Thursday, December 27, 2007

Jewelry From SewBitchy



Well I was so inspired by all the wonderful items at craft crae that I dug out my jewelry stuff and made a few items. Somehow I will find time to make a few pieces inbetween the ten other things I have going at once! :) The necklace I actually made over a yr ago but I never put the clasp on and Im glad I finally did. Its so pretty I can't believe I let it sit that long. Then I made the earrings to match. The bracelet I made for my best friend and it came out cute too!

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Fun happenings!


Well this weekend was the PCM holidaze craft craze, and it was so fun! I met some really awesome local atists and made some new friends. Funny thing is I have absolutely no recollection of how I came to find out about PCM. I just started getting these invites from them in my email. Well u know everything happens for a reason! So many many thanks go to Chelise for doing this in her home and supporting all of us. Along with that she supports many other events and causes and runs the PCM Pleasanton chapter as well as her own art site www.cheliseart.com

I got to trade some of my pieces for some other awesome jewelry and art and thats so fun! I got a necklace from Frolick a wreath from Chel, and an art piece from uber talented Joanna Crawshaw
Oh and some goodies I got for my daughter from wickedsmileys Check out all the artists and their info on Chel's blog

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Dutch purses

Well I have been busy, busy and yet I still dont feel very accomplished. I think because I really expect waay to much out of myself. I have gotten lots done but there is so much to do that it feels like nothing is done. You ever get that feeling? Well anyway, on Sat I went to the flea and didnt find much but I did score this cute piece of fabric for like 50 cents. I had just enough to make two pouches and one shoulder bag. The fun part was that I got to use one of the decorative stitches on my new machine. And now I think I am really hooked! I couldn't find anything to match as a handle so for the clutch I used bias tape that I embroidered. It came out so nice that I decided to try it on some belting that I have lots of in tan, and it came out nice on there too although if it was a thicker thread it might be more pronounced. But overall I was satisfied.


Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Holiday Dress


So I've had this velvet dress forever. I bought it thinking I would make it prettier for christmas and I think that was last year (or the one before?) Well I was on a creative block last night, and getting frustrated because I have to much stuff sitting around my studio. So I just said grab something and put it with something else and just do it! So the two things I grabbed were this dress and a blue/red/white houndstooth fabric I thrifted. Cut some hearts and made pockets! Added eyelet lace to the bottom (oh and I cropped it making it sexy short too!) I gathered another piece of eylet and added a awesome vintage button making a sort of flower to give the final touch! I think its great for christmas but can also double for valentines! But at the same time it doesnt look "holiday". Available-$40

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Flashback dress




It took me about a week to finish this dress inbetween my other life tasks, but it was so worth the work once it was completed. Made from vintage poly fabric and a vintage pattern. I also went crazy with embellishing and added white vintage buttons, rick rack and eyelet lace to the bottom. Posted on craftster and flickr and got a ton of hits and kudos! I even took time to pose with my dummy as I was so proud of myself! :)
It is available for $65 Fits a size small. Hit me on email if your interested.

Monday, November 5, 2007

Remember me??


Well I have been busy with life and really havn't gotten up to the studio (to actually work) until about two weeks ago. I think it was a much needed break. I think we just know when we're burnt out. So now Im back with a renewed energy and not to mention a deadline! I think that sense of accountability is what has been missing for me. So its a good thing that I'm doing a show in Dec and I have no clue how I'm pulling it together!
Well heres a few things I worked on the past few days. If your interested check my Etsy store. I will be listing all week so keep checking back.!

Friday, August 17, 2007

Introducing Pauline Rose for Baby....

So I originally had named my business Pauline Rose because I wanted to be more shabby chick meets vintage but then I thought it wasn't catchy and hip so I renamed it to SewBitchy
Okay so recently I came back into contact with an old friend and she now has a one year old. So I decided to make a dress for her (the daughter that is) and then it got me going on all these other baby ideas so I whipped up some dresses and decided to take back that name and call it Pauline Rose for Baby. More to come too......




















Front and back view, made from Vintage nursery rhymes sheet
The bottom two are different dresses. I'm not too sure about the first one....

