1 Step forward, 3 back...

You know, some days it just doesn't pay to get up.  LOL.  I can laugh now that I have my mess fixed.  But, in Claire's class, we discovered my fashion fabric (the boucle') had a distinctly greenish cast on one side and pinker cast on the other.  So....since green definitely isn't one of my colors, we use the pinker side.  Well - guess who forgot?  If you guessed me, you would be correct.  Gah!!!  I had to unpick at least 6 quilted pieces, maybe 8, I forget how many.  Remembering to put wrong sides together for me is very difficult.  Now you know silk leaves needle marks in it.  So I had to be very careful in re-quilting the relaid pieces.  I now have only 2 more pieces left to quilt and I'll be done with all the quilting. 

Now for a little fun, more creative interlude.  LOL.  I went to Loops yesterday hoping to find another yarn or two to add to my braid palette for the jacket trim.  I found a couple.  These pictures really don't do them justice.  All the yarns I purchased are really pretty.  Please click on the picture to zoom in on this gorgeous yarn.  The 2 pictured at the bottom are the new ones from Loops.  The thick one at the top is the braid I made from twisting the 3 together.  I love the way it looks.  I'm going to work up a mock-up of a braid trim and when I have something, I'll post a picture for you.

Since I've been correcting the mistake I made with the quilted pieces, I haven't been able to get back to working on my winter robe.  Hopefully soon.

More later...

Chanel Progress...

Previously, I showed you the basted pieces.  Now this is a piece that has been quilted.  This is all I'm doing right now, basting and quilting ALL the pieces together.  There are sixteen separate pieces to this jacket.  I have four more to do and I'll have my homework done for the next Claire K. class where we'll start actual construction.  

I've been doing a little running around looking for yarns to make my trim and have found a couple of good possibilities.  These dark teals should set it off really nice.

I'm going to finish basting/quilting the last four pieces then stop.  I'll be going back to the winter robe project.  I'm itching to get it done.  LOL.

More Later...

Pictures!

See...I do keep my promises.  LOL.  Here are a couple of pictures showing my fabric choices for the jacket.  They also show how I laid out a sleeve piece on the fabric and have basted it down.  I'll be drawing my quilting design on it with chalk and sewing it out. 

Oh, I think I forgot to mention last night that Claire re-drafted my one piece sleeve into a 3 piece sleeve.   I just love the fit!

Here's a closeup of the basting.  Click on the picture to enlarge it.

Btw, I had to lighten the pics.  Even with a bit better lighting during the day, it's still not optimum.

Lata!

Where do I begin?

All I can say is that I'm tired.  LOL.  Last week was so busy; teaching on Tuesday & 3 long days in OKC (driving back & forth each day spending almost 4 hours on the road).  Don't get me wrong - I loved all of it.  LOL.  But it does tend to catch up with you.  I've made quite a bit of progress on my Chanel style jacket; the muslin was sewn, fitted and de-constructed.  Using the muslin pieces as my pattern, I cut out blocks of the two fashion fabrics for each pattern pieces and now I'm in the process of basting each of the pieces to each other and quilting them together.  I have the back, the side backs and the side fronts quilted.  I'm doing a very easy up and down quilting design.  After I quilt each piece, I'm taking the long threads I left on the starting and ending stitches, threading them through a needle and pulling those threads in-between the 2 fabrics.  Then I tie them off and clip the threads.  With the easy design I'm quilting, there are only 2 or 3 threads on each side to pull to the inside.  Easy Peasy.  LOL.

Its after 9pm and I know I've promised pictures, but it will have to wait for tomorrow when I'll have better lighting in here.

Oh, btw, I managed to stop by Helen Enox, an independent fabric store in OKC, too.  They have some really yummy fabrics there and are so reasonable priced.  I wish I could persuade them to have an on-line presence.  Needless to say, I found a couple of things I just couldn't live without.  LOL.  If you live around the area, you really should visit them.

Later...

Classes in OKC

I'm off to take a 3 day class with Claire Kennedy.  We'll put the finishing touches on my tailored coat - buttonholes and buttons.  Then I'll be starting a Chanel style jacket.  Mine is going to have lapels!  LOL.  I'll have a report on the winter robe and doings in the class sometime this weekend.

I hope you all have a great week!

Later...

What's For Dinner?

Guinness Beef Stew served over smashed potatoes 

Drat that food channel!!!!

Robe pattern alterations

Well...I noticed my multi-sized pattern says (8-14).  It must have been the only one they had in stock.  Sigh.  I start with a 16.   Sooooo, along with my regular alterations I had to size it up one size from the neck through the waist, then to a 18-20 through the hips.  So to make my life a little easier I did some of the size additions in the middle of the pattern by cutting the center line and making my addition.  I also changed the height of the crossover front pieces.  I lowered them a bit.  When I tissue fit to Ruby, I noticed they crossed right over the boobage.  So I lowered them to cross under the boobage.  LOL.  Here is a picture of the front crossover pieces on Ruby with one of my alterations (the line drawn where to cut to lower the fronts).

