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Call Ajaire

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Emily Carr Inspired

Project Run & Play started again this week!  This time I actually found the time to blog between the seasons which has been fun, but I have so been looking forward to this week.  This season is All Stars so there is an amazing group of ladies back for more challenging fun.  They’ve been sharing sneak peeks over on instagram and I’m dying to see what they each came up with for the first theme: Inspired By Art.

๏ปฟ๏ปฟ

Abstract Tree Forms via

I’m originally from Massachusetts, but I went to college in the Northwest and spent about nine years living in or near Seattle, WA afterward.  On one of many trips to Vancouver, BC I stumbled upon the works of Emily Carr. I had seen a painting or two of hers before, but there was something about the collection that day that I fell in love with.  The colors she used and her brush strokes somehow speak to my reasons for staying in Washington so long.  It’s difficult to put into words, but isn’t that true of most art that really draws you in? 

Reforestation via

When I first saw the theme for this week, I wasn’t sure I’d sew along.  I have a few spring sewing plans and I didn’t think I could squeeze it into an already busy week.  Then on Tuesday I found an old post card that I picked up on that Vancouver trip and I knew I had to do something inspired by Emily Carr.  Even if it didn’t get completed in time for the Linky party, I felt compelled, hehe.

๏ปฟ

Above the Trees via

I couldn’t get the pictures of the big billowy trees out of my head and while reading a few blogs that day I realized that the shape of the new Sunshine Dress (affiliate link) might be a perfect match.  The more I thought about it, the more I knew I had to make an Emily Carr Sunshine dress.

I used the same green and blue fabrics I got at JoAnn fabrics years and years ago (while living in Seattle, hehe) that I’ve used for a bunch of outfits for Bean this year.  It’s the best fabric; really bright color, a tiny bit of shine, nice thickness, and a bit of stretch.  I still have more left even after this project, but I wish I had some in every color.

For the bottom skirt portion, I knew I wanted to exaggerate the puffiness to mimic the tree shapes.  I also thought strips of different colored greens would look a little like the shading.  So I took a piece of the green fabric and used a bleach solution to fade it until it was the color I was looking for. 

I cannot believe that it came out the exact color I wanted.  That never happens, hehe.

The blue fabric was already the perfect color for the sky – such a rich, dark blue – but I wasn’t sure how to show the brush strokes I so adore in those paintings.  Then I remembered I’ve been wanting to play with pleats and their direction. 

So I made a strip of blue pleats and then stitched up and down and diagonally across them to make it look like they were rolling across the front of the bodice. 

Instead of just cutting out a front bodice shape from the pleated fabric, I decided to trace the outline of the pattern piece on top of a section of the pleats. 

Then I sewed the back shoulder pieces directly to the pleated fabric using the outline as a guide. 

Once the lining shoulders were also stitched I was able to put the lining over the pleated fabric and stitch the bodice together. 

I was worried the pleats wouldn’t hold their shape if I just cut the pattern piece out and I found sewing it in place worked well.

I finished the back of the dress with some little white buttons just to give a sharp contrast of the white and blue in the back. 

I also used another color of green fabric to make the tie that cinches the bottom back edge. 

Yes! Pictures of Bean wearing the dress outside.  It’s a little chilly, but there’s hope for spring yet!

I have recently added affiliate links for Blank Slate Patterns and Go To Patterns on my sidebar as well as in some of the links in this post, but I sewed using their patterns long before even considering it. These are just great patterns that I truly stand by and I am excited about being an affiliate.

Also, I finally signed up at bloglovin.  Not sure if I’m going to like it yet, but I thought I’d give it a whirl hehe.

As usual, linking up to:
I Heart Nap Time The Chicken Chick Sew Chatty Photobucket Happy Hour Projects Photobucket  photo blogbutton_zpsb1fa0f6d.jpg

March 29, 2013 2:05 pm Ajaire Leave a Comment Filed Under: Uncategorized

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. 1

    Annie says

    March 29, 2013 at 4:43 pm

    Your dress is unique and beautiful!

    Reply
  2. 2

    Vaahtismonsteri says

    March 29, 2013 at 4:44 pm

    Really creative and amazing craftmanship! And the dress is still cute and wearable!

    Reply
  3. 3

    Olga (Kid Approved) says

    March 29, 2013 at 4:45 pm

    Soooo CUTE! Love it!

