My Whereabouts

I've been absent lately, I know.  I haven't been sewing clothing much this summer--somehow, quilting snuck back in (I blame the flood of babies) and that's had my full attention.  I really haven't even missed sewing clothes, which is very unlike me.  I think part of it is I can afford clothing now--it's amazing when companies actually pay you a living wage--so I tend to buy before I make.  I feel terrible about that but I'm sure it's a phase and it'll wane eventually.

I do have one big plan for fall--the Colette Anise jacket.  More on that later, when I finally get around to seeing if that wool blend in my closet is two or three yards.

Like I said though, I have been quilting.  If you follow me at Squaring Up, you've seen the fruits of my endless labor.  Ariel and I have decided to take a break until things cool down a bit, so I'm going to post my patchwork over here for the next month or so.  I hope you don't mind!  If you do, just skip over my posts until my clothing mojo comes back.

Another one of our friends had a baby this summer--a little girl--and I decided we had to send her a quilt.  Nick has known her for years, though she still lives in Florida, and we sent her something for her first child (a boy) last spring.

She isn't especially girly, though she and her sister both are big fans of nature, natural products, and things like that.  No ruffles, no pink--it would be weird and slightly offensive, like I'm putting my tastes ahead of hers.  I knew I had to use Timber & Leaf for the quilt--the colors are soft and feminine without being saccharine-sweet--but I didn't know what pattern to use.  Churn dash?  Log cabin?  I came across the Sparkle Quilt on Jeni B.'s blog and immediately knew it was the one.  I'm really into big blocks, and lord knows I love half-square triangles.

I also picked up the idea of using FreeSpirit Solids in Pearl from Fresh Lemons Quilts.  I didn't want to use bright white as the neutral but I knew beige would blend too much.  Pearl is a great neutral because it works with blue, pink, yellow, green, gray--whatever you have.

This was the first time I've used different quilting patterns in one project: I quilted the blocks with diagonal lines about 3/4" apart, and quilted the sashing with a single serpentine pattern.  It made it so crinkly!

I also used the lightest pink Aurifil for the quilting.  I pre-ordered the Camille Roskelley Aurifil set, so I better get used to non-white thread!

I backed it with another Timber & Leaf print, which I originally bought for a Colette Pastille dress.  After reading countless accounts of how ill-fitting the pattern is, and how much effort it takes to perfect it, I decided to scrap that idea.  I love a challenge, but I don't want to spend three weeks fitting the pattern.  That's too much effort!

We'll send this out tomorrow--hopefully the new mom and baby love it!  Thanks for indulging in my quilting, non-quilters!  :)

Spring Belladone Dress and a Garden Update!

If you guys aren't converted to Deer & Doe patterns from my Datura blouse, maybe this post will convince you.  Because this dress--the Belladone dress, from Paunnet fame--is the nicest, most flattering, least frustrating dress ever.  Seriously!  It was actually a pleasure to sew, and I never say that. Usually by the end of a project I'm so ready to be done I vow to never wear the damn thing.

Woo!  Super dark picture from bad lighting!

Nick worked overtime tonight--funny story, he had to come home early anyway because there was a snake outside the house which rendered me scared and paralyzed--so I had to set up my own little photography studio outside.  This meant I dragged an empty hamper to the back patio, turned it upside-down, and stacked pot drainers on top until I thought it was tall enough for the camera.  It wasn't, really, but I'm resourceful and really just wanted to take the pictures and get on with my life.

I used another print from Timber & Leaf, so hopefully you aren't tired of Sarah Watts yet, because I'm sure not!  Again, I have nothing but nice things to say about Blend fabrics.  They're so soft and so great to work with!

I did wear this dress to work today, so if it looks wrinkled, that's why.  Also there was a breeze and I'm wearing cotton underwear, so there's a lot going on, okay?

Look at those chubby arms!  Yikes!

I really did enjoy every bit of this pattern.  It was extremely well-written, and everything came together beautifully.  If I could change one thing--and I will, because I plan to make more--I'd sew the top of the dress for about an inch before inserting the zipper.  I find hook-and-eyes tedious and I could have easily avoided it.

Action shot!

So get thee to a stockist, now, and make this dress.  It's so perfect for spring and summer!  I'm trying to think of what print I'll use next.  Hmm...all of them?

In garden news...

...my Green Arrow peas have flowers, but my sweet peas do not...

...my watermelon are about two inches high...

...Puddin' is a weirdo...

...my pumpkins are out of control!...

...the Fresh Salsa hybrid tomatoes are the only ones with flowers...

...the ranunculus and anemone are sad as can be.  Anyone have any ideas?...

...and we still look pretty crazy over here on Sposetta farm.  How are your plants?

Finished Datura Blouse!

I don't have a major update today.  Honestly, I debated starting another project, just so I'd have more to talk about!  But then I couldn't decide what to make (...again) so I figured if I spent some time blogging it would clear my mind enough to come to a conclusion on my next project.

