ^^ I am not the best at sewing or pattern making but all this info is free to use! I noticed a lack of ponywear sewing tutorials so I am going to try to fill that gap!

TERMS: Pattern is free to use or modify for whatever use you’d like (I don’t even mind if you wanna sell some homemade dresses) just please give credit to me for the original pattern! I would love to see whatever you make so feel free to tag me too 💕

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

-Basic knowledge of a basic sewing stitch (I pretty much only used backstitches for this pattern)

-Some fabric (I recommend two colors, one for the body and then one for the skirt, but you can use however many fabric colors you’d like if you’d rather only have one color or if you wanna have more fabrics for sleeves or extra layers or details)

-Velcro or a zipper (you could also maybe use buttons if you prefer but velcro or a zipper will be much easier)

-Sewing thread, needles. I recommend getting fabric glue as it will make attaching lace and velcro easier. Maybe some pins if they would help you!

-Optional: Embellishments such as ribbon, lace, buttons, sew on flowers, bows, ect. This is all up to how you want to decorate the dress!

I am sorry I don’t actually know how to make downloadable patterns but here are the hand drawn patterns I’ve made for the chest piece as a reference (the left side is the baby pattern, the right side is the adult pattern.)

You will likely have to modify these patterns slightly based on the pose of your pony, their size, if they have wings, ect. I am also sure this pattern can be modified to fit other generations, sweetheart sister ponies, ect. (Quick note here about pegasus wings: You may want to make a looser fitting dress as if it is too tight it may look lumpy due to their wings. As you will see in this tutorial I started off using baby surprise as the model, but then I switched to baby glory as she was easier to work with due to her being a unicorn. I feel like you would have better luck making a dress for an adult pegasus rather than a baby one).

Here’s basically what the pattern is showing: there will be one seam near the chest, and the top part will end up being the neck line. The holes are for the front legs, and the sides MUST BE LONGER so that you have enough seam allowance to hem it but also this is where the velcro will go! So you will want enough length on the sides for the pattern to overlap. As you are tracing/making the pattern with paper, be sure to test it with your pony to make sure the size is right! You’ll want to be testing the size of your dress frequently to make sure that everything fits correctly!

Trace out your pattern (make sure to make everything a little bit bigger for seam allowance!) and then cut it out.

Be sure to check the size if it fits or not!

Next, you will want to fold the dress in half (good sides facing each other) and sew a seam along where this blue line is. depending on how curved you make this/how close to the legs/neck area you make this seam, the tighter or looser fitting the front of the dress will be, so you may want to adjust it a bit to your preference.

It will look something like this.

Next, we will hem the neckline.

Then, you will hem the sides (Now is a good time to test on your model pony to make sure that the sides will be long enough to overlap with a piece of velcro!

This is where I added lace to the neckline. You can sew it on or just use fabric glue. You don’t have to use lace if you don’t want to but it is very cute.

I added lace to the sleeves too. If you want long sleeves, you can modify this pattern by sewing another piece of fabric for the sleeves. If you don’t want lacey sleeves, I’d recommend hemming the sleeves or covering the edges with ribbon or something so they don’t fray (I didn’t hem them here just because they are so small it would be hard to hem!)

Now you will cut some pieces of velcro for the dress opening on the back. I recommend putting one piece on the outside of the dress and the other piece on the inside of the dress as shown, that way the fabric can overlap nicely. You can either sew or glue this in. You could also use a zipper, buttons, whatever else you’d like for the dress opening.

Now we make the skirt of the dress! The pattern looks something like this, it is a little hard for me to explain but I will do my best ^^ . You will have to measure and test out the waistline yourself to make sure you have the best fit for your pony, just keep adjusting it until it works. You can also decide the length of your dress. To cut it out, you will fold your fabric in half twice and line up the pattern with the folded corner, before cutting it out.

If you’d like to see a video of someone doing something like this, here is the video tutorial that I originally learned how to make skirts from!

Once you have the skirt fabric piece, you can sew the skirt to the body of the dress. Make sure that you’re doing it “inside out”, and that the good sides of the fabric are touching each other.

It will look something like this once you turn it inside out again! Be sure to test the dress to make sure everything fits! (If you are struggling to understand how exactly to put it on: put all your pony’s legs, their tail and butt through the dress back opening, put her back legs, tail and butt through the skirt opening and her front legs through the arm holes before fastening the back. It was a little weird to figure out at first lol.)

Now you will attach lace to the hem of the skirt! You can sew it or just use glue. If you don’t want lace, just hem the ends so it doesn’t fray.

Test one more time to make sure everything fits!

The final step is to decorate however you want! You could do a lot of creative things depending on what you have, buttons. more lace, ribbon, ect. For these spring yellow dresses I just added some yellow ribbon around the middle and I sewed some flowers to the back (You can find these flowers or little bows or other decorations at places like walmart).

And now you should have a completed pony dress! Thank you so much for reading and I hope that this helps someone out! If you follow this tutorial, reblog or tag me in a post with your dress because I would love to see it!! If you have any questions let me know! Thank you 💜

[onegirlatelier]

July, 2024 | Simple Pink Day Dress

Hey there! It’s been a long time. I have been spending the majority of the spring on academic work, but I did finish a few items and will be making more fibre things over the summer. Today I will be writing about this simple pink dress with just enough details for a clean and high-quality finish.

I should clarify that the design is based on an old Margaret Howell dress—so it is not my own. The original dress was in linen and came in two colours (mid-blue and black), and it looked fabulous on the runway. I wish I could find it, or afford it, or had the body to feel comfortable in it…But I thought it would also be nice to make my own.

