pajama pictures

Here are the pictures of Drew's pjs from Ottobre 1/2009 #5 & #10. 

Little boys don't hold still for pictures.

Daddy had to get in there to help him pose correctly!

I love how these turned out.  I haven't sewn with knits as much as woven fabrics, so I am still learning.  They were really easier than I thought they would be (which is usually the case when it comes to how I perceive sewing!) so I am not sure why I put them off for so long.  

Ottobre's instructions are very short.  No detailed pictures for each little step like you'd find in the Big 4 (Vogue, McCall, Butterick & Simplicity).  They give basic instructions for certain details, but the main instructions for each pattern tend to be about a paragraph (short, too) or two.  If you have no experience sewing, you will want to start with something else or have a more experienced person available for help if necessary.  Even with the not-so-detailed instructions, these are not complicated patterns.

These turned out exactly like the pictures in the magazine.

I plan to make several more pairs of pajamas for him using these patterns, but I will probably make the pants just a bit longer.

I give this pattern two thumbs up!

12 Jackets in 2011?

I have decided to participate in Jacket A Month challenge!  I am not guaranteeing one a month- I am busy with these kids and other projects as well.  This challenge should help me get at least a few jackets for my wardrobe, which I desperately need.  It actually allows for cardigans, jackets, coats, or any other outerware/top layer item.  I have five patterns selected so far.

Butterick 4610

Simplicity 4698

Some of these jackets are lined, some are not.  I made a jacket from Simplicity 4954 for my sister years back.  I think I made two jackets when I was in high school, neither were lined.  Other than that, I have not really done much with outerwear.  I hope to improve my fitting skills over the next year with this challenge.  Stay tuned throughout 2011 for my progress.  I plan to post about fitting and construction as I go along!

Finished- pajamas for the boy

I have finally completed the projects I started back in September for KCWC.  I finished Alona's shirt about a month ago.  I finished the pants for Drew long ago.  The top for him just sat there on my sewing desk.  I didn't have enough ribbing to finish it.  I ended up just using a plain red knit for the cuffs on the pants and had enough to use for the top, but wasn't sure how it would work around the neck.  The other night I decided I should just go for it.  It didn't take me long at all.  The knit worked just fine. It was a bit tricky to get the stitching really straight on the neck binding, but it is just pajamas so I let it slide.  The top turned out so well!  I even did the pocket on the front (which I was thinking of skipping because it looked a bit daunting-it wasn't).  I will post a picture of the pj's just as soon as they are washed.  Drew seems to have soiled the pants every time he wore them, so they are pretty faded.  He wore both to bed last night, so they are dirty now and of course I didn't get a picture last night.  Hopefully later today or tomorrow I will get a picture posted along with a complete pattern review.

White Balance- It makes a difference!

In my last post, I mentioned that I needed to figure out the white balance on my camera.  I did just that.  There are settings for AUTO (where the camera figures it out for you daylight, florescent light, tungsten (regular indoor lightbulbs), cloudy, and shade.  There is also a custom setting.  Just to show you how this affects your pictures, I have two shots below. I can compare the color of the blue ornament on my tree to the picture.

Shot on AUTO setting:

See how yellow the lights are and how the color of the blue bulb is a little green?

Shot on Tungsten setting:

The lights are white and the bulb reflects the true color.


Just a little backround on my photography history-
I have always been obsessed with photographs.  They capture time.  The are permanent (or not so permanent) memories that can be handed down for generations.  I took Black & White photography in high school.  I used my dad's old 35mm Minolta film camera.  We developed our own film in the light room at the school.  We learned all about aperture, ISO, and shutter speed.  Everything was fully manual back then.  Unfortunately, I forgot all of what I learned when I moved away from home and started using a cheap point and shoot film camera (later upgrading to a cheap point and shoot digital camera).  I was a photographer at a portrait studio (cookie cutter but higher end?).  That really didn't require much knowledge because the had studio lights and you didn't have to ever adjust anything except for the subjects.  I did learn a little about composition from that, but it was basic portrait composition and nothing all that creative.  So now I find myself trying to relearn all that I once learned about SLRs.  It is hard when the camera comes with a brain so you don't have to think.  I am the type of person who wants to shoot it right with the camera so it doesn't have to be tweaked on the computer.  I want my Photoshop abilities to be used for customizing, not fixing.  So you might think I am a bit OCD at some point, but it's really that I firmly believe if it's not done right, it shouldn't be done at all!

