Showing posts with label needle and thread. Show all posts
Showing posts with label needle and thread. Show all posts

Thursday, January 09, 2014

Giant Hexie Quilt Love

[sew and snuggle].



I have giant hexie quilt fever. 


Its almost an exact replica of my last Blueberry Park-inspired hexie quilt, the one that got away, but with more low-volumes in it and a touch of cream with the teal/gray combo. And of course the pop of cherry-rosie-pinky-make-me-feel-happy red. Which really does make me feel happy.


Hello Anna Maria Horner backing. I still love you. That's why I scooped up yards and yards of you and your cousin in red. She's next on the chopping block. Quilt backology is an art unto itself I am finding ...




Just add lots and lots of children and you've got a recipe for warm snuggles in the winter. 

And maybe a book for the quiet times? This week I've been captivated by God's Smuggler, my New Year's attempt to have an inspirational spiritual classic on the go most of the time. Oh, I love this book!! You could read this aloud to your kids, I think, at least there is nothing so far that is not appropriate. There are two things I love about this book: first, reading about the countless incidents where God works incredible miracles and how Brother Andrew responds. Second, this was a bit of a personal wake-up. Andrew describes his time at the Evangelization Center headquarters, and how they all get up very early to have quiet time with God, pray, read Scripture, and so on. Hey, I've read about people like this many many times, and I have friends like this who are disciplined and get up early (as in, before the kiddos wake up), to have a Holy Hour with the Lord. I've always thought how good that sounds. Yet I've considered myself *exempt* in a way, because my kids get up early enough as it is, I often stay up late to recharge my own batteries in the peaceful quiet, so as a result I fit in my "prayer" time whenever and however I can during the day. Its never a quiet time with God except of course for night prayer. Reading this excerpt however, it just struck me. If they are getting up early to centre their day on Christ, well gosh, why on earth can't I? I mean, I love the Lord, passionately, just like them. It made me think maybe I'm not so exempt. They have no special gene that makes the getting up easier. 

So it all has made me rethink very carefully what I'm called to do right now. I'm not naturally a morning person but once I'm up, its all good. I wonder if I could sustain this kind of habit. I don't have a lot of confidence in myself to do this. The spirit is willing but the flesh is just so weak, and the snooze button is well-used. 

Lets just say, it all struck me and stood out for me. So I'm contemplating. Contemplating is a very good start I think.



Linking up to Elizabeth's needle and thREAD. Go and check it out, always lots of fun over there.



Thursday, December 12, 2013

In Progress

[sew].


This is in progress on the sewing table, a small Christmas wall quilt. Its getting there :). The colors alone revive me.

I still have lots of sewing plans and whether they get accomplished before Christmas or not matters none. Sewing is just a lovely journey in itself and I need the dreams and plans it provides.

As for reading? Its been a busy week. Its show week for three of my kids' Broadway choir group. So the reading has been choppy but I'm still slowly working through Breath of Peace. 

What about you? Want to see more? Make sure to check out Elizabeth's needle and thREAD



Wednesday, December 04, 2013

Shopgirl Apron and Zakka Organizer

[sew a gift].







Had some fun making the Shopgirl Apron, well, just making aprons in general. Though they can be a bit time-consuming if you like to customize. In this case, I changed up the pockets from two side pockets to one centre front, added a ruffle, and quilted it with a cross-hatch pattern. I really like to quilt the apron if its reversible because I'm afraid once you wash it things will separate and get all wrinkly. The quilting helps stabilize and give it structure. And make it pretty. Even though you can't really see it here. Trust me though, the quilting is very pretty.  And, I didn't even model it because then I would get attached to it and this one is not for me. 

Another not-for-me project, the Zakka zip organizer from the book Zakka StyleIt ended up being a disappointment. It looks soooo cute. However, the zipper is not very functional; its a bit stiff but I could have lived with that. The problem is that it seems so tight at the open end when you try to close it. VERY cumbersome. I must have installed it too tightly. But, alas, my friend Anne is willing to bear the burden of the zipper in the name of lovely fabric and cuteness. Works for me! 




I have been in the cue at the public library for this book since summer. I mean, its that popular. Anything Zakka is hugely popular it seems, but, I did not love this pattern and instructions. I love the idea of the zipper organizer though, and I think next time (if there is a next time), I'll add a gusset, yes? And bookmark Krista's tips because she has made several.


on the handy dandy kindle
So I'm slowly working my way through Breath of Peace which Elizabeth recommended a few weeks ago. I'm finding it a bit painful to read because the newlyweds are bickering all. the. time.  So far. I think it was described as "affectionate discontent". I have witnessed such. Its not pleasant and it definitely makes me treasure my own marriage relationship because I think the ping-pong-bickering can creep in if we're not careful. 

and not on the kindle
My sweet friend (shall we call her Ms. Smith?) dropped this by today, wrapped in Advent lavender and accompanied by a Tim's French Vanilla cappuccino ... just because. 

