mathilde blouse: an all-the-hard-things finish

Tags

garment sewing, mathilde blouse

I’ve written only briefly about my “all-the-hard-things” goal for this year. It’s a nebulous goal, and the phrase “all the hard things” really sums it up more nicely than a whole bunch of bullet points or detailed goal lists ever could. Plus, an open ended goal leaves room for expansion and modification. I might make a bunch of quilting goals but then decide to take up, say, tatting (hint: likely not what you think–click the link!) or wild-yeast sourdough bread making. With me, you sort of never know.

One of my firm goals this year was to finally make the Mathilde Blouse, pattern by Tilly Walnes of Tilly and the Buttons. I had seen this amazing version done up in Liberty lawn over at the Workroom’s blog (Liberty junkies: this blog is nearly as essential a follow as the Purl Bee) and I just knew–though I barely had Washi under my belt–that it had to be mine. I bought the pattern, I bought some beautiful Yuwa lawn because I’m not about to goof up $35/yd Liberty and…

…I let the whole pile sit for a year, almost. Part of the issue was that the pattern, designed for A4 paper, printed super-weird and I had to hand-draw in many of the lines so that I could even cut it out. And that Yuwa lawn? Well. It came, and was supposed to be less-nice than Liberty, but it was the most beautiful fabric I’d laid my hands on to date, and I was terrified to ruin it. Plus there had been the Buttonhole Incident surrounding the Geranium Dresses I made for Lucy last year that made me love-hate-dread-fear my Janome auto-buttonhole feature. Let’s just recollect that Mathilde’s key feature is that lovely row of seven buttons closing the back of the blouse–romantic, dreamy, old-fashioned–but they had to be done RIGHT.

What is there to say except, reader, I finally sewed it?

This sew took me every bit of four whole sewing days, at 2-3 hours a day, to complete, but it was so worth it. I loved every minute, from french-seaming every part I possibly could, to carefully hand-finishing the cuffs (stitch in the ditch was too sloppy a finish for this beauty–hand sewing was definitely called for), to sewing on the bright, coral-pink buttons that Lucy insisted were the right choice for this blouse. (She was right.) Even setting a seam with my iron was a joy.

The best part? It fulfilled my childhood Anne-with-an-e dream of ridiculously puffed sleeves on a garment. Mathilde Blouse: check.

a fail, and a challenge

Tags

linen top, phoenix quilts

A couple of Mondays ago it was raining cats and dogs. 

So, instead of taking Lucy to the “woods” for a walk–I push her up and down the hills at Breakheart Reservation in her umbrella stroller while she heckles me about why I’m huffing and puffing–yes, my 2-year-old heckles–we went to Joanns. Naturally.

McCall’s patterns were $.70 each. No type-o there. As in, thirty cents less than a dollar, seventy cents more than free. In a recent push to make more of my garments (which may just be an excuse to buy more fabric, ahem) I made a plan for my fall wardrobe that involves a lot of sewing. And a lot of voile.

More on this later, but I left the store with three patterns, two yards of linen-cotton blend, and some polyestery lining fabric. I wanted to make McCalls 6565, like, right away.

As things do, the fabric and the pattern sat for a couple of weeks. This past Monday, though, the day before I had jury duty (thankfully, a one-day affair) I decided to whip the top together and wear it to court the next day.

Everything went fine, it’s a super-cute and smart pattern. And then I tried it on. And got stuck in it. I cut a size 8, but apparently needed a size 12 or so. (When  I buy a fitted shirt at the mall, I usually buy a 6.) And I had to seam ripper myself out of the WIP.

I haven’t touched it all week except to pet the pretty linen. I’m thinking I need to add a gusset to the facing/lining (the part that was actually too tight) and insert an invisible zipper in the side seam.

This is reaching quite a bit out of my comfort zone.

OK, part II, then I’ll tie this all together I hope.

An email landed in my inbox from my professor friends who live in Phoenix and who are brand-new homeowners (!! hooray!!). They asked me to design and sew two twin-size quilts for beds in their guest room.

Yep. DESIGN and sew.

