StitchesByJeni

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2012-02-02T19:51:00.003-06:00

Cooking Class Homework, Day 1

2012-01-26T20:23:00.004-06:00

Baked Pototo Soup with a Cookie Supprise

I like to bake. We needed bread. I wanted to make bread. A quick cabnet sweep resulted in no bread flour, corn meal, or wheat flour. I had a few cups of all-purpose flower so I made some cookies.

Down to business... Washing the potatoes.

Charlotte loves helping in the kitchen. she wrapped the potatoes in tin foil for me.

The potatoes were smallish Idaho potatoes so I cooked them at 350 for an hour.

I grabbed some Cashews I had in the cabinet to try and avoid eating the cookies I just made. They were delicious, and they did the job.

When the potatoes had about 15 min left in the oven I started cooking the bacon. I made a big batch to have leftovers tomorrow.

This photo looks so amazing. The food colors are so cool. I dumped my bag-o-veg from cooking class last night in the pot with the bacon and grease. I cut up another onion and cooked it all until is was all smelling amazing.

OK, yes I did use swanson stock in that bottel. No I had not tasted it before today. I did taste it today. It was not bad, not amazing. I had bought it though, so I used it. It did the job. The stock was a bit bland. I will be learning how to make my own stock though. I love figuring out how to make things from scratch.

The potatoes are all done. I chopped them up in 1-2 inch chunks. I wanted to keep them in nice big chunks so I didn't add them to the soup until the end.

Yum. Almost done.

I chopped up all of the herbs, and the kale from cooking class. I can't remember exactly what I had in there. Parsley... not sure what else.

While I was chopping I decided to make a salad as well.

OK, the cashews worked a little too well. My two girls ate a tone of these. I am a little worried that they are not going to want to eat dinner.

Yum, Salad.

Tossed in all the green stuff for just a minute and it was time to eat.

Hubby came home with some yummy ciabatta bread, and we had olive oil with parmesan cheese.

TA-DA!

Teal and Purple Tutu Dress

2012-01-20T09:38:00.000-06:00

Shell Frame

2012-01-18T11:36:00.002-06:00

I know today's craft is not winning any awards for creativity but we had a blast making them. It was a wonderful day spent with a great friend and two beautiful daughters. The shell frame is such an easy craft it is great for little people.

We started our day at the amazing ArtScraps shop: 1459 St. Clair Ave. St. Paul, MN 55105. Charlotte my oldest (age 4) has been here for a birthday party and I have been meaning to visit this place ever since. It is a shop that sells "junk," you can use for crafting. I use junk like my husband would in reference to my basement craft stockpile. I think of it more like treasure. No more need to stock pile my basement with craft stuff just in case.

Art Start is a non profit organization that collects scraps, bits, and pieces of things to use in craft projects. They take donations and if you live in the area it is a great way to recycle some of your treasure. Art Start has a bunch of artists that work with schools and more. It is an amazing way to encourage recycling in a non traditional kind of way. I am so loving Art Start and Art Scraps please go check out there page, or shop and show some love. Tell them StitchesByJeni sent you

We picked up a bucket full of shells and two photo frames. The total cost for everything was $4.

We dumped the bucket of shells, laid down some news paper, heated up the glue gun and were crafting in minutes. It was a very easy set up, which is great for the kids. They can only pay attention for so long. There was a little fighting over all the "good," shells but after a little compromise we were off to the races.

We had one adult for each child. The adults started with the glue guns thinking the kids would burn themselves but it is so easy to do my 3 year old, Delilah was soon doing it herself. With my close supervision. Delilah did get some hot glue on her finger, she wined about it being hot for a moment but than pealed the glue off and got back to work. She didn't even have a mark form the incident.

There is no trick to the gluing part, just lay some glue down and put a shell on it. I would say that the more generous with the glue the better. You don't want big clumps of glue showing, but it will be more secure with lots of the glue.

Expect to have a bunch of those little trailing strings from the glue gun. Ignore the strings until the project is finished and just go back and pull them all off. No big deal, part of the process.

Delilah was so proud. She wanted to take the frame and play with it like a toy. We had a talk about looking at our beautiful work. The talk didn't seam to help so I hung it up on the wall out of there reach. The girls now like to draw pictures to put in there frames. We have changed the photos out at least 3 times now.

It was such a great day. We enjoyed ourselves so much. Such simple little things are so surprising when they are so fulfilling. It is a good reminder that the activities don't need to be elaborate they just need to be something.

Over all a great bonding experience. I will be going back to ArtScraps and maybe even volunteering to do some work for them. It is a truly wonderful place, there should be one in every neighborhood. The community is a better place when shops work to bring a community together in a responsible way.

Painting in the Entry

2012-01-16T17:37:00.001-06:00

I love my painting in the entry of my home. It is a great converstion piece for people walking into my home. It belongs to my brother but it deserves to be in my house. It fits the area perfectly. I will have to talk to him and get the low down on the piece and post it here.

Tutu Dress

2012-01-15T17:45:00.000-06:00

Web Page Buttons

2012-01-15T12:53:00.004-06:00

Belle Dress

2012-01-15T11:24:00.003-06:00

Job Search Results

Cinderella Dress

2012-01-15T11:18:00.003-06:00

Wish List

2012-01-03T09:54:00.003-06:00

http://store.atlantathread.com/drchtafo.html

http://store.atlantathread.com/largedressform.html

http://store.atlantathread.com/patternnotcher.html

http://store.atlantathread.com/fadeca.html

http://store.atlantathread.com/giapsc.html

http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com/browne-halco/hlk66/p7986.aspx

http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com/american-metalcraft/mssr74/p520080.aspx

http://shop.usa.canon.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_10051_10051_275691_-1

http://www.etsy.com/listing/66042486/medium-dslr-camera-bag-with-padded

http://www.etsy.com/listing/73324969/camera-wrist-strap-wristlet-wrist-strap

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S49843462/

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S29874591/

Building A Cutting Table

2011-10-17T10:15:00.000-05:00

Building A New Cutting Table

It is absolutely imperative to have a good cutting table. Some people use there kitchen table. I have been known to use my floor. Just a side note, cutting patterns on the floor can be a great way to stretch out your body and do some yoga like moves. I wouldn't recommend it if you have other options. We are in a new house and we have new space, I think my floor cutting days are behind me. To take advantage of my lovely space I am building my dream cutting table. If you haven't had one before I strongly recommend trying one out. Your life will never be the same. Look for a local sewing school, or workroom. They may not want to let you use there cutting table but you could at least take a look at what they have.

The Sewing Lounge is a place where seamstresses can go to learn new skills and sew together. It is in Saint Paul, Minnesota, my new home. I am excited to do an open sewing night at this place and try out there cutting tables, and other great sewing tools. I haven't been yet, but I look forward to it.

So the basic parts of the table will be legs, frame, and table top. It is a simple project, people who have no wood working skills will still be able to pull this off with a few tools.

Supplies

One piece of 3/4 " (thickness) 4' by 8' (width by height) hardwood plywood. I used maple for this table but I have also used birch. I usually go with the wood that is on sale at the time I need it. Any hardwood plywood will work, the more expensive woods are more expensive because they are more beautiful. You can decide how much to spend there. I spent about $30 on my maple board. It was on sale at Menard's. I love Menard's for lumber. I do a lot of simple wood working projects and have found the Menard's has excellent customer service, and a great selection. It would be easy to spend a lot of money on a piece of hardwood plywood, so purchase with your budget in mind.

Five 2' by 4"s that are each 8' long. This is easy to come by. I got mine at Menard's for full price at $1.5 each. Look for the straightest pieces you can come by.

I eliminated some of the work by buying this 6 drawer cart from Fleet Farm. I had build a large storage shelf under my last table and found that the things I put under there just got lost. These "legs," also work as storage for me. I am always more likely to use small drawer storage thoughtfully than one big shelf with no divisions. I paid $30 for each of my carts, they are regularly priced $40. You can use any kind of unit to make your legs. Pay attention to the height of the furniture unit, because that will be the height of your table.

The hardware for this project is screws. My husband would argue that screws were overkill, I could have just used nails to secure the whole thing together. Nether of us are professional woodworkers so I decided to error on the side of caution. I don't want my frame moving around or pulling apart. I used two one pound boxes of Bugle Head Phillips sharp point coarse thread drywall screws. One box was 3" screws and the other box was 4" screws. I bought them at Ace Hardware, one of my favorite stores on the planet. I find myself popping in there all the time for this or that.

Tools

Phillips Screw Driver

Drill with Drill Bit and Phillips Screw Driver Head

Hammer

Paint Brushes

Sand Paper

Building The Table

Since I bought my legs at Fleet Farm I just pulled the drawer units out of the box and followed the directions for assembly. This piece was easy to put together. There were four of these units so it took a few hours to get it all together. It was not difficult but it did take several hours of my life.

The most important part of the table and the most difficult part is the frame. I used the 2 by 4s to build my frame and secured the boards together with 3" screws.

Above is the frame diagram. You are welcome to come up with your own frame to fit your needs but this is how I did it. There are 13 cuts in this frame. That is to say there are 13 boards that need to be cut to size and put together.

Cuts:

Yellow cut two: 7 feet

White cut two: 3 feet

Turquoise cut one: 6 Feet 9 inches

Green cut four: 2 feet 7.5 inches

Royal Blue cut four: 1 foot

For this table I started the frame 6" from the edge of my table top. This will allow me to use clamps on the end of the table to hold fabric down, to help me drape, or what ever come up. I made the mistake of not giving myself this lip on my last table and I regretted it for sure. What ever size your table top give yourself at least 6".

At this point I just drilled holes where I wanted screws and drove the screws in. If you are new to platform or frame building here is an excellent and complete guide to building frames. http://www.benteague.com/features/platform.pdf It is complete and full of great easy to understand drawings.

When the frame was made I used my 4" screws to screw the frame into the table top. First drill holes into the frame where you want to drive your screws. Than I drove the screws from the frame side up into the table top. I have no screw heads in the way of my smooth table top.

When the frame is screwed in the only thing left to do is stain or paint your table top. I measured out 1" increments and painted on a grid. I was careful to thoughtfully sand down the surface after every paint color. It took a week to finish the paint job, but I think it is worth it. This is nice when cutting and sewing to keep things square and saves time in the long run. I also painted each 1' section with bright red. I put my own twist on things to keep the paint job interesting. I used oil paint and turpentine to make my grid, and covered it with a normal wood stain. Very important to do a lot of sanding. I used medium and fine grain sand paper to get it to the smooth surface needed to ward off snags and snarls on my fabric.

I also have cutting mats for my rotary cutter that I have put on top of the table. So If you are not interested in all the work of painting on a grid, just sand and stain the top and cover it with cutting mats.

I have listed some similar posts below because there are many other options for building a cutting table. It is important to know how you will use your table. Will you sit and use it or will you always be standing? Do you need to pin and iron on the table or is it just for cutting?

