Excuse My Absence

We had a fantastic extended wedding weekend with a lovely crowd of friends and family - from our intimate, closest family only ceremony at the registry on Thursday followed by lunch and a photo session to our smashing party with more friends and family on Friday to catching up with British friends on Saturday evening to finally a quiet Sunday. Every moment was special and will be treasured. We couldn't have a had a better time and everything went so smoothly - the buffet was yummy, the cake delicious, the dance floor filled with happy people. But nothing was over the top and everything very much 'us'. We couldn't be happier or more grateful.

Obviously I didn't spend one moment stitching and have nothing to new to show you, but I thought I'd keep you entertained with a better look at my hen night dress.

I'm sticking out my belly somewhat? And just look where my watch sits. Never mind. You can have a glance at my engagement ring - hint, it's an 'aquamareen'. ;-)

I had tons of fun at my do and such a good time dancing around in my dress.

I've got a couple of things lined up to work on, foremost the Viking quilt, but I'm not sure when normal, regular posting will resume, or how long I can keep it up for. We've finally had word and now know for certain that we'll be moving to where my sister-in-law is living. Like soon. A few weeks soon. Therefore a lot of time will be devoted to packing and tying up loose ends. I might, however, still find time for a little EPP or maybe the odd recipe post? Let's see how this develops, I'll try not to disappear on you.

Happy sewing!

W.i.P. - Vikings 2.0

With my purse out of the way I had a little time to work on the Viking baby quilt. I settled for none of the earlier layout attempts. Instead this is what I came up with for the square base.

Then I added borders, first more fish and then the Viking guards and another HST.

Finally, I added orange borders all around to finish the top. I've decided to use the blue crosshatch print for the binding.

The fabric collection has an awesome Viking World map print which I'll be using as a backing, along with some more Viking guards.

I've yet to make up my mind whether I'll add another guard border on the bottom or on the side as I've done with the top. The pictures really don't do the quilt justice and I hope to get some better shots when it's finished. It might be my absolute favourite so far, I'm terribly in love with it and thankful that it'll go to the little one of dear friends - or I couldn't bear parting with it.

Stats for the Week

Finished Projects - 1
Wedding purse

Ongoing Projects - 4
Viking Baby quilt -  top finished
EPP hexies - 29 finished flowers
Polaroid blocks Tote
EPP parallelograms/stars

Planning Stage - 4
Chair cushions for my sister - calculated yardage
Wedding Anniversary quilt
ET Phone Home EPP project
Moe Moe's Star quilt
 

Happy sewing!

The Wedding Purse

 
It's done! It's done! It's done! Last time I left you with this, sewn down folds on a piece of fabric.

This weekend I cut out my pieces and sewed everything up.

You can see that my seams are not lining up 100 per cent in the bottom. Ah well.

Some shots before gluing. I like to topstitch close to the top to have a somewhat flatter fabric sandwich/seam to work with. Sometimes it's a little fiddly to hide when gluing the purse to the frame but most of the time it's a nice guide to work with. Awkward hand alarm in these pics.

And this is the frame that I've had for at least a year and saved for a special occasion because I love the ornamental moulding on the front frame. I've had the fabric for even longer, about 1.5 years. I guess my wedding is special occasion enough to have finally made use of both, eh?

Gluing frame purses is fiddly and nothing for overwrought nerves, sometimes it's a relatively easy job, sometimes it proves messy. This time it was messy. My nerves did show, haha. Let me tell you, this purse is not perfect. I used an ever so slightly too large seam allowance before turning everything, therefore, as you can see below, I've not been able to hide my topstitching perfectly in the inside. But I don't care! It's on the inside, nobody will notice. Also, it's my wedding purse and it's finished. I can get married now.

So, without further ado, here are a few gratuitous shots of my purse next to my shoes! Yep, exclusive peep at my wedding shoes for you, too. What a day!

Happy sewing!

Credit: I learned how to make frame purses from Lisa Lam's tutorial and have adapted the pattern shapes to my needs since.

