It's My Birthday! Year in Review: 2017

Some people get twice a year to reflect on the previous year: the end of the year and their birthday.

Well I only get once a year, because those two events coincide in my case. Bully for me.

Here are all the joys brought to my life with my 12/31 birthday:

• Every waiter or bartender who looks at my ID has the same comment, "New Years' Baby!"
• My dad making jokes about how I was a great end of year tax refund throughout my childhood (he's an accountant)
• Never getting to have a birthday party on my actual birthday because I'm not popular enough to get people to come to my party instead of New Year's parties.

One good thing is usually get a good amount of time off around my birthday. So....there's that.

Last year on my birthday, I was super excited that I got to go fabric shopping, and then I spent the rest of the day working on a quilt for our daycare teacher who was pregnant. 

It was a nice birthday.

This year, I have similarly unambitious plans. Even if I didn't have a two-and-a-half year old, I wouldn't want to go out on the town. Here's why:

• It's cold outside.
• I like being home.
• I enjoy sewing or reading or chilling much more than like, anything else.
• I have liquor at home.
• I hate loud noises.

I'm a hermit, and I'm totes magotes OK with that.

In honor of my birthday, and my favorite hermit-appropriate hobby, here's the 2017 year in review of sewing, plus relevant life events that impacted my sewing. 

Special thanks goes out to Apple Photos, for without the ability to easily look back on the photos I've taken and the dates on which they were taken, I would not be able to compile such a thing.

January 2017

Completed 1 project: Crib-sized Triangle Quilt to give as a gift

I started this on 12/31/16 and finished it around 1/7/2017. We were still living in our tiny apartment and I didn't have a table to sew on, so this was basically made while crouching on the floor with my knee in the air so I could use the pedal of my sewing machine. Colors are, as always, terrible because I took the pics in artificial light since most of my sewing/photo styling time was at night.

 

February 2017

Nothing, because of the aforementioned terrible sewing set up and surviving winter in a tiny apartment with a toddler.

March 2017

Also nothing. We moved into our house at the end of March, so most of March was spent packing up our belongings and managing the move.

New House!

April 2017

No sewing projects. :( Lots of house projects and painting.

May 2017

You may be sensing a theme, but nada. This month, we were still sorting out the whole new house thing and prepping for Babu's second birthday. I also started a new job at the beginning of the month.

Birthday cake.

New job.

  

Birthday girl with her baby cousin.

June 2017

It's going to start getting exciting now because June is when I launched the blog!

My first post: Eine Kleine Nap Sewing chronicled the creation of Butterick B6378. It was a tunic in a red and blue floral Georgette.

Current status: I liked this shirt, but I didn't have a serger yet (ahem), so after wearing it a few times the insides basically frayed into nothingness. I might make this pattern again, so I kept the shirt so I have a reference for future modifications.

I can't remember exactly when I started McCall's M7120, but it must have been end of May or early June, since it only appeared in pictures in early June (already with modifications to the pattern as cut and originally sewn, so perhaps May). 

Current status: I did eventually finish this when I hemmed it and finished the armholes, probably in November. It is hanging in my closet and I wore it to work once, but I don't love it. It's not flattering, it's sort of uncomfortable, and basically it's not a good look.

I started this full-sized Cloud 9 organic cotton quilt in June and blogged about it, but as soon as I had the top pieced I realized that the original intention -- to use it in Babu's room -- wasn't going to work because it looked so blah in her light purple room. As a result, my sense of urgency declined considerably and I didn't get much farther than pinning my quilt sandwich.

Current status: sitting on my sewing table getting quilted. Just today I started quilting this because I'd rather finish it and then either gift it or sell it than have it hang around in my sewing room like an albatross.

July 2017

Ug. That's all I have to say about McCall's M7286.

Current Status: Landfill.

McCall's M7381 in a dotty crepe from JoAnn, which I LOVE and wear to work regularly. For some reason it has eluded photography in its finished state. (I was undecided at first between making M7381 or M7159. I'm still curious about M7159 and may eventually try it out.)

Current status: In hiding in my closet, but well loved and cared for.

Mystical Creature Quilt, which I started and blogged about in July. I have a terrible habit of blogging about things before they're finished, which sometimes takes the wind out of my sails in terms of finishing. Luckily with this one, my dear friend visited in August, expressed appreciation for the quilt, and it kicked my butt into gear to finish it. Miracle of miracles, I also took some halfway decent photos on a beautiful sunny day in natural light.

Current status: I shipped this off to the dear friend that expressed interest, and as far as I know it is currently in use in an adorable little girl's room.

August 2017

In August, I got an order of gorgeous fabric from Hawthorne Threads. It included Cotton + Steel ombre fabric from the Pigment collection in the half-yard pre-cut. I wasn't 100% sure what I was going to do with it, but eventually decided to make a King-size quilt for our own bedroom.

Above, you can see the center of the quilt, which was completed using fabric from the pre-cut. Unfortunately, at that point I ran out of fabric in the colors I needed to complete this quilt so it stalled.

Current status: I did get the fabric I needed to finish this, and I sewed up a million and one HSTs. I'm at an undecided point - I'm not sure if this is going to look good in the master, so it might become a smaller quilt than planned. We shall see.

