Quilting and Sewing Archives - Page 134 of 158

Ruffle Skirt

December 7, 2011 jennifer Quilting and Sewing

In the midst of our crazy week last night, and on a night when I wanted to curl up in a ball and cry myself to sleep, I went to a sewing class and made this skirt for my daughter.

I love fabric and I love to sew, but I’m scared to death of making clothing. Oh, I’ve known for a while that I really ought to learn to make skirts at least, especially with five daughters. I also know how difficult it is to find skirts that are long enough to be modest. Yet I’m intimidated by the patterns so I haven’t done it.

Two weeks ago I was in a fabric store for some thread and overheard several women talking about this fabric. I decided to peek at it, and it was gorgeous. Gorgeous in several different colors. I listened more and discovered they were talking about making skirts with it. I asked a question and they pointed above my head at the sample hanging from the ceiling. The class was less than a week away and they still had an opening. On a total whim, I bought fabric in four different colors and signed up for the class.

I started with a skirt for my two year old because I could pick my favorite color, the vintage aqua that I love so much. I enjoyed learning more about how to deal with this particular material, which is tricky with the ruffles. My machine and I had to do some fiddling to figure out the best settings for slippery fabric since all we usually do is cotton quilting weight material. I also got to learn about using a double needle to attach the thick elastic waistband to the material. The double needle allows the elastic to stretch without breaking any thread. I didn’t know that before Thursday night!

Really this is such a simple skirt that I shouldn’t be bragging about making it, which is exactly why it was a good first project for me. I plan to make one for each of my daughters in the next couple of weeks. It happens that both of my little ones fit this skirt and it’s made me smile to see them taking turns wearing it.

It always feels good to learn something new, doesn’t it?

One comment sewing

Christmas Flannel Rag Quilt

November 29, 2011 jennifer Christmas, Quilting and Sewing

While many people were out shopping early Friday morning, I skipped the Black Friday action and treated myself to a few hours of sewing. I managed to put together this Christmas rag quilt for my family to snuggle under for the next several weeks.

This quilt is made entirely with flannel prints from a Christmas collection that was available two or three years ago, of which my favorite print was the one pictured above. I’m sorry to say I can’t remember the name of the collection or the designer. I cut the pieces last year but never quilted them or pieced them together. This year I quilted each square with a star in the center and then pieced the quilt. You can faintly see the star quilting above.

At the last minute I decided to turn the squares on their point. I’m glad I did because it gave me an opportunity to practice working with triangles, something I want to get better at. I think it adds a bit more character to the quilt. The seams were then snipped and the quilt was thrown into the wash.

The edges frayed nicely and I’m happy with it. I haven’t made a rag quilt for two years, and while I usually prefer a traditional quilt, it was the perfect project for this fabric. I’ve also learned that sometimes people are afraid to pick up a nice quilt and snuggle under it, but I’ve never seen anyone hesitate to grab a rag quilt (especially a flannel one) and use it. I have a few quilts I’m careful with, but I really believe that there’s no point in making a quilt unless you love it and, therefore, use it. Rag quilts just seem to beg people to use them, and I’ve yet to meet someone who won’t oblige.

This one went directly from being photographed to being loved, which made for a happy quilt, happy Mom and happy kids. It’s been constantly in use since then.

Do you have a favorite quilt you snuggle under?

Jennifer

7 comments Christmas, quilting

Jack-O-Lantern Mini Quilt

October 27, 2011 jennifer Halloween, Quilting and Sewing

Two years ago I pieced this mini-quilt, appliqued the stem and nose, basted it, and set it aside… unfinished. I completely forgot about it until this week, when I spent all of 30 minutes finishing it. {Question to self: why do I do things like that?}

I’m sorry to say I don’t remember the name of the pattern or the name of the fabric line I used to make it, but I do know that it only required a charm pack. After quilting, I added the rick rack smile and some huge black buttons for eyes. I must say it’s amused me how many of my children have told me I messed up on the eyes because they’re crooked. They all looked at me funny when I informed them I did it intentionally.

Tucked away with this quilt I also found a little 4 x 4 inch Halloween embroidery that I remember working on while I waited in the pick-up line for kindergarten two years ago. I bought it as a small kit in a local shop and it was intended to become a mini-pillow. My interest in little knick-knacks has largely disappeared so I no longer wanted to make a pillow or put it in a picture frame. So I finished it and appliqued it to the back of the Jack-O-Lantern quilt.

The backing on this mini quilt is a solid orange, so the embroidery is a little piece of interest back there.

And there you have it, two Halloween projects finished. The quilt now hangs in my dining room window, the only Halloween decoration up at our house (which I hope to fix later today if I can rescue my poor house from the Halloween costumes all over the place).

What project are you working on right now?

Hopeful Homemaker