Some Simple Patchwork

In Michigan, August is a very hot and very humid month. My sewing has slacked a bit, since my sewing room is not air conditioned, and is in the upper level of our home, making it even warmer.

Once the heat of summer becomes unbearable, we put a large window ac unit in a main level window, put up curtains and close doors, and are able to cool our main living spaces- living room, dining room and kitchen- to an acceptable temperature.

This lead me to set up my Singer Featherweight on the kitchen table, and decide on some simple patchwork that wouldn't require frequent trips to my cutting mat and design board that reside in the sweltering heat of my sewing room.

4" patchwork squares

So I quickly, in the brief coolness of morning, cut up some 4 inch patchwork squares. I had some Kona Lake and Kona Petunia on hand from my previous project (my friend's wedding dress) and a dress that didn't fit me that a friend gave me because it didn't fit her. So I cut it up! The pattern is pretty exciting, so I felt good about pairing it with the pastel colors.

It came together quickly, and it was just the little bit of mindless sewing that I needed to fill in these hot summer days. It's a baby sized quilt top, and I think I know a little girl to gift it to this winter. It was a bit challenging at times, working with the reclaimed dress fabric, because I decided to optimize the amount of fabric while cutting by disregarding the grain of the fabric. So some of the seams are on the bias, however with simple patchwork it's not as big a deal.

Finished quilt top dancing in the morning sun. 

Now, I'm left pondering how to finish it. I might tie it. I'm just not sure!

I've been enjoying playing along with #30daysofquiltdesign at Stitched in Color these past weeks. It's been fun getting out the crayons and graph paper, and just going at it. 

Day 12, my latest

It's been really fun seeing what everyone else is coming up with over on Instagram under the #30daysofquiltdesign hashtag. Modern stuff, traditional stuff, low tech, high tech, it's a blast. 

In other news, I discovered a volunteer moss rose in my backyard. It was just the delight that I needed this morning. 

Bright in the morning light 

I am working on some embroidery today, with hopes of using it to guide my thoughts and prayers. I am hoping to use my hands to ground my heart and mind. That sounds super weird, but really I'm not as crazy as I seem. :)

-Teagan

Linked up at Off the Wall friday, and NTT.

My Scariest Project

I realize that the title of this post may lead some to believe that I have started to prepare for the Halloween season, but alas, that is not the case.

I just finished one of the biggest, most overwhelming, and scariest projects that I have ever taken on. I should also mention that it was delightful, but sometimes the delight is in retrospect with these types of things.

So, what did I make?

A wedding dress, for a beloved friend.

Yeah.

When my friend texted me in May, letting me know she was getting married, and that she was going with the theme Rainbow Steampunk (I will admit I first thought it was a joke), I started to volunteer my creative services all over the place. Wedding dress! Bridesmaid dresses! Wedding cake! Centerpieces! Steampunk Gadgetry!

My friend was wise, and cut me off, allowing me to focus on her dress and the bridesmaid dresses. She has known me a long time, and knows that once my excitement dies down, my nerves flare up.

One of the very first things I did, was pick out her colors for the dress. She wanted a rainbow, but it was still a wedding dress, so I went pastel.

My Kona color swatches being put to good use.

This was my inspiration dress. My friend was going for fairy with a edge of steampunk, so I knew I would be adding in elements of metal. I used good sense when I decided to purchase a corset that fit my friend to embellish, instead of starting entirely from scratch. I realized rightly, that this was not the time to figure out how to make a corset, even though I spent a fair amount of time online researching the process before coming to my wise decision. Someday maybe, not now.

I took my friend's measurements, added scraps of batting to a dress form to make it roughly the size of my friend, and went at it. Slowly. I was very intimidated. Especially since everyone who asked what I was working on gave me a crazy, you are in over your head, look when I told them I was sewing a wedding dress. I began calling it "a costume for my friend who was getting married." It was way less frightening to think of it in this way. 

I decided to keep the colors in rainbow order, but she wanted green and purple to be the most prominent, as she has green eyes. So I played around with color placement...

And then finalized and stitched it all down. 

Front

Back

After getting the color layer in place, I began to play with adding in more texture, and what I began to call 'bits and bobs.' One special feature that I included was a locket, draped pocket watch style, that allowed her to carry a loved one who has passed on with her on her wedding day.

Many elements changed from this state

The pocket made for the locket includes lace from her mother, and sisters' wedding dress. There is a little vial of mustard seeds, in reference to Matthew 17:20.

I was so grateful that (a) she loved it, and (b) it fit! Overall I was very pleased. And very relived that I was done, in time for her nuptials! 

My hope in making this dress, was that my love for her, and my happiness for her, would be with her as she walks into her new life as a wife. That being able to give her something unique and handmade, just for her, would be a reminder of the special life God has planned, just for her. 

It was an honor to make this, and stretching in all the best ways. I am ready to play with some patchwork though, after being preoccupied with dresses for a while! 

-Teagan