Saturday, August 4, 2007

More new items

I have been really busy in the sweatshop, hoping to hit a few craft fairs this fall. So here are a few of my latest items...A lot of tote bags, cause I had to use up all those tshirts I bought to recon but they wern't selling to well on ebay so maybe they'll do better as totes.

Monday, July 30, 2007

Hard work pays off!!



While I am out at dinner!! Isn't life and the internet just great!! I went to dinner tonight and came home and checked my email. To my suprise I had a paypal payment. But I havn't sold anything on ebay lately I thought....then I see it is a sale from my ETSY store! My very first sale! An Item I made with blood sweat and tears from my own two hands (ok was that dramatic enough?? I was thinking like old westerns...no?? OK) So needless to say I am really excited. That whole $16 gives meaning to the fact that I can accomplish this goal of having my own business. (if only $16 at a time) So anyway all that said and out of the way....

Here are the latest two in the series of daily projects I have been doing. The first is a tot made from some cute vintage fabric I got at a local estate sale. The second is made from new fabric, I know normally not me but I couldn't resist. The third is a really nice pouch also from vintage fabric.. I am proud of this one because I took more time and added a lot of the details that make something look more professional. I top stitched the flap in contrasting yellow and added the button for the finishing touch.

Saturday, July 28, 2007

More pouchy pouches


Well I haven't posted for two days, I have been sitting at the sewing machine for about that long. I am determined to get a serious sweatshop going. So Wed I took half a day to go to the beach which was overcast and sort of a bummer, but I got some great photos so its all good. I managed to crank out a few pouches when I got home even though they were all for my kids, I think they still count! I made this cool skull one from some leftovers for my rocker daughter

I also made some hello kitty ones for my other daughter, and of course she needed one for her best friend! So that was thursday. I also finished up on almost complete projects and started a new tote from scratch. It has been a royal pain and I spent a good 6 hours already on it. I did that till late thursday and part of today (uh that is fri, because its 2 am on sat as I write this) Then I made this cool pencil case today (Fri)

I listed this on my etsy already, so you should go get it! Thats all for now!

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Okay I vow to make an item a day for 30 days(and hopefully more...)


So I have been feeling overwhelmed lately. I got myself involved in waaay too many swaps, but you know a girl has to have fun. So last night i was on craftster and this girl posted how she challenged herself to get ready for a fair by making an item a day for 30 days. I thought that was a great idea! It would give me a sense of accomplishment and sort of put me on a schedule. Because between etsy and ebay and shopping for materials (which I do more of than actually selling I must admit) I feel really swamped. And I still have loads of unfinished realy important stuff to do! WHEW! okay I got that out of the way. Now you know what up up to (literally) LOL! So here is a good start...yesterday I actually made two items, one is done one is waiting a button. That is the first at top left. The second I made today for my mother in law, so does that count? I actually made a pouch for my 10 yr old too...she helped and I am 95 % done with a third pouch. All in about 4 hours. so does that mean I get tomorrow off...????Hmmm NOOOOO

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Paper, scissors,glue


Ok so I havn't managed to get myself back in front of the sewing machine in about two weeks, but its all good cause nothing is selling right now :( and I've got plenty of stuff. Of course it doesnt mean I can just goof around, but hey a girl should be able to have some fun right? So I have been playing with my papers and creating cards again and its so much fun! I know it seems crazy to normal people to have a fetish for paper but I do. Theres actually lots of people with my affliction, just head over to flickr and you'll see. So I whipped up these lovely cards and tags last night and will be posting them to my Etsy store today.

I have been posting new items every day so keep checking for new stuff!!

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

Can't stop shopping!


Okay I need to quit before the bank account runs dry. But you know 4 th of July Sales and all....So I hit Jo-anns and here I am supposed to be against consumerism. Theres all this cute scrapbook stuff for only $1 Ok Call me a sell out or a hypocrite go ahead! I couldn't resist. Some of the cuteness I picked up:
( thats just a sample!) I bought more than that. But I was amazed at the value for the $1. Isnt it amazing what we think is a value for $1?? But really have you bought scrapbook supplies?? They aren't $1. A sheet of stickers is sometimes almost $4, I remember when stickers were so much fun to go buy and you could get them off the roll for .10 cents and up. Those days are gone.....

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

So busy and I keep putting more on my plate!


