Baby gifts completed: 2
Quilted Pillow Covers completed: 6
Cosmetic bag completed: 1
Total items completed: 9
Total items currently in process: 3
Days left in the month: 15.
Items left to complete: 21.
Days left until Small Business Saturday when I plan to reopen my etsy store (Did I forget to mention that?): 11.
So, I’m a bit behind, but I’m happy with my progress.
Cross posted from patternreview.com
Pattern Description: (from the pattern envelope) MENS’, CHILDREN’S AND BOYS’ MUSKETEER AND PRINCE COSTUMES: Tunic-length, lined doublet has collar, long sleeves and cuff variations; doublets A, B have belts and cap sleeves; doublets B, C have contrast sleeve and cuff; doublet C has contrast collar; loose fitting, pullover, lined tabard has mock sleeves, applique and back opening slit; cape E has contrast lining; all garments have purchased trim; doublets A, B have purchased crowns; doublet C, tabard D have purchased hat with feather and sword.
Pattern Sizing: Boys’ sizes 3-4, 5-6, 7-8; Mens’ sizes S, M, L, XL. Pictured/reviewed is a modified version of doublet A in boy’s size 7-8.
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? yes/no. I made significant modifications to the pattern to get a specific look – but it looked just like I imagined it when I purchased the pattern.
Were the instructions easy to follow? They were very easy! I bought the pattern in a 99 cent sale intending it to be a quicky halloween costume. It wasn’t as quick as I had hoped, because of all of the steps, BUT, the instructions were good and easy to follow.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I like how cleanly the pattern went together even with my modifications. It gave me exactly the look I wanted. I have to say I was annoyed when I looked at the length of the instructions, but it went together so easily, I quickly forgot my annoyance. I could wish there were less darts since I find putting together darts a very tedious process, but when the results are this nice, I can’t really complain.
Fabric Used: Kelly green corduroy for the outside, kelly green cotton for the lining.
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: My son (4-year-old) wanted to be the superhero, Green Arrow, for Halloween. Here’s a picture of Green Arrow if you don’t know what I’m talking about: Green Arrow Model Sheet. My goal was to make something that was easy and comfortable for him to wear, satisfied my concerns about him being warm enough AND was simple enough for the teachers at school to handle. I decided to just make a doublet that could be worn over a shirt or jacket, and he could wear whatever pants he was comfortable in. That way he wouldn’t need to change completely while at school and he wouldn’t have to wear a coat over his costume when we went trick-or-treating. The picture here has him wearing it over his very heavy lined sweatshirt: Caleb as Green Arrow.
First, I shortened the doublet “skirt” to be more like a peplum (I think I went to about 4 inches, unfinished). I thought about not lining the doublet because I didn’t think it was necessary, but it actually made the pattern go together more easily. I left off the full sleeves, just using the little cap. I ended up binding the arm sythes to finish them. And lastly, I used grommets and lacing for the front of the doublet instead of buttons to be more “authentic”. It really needs one more set of grommets at the very bottom before the peplum, but otherwise, this is pretty much exactly what I wanted.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I will and I do!
Conclusion: This was a really nicely built pattern with a lot of room for modifications so you can get the look that you desire. Recommended for beginners with a little experience to experienced sewers alike.
Check it out! Number and 1 and number 2 of my nanoSEWmo projects!
The pattern for this baby quilt and pillow is a Wonky Rail Fence, using the Stack-and-Whack method. The backing material is a solid light blue that I had on hand. I also used a white/blue ombre rayon thread for quilting. It adds some extra sparkle to the quilt, I think. The pillow has a simple ruffle around the edge and an envelope style back.
To be honest, I’ve had this quilt top on hand for a while waiting for the right time, the right baby and the right skill set. My free motion skills are definitely improving. It’s tough to keep your loop-de-loops even, let me tell you. But it is so worth the effort. The look on the Mommy-to-be’s face made it so.
Congratulations Diana, Stephen & your little Rock Star Monkey! I can’t wait to meet him.
Posted in Quilt
Tagged baby, blue, cotton, free motion, gift, pillow, Quilt, rail fence, wonky
I am not a writer. I have never purported to be a wordsmith of any sort. The rules of grammar have always appealed to me in their strange, logical, somewhat mathematical way. I used to actually enjoy diagramming sentences (no really, I did.), but I digress.
I’m not a writer, but, as I’m sure you are aware, November is time for NaNoWriMo. My husband has decided to participate. And since I am suffering from sewing burn out, and my dear friend Tricia recommended that I do something for myself in order to break through the burn out barrier, I have decided to participate also. But I’m not going to write, I’m going to sew. I’ve been wracking my brains to come up with a goal that is similarly difficult to attain as the standard NaNoWriMo 50K word novel. Should I work in yardage? Sew 20 yards of fabric in November…but then, what counts as a yard? What if I use only a small square of a yard for a quilt – does that count? It doesn’t feel right. So, maybe I should work on my planned holiday gifts? But those aren’t set in stone and I don’t think that would be a difficult goal. Finally, I decided upon 1 item for each day of the month: 30.
Who knows, by the time NaNoSEWMo is over, I may have wracked up enough words in blog posts to actually participate in NaNoWriMo…
No really, I’m asking, who knows?
Posted in Just Words
If you are friends with me on Facebook, which I have to assume most of my readers are, you’ve seen the seemingly endless posts about costumes, costumes and more costumes. I am so burnt out. My fingers are numb for poking them with pins. I can’t see the sewing room floor for all of the fabric scraps on it. To be honest, I don’t think I want to see the sewing room floor, or any part of the sewing room, for at least another year. I really am that burnt out.
I’ve completed the Renn Faire costume that was a commission, and Bill’s, Caleb’s and Daisy’s halloween costumes. Mine is not yet complete, but will be, hopefully, by tonight. Pictures of all these costumes to follow, I promise.
I’d really like to sit back and rest for a minute, but, well that’s not going to happen. The first of many baby showers is coming next weekend and I have a quilt to complete. I guess the cure for sewing burn out is more sewing. At least, I hope it is.
Posted in Just Words, To-Do List
