March Finishes

I made it!  Well not all the way but I did make some of my March Goals.

First of all I finished Renfrew View C.

Second I finished and sent off the String Blocks for my nieces quilts.

As far as finishing the Rainbow Quilt I am not there... but I am on my way!  I am almost done piecing the back actually... I got a new design wall for an anniversary gift.  This has been helpful in the project. By Sunday I would like to have both the front and back pieced so I can baste them next week and get started on the quilting.  I am still trying to decide how I am going to quilt it.  I am taking Leah Day's Free Motion Quilting a Sampler on Craftsy.  I am thinking I am going to start her second class too, so I can have more designs.  Although I have watched a lot of her videos I am thinking I would like to take the class since I just love how it is all in one place.

Thank you for keeping my goals honest.  I did have some other finishes this month that were not on my list.  I will be blogging about them next week stay tuned.  

How are you inspired to create?

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Taking a new sewing path

Since going to Sewing Summit last fall I have tried to make it a goal and a priority to do more garment sewing rather than quilts.  I started out sewing garments when I was 10 or 12.  I made one quilt at age 18, and then took almost a 20 year sewing haitus.  Over the past few years I have jumped right back in to sewing however I did not jump right back in to garment sewing.  I decided to learn a new skill quilting.  Now that I have way too many quilts in my house, and have made a quilt for just about everyone I know, I have decided to move back into garments.  

Making clothes for yourself is so rewarding because you can constantly say.... "I made it!"  Over the last twoweeks I was able to make one shirt for myself, the Sewaholic Renfrew Cowl.  It turned out great after I ripped out the whole cowl seam because I sewed it on backwards.  Woops.  I have ordered up some more knit fabric so I can make another.  I absolutely love how easy the pattern is.  I've already worn it a few times; however no great pictures yet.  Silly me.

I also sewed up a two pair of knit pants for the little Sageman.  The pattern is the Kick Back pattern from sewing for boys.  I made the Pauley Pullover from the same book.  We ordered the fabric from FabricDepot.com.  

Kickin' Back Pants and Pauley pullover

I also finished my bee block commitments for March and finished sewing up my String blocks to trade in the Mini Scrapbasket Block Swap.  I now have enough blocks to finish the quilts I am making for my nieces!  This is so exciting.  This project has been in the making for over two years!

Sew Blues

Promise Do Good Stitches

Sew Blues Bee

Mini Scrap Basket

I did get to printing the Alabama Chanin Swing Skirt, and I started the hand sewing process.  I am really excited about this one.  See this post. 

I also made a banner for a friend at school that was born on Saint Patrick's Day.  I made her another little gift too but will show you that in a later post!

I did not get to sewing up the back of my rainbow quilt yet so this is still at the top of my list.  Nor was I able to do any hand sewing on the Circle of Nine.

I received some more scraps from a friend on Flickr for my Bottled Rainbow Quilt.  I have enough now for the whole quilt I think, this will probably be a project for the summer! Maybe I will be brave enough to let my son help me make it!

This Week's Plan:

Piece the back of my rainbow Quilt

Hand sewing Circle of Nine

Hand sewing Alabama Chanin Swing Skirt

Projects finished in the past three weeks:

String Blocks to swap

Sewing for Boys: Kickin's Back Sweats pait #2 and #3

Sewaholic Renfrew Cowl Neck View C

Saint Patrick's Day Banner and a little extra

Pauly's Pullover from Sewing for Boys

Projects I worked on:

String Quilts for my nieces

Alabama Chanin Swing Skirt

Blovk commitments on Flickr

Other WIP with no progress:

Under the Rainbow

Quilt blocks for our bedroom quilt

Curtains for our bedroom

Civil War Quilt

3X6 quilt (I finally have it basted I just need to get after the quilting.)

Felt Hat

Santa decoration

Maxi Skirt Details

Medallion Quilt

Circle of Nine handquilting

Projects I have the fabric for but have done nothing:

Polka Dot Amy Butler Apron Dress

Linen Amy Butler

Curtains for the upstairs door

Curves Quilt

Curtains for downstairs

Curtains for the laundry room

Weekender

Polaroid Sleeping Bag

Pillows for students

Idea Pouch

Trip Around the World

Bottled Rainbows

Please check out all the other projects on:

Blog claiming

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WIP: March 6, 2013

Welcome to another Work in Progress update.  This week I finished my A Line skirt!

This past weekend I was lucky to be one of the ladies to go and see Alabama Shakes in Boise.  The band was recently on Saturday Night Live.

The Renfrew top fit out of the package which was great since I have not done any garment sewing since High School.  The skirt was designed to my body.  At first I did not get the exact fit... I should have made the back darts a bit bigger the first time around but I was nervoud that I was taking out too much... so lesson learned.  

As part of the deal so I could go to ladies night, my son went to his buddy Lucas' house for his first sleepover.  His mom Desna is one of my best friends and she was so sweet to take him....on her birthday.  He also was able to attend a birthday party with them so I sent this little purse for the young lady to enjoy!  

Also the Blue Belles quilt I made a few weeks ago arrived at Peggy's.  It was a great surprise and I hope it helps to get her well soon.

