Bess Top

I was intrigued by the construction of the Bess Top by Imagine Gnats when I first saw it and knew I had to try it. It is an interesting and quite quick top to sew. This top definitely needs to be made in a drapey fabric. There is plenty of ease in the pattern and I didn't need to do an fba. I used a voile and I am happy with it. If I made it again I would try a light rayon or something similar.

I'm wearing with my second pair of Alexandria Peg Trousers I made from chambray. I love them, they are my go do pants. So comfortable and they go with everything. There will be more of these!

Sneak Peak - Striking Strip Quilts

The new Martingale catalogue is here and inside is a peak at some of the quilts in Striking Strip Quilts. You can see more of them here. I loved making every one of these quilts and I am so excited to share them with you!

Block Printed Mini Southport Dress

                  

Design, Carve, Print: Block Printing on Fabric by Jen Hewett
Fabric - I used Moda Bella Solids in Zen Grey and printed with a dark teal colour.
Pattern - Mini Southport Dress by True Bias

                  

                  

                  

                  

Carving and Listening

A few weeks ago I signed up for Jen Hewett's online printing on fabric course. I have plans to print some fabric for little pouches and if that works maybe printing some for clothes for myself and the girls.
So this week there has been lots of carving and test printing.

All the time spent sketching and carving has been perfect for catching up on podcasts.

A few good ones I have listened to this week:

Crafty Planner talks to Susanne Woods

The Sweet Georgia Show: Leah Churchley on Anxiety and Knitting

While She Naps talks to Malka Dubrawsky

Chat 10 Looks 3

Another Round

Sawbones - my kids love listening to these in the car - the more revolting the better.

Mini Southport Dress

It is getting a little trickier for the girls to find things they want me to sew them. They still love going through the Ottobre magazines, but they don't often find patterns they like from the big pattern companies. So I was a little excited when I showed Milly the Mini Southport Dress and she said she would like one.
She chose this tencel fabric from Spotlight which was really nice to sew and perfect for this pattern.
I really like the instructions on the True Bias patterns, they are really clear and the finishes are really nice.
It is a great pattern for older girls as it is not cutesy or twirly and looks really comfortable to wear. It only goes up to size 10, but I think I will be sizing it up when the 10 no longer fits the girls.

Eva loved the one I made Milly so I made her one too. I used fabric from the Spotlight clearance table (I found so much great stuff on there on my last visit) and made matching bias binding. I found the interfacing on the button band left it a bit stiff and hard to do up the buttons on Milly's dress so I left it off this one. I think I will leave it out in future dresses made of quilting cotton etc.

I already have one more cut out and plans for a little one for Olive. I will definitely be getting my moneys worth out of this pattern!!

New Summer Favourites

My girls live in shorts over summer so I have had a bit of production line going and I think I have made enough to last a while. They can all be quite fussy about how their shorts fit, but I think we have found a winner in the Sassy Shorts pattern.
I have made a few pairs from cotton with pockets.

And a few pairs from rayon without pockets. This rayon is quite shifty and it was so much easier to leave the pockets off. I didn't bother matching the pattern on the front and back as the repeat was so big so these were very quick to make.

I've also found a new favourite t-shirt pattern for me - the Seafarer. I think I've made 5 so far and I know I haven't finished yet.

Paper Pieced Butterflies

I think I have found my next quilt project. These gorgeous little paper pieced butterflies by Tartan Kiwi. It has taken me three months to make three, but I love having one project on the go where there is no deadline.
I think they will probably end up in a mini quilt, but I have no firm plans and will just see how many I end up making.