For me it has been a process of trial and error. I learned a lot after building my first table and have made the improvements I think I needed. I am still struggling with the height of the table. I plan on living with my table at the height it is now, but I may want to make it taller. Good thing this design is so versatile.

Long time no post

2011-09-23T08:13:00.001-05:00

Saint Paul here we are! That is right followers I have moved to Saint Paul MN. It is a new community and a new home. I will be starting all over in this new place and I am very excited about it. First things first I need to set up my sewing space. I will be blogging about the process in the near future. I am glad to be back.

Jeni O"Malley

SAHM Treasure Hunt Give Away

2011-03-31T08:02:00.000-05:00

Treasure Hunt, April 17-30 2011

I'm so excited to announce the SAHM of Etsy Treasure Hunt! It's a great way to explore what the members of the SAHM of Etsy team have to offer! It's also a fun way to earn a really great prize!

Participating members of the SAHM Etsy team will have the above logo hidden somewhere in there Etsy store, on there Facebook page, and on there blogs. You have just found the logo on my blog and are able now to follow the link to enter the contest. For each logo you find, and tell us about you'll be entered into a drawing to win a gift box filled with lots of goodies made by members of the SAHM of Etsy team! You can find a list of participating shops here.

The Treasure Hunt will begin at midnight April 17 and end at midnight April 30. The winner will be announced here on the blog on May 1. Happy hunting!

For Rules, the treasure map and lots of great information follow the link to the SAHM blog.

Handmade Flowers for use as Headbands, Hair Clips, Broach, or Embellishment

2011-03-27T14:22:00.000-05:00

Handmade flowers are sewn in place on a stretchy headband, broach back, hair clip, or t-shirt of your choosing.

Handmade Flower Headband, Hair Clips, or Broach

2011-03-21T14:13:00.000-05:00

Handmade fabric flowers as headbands, hair clips, or a broach. Feel free to chose your own sizes and colors.

Flower Headbands, Hair clips, or Broach

2011-03-18T14:11:00.001-05:00

Handmade fabric Flowers in your choise of headband, hair clips, or broach.

Photography

2011-03-17T09:47:00.001-05:00

Who do you use for photography?

Every Mom I know is looking for, or in love with a photographer. As our children grow so fast we naturally want to capture every moment of the little person's growth and development. There is nothing like a professionally shot and touched up photo. With so many options for photography out there today it is hard to decide what photo option is best for your family.

I know I struggled with this. Not only do I want to have photos of my family but StitchesByJeni needs photos as well. My princess dresses look dull and drab in the photos I have taken but they come to live on a model and with the correct lighting and graphic editing.

This was me taking the photo above. I did my best and I never hated this photo. It is a clear representation of the dress I am selling, but it was never as good as some of the other sellers photos. The dress is beautiful but the photo is so-so.

Look at the same dress on a real model, with beautiful lighting and I don't even know what else. I am not a professional but I am able to see that this second shot is so much better. I posted this shot as soon as I got it and my sales shot up 300% on this one dress alone.

I regret thinking this but I thought I could take photos just as well as a professional. I had a nice Cannon Rebel SLR camera. I was very happy with the camera it did take some nice shots. It only had 6 mega pix, which was fine but now extra flash, and the shutter speed was disapointing. The camera was a work horse but I just didn't have the skill to back it up.

When I realized that I wasn't good enough despite my many photo classes and art major. I shopped around. Some places wanted $400 just to walk in the door. Other places would ask for a more reasonable $100 sitting fee but never give out there digital copies. I understand that photographers need to protect there work, that they deserve to be paid for it, and mak a living doing it. I would like photographers to understand that I live in a digital world. I have digital frames, and I love to share digital photos with friends and family on-line. I won't use a photographer that doesn't at last sell me digital copies for a reasonable price.

I didn't feel like I could afford even the $100 sitting fee because I like to order a lot of prints and get the digital copies. That all adds up fast. A family member suggested Sears Portrait Studios. We had family shots taken there twice, and did a big cousins shot once. All three times I walked away with one shot I was proud to own. I was disappointed I didn't have 3, or 5 shots I wanted to buy but there sales and deals usually require you to pick one good shot anyway.

Sears is a great option if money is tight and you can't do it yourself. They still charge a whopping $100 for the digital CD but they often have deals so check there sight often. The photographers are not always great at wrangling the kids and you will likely be expected to keep your kids still and smiling. That is not something I wanted to do so I kept looking for other options.

Many of my friends were raving about one particular photographer. She specializes in newborn shots and often will take on a new born baby and see that child through to senior photos. My Facebook page is littered with beautiful photos of my friends children from CarriannePhotography.

Above is one of her most popular shots. She takes birthday smash shots. It is what it sounds like, a baby smashing there beautiful face into a bright and colorful cake. So amazing and so cute every time.

Carrianne does everything for an extremely reasonable price. Everything is included for one reasonable session fee of $125. That price includes all her time shooting and editing the photos, a selection of professional prints, and unbelievably a CD of edited photos and her copyright release. She actually gives you the CD and allows you to do what you want with the photos. This is an amazing deal, less expensive than Sears if you (like me) must have the digital copies. She books up fast so get your name in now.

Andrea Larson Photography is another of my most favorite photographers. She is young and fresh and full of new ideas. I love that her work is both innovative and classic at the same time. You will never look back at her photos and wonder, "what was I thinking." Andrea is from my home town of Baldwin, WI and that is saying something. Our town currently has about 2,000 people in it so there are only a few of us roaming around.

The above photograph is lovely Avayah in one of my princess dresses. Andrea specializes in enhanced portrait photography, specializing in children and babies. She does her shoots on-location in the comfort of your home or favorite park. How great would it be to have a photographer come to you.

Andrea has the added benefit of me and StitchesByJeni. If you are interested in a princess photo shoot for your little royalty Andrea is the girl to contact. I am happy to provide princess dresses for the photo shoot if you are interested. It makes a beautiful portrait and a fun day.

Becky Horn Grzelak is the newest of my favorite photographers. She is very new and is still establishing her web-presence. That means you can get in good with her right now before she takes off, because she will. I think Becky's work is a little different from what you see on all the other sights. Look at this amazing black and white photo, amazing. Becky is completely capable of doing the bright colors and adorable baby shots we all love but she also offers something more. This photographer has a quiet elegance that is hard to come by. I have my eye on her and I know she will be doing great things.

Currently you will have to get her on Facebook. There are several photo albums available to the public but she is still working on her business page. You can expect nothing but a professional presence form this perfectionist. Trust me it will be worth the wait, check back for her often.

The last three photographers are all Mom owned businesses. So you know these women know what you are going through getting your kids to sit still and wanting desperately to get a few good photographs of your very busy little one. Supporting small business is a great way to help your community and with these small businesses you are not paying a premium for there exceptional service and attention.

I can't believe it took me this long to discover these amazing woman. I hope you all will look into them for your next photo session. If you are not in there area please check out your local mom-owned photographers. They are all over Facebook. I am sure there are a few in your area. It might take a little bit of looking to find yours but it is worth it for the everlasting memories they help you create.

Princess Dresses And More

2011-03-11T06:55:00.000-06:00

New Look for Stitches

2011-03-07T08:20:00.000-06:00

What do you think of my new logo. I am working with Andrea Larson Photography to update my web-presence and get to a more professional look. I love the work she has been doing for me and I am so grateful. I am shocked at the deference she has made in my crafting life. I hope you all find a photography/graphic artist friend to help you.

Andrea has already started rolling out photos from our recent photo shoot. This is a photo of Me, in one of my new headbands and XL ti shirts. Delilah my youngest daughter is in one of my most colorful princess dress creations and headbands. These items will soon be available on my Etsy Shop. Keep you eye out.

New Sewing Machine - Brother Inov-is NX-450Q

2011-02-21T07:56:00.000-06:00

New Sewing Machine

Who doesn't love a new sewing machine. I have been using the same old simple Viking for 12 years. I had used that machine almost every day since I bought it. Sadly it seams that good old Victoria is past her prime and seams to have an alignment problem. Not easily fixed. I am sorry to see her go and almost held on to her for sentimental reasons. I have no room in my house as it is, must fight the compulsion to horde. Still Victoria was the first machine I bought for myself. It holds a special place in my heart.

Local business is where it is at. I am a local business trying to make it in the world why wouldn't I search out a qualified local professional to advise me. I needed reliability, and durability this machine was the backbone of my business. I really do way to much work for any home sewing machine to keep up with. If I could I would buy 8 industrial machines with the proper specialized functions. I do not have a money tree, so with a budget of about $1,000 I set out to find a reliable machine.

Thankfully I had passed by Crystal Sewing Center a few times or I would have never known it existed. They do have a web-page but it is limited. The glory of the center is Garry the helpful salesman. He is so nice and inviting and understanding. I brought my two little toddlers into his shop with machines all over the place and every time it was me who got frustrated first. It is hard to shop with toddlers. See my review of Garry and Crystal Sewing Center here.

This is it. My new machine the Brother Innovis NX-450Q. It is a quilting machine by name but I do very little quilting. I do however do drapery and use all the extra feet that came with the Q model as opposed to the 450. I can say with honesty I have used each and every stitch this machine offers. I made 5 quilts for my family and while I was top stitching the quilts I tried every stitch this machine has got. I just went down the line. I even tried the cool feature where you can program in your own sequence of stitches to come up with an entirely unique row of stitches. I loved doing this. I was making vines of flower and leaves in all kinds of shapes and sizes.

After finishing the quilts I was having a problem with the machine. It was giving me an error message and refusing to work. I forget exactly what it said now but it had something to do with emergency lock down mode due to safety. I couldn't use the machine.

Crystal Sewing Center took the machine in for service free of charge and gave me the floor model to use while I waited. What a joy to not be without machine. Since Garry's mysterious man in the back room took a look at it it has been running like a charm.

