The Train To Crazy

Make It, Wear It!

Welcome to another week of Make It Wear It! I've been on vacation for the past week so I'm just getting caught up looking at all the great projects you posted. Sorry it I wasn't able to comment on your project but I looked at them all! 

As a side note, I've had many inquiries about my advertising policy lately and I have posted my new policy if you are interested. 

Some of my favorites from last week:

Dance to Create made herself this great shirt. Check out her blog to see the great details.

Handy Pants made this simple little knit dress. Definitely something worth copying.

Flamingo Toes shows us how to make this cute girly bracelet.

Lil Luna has a pattern for this adorable reversible tie. Check out that cutie!
   
If you've been featured, feel free to grab a button. 

So what have you been making that you can wear?? (I'm going to have to start deleting posts that are clearly not on topic, sorry)

The Rules: 

1. Click on "add your link" below. Enter your item information. You can even add a picture now! Please link to the actual blog post that includes your project so it is easy for people to find! 

2. Pretty please link back here IN your blog post. You can grab the button if you want.

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3. Go check out the others who are linking! Have fun and get inspired! Leave comments because everyone loves comments!

What does education mean to you?

Do you have any idea how lucky we are to have free education? Do you know what countries are like that don't have the infrastructure to provide education for the children? Can you imagine the poverty, the desperation? 

Care to skip a meal out or two this week and help send a child in India to school? Maybe a child that has been rescued from growing up in a brothel? Read the rest of the story here. We can't save them all but we can save some! School starts Thursday so we must act fast!

Think of these faces before you just pass up this opportunity.

 

Clothing active girls {skorts}

When it comes to little girls and skirts, there is an 85% chance that their skirt isn't going to stay where it should. When climbing up slides and swinging on the monkey bars or doing somersaults in the yard, it's a guarantee that whatever is underneath will be making an appearance.

So, for those of us with little girls who beg for skirts and long to flip upside down, the answer is simple. It's a skort. There are a couple ways to go about making a skort. I was in the middle of creating a tutorial when I discovered one here. It is very similar to how I made mine so there is no point in rehashing all the details.

First you'll need to make a skirt. If you are starting out, I'd recommend a simple elastic waist skirt tutorial, but this will work with any skirt. Then you'll need to make a pair of shorts to go under. You can use a pattern or use a pair of existing shorts as a pattern. This pants tutorial will show you how.

The only changes in the skirt and shorts are that you don't have to account for an elastic casing so you'll actually use about an inch less fabric on top for both.

Perfect for blowing bubbles or doing cartwheels. Whatever. 

You can use knit or a cotton woven fabric for the shorts. 

 

I've used both but I prefer cotton knit for ease of wear.

Though, the little bloomer look of the woven cotton with a bit of shirring at the bottom is pretty cute.

Linking here

Make It, Wear It!

Welcome to another week of Make It Wear It! Are you ready to see what everyone has been making? After another great crop of links last week I'm excited to see what you've been up to!

Last week Brown Paper Packages upcycled this cute little tank dress.

 Sneezerville made this Leaves Gored Skirt. 

And Pickup Some Creativity created these great romper tutorials. One for boys and one for girls! I can't wait to try these out.

If you've been featured, feel free to grab a button. 

So what have you been making that you can wear?? 

The Rules: 

1. Click on "add your link" below. Enter your item information. You can even add a picture now! Please link to the actual blog post that includes your project so it is easy for people to find! 

2. Pretty please link back here IN your blog post. You can grab the button if you want.

  <a href="http://www.thetraintocrazy.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i874.photobucket.com/albums/ab308/thetraintocrazy/makeitwearitbutton.jpg" border="0" alt="make it wear it"></a>

3. Go check out the others who are linking! Have fun and get inspired! Leave comments because everyone loves comments!

Bits and pieces

• Farah has won the copy of Priceless: A Novel on the Edge of the World by Tom Davis. Congratulations Farah! I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did!
• Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by David Platt is on sale for the next couple days at ChristianAudio.com. Use code RADICAL610 to get it for $2.49. You will not be sorry. I'm in the middle of it now and it definitely lives up to the hype! 
• Missy's daughter is wiser than we are. I'm pretty sure this is why Jesus said we should be like children.

So, is Radical a book you are considering reading/listening to?

A floral Fathers' Day

We spent our Fathers' Day honoring the father that lives in our house. It started too early and ended too late but there was a lot of fun and food in the middle. The girls wanted to get their dad flowers for Fathers' Day so they made him some tissue flowers. They made me buy a vase so he can put them in his office. He's excited about that.

