we have not met

quilt

I finished the quilt for my friends wedding!

It all started when I found this house print at Ikea. I think it's so sweet, and wanted to turn it into something special for the newlyweds.

Carlton likes it!  

I learned a lot working on this, and it isn't perfect, but I am really happy with the result of my efforts. I will be trying quilts again for sure. Finishing this also counts as number 8, on my 30 before 30 list.

I didn't use a pattern for this, but after I made plans for my design I realized that it is very similar to the quilt in Amy Karol's book Bend the Rules Sewing. I kinda winged it—cutting the strips and arranging them on the floor till I found a combination that I liked. I think this method would make a traditional quilter's head explode. That is how I work in general, feeling it out  as I ago. Maybe it is a designer thing?

For anyone who might be curious, fabrics are:
Birds/Houses: Ikea
Floral: Daisy Doodle by Michael Miller
Trees/Birds with dots: Circa 50 By Monaluna for Birch Fabrics (100% organic)
Sofas/Chairs: Tufted Tweets by Laurie Wisbrun

binding

I am halfway done with the hand-sewing of the quilt binding. Here is a peak. My goal is to finish this week...we'll see how that goes.

tiny cooking accessories for a tiny person.

My friend's daugher turned two recently, and the occation required a gift, of course. I knit her a little sweater dress, and decided to include a little something extra that would a bit more excited to a todler then just clothes. I found some toy pots and play food that were just perfect. Then I decided that I should whip up a little tote to put it all in, so that her mom wouldn't go mad trying to keep all of the pices together. Once I got started at the sewing machin, I got a little carried away, and made an itty-bitty appron and little pot-holder.

The appron insperation came from this titorial. I simplified it by making the wasteband out of a wide piece of ribbon. Then, added a cute pocket. The pot holder is a mini  version on the one found in Lotta Jansdotter's Simple Sewing. It is about 5" square and super cute. I used two differant fabrics, one to match the appron pocket, and a contrasting yellow veggie print, for the reverse.

I had all of the veggie fabrics on-hand. They are fabrics samples, that came from a friend who is a fabric sales-rep. The sample swatches are usally quite small (the black piece used for the appron is an exception), and I really enjoy the challeng of figuring out ways to put them to good use.

crafty sneak peak

Remember my list of unfinished projects for the finish it challenge?  Well I knew that I had some upcoming occasions that I wanted to make gifts for, so I wrote in a clause, that I could start (and finish) projects as gifts. I have a couple of projects in progress that fit under this clause.

The first of these is this little  knitting project for a 2-yr old birthday girl

The second is a quilt. Yes, a quilt! This is my first quilt project, and it is intended to be a wedding gift. I have exactly 30 days to finish it in time for the wedding. (Yes, I know that I have up to a year after the wedding to give a gift, but I don't want this to linger). I better get busy. heh.

Here is what my list looks like now:

1) snap cowl

2) stripy baby sweater

3) green socks

4) stripy baby legwarmers

5) slipper socks

6) baby kimono

7) booties #1

8) booties #2

9) toddler top

10) wedding quilt

in action

Just a little update on the skirts that i made for my little friend gabi. She lives in a different city, but her mom sent me these photos of the skirt passing the play test.

a bib

I wanted to whip up a quick afternoon project, and this bib was the result. I used a vintage (early 80"s) pattern that I had found at a thrift store. I am a little concerned about the sizing on the neck hole, it seams on the small side. I also made the mistake of putting the snap on backwards, it works but it's not the best... If I can figure out how to take it off, I will fix it.

One of the gals in my stitch 'n bitch group brings in fabric scraps from time to time. This fun circle fabric was some of what I got from her.

The reverse side is more of the Ikea fabric I used for my apron.

I didn't have a baby to try it on, so of course I put it on carlton.

not square

I decided it was time I try sewing something that isn't a rectangle or modified rectangle. The curved bits were, trickier then I thought, but I am happy with the result.

This apron is from an old Simplicity pattern (7874) that I got at value village ages ago. The fabric is Ikea. I used twill tape for the ties.

This is the pattern I used.

more summer skirts.

I made two more itty-bitty skirts over the long weekend. they are so quick, and fun.

This one is made out of some "scrap" fabric, one of the ladies brought to my stitch-n-bitch. It is a stretch knit, which has a reputation for being difficult to work with, so i have been timid about trying. It was a bit more challenging, but wasn't as hard as I thought. 

It is super flouncy, which will be perfect for twirling, and the pattern is really fun for little girls too.

This blue one is a bit bigger, something for her to grow into.

I really love this dot fabric.

I think it is time to move on to grown-up things now.

How easy would it be to recreate this skirt with a bold print and some linen?

Some unrelated links things I saw and liked.

1) Typocalypse "subliminal messages these fonts are feeding you.." a flickr set.

2) Ten best documentaries do you like watching documentaries? I do. Some of these I have seen, some I will be adding to my queue. I would have to add Jesus Camp and Helvetica to the list. 

3) Searching for meaning in a throwaway world a new book to add to my reading queue.  

4) Smocked Dresses I remember wearing dresses like theses when I was little, I want to try using this technique to make make some summer skirts. Something like this or this.

little skirt.

I have gotten the bug to try sewing again. I have decided to start with some small and simple projects. In addition to cloth napikns made from fabric scraps. I whipped up this skirt last week.

The pattern for this is Lazy days skirt which is a free pattern from oliver + s. I made a size for 2-year old.  I have had this hot air balloon print laying around for a long time, and am happy to see it worked up into this cute skirt.