The dress has no waist seam, and the waist shaping relies entirely on the belt. It has a simple V neck in the front and a deeper faux wrapped neckline in the back. The maximum waist measurement is fixed. The front and back necklines are stabilised with bindings cut on straight grain. The armscyes have bias binding. There is an opening on the right side seam to allow the belt to draw through. You may add a button to further close the back neckline if the shoulders tend to slip off (it works for some people; for me it doesn’t.)

Pattern

The pattern is easy to draft. We start with a basic bodice block that fits exactly.

Draft the pattern on a folded half of the front:

Rotate all darts towards the waist. Leave the darts ‘open’ i.e. do not add sewing lines here as they will be gathered when you wear a belt.

Add 1cm to the underarm width, i.e. in total 4cm added to the underarm circumference.

Add 5cm to the waist, i.e. in total 20cm added to the waist circumference.

(Adjust Steps 2 and 3 based on your desired positive eases.)

4. Draw the neckline on the front.

5. You might want to adjust the armscye—for many people, fitted bodices with and without sleeves require different armscye shapes. This includes raising/lowering the underarm point and increasing/decreasing the shoulder width.

(By now we have the bodice part of c.)

For the back:

6. Draw the ‘wrapped’ neckline, taking into consideration the width of the belt. Depending on your body shape, you can just ignore the tiny shoulder dart on the basic bodice pattern, or take it into account when you sew the binding.

7. Leave the waist dart ‘open’ and adjust the underarm and waist as in the front. This doesn’t have to be exactly the same as the front, but note that the neckline gap will become harder to control as the width of the bodice increases.

Skirt:

8. Extend the bodice to make the skirt. It is a little tricky for a dress without a waist seam, because the front bodice is often wider than the back to accommodate the chest, whereas the back of the bottom is usually wider than the front for the hips. This can be compensated to some extent by adding waist darts or making the back skirt expand wider than the front (i.e. closer to a quarter circle than a rectangle), but note that neither the back nor the front skirt can be too wide as the waves would not hang in a correct distribution.

9. The lengths of the front and back skirts also depends on your chest and hips.

10. The skirt in the back is divided into two asymmetric panels – see the illustrations.

Belt:

11. The belt is two ribbons of 4*140cm, so cut two rectangles of 10*142cm, with 1cm of allowance.

Fabric

Choose a drapey fabric if making a longer skirt. Soft silk, cotton and viscose would work well. Linen tends to be crisper so I would suggest reducing both the width and length of the skirt if using pure linen. Alternatively, you can reduce the width of the skirt but keep the length by adding a slit.

I cut my patterns along the cross grain, because for some reason this fabric is much stabler on the weft than on the warp. Proof that you don’t always cut along the straight grain!

Making the dress

(All seams unspecified are French seams.)

Finish shoulder seams.

2. Add binding to the front and back necklines. I controlled the neckline gapping by easing the main fabric into a straight-grain ribbon binding. I eased 1cm on each side of the front and 1.5cm on each side of the back.

(Above: the front, seen from the outside.)

（Above: the back, seen from the outside.)

3. Finish the side without the opening. For me, this was the left side.

4. Finish the side with the opening. First, check that the opening is at the correct height. Then just treat it as a skirt side slit from both ends. Add a ‘stopper’ to stabilise the opening.

(Left: the opening seen from the outside. Right: the opening seen from the inside.)

5. Finish the armscyes with narrow bias binding.

6. For the belt, finish the ribbon that goes on the ‘upper’ side. Sandwich it at the waist line between the two back panels and finish the back seam (a French seam). I closed both short ends of this ribbon before attaching it to the body, but, in hindsight, the end that goes in the body doesn’t have to finished.

(Above: where you attach the ribbon, seen from the outside.)

7. Sew the ribbon of the other side, leaving the width of the overlapping part of the bodice open. Finish one short end. Turn it to the right side.

8. Attach the unsewn width of the belt to the bodice piece that goes under. Finish the raw edge of the short edge. If you have left the short end of the other belt open, you will be able to see it here and should encase it as you attach the ‘under’ ribbon.

(Above: ribbon attached to the 'under' half of the bodice and then sewn onto one short end of the other ribbon, seen from the inside.)

9. Check the length and finish the hem. I did a simple twice-folded hem and steam-pressed after each fold, before sewing it down with whip stitches.

There you go😊 This post consists mainly of brief notes; however, if you would like some further explanation, let me know and I’ll try my best!

[cutebiscuitcosplay]

Allura, Part 11

Skirt time! These were actually pretty simple to make.

For the underskirt, I took a measurement of the widest point the skirt will cover and how long I wanted it to be. I then made sure my fabric (the dark blue jersey - very stretchy!) was 1-2 inches larger in both dimensions. One seam up the back later, and it was time for the waistline. I hemmed this with a zigzag stitch, leaving a channel about an inch wide, and didn’t quite meet up the stitching - I left about 2” open. I then measured around my waist where the skirt will sit, and cut a piece of 3/4” elastic to exactly this length. I then threaded it through the channel in the waistband, made sure it was flat all around and not twisted, then sewed the ends together with a 1” overlap. I then pulled this back fully into the waistband, and finished the hem stitching. I then put a vertical line of stitching in next to the seam to hold the elastic in place. I evened out the gathering, and put in another five sets of vertical stitches spaced around the waistband to hold the elastic in place. Then, again with mum’s help, I marked the bottom of the hemline. Using this as a guide, I folded it up and stitched the hem using a short and wide zigzag stitch - this gives the stitching the maximum amount of stretch. Underskirt: complete!

