#MakingMaisel Pattern Giveaway!

UPDATE! Ignore the date listed below, because this giveaway now closed on April 1st! Comment to win, and remember, even if you aren’t participating in the sew-along, you are welcome to enter!

 

Remember when I said I was giving stuff away? I 100% am! Make a comment below to in any single one of these patterns, two modern, five vintage, which I am happy to ship anywhere in the world! Please state your pattern of choice! The giveaway closes on March 20th, so get your comment in!

Sewing for Small People updates and a giveaway!

First things first, here is the badge! I figured it out! I know it’s not as nice as someone who actually has skills in this department but whatever, guys, I’m excited!

It looks like this:

 

And here is the link:

<img src=”https://strugglesewsastraightseam.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/sfspsa1.jpg”>

I cannot for the life of me figure out how to put this in a little code box. I have looked at and tried to use so many tutorials to help me do this and all have failed (well, I guess I have failed, the tutorials are just fine, I’m just a technologically illiterate struggle.) So hopefully this is good enough for you guys!

So I have just returned from the Emerald Isle with some giveaway treats for you guys, and some new links and free ideas to play with! First of all, some new free stuff from the great and powerful interwebs:

I know, the adorable never stops. Now, for some goodies! First of all, ripped right off the backs of Irish sheep, we have this lovely treat for one lucky reader!

Of course I had to pick green, come on, it was Ireland! This is a DK (I think) wool from Donegal Wool Spinning Company, and it’s 214 yards. So it would be perfect for something like this:

Or this insanely adorable little set:

But that’s not all! No, I also have this for you, two vintage patterns!

Oh so adorable for a young lady….

AND

That is some 1970’s style right there, but with modern materials I think it could be pretty damn cute.

So comment to win any and all of these exciting prizes! Just leave a comment for which one you want (and if you want all of them, say that too!) and I will pick a winner after the giveaway closes a month from now, on February 10th!

 

Sew Grateful Giveaway Winners! (And Status Reports)

First and foremost, the giveaway winners! Thank you all so much for entering my giveaway, and might I add, I am so grateful for all of YOU. This sewing community is just the best thing that ever happened for my sewing journey, and I just adore how generous and smart and funny and sweet and interesting and talented you people all are, I love your stories, I love your struggles and I love your support. I have learned more from you fellow bloggers then I could have possibly learned on my own, and now, as I work in a costume shop, everyone makes fun of me for how often I say, “I learned it on a blog!”. Let them laugh. You people are amazing. I just hope that I measure up in some small way to all the talent I see out there on the interwebs.

Oh, and thanks for putting up with the cat photos, too. And for those who enjoy them, YOU ARE WELCOME.

Now, the winners!

McCalls 7362 goes to Kat H!

Vogue 2077 goes to AlaAmelia!

Simplicity 6309 goes to Karen Jones!

Advance 8622 goes to Mo!

Vogue 6910 goes to Laurie Glover!

Butterick 3097 goes to Lynne!

McCalls 8930 goes to jackieNj!

Simplicity 9254 goes to Brigid Boyer!

And there you go. Winners, please contact me by leaving me your email address in a comment so I can send you your patterns!

And I also wanted to let you nice people know what I have planned for the future. First of all, I have some garments to photograph and post (surprise, surprise, my productivity always outstrips my documentation). Also, my stash busting challenge continues with sewing for others and quilting! And, of course, given that I’m a busy graduate student with very little time, I’ve signed up for two NEW challenges! WHAT. IS. MY. DEAL.

First and foremost: 

I’ve entered Lucky Lucille’s Sew For Victory Challenge! I have to make a 40’s garment (or more….) by the 29th of March. Let’s see how that goes for me, shall we? I’m so excited to see what everyone makes! More inspiration posts and decision-making dilemmas to follow….

AND of course how could I possibly miss Julia Bobbin (who is a proud new mother to a simply gorgeous new person…) hosting another Mad Men Challenge? Me, who is so mad for Mad Men that when a classmate said it was boring I declared him dead to me? So I’m obviously all in for that, too.

Who to emulate, who to emulate…The due date for this one is the 19th of April. As my life if ruled by deadlines these days, I suppose I will just fit these in too, somehow…

Have you been entering any challenges lately? Are you participating in these two? Have I inspired you, or made you run screaming?

