Stop the Press!

I haven't felt the need to urgently blog for a while, but I want to share this pattern with everyone! It arrived nice and quickly on Monday after I bought it from here; and that wasn't very long after it was released by Tasia.

I have been DYING for a good PJ pants pattern forever, the commercial patterns I have I think are aimed at people with nappies- saggy bums! and low crotches. Anyone else noticed this? So to say I had high hopes is an understatement!

The first pair was a muslin- and I hoped wearable. I used some vintage flannel from the stash. I cut a straight size 10 (I went with the hip measurement, not the bust or waist) and did recommended seam allowances etc. I left the piping off the trial pair. And I LOVE THEM!

 

 

 Sorry about the bad iPhone pics- I was so excited when I got home I got the mini photographer to snap some pics! The thick flannel was going to annoy me around the waist I thought (nothing like feeling slim in your bedroom/ lounge attire!) I used some ribbon from the stash.

They sit on the hip more than the waist, and have a normal sized crotch and butt! Yippee!

  I have the next ones cut out- and these will include the piping, my first time making and using it!. I'll be in time for the pajama party!

 I think I'll be making a lot of these- summer, winter, shorts, and as tracksuit pants too. I wonder if I can match my Renfrew count? Six new ones last weekend, which I think takes my count to 12? These were all made with leftover fabrics too from other garments (expect the bottom left striped merino, it was just taken in a lot, but I count it as a new one!)

Anything old is new again....

I have previously blogged about this project...
only about 18mths ago! I quilted one, and it all pulled and distorted- the different fabrics and sizes just weren't working for it. The 2nd one was still in a little (hidden) UFO pile.

So I got on with it!

 Nothing a few hours/nights on the couch unpicking! And may I suggest unpicking 2 dirty old quilts for testing your pelvic floor muscles...there's a hell of a lots of dust and sneezing happening! 

  

I kept shaking my head and muttering about the seam allowances....and gradually felt the love for them, and spent the time thinking about the fabrics, where they came from, who sewed them together...I've decided a non-sewer, but someone that wanted to make something. And as I'd HATE to see my first quilt again, I forgot about the mess!

The unpicking was the easy bit...threads everywhere, dust- it took ironing, then a pet roller over them to get them all clean!

I then trimmed them all to 3.5" (I think) and counted...about 320!

All ready for the next decision! (what to make??)

Dresden madness!

I didn't realise I hadn't blogged these cushions- uploading pics to Google + takes forever, so by the time they're done, I feel like I've already blogged it! It's not till I went back through the albums....well, here they are!

I've made these before,  and have been itching to do a cushion for me, like this one. And I'm slowly making my bedroom over, so why not some big boofy bed cushions?

I used mainly fabrics from 'the pool room', ie my extra faves! Some were hard to cut into, but so worth it! The white fabric is a bargain- in my op shopping haunts I found a bolt of 'cotton/linen' for $3.25! I should have measured, but I wasn't fussy....but there will be LOTS of usage, it's a lovely fabric to work with.

  

Some simple quilting...

I found this cotton sateen in the furnishing section at Spotlight, and thought matching backs for all the cushions would be cute (after first thinking what a great frock it would make!) Some green binding 'makes it pop' according to my stylist aka Little Miss!

Another one I did was using some fabrics I've been collecting  from scrap packs! They are all made by Leslie, from Maze and Vale. Her fabric is- Just. Gorgeous! I'd wanted to try this type of quilting for a while, and thought this was a good project for it. 

 I love big fat squishy cushions, great for sitting up against while reading in bed!

To assist my pillow obsession, I came across this book, and snapped it up! Actually, I got it between the squares one and the Dresden, but can't be bothered changing all the pics around! I'm loving these cushions, as they are like mini or doll quilts, just cuddly haha.

So, another Dresden project. Hey, if you are onto a good thing, stick to it!

A colleague at work is having a baby, so I made a little quilt to gift from the team. I'd made an earlier one that I still love (and have, it will be listed for sale soon!) but some detective work proved that this colourway suited her better.

Oh, the best bit about the Dresden stuff? Quick! The longest bit is picking the fabrics! If you've never tried them, do it! My top cushion was a one day job!

 

I did some 'echoey' quilting (yep, I'm sure that's a real word haha) with a yummy stripe binding- that isn't on the bias, it's a diagonal print. 'Make me a candy cane toy' was the request from the Little Miss!

  I used a vintage sheet for the back, which thankfully she loved!

I'm not 100% happy- for some reason, I thought I'd go around the Dresden's a few times, and did some Dresden quilting in the big white space- but left too much unquilted space for my liking! Of course, I only noticed after I saw the pics...and it was gifted and up in the baby's room! Oh, well, next time!

I received a possible order for a similar quilt on the back of this one, from another colleague- but unfortunately they have had to pull out- so it will also be listed for sale. keep and eye out here for the listings/announcement/whatever-shop I decide on opening!