New quilt

I started a new lap quilt for my dad.  I thought the combination of MoMo Freebird and linen would be perfect but my husband says it's too girly.  When I protested that it wasn't just flowers and butterflies, there were polka dots, too, he just rolled his eyes at me.  I'm adapting the pattern for the sewing machine cover in Fresh Quilting but am still not sure how big to make it . . .

Pattern Testing

What a horrible picture! Oh well.  This is the Reversible Big Hoodie Coat from Dear My Kids.  My local fabric shop has a horrible selection so this is not exactly reversible -- the lining is a knit and while it is comfy I had a hard time sewing with it and the lining does not look great.  The coat is super comfortable, though, and I love the hood.  I will definately try this one again but maybe this time in fleece.  And I will cut the sleeves longer.  And I will try position the snaps better (still planning on fixing that here).

Still don't like it but it's finally finished!

A friend of mine offered to teach me to quilt pretty much exactly two years ago.  I was, of course, overly ambitious and instead of sticking with the baby quilt size, decided to make a twin size quilt. 
When I got the top pieced together, I hated the brown sashing but decided to soldier on.  I got two thirds of the way through handquilting but I just couldn't bring myself to finish.  I noticed more and cut off points with each block I quilted and didn't like the sashing any better. 

Every time I would start a new project, my husband would shake his head and ask when I was going to finish the quilt.  I kept putting him off but finally I said I wasn't ever going to finish.  His response "so what do you do with it now? cut it up?"  I scoffed at him but decided he was right -- I cut off the three (four?) rows I hadn't yet quilted and bound the rest (add "quilt from the centre" to the things I learned after the fact).  I still don't like it but it's done!

next year I'll get them right . . .

This year I got the size right for the nightgown for my eldest.  The one I made for K. was way too big.  You'd think I'd have learned by now that when I'm using commercial patterns to make them smaller than I think I should.  J.'s is a size three with added length (she's five and normally wears size six).

Pattern Testing

I volunteered to be a pattern tester for Dear My Kids and was asked to make the cowlneck vest.  I made it out of a cream cotton jersey I found on sale for $2.50 a metre.  The pattern came together very quickly and, other than finishing the neckline, I had no problem sewing with a knit.  It was fun sewing something that I would not have normally chosen. 

Car trash bag

I made this car trash bag for my dad for Christmas.  He doesn't like when I buy him presents but he's okay if I make something for him.  He's fanatical about keeping his vehicle clean so I think he will appreciate it.  It has an adjustable stap to fit over a headrest or a little tab that can fit over a knob on the dash.  It is a double bag -- there is an inner piece that you tuck a used bread bag into so you don't actually see the trash bag.  I used heavy duty interfacing so that it would be fairly stiff and added buttons inside so that if you cut slits in the bag, you can slip it over the buttons to hold it in place.  The idea is stolen, this time from Allyson Hill.  I haven't actually seen one of her bags in person but I'm sure they are much better than mine :).  

The outer fabric is echino nico bus in yellow; I kept the selvedge on the bottom and I really like how it turned out.

Linen Stocking

The littlest will be three in March and finally has her own stocking.  The accents are momo freebird and the main body is linen.  I love the colour combination but looking at it in pictures, maybe linen was not the best choice!  I really need to try again to give it a good iron (I did iron it, I swear!) or I could take it apart, add some batting and quilt it . . . hmmm.

I stole the peekabo design from smidgebox and added some hand embroidery.  I love how it turned out.

Lunch Money Cuffs

My oldest is in Sparks and needed an under-10-dollars Secret Santa gift.  Since the whole family was attending the party, I made two lunch money cuffs so that the littlest could participate, too.  I used the tutorial on A Lemon Squeezy Home and loaded them with $5 each. They were super quick to make.  Both actually went to the same little girl -- she was the last child to pick and the reward for being patient was two gifts.  (Note to self: when next participating in a secret santa, wrap small gifts in big boxes). 

The vast  majority of the gifts had some sort of licensed character on them but the recipient of these was pretty excited to get cold hard cash.  I'm not sure how long I'll be able to get away with "homemade" before J. decides she doesn't want to be different.

Far Far Away 2 quilt - almost finished

I am almost finished the quilt for my new neice.  My husband just laughs at me because I thought I would get it finished before I went to visit at the beginning of November -- now I'm thinking it may get there in time for Christmas!  I machine stitched about 1/8 of an inch away from each seam and then handstitched around each picture.  The binding is linen and is handstitched.

Oliver + S Sunday Brunch Skirt

I have to get a picture of J. wearing this skirt because it is so cute on! A little more grown up than the ruffly stuff I have made for her in the past but she still seemed to find it very comfortable. I can see why everyone raves about Oliver + S patterns. Now I just have to find time to make the matching jacket . . .