A Fresh Start

Please join me at my new blog, Free State Quilt Studio! It's my new blog focusing on mostly all things quilty!

Thanks to all my readers for helping Sew Loquacious grow.  I've learned a lot and I am forever grateful.  Please jump over to my new blog and help me grow Free State Quilt Studio, too!

Thanks.
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Cabin Fever Crafts

Have you heard about the Snowmageddon that hit the Midwest?  Well, the big city (KC), has been hit twice in the last week.  Heavy snow is actually pretty rare here, but to be hit twice, with soooo much snow is really unusual.  Today is the fourth snowday!  I'm feeling a little cabin feverish, although I have been able to work on a few handy projects. First, I finished a crocheted scarf I started a few weeks ago.

Notice my dress form?  I got her for Christmas.  I named her, Maude!  The scarf is basically just like the Sea Pennies throw I made.  It's just double crochet throughout.  I used half double crochet for the washcloth I made to match the Breezes Pinwheel Quilt I'm working on.  The trim around the edge is double crocheted. 

It's a bit lopsided, but hey, it's a washcloth!  I really like crocheting with kitchen cotton.  I think it's easier than the fluffier stuff, like the organic cotton I used for the headband I made.    

I found the Knotted Headband Tutorial on Pinterest.  It was pretty easy to follow for the beginner crocheter like me!

So, besides crafting, what else is there to do during a snowday?  How about a SNOWBALL FIGHT?!

Stay warm everyone!

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Sea Breezes

If you were to look at my Pinterest boards, you would notice a few things about me...I love bird art, ridiculously decadent dessert recipes, and that I'm still redecorating my bedroom.  I finished my Ocean Waves Quilt in July and I still haven't been able to hang it in my "new" room!  It's been taking a lot longer to redo, but it's going to look awesome when it's finished!  I have finished another ocean themed project for my room....my first crocheted afghan!  

 

How is an afghan beachy?  Well, it's turquoise and I sewed crocheted "sea pennies" onto the front!  It's a pretty simple blanket; I'm just a newbie at crochet!  I double crocheted the whole thing.  My plan is to use the afghan as a bed runner, atop a white comforter.  

I've got beach on the brain!  I finally started working on Charlotte's quilt.  I am using a pattern I bought last summer in Minnesota.  It's called, Breezes.  Sharon Huse, the owner of the Old Alley Quilt Shop, told me the inspiration for this pattern was all the huge windmills in the area.  If you look closely at the quilt on the cover, you'll notice large and small pinwheels.  I'm using beach themed fabrics I bought online.  Aren't the flip flops adorable?!  

     

A lot of cutting later....

Finally, one finished block:

I love pinwheels and the beach!  How cool is it to mix the two?!  I can't wait until it's finished!

Bye for now!

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A Confession

Hi.  My name is Angela and I am a horrible blogger.  It's been nearly four months since my last post.  It's been about that long since I commented on others'.  I'm so sorry.  Just know the guilt I feel is punishment enough.  I have no excuses for my absence.  I guess the holidays...and life (mostly work) got in the way.  I even let my Etsy listings expire!  No worries; my listings are back and so am I!

So, what have I been up to (besides work)?  Here's a look at a few of the projects I have been working on the past few months:

Zig Zag Quilt

Zig Zag Quilt

"Matching" Pillow

Batik Pillow

Christmas Mini Quilts

I've also been trying to teach myself to crochet.  I'm working on an afghan.  Here is a little circle I learned the other night:

I think I'm finally getting the hang of it!  Tootles for now!

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A Shirt Dress Success

McCall's M4769

Hooray!  I've finished the shirt dress  McCall's M4769!  I'm so happy with how it turned out!  It wasn't all sunshine and roses, however.  All was going well until I reached the collar!  At that point, I nearly threw in the towel!  Honestly, I could not figure it out.  I searched and searched until I found a tutorial for this exact sewing pattern...specifically the lapel collar,  at Pleasant View Schoolhouse blog.  I could NOT have finished the collar without this post!

The picture isn't great, but I'm having major issues with my camera/memory card/computer.  I'm not sure which is the actual problem.  I took the above photo with my iPad.  Later, I took photos using my "real" camera when my daughter was actually wearing the dress.  When I tried downloading the photos from the memory card, it wouldn't work.  Now, the dress and my daughter are gone (back to her house) and I have no way to get those photos again until she visits again and wears the dress!  Trust me, it does look good!  I would recommend this pattern, however the collar is a bit of a bugger.  If you've sewn a notched lapel collar, however, you shouldn't have a problem with this one.  There are darts in the front of the bodice as well as the back, which makes the dress a lot more fitted than it appears in this picture.    There are pockets in the skirt and the sleeve bands are a bit flared.  When I make this pattern again, I will use contrasting fabric for the sleeve bands and maybe the skirt or the bodice since they are separate pieces that are sewn together!

