Girly girl

My daughter is four years old and has a bigger wardrobe than I do.

I suppose part of it is because I keep making her dresses.

In my defense, she apparently won't stop growing so new clothes are a necessity.

This is a very simple jumper but I made a few adjustments along the way. Most notably, I changed the way the pattern did the interfacing so that I didn't need to add bias trim around the arm-holes.

And I love that I had this button just waiting to be used! It's so sweet! And I also really like the button loop closure - so simple and easy to get the placement right.

Then there's this little number:

I didn't have enough of any one fabric to make the dress so I just used what I did have and mixed it up a bit. I even needed to add the red at the bottom to get the length right. But you know what? I really like it! I like that it uses more than one print and I really love the red at the hem.

Best of all - it's a great twirly dress so Bailey is in seventh heaven!

There are a couple more dresses and skirts just waiting to be sewn up and hopefully, Bailey will be properly clothed for a few months until she outgrows everything again.

In Progress

It's that time of year when a preschoolers mama turns her thoughts to school auctions.

This year I volunteered to make a quilt as a class project for Bailey's class of 3 and 4 year olds.

Some of the kids were less than enthusiastic about their contribution, but thankfully all were finally persuaded to participate.

I'm kinda loving it.

At first I wasn't quite sure about the color palette. I don't know if I've just stared at it so long that I've rationalized the colors work together or if they really do look good. But I'm actually leaning toward using them in another project I have up my sleeve. Mostly I hope that the other families like it so we aren't the only ones bidding on it!

The backing is almost ready and then it's on to basting and quilting. And binding.

Better get busy!

Petite Piecing

This year, the Portland Modern Quilt Guild decided that it would be fun if we each made our own name tags. Last night I realized I better get going on mine if I wanted to wear it to our meeting tonight!

So here's my super-teeny-tiny paper pieced sewing machine name tag! The entire thing measures 3" x 4" so it's pretty small.

Sewing machine details are embroidered on and I stamped my name with Versacraft ink, which is then heat set to become permanent. Tape measure print is a lovely scrap from Ayumi (thank you!) and the binding is heath by Alexander Henry.

All in all a very fun and satisfying project that took relatively little time. Can't wait to see everyone else's name tags at the meeting!

UPDATE: Free paper-piecing pattern for the sewing machine HERE.

Swoon

Yep. I was bit by the Swoon bug.

I even joined the Swoon-along over on flickr.

But then I had doubts.

I couldn't decide on a color palette or fabrics.

I couldn't decide where this quilt was going to live.

And mostly, I wasn't sure where I was going to find the time to make a gazillion half-square triangles and flying geese.

I was on the verge of giving up when I realized - hey, I can make just one block! The blocks are enormous (24.5" square) and one will make a lovely wall hanging.

Whew! It was so liberating to let myself off the hook for the whole quilt. And I really enjoyed making this one block using some of my very favorite fabrics. You see that sewing machine in the center block? Love it!

And I love this lady peeking out in her coral dress - so fashionable!

So glad I listened to my gut and went with one block instead of a whole quilt. Someday, I'll probably tackle the larger project but for now, this is perfect. I'm going to look for other ways to simplify and/or minimize larger projects that keep getting put on the back burner.

Luggage

I can't explain what exactly possesses people (like me, and maybe you) to think, "Yeah, I'm gonna sew up my very own luggage!" Because when you tackle the Weekender, that's what you're doing. Don't fool yourself by thinking you're going to be making a "bag." This is hardcore.

And totally doable, I might add. Yes, you'll cuss. And you'll likely break a sweat when sewing all the layers together. But you can do it.

I made a few little changes, like adding top stitching where the bottom panel meets the side pockets (above).

I was very skeptical about how the pattern has you install the zipper, but I followed the directions and I love the result.

All-in-all, a very satisfying project. It helps if you have a friend making one too, so that you can work on them together.

Here are some suggestions and/or changes that I made as I went along:

*I used fusible hem tape to make my piping (no line of stitches to worry about hiding when sewing everything together later.

*Added piping to the end pockets.

*When you're done sewing the piping on the large pockets (and end pockets, if you add it there), gently pull a little bit of the cording out and trim it. That way you can eliminate the bulk of the cording in your seams, which will make a HUGE difference in how difficult it is when sewing through all those layers.

*I added a D-ring attached with nylon webbing into the bottom of each end pocket. I will be making a shoulder strap that can attach there if I want to use it, but the hardware stays hidden in the pockets when I don't need it.

