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You may remember me saucily hinting at a summery quilt in the works back in July and then seemingly abandoning the project. The truth is I ran out of batting, then when batting was secured I realized I had no safety pins, which then took weeks to arrive, and then I held out for a walking foot. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about living in a remote area it’s that running out of supplies is not an easily rectified problem.
Well, wait no more! Set your clocks back to summer because the Darla quilt is finally done.
It measures about seventy by fifty-four inches. Not that we own a Double or Twin bed.
The Tanya Whelan fat quarters were sent by Melina in June, the white cotton for the sashing and backing and the binding fabric (from the Sweet line by Urban Chicks) were purchased at Fabric Depot in Portland in a total panic because I could not for the life of me recall what the fat quarters looked like at all. I think they match pretty well despite my poor planning.
I hate to chop up fabrics I really like so I chose to leave the pieces pretty much whole, using the Avalon pattern from Material Obsession (also from Melina!) for the front. The pattern in the book was quilted all over in a random floral pattern but I don’t have the right machine foot for that nor the skills. Instead, I stitched a foots length on either side of the rows, making a sort of double ditch.
I’m still not completely convinced that quilting is a craft I’m well suited to. But, I still have a few fat quarters of my beloved My Folklore fabric (which has apparently been discontinued!) and a bit of coordinating linen so I may tackle a small baby quilt and then I quit! For now.
Friday was Chris’s 29th birthday (get ready for a long series of birthday posts – everyone I know was born in August or September). He had hoped to go for a hike and picnic at a local forestry centre so we braved the chilly, grey weather. I’m glad we did because we had the place to ourselves and had a lovely time.
Chris insisted on stopping at all the markers and reading aloud what they signified. That got old real fast but it was his special day.
Smores!
I would be hard pressed to say which of my boys had a better time.
Chris really liked the E-ticket Holder from the newest Stitch Magazine so I gave it a go. Twice, actually, because my first one looked like I made it with my toes. The second was a marginal improvement.
He also decided he wanted a peanut butter cake and I immediately thought of this one. He LOVED it. It is pretty damned good. I’m afraid all of our cake photos turned out blurry but just look at Deb’s and tell me you don’t want it now.
There are lots more photos of Bowie exploding with happiness over on my Flickr page. Happy Monday!
The last three days were beyond unseasonable here. Rain, clouds and frigid temperatures had me inside sewing.
Before my trip I cut the pieces for yet another Simplicity 4077 out of fabric Erin sent me ages ago so the worst part was over and I could sit down to sew!
Here is me pre-breakfast and brushed teeth, bleary-eyed and puffy. You’re welcome.
I made a whole lot of modifications this time around. I combined two views to get the sleeve and collar combination that I wanted. Then, I cut a v-neck which always suits me better.
I used red thread because I thought it would be a nice contrast with the blue.
I also ended up doing a contrasting red linen on the collar facing. We’ll pretend this isn’t because I ran out of my main fabric.
You can also see above that I added a little collar stand to make up for the extra neck width that the v-neck created.
I also didn’t interface anything after reading Melissa’s post here. I realized that many of the my garments with interfaced pieces often ended up crinkly and weird after a few washes. Plus it’s cheaper!
Also, I tacked down the button band facing with an invisicible hand stitch, which is strangely not prescribed in the pattern. Look at me paying attention to detail!
Here’s a close up of the perhaps juvenile plastic buttons I picked up on Etsy.
Featuring my worst buttonhole job. Whoops.
I really took my time with this and I’m pleased with the results!
Have a great weekend my friends. Tune in Monday for a very special Blossom Whistlepea on a special day!
I don’t even want to be around me 24/7 so I knew my friends deserved prizes for giving it a try.
Firstly, I knit them some dishcloths out of Bernat Organic Cotton.
I sewed some little loops onto the corners with some Japanese twill tape I picked up on Etsy, just to hammer the eco theme to death.
And because I was deep in my Weekend Sewing phase I made them each an apron.
I forgot to take pictures of Robyn’s apron until the evening before I left, hence the crappy kitchen photos. I was proud of this one because I used scraps of Robert Kaufmann’s Kitchy Kitchen fabric and an old Gap skirt for the main fabric. Also, say hello to Robyn’s new attention-seeking puppy Moose.
