Phases of Crafting

Whether your just a beginner or so good you can do it with you eyes closed, every crafter goes through these phases when they craft something.

Design Phase

This is where you start with any craft. It can be a simple as looking as picking out a patter, or as complex as making a detailed drawing of what you want to make, with colors and materials listed.

-For Jewelry again you can look at instruction book, or make a drawing.
-Picking out blueprints
-Grabbing as many reference pictures as you can and putting them together is always a good place to start

Planning Phase

This is how you figure out what you are going to do to actually make the design a reality. Again it can be simple or complex.

-Make a task list of things that need to get done.
-Are you going to follow the instructions or pattern exactly or are you going to deviate.
-Are you going to make a pattern from scratch or are you going to work off other patterns.
-Gather the pattern you plan to use and then list which parts you are going to use from what
-List how you are going to use the patterns
-List the materials you plan to use, satin or crepe, rondelles or bicones, acrylic or wool.
-Figure out how much of each material you are going to need
-Choose your colors, even if this means buying swatches and taking them home for a week you need to pick exact colors before it's time to make the item.


Test Phase

This is the time to test to see if your plan works.

-If you drafted your own pattern, this is a good time to make a mock up
-line up beads to see if you like the combinations
-make a quilt block to see if the plan works, or the colors work, or whatever
-if it doesn't work here go back to design of plan phase to see what needs to be changed.

Make Phase

This is easy, make your item. Sew the dress, build the table, make the necklace, knit the scarf. You know what I mean.

and finally

Show it Off

You know what I mean. Take picture, show people, wear it, be proud you made something.

Every crafter from beginner to expert goes through these phases and you will see yourself doing it. Want to start a complex project this is where you start, you have to design and plan before you make.

Happy crafting

Renaissance Festival Dress: Picking a Pattern

Since Hoshicon is over the next even on my list is the Carolina Renaissance Festival, and I want to make a dress for it. I decided that I don't want to do anything overly complicated, so instead of designing my own I'm going straight from a pattern. Let me take you on the journey while I narrow down my choices.

Honorable Mentions
At this time the fall previews (2015) for both McCall's and Simplicity are available. Since I do not own any of the patterns from the fall preview yet, I did not include them in my selections. There are two that are worth mentioning though.

Simplicity 1094
McCall's M7218

The frozen fever one (Simplicity 1094), I would consider but probably not make because of the sort sleeve issue.

The peacock dress is one I could see working if I were going for enchantress or sorceress.

Runner Ups
All patterns that came close but didn't make it.

Simplicity
1137
1347(not currently available)

1487 (not currently available)

9891 (OOP)

4940

Butterick

4377

4571
McCall's
6940

Winner

Butterick 4827

Accessories:
Butterick 5371

Apple Bloom Boots

How I painted my Apple Bloom Boots.

I kind of wish I had mixed the paint with a textile medium before I started painting, or used the fabric spray paint. It might have worked better but you live and you learn. With this I am done with my Apple Bloom Cosplay.

Happy Crafting

Apple Bloom's Pants Alterations

Altering thrift store pants to make the shorts that Apple Bloom wears.

How to Make an Apple Bloom Bow

Here is how I made my big, red, Apple Bloom bow.

The Materials I used:
18 gauge copper wire
Barrette Clip
Stretch Satin
Matching Thread

The Tools I used:
Flat nose pliers, round nose pliers, and wire cutters
Sewing Machine
Serger

Happy Crafting

Apple Bloom Cosplay Breakdown

I've never really done cosplay before but I've been interested for a while. This is going to be my first cosplay I'm going to where to Hoshicon in July so I've got about 3 weeks to get it together. Here's how I started.

 

I'm so excited to get started.

Happy Crafting

Basic Pattern Symbols

Now that you’ve gotten your first pattern, you’ve figured out your size, and you’ve gotten your fabric you are ready to start sewing. Once you open your pattern and cut out your size you may look at the pieces and realize there are several symbols on the pieces. Each symbol has it’s own importance when it comes to making your garment. I’m going to introduce you to the basic and most common pattern symbols.

-Grain Arrow / Fold Arrow

These will be the most common symbols you will see, almost all pattern pieces will have one or the other.

The Grain Arrow

When laying your pattern pieces on your fabric to cut, you want your grain arrows to be parallel to your selvedges, this is done so that when you make your garment the pieces sit on your body and drape properly.

The Fold Arrow

A fold arrow is used, instead of a Grain Arrow, when the pattern piece needs to be placed against a fold. Instead of cutting two identical pieces you will cut one symmetrical piece.

-Notches

Notches are another symbol that will be on almost all pattern pieces.

Notches are used to match your pattern pieces up after you’ve cut your fabric. When you pin your pattern pieces together you want your notches to match up so that your seams will properly fit. Also they help if you are working with stripes or plaids so that your front and back will have matching stripes.

-Dots

You will run across quite a few dots on your pattern journey

These can signify multiple things. They can signify where to stop sewing a seam, like where you are going to stop a seam, like a split in a skirt, or the point where the zipper is going to start. They can also signify where a button or buttonhole is going, an eyelet, a hook and eye, etc. Usually the instructions will tell you what to do with your dots.

These are the basic symbols you will find in a beginner pattern. If you ever get confused about what a certain symbol means the pattern will have a legend for the symbols in the general sewing directions.