*Make sure you have more than one heavy duty needle. I'm surprised that I didn't break any during the assembly and would hate to have to stop midway because I didn't have an extra needle handy.

*I used a two-way zipper - it has a zipper pull at each end so that the bag can open from either side.

*Speaking of zippers - the directions have you pin the zipper in place in such a way that the pins are under your fabric when stitching the zipper in place. I went slowly but was very nervous about having the pins where I couldn't see them. If I make this bag again I'll use some Wonder Tape to hold the zipper in place while stitching.

*I'm adding four large metal purse/bag feet to the bottom to help cut down on wear-and-tear.

That's about it! Now I need to take a trip somewhere so I can use it.

Details:

Pattern - Amy Butler's Weekender

Fabrics - viewmasters are Ruby Star Rising by Melody Miller, gray dot is a canvas from Hometown by Sweetwater, piping is a pink twill

Language

Parts of this post may offend. I do not mean for them to offend, but there you have it. Maybe it will help to know that I started my career in theater as a stagehand and carpenter before moving on to stage management. When working backstage or in a scene shop, I was often the only woman and I picked up some rather unladylike habits. Cussing like a sailor would be one of them.

I worked very hard on this quilt block.

Lots of teeny tiny piecing.

Completely and totally imperfect because I have never tried making these types of paper pieced letters before. They were HARD!

This picture isn't all that great but I wanted to share how all those seams need to play together on the back of the block.

This is for Chawne's "Give a F*ck" communal quilt project. You can read more about it on her awesome blog. Be careful - you will get sucked into her amazing crafting.

It turned out vaguely patriotic with all that red, white,and blue. Perhaps I've been watching a bit too much of the current debate cycle. Or maybe I was thinking about the economy. Or about the whole Occupy movement. Or about how we don't adequately fund our schools. Who knows? I like it. Like I said, it's not perfect, but neither am I. So we made a good pair.

Until I mailed it out and had to say goodbye.

Now I'm glad to have these pictures to share because I'm afraid the block has gone missing in the mail. It's been a week and has not yet been received. I'm prepared for the worst.

And I guess I need to make another block.

Fuck.

***UPDATE*** I am so so so happy to report that the block arrived safe and sound at its destination! Whew!

Weekend sewing

A little peek at how I spent part of my weekend.

I cannot WAIT to show this quilt once it's completed! It's a Christmas present for my hubby, the math and science geek.

A little snippet of the back.

And lots and LOTS of straight line quilting. I figure I'll need a couple more hours to finish the quilting and do the machine portion of attaching the binding.

And then I'll be able to focus on a couple of other things.

Sometimes, when I get in the groove on a project it's very hard for my brain to let it go. I obsess and obsess until I can finally get it done. Then it's like my brain breathes a big sigh of relief and makes room for other thoughts. Anyone else like that?

Gratitude

I am in constant amazement. Really.

Every. Single. Day.

Here's one of the current reasons:

A dry field trip to the farm and pumpkin patch with Miss B's preschool class. Good times! Huge difference from last year (when we did NOT wear our boots) and the fields were nothing but a big ole mud slick.

Another reason I'm feeling the love:

I recently grabbed up some sweet fabric from Ashley's destash and asked about any FMF scrap packs she might have. I'm trying to put together a small and simple quilt using some of the coveted fabric as a fundraiser for the Arthritis Foundation. She was so gracious and kind and she sent me these gorgeous pieces. I never cease to be amazed at the kindness within the sewing/quilting/crafting community.

And the crazy amazing cherry on top of everything?

I am now the grateful and awestruck owner of this amazing book.

After posting about my search for Patchwork Patterns 318, I was sent a few leads on getting a copy. None of them panned out. The book was either already sold or waaaaay out of my price range. I kept looking but must admit that my search became somewhat half-hearted.

About two months later, I got an email from Stephanie, who read my blog post and was about to list her copy on etsy. I was headed out to Camp JAM and asked if she could wait to list it until I got back from camp because if I could afford, I would take it!

Well, imagine my surprise when I returned from camp to find an email from Stephanie, telling me about her grandmother's lifelong love of sewing and how she'd had to stop when her arthritis became too painful. Stephanie wanted to give me this book. And I promptly burst into tears.

I mean, really? We hear all the time from so many places what a messed up world we live in. I'm telling you - this world is great! People are amazing! There is goodness all around.

