September 2013 | Go-Go Kim

sewing + social media + so much more

Monday, September 23, 2013

We are HERE!!!!

We have had visitors for the past week.  Some expected and some unexpected so things have not been normal around here.  Not that things here are ever "normal" but it is less than even the usual.  It is always great to see family so while the sewing may not be happening at the pace I would like ( or need at this point) I am going to make the most of spending time with our family and know that I can make up for lost time sewing later.

I was able to sneak this gem in!  I have been wanting to make a paper pieced compass for maybe EVER!  I found this free pattern from Quilting on the Square and it is BRILLIANT!  I could not resist making it scrappy.  I did make some minor color changes to make the center pop a little more. instaed of dark blue and light blue, I chose green and aqua. I want to make ALL of them now.  This one is for a special project  and I cannot wait to see how it turns out :)





and OMG!!! My swap blocks came in the mail!!!!!


Look at this sweetie pie!




Our wonderful hostess Kris made these fun key fobs with camera fabric. Great swap!!!!! Thank you Kris!!!! 



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Monday, September 9, 2013

Purse Palooza 2013!!!!


Here we go AGAIN!!!!!  So much fun last year with great bags and tons of cool prizes!!!! Jacked Sara's original post since it has EVERYTHING you need to know about this crazy cool event!!!  Hope you will join up and many thanks to Sara for organizing the fun!



Purse Palooza 2013



Announcing Purse Palooza 2013!!

Due to the out-of-the-ballpark success and fun of Purse Palooza 2012 last year, I have put together a fun event to get you sewing a purse for 2013! Here's how it works:

1. Every weekday from September 30th - October 25th, I have 2 amazing guest bloggers scheduled to share with you a purse sewing pattern review. None of the purses reviewed last year are being reviewed again, so these will be fresh sewing pattern reviews! The review will contain detailed information about what they thought about the sewing pattern, modifications they made, what kind of interfacing they used, and more! Get inspired!

Aeroplane Bags

2. Even more exciting...THERE WILL BE A GIVEAWAY EVERY WEEKDAY DURING THE EVENT! That's right, 20 GIVEAWAYS! This year, I have some help with the giveaways - Tiffany of This Crafty Fox will be putting together the giveaway posts, so check back here during the weekdays in October!

3. At the end of the event, you will get a chance to show me your purse in order to win some amazing prizes! Of course, international entries are welcome too!

Dot Dot Dash Bag
Pattern Review Schedule
All About Bag Interfacing

September 30 - Sara - Sew Sweetness (Serendipity Studio - Media Frenzy Camera Bag)
                       Kim - My Go-Go Life (Sew Sweetness Lilium Laptop Bag)
October 1 -       Samantha - At Home with Mrs. H. (Chris. W. Sugar and Spice Bag)
                       Rachael - Imagine Gnats (Bari J. Green Living Bag)
October 2 -       Anna - Charmed Liebling (Studio Kat Tandem Tote)
                       Mary - Mary on Lake Pulaski (Primitive Pieces Ewe Old Bags)
October 3 -       Lindsay - Lindsay Sews (Diaper Bag)
                       Joanna - Tutinella (Oliver + S Messenger Bag)
October 4 -       Andrea - Mouse in my Pocket (Michelle Patterns Pleated Wristlet)
                       Elena - Hot Pink Stitches (Sewing Rabbit Tote)
                       Angela - AngelaB (Amy Butler Sophia Bag)

October 7 -       Tiffany - This Crafty Fox (Two Peas Ava Bag)
                        Lana Parks - Moments of Sanity in a Crazy World (Dog Under My Desk Two Zip Hipster)
October 8 -        Allegory - A Thousand Needles (Sew Sweetness Aeroplane Bag)
                        Gina - Gina Pina (Echino Gathered Bag)
October 9 -        Katy - Imagingermonkey (Made By Rae Lickety Split Bag)
                        Ali - a2w (Melly and Me Sleepover Bag)
October 10 -      AnneMarie - Gen X Quilters (Michelle Patterns Strap Clutch)
                        Jaye - Art Quiltmaker (Oliver+S Day in the Park Backpack)
October 11 -      Kim - Kim's Krafts (Charlie's Aunt Anglia Bag)
                        Kerry - very kerry berry (Carolyn Friedlander/Noodlehead Social Tote)

