Sewing & Stitchery Expo

Who has been to the Sewing & Stitchery Expo

 in Puyallup?

What is it like?

Ann



Merry Christmas!

 

 

Hope you are all having a wonderful Christmas!

 

 

Ann

Creative Sensation!

No Big deal......

Just playing with my new Pfaff  Creative Sensation..

First projects up are personalized towels for my Landyn and Ella....

 fun ~ fun ~ fun ~

Doubly Fun !!

Silhouette Yoga Pants # 3400 and Gucci Top # 241.

I made two sets of this outfit..... so it "was" Doubly Fun to make :))

The first top was really a muslin. I used a stretch fabric, that I love.

 It has texture and is like a bathing suit knit.

I made a Size 3 and it was too big so I made the next size down and it was perfect and I just love the fit. 

The changes I made were to lower the neckline and I didn't do the detail around the neckline.

I prefer the smaller size however I can wear the one that is on Annabelle.

The Yoga pants are made with a Ponte Knit I bought from Fabricville.

They are both size 6.

The change I made was to the waist. I lowered it by 2-1/4" and oh yes I also made the band slightly wider...finished width of the band is  3 1/4".

 I like the feel and the look of this combination better.

(More like lulu lemon style)

The fabric I used for the pants is "ok", but I would love to find some fabric that is really "great" and a really good quality!

Does anyone know where I can find some?

You know like the great fabric lulu lemon uses ;)

I can wish!

Over all I love these two patterns.

The pant style really does look like lulu lemon pants.

I will certainly make them again and my next pants I will  have fun changing  up the fabric on the waist bands.

Peggy does cover all this in her DVD ~ Yoga Pants - Worn Beyond the Exercise Class.

Ann

Sew many things to do...sew little time....

...however I did find some time to squeeze in a little sewing over the last few weeks...
but I  haven't had the time to blog  about it.

I made a couple of
Silhouette's yoga pants # 3400 and the Gucci top.
I made my top sleeveless for a work out top and it is a "perfect" work out top!
I didn't put the detail around the neckline, that will be in the next top.

I love both these patterns.
They were very easy to make and went together beautifully.
I made a very minor change to the pants ~ lowered the waist ( by 2-1/4") ~ and that is just because I like my waist to sit a little lower than the pattern style.
(I will post a picture as soon as I take one.)

...and  Tonight I did read a few blogs  and  I see there are so many more of you that are making up gorgeous garments and having fun in your
 sewing rooms.

 

I'm now going to pick another project!

I want ....I need ...to sew   :)

Have a great week end.

Ann

My Fabulous Finds!

Silhouette Patterns

Angela Wolf - Patterns coming soon!

Jennifer Stern

Gorgeous Fabrics - Denim

PFAFF- Creative Sensation

Sandra Betzina & Ron Collins


........just "some" of  my favorite places to go!

Did you notice my counter ~  top left margin  ~ "9" days left :)))))


More to follow........

Pumpkin Patch!

I made these cute Pumpkins for my family.

I normally don't make craft seasonal things but after making

just "one" of these pumpkins, I was hooked.
They are so cute and it was really fun to make them
and

it was a very quick project.

It felt good starting and finishing a project in one session.

 I just had to make more and share them!

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving week end!

Fun Pumpkins to Make!

It sure looks pretty!

This one is mine but I bought more fabic today and I will be making four more

to give away to family :))

Hope you are all having a wonderful week end!

Ann

Sites I`ve enjoyed this week

Silhouette Patterns - has new patterns (Fall 2011 Pattern Pre-sale ends today :)

-in this  Fall Fashion Webcast Peggy also shows these new patterns made up.
I love the sweater!

 

Fashion Fabrics

- I thought this Sweater knit  would be great for the Silhouette Sweater pattern 311

Black/Red Boucle Sweater Knit 1186

Seamingly.com - has a facelift (I just noticed it this week)

- you can join and create an account

I`ve re-visited the Otis College -  

- a reminder- my favorite video Stitching Techniques for the Tailored Jacket

Embroidery Library

- I love these Little Miss Monkey designs

and A Peek-a-Boo Zoo  designs.
These are the designs I will use for the quilts I want to make
 for my grand children.
They will make cute and fun blocks!

DIY Fluffies
- I found this adorable stuffed elephant pattern on etsy..

Have a great week-end.


 

Frogs & Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

....that's what little boys are made of.

I made my little grandson

this quilt.

 It is an adorable flannel print ~ I bought from Sewing World.

It was such a fun and very easy way to make a quilt.

I had no small pieces to cut or endless sewing.

click to see details

All I did was ~

* sew the borders to the panel

* a local lady  (Penny- Beaverdam Quiltery Hand Guided Machine Quilting)
machine quilted the design of the buzzing bees.

