Modern Folksy Bunny + a giveaway

November 14, 2013November 13, 2013 ~ hungie gungie ~ 31 Comments

When Virginia of the Gingercake blog + shop emailed to see if we’d be interested in sewing one of her patterns for her Holiday Gifts Sewing Series, it immediately conjured up memories. Every Christmas, my mother tied wide red velvet ribbons around a few stuffed animals and set them in little wooden chairs on either side of our fireplace. They only appeared at Christmastime which made them seem extra special, and my favorite one was a small white puma.

I just loved it and every time the boxes ‘o decorations made their way from the attic down to the first floor, I would find it buried somewhere and call it my own- If only for the month of December.

So, when thinking about which pattern in Virginia’s shop that I’d like to sew up, I kept coming back to the Modern Folksy Bunny. It reminded me of those sweet little stuffed animals that my Mom put out, and something I thought my own children would love to see re-appear at every holiday season…

So this little guy is staying in the family.

I wonder who will call dibs?

The girl with the matching pants, of course!

Corinne was pretty taken with this bunny. She looked at it for a while, but then began to pick at the button eyes and the floppy bow. She hugged it tightly, threw it on the ground, picked it up, put it in her shopping cart and rolled it around the kitchen… you get the idea.

(This would be the second bunny I made- I made an ear-error on the first one, but I may finish it up today and show you that one later this week so stay tuned for that…)

This little bunny takes a nice shape thanks to a couple of well-placed darts and a little boxed corner at the toe. Nice little details that I never would have thought of on my own.

The body is made of Essex yarn dyed linen in black. For the ear lining and bow, I used some red tartan that has been burning a hole in my stash for three years. This might be my new favorite fabric combo, fyi.

Those bell-bottoms that Coco is wearing, were made for my older girl back when she was a toddler. sniff sniff. I found them the other day in a box of Winter clothes and I knew we had to include them in this photo shoot!

My favorite part about making this bunny would have to be that cute pom-pom tail. It was the first one I’ve ever made and I could seriously get hooked! I used a basic white yarn and wrapped it around my hand old-school style- though I’ve heard there are pom-pom makers out there.

Would you like to make your own folksy bunny? Virginia has kindly offered up one Bunny pattern for one of you cool readers.

Leave me a comment below!

Giveaway will end on Sunday 11/17 at 9 pm and a winner will be chosen at random.

Be sure to check out all the other great PDF patterns in Virginia’s shop– tons of cute stuff there perfect for a handmade gift!

Happy (Holiday) Sewing!

-Erin

p.s. You can *like* Hungie Gungie on FB now and be up to the millisecond on any breaking news we may decide is important to share. j/k. you’ll be lucky if we ever remember to post over there.

… hittin’ the big time y’all.

She’s an Uptown Girl

November 4, 2013November 4, 2013 ~ hungie gungie ~ 26 Comments

I almost feel a little silly posting about jackets today since we’re still in long-sleeve weather this week (update: I just went outside and it is COLD!). I grew up in Connecticut, and I remember that snap of cold air that swept through in October every year. Not so in Virginia! It’s definitely slower paced here. And beautiful!

Anyway, I am always so excited for Fall so it’s no surprise to me that I had this corduroy and flannel jacket for Ellery whipped up by the first week of September.

This is the Uptown Girl Jacket by Make it Perfect.

And I love it.

The Uptown is a reversible hooded jacket that closes at the top with one button. It has a curved yoke, and little gathers in the center back, at the top of the sleeves, and in the center of each front panel. Small, but sweet details. This is the ‘Big Uptown Girl’ for ages 6-10, but there is a sister pattern (aptly named the ‘Little Uptown Girl’) for sizes 0-5. I sewed a 6 for my 5 1/2 year old and the fit is spot on.

Ellery hasn’t been able to wear this yet since for more than 5 minutes since it’s still warmish out. Actually, I didn’t originally plan on lining this with flannel, but once I put the two fabrics together (corduroy from Jo-ann, and this Anna Maria flannel), I was kind of feeling it. And then I decided to ‘go big or go home’ by using fusible fleece inside instead of the suggested lightweight interfacing. Why? I dunno… but there’s a heft to this little coat that is pretty darn perfect.

I apologize that you can’t get an idea of what this looks like from the front. Ellery was in total silly mode while I tried to take these photos.

Girl WOULD NOT TAKE DIRECTION FOR SQUAT. There goes her child modeling career.

(p.s. that skirt she’s wearing is one of three circle skirts I made using this tutorial from You and Mie. She wears one of them to school almost every day. No joke. It’s a good thing they’re reversible.)

