Super fast sewing!

So I received the fabric Sunday lunchtime-ish. Skirts all done for Bedtime. So, no I did not have to make them in my sleep. All except the buttons, which went on this evening, ten minutes before collection.
So that just left tops. I had my brief. Little jackets, diagonally striped, Peter pan collars, and puff sleeves. Coming down in little points, like a fancy waistcoat. Simple. Unless the fabric is lengthwise striped, so we are now sewing on the bias.
I think we need to line these with polycotton, for stability. And put facings on the fronts to take the buttons and buttonholes. Puff sleeves- fairly simple. Ok we are off.
But not till Monday evening, after work. So, I sorted out pattern pieces, and cut out one top on Monday evening.This is when you realise what you have failed to allow for. The stripes on the sleeves. Now, I don't know about you, but I generally cut out sleeves on a double layer, so two sleeves are cut at the same time. Not this time though. The stripes have to go in the right direction so they go across the whole thing. Cutting back to back I am unconvinced we are going to get that. So each sleeve and each front is cut individually.

Tuesday got it put together.And because I am fraught, I forget to take photos. So, although the orange one was made first, the green one is the one taken on its own. So All done except the collar.

Wednesday is my day off. So collar first thing, and then three more tops, cut out, with all their linings, interfacing and collars, takes me till lunch. An afternoon spent on the overlocker, and then the rest of the evening on the flatbed, chain stitching- thank goodness I could just use white thread, If I had had to keep changing thread I wouldn't have done it!

And then covered buttons. I got a gizmo for covering buttons, and it is a dream!

No more carefully cutting the right size circle, little running stitch round, etc. Now I just cut a rough square, the right size, put it in the hole, press top down, and trim ends and corners straight across th top, Add the top plate, and cover. Press quickly and you are done. Easy peasy and beautiful!
So twenty covered buttons done in about 15 minutes.

So they are all done and dusted in very short order!

Want a look see?

I hope they tap well enough to warrant such pretty outfits!

Collected tonight, and one happy teacher. Hope they fit....

Weekending

 I volunteered, again. I think I need my head examining! four skirts and tops for next Saturday. With a bit of luck! Fabric arrived late this morning, and four circular skirts are done. Phew. Now I have to come up with the pattern for and make four diagonally striped tops, with puff sleeves, round neck and Peter Pan collar.

Circular skirts I can almost do in my sleep, so get them done first, and if all else fails the girls can have a different top, so we are started anyway. That one theory!

I have also chosen to go in for the frame purse swap. I have never attempted a frame purse. I have made various bags, and ordered the fixings from U handbags, who are very prompt with the service, So, why not use them again, so a yummy parcel arrived through the post, on Friday, containg glue, and three frames. One in gunmetal, one in silver and one in antique bronze. (This one is really rather nice.) They advise special fabric glue, so, being new to the craft, I thought I had better get it.





I won't unwrap them firther till I am ready to play!
All sorts of ideas are spinning round my head, my partner has been very carefully selected for me, by the lovely swap mama, Nicky. She has a restrained taste, but also loves brights. She likes certain detail, but not OTT. I think she is perfect. I just hope she will love what I do- assuming I get to it in a timely fashion! My swap mama will kill me if I don't!

The other silly I have volunteered for- why did I start this lark- 'cos its fun, that's why- is a 'round the world' swap. As we all do starter blocks at the same time and post them on, I have had to come up with a block for this too!

I saw a block I liked, but it was paper pieced. I love paper pieced blocks, but hate the waste of paper. So I tried to work it out, non paper pieced.
It is not quite square, but, overall it worked. And I liked it. I had other ideas, but they didn't quite work when I tried them, so I came back to this one.

Now, when I was ordering something else, online, I couldn't help ordering some plain in 'pomegranite' -have I spelt that right- don't think so, cannot be bothered to check- so I made it again, with minor adjustments, with that as border. Like it even better!

So that will go to my nexty, probably tomorrow. They will make a block, using this as inspiration, whether looking at the fabrics, colours or block style, and then it will pass along further, and hopefully return to me eventually!

I think I bought these fabrics back when we were doing the zippy pouch swap. They were not right for that, but I loved them, and now they are working!

So my most urgent thing is the tops for my dancers, Sorry Nicky, and as soon as they are done I can do my first practice frame purse!

It would be simple if I didn't have to work as well!

Now I need to go and look at what everyone else has been up to, as I have been doing skirts to exclusion of all else.