October 14 -      Katie - Swim Bike Quilt (Style Stitches Origami Bag)
                        Amy - Diary of a Quilter (Noodlehead Divided Basket)
October 15 -      DeeAnn (Rebecca Lambert Corduroy Patchwork Bag)
                        R0ssie - Fresh Modern Quilts (Lotta Jansdotter Gardening Tote)
October 16 -      Elizabeth - Don't Call Me Betsy (Noodlehead Super Tote)
                        Laura - Quokka Quilts (Moonshine Designs Bella Bag)
October 17 -      Cindy - Raspberry Sunshine (AMH Right Turn Bag)
                        Emily - EmmmyLizzzy (Pleated Beauty from Bend the Rules Sewing)
October 18 -      Jess - Elven Garden (Emmaline Necessary Clutch)
                        Brenda - Pink Castle Fabrics (Green Bee Vera Bag)

October 21 -      Katy - The Littlest Thistle (Momma Hear Me Roar Tohoku Tote)
                        Joanna - Shape Moth (Emmaline Boyd St. Bowling Bag)
October 22 -      Penny - Sew Take a Hike (Patchwork Bag by Akemi Shibata)
                        Corinna - Another Thing Off the List (Amy Butler Belle Bag)
October 23 -      Teresa - Crinkle Dreams (Drop Top Messenger Bag from Stitch Magazine)
                        Natasha - House Full of Nicholes (Dog Under My Desk Daytripper)
October 24 -      Kay - Miss Print (Amy Butler Birdie Sling)
                        Terri - Sew Fantastic (Michelle Patterns Inset Zipper Clutch)
October 25 -      Emily - Mommy's Naptime (Duffle Bag)
                        Julianna - Sewing Under the Rainbow (Studio Kat Gadabout Bag)

Lapin Noir Bag
Contest Rules

1. Check out all the purse pattern reviews throughout the month and get inspired to sew up a purse of your own!

2. Link up your completed purse right at the bottom of this post BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 30th AND NOVEMBER 11th. Your purse must be created and photographed between those dates; purses made prior to September 30, 2013 will be disqualified. The purse may be of your own design, or made from a sewing pattern. You can link from Flickr, your blog post, or wherever else you host your photos.

3. There is no limit to how many purses you may enter, as long as they were made between September 30th and November 11th. Only one link-up per purse please.

*Note: Besides bags and purses, for this event I will also accept clutches, backpacks, wallets, etc.

If you have any additional questions, feel free to comment on this post and I will get back to you!

Greenbacks Wallet Trio
Prizes
 
This year, there will be 1st-4th prize winners chosen from all those that submit a purse during the event. There will also be a randomly-drawn winner out of everyone who enters!


1st prize - 4th prize will receive an AWESOME prize pack courtesy of Pat Bravo, genius fabric designer extraordinaire! The prize packs will each include 3 Pat Bravo sewing patterns (La Boheme Skirt, Barcelona Bag, and Capri Bag), a pack of Pat Bravo Aurifil Threads (thread pack may vary, as there are 3 different packs), and 10 Pat Bravo fat quarters(fat quarters may vary).

In addition, the 1st prize - 4th prize winners will also receive a copy of my new book, Big-City Bags!! The book releases November 5th, and you can pre-order your book now!

Retail value of each prize pack: $127.



There will also be one randomly-drawn winner out of all purses entered, and this winner will receive a $50 gift certificate to my publisher, Martingale (as well as a copy of my book!).

Retail value of prize pack: $77.

Judging

Purse Palooza will be judged this year by my friend and mentor, Kay Whitt of Serendipity Studio. Kay writes the most stylish and fun-to-sew clothing patterns and bag patterns out there. Her patterns are always my go-to whenever I need to make a great new dress, because I can be assured of a stress-free sewing experience!



Thank you to all of the wonderful sponsors that are supporting this event!
Pat Bravo  //  Bari J.  //  Emmaline Bags  //   V. and Co.  //
Chris W. Designs  //  Betz White  //  Amy Butler  //  
Artsy Crafty Babe  //   Charlie's Aunt  //   Noodlehead  //
Dog Under My Desk  //    By Annie's  //  Studio Kat  //  


Grab a button!!
Sew Sweetness
<div align="center"><a href="http://www.sewsweetness.com/2013/09/purse-palooza-2013.html" title="Sew Sweetness"><img src="http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/ab257/bluemerleboutique/pursepalooza12.jpg" alt="Sew Sweetness" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

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Friday, September 6, 2013

Sewcrastination!

