New Look, Old awesome!

Hello Spoonies and Non-Spoonies Alike!

Welcome to the reincarnation of what was once my sewing blog Mikelina Makes. It was impossible for me to keep my blog going consistently with my health so I left on a very long hiatus about a year ago. In that time I have moved many times, gotten better control over my health, had my second beautiful baby boy Wildeman's little brother [bog-named] Roo. Roo is almost four months old now and I missed my sewing machine so badly but more than anything I missed my blog. Funnily I've been taking picture to post the whole time I've been gone so I'm so excited to get going and post some sewing projects, refashions and ootds:

So, to answer a few questions:

 

What is a spoonie?

A spoonie is a person living with a chronic illness. 96% of chronic illness are invisible to the naked eye. I am the 96%. I live with fibromyalgia, depression, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and am recovering from EDNOS (eating disorder not otherwise specified). All of these things have major impacts on my life and I don't try to hide or downplay them. I ask people to accept them as a part of me without pity. They are just one of many parts of my life. Many of my posts and YouTube videos will be about chronic illness, chronic pain etc but I will also continue to sew and refashion and I hope to share all of that with you!

Who is Mikelina? (of Mikelina Makes)

Well, I am, sort of... Mikelina is a nickname that my mother used to call me. When I first started this blog I was not entirely comfortable using my real name, however, the more time I spend online, at my blog, on Facebook etc the more I want to be my whole self here just as much as I am in the "real world". So, my name is Mikal (pronounced Michael) I really like the sound of Mikelina though so I'll keep it for now and go by Mikal Mikelina. That has a nice ring to it doesn't it?

Words

I believe that words have power and so there are a couple that I will be using here that many people avoid. I am using them in their original sense as simple adjectives. For me they don't have positive or negative connotations. I will use the word "fat" a lot because I am and I don't think there is anything wrong with that. I will also be using words like "chubby" and "big". I will not be using words like "overweight" or "rubenesque" that negate the beauty of fat women or idiomatically try to hide our existence from the world.

The Low Pain Diet

The Low Pain Diet started out for me as an experiment in natural pain management for fibromyalgia. I had cut out sugar and caffeine years ago (Ive had FMS for 6 years now) but I decided to cut out a few more things to see if I was able to get better control of my pain. The main focus has been anti-inflammatories but I also avoid stimulants. I have cut out grain, animal products, sugar, syrups, starches and processed food. I eat fruits, vegetables, oils (coconut and olive) nuts and seeds. My aim was to make my body work as little as possible so that assimilating and dealing with the effects of chronic pain were all it had to do.

I need make a vitally important clarification:

I am not suggesting that this diet will cure anything. I don't advise others to take it up and I don't know whether or not it will help you if you do. I only that it has made a considerable difference for me personally. I still take a number of medications, exercise, rest regularly and still experience chronic pain.

My average pain level on a daily basis went from 9ish when I was first diagnosed, to around 7 on a tricyclic anti-depressant, then down to 4 on an anti-convulsant now it averages around 2-3 but if I push myself it gets back up pretty fast. I haven't, however, had a flare up in months.

This diet has had such a profound effect on my life and my ability to manage my disease that I wanted the opportunity to share it with others and see if it works for them. It also a diet that is incredibly daunting to take up and I want to share tips and tricks that I have learned that make that a less Herculean task. I will be updating you on the diet if/when it changes, on recipes and on my pain and medications. Hopefully this will be beneficial to at least a few of you.

Topics

My goal is to post every day even if I'm only posting a smoothie from the Low Pain Diet. If you only want to see the kinds of things I would have posted before as Mikelina Makes I will be posting sewing, fashion and beauty stuff on Tuesdays and Fridays so come back then!

Also be aware that my children are beyond adorable and you will see them a lot. I mean look how cute:



Thanks guys for reading all the way to the bottom of the post! I love it when that happens!

Me Made May #1 - The Sonic Dress

Me Made May # 1
Just a quick post today fine refashioners. This dress was refashioned from a children's bedsheet I thrifted. I love the overall effect, and I'm generally terrified of fabric with no stretch so go me! Facing my non-stretch fears!
My posts will be short over the next week or so. I have some health issues (depending on how long you've been around you may know that) and I'm more or less house bound (see: indoor shot), trying to rest up and get back on my feet. I need to get out there and enjoy this beautiful, unexpected Vancouver sunshine!
See you tomorrow!

