An apron thing

I haven't posted in a while, but I haven't been idle. A friend casually mentioned that maybe I should think about making some things to sell at the church holiday craft boutique. I worked pretty hard, but just didn't get enough made to do it this year, so I am planning on working throughout the year and doing it next year. I got into an apron thing. I love the simplicity, functionality, attainability, as well as the endless possibilities of fabric combinations and highlighting great prints that I wouldn't otherwise know what to do with. It has been a lot of fun and I have lots more ideas.

A first in felting

I have picked up the needles again after a pretty long break. This was just dipping my toes back in. I loved the idea of a felted hat and loved the small project idea to take on a trip. I have decided that I'm a fan of felting. I love how this turned out. I think I will do another version making some more tweaks to the pattern. I would like it a bit longer to cover the ears more. Generally though, my head loves this hat and gets angry and cold when I take it off. And that is just wearing it around the house!

Amy Butler Apron

This little project was inspired by my friend who wanted a simple first sewing project. We had a great time and made some pretty cute aprons.

So far, so good

So here we are. I have to say that I am so glad I have discovered the whole
"making sure the pattern fits you first" thing. It sure makes it easier to have a successful project. It really doesn't look very pretty right now, but I pinned it on and see potential for pretty. I am also glad that I have discovered how important it is to pin and try on before sewing. That is where all the work is. The actual sewing is nothing really. That is the fun part. I feel like I'm making good progress so far, but there is a lot of cobbling ahead of me. Especially with that crazy hat!

In Process

So now that I have finished the Thomas quilt I am already moving on, or back to, the 1400's gown. I have another deadline. Me and deadlines... huh ah. A good idea in theory, but whew, it makes me sweat. So I am diving right into this one because I only have about 5 weeks to finish it. Not a lot of time for a mom who does this in her free time. Especially when I am making the pattern up as I go. That is the catch. I am further than I remembered however, so I am encouraged. I already have the bodice pattern made and the sleeves cut. I cut the bodice today, so I plan to do a little sewing and a little scheming and see how far I can get!

It always takes longer than you think

Here is the completed Thomas quilt with a happy E already making use of it. I debated about hand sewing the binding and about 1/4 of the way through it was wishing I had decided to do it with the machine for a less than ideal finish. That would have taken an hour. The hand binding took a week, but it looks very nice and she is very happy to finally have her quilt all for herself.

Kimono Robe

This is one of my "on hold" projects. It is all cut and ready to sew. Hopefully no snags and it will be done before the summer is over!

I do it for love

My daughter is in a phase right now. She is infatuated with trains. I got a 1/2 yard of this Thomas the Tank Engine fabric to make a little pillow or something and she fell in love. Unprompted she came over to me and said so sincerly, "thank you for the beat-iful Thomas fa-fric mama." So how could I not go back and get some more to make a quilt for her when she asked? Before I started the quilt she just had to sleep with every piece of fabric draped over her instead of her regular quilt. That's my girl. So this is a rush job and all other projects are on hold. I have to finish it before the phase passes you know.

Sparkles

No gown is complete without the proper jewels, right? So here is the necklace in progress for the Middle Ages dress. This was a great find on ebay. It came with a different chain and I have embellished it quite a bit, adding pearls and these dark blue beads. (Sorry the picture is a little fuzzy - the flash was washing out the color too much) I think it will be very pretty when it is all together. I will probably try to pull in the blue somewhere else as well. Maybe in the crazy hat.

It has begun

I dove into the Middle Ages gown the other day. This is the "easy" gown right? We shall see. So going into it I knew that I would be using 3 different patterns to merge together into this one look. I have ended up mocking up my own bodice pattern and am happy to say that it fits better than almost anything I have made, so far that is. Because I am petite I ended up taking about 2 inches out between the shoulders of the back piece and that was a revelation! The shoulders stopped sliding off. Beautiful! I am so glad I have started to make my own pattern modifications before sewing. Way less frustrating! I pinned, pinned, pinned to get this to fit right before a single stitch was sewn. I guess this is the way to do it. So I have my pattern made and a mock up completed, which I will be able to use as the lining. This might be a little work up front, but it may live up to my hope of being an easy project. That said, there are still a few hurtles ahead of me, however, the idea of something that will fit perfectly is such a big motivator. I also still really love this fabric and the concept. It will be a while before the loathing sets in. Maybe I can get it done before I reach that point.