We got one photo of the girls and their dad before I backed up into the neighbor's bike rack on their car, rendering myself useless as a photographer. Thankfully this was about as good as we were going to get anyway. You can see he's wearing his special handprint shirt the girls made him.

The little two, or rather, the younger two are wearing matching dresses I made a while back. They are very simple, patternless dresses. I cut them slightly narrower at the top, cut out armholes, and made the back the same as the front. I have elastic in the top casing so it goes over the head easier considering the high neckline and lack of zipper. I simple sewed a piece of elastic just above the waistline to add shape.

Super simple, super comfy for Summer.

It started to rain so we came inside to complete the photo shoot.

Well, some of us came inside. Others of us chose to have a little fun.

The baby's dress is basically the same as the bigger dress. Except it is reversible. Reversible is good when you're dealing with messy eaters.

Look at those knees!! Yum!

Linked here

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Book Recommendation: Priceless [& a Giveaway]

I am sure I've mentioned it before, but I tend to start books and never finish them. I'm a good starter. Every now and then I'll finish a book within a reasonable time (a month). Very rarely do I read a book in all my spare time and finish it within a day or two. Well, guess what I did this week.

I received Priceless: A Novel on the Edge of the World 
in the mail last week from the author and had it finished within 2 days. It's good!! 

What I loved most about the book is that while it is not a true story, it is dripping with reality. This story is set in Moscow and the sex trade industry is the backdrop. From the first chapter until the end you won't want to put it down. It is an eye opening account of a very real reality for 27 million people in our world. Are you passionate about people and helping those who suffer? Then this is a book for you. Even if you are just up for a great story, this is for you.  

This is the second novel by Tom Davis. The first novel, Scared: A Novel on the Edge of the World , is equally as riveting. Both novels clearly show Tom's passion for the orphans and the victims in our world. It is no surprise that he is the founder and director of Children's Hope Chest (an organization worth your time to check out). Tom's blog is also worth subscribing to.

Want to read the first chapter for free to see if you like it? Visit SheIsPriceless.com for a behind the scenes video and a free download of the first chapter!  

And now for the giveaway portion! I'm giving away a copy of Priceless (courtesy of Tom Davis) to one lucky reader. All you have to do is leave a comment! The contest will be open until Tuesday, June 22nd at 8 p.m. EST. 

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. 

Fine Print: I received my copy of Priceless for free from the author in exchange for a "honest, frank review." So there you have it.

Make It, Wear It!

Thanks for joining us for the weekly blog party where we share the things we've made to be worn! Please link up what you've been making!

Last week we had a lot of great submissions!

1. Piccoli Piselli made this great skirt for skirt week

2. Everyday Chaos made these adorable pants

3. Allie Makes made herself this great summer top

4. 2 Many Ideas drafted this adorable dress  

So what have you been making that you can wear??

The Rules:

1. Click on "add your link" below. Enter your item information. You can even add a picture now! Please link to the actual blog post that includes your project so it is easy for people to find!

2. Pretty please link back here IN your blog post. You can grab the button if you want.

 <a href="http://www.thetraintocrazy.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i874.photobucket.com/albums/ab308/thetraintocrazy/makeitwearitbutton.jpg" border="0" alt="make it wear it"></a>

3. Go check out the others who are linking! Have fun and get inspired! Leave comments because everyone loves comments!  

You tell me

Sometimes you read a quote and think, "that's nice." Sometimes you read a quote and think, "that is profound." And sometimes...

it is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you can live as you wish.

~mother teresa

What do you think when you read that? 

These are not the reasons I sew

I was trying to come up with a list of reasons I sew and I came up with a list of reasons that other people have, but I don't. So here goes.

• I don't sew to save money. My machines aren't cheap. Supplies aren't cheap. Oftentimes the clothes I make are way cheaper than off the rack, but taking into consideration all the excess fabric I have, the machines, the needles, supplies, etc., I'm not sewing to save money.
• I don't sew to fight against poor working conditions in the garment industry. Though I wish that was one of my reasons because that is awesome. 
• I don't sew to make money. My time as a mother is more valuable than the pennies I make selling things. I do, occasionally sell things I make, but not really to make money.

I think it just boils down to sewing because I enjoy it. Pretty simple. Do you sew? What is your motive?

School Clothes {The Green Dress}

Another item for school came off the machine last weekend. I'm not sure I can keep this one put away until the Fall when school starts. 

