Where the Orchids Grow.

The Paper Pieced Home blog hop

2015-03-23T15:37:00.001+01:00

I am very pleased to take my turn on the Paper Pieced Home blog hop today!
I got really excited when I first heard Penny wrote a book. Knowing her designs I could not imagine it to be anything other that great. She surely did not disappoint!

The Paper Pieced Home contains no less than 40 paper pieced quilt block designs and 14 projects all of which are so clever and fun it's hard to play favourites! I've included only a few of mine in this post.
The patterns come on a separate CD which makes printing them out just that bit easier.

The book starts with a really comprehensive introduction into paper piecing. Penny proves what a fantastic teacher she is by covering absolutely everything you need to know and then some! From the basics to beyond the basics there's not a single thing missing.

Penny has a way of not only making beautiful paper piecing blocks but she also designs them so that the construction of the block is done in the most logical and easy way possible. This makes even the more complicated blocks very manageable.
I'm convinced that whatever your experience and confidence level may be, you'll find something fun and pretty to make from this book.

For my blog hop project I chose the lamp block because I absolutely love the vintage feel of this design. It includes Y seams but in a way that is not at all intimidating.
I have been a little out of practice so there are a few minor imperfections in the finished block. Nothing so bad to make me want to whip out the dreaded seam ripper, it adds charm (or at least that's my excuse!) I think this block would make a fun cushion to add to my couch collection, don't you think?

In full disclosure I was asked by Penny's publishers to write this article and sent a free copy of the book in return. My opinions are all mine.

Do check out the rest of the blog hop for more of The Paper Pieced Home!

x Leila

3/16       McCall’s Quilting / Sewing Machine Block

3/17       Love of Quilting / Review

3/17       Sandi Sawa Hazlewood  of Crafty Planner / Watering Can Block

3/18       Quilty Pleasure (Quiltmaker blog) / Review

3/18       Imagine Gnats / Rotary Phone Block

3/20       Verykerryberry / Lion Block

3/21       Artisania / Cast-Iron Skillet Block

3/23       Where the Orchids Grow / Lamp Block

3/24       Katie Blakesley of Swim Bike Quilt / Layer Cake Block

3/24       House on Hill Road / Oven Mitt Block

3/24       Lee Heinrich of Freshly Pieced / BBQ Grill Block

3/26       Pink Penguin / Allie-Gator Block

3/26       A Happy Stitch / Giraffe Block

3/27       Bijou Lovely / Jar Block

3/27       Two Little Banshees / Saucepan Block

3/27       Charise Creates / Espresso Mug Block

3/30       Karen Lewis Textiles / Couch Block

3/31       Poppyprint / Clawfoot Tub Block

3/31       One Shabby Chick / Stack of Books Block

3/31       During Quiet Time / Sleeveless Dress Block

4/06       Pat Sloan The Voice of Quilting / Author Podcast Interview

The Paper-Pieced Home: Quilting a Household One Block at a Time

By Penny Layman

Interweave/F+W; $26.99

http://bit.ly/1zClNAv

318 Patchwork Patterns winner!

2014-11-12T10:22:00.000+01:00

Random Number generator has spoken and we have a winner!

Congratulations Teresa! The sew together bag has been on my 'to sew' list forever it's such a cute pattern. I will be in touch soon so World Book Media can send your copy of 318 Patchwork Patterns to you :)

Big thanks to everyone who played!

x Leila

318 Patchwork Patterns

2014-11-05T11:08:00.000+01:00

Hi, and welcome to my stop on the 318 Patchwork Patterns blog hop!

As many of you will know, this very popular book by Kumiko Fujita has been out of print and highly coveted for many years. I am so excited World Book Media decided to bring back 318 Patchwork Patterns in English! For me this has been that one book I find myself going back to over and over again for all my paper piecing needs. If you would like a chance to win the book there's a give away at the end of this post :-)

For my project I chose block #9 from the tea time collection to make this little tea cosy. I enlarged the block by 125% to make the cups 3" finished. I didn't finish each block to be 3" square but added a narrow border instead framing each cup.
If you are looking for some guidance on freezer paper piecing and how to prepare your pattern for sewing do check out Kerry's blog she wrote a great tutorial.

I used both freezer paper and foundation paper techniques to construct the little tea cups. I prefer freezer paper for fussy cutting as I can hold the piece up against the light and see exactly what my finished cup will look like. For the tiniest pieces like the handles on the cups I prefer foundation paper piecing to get a neater result. There's no rule that says you can't use both techniques for one block I do it all the time! Just remember to reverse your pattern for foundation paper piecing.

