The Stitch Witch

Another retouched photo

2010-04-17T07:37:00.000-07:00

This one is from my first birthday party (so July, 1984). It was a scanned photograph, original size about 3x5 - remember those old prints with the rounded edges? I restored the color and brightened it up. Took about 45 minutes.

Fun with Photoshop

2010-04-07T03:50:00.000-07:00

Toying with the idea of making an Etsy listing for photo touchups, since I love playing with Photoshop so much. But then again, I have so many of our old photos that have to be redone still.

Baby is here!

2009-11-08T15:19:00.000-08:00

No crafting or updates for a while - we now have a precious newborn to take care of!

Cross-Stitch Pattern Process

2009-10-13T16:34:00.000-07:00

I just finished working on 2 custom picture to cross-stitch patterns for a woman on Etsy, and I thought it would be fun to share the steps involved in the conversion.

The original photo

First off, this woman was great because she sent me high-resolution scans (300 dpi) of the old photos, which made it a lot easier to work with!

Cropping

She said she wanted her and her brother, plus the railing he was holding, but she didn't care about the rest of the background. So I started by cropping the photo down to the approximate final size. I did a few touch-ups with the color at this point to improve the skin tone. I've found that when converting to cross-stitch, skin tone becomes much darker than it appears on the computer screen. So I actually over-lightened it because I know it will come out better that way.

Touch Ups

I mentioned that I fixed some of the color. I also removed the scratches that were present in the original, like in the girl's hair and on the boy's leg. This takes a little bit of time in Photoshop, but I definitely wouldn't want those blemishes to make it through to the final piece.

Remove background
Again, the client didn't care about the background, so I cut out everything except for the two kids and a part of the railing. When the piece is stitched, she has the option of only stitching the colored parts, or stitching the entire background white (or any other color for that matter). I prefer the former method, but I like to leave that option for the client.

Pixelating
Before importing the picture into the cross-stitch software, I use Photoshop to get an idea of how it will look. I pixelate the image so that each inch is 14 pixels per side, which is the same as 14-count Aida cloth (as the client specified). The image is blurry, but overall looks good.

Convert to stitches
I import the picture into the cross-stitch software, which then re-does the pixelating that I did in the last step. Only the software takes it a step further: it matches the color value of each pixel to known embroidery thread colors. This is the crucial step that would take forever by hand. However, the downside of the software is it has a hard time with detail, so the faces can get blurry and odd-looking. Another downside is that small variation in color can become extreme when pixelated, so a person can end up with a spot of green on their cheek or purple in their hair. These have to be cleaned up by hand and that's the most time-consuming part of the project. I also check through the image to make sure that each floss color is being used wisely. For example, it is inefficient to have one stitch of dark blue in a sea of medium blue because then you have to make just that one stitch differently, but the visual result won't be any different if you did it all in medium blue (of course, detailed areas like faces are the exception - one spot of dark blue can be an eye and you don't want to lose one of them). Also I don't like to make the client work with colors that have fewer than 10 stitches in the pattern, so I manually replace them with appropriate colors that are used elsewhere in the image.

Pattern

Finally, when I get the pattern to where I like it, I use the software to convert the pixels to symbols and match the symbols to the thread colors. I always double-check here because the software likes to use symbols that are very similar, like squares that differ by less than 10% in size. Once printed, it is almost impossible to tell the difference in these, so again I have to manually identify and adjust those. After that, it's just a matter of printing it out and sending it to the client!

Keyboard Jewelry

2009-09-07T07:08:00.000-07:00

Entering my 8th month of pregnancy, I'm really itching to get crafting. Unfortunately all my sewing stuff has been packed up and moved to the basement to make room for the baby. So I'm stuck with non-sewing crafts. Not that that's a bad thing, it's just that I'm much less inspired than I am with sewing.

So I decided to dig out my old keyboard jewelry. I've got several pieces already made that I think are pretty cool. A few have sold on Etsy, and there was a lot of interest in them at the craft fairs last year.

I'm adding them slowly back into my shop. Some are already up there, but for others I have to make new listings.

Message from Gunn

2009-08-21T03:31:00.000-07:00

It's a sign from above! Tim Gunn wants me to get sewing again. I received this message on Monday. And if the Great Gunn asks, then I must comply! Of course all my sewing stuff is boxed up in the basement to make room for the new baby, so I'm not sure how I'm going to get to it...

BTW, maybe I'm just old-fashioned but only one or two of the Project Runway dresses last night really looked red-carpet worthy. And Korto definitely deserved to win the All Star Challenge - all of her looks were just gorgeous!

The Meaning Behind the Names

2009-06-15T17:27:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my last post (actually the comments to it), we've picked the names Connor Liam and Cassandra Lily for our new addition. Some people have asked, so to have it all in one place, here is the reason we chose the names we did:

Firstly, we wanted names that had the initials CL for hubby's brother who died a few years ago.

Second, hubby is a big comic book fan; Connor is the alter-ego name of Super Boy and Cassandra is the name of Bat Girl. I happened to love the names, so the fact that they came from comics doesn't bother me.

