This week has been a rather reflective one. I mostly blame the arrival of the following  book. (Thank you, Carrie – guest posting at the Modern Mrs. Darcy)

I’ve only gotten 1/3 of the way through it, and now, I am only rethinking MY ENTIRE LIFE. sigh.

My Big Takeaway from it so far is this.

Yes, this ghetto sign is hanging on my desktop screen right now, and it has been for the last few days.

It is a totally necessary reminder that my time is a precious resource, and do I really need to waste it on  checking Facebook every 30 minutes or so? When using it that much doesn’t get me where I want to be? It’s time to take back my interneting as a tool to connect with others, instead of a time sucking burden that I have allowed it to become. (This blog post gives you a taste of what the book is about, if you are interested.)

phew. enough of that…

In the interest of “doing”, I have been working on a number of sewing projects, all of which I am gonna keep secret so I can dazzle you with them later. Hopefully, soonish, I will reveal to you a couple of guest posts, a couple of tutorials, and one Freakin’ Amazing (I hope) Husband-Wife Artistic Collaboration. oh yeah.

(sneak peak)

Enough time spent on this post, Jodi! Hit “Publish”. Grammar errors be darned!

Because, really.. how could I repay you with a blog post?

In a rather anticlimactic moment, I handed over the finished “Roads” quilt to Duncan, washed and dried and ready for snuggling. 

It feels strange to be done with it. I’ve been working on it for so long.

I don’t think Duncan quite believed me when I told him it was done and he could have it.

Not that it took him very long to get over the shock.

And you all were right. I don’t notice my mistakes at all. I’m just left feeling super proud of myself for having made it.

Even if it took me two years from idea to completion.

Making Plans

• The “Roads” quilt pattern is found in The Encyclopedia of Classic Quilt Patterns.
• Daydreaming
• Trying out the pattern,  Choosing fabrics
• Rounding out the fabric selection

Sewing the Quilt Top

• Cutting out the pieces
• Curved piecing with the Curvemaster
• Sewing the blocks together

Quilting & Finishing

• Making the quilt sandwich
• Quilting on a home machine
• Label & Binding

Not too long of course, because there are another three kids already putting in their quilt orders.

I’m working on putting the finishing touches on Duncan’s quilt. It’s been a long journey, and I hope you will indulge me in just a couple more note-making posts for my own future reference. 

To start off the finishing, I embroidered a simple quilt label and sewed it in with the binding on a back corner.

Quilt labels are a whole art of their own, and you can find more information about making quilt labels on Etsy’s blog. 

Then, for the final step, I am using what is known as a double fold french binding. This has to be the most ridiculously easy binding I have ever encountered. You don’t even need to iron the binding before sewing it on.

binding half sewn

I followed this amazingly thorough article on QuiltBug.com to make it. This article  covers the straight grain vs. bias debate, how to calculate yardage, and how to attach the binding, with even more details in the linked to PDF article. [direct link to pdf] Seriously, go read that PDF. She even covers how to use a rectangular piece of fabric for the continuous loop method (most other tutorials just use a square) and details how much binding will result from any size piece. You are welcome.

a ladder stitch to finish it off

Lookie here, I even found yet another use for my favorite office supply sewing tool.

I’m not quite finished yet with the binding, but I’ll post a picture once it is all done and the quilt is washed. I hope this will be soon, but my sewing time has been greatly impeded by The Great Spring Clothing Switcharoo.

Let’s play a game. How many storage bins and baskets of clothing can you count?

Please tell me you understand just how loathsome this chore is. (The clothing one, not the sewing one.)
Can. Not. Wait. To be. Done.

Thankfully, this hand sewing  makes my sewing quite portable and I can sneak in some sewing time while the kids play in the sunshine.

Have a great weekend!

***

Update: This project is now finished!

The Mission: Simple slip, Big effect

To give life to vision in my brain, the girls’ Easter dresses needed some serious poof-age.

For little Gladys’, I built netting right into the dress, but I wanted Gianna’s to be more versatile. (Think easier laundering, ability to wear petticoat under multiple dresses, etc…) 

Mission Accomplished.

And for you, a tutorial.

Materials:

• pre-made knit camisole
• lining fabric (approx. 1 yard)
• soft netting (approx. 4 yards)
• thread, marking pen, pins, etc, etc..

Step 1: Make Bodice and Skirt of Petticoat

Cut off the waist of the camisole to match the length of the dress’ bodice from shoulder to waistline (plus seam allowance).

Cut out a rectangle of the lining fabric for the petticoat’s slip. The length of the rectangle is equal to the desired skirt length, plus hem and upper seam allowance. We will be using the full width across the lining fabric (from selvage to selvage) for the skirt width.

For example, I wanted Gianna’s slip to have a 13 1/2 inch skirt when done, with a 2 inch hem on the bottom and a 1/2 inches seam at the top (plus an extra inch for finishing the top edge*). Meaning,  I cut a piece 16 inches long and 60 inches wide.