We still aren’t totally sure about the button (see, no buttonhole yet?). The one below is a basic wooden one that I painted gold. I’m still on the lookout for the perfect one- I’ve even raided my mom’s gazillion color-coded button jars and could not settle on one. Though I did pocket some other cool ones when she wasn’t looking. Thanks Kate! 😉

Back to Ellery being in silly mode. She thought it’d be amusing if she took a sip of my coffee.

She could barely swallow it since she was giggling so much.

In the middle of sewing this jacket I knew it’d be a while until she could wear it, so I quickly started another in some lighter-weight fabrics.

Some plum pinstripe from Jo-ann (I think linen-like?) and an old stash favorite, like 3 years old, some sort of no-name cream colored poplin with stars on it.

It was so easy to put together since I had the pattern handy. I think I sewed most of this in under 2 hours. And that was with a toddler at my feet.

The weight of this one has been perfect for brisk mornings on the way to school.

I highly recommend this pattern to someone who’s had a few successfully completed patterns under their belt. The directions are short and sweet- just the way I like ’em. No, telling you to iron after each little step, or to trim your seams- something I was surprised about at first, but really that becomes common sewing sense once you’ve got the all of the basics down.

Here’s Ellery trying to button it with her eyes closed.

Whoops.

Gotta work on that.

That awesome button above is acrylic with glitter in it. She’s pretty into it.

I should mention that I was on the hunt for a little jacket pattern like this for ages, and was inspired by seeing Gail’s (her post shows a Little Uptown and the Serendipity coat- another from Make it Perfect) and Carolyn’s (hers is quilted!) versions within weeks of each other.

Those are two ladies whose opinions you can trust.

I was sold.

Seeing her wrapped in mama-made warmth is pretty darn satisfying.

-Erin

Bimaa in the ‘Hood

October 19, 2013October 21, 2013 ~ hungie gungie ~ 21 Comments

I was so happy when Sarah of EmmylouBeeDoo and LouBeeClothing patterns asked if I’d like to join her Bimaa pattern tour. Maybe you have seen this little pattern showing up around blog-land lately? It’s a hot one right now! I’m the last stop on the tour (along with Skirt as Top– no pressure, right?), and I can’t believe all adorable Bimaas that these gals have been putting out.

Sarah’s blog is such a good one and quickly becoming one of my favorites- I LOVE what she sews for her cute daughter… like this Sally dress– so great! And this September tunic– I bought this pattern as soon as I saw her version. Plus, Sarah is a New England girl, and grew up a New England girl, so… maybe I’m just drawn to her New Englandy-ness? 🙂

Anyway, what I’m trying to say is, check out Sarah’s blog and pattern shop if you know what’s good for you!!!

Now. Onto my BIMAA!

The Bimaa is a slim-fitting sweater with 3 neckline options: hoodie, shawl collar, and cowl neck. There is no hemming in this pattern- just sewing a cuff band and waist band, which is quick and pretty fool-proof if you ask me… No folding up, no ironing… I love that I didn’t have to get up from my chair and iron a thing!

I made a 2T for my 18 month old and the fit is perfectly…though if you have any worries about the snug fit, just size up in the width. The only change I made to the pattern was to make a little puff sleeve at the shoulder… Just ’cause I love ’em. I widened the top curve of the sleeve piece, and added a little length to the top as well- gathered about 2-3 inches at the curve to create the puff, and attached! Easy.

This is like the 3rd thing I’ve ever sewn in knit, and I am just shocked that I didn’t have any trouble. I did use my stretch stitch which I never had before, and it went smooth as butter. I might try my next one on the serger though just for speed. Sarah recommends using a 4-way stretch knit for this- I used a stretchy white velour, and a thick gray sweater knit (from an old dress of mine) for the hood lining.

I love sewing hoods, so I decided to make Coco one with kitty ears. I made this before Sarah’s fabulous Add-Ears-to-a-Bimaa-Hoodie tutorial + template, so I used the instructions and pattern pieces for the Cozy Winter Hood out of the O + S Little Things to Sew book. Both methods are pretty much the same idea. I used a pink floral quilting cotton for the inside, and shaped my ears to create a point at the top. Although I wish they faced the front a bit more, I’m pretty happy with how they turned out. When they start to flop, she looks like a little lamb.

A twofer!

Sarah is kind enough to giveaway a Bimaa pattern to one of you readers! Just leave a comment below and tell me what your favorite Halloween costume was as a child- We’re still undecided here with the costumes this year, so I’d love some ideas.