S (the wife) has a fabulous idea that the design should read across the tops of the two twin beds–like I’m designing a king-size quilt and breaking it up with borders so that the design falls correctly.

The logistics of the design placement notwithstanding, this is a pretty challenging assignment for me. Since February, I’ve been trying to push myself to make quilts that are a little different. A little more “me.” This isn’t the easiest thing for me. It’s not the easiest for any of us, I think. It’s work! Designing a quilt is work. It doesn’t just fall out of the sky like divine inspiration. It’s sketching, and math, and how-much-yardage-to-buy.

Oh but. I can make me a fabric stack.

And I can tell you that instead of being scared of designing these quilts, or of trying to solve my linen top crisis, I’m actually excited. I’m feeling challenged, in a really good way. Bring on this fall, bring on the challenges.

I can’t wait to see what I come up with.

(And, if you have any tips on fixing a too-small linen top. You know where the comment box is.)

towards handmade

Tags

colette ginger skirt, constellations washi, tiny tea leaves cardi

All the cool kids are doing it, you know.

Lizzy House is. (Consider the above Constellations Washi–my third Washi!–an homage to her inspiring handmade wardrobe.) Carolyn Friedlander is (follow her on Instagram, she is posting some amazing garments and home dec projects made from Architextures. And you thought you were just going to quilt with it). Jeni Baker is. (Her Nordika garments? Unreal.)

Suddenly, we’re all making dresses and skirts, not just bags and quilts. Or is it just me? Has everyone been doing this all along, and just not really saying much about it?

All through vacation (it was lovely, I am not tanned, and I am way behind on everything blog-related, so thank you very much), I plotted and planned and dreamed, and even bought a little bit of fabric.

And when I got home? The second thing I did (after going to guild meeting on Saturday, natch) was sew up my Tsuru motif madness Ginger skirt.

I’m still a zipper chicken, but I managed to install the invisible zipper in this skirt with a minimum of teeth-gnashing. It doesn’t look awesome, but it looks fine, you know?

Zipper-gnashing and cutting included, I sewed this skirt start to finish in 2.5 hours. So much payoff, for so little time invested.

When I first tried it on, I wasn’t sure. I didn’t know if the high waist was flattering on me (Lucy left behind some serious luggage, if you know what I mean), and I thought the print might make me look…crazy. Keep your thoughts to yourselves re: the crazy, but I’m wearing this skirt for-real today, and I love it. Going to make the next one out of some Liberty. Yep, sold out, I cleaned ’em out again.

I didn’t forget Lucy in my wear-homemade mania.

I’ll put this on her and take real photos as soon as I sew on the buttons–but this is her Tiny Tea Leaves Cardi, knit from madtosh DK Twist, Doe Eyes (the April Mag Society yarn club “neutral” colorway). I tried it on Lucy yesterday to see how big it was on her skinny shoulders, and she flatly refused to take it off. Good sign!

And…of course, there’s still quilting going on. Plenty of it. I have 20 out of 36 x-plus blocks done. I have the last 16 cut and ready to go. Need to apply my rear to the chair and just get them done.

How about you? Are you making garments too? Have any favorite patterns to share? I’m particularly interested in patterns of the “flattering blouse” variety.

busy bag

As always when I quilt hard all week,

I have only a few weird photos to share of what’s going on around here.

This is the second “Quilt for Boston” that I free-motion quilted (I’ll share a better photo of the quilting soon–I’m not *proud* of it, but I’m OK enough with it not to rip it all out. Positivity! Confidence! I exude it!). And, my toddler’s laundry.

I’m up to ten Liberty x-plus blocks. I am DYING to make clothes from several of these prints. Conveniently, I started making clothes in earnest AFTER this line is pretty much already gone from the shops.

And speaking of making clothes, I’m bitten. I finally received the Tsuru Motif Madness yardage I’ve only wanted since, oh, February. (I’m the worst about piddling around about buying fabric–do I really want it? which color? what for? blah blah and this sold out immediately, and I had to wait for it to re-ship. When Koi comes out I’m on it like a duck on a junebug.) I had wanted to make this skirt, but asked around about favorite skirt patterns on Facebook. Immediately Samantha (founder of the forthcoming A Gathering of Stitches in Portland, ME) responded that she’s made a bunch of Colette Ginger skirts.