Its a good time of year to let your friends know they matter. 

I'll be back later to link up with Elizabeth for needle and thREAD, so until then, xoxo.

And here's that link to Elizabeth's needle and thREAD.





Thursday, November 21, 2013

Patchwork Aprons and other lovelies

[sew].




A few very quick takes for you, my dear sewing friends, of the progress of Christmas gifts. I am very committed to use my love of sewing as a way to bless others. I want to give gifts from my heart and the best way to do that is to give gifts from my hands. Because the two are inseparable. So here are a couple of aprons ... with more aprons to come ... this one is my own concoction and its basically a rectangle for the skirt and a rectangle for the bib with a wide band in the middle.  I love it. I'm not sure I can give it away ...

It's reversible. Which is a good thing because I don't really want to wipe grease or grime on this side.  But the other side is my beloved Amy Butler, so its really a bit of a lose-lose situation ...
Haha! The ruffle is NOT reversible I just noticed! Whoops! I love it anyway. And by the way, the tie? Its extra-long; three widths of fabric in length so I can tie a pretty bow; and interfaced to give it some structure. I think the fact that this apron is lined, quilted and has an interfaced waistband/tie means it will hold up to the wash. Because I do have a store-bought apron that's cute, but it comes out of the wash looking like a wrung-out rag and I really don't have a lot of time for ironing.  


This half-apron was fun. Its loosely based on Jona's Apron-in-an-hour though not quite as wide. I used 10" pre-cut squares to make a four-patch, lined it and quilted it for extra structure. The tie is not as long as the first apron, only two widths of fabric, but it does the trick. 

And here's the reverse:

A half-apron is perhaps not as practical if you're standing over a sputtering stove, but gosh, it sure brightens up an old t-shirt and a pair of jeans, no?



My daughter snapped this of the apron in action. I had to take it for a test-drive, even if it will be a gift. Like, maybe :)

The other sewing goodies which I'm really very excited about come from Michelle Patterns; the Card Wallet. I don't know about you but it seems every store I shop at has a courtesy card of sorts. There's Costco, Hallmark, Paradise Cafe (when I'm in the U.S.), Indigo, Shoppers, Winners ... yeesh the list goes on. I mean, not all of them fit in the wallet for one thing, and not all of them are used frequently at all. Yet, you might want to keep them with you just in case. So, its very clear my friends, we all need a Card Wallet. Its an extra little lovely in your purse that you can easily find. I think they are awesome! I have one for low-use cards and one for library cards. The rest are for gifts!



I'm quite excited about giving these handmade treats to my friends and family, but I must admit there is a part of me that hopes/worries whether they will actually like it ... not everyone is into quilty-sewy-fabric-y-mugruggy-type stuff like me. But you know what? The joy is in the giving so I'm just going for it.

That's all I can show you right now, heh heh! On our sewing retreat last weekend my friends and I burned the midnight oil and made a tremendous amount of gifts - like pajama pants, quilts (yes I said quilts!), pioneer bonnets, infinity scarves, mug rugs, play-capes, aprons - I mean we really made the most of our time away. It was so much fun.

thREAD.
I am happy to report I finished Jeckyl and Hyde and ... I did NOT like the ending!!! I was actually a bit stunned that the end was actually the end! I thought for sure that Hyde wasn't really dead and would reappear for a final battle, perhaps against Utterson. But alas. Dead. (Spoiler. I'm sorry).  I now have just barely started to read the book Elizabeth recommended hereBreath of Peace. 

All for now. Be back later to link up with Elizabeth and needle and thREAD. xo

And here is that link! Enjoy!!









Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Christmas Mug Rug Blitz!

[sew].

Mug Rugs are a great gift. Bigger than a coaster, smaller than a placemat, perfect for a drink and a treat. So very much fun and quick to sew!


Pinwheel Christmas Mug Rug: Sew Charm Squares into Half-Square Triangles

I have two friends who sew with me, and I think they're converted - they recently took the plunge into patchwork and made mug rugs. Really, mug rugs are the perfect introduction to quilting - its a small project but you get practice with rotary cutting, 1/4" seaming, proper pressing, making a quilt sandwich, quilting it, then binding it. Of course, we use the cheater binding where the backing flips over to become your binding. Much easier for this type of project. 


Strip-Pieced Christmas Tree Mug Rug

These make great gifts and many of my friends and family are going to receive one! Add a mug, some tea or hot chocolate, a couple of candy-canes or cookies, and voila. Handmade goodness.



