Wiksten-ish tank and a cabled cardigan

I am so excited to share these with you, they make me so seriously happy.  And I am all the more excited as I was able to take photos on my front steps, with NO JACKET.  Yes, the crazy winter here has finally seemed to have lifted, just in time for May (shakes head).  But I'll take it.  Perfect cardigan weather!

I finished this one a few weeks back but have been distracted and forgot to blog it.  I think this one takes the lead as my new favorite sweater, with the Golden Wheat Cardi as a close second.  I made it with the same yarn as The Middle Child's purple sweater as I loved the yarn and color so much.

The pattern is called That Time, and it was fantastic.  Details and link to the pattern can be found on my Ravelry page.  Challenging enough to make it interesting, but not hard.  I love the style and how it fits me.  I shortened the sleeves to 3/4 length, as I find that really flattering.  The cable work was so much fun and is so pretty.  I only needed one button so I chose a vintage one from my friend Katie's shop and I just adore it....remember how I told you she has a plate full of vintage buttons for FREE that you can root through any time you are in her store??  The. Best.

I decided I needed to make a tank just to go with this sweater!  I opted for the Wiksten tank, I have had the pattern forever but never got around to it (like so many things).  But, lazy as I am, I didn't feel like printing out the 27 pages for the pattern pieces, taping them all together, and cutting the pieces.  So I took a tank I have that fits well and traced that out instead, just assembled using the Wiksten instructions.  Though I didn't add a pocket, and I did add some bust darts to accommodate my oversized ta-tas.  So maybe it is more Wikstenesque than Wiksten.  Anyways, it works.

I had some issues with the neck bias not sitting flat at first, but was able to correct it using some tips I found on various sites online.  The fabric is a sweet floral voile just from my local Fabricland, but I love the feel and drape of it.  Girly and pretty, perfect as we finally welcome spring!!!

winner!

And the winner of the 18 fat quarters of Moda PB&J, courtesy of Ella's Cottage is:

Which is Leila!  I will be emailing you!

Thanks to everyone who entered, and to Ella's Cottage for the giveaway.  Just a reminder, the code FREESHIPPING is active on her site until Friday night!

six.

I have no idea where the time went, but Last But Not Least is six years old today.

This girl fills my heart in ways I never knew were possible.  She is a sassy little thing, full of energy, spunk, laughter and love.   Always on the move, always eager for a cuddle.  She ends up in my bed most nights because she wants to cuddle and be close to me.  She is always quick with an "I love you." She is caring and empathetic to others.  She has the wackiest sense of humor, and has us laughing out loud on a daily basis with the crazy things she comes up with, when you least expect it ("Mom, don't be fooled by the sign on the door, this actually isn't DANCE class, it's ROOT BEER CAMP.  We just hang out and drink root beer until you come pick me up again").

She is six going on sixteen.  Constantly discussing who she is going to marry in her Kindergarten class.  Her vocabulary is unbelievable.  But then she is still my baby as well, wants me to carry her, cuddle her.  Still always toting her Kitty everywhere on her adventures.  I tell her not to ever change and to quit growing, and her response is "then Mom, you better quit feeding me vegetables!"

 

LBNL had her birthday party this past weekend, a riot of kids at a gymnastics place in the city.  About an hour before we were set to go, I remembered I had planned on making her a party dress....so, I got right to it, and had it on her as it was time to jet out the door!  Yes, sometimes I create my own crazy :)

I used the border print from Children at Play, a sweet little parade, perfect for a party!  I didn't use a pattern, just made it up.  Being white, I lined it as well.  I used some crochet trim for the straps.  Not too shabby!

Sweetheart, you bring more joy to my life than you could possibly imagine.  Happy, happy sixth birthday!!

Monday morning giveaway :)

*This giveaway is now closed, thank you!*

Good morning, everyone!

I thought I would start the week off fighting the Monday morning blahs with a little giveaway, courtesy of Leigh Anne at Ella's Cottage, a great little Canadian etsy shop from the lovely provence of Prince Edward Island.  She carries fantastic lines like PB&J, 2wenty thr3e, Comma, and Simply Color.  And as a bonus during the giveaway, she is offering free shipping to my readers!!  Just enter the code FREESHIPPING at checkout.

So what is she giving away?  A full fat quarter pack of Moda's PB&J!!  That's 18 fat quaters, valued at over $50.  Niiiiice!

 

Three chances to enter:
1. Like her facebook page
2. Follow her brand new blog
3. Favorite her etsy shop

Leave a separate comment below for each entry.  I will do a random draw to choose a winner on the morning Thursday, April 25.  Good luck!

And PLEASE be sure to include and email address in your comment where I can reach you if you win....no-reply bloggers will be excluded (and that would suck, right?).  Thanks!!

a noteworthy quilt

I received a surprise package in the mail from Sew Sisters in thanks for participating in their Kona challenge- remember the pregnant doll tutorial?  Included were some more Kona solids and a charm pack of Noteworthy by Sweetwater.

