Everglade Quilt

My plan is to try some new things this year. First up is some hand appliqué. This is the Everglade pattern by Carolyn Friedlander.

I'm using a mix of fabrics. Each block needs two 4 1/2" squares so it has been fun searching my stash.

These are nice and portable and quick to do in the evening while watching tv or listening to podcasts.

I think I could become addicted to this hand sewing thing.

McCalls 7497

There has been big decluttering and cleaning going on here. I bought  The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up quite a while ago and have been putting off reading it, but Chris read it last week and now he's motivated to sort the house so now I'm reading it.
I've sorted some of the girl's clothes and realised they really need some more pyjamas. Olive chose some fabric (pink of course) from Spotlight and McCalls 7497.

I cut a size 4 for the top and bottom. I made a couple of changes - I hemmed the sleeves instead of using bias binding and I made my own bias binding. I also applied it differently - I sewed it to the wrong side and then folded it over and sewed down on the front. 

I'd bought a bit of extra fabric and Milly wanted a pair of pyjama shorts from it, so I used the same pattern in a 12 and they fit perfectly. I'll definitely be using this pattern again.

Simplicity 2246

I bought Simplicity 2246 when it first came out thinking my Mum would like it and then forgot about it until last month when Mum asked me to make her a shirt dress.

I pulled out the pattern and drafted a two piece collar and then changed the front placket to be one piece on each side that folds over. I planned on making a muslin from this fabric, it's not really something my Mum would have chosen, but as I cut I thought I may as well make it wearable just in case it does fit. 

 Quilt a bit of luck involved in making these plackets matching up!

 The verdict - extremely wearable! In fact she loved the bright colours and has worn it a few times already!

Liberty Lawn Top

Olive has a lot of dresses in her wardrobe and is lacking in tops so go with shorts so I looked through my Japanese Sewing Books and found a cute little top and then found the perfect piece of Liberty Lawn in the stash. 

It is from this book which I'm sure I've had since the twins were little. ISBN 9784529047005.

 I haven't used a Japanese Sewing book for a while and it took me a few minutes to find the pieces and get used to tracing again.

I wasn't sure which was the front piece and which was the back and I suddenly remembered I downloaded Google translate as soon as we got to Paris. It is complete wizard, I have gone from working only from diagrams to being able to nearly read the entire instructions!

The pattern has you sewing two channels and threading through elastic, instead I went for one of my favourite techniques - shirring. Five rows on the front and five on the back, a little less than 1cm apart.

 Other than taking up the hem a little I didn't make any alterations. I would normally just overlock the side seams, but I am glad I used their instructions for a fully enclosed seam, it is a lot neater.

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