January 2020 First Finish

Since Ava was coming last week end, I made some clothes for her baby doll, Henrietta.

See finished garments below.

Long sleeved top - white on white print

Skirt - left over Grinch fabric from Ava's Grinch dress.

Narrow double sided velcro bought from Etsy doll maker.

This is the best stuff for closures on doll clothes.

One side is sticky and the other is soft.

It comes in about 20 colors. I went with white but could have matched each fabric.

Ava picked out this blue print to make a dress after she got to our house. I had less than a fat quarter and had to piece the skirt and one side of the back. Still turned out cute. Wish I had recorded Ava's response when she saw the finished dress.

Henrietta in a flower print dress with tiny lace trim. I have a shirt made from the same fabric.

Doll clothes are great way to use scraps.

Updating this post to show the romper and jumper. Each were made from fat quarters.

I planned to link with the Peacock Party last week end but it was too late when I finished.

This week I have been working on a mini-quilt. I may post about it by Sunday.

2020 Possibilities

Just a few days post surgery, I have time to work on sewing, quilting, yarn projects but just can't seem to get focused. So instead of a hard and fast list for the year, here are some possibilities.

1. Doll clothes for Ava's baby doll. She says Barbie has enough clothes.

2.  Finish the wool applique ornaments - 2 left from first kit.

3. Finish a mini-quilt for future silent auction.

4. Finish lap size Scrap Dance Minuet.

5. Crochet or knit a scarf with this yarn.

6. Make a lap quilt with this fabric using a pattern from this book.

7. Make a wall hanging from this kit.

8. Finish this advent wall hanging.

9. Finish hand quilting the centers of this Good Fortune mystery quilt.

10. Knit a scarf using the new stitch I learned this fall.

11. Start the wool applique hanging using the wool bits shown here.

12. Finish embroidering the Calendar Girls.

That is enough! One per month might be a good goal.

Last post for 2019

This will be my last post for 2019. The week end will be busy with our church choir program and party. I will check on mom tomorrow and take her to a doctor's appointment Monday.

Then we will drive to Memphis for Christmas with Ava and her parents.

Which brings me to this bit of sewing.

First, I didn't make the baby doll outfit below.

I bought it for Ava's baby doll hoping I could figure out the size for her clothes since I don't have the doll.

I heard that Ava wants diapers for her babies. It's too cold for a baby to wear only a diaper, so I made a shirt to go with the diaper. The velcro fasteners haven't been sewn on yet.

These were made from scraps left over from flannel blankets I have made over the years.

I made my own pattern for the items above but I found a free pattern online for the baby bunting below. It was for a larger doll but I was able to resize the pattern to fit her 12 inch doll.

Here is the set for one baby doll.

Ava's favorite color is pink.

Here is the pink set.

The fabric used for this bunting was left over from a jacket I made Ava.

I wonder if she will notice that it is the same.

Here is the pink set.

We will fly to NYC to see Liam and David after Christmas and stay through New Year's Day.

When we get back I am scheduled for surgery after being diagnosed with cancer.

If you are reading this before January 7, 2020, please pray for me, my husband, and the medical team.

Looking forward to more sewing in 2020.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Ava's Grinch Dress

When you ask a three year old "what kind of dress do you want for Christmas?", be ready for anything. Ava wanted a pink Grinch dress but Grinch fabric isn't made in pink. Her mom found a Grinch print and paired it with a dark red polka dot.

Changes were made to the McCalls pattern - straight sleeves instead of puff sleeves.

That involved redrawing the armhole to use a sleeve from another pattern.

The dress is lined top and skirt. To save time I top-stitched the bodice lining instead of hand stitching.

The original dress called for a zipper and even though I have about 20 zippers, none worked with the print. I changed the pattern again from zipper to button placket. I thought the lime green buttons accented the Grinch.

I used thicker thread to make a guide for the sash.

Back view with sash. Buttons are even in this photo.

Sending off to Miss Ava today. Can't wait to see how it looks on her.

Merry Grinchmas!

What really happened was...

Well, in my last post I had lots of projects that I predicted would be next up on my sewing agenda.

But my head cold got worse and I didn't feel like doing anything.

This is what really happened since my last post.

I cut out all the pieces to the felt mitten Christmas ornaments, so I would be ready to go with some hand sewing at the next Allison Wells quilt group. 

I had forgotten about a hair appointment and couldn't go to quilt group last Tuesday.

I started sewing these while I watched TV.

Three out of six are finished.

Christmas tree with wonky star

Red nosed reindeer

Little red car with a Christmas tree

 These three have the cuffs attached. I hope to finish them as I watch TV next week. 
Then I will have to decide who gets each one as we will not put up a tree this year.
Have a great week!

Predicting some finishes

Last week at Jackson Quilters I was given a little stack of mini charm squares and a pattern.

It was so easy that I made it in a couple of days.

The plan is to practice hand quilting on it.

The finished size will be about 12" X 12".

Previously I thought about hand quilting Scrap Dance Minuet but then changed my mind.

I have to add the borders and that will make it a lap size quilt.

I bought cream minky dots for the back because most folks like snuggly lap quilts.

I will machine quilt it.

There was a trunk show at Southern Needle yarn shop and I could not resist buying this variegated yarn. I took the free pattern for a small scarf. Now I have to practice knitting.

Not sure if I have shared these finished projects here.

Sorry if they are repeats.

Reversible 'I Love Paris' apron for a silent auction in a couple of weeks.

Green side-

Other side-

Quick tulle skirt for little miss. And she helped!

Sassy little Christmas apron for the silent auction.

That's all for now. Have a great week!

Three fat quarter challenge sewing

Yesterday we finally gave our secret sewing to our quilty friends at Jackson Quilters. Our president gave us a challenge to bring 3 fat quarters in a paper bag and trade with another member. We had several months to work on our secret sewing and bring the results to give back to the original quilter.

The bag I was given had 3 yellow fat quarters. I made 6 small items with the fabric and added some of my fabric to the mix. I forgot to take photos of the finished items.

The yellow fabric below was the starting point. I added the small rose bud print and the purple to make a half square triangle mini quilt.

The idea for this diamond cathedral pincushion came from

one of my favorite blogs: arabesque-scissors.com from a post on July 16, 2019.

Find it here.

I added the reds above to make a pincushion.

Spinning seams below.

I used the yellow on the back.

Pincushion was filled with crushed walnut shells.

The items that follow are examples of the things I made but not the actual ones.

Imagine them with yellow fabric.

A great needlebook tutorial can be found at nanacompany.typepad.com and was posted October 25, 2011. Find it here. I don't know if it is the first one I saw and copied but it is very good. I didn't hand stitch my version but used the general dimensions and materials.

The quilted sunglasses case directions are found at frommycarolinahome.com blog and the post was September 18, 2017. Find it here. I made these for my students at the end of the year. I keep ear buds and connection wires for my phone and tablet in my case.

The best mini tissue instructions are found on funwithbarbandmary.blogspot.com, kleenex cover. Find it here.

I can't find the date but Barb's directions are very close to what I do when I make this item.

Turning Triangles Mini Quilt idea came from weallsew.com blog from August 1, 2018.

Find it here. 

My wide open pouch is based on a post on noodle-head.com from June 25, 2012. 

Find it here. 

I use the directions but change the outside fabric and on the one above I added a strap.

Well, I hope that helps anyone who is interested in making small items from 3 fat quarters.