Bokeh

What is bokeh?  Until last night I had never heard of this.  I was reading some blogs and discovered what it is.  Bokeh is basically blurred light in a picture because it is out of the depth of focus.  When trying to achieve this, you just focus on something closer than the lights.  I found a few great tutorials on it here and here as well a how to really make it your own here.  The last one is pretty cool.  You can make heart shapes or any other shape you want- instead of circles.  I want to try that eventually.

If you are using a point and shoot camera, it is a little different (the tutorials above are all for DSLRs).  There is a tutorial for it here.

So these were my first attempts at it.  They are all photos of my Christmas tree which has all white lights.  They were quite yellow when I took them (like the second picture here) but I changed the white balance on two of them.  I should really adjust the white balance on my camera, but I haven't learned how to do that just yet- I will soon, though.  I think I could get better effects if I had some different lenses for my camera.  They would also probably be much nicer if I used my tripod.  The shutter speed was slower and I don't have a very steady hand.  For a first attempt (spur of the moment as well), I think they are great.

Try it out and see if you like it!

P.S. I am shooting with a Pentax K10D with the lens it came with- an SMC Pentax-DA 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6 AL.

A better picture? Better sewing technique? The library saves the day!

With my newly acquired public library card, I am checking out books.  Many books.  They let you check out 50 at a time here.  AND, there are a ton of libraries here from which you can request books.  I just go online, search for what I want, request it (if it is in their library catalog), and wait 1-3 days if it isn't on hold or already checked out.  Then I pick it up at the nearest library.  This. is. awesome.  Having lived in a smaller town and not really frequenting libraries, I have never done this before (I could probably count the number of visits to a public library on one hand until this week).  I know, you all probably already knew about this great thing called a public library.  I am just not into reading (it sucks me in and I accomplish nothing).  I am changing that.  My girls were thrilled when I told them we were going to the library (I think I took them twice when we lived in Oregon).  So I've been requesting books left and right.  Sewing books.  Photography books.  I've also been reading online.  I've found blogs.  I keep deleting blogs I'm following because I find new ones that are awesome but there is a limit to how many you can follow.  300.  Can you believe that????  What is blogger thinking? Alas, this is my life lately.  Obsession with becoming a "professional" at photography and sewing.  I want to knock your socks off with my work.  Might be awhile though.  I'm still learning.

So follow along.  It might be a slow, tedious journey, but I plan to post pictures as I discover more about my camera and photography.  I plan to sew more clothes (hopefully for myself and not just the kids).  I might not post much between now and the end of the year due to all the projects I've got going on all while reading stacks and stacks of books, but I'll be back in full swing in January. 

P.S.  I did get my stockings done and will post pictures in the next few days!

what I'm working on

I'm still working on my Christmas decor.  I have the tree up and decorated.  I have the nativity set on display.  I am working on new stockings.  They are mostly finished.  After I finish the stockings, I am going to make coordination pillow covers for the couch and chairs in the living room.  Then I plan to sew some leggings to go with Alona's shirt/dress and some pajamas for all of the kids.  The four pajamas I sewed for Ashley when she was 4 (that 5 years ago) just aren't cutting it for all three girls.  They fit, but they are wearing out and we need more than 4 nightgowns for 3 girls.  I am hoping to make some cute ones!  Of course, I am planning to make several pair for Drew since he doesn't have a whole pair of pajamas yet.  Poor kid.  He really is lacking in the pajama department.
Hopefully I will get the stockings finished tomorrow and maybe even get a little done on the pillow covers.  I will post pictures just as soon as I get them done!