The Cute is in the Trimmings

Dog dresses!   These two were made using some fabric scraps from my neighbor (the bodice) and arm bands from a dance recital.  DD dreamed these up and they turned out even cuter than I'd imaged.  

The tiger stripes needed a little something, so I added these chained bows.  They are scalloped and then tied, so each is just a single ribbon which runs all the way from the left hip to the right one.  I'm sure these will be even cuter on.

Fancy Dog Dresses

Yes I'm getting back into the swing of making dog dresses.  I tell you what planning to do anything in the summer time is rather like trying to cram a mole into an ant hill.  Today I have a dozen dresses for you to see.  6 matched pairs for the little sister and big sister we adore so much.

Now the red dresses and the pink ones are embroidery blanks, they are simple now so they can be embellished later.  As for the black with the tiger stripes I am most proud of that one.  When I was handed that fabric, I was told "I don't know why I bought that fabric I don't even like it, it's more what my husband would like".  Well hopefully by adding the sparkle black to the top thereby toning down the orange everyone will like it.  The fabric by itself made me daydream about DD and our new dog Shelby.  Wouldn't it be neat if they dressed as Jasmine and Rajah for Halloween?

New Curtains

I just finished up some new curtains for DD, at a whopping 8 years old I felt it was time to replace the faded Winnie the Pooh Bear ones back from her nursery days.  I took what my mother taught me years ago about using two layers of fabric to create a light blocking effect and made these using a beautiful hand made batik on one side and a coordinating solid purple on the reverse.  Now should I decide to make tie backs I will made them using the last little bit of batik fabric that I have.  That way the curtains can be turned so that the purple side shows with a bit of batik detail or the simple batik as shown here.

Doggie Do Doo, Baggie Holder

The other day in my online shopping travels I encountered an adorable dog bone.  The purpose of the dog bone is to be carried  along with your dog leash when you take Fido out for his walkies.  This way you always have a baggie for any little (or huge) dookie piles left behind by your best friend.  Well you know I just had to make one.  Mine is quilted, made with french seams and has no form of Velcro or other closer for you to catch yourself on when you really just need the bag out now.  I made it big enough that it will hold the rolls of bags you can buy at your local pet store for this purpose or you can just re-purposed grocery sacks.

Personally I think it's cute enough to make a change purse as well.  To bad I'm not into all that fussy crafty stuff.

To Spite Sore Arms

Well now I have learned a very important lesson, never show off the corner of a quilt when you can show off the entire thing.  

Mandala Back so far

This new picture of the back of the Mandala quilt shows off the deep rich blue very nicely, where as the other image seemed to show the blue as lighter and more vibrant than it is.  I'm not sure what should come next?  Perhaps green?  I have two deep greens, one a batik and one a print that might work.  I also wondered if perhaps I should do something with pieced blocks?  I have more spirographs from the front of the quilt 6 big ones and 14 little ones if someone was thinking I should add a hint from the front on the back.  Though I'd like to save one or two of the big ones for a pillow...  At your suggestions I think the answer here is to use only deep rich tones, vs. bold bright ones that would detract from the Kaleidoscope blocks.

Mandala Front Complete, Backing grows.

Last night I worked on my Mandala quilt.  Working on Mandala's is said to be a healing process for the creator.  I don't know about that but I do know I dread each new step with this quilt only to do it and discover oh that wasn't so bad.  This quilt now measures 96" and it's plenty heavy so I only took pictures of the corner.  In this first image it is a corner using a small kaleidoscope block, as well as those zillion half square triangles for the last HST border.  The red folded border looks wonderful over the whole of the quilt.

 Then I began working on the back of the quilt.  I bordered out the back Kaleidoscopes with the black as I'd planned, and then added the water batik all around.  The trouble is right after I finished sewing on the blue border I found 2 yards of the blue in the picture above, that turquoise and royal, clearly I'd intended to use that on the back.  It doesn't play well with the blue batik I added though.  Any thoughts?

Tie Purses

I just finished up these for a friend.  The purple one is my favorite, though the brown is a close second.  I have this vision of using two matching ties one for the gentleman to wear and one to make a ladies evening bag with.  What do you think?  I selected lining fabrics and cording to match and all purses have interfacing within.

If all else fails, ignore it.

I haven't been at my sewing machine lately, hence the blog silence.  The last time I sat at my machine it was skipping stitches horribly and my both my scissors and my sips needed sharpened, so I set everything aside and figured I would take care of sending the scissors in while DH fixes the machine.

Well then yesterday I read an article about digging in and dealing with what we've been putting off.  So forgetting my sewing studio woes I cleaned it and started sewing the final folded border on the front of the Mandala quilt.  That's funny, the machine purred like a kitten.  With not a single skipped stitch.  Everything was perfect.  Hmm, I think to myself, okay perhaps DH fixed it and didn't tell me.

When he got home later in the day I asked him about it.  Nope he never got to it.  So neglect fixed my sewing machine.  Funny, I wonder if it was lonely or just wanted a little vacation???  

Mandala Quilt Status Check Pictures

Just this morning I finished sewing the strips of the Kaleidoscope blocks together, from here I plan to border around in the black, likely the same with as the strips shown and then who knows?  Any ideas?

Hexagon Kaleidoscope Blocks Center

While I was taking pictures it occurred to me that I haven't showed you the Mandala front since adding the most recent border of half square triangles.

Mandala Quilt front with latest HST border 

Mandala Quilt weaving borders view

The above side view is the reason behind all of those small half square triangles.  See how the border stripes appear to wave through the quilt?  I'm planning to quilt Celtic knots over these to further emphasize the woven effect.  At first this was challenging and I constantly needed to look back to my EQ files, but as I worked it became clear this technique has two sweet spot corners. This corner and the one opposite.  Just as with any sweet spot starting here causes order to become obvious and with a little help from DD sewing the borders became much more natural.

