Raine Style Pajamas

I am the lucky mom of a great kid. My daughter is my pride and joy, of course, and I will brag on her without warning, ad nauseum. Just so you know.

When she was born, I thought about all the cute girly things that I would get to make for her... but, no. Ever since she was three, girly have been O.U.T!!! I've experimented with this or that garment, with mixed success. She definitely has a sense of style that is playful, tom-boyish, quirky, and totally her.

When we strolled through Jo-ann's one day, she browsed through the silkies, and pulled out a jungle print fabric with jaguars on it. Beautiful, but what would she wear made out of that? I talked her in to looking at the cottons, and we picked out some different animal prints for an outfit (posted about soon). I hoped that would be it. But, no. The next time we were in Jo-ann's she headed right for that same fabric. She REALLY loved it. Really. Hmmm I thought. OK, it's on sale. One yard. I'll figure out something.

Well, I figured out pajamas. Shorts and a tank top. (had to go back for about 2/3 of a yard to make the top) I found some hem tape and some bias tape as well, since I knew those edges would ravel. The week before school was out, I cut them out - along with 2 pairs of shorts and a sleeveless top (hope she's going to like that one).

Yesterday, I fiddled with the serger (looked in the instruction manual, too) so that it would sew that lightweight, slippery fabric properly, and got the pieces put together. The hem tape around the arm and neck openings didn't work out, so I pulled out the bias tape, to discover I had gotten the extra wide. I made do.

I think the bias tape edging worked out all right.

Then, when she tried on the top, the neck opening was too big. That always seems to be the case with a tank top pattern. I took a cue from last summer, and threaded elastic through the bias tape at the neckline. I was happy to have the wider bias tape at that point. Then, what made me even happier was being able to open it up and use it to make the casing for the waist band of the shorts. I ended up using the hem tape to help finish the hems of both the top and the shorts. There should be NO RAVELING!

Awesome waistband!

Once she tried them on, she did not want to take them off, so I count a success in finding Raine style!

She had to change so we could go to White Sands, though.

T-shirt Dresses

Yes, it HAS been a while since I've posted here. I've been rather on a life-overload lately. I've done some sewing, but due to circumstances beyond our control, there were several weeks where Roxanne and I didn't get to sew together. The last time we did, I cut out the skirts for the t-shirt dresses we were wanting for our summer wardrobe. I put Roxanne's together first, and I think it turned out pretty nice.

There's a purple stripe in the skirt. No, really.

Roxanne added a little white lace around the neck and sleeves and at the bottom of the skirt, to help dress it up a little and add interest.

Then, I worked on mine. I wanted pockets, so I added them in the side seams. I'm more of a leave it plain girl, but then, my skirt fabric was lots of tiny little flowers, so no lace for me. I wore mine over the weekend, to see how well I would like it, and I thought it quite comfy and cool. That would be in the temperature sense, not in the chic sense... just saying. Here's how mine turned out.

comfy!

So, not the height of fashion, I admit. Still, with a pair of shorts underneath, this is going to fit the bill for those warm - no, lets face it HOT! - summer days. I think we each want at least one more.

A Tisket, A Tasket

I made some fabric baskets. Three of them, so far. Three more in progress.

loving the fabric baskets!

I took them outside, in the fast fading light to snap a photo or two of them.

artsy

I'm working on them as part of the Feather Your Nest sew-along. Contest. Thingy. Yeah. Nothing like being specific, is there. They inspired me to be creative, and also I will be sooo happy to use these baskets around the house. Raine will too, and I bet you can figure out that she likes cats and dinosaurs, right?

I've experimented with different innerfacing. Ive made some with handles, no handles, different handles. I've even gotten out my tub of trim and experimented with embellishment. All from my stash, I might add. There are still some in process. Here is a look at those:

green inside, flowers with piping outside

green feathers inside, dot outside,wide handles

flowers ouside, dots inside and eyelet

Feather Your Nest Me

 It's time for me to participate in a contest.

This one is all about making something for your own home. It sounded like something I would be interested in, if I could figure out what I wanted to make for my own home. Not so much into placemats or table runners. A wall hanging/mini quilt perhaps, but...

Then I read through their suggestions, and found a quick turorial on fabric baskets. Yeah.

Guess what I've been making? um hummmm.

Well, I would show them to you, but thanks to computer issues, and sewing instead of photographing, I'm not ready to do that yet. Soon though.

Happy Baskets!

Creative Learning

I inherited more than some fabric from my mom. I inherited her whole sewing room. Tools, fabrics, patterns and books. There are so many new books with modern patterns and techniques in them. I don't know where to begin, so I thought I would begin at home, and dip into the library I already have. I can decide what to keep and what to toss, and practice writing about what I find and learn while I'm at it. I can't help but think I'll be inspired along the way as well.

