Elyse Susan

Old in to New-Ties and Lace

2011-09-05T22:12:00.000-07:00

Inspired by my favorite store Anthropologie, I saw these earrings while shopping and thought I could definitely come up with something similar. So after raiding mom's stash of lace, I cut out the shapes with little snip it scissors and I took a sponge brush and doused them with Stiffy. I then let them dry overnight and I put some earring hooks on. So easy and it saved me from making another purchase at Anthro! When needing creative inspiration that store will definitely help...if not drain you of a few bucks.

Pic from anthropologie.com

Above are my earrings!
In my recycling trend (and while continuing the raid at the parent's house) I took an old tie that my dad would never wear again and turned it in to the necklace above. Grand idea was found here. It almost looks like a collar to a shirt. LOVE it and it is very different. Can't wait to wear it. It's great to turn some old pieces in to transformed new pieces!

An Around the House Celebration

2011-08-19T19:43:00.000-07:00

I recently put on a bridal shower for my best friend Whitney who I am maid of honor in her wedding. The theme was 'around the house' shower so on the invite each person received a different room to get a gift for. I put a lot of home made touches in to the shower and I think it turned out really well!

Above is an overall view of the food table. Hanging on a strip of fabric are all pictures of Whitney and her fiance John.
Here is a close up of some of the food! It was all pretty yummy.

This was my most prized part of the shower. I made this 'flower' arrangement out of voile fabric that turned in to the center piece of the table. People did mistake it for flowers! Stuck in to this arrangement were cakepops! They were my first time making them-very long process but turned out good and delic in the end.
Here are my little food cards. I had my brother assist in this (aka he took the knife out of my hand in fear)-he cut a wine cork in half and then put a little slit in it for the card. This is very quick and would be a nice presentation for name cards at a table.
Here are my bride and groom cupcakes! I found this kit at Crate & Barrel a while back and it had the cupcake wrappers and the little bride and groom for the cupcakes. Really made the cupcakes stand out.

Here in the corner I had my gifts table. I made a banner out of fabric and then cut out the letters that spelled gift and sewed them on. Really cute addition for the table.
Here is my big helper-my mom! I could not have done it without her. She did so much for me and helped it all come together! Not to mention provide half of the platters and dishes...
She brought some very lovely flowers also! Fresh from the garden.
Here are some bridesmaids with the bride!
These were the favors-a little to go box to take some goodies home.
Me and the lovely bride to be!
After opening gifts, she was sporting the awesome apron that my mother made that everyone signed.

An all together great day!

Warrior Bootie...

2011-08-04T18:25:00.001-07:00

I haven't been in blog land in quite a while but I have been QUITE the busy lady. Yesterday my shirts came in for the Warrior Dash event I'm participating in in just a couple of weeks! I'm excited and terrified all in the same. I have a group of girls from work I am going with and we are going to tackle the course together! Of course we had to have cute shirts with a cute logo so hence the team name, 'Wardashians'. I was thrilled how the logo I designed came out on the shirts and can't wait to sport them the day of the even. Now to figure out what color shorts to wear...I probably should be more focused on the training then the outfit...

Now on to some bootie. hehe. The cutest lady I work with is having a baby (just a few weeks away) and we had a shower for her a few weeks ago. My friend told me about diaper cakes so I googled a tutorial and came up with the cake below! I had to top it with something fun and I came up with these crocheted booties below. They are SO cute and I thought camo was perfect for a little boy!

The booties were a quick thing to whip up and were a great 'cake topper'. The cake is centered with a bottle of baby powder and wrapped with some thin strips of fabric. Some people use ribbon but of course I went for the fabric. Then I just jazzed it up with some fun stickers I picked up at the craft store! This is a great idea for any baby shower.

Now let's hope the Warrior Dash doesn't kick my bootie!

Stitchin away

2011-03-28T17:54:00.000-07:00

Hello color! I recently got my hands on all of this gorgeous floss and pearl thread (a lil perk for working for a thread company) and I have so many projects I want to create with it! But here is a large project that I finally finished. I took elements out of the fabric I made for my shower curtain and created some wall art that were hand stitchings of some designs.

I took sketch paper and drew the design on the paper, and then I put it on top of the fabric and stuck the embroidery hoop on. You have to get the hoop really tight for it to be easy to work with. Then you just stitch over the paper and follow your design.

Then, I slowly peeled off the paper; to get the paper out of small areas tweezers really came in handy.

Then for my two larger pictures I put them in shadow boxes from Ikea. The two smaller prints were just in regular frames from Ikea as well.

And vuala! Here they are all put together! It really added something to the bathroom.

Here is the shower curtain that it all started from. A large fabric print and adding a solid border is the easiest way to make a shower curtain. Putting grommets in the top of the curtain really adds a good look to it and they are so easy to install. Much easier then putting in button holes. Enjoy!

