ModKid Kyoko dress

This dress was a Christmas present for a special little two-year-old. It's from a modkid pattern by Patty Young and was super easy to make.  I think it will be fairly wearable, in that there are no zippers or buttons, you just slip it on over your head.  In the winter, I can see it over a turtleneck and leggings.  The pattern also has a short-sleeve option, as well as a tunic option.  I made a size 2, but the pattern runs all the way up to a 7.

The main fabric is called cocca from the Alexander Henry collection.  I don't know if it's still in print as it's been in my stash for a long time, but I see a lot of items in this print.  I saw two bolts of this at my local Joann's in Clackamas.  The neck, sleeves, and hem were finished with red polka dot bias trim, which I cut from Robert Kaufman's pimatex line.  Here is a detail of the neck:

I bought one yard of the red polka dot fabric and have used it for multiple projects.  Unfortunately, I needed exactly 1/4 yard running the WOF for the obi (sash) but didn't have quite enough after cutting the trim on the bias.  So I improvised and used the polka dot on one side and faced it on the other side (shown) using a remnant of Michael Miller's ta-dot.

I do love how the dress turned out.  The pattern was also well-drafted and the instructions clearly written.

Pink Pocket Clutch

The exterior fabric for this pocket clutch is called "yui kokeshi" from the Alexander Henry collection. The interior red polka dot is from Robert Kaufman's primatex basics collection.

I debated for quite some time as to the front flap, whether to cut it as a separate piece so that the kokeshi dolls are right side up when the clutch is closed. The hubby said it looked better for all the dolls to be right side up (on the back view) when the clutch is opened. I'm still conflicted.

Christmas Prezzies

I think I might have gotten carried away.  But, these pocket clutches were SO fun to make, I couldn't stop at just one.  Now everyone is getting a pocket clutch for Christmas.

 These are pretty small -- I should have put a prop in to illustrate scale.  They measure about seven inches wide and four inches tall.  There is an extra front pocket in addition to the main pocket (see photo below).  An i-phone will fit in the main pocket quite comfortably with some extra room for lip gloss, etc.

This particular one is made with a Japanese cotton canvas by Kokka; the interior is by Monaluna for Robert Kaufman.  I will post about the other ones at a later date.  I added a cute little wooden button to this one to finish the look.

It took me a couple of times to get the placement of that little tab on the bottom correctly.  In fact, I finished one that is completely backwards; it was so backwards, it could not be saved.  This one I had to rip out once and place the tab right side out.  It is actually not that difficult, I just didn't look at the picture in the instructions very carefully.

Kokka Fold-Over Clutch

Here is another fold-over clutch.  The fabric is a Japanese cotton canvas from Kokka that I bought at Cool Cottons, here in Portland.  The interior fabric is a funky quilting weight cotton by Monaluna for Robert Kaufman.

Curvy wristlet clutch and more wallets

I guess I should issue a spoiler alert. These purses are all intended to be Christmas presents, but I know that if I don't blog about them as I go along, I'll miss my opportunity. Also, it's unlikely the intended recipients will actually read this blog.

Anyhoo, this is the curvy clutch. The pattern is, as with the previous Keyka Lou patterns, very well drafted and easy to construct. I should note that I have been using a walking foot and a 100/18 needle, which probably makes sewing through the several layers of fabric that accumulate much easier to do.

This wristlet is about the same size as the fold-over clutch, measuring approximately 11 inches at its widest point, five inches tall, and 2.5 inches deep. It features a very secure wrist strap.

Fussy cut motif on both the front and back:

The fabric is from Amy Butler's Lotus line.

The matching wallet (basic wallet by Keyka Lou):

Again, I fussy cut the fabric to center and include as much of the repeating motif as possible:

The only difference between this wallet and the one I made to match the previous fold-over clutch is that I interfaced the front pocket instead of using a batting in order to eliminate some of the bulk. I think the double interfacing provided enough structure, so I will continue doing this in the future.

Here they are side by side:

Last but not least, the basic wallet for the hubby's i-phone. It might be hard to tell from the picture, but I used this absolutely lovely, crisp brown linen that I had bought a while back for a summer jacket. I figured I could spare the fat eighth it took to make this wallet. (The quality of these last two pictures is a little bit off -- I think my camera was metering the darkness of the brown linen, and I didn't know how to fix the automatic setting.)