The first book I pulled off the shelf is called, The Complete Book of Machine Quilting, by Robbie and Tony Fanning. It's part of the Chilton Needlework series, copyright 1980. The price tag on it is $12.95. 1980, you were so cute!

I've only gotten through the first couple of chapters, so far, but I think they are fairly informative, if basic. I probably need the basics at this point, so that is not a complaint. I think the comments and instructions for sewing still hold true, even if the technology has changed somewhat, and there may be more to know on my newer machine. Actually probably not that much, since my machine is fairly basic, but some of the more advanced machines might help you out more than mine would. Still, gaining some understanding of what issue causes what problem is a good thing. It was reassuring to look through their basic list of tools and realize that I pretty much had them, or at least knew about them. One thing seems to have changed, and that is the current prevalence of rotary cutters for cutting quilt pieces. It was interesting to find terms like "quilt sandwich" in the book that I had thought were more modern. I can tell this book, even with age, will be a good reference to keep in my library.

I just looked, and there is even a second edition available at Amazon for much cheaper than mine originally was. I might have to take a look and see what has been updated.

Piecing & Curve Journey

I started working on the fan quilt blocks my mom left me this past weekend. I've been inspired and given confidence by my practice with projects from the Curves class. So, I ironed and sewed, and ironed and sewed. I have one block put together and more in process still.

one quarter of a circle

While I was working on them, I sewed together a couple of drunkard's path squares that I had cut out a couple of weeks ago. When I found the Asian print in my scrap box, it just called out for a drunkard's path. I ended up cutting two out, and I tried to make them a little bigger than the block I had made before.

my first drunkard's path effort

I starched up these pieces, hoping that would help with the sewing process, and really, I think it did. Still didn't get me out of the woods, though. I sewed my curves without much problem, but putting the pieces together - you know, with the straight seam - became problematic. I figured out a good way to square up the blocks, at least in theory. Then I had a brainstorm that would help me match the curved seams. Yeah.

maybe ironing them would help...

I did better with them on my first effort. Maybe I over-thought my process here. Maybe I learned just enough to be dangerous, so to speak. Anyway, here they are. I still love the print, and will finish them as something. Don't know yet they will be both sides of one thing, or side by side. Something, though. Definitely something. At least I'm still working on my learning curve.

Orange Peel Precise Curves

I just finished my Curves Class project for this weekend. Wow, it was a challenge for me, and I mean that in a good way. It was a challenge both on the curves and on the precision aspects. I tried out some new techniques. I discovered questions to ask about curves, and cutting them.

So here's how the project went. First, I had to choose fabric. I had ordered some fat quarters from Intrepid Thread, not to long ago, and I pulled them out. Yep, still tasty. And, they will go well with the brown that I seem to be using for background, etc for these projects. Here's a look out in the sun, yesterday.

some fun fat quarters

 Then came the cutting out of the pieces. This was where I had my issues, I think. I'm not great with straight. Astigmatism and all sometimes things that look straight to me really are NOT. Of course I wanted to showcase at least a couple of the trees on that left side fabric. I decided not to be too fussy for all four centers, because the swirls and the dots are interesting, too. Once I cut blocks, then I cut the curves out of the blocks. I used the rotary cutter, and I don't know if it is the limited practice I have or that my blade is bigger than it should be, but I had issues getting a smooth cut. Maybe limit my stack to 2? I'll be asking these questions of the instructor.

one layout

I laid out the pieces a couple of different ways, looking at how they would work best together, and show off to their best advantage. I really had planned for the brown to frame the block, and I went with that, although I continued to play with the prints. That was how far I got on Saturday.

another layout

Sunday, I started sewing. I took Rachel's advice about using starch with this project, and I think it helped a LOT. I was careful to match up centers for the "peels" when I sewed them onto the blocks and, thanks to recent practice, didn't have too much problem sewing the curves. I did go slowly to keep my curves and seam allowances pretty even. I ironed the heck out of this project at every turn. (some more advice from Rachel).

It took a little more than an hour to get the whole thing stitched together. I think it turned out pretty good. Not perfect, but pretty good! If the block looks a little wonky, that is because of my cutting, and sadly, not intentional. (Intentional wonky-ness is cool.) I'm sure the whole thing would have come out better with more practice all around, but of course if I had that practice under my belt all ready, I wouldn't need the class.

Here's the completed block.

The block is finished, but the project isn't quite completed. I still want to make it into something. Originally, I was thinking another pillow. Even though the colors on the prints have nothing to do with the prints on the clam shell pillow I made, the brown is the same. So, they could be in the same room, right? Then, I got to thinking, I've REALLY been wanting to make some tote bags. Wouldn't this block look awesome on the side of a tote bag? I think so. I still have most of the fabric from those fat quarters, and they are a nice weight to be strong enough for a bag. And I can line it in the brown. But not today, I think.