Recap of 2011

The end  of the year has always proved to be extremely inspiring since folks post so many great mosaics of their crafting accomplishments. I have always wanted to write a sort of year-in-review post and have several false starts, but have never really manage to get one finished.  For example, I started this post well before the holidays, yet am just now getting to finishing it.  Even though 2011 flew by, I did manage to accomplish a thing or two…

Here are some 2011′s sewing and knitting accomplishments I am most proud of:

• being able to contribute to this book
• teaching classes here
• being featured here for some of the sewing I do for H.
• being featured here, here, and here for the sewing I do for myself

But my biggest accomplishment is getting to know more of YOU!  Thanks for all of your kind comments, supportive e-mails, and friendly ‘hellos’ around the neighborhood.  It really does make a difference knowing there are people who take the time to look at my little ole blog. I look forward to yet another great year of sewing and knitting with all of you.

Tags: 2011

Come and sew with me!

If you live in the Boston area, please join me for an Oliver + S class at JP Knit and Stitch starting next Thursday, January 12th. I’ll help you sew a Oliver + S pattern of your choosing as well as give you a slew tips and tricks along the way.  You can find the details and register online here.

image from Oliver + S

Hope to see ya there!

Tags: JP Knit and Stitch, oliver + s, workshops

Massive back log

So long 2011!  I hope everyone’s holiday season was a joyful as ours.  In the midst of preparing for holidays, I’ve neglected posting to my blog.

Here is a quick rundown of a few items I made for birthday and holiday presents.

Oliver + S Sailboat top for my nephew’s first birthday.  I made this in size 18 – 24 months.

Using fabric from my stash, I made this Oliver + S Popover Sundress for one of H.’s classmates.

  

J. was my niece’s secret Santa this year.  As part of her Christmast gift, I made her a reversible cape using thin-whaled turquoise corduroy and a print from Modern Workshop by O + S.

   

  

I must say, she looks pretty adorable in it.

H. was my newest nephew’s secret Santa.  As part of his gift, I made him a cabled baby hat using cashmere and merino yarn, Oliver + S Bedtime Story PJs, and a raglan sweater.

  

  

Here is super cute baby H. wearing the sweater.

For my teenage nephews, I knit them hats to go along with their presents.

H. is trying on this Irish Hiking Hat I knit using Spud & Chloë’s Sweater yarn.

I knit another hat for my other nephew, but I forgot to take a photo of it before I sent it off in the mail.

For my fabulous mother-in-law, I knit her a Shalom Cardigan using Reynold’s Lopi.  Topping it off with a vintage button.

  

I also made some Weekend Travel bags to give away as gifts.  I cut the fabric for these a while back.

  

The zipper colors may not be the ideal match, but I wanted to avoid yet another trip to the fabric store.

I wasn’t able to finish all of my holiday crafting, so I’ve been frantically trying to finish two scarves.  Once these are done, I’ll get back to sewing!

Holiday PJs

I’ve been a bit neglectful in posting this month.  I fear work, home and holiday crafting have all been competing for my attention.

I’ve enjoyed seeing all the holiday PJs popping up online.  My sewing machine has been whirring under yards and yards of  flannel in an attempt to make my own holiday pjs.  This past week, I finished four sets of pajamas.

H & J loved the matching holiday pajamas I made them last year, so I sewed them another pair of Oliver + S Bedtime Story Pajamas.  I used an adorable snowman print by Riley Blake and “Racer Stripes” in aqua from Michael Miller’s Children At Play line.

    

Here is H. wearing them last night as she snuggled with our 16-year-old mini Dachshund.

I also made a set of the Oliver + S Sleepover Pajamas as a sample for JP Knit and Stitch.  I used flannel by Erin McMorris and Alexander Henry.

  

I know these are big on H.  I made them in a 7, so she can wear them next year when I get the sample back.

If you live in the Boston area and would like to sew the Sleepover PJs, I’ll be teaching a workshop in January over at JP Knit and Stitch.  The registration should be up soon.

You’ll have to  wait a bit to see the last set of holiday pjs.  I’ll post those after they have been given.

Tags: bedtime story pjs, holiday gifts, JP Knit and Stitch, oliver + s, Sleepover PJs

Sew Your Style Friday

Yours truly was featured today as part of the “Sew Your Style Friday” series on the Lisette site today.  I am so flattered.

As I was looking through the photos for this post, I realized I need to try harder not to blink when photos are taken, and of course, I need to smile more!

Tags: Lisette, Sew Your Style Friday

Tote Bags for Presents (modified Kwik Sew 3597)

Every year, I seem to pick one pattern and use it over and over to make holiday presents. One year, it was Weekend Travel Bags; last year, it was Gathered Clutches.  This year’s pattern of choice is Kwik Sew 3597. Since I have a bunch of decor-weight fabric in my stash, I’ve been able to make a bunch of totes by shopping in my own fabric armoire. Can’t beat that!

I modified the pattern to add a liner to all the tote bags.  I thought this gave the bags a more finished look as well as made the bags nice and sturdy.

I started off make two large ones, two medium bags, and three small totes. I think the medium are the perfect size, so I am planning to make a few more of those to add to the growing pile of homemade presents.