As for middle names, Lily is the meaning of my maiden name, and Liam is just the best "L" name that flows with Connor.

Mid-Year Resolution

2009-06-07T17:09:00.001-07:00

Well, it's halfway through the year and I'm about halfway through my pregnancy (can you guess which I'm more excited about?). I've been really slacking on my crafting...and almost all household chores. Now I'm really going to try to get back on track before November.

I'm in the process of switching my Etsy store from handmade items to hand-drafted patterns that I can sell as PDF files. I figure this way I can spend less time at the sewing machine, but still *hopefully* make sales. I'm loving that the new Etsy search feature actually shows my items instead of burying them beneath all the re-listers.

So my resolutions are:
1) Spend at least 15 minutes each day cleaning, and at least 3 days working on the baby room
2) Spend at least one day each week updating my Etsy store (preferably listing new items)
3) Post at least one new blog entry per week - be it crafting or baby related
3) Do my prenatal yoga workout every morning so I'll have energy to accomplish the above!

Ok - that shoud do it! Keep it simple, right?

Big News for Spring

2009-03-19T06:17:00.000-07:00

Well, I promised some BIG NEWS. Tomorrow is the first day of Spring, which means lots of eggs & bunnies to represent FERTILITY!! And after 2 years of infertility, can you guess what my big news is? Some of these Etsy finds should give you a clue:

Have you figured it out yet??

Ooh an award!

2009-03-10T05:09:00.000-07:00

I feel so honored. Duni from Lovely Purses has bestowed upon me the Passionate Blogger Award. I think she's being very generous, considering I haven't posted in weeks. (But I do have a good excuse - and I'll be letting you all know soon what it is.) If you haven't checked out Lovely Purses, you should go now. She has a very fun blog and her shop is gorgeous too!

So, now it seems I should pass along the award. While I follow many interesting blogs, I'd have to say the most passionate is definitely The Chubby Artist. As someone who's always struggled with her weight, it's great to read someone's week-by-week progress and see how her humorous attitude and mostly-positive thinking has helped her lose 16 pounds so far.

OK, that's it for the Award. Check back in a few days for the BIG NEWS.

first draping

2009-02-11T17:15:00.000-08:00

I'm sure you're all curious about what I've been doing with this secret bridal fabric. Unfortunately I have not had a lot of time to work on it, but I wanted to give you a couple of shots. Please ignore the mess and the hot pink bra on the dress form (my form has a very small bust so I need to enhance it with a padded bra). This first shot just shows the general shape of the dress. It will be fitted at the bust (and possibly through the waist) and then have an A-line skirt in the front and a modest train in the back. Here I'm playing with the idea of using long darts in the front rather than princess seams (i.e., making the front out of one piece instead of 3). You can see the pinching that happens at the waist - this is the difficult part of designing for a plus-size figure. The trick is to show off the waist while minimizing the hips (and sometimes the bust).

This shot shows one option for the top of the dress. Ruching draws attention to the waist, while de-emphasizing the hips if done correctly. It can also be used to enhance the bust. If I go along this route, then the bodice will be heavily lined and boned to give the perfect hourglass figure. I would probably not add any fullness to the skirt (i.e., no crinoline).

The other option I'm considering is having the ruching along the bust only. In this case, I would create a fitted underbodice to cinch in the waist and provide structure for the bustline. I would also create a fuller skirt (with crinoline and perhaps pickups) to draw attention away from the hips.

Both options would end in a beautiful dress, but I think the first would be more simple (in terms of style, not difficulty). That makes me want to do the second one (I love a challenge). Either way, I want to do a lace up back and godet train, possibly in red. What do you think?

pouncing

2009-02-03T05:46:00.000-08:00

I feel bad for not posting in a while, but I'm so busy with work that I just haven't had time to think of something interesting. So I'll just put up some pretty pictures of things I found while pouncing for undiscovered shops:

Shh - I bought bridal fabric!

2009-01-17T15:31:00.000-08:00

With 3 of my friends recently engaged (ok, one isn't "technically" engaged, but that's another story), I find myself reminiscing about wedding planning. I loved planning for my wedding and I especially loved making my dress. And I've been very temped to buy some white satin and go to town again. So, while I was wondering how to spend my $50 gift card and 50% off coupon to Jo-Ann's, I found myself buying 5 yards of white crepe-back satin.

Obviously the next step is to decide what style of dress I'm going to make. I really haven't decided yet but I know that I want to work with the flowy-ness of the satin. The skirt will definitely not be stiff, so it will be more of a sheath style. And since I'm a plus-size gal, I'm going to make sure this is plus-size friendly. There's already enough wedding dresses out there for the tall skinny girls.

Oh, and hubby doesn't know, so don't tell him ;-)

Simple Shrug Pattern

2009-01-10T17:12:00.001-08:00

I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for the remnant rack at Joann's. Anything I can find there for 1/2 price, I'll grab it. Unfortunately, I haven't been doing much with them. So part of my New Year's resolution was to start making things out of them. Today I was inspired by a 24" x 60" black stretchy cotton knit.