For the overskirt, I needed to have a gap in the front. So, I estimated how big I wanted the gap, and removed that from my hip measurement. I then halved that, added seam allowance, and cut two panels of the length I needed. I then sewed the center back seam, and started the waistband the same way I did the underskirt. This time, I completed the channel stitching, as the ends were remaining open. I used a piece of ribbon to temporarily hold the edges together, and pinned in darts to shape the skirt better, as my waistline is smaller than my hips and I don’t want this one to be gathered. Once I had the darts pinned, I went ahead and sewed them before cutting off the excess fabric. I then took a piece of elastic 1” larger than the gap I want, and tucked one inch at each end into the two sides of the waistband. To hold this in place securely, I stitched a square with an X, covering the two vertical lines twice each. This left me with (unstretched) a gap 1” smaller than what I want - this allows the elastic to hold the skirt up. Then it was time for the trim - this time, before I pinned the unfolded side to the skirt, I folded the top down and stitched that to hide the raw edge. I then repeated the same process as before: unfold one side of the bias tape, pin, sew, fold, pin sew. Once I had the bias tape finished, I hemmed the bottom of the skirt, folding the bias taped corners into a triangle first to, again, hide the raw edges. One last line of stitching, and she’s done!

Of course, I still need to style the wig and make the capelet. I’ll try to do them both in the room tonight before I wear her tomorrow, but I’ll prioritize the wig!

Looking forward to Fantasy Forest - anyone else planning to go?

[thenerdysewist]

Making My Dog A Denim Jacket

It's been unseasonably cold here recently, and my dog only has one jacket. My dad picked it years ago when she was still a puppy and we haven't gotten her a new one. It works well as a rain coat, but she gets cold inside the house too and the fabric the jacket is made of is neither comfortable nor cute.

I, however, have an endless supply of scraps. So I set out to make her jacket that was warm, cute, and comfortable.

Materials:

Scrap Denim

Scrap Flannel

Process:

The first step was converting the existing coat into a pattern.

Since it was all one flat shape, I was able to fold it in half and plop it down on the paper with the collar portion folded away.

I traced the whole thing and marked off where the side tabs went. Then I added half an inch around the outside to create seam allowance. I cut out the pattern for both the body of the jacket and the closure tabs.

I then pinned the pattern to the fabric. Because the denim I had was not wide enough to fit the body pattern on the fold, I had to cut out two pieces. The lining was cut on the fold, and I used flannel. I cut two tabs out of denim and two tabs out of the flannel lining.

I stitched the two pieces of denim down the center back to form a seam and that completed the top of the jacket.

I then draped the denim over my dog to check for the fit.

It fit well enough that I could move onto the actual assembly. I stitched the flannel lining for the tabs to the denim portion of the tabs, right sides together. I trimmed the seam allowance, and turned the whole thing right side out and pressed it flat. I then pinned the lining for the jacket body to the denim for the jacket body with the tabs sandwiched in between.

I stitched all around the edge of the two pieces, leaving an opening at the bottom so I could turn it right side out. I turned it right side out and ironed everything flat. Then I top-stitched everything to keep the lining and denim from rolling. I added Velcro to the tabs in the same places as the existing coat, and with that, the jacket was finished!

The Reveal:

Final Thoughts:

This project was super easy. Starting from when I first put the coat down to trace it, to putting the finished product on my dog, it took maybe an hour and half. I suspect that it would go even faster now that I won't have to draft the pattern again, and won't have the extra step of making a back seam.

I think this is a very beginner friendly project, and pretty cheap even if you don't have scraps. If you have a dog with a coat, you can follow more or less the same process I did here, and you can probably use an old blanket or a shirt you don't wear anymore. You could even hit up a thrift store for materials easily depending on the size of your dog.

Your dog can be fashionable and warm!

[mybrilliantart]

Cute Gojo Satoru - Easy Drawing Tutorial

Gojo Satoru, the charismatic and powerful sorcerer from the hit manga and anime series "Jujutsu Kaisen," is a fan favorite known for his striking appearance and playful personality. Drawing a cute version of Gojo Satoru can be a fun and rewarding experience, even for beginners. This step-by-step guide will help you capture his charm in an easy and approachable way.

Materials Needed:

Pencil

Eraser

Drawing paper

Fine-tip black pen (optional for inking)

Colored pencils or markers (optional for coloring)

Step 1: Basic Head Shape

Start by drawing a simple circle for Gojo's head. This will be the foundation of his cute, chibi-style appearance. Lightly sketch a vertical and horizontal line across the circle to help place the facial features symmetrically.

Step 2: Facial Features

Begin by drawing large, expressive eyes slightly below the horizontal guideline. Chibi characters often have oversized eyes to enhance their cuteness. Draw a small curved line for the nose just below the eyes, and a simple curved line for the mouth to give Gojo a cheerful expression.

Step 3: Hair Outline

Sketch the outline of Gojo's iconic spiky hair. Start by drawing the hairline, which follows the curve of the top of the head. Then, add large, pointed spikes that extend outward. Keep the spikes slightly exaggerated to maintain the chibi style.

Step 4: Body Shape

Draw a small, simple body below the head. Chibi characters have proportionally larger heads and smaller bodies. Use basic shapes like rectangles and ovals to outline the torso, arms, and legs. Position the arms and legs in a relaxed or playful pose to enhance the cute appearance.

Step 5: Clothing Details

Add details to Gojo's outfit. Draw the collar of his high-necked jacket, and add simple lines to indicate the folds and seams. Keep the details minimal to maintain the chibi style. You can add his blindfold or his sunglasses on top of his head for extra character.

Step 6: Hands and Feet

Sketch small, simple hands and feet. Chibi hands can be drawn with just a few curved lines to suggest fingers, and the feet can be simple ovals or rectangles. Keep the proportions small and cute.

Step 7: Finalize the Outline

Go over your sketch, refining the lines and adding any additional details. Make sure the proportions are accurate and the lines are clean. Erase any unnecessary guidelines and adjust any elements to perfect the overall appearance.