 

I am Sew Grateful: Giveaway!

Oh, goodness, is it Sew Grateful week already? My lord, how the time, she flies! And yet I am so unbearably grateful for the sewing community at large, and all of my readers, and really everyone out there who makes stuff and puts it on the interwebs and answers questions and alters and fits and obsesses and knows what I mean when I talk about seam allowance. But there will be time enough for that sort of gushing on Tuesday, for now, the giveaway!

I have nine vintage patterns I’m giving away to you lucky ducks. The way this will work is, the giveaway is open for a week, so from today, Monday the 4th, until next Monday the 11th. Let me know in a comment what pattern you would like, and I will draw a winner for each pattern on the 12th. I will ship anywhere, so please, enter if you want it! A lot of these would be excellent for Julia Bobbin’s Mad Men Copy Cat Challenge, which I am more then excited to enter, having had a huge blast doing it last year.

1. Bust 38

2. Bust 38 3. Bust 37 (I’ve actually made this one!)4. Bust 36

5. Bust 365. Bust 386. 8.

9. Bust 37 (So very Megan from Mad Men, no?)

So just let me know which one you want, and, if you have a moment, tell me your favorite thing about sewing! My favorite thing? Oh, dear, there are so many but I would have to say I really enjoy pressing, odd as that sounds….

Odd Behaviour

Much as it may surprise you, I have very little to say. I’m sleepy, work is busy, Cadfael is slowly but surely adjusting to his new space, and my quilting class was fun this evening. Quilting is…different. Have you ever tried it? It’s not like garment sewing, and it’s hard for me to picture the final product and the way all the colors are going to work together. Of course, that was hard for me with clothing at first, but at least you have a pattern photo….But the prospect of being able to effectively use my scraps is just way too wonderful to pass up on, so I must persevere. We go on, facing our trials as they come.

Yeah, that’s all I’ve got tonight. Sometimes I’m quiet. Tell my family, they’ll never believe it.

The giveaway!

I’ve actually made the pajamas before! Yeah, they were a bit snug for my rather generous bosom, but I think they are unbearably cute…

Right? Super cute.

I think this has the potential for greatness, in the right hands.

This would look excellent on someone with a body completely unlike my own.

There you have it, folks, short and sweet. So comment to win, and tell me, when was the last time you tried a new craft? How did it go?

Moving is the Worst

Where the hell have I been, you might be asking yourselves, and where were those promised giveaways? Readers, I have failed you. But in my defense, moving is the worst. Seriously. I moved on Saturday but I was so worried I wouldn’t pack everything up in time that the anxiety has plagued me all week. But I did it! And THANK YOU to my family and my brother’s lady friend who helped me. And THANK YOU to Brother Cadfael who survived the move with ablomb. And now I’m living with my parents, back home, with all my stuff in boxes in the basement, and it’s stressful in a different way, and I have to do it all AGAIN in about 20 days. Good times. Happy times.

ANYway, I promise I’ve been sewing. In fact, I’m taking a quilting class! I know, I know, quilting, it sends shivers up the spine, but I haven’t succumbed to the dark side, I just REALLY NEED to be able to do something with all my scraps. I actually have been working on a quilt on my own (more on that to come) but I fear I might have made a bit of a hash of it (to go all British on you) so I thought maybe a class would help. And I’m doing a bunch of embroidery (really hoping to catch me that 18th Century lord for a husband) and I even am making clothing, like I do, but that’s all going to have to wait for photo time. But I feel honestly dreadful that I missed a week of giveaways, so I’m going to post one now, one tomorrow and one on Wednesday and the deadlines for all of that will be next Friday. And then I will actually SEND the winners their stuff (I PROMISE!) and life will go on, like it does. But first,  the winners of giveaways 5 and 6!

Number 5 is Susie Homemaker, MD! And I’m so making that jam, Susie, just try to stop me.

Number 6 is Stardust Soul! Email me, ladies, and I will send your new patterns.

And now, a giveaway!

Aren’t they lovely? In their way?

What now? Yes. This is a real thing.

That’s actually rather nice. The pockets!

A sweatshirt! That’s such a practical pattern for many.