2011-03-23T18:10:00.000-07:00

So my big news finally came in the mail! I got an advanced copy of Sew News magazine and I am officially published! It's my first sewing piece in a magazine. I was asked to sew a raincoat out of Amy Butler's pattern last year and I only had a short time frame to do it in. It was the first time working with the laminated fabric so it was quite the challenge. I struggled but got through it and was able to write an article on how to use the laminate fabric....and then I got a 4 page article! So excited. Check it out!

2011-02-26T20:20:00.000-08:00

I finished another block in the Block-A-Palooza! This was definitely the hardest one so far but I got it done! This block took me two nights...it's a good thing I don't have an exciting social life; I mean, it would really put a damper on my sewing. :)

I really like the solid teal with the purple dots on the flying geese border. I think it really pops. I wish I picked a second bolder print for the center 9 patch, but I think all together it looks pretty good. So excited to how this quilt is coming along. I am a little behind on the Palooza but I'm determined to catch up!

Bonding Moments

2011-02-22T15:57:00.000-08:00

So this weekend I had the grand idea to replace my current dresser with a new one from Ikea. I have had my eyes on it for awhile so Saturday I went! Mom and dad met me at the store with their truck and off to my condo we went. It was about 11 and we figured we would be done by 12 and off to the bro's for lunch. Yeah not so much...a million parts and three hours later, we have a dresser! My dad was awesome in doing most of the work. Notice the purple hammer...

To start the week off I spent some quality time with my friend Jeff P. and he taught me how to make these awesome fabric baskets. I've never made these or seen them so it was awesome to learn. After wrapping the cord for FOREVER we finally got to sewing and this is how it turned out! These baskets are so fun to make and I plan to make many more! Thanks Jeff!

And here it is, my two projects all put together! Many thanks to Dad and Jeff. (And Mom of course for the company).

Block #4 (Yes I skipped 3)

2011-02-08T20:22:00.000-08:00

So yes, it is 11:30 and WAY past my bedtime. I will regret this in the morning. But with too much on my mind, sewing always has been a good distraction for me so I attacked Block 4 with an aggression. I'm currently having some issues with Block 3 so I can't let that hold me up! Feeling a little crazy stepping out of order anyways.

Below reveals my favorite block yet! I just love how the colors came together. My roommate has been helping me with the fabrics through this project. Her little contribution. I just can't start with a block without having that confirmation from someone that it all flows well together.

Well I'm off to bed-extra coffee in the morning for sure.

First week finished!

2011-02-05T18:24:00.001-08:00

So I have completed the first week of Block-A-Polooza! Below is the second block on the blog tour. This block definitely took up some time. All those little squares took so much time to sew! And of course me being the meticulous person I am, had to match up the square points as best as I could. I probably re-pinned some pieces five different times to try and get them right. Now I'm on to the third block. One of the steps says 'sew with a scant'. Not sure how to do that so I will be googling how to do that!

Below is another project I have started (there are just so many) that is long overdue. I'm going to try and get it done this weekend and then I will show you more!

My First Block!

2011-01-29T09:32:00.000-08:00

So I have finished my first block in the Block-A-Palooza! It was fun and stressful at the same time! I so wanted everything to line up perfectly and did my best. Of course when I posted the picture on my blog I noticed a mistake that is staring me in the face but it's just not worth it to tear it apart! Hopefully it's just one of those things that I notice and not anybody else. Now I need to start on the next block that has only a million pieces to cut out. Oh how I have an appreciation for quilters!

A Succesful Clothing Piece

2011-01-24T18:10:00.000-08:00

For a long time now I have been attempting many garments...but they never work out. The piece may turn out great, but it never fits me. It's either to small (apparently I think I'm smaller then I really am) or looks horrible on me. I get very disappointed with it but I can't seem to give up on it! Well this weekend I decided to take a stab at a skirt pattern, and once again, it didn't work out. So instead of tossing in the towel like I usually do, I took it and made my own pattern out of it. I made up my own pattern and turned it in to this wrap skirt below. It was out of a plaid wool blend I got on clearance at Hancock's. What a treat! Maybe with some more practice I can master this garment sewing.

So on to my next project. Well my next project of many. I was hunting around on blogs today and came across Quilt Dad's blog and there is a Block-A-Palooza that has started today! I'm definitely not a quilter-I leave that up to my mom, but decided this would be a great way to learn some techniques. Below is my first block that is all cut out, and just needs to be sewn up. Click on the icon to the left to find out more about it. Join in on the fun! I will be posting my blocks as they are completed.

