March finishes

March has been a "process" month--lots of handwork on large items--so I don't have many finished items to record.

The first two are both functional and experimental.  There was a need for some cropped camis, so I thought I'd try my hand at drafting a simple pattern.  It was quite challenging considering that it is such a simple garment.  Still, it has to be comfortable, and that means not only getting the correct fit (the easy part), but also getting the elastic right.  I definitely need more practice working with elastic.

The white one uses a picot edge foldover elastic.  It initially fit well, and it looks quite pretty, but the elastic appears to have shrunk after washing, so it's now too tight under the arms and around the torso.  Alterations will be needed.  The beige one doesn't look so pretty, but it's much more comfortable to wear.  This one has a much firmer lingerie elastic encased within the folded edge of the fabric  It still fits very comfortably after washing.  They definitely look better on than they do laying flat.

My other finish is this dress for Keira.  It's made from Simplicity 2265.

I can't say that I was impressed with the pattern instructions.  This should have been a relatively easy dress to make, but the needlessly confusing constructions led to a lot of seam ripping and resewing.  Nor did it help when terminology changed midway through the pattern.  For example, at one point instructions began to refer to a 'slip', but after much re-reading of the pattern, it became evident that they had simply stopped referring to the lining as a lining and decided to call it a slip. It's not a slip, but if they wanted to call it one, they could at least have done it consistently. 

The dress is made from a lovely Valori Wells cotton from the Wrenly line, and it's lined with lawn.  The ribbon bow is removable (I sewed it to a brooch pin) so that it could come off for washing, or when not wanted. Under the bow, the bodice has a cute little tuck, so it looks pretty either way.  The petal sleeves are very pretty, as it the button-up back.  I sewed a strip of gathered tulle folded lengthwise (with the folded edge to the bottom of the lining and the stitching along the cut edge of the tulle) to the outside of the lining so that it was between the lining and the skirt.  This kept the poky cut edges from being scratchy against her legs, and gave the skirt poof while staying comfortable.

The dress turned out well, and she really likes it, so I guess it was worth the bother, but I wouldn't make this pattern again. 

February wardrobe addition

I actually made this shirt last month, but then I forgot to record it

I signed up for the Craftsy class "Easy Fitting the Palmer/Pletsch Way: Shirts & Tops" taught by Pati Palmer and Melissa Watson, and this shirt was the result.

The pattern is M6750, and I chose view B, the 3/4 length sleeve option.  I omitted one of the front darts because I prefer a less fitted garment.

 
The class was excellent, and the pattern instructions were very clear.  I'm mostly happy with the fit, although I find that the back neck is just a bit too high.  If I were to make it again, I would remove about 1/2 an inch.  That's not likely to happen though, because I'm not really a big fan of button front shirts.  I wanted to learn how to do this just for the sake of it, and I'll wear it, and I don't really need two of them.  But, I have no doubt that I'll use what I learned in this class many times over.  I'd highly recommend it.

My version of a sweat shirt

I love the feel of sweatshirts, but I never wear them.  The banded crew neck, drop shoulders, oversized body and sleeves, and ribbing at the cuffs and hipline are all on my list of things to avoid. The only garment that I can think of that is less flattering than a sweatshirt is sweatpants. But when I came across this amazingly soft cotton/poly sweat shirting, I couldn't resist.  It's January after all, and anything soft, warm, and cozy is welcome.  So, here is my version of a sweatshirt that's casual and comfortable.


I chose Vogue 8925 because I loved the silhouette.  I opted for the shorter length and bracelet-length sleeves, and didn't add the decorative bands.  I wanted simple in keeping with the concept of a sweatshirt. 

What this pattern lacks, though, is pockets, so I inserted some between the princess and side seams.  This fabric is quite bulky, so the top-stitching on the princess seams ensures that the pocket seams stay flat. It also highlights the princess seaming which is nicely placed.

I cut a small in the shoulders and the entire front panel, and after doing a 1/2 inch forward shoulder adjustment and lowering the bust point by 1 inch, I graded out to a medium from mid-bust to hip on the side seams.  This worked just fine in lieu of  a full-bust adjustment.  And, I wasn't happy with just turning and stitching the neckline, so I added cotton twill tape for stability.  Some reviewers felt that the neckline was too wide, but I think that it's perfect.

All in all, I'm happy with how it fits and feels.  I think that I might try it again in a French terry. It's going to be winter for a while yet, and another cozy top wouldn't go amiss.

Warm and snuggly

That's the only way to describe the dressing gowns that I made for the girls--very warm and very snuggly.

I used the same pattern for both, Simplicity 1946, and it was very simple and straight forward.
 