It's as simple as piecing together squares and rectangles in a way that's pleasing to your eye (and uses up your scraps!). We trimmed our piecework to a 5x10" rectangle, then quilted it. I really love this size - I learned this method from taking Andrea's Sewing Summit class, and you can find her tutorial right here, cheater binding and all. Easy peasy. And did I mention fun?


More Christmas Mug Rug Madness
My sewing friends and I are doing some really heavy duty Christmas sewing together this weekend (an annual event we hope), and to kick-start our fiesta we have decided to have a mug rug exchange among us (also an annual event we hope!). 

What can I say, we are desperate housewives.



This is as wild as I get with mug rugs. I actually prefer the straight-line quilting, I think its more modern and fresh. 

Want to know what else is on my sewing list for gifting?

Well, I hope to make some Prairie Bonnets for the little girls - they love all things Little House and these look quick and easy:


Bonnets from My Cotton Creations

I also hope to dabble in an apron or two. I've purchased and downloaded Jona's pattern - the Shopgirl Apron. There are actually a ton of free tutorials and apron patterns available online but I liked the curved lines of this, its reversible, and she has a killer method of making bias tape from half a yard of fabric - she sews a Mobius Strip! You know I like math, right?
I also printed out the free tutorial for her sweet little One-Hour Christmas Apron - I will probably do some fun patchwork and maybe add a box-pleat or ruffle along the bottom edge. Isn't it cute? Thank you Jona!



I think this version is pretty special also. Love all the patchwork in this Everyday Hostess apron:




Hmmm, what else will I be making for gifts? Probably won't have time for much more, but I'd really like to try these fabric "paper" dolls from The Prudent Homemaker.  I sure love what she did with them, my little girls would be over the moon with these! 



And maybe a baby doll carrier if I get really ambitious using Sewbossi's free tutorial. Isn't it sweet?



So I've probably gotten carried away but better to have plans and dreams than to not. Did I mention an unfinished rag quilt that's been cut and ready to sew for a dear son of mine? And a Snowfling Mittens kit that just arrived from Tanis Fiber Arts? Yeah, there's that too. I'll bring it along in case my sewing machine breaks down. You never know, and I like to be prepared.

And finally, I've made some slow progress on a plaid Hollyburn, which mostly involved very calculated cutting. Which kind of exhausted me and I put it away for a bit.



Well hey, its on to reading. My son's current classic is Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, and while I think most people know the story or have seen a movie version, I have never actually read the book. But I am certainly enjoying it now on the handy dandy kindle. Its an easy read, not too long (I'm over half-way and I've only put in a few hours), and its so intriguing!! Loving it, loving it.



Looks sinister, huh? It is.

And that's a wrap my dear sewing and reading friends. I'll be back later to link up with Elizabeth for needle and thREAD. In the meantime, two words.

Mug Rug.


xo


Wednesday, November 06, 2013

Hollyburn Skirt - Denim Style

[sew].

So remember in my most recent skirt post, I said I wanted to try a traditional plaid circle-ish skirt? Yes. Well, I'm one step closer because I now have a wearable muslin. 

Well, wearable, but not by me.  Boohoo!! It's too big. I know the pictures look fine and I *could* wear it, but the belt is cinched in pretty good and my sweater is tucked in to take up some of the ease.  

Hopefully one of my friends will snap it up. The skirt itself is so great though, really great! Meet the Hollyburn Skirt by Sewaholic.



I will right this minute unabashedly admit I have totally copied Sunni's denim version right here. Imitation is the highest form of flattery, right? Actually, I just really like a good denim skirt. It can be dressed up or down; it's casual enough for a mom to wear on any given day; it's comfy and durable. It never goes out of style.

The Hollyburn is incredibly popular, with construction methods especially geared towards beginners. In fact, there is an excellent sew-along right here. I highly recommend this pattern - its a good, classic, basic piece that is generally flattering to most figure types. I really like the side pockets. 



And you know I like to make the inside as beautiful as the outside. Hello Amy Butler!! Oh, this just makes me smile everytime I look at it - to see this surprise burst of freshness on the inside. My husband asked me why so much effort on the inside when nobody will see it but I will see it. It turns this garment into something special and handcrafted. It won't be thrown out next season like the fast fashion that most people seem to buy into these days.



I will tell you one thing, this skirt was extremely labor-intensive. That's because I wanted to use a Hong-Kong finish on the seams which is just finicky in itself. But the Hong-Konging led to drafting a zipper facing and modifying the waistband pattern piece to allow for a contrast facing which then led to modifying the construction altogether.  I added a bias hem facing to finish the whole darn thing off Amy Butler style. 





I have to say, all these extras make wearing a plain-Jane denim skirt feel pretty darn luxurious. Except for the part that it doesn't really fit me well. So let's talk about that for a second. 