I am so in love with the automatic threading feature that I am afraid I will forget how to do it myself. All in all a great start up machine as I work to earn more money and get some industrial grade hardware in here. I wish I had a fairy god mother to grant my wishes. Sigh, I will just keep scrubbing the floors and hoping

Helpfull Links For New Etsy Sellers

2011-02-17T14:45:00.001-06:00

IMPROVING PHOTOGRAPHS:
Achieving clarity and crispness in your photos: http://tinyurl.com/yd769eq
How to style your photos: http://tinyurl.com/ybol7by
Photographing for success: http://tinyurl.com/yd8jqy8
Photograph your way to the top: http://tinyurl.com/ycfoaqk
How to make your photos pop with histograms and levels: http://tinyurl.com/2txkyh
Using ev and white balance to make your photos true to life:http://tinyurl.com/ybplyzv
How to use a lightbox and photo editing to make beautiful photographs:http://tinyurl.com/yghb2y4

TRENDING TOPICS, FIND OUT WHAT IS HOT ON ETSY IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS (great for marketing questions) -
Etsy's merchandising deskhttp://www.etsy.com/storque/search/title/merchandising-desk/

SELLER HANDBOOK BLOG POSTS:
http://www.etsy.com/storque/seller-handbook/

PRICING ADVICE
The Art of Pricing: http://tinyurl.com/aacc2m
Re-evaluating Your Prices: http://tinyurl.com/22paz73

ADVICE ABOUT DESCRIPTIONS
How to make the best of your descriptions: http://tinyurl.com/y93t3p6

WRITING CLEAR POLICIES
Hello Policy: http://tinyurl.com/3lkryw
What to write in your shop policies: http://tinyurl.com/quja5a

ADVICE ABOUT WRITING PROFILES
Crafting a profile page: http://tinyurl.com/yc7cvkp

TAGGING
Guidelines and tips on tagging: http://tinyurl.com/39rf6l
International Tagging: http://tinyurl.com/yfn7fkr
Tagging for success: http://tinyurl.com/c64pnu

PROMOTIONS
Pimp your shop: http://tinyurl.com/yghs9kh
Places to promote: http://tinyurl.com/crj8ya
Etsy forum threads on promotions:
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6120752
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5797668
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5453881&page=2

ADVICE ON STANDING OUT
What's Your Point of Difference?: http://tinyurl.com/675le7k
Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable:http://tinyurl.com/dnxpco
Make a great product: http://tinyurl.com/ybzfaf6

SELF CRITIQUES
An outline to self critique your shop: http://tinyurl.com/yew6hkz

SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMISATION (SEO):http://www.etsy.com/storque/search/title/seo/
Optimizing your shop for search engines: http://www.etsy.com/storque/seller-handbook/seller-how-to-optimizing-your-etsy-shop-for-search-engines-3835/
Here is a great 3 part article on Handmadeology about placing keywords in your item listings for better SEO:
Part 1: http://bit.ly/f6JzU1
Part 2: http://bit.ly/dD2L61
Part 3: http://bit.ly/c2u5jT

NEWBIE GUIDES
Newbie guide: www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5581122
A beginners guide to starting a shop on etsy: http://tinyurl.com/4rk87e
Before and After With Photoshop: http://tinyurl.com/4adzjlb

Ultimate Craft Guide - tutorials, advice, suppliers....
www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5453881&page=1

Storque how tos
www.etsy.com/storque/section/howTos/

Handmadeology – A blog about everything handmade/etsy/business
http://www.handmadeology.biz/home/

Finding your target market:

http://smallerbox.net/blog/market-research/putting-the-cart-after-the-horse-finding-your-target-market/

Thread on buying advertising/finding the right venue:

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=659167

http://help.etsy.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/263/

http://www.etsy.com/storque/how-to/etsys-copyright-policy-859/

http://www.etsy.com/copyright_policy.php

Extra tag ideas:

http://etsytreasuryteam.blogspot.com/2009/03/tagging-for-maximum-exposure-in-etsy.html

http://www.etsy.com/storque/how-to/seller-how-to-tag-o-rama-with-descriptive-keywords-5474/

Google Analytics How Tos - Find your tracking code & where to paste it

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6752611

figure out how buyers found you:

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6497679

Tutorial on Referring Sites & entrance pages:

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6561726

clear cache:

http://www.wikihow.com/Clear-Your-Browser's-Cache

Tips and Tricks for Writing an Engaging Profile: http://www.etsy.com/storque/seller-handbook/getting-to-know-you-tips-and-tricks-for-writing-an-engaging--7374/

Studio Quality Product Photography with a $12.00 Set Up (from Handmadeology)http://www.handmadeology.com/studio-quality-product-photography-with-a-12-set-up/

Anna's Light Box Tutorial on Handmadeology:http://www.handmadeology.com/how-to-make-and-use-a-light-box-to-improve-your-product-photograph

Wholesale and consignment tips:

http://www.etsy.com/teams/7686/wholesale-consignment-tips/discuss/6768084/

New Headbands 2-10

2011-02-10T11:26:00.000-06:00

All the headbands will be listed on Etsy eventually, if they don't sell first. Please feel free to e-mail StitchesByJeni@gmail.com for pricing and questions. Let me know you saw it on my blog.

Handmadeology, and Etsy Teams

2011-02-04T08:47:00.000-06:00

I have been slacking on all my Internet marketing tools lately because I have been so swamped with orders and building stock it doesn't seam as necessary. Well as time goes by my orders start to trail off. I guess it is time to get my name back on peoples lips. I joined some Etsy teams.

Like everything I do on line it takes some time and attention to do it right. Much like a blog, twitter, or facebook pages you get rewarded by participating. People see how you are involved and will include you next time. Many treasuries have been made and it is great to be included. Until this week I did not truly understand the marketing power of Treasuries. I have been in a few, but never sold items from a Treasurie. My products have gotten so much exposure from the new team treasuries I am singing there praises.
In an effort to start sharing the love I am featuring:

RetroChalet

Vintage Kitchen Home Decor Industrial Supplies Handmade

I went with this shot because if you look closely you will see that it has Skokie Illinois on the cup. Go Illinois. I also love the bright yellow color. This shop reminds me of all the cool colorful stuff at my grandmothers house. Check her out for cool conversation pieces.

My mom is a music teacher and because of that fact I am always drawn to printed music. These little things could be great Christmas ornaments, or I could see them used to make very unique tie backs for a big drapery.

This shop if full of cute retro home decor stuff. Several Glove molds to chose from. I think It would be cool to have a hand hanging out in the bathroom. Maybe it could hold my rings and things.

She blogs about vintage melamac check out the blog. It is filled with lots of great etsy finds and more! She also guest blogs for www.Handmadeology.com find great Etsy tips there! Seriously if you haven't been to Handmadeology you must. It is the greatest Etsy help tool there is. I love the Etsy blog, it has been a great help. handmadeology is similar.

Those of us Etsy sellers who have fallen in love with Handmadeology are grouping together to form the fastest growing team on Etsy, HMET can be reached at http://www.etsy.com/teams/7316/handmadeology. I am lucky to have found this sight as this team. My listings have been in lots of treasuries and I am getting and giving great feed back on the forums.

Go on over to Handmadeology now http://www.Handmadeology.com. One of my favorite articles is about how to make a light box to photograph your Etsy items. It works amazing and the results are undeniable. Sadly many of my items are too large for this simple light box. I am working on using the principals given in this article to make a large light box for my dresses. Wish me luck.

Thanks alot to my new connections in the world of Etsy. Handmadeology is a great tool one that I am happy to announce to the world.

Made To Order Princess Dresses

2011-01-29T22:05:00.000-06:00

My amazing brother Chris once described what I do as "making memories." It struck me at the time and has become a kind of mission statement for my hobby-business. I have always loved doing made to order jobs. I like the idea that one of my projects can make a moment for some family somewhere.

Made to order princess dresses always come with a story and hopefully result in a memory.

Presenting.....

The Purple Mermaid Dress made especially for the birthday girl. She is a size 2T, an itty-bitty princess. The dress is short enough and full enough that a toddler should be able to run and play with the big kids. This lovely little girl will stand out in her made to order princess dress. No one will have another like it. The dull satin is a heavier weight than the light drape costume satin and not even in the same ball park as the fabric quality on your typical store bought costume.

Pink Pleated Sleeve Dress. This is a classic princess dress. Made to order for the cousin of our birthday girl. The fabric is a lovely shiny light satin, and while the dress is beautifully made some of the details were left simple. This is a fun way to make a dress. My girls love to decorate there dresses by gluing on rhinestones, or telling Mom where to sew on flowers or buttons.

I love this sleeve. I am really very proud of it. It looks great; is not hard to make; it screams princess to me.

If you are interested in working together to create your own memories send me and e-mail. I would love to make something special with you. Made to order projects are so much fun. If you are interested click on e-mail and ask your first question. I will get back to you with details and instructions.

Mom to Entrepreneure; Executive Summary

2011-01-18T15:48:00.001-06:00

Mission:

Unique and special fabric creations. Every item will have a story and a process. The end result will be more than just a product it will also provide a memorable moment.

Date the Business Began:

May 17, 2010

Founder and Sole Proprietor:

Jennifer O'Malley

Home Based Business Located In:

McHenry, IL 60051

Current Product Offerings:

Princess Dresses
Tiaras
Tutus
Applique
Pajamas
Ribbon Flower Headbands
Wings
Informative Blog

Banking:

PNC StitchesByJeni is a self supporting hobby. Profits from sales go toward making more stock and growing the business.

Company Growth:

Stitches was founded with $0, a home serger, and about $4,000 in random fabrics. In 8 months of business the company has Net just over $1,000.
There is a blog dedicated to promotion and information relevant to the company. Etsy shop constantly stocked with available items. Most beneficial to Stitches is the growing client list now over 200 households strong.

The Future of StitchesByJeni:

In the next year the product offerings will be growing. Satin fabrics will be highlighted. More Princess themed dresses will be available as stock. Marketing efforts will be increased with professional photography, and catalogues. Direct marketing to local businesses with an emphasis on high end children's boutiques will be made. Craft Shows. Princess Dress Rentals.

Look What I Made - Knitting Needle Storage

2011-01-10T10:42:00.001-06:00

In an effort to clean up my crafting space I decided to make a needle storage case. I have been formulating my ideas for how to go about this for over a year. It was finally time to pull the trigger. This is version is a proof of concept. I used scraps of fabrics I have left over from previous projects. In an ideal world I would make this using different fabrics, and colors.

I have a lot of needles. I looked at the needle storage they sell in craft stores. They never had space for enough needles. They also concentrated on one kind of needle. You can see I have long needle, short double pointed needles, and circular needles. I wanted to put them all away together, and in size order.

The case is essentially one large square. On one end all the long needles are slid into carefully sewn tunnels, on the opposite end the double pointed needles slide into there own channels. The above photo shows the double pointed needles folded over the longer needles. I designed it this way so I can carry the pack upside down and no needles are falling out of there tunnels.

I made it huge, there is so much space. I could actually buy a few more needles, like I need them.

I love the way this turned out. I had to mess with the stitching a little bit to get it looking smooth and professional. Next needle pouch I make the main body will be made from one large piece of material. None of this piecing stuff. It left this one looking a little lumpy and bumpy.

After you fold over the double pointed needles, the whole roll just rolls up. My husband inspired me when he suggested I try my hand at making a knife roll like chefs use. I thought it was a great idea. I am thinking of making one of these for my scissors, rotary cutters, and other cutting utensils. Might as well do one for actual knives as well. I haven't put a tie on it yet. I am not sure what would be best. Some Velcro with plenty of slack so the size can get bigger or smaller? Maybe I should just make a tie and tie it with a bow, it would be easily adjustable. I would kind of like to make a strap, so it can go over my shoulder like a purse? I will have to ask some friends what they think would be most useful.

This is the whole thing all rolled out and looking beautiful. I am so happy to finally have this. My home is so small storage is often on my mind. I have tried a lot of crazy things in the name of organization. They don't all work, this one I am happy to say is a success!

