Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Anna and Brian quilt, take 2

I'm trying to work on this quilt every day so I have it ready for her baby shower on July 1. I'm determined to make it so!

I played with connecting the blocks today (quilt as you go) and I think it's going to look pretty cute.


The train fabric is going to connect the theme and I chose to use a wider sash than the logs in the log cabin. Yup. I think I love it.

I am going to bind the quilt with the ROYGBV fabrics somehow. I haven't figured that out yet. I think binding with the train fabric might be too much.

Sunday, May 28, 2017

Anna and Brian's baby quilt

Brian is an engineer, so choosing a train theme was a no brainer. I wanted, though, to make sure the train fabric was suitable for either gender, not that anyone sticks to gender rules anymore! I found some fun train fabric and went to the fabric store to pick ROYGBV pastels.  Here's the first square; they'll all be the same, but with train fabric sashing around all four edges:


A simple log cabin style that will hold up to many washings. I can't wait to work on it some more!

Coming up

We've been redoing the interior of our house, including my sewing room (our formal dining room). I am currently moving my fabric and notions back into the sewing room. Before I put things back, I'm going through every single item and have purchased two sets of shelves and lots of storage bins (clear), and it'll be as organized as all get out when I'm done. I've ended up with a large amount of fabric I'm giving away, and I feel good about passing it along. Within the week, I want to be done getting set up. And then comes my list of sewing:


  • Western baby bibs using bandannas for applique decorations, similar to this one I made years ago. Two things have I have in abundance are denim and bandannas. 

  • Baby quilt for my daughter's best friend. This is their first child. Her husband is a train engineer. I have everything but the batting cut out for a cute little log cabin quilt.


  • Halloween placemats. I have a lot of ideas. Below is a set from the past. I'm not sure I'll duplicate this pattern, but I do have several Jack-o-Lanterns cut out already. (Here's my tutorial for making placemats of your own!)



  • Lastly, I want to make Christmas stockings to give away. I have some Hanukkah fabric as well. Who knows? I may make some of them. I also have some dachshund fabric to make bone shaped dog Christmas stockings. 

I've been working on some hand sewing during the transition, but I'm ready to get my hands on my sewing machines now!

What's on your agenda?


Thursday, May 25, 2017

On Golden Pond - It's all over now

The show closed Saturday night. I have to say it was some of the best theater I've been involved in thus far. A local reviewer also reviewed me! Go figure. The costumer never gets mentioned:

http://altdaily.com/local-review-on-golden-pond-by-the-williamsburg-players/

The costumes followed the months as they flowed in time on stage. From long sleeves to short sleeves, and subtle changes along the way helped with the passage of time. Charlie, the mailman, wore a pith helmet per the director's suggestions. I found images on the internet, printed them on fabric, and stitched the patches to two shirts (one long sleeved and one short sleeved). Norman, the husband of the couple at the center of the play, was envisioned as a crusty curmudgeon with casual clothes save for the one scene where he needed a tie. For that one, I took a long sleeve Oxford and cut it down to short sleeved. We picked out a bright, salmon colored tie. Ethel, the wife, was seen as someone who would wear button up shirts over tees. She did switch to overalls for her strawberry picking scene. I wanted a floppy hat, but that idea was shot down. Chelsea, the daughter, was dressed in travel casual dresses, and at the end, she wore one of her own skirts and top. I saw the skirt on her at a rehearsal and it was perfect for her at-home wear toward the end of the show.

Bill, Chelsea's shy, dentist boyfriend, was seen to wear an Oxford shirt and tie. He was such a buttoned up character! I put him in a polo shirt for the end scene. Billy, Bill's son, basically wore his down clothes save for the fishing vest and hat I procured. I did have him scruff up his hair to look a bit more rambunctious. The telephone operator dressed herself. She also worked back stage, so hers was an outfit that needed to transition to black backstage wear easily.

Bill, Chelsea, Ethel, on meeting Bill.  

Billy going fishing. 

Better view of Billy's fishing vest.

Charlie and Ethel on porch. 

Charlie's short sleeve shirt. Ethel wore a different robe for the show that we had embellished to look like a frumpy, but strong woman's robe with ruffles. 

Meeting Billy. 

Chelsea's second look. The dress was hanging in the wardrobe rooms unfinished. I finished it and put the label in the front instead of the back. Oh well!

Norman's second shirt. A little warmer now, sleeves rolled up. 

Ethel's first outfit. 

Ethel's last outfit.

Bill ended up in a polo shirt at the end, not this button down shirt. 

Curtain call. Norman wore a dark blue windbreaker for the show and again, Bill wore a polo, not a button down. 

Norman's fishing outfit. Again, I took a long sleeved shirt out of wardrobe and cut it down to short sleeved.

Norman and Billy getting ready to go fishing, from the wings on a show night. 

I didn't really "make" any costumes for the show, but I altered a lot of what I picked out. I'm still not sure whether I like costuming or not, but for this show, I did!

I hope to work with this director again next season. We'll see!