ballet dress for a little girl

we have a birthday party today, for a 3yo girl... like most, she likes pink and ballet, so when I saw this ballet shoe fabric at my Bernina dealer, I snapped up a yard, and made this last night...

I don't have a pattern, but I used the peasant top tutorial from indietutes as a jumping off point...
I added the three little bias-tape roses because the top was too plain...
this might be too long, but it can be a nightgown now, and a dress later; the neckline is elastic, so it should fit for a while...
hopefully she likes it!

Spring Top, more animals, more roses

I whipped this sucker out in 2 hours tonight. LOVE IT. I used the pattern from the new issue of STITCH magazine (though I tweaked it a bit)... the turquoise is a rayon/spandex tissue jersey remnant from Joanns, and the eyelet is an AMAZING silk cotton from Mood. (I treated myself to a stop there today, since I drove past it TWICE to have lunch with the kiddos and C's dad)...

I have a whole day left to photograph it for real and enter it in the contest!

of course, it needed a rose to really make it awesome... luckily for me, I have plenty of fabric roses!

fabric and felt! (and a kitty, hiding in there, see him?)

now do you see him? this is the felt version of Kieran, the darkest kitty ever. I'd photograph him more, but he's very very dark, and always very sleepy, so all you'd see is a dark blob... (the brown bits lower left are going to be Guinness (our dog, not the beer), hopefully tomorrow night...)

and here's Babe, the Gallant Pig. We just finished reading it (D and I both LOVED it, he wants to start it again RIGHT NOW), so he needed his own Babe...

I've been doing 1 toy per night, and then having me time for the rest of the night... tonight was the pig and top, last night was the roses and kieran... and tomorrow afternoon, my husbie comes home!

he's been gone for most of the month, so we're pretty excited to see him... i just have to figure out how to keep sane in the am... we can't leave for the airport till at least 1:45, and D is DYING to see his papa....

"cute" skirts...

Last weekend, I went dancing, which I'm trying to get back into after 7ish years off...

I had 2 kids since I was a hardcore dancer, so I definitely don't fit into all my old vintage or repro skirts and dresses... I currently have TWO skirts that are "cute." (not stained from kids, fit well, etc). I can't just switch back and forth between these two, I need more!

right now, though, I'm between sizes, and losing more, so I don't want to go buy... plus there's that whole wardrobe refashion pledge... plus I want to MODIFY everything I see that I like, so why not just make it the way I want it from the beginning...

so I've been looking at Anthropologie and ModCloth, and I really like this skirt, especially the shirred back...I love the shape of this one, and I like the pleats here... this one looks like it would be fun to dance in, and this one is super cool, but I think too hard for now... and I like this one too...

so far, I've found these tutes...

I like this one, it seems pretty easy...

and I like the godets here, and this is an obvious jumping off point...

(I'm being entirely selfish and just posting so I can easily find all of these bits and pieces later, but maybe other people want skirts too?)

toys for D

as I put D to bed last night, he informed me that I needed to "stay up and make me a felt Harper and some mice for my felt kitty"
uh... ok.

so here are the mice I made, (on a 1"x1" grid, so you can see how tiny they are)

and the puppy I made...

and I used this tute from the Purl Bee, but I haven't made the barrette part yet...

a good night's work...

I'm soooo excited about getting to use fancy fabrics... I usually just buy remnants for myself, or regular old quilting cotton, but for this wedding quilt, I bought some Folksy Flannel, and some Little Folks Voile, and some Far Far Away double gauze... and then, because I liked the corderoy I used on my quilt, I got some for this one... the center of each block is a dark blue (not quite navy) thin waled corderoy... (Yale colors, since it's going to fellow Eli's for their wedding (thank goodness they don't read this!)). I'm also using various scraps that coordinate, just because.

The groom informed me that he likes green best, and she likes blue best, so I'm doing MOSTLY those colors, with pops of other colors...

I really really like it so far... I'm trying to find a balance between wonky and not wonky, so a few wonky scraps are in the mix, but the new ones are cut stright... I think the occasional wonky piece makes it more interesting...

just playing with the layout... I've never seen a string quilt with this sort of layout.....
maybe I should just make a big "Y" (KIDDING).
I think I might need a string quilt of my own...
(oh, I'm following the tute from here, and I'm using phone book pages cut to 8" square)

I also decided that for mother's day, I want roses... so I started making them tonight... I'm making a mixed baker's dozen for myself, 7 crimson, 7 butter yellow... we'll see if I go back for more lining fabric after I finish this... (I self-limited my color choices to the cheapest of the lining fabrics, but there are some really pretty pinks that I might go back for!). I used this tute, and I LOVE the result! I haven't actually sewn this one together yet, just gathered and wrapped, but so far I'm really happy with the result. This is totally next on my list!

more fabric...