I wanted something to throw over my arms when it gets a little chilly, like in the office or when I'm too lazy to put on the heat in my sewing room, but I didn't want something long like my Cardi Wrap. I threw the fabric over my arms like a cape, and that's when I decided to make a simple shrug.

I also decided that I'd post the full "pattern" here for all of you! Feel free to use it to make many many shrugs!

Materials:
- about 20" of 60" wide 2-way stretch fabric. Can have pattern but something with a specific "up" and "down" (like pictures of bunnies) probably wouldn't work too well (since the bunnies would be right side up on the front but upside down on the back).
- ball point needle, size 9 or 11, depending on the thickness of your fabric
- some basic thread - cotton or polyester better than rayon or metallic
- a few pins

Step 1: Drape the fabric over your arms and pin in at least 4 places up your arm. I did wrist, elbow, largest part of bicep, and close to the armpit. This can take a little bit of work to do yourself, or you can have someone else help you. You only need to do this on one arm.

Step 2: Lay your fabric flat (just working on the side you pinned for the moment) and flatten out any wrinkles. I did this by taking out one pin at a time and shifting the fabric a little, then putting the pin back in. Repeat for all the pins. You can carefully try it on again if you want, but if you're using a good 2-way stretch fabric, you shouldn't have a problem.

This picture was a little hard to see where the pins were, so I drew the green line. The top and bottom of your fabric will probably not match up - this is fine.

Step 3: Cut about 1" below the pins (along the green line in the picture above). Stop when you get to the last pin (armpit). In my case, the top piece was completely cut off and the bottom piece was still "dangling".

Step 4: Unpin and unfold your fabric. Fold in half lengthwise (i.e., match up the two sleeves with the fold down the center back). Cut the second sleeve to match the first. Remember to cut both the top and the bottom of the sleeve, and to stop at the armpit.

Step 5: Cut a notch for the armpit, and then cut a gentle slope towards center back. Follow the green line in the picture above. You should have no more "dangling" fabric. If you have any "dangling" on the top, follow the same steps, except you don't need to notch it.

Step 6: Unfold your fabric again, and refold it as you did the first time (i.e., top to bottom). It should look like a long tube. If your fabric has a distinct right and wrong side, the right sides should be together. Pin along the bottom of the sleeves from the wrist to the armpit notch, 1" away from the edge. You can now carefully try it on to make sure the fit is still good.

Step 7: Using a stretch stitch (looks like a lightning bolt), sew up each sleeve from the wrist to the armpit notch, using a 1" seam allowance. If your machine does not have a stretch stitch, you can use a straight stitch with a bit longer than usual stitch length. Make sure to reinforce (backtack) at the wrist and the armpit. If you'd like, you can finish the seams and edges with an overlock or zig-zag stitch, or use a rolled hem for the edges. I took the lazy route and left the edges raw. The wrist edges are actually the selvedges, so no work was needed on them!

This pattern would be great for anybody regardless of size. You could make it more elegant by using a stretch lace or sheer or make it more fun by adding a cuff or collar in a different fabric. Dress it up or down, you can't fail!! Again, feel free to use this pattern to make shrugs for yourself or to sell, but please don't copy the pattern or pictures without linking back to this page. And don't try to sell the pattern with my pictures. That's just wrong. At the very least, take your own pictures.

Pushup Challenge Week 1

2009-01-08T17:57:00.000-08:00

I have to depart from crafting for a minute so I can present some exciting news: I just did 10 "real" (hands & toes) pushups without stopping! I'm following the program I found on hundredpushups.com and I am so amazed at how far I've come in one week. I took my Initial test on New Year's Eve and I was able to do 3 pushups before collapsing. For the next 3 days, I followed the schedule on the website, such as 2-rest-3-rest-2-rest-2-rest-max (as many as you can do). The idea is after 6 weeks you will be able to do 100 straight. It may take me a little longer than 6 weeks, but the fact that I went from 3 to 10 in 8 days is incredible! Totalling it up, I've done 75 pushups this week. And it may sound crazy, but I feel like my belly has shrunk a little bit already. If anyone's interested, it is totally free to get the workout plan!

Etsy Plus Size Finds, or lack thereof

2009-01-07T18:25:00.000-08:00

So, my intention was to create a post highlighting some Etsy items designed for plus-size women. I wanted to exclude garments made in multiple sizes (including t-shirts) because as any good designer will tell you, what looks good on a skinny woman is necessarily going to look good on a larger woman. You can't just take the same pattern and blow it up by x percent. Unfortunately, I got to page 25 of the Plus Size category and found only one item that fit this search (and is flattering to a plus-size figure).

Skull Flutter Sleeve Top by diysewrad

So when you see lots of posts in the Etsy forums asking for plus size clothing, remember this. I'm going to try to devote more of my crafting time to plus size, so if you have anything you'd like to see, give me a shout!

creation process

2009-01-03T13:45:00.000-08:00

I decided for today's post I'd put up some in-progress shots of a top I've been working on. I picked up two remnant pieces at Joann's that were almost the exact same size - one was a black stretch poly with white polka dots and an interesting mix of green thrown in; the other was solid black poly/spandex mix. At first I toyed with the idea of a skirt, and then decided to make a top.