I had originally thought that Elyse could make her own dressing gown, but changed my mind because the fabric presented some challenges.  I couldn't find a mid-weight terry towelling anywhere in town, so I decided to use bath towels.  These were heavier than I really wanted, but much better than the very thin towelling that was available. Definitely not the route to take if you want to keep the cost down, but I couldn't find another option.  (Of course, now that they are finished, every store is having a sale on bath towels.)  I'm going to keep my eyes open for some fabric suitable for a summer-weight garment, and let Elyse try her had with that.

Working with fabric this thick wasn't easy. Because of the weight of the fabric, and in an attempt to reduce bulk, I tried different methods for sewing the seams . And, because of the thickness, a walking foot was essential throughout.

For Elyse's I wanted to incorporate the decorative bands throughout (turned up cuffs and pocket tops as well as the bottom band), without having to worry about the different finishing needs of the two weaves.  I overlapped the seam allowances and stitched them with one of my sewing machine's overcast stitches. I couldn't use the special foot for this stitch because of the need to use the walking foot. This worked quite well, and made a nice flat seam which I then trimmed back to the stitching lines on both sides.  I also added extra rows of top stitches along the front bands.While it looks somewhat faded in the photo, it's really a very pretty shade of blue - one of her favourites.

The towels for Keira's didn't have the same decorative bands to deal with, so I used a regular seam,  finished each edge, and then stitched each side of the seam allowance flat on either side of the seam line.  Terry ravels aggressively, so no unfinished areas could be left exposed. I also wanted to use that pretty pink binding, and it turned out to be a bit (okay, a lot) more fiddly to do that than I had expected. The binding is actually woven as part of the towelling fabric rather than sewn on after.  Still, it looked nice when it was finished, and there are no thick bumpy spots at the seams, so it was worth the effort. Keira wasn't in a picture-taking mood, but she liked it enough that she continued to wear it even after she got dressed.

The finished garments turned out just fine.  They are comfortable, and I suspect that they'll be very durable.  I don't think that I'll be sewing with bath towels any time soon, though. Once (or in this case, twice) was enough.

WIP Wednesday

I've decided that it's time that I started posting more in progress work in order to remind myself that I'm still making progress even if it's so slow as to be barely noticeable.  Or, as in the case of today's post, several steps backwards.

The short story is that I decided to make a duvet cover.  I prefer the aesthetics of a quilt, but in winter, the light weight warmth of a duvet is essential.  As a compromise, a pieced duvet cover seemed to be in order.  So, I took several stacks of charms and turned them into a very pretty hst quilt top.  But, without a backing and batting and quilting, how was I to keep the unfinished seams on the back from fraying in the wash?  Simple, I thought.  I'd just do some faux quilting that would seal in those seams.  I tested a few of the quilting stitched on my machine and finally decided on this serpentine stitch. Voila!

The problem is that it looks much nicer in the photo than it does in person where it puckers and looks and feels very stiff.  The vertical stitching looked fine, and the horizontal rows looked okayish.  But when I started on the diagonal lines, I decided that I just couldn't live with it.  The intersecting seams are the worst, and they're also the most difficult to pick out. 

 

Yes, I'm taking out all that I've done.  Fortunately, the top was divided in thirds, so it could have been a lot worse.  I've finished the first column--only five more to go. Then, it's on to plan B. 

Linking up with Lee:

Coming along swimmingly

Okay, it's a lame title, but I'm sticking with it.  It somehow seems fitting since my first finish of 2015 is a swim suit. Yes, I finished Elyse's much needed swim suit, and it actually fits her  and looks very nice on her.  Even in bad lighting.

As I mentioned in my FAL first quarter goal list, this was a challenging project, but I'm so glad that I did it.   One of the main things I learned while making the suit is not to overlook the value of hand-stitching/basting.  For example, trying to stitch those tiny cups together was an exercise in futility until I decided to treat them like a bit of English paper piecing.  Then it took about 90 seconds. 

Since this was my first attempt at sewing this type of fabric, I only made one change to the pattern, and that was to fully line the bottoms since light-coloured fabrics have a tendency to become transparent when wet. 

And, now that I've made one project with this super stretchy, slippery fabric, I won't be afraid to tackle another.  Maybe even one for myself, though I won't be modelling it for any pictures.

Summer skirts

Elyse was rummaging through my fabric stash a while ago, and came out with a piece of fabric and a length of eyelet, and asked for a skirt.   Frankly, I was surprised--not that she wanted me to make her something, but by her fabric choice.  I would have never have picked the soft Jennifer Paganelli print for Elyse.  And, then, when Keira and chose the bright abstract floral for her skirt, I was even more surprised.  It's a good lesson for when they get older--never assume that I know what they'll like.