This photo highlights the imperfections in this proof of concept. I will be making another version of this with the professional quality it deserves. It was fun to make. What do you all think, should I make a tutorial?

Mom to Entrepreneure; Starting A Business Plan For Your Crafts

2011-01-06T11:19:00.001-06:00

Ok, so we crafters are not known for our amazing minds for business. Not that we can't do it, lets just say my art and theatre majors didn't concentrate heavily on money making. Thank goodness my art major did include one business for artists class or I would never have made a penny from my creations.

I have found that the business plan is not only an excellent way to think business rather than craft but it keeps me focused. I would jump from a cocktail dress to a slip cover and all the way around to a quilt just because something inspired me to do so. Somehow I have to say, "no," to myself without limiting my creativity.

Writing The Plan

There are four major sections to a business plan. I am not a Business giro I am just a Mom crafter trying to do my best at making my art into my livelyhood. Please check out the link at the bottom of the post for the professional resources that helped me get the understanding I have today.

1) Description of the business
2) Marketing
3) Finances
4) Management

The four major sections have lots of sub-sections, I will delve into details at a later time. This post is to get us thinking, so we can take more direct action. In order to find that direction I first start with a brain-storming, session with my Hubby. He is after all an unwitting partner in this business.

He and I do not agree on business. I am cautious and like to test the water before I jump into anything. Dear Donn likes to jump in head first. The result of our last discussion; a conclusion that my "business," is really better off as a hobby for now. So as I make a business plan I will be keeping in mind that I have other primary(Mom and Wife) responsibilities.

As my kids grow up I have plans to grow the hobby into a business. I will be laying the foundations for growth with this business plan. Gathering data, testing products, and markets so I am ready to make an informed decision when the time comes.

I will be sharing my business plan on my blog. SBA suggests the best way to learn about writing a business plan is to look at other people's plans, similar to your business. Do you have a business plan? Link it up in the comments. I would love to check it out. If I think the plan was helpfull I will put your link in my post!

Link to StitchesByJeni's Outline for Business Plan

SBA
Careful planning is fundamental to success. The Small Business Planner includes information and resources that will help you at any stage of the business life cycle.

How-To Make a Christmas Wreath

2010-12-23T07:57:00.002-06:00

This tutorial will walk you through the steps of making a real pine Christmas wreath. I will be using the left over bows from my Christmas tree to make the wreath with some wire, ribbon and lights. If you are a person who cuts down there own tree, or buys a real Christmas tree this is a great complement to your timeless tradition.

It is extremely cold and snowy this year. I love the snow and snow sports. I am one of the few crazy people who hibernate in the hot humid summer months but can't wait to break out side on the first snow.

Materials:

Wire Cutter

16 Gauge Wire

Flouriest Wire

Wreath Hook

Pine Branches

Bow

Christmas Lights

Earlier this year my family and I went to Oney's a local tree farm to pick out, cut down, and buy our Christmas Tree. I could not recommend this lot more highly. Talk about the most amazing Christmas tradition. They have horse drawn waggon rides. The rides are so beautiful even if the trip is quite cold. The farm has Mrs. Clause in her own little house with treats and joy to give. Your family enters the house privately and has a few moments with Mrs. Clause to write names on the nice list and take plenty of pictures.

They always have lots of tree to pick from, and a nice warm building to warm up in after. While you warm up there are plenty of Holiday goodies to shop for. They have snacks, warm liquids and more ornaments and wreaths to pick form than anywhere else. I love Oney's and specifically the tradition of picking a tree.

My husband takes the tree off the hood of the car and cuts off the bottom branches of the tree. He does this to make room for the presents under the tree. He also does it to fit the trunk of the tree into the tree stand free of obstruction. Every year I look at the pile of branches and think to myself, "I should just make a wreath."

I started out by using my 16 gauge wire to make a large ring the size I wanted my wreath to be. I just unrolled the wire and made a circle wrapping the wire 3 times to keep the frame of the wreath very stable. I just wrapped the ends of the wire around each other to keep the frame of the wreath held together.

Next I had to prep the bows. I broke off all the thick branches. A good way to test this is to bend the branches. If the branches bend with you and do not break they are suitable to use on the wreath. If you bend the branch and it breaks you should just go ahead and break off that part of the branch. We are looking for the thinner bows, not the main supportive branches.

The above photo is one of the branches I broke off and will be discarding. There is one little soft branch still attached but it has very little greenery on it so I am ditching it. This branch is just too ridged, and it directs all the lovely green sections in ways that just doesn't work for my wreath. Good buy branch, you will soon be fire wood.

Now that all your branches are broken up and ready to bind together you will need to cut yourself a few lengths of wire. I am using some 12 gauge wire because I have it laying around. I suggest using flouriest wire, it is green and you can get it in the floral department at any craft store, or even walmart. The flouriest wire will more easily be hidden in the wreath, and it is easy to work with. Cut lengths of wire about 24"

Prior to binding all my branches together I like to lay the bows out around my wreath frame just to get an idea of how many branches I will need to bind together.

This is my very first branch. I gather the unruly branches together and twist one of my small wires (or floral wire) around the branch. I am trying to keep all the branches nice and tightly together.

I simply wrap the wire around the whole thickness, and twist once.

I am not attaching the bows to the frame yet. I am making a long chain of branches. This same technique could be used to make a garland. Just keep adding bows , twisting them together and you can use this garland anywhere in your home our outside.

Each branch has a thick section of greenery, and eventually peters out to just the wooden branch at the end of the bow. When connecting your branches you would like to pair up the thick full green part of the branches on the "right," side of the wreath with the empty branch section facing the "wrong," section of the wreath. The above photo is shown with the "wrong," side facing up.

You can see here how the branches are just laying one on top the the next. They are tied off at the fullest part of each branch.

Now it is time to start attaching it to the frame. Each wire tie I made has plenty of slack to tie again around the frame. All I need to do is twist the wires around the frame.

This is a nice way to just wind the branches around the frame. This also gives you the freedom to wrap the wire tie around the branches if there are any stray limbs poking out in unpleasing ways.

I didn't make a long enough chain

This is the wreath just after I bound all the bows. You can see that there are still some pieces sticking too far out, it needs a little cleaning up. The wire was originally cut quite long so you can use it now to wrap around the stray branches and tighten up the circle.

Trim any left over wires. At this point my kids were cold and done playing in the snow. They had taken off there mittens and were understandably cold. We decided to avoid frost bit and call it a day.

The next morning we went outside to get our wreath and hang it up. This is what we found. The mound on the table, that is the wreath.

I pulled it out and shook it of now we have a nice snowy look to the wreath.

OK, time for our handy wreath hook. I just placed it up over the door, in the center.

The wire frame hooks right into the wreath hook. It did expose some flaws in my binding technique. I will have to go and get some florist wire next year. I didn't want my silver wire to show over the green branches so I was a little light on the binding.

Now I cut a length of ribbon about one yard long and tied a simple shoelace bow. There are all kinds of great bows you can tie but I was in a rush so the simple tie will have to do this year. Offray has a great sight that explains all kinds of easy ribbon crafts.

This is generally where I end my wreath project. Charlotte wanted to put lights on it like the tree, so we just wrapped some lights around the wreath to add that lovely twinkle light look. It also helped get some of those loose branches that are still sticking out from the frame.

The final project hanging up on the door. I don't love the huge outdoor Christmas lights on my wreath but the kids do. I wish I had more time to add cute things like big bows, pine cones, twigs, leaves, and sparkly things. Next year I will have to leave more time to do the project.

http://www.offray.com/howto.html

Barrington Onion Pub Craft Show

2010-12-14T07:50:00.000-06:00

This lovely red swag dress sold at the Onion Pub Craft show. It was a perfect color for the Holiday season. It looked amazing in the craft show and did it's job well as a conversation piece.

The Tiana dress is still with me. Despite many lovely complements about the dress no one has made the leap to purchase. I guess this is a note about price point. It is good and prudent to keep the princess dresses under $70. This dress is filled with lots of had details and embellishments. In the future I will be designing with cost effectiveness in mind.

I just have not found a good way to display the tutu's. My tutu's are just so big stacking them on a table is out of the question. Hanging on them on a rack could work but that takes so very much space. I would love to get a little input on displaying tutus.

Dragons2Daisies had a lovely showing of pillowcase dresses again. Sarah from Dragons2Daisies was instantly working her magic meeting the other crafters and becoming the woman to know. She is so friendly and devoted to the handmade movement that everyone just wants to get to know her. You should get to know her also.

This lovely little display of Tutu's belongs to a friend of Sarah's. Her Tutu's are very cute with lovely ribbon details, great play tutus. Her tutus look lovely on the table, mine look huge. I learned that the less expensive tutus with some ribbon detail clearly outsold my more basic tutus. I don't think I will change the construction method of my tutus, but perhaps they could use some ribbons, or flowers.

The table ended up as a place to put the extras. There were look books, and scrapbooks you could just add a photo to. Some headbands and hair bows from ElleBellesBoutique. I had added a few applique T-shirts, ribbon flower headbands, and tiaras.

Above are the ribbon flower headbands I made for the craft show. I sold a few of them, not as many as I had hoped but they are very cute and Charlotte and Delilah feel very special in them. E-mail me if you are interested in your own ribbon flower headband.

I thought I would include a few more of the cute Dragons 2 Daisies capes. They are so cute and can be personalized. I can't wait until Christmas is over and we order our capes. She has been busy sewing like crazy this Christmas.

More D2D capes. Love them click on the link and order your very own. You will not regret it.

This is our table. The show provided the table and the white table cloth. It was important for us to cover the whole table. We have a lot of stuff we stuck under the table. I could not imagine how bad this would look with a bunch of stuff under the table.

One big shot of our corner section. We had a great spot in the corner of the room with lots of room to spread out. I still wish I could have sold more items but not if I have to under value my product. I sell dresses on Etsy at a higher price than I listed them for the craft shows. Maybe I would do better at a bigger craft show but It is hard to gamble the high booth cost in hopes of better sales. Any one out there in Internet land do a lot of craft shows. I would love some advice, and alternate points of view.

My Booth at Nibbles

2010-12-06T06:31:00.003-06:00

StitchesByJeni

My first craft show as a individual vendor. I have room to spread out and more merchandise that I new what to do with. One thing I took away from these shows is that I need to focus my talents. I should make several of the swag princess dresses. All in satin but a variety of colors and sizes. I think that may have done better.

The Nibbles show was a lot of fun. The kids spent the day playing with the other kids, and I stayed near by the rack of clothing. I sold a few things. The show was free so it is all profit, if you don't count my time. I do not count my time because I had a great time. It is so nice to meet the other vendors, and the kids got to play for free. What a deal.

So crafters, and craft show goers how is my set up. I have already ditched the black headband holder. The headbands are always falling off. How can I make my product more enticing. I could use a little merchandising help. The mannequin with the dress looks good to me, but every thing else just looks a mess to me.

