Even more beautiful Tony stash. Looking at these prints I really think spring can’t come soon enough, I can’t bear the gloomy sky any longer. And writing about spring reminds me that I have to finish the Spring Quilt top till Thursday, because I have the opportunity to buy the backing on Friday and until then, I really have to figure out how much I need. So how about you ladies, did spring arrive in you part of the world?

Patricia Bravo, French Riviera Collection

Wallpaper in Teal

Medallion in Teal

Want to show off your Stash? Join the Sunday Stash at 1/4 of an inch.

Wanna see more stash? Check out the Sunday Stash flickr group.

I don’t know what’s wrong, but I really can’t bring myself to sew anything. It’s raining outside, I have a cold (but have to go to work anyway) and my overall mood isn’t that great. I can’t even bring myself to waste my time surfing the web, which is a first for me. So to force myself to do anything else besides working, sleeping and being cranky, I thought I’d post the Summer Blouse from Weekend Sewing I made two or three weeks ago.

This is the first version, so please excuse all the wrinkles and the fraying hem.  I used some vintage bed sheet which turned out to be a good choice, because I really have to practice the binding and sewing on  the placket neatly. Again, I went with the large size, which fits perfectly around the bust but is a tad too wide around the waist and definitely too short. If I lift my arms there is too much belly action going on for my taste :) I’m also thinking about a v-neck like Ashley suggested. Overall this blouse is pretty easy to sew, but I would definitely recommend making it longer and to go slowly with the binding, because it’s kind of tricky to sew it on nicely, or maybe that’s just me :) 

If I ever get out of my crafters block, I’ll make the final version with the fabric I actually bought for it - Heather Ross Mendocino Kelp Stripe in brown.  I’m loving the cotton poplin and have to hold myself back from buying more of the Mendocino line before it’s sold out.

Edit: Next time I take a picture in the mirror I really should clean it first before I wonder why all the pictures are so blurry, duh. 

Sunday Stash on a Monday *sigh* Lately life gets a bit in the way with crafting and blogging but give me another week and I’m back to my old self. Anyway, two more prints from my Tony stash:

Jay McCarroll Woodland Wonderland collection

Leaning Trees

Cute Deer and Shrooms

Want to show off your Stash? Join the Sunday Stash at 1/4 of an inch.

Wanna see more stash? Check out the Sunday Stash flickr group.

I love owls, so it was only a matter of time until I had to look up some pattern and tutorials. Unfortunately I’m having crafters block at the moment, so no owls for me in the near future :( 

Owl Hoodie -  how about some appliqued hoot on you hoodie?

Owl Doorstop - owls can be useful too

Crochet Owl - for you crazy crochet people out there

Holiday Hoot - pretty ornament from Anna Maria Horner

Owl Softie - cute and tiny softies

Owl Pillow - I just had to repost this cute pillow

Owl Bean Bag - you can even use this for your camera

Owl Plushie - don’t you just wanna cuddle it?

For even more owliness, check out these cute feathered friends on flickr:

1. silly peepers Mr. Owl, 2. Ollie the Owl, 3. Whatizzit? Amigurumi Owl or Pill Stuffie, 4. DSCF2718, 5. Olwen the Owl with Patchwork Quilted Belly, 6. Lucky Owlie, 7. Hooty owl zipper pouch, 8. Little Birds 9, 9. Bubbly the Owlet with Patchwork Belly

The good news: I made my first dress! The bad news: it doesn’t fit. I know it looks quite wearable in the photo but that’s only because there is a binder clip holding it together at the back :) But let’s start from the beginning and please excuse my scary face expression in the picture.

I really wanted to try the Kimono Dress from Heather Ross Weekend Sewing and found the perfect linen for it, but before I screw up the 24 Euro/meter fabric, I thought I’d go with something cheaper first. So I bought this really cheap dotted viscose that was pretty enough to wear it in public if the dress would turn out fine. 

The pattern was really easy to follow, up to the point where you have to join the bodice with the skirt, using elastic thread to shirr the fabric. I don’t know if it’s my machine, the fabric, the thread or my sewing skills, but I couldn’t get the fabric to shirr up for the life of me. Any tips on that? Fortunately I still had some elastic lying around, so I just sewed in an elastic waistband and tried it on. Well, guess what: the bodice is waaaayyy too big. I have no idea how to fix this, other than ripping the thing apart and even then I don’t know how much I have to take in. And if I take in the bodice, I have to make the same adjustments with the skirt too, but that one is fitting quite nicely. The skirt still needs hemming and I didn’t make the obi sash (I used a scarf for the picture) because there is no point in an obi if I don’t have the dress to were it with, now is there?

Even though I can’t wear the dress it still feels good that I made it! I can’t just go on making more bags. Oh wait that’s not true :)

Even more fabric from my Tony Stash! The funny thing is, that these are actually some of Tonys favorite prints which is weird, because I really thought I would be getting a lots of robots and zombie fabric or at least more black stuff, but I guess deep down in his heart, he’s a girl. In a good way of course :)

Patricia Bravo, French Riviera Collection

Floating Dots in Brown

Swirl in Teal

Want to show off your Stash? Join the Sunday Stash at 1/4 of an inch.

Wanna see more stash? Check out the Sunday Stash flickr group.