I think I should just take a day and breathe. Seems like I can never get enough to do. Recently I finally unpacked all of my stamping and scrapbooking stuff after it sat in boxes off and on almost 4 years. I just move way to much. And the funny thing about it is, that is always the last things I unpack when I move and it seems like as soon as I do, I move again! Lets hope that doesn't happen this time! So I started making some cards and messing around and then looking for ideas on flickr and before you know it I am signed up on swap-bot and I'm participating in all these swaps. I start to feel really good again and remember how much fun they were.
Then I join a swap on craftster, and then I find out about this website postcrossing, whew! It doesnt stop there, I also found a site called 1001 Journals. So now I am signed up at all these sites and my mailbox will be flooded with stuff from around the globe! Brings me back to when I was 9 and had a pen pal. I love it!

So all this swapping, meant I had to go shopping. I hit the thrift and found some cool old books and buttons to make things with and bought some postcards for sending. So I'll be even busier now and Im afraid I wont get back into the sewing studio cause I'm getting hooked on making ATC cards and matchboxes. Like everything else I do it has cycles and in a week or so I should be pretty burnt out so I'll be back at the serger soon I'm sure! until now enjoy my First ATC card, and a look at the cool stuff I found thrifting!

Thursday, June 28, 2007

New items from the sweat shop.....


Well I've been crazxy busy and promise to post more often. I am trying to get a "schedule" down (laughs insanely out loud) It'll get better-I think Well check out these new digs I made and better yet go buy em! Sweet napoleon tube dress, super cute!

Fall out boy gets cute: Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Who doesnt love mario? Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Thursday, June 14, 2007

More new projects

Well at this point they're not really new anymore, but I just got around to taking pictures. This first one is made from a slip and cut up pieces of whatever thrown on. I was going for a sort of spanish look with the ruffles in back but then it turned out sorta like a mix with victorian hints.




Here are two tube tops I did:




And a hot tube dress:

Thursday, June 7, 2007

Busy busy bee.....



So I finally got my new serger....I am such a happy happy woman. And I have been busy the past few days FINALLY able to do something with the HUGE stack of T-shirts I've been amassing to decon and reconstruct so I can make some cold hard cash!!! So here are two of the 5 or so items I have done the past three days and more pics will come as soon as I can breath long enough to get everything done...yeah right :) My fav is the Blink 182 shirt which does look waay better ON person than on hanger. Inquire if interested in adding to your closet!

Sunday, June 3, 2007

The perfect Bathing Suit


So I went to Long Beach for a few days and visited my best friend, and as usual we spent two days hitting the thrifts and the swap. There wasnt enough time. I wish I lived there. I find the best stuff everytime I visit. So at the very last store when I was about ready to pass out, there it was this awesome Vintage bathing suit and in my favorite color none the less. How can life get any more perfect? It was EXACTLY MY SIZE. And just the kind of one piece I have been searching for. It makes me look like I've got cleavage due to the padded top and the mock skirt over boy shorts hides my not so great looking tummy. They just don't make them like this anymore. Or if they do they aren't selling them at Macy's and Im avoiding being a consumer anyhow right? Well I am definately going to be tring my hand at sewing in lycra now so I can recreate this beauty. The back drops low enough to make it sort of "housewife sexy" if that makes any sense. You know they say less is more. And the very BEST part? (like finding it wasnt enough) It only cost $2.

Along with the suit, I also found an awesome Vintage dress at one of the cool shops on 4th streets reto row. If you ever get out to long beach I highly suggest you hit this strip. There are some awesome vintage finds and although most of the stores are a bit pricey ( i know they are trying to make a buck) this store was packed to the gills with stuff and I snagged this dress for a mere $18. Which if you know me is actually a LOT to pay for an item, but I had to have it and it beat the $50 tags of likely similar ones at neighbor stores.

Some other nice finds were a bag full of zippers for $6 and a couple of vintage sheets that I hope to turn in to really cool skirts. Stay tuned for more...

