where'd it go?

I seem to have lost my sewing motivation. 

I was on a roll for a few days and then, well, it just left...

It might have something to do with the growing belly that seems to more and more get in the way of my sewing endeavours.  I can't reach forward as far as I used to be able to, and sitting in front of my machine is just not as comfortable as it used to be.  

Three more months though, and I'll fit behind my machine perfectly again!  

In the meantime, there just might be less to post here.

I did try to get myself going today by trying out a fun project.  

A felt garland.

The stacks of circles even looked pretty!

I actually think this would make a good photography prop for newborn photos...

Though, it would also look good in my little girl's room...

yeah, I'm here again...

Oh for Pete's sake.  

I'm back on Blogger... after not being able to post now I suddenly can!?!???  Not sure what is going on, but I really hope this scenario doesn't change again.  

I just wanted to share a dress I made for Little D a couple weeks ago.  It's a dress pattern from the Ottobre 3/2012, Hollywood Cerise.  The fabric I chose was something I had been hanging on to since last year, just waiting for the right dress pattern to come along.  I bought it from my lqs, and that surprises me because usually their selection is more blenders and batiks, not bright and modern.  The fabric feels a lot like linen and the weft and warp threads are different colours (if that made any sense).

I made the dress a size bigger than D so that she can wear it, hopefully, through next year.  I used the length from size 110 and the rest of the pattern I traced a size 104.  D is about 100cm tall so the dress is plenty long, and she is also a skinny little girl, so it turned out wider under the arms than she needed.  That's okay though, I just took it in a little under the arms and I can always let that out later.  Plus now the dress has more of an a-line shape.

The only thing I don't really like is the pockets.  I am thinking of taking them off and making gathered round bottomed pockets.  Much cuter.

I also changed the back of the dress.  The original patterns calls for a placket all the way down the back with buttons, but I didn't want to have all those buttons there, and, well, why make so many button holes if you don't have to?

I cut the back from one piece instead of two, eliminating the extra room for the folded placket.  Then I sewed the dress together and added a partial placket that gave enough room for her head and arms to move comfortably in and out of the dress.  

From the outside, I am pleased with how the modified placket turned out, but the inside was trickier because of the facing and so it's a bit amateur looking on the inside.  In hindsight, I should have made the placket first and then sewed the facing and the sides.  

Next time I guess.

D loves her new dress and was quite excited that I was finally making one for her!  Since I've been sewing all these little things for the Urban Mommy Expo, she keeps seeing all these clothes and asking me if it is for her.  So when I started on this dress, I could say finally say yes. 

a colourful post

Okay, so here I am... on Wordpress... so please excuse if things don't look quite right.

I've been busy busy busy sewing dresses and tunics for my upcoming tradeshow in October and then I decided I needed a break from them.  So I got to work on a swap item!

I joined the Modernista Homemade swap this time around.  We have to make something for the kitchen and my partner asked for something pretty specific, so I won't share that part yet.  I have to wait for fabrics anyway before I can even post any progress or sneak peeks.  For the small item, I chose to make a bunting as that was also something she hinted at being able to find a place for.

Because the large item will be all prints with a neutral background, I thought to make the small item from all solids.  I really like this bunting and I think it looks pretty good on my own wall... Might have to make another!

I've also been plugging away at my Hexy MF project.  The last few nights I've pulled out my hexies and made at least one flower an evening.

Then yesterday I wasn't feeling very well, so I parked myself in my rocking chair and made a bunch more.

Now if only I could find the other finished flowers I made!  I put them away somewhere 'safe' but I can't for the life of me remember where that 'safe' place is!  I seem to have that problem more often lately.

That's why I try not to clean up my sewing space too too often.  I only end up losing stuff.

Today I also received some happy mail!

My pouch from my Pretty {little} Pouch Swap partner arrived!  Alisa from Making More With Less send me this beautiful gray, orange, and aqua pouch.  Big enough to hold my hand sewing and pretty enough to leave sitting around - I mean look at the bikes and the row of fancy stitching!