Finish the top edge of the skirt (overlock, zig-zag, whatever), and hem the skirt bottom. I know, I know. Usually hemming is the last step, but it will be easier now without the netting, and this will be worn under a dress and no one will notice.

*This lining stuff frays like crazy. So, instead of overlocking, I hemmed the top edge to keep it from fraying. This is not necessary for other fabrics.

Step 2: Prepare Skirt Netting

Using a removable marking pen, mark a line 2 inches and 6 inches from the skirts top edge. This is where we will attach the netting.

For each of the marked lines, cut a piece of netting with a length twice the distance from the line to the bottom hem long and a width 2 to 3 times the width of the skirt piece.

For Gianna’s skirt, this meant to one piece of netting was 23 inches long (2 x 11.5) and the other was 15 inches long (2 x 7.5).

I used the full 4 yards (144 inches) of netting I had available for the width. Gianna’s skirt piece is 60″ wide, so I needed somewhere between 120 – 180″.

In summary, one piece of netting was 23″ by 144″ and the other was 15″ by 144″.

Step 4: Gather netting and sew to skirt along placement lines.

Fold the shorter of the two pieces of netting in half width-wise (fold parallel to long edges) . Baste the long unfolded edges together, and then pull on the bobbin thread to gather it down to the skirts width. Pin in place along lower placement line and sew with a zig-zag stitch.

Repeat to sew a second layer of netting along the upper placement line.

Step 5: Sew the Skirt’s Side Seam

Fold the skirt in half lengthwise (fold  parallel to short edges), netting inside. Sew the short ends together, keeping the netting out of the way as much as possible. Turn right side out. Now we are ready to put the cut-off cami and skirt together!

Step 6: Sew Skirt to Cami Top

Gather the top edge of the skirt with basting stitches. Pin it to the bottom of the cami right sides facing. Sew together with a stretchable stitch (either an actual “Stretch Stitch”, or a slight zig-zag). Remove basting stitches, and you’re done!

Did you enjoy this tutorial?
Find more tutorials and patterns here.

The quilt is quilted.

I am really glad I enrolled in Ann Peterson’s “Quilting Big Projects on a Small Machine” Craftsy course. (I snatched it up when it was on sale too!) This project was way out of my comfort zone and, as I’ve said before, beginners need an expert to hold their hands. 

Craftsy courses are video lectures by some amazing craft teachers, including the fabulous Gertie and Kenneth D. King. In addition to the professionally produced videos, the courses provide downloadable course materials and access to a handy note-taking system. However, the best part of the course, in my opinion, is that the instructor is available to answer any questions that you have.

I have only had a chance to get through the first five out of eight lessons, but they are the only ones that apply to finished quilt tops. I can always come back to the course later to finish up if I want.

Knowing Ann had my back, I tackled the quilting project.

First step, I set up my quilting area. I am not a regular quilter and I don’t have one of the expensive and fancy quilting tables. Instead, I made the biggest area I could out of a table, desk, and ironing board. I needed all that room to support the quilt as I was working on it. Not perfectly ergonomical, but I am not going to be quilting on a regular basis.

Then I set up my machine with a walking foot, an Ann-recommended size 14 “Topstitching” needle, and threads for the top and bottom. I took another tip from Ann and tested my stitches on the extra batting at the edge of the quilt.

Then, I “ditched” the borders and blocks. Sounds easy enough, but I quickly discovered just how terrible I am at quilting. My stitches wobbled all over and sometimes the quilt would not feed properly and the stitch length was affected.

It was then I started my mantra…
It’s for a kid. He won’t care. It’s for a kid. He won’t care. He will love it because you made it for him. It’s for a kid. He won’t care…

Next, I decided to ignore the “Avoid quilting patterns with a lot of turns” advice and decided to ditch the road.

That was a mistake.

Maneuvering a twin sized quilt around those curves was not easy, and the “road” is a lot longer than it looks.

Plus, I decided to use grey thread because I crossed over top of the grey roads, so you can really see the mistakes on the yellow parts. wonderful.

It’s for a kid. Finished is more important than perfect…

Seriously, the whole quilt looks like this, and there are lots of little puckers where the lines of stitching come together too.

Once I survived that humbling experience, I quilted half circles in the border…

..and I was done.

Look at this face. Do you think he cares that his mom did an amateur job on his quilt?

The last step is the binding and a quilt label…

…if my kids will let me have the quilt back to finish it.

***

Update: This project is now finished!

In times of stress, it’s nice to have a deadline-free, pressure-free project to fall back on. Duncan’s quilt has been that project for me. 

When I last posted, the quilt blocks had been sewn together. Since then, I added the gray and pieced borders to the quilt top, and sewed large pieces of fabric together for a quilt back. (pictured above)

Then, it was time to make the “quilt sandwich”. I found a Craftsy course by Ann Peterson about how to quilt a large project on a small. She recommended spray basting and I followed her directions for spray basting a quilt (details also found on her website).

