How I make Booty Shorts

I've had a few emails recently about the booty shorts I make for the girls. I wasn't able to contact those people directly so I'm hoping they check back.

The first time I made the booty shorts I traced a pair they already had. These were pajama shorts. The white that you see at the top is foldover elastic which I use because I have a lot of it. You can see how I did that on this post here

For the more recent ones I used Jalie 2445 as a base but didn't make them exactly the same as the pattern has a separate waistband. I think I combined the waistband and bottom portion of the shorts when I was tracing the pattern out.

I'm currently making booty shorts from the Ottobre 4/2004 issue. This issue has underwear, camisoles, leggings and shorts. The shorts and leggings are the same pattern. The shorts are very short, too much like underwear for my daughter, so I just extended the cutting line a bit. I will finish them up this week and post a picture next week with the older girl wearing them. She's at my sister's in Berkeley right now.

Yeah, those booty shorts are expensive! My girls take gymnastics and they sell them for $20!

Mail Sack from Pink Chalk Studios

I LOVE this bag! It is very easy to make. I made it as a gift for my friend Monique who kept my daughter for a whole week. She wouldn't let me give her any money for her keep. She'd eyed a similar looking bag at a scrapbook convention we went to. She even saw this pattern with me when we went to the Urban Craft Center and commented on how she could fit some scrapbooking stuff in there. I placed my order late Tuesday night and got it 2 days later. I went about cutting out the pattern pieces right away. Cut out the fabric and then had to go to Joann for the interfacing. They didn't have medium weight so I used heavy weight which seems fine to me. The bag is EASY people and very roomy. It easily fits a 12x12 album. The inside pockets are deep and large.
Because it was all looking a little too relevant, I used the Caramel Town Happy Chihuahua Blue for the inside pockets. For a little surprise and a little bit of happy. The outside fabrics are both County Fair Dottie by Denise Schmidt.

The bag is too long if worn over the shoulder. But once placed across the chest, I think the length is just right. Monique isn't very tall either, about 5'3". I'm 5'7" and it felt fine on me too.



Changes for next one: Make some kind of closure. It's very gapey. Make another, smaller pocket for easy and quick access to cell phone OR make an outside pocket. I don't really like digging around my bag to find my phone. They keys are no problem because I have a Purse Key Finder. Love that thing. This would be a great bag for being out all day too. Fit in a water bottle and a light sweater. Good for park days with the kids. Anything. Gotta start looking at fabrics for mine.

Been Busy

I've been busy baking and sewing. Baking just for fun. Had lots of overripe bananas to get rid of resulting in a few banana loaves, banana muffins, and my favorite, banana chocolate chip cookies. Here's some going to my sister and nieces in Texas.


Also made a new lunch bag for Omari. This is my own making. She doesn't like the bulky, store bought lunch bags and she's hard on her bags. This one finished out the school year. It's a decorator weight on the outside, fine corduroy on the inside and the thermo batting in between. I used webbing for this handle although previous versions were made with the same fabric. And a little velcro tab. You'd be pretty surprised at how much fits in here. Because it's not rigid, it holds any shape and size.


My little sister in Texas asked for a grocery bag holder for her birthday. She doesn't ask for much. From my other sister she requested a bedside holder. You know, the kind that hangs down from between your mattresses and holds your stuff.


I made this little pouch for Omari's cell phone. The top is the 2nd version. The bottom shows how the rectangle on the far left ended up once sewn. It came out way too small. Even the second version barely fits the phone. I'll have to attempt a new one.


And finally, steno pad covers. I purchased the pattern from Skip to My Lou. Yes, I could have figured this out on my own. But I'll gladly pay 2 bucks for someone else to figure it out for me. I made them for teacher gifts. You have to sew a very scan 1/4" seam on the sides and I'd say more like a 1/2" for the top and bottom seams. I had some empty space there.



I discovered with this pattern, that I hate rotary cutting. I use my rotary cutter to cut out all my fabric now when using a pattern. But using it to cut out a specified measurement was a PITA. I'd much rather make a pattern piece and THEN use the rotary cutter. Lining up the ruler and all that is just too much work. I made one more thing but that will get its own post.