The original design was going to be a fitted V-neck with an empire seam, and then a looser fit below. I started by cutting out the front and back upper portion (above the empire seam). I purposefully offset the line of green a little to the right of center because I thought it gave it an interesting asymmetrical look. I also liked having different patterns running over the two sides of the bust.

The entire garment was going to be made of the two layers of fabric - the patterned on the outside and the solid as a lining. Since the solid fabric has a tighter stretch to it, it is a bit more snug. This acts kinda like a undergarment, in that it provides a smoother base for the outer layer of fabric.

Silly me, of course, I cut out the lower back piece without leaving enough fabric for the lower front piece. So I tried cutting that piece in half horizontally and attaching it to the front and back that way. The result was not very pleasing. Instead of highlighting the empire line, it just made it look very jumbled. Plus it was about 2" shorter than I had intended. If this had been for a skinny girl, the length probably wouldn't have been much of an issue. But plus size gals are different - there has to be enough coverage.

I was almost ready to give up on this one, throw it in the back of the closet where I would probably never look at it again. But I was thinking about a top I own that has a contrast fabric under the bust line and I thought that idea could work here. I had already cut the black fabric to match the lower pieces, so I just recut them to form a solid band. I fit that to the garment and it looked great.

I added a bit of the polka dot fabric at the bust to make the gathering effect, which I thought just made the neckline that much sexier. I finished off the seams and hem and I absolutely love it. It's sexy without being risque, and I think it's a style many women would like. I will definitely remember this if I come into any other fun stretch fabric.

a squinch from many angles

2008-12-31T11:24:00.000-08:00

Because of today's snowstorm (for those of us in the Northeast US), our office closed early and I got to spend some time with my camera. I was so upset to have to choose only 5 angles of my new Squinch (Phoenix) to list on Etsy. The great thing about a Squinch of this size is that it can be twisted into so many amazing shapes! So here are 60 shots of Phoenix for you to enjoy!

our xmas card

2008-12-16T03:07:00.001-08:00

xmas card image
Originally uploaded by Stitch_Witch

Love this pic! I used the Photoshop Posterize effect and it came out pretty interesting. The tree came out looking awesome, I think.

computer viruses - yuck!

2008-12-15T05:03:00.000-08:00

Spent all weekend getting my laptop virus free. I knew our virus scan subscription had expired a while ago, and I was just lazy about renewing it. So I finally decided to go on the company website and renew - and I couldn't get to the website! I tried several other big name virus scan sites and those too weren't working.

First I downloaded a new copy of the virus scan program on a different computer and burned it to a CD, then copied it onto the laptop. Ran that and found about 14 viruses, but still could not get to the virus scan websites. So after hunting the web, I found that this can be caused by spyware.

I found a tech forum where someone had asked about the exact same issue and was referred to the free program Malwarebytes. I couldn't get to the website directly, but I did find the file at downloads.com. The trick, as I read on the forum, is to change the name of the setup file (I called mine "pleasework.exe") because the virus/spyware will not let you open the file as it is named. That worked, and I was able to do a full scan, which found about 20 issues. After cleaning them and restarting, I was able to get to the virus scan websites and update all my software. Yay!!

Needless to say, no crafting got done this weekend because of all this hassle. And I'm not sure I'll have time to get anything done this week either. I may have time this evening (after I print off the x-mas cards), but tomorrow I'll be at a meeting all day and probably not get back until late. Wednesday we're going out to dinner with hubby's friend, and Thursday will be my last chance to get some holiday shopping in. Friday I have a Girl Scout meeting (I'm a troop leader), but after that I may have time. Saturday will be cleaning and packing for our trip to Jersey next week to visit my family. I can probably get some crafting in on Sunday, but I might just want to be a bum and watch x-mas movies ;-)

Oh, and I tried a fantastic new recipe last night for Chinese chicken. It's not exactly like what you get from takeout, but it was pretty close. I rarely measure, so forgive the estimations. I heated some canola oil (maybe 1/4 cup) in a high-sided pan over med-low heat while I sliced the chicken breasts into 1" x 1-2" pieces. I covered them with a light layer of flour (added a few dashes of salt to the flour). To the oil in the pan, I added some soy sauce (only had about 2 tbsp left), garlic powder, onion powder, ground ginger, and chicken stock. I added the chicken and kept turning them until they were fully cooked. Because the heat was low, they didn't fry, but some of the "sauce" did stick to the chicken and gave it pretty good flavor, especially paired with some minute rice. Next time I'll use more soy sauce and maybe some white wine and cut out some of the oil. Hopefully this will make more of a sauce/gravy, rather than flavored vegetable oil. But not too bad, if I do say so myself!

Calling Cape Cod Crafters!!

2008-12-08T09:55:00.000-08:00

So a friend & I were having lunch today and discussing the idea of getting together a crafting "guild" for Etsy sellers on Cape Cod. Apparently she'd talked about this with other crafters she knew, just as I'd discussed it a few weeks ago with another crafting friend.

