Make and Take

I had a very fun Saturday, this past weekend.  I went to a little cooperative venture for three businesses VERY close in proximity. the Red Thread Shop, where I made a sweet Christmas Ball Cozy in red sock yarn. This was my first beaded knitting project, and it turned out very nicely... I threaded beads onto the yarn before casting on, and then just pulled one up and knit it in, occasionally. The ladies at The Red Thread are very interested in having you sit and knit, stay and hang out... and served warm cider and cookies and coffee. They have a large, convenient range of basic yarns and a small variety of lovely luxury offerings, not to mention a perfectly wonderful place to knit!! 

Next, we had lunch served by Great Harvest Bread Co., which just happens to be next to the Red Thread Shop... I had a Turkey Cobb sandwich, which was delicious... everything I eat there is amazing... annnnnnnndddd, they just happen to have a coffee drink named after the owner of the quilt shop my next projects were constructed in! 


Kelly Ann's Quilting is right across the street from The Red Thread and Great Harvest Bakery. Here, I made a very sweet little woolen brooch with a few sequins and some jingle bells from some beautiful hand dyed wool felt... super soft and luxurious stuff...


I also made this little Christmas Ornament with some craft felt  and sequins and embroidery thread with a jingle bell.... I think I was the only one to really make one of these in the whole group of ladies! I did some hand embroidery and then attached the sequins and sewed on a backing with a simple blanket stitch. This project seems perfect for little seamstresses... I wonder if I could get my kids to do the project, Kelly Ann sent the templates for the felt home with me... very kind!!! 

I also bought a kit for a little table topper in some Christmas fabric that matches my house... It looks simple enough... The quilting fabrics here are GORGEOUS... and they offer machine quilting services, as well: an option for that quilt top I made last summer and never bothered to make a quilt out of...


I had a great day of Making in Color!

A Gift Project

My sister came for a visit during the Thanksgiving holiday and we had a talk about a Christmas gift for me to sew for her. She was wearing a VERY cute cream t-shirt with a ballet neckline, three quarter sleeves, and a very cute navy, orange, and gold print... We were talking skirts, that I feel I look better in them and that she wishes she owned more... and then she said: "Like this top: I'd love to have a new skirt to go with this in navy with an orange edge at the bottom." I said, "What kind of fabric, denim, finewhale corduroy?? And would orange bias tape at the bottom do?"


She looked at me and said, "Why are you going to make me one?" And I of course, said, YES, and measured her... asking how long she'd like it, and writing down her measurements and making a small sketch... she wants a buttoned waist, gathered skirt, and mid thigh length with that bias hem... Really, there's no simpler skirt to make, even if I make it slightly A-Line!! The truth is I hate picking gifts, I'd much rather consult with my recipient and make sure they love it. Not much on the surprise front, perhaps, but at least the gift is actually loved!


I've already purchased the orange bias tape while at G Street Fabrics. I suppose I just need a zipper, now. I also have a little bit of navy corduroy already, I'll see if it's enough!! This may be a very ECONOMICAL gift as well!

Coral Silk

I found a bargain!! I went to G Street Fabrics and found some 4ply silk on sale for a VERY good price, and then almost the whole store was discounted %25. I had to call home to ask hubs to find out how much fabric I needed for a sheath pattern I'd just purchased. NOW.. this is not to say the fabric wasn't still kinda pricey, it WAS. I spent $65 bucks on the pattern, fabric, and notions, including two different ribbons for belts, one green for Christmas, one red. I have a white fabric flower to wear at the waist with the ribbon. I also purchased 1/4 yard red charmeuse with a white polka dot for a bowtie... this stuff was 49.99 a yard, so... I figured it'd make a good Christmas present!! The bowtie pattern was on the LA Times website, and I bought the little three piece bowtie clips at an Etsy site (I bought a bowtie, too!)... 


I'm a little nervous about this dress... it's quite sleek, not the best for my body type, but I think it'll be nice. I just need to make a muslin this time!! Make absolutely sure the fit is right! The pattern only calls for a lined bodice... I think I may line the skirt, too, however, since it's silk, and it'll cling. I'm nervous about that... not really knowing how and all! I did find this very thorough tutorial on lining a skirt with a vent from A Fashionable Stitch.

Pattern Change for the Plaid

Well, I've cut the plaid... it's become a jumper, there's probably enough left for a purse of some kind... and lining enough as well. My pattern has princess seams... and I used the size for my bust measurement, but my shoulders... my over bust measurement isn't  ginormous... so I had to change the princess seam by quite a bit. You know what? I should have made a muslin, but I hate making muslins!!! 


What's a muslin? It's basically a practice garment out of cheap fabric... so you can make alterations before you cut your fashion fabric. I didn't do this, but I absolutely SHOULD have. I did make decent alterations... I made the neckline deeper, took in the upper bust line... and narrowed the shoulders a bit. This is a fully lined dress, so the dress will be VERY simple to construct... Then a white button down shirt, or a tshirt, grey tights and black leather boots and maybe a black belt at the hips!! NOT a turtleneck, they don't flatter me.








Pattern Number: Simplicity 2868


Project Cost: $20, but there are leftovers for a purse


Project Time: 6 hours


Note to Self: Girl, make a muslin!!

Black Lace and Cream

Here is my lovely new skirt! I think it turned out to be a very pretty skirt! Here modeled by me and my Red Poppy Blouse. 

Pattern: M5523

Project Cost: $18

Note to Self: Hand wash, and wear a waist cincher!

Plaid Dress, Planning

Wow, look at this pattern! It's beautiful, refined, flattering! I love the new patterns with lots of options for altering for cup size or curviness... so convenient, as I'm not so wonderful at changing patterns yet. I hope it works in this fabric, I really want a warm flattering dress, and I really love this plaid. I need perhaps more solids in my wardrobe, but I'm a sucker for prints and plaids and stripes! This is a nice flannel from JoAnne's, they've discontinued it, I think. I can't find it on the website now. 

Today I'll start cutting it, I think! 

Chicago Yarn

When I travel, I buy yarn as a souvenir... usually sock yarn. This yarn I bought on a trip to Chicago to visit my sister... I also taught her to knit on that trip! I'd put off making socks for awhile with this yarn. I think because I wasn't sure how the colors would work up and I was nervous to pick a pattern. I finally decided to just make a toe up vanilla sock with a short row heel and just enjoy the colors, and I do!

Notice my peacock blue velour jogging suit! I'm a real suburban housewife, I promise!

Here are a few reasons to buy sock, or lace, yarn as a souvenir (or just as a gift for ME):


1. Easy to pack in a corner of your suitcase or stuff into your purse, or if push comes to shove, into your bra to carry home.


2. The more local the yarn the more memorable and evocative of the area it will be, so choosing a yarn that reminds you of the locale is a fun exercise in creativity. Combine that with the thousands of sock patterns available, you can pick something that evokes the feeling of your trip, perfectly, even if it was full of detours!


3. It's relatively inexpensive. Yes, a ball of sock yarn can be pricey, but it's just one or two small balls.


4. Finally, you'll get to think of the trip the whole time you knit the socks AND every time you wear them, much more useful than a knic-knack you stick on a shelf.