Step 8: Inking (Optional)

For a polished look, use a fine-tip black pen to outline your drawing. Carefully trace over the pencil lines, making sure to follow the contours of Gojo's features and clothing. Allow the ink to dry before erasing any remaining pencil marks.

Step 9: Coloring (Optional)

Add color to your drawing using colored pencils or markers. Choose appropriate colors for Gojo's hair, eyes, and outfit. Use light, pastel shades to enhance the cute, chibi appearance. Add shading and highlights to create depth and dimension.

Step 10: Final Touches

Add any final touches, such as additional shading, highlights, or small details, to enhance the overall look of your drawing. Step back and admire your cute version of Gojo Satoru, appreciating the effort you've put into capturing his charm.

Conclusion:

Drawing a cute version of Gojo Satoru from "Jujutsu Kaisen" can be an enjoyable and accessible project for artists of all levels. By following these simple steps and embracing the chibi style, you can capture the playful and endearing side of this beloved character. Remember to practice regularly and have fun expressing your creativity through your artwork!

► Video Drawing Tutorial

► All Video Cute Drawing

► All Video How to Draw Chibi Characters

[somediyprojects]

DIY Decorative and Utilitarian Shelf Edging

Project by Haylie Waring:

Simple shelf-edging can be a great disguise for unattractive shelving units or it can transform your kitchen and library shelves by creating a more uniform look. Here I have alternated a decorative traditional fabric-edging with a  utilitarian cork edge in the kitchen- a great spot for tacking up grocery lists and recipes… I have also included a quick tip on making cute tiny tacks for your cork edging! –haylie

Materials & Tools:

To Make Patterns/ Templates You Will Need:

-paper -pencil -t-square -ruler -small round object (e.g. lid to baby food jar or spice container- depends on size of scallops) -paper scissors

To Make Fabric Edging:

-fabric of your choice (approx. 1/2 YD per 4- 44″ shelves) -thread -iron -sewing machine -scissors (use sharp fabric scissors for precise cutting) -fray-check -straight pins -chalk -measuring tape straight edge ruler

To Make Cork Edging: -cork roll (depending on shelf size, this ikea shelving required a 5��� x 44″ piece per shelf- can be found in 48″ rolls at office supply stores) -t-square -chalk or marker -scissors -double sided adhesive tape- extra strong bond

To Make Tiny Tacks: -acrylic paint -basic applique pins -tweezers

Instructions:

To Make Template:

1. Measure the height of your shelf edge. The Ikea shelving pictured here measured 1 3/4″, and I added 1″ for the scallop/ pennant overhang. The pattern should measure 2 3/4″ high (overhang may very according to the height of your shelving edge, and personal preference). 2. From a sheet of 8.5 x 11 paper, i cut two 2 3/4″ strips from the length of the paper, then accordion folded one strip in 2 1/2″ increments and the other in 1 1/4″ increments. 3. While still folded mark your templates 1 3/4″ down from the top, below this line you will form the scallop or pennant point. For a scallop, use a small container lid to trace a semi-circular shape, centering the shape below the line you have marked previously. For a pennant shape, find the center at the bottom edge of the folded piece. Now, using a straight edge draw a line from the center point to the two outer points marked previously. 4. Cut using paper scissors along the semi-circular edge and the pennant shape. Unfold your template and you should have a repeating scalloped/ pennant image. 5. Use these templates to hang on shelving to help you visualize your final product so that you can make changes if necessary.

To Make Fabric Decorative Edge:

1. Measure and cut two strips of fabric, for this particular shelving edge I cut one piece 4″ x 44″ (depending on shelf size) and one piece 3″ x 44″ (2 3/4″ plus 1/4″ for seam allowance). Place the larger piece to the side, the smaller piece will require ironing.

2. Using the iron, make an accordion pleat in the fabric strip, again at 2 1/2″ increments. After pleating all 44″ you should have a small rectangular piece, neatly pressed. 3. Use scalloped template, folded, and trace the rounded end, remember to place template at bottom edge before tracing (leaving 1/4″ at top)

4. Using good fabric scissors and holding pleated fabric firmly in hand, cut along traced edge. 5. Unfold your fabric scallops, and apply a small amount of fray-check to the rounded edges

6. Now iron this strip flat again, smoothing out all pleat creases 7. Taking both 4″ strip and scalloped strip, piece together two pieces with straight edges together and right sides facing. Secure with straight pins. 8. Using a straight stitch, sew pieces together with a 1/4″ inseam. The two pieces sewn together will form a crisp right angle on the edge of the shelf.

9. Iron seam flat, then fold scallops over and iron flat again, creating a crisp sewn edge. 10. Using a double sided adhesive, apply to shelves under shelf end of edging. Slowly attach fabric, smoothing out wrinkles as you go. Extra Tip: Because in the kitchen I don’t want the shelves lined with fabric, I only used a 4″ top strip- in a library or bedroom you could extend this piece to fit the entire shelf. In a kitchen setting, I would use a shelf liner to overlap this top strip- I have used the rolled cork, cut to size to fit my shelving.

To Make the Cork Utilitarian Edge:

1. Measure and cut two strips from a roll of cork using a t-square. One- 1 3/4″ x 44″ and one- 2 3/4 x 44″. The smaller piece can be applied directly to shelf edge using double sided adhesive tape (preferably extra strength) this first strip is for extra thickness for a tack to penetrate.

2. Trace template onto the  larger strip, moving template along the 44″ as you go.

3. Cut out pennant edge carefully using scissors.

4. Again, using double sided tape, attach second strip on top of smaller strip, lining up top edges to be flush.

Tiny Tacks:

Using acrylic paint and plain appliqué pins, simply dip the head of each pin into paint, and then leave to dry- may require tweezers for easy handling!

