Shadowbox

I still need pillows and different shams but this sewing project kept me busy for a bit. The pattern is Shadowbox from Mountain Peek CreationsT and the fabric is City Bloom by Kitty Yoshida from Benartex




I had it machine quilted and picked a circle quilting design. There is so many circle patterns in the fabric, I wanted to continue that into the quilting.



If I was more of a quilter I would have laid out the rows and planned the fabric placement better, see two patterns right together. Oh, well, I do have room now daughter and son-in-law took the foosball table from the basement. This means I have a wide open floor to cut fabric, place quilt designs, and do cartwheels (not, just seeing if you were paying attention)

I do like my new quilt, brightens up my room. I want to take the mirrors down from above my headboard but hubby doesn't like that idea. What is it with guys, holes in the sheetrock drives my guy crazy!

One more quilt in progress, for Kaitlyn's newly painted room, then I am back to clothing. It is still warm here and I can't get in the mood for fall sewing yet. It will hit me when it turns cooler and I have nothing to wear.

BWOF 2/2009 #126

Pattern: BWOF 2/2009 #126
Description: Being comfortable and grabbing attention at the same time is no problem in this tunic – an absolute hippie classic. Plunging v-neckline, wide dolman sleeves and a waist drawstring.
Sizing: 36 to 44

Instructions: The are easy to follow and this is an easy tunic to construct.

Likes/Dislikes: I liked the tunic look and the drawstring added some fit to this style.

Changes: Most of the changes were for my sheer fabric.
*I used silk organza for the interfacing. I used this on the neck band and for the buttonholes on the waistband casing.
*I used French seams
Some garment construction changes:
*I basted the neckband facing to the neckband before topstitching
*I measured and marked the waistband casing from the hem.
*A tip from Mary Ray on small drawstrings or spaghetti type straps. Sew from the fold instead of the raw edges when making my drawstring. This is a much straighter edge to use and your finished drawstring looks great.

Fabric: A sheer silk fabric from Fashionista Fabrics.

Conclusion: I have a nice top for hot summer days, dressy and stylish while staying cool.

My tunic with a brown cami underneath

Gathered shoulder detail.

My Sewing Room is Smokin......

I am home alone and I have been taking advantage of this time.

First I made this from red sweater knit.



Then I made Meredith another vest from the leftover red sweater knit. This vest is about 2" longer and slightly flared. She asked Paige for chunky, wide belts for her birthday. Paige bought her a silver one and black one. Meredith was thrilled but realized she didn't have many tops to go with these belts!! I think this one will work.

Next this pattern, using a bit from every view. The fabric is a ITY knit from fabric.com



Next, this Hot Pattern. I made the short top from a burgundy rayon jersey from Joann's. I had to line the yokes in a gray rayon jersey. I used every scrap of fabric. The yoke is the dress yoke, not enough fabric to make the ties.




On my sewing table this pattern and cream ribbed sweater knit. I plan on making the v-neck sweater.

Now I am crashing on the couch and watching a Christmas movie. The remote to myself, I won't know what to do!


I will do full reviews of these tops and get pictures of me in the tops. These styles don't look so great on the dressform.

I have not forgotten the drawing. The twins have been so busy, we haven't had time to draw 4 names.

Surprise - More Purses

A couple of purses, this one to show off a pattern and the cool handles from my friend's quilt shop. It is Lazy Girl pattern line, Miranda Day Bag.


Next a birthday present for my friend, Meredith. It is the Amy Butler Swing Bag.


Back to sewing clothes - it has turned chilly here and I need some fall items.

ASG Convention

I am home and what a wonderful time I had. My brain is spinning with all the new information it has absorbed in the last few days. Lack of sleep might play a role in the spinning also. Anne St. Clair (Needle Nook Fabric) was my roommate and we had an adjoining room with the rest of her group. Needless to say, we chatted late into the night but it was so worth it, I can catch up on my sleep this week!


