Learning to Knit

Two very exciting things have happened today.

1.  I figured out how to publish a post from my phone. Very exciting for me because now I can post on the go!

2.  I am learning how to knit...again. My mom tried teaching me years ago and I didn't seem to get it. Now my mother in law is trying to teach me and things seem to be going better. I must just be so dense I need to learn something twice in order for it to sink in. 

Check out what I've done so far:

New Fabric

We're out at the cabin this week with Mr Mouse's family.  I had to leave my sewing machine at home  :(  Today my mother in law had to go into Salmon Arm to get her hair done and asked if I wanted to go for a ride.  I quickly agreed after hearing there was a quilt shop just a block from the salon.  It was a really sweet little store with tons of fabrics, albeit a little pricy.  I figured I shouldn't spend too too much there, so I did a loop of the store first just looking at all the pretty fabrics.  Then I decided what to buy and went around gathering my goodies.  When I was leaving the store I noticed Fabricland was across the street.  Normally I try to avoid Fabricland if at all possible, but I thought I'd give this one a try.  I was pleasantly surprised!  The staff was friendly and helpful and the store was neat and tidy.

I have always wanted to try making a Dresden quilt, but have been intimidated by printing and cutting out the templates.  Check out what I found:

A Dresdan template ruler!  I can't wait to give this baby a try!!

Patterns were on sale at Fabricland, so I flipped through the Simplicity book and picked one I liked, as well as fabric that was $3.50/meter!!

Here's all the fabric I bought all laid out:

I can't wait to get home and start using it all!!

Pink and Green Apron

We were visiting my brother and sister in law in Edmonton one weekend when she happened to mention that she wished she had an apron.  Since I had just started sewing at that point, I decided I'd try and make her one.  This was my second major sewing project, and being a novice sewer it was quite a lot to take on for me.  I was doing ok with it all until the waistband pattern piece and fabric disappeared.  I blame Cleo.  I got discouraged and put it on my shelf for a few months.  I then made this apron and thought I could give it to her instead, but she said that she wanted something with a top part because her new baby kept spitting up on her.  So I thought I should just finish this apron, since I was 98% done it already, and it was going to go to her in the first place.  I decided I could figure out the size and shape of the waistband on my own, so I did.  And I finished the apron!

What's going on with my finger?!

Here's the skirt:

It's a shame that all these pleats are hidden underneath!

I'm not 100% happy with the hand stitching on the collar, but it's on the underside, and no one is really going to look at it anyway.

I wrapped it all up and it's ready to be gifted!  I'll be seeing my sis in law this weekend and will give it to her then.  Hopefully she likes it!

Help!

To make a long story short... I was planning on making some placemats for a coworker for her wedding.  I had decided on making them black and white since they goes with anything, right?  Because of a delay in ordering and the postal strike, I wasn't able to get all the fabrics I wanted.  I have a ton of left over reds and blacks from the kaleidoscope quilt and thought maybe I'd use the scraps for the placemats.  I made one place mat top up this evening.

What do you think?  Mr Mouse said it's a little bold, but my mom likes it.  Do you think it would be appropriate for a placemat for a wedding gift?  The gal I'm planning on giving them to is trendy and fun and energetic, and I think it would suit her personality.  But I don't want to give it to her if it's too crazy.

Please leave me a comment with your opinion!  Every once in a while the comment form doesn't work.  In that case feel ree to send me an email!  I'll make a mug rug out of the scraps, and I'll randomly pick from the comments and emails and award the mug rug to the winner! 

Olive Circles Dress

The Olive Circles Dress is complete!  Reading these posts about my dresses you must think I'm a fantastic seamstress.  That's not entirely true.  When my mom and I make dresses together, I cut out the pattern and the fabrics and do things like pin and iron and look through her fabric and steal  borrow the pieces I like and drink juice and sit and watch.  She's the one who's actually doing all the grunt work.

Anyway, here's another completed dress, waiting for a sunny warm day for it's big debut!

I took these pictures when I got home.  Mr Mouse wasn't around to help me, so I had to use the timer on my camera.  They're not the best quality, but you get the idea!  Here's me practicing my modeling moves:

There it is!  Another project compete!  Hoorah!

Spring All Over

I finished!  My very first quilt!!

The lines are a bit crooked and there are some puckers, but I love it!  The binding seemed to take forever but I finally finished it.  Hooray!!

The Front

The Back

Mr Mouse!  You're doing it wrong!

There you go!  That's right!

Fabric Delivery!

Mr. Mouse called me at work yesterday to tell me a package from Hawthorne Threads had arrived at the house.  I had forgotten what I had ordered, so it was just like Christmas!!

Left to right, starting with the back row:
1.  Frond in Ivory by Alice Kennedy
2.  Swaying Vines in Aloe by Alice Kennedy
       -I plan to use both of these to make a cute bag!
3.  Bare Trees in White by David Textiles House Designer
4.  Bare Trees in Black by David Textiles House Designer
       -These are going into the Wedding Placemats.  Since the other fabrics I wanted were out of stock, I'm going to have to rethink my original design.  More on that to come...
5.  Hoo's in the Forest in Pink by Doohikey Designes
6.  Hoo's in the Forest in Blue by Doohikey Designes
       -No immediate plans for these yet.  I thought they would be handy to have around.
7.  Yule Critters in Lime by Michael Miller
       -Christmas is coming!  :)
8.  WildField in Cobalt by Valori Wells
9.  WildField in Cobalt by Valori Wells
      -No plans for these yet either.  I just love them.