Other quilty blanket

I mostly followed the directions of Thea's puzzle quilt (available free from Amy Butler's website) to make my TV blanket. Rather than having 9 blocks and borders, mine has 16 blocks and extra fabric at the ends to make up the length.

I used the A3 recipes from this site for the blue, green and pink (using turqouise, mixing red and golden yellow procion MX dyes) and then to get the lighter colours, I used the original dye baths (which is saved when you put the fabric into bags) and adding another cup of water. The purple is ultra violet, which ends up very pale with the addition of the extra cup. This site is fabulous because its recipes are very frugal and there is a huge variety of recipes to try. Of course, if you use a different base of primary colours, like I did, the results are different to the colours she has made.

Spent some time sewing...

How can three weeks have gone by since I last posted? Shocking. I have been sewing, but I haven't really finished anything until this weekend.

First I made myself a blouse. It is from my Burda WOF - there are a few different options to make the top different. You can have flouncey sleeves or little cap sleeves. You can have a collar or have a reverse facing. I used a red rayon/polyester that I found on clearance. It has a nice sheen and I just wanted to test the pattern.

Summer has arrived early, so I whipped up some shorts for Scott. I used my old faithful Kwik Sew shorts and added an extension to make a mock fly and Ottobre patch pockets.

I started this a while back when it was actually cold. We like to snuggle under blankets and watch TV and I thought it would be nice to have something other than the plain blue ones that we have in the cupboard. Jalisa wanted rainbow colours, so I hand dyed the fabrics. The recipe I used made vivid colours, so you kinda need sunglasses when looking at it. Yes, the panels are meant to be uneven. The idea seemed good in my head...

I probably broke a heap of quilting "rules." See, I don't like quilting. Dyeing the fabric, yes. Cutting the fabric, yes. Piecing the fabric, yes. Binding, yes. Laying layers on top of each other, egh. Quilting, yuck. Even just straight lines I am really bad at doing. I also only used, shock horror, polar fleece as a backing and no wadding. I ended up dyeing too much fabric in FQs so not enough for my "quilt" and the backings. Whatever.

It is a really windy day, so this was the best photo I could grab...it is not that uneven. :)

I am so rude...

I participated in a survey at snailblazer and my name was drawn out - Cass sent me some fab goodies including her traveller (which has come in very handy). So sorry that it has taken me so long, but thank you again Cass for such a great package. Here is my trophey from the State finals of the cotton creations. I came second for my red Bellville Sassoon dress. Check out the shears that I won - they are positively huge compared to my others. The gift voucher will be spent soon I expect.

I have have huge plans for next year, and I have decided I need to start soon and get some entries made this year. By the time the show arrives at Ipswich, I am generally in full swing with sewing the kids' winter wardrobes. Next year I will be schooling Jalisa too so I will have even less time.

More curved raglan sleeved tees

I think whoever designed this tee-shirt is a genius. It is my favourite tee pattern.

The latest issues had added a hoodie to the pattern and kangaroo pockets but I am still using the 2/05 version rather than adding on the extra features (already cut before my issue arrived). The dino drawing is from one of the Kwik Sew books (the toddler one I think) and the caterpillar was inspired by an applique I saw in Ottobre, though it must be in an issue that I don't have. Fabric is hand dyed by me.

Felty fun

I saw these little felt "boards" ages ago and added the concept to me list of gift ideas. With an invitation to a 4 year old birthday party, I thought this would be good to try.

The outside has handles and a pocket for storing the felt shapes.

I still have more shapes to cut, but they are fiddly and I dislike fiddly, so I haven't done them yet. I was thinking of adding accessories such as a hat, bag etc. There are some more hair bits that must have stayed in the pocket.

Jalisa has requested one for christmas. I hope the birthday girl likes it.

Goals for the rest of the year

6 months down, 6 months to go...I need some new crafty related goals to work on for the rest of the year.

1. Sew two items per week
2. Try out a new pattern (for me) each month
3. Blog more often
4. Sew kids Christmas presents by October 31st
5. Use my stash for summer clothes

Hmm, I think that is achievable.

Sewing for June

This is me trying to get a good picture for a competition held at Crafty Mamas. I did not succeed.
Jalisa is wearing a white cotton blouse (from Ottobre 3/07 I think) with a cord skirt (swirl dyed by me). Trim at the bottom is some mini pom poms. Scott is wearing a jacket ( I used the Kwik sew for toddler hoodie changed it to have a lining, and used the zipper version). I used an applique from Ottobre for the dog. The pants are also Ottobre. I used a brown stretch cord with a dog print for the pockets.