Comment to win, of course. And thank you all for your thoughts on my latest dress and on what to do with that damn navy linen. I still have made literally zero choices about this, but hey, at least I have some input on the subject. Sigh. Am I the only person who feels like they should apologize each time they wear shorts? I just can’t believe they are real pieces of clothing, and I don’t know why I keep making/wearing them…but I LIKE them! I’m sick, people, in the head. Thanks for being cool about it.

 

 

Night to Day: Giveaway #6 (And by the way, I need your help)

Rough winds have shaken the darling buds of July and it is rainy, wet and honestly a touch chilly here in Philadelphia, not that I’m complaining, given that I’m on a bike for much of my day, so biking in the cool air is preferable to biking in the heat. I do both, as it turns out, but still, it’s nice when there us a breeze. I’ve been working on several new projects, two for my mamala, whose birthday is this coming Wednesday, one with the small person I’ve been teaching to sew, and one for the dinner I’m throwing tomorrow. That one is all done, expect photos and a dedicated post soon, along with some delectable food shots….

But for now, you will have to content yourselves with another giveaway, and a shameless plea for aid.

First things first, the winner of giveaway #4! And that is….Cindy, of Cation Designs! I think I’ve made my adoration for Cindy abundantly clear, but might I just say right now, thank you all, everyone who has been commenting to win on these giveaways! I really adore reading your comments, and I’m so thrilled that these patterns are going to such amazing people! Keep on commenting, I’ve got lots more goodies in store….

And here they are! Patterns which are far too small for me, but which I can’t help but find unbearably charming…

A closer look? But of course!

This could even be a cute dress, minus all the lace crap…

I actually really want all their shoes…am I alone?

Very Victorian, no? Or even Edwardian, for all those Downton Abby Fantasies…

And now that I’ve dangled patterns in front of your face as a bribe, please help me. If you want to enter this giveaway, or even if you don’t, would you mind terribly weighing in on my current internal sewing debate? I have 1.5 yards of 60″ navy linen, and it is awesome. It looks like this:

In the right hand corner you can JUST see some Cadfael paw. It’s a nice linen, even darker than this photo might suggest.

So I’m not really sure what to do with this length of fabric. Part of me says, make a skirt! You love skirts! And part of me says, make shorts! Make THESE shorts:

I’ve made them before, in fact, and I honestly adore them. But given all the shorts I’ve been making lately, I feel a bit silly making another pair, and a high-waisted style at that…

Or I could make this:

Okay, the cover art isn’t awesome, but I’ve made this before, the skirt and the pants, and the skirt, in a navy wool, is something I wore all winter, check it out.

Or I could do this:

Which of course I’ve made rather recently. And I can’t lie to you, I wear this at least once a week.

Or I could make something that ISN’T one of these options. What would you suggest? What do you like best? Any thoughts? Of course, it could just remain a perch for Mister Fattie:

Somehow, that doesn’t seem like the best use of this fabric…

Okay, tell me what to do! Or just tell me what YOU would do….

For ME? You shouldn’t have! (And something for you too, plus winners!)

My package came! My package came from Stitch and Witter, aka Joanne, aka an awesome lady I have been paired with for the Summer Swap 2012! What a wonderous event! Oh, the joy that I feel, it is astounding. What did the lovely Joanne send me? Take a look, abre tus ojos y mira:

RIGHT? It’s AWESOME. There is a liberty of london covered belt buckle (swoon), vintage buttons, a yo-yo maker, an OWL PINCUSHION aka the best thing ever, a corsage making kit, and some FABRIC. WHAT? Yes. Thank you a thousand times, Joanne, I was so delighted when I received this today!

But it is better to give then to receive. No, it’s not, that’s lie we are told as children, that’s just nonsense, but it’s what people say, so let’s go with it. So if you would like to see what I myself gave Joanne as part of this extremely fun swap, see her post here. I hope this is an annual thing, and THANK YOU Kestral, for making this happen!

And for YOU people, another giveaway! But first, the winner of giveaway #3, and it is…..Cynthia of Dapper Duds! Cynthia, email me at leah.franqui@gmail.com and I will send your patterns along!

