Namaste, 2012

No longer breathless
Now trying to breathe more deeply
Now breathing more deeply
Weaving my thoughts
Thanks, Jude
Namaste

Breathlessly Continuing HMH

Hand-made Holidays (HMH) continue. One more gift done: PJs for DD.

Despite my enthusiasm for garment sewing, I have rarely succeeded in making satisfactory clothes for DD. Her wedding dress was a happy exception.

Part of my problem is that she is petite and slim. Slim is pretty easy. Petite is not, especially without the benefit of several fitting sessions.

Undaunted I continue trying to sew for DD with these very simple pajamas. McCall's 5992 includes unisex pajama pieces. I made a camp shirt style top and pull-on pants with a combination of elastic and draw-string.

The fabric is a super soft cotton flannel from Tiny Stitches, a local quilt store, in coordinating prints. It was such a pleasure to sew.







The pattern is ho-hum, especially now that I am spoiled by drafting, illustrations, and instructions from Louise Cutting.  I adapted some favorite techniques from her including the addition of a back facing, steps for the collar attachment, and lots of top-stitching.

DD is too slim for my dress form.

I now realize that I should've simply used Louise's version of the camp shirt and her one-seams.

Now if these just fit...

Hand-made Holidays

Here Comes the Sun

Just finished a few more gifts. I've now said good-bye to each.

The first one is a very small piece. It is 5x7, with a cotton twill background, and a paper-pieced quasi-color-wheel made from batik scraps. The face is linen.

I added some rays of light using various embroidery threads. Then I slipped a 5x7 piece of cardboard inside and added a silk dupioni bias binding at the bottom.

It was made as part of an exchange in my fiber art group. I received a lovely snowy mountain scene in the exchange, but need to ask permission before showing it here.

Guitar Quartet

Next up is a small quilt that took f.o.r.e.v.e.r.  Or nearly.

This is from a pattern designed by Robbi Joy Eklow, a phenomenal quilt artist. I added the piano keys but the rest is hers.

I've had this pattern in my stash for a number of years, thinking it would be perfect for DS. He is a former basement, sometime club rock n roll guitar performer, now adult.

Eklow's work is primarily fused but I just cannot warm up to the idea of gluing fabric much. Mine is hand-appliqued.

Wristlet 

As usual, there were learning opportunities. This is code for I-screwed-up.

Last up is the little coin purse made for DGD1. She selected this polyester brocade at a big box store when she and I were out shopping one time. I brought it home wondering what I would ever do with it. It wasn't so bad to sew, not nearly so bad as I imagined it would be.

It is self lined with an inside zipper pocket. The button closure is one of those hair elastics. The chain was left over from my Coco jacket project. And the silk dupioni binding came from stash.

I still  have at least three more hand-made items in the mental queue, but my hand-made-gift ambitions are beginning to cut into my selfish sewing. So we'll see...