bodner052

Black walnuts Lately I've been dyeing. And dying too, I suppose. The process and the results are subtle and unpredictable. I'm enjoying it all. Rough-cutting some cotton sateen and folding it in preparation for black walnut dips. Lining for a coat. Black walnut dyeing has become an annual treat for me. Part of the fun is finding the walnuts near my home. They can easily blend in with their surroundings and I'm only beginning to recognize the trees. If you look closely, you'll see them dangeling from the way-high-up branches. The recent winds and rain from Florida huricanes have caused many of them to drop. It's such fun to suddenly see them. Pokeberry is instant gratification. When I don't find the walnuts, I find pokeberries and goldenrod and lichen. I steamed these on a piece of cotton sateen. I am learning that slow dyeing may have better results. Many things are like that, aren't they? I am soaking my walnuts and then, very gently, simmering them. I have...

White shirts have a shorter life span than some pieces, I've found. The white becomes dingy and the stains are in a place where no amount of boro design will save them. And so I will cut them up for quilts and other small pieces. I added a button to an otherwise weak juncture in the construction at each sleeve cuff. And, as it happens, white shirts are great fun to make. This one is based on a tutorial in Sew Confident from the Sewing Workshop . It is a hybrid of the Liberty shirt and the MixIt shirt. Their version is more of a tunic length but I kept the original length of the Liberty with its deep hems and pretty miters. If you are familiar with these two patterns, you can probably see that the neckline is from the MixIt and the rest is the Liberty with shorter sleeves. I think the V neckline of the MixIt is sweet, especially when the tiny collar is omitted. And the Liberty hem is always appealing to me. I really like those diagonal seams in the front and top-stitching the facing...

If I am honest with myself, I realize that I get a real bang out of making a jacket, much more so than many shirts and certainly more than making pants. I live in pants; they are essential to my wardrobe. But yawn. Of course, the worst day sewing is still very, very good. Eureka top from TSW; Eureka! pants from Fit for Art Recently I've tried to rein in my creative juices just a tad to fill some holes. First up was this easy topper made using some yummy indigo-dyed cotton (I think) from Shibori Girl . The pattern is the Eureka from the Sewing Workshop . It is possibly the easiest pattern in my stash. Although designed for knits, the fit is so relaxed that almost anything works. I enjoy the loose fit, especially when it's hot. Top is CLD's Pure and Simple; Pants are Eureka! from Fit For Art The pants pictured above are also a recent make in a navy-blue cotton-silk blend purchased at Gail K in Atlanta. It is a great weight from pants and not too heavy for a top. The pattern I...

Though I love trying out brand new-to-me patterns, it's also satisfying to use a familiar pattern in a new way. Artist In Motion (AIM) was published some years back by Cutting Line Designs. It includes that distinctive *vestie.* Incidentally I had the pleasure of supplying the name for this pattern. This time around I was interested in creating a basic pull-over with some light-weight pin-striped linen. Using the basic lines of the AIM top, I constructed this piece: The AIM top is almost rectangular in its shape with slightly dropped shoulders, perfectly straight side seams and a hem that cuts straight across. The pattern includes a hidden front placket. I eliminated that and cut both the front and the back on the fold. I created facings for both the back and the front pieces, with a slit in the front. It slides easily over my head. I added a minor design feature, inspired by Diane Ericson's pocket challenge. I loved her circular pocket and hoped to create something similar. H...

In a truly shocking turn of events, my eldest turned 40 last week. It's official. She's now older than me. In my head. To celebrate her birthday, I decided to make her a quilt with all new fabric. Such extravagance but she deserves it. She has 4 children, a husband and a dog. And she lives close by. I'm so lucky. bias binding for the edge Recently I've been attracted to modern quilts on social media and it certainly shows in this design. I used Kona solids in colors Julie likes, but mostly white. She loves white. This may be my first and last quilt made exclusively with Kona solids. The fabric comes in yummy colors but it is too dense for me to comfortably apply sashiko. I did add some but there might have been more if it was easier to needle. Just a little sashiko Making large quilts is always a challenge for me. I finish the top, and I'm finished but the quilt is not. I could hire out the quilting but I'm too stubborn to do that. This is only 50x60, so sort of...