It has been a BUSY busy Month.

First, there was the whole recover-from-vacation-week, then a distracting and terrifying breast cancer scare (I’m all fine so far, with a little titanium interior-mammogram-visible “jewelry” to mark the chunk they removed to check on next year).

Naturally, I had to make myself a dress for the Auto Show event (TWO days before the event, this year, not the night before as for past events).

My friend Janna (on the left) made my necklace (I bought it the second I saw it listed on etsy), she made her own necklace from antique Typewriter parts, and the necklace on the lady in this story from Engine Parts.

I assisted at a couple photo shoots for the magazine in Ferndale.  Now, I say I “assisted,” but I was really there to fix buttons, provide moral support, pick out some dresses, and lend kids money for coffee shop treats.  I didn’t actually do anything.

I learned to make an amazing body scrub at the small craft skillshare event, and I’ve been using it ever since.  There’s another coming up in February at the TrumbullPlex in Detroit where they’ll be making Valentine’s Day cards – what could be sweeter?  I’m going to try to make it over there.

I have been reading a lot about my newest obsessions, knitting and crochet. Annie is hosting a Crochet 101 series, so grab your hook and get going!  The Handmade Companion has a super-fun crochet project (an inspiration for my distraction from learning to knit – in addition to Rae’s post here).

I did write some (though -obviously- not here), including an article for the upcoming Handmade Companion Winter/Valentine’s Day issue which will show you a simple way to Springify your house while it’s still Winter out there.

I hope you’ve been learning to sew with knit fabrics on Rae’s KNITerview series.  (Click the link in the sidebar to catch up, if you haven’t).  I wrote a little piece for the series which will be posted soon.

I have even dusted off my PowerPoint guru turban this month and made some super-fancy presentations to earn some money.  I feel a little like I’m selling out, but a little like I’m really incredibly excellent at creating presentations for speaking events, so it’s a toss-up whether or not I’ll continue.  I’d rather be crafting.

Mostly, I’ve been reading, and finding myself in awe of the amazing modifications crafters are making to the Raw-edged Raglan in Sewing for Boys for the Year Long Sew-Along. (yes, there are prizes, so go enter February’s Sew-Along!)

I’d like to promise that I’ll write more often here on the blog, but I have a big, big, project I’m working on a project – so much fun – I promise only that you’ll be happy to see it when I return!  There are going to be some changes aroung the site here, and I hope you’ll stick around!

Tell me, what has your January looked like?

I cannot get anything done unless I write it down first.  On paper.  With a pencil.

I know there are myriad electronic tools available, and I don’t have a problem checking things off my to-do list on my fabulous phone, but there’s something about pencil-to-paper that drives me to action.

What about you?  Do you need to “write it down”?

You may remember that I mentioned a new gig I have been working on? The very first issue of the Handmade Companion is a sampler of what’s to come in future Full issues, and includes an adorable gift guide as well.

Check it out:

What an emotional day around here… Thank goodness my little one always can make me laugh.

Finally, after hours of stress, I sat down in the living room, looking out over the back yard and said (half aloud) “I need to sit.”

I sat with my cup of Koni Radiant Beauty white tea and took a deep breath. Out of nowhere, Ella said, “oh! SIT as in meditate!? I have just the thing. Stay there, don’t start.”

She ran to her room to retreive her Zune and plugged it into the amplifier for the main house speakers. Ella selected one of her favorite albums: Mike Cohen’s Om Dattatreya and proceeded to sit with her back to mine.

She sat still(ish) for an entire song, and it was enough to give both of us a fresh start for the day.

Tell me, how do you start over on a stressful day?

The Barnes and Noble on Haggerty and 6 mile in Northville is hosting a trunk show and book signing for Sewing for Boys tomorrow.

More details on their website.

I hope to see you see you there!

Now that the deck is repaired, I can look outside without fretting about needing to fix it….

That feels really good. So do wool socks, and fully lined wool trousers.

Stay warm today!

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You may or may not have heard that I have a fun new gig coming soon.  I’ll be writing for the Handmade Companion – a new, crafty, DIY lifestyle magazine - both in print and electrons. (You can pick up the première issue this weekend at the Detroit Urban Craft Fair, if you didn’t pre-order a copy already…)

I’ll be the Dear Abby of Sewing, so click the image below to send your question!

Come craft it up with Rae and me this Thursday.  This will be the final SEMi Crafty meetup for 2011, and we’d love to see you and your projects!

My friends Amy and Ethan Cronkite are embarking on a new (ad)venture in the City. This weekend, they are kicking off with a Launch Party at the TrumbullPlex in Detroit.

What’s Small Craft, you may ask?

