Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in Look what I made!'s LiveJournal:

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Friday, February 10th, 2012
10:00 pm [bean_bunny]	FOs More gifts I sewed. This is, in fact, a stuffed Steve and Danno. A tardis scarf with pockets. (Comment on this)
Saturday, January 28th, 2012
12:11 pm [dark_phoenix54]	I started this vest in 2009. I was going to wear it at Steamcon I. Steamcon 3 has now passed, months ago. The fabric was kind of the fabric from hell. It's a synthetic brocade (jacquard? Can never remember which is which) from Mulewart. It frays if you so much as look at it. It's thick and doesn't fold or bend well.The fact that I picked a princess seamed pattern was blindingly foolish with this fabric. The pattern was supposed to be a lined vest. I have a fear of linings, so I decided to flat line it and cut facings for the front. Fine, except that this fabric needed to have all edges enclosed. Crap. I ended up binding a lot of the seams, all the edges that weren't faced, and the princess seams I overcast and prayed for. Buttonholes? Right. Fear of them, too. No way could this fraying stuff have regular machine buttonholes, plus, the buttonhole setting on my machine doesn't work right. So I made a foray into the wonderful world of bound buttonholes. I'd made them exactly once before, about 37 years ago. And they weren't great. But watching a Project Runway marathon and having Tim Gunn's "Make it work!" ringing in my ears I bulled my way through. They aren't pretty; they look like a 12 year old made them. But they function. Barely. So, after two and a half years, I present the butterfly vest (the brocade pattern is butterflies): (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, January 21st, 2012
11:40 pm [icy1486]	I did it! I sewed my first small bag! Today I sewed my first small bag. I always wanted to learn how to sew and finally I decided to try it today. And that's the result. I mean, it's black and aslope and looks a bit meaningless, cause its all black, BUT I sewed a bag! *yeah* No idea why photobucket always uploaded this photo that way.... Normally it's rotated 90 percent anti-clockwise... If somebody is interested: I archieved the development HERE at icy1486 ! (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012
9:41 pm [kanataa]	Sewing Machine Help ヽ(；▽；)ノ Hi guys! So, I just got my first sewing machine for Christmas. I had problems with it once I brought it back from my grandma's, but then I fixed it and now it's back!  The following happened before, but was temporarily fixed. I ran out of thread on my bobbin, so I rethreaded my machine completely with a new thread. The thing is, the thread's coming right off the needle! I know I'm new to the sewing scene, but I think I'm threading it right! @__@ The needle goes into the fabric (regular cotton) and get's all loopy and such after a stitch or two, and then the thread comes out of the needle and it doesn't do anything else. I've rethreaded it three times now, each with a different thread! Ahhhh, this is confusing. Current Mood: anxious (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, December 27th, 2011
1:21 pm [kate_mct]	Need help with new sewing machine I received a brand new sewing machine for Christmas and last night I decided to thread a bobbin just to have something to do with it since I don't have anything to sew on right now. After a couple of tries, I got things threaded correctly, but I noticed that after I was done, some of the thread looked loose and sloppy and the bobbin was completely full. What am I missing? I have a Singer Tradition 2277. Thanks in advance Paige Current Mood: aggravated (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, December 23rd, 2011
8:37 pm [dark_phoenix54]	A crazy pieced and embellished rooster. Sadly, it has a few problems. One, by the time I got all stitched around them and stuffed, the feet are too small to support it; it wants to fall over if it's just leaned against something. Two, it looks like a duck with a poofy hat on instead of a rooster. Oh, well, The recipient likes ducks, too. It's just that the kitchen is rooster themed. ( Read more... ) (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Tuesday, December 20th, 2011
1:36 pm [psychopathic1]	winter is here! it was getting drafty in the kitchen, so i felt it was time for a round of door socks! ( mo door sock ) Current Mood: cheerful (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, October 1st, 2011
7:08 pm [guineapigpeanut]	New Community! Holiday and Seasonal Crafts holiday_crafts This is a community dedicated to all things festive and crafty. From Christmas cookie recipes, to fall decorations, to summer time beverages, we accept anything handmade and festive. This community is all about ideas and inspiration for year-round fun! So join, find inspiration, and (of course) show off your work! Please feel free to delete this post if community promotions are not allowed. :D (Comment on this)
Monday, September 19th, 2011
4:47 pm [ellymeri]	Bustle Skirt Last week I designed a Bustle skirt.I used one of the vintage fabrics I've been holding onto for awhile. The color is a really nice lilac. You can see details in my etsy listing.   (Comment on this)
12:40 am [guineapigpeanut]	Fat Quarter Ideas? I recently bought a bundle of fat quarters simply because I loved the prints. Now, I’ve no ideas what to make out of them. Well, besides quilting I’ve no ideas. Does anybody have any interesting projects I could use my bundle for? (9 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, August 17th, 2011
8:01 pm [bean_bunny]	Bean Stalk Update! At my site, http://www.beanbunny.com/dolls.html, I like to put up sewing tutorials. The tutorials are for 18 inch dolls, like American Girl dolls, but you could easily alter them to fit any other sort of doll. (Or maybe a human if you're good?) American Girl used to make an outfit called the Gardening Outfit. It was so stupidly simple that there was no point buying it when you could make it yourself: It's not hard at all. No pattern needed. Come on over and check it out. Oh, and you can see images of the completed outfit here. (Comment on this)
Saturday, July 2nd, 2011
2:30 am [bluefalconchick]	WARNING: Jo-Ann Fabrics has their McCalls patterns on sale for $0.99 each-ANY PATTERN, up to 10 patterns. I think the sale ends on the 3rd or the 4th of July. Yes, I just spent $10 on patterns. Yes, my best friend spent $10 on patterns as well. Yes, we are thinking of going back tomorrow and getting more... The Jo-Ann's in my area also has a coupon in their sale paper for the week for 40% off one regularly priced item, which greatly helped with the boo-koodles of furry fabric Chrissy was buying :) Current Mood: chipper (Comment on this)