Giveaway is open to all and will close at midnight on Tuesday 10/22. Good Luck!

Oh, and if you can’t wait that long to sew one up, you can purchase the pattern (along with Sarah’s other patterns) HERE.

(And be sure to check out my tour buddy, Kristin’s cowl Bimaa too!)

Happy Sewing!

-Erin

Another Debbie + A Giveaway

August 31, 2013September 4, 2013 ~ hungie gungie ~ 27 Comments

Hello there!

Remember the Little Debbie dress I made for Corinne earlier this month? Well, I’m back with another one, this time for my big girl, Ellery.

This is the Debbie’s Birthday Dress pattern from Suz of Sewpony.

I tested this pattern in the 18 month size, but I was really looking forward to sewing one up for my 5 year old! I made a size 6 and I think It’s pretty right on.

I love this little pattern. I really do.

I love how different this version is from Coco’s vintage-y one.

I love that it’s got a sort of Fall-Mod thing going.

But I think what I love most about it, is that it used to be my dress!

A shapeless shift dress that I wore a small handful of times, but has sat in my closet for almost 5 years.

I made a couple of modifications to the pattern: I chose to cut my front piece on the fold to keep the print intact. Also, since this fabric is very thin, I fully lined it, using the original lining from the old dress. That’s not hard to figure out at all, the pattern has a bodice lining already… I just extended it all the way the length of the dress.

Suz is offering up a free copy of the pattern to one of you sweet readers! Just leave me a comment here and I’ll randomly pick a winner next week.

~~:::Giveaway is open to all and will run until Tuesday at midnight EST.:::~~

giveaway is now closed! congrats to Michelle 🙂

-Erin

This Worked Out

August 27, 2013August 30, 2013 ~ hungie gungie ~ 19 Comments

I kind of can’t believe it myself. This upcycle was a major success!

A few simple steps, and I turned a tired maternity shirt into an adorable back-to-school dress for Aves!

Here’s the before:

We headed to Gee and Poppy’s for the photo shoot. But, bear with me, my model was, how-do-you-say, not in the mood.

She said she’d do it if she could wear the Mardi Gras mask.

I know, the mask is really cool, but focus on the dress. How cute is that?! It was so simple that I’m kicking myself for not taking in-progress photos to show you how!

Besides the cute pintucks, its your basic buttondown. You could probably just as easily do this with a men’s shirt. Actually maybe even easier since you wouldn’t have to worry about the bust darts making it wonky.

To make the dress, I cut the sleeves off the shirt and then cut up the side seams, keeping everything else intact. Then, using my Music Box pattern as a guideline, I cut away at the front and back until they were in A-line unison. I borrowed the buttons that came from the sleeves and added them to the placket. You probably could skip that step if just using a men’s shirt. All the raw edges were then encased in the red bias tape. No hemming, word!

We left her grandparents’ house and headed to the park, in hopes of finding a sunnier attitude.

Nope. Not gonna happen. Forget the kid, let’s check out the back.

The material is a lightweight denim. It drapes really well. As evident in this slouch.

Ha ha. Someone needs school to start! (That someone would be me, of course.)

I took my time with the bias tape, sewing it to the wrong side first, and then flipping it over to the right side, and carefully topstitching. It takes more time than just sandwiching your edge and going for it (like I usually do), but its a more reliable finish. I can see Avery getting a lot of wear out of this dress. She actually really likes it.

Wait, is that a smile?

No. We’re done here.

Do you have any items lying around that would be perfect for an upcycle?

~Caroline

Little Debbie

August 6, 2013August 6, 2013 ~ hungie gungie ~ 31 Comments

I’m so excited to be the second stop on the Debbie’s birthday dress blog tour!

Suz from Sewpony has created this pdf dress pattern inspired by one of her favorite children’s books, Debbie’s Birthday Party. The pattern features a classic A-line style dress, with a button and loop closure at the back. You can see the two views above, one with a sweet peter pan collar, center seam, pocket, and buttons. The other with a separate bodice and trim.

Suz asked if I’d test the 18 month size for my little Corinne, and since I’m a good vintage-loving girl, of course I said YES.

Behold, My Little Debbie!

For my dress (View 2), I repurposed a chambray skirt, used a cute apple grid print for the collar, and lined the bodice with red cotton. I decided forgo the pocket and steal the trim idea from View 1, extending it all the way down the length of the dress- I used ivory lace hem tape.