Small Craft will be setting up a pop-up shop of upcycled crafting supplies in the Trumbullplex Theatre, during the Zine Library open hours. We will have many different supplies for sale, all on a pay-as-you-wish-price scale.

– http://thesmallcraft.com

Michelle of Aisle 3 did a really nice interview of Amy with more information on the Small Craft launch; the live music, the zine library, and the free knitting lesson…

Naturally, this is a kid-friendly event and I’ll be on hand to play crafty-time with Ella, Ramona, Henry, and whoever else comes along with mom and dad!

I hope to see you there.

Let’s finish these trousers and wear them this weekend!

Today, we’ll be measuring to ensure a perfect finish, so grab your measuring tape and let’s get started.

So far, we have a very unfinished pair of pants (as pictured below).  You can start at the Waist facing or at the hem facings, whichever you like.  Since I have clearer pictures of the process from the hem facing steps, I’ll start there.  (Note that this is the opposite order from the directions in the book, but the pants will come out the same.)

Size and attach the hem facings

Remember when I advised you to cut your hem facings a little longer than the pattern piece “just in case”?  You’ve put these pant legs together with 3 pieces, which means 6 opportunities to have not made a perfectly perfect 3/8” seam allowance at each edge.  To still end up with Perfect Pants: measure around the hem edge of a pant leg, and add 3/4” to that measurement (seam allowances=3/8” each and you need two.) Trim your hem facings to this size, then sew the short ends, right sides together to form a circle for each leg.

Press a raw edge 1/4” to the wrong side of each circle to make things easy on yourself.

Align the raw edge of a hem facing to the raw edge of each pant leg right sides together.  Line the seam of the hem facing circle to the inseam of each leg, like this:

Stitch the raw edges together and press the hem facing and seam allowances down, then stitch all those seam allowances in place (this is called understitching; the seam allowances and the hem facing will fold nicely together if you do this:

so you end up with this on each leg so far:

From here, you’ll fold the hem facings to the inside of the pant leg:

…and then stitch the pressed, folded edges of the facings in place. They should now resemble like this from the inside:

(…you can now fold up the facings to use as cuffs while your little guy is growing, then fold them down to accommodate his growth spurt in the Spring.)

How handsome these hem facings are!

Attach the Waist Facing

We’re going to repeat the process to form the elastic casings that form the waistband.

Measure the raw edges of the waist end of the pants, then add 3/4” to the result. (there is a typo in the book, indicating to add 3/8” to this measurement.  3/4” is the correct addition for two seam allowances)

Cut a length of contrast fabric to 2 1/2” wide by the total length you determined above.  Mark a chalk line down the center (lengthwise) of the contrast waist facing piece.

Sew the short ends together to form a circle, the press that seam open.

Press a raw edge 3/8” to the wrong side as before.  Please note: the pressed edge will be the lower edge of the waist facing. (If you have a directional print like I do, this is important to note before you attach the waist facing.)

Now you can align the right side of the raw, unpressed edges of the waist facing to the wrong side of the raw edges of the waist end of the pants.  Line up the waist facing seam with the back center seam of the pants.

As with the hem facings, stitch these raw edges together, then press the whole facing and seam allowances upward.  Again, fold the waist facing over, this time to the outside. You can understitch here as well, or edgestitch the top of the waist facing (1⁄8″ from the folded edge).

If you want to sew a tag into your garment, this is a good time to do so.  I line mine up about 1” from the waist facing/pants seam, centered over the back center seam.

Leaving a 2″ opening, stitch along the chalk line to form your first casing. Leaving a 2″ opening, edgestitch along the folded waist facing edge to form your second casing.

Cut two pieces of 1⁄2″ wide elastic to the following measurements:

18 months: 19″

size 2/3: 20″

size 4/5: 21″

size 6/7: 22″

Using a bodkin or safety pin, pull through one of the 1⁄2″ wide elastic pieces in the top casing, careful not to twist the elastic. Overlap the elastic ends 1⁄2″ and stitch the ends of the elastic together. Repeat for the lower elastic, then finish stitching the 2″ openings closed.

(Optional: You can also use 1″ wide elastic with a single casing.)

Stitch some decorative buttons on, over the faux fly, and you’re done!

Aren’t they cute?

Any questions? Comments? New tricks? Post them below in the comments section and I’ll get back to you.

The final step is to put these on your kiddo, send him outside to play, take some photos and share them with us over at the Sewing for Boys_The BOOK Flickr Group and give each other some virtual high-fives for a job well done.

Even better: If you want a high five from Shelly, take your pants over to Powell’s Books in Portland at 2 for a book-signing event tomorrow. If you want a high five from me, come to the Material Girls in Dearborn for a book signing event at 1!