T-shirt to Cheeky Garter Belt Refashion And Tutorial

Yay! More lingerie refashions! This will be lingerie tutorial #2 (#1), but there will definitely be more to come. I had been wanting to make my own lingerie for a long time but I had a hard time justifying putting that much time and energy into something I could only wear in my own house. Finally I gave up trying to justify it and just stahrted sewing. Besides, I have made a number of pieces of men's lingerie (true story), why not make my own?
I was inspired by this awesome graphic T I mined from a corporate thriftstore in my neighbourhood. Originally they were going to be panties but I decided that wasn't quite cheeky enough for this find.
As always (usually) I started by cutting the tshirt open at the seams to create flat pattern pieces.
I marked my pattern on the right side so that I wasn't having to constantly flip it back and forth to make sure I wasn't cutting through the graphic.
I folded the shirt in half to make sure my cut was symmetrical.
I did the same with the blank back of the shirt. The blank piece will be the front of the garter.
The hem on the graphic (which is the back of the garter belt) rose up much higher). The cut ends up looking like this.
I also made a liner out of the rest of the t-shirt so that the t-shirt cotton wouldn't stretch out of shape as easily. For the liner I just cut duplicates of the first two pieces. I sewed both the sets of pattern pieces together seperately.
And attatched them at the top, right sides together.
At the bottom I folded both hems in toward each other and sewed the bottom hem with a zig zag stitch.
With scraps from the t-shirt I created these four garters by cutting 1.25" widths and folding them in on eachother so no raw edges are visible. I sewed them closed with a zig zag stitch.
For lack of ready garter clips I repurposed paper clips which worked surprisingly well. So well that I doubt I'll replace them.
And voila!
May the refashion be with you.

Sweater Socks

I have definitely been experiencing blog withdrawals in the week since I last posted. Fortunately I have found some time to sew at least! My latest project:

I didn't take many during pictures. My health stuff has been acting up and this bit of sewing was a stretch so pictures weren't at the forefront of my mind. I started with this sweater, mined from my favourite charity thrift store for 2.50$ When I saw it I was immediately reminded of this pin:

http://weheartit.com/entry/25829799

I love finding things that remind me of pins! The only thing I love more (as far as pinning goes) is making something I pinned! After cutting the sleeves from the sweater I cut along the highest full stripe so the pattern would be uniform. Then I cut the body of the sweater in half and serged the seams closed so I had two more tubes of fabric. The waist band of the sweater will become the top band of the socks. I sewed the top tube (from the body) to the bottom tube (the sleeves), round out the toes and brought the seams in until the socks fit snugly to my legs. Mine reach to just above my knees. In retrospect I would have used more of the body to make them higher. Guess I'll just have to make more...bummer ;) Shared on

Hey, is that Easter up there?

If by up there you mean up there in the future then yes, it is.

Hubby and I are in the rather exciting position of starting family traditions this year, as we now have a little family to tradish with. Granted, Wildeman has no idea what Easter is, or what bunnies are and no way in hell is he eating chocolate this Easter but he'll appreciate all this in a couple years and by then we'll have it down pat.

So, good weather allowing we will be Easter brunching in the park with our lovely family (with brownies baked inside eggshells)  and if I recall someone started some kind of holiday challenge...what was that again? Oh, that's right:

Wildeman Holiday Challenge 2013 #4: Easter

and here is the adorable little bunny now in

 

The Shabby Bunny

The Sew Off Auditions!

Yay! More challenges!

Magda from House of Estela is my kind of crazy! I mean really how many sewing competitions can one audition for? How many sew-alongs can one participate in? The answer is simple:

ALL OF THEM!
 

So I auditioned here:

 

With this:

 

I need luck! Wish it!
Please.

My Other Pants are a Kilt - Part 3

It's the beginning of the end!
(but in a good way)


 If you have no idea what I'm talking about and you have never seen this picture before you want to be over here, not here.

If you are in the right place then: It's the beginning of the end! Congratulations to making it this far in the project and/or clicking on some links and reading some stuff!

By now I'm sure you're very familiar with this cutie.

My Other Pants are a Kilt Part 3

The Jacket and Sporran

This is part 3 of the tutorial for the Wildeman Holiday Challenge 2013: St. Patrick's day as well as my Sew-vivor audition this season.This formal Irish suit is made up of 6 different pieces. A button-down onesie, vest, jacket, bow tie, kilt and sporran.

No idea what challenge I'm talking about?
No idea what Sew-vivor is?
Haven't seen Part 1?

Caught up now? Good, on we go...

Part 1 -
Kilt and Vest

Part 2 -
Button down onesie

Part 3-
Jacket and sporran (You are here!)

I made the bow tie using this tutorial.

Baby Boy Formal Irish Jacket Tutorial

Wildeman Wednesdays #2

That's right! Twice in one day.

This week's Wildeman Wednesday bears a remarkable similarity to last week's (there's a tutorial through there). They're just bigger and shinier. I made pants for myself (and a man-thong for a friend of mine) and still had enough fabric for the front of Wildeman's new pants. The back is more scrap in a navy blue knit:

Can't wait until he's big enough to wear them!

Pinterest Challenge Accepted!

Hi!

You know what? I love Pinterest, and I'm willing to admit that it is possible that I spend a little too much time there, but only a little. And I'm standing by that statement, which isn't to say that I don't spend much time there, rather that I actually do many of the things I pin. And for still more I have bought materials that are just waiting to be stitched back to life. Which is cool, except that I have this somewhat-irrational-and-somewhat-totally-understandable fear: scheduled projects. So, the point? The point is that Merrick over at Merrick`s Art, who you should follow if you're not already, is challenging me (and, you know, some other peopl...maybe you) to complete 6 pins in 6 weeks. Alright Merrick, challenge accepted. I'm going stare scheduled sewing in the face and laugh at it's puny attempts to scare the crap out of me for me...or be super anxious until everything is done. Either is good.

 

My list:

 

 

Yes, it is ambitious, but Wildeman sleeps a lot so I'm taking a shot!

 

1. Rompers from adult T-shirts
          > My version.

2. Criss cross crochet back T-shirt
          > My version

3. Funky Baby Sweat Pants
          > My version.

4. Baby play gym - Not a tutorial. it's a 162$ play gym that I'm using as inspiration. My goal is to make my own for under 30$
         > My version

5. Wildeman's much belated mobile.

6. Ellis Shirt Dress from Burdastyle - No tutorial that I can find but I love a challenge!

 

Check back for the tutorials.

I need luck. Wish it!

 

Outfit of the Day

Shirt : Thrifted black T with puff sleeves.
Pants: Handmade. More details over here.
Hair: Braided sock bun

Blue Plaid Flannel to Sexy Pleated Micro Mini Skirt

Hello everyone !

Ever notice the ridiculous lack of lingerie refashion tutorials? No? Well, I have and I think it's a travesty that requires a quick remedy. Hopefully this will be the first of many lingerie refashions, because lingerie makes you feel beautiful and sexy and the world needs more women who feel beautiful and sexy.

I started out with this:



It's kinda big...

 

Baby Refashion Challenge!

Hello Foxy Crafters,

I have decided to start a challenge for the year of 2013. Now this kind of thing always makes me nervous as my health is very unpredictable. Right now I feel great but at anytime feeling great could end and I could be stuck in bed for days, weeks, even years. The fear that that might happen was almost enough of a reason to not make this commitment but you know what? I'm so sick and tired of living with my head down in case my symptoms flare and I have to drop everything. What would be the point of periods of near remission I didn't take advantage of them? So, without further ado I bring you...

The Wildeman Holiday Challenge 2013

Rules:

1. Make a complete, themed, non-traditional outfit for my baby boy for every major, and some minor, holidays (see the list below).

2. Every item in the outfit must be refashioned.

3. Each outfit may cost no more than 25$

4. I will post the outfit and it's tutorial at least 10 days prior to the holiday, that way you guys can have a go at it if you want.