I love the idea of getting young (in body or mind), vibrant crafters together - people who don't want to make granny squares all day. I think we could have a lot of fun planning events - we both agreed that the typical "craft fair" conjures images of sweaters with appliques and bake sale cookies. My ideal would combine the traditional booths with some more exciting elements - like a Chinese auction or a fashion show! I think holding a runway show with handmade clothing, jewelry, accessories, and even shoes or makeup would be fantastic.

From just the people I've spoken to, we already have some women's clothing, jewelry, purses, shawls, pet accessories, baby clothes, photography, and more.

I'd love to see what other people out there think! Please post or send me a convo if you're in the Cape Cod area and would be interested in showing that handmade items aren't just for grannies anymore!

Etsy Xmas Finds

2008-11-28T18:03:00.000-08:00

So these are the things I'm thinking of getting for friends/family for Xmas:

For my best friend:

Piggy Got it Goin On Piggy Bank
by WhimsicalExpressions

For my mom: (I bought from this seller last year and she was super helpful in answering questions - especially since I'm not a plant person)

Peach x Yellow or Peach Clivia Seedling
by SapphireChild

And if I make at least one sale in the next 2 weeks, I'll buy this for my mom too:

Tahitian Blue Flower Pot
by marymeestudio

My sister (maybe):

pleat perfect v neck tee
by JAlvo

Going with some friends for some shopping tomorrow, so might get some stuff there too. But I love buying from people on Etsy - I'd much rather give them my $$ than a major department store.

xmas gifts

2008-11-20T11:28:00.000-08:00

So I don't really have anything interesting to write today. I just felt like I hadn't updated in a while, so I should hop on and say something.

I find it interesting that my sister sends out specific x-mas gift lists. Most of the time, when people (i.e., my mother) ask what I want, I'll give general ideas: some storage boxes, new socks, winter gloves, etc. My sister, however, sends out a list with specific references - links to the exact coat she wants from JCPenny's, with size and color already chosen. This year her list consisted of about 5 tops, a jacket, 2 or 3 pairs of shoes, and a laptop bag.

For some reason, I just can't get into that type of gift list. When I give a gift, I want it to show that I thought about the person for whom I bought it, and it also says something about me. So if she said she wanted a top, I'd look on Etsy for a handmade top that I thought would match her style, but also goes along with my ideals of supporting other crafters. If I buy her the top from Penny's, I know she'll like it (because she picked it out), but my part in the gift-giving is essentially gone.

In some cases, this type of specificity is good, for example a specific movie or CD. But in general, I kinda frown upon it. Maybe that's why my hubby says I'm so difficult to shop for.

I'd love to hear people's thoughts on this! What type of lists do you make? Or do you just let people surprise you?

What is a Squinch?

2008-11-09T04:19:00.000-08:00

Since so many people have been asking, I decided to make a post that is all about Squinches, where they came from, how they got their name, etc.

As I mentioned in this earlier post, I picked up a book called Sculpted Threads at the fabric store a few weeks ago. It shows a really awesome technique for machine embroidery, where, instead of the threads lying flat, the edges start to ruffle and fold in on themselves. It's a really awesome technique, but uses a LOT of thread.

Using some of the basics in the book, I started making my own designs. This black & red piece was the first one I made that did not follow any of the specific patterns in the book, and the first one listed in my Etsy store.

I wanted a fun name that would be unique to these creations, while not infringing on the original artist's titles. I posted here and on the Etsy forums for suggestions, knowing that the Etsy community has many talented and creative people. Someone suggested the name "squinch" and I immediately knew it was perfect.

A "squinch", according to Google, is an architectural term: "A structure, such as a section of vaulting or corbeling, set diagonally across the interior angle between two walls to provide a transition from a square to a polygonal or more nearly circular base on which to construct a dome." I love the name because it sounds like a portmanteau of squeeze and pinch, which are exactly the methods I use to shape the ruffles at the final stage of creation.

Now having a name, I set out to start making more Squinches for my Etsy shop. Squinches start out looking something like this. Lots and lots of layers are added, thread colors are changed, stitch type is altered, all to give the final creation a unique pattern of color and ruffle. No two will ever be the same. Even earring sets look different, despite my best efforts to make them the same.

Squinches make great decorations on bags, scarves, and hats, or can be worn as brooches (although I'm personally not a fan of brooches). They can sit on your desk as a sculpture, or to hold loose coins, or even business cards. Small ones can become earrings or necklace pendants. The colors can blend together or be blatantly different. There really is no design limit on these guys.

When I list Squinches in my shop, I give each one a name. So far all the names have begun with 'S' (Sara Squinch, Suzy Squinch, etc) but I'm not sure how long I can keep that up. Each Squinch has a different personality, and I try to capture that in my descriptions. Also, each will be shipped in a small box, nestled in fabric. The fabric will be different for each Squinch, depending on their personality. For instance, Sara likes black velvet, while Suzy likes white satin. I played with the idea of making Squinch families, but I think that would get long and confusing ;)

So there you have it - everything you ever wanted to know about Squinches. If you still have questions, leave me a comment and I'll add in the answer!