And for this week, a set I simply must say I totally adore:

You might actually recognize one or two of these puppies as one’s I’ve actually made. Yes, back in the days when I thought resizing would be a fun thing to learn, not an ardous chore of evil….Yes, indeed, Simplicity 7866, a pattern I have made 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 times. WHAT? Yes. I will probably make more, too. I still have the re-sized pieces. But this, much smaller set, is yours for the winning!

This one I have not made, but I love it. And I love the slippers in version b. Adorable.

How lovely is this pattern? With the coat, and everything? Sure, it’s a little matchy-matchy, but you could make it WILD….

And I’ve made this one, too! I actually really love this pattern, I gotta make this again…so much to sew, so little time.

So yes, please comment to win, as always, And this time you could tell me about patterns you’ve made more than once, and why!

Also, a note: I love responding to comments, but I haven’t been responding to the giveaway comments because I didn’t want people to glance at the bottom and think, oh, wow, 50 comments, I will NEVER win this, might as well not try. But if you promise not to freak out, I will respond to comments. Because I love it so.

So Close, and Yet, So Far Away: Giveaway #4! (And winners from #2!)

Another day, another giveaway…. I promise I’m actually sewing, people, not just giving stuff away. In fact, I’ve been teaching a small person to sew (small meaning young, not petite, just so you know), and it’s been a very interesting experience. It’s made me think a lot about how large a part of my life sewing has become, and the things that once seemed strange which are now completely automatic. For example, she’s been having trouble with the pedal and finding a comfortable speed, and as I watched her struggle with this, trying desperately not to pepper her with advice or jump in there myself (it’s rough for a control freak, people, it really is), I thought, wow, when was the last time I even THOUGHT about the pedal? I just put my foot down and go, man. Sometimes slower, if i’m topstitching, but generally it’s like wham, bam, thank you ma’am! It’s amazing how things become ingrained in your body so quickly that they feel second nature. Of course, there is still so much I want and need to learn about sewing, but as I watch a true beginner, it’s also nice to realize that I’m not there any more.

First of all, let me announce the winner of Giveaway #2, and it is, drumroll please……Oonnaballona! Use them in good health, my tiny friend who is able to fit into these patterns which I look at with longing and sad realization. Let me know how to get them to you!

And onto the next batch:

SO close to my size (a 36, if you must know) and yet far enough away that I’m too lazy to re-size them or deal with large seam allowances etc. I’m just really lazy, people, I would rather host a blog giveaway and pay for shipping then re-size a damn pattern. Yeah.

This could actually be a pretty gorgeous coat with the right fabric. I’m not going to comment on the trousers, I haven’t the strength.

Their expressions are just too precious.

This is actually my favorite among this lot. Especially version two, with the grommets or whatever they are. Very chic. Side buttons make my bosom look odd, but if you DON’T have that problem this could be an awesome dress.

You know the deal by now, comment to win it, and tell me of your weekend plans! Or tell me about your process of learning how to sew, I’m genuinely interested!

I’m Just Not There Yet: Giveaway #3 (And Winners from #1!)

I just realized I never set expiration dates on these giveaways, as I am wont to do. So I’m going to tell you right now that I’m announcing the winners from the 1st giveaway today, and on Friday you will get to hear the winners from number 2! And a week from today, i.e. next Thursday, you will meet the winners from this here giveaway. And so on and so forth.

So here we go, giveaway #3! And where am I not, yet?

Yeah. So, on Monday I celebrated my 25th birthday, which was very nice, and thank you all for your lovely thoughts and words, you people are just too sweet. Much sweeter then I, that’s for certain. And while I’m very excited about my future, and I know that it holds many surprises, I’m just in no way ready for it to involve little people. Little cats are about all I can deal with right now. So here you go, for those of you with little people in your life, or little people on the way, some goodies!

A maternity pattern for those who want to look like Mad Men even in their “condition”.

A wee pair of overalls or a bloomer-top set, for the child in your life.

And a dirndl for the frualein you like best!

And the winner of the giveaway is…..Giggles In The Sun! Congratulations! Please email me to let me know where I can send your lovely gift, at leah.franqui@gmail.com!

Good luck, people! And there is so much more to come…

Do you like small people? Know someone with a small person? Contemplating a small person yourself? Enter away!