My New Favourite Lounge Pant - The Hudson!

Ya, I know, real creative title. But I'm serious, this is my new favourite thing to wear whilst lounging around the house. It's also super fun to sew up. It's the Hudson Pant by True Bias.

When I first saw these on Instagram, I knew that I wanted to make them. A comfy, lounge pant that can be worn for quick trips to the store? I'm in. Unfortunately, the pattern hadn't been released yet. So I stalked Kelli on her blog and Instagram until the release date, and I bought it the morning it came out.

For my wearable muslin, I used a ponte de roma that I picked up on sale at Fabricland months ago. It's thick and super soft - perfect for a lounge pant. It was on sale, so I bought 4 colours.

I think they look cool with the contrasting waistband and cuffs, and I like that they have kind of a retro feel. My only issue, is I don't know what to wear them with. Nothing looks quite right to me. I am seriously considering making a matching hoodie to this pair for a full on leisure suit, but that might be a little warm for this time of year. I guess I'll just have to find the perfect t-shirt pattern to go with it.

There was a little bird in the tree next to me watching and singing as I took these pictures. I guess he was a bit distracting. I really have to work on my photography skills. Taking good selfies is harder than it looks.

Of course, I loved these pants so much, I had to make another pair.  I decided to go with black ponte de roma, and a contrasting pocket.

I love these ones even more than my first pair. And because they are a basic black, they go with everything! The only really problem with them, is that they seem to be a magnet for pug hair! But that's the story of my life - perhaps I need to make a fawn coloured pair, so the hair just blends in.

Here I am in an extremely awkward pose, trying to show off the pocket detail. I like the penguins, but I think it might have looked better with a different print. Maybe next time - I definitely see more of these pants in my near future.

These pants are a little bit lower rise than I usually wear, but I don't normally walk around with my shirt tucked in, so I think they work. And they are super comfy. I like that they are slim, but not legging tight. I am looking forward to sewing up another pair in the shorter - capri-length. And I am also looking forward to experimenting with different fabrics too. This is a great pattern and definitely at TNT (Tried and True) for me.

If you are interested in sewing up a pair of your own Hudsons, Kelli has a great sew-a-long on her blog and these are a pretty easy project.

Happy Sewing!

Goodbye My Sweet Boy

Last wednesday (a week ago today) we said goodbye to our sweet Solomon. I think that I have alluded to the fact that he hasn't been well, and when I wrote my last post it was from bed, where I spent all of Tuesday cuddling him. I have always struggled with the fact that I might have to choose the time to end Solomon's life, but by the end of the day last Tuesday he let me know. I can't describe it, it was a look in his eyes and his struggle to get comfortable even in bed (his favourite place). He knew it was time, and so did I.  I read an article recently, written by a lady who let her old dog go too, and what she said is that she was giving him the gift of freedom. Freeing him from his old broken body, so his spirit could run free. That's what I choose to believe we did with Solomon.

To say that I am heartbroken, would be a massive understatement. Solomon was the embodiment of unconditional love, and the light he shone in my life is irreplaceable. I would like to write a post about how incredibly amazing he was, and how exceptionally connected we were, but I'm just not ready yet. It's been a week, and I still can't think about him, or say his name without bursting into tears. I feel this heart-wrenching loneliness, that is hard to describe, and seems silly because I am still surrounded by dogs and people that I love.

John has been so great putting up with my constant tears. I know that he is heartbroken too, but he hides it better than I do. I guess I just wanted to let you all know. Solomon has been such a big part of my life, and has been featured/talked about on this blog so many times, that it didn't feel right not to tell you. I may post about it again when I feel stronger, or I may not. Just know that Solomon was the best dog ever and I love(d) him with all of my heart.

I have been doing lots of sewing, trying to keep my mind off things, so expect to see some more sewing posts soon. I find the best way to heal is to just get on with things, so that's what I've been doing.

Hug your loved ones close.

The Summer of Washis Continues

Are you sick of hearing about this pattern yet? Good, cause I am definitely not sick of sewing it. I have plans for a few more. For this lovely dress, I used the Washi expansion pack to add a pointed Peter Pan collar and pointed cap sleeves, and I LOVE it!

I was in Fabricland the other day to buy some thread, and saw this adorable apple covered cotton and I just had to have it. It's a pale pink in the background and deliciously soft.  I decided to go with a black collar, so I used some black cotton batiste from my stash. I'd like to tell you that I came up with this combo all on my own, but I was inspired by this dress here.

I could probably get away without leggings with this one, but I think it looks really cute with my black espresso leggings too, so I know I will get a lot of wear out of this guy year round.

