Here is my new tank!

Here is how to use shirts that fit you as your "pattern"


Fold large shirt and fitting shirt down the middle, lay fitting shirt on top of large shirt.  With your tailor's chalk, draw on the line using the shirt that fits as the guide.  Then add your seam allowance (I used the width of my tape measure at 5/8" because 5/8" is where it's at)  Cut on your outside line, cut off your sleeves (save them if you want to have sleeves later). 

Consider the amount of stretch in your material too - if the fitted shirt you're using as the pattern is a lot stretchier than the band t-shirt, then you need that ease for the fit you're after.  Either adjust accordingly (I just eyeballed it when I cut) or try and use a shirt with a similar amount of stretch. 


I wanted to base the collar on this purple shirt.  I folded the front of it down the middle while the back fabric just kind of hung out (otherwise you can't trace the front collar if the back of the shirt is in the way).  Chalk on the line, add your seam allowance.  Do the same for the back. 


I just pinned on the sleeve, then leaving the pins in lifted up the purple shirt and put a chalk mark at each pin.  This gave me a dotted line for my sleeve.  It helps to have a padded surface to pin into. 


Now you cut it up and sew it together, finishing in whatever way you like.  I left the original hem because I liked the length.  I also decided to do a tank top, although I saved the sleeves thinking I might do a little cap sleeve or something.  When I decided not to I just did a rolled hem instead. 

Here's another rice bag tote.  I made it from an empty 50lb bag Super Lucky Elephant rice that I got from Costco.  We've gotten through have the bag and it's been in the pantry maybe 6 months, I put the rest into a big resealable container because I wanted to turn it into a grocery bag.

Maui County has passed legislation banning plastic bags, but it won't go into effect until 2011.  However, the little town where I do most of my grocery shopping already banned plastic bags well before the legislation!  Now I won't get scolded at the health food store for forgetting my reuseable bag, assuming I don't forget it that is.

I got a totally awesome package in the mail today from Instantkarma! 

Firstly, a rad crochet bikini


Various sized cozies to keep my arsenal warm, and a crochet dick with a PA!


Some awesome penis earrings, cherry earrings, and paper/bead earrings that match a conspicuously flesh toned bracelet!  I can wear porn in public now, without actually offending anyone


Action shot


And finally, the most awesome thing about the penis.... I can push the balls aside and wear it on my finger.  Or hide a tube of chapstick in there


Woohoo!  Love it all, definitely a great day too as I needed a little mood boost and am getting a giggle out of wearing blue dicks for earrings!

I am relatively new to sewing garments, my skill level is such that I can navigate a pattern just fine, but I don't really know how to alter it. 

The problem that I'm facing is that I sew the correct size in whatever pattern and it is inevitably too big for my boobs.  Like WAY too big for my boobs.  I am pretty sure I'm not making any mistakes measuring myself and I'm following the size guidelines. 

I wear a size 0 or 2,
I'm 31" around the bust, 28" under, 25" waist, 35" hips.  According to this Vogue package in front of me, that puts me somewhere between a pattern size 6 and 10, but I always make it to 6 since that's the closet to my bust measurement.

But when I got the garment together, it's massive!  It's too big over my boobs, and even too big around.  What am I doing wrong?

I've had the same problem with McCall's patterns as well, but on that one I sewed it to the smallest size and it was huge in the boobs but actually too small around the waist. 

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Edit:  I took some photos to illustrate my problem, there's a McCall's pattern and a Vogue pattern that have both given me... difficulties...  http://flickr.com/photos/mschristine/2389432320/

Idea from here: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=225068.0
Then I logged on just now and saw this one which is the same concept! http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=112423.0

A long time ago I dated a guy with a shoe fetish.. And he bought me this pair of shoes as a gift.  Nice of him to get me a pair of Manolo's, but why did he have to get the trashiest pair?!  Needless to say, they've been sitting lonely in my closet for years.



Thanks to the brilliant posts listed above, I revamped them into something I'll wear.

Here's my version of the Garden Tote from Simple Sewing by Lotta Jansdotter.

It's wet and muddy where I live, especially this time of year, so I opted for a vinyl coated canvas print instead of normal canvas.  This seemed like a good idea until I got to some of the last stages of sewing, but luckily my walking foot saved my project!



Thanks for looking!

I have had this silk scarf kicking around for years.  I really liked it, but never once used it for anything.  I got brave enough to cut it up and this is the result:







It was this pattern that inspired me, but I didn't actually follow it since it's in German and Google's translation efforts were... interesting.  I may try it again in the recommended jersey knit (where I have more fabric to spare and don't have to be so stingy - I'd like it a tad longer.)
http://www.brigitte.de/kreativ/selbermachen/wickeltop/index.html

Thanks any advance for any comments!

I have this thing that I started knitting.  It was supposed to be a sleeveless top, starting at the top of the hips.  I made a swatch before I started, I double checked my gauge so many times, but I failed to check the math in the pattern!

I was knitting to size 32", assuming 32" bust.  Either I did something wrong or had a math mishap, but I've got 32" around the part that's supposed to be the waist!



So far I've assumed the following as viable options:
 - Rip it out and start something else.
 - Make a different sweater entirely, and use what I've got already to make a long sweater starting at the widest point of my hips, so after ripping out the first strap the area that was supposed to be where the straps start would be at the top of my hips. My concern with that plan is that the color might not be suitable for a full sweater, plus I live in the tropics so when am I going to wear it?
 - Tie it in a knot and give it to my dog to play with (kidding)

I have 10 balls of yarn (including what's already knit up) it's Filatura di Crosa 501, 100% superwash wool - 50g/125m.

Thanks in advance for your brilliant ideas!

My husband has been sick so we had to cancel our plans last night.  We stayed in and while he was miserable on the couch, I made an apron.

I love to hand applique and wanted to put some on a simple halter.  Luckily I live in a climate where I can actually where this.


http://flickr.com/photos/mschristine/2115795761/