Wednesday, July 29, 2015

WIP Wednesday: the one with hour baskets

Completed:

Two 1-hour baskets (pattern by @kelbysews):

The #hourbasket is really easy. Really really easy...  #saturdaynightcraftalong

And once more with adorable little Japanese kids! #hourbasket #saturdaynightcraftalong

but haven’t actually been able to get a move on with any of the other projects.

Progress Made:

#ahbcparty3 parcels for April and May have been sent out!

Still in progress with an eye to completion:
- Soroptimmist's quilt
- the rest of the #ahbcparty3 gifts
- summer dress
- Maria Hill cosplay

A drawstring bag is planned for these flamingos. I'd forgotten how adorable they are!

I'd forgotten how adorable these flamingos are!

And finally:

Giveaway!

I’m running a Mendocino Giveaway over on Instagram for hitting 600 followers: 2 yards of original Mendocino to one of my followers who reposts a pic from my feed, along with why they like it, and tags with @seldear and #600forSel

Linking to Freshly Pieced's WIP Wednesday post.

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

WIP Wednesday: the one with great plans


Alas, we're back to marginal progress on the sewing front.

But there was a little forward movement!

WIPs

#hexiesdownunder

#hexiesdownunder

Another flower done! Slowly sewing!

And I've started receiving flowers, too:

Boy, the #threadbastersgroup for #hexiedownunder are fast! Thanks @patchwork_gecko @nadine62 @asprinklingofthings and, of course, @bendigolioness! I fear I will be much slower at getting mine out!

Aussie Handmade Birthday Swap #ahbcparty3

Finally started making my backlist of gifts!

Starting with the 1-Hour Basket by kelbysews.

Really simple, very effective, and I must try it in patterned linens next!

#hexiesdownunder

And there's a bit of an extra 'surprise' in there. I couldn't give it alone as a gift, but with something else that's finished, I think it's okay.

I have notes for making the next three gifts, although at least one of them has no notes for her entry whatsoever, just her name. I shall have to go back and double-check the mail from a year ago.

Other things

no movement
1. summer dress
2. Soroptimists' quilt
3. #plainjanepassacaglia

plans

I have this weekend entirely free. There will be a great deal of sewing.

1. finish the next gift for #ahbcparty3
2. finish sewing together the Soroptimist's Quilt
3. finish the summer dress
4. start another summer dress

I also want to start working on outfit for the Superheroes Ball at DragonCon - like the Marvel Avengers dresses that Her Universe are putting out, only for my favourite character:

maria-attack40038

Maria Hill, as played by Cobie Smulders. Whom extremely few people notice, or could even name from the movies.

The dress spec (as described by me):
Agent of SHIELD dress: halterneck, close-fitting bodice with waistband and flared skirt to be worn with petticoats. Black/dark-grey silk with gunmetal/silver overdress/lace edging, and embroidered/beaded/appliqued SHIELD logo to either be on skirt or else as a back cutout (underarm zipper), with HYDRA-themed underskirt.
I have four weeks to do this.

Never let it be said that I'm not ambitious.

Linking up to Freshly Pieced's WIP Wednesday.

What have you done this week?

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

WIP Wednesday: the one with progress!


I haven't done one of these for a couple of weeks. Life just seems too busy. And too cold.

(Hint: I'm not a fan of winter.)

But I did get four quilt backings put together and sent off to my quilter. It made a mighty package:

Four quilts headed for the quilter. Mostly older ones that are finally going to get done. #gettingitdone

And I signed up for the Lizzy House Meadow Quilt workshop later this year:

Now I just have to hope all my details are correct. I did it on my phone as the train pulled into my home station...  😀

However, I have gotten a few things started, and a number of projects are in WIP status right now, waiting to be finished.

WIPs

Soroptimists Raffle Quilt

My mother retired a couple of years ago, spent a year poking about, working out what kind of clubs she would join in her old age, and decided on the local chapter of Soroptimists International: an international volunteer organisation that helps women and girls all over the world in various ways.

She's asked me to make a quilt for them to raffle off for fundraising.

Today's project! #showmethemoda

I've had this layer cake of Domestic Bliss for a couple of years now, and when paired with Kona White in a Camille Roskelley pattern, it makes a pretty, modern quilt that should interest enough people to buy a raffle ticket or a dozen!

Ahhh, Domestic Bliss fabric and Camille Roskelley pattern all good! #showmethemoda

I better put a costing sheet together for this quilt, because I anticipate lots of women asking, "How much do you charge to make a quilt?" and then being doubtful about my pricing.

You know the type I mean.

Plain Jane Passacaglia

Still going - another rosette completed!