The tutus were a big hit at the fairs. Funny, because I rarely sell them on Etsy. Interesting how some people sell there crafts on facebook, others on Etsy, and still others sell only at craft fairs. There are so many ways to make some money while we craft. We crafters are lucky that someone can benefit from our hobby, or jobs. I am so thankful for the experience.

Winner

2010-12-03T07:15:00.000-06:00

Congratulations MFrame You are the winner with lucky number 7!

Nibbles' Handmade Vendors

2010-12-02T09:58:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Nibbles' for a great craft show. The show was perfect for me, I sell things for little girls only. A show that is designed for children is a place I want to be. The people were so friendly and the atmosphere is perfect. My two girls played in there activity spaces the whole time without much trouble. Both of my kids ran off into the bathrooms unsupervised, but that was entirely my fault. I can not say enough about Nibbles. They have well priced healthy snacks. The kids can come right up to the counter and order there own items, they just put it on my tab.

I will be back to Nibbles. It is a bit if a drive for me but they are so crafty mom friendly I will happily make the effort. Please go try Nibbles with your kids. They are the kind of business you should support!

Dragons2daisies

Dragons2daisies

Owned and operated by Sarah Richards Serbinski out of Glenview IL. Sarah makes supper hero capes and pillow case dresses. Her work is amazing and well worth the low price of $15 for most items. The pillow case dresses were born from her love of craft, children, and charity.

The supper hero capes use a Velcro closure so your little person can open and close it with ease all by them selves. Sarah can customize the patch for your little hero or heroin, if you are looking for something special. She does the patches out of felt. The caps are sturdy, long lasting and very washable. I saw a few capes purchased and used at Nibbles Play Place. They had been washed and played with quite a bit at the play center and looked great.

Pillowcase dresses have been made and donated as part of the Little Dresses for Africa. If you are a seamstress it is a wonderful way to give back to our global community. Sarah has opened my eyes to so many worthy charities we sewers can champion. I look forward to doing more research and posting more about this in the future.

Wooden Moose Creations

Wooden Moose Creations is another mom owned craft business. Here is her bio: I have been wood burning since 1990. My mother is an artist and she allowed my siblings and I to explore with many different textures such as pottery, painting, drawing, wood burning, sculpting, wood carving, sewing, etc. There was never a dull day in my daily adventures as a child. My siblings chose their own avenues to express their talents while I focused on wood burning and carving. After my son was born in 2008, we acquired many wooden toys for him and my zeal for wood burning came alive again. I love to capture the beauty of nature in my work. The contrast of colors has always been appealing to me. And it is also very beneficial for children.

I use pine wood because it burns easily and resists splintering. My work is hand sanded, burned and carved. I prefer the artistic expression enabled by hand-work for my creations rather than the precision of laser burning which you can find anywhere. My work is not mass produced but made one of a kind. Never reproduced unless requested. I am willing to take suggestions or requests to make your wooden toys special for you and your family (some restrictions may apply). It is my hope that you and your children will enjoy Wooden Moose Creations also.

I have to say they are all very cute. The advantage of knowing exactly where the items were made, and with what materials is invaluable.

To all the people helping me figure out how to post XL photos Thanks so much. I think I have it down.

So the huge photo above is my favorite item at Wooden Moose Creations. They are wooden beads, large enough that my girls can't eat and choke on the beads, but small enough that it is a great dexterity challenge to bead them along the shoelace like string. My girls are still a little young to be left with a shoelace, but I love this toy. Please go buy some toys from Wooden Moose Creations.

Love Lulu Mae

Love Lulu Mae seams to be a very well established business from there web-sight. It is complete and very professionally put together. I think I will be contacting her for some help and advice. Her items have been warn by celebrities, and have been given as part of some very glamorous gift baskets.

Turns out Agnes has a musical theatre background, that earns her about 100 bonus points in my book. Go musical theatre. Something also amazing about her talent, she will revamp your jewelry. So if you have a lovely antique broach but it just isn't up to date, or not your style. Contact Love Lulu Mae, for a makeover.

She has so many lovely things, I honestly can't pick just one. This was at the top of the couture page, and you know I love me some couture.

Here is the Bio. for Love Lulu Mae: Agnes "Lulu Mae" Miles developed her creative instincts at a very early age. Growing up in a household with five sisters, forging a sense of individual style was a challenge. Agnes discovered that by combining her love of art, history and fashion, she was able to create an original look all her own. Inspired by the strength and elegance of women of the 1930's and 1940's, her pieces reflect the style of an era that represented a turning point for women and what they were capable of accomplishing. Her distinctive designs combine classic vintage elements with contemporary flair and each accessory is a labor of love, conceived and constructed by hand, using Eco-friendly and organic components.

Agnes became a young ambassador to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society of Illinois after learning of her own diagnosis in 2005. Agnes participates in several MS fundraising events in her hometown of St. Louis as well as in Chicago where she currently resides with her husband and their three Boston Terriers.
Agnes B. Miles
LOVE, LULU MAE

It was a lot of fun to get to know all the vendors, handmade and not. Everyone was so friendly and in good moods. What a great social activity for crafty people. Thank you to everyone involved in the event. It was a great day!

Doll Head?

2010-12-02T09:17:00.002-06:00

Do you like the doll with a nose?

New Doll head. What do you think? Do you like it without a nose?

Mt. Prospect High Craft Fair

2010-11-26T20:46:00.010-06:00

MY FIRST CRAFT FAIR! What an exciting process and a fun day to have with a friend. I got up at 6am to drive to Mt. Prospect for the post prom fundraiser. The high school students that were helping and whoever was in charge did a great job. Unloading and loading was so easy.
For this first show I had a difficult time coming up with a way to display my goods. I just thought my stuff looked a mess. The dresses on the mannequins looked nice but nothing on the rack or the table was amazing. Excluding the lovely capes and pillowcase dresses done by Dragons2daisies. My items seamed packed in. The tutus take up tons of space.

I have learned after the first show that the display would be better if I made only one style of dress. Styled with some kind of complementary fabrics, or colors at least. Accessories are key lots of people liked the big ticket items and happily take home an accessory item.

I think I need to concentrate on smaller sizes. 12months - 5t maybe. This is a small sample from a limited about of shows but the craft show people did seam to be looking for smaller sizes.
This is my rack of dresses. I just bought an inexpensive garment rack at Wal-Mart. I was regretting it. It is week and wobbly. I love Atlanta thread's options for the 4 arm rack, and especially the collapsible salesman's rack. Not only is it nice for the shows, but it is a nice way to store my stock dresses at home.
Dragons2daisies is an amazing product concept with a wonderful mom crafter behind it. Sarah does most of her on-line sales on facebook. Check out her business sight, send her a message. The capes and dresses are so cute, and truly inexpensive. They are great options as gifts, or as party favors. She does custom emblems so feel free to ask for something special to your little supper hero.
The swag skirted dress did it's job as an impressive image for passers by. Many passers by commented on it. No one bought anything at the show. It doesn't feel great to publicly admit that but it is the truth. I did not have to pay for this show. Sarah from Dragons2daisies sponsored my first attempt at a craft show. A gesture I will not easily forget. Not because of the investment(LOL) but the moral support, and the help along the way.

I am having a difficult time coming up with a good way to explain why I felt like the day was such a success. I am talking a very good day. I think a little credit goes to my darling Donn for taking the kids while I did the show.

Sarah and I had a very nice time together, and the other vendors were so nice to spend time with. It is one of those happy bubbles that people can find themselves in. All the craft people are united in there show, everyone is on the same team. Other crafters network with each other and help boost sales.

Nibbles' Craft Show

2010-11-26T06:54:00.002-06:00

I am on the way to my second craft show today. Please come check me out if you have a little time. Kids are welcome.

Date:	11/26/2010
Title:	Black Friday Bazaar 10:00-2:00 Free!

Description:	Come shopping at Nibbles- great vendors with gift items for all the family members. Raffle prizes through out the day. Free Admission!

This is a great comment I wanted to add from Anonymous: I might add that Nibbles is an AMAZING place to come with your kids - they are completely secure in the building while you shop - there are play stations (dress ups, train table, infant room, building room, TV with cartoons and music) and there's great food!

Give Away- Closed

2010-11-22T07:46:00.009-06:00

I am giving away this cute Old MacDonald cotton every day dress. The dress has criss cross straps in the back and buttons with little yellow buttons. The dress is a 3T.

I have a second give away happening on facebook. Check out my new business page (StitchesByJeni) and like it for a chance to win free ribbon flower headband.

Old MacDonald Dress Give Away Rules:

You must be a follower of my blog. If you are not yet a follower please sign up by clicking the follower button on the upper part of the side bar. You can enter once as a twitter follower, once as a blogger follower, and a third and final time as a Network blogs follower. Be sure and leave a comment for each entry.
You must live in the United States.
You must leave a comment in the comment section of this post be be considered for the contest. On December 3rd I will pick a winner using random.org. I will pick a winner by 8am on December 3rd.

Closed

This Weekend

2010-11-20T07:16:00.002-06:00

Today is the day before my first craft fair ever. I will be doing this show with a friend from Dragons2Daisies. I am so happy to have Sarah's help getting ready for this show. She has provided a lot of good advice. Please come out and see me at one of my upcoming events.

Crystal Sewing Center

2010-11-14T16:37:00.000-06:00

I am on a mission to buy a new sewing machine. I have been concentrating on being a Stay At Home Mom for 2 years now and am ready to dig my teeth into starting a home sewing business. Etsy has given me the confidence that I needed to successfully sell my hand made items. My Blog has given me the confidence I needed to find support, and help as I grow and evolve.

I am launching into a new more serious plan of attack. In the coming months I thought I would walk everyone through my steps to becoming a legitimate business. I am not a business person I am a Mom at home trying to figure this all out like many of you. So please take this for what it is. I hope I can help inspire some other woman to do the same.

I am not following the path my "How To Start A Business," book laid out for me. It didn't seam to fit what I had going on for me. I have no money to invest, but I have an idea. I can't wait to share it with you.

The Crystal Sewing Center was established in 198I by Gary Anderson. I take that as a good sign, that is the year I was born! Gary has over 36 years of sales and service experience in the sewing machine industry. This is Gary, he is awesome. I recommend going and talking to Gary if you have a sewing machine related question he is the guy to ask. Not only have I been going in and out of the store for the last month looking at machines, but I also use the store for service. I came in armed with much information I gathered laboriously from the Internet. I red all the reviews on Sew, Mama Sew. They did a sewing machine month I am constantly looking at. I had ideas.
So after talking to Gary and doing a lot of research on line I have fallen in love with the Innovis 450 Q. I am saving up all the sewing money I can to buy the new machine. I wish I could run down to the shop today and just buy it, but alas I can not.
Charlotte is excited about the possibilities an embroidery machine could bring. When she discovered that they have lots of Disney Princess options she was sold. I don't do any embroidery though and I desperately need a reliable machine to make dresses. Maybe next time I will get to splurge and get an embroidery machine. Get ready for me Gary I am coming back as soon as I can.

