Top-Toberfest...it's a coming

It's that time again.  What time?  Top-toberfest time.  What's Top-toberfest you ask.  A celebration of shirts, tops, blouses, that sort of thing.

Top-toberfest is going to be starting up October 15th and will run through November 2nd.  I have some great guest bloggers lined up, and I'm super excited to share some new projects with you.

Are you wondering why in the world my Top-toberfest logo has a speech bubble? You don't care, well let me tell you anyway.  Way back in college (8 years ago), I bumped into my future husband.  He was wearing a vintage button up shirt, with pearl snaps (which is now sitting in my re-fashion pile).  I liked the shirt, but more than the shirt, I liked him.  I told him "Hey Jake, I like your shirt".  To which he responded, "it's shirty".  Yep.  It was a shirty shirt, and that was the line that won me over.  Alright it wasn't. In fact we waited two years before we went out next. Anyway, much like my husband's shirt, Top-toberfest is shirty.  We'll  have some fun new tutorials to share with you. I hope your looking forward to it.

PS- Do you ever write with certain voice inflections in your head?  I don't know if I worded that well, but whenever I think of Top-toberfest, I want to announce/yell it in Oprah fashion.

PPS-I just signed up for a craft fair, right in the middle of Top-toberfest....eek.  I'm nervous, and a bit overwhelmed, but I seem to be much more productive when I have a lot going on.

Lil' Bit of Love: a mini-series

Normally I don't get too excited about Holidays.  I like them, but I don't go overboard.  I decorate for Christmas....and that's about it.  I don't know what it is about this year, but I'm getting  excited about Valentine's day.  I blame Pinterest.

Another thing, I normally don't like heart shaped things, jewelry in particular, but this year it's winning me over.  So in celebration of my change of HEART, I've decided to run a week long mini-series to include everything red, pink, and heart shaped.

I'll be popping in with some Valentines themed projects, and of course several round ups.

So let's start out with the best part of any holiday...the food.  Here a few festive treats to celebrate the day.

Source: stylemepretty.com via Tricia on Pinterest

Valentine's Day Cupcakes

Source: mommygaga.com via Tricia on Pinterest

White Chocolate dipped marshmallows on a stick.

Source: cookiesandcups.com via Tricia on Pinterest

Strawberry frosting and white chocolate chips make up this two ingredient fudge.

Source: lifesafeast.blogspot.com via Tricia on Pinterest

Cotton Candy Macaroons

Source: sweetsugarbelle.com via Tricia on Pinterest

The prettiest heart shaped cookies

Source: createdby-diane.com via Tricia on Pinterest

Peanut Butter Cookies

Source: sprinklebakes.com via Tricia on Pinterest

and because chocolate is an integral part of Valentine's Day...Chocolate Soup for two

Source: divine-baking.com via Tricia on Pinterest

Flourless Chocolate Fudge Cookies

Source: Uploaded by user via Tricia on Pinterest

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes

Refashion: Sweater to Lace Embellished Cardigan

Lace Embellished Cardigan

With the new year, I hope to introduce a few on going series to the blog. One of the new series will be  Reduce,Reuse,Refashion.  It is a series that I'm starting with the hopes of sewing my way through the piles of discarded clothing that I've been stashing for far too long.

My first project starts with a all too tight knit top that I've had for five plus years. I really like the top, but it is less than flattering on more maternal  figure. To make this little sweater into something more wearable I made a few simple changes.

1- Slit the front of the top down the center.  

2-Attached a length of contrast lace to the bottom of the sweater. (This particular top had a ribbed section near the bottom,  I aligned my lace with the top of the ribbing). I used a three point zig zag stitch along top and bottom of the lace.

3-Serged the raw edges.

4-Turned the serged edges under (1/4"). 

5-Stitched down the turned under edge.

6-Added a few decorative buttons to one side of the cardigan (not functional...the top is still too tight to actually close, but looks great belted or over a tank).

This was a really quick and easy refashion. It turned something in the back of my closet into something that I actually want to wear.

Like I mentioned earlier, I'm hoping to have this be an ongoing (but regular) series throughout the year. If any of you have projects that you'd like to share as part of the series, let me know, and I'll consider them as a guest post.

Don't forget to enter the My Memories Giveaway.

Wanted: Toptoberfest Guest Bloggers and Contributors

Day One: Pleated Dress Shirt

Some of you will remember that last year in October I ran a series on this blog that I called Toptoberfest.  It was a week of tutorials based on tops and tees.  It was nice to challenge myself to come up with some new styles and projects.

 Day Two: Night Owl Expedition Shirt

I'm hoping to run the series again, I am just going to need a bit of help this time.  With my baby due at the end of this month I'd originally thought that hosting the series was out of the question, but then I thought that maybe some of my wonderful readers would like to help me out. 

Day Three: Bands and Buttons

Contributors could share tops made from ready made patterns, self drafted patterns, refashioned tops, embellished tops, or even appliqued tops.

I'd also love to have a variety of projects.  I know that I'll have at least a couple of boy themed projects, but if any of you are interested in contributing tops for girls, or even older kids.  

Day Four: Cowl Neck Tee

If you would like to participate, but don't want to be a guest blogger, I'm hoping to host another link party to showcase all of the great tops that you've been making.

Toptoberfest Day Five: Robot Applique

I don't have any firm dates set, but I'm thinking of having the series start mid October.  If you are interested in participating, please shoot me an email and let me know what type of a project you think you'd like to contribute.

Hope to hear from some of you soon.  If you have any special requests for projects that you'd like to see please let me know.