The lining is a gingham by Michael Miller:


As a final thought (and in case anyone is interested), the background fabric I have been using for these pictures is from Summer Soiree collection by Paula Prass for Michael Miller.

Fold-over clutch

The design for the fold-over clutch is just so clever. This might be my favorite project to date:

The clutch measures about 11 inches wide at its widest point. Closed, as above, it is about six inches tall. Opened, as below, it is 11 inches tall (including the tab).

The fabric is Amy Butler's daisy chain, left over from a previous project. I reversed the outer and lining fabrics in comparison to the matching wallet that I blogged about yesterday.

I might attach a button here, just for a decorative element. But, I think it looks good just as is, too. Next time, I would also put the batting on the underside of tab to provide extra support for the magnetic clasp. The pattern had called for fusible interfacing on the lining side, and batting on top side.

Once again, I quilted the lining fabric with a low-loft cotton batting using a box diamond pattern. It's not completely necessary, but I wanted to add some stability and didn't want to take the chance that the batting would eventually migrate. The pattern recommends not using fusible interfacing, but I did use a woven interfacing on the main fabric. I'm thinking that I could have probably used a fusible batting too. Maybe next time.

The pocket is on the front side of the clutch, not the back as standard. The patternmaker, Keyka Lou, wrote that the pocket tended to gape when it was on the back side.

Basic wallet

This wallet was also a lot of fun to make. Once again, it is a Keyka Lou pattern. I used Amy Butler's daisy chain fabric, left over from a previous project. The wallet is approximately 5.5 inches wide by 4 inches tall and is actually much roomier than I thought it would be.

As you can see, there is a little card pocket in the front:

I centered the motif in the back and front panel. I love how it turned out.

The velcro closure is actually quite sturdy and secure...

and my i-phone fits in the interior pocket perfectly. It doesn't even fall out when I turn the wallet upside down and shake it.

The interior and my label:


Stay tuned tomorrow for my post regarding a matching clutch that turned out even cuter than the wallet!

How cute is this?!

I love it! It's called the Camera Case Wristlet, pattern by Keyka Lou. The pattern is available for purchase and immediate download here: keykaloupatterns.com.

It took me a few hours from start to finish, but some of that time was spent studying the instructions and following them exactly (which is somewhat unusual for me). The pattern itself is very well drafted and instructions well-written. The bag measures 4.75 inches wide, by 4 inches tall and 1/5 inches deep. My favorite part is the very clever wristlet string.

The only modification for me was that I quilted the lining fabric in a diamond grid; I thought it would provide a little more support, but I'm thinking it was entirely unnecessary. However, it does add some interest to the lining, which I like very much. The best part is that the pattern calls for 1/4 yard (9 inches) of fabric each for the main fabric and lining, but can get away with a piece of scrap fabric measuring at minimum 12 inches wide by 8 inches tall. Of course, if you want to fussy cut any of the pieces, you will need more than the 12x8 piece.

The fabric is some left over scraps, which I used to make an apron way back when. The outer fabric is Anna Griffin for Windham fabrics called Maime. I tried to fussy cut the fabric so the motif was centered -- I think I mostly succeeded. You might not be able to tell from the picture, but there is a little pocket in the back, which is a neat little detail.

The brown polka dot lining is a Japanese fabric called Sevenberries. The lining fabric is especially scrumptious. It's smoother and lighter than the average quilting fabric. You can't see from the picture, but the polka dots are so rich in hue that they bleed completely through the back.

Dear Jane mug rug

Many months back, this was my first attempt at a Dear Jane block. At the time, I hadn't set an accurate 1/4-inch seam yet, so the block turned out much smaller than called for. You can see with 29 pieces in this block alone, even 1/16th of an inch inaccuracy makes a big difference.

This weekend, I turned it into a little coaster, just for fun, and because the block itself is so cute.

Winter hats

I haven't been doing too much knitting lately. I seemingly lost my zest for knitting last spring and summer. I don't know if it was the change to warmer weather, but I still haven't regained the enthusiasm I once had for knitting. I once jokingly commented to my husband that I had more yarn than I could knit in a lifetime, and I think that it hit me this past year: yes, I do have more yarn than I will ever knit up, at least in MY lifetime. Sort of a bittersweet acknowledgment of mortality, I guess.

