Seriously ? Easy Tank Top!

Hi sugar tartes!  It a fabulous winter's day here in North Carolina! The birds are chirping, the sun is beaming through my windows and the warmth of my hot cocoa is warming my fingertips.

Some of you may remember Charity, whom I began this blog with.  Remember she sells the AMAZING dolls that I featured here.  She also sells patterns here.  They are all simple, easy to follow and they're great because they are made by her :)

She had written up a tutorial for her SERIOUSLY? EASY TANK TOP, that makes the pattern into a standard tank, and I am sharing it with you all today. I actually had this post started over a year ago, but I must have forgotten it, and left it in the drafts.  Better late than never?  Here it is now...



Cut strips of stretchy knit fabric (like jersey or rib knit) 4" long. I usually cut the strips as wide as I can using the entire width of the fabric.



Fold your 4" strips in half, making them 2". Match the raw edges of the strips with the raw edge of one of the the arm openings in your tank top front piece. Pin down all the way accross the arm opening. Once all the way accross trim off what is left to use on the next arm opening!





Go to your machine and stitch in place. I then serge the raw edges, if you do not have access to a serger no problem... just either zigzag or overcast stitch the raw edges with your sewing machine. NOTE... knit fabrics normally do not fray... so if you choose you can leave your edges raw as well! :-)







Now off to the sewing machine again... now you will need to top stitch your seam down... this makes for a much neater and more professional finished look!





Follow these steps with all arm and both neck and bottom openings. Now you will follow all instructions that came in your pattern to construct your top. I have decided to show you another option also... I am going to simply hem the bottom of this tank top instead of using our red band of fabric on the bottom...



I serged the bottom first, all the way around. Next, I folded up 1/2" all the way around. Now Press, and go to the sewing machine! Sew with either a zigzag or a straight stitch (its all in what you like the look of better) And your finshed!





The flower on this tank top was a lot of fun too... I just used strips of a t-shirt that I was using when making a matching skirt! Runched the strips up and stitched on! 

Don't forget, you can find Charity's patterns over at her Big Cartel Shop, TheVinesBranches.com

circle text TUTORIAL

PHOTOSHOP circle text TUTORIAL

I wanted to post a quick little tutorial for any of you that LOVE circles as much as I do. This is a super simple way to make circle text in photoshop.

**disclaimer...I am in NO way shape or form a photoshop expert.  I am mostly self taught with an occasional youtube video to help.  I am, however TORPID (that's a fancy way to say lazy) and am always looking for the fastest way to do...well....ANYTHING!

Here's my final image...

The font that I used here is called impact label.  I got the super cute arrows at creature comforts.

twirly whirly DRESS

Sugar Tartes, are you ready for a sweet and easy dress you can make in less than an hour? 


Best of all it is made using repurposed materials...so the hubs should be pleased! ;)


Let's grab our materials.... 


*Grab any shirt that is a little too short on your princess giving her a slight resemblance to Mr. Winnie the Pooh.


In our case, Miss A has some tanks from last summer that are still in pretty good shape, minus the lack of length.


*And some fabric for the body of the dress.



*grab a tape measure and a fabric pen and mark about 3" from the armpit on both sides

*Get ready to cut straight across

*You will end up with 2 pieces, put the bottom, to the side for now

*Disclaimer* Just because you have scissors in your hand, it doesn't mean that you have to stop and trim split ends because you caught a glimpse of them!

...I digress...


*Grab the fabric that you chose for the body and fold it in half widthwise or selvage edge to selvage edge (other wise known as the white edges with writing and stuff)


(for Miss A, who is a size 8, I am cutting it at 22" so that the length will fall just below her knee)

*Head over to your serger and finish off your bottom edge

*Now head over to your iron to fold and press your edge to form a hem.

*Head back over to your serger and sew up your sides (selvage edge)

Remember that you just ironed down your hem, so just unfold it, to serge.

*now back to your hem.  Fold it back into place and topstitch it down.

*Head back to the annoying iron that you keep turning off, then having to wait for it heat back up, and press your edge down.

*Topstitch your hem

*Grab your fabric again at the opposite end, and lets get it ready to gather.

*Gathering, is really simple.  Just set your sewing machine to the longest stitch, and remember NOT to backstitch :)

*Stitch around, until your ends almost meet 

and remember to leave long tails.

*Time to match up the edge of your shirt, and the edge of the dress that you just stitched.  Mark at the seams, and the midpoints in-between (so you have 4 markings on both pieces)

The easiest methods I have found are either to mark them with a fabric pen, or pins.

*Turn your shirt inside out and with right sides facing together, match up your 4 points.

*Attach the bodice (shirt) and dress (fabric) using your serger or sewing machine.

*Here's what you have...only 1 step left :)

*Iron down your dress...

Ta-Da!

OH WAIT!  Didn't we have the bottom edge of the shirt?

Go grab it! Hurry! (no not really, and actually I HIGHLY encourage you to stop and take a little chocolate break) ;)

*Pair it with a little onesie...

Now repeat the step above, and now you have a super cute little dress for your smelly rat dog...uhh umm, I mean princess ;)

*I just added a raw edge ruffle to the collar, to match Miss A's dress.

Hugs! Ingrid