Halloween Costumes

2010-11-08T07:00:00.000-06:00

This year Charlotte and Delilah were joined by our good friend Ryan. Ryan got a lovely costume from the Disney Store. Clearly he is Nemo.
Delilah and Charlotte were witches but if you asked them they were princesses. I wanted to do something that emphasized safety this year. I can always build something cool but how about cool, and safe. Turns out this year Charlotte also had opinions so cool, safe, and up to Charlotte's standards.

The hats were awesome. Bugs crawling around, ruffles, and ribbons decorating it in places. My favorite part of the hat is the hand sewn spider web. It looked great for the 10 min. my girls would keep it on there head.
Delilah is a cutie pie.
One house was empty but they left the most amazing leaf piles. As parents we felt bad letting the kids mess up there nice neat piles. As former children we let them play. It is trick or treat right. So no treat, messy leaves are a 3 year old trick.
Delilah's costumes was so cute. I love it.
I love this shot of La La. The back light, and shadow are so cool. Not great of the costume. Can you tell I photo shopped in the hat?
After a little candy.
It was nice to take a pit stop at Nana and Papa's house.
Silly Charlotte wanted to be a princess. Her hat had a princess crown on one side and a web and bugs on the other. She told everyone she was a princess, and as soon as she takes off the hat she may as well have been a princess.

We are on our way to trick or treat time. What an amazing year. As the girls get older they start to enjoy the day even more. Next year both of the girls will be old enough to pick there own costumes and tell me how to make them. What a fun Holiday!

Craft Shows November

2010-11-04T11:31:00.007-05:00

Date:	11/26/2010
Title:	Black Friday Bazaar 10:00-2:00 Free!

Description:	Come shopping at Nibbles- great vendors with gift items for all the family members. Raffle prizes through out the day. Free Admission!

How-To Sew The Stitches Basic Princess Dress

2010-11-02T09:39:00.000-05:00

If you made it through the cutting out a basic princess dress tutorial this sewing tutorial will be a piece of cake. Using the pieces you just cut we will sew our way to the perfect twirl skirt dress.

Materials:
Previously Cut Fabric
Basic Sewing Machine
Hand Sewing Needle
Thread
Elastic
Pins
Pencil
Ruler

We start with the straps. If your strap was cut on a fold line like the one above, you just fold it it half and sew 5/8 inch from the raw edge of the strap. Make sure you are sewing up the long side of the strap. Leave the two short ends open for turning the piece later.
If you cut out 4 rectangular pieces for the straps we will be sewing together both the long sides. Lay two strap pieces together with right sides facing each other. You can pin them together if you need to. Sew a strait stitch along both long sides of each strap.

This is the strap sewn together. The straps shown in the above photo are about as wide as I would make the straps. If they get any wider there is gaping, a 1/2" to 1 1/2 " finished width is a good idea. Wide enough to turn our easily, but thin enough to avoid gaping.
I usually leave the ends of the straps open and sew them directly into the bodice. I nice option to the design of this dress is to use a button closure on the strap. If you decide to add a button you will need to sew one side of the strap closed. To finish the end sew closed. Cut the corners. In the photo only one corner is cut, you need to cut them both. This will eliminate that nasty bulk in the corners when we turn it over.
I like to do some ironing before I turn the straps. Press the seam open like the strap on the left. When we turn the strap inside out we will fold the piece using the seam as a guide. When the seam has been ironed open it is much easier to make a nice crisp folded edge.
These straps were wide enough to turn with my fingers. I just push the fabric into it self.
If you are lucky enough to have one of these babies you can use it here. It is a turning hook. Just a long thin piece of metal with a hook on the end. The hook will grab onto the fabric so you can pull the tool, and the fabric will follow. As you start to pull the hook the little arm pushes up and closes around the hook. The fabric shouldn't be able to slip out of that contraption. I am not sure if I am using it wrong, but for me the fabric still slips out now and again. I do my best to keep the tension even on the hook tool. By applying an even tension I avoid ripping a hole from too much tension, and slipping the fabric off the hook from too little tension. A very nice tool to have if you find yourself turning smaller items. I can make very thin straps using this tool, it is a lifesaver.
Using the tool, you push it all the way in. Hook it to a bit of fabric. Try and grab a little of the fabric right around the seam line. Careful not to pull to hard you can make a hole with this tool.

When the straps are turned they need to be ironed. Take special care to fully turn out the strap. You should be able to see your stitches on the edge of the fabric. If you can see the stitches you have pulled the straps out fully. A good trick in this step is to use a butter knife to help you push out the corners and side seams. To use the knife you insert it into the strap. Push the knife into the corners and side seams to be sure the fabric is all exposed.

Time to sew the straps into the bodice. This step is going to take us back to the measurements tutorial. Remember what your waist measurement was? Hope your wrote it down because we need it again. For my demonstration my waist measurement is 20 inches.

To find placement for the straps divide your waist measurement in half. Now I am working with 10 inches. That new number is the front of the bodice.

Measure 10 inches (or whatever you number was) from one end of your bodice fabric. Now fold the fabric in half, but only the 10 inches you just measured. Place a pin at the fold line. Now you should have folded the fabric, and you should have 5 inches folded over itself.

Measure 1.5 inches from the fold you just made. Place a pin. Grab your straps, time to pin them to the bodice.

Pin the straps to the bodice. The straps should be turned so that the right side of the bodice fabric is touching the right side of the strap. Line up the top of the bodice fabric with the short edge of the strap fabric, pin with at least two pins. It is important to keep your straps lined up, this is how we insure that the straps lay nicely when finished.

One side of each strap is pined in, time to pin the other side of the straps. There should still be a pin in the front center where you previously folded the fabric. Fold the fabric over again. In the same way you folded it to pin in the strap fronts. Now fold the fabric on the back side of the bodice. The two raw edges should meet up. See the photo above, The bodice is folded so the right side of the photo divides the front of the bodice, and the left side defines the back side of the bodice.

Place a pin at the new fold line(or center back). Line up the pins, the idea is to unite the center front with the center back. The two placement pins are on top of each other.

Place the straps on the back side of the bodice. Pin the straps to the back of the bodice, right sides facing each other. The strap placement for the back of the bodice should be just wide of the straps on the front of the bodice. In the photo you can see the two yellow pins sticking out the top to the right of the strap. Those pins represent the location of the straps on the front of the bodice. You can see that I have placed the strap on the back of the bodice to the outside of the strap on the front.

Pin the right side of bodice fabric to the right side of the bodice lining. Sandwich in those straps. Sew along the edge 5/8 inch from the raw edge.

This photo is what not to do on the left, and what to do on the right. I had to rip out the seam because I didn't pin in the strap on the left. It got crooked sometime between pinning and sewing. The strap on the right lines up nicely with the upper edge no need to fix that one.
Opening up the bodice to iron the top of the bodice flat.
This is just the bodice after sewing in the straps and connection bodice lining to bodice front.
Now before sewing the side seam we need to iron the top of the bodice. Just like pressing open the straps we are looking to push out all the fabric until the stitching is showing between layers of fabric. Press
Bodice is nicely pressed. Sewing the side seam is a quick straight stitch on the machine. After you iron, open the bodice back up, pin the side seams together and sew 5/8" from the edge. Press seam open, and turn the bodice so the right side of the fabric is showing again. Press the seam you just made again from the right side.
Time to mark the back of your bodice to elastic guides. Grab your elastic. I use 3/4" width braided elastic. If you have any left over elastic you can go ahead and use it. Because it is in a casing it won't show unless you are using a very light fabric. I grab my elastic and a ruler to make pencil marks that I later use as stitching lines.
Time to sew the elastic guides. It is fast and easy to sew the lines you just made using a machine, just line up the marks with the needle. Sadly my sewing machine is still having tension issues so I have been doing this part by hand. I am a quick hand sewer and I actually find it soothing. I like the hand sewing and think I will keep the hand sewn hem line even when I can get a new machine.
Next step is to sew gather stitches around the skirts waist line. When your gather stitches are made, you will also need to place marks or pins to indicate 4 even sections of the waistline.
Line up the 4 marks, or pins with the side seams and center front, and back of the bodice. The right side of the skirt should be touching the right side of the bodice fabric.
Sew the skirt fabric, and the bodice fabric together on the machine. Keep the bodice lining free of the machine at this point. We still need access to the inside of the bodice to put in the elastic.
Bodice and skirt have been sewn together, you can see the lining is still hanging free.
Use a straight stitch with a long length. Sew 1/4" from the edge of the fabric.
It is difficult to see but there is a line of stitching along the hem line. We use that as a guide for ironing so there is no need to measure with a ruller ever inch or so to keep your hem even.
This is the first turn over. I fold the fabric right at the stitching line I just made.
Iron over the fold and there is a nice crisp edge. I use this edge as I am hand sewing as a guide. I fold the fabric over a second time as I sew it together.
This is the front view of the hand stitches hem. There are very small little tacks that can be seen as shadows from the front of the dress. I love the look of a nice hand rolled, hand stitches seam.

The back side of the hem. Can you tell I am proud of my uniform little hand stitches. All that's left to do is put in the elastic, and sew down the linning.

Cut your elastic at 1/2 the width of your waist measurement. Cut one length of elastic for each elastic guide that you have sewn previously.

I like to put safty pins on one end of each length of elastic.
I use the safty pins to push the elastic through the fabric of the bodice.
I push each length of elastic through untill the ends of the elastic reach the begining of the sewn elastic guides.
Before I start gathering the fabric with the elastic I hand sew the ends.

When the ends of the elsastic are securly hand sewn on one side I start to gather the bodice using the elastic. I push the elastic all the way through untill I reach the opposite end of the elastic changels I have previously sewn. I pin the elastic evenly along the line and hand sew the elastic in place. You are welcome to machiene stitch the elastic in place. I do it by hand only because of my sewing machiene problems.

When the elastic is finished all you need to do is turn under the bodice lining and hand sew it in place with the seam allowance from the dress skirt and bodice. Now this dress is ready for a little princess to twirl and play in it.

What I Have Been Making

2010-10-22T07:37:00.006-05:00

Halloween is fast approaching. That means that I have lots of last minute orders from my Etsy shop. I still need to finish my two witch costumes for the little people in my house. If time permits maybe Mom and Dad will get a little bit of a costume this year as well, unlikely.

I hope you like the work I have been doing.
I was thinking of Dorothy's cute costume from Wizard of Oz. I had this amazing home decorator fabric in a beautiful red gingham fabric. I was going to present this as a made to order item on Etsy, but I love it so much we may keep it for ourselves.