I stitched two white buttons on to the front, but for the back I decided to tie it all together by using this red apple button. Coco’s big sis thought that was pretty cute. Ellery loves to help pick out Corinne’s clothes in the morning, and this dress is often her first choice.

Smart little stylist wouldn’t you say?

I love the length of the dress- it hits Corinne about an inch above the knee, but you could easily add length if you wanted. On a little gal like Coco though, it’s a good excuse to show off some cute bloomers or her chunky thighs (which I’ve been devouring lately).

I envision her wearing this in the Fall wrapped up with a cozy little cardigan… and of course knee socks and mary janes, like Suz did here– so adorable!

2013-7-1-Debbie dress-001

I’d highly recommend this pattern to a beginner sewer who is dabbling into making garments. The pattern is loaded with clear pictures for each step, and a very handy pattern map which really helps the cutting out and taping process. I sewed my Debbie up one rare afternoon while my entire crew was napping, and it was blissful.

I’d say the only thing that took some time for me was the peter pan collar. It was the second one I’d ever done, and I forgot to mark front and back (as suggested!) so when it was time to sew the pieces together I was stumped…but well worth it- I love those apples.

And that face.

I like that you can stay in the vintage realm here but you could totally go another direction with this pattern (like this rainbow one Sanae did here for KCW– gorgeous!)- it’s a simple design that is a great starting point for your own creative interpretation.

Suz is offering a 20% discount on this pattern for the duration of the blog tour. Just visit her etsy shop, Sewpony Vintage to purchase and don’t forget to use the code BLOGTOUR1. And keep your eye out for more vintage-inspired patterns from Suz in the future!

So long,

Erin

(p.s. check out the Sewpony flickr group for some more Debbie dress eye candy!)

Knit Popover

July 26, 2013 ~ hungie gungie ~ 17 Comments

We’re heading to the beach tomorrow for some Summer fun, and I was determined to finish up another KCW project before we left. Since Ellery has gotten a lot more persnickety when it comes to the things I make her, I decided change things up by sewing her a knit dress- I knew she’d appreciate the soft and stretchy fabric since she still doesn’t like to wear my “bumpy” (a.k.a. woven cotton) frocks!.

So here you have it!

The pattern is the tried and true (and free!) Oliver + S Popover Sundress sewn in a 5. I extended the length a few inches, and also cut the pieces wider so I could pleat the front and gather the back so the dress would be flowy. The main fabric is a repurposed blue jersey maxi of mine (I kept the original hem to save a step), yellow knit from Joann for the binding/straps, and pieced woven cotton scraps for the yoke.

This is such a great little pattern- actually, it was the first dress I’d ever sewn!

I’ll end with a few of my favorite popovers.

First, this one (I swear it would be a fave even if it weren’t made by my sis!), this vintage-y top version from True, Pure, Lovely. This one by Kristin- I love love love the fabric she used! And this fabulous zebra face one from Rachel… so great!

Hope you all have a great weekend! I’ll say hello to the Atlantic ocean for you.

-Erin

Roza pattern review + a giveaway

June 19, 2013June 23, 2013 ~ hungie gungie ~ 59 Comments

I think I’m ready to venture into more adult sewing, and there’s no better way to do that than by just getting a pattern and following it, right? So, about a month ago, I pinned this pattern to my Sewing for Me board. It’s the Roza blouse and dress pattern by Kate and Rose.

I think a sweet peasant top is a good staple in any girl’s wardrobe and this one looked pretty perfect. I did some digging on the web, but I couldn’t find many variations out there. So I emailed the pattern designer, Kati, and asked her if she knew of any examples out there in sewing blog-land to link me to. She explained that the pattern had just been released, so no, there weren’t many variations yet, but would I be interested in sewing one up if she sent me the pattern?

Um…why, YES I would!

The Roza is pretty much everything you’d want and expect from a peasant top – roomy, lightweight, casual but feminine. And guess what? It’s a super fast sew… no really, it is! Piecing together and cutting the pattern took the longest for me, but that’s usually the case with a pdf pattern in my house – it ends up on the kitchen table along with all the other junk and then I have to re-sort through all the pages, etc… you know the drill. But still, it’s pretty convenient to just print something off at your house and get working when you get a burst of creative energy (even if it lasts only 20 minutes).

There are several ways to customize the Roza- short or long sleeves, cropped or asymmetrical hemline, gathered or flat front…just check it out, guys. And if you have any interest in hand-embroidery (i love this Roza), you must visit her site.

