FMQ Placemats

I'm falling behind on blogging my finishes and it's driving me crazy! Posting every project I complete is my ONLY crafty goal for 2015. So really quickly...I  made placemats! They are large. Placemat get washed so frequently that I find they shrink up over time so starting big is the way to go. 

I've loved these two Michael Miller veggie prints forever! I eye them every time I go to Len's Mills and finally picked them up one day when I decided I hated the quilted placemat under my breakfast plate (one of my first sewing projects ever, when I lacked an eye for colour apparently!).

I used this project as an opportunity to practise my FMQ. I  chose four different styles: spirals, cube stippling, a wavy leaf motif and a sunburst. The simplest is my favourite. Go figure! 

Aren't they just the most cheerful table toppers? Yes. Yes they are!

Fancy Sailor Top - My First TNT

There's a phrase I've seen around the sewing blogosphere: Tried and True (TNT for short). It's used when a sewer finds a pattern that fits her so well and that she loves so much, she just keeps making it over and over again. Well, I've finally found my first "tried and true" pattern. It's the Sailor Top by Fancy Tiger Crafts and I've made three so far.

My first was made using Nani Iro double gauze, which was an ambitious choice since I didn't make a muslin and I'd never sewn with double gauze before. What was I thinking?! Thankfully, this pattern is a perfect fit for my body. It's wonderful for the well endowed because of the gathers around the neckline. The construction is easy due to the raglan sleeves.  Gathers can be tricky to get evenly spread, but the pattern makes it easier by splitting the gathering into four sections.

I used the Kelvin print from Liberty of London for my second Sailor Top. It was easier to work with than the double gauze and turned out beautifully.

My most recent version used Cotton + Steel's new double gauze in mustard. This fabric is so soft! It's also a pain to work with. For some reason I found it more challenging than the Nani Iro. Regardless, the end result is just as terrific as the other two versions.

I wear these tops with jeans on the weekend and with dress pants and skirts during the week. They are so versatile! I hope that the Fancy ladies write more sewing patterns because I'll be first in line to snap them up!