World Book media have kindly offered to give away a copy of 318 Patchwork Patterns to one lucky winner!
Give Away details:

The give away will be open to anyone anywhere but do make sure there is a way for me to contact you should you win.
To enter leave a comment on this post I'd like to hear about your favourite handmade Christmas presents, I need some inspiration ;-)
I like to give my blog followers special treatment so if you follow me you may have an extra entry simply leave a separate comment on this post. (this is not a requirement just a bonus if you'd like an extra chance to win)
Comments on this post will be disabled some time around midnight November 11th. The winner will be chosen randomly and be announced here on November 12th.

Give Away comments are now closed!

Before you leave, don't forget to check out all the other lovely projects on the blog hop!

318 Patchwork Patterns Blog Hop

October 20th Kerry  from http://verykerryberry.blogspot.com/

 Project: How to Freezer Paper Piece

·      October 22nd  Penny Layman from http://sewtakeahike.typepad.com

 Project: Gardening apron with blocks from Vegetables collection

·      October 24th Angela Pingel from http://cuttopieces.blogspot.com

 Project: Bunting from Halloween collection (You're HERE!)

·      October 27th Amy Sinibaldi from http://nanacompany.typepad.com

   Project: Tote bag with appliqué blocks

·      October 29th Amber Carrillo from http://oneshabbychick.typepad.com

Project: Blocks from Christmas collection

·      October 31st Latifah Saafir from www.thequiltengineer.com

  Project: Baby blanket from At the Circus collection

·      November 3rd Charise Randell from http://charisecreates.blogspot.com

Project: Make up kit and shoe bag from Girls’ Night Out collection

·      November 7th Amy Friend from http://duringquiettime.com

   Project: Table runner with blocks from Fruits collection

·      November 5th Leila from http://wheretheorchidsgrow.blogspot.com

Project: Tea Cozy from Tea Time Collection

·      November 12th Caroline from www.sewcanshe.com

 Project: Tote or pouch with appliqué block

·      November 10th Faith Jones from www.freshlemonquilts.com

 Project: Mini quilt from Vehicle Collection
  November 14th Rashida Coleman-Hale from http://iheartlinen.typepad.com

Good luck!

x Leila

Summer Skirts

2014-08-04T13:30:00.000+02:00

With the summer holidays in full flow I have only little time left for sewing. So I decided to whip up a few quick and easy summer skirts. I used the circle skirt app from By Hand London to calculate my waist radius and adjusted the length of each skirt to my own preference.

First up a 1/2 circle skirt using a left over piece of jersey from my Elisalex dress. As far as skirts go you can't get it much simpler than this. One seam for the back, one seam to attach the elastic waistband and since this jersey does not fray at all, hemming is completely optional (I'm lazy so I didn't!)

I followed pretty much the same recipe for my next skirt only this one is a 1/4 circle in a lighter weight blue floral jersey. Sooo comfy!

Next up is a maxi 1/2 circle skirt in a cheap floral poly blend. For this skirt I had to add a regular waistband and an invisible zip. It was cheap fabric mainly bought because I loved the print and it draped nicely but it was a nightmare to sew with. It kept snagging, would not submit to even the least amount of ironing, the waistband interfacing did not stick and after three failed attempts at properly hemming the skirt I got fed up and just used my overlocker instead- meh. I still like it as a handmade alternative to a skirt bought from one of the cheap chain stores. But this one most likely will only survive one summer.

Must try a half circle maxi again in nicer fabric next time as I really do enjoy wearing a long flowy skirt!

Hope you are all enjoying a lovely summer!

x Leila

Little House Pouch

2014-06-16T08:48:00.000+02:00

A little while back I was contacted by the lovely Lindsay from Zakka Workshop Patterns. This publishing company translates popular Japanese patchwork patterns into English making them more accessible to us non Japanese speaking folks. Of course I jumped at the opportunity to try out some of their patterns for myself, all of the projects looked super cute!

I made the house make up case.
I'm usually much too impatient when it comes to following the written instructions on a pattern, especially when it comes with pretty colourful diagrams like these do, I tend to jump straight in and start sewing. But since I was to leave a review I made sure to follow the step by step instructions carefully. The written instructions combined with pretty diagrams that include all the measurements make constructing this cute little pouch a breeze. There are templates included for all the patchwork pieces which can be traced onto the fabric or copied onto freezer paper for reuse.
There is a ton of hand sewing and hand quilting involved which makes this little pouch a perfect portable sewing project for summer.

I really enjoyed adding all the little details to my pouch and it gave me a little distraction from the painful recovery after having my final wisdom teeth extracted - ouch! (Almost back to normal now it's been over a month - woe is me)

The patterns are available for purchase here.
Keep an eye out for Zakka Workshop Patterns if you have been looking high and low for Kumiko Fujita's long out of print Patchwork 318 as they will be reprinting the translated version sometime in the future!!

x Leila

Liberty Quilt

2014-04-30T11:47:00.000+02:00

I'm over on the Liberty Craft Blog again with a tutorial how to make this quilt!