And, well. Who can resist that high waistband?

A printing mishap kept me from getting this sewn up in time to pack into my suitcase–but as soon as we get back from the beach, I’m on it.

 

I’m taking all of this with me to the beach so I can have books to read and socks to knit while I’m chasing my toddler ah hahahahahaha.

While I’m on vacation, the 2013 Let’s Get Acquainted New Blogger Blog Hop is still going strong! This week’s hoppers include some of my favorite blog people–again! (are all of you blog people my favorite? perhaps):

Friday, June 28

Green @ So Sew Green

Gwendellyn @ The Rainbow Revolts

Jessica @ Stitched In Thyme

Amira @ Little Mushroom Cap

Kathy @ Kayak Quilting

Michelle @ Factotum Of Arts

Paula @ The Sassy Quilter

Kris @ Sew Sunshine

Camilla @ Faffling

Catch you in July! X-pluses, Ginger skirt, a post about that Lizzy House Washi that I Instagrammed twice, a better photo of that Boston quilt…all here.

nothing to see at all

Tags

tiny tea leaves cardi, washi dress, x plus

Only, everything, all at once.

Putting some sleeves on some things: Tiny Tea Leaves cardi for Lucy, in madtosh DK twist, April mag society colorway doe eyes.

And, another Washi (for me!) lacking only sleeves, bias tape, and a hem. I’d like to wear it tomorrow so I’d better get a move on.

Trying to figure out which one of these x-plus blocks is my favorite. (Tutorial here, using these cutting directions to achieve a 12” finished block.) Six down, only 30 more to make!

Helping out just a little bit with Quilts for Boston. (I heard they got enough blocks to make, like, 100 quilts.) (100 quilts. That is crazytown. I make a lot of quilts, maybe 12-15 a year–I can’t even think what 100 quilts looks like!)

And Instagramming like my life depends on it. (I’m littleandlots over there, too! Would love to see/hear from you!)

Finally, I’m still hopping in the Let’s Get Acquainted New Blogger Blog Hop. I’m meeting so many lovely people (hello!) and having fun learning about some people I’d already met. Below is the list of this week’s featured bloggers; visit them and say hello!

Friday, June 21st

Leigh Anne @ Ella’s Cottage

Stacey @ The Tilted Quilt

Sarah @ Quilt Candy

Jackie @ NW Patchwork

Liz @ Beadqueene’s Bits And Baubles

Erica @ Happy Fabric

Stephanie @ Simple Sewendipity

Lauren @ Seraphym

Amy @ Cloud CouCou Crafts

ETA: linking up with the Plum & June Monday LGA link-up, hosted this week at Ange’s Heart of Charnwood. She has a seriously bucket-list kind of hexie quilt on the go…come check it out.

finished: liberty makeup pouch

Tags

liberty makeup pouch, no guts boxie pouch

I finally jumped on the wagon

and made my first zip pouch. I know! My mom has forever made me afraid of two things re: sewing. 1) sewing over pins (“You’ll hit the pin and the needle will break and HIT YOU IN THE EYE.”); 2) installing zippers. She makes that face, with the breath suck-in, that says, “not the best idea.”

But I reeeally needed a new makeup bag. The old one is ca Christmas 2004 and is filthy.

And we are going on vacation in two weeks. I bought a zipper, found the No Guts Boxie Pouch tutorial on Craftsy, found the Liberty I had saved for just this purpose, and dove in.

Not so bad, for my first try! I can’t think of anything that I wouldn’t want made out of that print though.

If you decide to try this tutorial, I’d suggest using a longer tab length than recommended in the pattern (she calls for 3”, I think 4” might be better). I used medium-weight fusible interfacing, where the pattern calls for lightweight, and I think the bag could be even stiffer. I’d go heavyweight next time.

I did not have to use a zipper foot, my regular presser foot worked fine.