Squinch Earrings

2008-11-08T07:08:00.000-08:00

Who loves Squinches? I was telling my friend the other day that I wanted to do a Squinch earring but couldn't get the ruffles to work on a such a small circle. So she suggested a teardrop shape and it worked great!

Friday Etsy Finds

2008-11-07T16:30:00.000-08:00

I wanted to look for all undiscovered shops this week, so I did a lot of pouncing!

I'm not a big fan of art, but I just love this piece! There is stitching, Swarovski crystals - its just amazing.

Sinead
by SorchaGillett

So these earrings are so neat! They look like the lanyard strings I used to use to make keychains and friendship bracelets. The description says its made of recycled wood, so that in itself is pretty interesting.

C.O.L.O.R.S Collection BRAIDED UP Earrings
by FashionableAddiction

Lastly, I saw these and at first thought they were bracelets, but turns out they're wine glass charms. I love the $100 poker chip! Would be a great item for a game night.

Gambler's Luck
by CopiaDesigns

can't decide...

2008-11-06T17:01:00.000-08:00

*Warning: please ignore the bad picture and the wrinkly fabric!

I'm not sure how I feel about this skirt right now. I want it to be kinda punk/goth but not overly so - it should be something that any young woman would feel comfortable wearing. I like the lace up in front (which will actually be lacing through panels with grommets, right now it's just pinned to see the overall picture. I'm also thinking of adding a white lining so the skirt would be reversible - the white side might have the black showing at the top and bottom edges. Or would that be too complex with the zipper and the lacing? Le sigh - this is why I don't do much clothing - I can never make up my mind! It always ends up half-finished because I can't decide which step to take next. So any comments would be appreciated!! Thanks!!

Lazy?

2008-11-06T03:19:00.000-08:00

So I've been feeling bad that I haven't worked out in a few days, but I have been doing a lot of sewing. So it's not that I've just been sitting on the couch with a bag of chips (although the leftover Halloween candy is rapidly disappearing). So the question is: treadmill or sewing machine?

Squinch Purse in Progress

2008-11-05T03:53:00.000-08:00

Here's a cute squinch being born!

The first stitches! Sewing is done directly onto water-soluble stabilizer, which forms the base. Adding many layers gives the squinch thickness and support for the ruffles. Switching colors gives the squinch depth and beauty.
Here's a almost-finished squinch! Isn't she pretty? I used pink and peach polyester machine embroidery threads, and the finished squinch is about 2.5" across. She has lots of ruffles and is slightly longer than she is wide. All that's left to do is wash away the stabilizer.
Here you can see two squinches layered on top of each other, which I'm thinking of using as an embellishment for this little clutch purse I'm working on. The clutch is a beautiful heavy silk remnant from my upholstery collection. I couldn't find any fabrics that worked well with this one - all of them detracted rather than adding to the beauty of the silk. So I did a little fun stitching in the middle to give some detail. I think adding the squinch flower will be the perfect finishing piece. The inside will be lined with the same material, and the edges will be rounded - not straight as they are in the picture. After thinking about it for a while, I'll be adding a top zipper but probably not a strap.

and the name is...

2008-11-04T08:26:00.000-08:00

SQUINCH! Thanks to all who contributed here and on Etsy. Artmixter suggested the name and I think it is perfect!

According to the free online dictionary, a squinch is "A structure, such as a section of vaulting or corbeling, set diagonally across the interior angle between two walls to provide a transition from a square to a polygonal or more nearly circular base on which to construct a dome."

So here it is, the listing for the first ever thread squinch: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16919246

Please name me!

2008-11-03T03:59:00.000-08:00

So I picked up a book called "Sculpted Threads" a few weeks ago and I had to give the technique a try. I didn't quite follow the patterns in the book, just the general technique. I think this little guy came out pretty neat. It's about 4" across and has several large and many small ripples. I like the way the center is solid black and the rest is many many layers of overlapping red rayon and black cotton threads. It is literally made only of thread - water dissolvable stabilizer is used for the stitching and then washed away, which helps this piece hold it's shape. It could be used as a desk ornament, used to hold business cards, or even worn as a brooch.

This item has not yet been listed on Etsy since I'm trying to come up with a good name for it. So here's the mini contest: If you have any suggestions for a name, please contribute! The "winner" will get 10% off anything in my shop.

Cross Stitch is Loved!

2008-10-30T05:08:00.000-07:00

I heard back from the woman that ordered the cross-stitch - she received it and she loves it! I knew she would, but there's always that nagging doubt with something you work so hard on. I know every time I do a custom order I fear that the person won't be happy with it. So I was so excited to hear that she was "THRILLED" with it. ::happy dance::

Finished!!

2008-10-28T09:24:00.001-07:00

finished cross-stitch
Originally uploaded by Stitch_Witch

Well, the cross-stitch is done and shipped. It came out looking fantastic and I was really happy with it. I hope the customer is too. I'm also happy to have the extra 2-3 hours a night back in my life, although yesterday I spent them playing Spore! I've now got 3 nights to make a Halloween costume.