This dress has been a long time coming. I think the swag skirts are so beautiful and have such nice texture. This is a new take on swags for dresses. The swag is kinda a drapery technique so It is a bit of a process to figure out how to use the technique nicely in a garment.
My girls will be witches this year. I haven't finished the costumes but I have this cute hat for one of the girls.
This is the second hat. More of a messy witch hat. It isn't finished. I could add spiders and bugs all day.
This is me developing a every day line for the shop. Corduroy fabrics in the basic princess style. I love this dress but don't feel good about being able to order more of this fabric. This pattern will end up being just for Little Delilah. I will list the dress but in a more basic corduroy that can be reproduced.
I love, love, love this skirt. I have no more of this cute fabric. I salvaged this fabric from my Mom's basement and I am so glad I did. I don't use a lot of purple, it has never been my color. My little girls have very different coloring than I do and it looks amazing on the both of them! I will be making more of these skirts for sure. The waist band is a little wide, not too bad but not necessary.
This skirt is so cute as the girls jump, run, play. It moves so nicely. The rayon fabric is light and has an amazing drape. The purple is a heavier woven, it holds it's shape nicely. Keeps the dress nice and fluffy while the rayon flows so softly. A good combination, even if it is an unlikely one.

This is a crown. I am working on crowns. I can make the basic crown with fabric and interfacing but that is something I see all the time offered by other crafters. I thought I could develop something more sculptural like my wings. A wire frame, I am not in love with this crown. Maybe the shape, maybe the whole idea. I don't know. I haven't given up on truly unique crowns. When I do come out with my line of crown's I want them to be a big WOW piece in the collection. Something that tops everything else. That may take a little time. One step at a time.

Charlotte is sporting her Owl dress. This is the same pattern as Delilah's earlier apple dress. Again the everyday style with a twirl skirt option. The idea is that the girls can go to the park, or daycare in a "princess dress," without attracting so much attention. They love to twirl, and with Mommy making all these princess dresses, they are a little spoiled when it comes to twirling. They insist on it. Put an item of clothing on ether one of my girls and the first thing they will do is a spin.
Charlotte loves to dress up. They have a special name for there favorite pair of my shoes. Charlotte calls these shoes her "frickles." A totally made up word sounds like freckles but with an ick rather than a eck.
Beautiful Satin Annie dress. I will post this on Etsy for a limited time. After Halloween I will post this dress for sale to be made in a custom size. I only have enough for 2 or 3 more dresses so this won't last for long. I do think It could be a very cute Christmas dress. A friend asked for an Annie dress and I was happy to rise to the challenge. I love to design new styles, and make new patterns. Best part of my job. I love it even more when I know the person the dress is going to.
I love this Annie dress, I think Daddy Warbucks would be proud of the style I made in his little girls honor. I have been working like a dog these past two weeks, and there is more to come. I will be finishing the girls witch costumes and plan on sharing that ASAP. I also have a million orders for the Bell Inspired Swag Dress, as I am working on all that I will be building stock for my FIRST craft show.

I will be testing the waters in Mt. Prospect on November 21, and than my first true show will be in Barrington at the Onion Pub and Brewery on November 27-28. Come out and see me if you can. I would love to see a friendly face.

Carve A Pumpkin With Your Kids

2010-10-18T08:42:00.023-05:00

How-To Carve A Pumpkin With Your Kids

Pumpkin carving is a adventure in the O'Malley household. One that we were so happy to share with Nana, Papa, Great Nana, and Uncle Chris. Nothing makes our activities more fun than having the people who love us share in the fun.

We started with a trip to Stade's Farm Market in Johnsburg, IL. Stade's has a "Shades of Autumn," event each year. They are like a farm amusement park. The kids love this place, we would go back every day if we could afford it. They have rides, food, crafts, a pumpkin cannon, and of course the hayride, and pumpkin sales.

We paid $15 for each kid to get a wrist band. That allowed them to go on unlimited rides for the day. We got our monies worth for sure.

When we were all played out we took the hay ride out to the fields to pick our $5 pumpkins.

This was so much fun I could write a whole post about Stade's Farm Market. I buy fresh produce there all the time, we pick strawberries when they are in season. Our favorite State's activity is the Autumn Festival

We all had a good time finding just the right pumpkin. I dressed up the girls in some StitchesByJeni dresses that I am testing out. Both outfits were adorable, and both girls came home with there own pumpkins.

The pumpkins came out of the patch dirty. We had to do our best to clean them off. Daddy hosed them down.

While Daddy was trying to power wash the pumpkins the girls decided to pick some of there flowers. All summer Charlotte watered and took care of these flowers from seeds. We planted them together. She loves to talk about how she grows just like the flowers grow.

Delilah is always the first to get to work. The hose didn't get all the dirt off so the girls took to the pumpkins with rags.

No one wants a dirty pumpkin but we just can't seam to stay focused. The girls love bugs so much they can't help themselves. Any time a tiny little insect passes by, work stops.

With our clean pumpkins in hand we walked into the house to carve and stay warm all at the same time. We laid out newspaper all over the table so we didn't get any pumpkin juices stuck to the table. I should have done the floor too because there was a mess to pick up. By the time I got to the floor it was dried on and quite a mess.

Nana reminded me that there are some made for children pumpkin carving knives out there. The kind of knife that won't cut there little fingers. I did not get any of those this year, we used markers. The knives could have been fun, but we will just have to find out next year.

As the girls marked away with Nana, and Great Nana, Donn was hard at work cutting tops. He had big plans to cook the seeds and eat them. He talks about it every year, this year was the first time he actually did it.

Cutting the top off is just about the only guide line for cutting your pumpkin. You have to cut it at an angle so the top has a nice solid place to sit on top of the pumpkin base. You can see the top view of my cut off pumpkin. There is a nice thick wall for the lit to sit upon.

The pumpkin on the left is mine. I used a magic marker to draw on the face. I than started carving using a normal steak knife. I punched the tip all the way through and sawed away in a traditional way. The traditional way would be holding the knife perpendicular to the skin of the pumpkin.

To do some of the finer carving, I took the knife and sawed away horizontally to the skin. Once I got the skin off I could dig away at the meat of the pumpkin. It turned in to kind of a sculpture. It is different, to carve away the skin. I like it.

We set the pumpkins outside during the day to take some photos. The kids needed to take there naps. Poor little girls.

Delilah is very sensitive to light. She is trying to curl up in Daddy's shadow to avoid the sun.

It was a beautiful fall day. Last thing we needed to do before naps, was put the candle in. The kids were very excited. We put candles in baby food jars, and filled it with a few rocks. Charlotte generously donated some of her rock collection. A very special gift from a girl learning to share.

This is our yard, and the neighbors yard. I just love fall. Not that my yard is the most beautiful view of the fall color but I love the season and wanted to remember it forever.

Everyone is ready for bed, but we had to light the candles after dark. The pumpkin comes to life at night all glowing like they do.

I had to get in there quick before the opportunity was over. We did find that our favorite day time pumpkins were not the same as our favorite night time pumpkins. So I took two shots of each pumpkin. Which do you like best?

I am calling this Kitty Pumpkin. I did this one after spending too much time on my first pumpkin. Delilah drew on the "hair," and I did the face. It was fast, and easy. I think it is cute.

This is Charlotte and Uncle Chris' pumpkin. Love this one. The big openings make it look way cool at night.

This is my first pumpkin. Cool, different during the day. At night a little hard to see. We put it next to the brightest pumpkin to catch a little extra light. I think it looks best with a little help.

My husband Donn's pumpkin. Funny, I make fun of him all the time for being less artistic, but this is my favorite. It looks menacing during the day and at night. People can see it from a distance. I love it.

This is also Donn's pumpkin. You can see what I am talking about when I say he doesn't always step out of the box. This is a good old traditional pumpkin. I really like this one as well, gives us an awesome eclectic bunch of pumpkins. Everything from traditional to not as traditional.

Last but not least we made roasted pumpkin seeds. They are kinda like a popcorn snack with a twist. We put the seeds in salt water after pulling the all out the the pumpkins. They sat there for a few hours until my husband arranged them on a shallow bar pan. He than put more salt on them. He roasted them for 45 min at 350. Than we ate our delicious seeds while admiring our pumpkin light show.

Winner

2010-10-15T07:45:00.007-05:00

Winner of the first ever princess dress give away is number 79! Do not be disappointed if you did not win. Come back often because we will be doing more give aways. If you can't wait until the next give away check out my tutorial for how to make your own princess dress.

Thank you all for leaving comments and checking out my blog. I invite you back often to learn new skills, share old ones and enter for more opportunities to win.

AND THE WINNER IS...

Jinii one of my new blog followers. I will be making this dress in a size 4 for you.

Last Day To Enter

2010-10-14T09:50:00.001-05:00

http://stitchesbyjeni.blogspot.com/2010/09/give-away.html

If you haven't left a comment to win the princess dress, do it now. Today is the last day to enter the contest. All comments will be closed at midnight tonight. A winner will be chosen in the morning. Good Luck!

How-To Cut Out The Basic Princess Dress

2010-10-13T08:00:00.001-05:00

This tutorial will take you step by step through the process of measuring your pattern pieces, and cutting out a basic princess dress. There are three shapes to cut out, a little math is involved but I have simplified it as much as possible. Weather you are an experienced seamstress looking for a quick and easy gift, or a new sewer in search of a project at your level you are going to love the basic princess dress.

Materials Needed:
Twine, Thread, or ribbon
Marking Pen, or Marking Utensil
Pins
Yard Stick
Note Pad
Scissor
Fabric
Piece Of Cardboard
One Push Pin

Pictured above are the general shapes that you will be measuring out and cutting for the dress. My Children's dresses with the full skirt use 4-8 yards of fabric, depending on size.

You are going to need the measurements you took earlier. If you haven't gotten the measurements check out my tutorial on how to measure for this pattern .

Skirt Pattern Piece:

I feel strongly about the circle skirt. It takes a lot of fabric to make but it is well worth it. All little girls like there dresses to twirl or float up into the air as they spin in circles. Every StitchesByJeni dress is certified twirlable. The twirl effect is also lovely in photographs, great for fullness with a crinoline under it, and good for hours and hours of spinning fun.

The skirt needs two measurements; waist measurement and waist to floor measurement.

For this demonstration my waist to floor measurement will be 17". This number represents how long the skirt section will be. We need to add one inch for the hem line, and 5/8" for the waist line.

Waist To Floor Measurement + 1 5/8" = Cut Length Of Skirt.
17" + 1 5/8" = 18 5/8"

Write your Cut Length Of Skirt on your notepad for later. It would also help if you keep your finished length written down. My finished length is 17.

What are your bust and waist measurements?

Most children will have bust and waist measurements that are very similar. If the bust and waist measurements are more than 3" apart from each other the basic princess dress will not be the best option for you. In a later post I will discuss making a bodice for older girls but for now this is the most basic version.

Which of the two measurements were larger?

The larger measurement between waist and bust is the measurement to use. Calculate the circumference of our waist circle by appling the following equasion. My bust measurement was largest, so the measurement I am using in the demonstration will be 21" bust size.

Step 1:

Bust, or Waist Measurement / 4 = Elastic Ease

21/4 = 5 1/4"

Step2:

Bust or Waist Measurement + /Elastic Ease = Cut Width Of The Waist

21 + 5 1/4 = 27 1/4

Now we know the Cut Width Of The Waist, and the Cut Length Of The Skirt. We can start drawing out the skirt part of the pattern. What we are doing is drawing two concentric circles. It is just a fancy way to say two circles along the same center point.