    Reply
  4. 4

    Without Directions says

    March 29, 2013 at 5:21 pm

    You are so creative! You completely captured the spirit of these paintings and made a darling dress at the same time!

    Reply
  5. 5

    Shaffer Sisters says

    March 29, 2013 at 5:21 pm

    I love this. It takes elements without being too matchy. I love the bottom. Great job.

    Reply
  6. 6

    Ashley P says

    March 29, 2013 at 5:34 pm

    Awesome dress!!! I love how you used the fabric to create texture!!!! Well done!!! I love it ๐Ÿ™‚

    -Ash P
    http://distractedashley.blogspot.com

    Reply
  7. 7

    Zafarani says

    March 29, 2013 at 6:26 pm

    I love this dress! It turned out so lovely! You are very creative. ๐Ÿ˜€

    Reply
  8. 8

    Maegen Foster says

    March 29, 2013 at 7:35 pm

    Love! I've been anxious to see the finished product after seeing what you were doing on instagram. It turned out fantastic! I love the stripes! and what you did with those pleats was a stroke of genius!

    Reply
  9. 9

    JOY @ http://joysjotsshots.blogspot.com/ says

    March 30, 2013 at 12:40 am

    I especially like the technique for the bodice. enJOYed your post! Thanks for sharing. Found you at Nap Time Crafters.

    Reply
  10. 10

    Gina says

    March 30, 2013 at 10:58 am

    Amazing details!! great way to do the bodice to maintain the pleating. Great interpretation of your inspiration piece!!! I hope you are able to sew along next week too!

    Reply
  11. 11

    Monica says

    March 30, 2013 at 11:49 am

    Oh, this turned out fantastic! I love those brush strokes, and that pleating concept turned out perfectly. These details were so well thought out, what attention to detail… You make me want to be a better sewer! ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  12. 12

    Karen says

    March 30, 2013 at 12:52 pm

    You captured the brush strokes and the 'feeling' of the painting so well! Bravo! Your cutie looks adorable in the dress.

    Reply
  13. 13

    Mamma Nene says

    March 30, 2013 at 1:27 pm

    OMG it's adorable ๐Ÿ™‚
    I love the bleach part because I was thinking to do the same in one project and I didn't know if try or not.. Let's try ๐Ÿ™‚
    Tx for sharing!
    MammaNene

    SergerPepper.blogspot.it

    Reply
  14. 14

    marnae says

    March 30, 2013 at 5:07 pm

    Love your interpretation, and the bodice especially! I've been wondering about that dress pattern…how does it look as a full skirt, without the drawstring? I love the top, and the stripes, but my daughters don't like bubble skirts!
    erickmarnae.wordpress.com

    Reply
  15. 15

    OnceUpona Sew says

    March 30, 2013 at 7:34 pm

    Really cute! How great you got to be outside too.

    Reply
  16. 16

    Magda E. says

    March 31, 2013 at 11:45 am

    What a clever idea! I love how you used the pleats (I've used this technique before and the resulta are always great!), and the bubble skirt, is just adorable.

    Reply
  17. 17

    amy mayen says

    March 31, 2013 at 11:46 am

    Wow, I love your technique on the bodice!!!

    Reply
  18. 18

    Sparkling says

    March 31, 2013 at 2:19 pm

    I've never been able to explain this, even to myself, but I always wanted my prom dress to be a big bubble like that. On a 2 year old, it's really cute. On a 17 year old it would have been absurd. Especially with my red prom dress. I would have looked like a giant cherry and there would have been no end to the jokes all night.

    Very crafty with the stripes. When I saw the picture of the bleach I imagined that you had somehow made perfectly straight stripes with the bleach and I was dying to know how you did it.

    Reply
  19. 19

    Simple Simon & Co says

    April 1, 2013 at 10:30 am

    Wow! I love that artwork—I've never seen her work before. It is pretty amazing. And I love how you interpreted it!-liZ
    ps—Your bleaching came out perfectly!

    Reply
  20. 20

    Maegen Foster says

    April 1, 2013 at 6:35 pm

    I'm sharing this as one of my favorites on my blog today http://dudeyourockmysocks.blogspot.com/

    Reply
  21. 21

    Kathy Shea Mormino, The Chicken Chick says

    April 2, 2013 at 5:24 pm

    Adorable dress…….Thank you for sharing with the Clever Chicks Blog Hop this week; I hope youโ€™ll join us again!

