Swimsuits. . .This Time For Me!

Almost but not quite enough

It's been almost two years since I last made a swimsuit for myself. Thanks to my friend, Marla, who gifted me her sister's stash of swimwear fabric, I have more than enough fabric for suits the rest of my life! I started with pulling the fabric I had set aside the last time that I made suits.

The first piece was a couple inches short of being useable for me; however, it will work well for a granddaughter! The other piece, I thought that I could get two suits out of the fabric. . .well, one was it. That is okay too! 

Enough fabric

I was one suit short. I went to the box of swimwear and select another fabric. I like to make two suits at the same time. It doesn't take a whole bunch more time to sew two suits in tandem as it does to sew one suit at a time! Isn't that crazy?

Yellow suit fabric

There is a lot of the yellow fabric. I would not have chosen this fabric for myself. Free, however, is such a good price that I'm willing to feel like a bumble bee for several years! LOL! 

The lines on this fabric isn't printed straight. Meaning the vertical lines won't line up when you create two layers. I will stitch this suit. If it looks weird on, I won't keep the rest of the fabric. Wearing it, the vertical lines are okay. I matched the lines at the side seams.

Sewing a suit isn't as difficult as many people would think. I have written a tutorial on how to make a suit. 

Finished suits

I used 3 1/2 yards of stash for this project. I fully line my suits because it takes longer for the pool chemicals to make the backside transparent in the backside when lined! 

Fabric Summary:

Fabric in this month: 12 yards  (I bought two three yard wide back bundles.)  

Fabric in year to date: 26 yards

Fabric used from stash this month:27.25 yards 

Fabric used from stash year to date: 48 yards

Net loss/gain this month: -15.25 yards 

Net loss/gain year to date: -12 yards 

While I'm a long way from my annual goal of a net of loss of 100 yards used from my stash, I am pleased to have used 48 yards from my stash this year. My purchases have been one piece for my Rainbow Scrap Challenge background and backs for projects. While my fabric purchases aren't closer to zero yardage, at least I'm using what I purchase fairly soon after I buy it!

Sewing two suits was goal number one on my May list. My Bernina, Joie, is back from getting a new circuit board. So far, she seems to be happy and is performing well! I'm happy to have her home again!

I'm linking to Alycia at Finished or Not Friday and Frédérique at Patchwork and Quilting.

Love Makes A Family. . .FINISHED!-post 4

Blocking the piece

Goal number five on my May list was to finish Love Makes a Family. Since my previous post, I finished quilting the straight lines in the background. I buried all of the threads. . .UGH! Watching a TV program and listening to a guild meeting while I worked made the task tolerable. 

Next, I made an effort to block the piece. I trimmed the excess backing and batting. I stitched the bias tape to the edge of the project as it is a good way to finish the edge. 

The bias tape came from my grandma's stash. Fifteen cents was a great price! I still have many packages of bias tape from her stash. I have no idea why she "needed" so many packages. She did make placemats and aprons. She finished the edges and or trimmed those projects with bias tape.

What looks like a border in the first photo is actually my facing. It's been a long time since I used this technique. I thought that I had come up with on my own; however, I happened across a well known international quilter who had posted about the technique much earlier than me! Like minds were thinking alike!

Bias tape--15 cents is a great price

I pressed the facing to the backing. It looked so nice! 

I'm glad I posted about the process because I couldn't remember how I had accomplished mitering the corners. It isn't difficult; but, when I get to the step to trim the excess fabric, I get sweaty palms!

One corner

I wrote the label and made an error. I crossed it out and continued. . .I'm okay with the "adjustment." The pertinent information is documented.

Label

The hanging sleeve came from my scrap bin. It could have been a bit wider; but, it will work! I also decided to split it. In other words, make two pieces so if there was a gallery hanging, I could hang it with their hanging system. Also, a wooden dowel could be held in place on s wall with a thumb tack. 

Hanging sleeve

I used monofilament, cotton and polyester threads to quilt this project. I like taking a photo of the thread on the project to document the array I used!

Thread used in quilting

If you missed a previous posts, check out the following links: Post 1; Post 2; Post 3.

Fabric Summary:

Fabric in this month: 12 yards  (I bought two three yard wide back bundles.)  

Fabric in year to date: 26 yards

Fabric used from stash this month:23.75 yards 

Fabric used from stash year to date: 44.5 yards

Net loss/gain this month: -11.75 yards 

Net loss/gain year to date: -18.50 yards 

View of the back

Linking to Cynthia at Oh Scrap!

View of the front

Little Bird--A Gertie Diversion

Most of the supplies used for the project

The Thread House Academy hosted a Taster's Weekend the first weekend in April. There were three classes taught by three different teachers. Gertie, my inner squirrel, was so excited about the classes. . .ALL of them! 

Layers together ready for handwork

She convinced me to watch the three class videos. I chose to do the mini chicken pouch that Jo Avery taught. Gertie wanted me to do all of them; but, I held out at playing with just one. . . .for now!

At three inches, this project is tiny! I thought it might be fun to put USB sticks or a needle pack in the pouch. Jo put a chocolate egg in her sample which was a good idea since the class was taught near Easter.