The waist of the skirt is the smaller of the two concentric circles. In order to draw that circle we need to do more math. (Thanks Mr. Rumple (my high school geometry teacher for actually teaching me lots of things I still use today.))

We start by finding the Diameter of the circle.

Circumference / pi =Diameter

You already know the circumference of the circle, it is your Cut Width Of The Waist. Pi is a never ending number, but for our purposes it is just fine to use 3.14 for the value of pi. Diameter is what we will need to figure out.

27 1/4 / 3.14 = Diameter

Diameter = 8.678343949044586

Write the Diameter down for later we will need it. Now we find the Radius.

Diameter / 2 = Radius

8.678343949044586 / 2 = 4.339171974522293

I have my Radius, no need to keep all the extra numbers one or two decimal places will do the job for this project. We have now done all the math necessary to actually draw out out skirt pattern.

If math is not your thing you can visit this on line conversion site. Simply add the Cut Width Of The Waist into the field labeled circumference. It will automatically generate the Diameter for you.

Armed with all those measurements and the results from the above equations, it is time to start marking your fabric. I usually use a standard No. 2 pencil to make my marks. It shows up well, doesn't disappear after 5 minutes, and will easily wash out. For this demonstration I used a sharpie in hopes you might see the marks better. You can use what ever marking tool you are comfortable with.

Always start with the skirt portion of the dress. It is by far the largest part of the dress and should be measured and drawn first. The other pattern pieces are smaller and can easily be fit in around the large circle of the skirt.

Your measurements and the width of your fabric determine how you fold the fabric and draw the pieces.
Layout A is the first choice. If your fabric is 44" or close to it this layout is not likely to work unless you are making 3T or smaller. If you have fabric at 54" wide you should be able to use this layout up to about a size 6.

Layout version B has the same size restrictions as version A. Version B will sometimes allow you to cut out the bodice and straps using less fabric than version A. Again depends on the exact measurements you are using.

Layout version C is most likely the version necessary. It allows for a much longer skirt. I am providing instructions for a floor length dress. This pattern is easily adjusted to a shorter skirt. To make it knee length all you have to do is substitute the waist to floor measurement for a waist to knee measurement. Easy as pie.

To determine exactly how to lay out your fabric, you will need more math. What is the width of your fabric? Mine is 44". What is your Cut Length Of The Skirt? Mine is 18 5/8". What is the Diameter of your of your smaller circle? Mine is 8.68"

(Cut Length Of The Skirt * 2)+ Diameter = Width Needed To Cut Out Your Skirt

18 5/8 *2 + 8 68/100 = 45 93/100

Sadly I missed the cut off by just under 2 inches. I will have to use layout C this time. When using Layout C you will have to seam together two half circles of fabric to make your full skirt. Version C will have side seams. This just means that there is a seam allowance to think about. Make a line running parrallel to the edge of the fabric 5/8" away. From this point on you make your marks on the line you just drew. If you are using version A or B disregard the comments about seam allowance.

Now that you have your fabric properly folded, and smoothed down you can start placing marks. I have put arrows on the diagram above to represent the marks you will make. From one edge of the fabric(A) measure your Cut Length Of The Skirt. Place a little mark(B), keep it on the very edge of the fabric. Next measure from the mark you just made the distance of your Diameter(D). Make another small mark.

At the same time you measure the Diameter you can also mark the Radius of the circle. Fold your fabric in half matching the two dots you just made (B and D). The Radius of the smaller circle is at the fold line you just made. Make a small mark at the fold line.(C) While your fabric is folded you can also mark the hem of the skirt on the opposite side (E).

Break out the twine, or ribbon or whatever rope-like object you have around the house. I just happen to have some bias tape in a contrasting color. It was a little too stretchy for this project but easy to see. You should use something with out stretch. For example elastic is a bad choice. I usually use some hemp twine I have laying around.

Fold a piece in half. Now place the tip of your marking device in the loop end. Measure the tip of your marking device the distance of your Radius. Place a mark, or put a push pin in through the twine, the center mark (C), and a piece of cardboard.

Grab that piece of cardboard and put it under your fabric. The piece of cardboard will need to be at least as big as the 1/2 circle you are about to make. If it is too small you will have a poorly drawn circle. Put your marking device back in a loop and simply follow the curve to make a perfect circle.

Important to note if you used Layout C you need to measure in seam allowance before you make your marks. Place your push pin at the center point 5/8 inch below the edge of your fabric. Use that push pin point as your center for the rest of the skirt.

My circle is not looking as perfect as it should, due to the bias tape I am sure. You get the point. The hard part is over. Now to finish the job.

I like to do a check with my yard stick to be sure my hem line stays on track. I line up the yard stick with my center point. Take note of the distance from center point to the line just drawn. I want to be sure that no matter how I position the yard stick (as long as the end is on the center point) it will be the same distance to the line all around. When I am happy with that, I make one or two marks on the hem line using my yard stick.

To mark the hem line you simply measure from the center point out the Cut Length Of The Skirt + Radius length. I just place a dot in about 3 places. This is not necessary and many of you will find that you are cutting at a distance greater than 36" if that is the case you will just have to trust the next step.

Hopefully you still have your push pin in the exact same spot you used for the small circle.

Now we make the large circle. You need to make yourself a new loop. Make a nice big loop. Put in your pencil and measure from the tip the distance of the Cut Length Of The Skirt. I like to place a mark at that point. I can follow the mark to be sure that it is running along the line of the small circle. From that mark measure the distance of your Radius, that is where your pin goes. Follow your guide. Mark the whole circle.

Time to cut out the bodice and straps. What was your Nape of Neck to Waist measurement? What was your Over The Shoulder measurement? What is the Cut Width Of The Waist? Those are the measurements we need for the next step. Check your notebook.

Bodice Calculations

Cut Width Of The Waist + 1 3/4" = Cut Width For Bodice(A)

Nape Of Neck To Waist - (Over The Shoulder / 2) = Cut Length Of Bodice(B)

Shoulder Strap Calculations

Over The Shoulder + 1 1/4" = Cut Length of Straps(C)

3" = Cut Width of Straps(D)

I won't go into detail about the layout of these pieces. Just fit them in as closely as you can. Waiste as little fabric as possible. These are both rectangular pieces which makes it easy to line them up with the grain line. Keep them parallel or perpendicular to the edge of the fabric.

You are all marked up. Time to cut, cut, cut.

This is my finished bodice all cut out and layed out so you can see the shape of an actual cut dress.

This is the skirt all cut out and unfolded. This skirt pictured above is actualy a shorter skirt so it was cut out using layout A. It isn't full length. It was easier to photograph a shorter skirt. So if yours is much longer, and in two pieces don't freak out you are on the right path.

Next step in the process is to start sewing the basic dress together. Hopefully this will help you to cut out the perfect little play dress, if you are having any issues please send me an e-mail I am happy to answer questions. I would also love to see your version of the princess dress. I am attaching a link up so you can add your project photos.

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How-To Measure For Your StitchesByJeni Princess Dress

2010-10-11T08:39:00.004-05:00

How To Take your Child's Measurements For A Stitches Princess Dress

If you are ordering a dress from StitchesByJeni or plan on using my tutorials to make your own you are going to need the following measurements.

B) Chest - Measure around the full chest. Line up the tape measure with the nipples and keep the tape parallel to the floor.

D) Waist - Just above belly button level. Measure around the full waist keeping parallel to the floor.

O) Waist to Floor - Measure on the outside of the leg from waist line to floor. Keep the tape measure vertical and at a 90 degree angle to the floor.

T) Nape of neck to waist - Think of where the neck band on a t-shirt sits on your child. Put the top of the tape just under the ribbing around the collar of the t-shirt and measure to the waist line. Measure along the spine.

G) Over the shoulder - Start at the chest line about an inch away from the child's armpit. Lay your tape measure over the shoulder and until you are at the chest line once again. The tape measure should be draped over the shoulder like a spagetie strap on a dress. Measure from chest line to chest line.

Sewing Scene Inspired by Gertie

2010-10-08T11:37:00.007-05:00

First of all if you do not reed Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing you should start. Gertie does a series about sewing scenes from movies. She posted about Pretty in Pink recently. I remember it well as a kid. While I always hated the dress, John Hughs seceded in inspiring this young seamstress to express herself. (Not that I ever had trouble with that)
To view the full clip click on the photo or on ME.

My Charlotte's favorite movie is The Princess And The Frog, from Disney. It just seams like my world is saturated with Disney lately. This is a good thing.

I love this movie. It was the first movie I took my girls to see in the movie theatre ever. That alone makes it special to me. Both of my girls love this movie. Frogs, princesses, singing, dancing, what more can you ask for...

A great sewing scene.

Tiana (the main character) is not rich, but her mom is a seamstress and makes the most lovely princess dresses for Charlotte, the very rich. There is none of the usual hating each other going on in this movie. The two little girls are friends and the family's are nice to each other. One of the best parts of the movie as I see it.

The mother is telling the girls the story of The Frog Prince. As they talk about fairy tails, and dreams the mom is all the while draping a new princess dress. You can see in the still shot I grabbed Charlotte (the character in the movie, not my daughter) has rows of dresses to pick from.

Charlotte, the rich girl, is full of dreams and fairy tail princes. Tiana is down to earth, convinced that hard work is the way to accomplish your goals. This seams like a broader reaching social statement. The upper class can concentrate on there dreams because hard work is secondary when you have loads of money to start up with. Lower class people focus on hard work because they will have to put in loads of hard work before they can afford to have dreams.

I identified with this right away. Not just because I am a sewer of princess dresses, and I can't afford my own creations. I identified with the message. Hard work, and dreams are so important when attempting to accomplish anything. Dreams to drive you, and hard work to get you there. Upper, and lower class.

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2010-10-04T12:47:00.000-05:00

2010-09-30T08:15:00.018-05:00

Free Princess Dress Give Away!

THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED

October is the beginning of my favorite season. What costume designer doesn't love, love, love Halloween. I wish I had the time to make every little girl and boy an amazing and beautiful costume, I will just have to settle for one.
I am giving away a blue Cinderella style princess dress. The dress will be made to order with the measurements given to me by the winner. This dress is only available in children's sizes 0 months-girls 16. The give away starts today and will run until October 15, 2010. Tell your friends, repost!
To enter the give away you become a follower of my blog and leave a comment under this post telling me you are now following. It would also be helpful if you left the size dress you want in the comments. You must be a resident of the United States, Canada, or Mexico for free shipping. The winner will be randomly chosen.
If you are already a follower simply leave a comment saying that you are already following. You may enter the contest 3 times. One entry for following me on twitter, one entry for following me on facebook's network blogs, and the last entry for following me on good old blogger.

The winner will be randomly chosen from random.org.

Good Luck everyone!

THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED