01 March 2011

Harold and the Purple Crayon--The Inside Story

Welcome, welcome to Once Upon a Thread!!!
How very rude of me to be late to my own party.  It's mostly my fault, I'll admit, but I had a late night vomiting child, plus some technical difficulty thrown in just to make things even more exciting.  I'm glad it's finally here, though!
If you are playing along, make sure you add your projects [1-2 photos of each] to the Once Upon a Thread Flickr group!

Meanwhile, I give you, the inside story of Harold and the Purple Crayon:

This is a fantastic book because, although it is geared toward children, the drawings and verse are witty and enjoyable for adults.  Never read it?  It's about a boy and his purple crayon who decides to go on an adventure.
He draws his own adventure full of a dragon, picnics, hot air balloon rides, until he decides he just wants to go home.
He can't figure out where home is.
Until he remembers that his window is always around the moon.  He makes his bed and draws up the covers.  
All in purple crayon.  
I love it.
You might be wondering why I would make a wool jacket, a plain, gray wool jacket for a girl who lives in warm weather?  Well, sometimes the A/C in buildings during the summer is colder than the winter around here!  I made it simple [using an Oliver + S pattern for both the jacket and skirt] so she can wear it with multiple outfits.  But what little girl likes plain?
That's where purple ribbon and Wonder Tape [which Lindsay introduced me to during Project Run & Play] comes in.  My Divine Grace dress could have used this stuff!  What Wonder Tape does is hold things in place without being permanent [water soluble] and without the need for pins.  When doing detail work like this, you never know which direction you'll be sewing which makes removing pins the wrong way truly annoying [like drawing with a stubby, broken crayon]!
All it takes is unrolling the tape and removing the paper backing.  It is sticky!  If I left any portion showing my presser foot would get stuck on it, and though it's not supposed to have this side effect, it did gum up my needle, but all in all, it was my hot air ballon, saving me, and totally worth utilizing.  I found mine at Joann's and it's a bit pricey [$6.50], so use your coupons!
Inside the plain, grey jacket I recreated the story of Harold, but with Pearl as the character.
A pocket with a little wooden "crayon" draws a tale for the girl.
The lining* is just cotton, but I did line the sleeves with something slicker to ease in putting it on.  I used the same fabric** as her skirt for the collar facing, just because I'm normally not a print kind of girl, but this one batted it's lovely eyelashes at me, and I admit I was smitten.


*The Brunch Jacket pattern does not have a lining included in the pattern, I added it for this project.
**echino collection by etsuko furuya for kokka [quiet ground]


A whole building full of windows....
A very hungry moose, helping with leftover picnic pie...
And a Pearl pillow, tucked into bed.  I just printed her photo on photo transfer paper and made a long skinny pillow, attached to a ribbon and threaded through an extra large button hole.


The crayon is a bit of dowel, shaved to a point by my rotary dremel, a drilled hole to thread the ribbon and painted PURPLE, of course.
The big picture.
And a mighty pleased Pearl.

Come back later to find out the winners of LiEr's patterns!

113 comments:

  1. May I ask where you got the fabric for the skirt? The whole outfit is incredible. I cannot believe the detail inside the jacket!

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  2. Woohoooo! Once upon a thread has begun. I love the coat! I think it is so neat to have unexpected surprises in the lining. It's like a little secret your daughter will have while wearing the coat - SO precious!! Hmmmmm, I guess when I use Wonder Tape it isn't usually showing so I've never had my presser foot get stuck on it.......very good to know, though!

    Have a great day,
    Linds

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  3. Yea! I'm so excited to see this month started off! How creative--your work is so beautiful! This is really cool, Katy! I love it!

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  4. That has to be one of the most brilliant things I have ever seen! Simply gorgeous!!!

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  5. I can hear all your girls asking for that one. Who wouldn't want a jacket where their very own photo was tucked inside? Nice job!

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  6. My jaw literally dropped when I saw the little Pearl pillow. How awesome!

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  7. This is so cute and original, just like you to think of something this great!

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  8. Katie...I want one! I can't wait to show my daughter. Genius. I would be playing all day. I love it. Just wonderful inspiration everywhere. Thanks for sharing again and again...Renee

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  9. wow. I'm speechless. What a way to start off the month. I can't wait to see what else is coming.

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  10. I LOVE Harold and the Purple Crayon! Really it is one of the absolute best children's books and I could read it to my boys & girlie all day. Though they really like Harold and the Circus the best.

    Love the project too!

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  11. this is so truly imaginative and AMAZING!!! I am so very impressed! What an incredible, incredible start to the month...I LOVE IT!!!

    can't wait to see what is next!!!

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  12. Katy... amazing! I am just in love! Will you please make me one? :) I love your stuff... everything you create is genius!!!!

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  13. wow ,oh wow! You are so creative. I was not in that line in Heaven but I sure do appreciate talent when I see it. Gorgeous model, incredible jacket and skirt.

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  14. Ohhhhhhhhh, love it! So excited for this month!!!!

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  15. Stupendous, stunning, surprising, sophisticated and sew sweet. I cannot believe you....amazing, and adorable.

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  16. How beautiful! I saw Sugar City once decorated the inside of a jacket and I copied the idea myself last winter... now you have inspired me to make another with ribbon inside.

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  17. you are an amazing seamstress but more importantly an amazing mom. i'll bet that little girl feels like the most important, special girl in all the world!

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  18. Katy, I love it! What an adorable jacket.

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  19. You just keep outdoing yourself. Someday, you may find yourself completely outdone! (But I doubt it).

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  20. Another fabulous rendition. I love how it has hidden potential.

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  21. leland LOVES Harold. i told him to come look and his jaw dropped :O)
    never in a million years would i have thought of something like that!! darling- and i love the colors!

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  22. K--that jacket is amazing but the photo pillow detail is brilliant.

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  23. You are such an awesome mom !

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  24. My girls and I love the Harold books, and when I saw this jacket, and I giggled with joy so hard that I cried. I kid you not, your design brought me to happy tears.

    Follow! I named my sewing machine "Peter Pan", as I use it to sew shadows back onto my little girls who I secretly wish would never grow up. So I'm loving this new adventure of yours!

    Best,

    Lori

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  25. Oh Katy! That is fantastic! Lucky Pearl!

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  26. Love this! I just used my wonder tape yesterday adding cording. Worked great!

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  27. The Purple Crayon positioned in the pocket is possibly the most preposterous proposition you have posted! It is P E R F E C T !

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  28. OK, I read your blog a lot and hardly ever comment. But I cannot get over how cute this is!! The lining of the jacket is amazing with that purple drawing. I have a special soft spot for Harold, my bald baby girl looked a lot like him :)

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  29. You are amazing! I mean, seriously! How do you find the time to do such great work with FIVE girls?!? I have three baby blankets I am trying to finish but can't find the time and only have two little ones. My panic attacks for when baby #3 arrives in June have already begun. I seriously want to know how you do it!!

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  30. Holy Moly amazing!!! I might actually have to show this to husband......I think even he will be impressed.... RAD!

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  31. That is just darling! How fun for Pearl.

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  32. I hardly ever comment on blogs, but I just had to say this is amazing! So incredibly creative! My son loves this book!

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  33. You are so right about it being so cold in the AC,especially in grocery stores and bookstores. When we pack for Florida, I always bring a sweat jacket. This is a beauty (and your little one)and how fun you made the inside!

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  34. This is AMAZING! I could have cried I was so thrilled to see that lining detail. Incredible! Very excited to see what else you have up your sleeve!

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  35. Unbelievable!! Its stunning!

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  36. Wow! I'm speechless! Incredible...

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  37. WAY too cute! Your designs always impress.

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  38. What love you have for your daughters. This is a fabulous gift for Pearl to always treasure.

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  39. Oh my goodness, this is brilliant!

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  40. WOW, what a special coat! I love that it's perfectly wearable on the outside and oh-so-special on the inside. It's like wearing a hug from your mom. Awesome.

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  41. i remember very distinctly the NEED as a child to trace the lines in the book with my fingers. not just with harold's drawings but whenever there was a line of smoke or of a smell, etc. this coat takes me back and i am just sure i would spend all day tracing that ribbon with my wooden purple crayon! love it love it!

    (pearl makes for such a looong pillow!)

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  42. This is so wonderfully imaginative! I have very fond memories of that book :)

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  43. Oh my word - is there no end to your talent? You set the bar a little too high. :) I finally came up with a solid {although very simple} idea ... time to get sewing!

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  44. WOW! that is the best jacket! ever.

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  45. Wow, you are so creative and talented! So very very inspiring, thanks for sharing.
    --Kayla
    http://kayla-heartonmysleeve.blogspot.com/

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  46. Wow, that look of pleasure on Pearl's face would make it worth every stitch of effort! Love that story x

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  47. If that is not the most original, whimsical, fantastic jacket I've ever seen, then I don't even know what! Bravo, I'm totally impressed!

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  48. ohmigoodness! So clever and fun! Bravo!

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  49. That is a perfect child's jacket. PERFECT! My kids would love that, & I can imagine creating a gift garment and giving them the book at the same time. Fun :)

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  50. Found this thru Liesl's twitter... I am AMAZED! That is absolutely stunning work. What a lucky girl! Love the print on the inside of the collar too.

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  51. Oh holy heck Katy, this jacket is stunning!! I just adore what you did to the lining and how it represents the story, you are one amazing seamstress!
    XOXO,
    Maggie

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  52. Love love love it. Fantastic

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  53. Oh Katy!! Darling, absolutely darling!!!!!! Keep it up.
    luv ur cuz.

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  54. gah! I love this--sneaky sneaky to put the book "in the jacket" :-) three cheers for "Once Upon a Thread"!

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  55. Katy,
    I love that jacket and the Kindergarden picture below...priceless! I'm looking for patterns for my daughter who is 10 yrs and wears like a size 8 or 10. In particular a good Easter dress for her age. Do you have any favorite pattern makers or know of any for that age/size group. She's too old to do the cutie toddler dresses and too young for the tween but she's ever so much the little fashionista.
    If you think of something you can email me if you like at laura@busybodiesms.com
    Thanks so much!

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  56. Bravo! You are a great mom :). Pearl is a lucky girl. I love the moon in the window the most; windows open up my imagination. (P.S. Cute fabric, wink wink.)

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  57. Seriously unbelievable! What great detail! People ask me how I do the bit that I manage to do and I can't imagine how you pull off so much with all your beautiful daughters in tow! Just fabulous!

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  58. Harold and the Purple Crayon is one of my all time favorites. I'm so glad you included the hungry moose. He's one of the best parts (though where is the porcupine?) along with the police officer who isn't much help. I want one in my size.

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  59. Oh my gosh...this is THE most delightful jacket EVER. I keep reading thinking surely you cannot top yourself...and then YOU DO. EVERY time. I love this so much!

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  60. Oh. My. Gosh. This is so great! What a fantastic, creative idea! I love Harold and the Purple Crayon. Loved it as a kid and now love it as a teacher. The moose is my favorite. :)

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  61. Wow! This jacket is fantastic!!

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  62. You have got to be kidding me? That is A-MAZE-ING, you are the queen, bowing down to you right now!

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  63. You are awesome. I am *this close* to built a temple so everyone can worship you and your creativity. But that would be freaky...and I don't want scare you!

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  64. You are so creative! That is fabulous! What a wonderful treat for your little girl. I'm amazed.

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  65. It's lovely. You are very creative and most industrous. My first comment on your blog.

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  66. Harold and the Purple Crayon is one of my favorite books, but I would never in a million years, come up with such a cool jacket! You keep amazing me Katy, You are a true talent!
    (now I am getting REALLY nervous...)

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  67. Wow! I am speechless! How do you come up with these things! It's just purely amazing. I think every one's coat should tell a story from now on ;-)

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  68. This is SUCH a fabulous coat!!! I linked to your project on Craft Gossip Sewing:
    http://sewing.craftgossip.com/lookie-what-she-made-harold-and-the-purple-crayon-coat/2011/03/02/

    --Anne

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  69. That is just too cute for words! I can't stand it!!

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  70. I'm in awe of your creativity and talent. I'm feeling a little incompetent with my own sewing skills, but totally inspired.

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  71. That is so amazing! What a lovely treasure that can be passed down! so beautiful.

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  72. Love love love the Pearl pillow. Also love the left to right story layout. YOu can "read the lining". And last, love the discreetness of the details. Nice work!

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  73. Love that book. It's one of my daughters favorites. Except, instead of "Harold" we substitute the name Logan because she thought Harold looked like her baby brother. So cute.

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  74. So brilliant! I love the undercover surprise effect. Great contrast so fun!

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  75. seriously, amazing talent. please consider doing a tutorial on how you finished the inside of that jacket!!! pretty please? it is jaw droppingly neat. beautiful!

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  76. Are you serious, Katy???? Where do you come up with amazing creation after amazing creation and will you please share some of that genius with me????? Good grief. (And I mean that in the most flattering way possible.)

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  77. What a fabulous idea! I have never heard of this book before. :) What a beautiful little girl and gorgeous outfit!

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  78. I ADORE Harold & the Purple Crayon... I tried to convince my husband to do a Harold themed mural in my son's room. The jacket is incredible... make one for me please!!

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  79. Wow! That is incredible!! What a cute idea! I love it! Loved that book too!

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  80. I love how the book was inspiration for the jacket. So fun and a really cute idea!

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  81. This is the coolest thing I have ever seen.

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  82. I also think that this is the coolest thing I have ever seen. I am blown away!

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  83. Fantastic! I can't tell you how much I adore this. Your creativity just blew my mind!

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  84. that is wonderful! what a jacket! we, too, live in warm climes but i am tempted to make one just for the sheer pleasure of making the lining.

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  85. Georgine-I've added the skirt fabric information in the post.

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  86. Katy, Thanks for the fabric info!!!!

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  87. Fantastic. It really is amazing, what an awesome idea!

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  88. I *LOVE* this! The lining is perfect!

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  89. this is most exciting revelation, i remember my child reading and simulating i inside the story and you bring the story outside thanks, NO you are the best, love this idea thanks for share.

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  90. wow! you are truly talented and patient! that is amazing. I'm sure your daughter will cherish it for years to come.

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  91. wowwowowow! (all there is to say)

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  92. Holy cow that's awesome. Me an my daughter just love Harold and the Purple Crayon.

    My grandmother had it along with a bunch of other books at her house for all her great grandchildren to read when they were there. They were not allowed to read Harold and the Purple Crayon. She was convinced it would teach them to draw on the walls. We inherited most of those books when she died, and my (then just over 2 year old) daughter insisted on reading "the purple book" every single day for a month. She still loves it.

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  93. OMG this is incredible! What a very lucky little girl. I love that its stylish, fun and child friendly. I'm in awe :)

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