Here is the jumper I am wearing in the first photo. I think it is pattern 2993 from Kwik Sew. I used a mauve-ish sweater knit that I have been stashing since uni.

I made this last night. I wanted to time how long it took to make since someone asked me. Under two hours. This is a nice light grey marle fleece fabric. I found a Barbie zipper pull for $1 so I added that today. This is the same pattern that I used earlier this month, but I omitted the pockets.

Hoodie for me

This is the first hoodie that I have made for myself. I am pretty happy with it, even though the pockets are positioned wrong and I haven't topstitched the zipper.

The pattern is Kwik Sew 2993. The fabric is some hand dyed fleecy. It is similar to the fabric I dyed for Scott's hoodie, but a slightly different shade - mine is brighter. This is a great pattern though I think there is at least one mistake in it. I used the zipper length recommended (actually, it was 1 cm longer) and it is a little too short. I ended up curving the seam at the top to blend in with the hood, otherwise the end of the zipper tape would have shown. I know that when I did a jacket for DH with a zipper, it had me curve the end of the zipper into the seam to prevent this. I did not have enough length in the zipper to do this.

I did trace off a larger than normal size, so it is a little baggy. It is just a casual, around the house - do the errands in type of jumper.

Sewing binge

Shamefully I haven't updated my blog in over a month. Some of that time I wasn't sewing but the last couple of weekends I have gotten my butt into gear and done some much needed winter sewing.


When I asked what Jalisa wanted me to make her this winter, she said dresses. So dresses she got. Being extremely lazy, I just used the one pattern. I modifyed a tunic top (from Ottobre 4/07) by lengthening it and adding more swing. Jalisa picked this fabric herself at the fabric shop...not a fan, but I couldn't persuade her to choose something else. Leggings are from Ottobre 4/04.
This leggings patterns is great - it makes up in 10 minutes if you overlock and coverstitch it. I am not compeltely happy with the sizing of the tunic top - it was huge, even after taking in. Pitty I had already cut out a few others otherwise I would have traced something else out. For the next set, I used picot elastic at the neckline and gathered the sleeves along the seam so it is "bunchy." The leggings are hand dyed by moi.

Nothing much to say about the next set. Well, I say set but they can be mixed and matched a little. I have had these fabrics in the stash for a few year, they are a cotton lycra that I picked up for a song.

Hoodie for Scotty - pattern is from the kwik sew for toddlers book. Fabric is hand dyed by me.

Here is an action shot of the first dress/leggings set. This style of dress is very practical for an active child.

Some pants for Scott - pattern is from Ottobre 3/02. This will have a coordinating jumper made soon - I am going to use a pale blue french terry knit.

PJ pants for the girl - I should have bought more to make a matching button down shirt. I will have to make some tops to got with these.

Tops for me. This is my staple pattern (kwik sew 3003) and I have modifyed the tee to have long sleeves and a crew neck. The pink fabric I have had in the stash for at least 7 years.

Another hand dyed hoodie for Scott.

Another pair of leggings for Jalisa. There is elastic at the legs to make it bunchy. I also made another hand dyed dress but I couldn't find it anywhere, it must be in the wash. I tried to stamp patty cakes on, but the fabric paint I was using wasn't cooperating. I ended up making silver polka dots all over the front of the dress.

I have a pair of pinstripe wool work pants that I need to hem, and a zippered hoodie for me that needs to have the facing inserted and I can update again.

Bellville Sassoon gown

I finally have finished something to post about - one of my entries for the show. The pattern is Vogue 1031, a Bellville Sassoon design. It was chosen based on the look of the finished product as well as it's difficulty (rated advanced). I also thought that the design would work well in a cotton based fabric, which is a requirement for entering in the competition.

I have used a red cotton poplin. I can't remember if it has a touch of elastane in it as well. Here is the front:

The back ( couldn't check my rear view, so pleats are a little weird)

The side

From reading the instructions, I wasn't sure exactly why it was given an advanced rating but after completing it, I now know. Each piece looks like a squiggle, it is very hard to tell each piece from the next and look at all the pleating. It comes together beautifully, it is just time consuming.

If I get into the state finals, I am going to have a beaded hairclip and necklace made up.