Here is a closer look at each bag:

Amy Butler with Alexander Henry for this large bag.

Echino Nico paired with Lisette to make this large tote.  I kept this one.

Amy Butler with Patty Young to make a medium tote.

Amy Butler with Alexander Henry (I think) in a medium bag.

Joel Dewberry paired with Denyse Schmidt to make a small tote.

Joel Dewberry with Alexander Henry for a small tote bag.

I used leftover Alexander Henry fabric accompanied with Patty Young to make this small bag.  H. has requested to keep this one to carry to and from Daisy Troop meetings.

Kwik Sew 3597 is a really simple and fast pattern.  I’m hoping to continue stash busting by making a few more of these bags to give away.  This first batch will be going to H. and J.’s teachers.

Tags: holiday gifts, Kwik Sew 3597, tote bags

Oliver + S School Photo Dress for the Holidays

On Friday, I was lucky enough to accompany my mom, and my mother-in-law to take H. to see her first production of the Boston Ballet’s The Nutcracker.

She was mesmerized.

For the special occasion, H. wore an Oliver + S School Photo Dress (view B) sewn using a print from Lecien’s Scandinavian Christmas.  I made this dress to be a shop sample for JP Knit and Stitch, but H. was able to test if out before it went to its new home.

H. took full advantage of the hidden kangaroo pocket by slipping her program inside, so she could hold on to her Nana’s and Grandma’s hands as we made our way to our seats.  Aside from the front pocket, my favorite detail of the dress is the ruffled collar.

  

For the lining, I used Bemberg lining in dark gray since I had some in my stash.  I did a blind stitch to attach the lining to the zipper to give it a neater finisher; a step I didn’t bother to do the last time I made this dress.

If you want to get a closer look at this dress, just pop on by to JP Knit and Stitch.

Tags: JP Knit and Stitch, Lecien, oliver + s, Sample, School Photo Dress

Cynthia Rowley – Simplicity 2215 in Lotta Jansdotter

I was so thrilled to hear that Lotta Jandotter was releasing a fabric line .  I was even more excited when it landed in my local fabric store.  In an attempt to retrain myself, I only purchased two prints, but I am dying to get more.

Given my penchant for all things mustard lately, it shouldn’t be too surprising that I picked out the Florine Brass Mesh to sew a skirt using  Cynthia Rowley’s Simplicity 2215 pattern.

The pattern has so many lovely details like the asymmetrical pleats and the fitted waistband.  I opted to forgo the frayed bottom edge of the skirt and gave mine a 2 1/2 inch hem.

My favorite details are the side pockets.  You can barely see them, and they just seem to melt into the side pleats.  I love the construction of the side left pocket and the invisible zipper.   Part of the pocket lining is sewn to the zipper, so the pocket sits right in front.  For the pocket lining, I used some leftover gray fabric.  I love this color combination together.

I’m pleased with the way the skirt turned out.  Paired with my brown honey cowl, I couldn’t wait to head out the door for work this morning.

Tags: Cynthia Rowley, Echo, Florine Brass Mesh, Lotta Jandotter, Simplicity 2215

New Hat and New Dress

J. has been asking for a new knit hat since cooler weather has come our way and since baseball hats don’t keep his ears warm. He requested to have hat just like his dad’s knit hat.

Using one skein of Spud & Chloë  Sweater yarn and this pattern, J. has a brand spanking new winter hat.

   

J. was so anxious to wear it, so I didn’t get a chance to block the hat before he wore it to pre-school last week.

Over the weekend, I made H. a Thanksgiving dress using the Oliver + S Apple Picking Dress pattern and organic cotton from Cloud 9.

For the past year or so, I have found myself being drawn to combinations of mustard and blue and mustard and gray. The Berry Bush and the Splinters prints from Heather Moore’s Cut Out & Keep, Cloud 9 collection were must haves.

H. really likes her new dress and wore it to a birthday party this weekend where she managed to get pink cupcake icing smeared all over it. H. likes this pattern so much, she has already requested me to make her another one to match S.’s.

 

Tags: Cloud 9, Cut OUt & Keep, oliver + s, Organic Cotton, seaman's cap, Spud & Cleo

Nigella Yoga Bags

Inspired by Molly’s yoga bag, I used Amy Butler’s Nigella yoga bag pattern to make two yoga bags to give away.

For both bags, I used cotton sateen decor weight fabric by Joel Dewberry from my stash.

I made some minor adjustments to the pattern to accommodate the fact that I didn’t have quite enough fabric.  I used a different print for the inside of the strap.  I like the little pop of surprise.

I also added 3 extra inches to the length of the fabric and added two button holes for a drawstring closure.

For this bag, I lined it with a print from Aneela Hoey.

I did a test drive with this bag on Saturday morning for a 90-minute Baptiste yoga session. The pockets were big enough to hold my water bottle, keys and such.  If I had one of those super thin, fancy thin mat towels, I probably could have squeezed that in too.  My mom does hot yoga 4-5 times a week, so this bag is heading her way.

For the second bag, I didn’t add the drawstring.

  

I’m donating this bag to my daughter’s school for an upcoming fundraiser.

Hopefully, I can make one for me after the holidays.

Tags: amy butler, Joel Dewberry, Nigella Yoga Bag