Shirred Sundress

I've caught the shirring bug again!



I realized a couple weeks ago that K doesn't have many summery dresses in her closet, and what's more comfortable than a dress in the summer? I wanted to make something nice and easy, so of course I thought of the shirred dress I made last summer. No pattern to cut out and directions to follow-- just a rectangle of fabric and some elastic thread!



I changed it up just a bit by making ruffly little straps. Again, just rectangles of fabric with a couple rows of elastic stitching. This stuff makes anything look fancier!



I had some trouble getting the tension figured out this time. The last time I worked with elastic thread I was using my old sewing machine and I tried using the same settings, but wasn't getting good results. I finally realized that I had to hold the tails of my top thread and elastic thread very tight for the first inch or so of stitching. Otherwise I was ending up with a loopy mess of elastic on the back. It may take a little time getting the tension worked out, but once you have the right settings, sewing with elastic thread is easy peasy! And the results are so fun!

Father's Day Cards & Free Pattern!

Father's Day is coming soon and I've made a couple of paper pieced designs in honor of all the dads out there. And I'm sharing the patterns with you!



I made the shirt & tie version first. I think it's super cute, but none of the dads in my life wear a tie (unless there's a wedding or a funeral involved), so I decided to make a more casual version.



I embroidered a little pocket on the t-shirt because it reminds me of my dad. For the thirty years I've known him (OK, thirty-one years), my dad has worn a solid colored t-shirt with a pocket just about everyday. If it's chilly a flannel shirt is added, but that's pretty much his entire wardrobe. I machine stitched the shirt & tie block to the card, but I thought the t-shirt block would look fun with big hand stitches around it.

My obsession with paper piecing continues. It's a great way to use up little fabric odds and ends from your stash, which is great for me because most of fabric is what others would consider "scraps." I have very little yardage. However, working with small pieces of fabric can sometimes backfire on me. This is all the "shirt" fabric I had left after making the shirt & tie block. I was sweating it there at the end, hoping I'd have enough to finish off the little block!



You can download the patterns for these shirts here. Each block finishes at 3.5" (3" if you trim off the seam allowance around the outside), which works well for a 4"x6" card. This is the first time I've tried using this Google Docs thing, so if it doesn't work let me know!

WIP Wednesday - 5/23/12

Yesterday I posted the first block for a new quilt I'm making, and now I'll show off a few more!



This may look like a very random assortment of blocks, but I swear I have a plan in mind! They are part of a gift quilt that I'm making and each of the "picture" blocks has a special meaning for the recipients.

I don't want the picture blocks to take center stage in this quilt, so that's why they're made in all neutral fabrics. I want them to be more of a secondary surprise. Not something you notice right away, but see after looking at the quilt for a while. They may still draw more attention than I really intended, but I'm going full-steam ahead anyway. In my typical procrastinating ways, I've started working on this project way too late for the event it's supposed to celebrate!

Linking up to Freshly Pieced's WIP Wednesday Linkup!

More Paper Piecing- Pansy Edition

I mentioned a few days ago that I've been in a paper piecing mood so I have another pp block to show off. The pattern is designed by Regina Grewe and it can be found on My EQ Boutique (a very cool way to buy patterns and then print them at any size!).



It's always fun to see a complicated block like this come together. Putting all those paper pieced sections together can get confusing. The fact that I was using all neutral fabrics made it even more challenging! I was crossing my fingers that it all came together correctly, and that I had used neutral shades that differed enough to keep the flower visible.



This block is the start of a new quilt I have planned. It's a gift and each of the pp blocks has a meaning for the recipients. I hope they like it when it's all finished!

Teacher Gift - Apple Bookmark

Here's a quick little project I whipped up at work the other day. It's a paper pieced apple bookmark for your favorite teacher (or maybe a cookbook enthusiast?).



Not only is it cute, but there's also a free pattern! Go check it out!

WIP Wednesday - 5/16/12

I'm getting so close to finishing my rose star quilt!



Just need to fill in a few more patches around the edges. It's tempting to keep making more blocks and adding to it, but I need to get one project checked off my "unfinished" list. I'm planning to hand quilt it, so it's still going to be a while until this little quilt is done. Do you think it needs a small border around the edge, or should I just bind it?

The warm weather and spring activities has made it more difficult to find time to sit down and sew, but I did finish this pp block from Fat Quarterly the other day.



I still need to embroider a little balloon string for the girl to hold. I think it will make a nice mini quilt to hang in my daughter's room!

Linking up to Freshly Pieced's WIP Wednesday Linkup!

Mother's Day Sewing

Did you think that title referred to Mother's Day gifts I made for the moms in my life? Naw, I mean Mother's Day sewing for ME! Part of my Mom's Day gift was a little time to myself that I could spend in my sewing room. Without little "helpers" underfoot. I've been in the mood for some paper piecing and this block has been on my "to sew" list for a couple months. The pattern is from the Paper issue of Fat Quarterly, designed by Joanna Wilczynska of Shape Moth.



I love paper piecing and I'm always surprised when people say they've never tried it or they're intimidated by it. I think of it as one of the easiest kinds of quilting- perfect results without much effort! Ya just gotta sew on the lines!



The only thing I don't like about PP is removing all the paper at the end. Luckily, it was a beautiful day and I sat on the patio watching the kids play in the sandbox and ripped out lots of little pieces of paper.



Mother's Day must be the official Oliver + S holiday. Last year I received the book Little Things to Sew (my most used pattern book!) and this year I got the Family Reunion Dress and Music Class Blouse & Skirt patterns! I'm so excited to pick out fabrics and get started on one of these cuties!