Espritpatch

Maybe I achieve more when my list is shorter and more focused? Or maybe I get a better sense of satisfaction. Who knows? Anyway despite VERY limited sewing time and lots of travelling, I managed to cross almost all on my list for August. My black and white quilt is finished and although I didn't catch up on the Dear Jane blocks I completed 4, nearly 5! I made 2 out of the 3 garments I had planned. The third one is cut ready to be sewn And finished both accessories plus one more! Linking to August furtle Celine

I have fallen behind the Dear Jane sew along very quickly... I know,  no surprises there! Making the blocks is not the most time consuming part actually, it's preparing them (cutting the pieces) that takes time. And so many times I have found that I ran out of prep time before travelling so I didn't have anything to sew while out and about.  Finally I was able to finish a few blocks over the last few weeks. The first one I finished was G12, Gloriae (3 pieces, mainly reverse applique). This one had been prepared years ago The next one, also prepared years ago is I6, Viewer's Choice (6 pieces, applique) Last week I finished C8, Hani's crown (21 pieces, hand piecing) started on my way to New York and finished in hospital in Florence And this week, I finished C5, Eye of the Cyclone, in Ibiza with a mixture of piecing, applique and reverse applique, 17 pieces I only need C10 to finish Row C and I started it as I was hoping to complete Row C during my holidays b...

Finished! Finally... the black and white quilt that was on the frame in June is officially finished. And June is a little misleading since the blocks date from 2 bees that I participated in several years ago so this is a true UFO! I used fabric from my stash, bought years ago with no real projects in mind, for the backing and also 2 leftover blocks that I couldn't fit in the top. All I had left with this one was the binding. A return trip to France a few weekends ago gave me just the opportunity to do just that! I must admit I am not 100% happy with the quilting but I'll go with the "finished is better than perfect" mantra and maybe I'll add more a later stage but for now, I'll class it as ready to be gifted! Quilt stats: Top: Bee blocks from 2012 & 2013 Backing: various black and white fabric from my stash Quilted with Superior thread King Tut in June 2019 Finished August 2019 Size 60' x 72' One more OPAM for August and one...

The last handbag I made has been used so much that it was really really worn out, especially on the vinyl handles. I have been planning to make a new one for a while and it has been on my to do list for far too long... I picked the fabric and pattern: the Carrier's Conquest a long while ago but never got around to get started. Finally I cut all the pieces in June and got started! The bag has a lot of pockets and is quite complex so there are a rather large number of pieces! The instructions are detailed and lengthy but I must admit with so many pieces and not working on the project solidly I got lost/ confused a few times.... and had to unpick a fair number of times too. With all the pockets, the vinyl, the interfacing it gets rather bulky too and can be difficult to sew sometimes. I had to change the pattern a little by not sewing the handles to the bag or I could not sew the zip. I was so happy to finally have my 2 half bags constructed! Finally it was time to put th...

Closet case's new patterns from the Rome collection are so beautiful, I bought the whole collection and picked the skirt first. I was planning the asymmetrical one first but I didn't have enough of the fabric I wanted to use so I settled on the most simple one from the pattern which I made with a lovely black linen fabric. The skirt construction was not very difficult with 4 panels and one waistband.  I started at a weekend but didn't have an invisible zip, which I thought was worth waiting for, it is so much nicer. I also took a little more time to make the inside waistband pretty with a red bias. Putting the zip in required a little prep to ensure everything lined up exactly at the back: the top and bottom of the waistband. And after that step,  all I had to do was to sew the hem to finish the skirt. And I've been able to wear my new black skirt for work this week. This is another OPAM and another one of my Q3 FAL list. Celine

I know I know,  it looks like I'm repeating myself.... but I'm not actually! I made a laptop sleeve last month and used it once but I decided I didn't really like it. I didn't want to make drastic changes but it needed a few tweaks here send there.... so I took it all apart and started again more or less! The main 2 things that bothered me was that it was too wide compared to my laptop and that the flap should have been a little narrower than the sleeve. So I cut a strip of both sides and made the flap smaller and cut the corners off. The other thing I wanted to do was to fold the side of the lining and sew the lining against the front (wrong side together) rather than trying to assemble right sides together and try to turn the whole sleeve out. It gets quite difficult send bulky with the faux leather. So I serged the lining and folded the seam allowance. And this time I assembled the main sleeve on the outside with an external visible seam since the lining ...

I have lost my coin purse about a week ago.... I think it's in the house somewhere but can't locate it... anyway in the meantime I'm left with nowhere to keep my coins so the best thing to do was to make over quickly, right? And of course,  there's enough material in my stash to do just that! I retrieved a lovely deep red textured faux leather and a pretty lace zip to do so. I attached the pretty zip to the outside for maximum effect. Finished the bottom sides Et voila! Another OPAM for August! Linking to  Monday Making ,  Monday Design Wall ,   Midweek Makers Celine

At the beginning of the summer, I was dreaming of a lovely swish summer dress that would be perfect in the sun. I found the pattern for the Boardwalk Wrap Dress by New Horizons Designs and thought it would be worth a try. Like so many of her patterns, they are plenty of options to choose from. I settled on the open rounded front for the skirt and the lovely open seams for the top. found a lovely bright an colourful fabric at Godhawk Road early July and was hoping to make the dress at the beginning of the summer. With all the teachers' presents etc, it didn't quite work that way and I ended up not even starting it in July.... But finally I managed to cut the dress earlier this month. From that point I was on a mission, to stay focus and finish the dress! The fabric looks really transparent in the sun and I was worried the dress might be see- through but it seems OK once I wear it! The dress construction is not very difficult so it comes together rather quickly. W...