So, following instructions from my creative directors, I ran up simple gathered skirts with eyelet around the hems (wider eyelet for Elyse because she's older, and narrower for Keira because she's smaller--it appears that they already understand scale).  I decided to elasticize the waistbands in the back, but make them flat in the front.  I'm not fond of elastic all the way around.  It seems to bunch up in the front.  And, the cute little pleated pockets were essential.  If they don't have their own pockets, someone else has to carry the little stones, leaves, feathers, etc., etc., etc., that they pick up throughout the day.

And then came the fashion shoot and all of the silliness that entails.

And yes, this all took place earlier in the summer, so at least they had a chance to wear them this year, and they'll still fit next summer.  If not, they can be let down or the elastic can be replaced as needed. 

I actually have another pair of sun dresses cut out, but I think that I'll hold off on sewing them until next year.  There's really no point in making them now, and by waiting until next summer, I can make sure that they fit properly during the construction stage rather than having to alter them.

So, I guess that will be the last of the summer sewing for this year. I'll have to see what I can come up with for fall.

Some utility sewing

One of my unmet first quarter finish along goals to to turn a thin piece of towel-covered plywood into a proper pressing board.  I've been using it that way for at least a couple of years, ever since I realized that pieces pressed on the board didn't stretch out of shape as they did when I used my laundry ironing board.

But even though it was a simple enough task, I didn't do it.  Then when I was putting the binding on my Anita's Arrowhead quilt, I realized why.  The entire time, I kept muttering about the board being too small.  I baste with washable glue, which means the entire binding has to be pressed to heat set the glue. It seemed as if I was shifting the board every few inches.  That's when the light bulb went on, and I realized that I didn't have to use this board just because it was at hand.  I could actually buy one the right size.  When I told my husband that I was off to the lumber store, he said that he was sure that he had something that would meet my needs.  Handy guy that he is, he quickly cut a piece down to size, rounding the corners to prevent injury.

Then, I just covered it with a leftover piece of batting, gluing it down around the top, side and bottom edges, and made a slipcover. It now covers half of my work table, leaving the other half free for cutting.

Just goes to show that, sometimes, procrastination is a good thing.

First Quarter Finish Number 1

I guess that I'll have to admit that I'm pretty useless at this blogging business.  I only seem to post when I have a finish to report, and that's a pretty rare occurrence.  Still, at least I have a finish this quarter, which is one more than last quarter.

This finish was actually more challenging than I had expected.  I had said in my goals posting that I would be finishing dresses for the girls as part of Kid's Clothes Week.  I'd purchased the pattern (McCall's M6388--discontinued) and traced it.  I'd purchased the fabric and notions.  Easy peasy. 

 Only it wasn't.  The fabric I'd chosen was much too stiff for the pattern.  I didn't have time to order more, so I dug through my collection and found one with more drape that met the all important  "pink or purple" requirement.  Bonus--it had a tiny bit of sparkle to it.  The fabric was a knit rather than a woven, so I needed to take some extra care while sewing.  One advantage of using the knit fabric is that the dress can now just be pulled on.  And, since Elyse is never without leggings, I made it more of a tunic length than a dress length.

Then I had to face another challenge--after I saw how the first one fit, I decided that grading this dress down to Keira's much smaller size was going to take too long if I intended to finish within the week, so I dug out another pattern

 

 from my pattern box, and got to work. The issue here is that the pattern is for a top and skirt and I needed to convert it to a dress that was similar to the first one.  While I was about it, I made a few other alterations, removing the zip (because what three-year-old can do up a back zip) and changing the trim, which is a bit over the top.  

In the end, both girl's  are happy with their new sparkly pink dresses.  If the sun ever comes out, I'll try again for a better picture.

 
 I still didn't manage to make these within the week, though.  The next KCW is coming up in April, and I swear I'm going to post a finish.  For now, I'm content to be able to count the first dress toward the 2014 Finish-Along.  I'm not going to count the second one, since I had to start that one from scratch after the start of the quarter.

First quarter goal setting

I love the start of a new year--there's such hope--such optimism--so many good intentions.  And with the start of the new year it's time to set my first quarter finish-along goals.  And, I know that I'm going to be focused and dedicated, and accomplish so much this quarter (never mind that I didn't have a single finish for the last quarter of 2013--but that was last year and I'd rather not talk about it). 

I have a couple of carry forwards that I'd like to finish in the next 3 months.  This list should be longer--there were a lot of things I didn't finish last quarter, but I'm going to be taking it slow for a while yet.