Lindsay T is so correct her in post. The instructors were trying to have us rethink our sewing, what has been drilled in our heads for years. Try new techniques, work on fitting, pressing is so important. I new that part, but some of the wonderful pressing notions I didn't have. I do now.


Some of the highlights:

• Meeting Lindsay, Robyn, Teri, Emily, Johanna, Judy, Monica, Deila, Jennifer and Grace, to name a few.
• Taking a workshop with Mary Rayand finally mastering the Hong Kong finish. Doing a technique is always an easier way for me to learn. This was a hands-on class and I left with a bag of samples. Mary's garments are so beautiful and she has such an eye for detail.
• A class with Patti Palmer, "20 Tips to Improve your Fashion Sewing" gave many great tips and one great one was matching stripes. Turn one seam allowance under, then use fusible tape on the non-folded side. Match the stripes, press and fuse. Then stitch the seam allowance, stripes are perfect, no shifting.
• I heard this at Rosebud's seminar and Patti Palmer's, always press enclosed seams open first. Collars are a great example.
• Nancy Nix-Rice spoke on wardrobing, colors and accessories. She had wonderful pictures on wardrobing and how to get the maximum impact with fewer pieces. Nancy also pointed out 12 pieces can yield you 96 outfits, you do have to have a core of solids - 2 key dark neutrals, 1 light neutral and 1 accent.
• Rosebud's class on "Perfect Shirts" was phenomenal. I learned so much and her teaching style is relaxed with a way of providing so much information. Rosebud is part of Islander Sewing
• One point from Rosebud's seminar, don't clip wedges in the princess seams. Especially if you are going to topstitch these seams. Your topstitching will look so much nicer if you always have the seam allowance under the presser foot while topstitching. The wedges don't allow this and your topstitching will not have even stitches. I would love to take more classes with Rosebud.
• Christine Jonson is a delightful teacher with a wonderful sense of humor. I took two classes from her, one was "Simple Shaping" and she demonstrated fitting a muslin. The second class "Creative Habit" was full of tips to keep you sewing and inspired. Christine's patterns are wonderful and I brought home one new pattern from her booth. Here I am with Christine, thanks Lindsay for sending this picture.

• My last class of the conference was with Peggy Sagers and it was fabulous, just as her clothing samples are fabulous. I learned so much on fitting as Peggy would bring volunteers to the front and demonstrate on their clothing how to alter with pinching out extra fabric, adding darts, subtracting length. It was such a visual seminar, I left with a much better understanding of fitting. If Peggy is ever close to me, I am heading to her seminars or workshops, they will be worth every penny.
• I was suppose to take one more class this afternoon with my buddy, Anne St. Clair, "Changing Necklines on T-shirts". I saw the class literature and samples in the room and I know it was fabulous, Anne is such a dynamic teacher. Why didn't I take it? I was missing my family too much, so I headed to the airport, checked in stand-by for the first available flight. I made the flight and was home before my scheduled flight was to take off. A plus as I would not have been home before midnight otherwise.

I would encourage others to attend the ASG convention at least once. It is such a good experience, not only can you learn so much but you are with 900+ women who understand why you love to sew.

Next year is in Albuquerque, New Mexico, so if that is in your area, start making plans.

A parting shot, Anne's daughter, Monica, modelled a dress she made from Anne's bra pattern. It was a darling little black dress and she looked so beautiful.

Sewing Fun

All day Saturday I had the opportunity to sew with my friends from my local ASG and my good friend, Anne, owner of Needle Nook Fabric. Anne came to our ASG, with her helper, Deb (hi, Deb) and taught us bra-making. You are thinking, make your own bras? Yes, we did, and mine looks pretty darn good. No, I am not going to show a picture of my bra but I will entice you with the fabric piles we were able to feel and buy.

I did buy 3 pieces of knits for shirts, one is probably going to be this Jalie 2682. I had so much fun and hope my ASG has another teacher in soon, also, I encourage all you sewers to take a ME day and treat yourself to some sewing fun. Now to find some time to sew up all this fabric.

.