Forest Animal Quilt

Ages ago, my son picked out some fabric for a quilt, and did I actually make the quilt? No. Then, yes. Finally!

Now that he’s not small anymore and well into his teens, I had to ask him if he still wanted a quilt with these fabric designs, but it was still a “yes”! So I got to work.

The fabrics are from a fat quarter bundle featuring the Get Together collection by David Walker for Free Spirit/Westminster Fibers. The solids are Kona solids, but this bundle has been in a bin of fabric for so long, I’m not even sure what they are. My guess: Chocolate, Delft, Earth, Key Lime, Windsor? I got it from Mad about Patchwork. Am I too embarrassed to write them after all this time to find out what they are? Yes, I am.

The design is a series of very large equilateral triangles. I thought this would suit the larger print, and I wanted lots of animals on this quilt. It was super easy to piece. I didn’t use a pattern, or rather, I used my own.

I usually draw out my patterns on graph paper first, and that’s what I did here. Three out of four kids in the family helped me arrange the triangles.

The backing is Trees on Green Background from The Magic of Christmas collection by Lori Whitlock for Riley Blake Designs. I got this from The Quilting Shed. I messed up my quilt math and had to order more fabric. Twice. lol. So a special thanks to Andrea for the patience and speedy delivery.

Yes, I should have removed all the fluff. (sigh)

The backing is pieced and I used some of the scraps from the triangles to make a stripe of tiny squares down the centre. Giant equilateral triangles make lots of scraps.

The backing is pieced using scraps.

On the back, there are also two bears. My second child is a teenager and claims to be too old to be tucked in. This way the bears can tuck him in each night. My quilt my rules.

Good-night bears!

I used a scrappy binding (2.25″ wide). Nothing else matched the colours as well as I wanted. It’s machine sewn.

Scrappy binding.

The straight-line quilting design echoes the triangles, but the pattern also creates little stars if you look very closely.

Machine-sewn binding.

This is a twin-size quilt. I wanted it to last a long time. Who know when I’ll make another? And yes, it was a beast to sew on my regular (non-quilting) sewing machine.

Can you see the tiny stars?

I love a crinkly quilt, so this is 100% cotton fabric, 100% cotton batting, and 100% cotton quilting thread. (I used Sew-All thread for the piecing though.)

Yes, there is still a bit of fluff on this quilt.

The thread is a medium grey. It was really hard to find something that looked right with this assortment of dark colours. The grey was great with everything (including the backing), except maybe the limey-yellow.

As planned, it all shrunk just a tiny bit in the dryer for this lovely, cozy, crinkly texture.

I was having trouble with my imperfect straight-line quilting. I was worried it wouldn’t look as good as I hoped. But the crinkle fixes all.

Quilt Summary

Pattern: my own.

Fabrics:

  • Quilt Top:
    • Prints are from David Walker’s Get Together collection for Free Spirit/Westminster Fibers, including:
      • Flock of Birds in Navy
      • Squirrels and Trees in Blue
      • Squirrels and Nuts in Navy
      • Bears in Line in Blue
    • Solids are Kona solids. I’m not sure of the colours, but perhaps: Chocolate, Delft, Earth, Key Lime, Windsor?
  • Backing: Trees on Green Background from The Magic of Christmas collection by Lori Whitlock for Riley Blake Designs.
  • Thread: Gütermann Cotton thread #9310. 

Size: 74.5″ x 91.5″ (Twin).

Some in-process shots, before this quilt was finished.

Rose Tencel Skirt: True Bias Mave

This was my fourth time sewing the Mave Skirt from True Bias – such a great pattern.

The skirt comes in three sizes: maxi, midi and mini. This time I made the mini.

The instructions are very easy to follow. This would be a great project for a beginner sewist – just maybe not in this fabric (details below).

This was a birthday gift for my tween, and I made the size 4 with no modifications. Next time though, I might make this a size up – the length was good (a bit less mini on my tween) but the waist was a bit tight and I had to add a bit of length to the elastic. It’s tough sewing for tweens using adult patterns because the fit and the measurement chart don’t always match.