Finally, follow the photos in the tutorial carefully. I typically rely heavily on written instructions (a word person) and the words led me astray at least twice. HINT: don’t sew the sides of the pouch when you sew the bottom! The instructions aren’t clear, but JUST SEW THE BOTTOM.

I think that when my fabric budget resets hahaha I will be making an order from Zipit. I’m seeing many more zip pouches in my future.

washi dress ii: strawberry edition

Tags

mom's washi, strawberry washi, washi dress

 

A huge distracter photo. (Of the growing TBR pile on my bedside table that will probably literally kill me in my sleep one day.) MOM: if you’re reading this, just don’t. Spoilers. Ha!

Now that she’s gone, I’d like to share a couple of photos of the Washi Dress I made for my mom’s birthday gift. Because it’s for my mom, I basically tried everything not to have to put on this dress and sweat in it.

I stood in the bathtub.

 

 

Bleh.

So I put it on, and was all, I’ll stand reeal still and take some bathroom selfies, and I won’t put my arms down so I don’t get deodorant on the dark fabric.

 

Not a lot better.

I gave in and dragged out the tripod, huffing and sweating. I figure she’s my mom, she won’t mind if I put on her dress for just a little while to show it off.

 

And then the photo was blurry. But! I think you get the picture.

I bought the fabric from Pink Castle Fabrics‘s Skinny Sale, their Memorial Day Weekend sale. It’s Kokka! A strawberry print from Trefle. Basically I don’t even want to admit what a great deal I got on 3 yards of this, because it feels kind of immoral. Like I stole it. 

I made a size L, for my mom. As you can see on me (I’m on the small side of M, or the large side of S?), this dress is just cut so well that even if it’s too big, it still looks totally cute. Maybe that will motivate some chickens to try it, eh? Even if you pick the wrong size…it’ll probably still be cute. 

Now, I’m just hoping that the strawberries aren’t too juvenile for my mom. I chose the print because, well, Kokka + deal = win, but also, my mom always chooses strawberry shortcake as her birthday cake, every year. In her teenage years she had a thing for Strawberry Shortcake, and I remember reading Lois Lenski’s Strawberry Girl many times with her growing up. Strawberries just make me think of my mom! I think the scale and the navy background help the print read grown-up and not little-girl.

Linking up over at the Pink Castle Fabrics Blog, in their Made With Pink Castle Fabrics monthly giveaway! Head over and check out the other cute makes. The pool grows every month!

and all I got was this pile of scraps

Stuff is happening here.

I’m hoping to share some more pictures of good stuff soon. A finished quilt (that you’re probably tired of looking at–I’m about there, myself!); a passel of knits that have been backing up since I went on vacation in April; a few new projects I want to start.

But for now all I have is scraps (and, don’t look, an unfinished Lucy sweater in a Ziplock bag, on the left)

 

and a pile of THANKS for you-all. I won the Festival of Strings contest, hosted by Rachel @ Stitched in Color. And there were some miiighty good quilts in that hundred-or-so entries. (Some miiighty good quilts that I’m dying to copycat, with ample credit where it is due of course, too.) Many thanks to everyone who voted for my rainbow quilt, and to Rachel, and the MOST thanks to the Warm Company, for the roll of batting they’re sending my way!

I also got an email from Joanne at Rose and Dahlia that I won a copy of the Roly Poly Pinafore pattern, by Rachael at imagine gnats. Lucy needs a few of these, for sure! I’m busily sifting through imagined fabric combos for this pattern. I love, love that the contrast fabric that you choose actually shows!

Stick around. More than scraps coming soon.

 

still zigging

Tags

audiobooks, roy g. zig, string fever, washi dress

I’m back from Phoenix and East TN…

and I spent Thursday and Friday working like mad to finish the last 22 blocks I needed for my “Roy G Zig” quilt. The top has to be done by Friday to enter in Rachel’s String-A-Long contest/giveaway! I was worried but now I think I might make it. (Though really, I think my Sunday Morning quilt also qualifies.)