I have forever wanted to make a whole cloth quilt and couldn't think of anything better than beautiful Liberty fabric to make one with :-) I chose some of my favourite Liberty Tana lawns to work with since this quilt is all about the fabric. It's so soft and cosy it has quickly become our favourite 'snuggle up on the couch' quilt :-)

This is a fun, beginner friendly project for those new to quilting and a satisfying quick make for those more experienced.

If you've never made a quilt before and the prospect of making a ton of patchwork blocks seems a little daunting still, this would be a great quilt to start with!

Find out more here.

x Leila

Jamie Jeans

2014-04-22T17:38:00.000+02:00

I feel like starting this post with an "OMG you guys... I made frikkin' jeans!!'
It's not modest and all but I am so very proud of my latest make :-D
I love making pretty dresses but the reality is that in my every day life I pretty much always grab jeans and a tee for comfort and practicality. Now I get to do that and wear handmade I'm excited!

Pattern: Jamie Jeans by Named
Size: 38ish
Alterations: yes
Fabric: black Stenzo stretch jeans and faux leather contrast pocket detail.

The Jamie Jeans are from the first collection of sewing patterns by Named. I really loved it when it was first released but since I had not installed a zip fly in well over ten years I wasn't so confident I could pull it off on instructions alone. With the release of their latest collection however, the designers have kindly included updated instructions with diagrams and all sizes are included now in the PDF files.

The only downside is that there are just two sizes per pattern sheet. I so happened to fall between a size 36 and 38 and they are not on the same sheet! So I had to print and tape two full pattern sheets to be able to grade between the sizes, lets just say that wasn't ideal. And in retrospect I'm not entirely sure I did it right or that I needed to grade between the sizes at all. I was worried a 36 would be too tight around the waist creating the ever flattering muffin top. But my pair is rather loose around the waist and hips. I did add the belt loops so I can wear these belted, hiking up your jeans is not very ladylike now is it ;-)
Next time - and there will be a next time for sure! - I will make a straight up 36 and see how that goes.

Like I mentioned before I had not installed a zip fly in over a decade and never made jeans before so I took to the internet for help. I found these step by step pictures very helpful, thank you for sharing JenniferR!
I used proper jeans top stitching thread which I do think makes the finished jeans look more polished and professional. I did struggle a little with my thread tension using this thread, by the time I got it right I was nearly done.

If like me you haven't sewn your own jeans yet but really want to I can highly recommend you just go for it! The Jamie Jeans are really not that difficult and the confidence boost you'll get from sewing them is well worth the effort!

All my favourite picture taking places have been taken over by paint buckets and workmen, I quickly had to vacate the outdoors as I feel self conscious enough posing without an audience! Sorry for the grainy quality my camera does not cope well with indoor lighting and some of these are over exposed on purpose to show more of the details.

One pair down, I think many more to come!

x Leila

Archer

2014-03-12T14:16:00.000+01:00

Pattern: Archer by Grainline
Size: 2
Alterations: none

While I was sewing this shirt I realised I have never ever sewn a button up shirt before. Most of the techniques involved weren't totally new to me but it was a first nonetheless. I think I did pretty good!

There was endless fretting over matching up the plaid fabric, which was a total steal at only €1 a metre it's a soft cotton or cotton blend (not sure) not quite brushed cotton but it comes close.

The Archer shirt pattern has been around for a while which gave me a chance to browse through the various versions and pattern reviews. I noticed that on most the sleeves sit quite low, since I have rather narrow shoulders I decided to go down a size in the hopes of getting a more fitted look. It did not work out entirely the sleeve still hits a tad low and in hindsight I believe I'd have been better off choosing my regular size for a more relaxed fit. The shirt fits me perfectly however and I didn't need to make any fitting adjustments so I'm just nitpicking over details now!

