Some sewing

When I went through my small garment fabric collection I decided to sew a blouse that I've sewed before.  It's a free pattern at Burda called the JJ Blouse.  Since this time I have plenty of fabric I am going the whole 9 yds (no pun intended)!  I'm making some changes to the length of the blouse, the height of the stand collar and the sleeve cuffs.  Also I am adding a contrasting fabric.

I am trying to incorporate some couture sewing techniques to this blouse here and there and only where it is practical.  This blouse won't have lining or underlining but there's quite a lot of hand stitching that will go into it.  After reading Susan Khalje's book and enrolling in her The Couture Dress video lessons on Craftsy, I figure what best way  to familiarise myself with these techniques than actual WIP.  The pattern provided is Vogue 8648.  Although I am not a dress person I think I should at least have one in my wardrobe!

Above is a knit that Jess W gave me some time back.  I've not had the courage to cut into it up till now.  I think my 'skill' in sewing is growing and I may have developed a zen like patience these past years.  So I'll be taking baby steps. Not wanting to spend on a Basic Tee pattern, I actually had Sewholic's Renfrew Top in mind so I scoured Burda only to find a Basic Tee pattern called Lydia for a steal.  So this project is next.

 On Craftsy too there's a free BOM with Amy Gibson.  The 12" blocks were rather large so I'm scaling it down to 6" blocks and restricting my colour palette to blues and cheddar.  2 blocks a month for 10 months, should be pretty easy to tackle but Amy's BOM is utilising a different set of skill every month so that should push the envelope a little.

Half of my Amish Star quilt backing is on the left and all 6yds of backing for Just Takes 2 quilt on the right.  We've only done two sections of the quilt and I am buying backing?!  Must be going wacky!  I had to grab it because the colours were great and so was the price!

I keep forgetting to show this wall hanging that I made for Margaret and Jackie W in December last year.  It's for their new craft room.  It's such a delight to stitch this although I had to bear with a lot of pink!  Stitched with stem stitch and the border are Tilda fabrics.  It's a free pattern by Verna Mosquera called Sew Pink.

Here's some questions Lori is asking :)

What's your favorite movie and why?
Must be The Dead Poet's Society.  Words makes my soul soar?

What's been your best vacation ever?
Maybe to Bali.  Was my first real overseas vacation.

Do you go to a specialty store to buy your tennis shoes?
No.

What's your best running/walking  tip?
Be conscious about your stride i.e heel toe, heel toe ...

What do you do to relax?
I stitch and have a cuppa.

As far as food, what is your splurge?
A piece of rich banana chocolate cake?

If you could have any career, what would it be?
An Architect.

Do you have any tattoos?
Nope and never will.  I just don't get it.

Would you ever hire someone to help clean your house?
Prefer to do it myself.  But I may if I am unable to or have difficulties with some major cleaning tasks.

Coffee? Or Tea?
Both

More FMQ ...

I am still working on the FMQ with Leah Day and I think I am getting a hang of things.  Leah's quadrant concept is quite logical and it gives the randomness of stippling a direction of sorts.  From the front of a busy pieced quilt you can't tell that it was worked in rows but from a solid back it's only slightly easier to figure that out.

Christmas Quilt.  Designer: Cheri Payne

I completed Lori's QAL Pink Lemonade top.  I don't know when I'll get to quilting it as I want to zoom into some sewing, at least till end of February.  I don't usually work with such bright colours but I bet the antique quilt was once this bright too.

Pink Lemonade. Size:20" x 26 1/2"

Just Takes 2 - Jan 15th

The house block was a royal pain, but it'll have to do!

An old lap size quilt top that needs to get quilted.  This was one of my early largish quilts that I pieced.  I didn't know about the importance of stitch length then.  I had to hand stitch all the seams tight before quilting further on this baby ... sigh.  Straight line machine quilting for this.  This quilt will be for my aunt who is not well.

My sewing book finally came early this month.  Still reading it.  Wonderful techniques and finishes.  Since cotton and linen are my preferred fabrics to wear and work with, this book is right up my alley. 

I did not need to add to the crotch line length to the front pattern after all.  So I removed the slashes that I made previously.  

 I altered my pants block yesterday and even cut out a new piece of muslin for the front. A tedious task because I had to unpick the waistband, inseams, side seam and hems, fortunately I used basting stitches.  I suppose I could just as well cut out a new back piece but I thought I should be frugal with my muslin.

The pants fits well now and I have a basic pants block to refer to.  Next will be to learn how to draft a bodice and sleeve block pattern.

Free Motion Quilting

 I have been following Leah's blog for some time now.  She does FMQ so effortlessly.  If only I can muster half her skill, I'll be happiest!  I've bought some essential tools from Leah's shop some time back.  Although I've had spurts of practice but not enough to really get out of the 'ditch' (pun intended).  Stippling / Meandering has always eluded me but I hope that will change this year.

