sew where next? hopefully common sense and logic…

The realisation that I may have bitten off rather more then is comfortable to chew dawned on me today. Much as I have enjoyed making the quilt (binding, batting and backing now added) its taken a LOT of my time. I have finally started on the vogue dress I planned to make, but hadn’t got to as I was so busy with the quilt project.

We will see if I manage to get both finished in time for the wedding on Saturday. Fingers crossed! in the mean time, here are some photos of what has been taking up my bank holiday weekend…

Toile/lining of dress bodice. This has been rather hastily pinned together as its late and I wanted to see what it looked like. I also need to find the instructions – so have just sewn the darts and pinned on the straps. I think the neck line is looking good and the bust darts don’t look too bad either. Of course, once the circle skirt is added it will pull the whole thing downwards, which is not happening at the moment, especially at the back.

Then there is the quilt. At least it won’t be quite so messy to work with now the backing is on. I used a stitch in the ditch method to attach the binding to the back. Much easier then hand stitching nearly 10  meters worth of fabric.

Still got to sew those corners by hand, but otherwise looking fairly neat.

after adding up, its time to count down

After too many pieces to count, my larger then life (well, at least bigger than I ever originally envisaged) quilt is reaching fruition. It still need its binding, but that will only add a little bit to the edges. So the following photo is nearly its full size. It’s so big I’ve had to balance it on the coffee table. There is no way I have any floor space big enough to display this on.

Tomorrow will involve adding the binding, and getting a friend to help with the lovely task of sandwiching the batting and backing. There is no way I am doing this bit by myself! I’m also borrowing the same friend’s long arm machine for the quilting as my poor little Bernina (3/4 size) will most likely have heart failure if I tried to get it to cope with that much fabric.

The good news is that normal dress making will resume after this has been finished – I still need to make the dress I plan to wear to the wedding. The carpet everywhere round the house will breathe a sigh of relief at being spared the daily shower of fluff which has spread like confetti everywhere.

the numbers are adding up

I did a quick mental calculation today, after totting up the pieces in my quilt. There are over 300! I am feeling pretty pleased with how they are all finally coming together. There are still quite a few strips to sew in-between the block chains I have been making but you can see the final design. Unfortunately its so big it doesn’t all fit on the carpet!

Other numbers are coming together for me as well. After more than 6 months of spending 5 days a week exercising the tummy is finally beginning to knuckle under and it feels like all those hours are paying off. Credit to anyone trying to get fitter. Its really hard work! it has taken me away from my beloved sewing machine though, which can be a bit frustrating at times.

Anyway, here is a photo of what the quilt looks now (its missing another two strips at the side as I can’t fit them in) and I hope to get the final missing blocks added soon.

will I measure up?

So, having previously launched myself in to the latest new project of a king size quilt I am now busily counting up the cost of doing so. Thankfully the main fabric came gratis courtesy of a friend’s donation. but as it shrank after pre washing and I wanted a contrast fabric some further shopping was required.

It has snowballed from there. Due to the size of the (already pre cut when donated) fabric I’m having to piece together smaller bits to create enough 20cm blocks. But that has meant extra cutting out. Having nearly finished measuring up all the fabric I have bought (just got some last pieces to pre wash) it is apparent I am a little short of the plain cream calico I am using for the latticework. So, another trip back to the shop (the third!) is in order.

My nice and simple project (who am I deluding here?) has morphed in to over 230 pieces. I really need to stop thinking I can make a plain quilt. It just doesn’t appear to be in my nature…hopefully I have worked out the measurements ok and cut everything out accurately.

Anyway, here is a sneak peak at the design. It is going to have some blue squares for contrast added later but I still to cut that out. Suffice to say tomorrow will include a fair bit of sewing. I hope to also finish the shift dress as I have finally got the darts sorted.

it was bound to happen….

So I was on the home stretch for finishing the latest (little) dress. The large version still awaits the attentions of my housemate (need to pin her down….pun intended!). Somewhere in this house there is a bag, one of many, with the scraps left from cutting everything out. Where its got to I have no idea. So I had to go and buy some commercial bias binding to finish off the armholes instead of making my own as originally intended. But it still looks cute right? Its nearly even the exact shade….

but this leaves a dangerous vacuum – because of course this is the sew where next blog right? and the next thing on the list is making a dress to attend a friend’s wedding. But that’s not ambitious enough in terms of keeping me busy. I am (am I a bit mad?) considering making a king size quilt as a wedding present. Nothing complicated, just squares. It’s going to be a whole lot of yardage. Note to sewing machine, holiday time is over.