The fabric is a textured tencel rayon in old rose from Fabricville. The fabric has a lovely drape, but it’s slippery and shifts easily. This is the fourth project I’ve made in this fabric (in different colourways), including a dress, blouse, and a maxi skirt (both unblogged), so I guess I’ve decided the drape is worth it!

The trick is to cut the pieces with a rotary cutter and keep all the pieces flat as you work. The fabric also frays a lot, so it’s good to get it sewn up quickly and seam finish as soon as possible. French seams work best, but I used zigzags here as the gathering makes french seams tricky. I did a baby hem.

I love this little skirt! So cute! Hopefully it will get a lot of wear 🙂

Summary

Pattern Review: True Bias Mave skirt available in sizes 0-30. Length: Mini.
Fabric: Old Rose Tania textured tencel rayon from Fabricville. I used 1.1m of fabric, but modified the cutting layout a bit to do so. Needle: universal 9/70.

Size: 4.
Cost: Pattern: $16. Fabric: About $15.
Sewing Level: Easy.
Modifications: None.
Results: Cute!

Old School, New School: McCall’s M2220

Everything that’s old is new again, especially the 90s.

I was recently looking for a sewing pattern for a cargo skirt, but nothing seemed to match what I was looking for. So I checked out the vintage patterns on eBay, and found McCall’s 2220, circa 1999.

It looked perfect, and the pattern includes a maxi skirt, a knee-length skirt, as well as shorts in two-lengths. It’s a good deal.

This pattern has a fly (I used a metal jeans zipper), with a good amount of top-stitching that add a lot of style. The waist closes with a trouser hook.

I used bronze-look hardware throughout, and the topstitching thread is a beige heavy-duty thread (Gütermann Mara 70 topstitching thread) that coordinates.

The pockets are the larger cargo style with velcro or buttons for the closure (lol, so 90s!). I switched them out for heavy-duty snaps.

During the 90s, patterns often came in a more restricted size range. This one was 14-18, and I originally wanted it for myself. But my daughter wanted a skirt and needed a size 12, so I graded the whole pattern down.

The fabric is a dark-wash 8.8 oz denim chambray – quite a bit lighter than standard denim. That made it quite a bit easier to work with.

The inside seams (not shown) are all faux flat-felled.

I’m very happy with the results – the skirt looks modern and polished, and can be dressed up or down.

Summary

Pattern Review: Vintage McCall’s 2220 circa 1999, in size 12.
Fabric: Cotton chambray from Fabricville (8.8 oz)
Size: 12.
Cost: Pattern: $17.50. Fabric: about $10.
Sewing Level: Easy.
Modifications: I graded down to size 12, and used snaps for the pockets. I also stitched the waistband close by machine.

Sunny for Summer: Orange Mave Skirt

I sew a lot of neutrals so I thought it might be nice to do something colourful for a change – the Mave skirt from True Bias in a bright orange, just in time for summer weather.

The fabric is an orange, smocked cotton voile from Our Social Fabric. Our Social Fabric is a Vancouver-based non-profit fabric store selling donated deadstock fabric and fibre arts supplies. Buying deadstock keeps fabric out of landfills, and the price is right. But a couple of other online shops currently have the same fabric in different colourways.

I used a white cotton batiste for the lining. The orange voile is a bit transparent. Batiste makes a great lining because it is so breathable. It’s great for hot weather clothing. But in this skirt, it also makes the orange colour really pop.

I went with the midi length for the Mave skirt. The pattern has a large number of variations. I would have preferred a maxi skirt, but there wasn’t quite enough fabric for that, especially since I needed to match the stripes.

I made a size 18 based on my waist measurements (as directed in the instructions) but I could probably go down a size.

The pattern is great. I didn’t make any changes. I’ve actually used this pattern three times now, but I have a bit of a blogging backlog, so this is the first one I posted. More to come!

I’m really happy with the results. This skirt is a lot of fun.

Summary

Pattern Review: True Bias Mave skirt, in size 18.
Fabric: Striped smocked cotton voile, in orange from Our Social Fabric.
Size: True Bias uses their own sizing system, but this is about a size 18 in ready-to-wear sizing.
Cost: Pattern: $16 USD. Fabric: $18.80.
Sewing Level: Easy.
Modifications: None.