She wore it around town (Boston) this weekend. With all the green flying around here right now for the basketball championship she fit right in. 

I used a tissue weight cotton knit so it is very light and comfortable. It definitely needs the leggings with it because of the weight. Pattern from this book.

The shape is so wonderful. Perfect for a picky girl who just likes to be comfortable.

I just can't decide. One pocket, or two? I only added one at this point but I'm considering putting on another. I do like the asymmetry of just one pocket. What do you think? Should I add another?   

Linked HERE

Make It, Wear It!

Welcome to the blog party where you can see all things made to be worn! Thanks for joining us. Did you get a chance to see last week's entries? There was a lot of great inspirations! I've been busy around here as well. After sewing my first little baby boy hoodie and booties last week I sewed my first little boy pants. Then, so I don't focus too much on just the baby clothes, I moved on to starting my oldest daughter's kindergarten wardrobe. I'd really like to make all of her school clothes this year. We'll see how close I get to reaching that goal.

As always, I had a difficult time picking out just a few items from last week to highlight. Here are a few of my favorites.

1. Handy Pants has a fabric bracelet tutorial. Love the button.

2. Mich L. in L.A. made these cute flower hair spirals. 

3. Sneezerville refashioned this cute shirt. 

4. The Path Less Traveled Market used beautiful fabric for this cute skirt.

So what have you made this week that you can wear? Please share your creations that you've made to be worn!

The Rules:

1. Click on "add your link" below. Enter your item information. You can even add a picture now! Please link to the actual blog post that includes your project so it is easy for people to find!

2. Pretty please link back here IN your blog post. You can grab the button if you want.

 <a href="http://www.thetraintocrazy.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i874.photobucket.com/albums/ab308/thetraintocrazy/makeitwearitbutton.jpg" border="0" alt="make it wear it" /></a>

3. Go check out the others who are linking! Have fun and get inspired! Leave comments because everyone loves comments! 

Problem Solving {hooded beach towel backpack tutorial}

 

Welcome to The Train To Crazy! If you find this tutorial useful I hope you'll subscribe, follow me on twitter, facebook or Google+! Don't forget to check out Make It Wear It, the weekly blog party to showcase all those clothing items and accessories you've been making.

Our weather has cooled off a bit lately. We still brave the beach. It doesn't bother us northerners. 

Couldn't be cuter, right? And how about those backpacks? That's right, a hooded towel that folds up into a neat little backpack. This has solved my problem. My main problem. You know, the one where I don't have 3 sets of hands to carry things and children. 

Even the baby gets her own. It is lightweight enough for her to wear it comfortably. In fact, she doesn't just wear it to the beach. It's now an accessory...

It's important to snuggle up in a warm towel when you are at the beach on a less than hot day in June.

And once at the beach...

... we played in the sand. Because playing in the water on a less than hot day in June isn't as much fun as we'd like.    

Want to make your own Hooded Beach Towel Backpack? I've made a tutorial so you can whip up a few. Enjoy!

Want to cut down your sewing time? Buy one of these adorable Kidorable towels. and turn it into a backpack! How cute are these?

You might also find some of my other tutorials useful! Check them out!

Sewing for girls {school clothes}

Kindergarten is fast approaching. 
I'm starting to create Naomi's wardrobe for the fall. I started with a top from this Japanese pattern book.  I bought it at this Etsy shop last year and it is the first thing I've made from the book. Sewing from a Japanese pattern book isn't that difficult if you have experience sewing patterns, or even if you can figure things out by looking at pictures. This particular book has less detailed picture instructions than some others. I had to guess on a couple of the steps but considering I've sewn a shirt before I knew what to do. Pretty much. 

I think the top turned out very cute. I cut it a size 5/6. It is a tad big. Naomi has very narrow shoulders and is always complaining about shirts feeling "too big". She didn't complain about this one though, so that is good.

The fabric had such great texture that it lent itself well to a basic shirt like this.

It goes well with this skirt I made a few weeks ago, though I think it might be a bit boxy to go with this skirt. The skirt is already a bit big and will hopefully last through kindergarten. 

I think I prefer it paired with jeans. Love the gathering at the back.

Have you sewn much with Japanese pattern books? They really aren't that scary. I have a few suggestions to help you get started.