5. Include total cost and full tutorial in each post.

The holidays:

February 14th - Valentines Day
March 17th - St. Patty's Day
March 20th - Spring Equinox
March 31st - Easter Sunday
June 21st - Summer Solstice
July 1st - Canada Day
July 4th - Independence Day
September 22nd - Fall Equinox
October 31st - Halloween
November 11th - Rememberence Day
December 21st - Winter Solstice
December 25th - Christmas
December 31st - New Years

Any other holiday suggestions?

Wish me luck and check back for each themed tutorial. Hopefully these will inspire both your creativity and mine and give me the oppurtunity to learn new sewing skills. Each challenge post will be tagged "Wildeman Holiday Challenge".

And here we go...

Mixologist - Boys' Week

Let's get down to business -

I just discovered Project Run and Play this week and I can't believe the level of awesome I have been missing out on. I immediately jumped on the chance to feed to birds with one seed (I'm not into killing birds, regardless of how many stones are employed in the process). Hubby, Wildeman and I were recently invited to Uncle Jukeboxs 20`s themed birthday party and everyone must be in costume. Everyone. So, without further ado I bring you Wildeman as...

The Mixologist

Waterproof Changing Pad Cover

You know what's a weird word? Pillowcase. Pillows don't go in a case. Why not bag or sack or cover. Or even pillowcasing. But case? Am I missing some period in the English language when a case was a bag?

Any way, this tutorial is for a changing pad COVER...not case. And on with the show!

When hubby and I bought our changing pad before Wildeman was born we thought we were getting one that was waterproof (seemed reasonable) but that was very much not the case (hehe, not the bag...it's beginning to make sense). Then we, being new parents, were all like, "Meh, who needs a waterproof cover, we'll be diaper ninjas's in no time!" It turns out the diaper is the ninja, evading explosive poos with wicked agility. Several dry cleaner bills later I finally got around to making a waterproof cover for the thing. I used PUL, polyurethane laminate, the same stuff they use for diaper covers. It was originally a fabric made for use in hospitals but now you can buy it in tons of baby-friendly patterns and colours. We were gifted with a few yards of it while I was pregnant, and I bought some in brown. The brown will eventually be a waterproof mattress cover for Wildeman when he starts sleeping in his own bed (I know the mattress isn't ninja).

Okay, seriously with the show now...

Women's Button Down to Baby's Button Down

Hello everyone,

It's time for some baby refashions! I have made a ton of clothes for Wildeman and I intend to share them all for you. There really aren't enough cool, commercially available baby clothes in the world. My kid is already cute, covering him in bunnies and teddy bears seems like overkill. It's a damn good thing I can sew or he would be naked all the time!

On with the tutorial:

Reshaping Men's T to Women's

Hello Crafty Folks,

I have a really simple t-shirt reshaping for you today. This is a good tutorial for beginning refashioners who are feeling nervous about taking scissors to their clothes. I started out with a large men's t-shirt with a great graphic design (I have a thing for graphic Ts...and skulls...and colours...I LOVE THIS SHIRT).

 

Simple Refashion: XL Men's T-shirt to Cinched Tunic

Man it feels good to be doing this again!

I loved this idea I found on Pinterest a while ago but hadn't come across the right shirt until my last thrift store visit. The Value Village near my house is a goldmine of large men's graphic T's, and I fortuitously have an obsession with graphic T's. When I found this one I knew I had to have it and immediately knew what to do with it.

I love a cheeky graphic.

Men's XL Flannel to Women's Fitted Shirt

Hello Crafty Foxes and Foxy Crafters,

I'm finally posting my first tutorial since my little Wildeman was born! This refashion posed a special challenge for me as I am refashioning for my post-pregnancy body, and it's very unlike the body I am used to sewing for. Not only is it bigger in size (40 of 65 lbs to go!), my breasts have gone rogue. I was a generous A before I got knocked up, then I swelled all the way up to an E and am still getting the hang of these Ds I've been left with. TMI? Well, I think it's a valuable piece of information for other refashioners who have experienced weight/body changes for any number of reasons. So this was very much trial and error as fitting a shirt to my bust line before meant very little.

Anyway,

On with the tutorial>>> 

Men's XL Flannel to Women's Fitted Shirt