I found the sew along posts most helpful in constructing the bits that were new to me, sleeve vents, collar stand it all came together really well.
Sure I made a few mistakes, I sewed the buttonholes in the wrong way on the sleeve cuffs but we'll just won't mention that ;-)

I added a little Liberty to the inside yoke, the prints clash together in a way that I find most pleasing :-)

It's not exactly a party dress but I still get to wear something new and handmade for my birthday :-)

x Leila

Elisalex

2014-02-06T17:08:00.000+01:00

Pattern: By Hand London Elisalex
Size: UK 12
Alterations: yes
Fabric: black on grey leopard print heavy knit jersey bought on sale here

What I love about this dress

Well just about everything! I love the low cut back, I love the fitted bodice I love the full skirt! It's such a fun and feminine shape and lends itself well to all sorts of variations. The pattern has been around for a while so if you google you will find tons of different versions of the Elisalex dress made up in all sorts of fabrics proving just how versatile this pattern is. There's a sew along on the By Hand London blog which is a great resource.
Most of all I love that I feel pretty wearing my Elisalex :)

What I changed:

I slashed a good 6" off the length of the skirt before I cut out my fabric so it would hit me just below the knee. After trying on the near finished dress I looked like I was drowning in it. What looks good on a taller woman was completely overwhelming on me (I'm 1.64m). So I chopped another 6" or so off the skirt a little too enthusiastically. I hemmed with narrow bias binding which is a really neat finish and saved me from ending up with a scandalously short skirt - result!

I didn't line the bodice simply because I had no suitable lining at hand. Instead I finished the neckline and sleeves with the same narrow bias binding I used for the hem.

I added pockets, love me some pockets :)

I cut the sleeves at 3/4 length.

I straightened the shoulder seam. This has become a standard alteration for me to combat gaping necklines.

I took out some excess fabric in the bodice, it's designed to be close fitting so it was important to me to get that right. I had intended to make this dress from a cotton blend that I soon found to be too lightweight to hold the shape of the skirt well. By then I'd already traced all my pattern pieces and was too lazy to do it again. I really should have gone down a size to better account for the stretch in my fabric. Instead I simply pinned away the excess fabric along the princess seams until I was happy with the fit.

I struggled with the sleeves. The sleeve cap sat slightly off the shoulder but that wasn't the biggest issue the sleeves looked oddly creased and baggy on me. Almost as if I had sewn them in backwards - which I had not I checked ;) I don't feel confident at all making adjustments to sleeves and have always tried to steer clear of it. But the alternative would have been to go sleeveless in my winter weight dress - it's still far too cold for that! So I gave it my best shot and redrafted the curve of the sleeve, flattening it out a little at the back and shaving off a fair amount at the front creating a deeper curve. I am really not sure if this is the proper way one should go about altering sleeves so if you came here because you have the same fitting issues please be aware that I was winging it! I just know from experience the type of sleeve that fits me best and tried my hardest to redraft the Elisalex sleeve accordingly. It's better now than it was before, not perfect. I still have lots to learn.

x Leila

Deer & Doe cut out skull Plantain - my entry

2014-01-30T17:57:00.000+01:00

Having seen so many fantastic versions of the Plantain t-shirt already I felt the need to push outside my comfort zone and try something different. I had only one suitable fabric at hand and it wasn't at all what I would have ideally chosen for this shirt. It's a medium weight sweater knit but without the plush softness on the inside in a muted greyish brown…meh!
But having to work with such a plain fabric made me push my boundaries just that little further and opt for a bit of drama. I am loving the end result!

Behold the cut out skull Plantain ;-)

I googled images for cut out skull t-shirts and used those as a guide to draw the outlines straight onto the back panel with an erasable marker. After that it was only a matter of plucking up the courage to start cutting.
For the elbow patches I used some faux leather. I made a size 38 no alterations and it is a little large on me. The relaxed fit works well with the skull but next time I will go down a size.

It was a bit of a race against the clock to get my t-shirt ready in time. Luckily it comes together pretty quick. Excuse the dark pictures I was in such a hurry to get them done before sunset!
If you would like to enter in the Deer & Doe challenge you'll have to be quick, it ends midnight tomorrow!

x Leila

January

2014-01-20T21:51:00.000+01:00

January began slowly getting back into the old routine of school runs intermittent with colds and a few days cooped up indoors with the flu. Although this time of year is far from my favourite I'm sticking to my new years mantra of 'out with the old and in with the new'. It seems to be working so far :)

So as not to let the excuse of my neglected and messy sewing space keep me from creating I had a good tidy up complete with pushing around some furniture and reorganising my sewing pattern collection. Which I promptly rewarded myself for by adding more patterns to the stash ;)

In a flash of inspiration I came up with this idea for a quilt. I had every intention of being sensible and making a cushion first with raw edge appliqué to get a quick fix of what the design would look like without committing to yet another project that may end up on the ever growing w.i.p pile. It looked very promising at the stage when I took this picture. But I had some serious issues with the fusible interfacing I used. I had to unpick my stitches so often because the thread broke or the stitches became uneven as the sticky interfacing kept clinging to the needle and clogging up the eye. It was a mess and there's only so much unpicking one can do before the fabric starts to look worse for wear. I'm still quite excited about the design and keeping my fingers crossed that what looks good on paper will translate well into a larger scale quilt. I find this difficult to predict sometimes.

