Custom Monogrammed Pillow {A Finish}

When I was asked to make a monogrammed pillow from a teal bridesmaid dress for an upcoming baby shower, I played with a few ideas of how to do the monogram. Reverse applique was the technique that gave the best results with the soft fabric.

I used Michael Miller's Cotton Candy Fairy Frost cotton Fabric for the top overlay and fabric from the bridesmaid dress as the under layer.

To create the Monogram I used Photoshop for Mac. After finding a font I liked I played around with the letters and how they connected to get the proportions.

Once I was happy with the Monogram I printed it out and transferred it the the Fairy Frost fabric and basted the layers together near the monogram.

After carefully cutting only the top layer I began to needle turn the seam allowances using Wonderfil thread until the monogram was complete.

To give the pillow a more formal look I used cording with the pink Fairy Frost fabric to create piping for the pillow edge and butted the ends of the cording inside the fabric tube to complete the pillow.

This project was a custom order from several years ago and I still just love the final outcome!

Thank you for stopping by and sharing in my quilting journey!

Happy Quilting and God Bless,
Marcia

Gowns & Dresses Everywhere!

Last week was such a busy week, I barely had time to breath let alone blog about all the happenings. The best part of it all was that every project came to a successful completion.

You'll remember a couple of weeks ago that the wedding gown I was working on had to be re-cut and essentially started again.  After some very long hours and very late nights, everything came together wonderfully.  The bride's reaction when she saw it was perfect. She walked around the corner and at first sight declared, "Ohhhhhh, I love it! You do beautiful work!" 

Here's what she saw...

The hanger still doesn't do it justice

 The pattern was designed for knit fabrics which have a much softer drape. The fabric we chose for the gown refused to drape even a little bit. So, to get the open shoulder sleeves to drape and lay down like we wanted I pinned each drape and fold where we wanted it and then I made tiny little thread tacks to hold everything in place.

The sleeves may be my favorite part of this gown.

Every bride needs something blue for her wedding day! Using 2-strands of variegated blue embroidery floss, I hand-embroidered her wedding date into the hem of her dress...an idea I saw on Pinterest {love pinterest!!}. 

Hand-embroidered wedding date in the hen of the bride's wedding gown

My favorite part is seeing the bride in her finished gown and seeing how pleased she is with the outcome. She wouldn't let me take a picture unless I agreed to cut her face out. She had, had an allergic reaction the previous evening and really didn't want her swollen face memorialized on my blog. Can't say as I blame here one bit!! When she gets back from her honeymoon she's sending me pics from the wedding {Looking forward to seeing everything all together; dress, jewelry, hair, nails, etc...it is amazing how much all those touches add!}

The beautiful bride

________

Once the Bridal Gown was finished I had a bridesmaid dress and flower-girl's dress for another wedding to finish up. The day I wanted to take picture the house just seemed so dark inside I went outside to click a few photos.

The fabric is a reproduction of an old feed-sack print that ladies used to use to make their dresses. In the olden days (1920's & 1930's) feed stores used cotton sacks to package the feed they sold the farmers. Once the sack was empty the ladies on the farm used the cloth to make their dresses, curtains, towels and other household items and clothing. Nothing went to waste in those days. The bag manufactures finally caught on to this fact and in the 40's began printing their sacks with colors and designs in the hopes of boosting sales. The thought was that the women of the house would insist on purchasing the sacks with the prettiest designs.  {Ok, enough with the history lesson} 

Bridesmaid dress with grosgrain ribbon on the waist and matching padded hanger.

The little flower girl's dress is just adorable! The bow on the shoulder is just too cute!!!

Flower girl's dress

Tiny little bloomers peeking out from under the flower girl's dress

Another happy customer.

After all of last weeks satisfying finishes this weeks goal is to finish Michael's graduation quilt.  I've given myself a deadline of October1st to have everything bound and delivered. Better go get busy if I'm going to make it!

I'm seeing black & white everywhere I turn

Before I close this post I wanted to announce the winner of the custom bundle. Mr. Random Number Generator chose comment #6.

Karen 608 put together this bundle on comment #6......

Light Victorian Quilt:
1. Lace Elements- pearl lace
2. Lilybelle - moire aquamarine
3. Living Element - tutti fruiti
4. Nature element - light blue
5. Nature element - seawater
6. Ombre Dots Aqua
7. Ombre dots orange
8. Clean white cotton solid - Riley Blake Designs

Congratulations Karen! Email me your shipping address and I'll send this bundle on it's way to you.