She did an awesome job.

click to enlarge

* I attached the binding to the front of the quilt by machine and then folded it to the back and hand stitched it in place.

* I embroidered his name on the back of the quilt. 

Click to enlarge

He loved it! 

I haven't made many quilts ~  but I  enjoyed making this one so much that I have

 "four" more quilts being planned out :)

(Not panel quilts for these)

* one for my husband (African theme)

* one for Ella (monkey theme)

* one for Serena

* one for Duncan

* one for  Megan....

I see how this works, that's five...You can easily get carried away  :)

A new Serger for "Me"

Today I picked up a new toy!
My husbands idea ~  of course I  approved ;))

~ A Pfaff coverlock 4.0 ~

coverlock™ 4.0 - Sew like a pro!

"5 threads, LCD Graphic Touch Screen and a large variety of stitches.
Are you looking for the overlock machine that has everything?

The PFAFF® coverlock™ 4.0 overlock machine is for you! Its ultra-modern design fulfills all promises. The most modern convenience and a huge repertoire of stitches mean even more perfection and reativity. The PFAFF® coverlock™ 4.0 overlock machine offers all the features of the preceding models plus even more sophisticated extras"

(photo's and description taken from the Pfaff site)

Extension table included


I love everything about this machine, but what I really like is this feauture:

"Easy to change from overlock stitches to coverstitches - No needle plate/presser foot change needed at conversion for different stitches"

My husband is truly the greatest!

I wonder "Why" did 'Dial Textile'.....

.... get rid of  all their Fashion Fabrics?????????

I have been looking forward to shopping at Dial Textile -  for months.

The last time I was at their store was a few years ago ~  and they had the most amazing Fashion fabrics!
They had so many choices of lovely and just gorgeous  fabrics...It was a fabric dream store....and  I did buy some fabric at that time ;)

So when I was in Quebec City this past weekend for a very short stay ~ I had very limited time but I went out of my way to make time 
to stop in ~ and then ~ I was disappointed.

They are mostly a Home Dec fabric store now!?!

There was some fashion fabrics in their lower level..lower level!!.... they had  nother this time that really stood out - nothing like they had before!

I left empty handed!!!   I bought nothing!!!  :(

If you are looking for Home Dec fabrics ~  you are in luck - they have a wide variety of beautiful home dec fabrics! and this would certainly be "the" place to go.

Next up ~ Silhouette Patterns # 241 & 3400

Gucci`s Knotted Top - # 241

Picture from Sihouette site

&

Three Piece Yoga Pants - # 3400

Picture from Silhouette site

~ I've  been very anxious to try some of my Silhouette patterns ~

so these two patterns have been bumped up the list and are now on my cutting table.

I also wanted to pass on that the service at Sihouette Patterns is excellent.

Peggy is extremely pleasant to deal with.

I ordered the French curve along with patterns and they went above and beyond to package

the French Curve so it would & could not get broken.

Their effort is well noted and appreciated  :)))


Silhouette Patterns (Peggy) also has great videos and you can view her webcasts from her website or here!

Have a great Day!

Work + Baby = No Sewing

There is not much sewing happening  around here lately. 

There is just way too much baby watching going on....which is truly fine.

Landyn is adorable and such a good baby. ..whether he is sleeping...

or awake.... someone is always checking him out :)

It's very hard not to...he is pretty amazing!

** I have been buying  patterns ~  Silhouette patterns ~ and  I'm pretty anxious to make some of these up **

Baby has arrived!

Congratulations to Serena and Kyle!

"Landyn" was born on Friday ~ 21 Jan 2011 ~ 7:45 pm.

He weighed 9 lbs 12 oz!

Both Mommy and baby are home today and everyone is doing well.
 

He is adorable!

Landyn sound asleep ~ on his way home today!

 
We are all so very happy and proud  : )

Get a Grip...

........ of your rulers.

I wanted to post about a notion I recently bought and  now I believe it  is a must  have if you cut fabric with a Rotary cutter and ruler technique. (Perfect for Quilters)

It is called The Gypsy Gripper.

I frequently use my Rotary cutter and a ruler to straighten fabric edges, cut strips and most recently to make blankies and "little" baby & doll accessories.

If you have used this technique you know that even though you are very very careful ~ every  now and then the ruler moves/slides and the rotary cutter  slips...that blade is some sharp....I've never cut myself  .....but

 I'm always afraid I  might ~  Not a good thing to happen.

So when I saw this Gypsy Gripper at  Sewing World there was no hesitation on my part, I definitely had to buy it.

This notion easily attaches to a ruler.

You press the suction cups down on to the ruler, flip the levers to lock it in place ~ voila ~ done!

