Halloween 2019 Sewing

Mask patterns on Skirtex

     This Halloween my two oldest grandchildren wanted to be characters from Paw Patrol.  My grandson wanted to be Mighty Chase and My granddaughter wanted to be Mighty Everest.

   My daughter sent me a couple of photos and then went to JoAnn Fabrics to buy the flannel for their costumes.

          She also bought some shiny fabric for their 'light-up' front paws and faux fur for the tails and ears.  I drafted the patterns using my Kwik Sew book.






           My granddaughter's costume was pretty straight forward with just color blocked pants and hooded top with contrasting sleeves and hood.  I sewed the tail into the center back seam, not adding too much stuffing so she would be comfortable wearing it in school.  The ears I sewed into the hood by cutting slits in the hood and tucking them in.

Mighty Chase top

    My grandson's costume was a bit more complicated as it needed zigzag contrast.  I opted to make the whole thing out of the navy flannel ( had to go to the store to get more) and then applique the yellow on top after turning under the edges.

Mighty Chase pants

     For the paws, I found an old costume pattern in my stash that had mittens and I made those with elastic in the wrist. I didn't even finish off the bottom edge since it was a knit fabric and wouldn't ravel.

Working on Mighty Chase mask

       For the masks I used Skirtex, the material that is used to stiffen the flaps on upholstered furniture.  I measured their faces and heads to get sizes for the mask and the elastic.  I drew the pattern onto pattern paper and then cut out the flannel.  I used spray adhesive to bind it to the Skirtex and then cut it out.  I then applied a back layer of flannel and stitched all around to keep it all in place, stitching on the elastic at the same time.  My grandson's had a yellow piece appliquéd on top while I used the shiny fabric for my granddaughter's mask and then drew on the eyebrows and eyelashes.

Bucket pinned under the hoop

     Then I needed to make a Halloween bucket for the youngest grandchild as I didn't make one for him last year.  I used a split Halloween design from Designs by JuJu.  I had many problems with it, (the actual stitching, not the design, it was perfect) including it coming unhooped when I got a thread nest underneath.  Got it finally finished and looking okay, not great but okay.  As I was texting my daughter-in-law that it was ready, I realized I had misspelled his name.  How does a grandma do that?  Oh well it was too late to make another.  I might make a new one for him next year or maybe I will try embroidering his name on a patch and sew it over the wrong spelling.

Stitching with it pinned under the hoop

     All that matters though is the grandkids were all happy and they had a great time trick or treating with their cousins.

Mighty Chase and Mighty Everest in action

New Pillow Covers

New pillow covers

     A previous client came to me wanting to replace some pillow covers.  She had bought them but never really cared for the print.  She found fabric she loved and I told her how much to get.  She then brought me the old covers to copy.  The other thing she didn't like about the old covers was the small zipper opening in the bottom.  I told her my standard is a full length zipper in the bottom of the pillow.

Old pillow covers

   
     I used my handy pillow template from Rowley to cut the square pillow.  It is see thru so I could line up the plaid properly and it includes angled corners to remove the 'dog-ears'.  The other cover was a rectangle so I cut it out using my rotary cutter and ruler.  Then I used a new tool I bought at CWC that eliminates the 'dog-ears'.  Thanks Home Sewing Depot for a nifty tool.

Pillow template tool

     I did use a napped sateen lining for the pillows as the fabric was rather thin.  They turned out great and the client loved them.

Quilt Retreat October 2019

From my morning run

     Just got back from my fall quilt retreat.  I went to Homestead Cabin Retreat in Hillpoint WI.  I joined my friends Eileen, Nancy, Hilda and Carol.  There were two other women there with us also.

Halloween quilt

     I arrived at around 3 in the afternoon on Friday after stopping at Patched Works and Millhouse Quilts.  I started sewing right away and then went for a short run.  That evening I did finish my first quilt top.  I did have all the squares done already so it went together quickly.  I even started on the next quilt top before heading to bed.

Attic window Christmas quilt

     Saturday morning I went for a longer run and then sewed for the rest of the day.  I did finish the second quilt top that evening and started on number three.

Not quite finished

     Sunday morning I didn't feel like running so I just got started on sewing.  I managed to get about two thirds of the center of the next one done.  I had to pack up though and leave by 2.

Quilt by the other Eileen

     It was such fun sewing, eating and talking with all the others.  I also love seeing what everyone else is working on.  I can't wait to go back in the spring.

Quilt by Hilda

Christmas Jackets

Jacket for Cltn

     A couple of years ago my daughter asked me to make some warm festive jackets for her two little ones.  Since Christmas will be here before you know it, I thought I would share these today.

Jacket for Miss M

     I used the Kwik Sew Book of Patterns for the pattern.  My granddaughter wanted a collar but my grandson did not.  I had the red snaps in my stash so that was good.

Sleigh from Embroidery Library

     Of course there had to be embroidery on the jackets.  My grandson wanted a sleigh and we found this cute one at Embroidery Library.  His favorite part of it was that it had a teddy bear in it.  He has a teddy blanket that goes with him just about everywhere.  He also chose different colors for the packages and ribbons.

Color sheet with new colors noted

     My granddaughter chose a Christmas owl design from Designs by JuJu.  Of course it had to be pink and purple.

Christmas owl from Designs by JuJu

     The embroidery turned out great, I love the designs from both places, they always stitch out great. The construction was easy and the kids loved their jackets and looked so cute.

Coral Striped Squares Quilt

Coral Striped Squares Quilt

     My latest quilt.  I bought the beautiful Fat Stack of fabrics from Patched Works in March of 2018. At the same time I bought a pattern, Striped Squares, from Patched works that uses 12 fat quarters.

Block detail

     I found a pretty coral fabric in my stash to use as the background.  I had bought it at Libertyville Sewing Center back in December of 2001.  There are a couple of blocks where the contrast isn't that great but I really liked the coral fabric.

Label 1

      I cut all the pieces at home, there was a lot of cutting!  At retreat in October of 2018 I pieced the squares. At the retreat in March of 2019 I pieced the top.  It helps to have a design wall and friends to help with placement of the squares.

Label 2

     I bought some coral flannel at JoAnn's and then took it all to my friend Joni to have it quilted.  While watching Packers football on TV, I put on the binding.

Quilting detail

     I tried a little something different for the label, added some fill stitches.  It looks okay but I should have used a higher contrast thread for the title and my name.  Not really a problem, I like it and it isn't a gift or anything.   Not sure I would do this quilt again as there was so much cutting but I do like how it turned out and it was pretty easy to put together.