I stitched up this Schoolhouse Tunic a little while ago, but didn’t get to taking proper photographs until the other day. It’s my second version of this great pattern. I made the first one out of voile from the Greenfield Hills collection. I knew my second version would be done with Liberty of London and I’m so happy that I chose this spring-y Kate Ada print.

I tried out the gathered elastic sleeve for this version and I really like it!

I’ve had a busy start to the year with an unexpected project. I’ll finally be sharing some photos here very soon to show you what I’ve been up to for the last few months.

Speaking of Liberty of London, there’s a shipment due to arrive ANY day now (hopefully tomorrow) at the workroom full of Liberty of London Tana Lawn Cotton!!! It will be our biggest shipment of Liberty yet! You can sneak peek the prints that are arriving here. You can expect to see Liberty on our shelves on a regular basis now. Just in time for spring/summer wardrobe making!

One more piece of exciting news!! the workroom will be carrying Wiksten printed sewing patterns! I absolutely adore both the Tank pattern and the Tova pattern, so I’m over the moon that Jenny is making them available to us. Not only can you now buy these patterns locally, but look out for these projects as classes at the workroom very soon. The patterns will arrive in the next few weeks. I’ll let you know when they arrive.

Yay Spring!!

We got a shipment of nani IRO fabrics last week. It created quite a flurry! About half the shipment was gone within 48 hours of arriving. Wow. I’m placing another order this weekend and I’ll try to get even more this time.

As soon as I saw how quickly the fabric was going, I knew I had to think quickly to figure out a few projects for myself. I decided to try a Tova from the grey dot flannel and also a skirt from this navy painted canvas. I thought it would be fun to do a quick scarf from one of teal dot flannel and one of the solid voiles as the backing. Something with instant gratification and super cozy too!

I used the Anna Maria Horner Figure 8 Scarf tutorial. I used just a metre each of the flannel and voile. Anna Maria Horner’s pattern calls for an 18 x 79″ strip of fabric for each side, so I just cut two strips out of my metre and pieced them together to make the full length. The scarf came together in less than an hour and I totally love it! I made one change to the pattern by shortening it by about 6 inches. I wanted the scarf to wrap closer to my neck. If you’re making the scarf, you might want to test out the length before sewing the loop together to adjust it to your preference.

Best part is, I’m wearing my nani IRO right away.

I can make a thousand bags and still need more. I first designed this Drawstring Bag pattern for my camera bag and I still use it every single day. I thought it was time for a new one and wanted to make it boldly coloured. This Melody Miller ‘Ruby Star Rising’ Transistor Radio print that I had in my stash was perfect. It was only after I had made it that I realized that I had been totally inspired by Katherine’s camera bag made with the same Transistor Radio print in the softer colours! I found the perfect cotton ribbon at Mokuba for the drawstring and I just used little bits of the Transistor Radio print to make the hexagon tabs.

I love the bold colour palette of this print so much, I’ve decided to use it as a starting point for my Scrappy String Quilt colours. I’ve started making the blocks and I’m really excited to see how this turns out!

I’ve had an over-sized zip clutch on my wish list for a while now. I’ve pinned quite a few, like this one and this one on Pinterest. Essentially, this is really just a simple zippered pouch, so there’s really no reason not to make one. I couldn’t decide on the fabric, it had to be the perfect one. I wanted to use a canvas rather than leather, but I didn’t have any that I liked for this project.

I decided to embark on a little natural dyeing adventure to create the fabric for this project. Luckily, we have had everything I needed at the workroom from our Natural Dyeing classes. I put a pot on the stove and started cooking! I dyed a large piece of organic cotton canvas and a piece of Kona white cotton. I started with Myrobalan, which is both a dye and a mordant. This turned the fabric yellowish. Next up was Logwood. This turned the fabric a brownish grey. Since I wanted something a bit more lively, I ended with a quick dip in Cochineal that brought out pretty lavender/purple shades. I haven’t done a lot of dyeing on my own, so I was really happy with the results.

Sewing the clutch was pretty simple once I figured out the size that I wanted it to be.

I love to add hidden details to my projects, so I put a silver foil heart on the inside lining. I know that will make me smile whenever I peek into this clutch.

Tova Shirt by Wiksten
Liberty of London : Mirabelle print Tana Lawn Cotton

I fell in love with the Tova shirt & dress the first time I saw it. This was years ago, before it was a sewing pattern. It’s perfectly my style. A simple tunic, a gathered yoke and gathered 3/4 length sleeve. I don’t know why I waited so long to order both Jenny Gordy‘s patterns (the Tank & the Tova), but now that I have them, I want to sew a dozen (at least) in each. I’ve made a few of the tanks. (Paris maps & Floral) But I had been taking my time, trying to decide on the perfect fabric for my Tova. I’m so happy that I finally decided to do it in Liberty of London Mirabelle. I’ve used bits of this fabric for other projects, but not yet for a piece of clothing. The soft drape of the Tana Lawn feels amazing with this pattern.

