Hoot Couture

Happy New Year!

2012-01-04T10:49:00.005-05:00

2012 - already! Is it me or is time really flying by at warp speed?

Lots of new goodies from Riley Blake Fabrics will be here soon!

Stars & Stripes by Deena Rutter arriving in February :

And they have CHEVRON !!!

~arriving in April

-I pre-ordered aqua, black, gray, navy, green, pink, red & brown:

BOSC Holiday Craft Boutique - Fairfax, VA

2011-10-22T23:24:00.003-04:00

Owls and Vampires and Mummies Oh My!

2011-10-09T11:38:00.001-04:00

Need Halloween Fabric? I have some adorable prints from the "Boo to You" Collection by My Mind's Eye for Riley Blake Fabrics - and they are on sale! :

http://www.etsy.com/shop/hootcouture?section_id=10361233

Got Chevron?

2011-10-09T11:00:00.006-04:00

I do! This yummy print is from the Summer Soiree Collection by Paula Prass for Michael Miller Fabrics & is no longer in print. Yardage is available in my Etsy Shop~
http://www.etsy.com/listing/83359857/1-yard-chevron-black-from-the-summer

Jen Of "Tater Tots & Jello" has a fantabulous tutorial for a chevron Halloween wreath:
http://tatertotsandjello.com/2011/09/halloween-chevron-wreath-tutorial.html

*the stripes run parallel to the grain*

Copycat Nightgown

2011-10-01T23:36:00.004-04:00

I love love LOVE sewing patterns. I really do. I have 3 Rubbermaid containers full of patterns.

I use them. Sometimes.

Occasionally I just get impatient and trace a piece of clothing right onto the fabric.

This is one of my daughter's favorite nightgowns from Target~

She needed more nighties, but I had (ok - "have") a huge stash of knits waiting to be used (and Target gets way too much of my $$), so I decided to make a few :-)

I traced (actually I just cut right around it) the original~

I had to stretch the neck & arm hole/sleeve areas to make sure I would have enough for gathering.

I decided to dig out the clear elastic tape to reinforce the seams at the shoulder~

I love my serger!

(not a necessity - especially if you are a precision cutter and/or using a pattern and knits don't fray)

topstitching at the shoulder~

The pieces are uneven but the Serger will take care of that :)

I used 1/4" elastic for the neck & arm holes, attaching it with a small zig zag, stretching the elastic as I stitched~

Stretching the elastic (sorry for the blurry shot :-()

Ruffles! :-) (that is paint on my thumb nail)

voila!

RIley Blake Holiday Prints!!!

2011-08-23T19:08:00.003-04:00

So adorable! Available in my Etsy Shop ~ http://www.etsy.com/shop/hootcouture

New Prints in the Etsy Shop!

2011-08-15T12:45:00.003-04:00

New goodies from Alexander Henry~

2D Zoo Yuletide

Holiday Starling

*2D Zoo and Willow Shrooms are back in stock!*

Who needs an overlocker when you have a double needle?

2011-06-15T12:46:00.001-04:00

I love my Babylock Imagine serger but it doesn't have an overlock option (uugghh). I have been meaning to try out the double needle that came with my sewing machine - it's been on my "aroundtoit" list forever. So when I saw this tutorial on the Make It & Love It Blog I decided to finally hunt through my sewing stuff & get down to business ~

http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2011/05/sewing-tips-basic-stitches-plus-double.html

This is my first "double needle" project with ruffle fabric & FOE (fold over elastic)~

Like I could resist these owls....

2011-06-14T12:58:00.001-04:00

Hoo's In The Forest

More Fresh Squeezed :-)

2011-05-18T08:11:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite print collections by Sandi Gervais for Moda~

Applique from Planet Applique

New Prints in the Etsy Shop!

2011-04-21T22:00:00.000-04:00

I just added a few more Michael Miller Prints to my Etsy Shop - all speacially priced for "Spring Cleaning " :-)

It's official - I have a teenager!

2011-04-17T13:03:00.001-04:00

A little sewing tip/ tutorial

2011-04-11T10:36:00.000-04:00

Ok- so the clothing line design has been slow going ~ partially due to making goodies for my daughter & niece. I have also been experimenting with new patterns... and mixing pattern pieces from different designers/manufacturers.... and making my own alterations to patterns... resulting in too many UFOs (unfinished objects). Necessity is the mother of invention - right? For me it is also known as "taking the scenic route" in sewing :-)

One such "alteration" resulted from dealing with making waistbands - not a difficult thing to do but sometimes it drives me crazy ~ especially when I realize (after the fact) that the elastic is twisted (even though I triple checked it) or is too short/long ~ and seam ripping is on my dreaded things to do list - right up there with cleaning the bathroom (and thus a large part of the pile of UFOs).

I found that putting a buttonhole in the waistband area is a major time saver ~ Especially if the skirt/pants/shorts is handed down to a child with a different waist size.

Make sure the buttonhole guide thingy is large enough for your elastic ~

I found that it's easier to start the button hole from the top part of the waist band~

Ready to thread the elastic :-)

Finished product~

If you accidently make the hole on the front side of the waistband (this has happened to me when making a separate waistband added to the bottom part of the skirt later or when making a skort) you can easily cover the "error" with a bow or fabric "yo-yo" :-)

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T12:16:00.001-05:00

Changes are coming to the business & website! I will be focusing on a small Spring/Summer clothing line - one of a kind pieces - that will be marketed locally as well as online. I will continue to take custom orders from current clients. Please contact me to place an order~

I would also like to put some color on my "builder beige" walls, make some window treatments, make a duvet cover for my bed- oh- and squeeze in some regular exercise- phew! :-)

Wishing all of you peace, health & happiness in 2011 !!!

The Website is up & running!