I gathered my materials and cut my fabrics. I used the wrong side of the metallic fabric in the photo for the decorative bands on the head. The black fabric is the underside of the wings. The small scrap that I used for the top side of wings was all that I had! 

Colonial knots, running stitches 

View from the lining side

I used the red print for the bird body and the brown fabric for the head. I don't have felt that Jo suggested for the beak. Instead, I used two layers of yellow cotton fabric from my string scrap bag. I used a scrap piece of cotton batting.

The only difference between the chicken and the bird was the shape of the wings. After stitching the wings, I embellished them a running stitch, I stitched the body to the head. I added the wings and beak. 

I layered the right side of the lining to the right side of the body/head with the batting on top of both. I did trim the batting so that it was barely caught in the stitching. I then stitched a quarter of an inch around the perimeter leaving a three inch opening for turning along one edge.

View of the seam. . .you can't see it!

I trimmed the bulk from the corners and clipped the inside corner. I turned the fabric so that the batting was between the two layers. I pushed out the corners and pressed the project. What a funny looking piece it was!

It was time to begin the hand work. I stitched colonial knots on the decorative bands and running stitches in a contrasting thread on the head and body. Next, I began to assemble the pouch. I did leave a hole to be able to thread a cord into the project. I turned up one end and hand stitched the lining edges together. What I learned from this step, was that when I moved the seam to form the triangle bottom, the edges covered my stitching on the lining. I did stitch the edges of the body with a matching thread to act as a reinforcement.

Side view 

After moving the seam so that it was in the middle of the project, I stitched the end closed, again stitching on the lining. When I opened the seam, the body edges closed
over the lining! 

Next, I stitched the edges of the head together and stitched the beak together. I also left a hole for threading the cord. I added the eyes. . .which are buttons from my grandmother's button box. Smaller ones would have been better; but, I used what I had. I added the decoration on the cord which could have been a bead; but, I used a toggle button that must have been on a coat at some point. It too came from my grandma's button box. 

Other side view with the toggle button

Threading the cord through the holes was a challenge. I used a thread loop to do the job. I added a knot to the bottom and I had a finish! The cord is a way to access the pouch inside as well as close it after you have accessed it. The project  was a lot of work. I don't know that I would make a second one!

This was goal number two on my May list. Linking to Alycia at Finished or Not Friday.

Sweet Tooth--Clues 2, 3, 4, 5 and part of 6--post 2

Clue number two

On the last day of April,  I finally made progress on Clue number two! I watched the video that Bill and Weeks made regarding this clue three times! I cut the pieces for one of the seven blocks I needed to stitch. May 1, I stitched it. It wasn't as difficult to do as I had told myself! I marked the units and stopped at six blocks instead of seven. It wasn't until I was working on clue four that I realized my error. 

Revised recipe

Since I thought I had completed clue two, I felt like I was on a roll. I watched the video for clue three. I reviewed the written instructions. The first step was to audition additional fabrics which created a transparency. I played with the pieces, second guessed myself and played some more. At one point, I thought let me look to see what Bill and Weeks did. . while that was good thought, it didn't help because my recipes are different from their recipes! I did complete the step in spite of my trepidation.

Clue three blocks

I spent parts of three days stitching the blocks. Stitching the blocks for clue three wasn't hard; but, I forgot to pay attention to the end size of the blocks.The day after I finishing the clue, I measured the blocks. I needed to amend two of the plaid like blocks and two of the rail fence blocks. Whew!

Part one of clue four blocks

Stitching accurate blocks is important because in the last mystery, we cut the blocks apart. In clue four, we cut the blocks from clue two! I was one block short. I cut it out and stitched it. Then I cut it apart and made the final blocks for part one of clue four. I'm happy with the transparency that I achieved.

Part two of clue four blocks

The second part of the clue four was to create more blocks cutting up the blocks I had made in clue three. I mostly achieved transparency. 

Part one of clue five blocks

I restitched part one of clue five several times as I was challenged getting close to the end size of the blocks. I hope that these will work into the final design. These were made cutting up clue four blocks.

Part two of clue five blocks

The second part of clue five blocks was to cut apart the blocks from clue one and to sew them back together. 

Part one of clue six

The first part of clue six was to cut part the blocks of clue six and sew those back together. Finally, I had sewn all the blocks. I put them on the design wall and will play around with the various options to find the layout that pleases my eye. 

Making progress on this mystery was goal number seven on my May list. Linking up with Carol at To Do Tuesday and Frédérique at Patchwork and Quilts!

Green Rainbow Scrap Challenge Blocks--2025 --post three

Green selvage squares

Goal number six on my May list was to make the green blocks for the RainBow Scrap Challenge. Angela at SoScrappy, picked green as the color for May. THIS month, I wasn't going to wait until the last day to get the blocks sewn!

Block ready to be stitched

The small challenge I had was that I thought that I had made four sets of selvage squares; but, in fact, I had sewn only three. It was back to the selvage bag to make another set of four squares. I forgot to take a photo of the selvages.