#saturdaynightsewing #saturdaynightcraftalong #tobleronecocktail  #plainjanepassacaglia #millefioriquilt #lapassacagliaquilt #latergram

The cocktail is because it was completed at my hockey trivia night down at the RSL Club (RSL = Retired Soldier's League - the club is like a pub/sports bar/bistro combination, all under one roof). I sat at the table all night, with my hands busy while I chatted and answered trivia questions!

My hockey team-mates are accustomed to my sewing peccadiloes. (I made one of the coaches a quilt a couple of years back - she'd coached me for two or three years at that point - although it was a gift to her from the whole team, we collected money for it and they paid me.)

Hexie Flowers Down Under

Bendigo Lioness has started a Hexie Flowers Swap for Australian sewists, and I've decided to join in. (Passacaglia notwithstanding.)

We've been divided into 'thread basters' and 'glue basters'. I listed myself as 'didn't mind either way' and got sorted into the 'thread basters' group. I take it lots of people like the ease of glue basting, then. (I do: all those teeny tiny star points in the Passacaglia? Totally glue basted. But I thread-baste the larger pieces.)

There are 18 people in the thread-basters group, and a week later, some have already finished all their hexies!

@bendigolioness #hexiedownunder C+S and Kate Spain okay?

I think I'm going to be taking just a wee smidge longer than that...

Other things

Okay, so you know when you keep putting something off because you're scared of it and then it just becomes overwhelming?

That's kind of where I've decided my Birthday Swaps have gone. I'm three months behind and struggling to get on top of it all.

All I want to do is snuggle down under a quilt with my cats.

When #cats feel you need a warm lap... #catsofinstagram

Well, me under the quilt, the cats on top of the quilt and me...

*sigh*

--

What have you been working on this week?

Linking up to Freshly Pieced WIP Wednesday.

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

2105 Finish-Along: Q3 goals!

1. Get all my AHBC Birthday Swaps Done: I think I have April, May, June, and July yet to go. This is partly because I'm terrified of not making something nice enough, and partly because I don't want to just make the same thing for everyone!

2. Quilt two quilts: And by 'quilt' I mean "me, myself, and I using a longarm to FMQ".

Current options are Honey Honey, The Promises Of Spring (Snowflake), and French Farmhouse, all of which have significant negative space that needs attending to.

3. Finish Domestic Bliss Quilt Top:

Ahhh, Domestic Bliss fabric and Camille Roskelley pattern all good! #showmethemoda

This one is going to be for a raffle run by my mother's chapter of Soroptimist International - a global volunteer movement working together to transform the lives of women and girls. I think the proceeds are going to the local women's shelter. I kind of hope so.

4. Those Damned Curtains for the front room:

I even have the pattern for them - the Concerto Quilt Pattern - scrappy, diagonal, adjustable for size... Mirror the pattern for the second quilt and it's perfect!

5. summer dresses

I'm going on a trip in just over a month - to Vietnam (HCMC), the UK (London), and the USA (Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco), over the space of a month. Where it will be summer, and warm, and I can wear comfy cotton dresses around the place!

Of course, I have to actually make the comfy cotton dresses.

6. Costume for Dragon*Con Atlanta

I really want to have some cosplays for Dragon*Con. I just don't think I'll have the time to get them done beforehand. :(

2015 Finish Along - Q2 failings

So, I feel like Q2 failed miserably. MISERABLY.

Partly because I did my calf muscle in while playing hockey, which meant I had to drop out of the Sydney Quilt Show entirely *sadface* and partly because I am a crazy overachiever.

Although I guess I can add "my calf muscle" to the list of Things I Did in Q2?

Swarm - top done, backing done, off to quilter for pantoquilting (since it's not going in the show, I decided against quilting it myself)

WIP Wednesday: sprint for the show

Snowflakes - top done, backing done, going to quilt this one myself, have to find time.

WIP Wednesday: sprint for the show

Tula Pink Mini Swap - done!

Tula Pink swap

With a close-up on the octopus 'cos she's so damn cute!

Tula Pink swap

1920s dress - done and worn!

Yes. I suck at photoshoots, but the dress is done! Although I think the hem needs shortening... #montecarlodress #fridaynightsewin #dressmaking

Next job on that is to do some beadwork across the bodice...

quilt backings

Four (4) quilt backings made and sent to the quilter!

Four quilts headed for the quilter. Mostly older ones that are finally going to get done. #gettingitdone>

ROCKING, BABY!

(And then they'll all come back and I'll have to bind them. *eeps*)

In Conclusion

Not as much as I wanted done (when is it ever) but still a decent amount.

Up for Q3!