31 January 2019

The Dress


The Fabric


The Pattern


The Dress

I knew when I bought the fat quarter bundle back in February 2015 (about the day it became available) that it would not be a quilt. I fully intended to make a dress or something I could wear. I didn't find the right pattern until last year, when an eBay shopping spree resulted in a handful of vintage patterns.

I didn't remember when I began cutting last September that the fat quarter bundle included a panel. I had already cut the sleeve contrast when I realized I had essentially destroyed a panel. Oh, well, it was never going to become a quilt anyway!

I threw in a couple of extra Stonehenge blue prints I thought worked well with the fat quarters for added variety. I finished piecing the lower band by the end of September but wasn't comfortable with what I had planned to use for the rest of The Dress. Not enough contrast.


Which means I will get to make another dress from this pattern one day when I find the perfect patchwork to go with the original denim-like fabric!

One flavor of Moda Grunge won the Battle of the Substitutes, which means I've got another great dress one day when I find the perfect patchwork to go with the second Grunge candidate!


I finished cutting out the rest of The Dress, then we took off for California for my parents' golden anniversary. When we got back home in mid-October, work kept me too busy with way too much overtime for any evening sewing, so The Dress laid in wait for months.

I was determined to wear The Dress to church the Sunday of January's three-day weekend. I worked on it all day the Saturday of the three-day weekend. Why did it take so long???

Because I forgot there was a Grunge strip for the bottom of The Dress until after I had completed hemming the patchwork section. I think picking out the tight, tiny stitching took longer than the entire rest of The Dress! I was tempted to go without the lower band, but I really wanted The Dress long for winter months.

I know I will never look as good in The Dress as the models on the front of the pattern envelope because I'm not 7-foot-2 and 112 pounds. But that doesn't mean I can't enjoy wearing it!

I wore The Dress to church the next day and got so many compliments! I wore it to work on the Tuesday after Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and not one person said anything about The Dress.

Well, no matter. I know it's new, and that's all that counts!






Linking up with Busy Hands Quilts and Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

29 January 2019

Staycation


We had planned a little road trip after the new year to visit family, but that darned flu bug took down some of our hosts. Germs are one gift we do not want to share!

So we did something we've never done before. We had our own little staycation.

There have been a couple of times in the past when we had to change plans at the last minute and leave a day late, both because of car breakdowns. I always thought that meant we weren't supposed to be on the road that particular day. Sort of like the 9/11 thing. Remember the people who went to get doughnuts that day and weren't in the World Trade Center towers?

We knew there would be other opportunities to visit family, so we stayed home, venturing out only for short little winter rides up Waterton Canyon in chilly temperatures but dry as a bone.

Our staycation was the first time Lizard had been able to ride back-to-back days since... Well, I think it's probably been close to a year or more. It was the first time I was able to ride back-to-back days since I was commuting half the way to work, back in September.

All in all, it was sort of like our own little private Ride the Rockies. Way fewer miles, but way less training required, and definitely a lot cheaper!















28 January 2019

Heartflake Monday


This hardy hearty flake is another I made for Layla for her belated birthday. The prototype had trouble lying flat without ultra-stretching, so I made adjustments to the pattern, which is why the red one looks a bit different from the white one.

Layla's flakes were mailed last week, and she received them just a few days late for her actual 11th birthday. Now on to Eli's 12 blue and white flakes…


You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!


Finished Size: 5.5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Hardy Heartflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in ring, [ch 8, sl st in 6th ch from ring, ch 2, 2 dc in ring] 5 times; ch 2, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 4 sp of Round, ch 2, 1 tr in top of dc just worked to form 6th ch 5 loop of Round. Pull magic circle tight.

Round 2: 2 sc over post of tr directly below, [ch 6, sl st in 3rd ch from hook, ch 3, 3 sc in next ch 5 loop] 6 times, omitting last 2 sc of final repeat; sl st in starting sc.

Round 3: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same ch as sl st, [ch 3, 3 dc over next ch 3, sk over next picot, 3 dc over next 3 ch, ch 3, 2 dc in middle sc of next 3 sc group] 6 times, omitting last 2 dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Round 4: Sl st into next ch 3 sp, ch 3 (counts as 1 tall dc), 2 dc in same sp, [ch 2, 1 sc in next gap between 3/dc groups, ch 2, in next ch 3 sp work (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc), ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook, in next ch 3 sp work (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc)], 6 times, omitting last 2 dc and last 2 ch of final repeat; 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 3 to form 12th ch 3 sp of Round.

Round 5: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc over post of dc directly below, [ch 6, 1 sc in 3rd ch from hook 1 dc in next ch, ch 2, in next ch 3 sp work (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc), ch 8, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch, ch 4, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook and in next ch, 1 dc in top of next dc, 1 dc in bottom of next dc, sl st around ch (heart picot made), ch 2, in next ch 3 sp work (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc)] 6 times, omitting last 3 dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Weave in ends.
TIP: Work linked dc in heart picot to prevent gaps and holes in heart.

Finish: Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

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