Inspired again

I have really been wanting a new Ren Fest outfit, so I have been looking all about me for inspiration. I have a few potential dresses on hand already, but they are Major projects. I have been looking for something easier. I'm sure it won't be easy, they never are, but it should be less hard. This yellow fabric just spoke to me. I knew right away that it needed to be in this Middle Ages style with brown fur. I already have a pattern of sorts that will need some adaptations, but it has a pattern for this crazy hat.

Royal Shawl

This was such a lovely project. It also stands alone as one of the largest, quickest knitting projects I have ever finished. This is a lovely shawl pattern taken from Luxury Yarn One-Skein Wonders. I immediately knew when I saw this pattern that it was just the thing for the Blue Sky Royal Alpaca that I had been hording for a couple of years. I had a few issues here and there, but overall it was a lovely simple pattern. The yarn was amazing to work with and once washed and blocked, became even more soft and lovely. Also pictured is a sneak peek at the white regency dress.

Projects on the horizon

Lounge Wear Part 1: I was inspired by some great fabric finds at Mill End Textiles to make and remake some summer lounge wear. I have been looking for just the right fabric for this Kimono Bathrobe pattern taken from this great Amy Butler pattern book. I will use the peach floral for that with the dragonflies as an accent. The blue will be for drawstring pants taken from the same pattern book.

Lounge Wear Part 2:
I am also making over this top using this lovely dragonfly print as an accent fabric. The original trim is a lovely silk ribbon, but it hasn't worn well and has become frayed. While I have this top taken apart I have also taken the opportunity to make a pattern so I can copy it and possibly use it as a base for other patterns. I will also be making a pair of pants out of this peach. I have a feeling these are going to be great clothes for project nights!

The Woman in White

It has been a while since I have done a post. In part this is because I have been doing projects rather than writing about doing projects! At the prompting of a friend I have decided to do some updates. As stated in previous blogs I have been vacillating a bit about my sewing projects. Patience paid off again as I decided to take up the nearly completed white regency dress. I had enough time to stop hating it for it's difficulty and fall in love with it again simply because it is so pretty. So out of my frustration I decided to take the matter in hand and see if I couldn't resolve the issue of the sleeve which had been too short and very ill fitting. I also was encouraged by the discovery of enough extra fabric to cut not just one, but two different new sleeves. The image of the dress and sleeve all pinned on me was the first attempt. This is the Ballgown sleeve (from the Sense and Sensibility Elegant Lady's Closet pattern) attached to the long sleeve I already had. After fussing and hand basting everything together I decided to try the elbow sleeve as well and see if I liked it better. In the end the elbow sleeve won. In part because it just felt right, in part because it was a probably going to be quite a bit less hand work. As much as I have been enjoying this final push toward completion, I don't want to, as they say, "press my luck." A bit more hand sewing ahead of me, but I am close!

Nothing says "pretty dress" like a tin snip

I made a long overdue visit to Home Depot yesterday to purchase galvanized hanger strap from the plumbing isle. Believe it or not this was an errand essential to a particular costume. Blue dress #2 has to have a corset (the exact form of said corset is yet to be determined). Based on all the research I have done this is a great and inexpensive solution to the need for a whale bone substitute. If I'm going to go through the detail and hassel of putting boning in a corset I want it to be sturdy and do its job. So here are my supplies. The tin snip and metal file are on loan from my dad, who happens to be a metallurgist and therefore, has all things needed for manipulating metal, on hand. If you are wondering this is not bringing me any nearer to a decision about the blue dress dilema.

Choices in Blue

Choices: Part I

Creative choices (and others besides) are usually difficult for me. Many mental Pro/Con lists are created before I commit to a project. I'm at a bit of a crossroads right now. I have two blue dresses in mind the decision I have to make is this: Do I do one, the other or both, and if both, which first? My first inclination is to start with blue dress #1. Inspired by the above gown worn by Marianne in the recent Masterpiece Classics adaptation of Sense and Sensibility and also worn by Kate Winslet's Marianne in the Emma Thompson version. I have always loved this dress and recently found a pretty very pale blue voile that I thought would translate well.

Choices: Part II















For literally years I have been occasionally researching the Elizabethan period in hopes that I could get the nerve up to actually tackle a dress. I feel another bought of ambition coming on so I am thinking about it again. I used a coupon about 3 years ago to buy this blue and tan heavy weight fabric in hopes of using it for an Elizabethan dress. Somehow I just feel like it is time. In part because it would give me something new to wear to the MN Ren Fest in September. Yes, I know it is May, but this sort of thing takes just that long and I have a busy toddler, so I need the extra time. So here is blue dress #2. I was hoping this post would help me decide which to start with... I guess you will have to check back to see what (and if) I actually decide!

