At Last...

Sigh!  It is more than a little embarrassing that it took me this long to get my post for the Skirt challenge done.  I seem to be losing steam.  sigh again.

Here is the Skirt!  (I feel as if there should be some momentous music cue....or perhaps an ominous one!)

I just made a simple tailored skirt.  I originally intended to put some welt pockets on the front but chickened out as I did not have enough fabric to match the print on the welts.  (When looking for an excuse, you will always find one.  It may not be a very good one, but it will be an excuse nonetheless. heh)  I was also worried that they would gap as I am not as experienced with that style pocket as I ought to be  Of course, how one is supposed to get better if there is always a convenient excuse.....

As you can see, rather than a traditional kick pleat in the back I set in in the side.  I wanted it closed so nothing would show.  When I set the fabric in to the seam I was pleased with the proportions, forgetting that I was going to put a big hem in it.  So now every time I look at the pleat it seems....um, stumpy.  I am very pleased with the funky jewelry finding I added for art's sake though. :)

In a funny side note, I carefully remembered to add the little bits in the side seams where my sloper said I need a bit more room, only to find that it was COMPLETELY wrong.  Sigh!  You see, since Ruth still had my sloper pattern I just used the "fashion" version of the pattern and it had the ease already added.  sigh again.  So Now I need to go through and trace off the seam line that I actually used on the skirt and draw it on the pattern so I can remember the adjustment.

I also put into practice the "lapped zipper" I learned how to do from our zipper month.  Be proud of me, it is PERFECT. 

Now on to bigger and better things?  perhaps. heh k.

Completed!

After the meeting when I issued the dare, I went to my office and made up a list of things that ought to be completed.  The list was VERY long.  Very long.

When the month was over I had accomplished a surprising amount.  Not a LOT of what I had written....that list remains long and will probably always be...but a lot of productive work none the less.  Here it is in no particular order.....

This small panel of flowers was put together back when Cursed Quilt did  hexagons and by behest.  You can see that these AREN'T hexagons but go together with the same technique.  I have a little template set that I bought and used up bits of a jelly roll of solids.  As an exploration it was productive but then just sat around as it is both an odd size and an odd shape.  For Completion, I decided on borders and an eventual home: my Mother-in-Law's house as Christmas Present.  I love the way it turned out with a few exceptions I will NOT mention. ;)

Here are a few of the flower center details that I like.  All in all, a pleasing completion and one fewer thing in my multiple work boxes!

I also finished the "Presentation Cases" (which are pillowcases, really) for our Quilts of Valor which are nearly ready for sending out!  WooHoo.

I also made a variety of other pillowcases (with help from Nicole and Karen) that got sent off for donation.  31 in all not counting the QofV ones.  I hope they find good homes.

Now the last thing I have to report is that this Dare has done what nothing else has been able to do in more than a year....get me back to WORK.  Here is a pictorial (and not a good one at that) of what I accomplished in the month...a work that continues, I am pleased to report.


10 Dresses, all new draft or first check patterns (plus a skirt and top.) In the pattern pic, the top row are checks, the middle are new drafts during the month and the bottom are new drafts since the end of the month to show how the work continues. I will post the dresses on my blog someday soon so you can see the details (and prices) but since the Holidays are upon us, I think that can wait. Besides, I have a quilt to bind, a pattern to check and at least two more designs to draft! (And I have already put in one zipper for December!) k.

Liz's Introduction and Finished Projects

Liz here. So, introductions first?

My mother was a sewer. Growing up, she made most of our clothes--I remember matching strawberry-print sundresses made for me and my two sisters particularly well--and all of our Halloween costumes. I understood the principles of sewing, but never had much interest in actually sewing myself because my mom just did it better. (Being a perfectionist has it price since I never wanted to try something new if I thought I'd be bad at it.) She did force me to help her sew my pioneer skirt and matching bonnet for our Stake's pioneer-themed Youth Conference when I was 14. But it wasn't until my junior year of high school, when I was faced with an open spot for an elective class, that I decided that sewing might be fun. I took two clothing classes in which I made everything from pillows to simple pajamas pants and skirts to dresses and even a fully lined jacket. I really enjoyed my clothing classes and my mom even gave me her ancient Singer sewing machine (okay, it was really only from the 70s) which weighed approximately 50 pounds. But college derailed my sewing endeavors. I never learned how to use my mom's old machine and grew tired of lugging it from one apartment to the next so I gave it to my sister (a move I still regret, especially since my sister doesn't sew). So I didn't sew for nearly ten years. I had been thinking about buying a simple machine and picking up the hobby again right around the time that Kimberly announced the quilt group. That was all the impetus I needed (that, and Dongdaemun) to start me on my new sewing craze. I love having a creative outlet and I really enjoy making things for my family and others to enjoy.