So I sit here. Filled with gratitude for family and friends and strangers who have become special people in my life. Life is wonder-full.

And yes, I know I used the word "amazing" a lot in this post. What can I say? It is what it is.

Guild Love

The Portland Modern Quilt Guild and the Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild are doing a little swap!

Recently, the uber-talented Susan Beal visited KCMQG to do a presentation on modern log cabins. The notion of a swap was brought up and next thing we all knew - the two guilds each had stacks of cards with people's names/blogs/flickr names - all the proper tools for stalking a secret partner to make them a potholder!

I can't tell you who I made this little potholder for because my partner hasn't received it yet. But I hope she likes it! It was really fun to use the "Kansas Girl" flour sack fabric as the center of this log cabin block.

I decided to go with curved corners and bias binding for a couple of reasons. One, I really like the look. And two, I wanted more practice using bias binding since I usually finish my quilts with the binding cut on the straight grain.

I really like this print that I used on the back. For some reason, I've been really drawn to reproduction fabrics lately. They seem so fun and lively and the colors are great. The hanging loop is some printed ribbon I had on hand.

The quilting on potholders almost always seems really poofy to me. I think it's the fact that I use two layers of warm and natural plus a layer of insulbrite. There's nothing worse than a cute potholder that burns your hands.

Can't wait til this little gift lands with it's recipient. And thanks KCMQG for swapping with us!

Halloween Snack Mats!

Unable to attend Sewing Summit last weekend, I consoled myself by making some Halloween snack mats and placemats.

Here are the six snack mats.

These were super fun to make and I absolutely LOVE the Cosmo Cricket Halloween fabric (purchased at the Fabric Depot outdoor sale for you locals).

And can I just say that I am officially hooked on straight line quilting. The texture is so great and it's a perfect no-brainer for small projects like this when I can just zone out at the machine.

These are destined for my two kids and four of their bestest friends to celebrate the holiday season.

Once I get the binding done on the placemats, I'll show them to you. Have you started any fall crafting?

Angel swap revealed

Remember way back when ... I was an angel in the Spicing Up the Kitchen Swap over on flickr.

Well, my partner received her package so I can finally reveal the full contents!

I made a table runner, hotpad, and potholder.

I was able to use one of my favorite Suzuko Koseki prints and the wonderful seed catalog print from Annie's Farm Stand by Lakehouse.

The potholder was really fun to quilt with all those diagonals making little diamonds.

And the hotpad was made of tiny patchwork of some beloved scraps. I've really enjoyed making hotpads like this to use on our dining table. I make them a bit larger than a potholder and don't include a hanging loop so it lies perfectly flat on the table.

So, some simple and fun projects. I'm happy to say that my partner likes them!

There are a lot more projects in the to-do pile but I'm lacking the time to tackle them at the moment. Hopefully, an upcoming all-day sew with the Portland Modern Quilt Guild will give me the chance to get a few things completed.

Stylish sandwiches

In an effort to be a little more green when it comes to lunches I've been making some stylin' sandwich wraps!

They have the kid seal of approval (especially since I let them choose some of their own exterior fabrics) and the mom seal of approval because they can be machine washed and dried.

And they're cute. Always a plus for me.

Some of them have little twill pull tabs at the opening flap but they weren't really necessary so I didn't put them on all of them.

The lining is nylon (no vinyl!). And I love that the whole thing can open up flat to make a nice little placemat/eating area.

People have been asking so I thought I'd let you know that these are available in the shop!

Fall bag

Over the weekend, I whipped up the 241 Tote from Noodlehead.

I used some of my prized Echino and paired it with duck cloth solids. The strap is made from a long strip of the Echino and backed with the burgundy duck cloth.

I really like this bag! The pattern is clear and straightforward though I would definitely recommend reading it all the way through before starting. Anna offers some alternate ways of assembly that I think make a lot of sense and would be my preferred way to put the bag together. Also, um, read the directions about the seam allowance. I would have saved myself a LOT of frustration if I had realized the seam allowance was 3/8" and not the 5/8" I thought I read at first. Oh well, it just gives me a chance to make another one, right?

This one may or may not end up in the shop. I haven't quite decided and still need to finish hand stitching the lining closed.

New dress!

Miss B has a new dress!

Okay....three new dresses.

I just can't help myself. The pattern (Ofelia - Patterns by Figgy's) is wonderful. Simple and easy to follow instructions make for a quick and rewarding project.

