Nek Minute... two weeks later...

The last couple of weeks have been very busy - just not particularly crafty.  The weekend before the big ski trip was spent washing and drying clothes (in preparation for packing the suitcases).  Then my Dad came to visit and we spent a great weekend tiki-touring around the local sights and tourist spots.  The final Sunday night was spent packing those last few essentials, and then Monday morning, 6:30am it was time to meet the bus and send the menfolk off for the week.  Nadia and I had a pretty quiet week at home without them.  Although it was good girl bonding time - and she was excited to be allowed to wash the dishes in the sink (as opposed to putting them into the dishwasher)!


Friday the boys came home again, and it was back onto the washing chain gang.  Not to be confused with chain piecing of course :o)  Once again, the house has returned to it's somewhat normal state of confusion... and finally, today, I got to venture back out into my shed for some well deserved peace and quiet (I didn't realise Nadia talked quite so much until it was just me that had to listen to it!)

I did actually get a small amount of sewing done during the week.  Monika's birthday had come and gone, although I had an idea of what to make her.  She has recently announced an impending move to Brisbane... so I just knew that she would desperately need a small tote bag (very suitable for carrying fabric or small techie items) made from a souvenir tea-towel to remind her of all the best NZ has to offer.  When I saw this particular towel, I knew she would enjoy both it's bright colours, and the beautiful birds and foliage in the design.  Having random left over bits of batting comes in handy for projects like this , and a bit of simple quilting just finished it off.

Side One

Side Two.

Simple boxed corners

Modelled by my able assistant

 Today I've got a bit further with the machine quilting on Bluebirds & Berries.  I'm about halfway through the central panel.

I did add a tiny bit of McJobbiting...

... a little bit of tiny clamshells...

... a little bit of poorly executed but OK echoing

... a whole heap of stippling.

Getting in and around applique is not my favourite kind of quilting... I didn't want to do tiny, tiny quilting... to me the style of the quilt is soft and relaxed, and I wanted the quilting to reflect this too.  Stippling is good for getting into those tight spots, gives a nice open feel - and finishes nice and soft.  But stipple all over can be a bit much.  I'm happy with how the small blocks that I've quilted differently just help to break it up, add a bit of different texture, and as the blocks are the small ones - it doesn't add too much stiffness.  I will need to think of a good solution for the applique borders... I think if I stipple those too - we might just have stipple overload.

 The threads I'm using are mostly 50wt Aurifill in a subtle range of neutrals - 2000, 2310 & 2314.  In the coloured squares I'm using a Gunold 40wt variegated khaki.

A little finish here and a little finish there

Yesterday I bit the bullet and pulled the dress pattern pieces out of the envelope.

I remember sewing a DKNY Vogue pattern back in the early 90's and it was a curious mixture of simplicity and really clever design elements.  It seems that this pattern - V1250 (the red dress on the left) is much the same.

With only three pattern pieces, how hard could it be?  On the other hand... check out the shape of these pattern pieces!

The big one is a front and lower back, the medium one is a top back, and the little one, the back neck facing.  The front and back are both cut on the fold.

I bought some "Delux ponte double knit" from Spotlight with the intention of making a winter weight dress - only 1.2m required.  The pattern  suggestions are for 2 way knit - rayon, spandex, cotton spandex and nylon spandex.  I don't know if my body does spandex anymore... unless it's those suck em in undies.  I think the heavier knit probably offers a bit more coverage.  By yesterday afternoon, I had the dress pretty much finished, just the arm and lower hem to do.

Today was finishing day.  A bit impulsively I cut 3" off the bottom with my rotary cutter.  I intend to wear this to work more as a tunic over long sleeved tops, with dark tights and boots.  But I also don't mind the over jeans look for something a bit more casual!  I was pulling a really weird face in this one...

 So there we go... dress experiment a success.  I would definitely consider sewing this dress again... I would quite like to try a patterned version, and maybe a plain rust coloured one.  On the clothes sewing front, I also hemmed a pair of pants to match my short legs :0)

As winter looms, temperatures have started to drop.  A change in warmth requirements during the month of April meant the Gypsy Bandana sampler quilt got put back on the shelf, and my Buggy Barn wonky log cabin stars quilt got put in it's place.

Also in the finishing department... a new handbag.  This is my winter version too!  Made from samples of heavy upholstery fabric mean this has plenty of texture.

All it needed was a handle attached, and I wasn't keen on the design offered in the pattern (hence it has sat around for about 3 years).  In the end I pieced a few remnants to make the right length, and fitted it at the ends to make a shoulder bag.  I'm not 100% in love with it... but I'll see if it grows on me.

While I was doing random sewing, I put together the backing for the Tokyo Subway, and basted it.

And lastly I got the binding for the Japanese ladies machine sewn down.  So another technical finish.  Just the hand stitching left to do.

The last day of the holidays... gosh, it's been busy!