Wordless Wednesday

Dear Kreg,

Dear Kreg,

I am in awe of your products. Mainly this one. The Kreg Jig.

I sincerely wish to own one. I have a burning desire to build some furniture, and the Kreg Jig looks incredibly helpful. And user friendly, I love user friendly. Please don't get me wrong, I would also love to have one of these bad boys:
:
The Kreg Jig Master system.  Because it looks even awesomer(that's right), and come with more useful bits.

None of these are in the budget. This is not a sponsored post. This is in fact an early Christmas wishful post.

Please Kreg Tool Company do not sue me for posting about your product. I have linked back to your site whenever possible. If you would like a blogger to review your tools and host a giveaway I extremely excitedly volunteer.

Please someone I know buy me one of these, or loan me yours. And a drill. And a hardware store giftcard for some lumber and paint shopping.

Thank you, that is all.

Visit DeathByDenim's ArtFire Shop

A Baby Dress from Dad's shirt

Baby Girl has a new dress. And she's walking. She's 10 month's now, but had that down at 9. No wonder I've been absent. Here's her new dress! The blue came from Daddy's wedding shirt, the orange from my stash. I started with a pattern from a book, then threw it away and drew my own thing cause the book pattern and instructions were horrid. Yep. Horrid. This is big on her, which I knew it would be. Slightly A-line, and gathered at the bodice. I used the existing button placket from the dress shirt so I didn't actually have to do any of these buttons.

Dress front

Dress Back

Inside Front

Inside back...Look I used french seams!

What the armpit should look like.

Oooh pretty pit and hand stitched lining.

Eewww, look at that thready armpit!

 The bodice is fully lined, and I used some scraps cut on the bias to fake a bias binding on the armpit areas. One pit was better than the other, but the kid doesn't care. She can walk in it, but its getting put away for a bit cause it just looks too loose. Also, the button area on the front pulls it forward cause she's too little...needs a wider set of shoulders I think.

Things are getting made around here. And blogged. I feel so accomplished when I get a post done.
What have you accomplished lately?

Visit DeathByDenim's ArtFire Shop

Best website for needles and thread!

Have you heard about WAWAK.com?

It is a supply site full of excellent prices on everything but fabric! I recently made my first purchase from WAWAK, and they shipped everything so quickly. Everything was exactly as I ordered.

I picked up some Guterman thread, 1,094 yards for $1.86 each. I'm a convert. Guterman all the way now. I like this thread better than Coats and Clark. And for $1.86? Way cheaper than the big chain store.

I needed some sewing machine needles, so I got a couple 10 packs of Organ needles for $1.75 each. You know needles at the big chain store are only 4 packs, usually for $3.99 a pack. WAWAK's prices are amazing.

Best place to buy needles and thread!

I love this new resource. Shipping is cheap, and quick, and when you spend $100 shipping is free.

Visit DeathByDenim's ArtFire Shop

How to shop for fabric in LA's garment District

So you want to shop for cheap(as in low cost or just cheap) fabric in LA. You have heard marvelous things either from people or the internet about the amazingness of the fabric section of the garment district. Rumors abound about filling your car to the brim with a measly 5 dollars and some haggling on price. What's a girl to do but hop in the car and go?

I hopped in the car. I went. Google told me it would take 52 minutes. It took an hour and 15. Not bad, but any traffic sucks. Draw a mess of squiggly lines on a paper, and you have the Los Angeles freeway set up. Or watch SNL's the Californians to find out how many people approach this mess of options.

So I follow Google maps, and the location it leads me to is almost correct. It takes you to the front of the building when parking is around the back. This is the front. Just drive around the building for the driveway that leads to rooftop parking, which is 5 bucks for all day. They do have elevators.

So, My plan? ehh, I mostly followed it. Completely forgot to find the FIDM store. I'm slightly bummed, but not for long cause I found some cute fabrics!

The Loft

The first place I went was the Loft, across from the Michael Levine store. So so so worth it. All the fabrics were $2.50 per pound, and they have a 1 pound minimum. They also have cones of thread, some as big as my head(not joking) for $1. They will cut fabrics to length for you. Here is what I got!

Score!

Left to Right: 3/4 yard linen, 3yard gingham/checker, 1.5 yards dark grey knit, 2.5 yards light grey knit/jersey, and 4 yards red/black stripe knit. My total, after tax(this is retail, you will get a receipt) was $20.66. Amazing!

I went in the Michael Levine Store, was too expensive for me, but wonderful selection. And then I wandered. 

And I found this!

It came from here. They had tons of good stuff. I will go here again. The person helping me(Robert, I think,) was wonderful and pulled out tons of things that were kind of buried, and because I haggled I got 4 yards(cotton) for $12. This is so going to be a dress for the girly, and some bias tape.

And then we wandered some more, and hit Starbucks, right across the street from where we parked. You should also know that this parking structure has an indoor fabric/trim/beading heaven/mall inside it. Dangerous.

Here is us at Starbucks, doesn't that kiddo look so excited to be here? She got applesauce, mommy had a mocha frapp. And she enjoyed being very loud in an echo-ey space.

All in all, we spent less than 4 hours away from home. Figure half that for driving and half shopping/ walking. I should have remembered to look for FIDM store, or better yet written directions from parking or the loft. I am so pleased with my purchases. I think I will try to come here more often, and check for sales at the loft. Sometimes they will pay the sales tax or lower the price per pound.