Now, normally when I get new fabric, it sits out on the kitchen counter awhile so I could look at it, then progresses to the desk in the craft room, eventually to be put away in the appropriate storage bin in the Closet of No Return. Then, much later, I find it, wondering why I have never USED it?

Not this time.

It was no sooner out of the envelope than I tore into it and sewed it into a patchwork baby quilt top.  Just. Like. That.  I kid you not, the top was sewn and pressed within 20 minutes.

While I was at it (and totally because I was too lazy to clean up and put away my machine),  I grabbed a scrap of batting, my 505 spray and a piece of perfectly coordinating Nicey Jane dots (rescued from The Closet) and basted that baby.  Continuing on, I decided to quilt it with some pretty free motion flowers, one in each square, to add a little something to the simple patchwork.

I especially love how the quilting looks against the backing.

The binding is a pink with loopy flowers as well, just made for this quilt.  This stuff is from my local Fabricland, and has been hanging in The Closet since my very first quilt, almost 3 years ago!  I attached it and finished hand sewing it on that night while catching up on trashy t.v.

So there you have it, the story of a quilt, made in less than a day, completely unplanned.  Noteworthy, I think :) 

ode to the sea....

It is mid-April and summer is nowhere to be found in and around these parts.  The snow on either side of my front walk is still tall enough to conceal my Kindergartener, and I am beginning to spend every free moment day dreaming of sun and sand.

I decided to make a little mini quilt, incorporating my favourite summertime quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson:

"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air."  

That is EXACTLY what I wish to be doing right now :)

I pieced random scraps of blue, using cottons, corduroys, linens, voiles, all adding to the texture, starting with darker tones at the bottom and graduating to lighter shades towards the top.  I added a scrap of precious Mendocino mermaids at the top.  I hand stamped the quote onto natural cotton, using lettered stamps from Stampin' Up and a fabric paint marker.  I cut the rows of blues in curves, to replicate the sea, and then straight cut in the quote pieces.

Free motion quilting was done in a sea colored thread, adding waves, crests and pebbles.

The binding is my favourite part: Joel Dewberry Aviary woodgrain fabric, cross stitched to the front with Pearle 8 thread.  I will be doing this again!

On the back, I added sleeves for a dowel for hanging, stamping my name and date, and what I was doing while I was making it :)

I am so very pleased with how this mini turned out.  As some of you may recall, our family had a summer cottage that was destroyed in a storm a couple years ago.  Finally, the rebuilding phase has begun, and I plan to give this mini a place of honour there when we start again.

I intended to enter this as my Sew Off Home Dec entry for week 2 of the competition.  And I DID make it through the first round- I placed 4th out of 12, with the top 9 progressing!  But, I opted out of the contest.  I am busy with so many other things needing my time in my life, and I realized I don't enjoy being judged for what I make...this is my hobby, my escape, and I want to do it just for ME!  So, thanks for your support and your votes, but this girl plans to stay contest free for the time being!

Wishing you a day filled with sunshine!

Sew Off Round 1: Asymmetrical Springtime "Peecoat"

It's time to Sew Off!  Voting is now in session until Sunday at midnight, so please hop over to Naptime Crafters and pick your favourite TWO entries!

Round 1 of the competition is kids's clothing, so I decided to design and make a jacket for The Middle Child.

I have a long wool coat, bright yellow, that I bought years ago on holiday in a little boutique.  It has an asymmetrical collar that I just love.  For ages, I thought about replicating it, so this contest was the perfect opportunity!  I went into my stash and found this teal corduroy that perfectly matched my daughter's eyes, and decided to make her a spring jacket.

Using the shape of the coat as inspiration, I created my own pattern using sweetheart lines, shortening it to hip length, and adding side pockets for stashing girly treasures.

I used big wooden buttons, sewn on with yellow thread, and lined it with one of my favourite floral prints from Heather Bailey's Nicey Jane collection.  I was very proud of how well it turned out, and am happy to report that it passed the "daughter test"!

But, as is typical with me, a funny thing happened on the way to the contest ;)  I had laid the original wool coat out on the kitchen floor to use it inspect the seams.  The doorbell rang, and off I went.  When I returned a moment later, there was a HUGE puddle of PEE sitting right in the middle of the satin lining!  Turns out my old incontinent dog decided to seek some relief there, as opposed to somewhere on all the easily cleanable hardwood floors in the house.  I was griping about it to some of my quilty friends when Kaelin, who is always good for a laugh, suggested that I name it the "Peecoat"!  Why not, seeing as it was already Christened and all ;)

So there you have it!  Adventures continue :)  Now scoot off and vote, would ya!

good things (mostly)

Just coming off a great family holiday in the sun :)

 

Almost finished a couple happy knitting projects while on the road (Ugh.  Sleeves.)

Found out I was accepted into the finals of another fabulous sewing contest.

Though it may be hard to do a post for it, considering my computer seems to mysteriously want to reject my camera all of a sudden so I am stuck with crappy, grainy iPad photos....grrrrr....

Off to do laundry and grocery shopping, all those post-vacation duties!