A revelatory sidenote: though these blocks are super-fun and -relaxing to make, there are a lot of them to crank through (I made 56 for a throw size). When I held my 100th post giveaway a few weeks ago, I asked people to recommend a book. Several folks recommended listening to audiobooks while quilting. Beth @ Plum and June recommended, in particular, Candice Millard’s Destiny of the Republic, which, frankly, did not sound like my kind of book at all, but I gave it a try and it. was. so. awesome. It’s about the assassination of James Garfield, but is so fascinating. I probably made 20 blocks before it ended!

Then, on my own, I found Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects, available as an audiobook from my library through Overdrive, which I’d meant to read after enjoying Gone Girl last summer. I’m 3/4 of the way through and told my husband last night that I wished I had more laundry to fold so that I could finish listening to it instead of watching TV. Yep.

I love quilting, but have been a little sad that it’s cut into my reading time. Audiobooks, though–you can cut, sew, iron, whatever. Awesome. Do you listen to audiobooks while you sew? Do you have any specific recommendations? (I’d be especially interested in hearing about books you think are good AUDIObooks–some are much better than others.)

/pointless interlude. Here are my Zig blocks laid out:

I’m supposed to give this away, BUT. We’ll see!

Also on the strong-a-long front: Marla @ Sew Hungry wrote an awesome String-A-Hex block tutorial that I’m hoping will help me eliminate this pile:

 

This is way more string scraps than I thought I’d be left with after finishing 56 Ziggy Strings blocks! They’re mostly uglies, so I am super-ready to part ways with them. String-A-Hex next?

Well, after I do some more Washis.

 

Top print is a Kokka strawberry print from Trefle, which I bought from Pink Castle’s Skinny Sale (holy moly, an insane deal I got on this stuff, and it already came!). It’s going to be a Washi for my mom if I have any self-control at all. Bottom print is from Sew Fresh Fabrics, and it’s a Lizzy House Constellations print. For another me-Washi. 🙂

Enjoy your long weekend! I hope you are doing better than picking paper off zig blocks while it is 45 degrees and raining cats and dogs. Not that I know anything about that.

a woman possessed (or, finished: washi dress I)

Tags

washi dress

While everything is really just dandy here at littleandlots, I’ve been a little angsty lately. Who knows. I have my secret and not-so-secret suspicions about the reasons.

After a particularly angsty day/evening/night, I woke up yesterday morning possessed by the desire to sew myself a dress.

 

And I mean PO-SESSED. I went from 3.5 yards of Flea Market Fancy that I’d been hoarding for a quilt backing (yeah, sorry, Roy G. Zig quilt) and no pattern to a dress by dinnertime.

 

You probably recognize this as the Washi Dress. I’ve wanted to sew this dress since the pattern came out last year, but hemmed and hawed mostly about the elastic thread and the back shirring. After making Lucy’s Geranium Dresses, I felt sure I could hang.

 

(Pardon the wrinkle across my backside, but you CAN see the not-at-all scary shirring.) I made a size M. I’m wearing the dress for realsies right now, like out to the Target-post office-library-whatever, and gapping around the neckline and the armholes makes me want to make a size S next time. This dress isn’t hugely big, but I have very narrow shoulders and a smallish bust, and my measurements were right in the crack between a S and a M. I made a muslin, but couldn’t tell how much the back would get taken in by the shirring. The skirt is so generous that I think my S-on-top-M-on-bottom self might do better in an S.

 

And oh, yes, there will be a next time! I’ve already ordered the fabric (Sew Fresh still has plenty of Constellations, if you feel like you missed it and are in despair) and can’t wait to get started.

A lipstick note: I read in the new bio of Sylvia Plath (Pain Parties Work, one of the best books I’ve read in a while) that Sylvia always wore red lipstick and very little other makeup. I bought a red lipstick last winter after seeing my sister Mary wear it so gracefully, but then got too chicken to really wear it. Well! If it’s good enough  a look for Sylvia, it’s good enough for me. I’ve got FACE Stockholm in Chili Flake.

With that, my new dress and I are off! I’ll be back in this space at the end of May, after some southern and southwestern travels. I will be watching your-all’s blogs, though–plenty of internet time, just no Janome time. Happy spring sewing!