Using some of the remainder ombre fabric, I sewed up this little mini-quilt top for fun. I love it but I'm not sure what to do with it? It's too large for a pillow, but maybe it will become a medallion-type baby quilt.

I attempted a shirt using a free pattern I found in a magazine. It was a little snug in the hips and as I tried to fix it, things rapidly went downhill.

Current status: scrap bin.

My favoritest starry quilt in the universe was started in August. I finished it up in September. It's so pretty, I definitely have to blog about it.

Current status: for sale on Etsy!

Wonder Toddler Pinafore: Read all about it.

Current status: hanging on the costume rack and getting regular use.

September 2017

Scrappy Heart Quilt. 'Nuff said.

Current status: hanging in my office cube!

McCall's M6754 made in a really pretty hunter green plaid knit was a total disaster. I made it one evening before going on a trip, hoping I'd be able to take it with me. It was soooo low cut it was unsalvageable. Also, let's be honest: peplums are not for me.

Current status: scrap bin.

This quilt. Halfway through I had turned off my machine then turned it back on, which reset my needle position (which I forgot about) and I went from sewing 1/4" seams to 3/8" seams, which explains why it's a lopsided mess.

Current status: sitting in my unfinished pile. 

And I got a serger, NBD!

October 2017

Made some commissioned bibs.

Made a Halloween costume for my favorite child. Kwik Sew 3099 was indeed a quick sew.

Started making prototypes of things to sell at craft fairs.

Finally made an Appleton Dress by Cashmerette, which is possibly the most-sewn pattern in plus-size land. I purchased the paper pattern and lovely Art Gallery Fabric knit on our trip to Camden, Maine in September from a gorgeous haberdashery called Clementine. I will eventually blog about this, especially since I am going to make more.

Current status: in my closet getting regular wear.

Made a quilt block I found on Instagram using stash fabric. (Maltese Star Block, tutorial by Art Gallery Fabrics.) It turned out terribly lopsided. I'd like to come back to this block with more intentional fabric choices and patience.

Current status: haunting my sewing room.

November 2017

This full-size plus sign quilt made the cut for Babu's room. 

Current status: Just a quilt top currently, but I received the fabric for the backing and will get around to quilting it soon.

November was mostly reserved for sewing things to sell at holiday craft fairs. I did find time to make a knit dress that can be seen in the background of this photo, in which I have put above-average husband to work attaching tags to stacks of bear ear hats. 

Current status: deciding next steps. Currently it makes me look like an Amish pre-school teacher (not that there's anything wrong with that if you're an Amish schoolteacher).

As mentioned, lots of sewing of things to sell. Every night after work I was sewing like crazy. I'm going to reserve any in-depth talk of that stuff for another post, but suffice it to say, I did A LOT of sewing in November!

December 2017

All that sewing in October, November, and into December culminated in a couple of craft fairs and launching my Etsy shop. More on that in 2018. 

It snowed and I dug into my craft fair inventory to let Babu wear one of the hats I made back in November. Now she wears it every day.

  

Once all the holiday craft fair craziness was over, I was able to get back to some selfish sewing. I sewed up two Leschi Blouses. I will blog about these soon. Love. Them.

I also completed a Secret Project that is a gift that hasn't yet been opened, so it will remain a secret for now.

Recap

2017 started off slow for sewing because of life events, but starting in June I was a sewing machine (lol). As best as I can tell, here's what I sewed up in 2017. (I'm not counting most of the things I made to sell for now.)

Garments: 10

Shirts: 6

Dresses: 4

Number of garments that I currently wear: 4

Quilts started: 10

Quilts completed: 5

And one more is sooo close to being done!

Kid things: 3

That's all, folks! I think this post is long enough but as you can see there are lots of projects that didn't quite make it into blog posts yet. 

But Soon.

Happy New Year!

Impractical Bibs for Practically Perfect Babies

My dearest and only sister gifted me with a niece just over a year ago, and (as is customary) there was a celebration to mark the passing of that first year.

I had my own special gift planned that was not sewing related. It involved my own daughter and my niece Photoshopped atop a unicorn and a llama, respectively, and then printed out as a poster and framed.

Totally normal present for a one-year old child.

My mother, who has become aware of my sewing capabilities, commissioned me to make some sleeved bibs. You'll recall that these made an appearance in my action-packed "Sewing for Baby" post. I created a pattern using a vintage sleeved bib from 1843. I might be a little off on the date.

I documented the process this time, since I have a sewing blog and it is the done thing.

Step 1: Choose Fabric
Look in stash for complementary fabrics. Each bib has an A fabric and a B fabric. Wonder how it is I have so much fabric and so little of it "goes" together.

Step 2: Cut the Fabric
Cut out pieces. There are 4 pieces: the bib, the bib pocket, and 2 sleeves. You also need bias binding. Fabric A is the bib, and Fabric B is used on all the other pieces. For the first bib, I used Fabric A for the bias binding, but for the second bib I used the B fabric.

Sleeve laid flat.

Bib and pocket.

