Work in Progress

Has anyone tried this bag? Looks hard to make? Well, I love challenges...

Portfolio Blouse

My most recent sewing project, Portfolio blouse (view C) has made it on the May cover. It turned out to be much better than my expectations. It is pretty, but it's not totally finished yet. It just needs buttons to be completed. I searched my tin can and narrowed my choices to those vintage buttons in the photo. I want to choose something to comply with the nostalgic feel of the fabric. The print has inky smudgy gray, peachy, blue, and brown on it. So any button would work here. I love the square brown ones, but they might be a bit small for the project. Perhaps gray round ones. I think a gray A-line skirt would be a nice complement to go on the window. Another pattern tracing on the way. Sign...

Sew & Tell - Kelly's Baby Quilt

I am happy to post another hand-quilted quilt here. It seems that more people are enjoying how meditating hand quilting is. Is it becoming a trend? Well, either by hand or machine, it is nice to know that more and more younger people find quilt making fun. This is Kelly's baby quilt and her second appearance here. The first project was Mr. Rabbit and matching quilt (or a quilt and a matching rabbit). I'm assuming the pair was a gift for someone else' baby because she didn't have a baby back then. Now she does. Just two weeks old. Aw... So she made this one for her own baby boy. Yes, she quilted it by hand. See, when you have your own baby, it's totally worth it to hand quilt. I love the simple scrap square quilt. Well, I love any scrap quilts. One of the reasons is that you see those small prints that remind you of something you made in the past. I'm sure those pieces remind Kelly of her craft history. And they all became one to wrap her precious boy. Great work, Kelly! And thank you!

Sew & Tell - Joon's Hexagon Quilt

I have a few baby quilts on display at the shop, and one of them is my very first hexagon both pieced and quilted by hand. When I tell people that the quilt is done all by hand, people usually go wow, but nobody really gets encouraged to try it themselves. Well, I don't expect everyone to do hand piecing or hand quilting. No doubt it is time consuming. But, for me it is sort of meditation. If you want to do it, that's great. If you don't, that's fine too. But, if you say that you want to do it and would do it, and you really have done it, I admire your will, action, and patience. And here is Joon who I admire. She really did it! And she did an exceptional job. Thank you for trying and sharing it with us, Joon!

Jumper

I've been in a sewing mood these days.This jumper is one of the samples that I've made. It's super easy. The pattern package looks okay in my opinion. Actually it's pretty cute compared to the majority of their patterns (sorry to say this, but it's true). But, it might still be hard for some beginner sewers to look beyond the package. Girls, you don't have to make exactly what the patterns say. Just look for the basic styles. The basic ones are usually very easy to make requiring fewer steps. I'm sure this jumper is something everyone of us had worn when we were kids. Even as a little tomboy, I remember I had the same style jumper in corduroy when I was little. For a jumper 2011 version, I used heavy weight cotton in a large modern Scandinavian print. It's timeless, and it's time for you to sew for your little girl.


a modern gray pattern for the lining...

little girl, i have nothing against you and you look lovely, but you would look freaky styley in my jumper :-)
the pattern available at peapod fabrics...

Sew & Tell - Marcy's Three Tiered Skirt

Everyone, please meet America's next model, Olivia. Here she is wearing an adorable three tiered skirt that her mom, Marcy made. Phew, she made it just in time for the Easter branch. And all in pink, of course. Olivia loves it so much that she can't stop modeling :-) Here are a few shots from our photo shoot. She is just adorable. You will be charmed. Thanks, Marcy and Olivia, and dad (for playing with Dash)! And Happy Easter!
whenever olivia visits peapod with her mom and dad, dash is the first one to greet them. he can smell their dog on her.
take one...okay, olivia look at the camera. okay, dash move out of the way. well, it didn't work...


take two...on the chair. very elegant...

take three...yes, this is it! fun and charming. that's olivia!

Sew & Tell - Lena's Shower Curtain

I'm honored finally to post the first Sew & Tell after moving to the new location. Well, I was way over due actually. It's Peapod's neighbor, Lena's shower curtain. This cheerful flower print is just so perfect for this purpose. As most medium weight cotton comes in 44 inches wide, we always have to seam two panels of fabrics for a big project like this. But, she managed to match the print from the two panels, so it looks seamless. Especially In an all white bathroom (what can I say, she is from Ikea country), the blooms look so happy. So so happy. Great work, Lena! Your bathroom looks fantastic! But your work makes me feel bad because I am so over due for my own shower curtain. Anyways, thank you always.