Green blocks complete

While I was concerned that the green background would blend with the green selvages, the background worked great. There are enough varieties of green to be able to get a contrast. Now. . .if I can get the June blocks sewn at least as quickly next month. My fingers are crossed!

Linking to Alycia at Finished or Not Friday!, Frédérique at Patchwork and Quilts and Angela at So Scrappy!

As Noted--Unveiled!

Linda H. placing the bass clef

Last summer, I shared the blocks that our members made for the guild block challenge, "As Noted." The rules for the challenge was to make a block with a musical theme. If you used notes or words, these should be in black. The background should be cream, off white. We received 56 blocks which were made by 31 people. These blocks became the opportunity quilt for 2026. (Members choose a 501(3)c charitable organization to support. The ticket sales go to that organization.

Su S. placing the dots

In that post, I also shared how we were sashing the blocks. We pieced various widths of strips of solid fabrics which we cross cut into various widths that we sewed to the blocks. At the beginning of one sew session, we drew the bass clef on freezer paper. Once we had the shape and size we wanted, we cut it out of freezer paper. We then adhered it to our black fabric.

Placing the blocks around the staff

We used round household items to audition the size of the dots we needed. Su S. stitched the dots into perfect circles. Linda H. hand appliquéd the bass clef and the dots. Linda P.  figured out the math needed for the staff.After we had this section of the top together, we began placing the blocks around the bass clef.

Getting closer to a top

We did need to take a few of our four patch blocks apart because our top was approaching 110 inches in length. We then had to add more of the solid fabric sashing. Determining where that sashing was placed to get the blocks to fit together was quite the puzzle! We moved some blocks to another position. We used some solid black, some solid colors and even a musical print to fill in some of the spaces. We high fived one another when we had a "section" together. We totally improv pieced this top!

Sharron B. pressing a section

From the beginning, we planned to machine appliqué two blocks to the staff. Linda P. hadn't done this before; but was game to give it a go. Linda H. stitched the last seam.

Linda H. stitching the last seam

We were gifted a bunch of musical fabrics. From those donations, I pieced a back. You can read the post here. You can also view the label that Su S. wrote.

Finished top: Su S., Linda P., me, Sharron B. and Linda H.

We asked another Linda P. to quilt it on her long arm. We encouraged her to let the blocks inspire her to quilt the top. 

Quilting sample

She did an awesome job. 

There is so much to see on the project. 

Each block is quilted a little bit differently. 

A few of the blocks are included in this post.

Note the musical instruments quilted to the left of the block

She said she went on the internet to capture free clip art of musical instruments which she quilted in the staff.

The detail of the quilting is evident from the back too.

Detail of the quilting from the quilt back

Once the quilting was finished, Su machine stitched the binding to the front. Then Su, Linda H., Linda P. and Sharron B. hand stitched the binding to the back. Sharron B. added the sleeve and made a pillowcase to house the quilt when it isn't being shown at various locales where tickets will be sold. 

Binding

Finished quilt.

Ticket proceeds will go to the West Columbia Humane Society located in Washougal, Washington.

I so enjoyed working with these women. When any thought was on the table, the response was positive with comments about how to fine tune or improve the idea. That they chose one of my ideas as our initial start, was especially touching to me. I hope we will sell all the tickets.

We unveiled our finished quilt at the April guild meeting. We had so many positive responses. Ticket sales will begin late Fall or early Winter.

Sharing this project was goal number four on my May list.

Linking to Frédérique at Patchwork and Quilts and Cynthia at Oh Scrap! Happy Mother's Day to all you moms of two legged and four legged kids!

Old Town, FINSHED--post eight

Sleeve and backing fabric

I'm celebrating a FINISH which is six months ahead of when Bonnie Hunter will announce the next mystery! Documenting this finish was goal number three on my May list. I finished it last month; but, ran out of days to post so saved the Ta-Da moment for this month.

Label and binding view

It is quilted with a paisley edge to edge pattern using a soft yellow thread. The back is too busy to show the pattern. Originally, I had planned a blue/aqua binding; but, decided a red one was better. I didn't have enough of the reds I had used in the project. In my stash, I had a Christmas print that worked so that was what I used.

My daughter likes to garden so I chose a label that had a garden vibe and wrote the pertinent information. 

If you missed an earlier post, I've listed the posts: Post 1--fabric; Post 2--clues 1,2,3; Post 3--clues 4,5; Post 4--clues 6,7,8; Post 5--clue 9; Post 6--It's a Top; Post 7--At the Longarmer.

Finished front

I used 21.25 yards of fabric from my stash to make this project. I did buy backing fabric so that piece of fabric didn't stay long in my stash at all. Now, if only I could use other fabrics as quickly!

Fabric Summary:

Fabric in this month: 0 yards    

Fabric in year to date: 14 yards

Fabric used from stash this month:21.25 yards

Fabric used from stash year to date: 42 yards

Net loss/gain this month: -21.25 yards

Net loss/gain year to date: -28 yards

The scraps I had on hand sure made up beautifully! Linking to Alycia at Finished or Not Friday,