Blessings,
Marcia

Works in Progress

This week I have several works in progress at different stages of completion. I'm having a blast working on every single one of them. And with so many projects going at the same time I'm thankful that none of them are causing any headaches and making me want to avoid them. I've had some projects in the past that weren't any fun and I had to force myself to work on it just to get it done. So glad that is not the case right now.......though I'm sure there's a project lurking somewhere around the corner just waiting to cause me anxiety.  LOL!

This weeks Works in Progress include:

1) A Crepe backed Satin Wedding Gown:
I absolutely LOVE how this is coming together!!! 

 It all started with this pattern from Vogue.  I spent several hours pouring over the pattern and making all the alterations to take this from an above the dress to a full floor length gown. I know you'd think that it wouldn't be that complicated, but adding that much length changes how things align. Which is why, after making the alterations I made it up in muslin before ever even considering cutting into the Satin.

I'm taking the flounce off the front and flipping it over, so that more of the satin side will show. The way it's attached right now more of the duller crepe side shows, which is okay, but I think having more of the satin side showing will elevate the dress even more. Then all that's left to do is take in the side seams a bit, finish the lining, add a zipper and hem it.

I can hardly wait to show you a picture of the bride in the finished gown, she's absolutely beautiful!!!


2) A floral bridesmaid dress.....
This is another one of those dresses that looks just amazing on the young lady it's made for than it does on the hanger!  She's so adorable!!

 This dress needs one last alteration to the shoulder seams, a little tweaking on the zipper, facing on the armholes and hemmed.


3) A floral flowergirl's dress & bloomers

Just got the measurements today and will be diving into this cute little dress in the next day or so.

Still on the design wall waiting for me.....
4) Michael's graduation quilt
5) Super Mario Brother's quilt

  Luigi block laid out and ready to be sewn together.

 A couple of finishes.....

Hand quilted Trains & Roads Quilt

Mario Block waiting patiently for the rest of his companions

If the rest of this week goes as well as I hope it will, I'll be making great strides on all these project and working on the plans/pattern for a pink girls quilt that has been ordered.

Don't forget to sign up for the Grand Opening giveaway here and you could be one of the winners of an Art Gallery Fabrics FQ Bundle. Checkout the fabric shop as well where everything is currently 20% off.

Have a fabulous day!!!
{{{HUGS}}}
Marcia

Week in Review

It's been on of those weeks that I'm not sure how to describe.  It's been a good week. It's even been a productive week. Yet I don't "feel" like I accomplished much. So, to combat this, "feeling" I'm doing a blog post just for me....and you all are invited to join me.


This week I worked on:

This months block for Clubhouse (finished)

Pyramid pincushion (finished)
Made using fabric selvages & filled with crushed walnut shells

Designed a new ironing board cover - with little pink roses all over it - LOVE IT!
The old one was so gross, I couldn't bring myself to even take a before picture for comparison.

Created & Hung Design wall in my studio
Once I get my studio painted this will show up better!
Added grommets at the top and hung it from hooks in the wall.

Bridesmaid dress for October Wedding
started and had first fitting ready for a few alterations

Mock-up of Wedding Gown for September Wedding
completed and fitted several design decisions made

Special ordered Cathedral Window Pincushion
Finished & ready for pick-up

Michael's Graduation Quilt
Progress Made (1/2 of the rows stitched together- more of it is on the design wall above)

Graduation Quilt rows piled up and ready to be chain stitched.
"Leaders & Enders" at the right of the machine - using scraps that will be turned into a scrap quilt later

Also  worked on(but there is no photographic evidence for):

• Quilt Shop Website (went through several how to videos and user manual lessons)
• Figured Out how to watermark my photos (as seen on the photos above)
• Updated & Cleaned up this blog
• Went to Ultrasound appointment (mother nature & I aren't getting along very well)
• Delivered Andrew's car to the body shop for repairs (my hubby & youngest were re-ended last week. Thankfully only the car had any injuries)
  Accepted several fabric deliveries for the shop (it was like Christmas!!)
• Ordered Fabric for a Special ordered Mario themed quilt
• Played with some different ideas for 2 other special ordered quilts
• Made list of supplies needed from the fabric store for several in progress projects. 
• Took several more special order requests and appointments for custom sewing & alterations

It was indeed a very productive week!!  That doesn't even take into account the time spent reading books, other blogs, doing research and cooking several meals. Thanks for indulging my need to do a little review....that "feeling" has passed, now I'm off to the studio for a bit more sewing time.

Hugs,
Marcia