After all this I needed a quick and easy fix so I made myself a new dress. The pattern is the Lady Skater from Kitschy Coo
It's a lovely every day sort of dress style that can be dressed up or down as you wish with different fabric choices and or accessories. I made the pattern as is no alterations. The weight of the skirt dragged the waistline down a bit lower than I think is most flattering on me. It still needs hemming so I may as well fix the waistline while I'm at it. But I might just wear it with a wide belt and call it done :)

Last but certainly not least one of the highlights for me this month was the release of Playful Little Paper Pieced Projects. I am super excited to be a little part of this fantastic book compiled by Tacha! As these things go it was ages ago when I worked in secret on my blocks and I'd half forgotten what they looked like. To see them all professionally photographed in a real book is quite surreal experience!

I'm obviously biased but I believe this book has something to offer for anyone interested in paper piecing. It has a very comprehensive introduction on paper piecing and the various techniques one can use. For those of you that are new to paper piecing or unsure where to begin this would definitely be a great place to start! But there are all sorts of fun blocks and projects to make for those that are more experienced as well.
The book really deserves it's own blog post with some proper pictures, seeing as this is quite a lengthy post already I will save that for later!

Leila x

Wrapping up 2013

2013-12-27T12:22:00.000+01:00

As the year draws to a close it's only natural to look back and reflect. I have very mixed feelings about this year, I withdrew a bit from all my online social activities and gave in to my need for a little solitude. As good as the quiet has been, at times it also made me feel like I missed (out on) a lot.
I have started way more projects than I finished, I've shared less than what I made, I still have quite a few belated bee blocks to finish (oh the shame!) I did not finish a single quilt but my wardrobe is starting to look better and better. I think that all the while what I've really been working on was creating more space. Removing the clutter, in my brain in my home, in my sewing, in my parenting. More space to grow, more space to create, more space to just be. It's been a bit of an intangible subject for me to share as most of it happens beneath the surface.

Anyway that was 2013, no predictions or resolutions for the new year as I tend not to stick to them anyway ;) Just out with the old and in with the new, isn't that what the new year is all about?

Wishing you all a very happy and creative New Year!

x Leila

Blair Batwing

2013-11-12T23:14:00.002+01:00

I am sure most of you have already stumbled upon Named patterns by now. The fresh clean designs are beautiful and modern - I love them! The patterns come in PDF format (I'm a fan) but unlike most indie PDF sewing patterns you will have to trace the pattern pieces yourself. I did not mind this so much as for the top you only need three pattern pieces and it was still quick and easy to go from printing the pattern to cutting the top. I also appreciate saving some paper and ink by not having to print out a ton of pages.

I opted for a slinky knit blend to make my Blair Batwing top because the colour and drape are lovely (not sure what sort of jersey it is exactly but it has considerable shine so I bet it contains some lycra?) I knew it would slip and slide all over the place and would be a little frustrating to deal with but I didn't expect it would be near impossible to press the fabric properly - yikes! This made an otherwise simple and quick top to sew a little more challenging to deal with.

Lots and lots of pins and patience got me through in the end ;)
I think I mentioned this before but when working with slippery knits I like to cut on the carpet rather than on a table this helps with sliding somewhat and makes it easier to cut accurately.
If the garment keeps sliding off my ironing board I will pin it on and move the pins as I am pressing.
As for pressing fabrics that don't want to be pressed, I have little advice to offer. Use a pressing cloth, use the lowest setting on the iron, use your fingers, use lots of pins, keep fingers crossed and try your best not to ruin the fabric!

In the end I am glad I did not opt for a more stable jersey knit as I think the drape of this fabric really makes the oversized rather boxy shape of the Blair Batwing work for me. Plus it's super soft and comfy to wear which is always a good thing if you ask me!

x Leila

Good times

2013-10-21T21:12:00.000+02:00

I have a few winners to announce for the Patchwork Please sew along but before I do I wanted to share some happy news.
This weekend my dear brother married his childhood sweetheart. They have one of those rare loves that was always meant to be. They grew up together, fell in love in their early teens and haven't stopped falling in love ever since. All the more reason to celebrate their love with a beautiful wedding :)

One of the things I loved is that they pulled together all their friends and relatives to help them design the entire event. Everything from the invitations, wedding gown and bridesmaid dresses to the flower arrangements, cake, menus...well too much to mention really! It was all done with so much love and care it was simply spectacular!
It was a perfect wedding my heart still overflows with love for you both! xxx

My brother and his wife back when they were five years old.

I made this felt flower ring bearer cushion for them.

On to the winners of the Zakka Sew Along.
First winner receives a mini fabric bundle and stickers from Form and Fabric as well as an Aurifil sample pack

.