Let’s take a moment and give it up for Erin who could not be any cuter modelling hers.
You may recognize this vintage fabric from my trip to Regina last summer.
They were pleased, I was pleased but I was even more excited about continuing Erin’s knitting lesson where it had left off at Christmas ‘07 with only skeins of Cascade 220 wound into balls.
I convinced her that a hat would be more fun than a scarf and helped her buy the circular needles but I forgot all about the need for dpns. Oops. But just look at that crazy progress in just an hour or so! You can do it!
- I obviously can’t settle on a title for my Monday mash up posts. Monday Miscellany / Miscellaneous Monday sounds a bit hoity-toity so we’ll give Monday Funday a try.
- I made this Pineapple Upside Down Cake (without the mango – neither of us are fans) a few weeks ago and I’ve been craving it ever since. Chris also won’t stop talking about it.
- I just got another package from Melina in the mail. She’s my sugar mama.
This is just some of the loot. I really needed an injection of perky goods in my day.
- Ingrid (and seemingly every other woman of child bearing age) is pregnant! I’m so excited for her!
- I made English Muffins. Seriously! I had no idea they could be made at home.
The recipe is from the last Martha Stewart Living. They are very tasty.
- I continue to miss city grocery stores. The best grocery store around here has muffin shakers but no parsley or brown sugar. That one is an hour away. I don’t even want to talk about the one closest to us.
- We have not planted our vegetable garden yet because of continuing frost warnings and drizzly days. This means my little sprouts are suffering. They are really trying to stay alive though. Just look at this sweet little cucumber blossom.
The little sprout that could
- I have a rather embarrassing problem. I’ve been making socks for going on three years now yet I have never figured out how to pick up the stitches on the left side of the gusset without leaving a trail of holes.
My holiness
Right side = smoothsville. On both sides I pick up under both loops of the slipped stitch. I know there are solutions out there but a quick Google and Knitty search turned up nothing. Your input is much appreciated.
The infinitely useful Sew Mama Sew Blog has launched Sewing Machine Month with a meme that will be compiled into a grand list that can be perused by those in the machine buying market. Here is my contribution.
What brand and model do you have?
I have a Kenmore 15506.
How long have you had it?
My mom got it for me for Christmas in 2004.
How much does that machine cost (approximately)?
I think it was around $150-$200 but my mom would know better.
What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?
Primarily clothing, some home decor projects (pillows, curtains) and one quilt.
How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?
I sew more in the summer than in the winter but I would say on average I use it about twice a week for long stints at a time.
Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?
I would say ambivalent. It’s not my ideal machine but it gets the job done.
I go through phases where I think nicknaming objects is cute but come the next day I’ve totally forgotten what I called it.
What features does your machine have that work well for you?
Even though I often hear the siren call of fancy pants computerized machines, I like that my machine was simple to figure out. I hate reading manuals so it was important that I could sit down and get to work. My mom has a very old Kenmore (it’s probably about fifty now) that I learned on and the transition from one to the other was a piece of cake. I also like that it’s lightweight. I plan on getting Chris to drag it to Edmonton with him so Erin and I can stitch up some fun. And honestly it can really hold it’s own for such a plain jane. I recently sewed a very thick slab of felted wool to two layers of fabric and it didn’t even complain.
Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?
If anything ends up annoying me it’s usually my own fault. 94% of the time it’s because I didn’t thread it properly. But it has it’s shares of inherent grating quirks. I don’t like that you have to slide out the little tool drawer to get to the bobbin. It’s also loud. I didn’t know this until I saw more high-end machines at work but I definitely can’t listen to a podcast or watch a movie and expect to follow along. I wish it had an automatic button hole feature. Some pretty stitches would be nice. I’m sure when I delve deeper into quilting my wants list will grow.
Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!
Not really. To be honest I was a bit disappointed when I got it because I had casually mentioned wanting a machine months before but I guess I didn’t really mean it. Now I thank my lucky stars that my mom took me seriously.
Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?
I would recommend it to beginners who aren’t too interested in quilting or making complex tailored garments but who just want to make a few pillows or tack up a hem. I think it’s a bit foolhardy to go out and spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a show pony when you just need a faithful mare.
What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?