This not a sponsored product shot, but if Dritz wants me to review their products they can definitely send me an email.  

Then, I made the sandwich.

Well, actually, first I made real sandwiches, and while the kids were busy with them, I made a quilt sandwich.

Our house is only big enough for this twin sized. If I ever want to make a bigger quilt, we will have to move.

I had to walk outside from the front door to the back door a couple of times to move to the other side of the quilt. There wasn’t room to walk around the quilt back and it was sticky with the spray baste.

(Warm & White batting)

I didn’t trust the basting yet. So, I also put in a smattering of quilting pins.

And last night, I started to quilt.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

I don’t want to leave with a picture of my Scary Dark Mom Cave. So, here is a happy picture of two of our baby pea plants holding hands.

That’s better.

***

Update: This project is now finished!

Then, one right after another, came two occasions of grace.

The first was my husband reminding me, in a moment when I was sure that I was screwing up my children horribly and I couldn’t be a worse mother,

“God chose you to be the mother of these kids.”

It is terrifying and heartening all at once.

Then, some friends shared this beautiful article on Facebook. If you are a mother and you haven’t read it, you should. Right now.

Your children want YOU.

Me? Yes. Me.

So, yesterday, I was me. Me happens to like to do projects. She isn’t very good about playing pretend with her kids, or (shudder) supervising elaborate seasonal arts and crafts activities, or even decorating for holidays at all, or playing sports, or going on nature hikes, but, she does like to make stuff, and so do her kids.

Sew, we did.

I finally did it. Matchy-matchy dresses for my girls. 

Complete with extra poof-age and big fat sashes, because I have never met a girl that didn’t love a good twirly skirt and a big bow.

It was a fun project with some new skills learned, little details added, and many a late night sewing after Lil’ Miss Cranky Pants was put down to sleep.

The Details:

Fabric: Floral Brushstroke Sateen – Lisette Collection, polyester Satin, and a “Bridal Lining”

[Rant, because I have a blog and it makes me feel entitled to voice my opinion]
I just wanted to just how peeved I was to discover that this fabric was only 44″ wide. 44″??? Seriously? The smallest width patterns design for is 45″. I just barely had enough width to work with. It would be silly to have to buy that much more yardage for a little girls dress. So, do you hear me fabric manufacturers?!?! Don’t treat your customers, or lovely designers  like Liesl, like this!!!! Raise the price of the fabric instead of cheaping out on width.  [end rant]

Patterns: McCall’s 5791 and 5793
Great basic patterns. I didn’t even bother with the directions and did my own thing.

…like adding netting to Gladys’ skirt.

…and taking extra time to hide all the raw edges to keep my babies cozy. Why do I own a serger again? I enjoy these french seams and hidden sleeves seams much more.

Sewing teeny tiny sleeves  can be a $&!@*#&$ to sew. Make it easy on yourself, press up the sleeve hem while the sleeve is still flat (before sewing anything).  Then, sew the sleeve in “flat” before the bodice side seams are sewn up. (See Kate Sew shows the difference between “set in” vs. “flat”.)

(Thank you, all of you on Twitter and Facebook, for encouraging me to go with the puff sleeves. I really didn’t want to do the work, but it was so worth it.)

I experimented with making a pettislip for Gianna instead of building it into the lining. I used the dresses pattern as the basis. It works, but I’m not totally happy with it. I think I will have to make another, just for kicks and giggles. I’m sure Gianna won’t mind.

Some New Techniques
I  sewed in my first two invisible zippers, and they really are quite easy, just like everyone told me. And, no, you do NOT need a special foot for this. This video by Craftovision was a big help with getting started.

And I made little thread chain loops to hold the sashes in place. (Tutorial, coincidently, by Liesl)

Sashes by Sew Fearless
The thing that really makes the dresses, though, is the sashes. By golly, I am proud of them. And they were ridiculously easy to sew. yay!

Apparently, I have a thing for this color scheme, because look what I picked out for myself to wear on Easter morning. I swear it was a coincidence.

Jesus Christ is Risen! 
He is risen indeed.  Allelulia!

Happy Easter!

Posting 3-4 times per week for the sew-along was a bit too intense for me. I’ll be taking a much-needed blogging break over the next couple weeks. It will give me a chance to finish up a special project (pictured above) and to pay a bit more attention to these little trouble-makers. 

(why, yes, we do keep shot glasses with the rest of our children’s cups. Don’t you?)

In other news, I WON MY FIRST GIVEAWAY EVER! Seriously. I never ever ever win these things, but this morning I had the delight of finding this beauty in my mailbox. Thank you so much, A Girl in Paradise!

(If you are super jealous of this pincushion, as you should be, you can make your own with her tutorial.)

Have a blessed Holy Week and Easter, everyone!