The long-sleeves are bracelet length, and the cuffs are actually supposed to look like this:

But I loved the look of the wide cuffs, so I decided to leave them instead of folding them in as the pattern instructs. I believe that in most sewing patterns, there’s a little wiggle room to add your own twist. You just gotta go with what you’re feeling.

I sewed a Medium, but extended my pieces to the Large in length. I’m 5’11” and often things just aren’t long enough on me.

I mean, c’mon…Do you see that wing-span up there?

I really should’ve extended the length in the front another inch or so though… I like the cropped front, but on me it’s just a little *too* cropped.

I have never been sure about high-low hemlines- a look I feel that I’m too old for… their ‘business in front, party in the back’ attitude sometimes just plain confuses me. Oh wait, that’s the mullet. But, I decided to give it a go anyway. A high-Low that is. Not a mullet.

Getting time to stroll through the fabric store is a total luxury, and one that doesn’t happen often these days, so online fabric shopping it is! I have had my eye on this print for ages – Art Gallery voile in Praline in Honey . I love the colors, and it’s a nice yellow that actually looks okay on me (usually yellow is NOT my color!). The cuffs are solid voile in Seafoam.

I’m really liking the contrast.

Taking photos of yourself is a lot less awkward when there are kids in the room. Grant was my lighting technician, adjusting the blinds every 6 seconds.

While Ellery manned the camera remote. It made things a lot more comfortable.

Kinda like this top!

Kati has been so kind to offer one of you lovely readers a Roza pattern! Please leave a comment below and cross your fingers….

-Erin

~~Giveaway is open to all and will end on Saturday at 11:00 pm EST. Winner will be chosen (probably by my kid) at random.~~

**Giveaway is now closed**

Congrats to #11, Grabill!

I made a hat

May 2, 2013April 29, 2013 ~ hungie gungie ~ 8 Comments

…for a stuffed monkey.

Not my intention.

While looking around blogland for Gatsby-inspired digs (can’t wait for this movie AND Vintage May!), I stumbled upon this random free pattern and instructional video for a “flat cap”. Thought I’d give it a try. But I wasn’t sure about how to get the right size for printing. What’s a dpi anyway?

Whatever I ended up with looked about right for a kid…okay maybe a baby, I’ve got one of those.

Wrong.

I knew it as I got halfway in. But I was having so much fun! It’s actually a great pattern!

My mother’s helper will love this for her AGDs!

Watch out for the food police! I love that my first rule is eat with utensils. That’s embarrasing.

We had some major laughs around here with each kid and husband trying this thing on!

Wes gives it

TWO SNAPS UP IN A ZIG ZAG FORMATION!

I’ll have another go at this soon, just increased it 30%, so wish me luck.

And, now I will EAT YOU MONKEY!

~Caroline

It HAD to have the piping

April 15, 2013April 17, 2013 ~ hungie gungie ~ 27 Comments

Don’t you think?

I would have been finished with this Oliver + S “Music Box Jumper” days ago, but after I sewed the yoke to the skirt, I knew something was missing. Piping! It had to have piping. I just couldn’t leave well enough alone. So I made a date with my seam ripper, instead of my husband. Boo. He understood. And he agreed, it needed piping.

I constructed the yoke out of a white linen skirt that my older sister never wore, and passed on to me. The skirt was pretty see-through, so I never wore it either, but like a good up-cycler, I threw it in my stash and knew I’d at least use the buttons from it. These are those buttons! Avery patiently waited as “almost done…” turned into “frrmmshmerrdurr…” and then ” *bleeping bleeeeep!* ” and then finally…

“Praise the Lord, its finished!” And we LOVE IT! Seriously, I’m pretty obsessed with this dress. Skirt fabric is from Anna Maria Horner’s “Loulouthi” collection, and is called Coreopsis in lime. The Music Box jumper (view B) was an impeccable pattern. I had to buy it after I saw it sewn up at Les Fabriques by the talented Jamie (shout out if you’re reading!). I took it slowly and even made french seams, learning a ton the whole way.

The white linen was tricky to work with, so soft and delicate. It did not appreciate all the seam ripping! But, it feels like buttah, and gives the dress an old-timey vibe. Like out of a Dick and Jane book.

I’m not really sure when I will let her wear this dress. Maybe a certain garden party coming up ;)? I hope I don’t hover nearby with a wash cloth when its time for cake. After all I went through in the construction process, I will probably insist she vacuum seal it in archival tissue paper, and pass it down to her first-born daughter! I told you I was obsessed! Anyhoo, here are some pics of our photo shoot. Avery is very into making me weed bouquets!