Bring Cash! Unless you want to pay $3 to use the ATM. Plan to walk around. I do not recommend strollers unless you have someone to stay with your kid outside the store. I carried my girl in our Ergo carrier, and we were squeezing thru the fabric aisles in most stores.

Passed out!

Visit DeathByDenim's ArtFire Shop

Downtown Los Angeles, the fabric district

I caught a bug. It's kind of intense. I so very want to go shopping in LA's garment district, and I live in Orange County, so its so going to happen. Tomorrow. And possibly next week also with my sister, or a friend, or both but different times.

Here's the plan for Friday's solo trip.

Drink Tea. Eat breakfast (as opposed to only drinking the tea, and munching on something later). Dress down(word is you get lower prices if you don't look rich, which I so am not) and wear walking shoes.

Bring the cash I have been hoarding for this purpose, and hit the road. Park at "305 East 9th Street, Los Angeles, CA" which seems to be thought of as the cheapest parking structure around, and which Google maps say is a mere 51 minutes from my house(in current traffic).

Tying the baby on my back(not a stroller friendly area), I will hit up the Loft(check out this link... Fabric is sold by the pound!!!) then put whatever I may have purchased in my car and peruse all the other shops.

I will hopefully find my way to the Everything is $1 store, and the FIDM store. I am looking for knits, and stuff to make clothes for the kiddo. I am also looking for the inspiration to never go to JoAnn's ever again...I already found a way better source for needles and thread.

I will not buy a hotdog from a street vender. I don't like hotdogs, and my money is for fabric. Also, if I have any left, I am looking at a serger listed on Craigslist Saturday. I highly doubt there will be enough left to make an offer that will not be insulting.

Wish me luck! Pictures coming tomorrow!
 

Visit DeathByDenim's ArtFire Shop

Oops,

Here's a photo of "during" since I forgot the before!

Oh my goodness Olympics!

Watching last nights gymnastics womens team finals and the us is rockin it so far. These women amaze me with their talent.

A little late, but here it is!

My favorite new baby dress, and my favorite cute baby!

Oh, Pinterest....

Am I the only one who re-pins cute things found weeks ages ago? Its a problem for me. I just "found" a really cute T-shirt to twirly dress tutorial, found at The Crafty Cupboard(I love this blog), and I pin'd it, then realized I had already pin'd it two other times. I am just so awesome like that.

What do you keep pinning? 

Visit DeathByDenim's ArtFire Shop

New baby hat for the girlie

Its totally reversible, and all from my stash... so technically free? I made the largest size, because she will grow into it, and it stays on her head just fine. It is also fully reversible, which required ignoring the directions and cutting extra pattern pieces. I love it, she loves it, and it stays on nicely even with no chin straps. Perfect for the pool this summer! 

Visit DeathByDenim's ArtFire Shop

Problems!

In trying to space out my posting, I realized none of the pictures I thought I posted went through. grrr. Hopefully I've fixed it now, hopefully this will actually post...

Visit DeathByDenim's ArtFire Shop

It may be an obsession...

Took all this, and voila!
Visit DeathByDenim's ArtFire Shop

Bias tape is so fun

Ok, I made more bias tape. Can't you just see the cuteness on a little white dress? So much fun here.

 I also broke down and got the machine. $45ish on Amazon.com(this link is for your info, I don't make money from anything but my artfire studio, and that's not even paying for itself yet). Free shipping. It has actually gone down in price since I bought it by about, oh, 1 dollar. Here is an action shot:

 The stripes are blurry because it really is an action shot. I know right? Do you see that crease? I messed up and bought the 1.25 inch Quilt Binding tip, which really disappointed me when it only folds strips in half, then let the binding age for about a week until I bought the 1.25 inch Bias tape tip. A quick reload and a run through the machine and my bias tape was folding itself down the middle. Still needed to be pressed though.

 Ok, the above picture, it's important. Maybe. There is this inch thick foam pad that should be under the roller in this picture. I took it out, and was able to load the winder bar thingy with far more than the half yard of bias strips it should hold. More space= more bias tape at one go. This round was about a yard or more cut into 2.5 inch strips. Fabulousness.

And this? Its five yards going in the shop. Visit DeathByDenim's ArtFire Shop

Back Home

Home again, home again. It is so nice to be home in your own space. The weekend trip was good, till I got sick. But we met some wonderful people, and had good conversations. I very much enjoyed our tour of the neighborhood murals in the mission district with Edith, (Thanks Edith!)

Due to being sick(and therefore leaving early) I actually have no pictures. I think that's a first for me. I got to look at the Golden Gate Bridge, but it was closed for its 75th anniversary.

I'm still kind of amazed that I took no pictures.....

Visit DeathByDenim's ArtFire Shop

So excited for this weekend!

I'm early, I know, but I am excited for this coming weekend. My wonderful husband,  baby girl, and I are going up to San Francisco for the weekend. We are going to be checking out an ministry apprenticeship opportunity, and I'm very much excited about it. Plus, it's my first time to San Francisco, and if we have free time I want to go see some giant red woods. Hoping I am not showing how clue less I am, and that there are some very near by? Road trip!

Pictures from yesterday and today

Custom disc golf bag(with my new label!) for a customer/friend. There is something special on the back, but I won't share a picture till I give it to him.

 1/2 inch bias tape, pink cupcakes fabric, 5 yards is in my shop for you if you want it!

 This is the pillow case dress I mentioned yesterday. Its not a good picture but I love how this dress turned out. I used my own bias tape for the straps.

 A dress for the little one. Its getting there...

Visit DeathByDenim's ArtFire Shop