Pillows all over the place

I have been making lots of pillows lately. Here are a couple. So much sewing going on around here it's ridiculous. 

Craftsy Block of the Month

 

Yes, I have joined the Craftsy Block of the Month. I found it on a quilt group on Facebook. I have never done any block of the month. I have made the first two blocks for the month of January. They don't want anyone to see the whole quilt, so I have no clue if I will like it or not. They were really fast blocks and now I have to wait 3 weeks to start the February blocks. Join me!!

Little Black Skirt

How do you take a picture of a black skirt? I have made 2 in 2 weeks. Recently discovered Christine Jonson patterns, which seem to be quite fabulous although expensive. This time of year I like to wear boots, tights, and anything that goes with them. A simple black skirt was needed. I actually paid way too much for a Eileen Fisher skirt, a black ponte, just like I wanted but it was 2 inches or more too long and since it cost a million dollars I did not want to cut into the fabric, so I started on a quest to make myself the perfect black skirt. I believe the task was accomplished.......

The first skirt was made with a black ponte and I made it similar to the instructions, elastic encased in the waistband. Although it won't be seen, I didn't really want that kind of waistband. I wanted it to be like the million dollar skirt. 

The second skirt was made with this sorta heathered stretch fabric, kinda looks like black denim, looks solid until you stretch it. Casual looking but nice and stable. This time I put 4 darts around the waistband, about 3/8". Then I cut 1 1/4 inch elastic about one inch less than the waistband and serged the elastic to the waistband. Turned it under, and coverstitched it. It  looks like a flat straight skirt without elastic but it is totally stretchy. Just what I wanted and of course, I had to add my label, which is part of my last name combined with knits. I love it and I have accomplished my goal of making

  the perfect black skirt. 

I have always had problems buying skirts. Pencil skirts that is. I like the look but my waist has always been too small. At least that is what I used to say. I could say my butt is too big. Somehow store bought skirts don't fit in those two places, if it's perfect in the waist, it's too tight in the butt. (until I bought the million dollar skirt, that one does fit well, that is why I bought it). 

Now I plan to make the perfect long skirt, maybe I'll wear it for Christmas. So I plan to use a new sewing term I learned from Christine Jonson's patterns. Negative ease. You sew darts in the waistband out of stretchy fabric and you don't need elastic. There are only 2 pattern pieces and I will be able to make it to fit my fat bottom and it will magically fit my waist, I hope.

I really don't have a fat bottom......In fact, I got into a app on my iPhone that I had  gotten in 2009 called Lose It. It's a diet type app. I hadn't looked into that app for quite some time and was VERY surprised that I have lost 13 lbs since 2009. WOW. Who knew I was losing weight? It is certain that leaving that terrible life is doing good things to me. I knew that 'that life' was taking a toll on me, I was very unhappy and I had gained 35 lbs. in 2 years. Talk about being depressed, not only was I miserable, I was getting fatter and fatter. Now I realize that I have lost 19 to 20 lbs. total.  To me that sounds amazing. Being a little girl all my life, it is amazing. I don't know that I will ever get down to the weight I was 7 years ago,  that would be another 15 lbs. I think maybe I was too small then, so 8 more pounds would be fabulous, absolutely fabulous....

holy moly

I actually have been doing quite a bit of sewing lately, did you ever have a favorite shirt that had seen better days? Well I have one of those. It is my favorite designer, and I know I have a spending problem with her. I do not want to spend another $98 on a simple little shirt. So I decided to copy it. The first shirt I didn't make a pattern piece, which I did because it fit perfect, just a bit snug. So now I am trying to make a pattern piece

Here is the tracing that I did with a temporary marker. Love these little weights to hold the fabric still.

The front piece is the cut on the left. I bought the fabric several years ago, so it felt like I made this shirt for free. I have a large stash of basic fabric for tons of stuff that I am making now. I also just ordered some fabric from Emma One Sock. That site even has some Eileen Fisher fabric that I buy occasionally!  Can't wait for my purchase to arrive. 

 The shirt was done completely on my BabyLock serger. Sometimes I wish a serger had a speed control because it goes too fast.

I always have to make a label. I was thinking my own label could be koroknits.

My serger does a fabulous cover stitch. I did all the hemming for the sleeves, neckline, and hem with the cover stitch,  it was finished so fast.

 I love it!

 I went to two fabric stores today hoping to get inspired to do some sewing. Between the two stores I spent $200. I hope I use the fabric. I liked this rather wild contemporary fabric. My colors....black, gray, white, with a splash of yellow. Anything with a splash. My favorite quilt to make has been a strip quilt, the one I made my daughter. I think this might be a strip quilt.

I also bought some fat quarter packs, one is Hometown. The other is Rivoli. Cute stuff. Have no clue what I'm going to do with them.....

I am well now. I finished my antibiotics and am back to work. This is my 4-day weekend, so I am taking it easy. Wish I had some energy to sew. I think if I start sewing, I am not going to wash the fabric. What do you think? I always wash my fabric, I just don't feel like doing it.....

No sewing

I need some inspiration to start some sewing..

I got sick last night. Started to pee blood. Sorry, gross, I know. tell me about it. I was supposed to go to work today but went to the doctor and found out I have pyelonephritis. Great. They also want me to stay home for three days. That is the only good thing about this I think. Now, if I felt  good, I would start sewing. I only have 5 blocks to go to finish a quilt. But I feel, blah. and my flank area feels sick. No pain, just a gnawing discomfort in my flanks. If I do too much, I start to pee blood again, I guess I need to rest.

The only energy I have is to take pictures of myself with my computer, therefore, here is a picture of myself. I am so bored......

At the Beach

 I made a sudden trip to Cannon Beach all by myself. Arrived yesterday and what a beautiful weekend it will be!!! Happy girl here!!!

After all my walking on the beach, I have the blisters to prove it, darn thongs!!  Today I will be barefoot with sunshine, sand, ocean, and my Kindle. Time to relax!!!

  I confess, I have more than one new quilt in my head. As far as the works in progress, I have 44 of 60 blocks completed(2 quilts). Fall is in the air, I can tell, this is the time when projects run amuck in my head.

I have my Bernina 730 for sale on eBay if anyone is interested. Sale ends Monday. Hope you enjoy my photo's, I think they look amazing myself!!!!