For this little baby, I went a size down, but it ended up being a little too tight across the bust, and it didn't fix my neckline problems. So my neckline is a little wonky especially when I am not standing up straight, which who am I kidding, is most of the time. So for my next Washi, I will have to bite the bullet and adjust the pattern.

Cutesy pose, for a cutesy dress! Sometimes its good to embrace the inner cuteness.

I am so in love with this dress! Neckline aside, I am super happy with how it turned out. I also learned a new lining technique sewing this version. The collar is attached and then the lining at the neck, and then you do this crazy inside out pulling thing, sew one armhole, then the other,  and voila, neckline and armholes finished. It's really quite ingenious, but I don't think I could have done it without Rae's amazing video tutorial. I am discovering that I am very much a visual learner. So that's it, third Washi complete!

Also, I feel like I should tell you that I have joined in the Summer Stash Bust by the Quirky Peach (isn't she adorable?), and also the Summer Sundress Sew-a-long by Handmade with Heather B (one of my favourite bloggers). I am really loving the sewing blogging community, so I was happy to find a couple of ways to connect with my fellow sewists.

The Summer Sundress Sew-al-ong is a great way to keep motivation and do some great summer sewing. My Washis all qualify, and I am anxious to get sewing some other sundresses I have planned, and excited to see what everyone else who has joined in sews.

As for the Summer Stash Bust, well that's another story. It really only requires one thing, but it's a really big thing: no buying any new fabric until September 21! September 21st!!! I have to sew only from the large amount of fabric I already own?!?!? (heavy breathing, panic and anxiety ensue - pass the paper bag).

Anyway, despite my apprehension, I know I need to do it. I have tons of beautiful fabric taking up all kinds of space all over the place, and I know my pocketbook will be happier too. Plus, if I sew up all the fabric in my stash (or most of it), then I'll have to buy more, right? Right? So I can't promise I'll make it, I mean September is super far away, but I will promise you that I am going to try. I even made sure to tell John about it, so he can hold me accountable. I do have to confess something though, on June 20th, I ordered some more knit fabric from Girl Charlee to pad out my stash (I had too, I NEED knits!). But that's it, no more! Wish me luck!

Birthday Dresses for Dani!

So I think it's quite obvious that I am in love with Made by Rae. I think I am borderline obsessesed with the Washi, not only because I love the dress, but also because the pattern and instructions are so amazing. So when I was looking for a cute dress pattern to make for my niece, I was thrilled to discover the Geranium. It's basically a girl's version of the Washi. Anyway, my niece is a hardcore girlie-girl. She loves shoes and dresses, and fashion. She's seven and I think she puts better outfits together than I do. Since she could walk, she's raided my shoe stash every time she comes to our house, and she walks better in heels that she does in barefeet. Since she was about 2, she's been wearing my shoes. So, I thought she would love a couple of new dresses (and she'll probably end up with some new shoes to go with them too).

For the first one, I used a floral print cotton that I bought months ago from Fabric.com. It turned out to be a bit more hawaiian in real life that I thought it would be, but I thought it would be perfect for a little summery dress.

How cute is that? I am so happy with how this dress turned out. The instructions where amazing again, and so was my new Pfaff. One of the things I was looking for in a new machine was an automatic buttonhole feature. I have only ever made buttonholes once before this, and they didn't turn out really well, so I was a little nervous doing these ones. Especially because they are one of the last things you do when making this dress, and I didn't want to screw the whole thing up. I am happy to report that the Pfaff's (I really should give her a name) buttonhole feature is super easy to use, and the end result is gorgeous.

For the second dress, I made the same version but I used a quilting weight cotton from Fabricland. It has little ruby slippers on it which is very appropriate because not only does my niece love shoes, but she also loves the Wizard of Oz and her favourite colour is blue. Perfect!

Aren't the buttons gorgeous? I found them at Fabricland in Salmon Arm and I couldn't resist. Ruby slipper buttons!! Both bodices are lined with a light batiste cotton in navy that also came from Fabric.com.

I couldn't be happier with how these two little dresses turned out. They were super quick and easy to sew up, and it was nice to sew something for someone else for a change. I really hope Dani likes them, and also that they fit. I think they will, but that's always my worry when making something for someone else.  We just got home tonight from the lake, so I am hoping to get a visit in with my little lady  in the next day or two, so I'll let you know how it works out.

The Anniversary Washi

Yup, I made another Washi. I seem to do this. I make up a pattern, and then want to make tons and tons of them. Okay, well maybe not with everything, but with the things that turn out well, like my leggings, and my plantains, among other things, but those are the ones that I have blogged about. Anyway, for this version, I made a round neck and no sleeves again.

This fabric came from Goldhawk Road in London and it is super soft. It's 100% cotton with little grey, yellow and teal flowers. It's really pretty. I finished this dress on John and my anniversary, and it was the last project I sewed with my little Janome. I finished it in the morning and John took me to buy new Pfaff that afternoon. Awesome anniversary gift, right?