    Cheers,
    Kathy Shea Mormino

    The Chicken Chick

    http://www.The-Chicken-Chick.com

    Reply
  22. 22

    Angela says

    April 2, 2013 at 6:45 pm

    This dress is adorable. I actually didn't like the sunshine dress pattern when it was released but seeing your version has changed my mind! I love your inspiration and interpretation- not too literal, but I definitly get it.

    Reply
  23. 23

    crys0904 says

    April 5, 2013 at 11:57 pm

    Super cute!!!

    Reply
  24. 24

    Tonna @ USS Crafty says

    April 6, 2013 at 3:18 am

    Absolutely adorable!! I love this dress! You're so talented!

    Reply

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callajaire

Mother. Wife. Sewist. Not necessarily in that order.

Ajaire Parello
Once again this baby surprised us. Yesterday morni Once again this baby surprised us. Yesterday morning she just started counting to ten on her own ๐Ÿ˜†๐Ÿ˜† She was star struck watching herself on the camera so she didnโ€™t go past five here, but in person she rolls right past ten and tries for 11 and 12 ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜
You guys, this girl is having a real hair moment. You guys, this girl is having a real hair moment. After waiting literal years for her hair to grow in, itโ€™s now turned into an 80โ€™s rocker look with how spikey it all is on top and the extra length in back๐Ÿ˜†๐Ÿ˜† 
But we LOVE this Journal Jumpsuit from @jennuinedesign and she LOVES wearing it to jump on the couch. ๐Ÿ˜ฌ๐Ÿ˜ฌ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜Sheโ€™s a real talker these days so I had to use the Story Teller cut file, also from the Lounge Library collection.  Check out @projectrunandplay for the details on the sale on this pattern this week only!
Fabric is a lush French terry from @knitfabricdotcom and the contrast is a solid from @wolfandrabbitfabrics 

#projectloungelibrary #projectrunandplay #journaljumpsuit #jennuinedesign
Have you seen the mini season of @projectrunandpla Have you seen the mini season of @projectrunandplay details yet?  Iโ€™m super excited about everyone sharing more of the Project Lounge Library collection and the freebies weโ€™re offering!  First up is this perfectly sized book tote from @jennuinedesign. My girl LOVED the one I made from the second she saw it Christmas morning!  The cut file design is also from the collection as well as her nightgown ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜
Thereโ€™s a whole Percy Jackson collection inside there along with three other (heavy) books, so itโ€™s a nice sturdy tote that holds plenty!

https://projectrunandplay.com/product/book-bag/
#dbcanininoni #designsbycallajaire #jennuinedesign #projectrunandplay #freepattern #pdfpattern #projectloungelibrary
One of my favorite things is giving and receiving One of my favorite things is giving and receiving Christmas cards. ๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ’•
Well itโ€™s not as many books as Iโ€™ve read in pa Well itโ€™s not as many books as Iโ€™ve read in past years, nor did I reach my (what I thought was an easy) minimum goal of 50, but then again all that was set back in January before I knew Iโ€™d have very little time to myself for 3/4 of the year ๐Ÿ˜†๐Ÿคช 
I read lots of different genres, including a few oldie juvenile favorites to preview for or read alongside my daughter. ๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ’•
Some were book club reads and some were suggestions from Instagram friends, but I really enjoyed them all. Of course the new Louise Penny was my favorite ๐Ÿ˜

#goodreadschallenge2020 #goodreads #readingchallenge2020
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜ Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜
Just a reminder that 2020 wasnโ€™t all bad ๐Ÿคท๐Ÿผโ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿคท๐Ÿผโ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿฅฐ #topnine2020 #bestnine2020
We had a really nice Christmas with lots of cuddly We had a really nice Christmas with lots of cuddly fabrics and family. And this baby figured out how to ride her new scooter right away!  Looking forward to what 2021 has to bring! ๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ’•
Happy Christmas Eve everyone! ๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ’•๐ŸŽ„๐ŸŽ„๐Ÿฅ Happy Christmas Eve everyone! ๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ’•๐ŸŽ„๐ŸŽ„๐Ÿฅ๐Ÿฅ
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I've always loved making. At an early age I started cross stitching and sewing and I taught myself to knit and crochet during college. When our seven year old daughter Bean was born I was filled with all sorts of inspiration, so now I find ways to manage my crafty time and treasure those moments. Though sewing is what I'm most passionate about these days, there's something about the portability of yarn crafts and embroidery that keeps drawing me back in.

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