[waterlilyunit3]

Garment Construction

• Front pattern piece - pattern contains 14 pleats (3cm (1.5 cm width × 2) x 14 pleats = 42cm). Length of garment + 42 cm allowance for correct number of pleats. Pleats are marked at pressed lightly with iron so stitches are straight when sewing. Once all pleats are added, the pattern piece is cut out to the fold (pleated fabric us folded in half and pleats are folded upwards). 

• Side front pattern piece - pattern piece is lined up with front pattern piece, and the pleats are marked on another piece of fabric, big enough for the correct number of pleats. Once all the pleats are sewn on (using the same method as before), the pattern piece is lined up with the front and sewn together, making sure the pleats also line up.   

• Front and side front piece is sewn together with 1cm seam allowance, and then pressed to define style line. No seams are overlooked as a lining will be added to the bodice. 

• Side front is then sewn to back pattern piece with 1cm seam allowance, and pressed. No pleats are on the back pattern pieces.  

• Lining - Pattern pieces are then cut out again, but with no allowance for pleats. 

• Frills - dye two strips of 100cm by 10cm strip of fabric ombre red and yellow. Once dry and satisfied with the colour, sew together and over lock on the short side. Then use shearing elastic to ruffle up the whole length of the fabric strip. Then go over the fabric strip again with shearing elastic to add more fulness, but don't stretch the fabric out as it needs to shrink more. 

• Pin the frill to the top of the garment 1cm from edge (seam allowance) and leave a gap for arm holes (use mannequin to position the frill correctly). The frill sits behind the bodice, with one half sewn inside and the other half sticking out at the top. Where the arm hole meets the bodice, cut a little slit on one side of the shearing elastic to make the ruffle not look twisted and uncomfortable. 

• Sew the frill onto the garment (along the shearing elastic), remember to leave the gap for the arm holes, and not to stretch the ruffle out. 

• Once the frill is sewn on, pin the lining to the outer layer, and tuck in the frill so it doesn't get caught. Sew all the way around the edge of the garment, with 1cm seam allowance. Take a seam from the inside of the garment and unpick it to create a gap to turn the garment the right way. Then sew the seam closed. 

• Tear two 10cm x 1 metre length of fabric and sew together on the short seam and overlock. Use shearing elastic to ruffle up the fabric strip 2cm from one edge (making the ruffle longer on one side) then go over it again without stretching the fabric to give it more fullness. My fabric was printed on using DTG Printing. 

• Eyelets – Mark three points on each side of the back. Top and point points are 1cm from side and edge, and the third point is marked in between the other two points. Eyelets are then added. 

• Pin and top stitch the printed ruffle onto the garment 1cm from the edge. 

•The last step is to add ribbon the back of the garment to lace it up.   

[whennnow]

A Stash-Busting Toiletry Bag

January 21, 2025

I saw a few toiletry bags on Pinterest right around Christmas, and for some reason that really got my brain going. I suddenly decided that I needed a toiletry bag that would fit all of my travel toiletries perfectly.

Now, this isn't completely out of the blue - after a week-and-a-half-long trip to Germany last spring and a weekend camping trip in the fall it became clear that the second-hand cosmetic bag I was using just wasn't big enough. But how much space would I need?

Inventory of Contents

In order to avoid making the bag too small (which was my current problem) or too large (things would rattle around and get disorganized), I decided to take stock of what I wanted to fit inside the bag.

It's a pretty extensive list. Shampoo, conditioner, dry shampoo, face wash, shower gel, moisturizer, lotion, face sunscreen, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, mouth wash, deodorant, and a hairbrush. Plus, ideally, a phone charger, spare hair ties and bobby pins, menstrual products, and a lipstick and mascara (thankfully I never wear more makeup than that).

Then, I measured everything. All seven bottles I have are the same width and depth, and there's only about an inch difference in height. The moisturizer and sunscreen are in small tubs/canisters. The deodorant is a full-sized one. The brush was my biggest issue, being irregularly shaped.

I also did some test arrangements to see how things would fit together, and combined that with the measurements to decide the dimensions of my bag.

The Pattern

I opted for a simple rectangular shape inspired by the boxy, quilted cosmetic bags I had seen on Pinterest. I measured out the bottom of the rectangle I wanted and added the sides, tops, and ends, just like all the tutorials showed. I even made a small paper model to scale to make sure my math checked out!

And then I decided to complicate things.

I mean, my toiletries wouldn't be very organized if it was just a free-for-all inside the bag! Nothing would stay in place!

So I decided to add dividers.

[Img ID: A top-down photo of the pouch with both sides folded back to show the center divider, which consists of a small zippered pouch in the center, branching into a "V" of fabric on each end that attaches to the four corners of the larger pouch.]

Now, I can't honestly recall how my brain arrived at this idea, but I ended up with a central divider which is also a zippered pouch. It does not run the full length of the bag, but instead each end splits off into fabric tabs that are sewn into the corner seams. The divider is not connected to the bottom of the bag because I don't think that will be an issue for me.

This leaves me with two long areas along each side of the bag, a triangular area at each end, and a zippered pouch in the middle for small things like hair ties and bobby pins.

Supplies

With my plan firmly in place, it was time to gather my supplies.

I initially intended to grab some quilting cotton from the store, but thankfully remembered that I have a lot of quilting cotton in my stash and that this would be a good stashbusting project!

I found a dark blue floral that I inherited from my grandmother for the outside and a coordinating solid teal of unknown origin for the inside. I even had cotton batting in my stash, some sew-in interfacing, and thread to match the fabric already! I just needed to grab two zippers for the store - a longer one for the outside, and a shorter one for the inner pocket.

Construction

I started out by machine quilting the outside, making a fabric-batting-interfacing sandwich. I drew my seam lines and quilting lines on the interfacing first to act as guides, and when I was done, I cut the batting out of the seam allowances to reduce bulk.