I am really digging this photo location. The only problem is that I set the camera on the retaining wall of our garden, and I guess some of the plants got in the way. Sorry about that, but I didn't want to redo this photo shoot. The neighbours already think I am crazy enough.

I love this version even more than the first. The fabric is super dreamy and has a really nice drape and weight. The neckline still isn't lying flat and I am actually wondering if I could go down a size to resolve this issue. I ended up taking this one in about 1/2'' on the side seams, so I might be able to get away with sizing down.

I think this dress will look great with sandals for the summer and awesome with a cardigan, boots and tights for the winter. So it's pretty versatile. Plus I have discovered Made by Rae's Washi Expansion pack too, so I can make even more variations. Yay!

The construction of this dress was really easy, and I feel like I have a good handle on the shirring now. My little Janome handles the elastic thread really well, fingers crossed my new Pfaff will do the same.

We've had another lovely week in the Country Place. The weather has been great, and John has enjoyed fishing and I've enjoyed sewing. Things have been a bit stressful, as Solomon is really starting to struggle. He is having more and more trouble walking if he has to go more than a few steps, and he can't stand for very long. I think his age is getting the best of him. He's almost 13 and he's had a really great life, but it's so hard to see him struggle. He is still very alert and is still eating really well, but I fear he is fading quickly. And I dread making the decision. I have always hoped than when his time came, he would just lay down for a sleep and not wake up. I'm no sure we're going to be that lucky.  So needless to say it's been an emotional week, and I have been happy to have the distraction of sewing. My Mom and Stepmom are coming to visit later on today (they are staying for the weekend), so I'm looking forward to that too.

How has your week been? Are you a summer dress person?

My First Washi Dress

I found this pattern from Made by Rae, way back in December. Just after Christmas when John had gifted me the serger that started this whole crazy obsession. Anyway, I liked the look of the dress and it seemed to have a real cult following, but I was unsure of how it would look on me. Sometimes emprire waists can be extremely flattering, but sometimes they can be the exact opposite. Anyway, after much deliberation and googling, I decided to bite the bullet and try it. There are tons of cute Washis out there, and it appears to look great on all shapes and sizes. For my first attempt, I decided to use a flowered cotton I bought at Walthamstow Market in London. It is a bit heavier weight than I usually like for dresses, but it was really cheap, so I thought that if it didn't work out, it wouldn't be the end of the world.

I made the sleeveless version with the U neck, because I thought the U was a really neat detail, unfortunately I couldn't get the neckline to lay flat. I'm not sure if that is because I stretched out the neckline while sewing it, or if I need some sort of neckline alteration.

Oh my goodness, am I white! Sorry for the lack of shoes. I took these photos while we were at the Country Place so I didn't really have any shoes on hand that went with this dress. I also made it a little too short (oops!) so I don't really feel comfortable without leggings. It's fine if I'm just standing there, but it's very dangerous when I bet over. Plus my I could blind people with my legs, they are so white.

I really love these shape of this dress. I think it flatters in the right places and still gives a nice feminine shape. This wearable muslin turned out quite well. Other than the neckline, it fits well and is super comfortable, and I also think the empire waistline hits in the right place and is quite flattering. What do you think? I now know what all the fuss is about.

The back also has elastic shirring which makes it nice and fitted, but also really comfortable. And the best part about this dress? It has pockets! I love it! It might be hard to tell, but I am actually standing on a slant, so my hem isn't really that off, it's just the angle of my feet.

The pattern and instructions are fantastic. This dress was quite easy to put together and the instructions are detailed and clear, plus Rae has several tutorials on her website if you need extra help. I'm not in love with the fabric to be honest, it's quite stiff and I wish it had a better drape, but I love the colour and pattern. I see more Washis in my future.

Are we getting sick of the sewing posts yet? (I hope not, cause I am loving it!)

The Tale of Two...Aprons?

