Operation LED Clothing Challenge

So a while back I was hired by Noribachi, an engineering firm that specializes in designing and producing LED lighting and solar panels, to use some of their old LED light-bulbs to design and fabricate a fashion line.

What does that mean?

It means I will be using products like this to create beautiful, wearable clothing and then hosting a charity fashion show to auction off my pieces.

What’s going to make the project even more exciting is that I have decided to figure out how to make these lights work so I will have functioning LED bulbs in my designs.

At least that’s what I think I’m going to do.

Assuming I can find someone to explain electricity to me.

Anyone interested?

Anyone?

Did you know they make a conductive thread? Well now I do. I recommend buying stock in these conductive thread companies cause after my amazing line, everyone is going to be buying the stuff….or maybe not.

Check back soon for some exciting updates. I think you will be impressed by some of the unexpected things I have decided to do with the bulbs.

Happy Designing

Melisa & Cordelia

Classroom Happenings

The Stitchology classroom has been hopping these last few days!

Yesterday an amazing group of younglings gathered to make Elsa the Elephant.

A few parents came to hang out too.

After a few hours, all the girls had completed an elephant.

And My what beautiful elephants they were!

Julia informed me that her elephant was a fancy elephant who needed a fancy name.

This elephant is covered in dogs and it absolutely adorable.

I do say, Stitchology has the cutest students ever.

We have cute students who do amazing work!

 

Well Done Girls!

 

Happy Sewing

~Melisa & Cordelia

Pink Lady Coat

A while back I got this amazing pink wool in the store. I absolutely fell in love with it because lately I have been having a love affair with pink. Plus I adore brightly colored coats and knew it would make a fabulous little number.

So I treated myself to a new coat.

The design is based on a picture of a retro coat I have with a few tweaks.

I wanted an a-symmetrical style with a shawl collar to add some elegant interest.

Two over-sized horn buttons complete the retro look.

While digging through my stash for a lining, I found this small floral print silk from Japan. It was perfect so I used it right up!

This stuff is yummy and soft and amazing and beautiful and delightful to wrap yourself in.

But perhaps the best part of this coat is how cute it looks with the matching Sugar Plum Child’s coat! To bad I don’t have a little one to wear my matching coats with.

Featured Fabric Friday

It’s time for another Featured Fabric Friday!

Today I’d like to share with you this darling vintage piece.

This festive fabric came from a mill located in Hoboken NJ. I don’t know exactly how old the fabric is, but the mill closed in the 1940’s so we know it’s been around at least 70 years!

 Oh my!

If only I look that good in 50 years!

What can you do with it you may be wondering?

Why not pair it with another dear fabric and create a cheerful apron?

It's vintage fabric, so I had to throw in some vintage silk ribbon and buttons.  It was the right thing to do.

Don’t forget to add a sweet little ruffle hem cause it finishes things right up!

Happy Sewing

~Melisa & Cordelia

Featured Fabric Friday!

Welcome to a new segment I like to call Featured Fabric Friday.

On this segment, I will show you one of my favorite fabrics from Stitchology, and then share an idea or two of what YOU can do with the fabric.

Sound like fun?

You know it does!

So let’s get started!

On this Featured Fabric Friday I want to show you this amazing scrumptious rose wool boucle!

Delicious I say, and what a unique color for wool!

But what can you do with rose wool you ask?

Well, why not consider making a Baby Cakes cote for your favorite little girl?

My Favorite Part of the coat is the curved yoke on the front and back.

Or maybe it's the pleat in the back.

Then again, it might be the lining.

There are too many things to love about this coat!

Happy Sewing

~Melisa & Cordelia

Put a Bird On It Christmas Style

All my life I have dreamed of a bright pink Christmas tree. Only I could never justify spending the cash on something so tacky.

Until now.

 Now I have a fabric store that is just the perfect home for a bright pink tree, so I fulfilled my dreams and got the pink tree.

After setting it up and covering it with folded paper fashions, I decided it was a little naked, thus I made it a skirt.

 I don’t really go for the traditional Christmas designs, and when you have a pink tree you need to do something a little unexpected, so I covered my tree skirt in felt flowers and, you guessed it, birds.

 Cause birds make things purty.

 If you don’t believe me, watch this video.

I Do say, the bird skirt dresses the tree up nicely!

Now this is something I can proudly display in my store window!

Happy Decorating

~Melisa & Cordelia

Sugar Plum Apron

“You can never have too many aprons” is what I say.

Cause they are cute, easy to make, fun to wear and charming.

So I made myself a new apron for Christmas.

I call it The Sugar Plum Apron because it is sickly sweet with its peppermint candy looking motif and contrast ruffles.

I love this design because it has a high shaped waist that is flattering on my figure.

I wanted big pockets to hold lots of stuff so I added a little bit of elastic to the top edge to help hold things in and to give the pocket a ruffled appearance. I also added a contrast ruffle and binding because it was the right thing to do.

A contrast ruffle hem completes the look!

I was too lazy to sew ties, so I used some 1 ½” wide grosgrain ribbon instead, and I do say, it does the job nicely.

Now Cordelia and I are all prepared to cook Christmas dinner---if only we cooked---which we don’t.

Correction:

Now Cordelia and I are all prepared to awkwardly, but stylishly, linger around the kitchen while someone else cooks Christmas dinner!

Happy Cooking!

~Melisa & Cordelia