Number one would have to be what you are intending to use it for. I think personal taste is also something to consider. If you wear clothing with a lot of detail, like smocking or embroidery then you might want a computerized machine so that you can replicate that look. But you also need to consider your technical prowess. If it hurts you head to think of making a blog header or typing a letter instead of hand writing one you might be happier with a simpler machine.
Do you have a dream machine?
I really covet a Bernina with a Janome coming in as runner up. I’m not sure what model but I have loads of time to consider since I won’t be able to afford one any time soon. In the meantime I’m grateful that I have a reliable machine.
I’m really looking forward to what other people have to say.
My sewing mojo has been eclipsed by a reading binge this week. I finished A Handmade Life and really enjoyed it and now I’ve started Sons and Lovers which I purchased at a library book sale years ago. I have been dreaming about bags since I won Sew What Bags from the Canadian Living Make + Do blog. It’s a fun book to flip through and would be perfect for adventurous beginners. I think the series and it’s choose your own adventure style is more appropriate for garment making, like the Skirts book that I also own and refer to often, but it’s always great to round out the craft library. I am itching to make an over the shoulder bag for my trip since all the bags I own seem to be oversize or small handbags. I especially have my eye on the Town Bag from Weekend Sewing because the leather really classes it up but unfortunately I have no tinted leather in the dwindling stash.
- I got in to the Cookie A class! As if there could be more icing on that cake Robyn is also giving me the class as an early birthday gift!!!
- After discussing with Robyn all the places we’re going to shop and eat in Seattle in Portland I am now 100% excited for this trip. Money be damned I am going to paint the Western coast of this continent red.
- On a sad note, I tried to add a panel to my room slippers and ended up rendering them unwearable. I really took my time in the repair but it just didn’t take. Le sigh.
- On the finishing steps I ran out of yarn again on Pioneer. Le sigh double. Ilovemath saves the day again by sending me more yarn.
- In the meantime I finished another pair of plain purse socks.
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Brought to you by substitute teaching.
The yarn is the Paca Peds in Fireside that my mom got me in California. Sixty stitches, twisted rib cuff.
- I read Jane Eyre last week and I really, really loved it. After an English degree literature can seem like a bit of a slog but I couldn’t believe how the book sucked me in. Definitely an all time fave.
- I need a recipe for hamburger and hot dog buns. I am having no luck finding one on my own that rises and doesn’t taste really sweet.
- This Pasta with Cauliflower and Feta is my new go-to weeknight recipe. Delish.
- I was on a jag of watching movies that I really hated so I switched to documentaries and have landed on some really good ones.
- The new Jarvis Cocker and Yeah Yeah Yeahs albums are amazing. If you have any other recommendations for me please do tell.
- I shortened the sleeves on my Summer Blouse and I’m a lot happier with it now. I’m wearing it at this very moment.
- Melina very kindly sent me A Homemade Life and I can’t wait to dive in. Which is kind of funny because I’ve never read Molly’s blog.
- Erin also sent me a package which included a pack of coloured pencils. I thought that was so cute.
- I love this format. Apparently paragraphs intimidate me.
Thanks for all your input on my summer blouse. I know I’m my own toughest critic so it is really nice to gain some perspective.
I sewed all through the weekend and it was lovely. I can’t reveal most of the things I made until about a month from now but I did steal some time to make myself some slippers yesterday evening because, unfortunately, my knit Mary Janes are already riddled with holes.
Slippies!
The pattern is again from Weekend Sewing. Both the outer and lining fabrics are from Japan. Erin sent me the so cute navy fabric and I bought the animal outline print. I suspect both came our favourite shop in Obihiro; Rapport.
Peek-a-boo!
I used some lace instead of rick rack for the trim. I really think these may be the sweetest things I’ve ever sewn
Heel
Unfortunately there are two problems. The first is that I used the leftover felted sweater scraps from the great stocking project of aught-eight for the sole and foot bed and while the foot bed is darling the heel is a very fuzzy brown that resembles a skinned teddy bear and doesn’t quite match the sweetness of the upper. On the plus size, that’s an easy enough problem to remedy since the sole is hand stitched on in the final step. This is also a huge bonus if I wear through them. The other, more dire issue, is that even though I made the largest size, a nine/ten, and I am a nine they are pretty snug.
