Yes I bit the bullet and had my three collections printed (mostly swatches) at Spoonflower. I’m for the most part delighted with the results, but need to fine-tune color between my monitor and printer and Spoonflower’s printer! I hope you enjoy this video!
I’d love to hear which ones you like best… and if you know anyone at one of my top companies (which I’m still keeping secret LOL!) let me know…and TELL THEM to give me a contract <<<grin>>>.
It’s a miracle…sewing for pure fun! Last summer I ordered the PDF download of this Eva Dress pattern by Tessuti Fabrics in Australia (don’t ask me what delightful rabbit hole I fell into that led me to a fabric shop half-way around the world). I had 2 1/2 yards of art quilter Leslie Tucker Jenison’s fantastic Warehouse District design printed on Kaufman’s Essex cotton-linen blend, a perfect weight for this jumper (there’s also a short sleeve version). Be sure to see the short video below!
With Phineas the Phlamingo and his bestie Sven the slightly tipsy gnome
The pattern is a PDF download from a fabric store in Australia. You can print at home and tape the pages together or print at a local or online copy/print shop onto A0 (about 36″ wide) paper, which is way easier! I use medical exam table paper (cheap!) to make pattern tissues, which preserves the multi-size pattern. I am a US ready-to-wear size 12 or between a Medium and Large. In this pattern, I chose the Large. It is fitted in the bodice with wearing ease but not a lot of extra room, with a roomy skirt.
I made three/four modifications:
Added a very small dart coming in from the armhole, about 3″ away from the side seam, because the armhole gapped slightly. It is only 1/4″ wide and about 2″ long. As I am small-busted, and there isn’t a ton of room, I suggest making a muslin just for the bodice or cutting the top a bit oversized and fitting it carefully especially if you usually need to make a full bust adjustment. Pick a mid-skirt pattern piece that corresponds in size to the bottom of the bodice, then grade the sides to match your usual desired size.
Because I live in Maine where it is often cool (or cold), I wanted to be able to wear a shirt underneath, so I lowered the bottom of the armhole by 1/2″ (a bit more than 1 cm), tapering to 2″ on either side (5 cm).
I lengthened the pocket by about 2″ so I could slide my large iPhone in and there would be no risk of it falling out. My fingertips just brush the bottom of the pocket.
The fourth change I ended up not making: I was concerned when I measured the circumference of the hem that I wouldn’t be able to take large steps. I widened out the bottom, then basted along the original seam line. It was just fine, so I trimmed away what I had added because it wasn’t needed.
If you want a short dress, perhaps just above knee length, without the cocoon or bubble shape, it would be pretty easy to lengthen the mid-skirt and just make it that way.
The pattern calls for 3 1/4 yards for a size Large. Well, I had 2 1/2 yards! I knew I could make the bias for finishing the armholes, neck and hem out of a quilting cotton, and I JUST barely managed it because the fabric did not have a one-way pattern. One pocket piece isn’t quite on grain, but so what? I had very few scraps left!
Of course using my Janome Continental M7 made it easy! I used these three feet: Quarter inch (for putting on the bias binding/facings), F clear applique foot because of the visibility and the red mark in the center which allowed me to align my topstitching, and the zipper foot which is my favorite foot for under stitching and topstitching. Back view showing roominess of skirt This is all that was left of 2 1/2 yards! Considering the pattern called for 3 1/4 yards, I was thrilled not to have to shorten or otherwise mess with the dress design. I used a lightweight quilting cotton to make the bias which is only seen on the inside. It is used in lieu of traditional facings and hem. https://www.tessuti-shop.com/collections/patterns-dresses-skirts-tunics/products/eva-dress-pattern
I celebrated the finish (yesterday) by wearing it to the first in-person post-COVID meeting of our local quilt group this morning!
I’ve posted some in progress pictures on social media, but at long last the cushions are done, and oh my what an improvement!
