May Catchup

May has been a busy month... finals, a trip to San Fran, started studying for the MCATs, and only a couple of "creations".

We went to San Fran for my husband's grandmother's big birthday. I made her a quilt for her birthday, which was quite the experience. Here is the final quilt... I didn't get a good picture of it because when I was finished it was late and it needed to be packed away. It was quite wrinkle-y, too. The first picture capture the true colors pretty well.



This was my first quilt... The pattern is based on the Amy Butler's Belle quilt, and I didn't add the circles and made it more of a lap quilt. The different fabric is all picked out from Joann. I had the difficult time keeping all the layers from bunching. I should've used a different foot... after grueling hours of sewing and taking apart I finally finished. However, the quality was not to my liking... oh well, I couldn't spend anymore time on it. His grandmother liked it so that's all that matters in the end. =)

One night when I should've been studying and working out, I got the urge to sew. I wanted to make my mother-in-law a dress she wanted me to make her for Mother's Day. Being busy with the quilt, I was not able to start on the dress. So, I decided to make it this night. She picked out Simplicity 3778. I cut out the pieces on this brown and pink floral cotton fabric I bought at the local Joann. The pattern runs pretty big... because I'm just a beginner I really didn't know how to adjust the pattern... I did a makeshift adjustment by increasing the seam allowance. The pattern itself was easy to follow and it had very limited number of pieces. The only not finished is the hem... my least favorite part about sewing...



The back...


Front detail... I think this picture might be zoomed in too much...


This dress is also reviewed at sewing.patternreview.com.
http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/readreview.pl?readreview=1&ID=28773

I started Simplicity 3887 but it was way too big. I should've listen to everyone's review before I had cut out the fabric. The seams are ripped, and it is waiting to be cut down two sizes. I used Amy Butler's Midwest Modern fabric. I'm very excited to get this finished! (I just wish I had the time... hopefully this weekend.)

Placemats & Knit1

I've been so busy lately with school, work, and family stuff that I didn't have time to sew or knit until this past weekend. Yay! It was a friend's birthday yesterday, and I made her some placemats and napkins for her somewhat new house. It's made from Joel Dewberry's Manzanita line. The pattern is from Amy Butler's In Stitches book. Here are some pics...



Some modifications I made to the patterns are:
1. Made the placemats smaller... 15"x19"
2. Added another piece of coordinating fabric on either side of the placemat
3. The napkins are smaller... they are 14.5"x14.5". (I meant to make them 15"x15" but in my haste I cut them incorrectly.)

I also received some Amy Butler Midwest Modern fabric. I cut out all the pieces for a shirt and will begin to sew it up later this week... In the mail I also received the Spring/Summer Knit.1 magazine!! I was very excited.

Growing Herbs

I planted some seeds in a window sill pot, and they have started to sprout! I didn't think I had a green thumb, but so far not too bad! I can't wait until they're big enough to use for cooking! [Sweet basil, chives, parsley].

Vogue Knitting Spring 2008

I received my Vogue Knitting Spring 2008 magazine in the mail the other day. I love looking through these magazines... I'm such a pattern horde!  Here are some of the patterns I like from the issue...

Joel Dewberry Fabric

I bought my first set of Joel Dewberry fabric from quilthome.com.  It is beautiful!!  (The local quilt stores here didn't carry his line so I had to buy it online.)  

I will be making placemats and napkins for a co-worker out of these...

I was going to make some placemats out of the Aviary fabric, but it was too yellow for the person I was going to make it for. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it now... I still love the fabric! Maybe I'll still make placemats and save them for someone else... too bad I can't work on any of these just yet. I have a test in less than a week I need to study for. =P


I can't wait for his new home dec line to come out!! It's so exciting. It can be previewed here. I especially like this one...