Tutorial: Taking in Pant legs

January 28, 2015
Hey friends! Thanks for stopping by today, and to those stopping by from Alexa Z’s blog, He and I, thank you so much for taking the time to stray away from the Zurchers to meet me!
Today I’m super excited to share with you a tutorial for taking in pant legs! It took me a while to jump on the skinny jean/straight leg wagon so I have a few pants that are still a part of my old wardrobe. Apparently, my sis-in-law had the same problem because she asked me if I could bring some of her old dress pants “up to speed.” I was happy to help!
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This is a simple way to update your old dress pants, jeans, whatever. Here’s what you’ll need:
  • model pair of pants
  • fabric pencil
  • matching thread
  • scissors
  • machine
  • iron
  • twin needle (opt)
  • blind hemming foot (opt)
  • thick denim or upholstery needle (if taking in jeans)
Step 1: Model pants
Turn your model pair of pants and the pants you’re adjusting inside-out. Lay the pants you’re going to adjust out on the floor, front up, and the model pants on top, front up.
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Step 2: Draw in legs
Use your fabric pencil to outline the model pair of pants. You can trace along the seams of your model pair of pants pretty strictly because with the pants turned inside-out, the seam is showing/sticking out. Just make sure when you sew you use the same seam allowance as your model pants.
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Step 3: Sew along drawn lines
Being sure that the fabric is not bunched, but lies flat away from the original side seam, sew a straight line along your drawn line down to the hem of the pants. A twin needle comes in handy here because it sews two straight lines on top and a zig-zag line underneath so that the fabric won’t fray. If you’re using a regular, single needle with a straight stitch, you’ll need to do a zig-zag stitch along-side the straight stitch where you sewed. And if you have a serger, I envy you.
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Step 4: Trim
Cut the excess fabric on the sides along where you sewed. You can lay out your pants again to double check your accuracy.
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Step 5: Hem
If you like the length of your pants, iron (if necessary) and you’re done! If you want them shorter, mark about 1-1.5” away from the bottom edge of your model pants and cut straight across. Then, fold the pants under twice to the correct length, or zig-zag around the bottom edge after cutting and fold up once. Pin in place.
IMG_9600 edit01 ^^again, if you have a twin needle, don’t worry about zig-zagging first^^
Step 6: Blind Hem
If you’re working with business pants, you might want to use a blind hemming foot. These feet are really useful because they hem the pants without leaving any trace of a stitch. It’s really neat!
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Step 7: Iron
Iron your pants if needed, especially along the hem, and you’re finished!
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An easy answer to that box of old-style pants you have in your closet!
Thanks for stopping by today! Stick around to see what other projects you can pin to your pinterest board! I just love being productive, don’t you?
Have a great rest of your week!
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Alexa – Six Months

January 25, 2015

This little princess is 6 months old! I cannot believe that half a year has passed since you were born. It’s gone by so quickly!

Since 5 months, you’ve gained two teeth,

learned how to sit up unsupported,

reach and grab things like a pro,

stand with support for longer periods of time,

and have even given solid foods a try, although you’re not a big fan unless it’s ice cream or cookies or something.

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You still love your blanket and binki,

being spun in circles,

being tossed up in the air (gently),

when Mommy sings,

your Sophine Giraffe,

your jingle bug, Bugsy,

Mom is still your first choice for everything,

and the way you light up when your sister smiles and laughs at you? Priceless.

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IMG_9742 IMG_9757 edit02^^Those little toes with the lint! I die.^^

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IMG_9770^^Also, you’re not a huge fan of tummy time.^^

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You are our ever sweet and gentle little baby girl, who always has a smile to offer, a laugh to brighten any room, and a cuddle to give.

We love you so much, my dear!

 

P.S. And because it is Sunday, I have a Sunday message for you from President Uchtdorf, second counselor in the general presidency of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints.

 

He is not waiting to love you until you have overcome your weaknesses and bad habits. He loves you today with a full understanding of your struggles.

And God knows of your successes; though they may seem small to you, He acknowledges and cherishes each one of them.