You hold the handle, so now your  hand that is holding the ruler is away from the Rotary cutter/blade and you simply apply a little pressure on the Gripper and safely cut away.

 Very Safe.

It's not heavy so it feels very comfortable to move around.

If you want to use another ruler just flip the levers to release the suction cups and move the Gypsy Gripper to another ruler.

Very simple.

This product probably has been out forever but I just found it :))) and as you can tell I'm pretty impressed with it.
I do think it's pretty awesome.


I hope you are all having a great week!

Baby "stuff"!

My daughter Serena has pretty much everything for the baby on the way. 

A few things she didn't have were receiving blankets and burb cloths, so I made these few things for baby. 

~ receiving blankets  ~

These are all flannel ~ various sizes.

I mitered every corner on all the blankets

~ burb cloths ~

These are flannel on one side and terry cloth on the other.

I had never heard of these until my daughter told me about them.

One of her friends had some of these cloths so Serena drew one out to show me what they looked like and I made her some.

They are to be  placed over  the shoulder when feeding/burping the baby. 

(When my children were born I used receiving blankets for this purpose but these definitely appear to be a less bulkier and updated version.)

I saw a cute little quilt made up at one of my local 

sewing stores ~ Sewing World ~ and I bought the panel, so I will also make them a  crib quilt. 

I'll post pictures when it is done ~ the panel is adorable!

I made Ella a fleece blankie with the fabric she chose. 

Hers is the one on the left  in the picture below.

For Ella's dolls I also made a matching blankie with  pillow and with the left over terry cloth I made her various size cloths to imitate the burb cloths and change table pads.

Serena has her bags packed and ready for the hospital and everything is ready for baby to arrive.

Since Kyle is away I am her "partner" in the delivery room so I am ready too....
... we are all waiting patiently!

Serena is hoping next week will be the week because she is so ready :)

Serena

Isn't she beautiful?

Have a wonderful week~end!

Fabric Bread Basket - Store bought

I bought this bread basket and thought it was really cute and would also be fun to make.

I love the aprons and kitchen accessories Renee from My Sewing Space makes, so I was also thinking of her when I saw these.
There was also potholders,oven mitts  and tea towels to match this basket......I only bought the basket!

Click to enlarge

The basket is formed with the ties...

The fabric used here is very textured cotton with an embroidery.
I do have an embroidery machine but I plan on making it with printed fabrics  that will match my kitchen.
I will also make potholders and oven mitts.
I did take a seam apart and the fabric is layered between sponge, foam. It gives it a very nice feel but I won't be using foam..

Hope this is something you can use Renee :)

(The notes are probably not detailed enough. If you have any questions ask away :))))

Barcelona Blouse ~ Completed

Barcelona Blouse ~ Pattern Brensan Studio

Garment Details:

Pattern: Barcelona Blouse

Pattern Description:

This beautiful V-neck traditional Princess-Seam Blouse has a surprise twist.

The center front and sleeve contrast trim is optional so you have more choices! A great addition to any wardrobe, make without the trim for a great basic blouse, or use a contrast for the trim and collar and make the blouse your fashion statement.

Pattern Sizes:

Small,Med,Large & X-Large 

I made the small with some alterations.

Notions:

4-22 mm buttons for the front, 2- 18mm for the cuffs.

Embroidery thread #1071 - button holes & topstitching.

Pro-Weft Fusible Interfacing from Fashion Sewing Supply.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing  it?

Yes

Were the instructions easy to follow?

Extremely easy. Very well laid out and tips throughout.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

I love the style and the details of the sleeves.

I had also come across the Barcelona blouse on Pam's blog, Off the Cuff  and really  liked hers.


Fabric Used:

Corduroy ~  (called Silky Corduroy) 

After buying the fabric I went back to the store to get the fabric content.
The fabric is called silky because of the smoothness of the fabric.
The fabric is 70% cotton, 30% viscose. It feels soft almost like a flannel...

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

I took in the princess seams, front and back, by quite a bit. (I didn't measure but I'd guess appox 1")

I think an x-small would have been closer to my size.
I prefer the feeling of a more fitted cuff against my wrists so I did keep the open cuff detail but added a button to partially close the opening. That feels comfortable to me and I do like that detail.


Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

I like the fit of this blouse and because of the trim details for the front and cuffs,  I can see this blouse being made up again and playing around with the trim options.

I highly recommend this pattern.

Conclusion:

I enjoyed making this blouse. The instructions were easy to follow and the pattern pieces went together perfectly.

Brensan Studio also has a Blog ~ Bren's Sewing Blog.

I will add another picture next time I wear the shirt!

Happy New Year!

I wish you all the very best for the New Year and may you also have a  wonderful Sewing Year!