2010-10-15T16:50:00.000-04:00

I, however, am knee deep in custom requests.
Please email me to place an order.

There is currently a 2 week wait time -
thanks in advance for your patience!

Email Arlene

The website should be back up in the next 24hours...

2010-10-13T19:47:00.000-04:00

There was a little mix up with my web

host & updating my email address--

It's all been taken care of :-)

Some goodies that will be at the Belvoir OWC Craft and Gift Fair

2010-09-24T13:33:00.000-04:00

Join BOWC for our annual Craft and Gift Fair,

Saturday, October 2, 2010 12:00 p.m. — 6:00 p.m.

Sunday, October 3, 2010 12:00 p.m. — 4:00 p.m.

located at the Wells Field House, adjacent to the

MWR Oktoberfest, North Post, Fort Belvoir.

Get a head start on your holiday shopping!

My wonderful mother, Madeline ,
will be hosting the table and
will have a few samples of my
handmade clothing & accessories.
Look for the
"Hoot Couture" Owl sign!

Hoot Goodies at the Fort Belvoir OWC Annual Craft & Gift Fair

2010-09-18T22:14:00.000-04:00

Belvoir OWC Craft and Gift Fair

Join BOWC for our annual Craft and Gift Fair,

Saturday, October 2, 2010 12:00 p.m. — 6:00 p.m.

Sunday, October 3, 2010 12:00 p.m. — 4:00 p.m.

located at the Wells Field House, adjacent to the

MWR Oktoberfest, North Post, Fort Belvoir.

Get a head start on your holiday shopping!

We will have affordable gifts, beautiful art, amazing jewelry, stained glass, baked goods, children's gifts and much, much more!

A $1.00 donation is requested for entrance to this event.

All proceeds from the Craft and Gift Fair will benefit BOWC’s Scholarship Program and many deserving groups in our community through BOWC’s Welfare Program.

For more information please visit our web site: www.belvoirowc.org

I finally got some sewing done!

2010-07-28T21:53:00.000-04:00


There is a fantabulous bean bag tutorial on the Michael Miller Blog. My daughter chose her favorite print~ "Summer Cupcakes" from the Confections Collection by Caleb Gray for Robert Kaufman Fabrics.		http://www.michaelmillerfabrics.com/Blog/bean_bag_chair.pdf

My son went with a ripstop camo :-)

Ann Kelle'S Urban Zoologie

2010-07-04T19:52:00.000-04:00

More Owl Prints! I am in whooo-heaven! Not to mention the adorable whales....

http://www.annkelle.com/urban-zoologie/

RUN- do not walk- to Laurie Wisburn's Blog

2010-06-16T23:54:00.000-04:00

...for a peek at her upcoming collection Urban Circus!!!

Click here to go to Laurie's Blog

I will be (hopefully) pre-ordering these prints so keep an eye out for the collection on my website in August!

2010-05-16T21:23:00.000-04:00

More adorable owl prints!!!

Hooty Hoot by Doohikey Designs for

Riley Blake Fabrics

(due to ship in August)

"Owl Roll Call"

"Hooty Main"

Unpacking & saving little critters...

2010-05-10T23:36:00.000-04:00

We are now up to 2 dogs, 2 fish, 3 guinea pigs & now little bunny foo foo. My daughter named him "Tweet" (Dad found him?her in the road) . After some Google searching we learned Tweet can be released when the little white line of hair on his forehead disappears. For now I feeding him kitten milk replacer (similac for critters) & assorted greens...

moving sucks

2010-05-06T20:59:00.000-04:00

My apologies if that word offends anyone but it fits (fortunately my children aren't reading this). I can't sleep well or find anything - I feel totally discombobulated (not sure if that's an actual word but if it is it's probably misspelled ~ oh well!)

I am d-y-i-n-g to to sew something!!! If I could just get to the machine....I have to move boxes first- and then unpack it and then clear more boxes off the sewing table. If I ever locate my camera I'll take a picture of Mt. Fabrica :-)

New Fabrics are on the way!

2010-03-02T09:56:00.000-05:00

I am so excited about the new Spring prints I ordered from Robert Kaufman Fabrics! They should be on my doorstep (or rather in front of the garage as the boxes will be huge) in about a week :-)

One of the prints from Michael Miller (on my wish list ) reminds me of some little critters we "adopted" last week.... How cute are these little hedgies?

(we actually got guinea pigs - 3 of them- I still haven't told my Mother- who lives in another state- in DC actually- which is not a state - anyhoo, she is going to have a cow- and why at age 41 am I worried about that?)

Personalized travel beverage bottles are back in stock!

2010-02-22T17:53:00.000-05:00

16 ounce stainless steel hot beverage mugs
12 ounce& 17 ounce stainless steel water bottles
optional hot beverage lid for the water bottles

Help For Haiti

2010-01-22T09:22:00.000-05:00

Proceeds from this sale will go to the Doctors Without Borders Haiti Fund:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/crafthope

Creekside Mothers of Preschoolers Annual Holiday Showcase

2009-10-10T22:32:00.000-04:00

I am going to have a table at the Creekside MOPS Holiday Showcase filled with lots of goodies you see on my website as well as some new products. I have been working on a little clothing line for the past several months and I will have quite a few pieces available for purchase. I will also be taking custom orders on a space available basis. What that means is that I will work as quickly and efficiently as I can without sacrificing quality.

Soooo- if you will be in "Suburbia-land" north of Atlanta please stop by!

Here's the address:
673 Peachtree Pkwy.
Cumming, GA 30041

Here is the "official" flyer from the MOPS webpage~

JOIN US FOR A FABULOUS EVENT FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY!

Creekside Mothers of Preschoolers Annual
Holiday Showcase
Coming Friday and Saturday, November 6th and 7th, 2009!