Friday's Etsy Finds

2008-10-24T09:33:00.000-07:00

OK, I'm going to *try* on Fridays to post Etsy items that I think are interesting. They could be things I'd like to buy, things I'd like to be able to make, or just things I like.

I gotta say I just love this piece. It's not overly glamorous, it's not super expensive, it just looks like something you'd want to wear everyday. This woman has many other beautiful pieces in her shop, so if anyone is looking for Xmas gifts...

Green Peyote Cuff
by Lynn1976

Here's another item that I recently fell in love with. I'm not sure what I'd do with it, but it just looks so interesting!

Black Glass Ammonite
by PamelaAngus

And finally I saw this blue dress and had to mention it. It looks very well made and very appropriate for a plus-size gal. I love the corset lacing and I think it was tactfully done so it doesn't look too goth.

Deadly Nightshade Plaid Halter Dress
by beanbun

my wedding dress

2008-10-23T05:14:00.001-07:00

Since my good friend just got engaged I've been thinking about weddings, and I thought I'd post a pic of my wedding dress. I absolutely love it. It took me weeks at the sewing machine, and about 6 hours hand hemming the skirt. It was a lot of work, but it was so worth it to walk down the aisle in something I had put blood, sweat, and tears into - literally. It made a special day into the perfect day.

I was thinking I would love to do wedding dress design, but there seems to be little market for it on Etsy, and I don't have the available time to do full custom work. The only thing I have time for (and, I think, people would pay for) is a ready made dress that can be altered to the customer's fit. But maybe it could be worth it. There might be people out there that are willing to pay $600 to a stranger on the internet if the dress is right.

New purses going up tonight

2008-10-22T05:00:00.001-07:00

A while ago I sewed a bunch of these bags and I think they're just fantastic. Each one is reversible and most have 2 pockets on the inside. I don't see how anyone wouldn't love them!

They're made from discarded sample swatches from the furniture store at which my husband works (yay upcycling!). I probably have thousands of these, and almost all are suitable for being turned into purses. I just have to find my stash of those already made and start uploading them to Etsy. Then, after I finish this cross-stitch, I can start sewing more of them.

Keyboard Earrings

2008-10-21T04:54:00.000-07:00

I was in Michael's the other day and decided to pick up some earring hooks. I thought these 2 sets of keyboard keys would make great dangles. The hooks are rhodium plated, which I thought was a beautiful color to go with the black & white of the keys. The pictures really do not do them justice.

I had a hard time deciding how to position the PC logos. The thing about keyboard keys is they have a slight tilt to them, so the top edge is slightly lower than the bottom edge. Because these keys were turned sideways, I could have faced them the same way. The logo would have been in the same spot, but I wanted the edge closer to the face to be smaller than the outside edge. So one of them was turned upside down. I think it gives a really neat effect!

I only have 1 set of keys (from a co-workers broken keyboard) and I had wanted to do the up and down arrows as earrings. Unfortunately I've already made them with the necklace hooks, so that was out of the question. So, instead, I used the Page Up and Page Down keys and I think they look even better!

Cornell U Cross-Stitch

2008-10-20T05:39:00.001-07:00

I'm almost done with this beautiful piece. Here's the original:

This was a very detailed picture and so some of the quality was lost in converting it to cross-stitch, but I think the overall look remained. Here's a picture of the cross-stitch *almost* finished:

There will be lettering along the left side, and the bottom will be left blank because the customer wants to mount it as a gift. I think it's coming out really well and I can't wait to finish it!

Not the best dress

2008-06-17T12:25:00.001-07:00

IMG_1048
Originally uploaded by Stitch_Witch

Overall, I have to say this dress isn't *that* bad. It certainly isn't as bad as some previous entries. However, you can see that the V neck is just too low, a consequence of the front wrap panels not being cut to accommodate anyone bigger than a B cup. However, the wrap style is flattering to the waist and the sleeves are a nice length. I'm not thrilled with the pattern, but the dark hues keep it from being too annoying. The length is good.

black gathered top

2008-06-16T06:19:00.001-07:00

IMG_1046
Originally uploaded by Stitch_Witch

This top's redeeming features are the color (solid black is slimming on anyone), and the material. It was the most comfortable thing in the world. I was tempted to buy it just to wear around the house. But enough about that, time for the critique: I'm not a fan of the cap sleeves for large arms - either go tank or t-shirt length. The square neckline - it's okay. I would have preferred a scoop, but we'll let it pass. A major complaint with plus-size clothing - NO SHAPE! Just because we're bigger doesn't mean we have to hide in tents. Some light ruching at the waist or a tie-string could have saved this top. And that also would have showed the ladies upstairs, which are completely lost in folds of fabric. Although I have to note that from my perspective (ie, looking down) there was a "channel" between the breasts. It may have just been the bra I was wearing, but it was strange.

orange sack top

2008-06-16T06:12:00.001-07:00

IMG_1045
Originally uploaded by Stitch_Witch

The pillowcase dress is cute on little girls. However, if you're older than 10, your clothing should have a bit of shape to it. This top lacks any sort of shape or structure. There is no waist definition, no contouring at the bust, and the bows/ties at the arms are terrible. The all-over print could have worked on a long dress or flowy skirt, but here it just adds to the illusion of a rectangular blob.