Jenny’s patterns are awesome. I love her details, the way she finishes hems & cuffs and the fit has been perfect for me. Everything about her design feels refined and I always feel like I’m making high quality garment as I work through her instructions. Fingers crossed that she continues to release sewing patterns in the future because they are the best.

I used Swedish Tracing paper to trace out my pattern and it is my new standard for pattern paper. It feels really nice, is lightweight, but sturdy. It is also sew-able, so if you want to baste a pattern to test it out, you can sew the Swedish Tracing paper! The trickiest part of sewing this pattern is attaching the yoke. My corners are more curvy than pointy. For my next version, I think I will hand baste the yoke in place and I’m sure that will help.

I’m getting ready to cut out my next Tova already. I’m just deciding which Liberty print will be next.

Happy Valentine’s Day! xxxxxo

This will be my third year doing Project 365. Everyday, I make sure that I take at least one photo. A big part of the challenge last year was keeping up with organizing and posting my photos. I still have a few months of photos to post for 2011!

This year, I’m working on two 365 projects. One with my DSLR camera and one with my iphone. The iphone 365 is so easy to do, especially because there is an app for it! Project 365 makes it super easy to organize your 365 photos as you go along. At the end of the month you can download the collage of all your photos. I love it.

If you’re on Instagram (I am make_something on Instagram), you may have noticed people posting photos all month with the hashtag #janphotoaday. Chantelle created a fun challenge that gives you a theme to use everyday. Happily she will be doing a new challenge each month. Here is February’s challenge. Having the daily theme keeps things really interesting and I love seeing everyone’s version of the same idea.

p.s. I just added ANOTHER photo challenge to my roster. This one is #febphotoskill. Check out the daily details here. You would think I had nothing to do all day, but these little challenges make me feel creative in the midst of my busy work days!

I love improv patchwork so much. Right now, I’m loving sharing it with my new Improv Patchwork class. Working through these techniques with a group is incredibly inspirational. I’m learning so much and having so much fun seeing what everyone creates. I made two blocks during class this week that I’m really excited by. Both of them are outside my usual colour palette, which makes them even more awesome to me.

I’m especially smitten with the pink and cream block. I can’t stop staring at it. I’m pretty sure this is the start of something bigger.

OK! Let’s talk about getting started on this Farmer’s Wife Quilt. I’m super impressed that so many of you are off and running with making your blocks. Some of you have a dozen or more done already! Some of you, I hope, might be like me and getting off to a slower start. Either way, there’s no rush and no rules! Most important is having fun making these blocks and sharing the process with each other.

The Templates

The templates that come on the CD in the book don’t have the best layout. They use up lots of paper. Liz A has created a document with all the templates laid out on just 15 pages. You can download it here. She also recommended having your template pages laminated at Staples and then cutting them out as you go along, rather than using template plastic. I am trying this out and I like it so far. There is a great discussion on the Flickr group here about different ways that people are using the templates. If you would like to foundation paper piece, there are templates that have been created for that as well. Take a look at this post by Jessica, to learn more about how you can download that template file. Another intriguing idea is printing the templates onto freezer paper, ironing the freezer paper onto your fabric and cutting with a rotary cutter. I’m going to try this out. If you’re doing this, it might be helpful to use these templates from the publisher that have them organized by block.

Starch

These pieces are really tiny. I’m using starch to help control my fabric. I find it really helpful to starch and iron my fabric before I trace and cut it out. Things don’t shift as much. I’m currently using Mary Ellen’s Best Press.

Hand Piecing

I have gone through my fabrics and selected prints for eight blocks. I’m not necessarily going in the order of the book, but trying to start with easier blocks while I get the hang of it. At the beginning of each week, I’ll cut out all the pieces for my week’s blocks so that they are ready to sew. I’m also attempting to hand piece these blocks, but I think I will also try foundation paper piece some of the trickier ones with tiny pieces. We’ll see. I wanted to hand piece because I feel that I can be more accurate with my stitching this way. I also don’t often get to machine sew during the week, so it is easier for me to sit in bed and hand piece before I go to sleep at night. It’s pretty relaxing and super satisfying. Thank goodness for Carolanne and her Intro to Handwork. The skills from this class have done me well over and over.