He knows everything about you. He sees you clearly – He knows you as you really are.

And He loves you – today and Always!

More months:
 
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8


Susan is a birth photographer/videographer serving Mesa, Arizona and surrounding cities including Chandler, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Scottsdale, and Tempe. Considering a photographer for your birth? Contact Susan for EDD availability.
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Tutorial: Over-Sized Color Bloc Tee

January 23, 2015
Time for another tutorial! It’s been way too long since I posted a sewing tutorial and it’s nice to be back at it!

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This shirt is one of my absolute favorites. I love how comfy it is and the elbow color-bloc gives it something a little extra. I especially love that it is easy and doesn’t take long to make at all. Definitely beginner seamstress-approved!
You will need:
  • 2 yards knit fabric for shirt
  • 1/2 yard knit fabric for elbow color bloc
  • measuring tape
  • pattern paper
  • model shirt
  • scissors, thread, etc.
  • twin needle (opt)

Step 1: Create pattern
Shirt – Fold your model shirt in half and lay it out on your pattern paper with the fold along the paper edge. Trace around the sides, neckline, and shoulders with 1/2” buffer for seam allowance, and a 1” buffer at the bottom for the hem. Create the back pattern piece to be identical to the front, but raise the neckline.

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Color Bloc – Fold your model shirt sleeve in half. Align the fold with the edge of the pattern paper. Draw a straight line from the edge of the paper down to the underarm at the bicep and the forearm (+ 1/2” buffer for seam allowance). Connect these two lines. Repeat steps for the remainder of the sleeve, (forearm to wrist).

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Step 2: Cut
Pin your front and back pattern pieces to the fabric, aligning the edge with the fold and the stretch going horizontally. Cut out the front and back pieces. Do the same with the sleeve pattern piece and the color bloc pattern piece.

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Step 3: Sew
Pin the right sides of the color blocs to the right sides of the sleeves (thinner end of color bloc aligned with wider end of sleeve) and stitch together with a regular, straight stitch at 1/2” seam allowance. This is when a twin needle comes in really handy because it creates a stitch that will stretch. Plus, because it creates a zig-zag stitch from the bottom, you never have to worry about fraying (but if you’re using knit fabric then you shouldn’t have to worry about fraying anyway). If you’re not using a twin needle, decrease the tension of the thread on your machine. This will have the same effect, allowing some stretch.

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Fold under the fabric at the wrists 1/2” (or 1/4” twice) and sew.

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With right sides together, pin the front of the shirt to the back at the shoulders and sew together.

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Pin the color bloc sleeve to the shirt with right sides together and straight stitch across.

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Starting at the wrists, pin the sleeve together to the armpits and extending along the sides to the bottom edge of the shirt. Sew using a straight stitch at 1/2” seam allowance. Clip the seam allowance at the armpit and hem the bottom.
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Step 4: Neckline
Measure around the entire neck and subtract 4”. Cut a piece of fabric that is 2” wide and as long as the previous measurement. Make sure that the stretch is going horizontally. Pin the ends, with right sides together and sew with a 1/2” seam allowance. Fold the neckband in half (hot dog style), wrong-sides together and press with an iron. Make a mark at the opposite side of the neck-band seam and on the sides, making four quarters.

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Pin the seam of the neckband to the center of the back of the neckline, the mark on the opposite side to the center of the front of the neckline, and the two on the sides, pin 1/2” down towards the front of the shirt away from the shoulder seam. You may have to play with this a little in order to get the stretch of the neckband even around the neckline.

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Working your way from the back of your neckline, stretch the neckband and pin to the neckline to fit. Stretch the neckband as you sew with a 1/4” seam allowance. This keeps the neckband from bowing outwards. Clip seam allowance all around the neckline and press.

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Done!

