A long time coming...

The last couple of weeks have been a lot of little bits of things... we are currently in the middle of the Term 3 holidays and while I have done some sewing, we have also caught up with friends, shopping, had sleepovers and spent a *very* small amount of time at work.

I bought fabric... a couple of knits "Idle Wild birds knit in gray" by Riley Blake and "Modern Reflection Dots Knit in Grey" by Maywood Studio, planning to make a colour blocked dress... BUT the fabric is definitely t-shirt weight, and the birdie print is on a white background (somehow thought it was on a grey background)... so I've changed my plan and think I'll make a long sleeved t-shirt with it.  Currently trawling through pattern ideas, and I think I've found one I like.

In the patchwork cotton side of things I HAD to add some more Scribble Notes in White to my stash.  Then some Stella Vine Stripe in white and green, Sun print feathers in gray, Hatch crosswatch in onyx, Knock on wood sketch in dark grey, Hatch crosswatch in aluminium, Sunday Supper Grandma's gingham in pesto and Crosses in Stone.

And I added some Charm packs to my collection because, well, you never know when you might need them.

I am making a small collection of this Moda Sweetwater Sunday Supper fabric... just love those greens and blues together.

I also managed to attend my LQS's monthly Saturday stitching day, and came home with these French General (I'm pretty sure) fabrics.

A metre piece of this Sketch fabric and a button.

On the sewing side of things, I have *almost* finished my denim dress - just need to add that button to the pocket trim and finish a small amount of sewing on the straps.

I don't know that a hanger shot really does the dress any justice. It finishes above my knee - but not by too much, and will look great with tights and boots.

And you'll just have to imagine this beautiful button sewn on.

This denim was described as Rigid Denim on the bolt, and it has a slight stretch and was quite firm.  For cutting and sewing purposes, this was quite easy to deal with, as it stayed where it was put, and pressed quite well.  It wasn't the easiest to turn (like these pocket tabs) and I decided to not top stitch these as I couldn't get the points turned nicely, figuring that poor top stitching would just highlight that.  I also struggled to topstitching in some areas where the sewing machine just wouldn't feed.  In hindsight, I wondered if I should have adjusted the presser foot pressure.  I discovered that I am completely crap at topstitching curves... and am undecided whether to remove the top stitching holding the pocket on and just applique it in place.  After a good washing, the hand of the fabric has softened quite a bit, and although I haven't tried it on since, I am hoping that it will mean it has a more draped fit as opposed to looking like a shield.

After finishing the quilting on the Stack, Shuffle Slide quilt, I basted and started quilting the Dots and Dashes cot quilt.  Although I had a few different ideas about quilting options - I ended up doing the same interlocking boxes design... I could quilt this design in my sleep, and in fact, I am sure I have dreamed about quilting it.

Stitching with this WonderFil 100wt grey thread - 103 means that the stitches are visible, but unobtrusive.

I finished up another orange block for my RSC quilt.  This was quite the challenge as it was one of the last larger blocks in the quilt.  The strips are 20.5" cut and I discovered much to my horror that I had no orange fabric of that length.  So... I did a bit of fabric surgery and added some black joiner strips.

These oranges are very ORANGE!

Linking up with the RSC and Molli Sparkles.

Finishing up to start anew

With winter being so close to being over (I know, technically it is spring but tell the thermometers that!) I figured that if I wanted to get my black denim pinafore dress sewn... so that it could actually be worn this year, I had to pull finger.

But first I had to get my sewing shed floor clear, to have a big enough space to lay it out.

All these 36 blocks needed to be sewn together.

And the baby quilt had to have it's last few rows finished and sewn together too.

Lets just say it's been a busy week!

I need to get a couple of willing helpers to stand outside and hold up my quilt... it is just too big for inside display.  It has been crazy wet the last few weeks... so this is the best you are going to see.  Believe me... it is all in one piece!

The cot quilt on the other hand is just perfect size for one almost 12 year old daughter to hold up inside... I am very happy with how the piecing of this top has gone together, and look forward to getting it quilted soon.

Always wanting "something under the needle" as I finish a seam, I cut up the pieces for Month Two of the Zen Chic triangle quilt-along.  These are triangles with a contrasting tip.

And my blocks so far... in no particular order.

Right, onto clothes sewing again.  I download PDF patterns, so first up was sticking the whole thing together.  Then after a recheck of what size to cut and what length was best (with surprisingly short legs I am so used to cutting the shortest version that I was glad I took the time to check this one... even the long version is short!), I laid out my fabric and pinned out the pattern pieces.

Today I cut things out, and started on the bodice.  I know... a pattern flash enough to have a bodice!  Makes a change from Front and Back!

This is after the darts have been sewn...

And I decided to go with a fun contrasting lining...

This has the bodice front and lining basted together, the straps attached, and the bodice band attached to the top... sewing through all these denim layers was slow going but achieveable. 

And that was the end of my sewing adventures for this weekend!  I still have the pockets to experiment with, the skirt to attach and a zip to install.

In other non-sewing-related news... I bought a new peg bucket!  This was from Briscoes and it is just so cute.  Wouldn't it be good for storing scraps?

The Benefits of a Long Weekend

Queens Birthday weekend means an extra day of weekend!  Terrific!  We also celebrated our 13th year of wedded bliss with a family dinner out.  Very Nice!