back of floral frock

2008-05-09T17:54:00.001-07:00

bad floral dress
Originally uploaded by Stitch_Witch

Same color complaints as the front. I would have liked to see a bit lower of a neckline, and the sleeves should have been a little longer for proportional reasons. I like the tie at the waist for shaping, but I'm not loving the lower back. A solid color probably would have given a slimmer overall look, not continuously disrupt the eye. Anyone else thinking of a green meteor shower?

close up of floral frock

2008-05-09T17:40:00.001-07:00

bad floral dress
Originally uploaded by Stitch_Witch

Here's the gathering at the bust. As you can see, it doesn't sit right on a full-figured chest. The bow is still horrendous. If it was done right, the gathering could have been flattering, but as it is - blech

Another frock

2008-05-09T17:35:00.001-07:00

bad floral dress
Originally uploaded by Stitch_Witch

Here's another "lovely" dress. Let's start with the color - the washed out pinkish grey with the large green blobby stripes is really not attractive. I will say that the sleeves and the neckline are flattering and well done. The layering at the bottom hem is a good idea, but a shorter length would have given the impression of longer, leaner legs. I hate the bow.
Had this been done in layers of black and a bit shorter, it could have been very flattering.

back of yuck!

2008-05-07T10:11:00.001-07:00

bad tank
Originally uploaded by Stitch_Witch

Here you can really see what I mean when I said that the armholes make my arms seem much wider. All shoulder definition is lost. Same complaint about being boxy as on the front. The way the bottom edge is cut gives the impression of a much larger posterior (see how it dips down around the butt?) although the black edging does look a little better from the back.

yuck!

2008-05-07T10:08:00.001-07:00

bad tank
Originally uploaded by Stitch_Witch

This tank is just wrong in so many ways, I don't know where to begin! Let's start with the top - the arm hole is cut in such a way that no matter what style of bra you're wearing, it's going to show. And of course, the top has no support, go going sans bra isn't an option. Also, the cut in makes my arms look much wider because of how much skin they are showing. If it was a halter, it would give the indication of longer arms, because the eye is drawn up towards the face. Here, the eye is drawn in and then out again, giving the impression of short, stubby arms.

The scoop neckline is a good idea, but because that fabric was only used at the neck, it creates a disjointed feeling. It would have been better to use the black that is at the bottom of the shirt.

The fabric pattern is horrendous. It does have some vertical movement, which is good, but the wide motifs cause my entire torso to look boxy. No definition at the bust or at the waist, which is where we want it. And whatever it is that's happening at the belly gives the look of bulging.

The bottom does make my legs look skinnier, but at the expense of making my hips seem larger. A thinner trim would not have cut me in half the way this does.

Frock close up

2008-04-30T10:07:00.001-07:00

bad frock
Originally uploaded by Stitch_Witch

Here is a close up of the smocking on the chest. Again, this only causes the curves of the breasts to be lost. There is no definition or separation of the breasts, causing the infamous "uni-boob".

Back of the Frock

2008-04-30T10:06:00.001-07:00

bad frock
Originally uploaded by Stitch_Witch

Mostly the same complaints as the front - not enough shaping. The tie in the waist is a good idea to cinch in the belly, but because there is no contrast, it just looks like a jumble of fabric at her back. What should be accentuated as a slim part of the body is lost to the eye, and the uneven gathering makes her butt look big. The V neckline can be very flattering, but with the square shoulders it gives the illusion of a very broad back.

Can we say "Frock"?!

2008-04-30T10:03:00.001-07:00

bad frock
Originally uploaded by Stitch_Witch

Okay, here's a classic example of what's wrong with plus-size clothing. THERE IS NO SHAPE TO THIS DRESS!!! All of her curves are lost, except for that indent at the waist, which makes her hips look larger. It should be a smooth curve all along her waist, not a sharp dent. And her boobs are completely lost, mostly due to the neckline and the all-over print. The square shoulders do slim her arms a bit, but only by making the rest of her seem broad in comparison. I like the fullness in the skirt, but the edging is not doing it; it draws attention downward, making her legs appear short and heavy.

Bad plus size clothing

2008-04-19T19:50:00.001-07:00

Bad plus size clothing
Originally uploaded by Stitch_Witch

So, we decided that something has to be done about the overflow of horrendous plus-size clothing out there. Our master plan is to start a clothing line and pattern company dedicated to beautiful, fashionable, and flattering looks for women that can't squeeze into juniors and don't want to look like Grandma.

Step 1: Identify the offending garments. This picture will hopefully be one of many as we travel around and snap photos of the clothing the big manufacturers expect us to wear. Just looking at this picture, it should be obvious why most women larger than a size 0 have a negative self image. How can you look in the mirror and think "I look fantastic" when you're wearing this? There is no redeeming feature of this top. The body has no shape to it, the rhinestones are horrendous, and that solid striping makes it look like she's wearing a backpack! The arms cut off at the wrong point, and they are much too wide. They actually give the illusion of fatter arms.

Okay, I could go on and on, but I'll stop there. More to come...