Skirts and Slabs

I really wanted to write a WIP Wednesday round-up post yesterday, but the day totally got away from me and the evening was spent trying to get the little ones to Go the *^D% to Sleep (warning, link contains copious use of the F-word).  So, instead of a WIP post, I'm just going to share photos of the projects I've completed in the last week.

The Skirts

It's summer and I'm not working which means I get to dress for comfort. I came across some terrific jersey knit at Fabricland from the Heaven & Helsinki line by Michael Miller. Before cutting into it, I wanted make a test skirt so I used some navy knit I had bought for Sewing Summit and didn't actually use. I loosely followed this tutorial for a gathered skirt that I found on Pinterest.  

It's not the best or most flattering photo ever, but it does a good job of showing the skirt. It was really easy and quick to put together. It's also the most comfortable skirt ever. I love it! So, I made it again in the Miller print. And...I didn't love it this time. The Miller knit is lighter and whereas the navy skirt wasn't super flattering, it wasn't terrible either. The Miller one did not look good on me at all. So I spent some quiet time with my seam ripper and opted to make a simple A-line knit skirt. I didn't use a pattern. It took me about 30 minutes to make (I used the waistband I'd already made for the gathered version) and I really like it. It's incredibly comfortable. I still have to hem it but here it is:

I now have four knit skirts - two made by me and two that I purchased. They have become my official uniform of summer 2013. These skirts and nursing bras, that is!

The Slabs

I made two more Slabs for Calgary, bringing my total up to four. I'll be sending them off shortly. These are a blast to make and I'm tempted to do a whole quilt. The best thing about them is they are made entirely from scraps.

Of my four slabs, the pink is definitely my favourite. 

So that's what I've been up to. I hope y'all are having a happy and productive week!

WIP Wednesday: The Supertote Edition

Shall I provide you with an overview of my glamorous life these past two weeks? Yes? It goes something like this: nurse, burp, change poopy diaper, repeat ad nauseum. Getting anything done is difficult. Since I use our dining room table as my sewing space, I need to set up each time I want to sew and lately, setting everything up is all I'm able to get done before Fussy McFussypants wakes up and needs attention. All of this is to say it's pretty much a miracle that I managed to finish my Supertote in under two weeks!

If you haven't seen Anna Graham's Supertote pattern yet, click this link to check it out. I'll wait. Isn't it terrific? Since I decided to make it to use as a diaper bag, I reduced size of the pattern pieces to 85% so that it would fit easily under our stroller.

I wanted an understated bag so chose a grey and black houndtooth by Michael Miller, Lizzy House's Pearl Bracelets in black and the sketch print from Architextures in plum for the lining, plus a tiny bit of Dimples in burgundy.

I learned a few new techniques making this bag. First, I made my own piping, which is actually really easy to do. All you need is your zipper foot and some cord.

I also made a recessed zipper which was neat, although I made the zipper ends too short and as a result, it doesn't sit as well as it should (in the photo below the ends are tucked into the bag). I'll know better for next time.

My other modifications included using batting and quilting the straps to make them more comfortable on my shoulder and reinforcing the joins with extra stitching; including only one inside gathered pocket instead of two; and, adding a zippered inner pocket. I made the zippered pocket too far up and it gets hidden by the recessed zipper when the main zipper is open so that's also something I'll need to correct when making this pattern again.

I'm quite proud of having top-stitched the gussets. It was really tricky to do, because I used two layers of interfacing on the exterior pieces which made maneuvering the bag while stitching a real challenge (I used Sara's suggestion of first using Pellon Shape Flex and then Fusible Fleece on top).  I almost gave up, but Anna encouraged me after I posted a frustrated comment and this photo on Instagram, so I kept at it and I'm so glad I did because it makes the bag look that much more polished.

Here are a few more photos of the finished bag.

 Inside the bag where you can see the elasticized pocket:

The front pocket.

 Inside and all filled up with stuff already!

 In the wild, er, car :)

I would totally encourage you to buy and make your own Supertote. It's roomy, has lots of great features and is easy to customize to suit your personal preferences.

Round-up time!


On Deck 
One of the things I really want to do in the coming weeks is to reformat this blog. I don't like the background anymore; it's waaaay too busy! And I need to update my sidebar and add social media icons but am having trouble doing it. I need my husband's help.

Soother clips 
Applecheek elastic replacements - essential and priority!
Breastfeeding friendly top/dress for me  - bought some instead
Maxi skirt for me - fabric purchased
Slab for Calgary

In Progress

Tula Baby quilt
Farmer's Wife QAL blocks
3x6 plum chartreuse quilt - ready to be sashed
Lucky Stars BOM -April/May/June/July blocks

Hibernating projects

Curious Nature quilt - no progress

Sew Intertwined quilt -no progress

Flora Charm Quilt - no progress

Levi's Growth Chart - no progress

We Bee Learning Bee/Levi's Bed Quilt - No progress

In addition to linking up with Freshly Pieced and The Needle and Thread Network, this was my A Lovely Year of Finishes July goal so I'll be linking up there as well. Woohoo! Happy to have finished my goal after two months off.

