Projects, Projects and Projects

Okay, it has been a good week so far in the sewing room, several projects have been worked on and some even completed.  Included in that mix a couple of garments, bet you all thought I forgot how to do that!   LOL.

Just wanting to blog about what I have been doing, get it down to share with you and to keep myself motivated.


Let's start with my latest garment
New Look 6212, view B (upper right hand)

I am using a cotton voile from Mood, which was purchased at the beginning of summer and is sold out.  This one is going together quickly, I started it last night and hope to have it completed on Thursday evening.

Since the temperatures around here are wavering between 90 and 100 degrees, I am staying with summer sewing for a few more weeks.

I also made McCall's 6964, which was purchased after seeing Erica's shirt

I wanted to find a navy and white stripe knit to recreate this look I found on pinterest

I did not find the navy and white and went with this Mood Fabric Jersey knit

This top is finished and I love it, perfect fabric for the pattern and I made a FBA which really made the fit better.  Now to get some pictures.  I had planned on making a navy blazer but I found one at JCrew for 75% off, making it $50.  I felt that was a great price, so I will try to recreate the above look.

Lately, I have had several projects for others and I tested a pattern for Sew Sweetness and that will be shown in the about 10 days on her blog.

Here is one project I did for hire.  This quilt is 80 years old and was never finished.  I had to find some sashing which would  blend with the original sashing.  I added a row to the top and bottom, created a block for two corners.  The quilt was nice when I sent it to the long arm quilter but when I came back I was amazed.  This quilt was so gorgeous in every way and what a heirloom for my friend to have, blocks that were her grandmother's.  I sewed on the binding this weekend and the quilt is at her house now

Progress on other projects

1. Two t-shirt quilts for my nieces, one has all the t-shirts cut.
2. I have been binding a couple of quilts, one was Kaitlyn's first quilt and it is on her college apartment bed, I need her to send me a picture
3. I helped a friend on a quilt, her first one and now she is hooked!
4. Working on a quilt for our quilt club
5. When Kaitlyn is home for college, we have been working on finishing up another quilt she started mid-summer, this one is a beauty.
6. Finally a secret project is complete and I will tell you all about it soon.

Graphic Mixx Quilt

Remember back in this post how Meredith's love for quilting has been infectious?  Well, between her, Kaitlyn's quilting and the quilt club I attend once a month, my quilting has been increasing.  I like to quilt, more of my local friends quilt so it is wonderful to have that group of friends.  My first love is garment sewing and now that my quilting is getting caught up, more garments will be back in my future.























About 8 months ago, the quilt club started a

Block of the Month (BOM) using this book

Floral Curtains

Home dec sewing, it maybe isn’t my first love or second love but most of the time mine is pretty simple and what a difference fabric can make.  Julie at Mood asked if we wanted to do a home dec project in honor of Mood’s new home dec showroom, I did a bit of thinking.  Yes, I wanted new curtains for the master bedroom for the new two-color quilt I made, so the decision was easy.

Our master bedroom has been blue and brown for several years, I was trying to keep it more neutral for my husband.  Well, I am over that and ready for some color and a few changes.  Each month, I am doing a little something, like new knobs for our older furniture.  Yes, that changed made a world of difference.  To get started with the step in the changes, I ordered several samples to see which would look the best in our bedroom.  The arrived so quickly and really it was an easy decision.  The Graceful Garden Floral Print won hands down.

Bedroom Curtains - Revealed

Well, not here but on
Mood Sewing Network today

Five of you who commented were correct....

I just loved how it looked with my quilt, the
 blue-ish color in the leaves matched the walls perfectly and the fabric reminded me of barkcloth and I love that look.  Plus it looks fabulous with the quilt

So go take a look at the curtains.

Patchwork Bibs and Finding Direction

This has been me in the sewing room lately

Running in circles with no good direction!  I felt like I needed some focus and my projects were coming at my faster than I could blink.


I made a list of garments, bags, quilts and home dec I needed to get to.     One thing for sure, my fabric in far exceeded my garments and projects out.

This past week I have finished several items, no clothing but other projects that just needed to get off my cutting table.

I wanted to make some cute bibs for a baby gift and this Simple Simon & Co Tutorial was perfect.  I made 5 very quickly, using up some cotton scraps and batting.

I read this on a blog referring to our projects:

PhDs (Projects Half Done)

WiPs (Work in Progress)

UFOs (UnFinished Objects)

and 

PIGS (Projects in a Grocery Sack)

Oh, my gosh, that last one gave me a good laugh  and I am happy to say I have upgraded my PIGS to PIBs (projects in boxes - plastic storage boxes to be specific)

Being very aware of my lengthy to-do list.  I went with the easiest item, patchwork bibs.  It was so relaxing to make these 5 little bibs. Playing with cute fabric, simple straight stitching and before I knew it all of these were complete.  

So if you have a some time and want a  cute baby gifts, these patchwork bibs are just the ticket.  I love how they turned out and guess what?

Patchwork Bibs   are now crossed off my list.

What else is off my list?
Curtains (Mood Post on Thursday)
Purse/tote for class sample
2 pair of pants hemmed for daughter #2
Pattern testing item finished an hour ago
Binding on quilts

I do think I am feeling better, oh, wait, I just looked at my list again!