Next three winners will receive an Aurifil sample pack.

And the winner of the Pellon charm pack is:

Congratulations to all of the lucky winners! Please email me your postal address so I can send your goodies to you :)

x Leila

Zakka Sew Along - Prettified Pincushion

2013-10-07T10:59:00.000+02:00

It's the final stop on the Zakka Sew Along, did you enjoy it?

Being last in line means there isn't much more left for me to say about Ayumi's beautiful book that hasn't already been said before. I truly love it! The projects are as cute as can be which is to be expected from Ayumi. And the instructions are so nicely written, it really makes me feel like she's right there with me. If you have not got yourself a copy yet you really should!

I had the pleasure of sewing the prettified pincushion. A perfectly fun little project just right for when you need a quick sewing fix. I love small sewing projects for the instant gratification of going from start to finish in just a few hours.

The pincushion is great for showcasing a few of your treasured scraps. It has just the right amount of challenge to it in trying to make those corners nice and neat and matching up the small paper pieced patchwork top which makes it a lot of fun to sew.

So last chances to win some great prizes from the sew along sponsors: Aurifil, Form & Fabric, Pellon and Pink Chalk Fabrics.

Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win one of four prizes.

First winner will win a small fabric bundle and stickers from Form & Fabric and an Aurifil thread sample pack.
Three more lucky winners will win an Aurifil sample pack.

These prizes are available for EU entries only.

If you are located in the US you can leave a comment on this post to win a charm pack offered by Pellon.

To enter please leave a comment on this post. Make sure there is a way for me to contact you should you win.
The winners will be drawn randomly and announced Monday 21st of October 2013.

But that's not all

Please head on over to A Quilter's Table to link up your finished projects. You'll have a chance to win a $25 fabric bundle from Form & Fabric and a $20 Gift certificate from Pink Chalk fabrics!

I hope you enjoyed the sew along!

With the new Flickr format I'm finding it a lot more difficult to keep up with these kind of group activities I feel like I missed quite a few projects because I just couldn't be bothered to try and navigate my way through the 'black hole'. It used to be so simple, why did they have to change it.
Thankfully there's Instagram and Pinterest or else I'd be lost!

x Leila

Victoria blazer

2013-08-29T13:05:00.000+02:00

What can I say, I absolutely love everything about my latest make!
For a while I had been shopping for just the right casual blazer without any luck, so when I stumbled upon the Victoria blazer pattern from By hand London I thought I'd try to sew one myself.

I've always been a bit daunted by the prospect of sewing a blazer because it's one of the more advanced garments to sew. But the Victoria blazer is so cleverly designed that construction is surprisingly easy!
I love how well it fits where it matters around the shoulders and arms, the sleeves are perfection and I adore the cuffs. This is such an easy to wear jacket I can see many more versions in my future!

Pattern: Victoria Blazer from By Hand London
Fabric: Black suiting with small pin dots and black voile lining both bought local.
Size: 10 UK
Alterations: none

x Leila

Eight

2013-08-26T11:15:00.000+02:00

Today you're eight years old.
You are growing up to be a bright young boy and I am so very proud of you.
You have a kind and generous heart and a talent for making others around you laugh.
You're smart, stubborn and an excellent dancer.
You still do not like kisses but you tell me you love me often which never fails to make my heart skip a beat :)
I am so immensely thankful that I get to be your mum.

Happy Birthday sweet Hunter!!

I love you more than rock & roll,

xxx mum

Vogue 8870

2013-08-08T16:29:00.000+02:00

I made a dress and I'm not sure if I like it! One minute I do, the next I'm a bit 'meh' about it.

I haven't quite figured out where my ambiguous feelings come from exactly because I like the fabric, and I like the style of the dress, and I do think it suits me. Perhaps it's the combination of fabric and style that makes me wonder how often I'll wear it. Or it could be the lack of proper accesories. It needs a belt and I don't have one that goes well with it. Could it be the length, would it be better without the dropped hem? I'm tempted to chop the back off and make it all one length... Let me know if you have any thoughts on this!

Anyway, it was a pretty easy dress to sew which is what I expected from a pattern classed as 'easy'. It has a mock wrap front, raglan cap sleeves, an elastic waist, side seam pockets and a dropped hem. I found this silky soft viscose satin at our local fabric market. Not exactly the easiest fabric to sew with but I've had a little practice and it's worth the extra trouble. You should feel how soft it is!