In the Limelight: Jalie 3355

I was so happy with the last sweatshirt I made, that I decided to make another.

Apparently, lime green is on trend, and so are the 90s – though maybe not this part of the 90s. Lol. Hopefully this reads a bit more Colors of Benetton and a bit less Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Either way, it’s lots of fun.

I have a couple more lime green pieces in the sewing queue, so hopefully I can get some full outfit photos soon.

The fabric is a cotton french terry from  l’Oiseau Fabrics that I bought ages ago. The lime green cotton ribbing is leftover from some t-shirts I made when my kids were really little.

This pattern is Jalie 3355 Sweatshirt, Hoodie and Sweat Pants. Jalie uses their own sizing system, and this is size AA. This is this is the equivalent of a size 14 in ready-to-wear.

The pattern instructions say to “use the size corresponding to full bust
measurement for the sweatshirt”. Haha! No. Don’t do this. I mean, I know I’m a D-cup, but this is a knit!

I did try this first, but the sweatshirt was huge and very unflattering. It would be “ok”, if you had a drapey fabric and were looking for an oversize look. And yes, this is on trend right now! But for this project, I wanted something a bit more “standard” in terms of sizing. And the fabric I used is a more structured cotton terry.

So I recut in the size that matched what I usually buy in a ready-to-wear sweatshirt (two sizes below what the pattern maker recommends), and that was indeed the right size.

I made a couple of changes. The neck band looked a little wide in lime green, so I made it a bit more narrow. I think it would look great as is, if I had chosen monochromatic ribbing though.

I added a little tag to the back so you can tell which way the shirt goes.

I also removed 3″ (about 7.5 cm) from the length. I didn’t want this to look cropped, but I also didn’t want it too long. This fabric is a bit structured, so it doesn’t pool nicely at the waist. But in another project, depending on the look you want and fabric you choose, the length might work. With the reduced length, the waistband just covers the waistband of my jeans.

If I make this again, I might make the body narrow a bit more towards the waist, instead of the more rectangular default cut. I have a store-bought sweatshirt like that and I find it’s flattering on my figure. But it will depend on the project.

The instructions were great. Again, I love having the instructions as a PDF download. I usually sew with my tablet nearby, and this is very convenient.

Summary

Pattern Review: Jalie 3355 Sweatshirt, Hoodie and Sweat Pants. View B.
Fabric: Cotton french terry from  l’Oiseau Fabrics and cotton ribbing from my stash.
Size: Available in sizes size 2T (toddler) to about size 22. This is size AA, the equivalent of a 14.
Cost: Pattern: About $14. Fabric: I can’t remember!
Sewing Level: Beginner
Modifications: I reduced the with of the ribbing at the neck, and removed 3″ (about 7.5 cm) from the length.
Results: Fun!

A Simple Grey Dress: McCall’s Learn-to-Sew M8064

Not every sewing project works out the way it is supposed to.

But let’s start with what went right. This fabric is a cotton baby rib knit, in grey, from Our Social Fabric. It might be the softest cotton rib knit I’ve ever used. And it’s on the thinner, drapey-er side. It’s so nice that I ordered more.

Our Social Fabric is a non-profit fabric recycling initiative, run out of Vancouver, Canada, selling donated fabric and fibre arts supplies online and in-person. In March, they kept 6,531 lbs (2,962 kilograms) of fabric and sewing-related supplies from ending up in landfills. That makes buying fabric here a bit more ecological.

The project requested by Kid No. 3 was a simple knit dress. So I bought McCall’s Learn-to-Sew M8064. It’s described as a pullover dress, fitted through bust, with neckline, sleeve and hem variations.   I made View C (long sleeves, crew neckline, knee length).

This is a very simple pattern with just 5 pieces (in View C).

This dress comes in sizes XS (4-6) to XXL (24-26). My daughter is a size 10-12, but I opted for the size Small (8-10).

This dress fits very large. If you make this dress, you will need to size down a lot.

I’ve been sewing for a long time, and have made a lot of items in knits. This pattern had an odd fit for a knit. 

In a close-fitting dress, in a knit, there should be negative ease. If you look at other popular patterns, the ease in the bust is negative, or zero.