Hurray, whoopee and dancing on the ceiling!

My gorgeous elder daughter, feisty, clever and just amazing has received some news today. Her degree has been confirmed!

Well, we were hoping for a 2:1, that would have been very nice indeed.

She phoned at lunchtime.


I had to ring her back.

She drew it out,

You know mamma, you said, if I got a 2:1 it would be the first one in this family?

Yes,

Well you can be very pleased.

You got your 2:1?

well, I am afraid not....


She got a First!

Wonderful, are you surprised I am dancing on the ceiling!

Please, go and see her on her blog and say congratulations for me she is at this address  and I am so proud of her, and so impressed, and I love her very much! But she is a long way from us here, and I cannot get my arms round her for a hug at present!

surveyors star, paper piecing

We are in the last month of the skill builder. and Leila is doing tough blocks for us. She wanted to do this lovely star, and advised us to practise on an American Beauty. But, you know how there is always one who doesn't follow the instructions? Ok I thought, I would just get on with it.
But I did not feel like downloading a pattern, 'how hard can it be to produce one's own pattern?'

Well, perhaps harder than I anticipated. It is many years since I did geometry ay school, and I had to remind myself how to bisect an angle without benefit of compass, and try to estimate proportions to get it looking right. 

 my first attempt, the secondary points are not quite pointing in the right directions,

 Second try, secondary points look disproportionately long.

 This one felt right, and turned into my 'master copy' . Photocopy no.1 was cut in half diagonally, and then four more copies were produced of the separated halves, to use as the sacrificial paper copies. And another one to cut apart for patterns for the fabric.

And then I had to remind myself how to sew the fabric on, and to not cut off the bit I wanted left at the end!

Having reminded myself of the usefulness of the stitch ripper, I eventually managed to get all the bits done, and am pleased with my result.

 

No it is not perfect, but it is good enough for me!

I also realised I never put up a picture of my finished quilt, so here it is,  laid out, rather than just part shots. Nice and snuggly, and on the back of a chair in the living room. 

And I am linking this to Ellison Lane summer sewing, just for fun! Though most of the quilts and bags there are just amazing! 

garden things

One of my silly little pleasures is to take the phone round the garden, while my daughter is talking to me. It is a small thing, but I can exclaim about the progress and tell her the sillies that are happening, at the time, and not just later and second hand.
So, lurking amongst the strawberries, is this soft, silver grey toadstool, with dainty gills on the outside. I have never seen a fungus quite like this before. It is a lovely fairy fungus, and very pretty.

Speaking of strawberries, someone has been munching, and it is not ME!












But there are some more- I will just have to get there first.


Then just some flower pictures, for fun











































This allium is a very soft dainty pale pink in life.


































 This rose has migrated around the garden, but just isn't happy in the ground! It loves to be in a pot, but just sulks if I try to plant it properly.

And a last little bit of sewing, if you have got
this far!









This pincushion has a 'proper' name, but I cannot remember what it is. It was fun to make.

Tired but happy

I am just back from the day at the theatre. I spent all day backstage, helping out, doing quick changes, calming children down and trying not to get in the way.

My flowers and swans looked gorgeous, yes I have some pictures, but without parents permission, do not wish to post- unless I can work out how to crop heads off! Or blur faces. Any one out there offering guidance?

I think I have gone potty! I have signed up for Nicky's frame purse swap, though I have never attempted such a thing before, and, as if I didn't have enough on, I have also signed up for a 'round the world' bee. Could be interesting.


Meantime I have parcels to pack and get posted, and a beckoning bed....
Happy with an early morning finish, though. You can look at that!

 I managed to get the binding finished this morning, before I went off to the theatre. And am I proud of my mitred corners!
No, they are not perfect, but the best I have managed so far, so I am pleased.

 And the rolled up one!



Yes, it is green, I like green, so that works for me! Though I do like other colours too, you know!

Winning Friday

  

Well I said it might have to be a hat! And it is a hat. My husband and my son both Morris dance, and so a hat with flowers is more or less obligatory. And I borrowed my son's hat- without asking- to do a quick draw. I know he wouldn't mind, on this occasion.







So, I wrote my numbers out- there aren't many so it is very easy- and dropped them in the hat.

 Shook it up a little and picked someone's number.

















so, 8, who are you?

it is barb, from Witzend!I shall contact you for details!
Polka dots on their way!