July's ALYOF Goal

I didn't set monthly goals in May and June for A Lovely Year of Finishes, because of Lila's pending and actual birth, but I'm ready to jump back in and set a goal for July. It's a toss up between finishing the Tula quilt and making my Supertote diaper bag, but I'm going to go with the later. Here's a photo of the fabric stack I'm using for this bag:

If you're wondering about the hashtag #fabricstackfriday, it's an Instagram meme that Terri of Sew Fantastic started this week, where you post a photo of a fabric stack you pull from your stash. You don't even have to make anything with the stack, it's just an opportunity to play with colour! But in this case, I'm using the stack I pulled. Next Friday, join in the fun on Instagram (and follow me - I'm  modern balabusta, obviously!).

Also, Lila is one month old (yesterday)! Does time ever fly...

WIP Wednesday: The Do-over Edition

On Monday, I complained about miscalculating the number of light and dark blocks for Lila's Tula quilt. I really wanted to make do with the blocks that I'd made.  I also didn't think I had enough of the Icy Peach Kona left to make a thirteenth block. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your perspective), I am a perfectionist. I found myself unable to complete the quilt top as-is. I scrounged up enough of the background fabric to make a new block and used a very light Jewels print for the feature fabric. I'm much happier with the result and plan on finishing the quilt top this week. Here is the new and improved layout for Lila's quilt:

Yesterday, I completed two Slabs for Southern Alberta. I would encourage everyone to make a block or two and send them to Cheryl Arkison, because, a) they are super fun to make and b) they are for a great cause.

The other thing on my to-do list is not a fun task. I need to replace the leg elastics on all of our size 1 Applecheek diapers. Levi only used them for about six months, but the elastics all cracked and stretched out the first time we used them on Lila. Many of our size 2 diapers, which Levi still uses, require elastic replacing too. Luckily, Applecheeks has a tutorial on their blog. Last night I started removing the elastics and it took me half an hour per diaper! This project is obviously going to take a while.

I did make a Staple Dress muslin and it fit very well, but since it isn't breastfeeding friendly, I'm not going to make it afterall. If anyone knows how to alter a pattern to make a non-stretchy neckline into an elasticized one (that can be pulled down), please let me know! Instead, I might try making this Peasant Dress by Sis Boom, which looks like it meets my requirements.

Finally, this week I'm hoping to start the Supertote I mentioned in my last WIP update. I'd like to use it as a diaper bag. Oh, and I need to make a couple soother clips so I stop misplacing them. You know, in between changing diapers and feeding Lila.

What are you working on?

On Deck

Super Tote diaper bag
Soother clips
Applecheek elastic replacements
Breastfeeding friendly top/dress for me

In Progress

Tula Baby quilt
Farmer's Wife QAL blocks
3x6 plum chartreuse quilt - ready to be sashed 
Lucky Stars BOM -April/May/June/July blocks

Hibernating projects

Curious Nature quilt - no progress

Sew Intertwined quilt -no progress

Flora Charm Quilt - no progress

Levi's Growth Chart - no progress

We Bee Learning Bee/Levi's Bed Quilt - No progress

Just One Slab (or Two)

If you are Canadian, you will certainly have heard about the recent flooding in Southern Alberta which forced thousands of people in several cities and towns from their homes. Some families have lost everything. I lived in Calgary for a little over a year and my apartment was located two blocks from the Elbow River. There were photos on Instagram with the streets of my neighbourhood covered in water, which was jarring, to say the least. When I heard that Cheryl Arkison was collecting slabs to make quilts for those affected by the floods, I got right to work.  To learn more about the Just One Slab project, and to get instructions on making a slab, click here.

These blocks came together very quickly. Part of the beauty of improv piecing is that anything goes! I was able to use up a lot of scraps in making these slabs, many of which came from the scrap packs I bought from The Workroom at City of Craft while I was on maternity leave with Levi a couple years ago. If you are able, why not stitch up a slab yourself?

Layout Woes

I've just finished my final block of Lila's Tula quilt and am working on my layout, which is proving to be a challenge. I want to alternate light and dark valued blocks, and I am short one light block. I thought I had a good variety, but several blocks are more "medium" than light or dark. I really don't want to make a new block, and honestly, I don't think I have enough of the solid fabric left to do it anyway.  Here are my three top layouts:

The issue is the block in the bottom left corner. It needs to be "light" and well, it's not.

I'm leaning towards the layout in the first photo.  Here it is in black and white:

 What do you think?  Good enough?