I've also finished my latest quilt top.  I used  Little Black Dress.  I bought a jelly roll and used strips from it as well as strips I cut from plain black fabric yardage.  Again, this picture was taken with my iPad.  I will post more once I sort out my computer problem.

I based this pattern after I saw a similar quilt in a Keepsake Quilting catalog.  I think it turned out great!  Now, I just need to figure out the fabric for the back, the binding, and then get quilting it!  Shh, this one is for my oldest daughter's upcoming birthday.  Hope she likes it!

Tootles!     

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Lessons in Dressmaking

So, I here is what I have learned from my most recent fashion sewing project:

1. DO NOT CUT THE PATTERN TO THE SIZE YOU THINK IT SHOULD BE!
2. EXPERIMENT ON SCRAP FABRIC WHEN MAKING BUTTON HOLES!
3. DO NOT CUT THE PATTERN TO THE SIZE YOU THINK IT SHOULD BE!
4. SEW THE GARMENT USING CHEAP FABRIC; IF IT TURNS OUT, USE YOUR FASHION FABRIC!
5. DO NOT CUT THE PATTERN TO THE SIZE YOU THINK IT SHOULD BE!

Did I mention NOT TO CUT THE PATTERN?  I made this mistake when I began cutting out the pattern pieces for See and Sew B5634.  I decided cutting the pattern to the size I thought would fit my oldest daughter would be easier than trying to fold the pieces along the appropriate lines.  Well, it was easier, but in the end, the dress did not fit her!  Too small!  Fortunately, it fit my friend and she modeled it for the photos.

 

You can see in the photo where I violated lesson #2.  The second button is clearly misaligned.  Oops.  What's also obvious is that I paid no heed to lesson #4.  I should have made the dress using cheap fabric first! 

   

I actually learned a lot from this project that helped me make the next dress.  I had never made a collar before!  It was much easier than I expected!  Setting in the sleeves was a bit tricky, but I managed, and I carried this experience into the next dress project.

My daughter's favorite kinds of dresses are shirt dresses and wrap dresses.  I messed up the shirt dress, but I scored with this blue wrap dress.  Actually, I did not intend to use this blue fabric for the actual dress.  This is cheap fabric I used to "practice" the pattern.  My daughter saw the dress, tried it on, and decided she liked the fabric!  Hit!  She wore the dress to work!  If you are interested, this wrap dress pattern is from Sew Simple.  I picked it up at Walmart.  Easy!

So, with all these lessons learned, I'm now ready to attempt the shirt dress again.  This time, I'm going to use McCall's M4769.  I think the fuller skirt will fit my daughter better than the See and Sew pattern.    

I'm using this retro looking fabric for this dress.  I bought this at Quilts and Quilts, my favorite quilt shop  in  Branson, MO.

  

I also bought some "self-ruffling" yarn called, Flounce.  I had never knitted with this sort of yarn before so it was a little weird to get used to, but I managed to follow the directions and make this adorable little scarf!

I'm thinking these little scarves would make great teacher gifts this year!  They are very fast and the stitches are very forgiving!  If anyone is interested in a quick knitting lesson, let me know!  I'll post an easy tutorial!

I also bought a few Jelly Rolls at the quilt shop!  I've already begun work on a quilt using one of them!  I can't wait to show you!  Stay tuned!

Tootles!

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A Look Ahead

It seems summer may actually be over.  There is a definite chill in the air this morning and football season officially kicks off this afternoon!  That means making a pot of chili, curling up together on the couch and watching the Chiefs lose play.  I love summer, but, if I'm honest, this summer has been brutally hot and dry.  Sleeping with the windows open and getting to snuggle up under the bed covers is a real relief.  It's also a great relief on our air conditioner...and the a/c bill!

Don't get me wrong, this summer has been great.  My family and I have taken a few great trips and gotten to spend quality time together. We've biked, golfed, gone fishing and done a lot of swimming!

Summer being over also means "back to normal."  Back to school, homework, 8:30 bedtime, and routine.  Another definite need in my family.  Personally, I'm feeling more normal, too.  It has been nearly one year since my total knee replacement surgery.  Time flies, huh?  They said it would take a year (or so) to feel like the surgery was worth it.  They were right.  My knee is feeling great!  I've got a lot of the flexibility back and the joint is feeling less mechanical and more like a normal knee!

I'm looking forward to cooler weather now and getting back in my sewing room.  I've completed a few projects in between summer activities, including sewing two dresses for my oldest daughter and a skirt for my youngest.  The lessons I learned from this dressmaking will be the subject of my next post!  Here is a sneak peak at a few of my latest projects.

      

I am super excited about my quilting projects I am planning.  I have the fabrics for two of them and am in the planning stages for what I want to do with them.   I can't wait to show you!

Have a fabulous fallish Sunday!  I've got to start on the chili!   Tootles for now!

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