too much work

you know, i've decided that keeping up two blogs is too much work so all posts will simply be at my regular blog from now. so follow that one instead.

:) best to all!

Fun Fonts

monogram pillow 003, originally uploaded by meringuedesigns.

Can you guess what font this is? It's a Disney font called Waltograph. Kind of cute, huh? I made two of these for a client's teenage daughter. Her mom works for anthropologie. (color me jealous) and commissioned these pillows to go with her daughter's new bedding. Lucky girl!

Happy Little Bird

turquoise bird 2, originally uploaded by meringuedesigns.

Some of the best designs come from a client's request. I just love how the turquoise and red came together. I hope the pillows I made for her brighten up her Chicago home this winter. Luscious!

Addicted to Color

Inspired by this pillow (Stitch is my new favorite magazine) I made my own. Anyone who knows me knows I am addicted to color (tastefully, no hot pink walls around here) and that I shun beige. Life is too short for beige.

Poppies Dress

I recently made this linen dress for Hallie. I just love linen. Unfortunately, Hallie doesn’t know that linen is ultra stylish and modern and promptly replied that she hated this gray dress. (“It’s not gray, it’s oatmeal!”) If Hallie’s clothes don’t resemble a drag queen these days, she thinks they are dull and boring and will NOT wear them. She simply won’t. She’ll cry and scream and foam at the mouth. So I told her I’d add the pink sash/bow and that seemed to ease her a bit. Why do I bother? Why don’t I just dress them in sweatshop-made crapola  with nasty sparkly  glittery adornments  with horrid sayings like “Princess” or “Bratz” or heaven knows what else.  I like sweet and simple designs for my girls in natural fibers. Unfortunately, they often like tacky crap.  What’s a sewing mama to do? 

P.S. She hates the Mary Janes I bought from Lands End too. I force her to wear them anyway. I’m tired.

Pattern: Simplicity 4927 with lots of modifications—bound neckline, invisible zipper closure, embroidered poppies, waist sash, etc.

Give Away: Happy Etsy Anniversary to Me!

NOW CLOSED: CONGRATS TO COMMENT #23, 'SMALL GRAPES'.

I bought a new couch cover last week at Ikea. My old one was dark brown and I did like it but there was something defective in the dyes that caused it to bleach out to an orange-like color. Thankfully, Ikea gave me all my dinero back so I bought 2 white covers instead. (That way one can be washed while the other is on.) I’ve always loved white covers and I know they’re a pain to keep clean, hence the two covers. So I quickly made some new pillows to spice it up. I love it!

So……In honor of my 2 year anniversary selling pillows on etsy, I am giving away one 18” pillow cover. Your choice of any of the five pictured here on my couch. Just leave a comment here telling me one thing you like about my shop (stroke my ego) or one thing you wish I would do differently—or both! I’ll pick one lucky commenter using random.org on August 24th (Monday). I’ll notify the winner then and she/he can choose which of these funky designs she’d like. Make sure there is a way for me to contact you—either through your own blog/profile or by leaving your email. Good luck!

Summer Skirts

I was inspired by my friend and fellow etsy seller Candy to make my daughters a couple of adorable Easter skirts a few months back. And since I just can’t seem to be bothered with patterns these days I figured these were a good project that would actually get done. Well, I’ve since made 7 more and with the addition of my new ruffler foot (which I swear looks like something invented during the industrial revolution) I can make these in about 45 minutes now. I will never ever gather anything with two rows of basting stitches again. (Or with the zig-zag over the dental floss trick.) Never because I’d rather have a root canal.

Here’s my formula to make these skirts without a pattern. As if you even need the formula.

Three layered skirt: Measure your daughter’s waist and multiply by 2.  My girls have the same waist of 21”. So I cut a strip of fabric 42”. (If you are brave enough to make a skirt without a pattern I assume you can figure out how long to make each layer.) For the middle layer multiply the width of the first layer (42”) by 1.5”. So that’s how wide the second layer is cut, 63”. For the third layer multiply 63”x1.5. You get the picture. (For the skirt on the bottom left I used my pinking blade so I could leave the raw edges showing. Loved it!)

 

  For the two layer skirt I think it turns out better to double the width of the first layer for the one ruffle. So again, for a 21” waist cut your first layer 42” wide and the second layer 82” wide.  I’m thinking I need to make myself one out of an irish handkerchief-weight linen or gauze-y cotton.  Hallie would rather wear a skirt anyday so I think I’ll make her a couple more. Nothing is better than summer. Nothing.