Thursday, June 30th, 2011
1:46 am [whisperkit]	Practical Cloak Designs; Arm Access? So, I'm planning on making this cloak for winter. I'll tone it down a touch (make the bordering from the same fabric), but I'm mainly trying to keep it as intact as I can for casual/day-to-day wear. I like the design. The problem that I can see is this. I've never made a full-cloak before (it looks like the obvious openings are the twin lapel-area zips). How would I go about making this so that my arms can still easily reach outside the outer layer, without compromising the shape or too much of the warmth of the garment? Do I just make massive armholes on the inner layer, or is there a more subtle method? Overlapping on a long slit, perhaps. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Tuesday, May 24th, 2011
12:38 pm [bluefalconchick]	Hello! I come to you today seeking ( sizing help in sewing children's clothes... ) Current Mood: confused (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Wednesday, May 18th, 2011
4:45 pm [schneckerock]	help? I'm making costume pieces for my daughter's play and am having some technical difficulty. we're using this pattern, the yellow daffodil, but have enlarged it to fit girls age 4-8. the enlarging worked and all but the petals aren't staying up very well. I put wired ribbon into the top on figuring the sides would be fine, but they aren't completely. I mean, it's ok, but not perfect. I have to make 8 of these and have only one assembled, but the petals are all made, (just not stitched into bonnets). so double interfacing isn't an option. plus there's the time crunch of me supposing to have these done by saturday. :P (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, May 9th, 2011
1:58 pm [abby_i]	Quilted Butterfly Bag Just finished an everyday use bag, quilted by hand-stitching over 230 bufferfies with gold thread. More photos and details here. (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, April 20th, 2011
4:51 pm [theirea]	DIY: Jewel Jacket I bought a bag of broken jewellery from the antique shop a few months ago and here's what I did with it!!! (details & tips to make your own) (Comment on this)
Thursday, March 31st, 2011
9:48 pm [static_ip]	Making a dress without a pattern. I'd like to make a v-neck slip style dress. I am having no luck with my google-fu in finding a tutorial for this. Anyone here have a suggestion? I've thought about buying a slip to pick apart, but most slips are made from stretch fabric and I'll be working with no stretch. My sewing skills are minimal. :( Thanks for taking the time to answer. (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011
4:25 pm [tania_gru]	Big Book Project As previously mentioned on this blog, I own a sewing book by Ella Lund called "Professorinde Ella Lunds Store Sybog" or translated "The Large Sewing Manual by Professora Ella Lund". DISCLAIMER; As I have contacted the publishing company, who no longer has the rights to the book, and have been unable to find any heirs of the author, I feel like I have done what I could to get permission. If said heirs do turn up and do not give permission for this work to be accessible, which I find highly unlikely, then I will of course delete these posts again. Another disclaimer, I am not a professional translator, but I am willing to correct mistakes in spelling and meaning, if you find them. The book contains the book and 42 pattern sheets. I will translate the book and add the pattern sheet relevant to the chapter, you will have to print it out and tape it together. Here is the foreword by Ella Lund, the introduction will come tomorrow. Tania Lund, Ella. The Large Sewing manual: Sew Clothes for yourself and your Children. 1575 illustrations and 6 colour pages. Foreword. As a housewife I have often missed a collected selection of patterns, as well as explanations on the most useful sewing techniques, and it is that longing, I seek to obliviate by making this sewing manual. It is meant for every woman, who wants to start sewing clothes for themselves, but particularly for housewives with children. With this book it will now be possible to create the everyday wardrobe for the changing fashions, since the book contains, both for children and adults, patterns for ordinary clothes as well as raglan and kimono patterns, there are patterns for outerwear for both children and adults as well. A lot of people will be able to adjust the silhouette to the prevailing fashions. For encouraging the creation of this book and the good advice in the editing, I thank Mrs. Elly Svarre Morthensen, Kgs. Lyngby. A profound thanks I also want to give to M.lle Rachel Braet, professour de l’enseignement technique superieur au caours normal de coupe at de confection a l’Institut Technique, N.D., Gand, whom, while visiting me and during my visits to Belgium, has given me the benefit of her superior knowledge and many valuable informations. I would also like to thank my employees for their excellent work on creating this book. Those are: Teacher at the Technical School in Aarhus and at the Elizabeth Academy, Ms. Ellen Duedal Madsen, who has done all the small work drawings, the patterns, and have been of such good help in making this book. The illustrator is Annie Borges, who has drawn all the models. My daughters Marianne and Hanne, who has been of great help. Elisabeth Academy, Risskov by Aarhus. Ella Lund (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, February 17th, 2011
1:12 am [whisperkit]	Lycra: Machine dropping Right-Hand Zigzag stitches? Hi everyone, I'm trying to sew lycra/spandex and, despite having done so many, many times in the past on the same machine, it's now giving me problems. I've set it to zig-zag so as to preserve the stretch, but when sewing lycra the thread seems not to catch underneath on the right hand, leaving a messy straight-stitch that predictably snaps at the first sign of stretching. What's causing this? I've checked that both the cotton and the bobbin are threaded correctly and that the needle is new, sharp and slim. When sewing on a non-stitch fabric, it performs perfectly. But the moment I put the lycra through, it messes up. For the record, I'm using a default foot and a Janome 4618LE. This is a project with a deadline in 8 days, so having this problem suddenly occur 3/4 through is incredibly frustrating. Thanks in advance, everyone!  Current Mood: annoyed (3 Comments |Comment on this)