Quilting Sundays...

I usually spend a good portion of Sunday with my parents in the burbs. Often times, quilting happens on these days. My mother quilts, she always has some project on the go, either ones I get roped into doing/finishing, or ones that inspire me to start my own. (Plus, she's got the quilting stash. Grin.)

Today, I'd brought a project to finish up, a UFO that's been on the to-do list for over 4 years. (Sigh.) All I needed to do with it was attach 2 rows - precisely 15 minutes of work.



The pattern is Shakespeare in the Park, by Judy Martin. (Click on the Shakespeare in the Park link to see viewer photos of this quilt made up, they are absolutely amazing.) This obviously dates back to times when I made complicated quilts - I'm too lazy to ever attempt to recreate something like this nowadays.

To be honest, the only reason this project was brought out is that my parents are going to India. My mom is taking a bunch of quilt tops to be quilted in India. She knows a guy who charges about $20 to do a king size, which is amazingly inexpensive. The work isn't fancy, but I loathe quilting, and am happy to avoid it at all costs.

So, I finished it up and added it to her suitcase. She now has 8(!) quilt tops that she's taking to be quilted, including this baby quilt, this other baby quilt (bottom of post) and this scrap quilt.

What else got done today? Well, fabric was bought. When did I promise to fabric fast till? I seem to recall end of November? So, fabric fast was ended 7 days early. Lunch and dinner, both excellent got eaten, a refrigerator got cleaned out, and laundry got done.

No sewing though. Tomorrow,I need to buy a zipper to finish up a skirt. I should finish it up tomorrow night, though I've a class that might delay it.

Endless Combinations - piece 1

I'm entering the Endless Combinations contest at Pattern Review. (I need winter clothes!)

The first piece - Simplicity 2938 - view B.




I used a blue and cream cotton that was a remnant I bought a few months ago. I actually really wanted to use the remnant to make this pattern, and I've only gotten around to it 6 months later - that's not terrible!

I cut this out last night, finished it this evening. I'm on fire!

I've made the dress version of this pattern, so this top went together incredibly easily. I didn't read the instructions at all. I made a size 10 at the top, widening to a 12 at waist and hip. Took 2 inches off the torso, so the waist hits at my natural waist - which I have to do on all big 4 patterns.

And yay! I love this top! It fits, looks good, and I can use it in many combinations. I'm all excited now.

Pattern Review - McCalls 5466, view C

I was burrowing through my stash on Saturday, and pulled this brown fabric out. I'd bought it around 2 years ago, at Joann, without being sure what to do with it...

I've also wanted to make McCall 5466, view C for a while.

So, here it is.



I modified the pattern - didn't cut the skirt on the bias. (Not enough fabric.) Also, omitted the facings, and used bias strips to finish the neck edge. Apart from that, took 2 inches off the torso, 2 inches off the hem.

I messed up too - I forgot to cut the bodice on the fold. So, my bodice has a seam in it. (Plus, there isn't enough flowers in the bodice, which isn't too horribly visible, but still visible.)

All in all, this isn't my favorite dress, but it works. We'll call it a wearable muslin.

Boring details - I made a size 10 on top, size 12 at the bottom.

(And here's a slightly better shot, but without my head.)



Bonus cat shot - awww! Biscuit likes her ball of wool.

Pattern Review - BWOF 08-2008-119

This is the disaster I was referring to in my last post. BWOF 08-2008-119. Ok, I guess it isn't that bad. But I do feel like I look dowdy. Not a good look for me.

The instructions are slightly confusing for this one around the collar construction. Debra H's review at Pattern Review was incredibly helpful. Also helpful was looking at the picture - the shawl collar actually folds back (which seems obvious now, but not so obvious when I was sewing.)

Fabric - I used some of rust colored cotton jersey that's been sitting in my stash since August 2007. Yay! I still have enough fabric to make a dress, so I'll pull it out again, but to make something slightly more fitted.



I guess I can wear this out, but this feels sweat-shirt like. Ah well, I do need something to wear grocery shopping, I guess.

However, BWOFs have mostly worked for me, so I shouldn't complain too much.

(View from the side.)



(The sleeves are pretty wide.)

And now, back to sewing...

I made this quilt top last weekend, when at my parents. (Another present for another baby, my mom owes me! But she did send me back home with a ton of food, so, I guess I'm ok.)

This was actually really simple to do, but I do love the interplay of colors. I've been told I need to make a bigger one for my parents.

I also made this shawl-collar jacket thing from a BWOF. It was a disaster - I look ridiculously dowdy. Pictures will follow to confirm (the batteries are charging now...)

There's going to be more time for sewing, now that the 4(!) hours a day I used to spend watching/reading election coverage have freed up. More frequent blog updates will follow, I promise.

I saw history being made last night....

and I'm still in awe.