Then, I tackled the inner pocket/divider. I wanted to do this in the same fabric as the lining, but didn't have nearly enough fabric (especially after cutting two pieces the wrong size), so I used more of the outer fabric.

The pocket/divider was made of four rectangles of fabric, used in pairs. Each pair had half of the zipper for the pocket sewn into the top and was sewn normally at the bottom, then was turned right side out, ironed, and topstitched along the top edge.

This left me with two rectangles, partially connected by a zipper. I used top stitching to close the sides and bottom of the pocket part. There were about 3in of fabric left on each end of the fabric, which I topstitched separately at the bottom, allowing them to move freely. I set this divider aside until I constructed the lining.

Next up was the handle. This was very simple, with two long rectangles of fabric and one of interfacing (though two layers of interfacing wouldn't have been a bad thing) sewn up the long sides, turned right side out, and top stitched along the long edges. This got pinned into place on the outer quilted fabric right away so I didn't lose or forget it.

At this point, I had to decide how the whole thing went together. I had a hard time wrapping my head around how to attach the zip and still make sure no seams showed inside the bag. In the end, I decided to make thing simpler for myself by assembling the lining, assembling the outer with the zip, and then just hand sewing the lining inside to the zipper.

So I started with the lining! First, I pressed the zipper seam allowances in, both as a guide for myself later and to keep them out of the way of other seams. Then, the edges of the top (with the zipper space in the middle) and the bottom were sewn together. This is the horizontal seam on each end. I then pinned the loose ends of the divider into the vertical corner seams, and the lining was done!

At this point, I put my toiletries into the lining to make sure my math had been right. I rounded my measurements up, so things were ever so slightly larger than I wanted, but that's okay.

Then, I could move on to assembling the outer.

The zipper was attached first, and I turned that seam allowance in and top stitched along the edge. Seams were sewn in the same order as the lining - top ends to bottom ends to create the horizontal seams on the ends of the bag, then the vertical corner seams. Obviously, there were no divider edges to catch, but I did need to make sure the handle on one end ended up where I wanted it.

After that, there was just hand sewing left!

I turned the quilted outer portion of the bag inside out and tacked the bottoms of the corner seams together to help the lining stay in place. Then, I turned it mostly right side out around the lining and tacked the upper corners together. Finally, I hand sewed the zipper edge of the lining, whose seam allowance I ironed earlier, to the zipper of the outer and was done.

Final Thoughts

I think this toiletry bag turned out super cute! It does indeed fit all of my travel toiletries, plus a phone charger and some small accessories.

My main regret is not putting a fabric tab on one end of the zipper opening. There's nothing for me to hold on to when unzipping the bag, which is mildly annoying, but thankfully doesn't impact the zipper's operation. I'll learn to live with it.

I also kind of wish I had attached the central divider to the bottom of the bag after all, but that sounds complicated. It's not a huge deal but I think it would have kept the bottom of the bag from sagging so much.

On the bright side of things, this project allowed me to de-stash one bit of fabric (the lining). I had to buy zippers, because I don't have any zips in my stash, but I used them both right away. The fabric, batting, interfacing, and thread all came from my stash.

Bonus Bag!

I still had a solid chunk of the outer fabric left, and I decided to turn most of it into a large drawstring bag which can be used as a shoe bag or dirty laundry bag when traveling!

It was a quick project - about half an hour. The bottom of the bag was folded, so I just french seamed the sides and sewed a casing for a drawstring at the top. I used some light blue ribbon from my stash as the drawstring, but it doesn't match well, so it may get a replacement if the opportunity.

There was still a small rectangle left of the fabric, which may go eventually become a sleep mask. Or maybe it'll just go into the hexie box.

Stay warm. Stay safe. Stay healthy.

[cleverhottubmiracle]