Here's a few tips on sewing with slippery fabrics:

I cut everything on the rug in the living room rather than on the table so the fabric can't slip and slide underneath the pattern pieces. Pattern weights come in handy too, they don't have to be proper pattern weights either I tend to use whatever is in reach. Remote controls and toys work just fine ;)
Use sharp thin pins for pinning, this is not the type of fabric you want to use your flowerhead pins on!
Use a new microtex needle for sewing I prefer a size 60/8 -70/10. These needles are sharp and thin and leave minimal marks which is good in case you need to unpick a seam.
When pressing the fabric I often pin it to my ironing board to help hold it in place. I find this especially helpful when ironing the bottom hem for instance when the dress is constantly sliding off the ironing board.
Be sure to test a scrap of fabric to see how hot you can press it and to check if marks left from pinning and sewing remain visible after pressing.
I didn't bother with fancy pretty seam finishes. Besides being slippery this fabric frays a lot so I tried to handle it as little as possible and used my overlocker to finish all raw edges.
I've read starch can help stabilise the fabric but I did not use it myself so I have no thoughts on it other than I believe it should work. :)

Dress pattern: Vogue 8870
Fabric: Viscose satin
Thread: Gutterman all purpose thread
Needle: Microtex size 60/8

x Leila

On blogging

2013-07-30T13:57:00.000+02:00

In my last class at retreat John talked with us about blogging which really got me thinking. You may have noticed the decline in blogposts from me this year and I have been wanting to do a post about it but I just wasn't able to find my voice. I think I've got it now though :)
John had a list for us of blogging do's and dont's and covered some of the pitfalls in blogging, some of which I think I fell into head first!

When I started this blog it was so I could share my passion for all things fabric and patchwork and to reach out to like minded people. Somewhere along the line however I found myself stuck with deadlines I didn't want, worrying about living up to expectations that may have only existed in my mind, working on projects that could not be revealed yet and grasping at straws what to blog about, thinking 'I must sew so I can blog!' This is completely backwards of course.

And then there's the matter of keeping up with the Joneses. The virtual world makes it seem like the grass is always greener on the other side. They all have the perfect homes, perfect lives, perfect fabrics, finishing up one quilt a week etc. I am well aware that things aren't always what they seem but it still makes me feel bad sometimes when I'm sitting here knee deep in toys and laundry in a house in desperate need of a spruce (at the least), attempting to 'have a life' or whatever that means, and most of all trying my stinkin' best to do the single mum thing which is messy and downright sucks some days.
Blogging through the lows can be an amazing outlet for some people, for me however it's not. I go silent. I suppose it's because I'm an introvert by nature. But it's also a matter of wanting to keep this a positive space and not airing out my dirty laundry on this big anonymous world wide web.

So for a while there I lost my desire to sew - like completely gone. This would not be a first for me. I have been passionate about many things in the past that I now have no desire to pursue. This time round though I found a slight change in direction from patchwork to dressmaking did the trick. Tracing back to where my love for sewing first began now fuelled by a desire to one day be able to sew a wardrobe of clothes that are just perfect for me.

This is where I'm at now; sewing a dress and ignoring the vacuum cleaner I placed in the middle of the room so I would use it! Enjoying our summer holiday while it lasts. Allowing that little man to drive me up the wall and instantly forgetting it all when he smiles at me.

How are you doing with this blogging thing? Do you feel the pressure, do you sew to blog sometimes, do you hop from one craft to the next, ideas, thoughts? I'd love to hear from you!

x Leila

Fat Quarterly Retreat London 2013

2013-07-27T19:46:00.000+02:00

I'm finally back home and feeling somewhat like myself again. I've been travelling and holidaying for nearly a month and it was absolutely wonderful, so it feels strange to be back to normal again.
Last stop on my trip was Fat Quarterly Retreat London.

I forgot to pack quite a few essentials amongst which my camera so I'm s~~tealing~~ borrowing a few photos from others for this post. Please see links below for the original source of the photos, I asked for permission but got impatient so I went ahead and used them ;)

My classes were all fantastic, I took embroidery with John, Touchdraw with Lynne, Portholes with Lu and ended with John again in his blog design class that wasn't about blog design at all ;)
They were all wonderful teachers and left me feeling very inspired to sew, embroider, design and blog.

Source

One of the highlights for me this year was the Liberty talk I was lucky enough to attend on the Friday morning. It was just wonderful to see how these beautiful prints are made and learn a bit more about the history of Liberty.

John provided us with some excellent embroidery patterns this one is by Alison Glass

In between classes there was plenty of time for socialising. Having been to retreat last year I found this a little easier but still slightly daunting. There are just so many people! I'm not overly shy but I worry about imposing so butting in when people already seem to be grouped together and chatting isn't the easiest thing for me to do. It was exciting to reunite with some old friends from last year and make a few new ones.
Getting to meet your online friends in real life is truly the best part about retreat!