First is this Anita's arrowhead.  I've made good progress on it, and finished all of the blocks.  Now I only (love the way that word makes everything sound so easy to accomplish) have to join them together and I'll have the top done.  I'm looking forward to quilting it, as the intended recipient prefers loops and swirls over straight line quilting.  I'm really ready for some loops and swirls.

And then, there's this "art quilt" that came about as part of a challenge.  This one has stalled, but I have a lot more ideas now than I did when I started the project.  It's just a matter of getting them out of my head and on to the fabric.  I'm really not very good with the whole improv thing.

Then there are the new projects.
Kids Clothes Week.  This year KCW runs from 27 January to 2 February.  And this time, I'm actually organized enough that I can include it on my FAL list.  It's been a while since that happened.  I have the pattern, I have the fabric and I have the kids who would like new dresses.

Speaking of clothing, it's time I made something for myself.  I have this great Vogue tunic pattern and the softest knit imaginable.  I can't wait to wear this one.  It should look great with leggings, so I can be both comfortable and presentable.

And I also want to tackle a couple of smaller projects.

I really need to do something about my pressing board.  Right now, it's a piece of (very thin oak) plywood with a towel wrapped around it.  Not exactly a photogenic subject.

Since I already have the towel and the board,  I'm going to follow the tutorial from Missouri Star Quilting and turn this into a proper pressing board.  Not only will it  look better, it should also be more functional.  It's really difficult to use a lint roller to pick up the threads from toweling--especially starched and pressed toweling. 

Finally, I'm working on a really long term hexi project, and I need to make a functional portable project sewing case.  I'm currently using a plastic box that once held blueberries.  As with the pressing board, what I have now works at a very basic level, but is far from attractive.  I'm going to use this tutorial for an English paper piecing travel kit with a few modifications.  I love the way it holds everything without being too bulky. Seriously, have you ever tried to carry a plastic clam shell berry box in your purse?

Now, it's time to link up all these good intentions.

2nd quarter finish number 5

I actually finished this the first week of June, but blogging hasn't been in the cards for the last few weeks.  Now that I'm back on my feet, I'll have to make it official quick if I want to check it off my 2nd quarter finish along list of goals.

The jury is still out on whether I like it or not.  My husband thinks that the top is nice, but the fabric is frumpy, and he may be right.  Still, if I' make it again, at least if I make it out of voile, I think that I'll interface the placket and the collar.  Or maybe I'll make it out of linen.  That has enough body on it's own.  It's a comfortable top, and it's nice to have something cool and lightweight that also provides some protection from the sun. 

And, it was certainly easy enough to make, although I don't quite understand why the pattern tells you to insert the sleeves after you've made them up and sewn up the side seams.  It's so much easier to sew them in while all of the pieces are flat, then just run a single seam up from the hem to the sleeve cuffs.  Oh well, to each their own, and my own tends to be whatever is easiest!

Just for a change...

I'm posting a finish that wasn't on my list of finish along goals.  It was a last minute thing that started with a phrase along the lines of "I sure hope I don't scratch the front of this e-reader while I'm travelling?" 

It turns out the the new Aura is just a smidgeon too big to fit in the Kobo Touch case.  And, since said trip was only a few hours away, there wasn't really time to go buy one of the flashy cases that are built for the Aura.  The only alternative was to make a cover.

So, after a quick rummage through my fabric collection (See, there is a reason why I just don't go out and buy fabric as I need it, I said.  I need a small stockpile for emergencies such as this.) and some time with a tape measure, and iron and my trusty sewing machine, I presented him with this.

I think that he was a bit worried that when I said I'd make him a case, it might look a bit girly, but he was pleased with this.  And he got some compliments on it, so I guess it's not too shabby after all.  These spontaneous projects can be so satisfying. 

2nd quarter finish number 4

I'm definitely on a roll here.  I can tick another project off my 2nd quarter list of goals.   This little tool kit is so cheery.  I just love the bright yellow and the pekako print. 

 

It's equally cheery on the inside, and there are lots of pockets of a variety of sizes on the inside--pleated ones on the left side and on the right side there are smaller pockets and a full-size one that I can use to keep notes. 

I'm looking forward to using this.

2nd quarter Finish number 2

Well, these weren't done in time for Kid's Clothes Week, but I did finish them in this quarter, which was the primary goal.  There's no good reason for not finishing them sooner, since I already had the pattern pieces cut out when I added them to my list of planned 2nd quarter finishes. 
 