 My humble practice piece.  I took an old bed sheet and sandwiched with a high loft polyester batting, the cheapy kind.  It took quite a bit of getting used to but it was quite free-ing!  I am using the speed slider on my Brother sewing machine with the foot pedal disengaged.  That way the speed of the sewing machine is regulated and I just had to work on my hand movements.  I find the FMQ were more coordinated when I increased the speed.  So perhaps I may have found a happy medium. When my hand movement got wonky, the stitches on the front of the quilt was bigger and they in turn formed eyelashes at the back.  So that's something I should look out for.  I tried to relax but only before the machine starts up :(   I hope to try stippling in some doll quilts with low loft polyester batting and better quality thread.  Hopefully these changes will help me look good!  I can only wish ...

I've completed all the blocks for Lori's Pink Lemonade QAL.  Now to find a suitable fabric for the setting squares.  The amount of pink in this quilt was getting to me.  Although I did tell Lori that I'd keep it as true as the antique quilt, I added some mauve here and there.

Designer: Kathleen Tracy.  Book: The Prairie Children & Their Quilts.  Size: 26" square

Completed the quilt top for the January 2012 challenge on SQT.  I had the opportunity to use this large floral print for the border.  It was in my stash for some years!

Some repro fabrics from This-N-That.  The picture directly above are fabrics from a 1 lb grab bag.  Very happy with the cut sizes and variety!

It Just Takes 2 ...

... well not really.  I have been using a variety of reds with Kona Natural for the Just Takes 2 first installment.  6 blocks altogether.  I find it easier to manage this QAL rather than the CW blocks mostly because of fabric selection. 

Block 01

Block 02

Block 03 with Redwork (DMC304, 3 strands, Backstitch and interfaced)

Block 04

Block 05

Block 06

I worked on Lori's Pink Lemonade too.

And the Crosses Mourning Quilt.

I have only completed 4 blocks of the Temecula 12 Days of Christmas blocks ... yeah ... pathetic!

Strawberry Fields in Progress

I am so enjoying this quilt.  It's a QAL called Strawberry Fields run by Lori last April.  There are a million pieces to piece but if you approach it 'methodically' it's a breeze I assure you.  I find Lori's QALs are somewhat challenging in terms of skill building and patience!  She surely has a knack of making quilts that pushes the envelope!  Not that I am complaining of course :)

After I complete Strawberry Fields I would have completed all 3 QALs that Lori has conducted.  Here's Midnight Stars and Cheddar Cheese & Crackers revisted.

Now to look into quilting them?

Amish Star quilt top - Completed

Amish Star Blocks quilt top.  1 Dusty pallete Kauffman roll-up.  Black Kona yardage for background and wide outer border and Gold Kona for narrow inner border.  Size: 81" x 81"

I am so happy that the Amish Star quilt top is completed.  It's quite majestic.  I finished it the night before my meet-up with Margaret W, Jackie O W, June, Lillie, Diane (Lillie's DD) and Paul the next morning.  I really pushed myself to finish it and so glad I did.  We had a good time chatting and stuffing our face! :)

The Burda blouse is also completed and even wore it for Sunday's brunch with above mentioned friends.  Love making garments for myself, oh so satisfying.  Now I need to start on the Trouser Sewalong.

Margaret W gave me this wonderful stitchy loot!  Love it all.  In the mag there's a beautiful XS piece by Thea Dueck.

Margaret knows me too well ... It's super pretty. This will definitely jump into my 2011 to-do-list!

And this is a close up of the vintage lace in a key-chain holder.  Bought in London during Margaret's recent trip.  Too dainty.

Last week I also received a lovely gift from Faizon, from her trip to the UK in December last year.  I've been looking for the perfect Christmas Red tatting thread for some time now.  Size 30 or 40 is my preferred size.  Time to dust off my tatting shuttle :)  Thanks so much Faizon.  I have wanted to make a reverse colour option of this pouch I made some years ago.  The snowflakes were tatted by Faizon.

I've completed Part 2 of Lori's Midnight Stars Doll Quilt Along.  Loving the pace that Lori has set.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

I've got the borders to put on and I think I'll make this into a cushion cover instead.  The points are somehow not quite meeting up on this :(  Entirely my fault for not cutting them right. 

Love letters.  Designer: Blackbird Designs.  Fabric: 32ct Vintage Country Mocha Belfast 2/2.  Floss: DMC

Started this cross stitch piece some months back.  Finished just in time for Christmas. Beneath are the red (RJR Supreme) and Kona Snow that will become my bear paw quilt ... soon.  I lean towards red and white come Christmas, no wonder with all those lovely quilts I see during my blog travels during this time.

The start of a small cross stitch freebie piece by The Sampler Girl.

Cheri Payne's Seasons Greetings to date.  I had to go slow when piecing the strips and had to get it on the design wall as it can get confusing when the setting squares and triangles are added.  I've got to piece the rows and add them borders and then there's of course the applique!

The orange peel applique is coming along just fine.