Pouches and Purses

The last of the pouches for my girls is finished and another Polaroid has found its place. I really need to make that tote sometime soon now to sew up the rest.

This pouch is slightly thicker and softer than the others as I used a thin fusible batting, leftovers from the Nanette tote which I made last spring (find it here, here or here), because I'd run out of Vilene H 200. All these pouches quickly gobbled up my stash of it and I really needed the last bits for my wedding purse. (Yeah, lazy me didn't feel like a run to the shop.)

At this moment I've fused all my fabric pieces and have sewn down the folds on one outer piece.

Once I've repeated this on the second outer piece, I can cut them according to my pattern and assemble my purse. I'm going really slowly with this project but I don't feel like potentially having to take my seam ripper to task on the fabric at all.

Here's a peep at the embroidery done by my friend on some Cotton Couture Nite which will serve as lining. Our names are above the date but I'm keeping the future husband (six days!) offline.

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I received the partly metallic machine embroidery thread as a birthday gift from another of my hen night girls who knows how much I love green and sewing back in march. I'd not been able to use it before and I love how now both friends have been involved in my wedding purse.

Goals: Finish the second outer piece this evening. Cut parts out with my pattern tomorrow and sew up the purse. Glue everything to the clutch frame either tomorrow evening or on Sunday. As I said, taking my time here.

Wishing you a lovely weekend and some happy sewing!

Linking up with TGIFF, this time over at Mama Love Quilts.

W.i.P. - Hexies

No sewing since Sunday. Alas. So I thought I'd do a quickie about my hexies.

I've begun storing them in a tin that used to carry Spanish bonbons and yes, I've started to make hexies out of leftover fabrics from my hen night dress. I still need to find a contrast fabric for the centres.

More cut hexies shapes to ensure a constant supply.

Most of my finished flowers. A few haven't made it to the photo call...I think they're in one of my bags...

Stats for the Week

Finished Projects - 1
Pouches - these weren't even on my W.i.P. list!

Ongoing Projects - 5
EPP hexies - 29 finished flowers
Polaroid blocks Tote
EPP parallelograms/stars
Viking Baby quilt - stuck on the layout
Wedding clutch - lining embroidered

Planning Stage - 4

Chair cushions for my sister - calculated yardage
Wedding Anniversary quilt
ET Phone Home EPP project
Moe Moe's Star quilt


Happy sewing!

Pile of Pouches

This weekend was really relaxed with only small projects to keep me busy but first and foremost great company. A good friend of mine came over for a stitchy Saturday and some grub. She embroidered lining pieces for my wedding purse with her impressive machine and I made her a zippered pouch out of fabric which she picked out.

I'd already started on pouches for my sister and sister-in-law but I got it in my mind to say thank you to the others who sent me off last weekend and made my hen night special, as well, so I made a few more. I hope they'll love them lots, I know Perlendiva does (unfortunately I forgot to take a snap of hers before she left).

My sister and I saw the cute piglet and the fox fabric more than half a year ago, I think, but couldn't think of anything to use it for. So we didn't buy any  then. But it's perfect for these cute pouches and I wanted to use something that I wa sure she'd like. Her pouch has got a sentimental "forget-me-not" label as I'm 99 per cent likely to be moving soon. We're very close and it'll be tough on us both to be so far apart. *sigh*

Fortunately, I'm 90 per cent likely to move where my sister-in-law lives (fingers crossed!!), and since we'll be proper family soon, her pouch has a different arrangement but the same fabrics as my sister's in it.

 

For the friend who is a Ph.D. candidate I've used my precious typewriter fabric and some lovely Abacus in teal.

I couldn't resist and had to make a similar one for myself.

And here's the final one for another lovely friend, ready to be assembled.

Here's the bunch as of yesterday evening.

I can't wait to give them away! Stay tuned for a post about my wedding purse that I really need to finish soon.

Happy Monday and happy sewing!

Credits: I used this tutorial to learn how to make tabs.