Snow Days

2011-01-11T12:07:00.000-08:00

It has been doing a lot of the above outside so that means staying home and staying warm! People from North Carolina are not aware of how to drive in these conditions so there is a lot of time spent on the couch when this happens.

My big crochet project is this Sardinia sweater I have been working on for awhile now. It's come quite a long way but I still have a lot to due. I was first inspired to make this sweater when I saw it here. The book is the Summer Crochet book by Rowan that you can get here.

This is a crochet hook holder/book that my mom surprised me with at Christmas. It's amazing! I used to keep all my hooks in a little cosmetic bag but here it is organized and it carries scissors, ruler and all my hooks. She is so creative and knew what I needed!

Here is a shot of it open. She chose great fabrics from one of my favorite fabric collections!

New Happenings

2011-01-05T17:39:00.000-08:00

A lot has been happening with little posts around here! Recently I have been trying to spend less money and make more in my sewing room. I love going in to stores, getting ideas from merchandise and then trying to recreate that product. My weakness is Anthropology and recently I saw some fabric necklaces there. So below is a picture of what I created. They were made with voile fabric and glass beads. Easy and quick to make

Below is what I have been most excited about! At the end of last year I was asked to sew a raincoat from Amy Butler's pattern with laminated fabric for Sew News magazine. It was a challenging project but I was determined to get through it. Usually you send in the sewn garment and they produce their own photography, but since my brother is a photographer I decided to take my own pictures. They must have liked our photography because they are showing a 'sneak peek' for the upcoming issue with our submitted photos! So my brother's photography is in the magazine and my friend Haley is the model! It could not be more exciting. So watch out for the next issue because the entire article will be there!

New Years Resolutions

2010-01-03T17:03:00.000-08:00

So besides the most common New Years Resolutions of losing weight and saving money, the real resolutions are focused on my sewing addiction. I mean really,I'm only trying to focus on the important things here.

So I would have to start with my sewing table. Now I am a very clean and orderly person...almost to the point of OCD. BUT, this sewing table is organized, only in my mind though. It consists of two aprons I have to finish, a Messenger Bag that I want to finish before I start classes in two weeks, a button down dress that I can't wait to complete so I can wear it with my cowboy boots, and a few other random things.

Next comes the pile of my fabric that is overtaking this shelf. Notice how the shelf is bowing? One day a huge crash is going to give me my first heart attack and it will be this shelf crashing down. But really, is there any good way to organize fabric? By the way I blame my addiction on my mother.

And not to mention all of the projects in my books I have not yet started but I am dieing to.
Oh and then there is this shirt that has been sitting on my mannequin for a few months that is yelling at me to finish.
And finally, my first crochet project. There have been many crochet projects since this one has began, but this particular project has not yet been finished. It consists of 12 skeins, and might be the slowest stitch of my life. But it's very pretty and matches my living room, so it will/must get finished.

So there you have it, my project resolutions. And no matter how busy I am with my job and school, oh, and that part-time job I felt I needed to add to my list, there is always time to sew, and they will get done! What are your project resolutions?

Christmas come and gone

2009-12-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

Can you believe that Christmas is already past?? I still can't believe this year is over. It seems when you stay busy, the time can just fly by. Once I finished my finals for the semester, someone mentioned at work that Christmas was the week after and my jaw dropped. I thought for sure I had an extra week in there! I am usually ahead of things when it comes to Christmas presents, but this year I was just on time! Many great presents I received will be shown on later posts when I can get pictures of everything. Below is a picture of the family on Christmas Eve. We went to go see 3 miles worth of lights and to our wonderful surprise, there was a petting zoo. A somewhat odd petting zoo that involved a zebra and a porcupine (um, we didn't pet that one) but much fun to say the least!

This is a project I have been meaning to show for a while. It is a lampshade makeover that I did for my apartment. I was given this lamp from a girl at work that was moving out of her house, so I snagged this lamp. It came with a lamp shade that was red that didn't go with my stuff. So I came across this lamp shade tutorial and loved it. I got a cheap white lampshade from Wal-Mart and began the project. I think it turned out great and really transformed the lamp. Now i just have to make sure mom doesn't steal it out of my apt!

Gino and his New Toy

2009-10-03T20:02:00.000-07:00

So during the craziness of school and getting ready for a work trip, I came across this tutorial here and thought I had to whip this up for Gino. I always am getting him a new toy and didn't even think how easy it would be to make until I came across this blog. By the way, this is a great blog to follow-good ideas and great tutorials. With the way he went crazy about this toy, I decided I might have overdosed it with the catnip. Excuse the high pitch voice on the video, I tend to talk to him in the crazy cat lady voice...

A QUILT!!!