Art in Bloom

Springtime means a visit to the art museum for Art in Bloom. It is wonderful to see the overlapping of so many expressions of art come together through the interpretation of flowers. It is a great reminder to always push my creativity by trying something new, or seeing something through different eyes. This is a great place for inspiration on so many levels.

A solid idea. Finally. I think?

I have been in a quilting mood. As evidenced by the stash, I have a lot of potential quilts hanging over me. Yes, I say hanging over me, because although I love the stash, it has it's drawbacks. Buying fabric without a certain pattern in mind means you have to pick a pattern that works with the fabric you already have. A challenge I usually enjoy, but I have been hitting the wall lately. I haven't had this fabric as long as the others, but it seems like I have the right idea. A good starting place. I like to be confident before I cut, so I deliberate. A lot. Part of the triumph of this particular idea is that instead of slicing up the fabric I just made a few color copies of it, cut those out and just laid them together. Then took a picture, copied it several times and voila, a visual.

Nothing left but the binding

I don't know why, but this is usually

where I stall out on a quilt. The final stretch, the end in sight, and I just want to chuck it over my shoulder and never look back. I have trouble finishing things. You think? What is "funny" is that, as I have said before, I love finishing work, hand work, something that requires great sedulousness. (yeah, I just really wanted to use that word, but it fits) But the steps just before that always bog me down. So it is with great triumph that I can say I am past the bog and racing to the finish with needle in hand. Amazing how if you do it enough you can get pretty fast with those little needles. So - nearing completion - a tiny quilt, and a tiny victory. I will take what I can get!

Almost done

This is a little gift for a new baby. Another small quilt to be used for a washable portable changing pad and a tiny bonnet. There should be just enough cold days left for her to get a little use out of it.

The Stash

I have decided that I should have a special entry about the stash. I am going to be labeling everything that I make using the stash. That is, projects that are primarily created with existing materials, with the addition of small things like notions, etc. Part of my belief in the stash system is that if I love it I will eventually find just the right thing to make with it. Case in point would be the Little Something Quilt. Made using a fat quarter, some yardage of the natural cotton that I always keep in supply, a scrap of batting from another quilt project and embroidery floss that I had on hand. This is most of the stash, the favored choices of the stash anyway. To the far right are the costuming fabrics, the rest are cottons mostly intended for quilts. I am a huge fan of Amy Butler, more than half of the prints are hers. Point of interest: I love flowers, stripes, polka dots and birds. Take a closer look and you will see what I mean! And just a side note, I showed this to my husband and he clearly thinks I'm out of control (which he isn't totally wrong about!), but when I look at this, it seems a little sad. I better get sewing so I can use stuff up and restock!

The Golfer's Scarf

This is the lovely scarf that gave me golfer's elbow, or rather my obsession than the scarf itself. This is knit with three strands of laceweight yarn on my favorite size 4 needle. Two strands of lambs wool and one of baby merino. Nothing could be softer but to have a lamb itself wraped around your neck. I nabed this lace patter from a shrug and absolutely fell in love with it. Knitting to the point of numbness. That was indeed obsession. After a very lengthy knitting fast I was able to finish this and actaully wear it quite a bit. It will never bee so pristine again, but it is well worn and well loved.

My first foray into lace knitting

This was my first serious lace piece. When it began I was in way over my head. It is knitted in Kid Silk Haze which is a true lace weight yarn, and also has the lovely fuzziness to it, which if you are undoing a lot of wrong stitches can be a nightmare. I set is aside for a year or more, became a better knitter in the mean time and finally finished it and was able to gift it to a lovely friend. This was a real confidence builder for me when I was finally able to bind it off, block it and photograph it. I have since undertaken other lace projects and have come to love lace knitting. I would rather work on a sz 4 needle than an 8, but that is also why I have the golfers elbow! Drat.

Blue Velvet

It is a good thing I have so many old projects to record. It is encouraging to pull all of these out and realize that I do actually finish things... eventually. My DLF and I made medieval dresses together one year to wear to the local Renaissance Festival. We had such a good time being princesses for a day. This is made of stretch velvet, which can be a bear to sew, but because of the stretch I didn't have to do a zipper or lacing. That made me very very happy.

A weency wittle quilt

I am just crazy about this fabric, so I decided that Ella needed a little quilt for her babies. It turns out that I have used this quilt more than any other that I made for her. It turned out to be a perfect size for a lap quilt in the car on those really cold days, or a changing pad for those emergency diaper changes. It folds up and fits in my purse, it goes everywhere with us. Best of all of course is that it is totally machine washable. The all purpose tiny quilt. Every baby should have one.