I have joined in on the Stashbusting Sewalong... in February the goal was to make something for someone else in with your stash... although I did complete the project.. I forgot to link.  I also wanted to make something for my son.  Back in October at the Sewing Summit I bought this book Sewing for Boys

Unfortunately, other projects got in the way.  Sunday was the first day I opened it with the intention of actually making something.  I had some left over knit from my Sewing Summit project... plenty to make  some kids clothes.  

I think he loves them!!!  SO simple to make and rewarding too!

This Week's Plan:

Work on view C of the Renfrew top.

Piece the back of my rainbow Quilt

More string blocks for my niece's quilts

Hand sewing Circle of Nine

Projects finished this week:

Craftsy A Line Skirt

Sewing for Boys:  Raglan Top and Kickin's Back Sweats

Cord Bag for Bella

Projects I worked on:

String Quilts for my nieces

Circle of Nine handquilting

Other WIP with no progress:

Under the Rainbow

Quilt blocks for our bedroom quilt

Curtains for our bedroom

Civil War Quilt

3X6 quilt (I finally have it basted I just need to get after the quilting.)

Felt Hat

Santa decoration

Maxi Skirt Details

Medallion Quilt

Projects I have the fabric for but have done nothing:

Polka Dot Amy Butler Apron Dress

Linen Amy Butler

Curtains for the upstairs door

Curves Quilt

Curtains for downstairs

Curtains for the laundry room

Weekender

Polaroid Sleeping Bag

Alabama Chanin Skirt

Pillows for students

Idea Pouch

Trip Around the World

Bottled Rainbows

Please check out all the other projects on:

Alabama Chanin Start

This has been a brain exhausting week.  With 45 Kindergarteners it takes a long while to speak to all the student's parents during conferences.  I always enjoy talking to the parents about their children, none the less it is exhausting.  Now that we are finished assessing and on our way to the

finish line to the end of the school year, we can have a lot of fun.  Over the next few weeks we will be doing Leprachaun fun, Spring art projects, and my favorite part... lots of reading.  The kids are getting to the point in the year where they are all starting to understand how to read!  So exciting.  As a reward to myself for such a hard few days, I decided to work on my Alabama Chanin Swing Skirt this week.  I got the fabric cut out on Tuesday and tonight I was able to print it tonight with the stencil.  I used fabric paint I had from a screen printing project.   I am sure that the spray technique that is demonstrated in the book is less time consuming and a bit neater.... however I do not have the equipment so this is the method I went for.  Sage even got in on the action..

The four pieces are sitting on the kitchen table drying.  Lots of hand sewing to come to get this skirt stitced together. I am really excited to get this skirt put together.  It has been on my to do list since last summer.  I am finally nailing it down!

Now to the other projects I have on the to do list.  

I would like to get some bee blocks done this weekend, along with the string blocks, quilt back, clothes for Sage skiing, and hanging out with friends.... Just if I had many more hours in the weekend!

March Goals: A Lovely Year of finishes

For March I would like to get some of my projects finished.  I would like to finish the Renfrew View C.  I know I can finish this up... I already have it cut out.  I want to finish making all of my string blocks for my nieces quilts.   The due date to swap them with Mini Scrapbasket Block Swap is March 24th on Flickr.  I have 40 to make up... I am about half way done so I think I will make it.  But what will be my big goal for March... hmmmm

I am thinking that I would like to finish my Rainbow Quilt.  Now this is a big task, as I have not even pieced together the blocks, or the back.   I should probably try to tackle something a little smaller like quilting my 3X6 that is already pieced together and basted.  This quilt is a twin size and the Rainbow is a bit smaller.  So I am thinking the quilting is going to be a bit more manageable!  I might be dreaming since there is sooooo much white I am hoping to fill with filler designs.

Nothing like setting your hopes high!!!!

What is your goal for march?

What is inspiring you to create?

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Let's Get Acquainted

This weekend I was feeling a bit under the weather... actually I am home sick today.  Trying to get better before 45 Parent Teacher Conferences.  Anyhoo.. sick means no skiing for me this weekend so what else should I do but sew?  I decided to make my son this little lounging outfit.

I made it from the patterns in the book Sewing For Boys.

I made the Raglan Top and the Kickin' Back Sweats.  I used up some knits I had left over.  I think he approves.

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Friday Finishes

I made it! I made a goal on Sunday that I would take the A line skirt class on Craftsy this week and draft my very own

Pattern. Well, I did it. The class is great the instructor Debbie Moebes teaches how to make a simple pattern and how to alter it to make several different styles of the same skirt.

I made the skirt with a facing. This is the first time I have ever made a muslin. I admit I was not as patient as I should have been and I paid for it in the end. I decided the muslin for fine and did not add the facing before I cut into my real fabric. I choose some old corduroy from my stash. I got the skirt all done facing and all and realized it was a bit too big. I had to rip out the back facing and the darts to make them a bit more extreme. In the end it was not that big of a deal but I could have avoided it if I would have just finished the muslin to begin with. Live and learn.
I made the skirt to wear tonight with my new shirt. I am headed to Boise with 8 girlfriends to go to a concert. I love to dance pretty much more than anything so yeah!!!!
The ladies will take some pictures of the skirt in action. Until then...

What or who is inspiring you to create?

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