Even so, I am not one who can sit with my hands idle, so I did manage to complete two hats. The one below is from the latest Knitty.com (Fall 2010, Issue 33) and is called "Brambles." It was super easy and quick -- took me a few evenings of knitting. I used a worsted weight alpaca/wool blend yarn by Berrocco.


This next one took a bit longer. I actually started it last spring in an attempt to motivate myself but it just never happened. Anyhow, this fall I forced myself to complete it. The pattern itself was easy -- from Vogue Knitting Magazine (Fall 2009) but because the pattern called for fingering weight yarn, it took much longer to complete. The yarn is Colinette's jitterbug.



Both hats are destined to be gifts, most likely. I always plan on knitting one for myself, but the reality is that I'm not a hat person. Plus, for some reason, my almost-4-year-old always demands I remove hats and scarves when I put them on. Funny.

What I've been doing

I took a break from quilting to make winter flannel pajamas for the boys. So I've completed three pairs and have one more to go. Here is the best of the lot so far:




The pattern is Indygo Junction's Jack & Jill Jammies (IJ842). I modified the pattern by adding a 1/4" flat piping to the collar, pocket, and cuffs. I love how it turned out, and the jammies look super cute on #2. The one thing I might change on the next pair is to round out the collar to make inserting the piping a little easier. We'll see You can also tell I'm still on my aqua/blue and red kick. I love this color combination.

BTW, the fabric is Hooty Hooty by Doohikey for Riley Blake Designs. It's a nice scrumptious flannel that will wear very well.

Bridal Sampler, Blocks 3 - 5

Progress on the Bridal Sampler has been stalled by work on the Blissful Sampler, so these blocks have been finished for quite a while now. The top row is my scrap box pieces, and the second row is my Breakfast at Tiffany's bundle.

By far, the funnest block was the "posies" block in the middle. The flowers at each corner are machine appliqued using fusible web with the edges raw. I'm sure this might make some quilters gasp, but applique is definitely not my favorite. The third block, the star one, had alternate construction methods. The first one was paper piecing. I liked the preciseness of paper piecing, but I wasn't too fond of the center seams. The second method was method was just piecing. Although the streams do not have that nice crisp look, I do like how the center block is uninterrupted.

Scrappy Hunter's Star -- almost finished!

I thought I would go ahead and post the almost-finished quilt top, as I think I am running out of steam on this one. I might have to put it away for a while before taking it up again. It lacks a final border, which is in a dark green floral. I say that I might put it away for a while because I am not liking how the two inner borders came together. Plus, I really stretched out one of the sides while piecing it and am thinking of ripping both borders out to start again.


The details: the fabric is Origins by Basic Gray for Moda. The pattern is from "A Baker's Dozen," from the staff of That Patchwork Place. The pattern is kinda neat in that the entire quilt is made from a combined layer cake and jelly roll and measures about 85" x 85" when finished. Almost all the fabric with a few odds and ends are used. I'll post the directions for the blocks at a later date. As you can see, most but not all my points and corners matched up. But, the various prints are interesting enough that I think I can get away with it. One of these days I will have a precisely pieced top. :)

Sneak Peak

This is what I am currently working on. The fabric is Bonnie and Camille's Bliss for Moda. Can you tell by now that I love Moda? I especially love this line of prints and colorways. The big dilemma is which ones to buy, lots of turquoise, red, pink, brown, and green in this collection.

The Hunky Dory Snowballs

This is another quilt top I pieced over the summer. I love, love, love, the prints -- they're from Chez Moi's Hunky Dory for Moda. I bought it as a kit from Fabric Depot, but the pattern is available for free on Moda's website. It's just difficult for me to find the full range of prints called for in the pattern.

The construction itself was simple. It starts as an 8" x 8" square, fitted with 2" squares sewed into the corners into triangles, and then cut in half for the snowball. I do like the effect of the center panel. Interestingly, the center panel was the most difficult to cut, because I just couldn't get the fabric and pattern to form a straight line for cutting. Plus, the dimensions called for were bigger than any ruler I owned. I ended up making a paper pattern measuring 25" x 25". Each block is then surrounded by 2" sashing.

Here's a close up of one of the blocks, with my favorite print out of the line. For the backing, I bought the same print, but in a tan colorway.


PS. I should have ironed the quilt top before the photo shoot!