Taffeta revisited

Sorting through photos, I stumbled on these again. This is the dress of all dresses for me. If and when, I mean when it comes to be, it will be quite something. I have labored for years over the style and pattern. I have amassed patters from late Italian Renaissance to Elizabethan. And still I wonder which it will end up being. Will I even use the lovely ivory taffeta with all the hand embroidering and beading? I hope so. Pictures just can't do it justice. You can't believe how lovely this stuff is. The idea of slicing into it is terrifying. So there is sits, safe and sound in my cabinet for extra special fabric and occasionally I have to pull it out and ponder and dream. It is so pretty I can't help but just revisit it from time to time.

A little something for a little someone

I have this thing called Golfer's elbow, which I get from... Knitting. Knitting is one of those super lazy-girl-friendly arts. You sit there curled up in front of your favorite costume drama and drink tea and oh yeah, knit. It all fits in your purse, you don't have to do a lot of prep to get to it, you just hunker down and pick up you needles. Suddenly an evening watching BBC dramas turns into time well spent because you have (depending on the project) several inches of knitting to show for your time of relaxation. Win/win, except when you do too much and get recurring Golfer's elbow. So I have learned to see the warning signs and lay aside the needles for prolonged knitting fasts. During these dry spells my idol hands yearn for creative occupation, so I do what I can. Embroidery seems to hold a similar appeal for me right now because it is easy and instant. Easy as in I just sit down with the hoop and needle, instant, that I can see rapid progress. Here is my latest little something. When finished it will be a tiny quilt with embroidered mushrooms.

Something blue

A little embroidery project. This is going to eventually be a little reticule to go with a future Regency gown. You know, one of those gowns that I'm NOT going to start yet. Well I got the embroidery done anyway and thought it was pretty. I have to press it out and such, but I was pleased. I really do enjoy the hand work, so I don't know, maybe deciding to do some embroidery or something on the white dress would breath new life into the project for me. Something to think about I guess.

The view from where I sit looks rather gray

Another "spring" storm is coming through today and those can make one a bit gloomy. Therefore I am here to make another post on my lack of progress! I have been plucking away at this project, which as usual, is complicate. One white dress, two bodiced petticoats to go under it to make it more versatile; (see below for the other version) for all of those times I will need versatility when I'm dressing up in Regency costumes. (Yes I'm mocking myself a bit.)I keep trying to contrive situations that require costume attire. Yes my dear friends, beware.
It is hard to get a good picture that conveys the true color, especially on a crummy day, but I think this is close. It is more pronounced when it is on, because of the contrast of my pale skin. If you enlarge the pic you can at least get an idea of the cool sheen that the white silk has. That being said however, it seems actually a little... understated (boring). But honestly to make it more interesting would probably require hand work, which I love, but I really just want to get it done. Thanks to the goal setting influence of my DLF I am trying to finish one thing before I start the next. Which is laughable if you have looked at my blog at all, but none the less this is what I am striving for with this dress. Therefore I must finish it, in spite of the fact that I can't stand the sight of it right now.

I'm in the mood for green, simply because it's winter

I have never made a quilt for myself, so I think it is about time. All the greens to the right are in my possession, and the lovely blue birds are on their way in the mail. This is going to be a very simple quilt to let the fabric speak rather than being the compliment to a design. I am excited that it will be quick, easy and hopefully pretty.

Birdy apron

Before:
A quick fun project because I love this fabric. Finally decided it should be an apron!

After:

Progress: the one armed gown

Slowly but surely I am making progress on this regency gown. I had a big push before halloween to get it done for a Chickflix night, but just didn't have time. I'm no good with deadlines. It robs the joy, unless I allow months, which requires planning, which is not a strength for me. Anyway, I have been plucking away at this. Every step forward there is some alteration that is required or some mistake to undo. This is the way sewing goes for me usually. BUT, I think it is looking really pretty, which helps me keep going. This fabric is so pretty, but maddening, it is a cotton/silk blend that is incredibly delicate and much to my chagrin does have a right and wrong side. That took a lot of time when cutting and starting to put together. I have learned from this dress to never allow a long time between cutting and assembly if you are altering the pattern in any way, which I usually do. But now that I have gotten back into it, it is all coming back to me. I have high hopes that it will fit. That is always the challenge. So all that is left is to attach the sleeves, open the back of the skirt, and sewing the top to the bottom. Oh and the dreaded hemming. Of course there is really a lot more to those steps then you would think, including a fair amount of hand finishing, which I generally enjoy. That is a good thing too, or this would probably never be properly completed. I am shooting to finish by the beginning of June. Only time will tell if I have planned enough time for my deadline!