Espritpatch

What a strange month this has been. Of course, like everyone else, our life is different and all plans are on hold until "normal" resumes. This means that the Easter holidays have come and gone and in many ways, they have been very similar to the rest of the month. Apart that for those 2 weeks, we didn't have to juggle home schooling with work but equally the kids were here all the time while we were working so they still had to be somehow busy. We have been blessed with such lovely summery weather some part of the month that we have made the most of the garden to be outside.  Also I volunteered to sew for the front-line workers, which I hadn't anticipated at the beginning of the month, and which has kept me rather busy. I have made and given away 25 wash bags and finished one set of scrubs with 4 more in the works. In addition to those, I managed to squeeze a few other makes, 4 pairs of PJ/night dress, 1 set of hankies and 1 Ogden cami that I am taking apart ...

At the same time I am making the mini series block, I am also working on making the units for my Sewing Studio banner from a pattern by Quilt Art Designs . I always try to chain piece to save thread as much as possible so it works well to alternate sewing one mini series block with the units I need for a wall-hanging. And there are lots of them! With some very intricate/tiny pieces. I made great progress on those this month starting with 3 complete to reach 22 completed  and 5 partly done.  I still have 11 more to make/cut before I can start assembling them all into one final piece. Linking to   M onday Design Wall ,   Wednesday Wait Loss ,  Midweek Makers ,    Needle and Thread Thursday Celine

Clouds Factory released a free rainbow pattern "Andra Tutto Bene"  in March during the worst of the coronavirus pandemic in Italy. I downloaded it and ordered sky blue iridescent Aida fabric and DMC threads from Cross Stitch Workshop to make it promptly. Although it is quite small and easy, it took much longer than I anticipated but it is now finished and I will keep it as a memory of this unusual time we are going through. Another OPAM for April and one more of my Q2 FAL list. Linking to   M onday Design Wall ,   Wednesday Wait Loss ,  Midweek Makers ,    Needle and Thread Thursday Celine

My kids seem to be forever growing! I make them PJ, turn my back and it seems that's it, they need new ones because the ones I just seem to have finished (a few months before... admittedly) are just too short. During the Black Friday sales, I spotted this lovely glow-in-the-dark moon and stars jersey on the Fabric Godmother website , that I knew would make perfect PJ for my eldest daughter. I duly ordered 2 meters that have sat in my stash since. Earlier in the month, I showed it to my daughter, which was enough to get her to push me to make her new PJ and for her younger sister (who always gets the hand-me-down) to ask for some for herself too.... With that in mind, I finally cut a pair of winter PJ for my eldest and a pair of summer PJ for my youngest. Both from my trusted 11th hour gear pattern by New Horizons Designs . This one is by far my most used pattern! I cut a size 10 top and size 12 bottom for my eldest because her legs are sooo long! and a straight size 8 for my...

With the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been various calls to people who are able to sew to help out. I answered one to my local hospitals to make some scrubs for front-line workers. The pieces were already cut out and delivered last week. I volunteered to make 5 sets in total. The pattern was shared with us, and being an industrial patterns, instructions were rather scarce and basic. When I received the sets last week, I started with the tunic top and went as far as nearly finishing it but I wasn't sure where to stop the side seams to allow for the slits.  During the week, I moved onto trying to make the trousers. These were easier  so I finished the first pair earlier in the week.  This week-end, I finally picked up the tunic again  and finished the sides, the bottom hems and the slits so my first pair of scrubs is officially finished and ready to be sent back. Of course, after this first one, there are 4 left to do. I started on these ones too but...

I could call this one an unfinished finish.... I cut this Ogden cami while cutting a batch of hankies earlier in the month. The cotton fabric was just too pretty to be reduced to hankies only! And the Ogden is an old favourite! I spent quite some time last weekend to sew it up, all finished with French seams.  Of course I used the appropriate label too!  I was quite pleased with it... until I tried it on. It looked absolutely awful on me. It was too tight at the front on my bust. As for the back there's far too much material and it's dragging. I was so disheartened that I threw it to one side.... I picked it up in the week and removed all the French seams which has loosened the seams a little. It looks better at the front but I suspect I need a sway back adjustment or something else. So this finished top will eventually come apart completely.... not sure how much I'll be able to salvage.... I have made a few Ogden before but I guess the fabric was draping...

In between the sewing for the NHS, I have made 2 more mini blocks for the Mini Series Sew Along .  The first was this hexagonal blocks I finished last week and the second is the stretched geese that is due by Sunday. This one is definitely not perfect.,, 3 more blocks and the sew-along will be over already. I am really liking those tiny mini little blocks. They are definitely a challenge to make but they are so pretty. Linking to  M onday Design Wall ,   Wednesday Wait Loss ,  Midweek Makers ,    Needle and Thread Thursday Celine

With the current epidemic, every little help and I was humbled to be able to make some wash bags for the hard working front line workers to wash their uniforms in. I went into deep dive in my stash for some suitable fabric for the first batch of bags I made and managed 12 bags that will go to my local hospital shortly. Those one were threaded with some cord I bought from my local shop via phone.  My neighbours contributed to my efforts by giving me some of their old beddings to cut off.  I made 13 more bags out of 3 single duvetsand made the strings for those from the leftover fabric. I didn't particularly enjoy the pressing/folding involved but it worked. These have gone already to be distributed in the local community.  I have more bedding to use up, I need to find some time as I think bags are still in need for everyone potentially being in contact with the virus. The bags are all sewn with French seams for durability since they will be washed at h...

During Black Friday sales, I stocked up on a few fun prints from Fabrics Galore to make night dresses. After experimenting with the Lark Tee pattern by Grainline Studio , I settled on an elongated crew neck style. I traced the pattern adding 11' in length and  using size 12 for the bust,  14 for the waist and 16 for the hips. Of course the garment comes together quickly on the overlocker, it's only 5 pieces after all. But maybe it's not a, good idea to sew it up after having had wine.... because oops, I mixed up the back and the front and ended up with the seam of the neck band right in the front. Yes I could have unpicked it and sew it back but I didn't! And during the lockdown, I had to hem without my twin needle. I was playing thread chicken with my spool of beige thread and I knew there would not be enough for a double seam. I'm happy to have digged this lovely piece of fabric from my stash this past weekend but I love it so much that I'm thinki...

I can't believe one third of this new year is over, and what a start. Who would have believed a few weeks back that we would be in this situation, all at home, all the time to avoid spreading this awful virus. Of course, the current situation means that I have more (free) time. Whether I have the energy to use it creatively or constructively is another question. Sometimes it just feel so strange/overwhelming/futile that I just "waste" the free time I am craving at all other times in my life. How bizzare?! Anyway, to make sure I have enough to keep me busy, I have reverted back to the crazy long list mode! Quilts: 1.  Modern HST triangles - 1 block missing to have enough for a quilt top but very little background fabric -  only one block left to do now - no progress 2. Project 48 quilt with a few Solstice challenge blocks (all blocks done, might need a few more???) 3. Farmer's Wife (not half way yet....)   4.  Farmer's Wife 1930 - only 24 blocks don...