Source

And then there were fabrics of course and tons of pretty bags, dresses, quilts etc. from so many talented people. There were goodie bags, swaps, a pub quiz and quilt market. The Baden Powell House was positively buzzing with creativity. For someone like me who is used to being home alone with the kiddo, it was soooo much to process!
It was exciting, exhausting and overwhelming all at once.

Goodie bag and some of it's contents

Then quite suddenly it was time to say goodbye and catch the tube with my new friend Rachel. Once she had reached her stop and we said our goodbyes it hit me that it was really all over :(
Well that is until next year of course!

x Leila

Liberty Stile Sunglasses Case and Passport Cover tutorial

2013-06-20T21:35:00.000+02:00

I am over on the Liberty Lifestyle blog today sharing tutorials for two summer projects using their latest fabric collection; Stile.
I made a sunglasses case and a passport cover, both come in super handy for going on summer outings or a holiday.

Head on over there to get the full details on these projects.

I hope you like them!

x Leila

Bloglovin'

2013-06-19T10:38:00.002+02:00

So the word is that Google Reader is on it's way out and we should all switch to something else. I'm really not great with these things so I just did what I saw most other bloggers do and claimed my blog at Bloglovin'

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

I've also added the cute widget to my sidebar, so if you'd like to click on the link and follow me :)

Leila x

Fortune Cookie Clutch

2013-06-17T20:39:00.000+02:00

How was your weekend?
I finally got round to making a Fortune Cookie Clutch. I've had the frame for about a year now it's shameful really!

You can get all you need to make this cute little purse at U-handbag
I dug into my scrap pile and cut a bunch of 1.5" squares for the main body, paired with my favourite Essex Yarn dyed linen.

No matter how hard I try not to I always end up with glue everywhere trying to insert the pouch into the frame! Some of it ended up on the fabric unfortunately, I'm hoping I'll manage to tidy it up somehow. I was wondering if nail polish remover would work...but then I'm worried I might damage the fabric- any ideas?

The phone charm was another sweet gift from Kerry. I have an old crappy phone unworthy of such a cutie so I thought it was better suited here. It's a little bear sitting in front of his house eating from a bowl, so cute!

In other news the first glimpse of our book popped up, I'm sooo excited my umbrella block even made it to the cover! It will be a while before it's out yet but at least I can share this little preview now :)

x Leila

Theresa Dress

2013-06-14T17:40:00.000+02:00

With only two weeks left before our summer holidays start I'm in a frenzy to whip up some new clothes. I will be away for the entire month of July and want some handmade garments to wear to Fat Quarterly retreat. Wasting no time I plunged myself right into the Theresa dress.

I know it's not modest or anything but this is the best dress I have ever sewn! I'm actually quite proud of myself.

It is such a flirty and feminine dress with it's twirly skirt and fitted bodice, I simply love it. The pattern is available for download on the BurdaStyle website. I love being able to download a pattern and get started straightaway. The instructions that come along with the pattern however...well let's just say they could be better ;)

I panicked a little at first, I had this beautiful Liberty lawn that I for sure did not want to mess up. I could not remember the last time I had sewn an invisible zipper (if ever I still don't know!) The construction of the yoke had me puzzled. I wasn't feeling overly confident I could knock this one out.

I took my time with it but did not have to make any major adjustments to the fit of the pattern. Which was a big plus as I think I may have chickened out otherwise. I did have to take out the yoke and the armbinding as the yoke was wavy and the binding gaped. I am glad I went back to fix them as they look much nicer now.
Like I said I can not remember if I had ever sewn an invisible zipper before, I had to rush out to go buy a foot for my machine so if I had it was a loooong time ago. It was easy enough really I had no problems with it. I found this tutorial to be very helpful.

Did I mention I love this dress? It's been far too long since I spun around in my new dress :)

x Leila

Datura #2

2013-06-10T22:14:00.001+02:00

If I like something I usually can't stop at just one so I made another Datura top. This one was made with beautiful Liberty lawn a sweet gift from Kerry.

The construction was as straight forward as can be, no alterations no mistakes my seam ripper was starting to feel sadly rejected ;)

I should have taken pictures of me wearing it of course but I was really not in the mood to be in any photos today so it's on the hanger instead.

I don't particularly enjoy sewing buttonholes and since there is no real need for them I sewed the buttons straight onto the placket. I really like the way the back of this top is designed, all too often patterns have a lot going on in the front with very little attention to the back.

More dressmaking has ensued I'm making the Theresa dress next. I'm excited about this one if my quick toile is anything to go by I think it will be a cute fun summer dress!

Oh, and the CD in the first photo is Laura Marling's latest album I've been listening to it non stop, I'm in love! Have a listen if you like :)

x Leila