Another Ottobre Tank Top

I used the same pattern as for the black one. This time I did the bindings as called for in the pattern. They were a PITB because that gold material kept curling out instead of in. But I managed. This one is also sheer and will be worn over a tee. I layered the black one over a white top to show the back and I really like it. This is the back. I think I'll make another one completely sheer to layer it.


And here's a picture of the front. I thought that the grew underlining would show through better but it just looks dark.

Some sewing and some fun

I surprisingly got some sewing done this weekend. The machine is still set up on the kitchen table. You're probably wondering why I'm in the kitchen again since I happen to already have a sewing area. That's because I have no tv in there and my portable dvd player stopped working. I have listened to my podcasts, books and music on my ipod, but I much prefer to have a movie on. So, I shipped out to the kitchen again and started watching the first season of Dexter. Very good show. I don't have cable anymore so I can't watch the new season.
Anyway, I made a few pairs of panties and a tank top using Ottobre #1 from the 2/2009 issue. I found this stretchy lacey fabric at Sally's at the mall and wanted to make something slinky. It has a bit of metallic thread in it. The front is lined with grey jersey. The back is left unlined. I used this ruffled edge elastic trim for the straps and front and back bindings. I made matching hipster panties, unlined and using the same elastic trim for the leg and waist treatment. Very sexy. I love it!




I used Jalie 2568, version C to make 3 of the 5 pairs and found that this pattern, in that version is a little small on me. I'll have to try sizing up next time.


I also had a fun Girls' Night on Saturday. Had dinner and drinks then went bowling with some of my best girls. 3 of us retreated to the hotel at 3am, 1 decided to go home, and the 2 of us that were left woke up at 9am. We lounged, took our time getting ready and then went our separate ways. My friends are loads of fun. We've been friends since high school. We are in touch almost daily via email, text or FB and I still can't get enough of them!

Birthday Fun and sewing again

So I've been on a bit of a sewing hiatus. I have left my fabric, rotary cutter, pattern weights, scissors and cutting board, laying out on my dining table. For 2 months. Thinking that having it there so readily available would move me to quickly cut something out. Trace something. Nah.

The bug came back this weekend. I cut out a few pairs of undies for me, some tank tops and 1 knit shirt. Still to be sewn but at least I have something ready to go. Today I made some emergency bralettes for Omari. She has started to "bud" and is experiencing some tenderness. I thought wearing the bralette might help with clothing chafing against her chest.


Last month I celebrated my 36th birthday. Every year I think I'm going to sew myself up something special. I haven't gotten there yet. I can't actually believe how a year has already passed since I had my 35th birthday. It doesn't feel like it was so long ago. This year I had a birthday dinner at a very fun sushi bar in N. Hollywood. I had a BLAST!!! Won a cheap t-shirt in the bday person dance-off! We couldn't stop talking about it for days! This place is like a club. There were mini table kegs, sake bombs, loud dance music, a show put on by the waiters. All in 2 hours. Too much fun was had. The boy I invited never called. How Rude! He missed out. Scroll down for a slideshow.

Boys

A boy should at least call a girl and tell her he doesn't want to go out, right? Asked a boy, okay, a man, out to lunch on Monday for Friday. Left a message on his cell phone and he hasn't responded. Hope this means he's just inconsiderate and not injured or hospitalized or something dramatic like that. He's a friend from 20 years ago. Reconnected on Facebook (that thing is fun)! Not looking for a love connection and I told him that. I'm just really curious about people that I knew in my past. I like to find out what's become of their lives, what they're like as adults. He's not the first person this has happened with either. Seems people reconnecting on Facebook like to say things like, "Let's hook up" or "We should get together sometime" but don't know what to do with that once the other person says "Okay." Oh well. I asked him to join me for my birthday celebration too in a couple of weeks. I think I will tell him he's off the hook and celebrate with my awesome girlfriends only.

No Sewing since the great Panty Making a few weeks ago. I'm missing it.