Happy 2011!

Happy New Year everyone! I hope 2010 treated you well and that 2011 treats you even better.

I have managed to finish a dress in time to wear out this evening for New Years. A shameless copy of the vintage simplicity 3965, inspired by the gorgeous versions that Tasia has made (the slight resemblance of the fabric to her 'twin spruce dress' is cooindidental, and due to the minimal selection I had to choose from). I used a cotton lawn that was on sale at Spotlight, and it's lined with a batiste. Sadly there wasn't enough fabric left on the roll for me to make the skirt as full as I would have liked.

However as I didn't have the pattern I made my own - my first go at making my own pattern from scratch. I used the block that Sandra  helped me make back in May at the Perth BSC meet, but as I've lost some weight since then the front piece needed to be taken in a fair bit. Then, with some help from my mum, I drew on the neckline I wanted, and once i was happy transferred my changes onto paper. The skirt is just a big gathered rectangle.

As my new sewing ethos is "Pockets, pockets pockets", I added some in seam pockets 1/3 of the way around the skirt. I think the side seams may have been a better choice but we'll see once I've worn it a bit.

The back neckline is a probably a little wide near the shoulders, as my bra straps peek out sometimes, but nothing too disasterous. I used some grosgrain ribbon to stablilise the waistline like Tasia did on her twin spruce dress. And something else I'd never done before, a hand picked zipper (using Tasia's tutorial). I love how it looks, and I'm hoping that it's nice and strong.

Now I'll be on the look out for a cute belt to wear with it.

Boxing Day Stitching

Just a little stitching on a quiet Boxing Day afternoon.

Flown West

I have flown west for Christmas (and some slightly more consistent weather).

Thanks to the knowledge gained from Adele and her recent trip, I took my sewing stuff on the plane. Therefore, 4 hour flight = 4 hours of hexagon sewing.

Merry Christmas everyone, I hope your climes (whatever they are) are treating you well.

Playing with Denim

I've shown you the top of a Denim Picnic Quilt before, and as we're having a "double-denim double-birthday" house party at our place in January a few more would really help out with the decor for the party.

I've still got a big stack of denim squares cut and had a play with quilt layouts other than the random one in the first quilt top.

Checkerboard:

Diagonal lines:

PS: If anyone has any old jeans they're getting rid of I'd love to have them to add to my denim collection so I can make some more denim quilts.

Festival of Quilts: Fabric

I realised that I didn't post the one piece of fabric that I bought at the Festival of Quilts:

I bought this cute flower fairy fabric from Exmoor Craft Fabrics.

I'm not completely sure what i'm going to do with the fabric yet. Maybe some cute notebook covers? I couldn't resist getting it though.

Pendrell blouse pattern

I had an exciting parcel waiting for me when I got home last Wednesday; the Pendrell blouse pattern from sewaholic.net. This is the first pattern for sale from Tasia, and after seeing the gorgeous versions she's made combined with the free shipping she offered if you pre-ordered it I couldn't resist getting it.

The blouse has three variations, the pattern is printed on recycled paper and having skimmed over them the instructions are clear but concise with some helpful tips along the way.

She is hosting a sew-a-long in January... The only question is which view to make first???

"Oh Beehave" - November Block

As I mentioned before, I'm participating in my first ever quilting bee. Here is my November block, which was for Gina:

Gina asked for slightly wonky log cabin style blocks with some geometric shapes in the centre using the colour she provided.

My previous block: October

Hexy Borders

I showed you the fabric I've got for my hexagon quilt - well here's a preview of what it will look like. One row of "pale mint" hexagons around the flowers.

I think it looks great. Now to decide what to have for the backing and binding, quilting design etc etc... oh and finish sewing the flowers together of course.

Mmmm, Kona Solids

The other week I put in an order for some Kona solids from Fabric Shack, and a little over a week later they arrived.

From left to right, Sand, Ruby and Pale Mint.

The sand and ruby are for my "Oh Beehave" quilting bee blocks and the pale mint is for my hexagon quilt.

Is it sad that even solid fabric can make me excited?

Meant to be...

The other week I was walking home past The Fabric Store and I saw this fabric in the window, so of course I had to go in and take a closer look. It is a gorgeous lightweight cotton sateen with a slight stretch. I decided to think about it for a while and carried on home.