  • True Bias Nikko Top And Dress 8101: -1.5″
  • McCalls 6886/8058: 0″
  • McCall’s 7561: 0″

If you look at reviews for McCalls 6886, 8058, 7561, people are often going down a size, to get that negative ease. 

If you look at this pattern, there is +1.5″ of ease in the bust. That means that going down just one size might not be enough.

I would recommend choosing the size based on whatever would give you about an inch of negative ease in the bust.

I ended up recutting the entire pattern, after having sewn it. What I finished with was smaller than the XS. I had to grade smaller, beyond the sizes listed.

I still had issues with the fit though. The neckline was very wide – more of a bateau neckline, and I had wanted a crew neckline. The shoulders were set very wide apart and extra low. 

I wonder if maybe the pattern makers used a pattern block for wovens and did not test? 

The pattern also used a 5/8″ seam allowance – which is odd for a knit (but typical for Big Four knit patterns). I had already trimmed down the seam allowances on my pieces before I started, but it was still very large.

I added cuffs to the sleeves and removed a bit of length. My daughter is a bit shorter than average.

In the end, after recutting, the dress is cute and does get worn, so I’ll chalk this up as a success. But I’m not likely to use the pattern again. It’s a bit disappointing, because this pattern had a lot of potential – cute design, multiple views that all look wearable, good instructions, quick to assemble.

Summary

Pattern Review: McCall’s Learn-to-Sew 8064. View C.
Fabric: Cotton Baby Rib Knit, Grey, from Our Social Fabric.
Size: S (8-10).
Cost: Pattern: About $15. Fabric: $18.80.
Sewing Level: Beginner
Modifications: I added cuffs, and recut the whole dress.
Results: Ok.

Roll the Dice: Lined Drawstring Bags

My kids have gotten into Dungeons & Dragons, so I made them tiny bags to hold their dice.

The pattern is the Lined Drawstring Bag from Jeni Baker Patterns. It comes in eight sizes and this is the smallest. My finished bags are about 4.5″ by 3.25″ by 1.5″(or 11.5 cm by 8 cm by 4 cm).

They really are tiny – just the right size for a handful of dice.

These were really fast to sew up. The pattern is very clear and this would be a great pattern for a beginner. The pattern maker has also done a sewalong with this pattern and there is an expansion pack.

The larger sizes would make a good replacement for wrapping paper, but here the bag is the gift. These were Christmas gifts, but I have a bit of a blogging backlog, so I’m just posting to these photos now.

The fabric is all from my scrap bin. You can use any quilting cotton, and buy fat quarters of course. But this is also a great stash-busting project if you do any quilting.

Each bag uses three different fabrics, so there is a lot of room for making these really unique. Each bag I made matches the personality and preferences of each of my four kids.

The only change I made was to use cording instead of sewing ties for the bags. That made the project a little quicker and I like the look. The cording was leftover from making gym bags.

Summary

Pattern Review: Lined Drawstring Bag from Jeni Baker Patterns.
Fabric: Quilting cotton (from my stash).
Sizes: Available in eight sizes. This is the “Tiny” size.
Cost: Pattern: $9. Fabric: 0$.
Sewing Level: Easy.
Modifications: I used cord instead of fabric ties.
Results: Great!

Spring Bunnies

What do you need for easter, besides a large quantity of chocolate eggs? Bunnies!

I used a free tutorial from ikatbag.com for Spring Bunnies. This is a very simple pattern – the most difficult part is embroidering the faces.

I used some fleece I had leftover from making Arctic Trapper Hats. It’s maybe a little thick for this project, but I made it work. It does make them a little more hard-wearing.

I used silk embroidery floss for the faces. My embroidery skills are nothing to write home about but these turned out all right. I should probably practise a little. lol

The cutest part of this pattern: tiny bunny tails!

We do a chocolate egg hunt every year and these bunnies helped out and have been dragged around the house ever since.

Summary

Pattern Review: Spring Bunnies from ikatbag.
Fabric: I used some leftover fleece, in two colours, from another project.
Cost: Pattern: $0. Fabric: 0$.
Sewing Level: Easy.
Modifications: None.
Results: Great!