Sweet!
I really, really enjoyed making these. As they started to take a 3-D shape I totally felt like a Daniel Day-Lewis-style cobbler. Plus they only took around two hours – way less commitment than knitting a new pair.
I’m leaving for my big trip in less than a month and while I’m still freaking about squirrelling away money for hotels, meals and spending I am really getting excited. Especially since I was researching yarn stores in Seattle last night and discovered that Cookie A is giving a sock design class when I am there. Robyn is calling today to try to get me in and I am praying that it’s not full like her class earlier in the day at another shop. Wish me luck!
I am off to work so all you lucky Americans please have some shortcake and iced tea for me.
I kept true to my vow of more sewing with a project that’s been popping up everywhere; the Summer Blouse from Heather Ross’s amazing Weekend Sewing that I treated myself to a few weeks ago.
Such a romantic setting
Pros:
- It’s very comfy. Michelle and Alex gave me this fabric for my birthday last year and it’s got a nice stretch.
- Even though I worked on this obsessively yesterday I really took my time with the details and redid things if they looked crappy contrary to my usual slovenly process.
- There are no collars or buttonholes or many other little details to slow you down.
I'm laughing at Bowie sticking his head in a drainpipe.
Cons:
- The print is a bit much here, I think.
- Despite my best efforts at taking my time, my machine was stitching a little wonky and I only had dark brown thread so it still looks a little amateurish. C’est la vie I guess.
- The pattern needed a lot of mods to look decent on me and would need a lot more to be super wearable. The sleeves are freakishly long, the body is pretty short and wide and the neck is really high. I redid the sleeve hem a few times, eventually cutting off about an inch and a half and doing a wide hem and they’re still long. I have them rolled up three or four times here. I ended up unpicking the wide hem recommended in the pattern and doing a very narrow hem to make it an acceptable length but next time I would add at least another two inches. The original neckline looked crappy on me so I simply used my french curve to cut a scooped line and reattached some of the bias binding. This would have been a major headache if there was a collar.
- The contrasting bias binding took me hours. I hate making my own bias binding.
In conclusion:
- I don’t think I would make this again because it’s not very flattering on me but if I did I think I would splurge and by a cute Liberty Tana Lawn print like the one used in the book, or this adorable one model Jess Yarnmonster used or this one that I’ve been coveting like crazy. I used to think Liberty prints were very Laura Ashley circa 1992 but I’m definitely coming around.
On the stupid snow day we were kind of bored with (luckily) no where to go so we made our own fun and peppermint patties. I printed this recipe off something like seven years ago and just never got around to making them. I’m simultaneously kicking myself for neglecting it and thankful that I haven’t been gorging on these for all those years.
First you make the sticky, messy peppermint filling and cut it into rounds.
Mess central
Then you melt some chocolate chips and dip them in. We were knee deep in melted chocolate so there are no pictures of this step but through the magic of the internets voila!
Mmmmmmm
They are a bit rich and sweet but that’s fine by me because it prevented me from stuffing my face with them.
Also! Another important food update! A while back I asked for your best pizza crust recipes. I got very few responses so I’m guessing you either buy it premade or are on the hunt too. Hunt no more! This crust from Pizzaria Bianco is so amazing. It’s also in this month’s Martha Stewart Living. Here it is as a tart base with blue cheese, apples and walnuts. I seem to make the best meals when I have four things left in the fridge.
See how golden?
I also love how it makes four crusts so you pop three in the freezer and have some super quick meals in your future.
In non-food news I’m trying to get back on the sewing train. I’ve been a bit blocked by the (totally unfounded) feeling that I have no workable fabric and the (completely valid) terror that I will run out of notions when there is no fabric store within two hours of here that I know of.
I started out nice and slow with some easy peasy cafe curtains to block Bowie’s view of our neighbour’s dog taking a crap in our front yard and flying into a fit of excitement.
Look ma no snow!
The fabric is Branching Out by Anna Maria Horner and when I received it I hated it. The colour is just off somehow. Online it’s very pretty but in real life it’s got a taupiness or something that is a little weird. Plus, it had a hole right in the middle of my piece. Fabric.com was very good with replacing it but now I had five yards of this. Here in smaller doses I don’t totally loathe it, though.