Notice I haven't yet addressed the length of the robe.   Below is a picture of the changes actually made to the pattern. 

The cut piece is the piece that allows the robe to go under the boobage.  LOL.  Or so I hope.  I'll be making a test/muslin of the blouse before I actually make the robe so I can do any tweaking that might be necessary.

Robe Embroidery tests

Here is the first of three tests I did on my Ellisimo.  I used a piece of really cheapo flannel I got 60% off at Joann's.  This was mainly to get used to doing applique' again.  It's been awhile.  These were the first colors I choose and I'm not really impressed.  Too blah...

With the second test, I changed a couple of the colors and fabric.  This is the actual flannel the robe will be made from.  I chose a darker blue and a darker green.  I like this one a bit better.  Color choices show up better.  But it doesn't Pop.  So....onto the next.

Here I traded out the the lighter green for a rusty orange.  This rusty orange is reflected in tiny flecks of the same color all over the fabric.  To me, this works really well and I think I'll stop with this color combination.  Oh, almost forgot, I changed the satin stitch color to be just a bit lighter too. 

What do you think?  Pretty good?

I'm making pattern changes now and soon I'll show you the changes and the muslin I'll make up from that crappy purple flannel.  LOL.

Later...

Winter Robe...

Today I'll show you my fabric choices and the pattern I'll be using to create the robe.  This Vogue pattern is an OOP I've had for quite some time.  Just love the look but never got around to making it up.  Well now, its going to morph into a robe pattern.  LOL.  As you can see by my totally unskilled drawing talents, I've tried to sketch out a longer version of the top.  Its going to be either ankle length or mid-calf.  Not sure about that yet.  I've done 2 different views on what I could do with the side fastening area.  One view ties and the other view fastens with 3 loop & button closure.  I'm leaning towards the loop & button.  Mostly because it will be a smooth canvas for a bit of embroidery. 

Next are the fabrics I've chosen for the robe.  The big stack on the bottom is the flannel I found at the Quilt Sampler which is the closest quilting fabric shop to me.  The fabric registers as more green than blue in the picture but, believe me, it has just as much blue.  Funny.  The next piece on top of the flannel is the batik which will make up some of the facings and possibly the cuffs (if I decide to add them).  The last 3 pieces are going to be used in the applique embroidery I've chosen to try out on the fabric.  The designs I'll try out are called Paisley Lace and I got them from OESD.   Well, this is all I have time for today.

Tomorrow I'll have time to start stitching out samples and I'll also start making up a muslin of the robe in some cheap flannel I got FTSWALTH (from the stores we all love to hate).  Btw, one wash and that flannel already pills something awful. 

Idea for a Winter Robe...

Now that my coat is mostly done (button & buttonholes left), I'm starting to think of what I need next in my wardrobe.  I guess I need a new winter robe.  Alan was constantly complaining telling my how much he disliked my current robe.  Kept saying me how "old lady" and shapeless it was.  Hmmm, well it was comfy.  LOL.  It was one of those robes on sale that was made from minky fabric, zipped up the front and just kinda "hung" on me. 

So I've started to really put some thought into it.  I really don't want another robe made of minky or terry cloth for that matter.  I need something that won't show pet hair too much so not too dark a color.  I was thinking about using a nice flannel from the quilting store.  Now you all know I love purple.  So off I went looking for a purple flannel to use as a backdrop for some embroidery.  After visiting 2 of the local shops, did I find purple?  Nooooo, weird don't ya think?   Purple is a winter color too.  Women just love purple.  LOL.  I looked on the internet and not much appealed to me there either.  So I had to change my mind on the color.  Gahhhh!  It's like having your mouth all set for a particular food and then you don't get it.  So...  After wondering around The Quilt Sampler, I finally found a flannel I could live with.  Literally.  Its a blend of denim blue & a sage green on a cream background with flecks of rust.  Pretty.  Cat hair proof.  LOL.  I also found a batik with the exact same range of colors in it I can use for facings, etc. on the inside of the robe and possibly as cuffs for the sleeves.

Tomorrow I'll post pictures of the fabric and the pattern I'll be using to start my robe.  As usual, it will require modifications.

Lata!

Just Buttons...

Well I'm so close, I can taste it.  LOL.  The lining is completely sewn in and all I have to do is sew the buttons on.  But I couldn't wait to show photos, even if the buttons aren't there yet.  Here's a couple of pictures and they are lightened considerably.

Later!