Presents and Updates

It's been quite some time!  Firstly, Hexy McQueen is at Patchworks waiting in line to be quilted!  I am so excited to see the finished quilt I can hardly wait.  It's due date is November 18, 4 days after I get home from AZ where I am running the Grand Canyon Half Marathon.

Secondly, I have been VERY busy.  I am making Chrissy presents, so I can't exactly post them all on my blog.  However, I will post them as Chrissy gets closer.  The crap I am working on is pretty awesome!

I made this little gem for a friend's birthday.

I was thinking how cool it would be to have a necklace that made it look like I was wearing a shirt with buttons. The pic is not the best, but you get the idea.  They are buttons that I covered with fabric.  Happy Birthday to my lucky friend!

Hexy McQueen Update

I am more than half way finished sewing together Hexy McQueen.  It is enormous.  I can only lay out half of it in my living room at one time.  That being said, here is a portion of my Lovely.

I am realizing a couple of things about hexagons.  List time!
1.  They are addictive.  I have two more hex projects in the works (okay, just in my brain, but I am really close to starting).
2.  They are incredibly difficult to sew together.  You can't sew in the seam allowance (which in the case of quilting is a scant 1/4").  This makes it so that your cutting and 1/4" seam allowance must be exact or you will get some pulling.
3.  They are so stinkin' pretty!
4.  Not really about hex's but just in general:  If you are gonna make an enormous quilt, 22" finished blocks are the way to go.  Seriously!  I only have 17 full hex's, 6 half hex's and 8 quarter hex's!  Not too shabby.

At this rate, I will have the quilt top completed during tomorrow's nap time.  Then to get it basted and off to the long arm!

shirt

Those who know me know that I am loving the reemergence of the 1980's.  I also blogged the other day about how I wish I could be Joan Collins and/or live my life as though I was a character from Dynasty.  I went to the Goodwill about a month ago or so and found a 1980's McCall's pattern.  It is an amazing pattern.  So I went to the fabric store and found some fabric and behold:

The fabric ended up looking awesome, especially with the pockets turned on the bias, but it was really hard to work with.  It was like 60% poly, 5% spandex and the rest cotton.  It frayed easily and did not keep a crisp line.  I did learn a few things!
1.  Collars are not that hard.  I think I have got it down.
2.  Following the directions makes things SO much easier!!
3.  Hemming:  Since the fabric would not retain a nice clean line, I decided to do a running stitch on the seam allowance, which in this case was 5/8".  Then I went back and ironed the seam allowance then folded the unfinished edge into the folded seam.  Then I finished the hem.  EASY!  I am sure I am not the first person to come up with such a trick, but I thought it was a brilliant idea!  And it worked beautifully.
4.  My chalk pencil is the ballz.
5.  I need to take better measurements because for me, my measurements are always changing.  I ended up having to take in the sides and sleeves another 1.5", but even so, it is still a little big.

Yay for vintage patterns!!!

Hoodies

I found this fab pattern on etsy for this hoodie.  It looked super easy and fall is upon us, so here is the result!  I opted for flannel for the lining but I am not sure I would do that again.  I mean, it looks really cool, but flannel does not have much stretch, as does the sweatshirt fabric.  I have never used sweatshirt fabric before and it wasn't too bad to use.  I made sure I finished all seams with my overlock foot, which helped the seams lay flat...and TOPSTITCHING. I dedicated an entire post to my love affair with TOPSTITCHING and I meant it!  Also, I opted for snaps instead of buttons.  Buttons made it look pretty girly so that was a definite no-go.  Brian took Rad to a Marquette football game and Rad came home perfectly warm!  Okay, off to my next project. 

Top Stitching

I just wanted to write a post dedicated to my most favoritest thing to do (in regards to sewing, that is): topstitching.
Topstitching is a sewing technique. It is used most often on garment edges such as necklines and hems, where it helps facings to stay in place and gives a crisp edge. Decorative topstitching is designed to show, and may be done in a fancy thread or with a special type of stitch. Otherwise, topstitching is generally done using a straight stitch with a thread that matches the fashion fabric (thanks, wiki).  
I am working on hoodies for the boyz (Rodney's is done..check back for post in a coupla dayz so I can finish Rad's) and Topstitching saved my life.  I use it all the time.  I have done it on purses, collars, plackets, scripture cases, flowers and probably more.  It DOES make hems and edges crisp and I don't think any project is "finished" until it has been topstitched!


Topstitching, I LOVE U!

Antiquing/ Antique-ing/ Antiqueing, IDK

That can't be spelled right.  Oh well.  I really don't care.  So we spent a few days of Brian's break up in the Wisconsin Dells.  On our way outta town we stopped at a really cool antique store (with a fab restaurant right next door).  There were some really cool vintage toy sewing machines, some really cool old signs, and some freaky deaky clowns (why are there always freaky deaky clowns?) On the very last aisle, I found this:  TaDa!!

About 30 (wooden) spools of Coats and Clark thread!  Some of them unused!  It was so beautiful and the colors so rich and inspiring!  Not to mention the cool old jar!  I also found a cool vintage women's catalogue from 1931 and an add that says, " Luscious ripe Strawberries are rich in pure Dextrose Sugar....and so is delicious Baby Ruth".  I could not pass it up!  Strawberries/ Baby Ruth...Same/Same!  

More Crap

Not actual crap.  That would be disgusting, albeit hilarious.  Nope, I made a bib necklace from s{craps} of fabric from Mr. Hexy McQueen (of which I have finished all 17 hexagons.  Still gotta do 6 half hex's and 8 triangles.  Then I gotta lay it out and the bastard of all bastards...baste it).


I love how it turned out!  I made some fabric flowers, which I totally winged, and some fabric buttons.   I have also been searching and collecting vintage earrings, buttons, broaches, cuff links and such. They added the perfect amount of sparkle!