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Lazy Dayzzz – Aria Row Photography

January 21, 2015
So, my friend Mariasha texted me last week on Thursday and said, “Hey, I’m taking this photography class and I need practice. Can I take pictures of you?”
“Oh, well if you insist…”
Mariasha came to my house, styled my hair and did my makeup, and helped me pose just perfectly for the photos.
Only hours later, she sent me these:
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There are SO many things I love about this shoot. 1) That it took place in my own home – lazy dayzzz, right? 2) Mariasha is not only a photographer, but a cosmetologist as well and knows how to emphasize/bring out your strengths 3) she has GREAT style, fashion-wise and photography-wise 4) she’s fun to be around and easy to chat with 5) knows how to make you look and feel truly beautiful. Seriously. She is so talented.
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Vision, creativity, natural instinct, and when it comes to making someone look and feel beautiful. “You make me feel like a natural woman…” No?
Thanks so much for making my Saturday a little more exciting than just our regular trip to Costco (although that is pretty tough to top).
If you’re in the Davis county/Utah Valley area and need a photographer, be sure to look Mariasha up! Click here to view her website.
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By-the way, I took my two-year-old to a little gym where I will *hopefully* be registering her for gymnastics soon. She wasn’t too happy about not being able to slide down the slide or jump on the mats just yet and whacked me over the head in front of a couple of pitying mothers.
We are also considering purchasing a pet to help keep Chelsea occupied/entertained while I have some productive time (I blame you, Dougals!) Andrew wants a cat, I want a dog. Well, to be honest, I really don’t want either, but I think a dog would be more fun, loving, useful, etc. etc. Your thoughts?
P1170600^^she even got this guy to take a picture with me. she is good.^^
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Choose Wisely: Quentin L. Cook

January 15, 2015

…when using social media, we tend to broadcast the smiling details of our lives but not the hard times at school or work.

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We portray an incomplete life—sometimes in a self-aggrandizing or fake way. We share this life, and then we consume the “almost exclusively … fake lives of [our] social media ‘friends.’”

 

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How could it not make you feel worse to spend part of your time pretending to be happier than you are, and the other part of your time seeing how much happier others seem to be than you?

 

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I am guilty. For the longest time, my excuse was that I didn’t like sharing negative things, that sharing the other things that were real were too personal. In many cases, they are, and I want them to stay personal. However I want to make a point.

Friends, if you don’t already know, or haven’t guessed yet, my life is not perfect. *Shocker!*

When I take photos for my tutorials, you don’t see the toddler half-naked in the bathroom playing in the over-flowing sink, or the unnecessarily angry scolding that comes afterwards. When I share about a little project that my two-year-old and I did together, you don’t know about the baby that had to cry for a couple of minutes so that we could finish.

Although I think of our home and lives as generally happy, fun, warm, and care-free, there are… those days…

Those days when Chelsea decides that she WILL NOT take a nap and Daddy has to come home to a VERY over-tired toddler and grouchy wife (I should point out that Alexa is nearly always happy. For reals). Those days when I’ve spent a little too much time on social media seeing how much happier everyone else seems to be than me.

So here’s the thing. I’m going to keep sharing the positive stuff. I’m going to keep taking tutorial pictures that are neat and clear, and I’m going to keep letting my creative juices flow, BUT (“everyone I know has a big but”) remember:

No one’s life (particularly mine) is perfect or always hunky-dory. We all get sad, depressed, jealous, angry, deflated, frustrated, and (oftentimes) just totally bushed.

And you know what?

 

 

It’s okay.

 

 

Each day, I will do what you do. I will do my best, repent, and try harder to be better than I was before, to be a little kinder, understanding, patient, tolerant, productive.

Every day is a new day, with a brand new start and no mistakes in it.

Each day, I get to repent and try again.

Let’s not be paralyzed or feel defeated because we think we’ve failed again. Let’s feel enabled through the Lord’s atonement to try again, because that’s what He wants for us.

Thank you for supporting me. Thank you for your kindness and understanding. Thank you for being examples to me and for just being my friends. I am so grateful for all of you who read my blog and appreciate me, my talents, and my family. I appreciate you, and hope that through the strange workings of cyber-space and the bloggo-sphere, I somehow offer you the same support and friendship. Thank you for always trying your best.

Thank you for just being you.

 

To read more from Elder Quentin L. Cook, click here.

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