Hope you enjoyed this little update.

Mandala's Reverse Starts Coming Together

Kaleidoscope Strips Layout

Last night I started squaring my rows of Kaleidoscope blocks up by adding the smaller triangles at the top and bottom.  Boy was I glad I hadn't thrown my scraps out!  All those end bits that I cut off to make the black equilateral triangles really came in handy.

Kaleidoscope Blocks Stripping together

I ran into a little bit of a problem working on my hexagon Kaleidoscope Blocks yesterday.  The problem was simple.  My mind told me I was making octagons, when really six sides makes a hexagon.  So I did some online digging and found the answer to my issue on a blog called Prosperity Stuff Quilts.  You see, it seems that some quilters who venture into Kaleidoscopes Blocks make many, many, quilts using this technique and have more than one for a newbie like me to drool glance over.   

About half of my Kaleidoscope Blocks

First I laid out my blocks as you can see above.  Each row represents two rows as I have them stacked as "sort of match" pairs.  We're headed for 6 rows total. 

First Strip of Blocks Together

DD said "wow" under her breath when she saw my first strip.  I took it as a wonderful heartfelt compliment, especially when she wanted her picture taken with it.

Second Row!

I couldn't stop, the blocks might get out of order you know, thereby I just had to finish up the second strip before she went to bed.  Can you see why I say these are "sort of matched" rows?

Sneak Peak Kaleidoscope Blocks

Kaleidoscope Quilt Block Layouts

I've cut all of my pieces and I'm now ready to start sewing them together.  What do you think of these first few blocks? I always find taking a step back and looking at quilt layout options through the camera lens to be a big help and today is no exception.  

Cutting Time

Ready to Cut?

I'm getting ready to cut my Opalescence fabric to make Kaleidoscope blocks for my Mandala's quilt back, I'm a little nervous!  Ever done one of these before?

This Week's Dog Dresses

This week I must have had my head screwed on backwards.  I created a new dog dress pattern and worked on another new pattern that I'm still trying to work the kinks out of from last week.  The good news is that the dresses are beautiful.   So I'm going to tack these up as well worth the effort.

Chocolate Humor

DH:  (looking at one of my cookbooks)
Me:  Oh!  Whatcha wanta make?
DH:  (shows fudge recipe) But it takes 2 hours, I'll make it another time.
Me:  I can make some fudge frosting, it will be ready in less than five minutes.
DH:  What would I do with that?
Me:  Eat it with a spoon of course!
DH:  (rolls eyes heavenward and laughs) I should have known you were going to say that.
Minutes pass
Me:  So do you want me to go make that frosting?
DH:  Sure
Five minutes later DH is eating fudge frosting with a spoon.
Me:  See, five minutes and it's good isn't it?
DH:  Well it's not fudge, but it is good.
Me:  Not bad for five minutes.

Good to the Last Selvage

Fusions Selvages for Organizing

I have a confession.  I adore seeing what other quilters have done with their fabric selvages.  It's a secret hobby of mine.  I've been following Karen at Selvage Blog for years!  At first I collected my selvages for a fellow quilter, but now I keep them for myself.  I always figured I'd like to make a spider web quilt some day.  Perhaps like this one.  Yet recently my serger has been working over time dumping thread bits all over my lap as I sew.  Sure I could be more careful about being tidy, but instead I've been lusting for my own Serger Thread Collection Bag.  The more I looked, the more dull and boring I thought they all were.  Really, why use a single fabric when instead I could make it to would showcase something I really love?

I started on this little sewing machine organizer yesterday using the selvages from the blue Fusions fabrics my friend Vicki gave me when I first took over my spare bedroom and made it a sewing studio.  A sewing room warming gift if you will.  Most of those fabrics were made into the waves of my Children of the Sea Quilt but I quietly kept the selvages, knowing someday I'd use them.

Selvage Sewing Machine Organizer and Thread Catcher

Vicki is always a wonderful inspiration to me when I'm dreaming up new projects - or trying to figure out how to quilt them so perhaps I should place the phone in one of those pockets?

Thanks for stopping by!

Baby Pineapple Finds a Friend

Add caption

My baby pineapple sure has been growing.  See it's starting to grow its top?  Today when I was out watering I saw this little lizard was guarding it from bugs.  Hopefully the two will remain friends a while.

My grandfather had a name for all the lizards we have here in Florida.  Big or small he called them all Mr. Friendly.  That sure brings back memories.

Local Dog Show

Today the local pet store had a dog show.  The kind all in good fun.  DD showed Mocha and Morgan with all three sporting dresses I made, yes you read that correctly I made a dress to match for DD.  Our charming trio won first place in the "Look Alike" category as well as "Best Costume".  What a good time we had.  My favorite part was the obedience segment performed by all of the therapy dogs.  Wow! To see them all lined up waiting for the next command!  What do you think, the best great thing - obedience training for children?

DD was so excited.  She was thrilled to be there and the honor of winning was really the icing on her great day, she kept saying over and over I can't believe we won.

DD after receiving her award

Serendipitous Dress

This afternoon I drafted a new dog dress pattern.  Except I seemed completely unable to follow my own directions and made the bodice and the back in reverse.  The results are two charming apron style dresses, which I think even the most exacting therapy dog will be happy to wear.  What do you think?

Apron Style Dog Dresses

Welcome Spring!

How has Old Man Winter been treating you?  Here we've had all sorts of inside, outside, upside down weather.  But some of my plants think it might be Spring.  Just check out my blooming pineapple plant.