Pretty in Pink: Jalie 3355

For spring, my youngest asked for a hoodie. It had to be in her favourite colour: dusty rose. It also had to be incredibly soft. Believe it or not, I’ve never made a sweatshirt before!

I found the softest bamboo fleece ever. It’s a rayon-bamboo blend. After touching it, I think everyone in the house wants a hoodie too.

The pattern is Jalie 3355 Sweatshirt, Hoodie and Sweat Pants. It’s an extremely easy pattern – just a few pieces.

The only change I made was to use the same fabric as bands for the cuffs and waistband, instead of ribbing. That meant making the waistband a little larger as the fleece doesn’t stretch quite as well as ribbing does. I did buy ribbing online, but it didn’t match as well as I’d hoped.

Jalie uses their own sizing system, but this is the equivalent of a kids’ size 152. It’s a little oversized but in a nice way. It’s also a little on the long side. This is perfect for this particular kid, because she’s going to wear it with leggings most of the time, but if I made it for myself, I might shorten it a little. I also found the front kangaroo pocket a little small. Next time, I’ll grab a larger sized pocket from the pattern.

Jalie patterns include the equivalent of size 2T (toddler) to about size 22, depending on the pattern. That means that I really can use this pattern for everyone in the house. So it’s a simple pattern, but likely to be used many times.

I don’t have a serger – I used a regular machine with a special jersey stitch for the most part, and a stretch straight stitch on the hood and pocket. This worked very well.

I’m pretty happy with this project! The super-soft fabric means that this is very cozy and in heavy rotation!

Summary

Pattern Review: Jalie 3355 Sweatshirt, Hoodie and Sweat Pants.
Fabric: Rayon, bamboo sweatshirt fleece from The Fabric Club. Includes the equivalent of sizes 2T to size 22.
Size: 152
Cost: Pattern: $14 Materials: About $48.
Sewing Level: Easy.
Modifications: I used bands for the cuffs, not ribbing. I made the waistband a little larger because of this.
Results: Great!

Guest Sewist: In The Bag

The latest project from my junior apprentice, Kid No. 1, is a bag.

This is Burda 8235, Bag & Case, View A, which has languished in my pattern stash for so long I can’t remember when I got it. It’s part of the Burda Young series and great for beginners.

We made it a bit more complicated. For the exterior, we used a two-colour combo in twill.

Then, instead of a fabric strap, we used webbing, a rectangular ring and adjustable slider. This looks great, but honestly, I think it’s just easier and quicker to make the bag this way.

This bag is lined, and we used quilting cotton with a fun crab pattern. So cute! The pattern is Water Babies Crab Stripe by Sugarly Designs.

We also added pockets to the interior using some of the extra twill. One side has two larger pockets you can use for a phone, and the other side has smaller ones that are better for pens and smaller items.

The bag is just large enough to hold a standard notebook (US letter sized/A4).

For the front, we added two magnetic purse snaps following the directions in the excellent video, How To Install Magnetic Snaps, by Janelle MacKay of emmalinebags.com.

The bag pattern doesn’t call for interfacing, but the twill is pretty hefty and the bag design is not that structured. Still, we added some to both panels where the snaps are located, for long-term durability.

Everything got two rows of topstitching. For the record, Kid No 1 did all the stitching. I mostly helped getting the modifications organized.

This bag looks great and is super practical. I have some nice complex bags patterns, but this was fast and the results were great.

As a bonus, Kid No. 1 made a pin cushion using the Hedgie Pin Cushion pattern from Sam Hunter and Janome. This is a free pattern and it makes a cute mouse, or a hedgehog, depending on how many pins you have. lol.

Summary

Pattern Review: Burda 8235, Bag & Case, View A. Hedgie Pin Cushion from Sam Hunter and Janome (free).
Fabric: Twill in two colours and quilting cotton (Water Babies Crab Stripe by Sugarly Designs) all from The Fabric Club.
Size: N/A
Cost: Pattern: ??? Materials: About $30.
Sewing Level: Beginner. Very Easy.
Modifications: Added bag magnets, pockets, and used webbing with a rectangular ring and adjustable slider for the strap.
Results: Great!