• Find all the pieces of the pattern and trace them onto freezer paper (you can find this in most grocery stores near the foil). Label the pieces with all markings. When you are ready to cut out your fabric, simply iron the freezer paper pieces onto your fabric and cut out. This is actually my preferred method for all patterns. As a bonus, you can iron the same pattern piece over and over if you need to. I've used the same freezer paper pattern to cut out 7 or 8 pairs of shorts and it still irons on well.
• Look over the pictures in the book that describe the steps to constructing your garment. Write out the steps for yourself in English, just loosely describing what to do. Even if it is just a few short words, this will help you later. You don't want to just start following the pictures and then realize at the end there wasn't a picture for a vital step. This way you can figure out any missing steps before you begin.
• Pattern sizes are done in cm. If you are familiar with European sizing you should be able to figure out your child's size. 

Now go have fun sewing from Japanese pattern books!

Linking HERE

Sewing for boy {pants}

I'm still loving Handmade Beginnings: 24 Sewing Projects to Welcome Baby. After sewing the hoodie and booties I moved on to the pants.

The, oh so cute, pants. They are reversible and have a cute little panel on the bum.

I fell in love with these fabrics. They are bold and cute and I'm hoping they look good on a little boy. 

And these little ones are corduroy on one side and cotton plaid on the other. Oh, and they just might go with the booties and the hoodie.

The pants are the size 6-9 months. They are definitely intended to have the cuff rolled up. When it is unrolled, the pants fit my 19 month old. And she's not tiny so if you are planning to make pants just be aware that they are baggy and have the potential to grow with your child. That's a bonus in my book.   

Linking HERE

Make It, Wear It!

Welcome to the blog party where you can see all things made to be worn! Thanks for joining us. Did you get a chance to see last week's entries? I was so excited to see so many wonderful entries! Take a moment and browse through them all. From refashions to jewelry and everything in between, it's all worth a look!

Don't get confused by the name since Sew Mama Sew borrowed the Make It Wear It theme this month!

As always, I had a difficult time picking out just a few items from last week to highlight. Here are a few of my favorites.

 
Nest Full of Eggs repurposed a men's white dress shirt to make this sweet little girl's dress. 

What Allie's Making Now made this sweet little Lainey dress of her own design. 

Adventures in Dressmaking used a hankie to make this cute collar.

Transient Expression gives a tutorial on how to make this great belt.  

So, have you been creating this week? Please share your creations that you've made to be worn!

The Rules:

1. Click on "add your link" below. Enter your item information. You can even add a picture now! Please link to the actual blog post that includes your project so it is easy for people to find!

2. Pretty please link back here IN your blog post. You can grab the button if you want.

 

<a href="http://www.thetraintocrazy.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i874.photobucket.com/albums/ab308/thetraintocrazy/makeitwearitbutton.jpg" border="0" alt="make it wear it" /></a>

3. Go check out the others who are linking! Have fun and get inspired! Leave comments because everyone loves comments! 

Sewing for baby

I ordered Anna Maria Horner's new book, Handmade Beginnings: 24 Sewing Projects to Welcome Baby a couple weeks ago and finally got around to sewing some of the projects from it this weekend. I have to say, I'm loving the book so far. There are a couple projects for maternity wear or nursing wear and the rest are baby clothes, toys and quilts. All of them equally eye catching.

I made the Cute-as-a-Button Booties

Definitely true to their name. I used a brown corduroy and a cotton plaid on the outside and a soft cotton knit on the inside. Would I make these again? Probably not. They are really cute, but I'm not a fan of how the inner sole was attached to the shoe. It is supposed to be fused in using a light fusible interfacing but it just didn't work well for me because of all the layers (probably just an issue for me since others have had success). I ended up sewing what I could in but since it is the last step I couldn't sew under the toes. If I could figure out a better way to insert the sole I'd definitely do them again.I 

I also made the Baby-in-the-Hood jacket.

There is no baby in this hoodie so I have no idea how well it fits. But it is so cute I'm sure I'll be making at least one more, if not two or three of these in different sizes. I used a cotton plaid and a solid for the outer fabrics and a soft cotton knit for the lining. The lining of a baby's jacket should be soft, should it not? I love the toggles and buttons as a visual effect. For practicality I'll probably omit the toggles next time and opt for snaps.

Can't you just see a chubby little baby face in there?

He won't be old enough to sit in this chair when this jacket fits but it just looked so cute hanging there I couldn't resist. This jacket is size 6-9 months. I'll have to borrow a baby to check how accurate the sizing is.

And, now he's ready to head out for an adventure. Crawling, of course.    

Linking here