Flickr Group

The Farmer’s Wife Quilt-a-long Group is an AMAZING resource. The group was started by Angela & Amanda. There is a wealth of information and discussion. If you have problems I’m sure that it’s been addressed here already, since they are about six months into making the quilt. I did create a Flickr group called The Farmer’s Wife Quilt-a-long Toronto, as a way for us to share our photos with each other, as well. It is so encouraging and exciting to see each other’s blocks as we create them. Please join the group and post your photos! Even if you’re not in Toronto, but just starting out or already halfway done, we’d love to see how you’re doing. Many of us are on Instagram, so there are lots of ways to share our progress with each other. Take a minute to join the group and then introduce yourself here!

Last night I finished my first two blocks! #29 Economy & #30 End of Day

Have you started? How is it going? Let’s talk about this!

Pattern : Wiksten Tank Top by Jenny Gordy
Fabric : Paris Map from the ‘Etchings‘ collection by 3 Sisters

Let’s talk about the fabric first. This Paris Map fabric is incredible. It’s the kind of fabric that I could use over and over again and never get tired of it. It’s the kind of fabric that only lasted in the shop for about 24 hours before all 3 bolts of it were gone. It’s the kind of fabric that you want to hoard forever and never not have it in your life.

I really wanted to enjoy this fabric on a regular basis, not just visit with it in my stash. I knew that this tank pattern would be a satisfying way to cut into this print. You just can’t go wrong with the Wiksten Tank. It is so versatile and easy to wear. (I have fabric picked out for my first Wiksten Tova that I hope to be able to sew up soon)

Again, I have to say that I super proud of my pattern matching on the pocket. (See my first Wiksten Tank here) You can barely see that there is a pocket!

I still have at least a metre left of these Paris Maps (plus every little bit of scrap from cutting out the tank) and the rest will likely go into some future quilts and definitely into my Blue & White Farmer’s Wife Sampler.

MISC.

• Our dear Kristiann, has recently launched her own line of pdf sewing patterns. Her company is called, ‘Victory Patterns‘ and I know you’re going to fall in love with her designs. I have my eye on the Hazel dress with those sweet front ties.
• I’m adding this DIY Fur Pom Pom project to my list of things to do
• Have you seen the online magazine, Covet Garden? It is SO good. Each issue features a different house in Toronto and this issue features Arounna & John’s home from ‘Bookhou‘!
• The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery is starting a Dessert of the Month club. Each month you get a new adorable dessert cross stitch pdf pattern emailed to you. the workroom will be working with the Pumpkins to create Cosmo floss sets every two months that will contain all the colours you will need to work on your desserts. We sold out really quickly on the January/February sets yesterday, but more floss is on the way. Let me know if you’d like to buy a set when they are back in stock!

Quilting by Eileen Quilts
Quilting Pattern : Signature

Finishing a quilt is a true labour of love. Most people think that you sew together a bunch of fabric into patches and there you go, a quilt. Oh NO. A quilt is about twenty times more work than that. There is the back of the quilt (for me, often improv pieced), basting the quilt, quilting all the layers together (this is where most people get stuck) and then sewing on binding. Don’t forget a quilt label too! To anyone who has ever finished a quilt, I applaud you. It is a long road to finishing even the most simple of quilts, but it is so worth it in the end. To be honest, I would make quilts all the time, every day if I could. I finally feel like I have worked up to understanding how to finish the quilts that I start. This has meant getting over my fear of machine quilting and starting to explore free motion quilting. But it has also meant sending off my first quilt to a long arm quilter.

It’s a scary proposition, sending off your quilt top and back to someone else to have them quilt all over it. Amanda uses Lindsay to do her long arm quilting. Lindsay quilted her Halloween Swoon quilt with the coolest spiderweb pattern. A recommendation for a long arm quilter is a MUST. I also got to meet Lindsay at the Sewing Summit in Salt Lake City. She is a sweetheart and even though she lives in Virginia, I felt really good about sending away my Cog & Wheel to her.

I wanted a swirly pattern, so Lindsay sent over some options of designs she suggested. I chose one that is called ‘Signature’. I liked that it appeared to be more random. I think it looks really good with the Cog & Wheel design.

I know some people who always send their quilts out to be quilted. This way they can enjoy the patchwork process and finish more quilts. I will probably try to do the quilting on my smaller quilts and have Lindsay work on my larger bed-sized quilts for me. It is really exciting to receive a box in the mail, open it up and have your professionally quilted work all bundled up inside.

I cut the binding last night and I’m looking forward to spending some time sitting under the quilt while I hand stitch the final step.

p.s. Happy New Year! I’m picking out my first blocks to start my Farmer’s Wife Sampler this week. I’ll post about it soon.