I'm Still Here!

It has been a long time since I posted! But, as this is a record of my sewing projects and I haven't been sewing much... There hasn't been much to report :)

Here are a couple little things I made for my new niece - a tag blanket from minky and a matching ball. I filled it with fiber fill and a little cat toy with the bell inside. I just googled "tag blanket" or something like that and found a number of tutorials and ideas.

My sad first attempt at prairie points...

I had a sewing FAIL or a fail in the making. I think I started this dress a couple weeks ago...

But the result was something a little too Brigadoon, rather than the carefree summer Madras that I was going for. I found this cotton homespun at Hancock Fabrics for $2/yard and decided to give this pattern a try (since I've had it for a year!):

I'm fairly new to sewing clothes and this is the first time I've cut out pattern pieces and actually tried to make the dress (I have a number of pattern pieces cut out for things I haven't attempted yet... and I've made several versions of the Mendocino Sundress).

I am actually happy with the bodice. I was surprised that it went together so easily and fit fairly well :)

The pattern seems clear and everything was going along fine. First time I tried the invisible zipper, but it seemed to work out ok. I decided to line the dress with more of the outer material rather than buying something else. But that made it a bit too voluminous and for a empire dress, that is a big no-no. So I ripped out the lining this weekend and that helped a little. I also have to re-do the straps because I kinda fudged them and one of them is WAY off.

But eventually, maybe with a belt and a sweater I can make it work. If not, it was a good muslin for my next attempt. I can see how voile would be a great choice - something with a softer hand (OR, with a thicker fabric, maybe I need to make the skirt piece a little smaller because the gathers make the skirt portion a bit stiff and poofy...)

I did manage to complete 5 of my cloth napkins. (Seriously, I had one done on the 18th and I've managed to make only 4 more since...). 19 to go!

Working with that stripe at the bottom practically gives me a seizure every time I look at it!

I really want to finish up my Fandango quilt because the Naked Bed Challenge comes to a close on Thursday, so that's what I'm going to concentrate on in the next couple days. Then I'll go back to the dress re-hab.

AND... Look what showed up in the mail!

Corey at Little Miss Shabby was having some giveaways to celebrate her birthday and I won one! I love that top print (from Pat Bravo's Bohemian Soul line). This is a great bundle of surprising prints and solids chosen by Charlie and Lindsay of the fantastic Hawthorne Threads fabric shop. Thanks Corey!