Stuck

This is what my design wall has looked like for over a month now.  Actually, we're probably inching closer towards two.

Heather Ross is hands-down my all time favorite fabric designer, and her collections are what really sparked my obsession, love affair, interest in fabric.  When I heard that she was coming out with a new fabric line last year, I went on a fabric buying fast, and saved up all of my extra cash to drop on Far Far Away II.  I purchased about 12 half yard prints the second they came in (seriously, it was about 1:00am when I received the notification email from Hawthorne Threads), and let them sit on my sewing table for a couple of weeks so I could gaze at their loveliness.

Please ignore the cat hair!

  I struggled over how to piece this quilt because I really wanted to keep the pieces large so I could show off the prints, but I wanted to add some sort of variety other than just the same uniform sized squares.  So in addition to the large 8x8" squares, I added in 2x2" squares of the rose prints and some coordinating solids. 

I won't go into how many different arrangements I've sewed these into, but I've definitely spent a lot of hours with the seam ripper.  That row of patchwork sashing on the left and the kona coal on the right are staring at me right now, waiting to suck up hours of my time.  And don't get me started on how I am not liking that the squares are vertically stacked on top of each other.  That is just too much seam ripping to think about.

I'm just not happy with anything I've come up with so far.  I think because I love this line so much, I'm putting too much pressure on myself to come up with something astounding.

Any suggestions, crafty people?

Cold Weather Sewing

While packing away Phoebe's summer wardrobe last week, I noticed two things - 

1.  No more 12 month clothes for this baby (Does that officially make her a toddler?  Already?!)

2.  This dress loving momma hasn't really prepared for the cold, Michigan months coming up. 

Luckily, that same day I happened upon a pattern review for Heidi & Finn's Urban Unisex Hoodie on The Train to Crazy.  Well it was so adorable and the timing was just impeccable (plus they were having a buy 2 get 1 free sale!), so I had to snap it up right away.

 I have a big laundry basket in my sewing room full of clothes that I don't wear or don't fit anymore (thanks, Phoebe) that I have been re-purposing into toddler clothes.  I whipped this up out of a polar fleece, and lined it with a thermal knit - both from Old Navy. 
  

I made the 18 month size and it fits her perfectly right now, so that means that we'll get maybe about a month out of it before it's too small.  The fleece didn't have nearly as much stretch as I thought, so I'll definitely use a knit for the outer fabric next time so it will fit for longer.  I also cut some corners and used the finished edges of the shirt so I didn't have to add any cuffs or hems, and I simply sewed the buttons on the front and used velcro underneath so it can go on and off rather quickly.

 

I'm super excited with how this turned out!  It took me about 2 hours or so, and the pattern was incredibly clear and easy to follow.  And have I mentioned how much I love printable patterns?  No tracing!!  You can expect to see a few more of these throughout this winter.

My new best friend

I've definitely spent more time with the seam ripper than my sewing machine lately.  And I can't blame it on the incredibly easy to follow pattern, but pure absentmindedness on my part.  After a quick fit on Miss Phoebe, I commenced to sew the front and back of my shirt together inside-out.  All this after just picking out all of the 5/8" seam allowances to change them to 1/4".  As a side note, I find 5/8" to be quite excessive anyways - maybe that's just the quilter in me.

 

Anyway, I hoped to have a finish project to show today, but some toddler sleep regressions have forced me to spend naptime actually napping myself instead of spending quality time with my machine.  Hope you are being more productive than I am!

American Sewing Expo

Thank goodness my husband is on vacation right now, because I never would have been able to spend 3 glorious hours walking around the American Sewing Expo with a 14 month old toddler in tow.

 I was a bit nervous when I got in line and was surrounded by fanny packs and quilted sweatshirt vests, but there was plenty of eye candy inside to draw in sewers both young and old.

 I spent a particularly long time drooling over the 

the trim and buttons offered by Nifty Thrifty Dry Goods

 Tried my hand at needle felting - and didn't stab myself for once

 Browsed through hundreds of bolts of fabric

 

And found some wonderfully unexpected booths, like Victorian Purses by Sue.  These purses are actually knit, with seed beads slid between the stitches.  I might have possible picked up a pattern for a knit beaded scarf.  Because I just don't have enough hobbies.  Purses by Sue also offers over 250 different purse frames and 412 colors of Perle cotton.  And the ladies there were amazingly nice.

But my favorite booth of the day had to have been Tadaa! Studio.  I walked over to the owner Christy and exclaimed "Finally, some good fabric!"  They had Amy Butler, Anna Maria Horner, Kokka, and even some Heather Ross fabric.  I also picked up a fantastic Sashiko kit with some beautiful variegated thread that I'll post more about once I get started.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Getting to know you

I feel that you can tell a lot about a person by what's in their favorites on Flickr.
Here's a small sampling of mine.  I love all things fabric related, crocheting, embroidery, design, baking, nature.....

1. ballerina, 2. heaven, 3. Little Red Riding Hood Dress KIT, 4. food - candy shop and cakes, 5. cake - fiesta flags, 6. Hiding Gnomie Mini ~WIP, 7. Eeeee! , 8. Spring Babette blanket to be, 9. retirement party!, 10. Pillow Talk { Swap }...???, 11. Cuppie loves to sew, 12. appliquéd-&-embroidered-clock 2, 13. winifred, 14. doll quilt wall, 15. Pink Dessert Table, 16. Bob Ross

And this little girl.  

She's pretty much the most amazing one of all.

                                                                                         Phoebe, 13 mo.

Thanks for following me on my journey!