Charlotte (aka The Slightly Mad Quilt Lady) has had a couple of posts about various areas of her quilting studio.  A discussion between us about ironing stations led her to change her own layout, making use of space underneath a re-purposed ironing surface for storage.  My own ironing station came about because I just got sick of the weird space beneath the ironing board.  Hubby came to the rescue, cut the legs off my ironing board, and affixed it to a metal shelving unit.  It is perfect. The only adjustment I would make would be to put it on castors so it can be moved a bit easier.

And the home to a few projects at the moment :o)

I have a subscription to Homespun Magazine, which has a fresh and pretty Granny Square quilt in the current issue. OMG this is the perfect project for my collection of florals.

Putting them all together in one place has made me realise that I have way too many!  But I fall for these romantic blowsy florals every time.

And then I'm a sucker for the little ditzy floral print too...

And the subtle taupes, greys and creams...

This print is just so delicate.

OK so stacked up this pile measured almost 12".  That is scary.  And now it has all been moved to the side for another day.

I can blame Charlotte for another little project that came up over the weekend.  Infinity Scarves!  I had purchased this fabric a few years ago... and finally decided it was time to give this whole infinity scarf thing a go.

Reading the instructions... they are pretty fabric greedy.  Instructions that call for 2yards of fabric... for a scarf?  Seems excessive.  These patterns cut the scarf piece along the length, so gives you fabric for two scarves, with only the one join.  Of course, it is OK to cut it across the width, just means you need an extra join.  After a bit of experimentation I ended up cutting my fabric 16 1/2" wide x WOF because this was the width of my ruler.  It gives me a scarf that loops around the neck twice... and fits nicely with my body size.  I have a funny feeling this fabric is not intended as patchwork fabric, but it is similar in weight.

And today while I was *tidying* AKA finding all sorts of things I haven't seen in ages... I found this material and actually the pattern I was intent on making with it - several years ago.  But a scarf was so much easier and do-able.  Also cut with the same measurements as above, I can see this one becoming a favourite.

OK, the facials were a bit growly, I don't know that I'll ever get the hang of selfies, but this shows the length, and how it drapes.  This fabric is a soft knit, and it just sits beautifully.

Keeping with the clothes sewing progress, I cut and finished sewing the second dress/tunic.

 This was the pattern inspiration... and it is pretty similar.  My version is probably a bit looser around the hips than the model, but sits nicely around the neck and shoulders.  I just need to work on the attitude :o)

 I wore it out to our dinner... styled with my nice orangey red cardy, neutral slim pants with taupe boots, and a nice necklace with orangey and red-dy beads. 

While *tidying* I also found this block.  I have no idea what the plan was for it... but I do vaguely remember it, and isn't it cool??

I found these other two orphan blocks, but am not sure whether they "go" together well enough to turn it into something?  I think I was supposed to crop out the feet.

I also found this small cot quilt, which was made from my very first charm pack that I won online.

The quilting is really dodgey... probably why it was stuck underneath a whole heap of other junk.  I really should get this bound and given away.

And I did manage to get a small amount of applique ironed down.  This basket block is just so pretty.  Just the wreath bit to construct now.

The Rainbow Scrap Challenge colour for this month is Yellow.  I knew yellow had to hit sooner or later.  My yellow scraps are pretty dismal, but I was surprised by what I found... and in fact have enough cut for three blocks.  Squares cut at 4", 2 1/4" and 1 1/2".

New Things

I wore my new dress to work today.  Although it was a bit cold... I really need to buy a cardy or something warm that goes with it.

I have this scarf that is almost the perfect colouring... a bit more is more, but it looked OK.

And Me, excuse the odd photo angle... these things happen when you get your 11yr old to take your photo!  At least my eyes are open and I don't look cross... you don't want to know how many photos it took to get this to happen.

Righto... and onto other new things... my good friend Charlotte has designed a Mystery Quilt on another blog... Carols Quilts.  You can check it out here.

Now, I have been sneaky and checked out the Mystery Quilt (don't tell anyone)... so I know it's a good one.  Not too long (6mths) or complicated (squares, rectangles and triangles), and ends up with a mid sized quilt that you could easily grow to the size you want.  I've been waiting for the first months instructions, to see exactly what the fabric requirements are, and have pulled the following as a possible grouping.

It started with this fabric - Secret Garden by Sandi Henderson, Michael Miller Fabrics which I have had in my stash for ever!

It's quite a large print, and I am imagining just cutting it up into small bits

Then I found these that I quite like to go with it... not too samey/samey but a nice blend of blendy and contrasty.  Don't you love making up your own words?

From left to right:
Newspaper print... unnamed selvedge
Small dot... 11993 Daiwabo for EE Schenck Company
Stripe... unnamed selvedge but I wouldn't be surprised if it is a Stof Basic
Dark grey solid... pretty sure this is a homespun from Spotlight
Lighter colour small dot... same marking as darker dot above
Large multicolour dot... printing is actually half off the selvedge but its something about Habitat (a philosophy a refuge) by Benartex
Even lighter small dot... same as above
Neutral stripe... no markings but similar to a shirting
Green floral... Quilt Gate Mary rose collection
Green solid... either a Spotlight homespun or a Bella solid
Bird detail print... Field Notes by Blackbird Designs for moda

Now I need to actually read the instructions to see what fabrics I really need...

If you are looking for a new project, or just want a bit of low commitment fun, I really do recommend the Mystery Quilt.

I'm going to try linking up with Molli Sparkles Sunday Stash.