The pattern is Simplicity 5489, and the fabric is a very soft fine wale stretch corduroy.  A bit warm for the day we took the pictures, but we're back to our normal chilly damp, so the girls will still be able to get some wear out of them this spring.  And I expect that they'll still fit in the fall, since I planned a bit of "grow room".  Especially for Keira.  I'm expecting a growth spurt out of her any day now.  Elyse seems to have stopped growing quite so quickly. (Those are stickers she's slapped on all over, by the way, although she'd really like a real tattoo, or twenty. )  I wasn't sure about the yo-yo flowers, but the girls love them along with the binding "grass" and the perle cotton stems.  I could see making these with embroidered or appliqued birds running around the bias hem band.  Maybe next time. 

So, two down and a couple--well several--more to go

Finish along 2nd quarter goals

This quarter I'm going to try a different strategy.  The reality is that finishing isn't really a problem for me.  It's starting that's a problem--a serious problem.  After I finish a project, it can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to more than a month to start another.  I'm essentially paralyzed by indecision.  So, this time I decided not to decide.  Rather than pick one project from the list of things I want to make, I said yes to everything.  Well, not quite everything, but quite a lot.  Then, I just pulled fabric and started cutting. I'll work on whatever takes my fancy on any given day.  This is totally different from my usual serially monogamous behaviour.

None of the project are very large and some are quite small.  I'm going to attend a conference in June and I need some type of tool case to hold all the odds and ends that I'll need for classes.  I spent a bit of time sketching out what I needed and picked some fabric that makes me smile.  Those little blue birds with their red beaks and spindly legs remind me of pukekoes, and there's no way you can see a pukeko running along and not smile.

For the same conference, I'm also going to need a tote, but it's going to have to be a purpose built one.  I need pockets of particular sizes and shapes.  I've sketched out the pattern and pulled the fabric.  The pattern is a hybrid of several existing totes that I use for grocery shopping.  I like the shape and weight of one, the pocket placement of the other, the way the end pockets are invisible on another, and the straps of a fourth. I also want interior pockets, which none of my totes has, and I'll need a much more rigid bottom panel than I would want for a grocery tote.  It probably took longer to make up the pattern that it will to sew it.  I might even make a tutorial of the process since I haven't seen anything like it in my searching for the perfect bag.  Assuming it turns out, that is.  

I'm also going to make dresses for the girls--pink and purple of course, although I think that this will be the last time for that combination.  Elyse has decided that she loves turquoise--a definite sign that she's growing up.  Since these will be made from (beautifully soft) fine wale corduroy, I'll have to get to them fairly soon while it's still cool enough to wear them. But Kid's Clothes Week is coming up, so that shouldn't be a problem.

And, keeping in the garment sewing vein, I'm finally going to make myself a Tova tunic.  This voile doesn't photograph very well, but it's pretty in person and very soft. I can see wearing this a lot when it gets warmer.

There are three quilts on the list as well.

The first of them is a red and white one that I'm making for a good friend who could use some cheering up.  I haven't completely decided how I will arrange the Arkansas Crossroads blocks yet.  I like the medallion arrangement, but the concentric circle layout is also attractive and so is the wavy version.  I won't decide on that until I have the blocks finished.  So far I have half of the 4-patches sewn, and half of the white squares done.  Two of each make up a block.  I made little 1-inch hsts from the corner trimmings, and I might use them to add interest to the back of the quilt.

The second is a modified version of the Baby Chevron quilt.  I want a larger quilt and I also want to change the balance of the elements to make it a bit more symmetrical.  I'm also replacing the beige fabrics with greys.  I'd actually started this one before the red and white one, but the red and white one has now taken precedence.

The third quilt is the Dresden that I started in the late 70s/early80s that was lost for so long and that I'd put on the list last year before I realized how long it would take.  I've been making steady progress with the hand quilting, although I sometimes wish that I'd used perle to quilt it rather than the  variegated Aurafil.  It would have made more of a statement.  But then, the Auriful is so pretty and the colour changes keep me interested, so I think that there might be a good chance that I'll finish it this quarter.

And I think that I'll call it quits there.  I have some non-sewing projects to complete as well within the same time frame.  I need to weave off a set of dinner napkins so that the table loom is ready to warp for the conference.  This would be a breeze on the big floor loom, but it's fairly tedious on the table loom, and I have to pay close attention, so I can't even listen to an audio book to pass the time.  And there is fringe to twist on a couple of scarves.  And I really need to finish spinning up the cashmere silk blend (one ply of each) so that the yarn is ready to work with when the weather turns cooler again. That's more of an ongoing project than a quarterly one though.

Now, I'll link this list up to Leanne's 2nd quarter page to make it official.