Monday, May 28, 2007

Here kitty kitty


Still hard at work on this holiday weekend. Trying to finish up my outfit for a wedding I'm attending this weekend. This fabric is completly awesome and I originally planned a sundress, but I messed that up and ended up with just a skirt. And after hours of trying to make the top work I finally gave in and gave up and used a pattern. I decided to try a corset for the first time, and although this doesnt truly qualify as one, its close. I used a bodice from simplicity 4943 which is a formal strapless pattern. Good thing the pattern does naturally call for boning, so it is the closest to a corset I'll get on short notice, and so far came out great! Just need to finish up the back.

Sunday, May 27, 2007

A few new items...

Being stuck home on a three day weekend isnt that bad really. If only I could maximize my time more. Well, in between cleaning and chasing the kids around, I managed to finish these two projects on Sat and start one more that I actually finished half of today and I'll post that tomorrow. This first top is not finished, just needs buttons but it was my attempt at copying a designer blouse I saw in Lucky mag, Turned out pretty good I think and saved me $200 clams which is what the designer dud costs. Plus it was made from a big granny dress (cost=free) and left me enough fabric to make something else.
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


This next one was easy, an H&M top I grabbed at the swap so cost=free, I cut the top off and made it into a tube with this cute vintage hawaiian knit, add some decorative pockets and wala! I like how the H&m make the golden gate bridge. You must know, it is soo hard to give these items up...but a girls gotta make a living!
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Saturday, May 26, 2007

From a .25 yard sale find comes a cool Russian(?) inspired crop jacket.


Below is the original jacket (minus the sleeves). The resulting reconstruct was awesome (I think) my 16 year old on the other hand... well of course she thinks its ugly as he**. What does she know? LOL Interest in purchasing? email me. chrystine{at}sewbitchy{dot}com




















Sunday, May 20, 2007

Swap-o-rama-rama success!!


Swap-o-rama-rama was better than last year, and I expect it to be even bigger next year. The press was everywhere and there were so many clothes! In fact there were about 20+ huge trash bags full of clothes left at the end of the swap which went to charity. That alone should give you an idea of how many unwanted items would normally be filling up our landfills each year. And just imagine that is only from one city, and I can't even estimate how many people actually came through our doors, but there were a lot of people.

There was of course lots of sewing going on. There were more kids trying their hand at making cool duds this year than last, including two young boys I saw making their own custom shirts. Now THATS awesome! Saturday was our fashion show and it was smaller I think than last year, but we had a few less designers and one new one added to the mix. Our new designer came to us all the way from a remote island off the coast of Canada near Vancouver. A really talented woman, I had the opportunity to get to know her personally as I hosted her during her stay. I gotta tell you she is rocking the recycled world! She whipped out some cool stuff while at the swap including a burlap sack skirt.

There were lots of great ideas going on by all the designers, including my friends over at Homeygrown They were helping people whip up whimsical stuffed animals using scraps of fabric for the outside and the insides! Talk about a great use of materials. NO Waste is a great thing!

Of course the biggest change of all for me personally was the fact that I was actually there as a designer this time! Super exciting for me, and although I wasn't quite prepared to be in the fashion show, I did have a small display. Well this event is really new to all of us being only the second year in the bay area, so by next year I expect I'll really have it down. I was able to grab some really cool stuff and even had time for a few quick projects.

By the time it was over I was exhausted, but still burning with excitement. I'm filled with great new ideas and ready to really put things into full swing. So stay tuned and see what transforms...

And be sure to hop over to my flickr page for more cool pics from the event!

Monday, April 16, 2007

Creative Block....UGGGHHHH


So I made this really cute top tonight. Took me longer than I wanted and I had to change the design also. Ok sorry the photo isn't that great, but its 11:30 and my brain is mentally shot. So if you can tell this is a halter style top which I used some really cool vintage fabric that I thrifted a while back. I searched through my patterns for about 20 min and couldn't find any that would work so I improvised. Something that Im still figuring out. I originally planned to make this a one shoulder top with the fabric gathering up at the shoulder and then crossing at the back but I screwed up the cutting and unless I really wanted cleavage showing it wasnt working. So I ended up with this version which isnt to bad either. I am a little dissapointed and of course dont have enough fabric to try again, but I cant totally kick myself, even though this version isnt perfect its still pretty good for a beggining designer. This fabric is realy cool too. It looks shiny, but its actually got some texture to it sort of soft like spongy if that makes sense. Well comments are appreciated as usual.