WIP Wednesday--UFO Version

Despite fighting an eye infection for the last month and not being able to see very well, I've still managed to get quite a bit of sewing accomplished on my never-ending UFO list.
First up, my 10-Year-Old hexagon table runner is all sewn together and ready for quilting. That's something to cheer about!

 I even found some backing fabric in my stash: Grand Revival by Tanya Whelan, purchased last summer at an estate sale. I haven't decided on binding yet. What would you think of orange?

 The charcoal grey Kona solid arrived from the Fat Quarter Shop and turned out to be a perfect dye lot match to the rest of the grey I'd used for the "X Marks the Spot" quilt. All of the blocks are now made and ready to set together during our our Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild day retreat this coming Saturday. Quilt top coming soon!!

 No Lollyquiltz progress report would be complete without showing my current Leader/Ender quilt. I spent some time this week counting the blocks I've made so far and planning for completion of more little 5 inch 9-Patch blocks. The fabric squares are each 2 inches and I'm including lots of pretty bright pastels with an emphasis on aqua and green. The finished quilt will be similar to this one that I made a few years ago and sent to a Rwandan orphanage. All but a few of the white blocks are now complete and the colored blocks are adding up fast.

 Last but not least, I finished up the two peasant tops for Lula and Jane. All that was left was adjusting the elastic in the sleeves and neckline. Here's Jane showing you her top (before I tightened the sleeve elastic) with the tulle skirt she was wearing that day.

 You probably recall that last week I made an impulse purchase of McCall's 6500 for the bargain price of 70 cents. Jane's mommy thinks that the reason the pattern was so cheap is because the top is clearly strange strangely proportioned. Jane is a very petite little girl and ready made clothing, in a size 3T, is often too long on her. The McCall's pattern is cut very wide and short as Janie is pointing out here... 

 But, really, there isn't much that doesn't look cute on her no matter how it fits! I am  glad, however, that I didn't pay the retail price of $13.99 for those pieces of ill-planned tissue paper! Oh, well. You win some. You lose some.

 Right, Pearl?

P.S. Lula's size 5 top was several inches too short as well, but the width was better proportioned on her. (Her modeling agency wouldn't let her work the day of the photo shoot.) LOL!

Friday Finish: Shamrock Blouses

Sew Easy! That's my critique of the 70 cent McCall's 6500 little girl's pattern that I sewed up this week. Each top took me a little over an hour to complete once the pattern pieces were cut out. Super fast!

 Once I got to this step, I was a little concerned that the pattern is sized way too large. (My husband actually thought that I was making it for myself!) This is the size 3 for Janie Sue.

 But now that the elastic is inserted into the neckline and sleeve casings, it looks like a better fit.

 When I began sewing the sleeve sections together, I was surprised to find out that there was a little peek-a-boo slit in the top of each! (Isn't it fun that the grasshopper seems so surprised, as well!)

Now, I'm just hoping that this size 5 pattern fits Lula as I made it without trying it on her.

 (I ran across the 'faith' and 'hope' pillows at my favorite local antique shop today and couldn't pass up the sweet ribbon embroidery.)

 With the blouses finished, it's back to tackling another UFO. I guarantee it's going to take longer than an hour to get this one done....(It's already been 10 years!!!)

Happy Weekend!

Peasant Blouses

Needing some charcoal Kona solid fabric to finish a UFO, I stopped into my local Joann Fabric over the weekend. Of course, they didn't have the right grey fabric but I did find  a bargain that I couldn't pass up: McCall's patterns for 70 cents each! Crazy, huh! (The young model on the pattern thinks so too!)

 Since the pattern is marked EASY and only requires 4 pattern pieces to make each top, I figure I couldn't go wrong at that ridiculously low price. I even splurged and bought two patterns so that I wouldn't have to trace off the sizes that I wanted. (I really dislike that part of making clothing.)

 These two darling Briar Rose prints arrived at my door a couple of weeks ago and will be oh-so-cute for two little redheaded girls that I know.

 My plan is to have the blouses ready and waiting when the girls return from a family vacation next week.

The cutting is all done. I wonder how long it will take to sew these up? I'll let you know!

On the Fourth Day of Christmas...

Lolly made for thee...

 four...

flannel...

 nighties.