Monday, August 31, 2009

Skirt Made of Ties




How is this for creative? A very sweet quilting friend gave me this wonderful collection of ties. I want to make a purse out of some special sentimental ties I have and needed a few more. I haven't found or designed a purse I am happy with yet so in the meantime I decided I wanted to use some of the ties. I made this skirt in one day. It was quite easy and fun. It even has a zipper in the back, is already lined and has a nice waist band made out of the leftover strap of one of the ties.

Now the rest of the leftover straps I have on my cutting board to make a very unique purse out of. It will be an original design so will take me a few days. I have the instructions almost worked out and then will set to doing it.

Sunday, August 30, 2009

My New Retro Top



I love love love this fabric. And it was only $3 a metre, so $6 in total for the shirt. It is a 2 way knit and this time I knew to adjust the pattern. It is a Jalie pattern that calls for a 4 way stretch. The only place it is a bit snug is at the elbows, so I will have to adjust a bit more for the next time.

The funny part, is when my sewing friend came over and I told her about the snugness, she immediately had to try my top on to see if it fit her. And it did, as she is smaller than me. But I think I will keep it as I love the fabric. Perhaps if she is good for Christmas Santa will bring her one!

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Real Vintage Fabric



I had a pretty exciting day, fabric wise, yesterday. A shipment I had ordered came in from a quilting colleague and a friend dropped over with this piece. Isn't it beautiful. It came from a lady who belongs to my church and apparently she used to sew alot of her clothing. She was cleaning and came across all this vintage fabric. My friend is going to sew up some clothing with it, and she is going to give me the scraps! Can't get better than that.

I have this piece sitting on my dresser as I try and imagine what kind of art quilt I will turn it into.
And maybe next time I go to church I will chat it up with a certain lady.... just in case=)

Thursday, August 27, 2009

A Trench Coat and a Top




Here are my latest acquisitions to my closet. The trench coat took by far the most time. There were alot of firsts here. First time with pockets on a coat, first time doing a coat, first time doing buttons on a machine, following instructions. I am very pleased with how it turned out. The material is drapery material and the buttons were from a yard sale. It is a Jalie pattern. The whole thing cost $35.
Plus my time. I love my coat and plan to wear it alot this fall.

The shirt is also a Jalie pattern. I am not quite as thrilled with it. I now realize that I don't like the double thickness of fabric at the front from the 2 panels crossing over. I have enough thickness of my own, I don't need my clothes helping me=) I also found it difficult to sew the 2 panels together without getting puckers. I had to pin it on me and even then ended up ripping out stitches.
One problem that was entirely my fault was that it called for a knit. My fabric only had a one way stretch, and I didn't allow for that when I cut the pattern out.
My next top is a different pattern and the fabric has a one way stretch but I think I have it figured out. I can't wait to post that as the fabric is so retro, you will think you are back in the 70's. Regardless, I do still like this crossover top and will get lots of wear out of it this fall/winter.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Sushi


Here is my first attempt at making sushi. I am the one who heads right to the big grocery store and buys sushi, whenever I hit a large city. I love Sushi!

A friend of mine knows how to make it, so I went over and took a lesson. Also managed to snag a meal out of it too. This one is a vegetarian roll.

Yum, yum!

Sunday, August 23, 2009

My New Wallet




Here it is, after 4 attempts. I love how small it is and I love that it holds all my cards and fits right.

Attended the Providence Bay Fair yesterday and had a blast with the family. The boys loved the rides and the running races. I loved everything.

Friday, August 21, 2009

Ric Rac



My first order of ric rac came in the other day. This is 15 yards. It does seem like quite alot doesn't it? Do you remember me mentioning I had found this fantastic deal of 75 yards of ric rac? That hasn't come in yet... I am getting a little worried now.

I finished my 4th wallet and it works. My third attempt I put the closure on the wrong side, so I have to see if I can pawn it off on a friend. I will post my final wallet here in the next day or so.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Wallet #2




I had previously posted a wallet I made but after using it, I decided I wanted a smaller one. Probably because that is what I have used before and I like to be able to shove it into my pocket when I go out. It is rare that I bring a purse. This is my first attempt at a smaller one. It is great until I put the credit cards in, and then it didn't fold in half nicely. My second attempt I put the closure on the wrong side, so it would be great for a left handed person I think. I have a third one ready to be stitched up. I have left room I believe, for it to close properly, and I never know if I got it all positioned correctly till I flip it.

If I did, I will post it in the next day or so, if not... then you know I am busy making wallet #4.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Laptop Sleeve




I decided that I needed a laptop sleeve for my new laptop bag I got on sale for only $12, 40% off. I haven't taken my laptop anywhere yet, but I signed on as secretary for our quilters guild and I plan to take my laptop to the meetings. That was the only reason I agreed. I couldn't imagine taking notes, then coming home and typing them up. I plan to only do that when 'technical difficulties arise'.

Stay tuned I have made a new wallet I can't wait to show you.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Buttons



These are some of the buttons that I ordered from etsy. While I get excited over yard sale buttons, it is nice to have some in all the same shade of a colour. I used up all the pink ones shown here already.

I have also taken the time to sort all my buttons out by colour and put them in old plastic containers that I recycled.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Family Weekend



Finally the sun was out and the heat came back. Saturday brought a dump of rain, of course right in the middle of moving furniture for my mom. We got it all in and dry. That evening we had a bonfire with the kids. We used sticks for the hotdogs and lost half a dozen in the fire. The next night we let the kids stay up 2 hours later so we could attend the neighbours bonfire. This time we brought our metal sticks for the hotdogs and lost none.

We swam tons and I cleaned out my husband's office as a surprise for him, as he was gone to a competition in sudbury for the day. So I am really in the good books these days!

Thursday, August 13, 2009

My Next Project


These are the colours of my next project. I had bought the fabrics last year and did it basically on a whim and on luck. I was sent a picture of a row of bolts of fabric and picked what I thought I liked. I got lucky. And I dyed the pink and purple myself to match the others.

I am going to make a smaller one, only because I haven't really made a small one and I think I would really enjoy the quilting aspect of it, instead of dreading that part of the project. But I am a long way off from that yet!

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Grandma's Thimble



This is a picture of Grandma's thimble. It is made of leather and sewed at the back with nylon yarn. There is a second piece of leather put over the front to keep the needle from going through. She was always the most ingenious person I knew. And this thimble fits way better and is more comfortable than the steel ones you buy.

Friday, August 7, 2009

My New Wallet




I decided to make a wallet tonight. I have finished my big quilt and have some small designs on the go, but was still creatively exhausted from the quilt I finished two days ago.

I have used the Amy Butler fabric that she has in a contest. So I can enter it in that, and show it in my blog, and I have a brand new wallet at the end of the day. It took me just over 90 minutes to make.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Almost done


Here is a little preview of a part of the art quilt I have been working on. The 80 buttons were sewn on this past weekend. I have finished the binding and now just have to attach the sleeve and the 3D part of it.

I am unsure whether to post it on my blog or not. The only reason I wouldn't is I plan to send it to see if it would get accepted into a juried show. And some of them have strict criteria that the work not be shown anywhere else. Sometimes blogs are excluded, especially mine, not a big following...yet.

Tomorrow I will show you some of the embellishments I received in the mail today.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Whimsy Flower

This is a preview of the quilt I have been working on for a long time. I finally decided on a quilt design and love it. The binding is half on and I will have to attach my 3D design and I am using buttons and ric rac for embellishment.

It will either be so over the top that no one will like it or so well embellished it just might have a chance to get into a juried show next spring.