Winner of August's Giveaway

I know I said the winner would be announced Saturday but I forgot it was the weekend of the big move back to colleges.  Mike, Meredith and I went to a Cardinals game on Saturday and then we moved Meredith back to the dorm on Sunday.  We had moved Kaitlyn in Thursday.

First off 96 entries!!!!  
Wow, that is the most comments I have ever received, thank you so much.  Also, thanks for the kind words about my blog, I appreciate it so much.  From the comments, it is a split group of trying to get a few more things sewn up for this season and the other half are moving on.  Whichever you are doing, enjoy your projects.

Now to what you really want to know

And that is

fearsome51:36 AM

FUN! Congrats on 8 years! I only found you recently (last year or so) You were in a sewing competition I think? and you made a little girls dress that I thought was excellent. I'd love to make for one of my nieces someday. I also LOVE the quilts! and when you had the personal stylist. Those were a lot of great memories, and just from the past year or so...

Congratulations, please email me  and I will get that gift certificate to you.

Spirit Jacket

I was asked by Beth to test out the new Cole's Corner and Creations Pattern - Spirit Jacket and available on Craftsy.  I am a little late to the party, went to Nashville for several days a couple of weeks ago and then Iowa last week.  This week has been catch up but I did squeeze a night in for sewing.

Mood Fabric's Ikat Jersey Dress - McCall's 6069

It is August and summer is winding down but I still have a few summer things to sew.  One thing I needed was a nice dress for weddings, parties and night outs.  I purchased Mood Fabrics' Ikat Cotton Jersey, which is almost sold out.  This is a super nice jersey so don't hesitate to purchase it or you can pick any of Mood Fabrics' jersey fabrics.

    My original plan was Colette Pattern's Myrtle dress but I had 2 yards of fabric and this pattern requires 3 yards.  I took a look through my patterns and found a great pattern for this fabric, McCall's 6069.  I really liked the front drape and the back drape, too.

Curtain Project

Mood Fabrics has opened up a whole new street level in their retail store in New York City, this level is dedicated to home dec fabric.  To celebrate this new dedicated area, Mood Fabrics gave the MSN bloggers an opportunity to sew a home dec project.

At first I turned this down but thought it through a bit.  I have been trying to do a bit of updating in our master bedroom which is very nice but very monochromatic - blues and browns.  Lately, I have just been craving color

 Each month I budget a small amount to do some updating.  Last month, I purchased glass pulls for the furniture (actually they are acrylic) and this was a great update.



Remember my two-color quilt?  Well, that is in the bedroom now and really looks good with the blue walls.

So the offer from Mood came at a perfect time, I did have to put money with the allowance and it was more than what I wanted to spend but the fabric is so worth the over-budget, I will just skip next month.

I had the girls help my look for fabric on Mood Fabrics' home dec section of the website and here are the swatches I ordered

1. Coral Herringbone


2.  Pink Checkered Cotton Canvas

3.  Graceful Garden Floral

4. Orange Swirls

5. Geometric Ikat

 I am going to make 4 curtain panels, easy sewing but it will have big impact.

So my question to you, which one did I pick?  Did I go with the floral, one of the geometric ones?

New Quilt - Meredith Style

I have to show off this quilt made by Meredith, the pattern is Confectionery in a book titled

 Easy Weekend Quilts

It all started with the fabric, Meredith fell in love with V and Company's Color Me Happy

Meredith selected "perfect circles" for the quilting design and it is perfect for this quilt.

Just check out those circles.

Here is the quilt in its full glory.  I love this quilt and when she heads to college, I might sneak it into my room.

I have been encouraging Meredith to start a blog but she didn't feel comfortable with that.  I told her to check out Kollabora and meet my Meredith Rae.  I love how she described herself

" An everyday quilter, student, sister, and daughter with plenty of projects and dreams! "

Meredith's love of quilting and quilts is infectious.  I have made more quilts and purchased more quilting fabric than I ever have.  We have had a very fun summer of sewing, planning and shopping.  I  She just finished a quilt for her twin, Kaitlyn, out of this same line of fabric.  This quilt is headed to the long arm quilter.  She has several more projects planned but in one more week she heads back to college.  There is always Christmas break!

One more thing, Meredith helped Kaitlyn make a quilt for her college apartment bed.  Kaitlyn had so much fun making the quilt she is working on another one.  The last couple of weeks, I have been in my sewing room with both these girls and it has been so much fun!

Don't forget to sign up for my 8 year blogging anniversary giveaway

Giveaway #6 - Marks 8 years of Blogging

For the last 6 months I have been having a giveaway to commemorate the
8 years
I have been blogging.  On August 26, 2006, I entered the blogging world.  Since that very first post, blogging and the sewing community has been such an amazing adventure.  I have made new friends, had new opportunities and just enjoyed every minute of blogging.

These giveaways have been a way for me to say thanks to all of you.  Thanks for your comments, encouragement, knowledge and  above all your friendship.  I have had the opportunity to meet several other bloggers and it has been so exciting.  Even though I have not met many of you in person, I feel such kinship and friendship with you.

For this final giveaway, I am giving away another  gift card to Mood Fabrics.

Just leave a comment on this post to be entered into the drawing.  What type of comment?  How about if you are still sewing for this season or looking forward to the new season.. 

I will close the drawing on August 15th and announce the winner on August 16th

Disclosure - the gift card will be purchased by me and emailed to you in the amount of $50