I got a phonebook from my dad's house a few weeks ago, and finally started tearing it apart... First I ripped out a big chunk, but it didn't come out neatly, so instead I took out lots of little chunks, 5-15 pages at a time... then I cut them into squares... I'm going to use these squares to make a string quilt! I'm so excited. I LOVE STRING QUILTS!!!!! (don't you?)

a very dear friend is getting married soon, and he's one of the snuggliest people I know. What could be better than a snuggly, soft, extra big throw blanket/quilt? I was originally inspired by Anna Marie Horner's flannels and voiles, but after trekking the kids to 5 (FIVE!) fabric stores yesterday, I gave up and ordered some online. I came home with double gauze, flannel, linen, corduroy, and regular quilting cotton... (I also ordered some dobby dots)

I'm going for mostly greens and blues, but we'll see what happens...

my husband's business partner is also getting married soon, so I'm going to make them a quilt too... I'm thinking stripes... of some sort.... not quite sure yet...

supposedly the yellow of the nano iri double gauze in the middle (the large polka dots) is the bride's favorite color... (if the fabric weren't so expensive, I'd LIVE in double gauze)... she also likes pink, green and brown....

I think I'll do lots of solids for them, since I couldn't find much for them...

not bad though, for shopping with 2 babies? I can't WAIT to start cutting!

summer clothes (to be) for the Bean

My daughter has begun to be very aware of her clothes, she is determined to choose her own outfits... (she'll be 18 months at the end of the month.) She's obsessed with PINK! such a girl! I've been so careful to ensure that all the colors of the rainbow recieved equal representation in her wardrobe, but now she is ALL about pink. and layers. (legwarmers, pants, shirt, dress, sweater, hat, necklace, socks, sneakers, no matter how hot it is!)
We went fabric shopping yesterday for quilt fabric, but I caved and finally bought some pink double gauze for her... I'm thinking ruffled long tops, to be worn over leggings (to protect her knees, she's such a climber/runner that she scrapes her knees A LOT)

the red moda on the right is just a regular cotton, but it was really cheap, and she actually pulled the bolt off the clearance rack, and there was only a yard left, so....

this one is actually for D... if you look closely, there are traffic cones in the circles, and race cars, tow trucks, and ambulances with sirens blaring... PERFECT for a little boy equally obsessed with construction, cars, emergency vehicles, and disasters!

here are the cutest for the bean, the frog print in pink from Heather Ross' Far Far Away (double gauze), some really cute apple dots (japanese, also double gauze, with the occasional leaf and adorable worm sprinkled in there), and a pinkish linen (also japanese) with duckies, flowers, and umbrellas. (the bean LOVES ducks)
so I need to pick some patterns and get to it, right?

And I said baby (baaaaaby) it's 3 am I must be lonely...

You know you're deliriously tired when you can't get old Matchbox 20
lyrics out of your head...

I started out this evening thinking it was gonna be an easy/early night... I made myself a little zip pouch/wallet-y thing as a temporary card holder to keep stuff safe from the Bean while I wait for the metal buckles and frames to arrive in the mail...

I used some denim from an unflattering pair of C's jeans, and some random scrap fabric for the inside...

Then I had C try on the shirt I made last night, for my dad, just so I could see what I needed to change for him.

well, a) I put the sleeves in backwards, so the slip/snap is on top of the wrist... oops! luckily C ALWAYS rolls up his sleeves, so if I give it to him, I don't have to fix it! b) it fit him REALLY well, (I took in the sides a bit, and shortened it so he can wear it un-tucked, but my man has broad shoulders, so I was thrilled that it fit across them!), and he asked for it, rather than give it to my dad...

so I showed C the fabric I had gotten to do HIS muslin... it's bright bright turquoise n white plaid. I LOVE it, and wasn't sure if he'd like it... I planned on making it for him (just to test the pattern) and then stealing it back...

but he really loved it... and he's leaving Tuesday very early for 10 days of filming in AZ, TEXAS, and FL.... so CLEARLY he needs more western shirts... with hand-stitching details.

but it's 3am (330, now) and I don't know which color/design he likes better, so I'll stop now and finish tomorrow... I also need to buy some of those teeny buttons for the collars...

(option a is light brown cotton floss with a little loop in the bottom of the V)

(option b is dark brown crochet cotton all the way around...)

here's the whole shirt, with mismatching embellishments, but lovely anyway, IMHO.

goodnight.

My first western shirt!

I finished the shirt for my dad! I need to work on snap placement/
installation, but it's totally wearable, and it IS just a muslin,
after all! I'm pretty pleased with it. I think I might need my own,
with pretty embroidery... I'm psyched, especially about the pretty
snaps. I used the Dritz #16P Pliers with white, size 16 Pearl Snap
Fasteners(all bought when the notions wall at Joanns was 50%off). I
also got a rolled-seam foot (#64 for my bernina), a per the directions
in my shirtmaking kit. I ordered the flat-felled-seam foot too (my
dealer was out of stock when I went in last week), so when I make the
real one, I'll have that to make my seams pretty.

A shirt for my dad...

Ok, so we have 2 big dogs... our XL dog door cost over a hundred dollars, and the flap ripped within 6 months... supposedly that's just what happens. So I found a tute on the internet showing how to make your own dog door using various wooden things and then cutting down a car floor mat for the flap, and I made C make a new flap that way. It lasted for about a month. and fell off completely yesterday... so we looked into buying a new flap, but they retail for $60!!! and some reviewers say that they replace every few months! YIKES!