After wheedling a lot one year about 12-14/15 years ago, I convinced Paul to buy this “wicker” (ie extruded plastic) furniture. It came with the cushions you see below. I dislike stripes, and don’t like drab colors. I’ve wanted to replace the covers all this time, and finally last summer purchased the Sunbrella Awning fabric in the Aruba color. The Awning fabric is wider at 60″ than the regular upholstery fabric, stiffer so harder to work with it, and sheds water. It was both the width, which allowed me more efficient use of the yardage, and the ability to prevent water from getting into the cushions that led me to use this version of Sunbrella. I bought it online from a place in Florida, Outdoor Fabric Central. I used almost all of the 7 yards ($28 a yard).
This is what it looked like before. Furniture nice, fabric: definitely not my style!
Apparently I really dislike the old cushions so much it took searching in 4 years of summer photos to find a single one with the old striped cushions!
Here are the old ones on the floor in my basement studio. I used to work for an interior designer for a couple years when we lived on San Juan Island, so I learned to pattern from an existing cover and also to start from scratch. Measuring existing is easier! I knew I didn’t want the backs tufted, and knew also that I would move the zippers and do things my way.When I opened up the seat cushions I discovered the reason they weren’t comfortable is because there was no foam, just dacron! I still need to do something with the frame–it is “strung” with elastic, and after 14 years the stretch is stretched out. I set plywood under the cushions last summer, but even with the addition of foam, I need something with more give. Will look for webbing/strapping to see what I can find that my arthritic hands can actually install and make work. I used an egg-crate foam mattress topper that Eli used to use. I’m replacing his twin with a Queen sleeper sofa for when the kids come to visit, so the topper is now cushion fodder.With careful planning and careful cutting I had minimal waste! My trusty M7 Continental from Janome sewed through stuff like a champ! I used my antique (20+ years old) serger to overcast the inside seams. Because of the stiffness of the fabric, I chose to not do piping.The Janome at work, the dog at rest.My circle templates came in handy for rounding corners.Wonder Clips (from Clover) are worth the price! I bought a pack of 50 and have used them for so many things! And of course the machine sewed like a champ! I LOVE MY JANOME! You might also wonder about the tan zipper. Well, 20 years ago I bought a roll of black and a roll of tan zipper tape and a billion pulls. Since I completely hide the zipper, no worries that it doesn’t match. This is wide and strong zipper tape as there is a lot of stress on seat cushions…the same bulky weight as sleeping bags. Here’s the pile of nearly complete cushions.
Thanks to a suggestion from Diana Feit on FB, I cut a pool noodle in half and used that arched inside the settee back cushions to fill them out. I had already cut a 3″ wide strip from the egg crate foam, smooth side out, and then used the foam arched from one bottom corner to the other to fill that out. Worked like a charm. Also, notice those DEEP zipper plackets. The place is centered on the gusset, and there are “zipper garages”–little pockets on either end to conceal the zipper pull. These deep plackets use a bit more fabric, but they cover the zipper SO much better that I always make them. Last year about this time I did a blogpost tutorial on one of my Michael Miller Fabrics brand ambassador projects here and here. Click on those links for details on the how–the process is exactly the same.
So there we are….now all I need to do is MAKE TIME to sit on the porch (once it warms up, even with the electric throw it was kinda nippy out there two days ago, then it got colder!). But summer IS coming and I intend to enjoy some Porch Time!
These just-perfect sized pattern weights, 3″ on a side, are not only just the thing for YOUR sewing room, but they make quick and easy gifts for anyone you know who sews!
Can you tell how much FUN I had? Lookit the doggie as a Halloween Ghost (top row) and the goofy Space Alien (center right) and those fantastic Garden Pindots (middle and lower rows)! See free PDF for pattern and Michael Miller Fabrics fabric details.