Seriously people - it takes one yard of fabric and one hour of your time. How can you possibly go wrong?

Bailey picked out this fabric - bright and lots of orange so no surprises there. She loves it. I love it. I especially love that she can get herself dressed without any help (thanks to the elastic neckline and no buttons or zips).

One little note: go by the measurements not necessarily the sizes (as you should on ALL clothing patterns). Bailey is not quite four but this was made using a combo of the size 5 (width) and 6 (length) pattern lines. These are the pattern sizes that correspond to her measurements and the dress fits perfectly.

And yes, she's freakishly tall for her age.

Swap Angel

I just sent off my very first angel package for a swap! It hasn't arrived yet at it's destination so I'll just post this little peek.

Swaps can be fun or horrible or anywhere in between. They can also be a little bit tricky because you are relying on people's honesty and integrity to follow through with their commitment. We all know that life has a way of being unpredictable and deadlines can be missed. As long as everyone communicates well, things usually work out just fine.

But every once in a while, someone is a flake and doesn't send anything out to their partner. That's when whoever is organizing the swap asks for "angels." An angel is someone who sends out a swap package without getting anything in return. I've never needed an angel in any of the swaps I've done and this was the first time I've ever been asked to be an angel for someone else.

It was really fun to put this little package together! I made a table runner, a hot pad, and a potholder since this was a "Spicing Up the Kitchen" swap. I hope they are well-received.

Do you participate in swaps? Have you ever needed or been an angel?

Tutorial: Bento Lunch Bag

Thanks for the interest in a tutorial! Here's how I made the bento lunch bags.

First, gather your materials. I used a home dec weight material for the exterior and a quilting weight cotton for the interior. For the drawstring cover I used linen.

From your exterior fabric cut two panels 12" x 13"

from your interior fabric cut two panels 12" x 13"

From your drawstring cover fabric cut two panels 6.5" x 13" (or one panel 6.5" x 25")

From fusible fleece cut two panels 11" x 12"

1" cotton webbing - 24"

Other supplies:

one cord lock

one yard of cording

thread

iron

sewing machine

Note: all seams are 1/2" unless otherwise noted.

If you've never used a cord lock before, they look like this:

Cut a 2.5" square from the bottom corners of your exterior, interior, and fusible fleece panels. This will make it easier to do your boxed corners later.

Fuse the fleece to the exterior fabric, centering the fleece like this:

Sew the side seams and bottom seam.

Then box the corners by bringing the bottom seam up to meet the side seam. Stitch across the edge. Repeat for other side.

You should end up with something like this:

Press seams open. Turn exterior right side out, gently poking the corners out using the pointy device of your choice. I use an old knitting needle.

Repeat for interior, but keep interior wrong side out. Now you should have this:

Set the interior and exterior aside.

Take your drawstring cover panels and sew along the short side. Of course, this is when I realized that this could be done with one piece measuring 6.5" x 25" so feel free to do that if you prefer. (Note: To prevent fraying, serge or zig zag along the short sides and top edge.)

Press center seam open.

Fold top edge down 1/2" and press well.

Fold cover panel in half, right sides together. Stitch along seam, stopping just below the folded down top edge.

When you're done, the edge should look like this:

Open the top edge and fold in one corner to the pressed line like this:

Then fold back down along the pressed edge like this:

Pin in place and repeat on other side.

Stitch around the top, creating a casing for your drawstring. Press side seam open.

Next, cut your cotton webbing into two 12" lengths.

Find the top center of your exterior. Place handles 1-1/4" to each side of the center and pin in place. Be careful to not twist your handle.

Repeat for other side.

Place the interior inside the exterior of your bag (wrong sides together) and pin in place (matching side seams).

Then take your drawstring cover and place it outside the exterior and handles (right sides together) and pin in place.

Sew around the top of the bag securing the lining, exterior, handles, and cover.

Tuck the cover inside the bag and neatly press the top edge.

Topstitch around the top edge of the bag, about 1/4" from the edge. The place a second line of topstitching about 1/2" in from the first. This will give your bag a nice finished look.

If you look in the bag, you'll also see that the second line of topstitching will conceal the raw edges inside your lunch bag!

Thread your cording through the casing and secure in the cord lock to finish your bag. (If you need detailed instructions about how to do this, check out my reversible drawstring bag tutorial.)

And there you have it! A fantastic new lunch bag!

If you have any questions, just ask. And if you make one, I'd love to know about it.

Happy Crafting!