2009-08-20T18:30:00.000-07:00

You had to see the pictures first right?? Can you believe it, I finished my first quilt! With help from my mother, and some co-workers, I finally completed this! Gino was even impressed with it. I'm going to have to keep that fur ball away from this. I created this quilt from Valori Wells Urban Flannel collection. It's a very large quilt (about a queen size) and very heavy due to it being flannel, but it's going to be cozy in the winter!

After creating my first quilt, I have a greater appreciation for all of those crazy quilters out there! And I mean that in the best way ever!

A Finished Project!

2009-07-20T10:07:00.000-07:00

I finally finished this shirt that I have been working on forever. There was one step that really stumped me, so it took me awhile to get back in to the project. This is an Amy Butler pattern and the pattern is really neat because it comes in many different lengths. The pattern is set up so that you can make a short top, a long top length (which I chose) or a dress length. I have worn it with a white cardigan and it looks really good. I also like it because it has pockets; I am a big fan of pockets for some odd reason. When it comes to sewing clothes for myself I have not been successful so this was really encouraging that it came out well, and that it fits! I have a fun dress pattern that I plan on attacking next.

This is the back view. It sort of scrunched up on my mannequin. I did my first invisible zipper. It came out well, just not to invisible...

These shoulders were the tricky part. If you look close you can see little pleats. Hard to sew but they are really cute! The shirt would be very plain without it!

After my move, there will be many more pictures and updates to come!

A Little Afternoon Project

2009-06-29T11:25:00.000-07:00

So this was just a small little project I came up with to cover up my boring calender/planner. I had made a cover for it before, but this time i wanted to put a closure on it. I used magnets for the closure, but I probably would have used Velcro if I had any on hand. I think that would have worked better. But, the magnets work good and when I get sick of this cover, I will make the next one with Velcro!

I used a print from Heather Bailey

The little pockets are really handy so I can stick my extra stuff in there without it falling out!

First for Batiks!

2009-06-25T05:54:00.000-07:00

I finally FINISHED a project that I have been wanting to do. That is my problem, I start projects, but finishing them is always the issue! I have been wanting to make a sewing machine cover for a long time now. Not only would it be pretty, but it would prevent dust and cat hair from getting in and on my machine. So when I came across this free tutorial on Sew Mama Sew! (which is one of my favorite blogs) I thought this would be quick and easy to make.

I had planned on using some scraps I had from previous projects, but when I came across some batik samples at work, I just had to use them! Mom helped me pick them out, which ended up in a pile of purple of course, washed them, and I was ready to go!

Here I was in the process of sewing all the rows together. Working on the floor may not be the best setup, but I make it work! Notice the trend in purple?

The finished product! I was thrilled with it and it fit my machine perfectly! Now my machine will stay dust free! Notice the sewing box on the left, that was another score from work. It holds all my thread which was piling out of a tin can before I got this.

This is the side view whick lets you see the ribbon that holds it in place. Picking out the ribbon was probably the hardest part. I was standing at Michael's for forever trying to pick the best purple!

Intro and My Sewing Machine

2009-06-09T07:26:00.000-07:00

I just created my blog and thought the post from Sew Mama Sew! would be a great way to start off my blog, with answering some questions about my machine!

What brand and model do you have?
I have a Janome 2139N

How long have you had it?

I have had this machine for about 4 years.

How much does that machine cost (approximately)?

This machine was around 100 dollars.

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?

I have done quite a range of sewing on this machine. I have made handbags, clothing, quilts and home decor.

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?

I sew alot! At least once a week. The machine does take alot of rough sewing. It has had some trouble when it comes to sewing with Home Dec. weight fabric.

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?

Well, my mother bought this machine for me my Junior year of college. At that time it was great because I only sewed with the machine when I needed to hem a pair of pants. Last year though, I really started sewing alot and that's when I haven't been such a large fan of the machine. Or it could be the fact that I went to my parents house, used my mother's Bernina and I realized how basic my machine was at that moment. I keep telling her she needs to upgrade her machine...

What features does your machine have that work well for you?

Well, the basic stitch works pretty well on regular cotton fabric! The machine would be happy with me if that is all I did!

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?

The machine tends to have it's own mind so it frustrates me when it messes up and I didn't do anything wrong!

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?

If you are looking for a basic machine with basic stitches this is the machine for you. It's great for hemming pants and working with basic fabrics such as cotton. This is not the machine for a big time sewer.

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?

Now that I have really been in to sewing, I have noticed that I really am sad to not have a lot of stitches. I have seven different stitches and those are your basic zigzag stitch and such. I want a machine that can do fun stitches so I can add a decorative border to a purse. Also, machines that come with a lot of feet are important. This machine did not even come with a zipper foot!

Do you have a dream machine?

Of course I do! Not a specific brand, but just an upgrade from mine. I would really like one that has a computer screen where you can do a lot of stitches and other great things that my machine does not have!