The Breazy Dress

Hi Friends!

It has been quite some time since I last did any apparel sewing and it has been bothering me. A lot. I had some sweet birdie fabric sitting on my shelf taunting me. I picked it up at Joann's a couple of months ago and it really needed to be whipped into a dress.This pattern has been bopping around in my head and I thought sewing it would calm my brain down but no, I've already got fabric and plans to make a second one!


The Breazy Dress. If you don't count all of the slip sliding around the fabric did you could even call this The Easy Breazy Dress. It only took about 3 hours to put together and that is including the cutting!

I love this dress, the style is so feminine and romantic and the birds add a lovely touch of whimsy!

Haha. Speaking of whimsy. This girlie adds a lovely touch of it too.

The "Lorelai poses" really show off the drape of the dress!


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I want to know!
Did you notice how the dress pops more when Lorelai stands in front of the brick wall than when she is in front of the fence and ivy? I don't know the logic behind that but I found it very interesting!

What are your weekend plans?
Tonight I am going to Women's Conference and then a GNO at Red Robin! So excited :D

NaKoa Mini Quilt

Happy Tuesday Everyone!

Lots of fun things going on around here :D
This past weekend Lorelai and I ran a 5k together.

Super fun news, my dad's new book comes out today! Go here to check it out and enter his giveaway for a Kindle HD7!

Now the best news of all for my sewing friends? I'm participating in Kylie's  Mini Charm Challenge. She challenged 7 of us bloggers/instagrammers to design and share a free pattern (that's right, FREE) using a mini charm pack.

I was thrilled to join in this challenge because I have a little pile of mini charm packs just waiting to be used. You're likely to build up your own pile if you participate in many mini quilt swaps because they are the perfect extra. Tiny pretty fabrics all bundled up and ready to go? Yes, please!

I decided to use my Color Theory by, VandCo for this pattern and while my husband and I were watching Hawaii 5-0 I was struck with my design inspiration. I went back the next day and got a still of the image that struck me.

Haha, my husband can't believe I was inspired by another man's "man nipples". Well I was and here is what I came up with...

I love the checkerboard that bleeds into triangles and I really enjoyed creating those triangles. Here's a quick visual for you.

You can pick up your copy of my FREE NaKoa Mini Quilt at my Craftsy shop. I hope you enjoy it and if you choose to make your own, please share pictures and #NaKoaMiniQuilt social media!

For your viewing pleasure here are the other stops on the Mini Charm Challenge:
Sept. 14 - Jennie (cloverandviolet.com/blog) Pencil Pouch
Sept. 15 - ME!! (L1sapeterson.blogspot.com) Mini Quilt
Sept. 16 - Sarah (goer.org/sarah) Placemat
Sept. 17 - April (aprilrosenthal.com) Baby Bib
Sept. 18 - Nina (ninawithfreckles.wordpress.com) Mini Quilt
Sept. 19 - Konda (moosequilts.com) Small Quilt
Sept. 20 - Mary (seemaryquilt.com) Mini Quilt
Sept. 21 - Kylie (sewkylie.com) Patchwork "Sew" Wall Decor

It's been great having you all here and I hope you return soon.
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I want to know!

Anyone else watch Hawaii 5-0?
We do... we are a little addicted ;)

Any book recommendations?

Behind the Scenes and Advice from 1949

A lot is going on around here in my world but at the same time not a lot at all.
Post surgically speaking Kent is finally doing really well. No more fevers or infections and he is getting more and more used to having a belly button tube put in every night. On the other hand, preschool is not going well. Sort of, he hates that he has to go but seems to have fun while he is there. I finished his sweater, yay! Not really, now that I've knit on the ribbing it no longer fits over his head. I need to undo it and add stitches. I'm so angry at the sweater I put it on time out in the kids closet for the time being. Naughty sweater. At least the orange yarn was nice to me. I had already finished off one sleeve, the bottom of the sweater and had just finished off the second sleeve when I realized this was all the yarn I had left. Score.
Lorelai has been off track for the last three weeks and finally went back to school today. 7 has been a really fun year. She is such a crack up to be around and old enough to start "getting things". She has been working on a quilt for her uncle and managed to get all the blocks sewn together for the top. Still needs the borders but she's feeling pretty accomplished right now.

Now Mark, He's just hanging out.

Haha, have you seen this advice from an old Singer manual?

You must have, it's been floating around the interwebs for a couple of years now and every so often one of my sewing friends will post it along with a big, YEAH RIGHT!

Honestly though. I think there is a lot of wisdom to this. That first bit about your mental state when approaching sewing? Absolutely true. A lack of motivation to finish a project is a total buzz kill but when I've pumped myself up mentally for a while I am ready to hit the machine and sew some awesome things!
Now I don't always change out of my pj's or put on make up before I sew but I do get my chores done! On the days that I don't I am distracted with guilt and hoping that hurry and get my stuff sewn so I can try and get some cleaning done before my hubs gets home. So instead I spend an afternoon turning my disorganized coat closet/pantry into this...

So that my mind it free to enjoy my sewing and I spend a peaceful hour or so making beautiful things like this:

and then my husband still looks like this--->     :D
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I want to know!
How is your day going?

Do you get to sew today?

Can you relate to the 1949 sewing advice or is it total bunk;)?

My Cousin is Part Mermaid

Hey!

I'm pretty excited to share my recent finish with you today! 

I have a cousin who grew up in Africa (most of my mom's family lives there). She lived near and loves the beach and has sea air in her lungs. She just had a sweet baby boy a week ago and I mailed her a couple goodies.

While she was pregnant I started looking for baby quilt inspiration on pinterest and pretty quickly found the perfect pattern!

I followed this tutorial by Erica of Kitchen Table Quilting. She gives you a breakdown on sewing the curves that will set the most nervous mind at ease. I cruised through the curved piecing portion of this quilt and it was the first time I've ever sewn a curve! I was pretty ecstatic with the results. 

^My husband wasn't sure what to do with his head while I was taking pictures and kept getting distracted by whatever was on the other side of the bush.

I didn't follow her instructions entirely regarding the shades of blue because I couldn't find any one place that all six shades of Kona blue. The top and bottom are Kona but for the in between I went with what looked good at my local quilt shop.

Brett also didn't have a lot patience for close up shots attempting to show of the variegated thread I quilted with so you can see it here in the below picture.

Finally, here it is in my sons crib!

I am completely in love with this quilt! I love the motion the quilting provides, I love all the blues, and I really I love that I conquered a technique that I was afraid of.

That is one of my favorite things about sewing. I was afraid to try curved piecing though I've wanted to for ages. Now, not only have I done it, I've done it well and I cant wait to try more!

I've shipped this lovely quilt off now (I miss it already) and I hope mom and baby love it as much as I do.
Have a happy day my sewing friends!
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I want to know!
Curved piecing, yay or nay?

Are you a quilter?

What is your favorite new baby gift to give?