Step 3: Sew the Pocket
Turn down the straight edge of the pocket and top stitch it down. Baste the pocket on top of the bib about 1/4" from the edge around the curve, from one end of straight edge to the other.

Bib with pocket sewn on.

Step 4: Sew the Sleeves
Put the sleeves right sides together and sew the under arm seam. Then fold the end of the sleeve over and top stitch/hem to finish off the cuff area of the sleeve.

Step 5: Attach the Sleeves
Turn the sleeve right side out. Sew (right sides together) the front of the sleeve to the bib along the chest seam. Repeat for the other side.

Step 6: Bind/Finish/Attach Ties

I did this a different way for each bib, and I prefer the second version:

Version A, used on the pink bib: I sewed the binding on the back side the way you would with a quilt binding, then flipped the folded edge over the raw edges to the front and top stitched it down.

Version B, used on the blue bib: I tucked the raw edge of the bib into the bias tape so it's flush with the fold on the bias tape and just sewed it down once, catching both sides of the tape.

I think the second way has a cleaner finish, and was easier to handle around the curves.

A long piece of bias tape goes from the back of the sleeve corner, along the unfinished back edge of the sleeve, and then follows along the bib side and bottom, continuing along to take the same path in reverse along the other side. 

A shorter piece of bias tape is used to bind the neckline. I left enough at the beginning and end to make neck ties and then top stitched from one end to the other. On the ties, I'm just stitching the front to the back until I get to the part that overlaps with the bib neckline.

(I should have taken a picture of the back to really show what's going on...)

Finished bibs:

Bib, taken at night when I finished it which explains the flashiness.

Bib, taken the next day when I finished this one, which explains the much nicer natural lighting and the presence of mind to do a smarter binding.

Now to explain the title: These bibs are really pretty but not super practical. I really should use more utilitarian fabric, and line the back of the bib with terry cloth or something like that. Another thing I could do is use oilcloth, at least on the bib body, so it's more wipeable.

I have since discovered iron-on vinyl which will be helpful for projects like this in the future. That way I can use adorable quilting cottons but still get the wipeability of oil cloth.

Being just over one year old, my niece is definitely in the messy puree stage of eating, so these bibs are not super practical. I did use darker colors on the bib area so hopefully that will make it a bit less obvious if there's staining.

With the first one I made for Babu, I made the mistake of using a light colored fabric and it definitely stained. 

Exhibit A:

And that concludes the story of impractical bibs made for my practically perfect baby niece!

Wild Dinosaur Thing: Kwik Sew 3099

So, approximately 5 months ago, I wrote a post about Halloweens of Yore. Then I teased a forthcoming post on Halloween 2017, as if it were right around the corner.

Right.

Around.

The.

.

.

...Corner! We are rounding the corner, hold onto your hats!

Real quick, I got a serger. Remember? I wanted one of those.

I ordered it on a Thursday night and Amazon told me it would be here by Friday night at 8 pm.

I didn't believe it, but I tell you what. Amazon pulled through. They made it with 30 minutes to spare.

Lucky for me, I had a project waiting in the wings to try out my new serger. I had no idea how to use it, so I thought what better project to tackle than my daughter's Halloween costume that had an actual real deadline?

I ordered Kwik Sew 3099 from Amazon too, as all good things come from Amazon.com. You might ask, but can you get fabric from Amazon.com? Yes, because they acquired Fabric.com.

I assume this pattern arrived in a time machine from 1996. 

The plan was to use up some of my stash of fleece from previous aborted projects, and I just so happened to have a bright orange and hot pink that I thought would make a historically accurate dinosaur.

The cutting went quickly. I used my rotary cutter on everything as I do now.

Next, I had to figure out how my serger worked, because the plan was to use the serger for pretty much everything.

Hrm. Yes. I see.

Now this is bad, right?

Next you're going to tell me the needles are supposed to stay in one piece for the duration of the sewing?

I had hoped I'd never have to learn how to thread my serger, but alas that dream fled as soon as my first needle broke. I watched a YouTube video of a guy showing how to thread a serger, and then got plenty of practice as I had to re-thread the machine four times in a row after the following series of events took place:

1. Left needle broke.
2. One of the threads broke.
3. Right needle broke.
4. One of the threads ran out.

Beginner's luck.

Seriously though, it was good practice and now I'm a pro. Once I got into my sewing groove, this came together quickly. I think I cut it out and sewed it up in about 3 hours one evening after bedtime.

Ta Da:

The next test was to see if it actually fit. We eased Babu into the new costume by trying on last year's costume. Still fits, barely!

Then we moved onto the main event. Would it fit? Would she like it? 

My worries were put to rest as my child frolicked about roaring and stomping around like the generic dinosaur that she was.

That's all for now, but plenty more sewing stories in the hopper. I've actually been sewing up a storm, which is why the blogging fell by the wayside a bit. But now that the winter months are upon us and I don't even have to pretend to want to be outside there will be more just.

around..

the....

--

PS: Here are some pics showing the costume in action from Halloween festivities. 

At my work Halloween party.

Enjoying a pretzel before going Trunk or Treating.

On actual Halloween ready to take on the neighborhood. Her eyes are glazed thinking about all the candy!