Well, long time no post. I have been busy sewing away, but I just haven't gotten around to photographing and writing very much lately. My poor little Solomon is getting nearer to the end of his days I think. He is having more and more troubles with his balance and with his paws. I am doing my best to keep him comfortable and happy, but that seems to involve more work and a lot of tears on my end. I find myself stopping what I am doing and taking time to give him an extra cuddle. Whatever I am making, writing, doing can wait. I don't ever want to feel like I didn't spend enough time with him. Anyway, enough talk about that (if I keep going I will turn into a blubbering mess!). Sewing has actually been a welcome distraction. It keeps my mind off worrying about the future, and keeps me present. Plus it also keeps Solomon in one spot - right at my toes. Onto the aprons. I was lucky enough to reconnect with an old junior high school buddy of mine and even better she is now a phenomenal nail technician. I am serious you guys, no one does nails like this lovely lady. I love going to see her because we are very like-minded and we always have a good visit. Anyway, when we started to chat about sewing, and my insane obsession with it, she started dropping hints about needing a new apron. You see, Conny (that's my friend) wears a really cute apron while she works to protect her clothes, but because she is such a petite little lady (and adorable by the way), it's hard for her to find an apron that fits. I was a little hesitant at first, because I have never really sewn for anyone but myself, but I decided to give it a go. She really liked her current apron, so I took some measurements and drafted my own pattern (If you really want to call it that, I mean it's just one piece with straps - hardly difficult).

Anyway, this was my first time with a lot of techniques. I have never done a bias binding on a garment (only on quilts), I've never made and attached ruffles, and I have never made fabric covered buttons. So needless to say, I learned a lot making this little number.

Look at that button! I'm pretty proud of how the buttons turned out, but it was dead easy. You buy this little kit (for about $5) and you just cut a circle of fabric, pop it on the little tool and snap the button together. I love how it adds a cute little detail.

I bought the fabric, thread, button kit and pre-made bias binding at Fabricland. I was hoping to find a stiff polka-dotted cotton, but for some reason there wasn't any, so I went with a softer cotton. To make it a bit more durable, I lined it with some cotton batiste from my stash. I think it turned out pretty nicely. When I was all finished, I tried it on, just to see what it would look like on a body, and that's when I noticed it. It was really small. I don't know why it didn't really occur to me the whole time I was working on it, but I must have measured something wrong, because this apron was tiny (it still fit me - perfect in length actually, but it didn't really offer the coverage I was going for). DOH! So back to the drawing board. I made a new pattern to make the apron wider and started over.

It was actually a good thing, cause I perfected a few techniques and made a couple of changes a long the way to make it that much better. Anyway, I have been debating about what to do with the smaller one, but I think I will give it to Conny too. She has an adorable little step-daughter who I think it will fit nicely. Then they can be twins when working on messy projects!

With being in BC, I haven't had a chance to give Conny her new apron(s), but I'll see her next week and give them to her then. Fingers crossed she likes it and it fits!

Where Heather Quilts?

So at long last, I finished John's quilt! And just in time too (LOL). I finished it late Tuesday night, as I wanted to have it for his birthday on Wednesday.

About 3 years ago, John asked me to make him a quilt, so off to Fabricland we went, and he even picked out all the fabrics! I was so happy to finally be able to make him something. He doesn't often make requests. I had originally planned this super complex Canasta pattern (by Elizabeth Hartman of Oh Fransson), but it involved so much cutting and piecing! I started it with gusto, but then it got thrown in the corner one day so I could work on something else, and  it became super intimidating every time I thought about it. I'm not sure why, it's just a bunch of straight lines, but anyway, I found I just could not go back to it. Everytime I thought about picking it up again, there were pantries to be straightened, carpets to vacuum, and sock drawers to organize.

So at the beginning of this year, I thought, this is stupid. I have tons of fabric, let's change the pattern, and I came up with this. It's the biggest quilt I have ever made; somewhere in between a Queen and a King. I was going to piece the back together, but then I found this awesome fabric made especially for quilt backs at Fabric.com. Who knew they made fabric just for this purpose?

Aren't the planes cute?

I saw a tutorial for a similar quilt block somewhere, but I can't remember where (Oops!). Anyway, here's how I did it.

First... cut out a bunch of squares (you need nine per block and the size depends on how big you want your finished block to be - mine squares were 8"x 8").

Then you sew them together:

Then you cut them:

Then you rearrange them in a pleasing manor (just by turning the cut blocks) and sew them back together:

And Voila! A fancy quilt block.

One you've made a bunch of these, you sew them together and you have a quilt top. Easy peasy!

While I struggled a lot with this quilt. I am super happy with how it turned out. I didn't do any fancy free hand quilting or anything, mostly because I don't know how, and the prospect of screwing up everything I had done up until the quilting point freaked me out. So I used my old stand-by stitch in the ditch method and while it's not perfect, I think it looks pretty good. It's the sixth quilt I've ever made. I'm pretty proud of it, can you tell? (It passes Solomon's inspection too!)

John is pretty happy with it too. He made some lovely fabric choices, which I supplemented with a few of my own choices from the Maui Quilt Shop. I had to replace the fabrics I cut up for the original Canasta blocks (which I may still sew up into a little lap quilt).

It feels so good to have this baby done! It's weight off my shoulders and I am so happy to be able to give my husband something that I've made (and that he likes).

Have you ever made a quilt? How about a handmade gift?