Hopfaldera

Two skirts finished

Woohoo, I completed my goal for May and just finished not only one but two skirts for this summer! 

It wasn't easy because I had to make adjustments to my selfmade pattern while I was sewing to make the skirts fit better and I kept having anxiety about the whole process. The only reason they are finished today is because I set the goal to finish them before the end of May. I'm happy they're done! And they fit! And I love them both!!

Some details: I made two a-line skirts with zippers in the back. I made my own custom pattern using Sew What! Skirts. The feather fabric is from Field Study linen/cotton blend by Anna Maria Horner. That skirt has a red zipper. The blue flower fabric is from Stenzo (Dutch brand) and I got it at the market last year. That one has a blue zipper. Both skirts have a facing at the top that I made 6 inches high (twice as high as the book says) to make the skirts feel less floppy (I mean you feel like you're wearing a serious piece of clothing instead of just some fabric around the waist). 

To celebrate I edited my photos in Pixlr today. As you can see, these are my skirts for 2013. There aren't going to be any more skirts this year. It's back to quilts again for me. There is just less anxiety that they have to fit...

I'm linking to the finishes party of A Lovely Year of Finishes for May.

Working on my skirt

How is it going with my goal for May, my skirt from feathery AMH fabric? I made the pattern, washed and ironed the fabric and cut out all the pieces of fabric needed for the skirt. 

So it is going pretty well. Next I have to secure the raw edges that will be at the back of the skirt. I found a great tutorial for french seams, so I'm going to make the side seams like that. I couldn't figure out how to make a french seam in the back because I also have to add the zipper there, so the back will have a different finish. I added an inch of fabric to do that. 

I also cut fabric for a second skirt. I used the fabric that I had planned to make a skirt from last year (or was it two years ago?) I had the pattern ready, so that was easy. And I'll end up with two new skirts!

I'm linking up to the mid-month check-in of A Lovely Year of Finishes.

 

P.S. To get back to my previous post: Anouk has made it to the final of the Eurovision Song Contest!! We're very excited for tomorrow's show!

Plan for May

It's time to set a goal for the new month of A lovely Year of Finishes. This time it will be a project that I haven't started yet, but something I have been thinking about for a while. Actually, I had a similar plan last year but I just didn't do it. This month I want to make a skirt for myself.

The pattern, or method because you make the pattern yourself, is from Sew What! Skirts. The fabric that I got for the skirt is a linen/cotton blend from Field Study by Anna Maria Horner (I ordered it from her own webshop by the way).

The first thing I need to do to make this plan a success is wash and press the fabric. Then I will make a pattern on paper. I will need to check if I have a good zipper, otherwise I will have to buy one. Then I will cut into the fabric and follow the method to make the skirt. It will be an A-line skirt with a zipper in the back. (I like to make my plan as concrete as possible, so it is easier to accomplish)

I'm linking to the May goal setting party of A Lovely Year of Finishes.

 

Souvenir from Sweden #4

We went to Sweden and we brought home

2 pelargoniums

a CD by Veronica Maggio

a sweet Dalahorse

and a Pippi sweater!!

 

It turned out that the sweater that I had brought with me to Sweden had shrunk in the wash: the sleeves were too short to keep me warm in the evenings! Then I saw a sweater that I knew... Pippi has one exactly like it!

Mine is knit with cotton, so it's perfect for summer. And the sleeves are long enough!

When I wear it I feel a bit like my hero!

Stripes, crosses and plusses

Did you read Decor8? Holly over there announced Stripe Mania for bloggers. And I happen to be wearing stripes today, so here are my photos!

 

 

Also some quilting in this post, because my finger has healed and I have actually dared to start cutting fabric again. I finished the + and X blocks that I was cutting for when I cut myself.

 

I have 7 blocks at the moment. More to come!!

Uhhm...

I don't really know a title...

I just want to show what I've been up to, so here it goes...

 

This is how far I am with the Pinwheel Sampler Quilt Along (hosted by Rachel of p.s. I quilt). I'm making three versions of every block. This week I plan to rebel though! I'm going to make two based on the tutorial and one based on a block I saw in Rachel's inspiration quilt. I'm sure Rachel won't mind; she is one enthusiastic lady!!

I have also worked on Bee Europa. April will be (bee...) my month, so I've been finalizing my plan, cutting my fabric up in strips, and assembling packages for all my fellow Honeybees. I will be asking them to make Wonky Quarter Log Cabin blocks. I know the name is a mouthful; here is a tutorial for WQLC's.

This is a new thing for me: working with stretchy fabric or jersey. I was inspired by a book I got for my birthday, Sew U Home Stretch: The Built by Wendy Guide to Sewing Knit Fabrics. I have done some experimenting with a shirt for myself and a tank top for Damaris, and now I'm working on an improved model of the tank top for her. She is a very grateful client: she wore the first top to school straightaway and was telling everyone about it!

My creative space 07

I have caught the kntting bug again!

A cowl with interesting stitches for myself.

A new hat for Emil.

This will become a sleeveless v-neck sweater for Frederik. Pattern found via Angry Chicken.

The yarn for a short jacket for Damaris still has to be bought. She needs to come with me to pick the color and to test the yarn for non-itchy-ness!  

More creative spaces at Kootoyoo! Thanks for hosting this every week Kirsty!

An apron with plaid

A while ago Amy Karol set a new apron challenge on her Tie One On blog. The challenge was Mad About Plaid: an apron with plaid fabric for the fall.

Well, I didn't have any plaid, but I did have gingham checks. I decided to make plaid from the gingham using colorful ribbons. I used my selfmade fabric for the pocket of a linen cafe-type apron.

See, I did have a plaid shirt!

Remember the Appeltaart Apron I made for the previous challenge? Here it is.

 

My creative space 03

Today in my creative space I have two items of clothing that need alterations.

The shirt needs a few stitches so it is a bit more 'decent'. That way I will be able to wear it without a top underneath. The skirt needs to be a bit shorter (a bit less decent, haha). I don't want to cut off the bottom though, because it is the nicest part of the skirt. I'm going to try to take out part of the lightest colored tier. Wish me luck!

More creative spaces at Kootoyoo.

Appeltaart Apron

A couple of months ago, Amy Karol (Angry Chicken) announced the Pie-Making Apron challenge on her apron blog Tie one on. I really liked that theme and thought it was the perfect inspiration!

I made an Appeltaart (Apple Pie) Apron for Damaris. She is a star at making these pies. And I set out to make an apron for her that was cool, girly but not pink, slightly apple-themed, and fun to make.

Here is a link to our photo in the Tie one on gallery (it features Damaris' Appeltaart recipe!!) and here you can see the whole gallery of Pie-Making Aprons.

 

Here is the next challenge... I wonder what I'll come up with?!