Disclosure: I purchased this lingerie set myself. Whew, here’s a review I am late to publishing! I started the first draft of this article last June, shortly after I’d purchased this Petra set, and then life just got in the way. This unfortunately means that it’s no longer available in this particular colour directly from Studio Pia (though at the time of writing, there are still limited sizes available from stockists here, here and here), but it also means I can give you a more thorough review since I’ve worn it regularly for close to a year now. Studio Pia was launched in 2017 by Pia Harpur, and I was an instant admirer of the brand. It’s unsurprisingly really, considering she’d previously worked at one of my all-time favourite lingerie labels, Bordelle. Right from Studio Pia’s debut collection, the brand’s now-signature elements were present: bespoke embroideries, cruelty-free peace silk, and the silk-wrapped straps with gold-plated hardware that allow for a highly adjustable fit. Also available from day one was the Petra collection (or at least some of it – more shapes have been added over the years) but I didn’t pay it much attention for the longest time. While there are many things that make Studio Pia so special, I think most fans of the brand would agree that very top of that list is its highly-creative embroideries. As new Petra colourways came and went, every time a new Studio Pia collection landed, it was really the embroideries I’d be obsessing over – everything from jewels to hands to snakes and chains. But clearly, not everyone felt the same way; Petra stuck around, so it’s obviously been selling! And somewhere along the line, I found myself becoming drawn to it too. Maybe I’m just becoming more practical with age, with smooth silk seeming like a more wearable choice than textured embroidery to go under clothing. Whatever the reason, when Studio Pia ran a sale last May, it was the Petra bralette and high-waisted ‘waist thong’ set in colour Amber that I most wanted to add to my lingerie collection. At full price, the Petra bralette retails for £180 and the Petra waist thong for £220. I only paid about a quarter of that, plus customs duty, so it’s well worth watching out for sales if Studio Pia is out of your budget. The double silk layer of the cups. Design & construction There’s no doubt about it: the Petra set is a piece of luxury. Not only are the bra and thong made from silk satin, but they’re lined with it too. Twice the amount of silk will naturally push up the price, but the payoff is that it makes the garments feel sturdier and more substantial. In some places the edges are created by simply folding the silk over, while in others the layers are sewn together with the stitches sandwiched between them, hidden from view. Known as bagging out, this is a luxury seaming technique which creates an extremely clean, neat-looking finish. The back of the set closes with a series of double straps which, as I mentioned, are fully encased in silk and are all adjustable via 24k gold-plated hardware. It’s a wonderfully sumptuous touch, but it does mean the straps are fairly bulky and you can’t just pull the slider along the strap like you can with a plain elastic one. You have to gently feed one side of the strap through the slider first to fully loosen it or else you risk damaging the delicate silk (don’t ask me how I know…). This makes adjusting the straps a bit fiddly and time-consuming, but the silver lining is that once you’ve got them how you want them, they’ll stay firmly put! I haven’t had to re-adjust these straps even once over the past eleven months. At the centre of each of these double strap details is a Studio Pia-branded clasp, also gold-plated, which is yet another deluxe touch. I’ve found this particular style of clasp to sometimes prove challenging to fasten when I can’t see what I’m doing – not a problem for the bra since I can spin it, but I do have to fasten the two thong clasps behind my back. A little annoying for going to the bathroom, but otherwise I do love these clasps for what they add to the set visually. One other thing to note on the subject of straps is that the bralette ones are detachable at the back, so you can cross them over if you want to. The thong’s legline straps are also partially detachable, though I’m not really sure why. Fit & comfort Both the Petra bralette and high-waisted Petra thong come in sizes XS to L, covering UK 4-18 / US 0-12. I went with my usual size XS for the thong, and a size M for the bralette. The brand’s size chart states that M fits a UK 12-14 and ‘C-D’ cups (and an L, ‘D-DD’ cups); the cup size recommendations are pretty meaningless to be honest without accompanying band sizes. I wear a UK 6 and 30DD and picked an M as it’s usually what I need to have enough room in the cups in bralettes, although sometimes the band ends up being too loose. Luckily, that’s not an issue with Petra. While I did need to make the bra band as short as it would go, once done it was snug enough to stay horizontal. Would I have ideally liked it a little firmer? Sure. But since this is a bralette which isn’t something you buy for totally secure support, I’m perfectly happy with the fit. And the cups feel like exactly the right size! I think they’d work for a cup size down too (smaller than that, and there’d be gapping/wrinkling) and there’s definitely enough stretch to fit a cup size larger; the fabric, by the way, is 95% silk and 5% elastane, so that adds to the flexibility. With the band also able to be extended by about 4 inches, this is clearly going to fit a wide range of bra sizes. Naturally, the size XS thong is much more snug on my body. In fact, I had to extend the waist straps on this one to their maximum length and it still feels firm, but not uncomfortably so. I actually really like the fit since, with its wide waistband elastic that hits me right at my natural waistline, it has a gentle cinching-in effect that I appreciate. The leg straps are, like everything else, adjustable so you can tweak the fit there too. As for comfort, you really can’t go wrong with smooth silk satin. It’s incredibly soft against the skin, and feels cool to the touch which is great in summer! The thong’s gusset is lined with cotton, and where all of the straps join to the silk panels there is a velvety plush backing. On the bra, there is also flexible boning here to add more strength, but it’s not something you notice while wearing it. Nothing pinches, nothing pokes in… while I wouldn’t go as far as to say you’ll feel like you’re not even wearing it (there are a lot of straps after all!), I’ve found this set to be pretty comfortable. Bra interior – notice the plush texture of the boning channel along the edge. Washing & care All Studio Pia lingerie is hand wash only due to its delicate nature. But although delicate, the design feels sturdily-made too and I’m happy to say that it’s still in near-flawless condition after close to a year of regular wear and laundering. The silk does get a bit wrinkled after washing; the garment tags say not to iron, whereas the care guide on Studio Pia’s website says you can iron their silks on a low heat setting and with a few precautions. I’ve not really been bothered by the wrinkling because it’s less visible once the set is stretched out on the body, but I did give them a slight iron (through a thin cloth) to take these photos and that was fine. Silk is also notorious for not being colourfast, and that’s certainly the case here. I made the mistake of washing the set in the same basin as one of my cream-coloured Panache Clara bras when I was in a rush, and the Panache bra is now a shade darker than the matching thong. So be diligent about washing the Petra set separately or only with identical colours! Styling the Petra bralette as (sort of) outerwear. Final thoughts Lately, Studio Pia seems to be undergoing a major upheaval. I’ve read rumours that the brand is being taken in a new direction, I don’t know if that’s true but it has announced the end to a number of its most iconic collections including Soraya, Liana and the other entirely-silk satin range, Clea (which, by the way, is also perfect for mixing and matching with Petra). As for Petra, all of the pieces currently on the site are heavily discounted, however I’ve not heard anything about this range leaving too. I hope it’s staying because I can totally see the appeal now – I’d love to add this to my collection in a few more colours! Either way, whether it’ll be coming out in new colours or not, now is definitely a great time to purchase. As someone who may only recently have become a customer but has adored this brand since its very beginning, I’m very curious to see whatever’s coming next to replace those discontinued Studio Pia classics! What do you think of Studio Pia’s all-silk Petra range compared to their embroidered collections? Are you a fan of this brand too? The product recommendations directly above are affiliate links Source link

[tj-crochets]

Pattern design tips, part one! Part two will have the photos because those are easier to add from my phone and it’s easier to type on my computer, but tumblr hates when I try to do both on the same post lol. I’m going to make it a numbered list so I can more easily connect photos with typed descriptions, but they are numbered only in the order I think of them, not in order of importance or anything. A note: I have only ever designed for minky or fleece. I have zero experience making patterns for non-stretch fabrics. A lot of these tips will probably apply to both, but use your best judgment. 