So i thought about using leather, and I thought about using vinyl, and then maybe ducttape... so at Joanns today, I bought some duct tape (black, with a 50%off coupon, so totally affordable), and I also noticed the "outdoor canvas." I bought yellow to match the walls, even though my plan is to coat the canvas with layers of woven duct tape... for now though: tada! duct tape to hold up the cut canvas flap!

luckily it's almost summer, we mostly just need the flap to a) keep flies/chickens OUT, b) keep the bean IN. this will, at least temporarily, do both... hopefully....

In OTHER news, both C and my dad love western shirts... and have requested some custom ones...

I found a Simplicity Pattern for $.99 last week, and, having looked at the pieces/construction, am using it more as a sloper than as the actual pattern... It's just a little too over done, while being simultaneously really oversimplified... So I took apart a really really really old threadbare shirt of my dads, and used the Simplicity pattern as the base to build off... I've made new yokes, pockets, etc... I'm trying to use Shirtmaking so I can actually pull this off...

I went shopping with my dad, last week, and had him choose fabric (it's a very bold orange and black African geometric print). I steered him away from stripes and plaids, thinking they'd be hard, but, of course, that's actually recommended for your first attempt, as it's easier to check grain... so I went back to joanns, and bought more fabric, this time in a nice simple "homespun check" of forest green and tan... it's working up quite quickly (I cut it all, and have sewn up the body/collar in 3-4 hours, just the sleeves left for tomorrow!)

I cut the pockets/flaps on the bias, which I love, and I cut the front yoke at an angle (because I didn't have enough fabric to match the stripes, or to do straight bias). I like the angle though, I think it's interesting...

the matching on the back is so perfect as to be practically invisible! I think I need more intense top-stitching, but I'm not sure what to do... maybe thicker thread? maybe a fancy stitch? with more forethought, I could have used my embroidery machine, but it's too late now, as its all sewn up...

I'm really looking forward to a) using the pretty pearl snaps, b) playing with the decorative options in the future!

Quick blocks ...

For a woman in one of my bees. She's making quilts for sick friends,
and asked for help...

Amazing invention!

The THIMBLE!
I've never used one before. Clearly, as they've been around for
hundreds of tees, I'm late drinking the koolaid, but OMG they're
amazing!!! I have tried them before on my thumb or index finger, but
it turns out they go on your middle finger. I was able to FINISH 2.5
sides of my quilt binding soooo easily tonight, all due to my new
discovery. I'm in luuuuuurve. Seriously. If you've never used one,
it's worth trying.

tonight's blocks

I made a 15" warm block for the LA Modern Quilt Guild's charity quilt

a 12" Magic Cross block (this week's Modify Tradition block)

a 6" Forest Paths block (last week's MT block)

and I threw in an extra pinwheel... not sure what it's called, it's "Block Five" of the Pinwheel Quilt Along on P.S. I Quilt.

now workout, and then maybe a few minutes of sewing the binding on my quilt... I'm soooo close to being DONE with it!

I'm trying to quilt my giant quilt, but...

Seriously, this is the neediest cat ever.

30-minute pants...

I did my workout tonight (yoga, which I like, but it's 2 hours long! plus a shower, leaving me not much time to play!), and then C said he was coming home from work early (sad that midnight-ish is early, huh?), so I knew better than to start cranking on the western shirt for him...

instead, I did a little more hooky stuff:

and then I churned out 4 pairs of summer pants for D.

Dana, from MADE, has her now famous 90-minute shirt... therefore, these pants must be called the 30-minute pants... seriously, cutting and sewing, all in under half an hour (of course, at this point, I've made about 40 pairs, over 2 years, so I've gotten faster, but even my first time, probably about an hour... Nowadays I don't even use a pattern, I've memorized the proper shape, so I just have to measure down from the top to the crotch to well past the hemline, and cut my "j" to make the right shape... LOVE IT

this time around I did natural linen, black linen, white-dyed-teal linen, and loosely woven green cotton...

They all need hems, but I have to see how long my boy is first, and, as it's midnight, my 3yo is asleep and un-fit-able.

I make them reversible, no outer side seam, just a crotch seam, with cargo pockets on the hip, (not the knee, too low for little hands), simple elastic on the waist, so my 3yo can put them on and take them off all by himself. He's a RTW 6-8 now, 'cause he's so big, but he can't possibly do all the buttons and zippers expected of a 6-8yo, so I have to make ALL his pants...

luckily for me, they're super fast!

Easter Bunny Peeps Pins!

I totally couldn't resist, especially since I had some white felt and easter egg dye...

I dunno how big they are, I didn't measure at any point, but you can see the scale...

the colors are a little off, the red one is actually pink, pretty close to the candies, and the yellow is a PERFECT match.
I used the ball head of a pin to do the eye dots...
I think there are more of these in my future... I really wanted to make the bunting, but didn't have time... perhaps if I start it next week, I might finish it in time for next year?