SEWmuchKNITting

I'm so happy to be participating in Faye's Carnival of Skirts sew-along this month! It was just the motivation I needed to get back to sewing some additions to my work wardrobe, since I wear skirts a lot. After seeing so many successful projects using Pamela's Magic Pencil Skirt pattern, I ordered one online along with her recommended elastic. Of course, I received my order *several* weeks (months??) ago, and it's been just sitting on my sewing table mocking me.  Per pattern instructions I used a stretch woven fabric, not sure where it came from....maybe Vogue Fabrics a year or two ago? It has quite a bit of stretch, with a weight similar to a stretch denim. The fabric is actually two-sided, with a shot of gold thread here and there (which fails to come across in the photo). Of course, I spent quite a bit of time last night trying to make up my mind which side of the fabric to use, and decided that the darker side with very little metallic thread visible woul...

Christmas will be here in 81 days, and I try to have a new Christmas quilt each year. "Try" is the operative word here....most years it doesn't happen :-) But this year it will, since I pulled a top out of the to-be-quilted pile and got to work. First thing I needed to do was to lay out and layer the quilt sandwich: backing, batting and quilt top. This quilt is almost queen-sized, so I needed to piece the backing fabric. I don't worry about the seam down the middle, and whether or not it is strong enough. The quilt will be held together with enough machine quilting, and I've yet to have a seam pop, even on those "couch quilts" that get used a lot.  Since my basement floor has a commercial-grade, low-pile carpet, I just pin the backing to the carpet with straight pins, making sure it is stretched taut. My batting of choice is 100% cotton. Though I usually use Warm and Natural , this Mountain Mist cotton batting was on sale so I thought I...

Getting to the end of my summer sewing for 2012 by finishing up a dress for my daughter Kristen:  McCall's 6318 , View C, which is now out of print. This is such a cute dress, with a bit of a retro feel in View C. The princess seams in the front bodice allow for easy alterations if necessary.  My daughter chose this fabric on our visit to Mood Fabrics in NYC on a trip we took in May, 2010. A lovely, tightly woven cotton, it sewed like a dream. I lined this dress with a poly batiste that I had in my stash.  I have to say that my pictures don't really show how cute this dress looked on Kristen. She's promised me a picture next time she wears it! L.O.V.E. the pocket detail! My daughter especially liked the way the bodice shoulder "straps" formed a Vee in the back. Hard to see in the photos is the 6 inch walking slit at center back.             I think my daughter Kristen made a great choice marrying this fabric t...