So far?  Nothing.

Last weekend, after making a quilt, I started on my Deer & Doe Datura blouse.  I'm sure you're familiar with Deer & Doe by now, as they're all over sewing blogs, but I finally bought a couple patterns (Datura and Belladone, a dress).  They're adorable French patterns, similar to Colette Patterns in style--vintage-y and feminine--but French, so that makes them better, right?  Maybe not better, but at least as good, I think.  And I was able to buy the English translation of the patterns, so that's a major plus.

I can't get fabric to lay right on this mannequin ever.  Anyone have any tips?

I used two prints from Sarah Watt's Timber & Leaf collection.  If you remember, I used Timber & Leaf for my Amy Butler Lotus tunic at the beginning of the year and loved it.  The fabrics (from Blend) are so soft!  And they get softer with each wash.  I get it that they're made for a quilt, but I love them for apparel!

I chose the second view, with the Peter Pan collar.  I'm starting to wonder how much clothing I can own with Peter Pan collars before someone steps in?  Let me know before the intervention and I'll clean out my closet.

The pattern is rated advanced, and while I don't know that it's appropriate for view B, I will say the instructions weren't super helpful.  I know how to make a shirt by now, so I could guide myself for the most part, but there were parts that had me scratching my head, such as attaching the yokes.  I glossed over that, did it the way I knew, and everything turned out fine.

I did take a major shortcut and not make buttonholes.  I just didn't feel like it, and I'm running out of thread, so most likely I'd have made one hole and then been annoyed that I would need a trip to JoAnn's before making the other two.  If I notice it's hard to wear without the buttonhole ease, I'll go back and fix it.  Sometimes you just want to be lazy.

So now I'm wondering what to start next?  I have fabric pulled for a Belladone dress, a Sewaholic Alma, and another shirtdress.  What do you think?  And have you used Deer & Doe before?

Anxiously Awaiting Spring

I'm so happy I'm back into the swing of things.  I'm no longer afraid of my new sewing machine, I've completed a quilt, started another (which is a top-secret project for the time being), and made a few clothing projects, including a rooster-print apron that confirms I am becoming my mother.  As much as I love the holidays, taking down the tree was not met with depression this year.  I was ready to move on before Christmas even happened.

As you know, we're back in the south, which means warmer weather, even though we aren't on the coast like we have been in the past.  While I'm still freezing 75% of the time, the temperatures haven't been too bad--50s and 60s during the day, 30s and 40s at night.  Compared to D.C., this is heavenly.  With this weather, we're naturally looking toward spring: we're going to buy bikes, I won't have to wear tights, and cotton will replace wool in my wardrobe.  What could be better?  I love fall, but winter and I just don't get along, no matter where I live.

I bought a ton of floral, feminine fabric before Christmas and have been chomping at the bit to use it.  It's hard to motivate myself, or even convince myself it's a good use of my time, when I won't be able to wear anything for at least a month, if not two.  It's a bummer to look at all these floaty, bright fabrics and know they'd just sit in my closet...

You know where this is going, right?

Whatever, so I gave into temptation!

I sewed up the Amy Butler Lotus cami last night--a surprisingly easy sew, given how detailed (and sometimes tedious) Amy's patterns normally are.  A few notes about this:

• I've owned this pattern since I first decided to start sewing.  I think I bought it off Fabric.com, back when my knowledge of websites and pattern designers was severely limited.
• I couldn't be happier with my Bernina's buttonhole stitch--each buttonhole was a breeze and a thing of beauty.
• I had to make a size large on account of the fitted nature; when I made the Anna tunic a million years ago, the medium was large enough for me.
• As you can see, I used one fabric throughout, and for the facing as well; I don't understand why people feel the need to throw as many quilting cottons together.  Two is fine, in the right context, but some of these pattern designers just want more and more and then you look like a crazy lady.

Here are more pictures:

The fabric is Sarah Watts' Timber & Leaf collection by Blend fabrics.  I bought it at Hawthorne Threads as soon as it was released.  It's a high thread-count, so very soft, and such a feminine theme.  The birds in this print look like they're hand-stamped--they're a bit see-through, and positioned in layers on the branches.  I also have this print in gray and plan on making a Pastille from it.

Overall, I'm pretty pleased with this!  I will mention that I meant to actually wear this and take pictures, but it's 10 AM and I'm still in my pajamas and a hoodie, so that isn't happening.  How do other bloggers do this styling thing?!  It's Sunday, I'm not wearing makeup.

What have you been up to lately?  I bought an invisible zipper foot for my new machine yesterday and have heard it's totally worth the $54, so I hope that's true.  I also signed up for a calligraphy course at Paper Source!  I'm so excited about that.  I tried to teach myself calligraphy a few years ago and it didn't go so well.  I hope this one goes more smoothly!