However, when I got home and checked my email I discovered an email from The Fabric Store saying that they were having a 30% off sale two days later... so I concluded that it was meant to be, and went back during the sale to buy the fabric.

I think I'll make this dress out of it - a cute pleated skirt, a contrast mid-band and possibly also hem, and best of all, pockets!

Advent Calendar 2010 - Happy Early Christmas Vicki

I showed you this sneak peek of a gift I'd made a while ago, but couldn't show you the whole thing until I'd given it to its recipient. Thankfully this gift was given today, so I can finally share all the gory details!

It was an advent calendar for my friend Vicki, hence the over a month early Christmas Pressie - I think giving it on Christmas day would have been a bit mean and stupid as she'd have to wait almost a whole year to actually be able to use it.

I used Elizabeth's advent calendar tutorial with a few variations to make the advent calendar, including a panel with printed numbered squares for the pockets, and not off setting the pockets in the sashing (although I wish I had, but I didn't have time)

As I mentioned before, It was made on my Grans Bernina, and quited using the stich regulator (although the stitches weren't that regulated as I had the wrong settings).

51 down...

51 hexagon flowers down...

... still lots to go.

And the award for most ingenious use of shoulder pads goes to...

I've mentioned my friend Mindy here before; she's the one that made the super-fantastic-star costume for last year's Christmas party. Well, she's been at it again - making awesome fancy dress costumes that is.

Last weekend we were invited to a Birthday party with the theme "80's Cartoon Characters" so Mindy decided to go as Jessica Rabbit. She bought some red sequined fabric and got creating... she used a corset/bustier she owned as a 'base' for the dress but wanted to increase coverage in the breast area, so got creative... and used shoulder pads for a nice supportive addition to the top edge of the dress (which also succeeded in making the costume even more Jessica Rabbit volumptious). Very ingenious!

Mindy spent most of last Saturday afternoon using my sewing machine while I worked on the stats for my thesis - sadly that's what my sewing life has come to, living vicariously through others.

My costume (deliberately) didn't require any sewing - only a little bit of cutting and sticking to fashion some ears. However, I wanted to show you as I LOVE the dress - Mindy lent it to me, and before returning it I sketched out the design and made some measurements so that I can replicate it, as it was super comfy, it even had in seam pockets in the skirt!

Festival of Quilts: Favourite Quilts: Part 4

I was hoping to post something else other than another favourite quilts post but I've been too busy working on my thesis, so for the third post in a row, here is my last post of my favourites from the festival of quilts. This time, amazing miniatures. Remember, all the images are clickable for bigger versions.

Just a Bit Crazy by Karin Saga

Small Wonders by Sue Bibby

Sand Between the Toes by Sandra Goldsbrough

Colours of the Seasons by Jacky Hopkin

Sweet Dreams by Margaret Morris

Wildwood: Spring and Autumn by Sandra Wyman

Mission: Impossible 2 by Kumiko Frydl

(this quilt won "best in show")

I hope you've enjoyed seeing my favourites as much as I enjoyed seeing them, and remembering them. There are a heap more photos of quilts here if you want to see some of the other quilts that I took photos of at the show.

Festival of Quilts: Favourite Quilts: Part 3

This is the third post of my favourite quilts from the festival of quilts. It doesn't have a theme as such, it just contains quilts I found particularly interesting or inspirational. You can click on the photos for bigger versions.

All over the Trails from Queyras by Sophie Kirchhoff

My Genes - Your Genes by Martine Schumann

Dandelion by Svana Egilson

Evanescent by Nancy Goodens

Pegs by Mary Mayne

Festival of Quilts: Favourite Quilts: Part 2

Here are some more of my favourite quilts from the festival of quilts. This time, inspirational quilting. You can click on the images for bigger versions, which I highly recommend, the quilting is, as I said, inspirational. Again, you can click on any of the photos for bigger versions.

Black Saturday by Thelma McGough

Natural Selection by Helen Cowans

Phoenix Rising by Ferret

White Gold by Philippa Naylor

Tree Quilt by Phillipa Naylor

A Future and a Hope by Lynne Quinn