I was quite surprised to find out that my partner was the same person I sent to!  That's the second time that has happened to me - and both times have been super swaps.

Bah.

Well, I am not an impressed blogger.

Blogger just won't work for me!  I cannot make any posts or edit any old ones.  So now I'm trying Wordpress.  Anyone else use Wordpress?

You can find me at learningtosewasigo.wordpress.com if you are so inclined :)

polaroids

The other day I received some squishy mail - it was a package from Debbie at A Quilter's Table filled with 40 polaroid blocks!

Debbie had set up this swap earlier in the summer and she had an overwhelming response as over 60 swapper signed up and she had to organize over 1000 blocks!  In July I had mailed off 40 blocks to swap for 40 different blocks and no I have an assortment of 40 blocks back.  Added to the doubles I made of the ones I sent, I now have 80 different blocks!  

Debbie also sent along a sweet little square of a polaroid to make an additional block.

I love this block!  So unique!

And remember I put this together when I was making my own blocks?

Well, last night I finally made something out of it.  The block had been sitting on my sewing table looking at me from under a stack of fabric for too long and I decided it needed to be used.  Turns out I had an old pillow laying around that needed a cover.  The pillow was almost the perfect size for the block and I only had to add a small strip of black sashing all the way around.

I then took the plunge that always scares me most - I quilted it.  I kept it minimal and only sewed around the polaroid square.

I used this old flannel I had in my stash for the... well, I don't know what it's called, but I used it here.  It was originally from my mom's stash so I have no idea where it's from, but now that I used it, I think it's kind of cute.

I made and envelope style back with black and this cream on dark brown text fabric that I picked up on our holiday to BC.  I only got a clearance FQ so there was no selvedge info.

I only had the one FQ of the text fabric and then I ended up cutting it wrong!  So instead of the writing reading left to right when the pillow is right side up, you have to turn the pillow. Oh well, nobody'll care, right?

Here's the finished pillow sitting on my couch.

That makes two nice pillows in my living room and they are both completely different.  The other is the pink chevron pillow I made last winter.  But really, I don't have a theme or anything going on anyway, so in that case everything matches!

And now that got to play with polaroids again and fell in love with them all over again, I, ahem, joined a second polaroid swap, the Say Cheese! Polaroid Block Swap.  I know - what am I doing!  I am busy enough!  

This one is based out of Australia and is mainly for Aussies, but they let me be an honourary Aussie.  So, another 35 blocks are going out and coming back!

a bit of this and that

Yay! My Pretty {little} Pouch Swap partner, Alisa from Making More with Less, received the package I sent out for her!  Now I can show you the back side of the pouch.

I wrote her name on the back with fabric marker and then embroidered her name, using what I think is the stem stitch, on the pouch.  She had asked if her partner would do this because then she'd be guaranteed no one else in her house would claim her pouch. 

The whole lot: I included some chocolate and a small stack of solids and prints.  I can't remember exactly how many I cut, but for every solid colour, I included a coordinating print. 

And just because I always like a post with pictures, here's some things I've pinned lately.  There are so many quilty things I want to try, but I really have no reason to try.  

I mean, I don't want to make a quilt of feathers or modular cathedral blocks, I just want to make a few! 

source

source

well, maybe I want to make a whole bunch of these feathers... not sure what for yet...

source

I first saw this block on Flickr with color and fell in love with the coloured version.

What do you do if you want to try a technique or block, but you don't want to make enough for a quilt or something? 

what I'm busy with

Since I have a fall tradeshow coming up, I am getting busy making some new dresses! 

 

The Amanda Dress from The Lily Bird Studio.

I love how I managed to get this bird on the sash just off centre.

A satin bolero... a pain in the butt to make, but turned out pretty cute!  I need a serger...

Had to add the ruffle.