It never fails, my sewing projects seem to be always one step behind where I feel like I should be.  School started last week and every year I make Katy's pencil pouch.  Do I have it completed...no!  It is not all my fault, she was overwhelmed at all the choices in fabric and when she did decide on one it was an oop Heather Ross that I have NONE in my stash.  Leave it to my child to fall in love with a beautiful oop HR,LOL!

So we regrouped and decided on tiny fussy cuts to be surrounded in black to make them POP!!!  To help the popping I decided to add some fmq around all the blocks. It is super hard to see but there are pebbles in between the fussy cuts.




This is the front


Have I ever mentioned how incredibly FANTASTIC the people in the quilting community are?  I love them so very much!  When I put out that I was looking for the Heather Ross unicorns I had a couple of offers to send some to me.  When Katy decided that we could make it without I declined the offers.  Then there was a wee bit of arm twisting from John Adams.  I asked Katy and she was all BEAMING so how could I say no?  My lovely friend Grizzly made Katy a VERY VERY HAPPY girl yesterday!!!!  This is what came in the mail!  She is in love and I am very grateful!!!! So this is going on the back of the pouch along with something that Sara's sweet little girl sewed for Katy.  I am super excited to have this ready for her.



Sometimes sewcrastination works out in my favor!
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Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Tula Pink City Sampler Sew Along Blocks #43, #44, #45

I think I am just going to have Little Miss ( she is taller than me but she will always be little in my mind) pick ALL my fabrics for EVERYTHING from now into eternity!  We have been having such a blast with Pat Sloan's Bobbins and Bits and some solids.  It is interesting to see what colors Katy chooses, even if I do not always agree with her choices, they look incredible when put together.  She may not be interested in the sewing quite yet but she really has a great eye for color.  


#43

#44

#45


Make sure to link up your blocks on Sew Sweetness!



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Monday, September 2, 2013

The Marilyn finish!

I finished the Sew Serendipity Marilyn dress!  I am super happy that I was able to do this dress.  It is classic and I learned so much in the process I know my next garment venture will be even more successful.




In the instructions it recommends that you do a muslin fitting first.  I second that 100%.  When I made the first trial run it was okay.  It was good to get used to the terms and how things were going to look. The size I cut was really not the best for me. I also needed to add a little in the bodice and the waistband  since I am small and long in my torso, the bodice was hitting me a bit short.  Sara and I had a google hangout with all kinds of bodice maneuvering and a little measuring to figure out what needed to be done.  Kay recommends looking online for adjustments for alterations for this area if you are large or small busted or a book called Fit for Real People.  I needed an inch here and and inch there.


and this was my second muslin fitting. The bodice is much better in this one.


So I took the plunge and started on the "real" dress!!!!  I used Pellon Shape Flex for all the interfacing.  I think I need to start buying that stuff by the bolt!  SO many uses...so awesome!  I also used my trusty Aurifil thread in a stunning black 50wt.  I was thinking of trying the 40wt but I did not want my stitches to show so 50 was meant to be!


Instead of gathering the skirt, I went with box pleats. I looked at youtube videos and found this one that is super easy to follow by evangesews.com.  I started from the center and the pleats are 2in apart.  Not perfect but this was my first time ever doing these pleats.  I am very pleased with the outcome.


Here is the back view and my EPIC FAIL on the invisible zipper!  I did not sew close enough to the teeth but at that point I was not ripping it all out to do over.  My next dress I will hopefully do a better job. I also have NO IDEA what I am looking at in the tree.


The one thing I really wish I would have done is to add POCKETS!!!  Donna Reed would have had pockets!   If I can make this dress anyone can!  I am really loving it...


especially since it goes with my red shoes!!!!

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Sunday, September 1, 2013

Charming winners!!!!



Congratulations to the two winners of the Charming Giveaway!!!  Thank you everyone for playing and so sorry for the delay in posting the winners.  I was completely engrossed in garment sewing!




Blogger Sarah @ FairyFace Designs said...
I follow you on Bloglovin, all the way from Ireland :-)
August 26, 2013 at 6:29 AM
 Delete



Blogger Tami C said...
I would like to see another printing of Tula Pink's Neptune Collection.
August 26, 2013 at 8:19 PM
 Delete
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