1. I was wrong, this one is number one for a reason (the rest are in no particular order). It will make pattern designing much much easier if you have something to make drawing the seam allowance easier. I’ve done it a few different ways, but in order from best to worst here’s the methods I’ve used: - two mechanical pencils whose tips happened to measure 1/4″ apart, taped together. Absolutely my favorite (you could use a pencil and a stick, a pen and a marker, whatever, as long as one of them can draw and the other comes to a point so you can have the point trace along the pattern lines while the other side draws the seam allowance line) - adjustable circle drawing compass, set to 1/4″ distance (this works pretty well, but the non-drawing side sometimes catches along the paper and the drawing side is more difficult to replace than adding lead to mechanical pencils) - a 1/4″ square dowel. I lined it up with the outer part of the pattern piece, drew a short mark, moved it, and kept doing it until I had dots spaced around the entire pattern piece and could connect them. Overall, less precise, more difficult to use, but will work in a pinch (aka when you have just moved and can’t find the other methods, if you are me lol) - a ruler. You can use it the same way you use the dowel, to make dots and then connect them, but it’s just the worst. Use one of the first two if you can, it will make your life so much easier 2. fold the paper for symmetry. I know that sounds obvious, but it can help a lot. Sometimes, like with the elephant body, I’ll fold the paper in half, in half again, and then draw the pattern. Most of the time I fold the paper in half whenever I am making a pattern piece that is basically a hemisphere of the plushie; the front half of the head, half the body, really anything at all where I want it to be even sort of symmetrical I will fold the paper in half and only draw half the pattern (tip: leave it folded, add the seam allowance, then cut it out before you unfold. You only have to draw half the seam allowance that way) 3. to match irregular shapes (like a rectangular leg piece with a round bottom of foot piece), measure the edge you want to match of whichever piece you drew first with a pipe cleaner (fold to make the right length) or a piece of yarn (cut to make the right length), and then use that pipe cleaner/yarn to make sure you’re using the right measurements for the other pattern piece. Remember that if you are making a leg that’s two rectangles with a circle at the end, you will need to double the measurement (or, if you fold the paper, remember that you don’t double it). In general, pipe cleaners are easier, but if you want to use yarn you can kind of draw, measure the yarn against what you drew, and adjust from there until it matches. 4. Think about angles, and what shape you want. For the tip of the mantle of the octopus, I knew I wanted it to be essentially flat at the start, with four pieces coming together. That meant I needed each piece to start with approximately a 90 degree angle there, if I wanted them equal. Smaller angles (where the sum of all the angles coming together is less than 360 degrees) will make more of a pointed shape, and larger angles (where the sum is more than 360 degrees) will kind of ruffle? They won’t lie flat. None of those are right or wrong, it just depends on what you are trying to make. Also, since  5. Everywhere says not to pull on the minky while you are sewing, but if you are making something twisty like octopus tentacles and are comfortable realigning pattern pieces as you sew, put tension on one layer of fabric but not the other and it’ll make them twist. That’s less pattern design and more plushie sewing tip, but I’m adding it anyway 6. okay this is also kind of a big one. WHERE TO START WHEN PATTERN DESIGNING: a. have a clear idea what you want to make. Either a sketch you drew, a reference image, or just a very clear mental picture will help a lot b. next, pick the size. The way I usually do this is by determining my limits, which are usually either the amount of a particular fabric I have available (ie the maximum size something can be) or how big the smallest detail I want to make has to be for me to be able to sew it. I usually go by the smaller end of the scale, because I usually make my plushies pretty small. Notably, this is how I decided the size to make my giant frogs; I wanted them to have those treefrog kind of toes, and that was the absolute smallest I could make that shape and not struggle to turn it right side out.  c. draw the pattern for the thing that determines the size of the plushie first. If that means your plushie is limited because you only have a quarter yard of the body fabric, draw the biggest body pattern piece first (and remember seam allowance when drawing it! if it only fits without a seam allowance, it does not fit). From there, use that piece to size the rest of the pieces 7. You do not have to make every pattern piece machine sewable. Some things can be hand sewn on. Gathering stitches to close small round pieces, like the bases of horns, tails, ears, or sometimes limbs, are your friends, and sew is the ladder stitch (for sewing plushie pieces together once they’ve already been turned right side out and stuffed) 8. For small plushies, you might not need darts if you are using stretchy fabric. For larger plushies, you’ll need darts. If you are uncomfortable drawing your own darts (and are not intending to sell the pattern), you can find a pattern that makes a curve similar to the one you are trying to make with the dart, trace it, and make the rest of the shape you are trying to make. Darts can be tricky to figure out, but the best way to do it is to practice making a bunch of things with a bunch of different shapes of darts and seeing how they look when finished 9. for that matter, if you have made plushies using other people’s patterns and are looking to make your own, you have an excellent resource at your fingers! Look at your plushies and see if there are any bits similar to the shapes you want to make, then look at the pattern pieces for those parts. See how other pattern designers chose to make those shapes and you’ll have a better idea where to start if you are stuck on how to make a particular shape. 10. Topstitching can make certain parts of pattern design significantly easier. For the round elephant’s trunk, with the two lines across is, I could have made each half of the trunk three separate pieces, or I could do what I did. I made the trunk two identical pieces, sewed them together across the top half, then topstitched two lines across the top of them to make the lines on the trunk without having to add seams there. 11. Take advantage of the seam lines you’ll be including in the plushie anyway when you can. Mostly for me that means accidentally making frogs and bunnies look super grumpy because the seam lines look like frowns, but I’ve also made an eel pattern where I needed a dart so I added it to the face where it would look like a smile. You don’t have to use seam lines, but you can!