Early in my year as a Michael Miller Fabrics Brand Ambassador for 2020, I decided to use some Marbles (MMF Basic collection) for a much-wished-for set of pattern weights. Most patterns on the internet were way too big–at least 4″ on a side. I wanted mine smaller, to fit into smaller areas. As I made them I thought what fun it would be to remember this year by using fabrics from each collection and project that I made in more weights. It’s now December, and here’s what I have….FUN! Even better, Here is a FREE Printable PDF so you can make your own. The printable version duplicates what comes next:
And some new info: My cousin said the rice filled ones can be popped into the microwave (briefly!) and make nice handwarmer’s, and a friend said she uses a combination of fiberfill for soft outside and buckshot for the center to add the heft that you need for a pattern weight.
ENJOY and stay safe–here’s to hoping next year at this time we’ll be like to something approaching normalcy with COVID controlled, almost everyone vaccinated, and holidays celebrated with a LOT OF HUGS!
Good tools (AccuQuiltGO!), good fabric (Michael Miller Fabrics), good thread (Aurifil), good machine (Janome Continental M7), and some experience, and you can do a lot! This return to my quilty roots just makes me happy!
Over the course of the year I’ve shared progress on this quilt:
First, there was learning to use the AccuQuiltGO! which I blogged about here. It was a different block, but the easy applies.
Then there is the PIECING of CURVES: see the blogpost here or go directly to the video on my YouTube Channel here.
Now there is the quilting video (that covers a couple other things), embedded below and share-able on my YouTube Channel here.
Full disclosure: I have proudly been a Janome Artisan since 2003, and this year am a Michael Miller Fabrics Brand Ambassador for 2020. MMF provided the fabric and we were given, as part of being a brand ambassador, an AccuQuiltGo and several dies. To my surprise I enjoyed the process so much I have purchased both the Winding Ways and Crossed Canoe dies. Stay tuned for more!
This is the die that I purchased to make the Winding Ways, which has always been one of my favorite traditional blocks. Click this link to see a blogpost of using the AccuQuiltGO (for another block, but it’s the exact same process) including a video.I found this design somewhere on the internet and printed it out to mess around with a design for a future quilt! Stay tuned for a WANDERING Winding Ways! Using a grid like this can help you plan out fun color fades and settings.
Next came machine quilting. I worked on that a while back–I did end up teaching for the Mancuso Online Quiltfest in August and will do a Threadcoloring the Garden workshop in October! More info on that soon! In this video I’m practicing making a video, demonstrating at the machine, and it just happens to be walking foot quilting (fast! easy!) on my beloved Janome M7. Even if I had paid full price instead of being a Janome Artisan I’d rave about this machine’s wonderfulness! Their new slogan, Reliability by Design, is really true!
Then, the hand quilting and the finishing!
I haven’t done any hand stitching in a thousand years, but nearly two years ago I bought matching green thread from aurifil in piecing/light quilting weight and a heavier 12-wt that is about the size of a light perle cotton or 6-strands of floss. I LOVE IT…and it went so fast! I can remember clearly sitting on the porch in early summer, something to watch on the iPad, stitching away.
I just love how an angled shot shows the texture and dimension. I was surprised at how quickly the hand stitching went. I used the same green color of thread on the green parts for machine quilting as the green in the heavyweight Aurifil thread.
I wanted to repeat the orange batik in the center on the edges, but using it as the binding was too much. I instead inserted a tiny stitched down “reveal” that is a scant 1/8″ just inside the white binding. Can I also put in a plug for Michael Miller’s Cotton Couture solids? The quality of the base cloth is SO GOOD! And the consistency in color / dye lots over the years is really amazing. I dye fabric and know how hard it is to get perfect matches from batch to batch and it does.
Last but not least, those skinny inserts and perfect corners.
I taught the half day version of my bindings workshop at the Mancuso Online Quiltfest in June and may do so again in the new year. I am scheduled to teach and have an exhibit of my work at the Mid-Atlantic Quiltfest in Virginia in February, but at this point who knows if it will be in person or online! I promise I will teach the bindings (full or half day) again in the new year online, just need to figure out when. My students in June had GREAT results online so it works online too!
Anyway, I hope you’ve enjoyed my 2020 detour back to my quilty roots. Coming soon, a new art quilt!
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