W.i.P. - Kirby's Adventure in My Living/Sewing Room (4)

I had a fantastic hen night with a small-ish group of wonderful friends and family. Can't thank them enough for taking the time to send me off - especially my sister who took on all the planning on top of being with me at multiple other crucial stages pre-wedding. Thinking the same, Kirby begged me to spend time with him again and get him ready in time to be a thank you gift after the wedding rather than a birthday gift in November. I happily obliged.

After squaring the little fellow I added narrow borders which I then quilted. I also quilted in the ditch around Kirby with black thread.

I finished the pillow with an envelope back.

Kirby's glamour shot.

Something else I worked on is my wedding purse. I made a mock-up of the outside from my self-drawn pattern. It's a bit floppy like this, without batting and lining. I think I will reinforce the fabric with a very light iron-on interfacing. Something to try out on scraps.

A friend of mine has kindly agreed to embroider our names and date onto a lining piece with her machine. Once I get that back I can finish my purse... and get married! Fifteen days now!

Happy sewing!

Stats for the Week
Finished Projects - 1
Kirby pillow

Ongoing Projects - 5
EPP hexies - 29 finished flowers
Polaroid blocks Tote
EPP parallelograms/stars
Viking Baby quilt - started cutting
Wedding clutch - made a mock-up

Planning Stage - 4
Wedding Anniversary quilt
ET Phone Home EPP project
Moe Moe's Star quilt
Chair cushions for my sister

Lay Out the Vikings

Whilst I'm away partying it up, how would you like a look at a few of the layouts that I've been playing with for the baby quilt?

 

I'm not sold on any yet. Fyi, I'm planning to 'frame' the square with fabric strips (fish and more vikings, namely these) on the top and the left side to increase its size but have a less symmetric look.

Happy sewing!

W.i.P. - My Hen Night Dress (5)

Is it August already? Really? Time has been flying lately. Anyway, look what's nearly finished!

The only thing left to do is the hem which I'll stitch by hand this evening but I'll count it as a finish, ok?

Remember that I was still trying to figure out how to get rid of this diagonal wrinkle?

I improved it by shortening the straps by 3.5cm (slightly less than 1.5'') which not only straightened the bodice but also brought up the neckline and made it more snug. It was a wonderful last minute epiphany.

Please ignore the pin, water soluble pen marks, the only partly done up zipper, and my bra straps. I'll add something to secure them. Between, I've used a hidden zipper instead of an all purpose one because I prefer the tidier look. I'm so so happy with the results! It's hard to express just how much without sounding ridiculous, but I've finally managed to make myself a dress, fitted to my measurements and liking nonetheless. This is exactly what started my sewing exploitations two years ago! I wanted to have a fitting dress again. Eeep!!

There's one minor alteration I'd add when making the pattern a second time around (and I can totally see myself doing that!) - take out a smidgen of width out of the back bodice piece, or better increase the seam allowances to keep the seam centred whilst taking out width overall. Can you see the wrinkle in the back in the above picture? It's not that exaggerated when I'm not trying to take a picture of myself and I doubt anyone will notice, really. It's just a little excess width which will allow me to tuck in properly on Saturday. ;-)

I'll try to get somebody to take a good full body shot of me in the dress so you can have a better look if you want to?

After focusing on pillows, skirts, and this dress for what feels like forever I'm back onto a larger quilting project - a baby quilt for good friends expecting a bundle of joy in November. How would you like a sneak peak?

Stats for the Week

Finished Projects - 2
Scalloped Hem Skirt
Hen Night Dress

Ongoing Projects - 6
EPP hexies - 29 finished flower
Polaroid blocks Tote
EPP parallelograms/stars
Kirby pillow - needs borders, batting, quilting, and backing
Viking Baby quilt - started cutting
Wedding clutch - pattern made

Planning Stage - 4
Wedding Anniversary quilt
ET Phone Home EPP project
Moe Moe's Star quilt
Chair cushions for my sister

Whoop - quite the progress made and it feels g-r-e-a-t!

I've got no sewing planned given the weekend's anticipated shenanigans but I'm looking forward to read up on all the wonderful things that I'm sure you'll have come up with by next week.

Happy sewing!