Zara has two cousins (and 3 second cousins) who were born within a month of her. My brother and his wife welcomed their first baby--a girl--on August 24th. Zara followed a week later on August 31st and my sister had her third child--her second boy--on September 21st. (And my other sister just announced that she's expecting her second next year.) So for Christmas this year I decided to make everyone a diaper and wipes case. I used a tutorial from Make It and Love It, one of my favorite crafty sites. It's not the best tutorial, but now that I've made so many of these things, I can whip them out in under an hour. I love quick and easy projects that can be finished in a day.

These don't use a lot of fabric so they're a simple project to do with your scraps or other fun fabrics that you're not quite sure what to do with yet. I made the one on the right side for myself. I just couldn't help myself.

The insides. I actually started working on these quite some time ago (I did the one in the center during the summer) but I had just never finished them. But I was motivated after our last meeting, and so I finished them all last week and they've now been mailed off to their intended recipients.

Well, I had so much fun finishing that project (finally!) that I decided I wanted to do another quick and easy project. And since I've got this really adorable little baby now, who's suddenly very interested in grabbing and holding onto things and shoving them into her mouth, I wanted to do some simple toys she could play with.

So I turned to Make It and Love It once again and found tutorials for cloth blocks and cloth teething rings.

I made 6 inch, 5 inch, 4 inch, and 3 inch blocks using lots of fun, vibrant fabrics. The 3 and 4 inch blocks are easier for Zara to hold and play with now.

Here she is with her 3-inch block clutched tightly in her hands on its way to her mouth. Next up, the cloth baby rings. These were another pretty quick project, but I think I stuffed them with just a little too much fabric because they were kinda a pain to sew together.

Luckily, black fabric hides a multitude of sins.


And Zara certainly doesn't seem to mind my less-than-perfect sewing projects.

She's just that awesome. Also, she really will stick anything into her mouth. At least these are easy to wash.

November's Dare: Completion!

One of the themes that showed up regularly in the suggestions is this: "Easy Gift Ideas."  Now, I think I am a terrible person, but I NEVER (well almost never) make gifts.  I think this is mostly because of the deadline issues.....which I am not good at.    Of course, I wasn't sure that "Easy Gift Ideas" matched really well with the kinds of things I am trying to use for the Dare....not quite open-ended enough, and yet also a little too "specific."  Except that people wanted to do it.... 

So, the challenge for this month is two-fold.  The first required part: You must finish SOMETHING.  I don't care what it is, or how long it took you but you must have something to show for yourself by the first Monday of December.  You should also post a blog post about it.  (And I am giving you all the eye....look over at the Labels list on the side....I know you can see that ALL, well most, of the posts are tagged by me.  Will it help if I ask nicely?  Please will you post your projects?  Pretty Please? heheheh)
The second required part is that you identify, whether online or from your own brain at least one (but perhaps hundreds) project that is easily "completed."  We are looking for those projects that can help you feel accomplished on a day when nothing seems going right.  Projects that give lots of bang for your buck but that won't sit on the work table forever.

When you link to projects, please be sure to give credit to the actual designer (especially if it is YOU!) and if you try it, show us pics of yours.  You don't have to try all of the ideas you post (although ideally it should be a great item to be completed), just share some of the fun things you can find out there!

For the December meeting we will practice with zippers.  (Everyone sounded like that might be a good skill to review/learn.)  If you have zippers, bring them, if not we will try to have some available.  Also, bring pins, practice fabric and your sewing machine if you can.  And ask around to see if anyone knows some good tips and tricks for successful zippers.

Now go out there and finish something!  ANYTHING!  and then blog us about it! k.