kaffe couture?

 

With the hot steamy weather of S Florida settling in, I decided I needed some summer dresses.
I browsed though the Kwik Sew patterns at work (SEW Studio) and found a cute little shirt waist dress pattern that I liked. Pattern # 3521.
I hadn't used a Kwik Sew pattern recently and as the bodice is fitted, I decided to use some fabric from my stash to make a preview dress just to make sure of the fit. I had the large floral print on hand but not enough to make the entire dress. So, I dug around and found a green print in my stash to use for the bodice.

I compared my measurements to the pattern sizes, stitched it together and sure enough it fit - yippee!

 

The only thing was I thought the top needed something to tie it in with the print on the bottom.  I decided to make some bias trim and I added it to the neckline. 

That seemed to work and now it was on to the belt.... 

                              
The belt was easy, the hard part was finding a buckle! Gosh, I need to go online and search for a source. If anyone has any suggestions let me know please.
I did find a couple of vintage buckles at Quilt Market this weekend in Kansas City but I didn't realize how scarce they are. The buckle I used on the first dress was from a box of vintage buttons and notions my friend Marti gave me from her mothers things when her mother passed away.

Anyway, I ended up wearing the test dress (below) to the family breakfast on Mother's Day.
But I was chomping at the bit to make it from the fabric I had my eye on at work.

 

I got busy and stitched up the second dress just in time for my trip to Spring Quilt Market. The fabric I had picked out was an awesome turquoise Kaffe Fasset print that I wanted as soon as I saw it.

Naturally, Rita (my boss) and I had to pop over to the Rowan booth at Market to see if they noticed LOL
They did, and here is my Kaffe (not exactly couture) dress ..... my pattern didn't have a hat.

I have to admit that I have my eye on another dress pattern...but first I have some quilting to do.

feathered friends.....

I guess we might need to hang a for rent sign outside of our new birdhouse to attract some feathered friends, but how cool is this birdhouse.

My friend Cathi gave it to me and it is just so precious.
It's made with felted wool from reclaimed clothing and was made in Nepal. The newspaper packing that was inside was the Himalayan Times ~ no really ~ and it was an english version.
Haven't read it yet.
Anyway, we hung it up on a tree the other day, facing east as recommended by birding sites, but so far we have not seen any little moving trucks show up. We're hoping that perhaps a wren would find it appealing. It is nice and cozy and it's supposed to hold up to the elements for a year. I almost hated to put it outside because it's just so darn cute. But, if a little bird can make it a home I don't want to deprive them.
Maybe if we offer a move in bonus like some pretty thread or other irresistible nesting materials we'll get a taker. We'll just have to wait and see.....in the meantime I'm free motion quilting some leaf shapes on a small quilt I made. I should be organizing my tax paperwork but not today.....

tangled

You've heard of zentangles? I love a good zentangle but my tangle is a different sort.... I have thread tangles! Yikes - I am packing for quilt retreat and my thread stash is in sorry shape. I think it's time to get it sorted out and untangled, don't you? Granted this is just the tip of the iceberg - I have multiple thread stashes, and they all need attention.  Do you you tame your thread stash, or do you let it do it's own thing?

I am really looking forward to retreat, no news there, but I am having a hard time narrowing down what I want to work on while there. Right now I have waaaaaayyyy too many projects in the take along pile.
Such as......
I have a charity quilt to machine quilt, a table runner all cut out and ready to stitch, some foundation papers for some mini quilts, a new travel tote design I am working on, some red and white fabric for a concept quilt, a small piece that I am need to finish hand quilting, fabric for a crib quilt, and........
I think that's all I have packed so far.

No, I am not staying a month, only four days, but with no cooking, errands, work or cleaning etc. I paln to make the most of it.

I did make a garment this week (gasp) I picked up a pattern for a short sleeve cowl neck top and I had some ancient fabric I figured I'd try it with. It's a knit and it actually turned out pretty good, it fits, and it was easy and quick. I'll probably wear it to work tomorrow.

 I also made some bolt tenders for work ( I work PT at a quilt shop - of course) These are for shoppers to mark their stacks of fabric they want cut so nobody takes them before they're done shopping.

Well, back to my tangles.........and my decisions......

go green in 2012....recycle the new year

Happy New Year!  Did I make any resolutions for 2012?  Well..... I decided to go green this year and recycle the ones from last year. Why waste time and energy making new ones when the old standbys are at hand and can be pulled out and used again? If you used up your resolutions from years past, then by all means get some shiny new ones and embrace the feeling of a fresh start, I applaud you for it.
But if you have some to recycle - go green in 2012.

I did start my recycled resolutions early though. My dh and I cleaned out our utility closet BEFORE
January 1st!
Must have hit my head that morning or something, but sure enough we dove in to the scary abyss and before we knew it, lo and behold we could find things again. I am unashamedly sharing the before and after pix with you. I think you'll figure out right away which are the before and after, hahahaha. Perhaps it will inspire you, or are your closets already spic and span and well organized? Be honest,  I'll like you anyway if they are. :)
Now I just need to think about the other 6 closets - but I have all year don't I?

Wishing you a very Happy New Year - recycled or not

pretty scary isn't it?

what in the world?????

a bit of an improvement don't you think?

the seal of approval form my helper hubby