Tasia of Sewaholic Patterns drafts specifically for a pear-shape body. I'm pretty much a rectangle, but it should still work for someone like me. I chose my pattern size based solely on the waist size because if the waist fits the hips will be sure to fit, I figured. I mean, they won't be too small in any case. But in fact there is a lot of excess flare going on where it shouldn't be going on, right at the hip, where I am not a pear. Next time I will take that into account and grade down to the appropriate hip size and see what happens.  

To be clear, I was fitting along as I sewed, in a general way. I did end up taking in side seams. But I had already Hong-Konged the centre front seam so I couldn't take that in without ripping out a WHOLE lotta work and I wasn't going to do that.  Still, things were looking good and I cut my waistband to fit. But then, you know what I did? I tried the finished product on with my tights. 

Tights suck in everything considerably. Love tights.

But my skirt? Totally loose on the waist and too big in the hips. Good thing for the belt loops and tucking in a sweater. I didn't cry though. I just filed that under lessons learned: Measure with the kind of undergarments you plan on wearing. Like, really.

So, I want to make another denim skirt to fit me better, which means whichever friend likes this skirt has to tolerate being twins with me. Any takers? 

Switching gears now to reading. I am making some progress through the Canadian classic, Two Solitudes by Hugh Maclennan. Slow, steady progress.

I'll be back later to link up with Elizabeth and needle and thREAD. In the meantime, tights. Measure with 'em on.

And here is that needle and thREAD link. Looks like I'm not the only one with fitting issues today!

xoxo



Thursday, October 31, 2013

Playtime Dress with Oliver + S

[sew].

Hi there.

It's playtime.

Which means, it's sewing time.



Which also means, my little almost-three-year-old got a new dress - the Playtime Dress (and tunic) by Oliver + S, in cozy dozy flannel. She loves it!!





A few details? Earlier this week I saw Janice's version on Instagram, its just lovely and got me going. Because the pattern looks like its a wider and shorter design, she cut hers a size smaller and added length. I followed suit - normally I would sew a size 3 but I cut a 2 instead, yet kept the size 3 length. The fit is spot on, but I feel a bit more room would allow for a little growth. Even so, you can see the sleeve does have a dropped look, its way off the shoulder line. 

I made the sleeves 3/4 length and added a flounce in red flannel. I added flat piping around the chest, and a contrast hem band on the bottom.  I admit I couldn't help but think this would also make into cozy pajamas. Ditch the flounce, make it floor-length, maybe a ruffle on the bottom ... I think it can work.



I used a pattern I already own for the flounce, which is essentially a circle skirt for the sleeve. As for the flat piping, I cut  1 3/4"  bias strips, sewn together to make a long strip, then folded in half wrong sides together, pressed and basted to the bodice, raw edges even, before attaching the skirt with 1/2" seam allowance as per pattern. 



For the contrast band at the bottom, I used the difference between the pattern's tunic cutting line and dress cutting line as a guide. I cut two pieces of contrast flannel the exact width of the skirt pattern piece but double the length (because you will fold it in half and not actually "hem" anything), PLUS 1" seam allowance.   I joined these two panels at the side seams to make a tube, then folded in half wrong sides together, raw edges even. Once the skirt was attached to the bodice, I attached the band to the skirt bottom in one fell swoop, right sides together and matching side seams, using 1/2" seam allowance. I topstitched about an inch from the bottom of the band to give the hem a little weight and structure.




If desired, the pattern gives instructions to topstitch a faux collar which extends down the back. I used a triple-topstitch in red, but basted the outline first to make sure I liked it. Its not QUITE as precise as I'd like but, oh well :). 




And finally, I didn't bother with pockets, though I will definitely add them for my bigger girlies who will totally appreciate this detail. But I figured Katie won't know the difference.



This is a popular pattern right now in blogland especially because its a new release, so you will find a LOT of inspiration online! It was very sweet and quick to sew together with lovely details. My next one will be a tunic for sure. 

Oh, one more thing, if by chance you are sewing a size 2, make SURE to check your back facing pattern piece. There was a size error in the first printing of the paper pattern (so if you were eager and ordered the pattern as soon as it was released, you may have received the incorrect piece) which has since been fixed. You can print the correct piece under errata for this pattern, on the Oliver+S website. 

I think I'm ready to tackle the other new Oliver+S release, the Library Dress. That is, unless I get side-tracked with making Christmas gifts - mugrugs, aprons, curvy-clutches and other lovelies ... not too long till Christmas you know ... time to prepare :).

OK onto reading. 
Nothing to report. Must make more effort next week.  

Alrighty then.
I'll be back later to link up with Elizabeth when she posts her needle and thREAD.

Until then, its playtime my dear sewing friends!

And here is the link to Elizabeth's needle and thREAD! Enjoy!