Its been a bit of time since my last post!  I've been busy mostly working on sewing projects.  I'm taking a class, called Construction 1 at the Boston School of Fashion Design.  It is a wonderful class, and I'm learning a lot.  I definitely feel more confident in my sewing skills since taking the class.  What has been difficult is keeping up because it is quite a lot of work.  I did manage to sew up this jacket with my Saturday Sewing Studio Time.  The fabric was 'giveaway' fabric that was free! At the sewing studio there is fabric that is left "under the table" that people are passing on from their stash.  We jokingly call it "under the table" fabric.  This was a large piece of tapestry fabric that has a really pretty front and back.  The pattern is from the Sewing Workshop, called Tremont.  In the next coming weeks I'm going to be sharing more of what I have been working on in my next few weeks of posts.  Stay tuned!

I have a shirt that I started a little while ago that I can't wait to finish.  It is a fabric a friend had left over from a project she finished, and graciously gave it to me.  I think that it is an old Anna Maria Horner print.  It is a really light weight fabric like a lawn, and I have just enough to make a long tank.  i don't tend to like to wear sleeveless things, but I was able to find a net-like, short-sleeve cardigan that is the same indigo color as the dark blue.  It actually is a really difficult color to match.  Its interesting to transition from sewing quilts and bags and trying apparel.  I'm just so used to sewing straight lines with a quarter inch seam.  We'll see how this turns out! 

These vinyl project bags have been so much fun to do!  I have really admired them when I have seen them, but have been a little scared to sew using vinyl.   There are some great tutorials online to help you.  I found the one at Fat Quarter Shop on Youtube helpful, but I don't know if I'd recommend that particular one if you are new to sewing.  It is a great video, but assumes there are certain things you already know or are skilled at.  The video leaves off what you need to do for the binding, which I felt was the most challenging part, especially the mitered corners!  However, this is not the only type of project bag out there.  Many are done without vinyl, quilting, etc.  These particular bags are quilted on the back piece with a vinyl front, and then also the binding on the edges.  I liked doing my project bags with these features because I think that it created a nice, tailored-looking finish.  I think my biggest tip for making them is to sew slowly!  I tend to set my machine's speed between slow and medium, which was just right for this.  I made mine a little smaller, so the measurements are 15 x 16 finished.  Perfect for linen, threads, and a pattern book.  I've finished the quilting on three more bags, and am excited to finish them.  

fabric- from stash  I know that some is Tula pink, others I'm not sure who the designer is 

thread- For sewing these, I use Aurifil thread. 

I decided to take some charm packs I had and just sew them together into a little lap quilt. I have done this before, and really liked the results.  I am not at all a quilter, but I really love seeing all the different colors and prints in a charm pack, and I often buy them, and then don't know what to do with them.  I feel like if I cut them, then I loose some of the print which I don't like.  I bought the charm packs a while ago, and unfortunately couldn't find the coordinating fabrics that match, so will have to do a little shopping. :) Can't wait to show the finished project. 

A third of the way there!  This drawstring bag was one of the more difficult things I have sewn.  I am so glad that I took this class, beause I thing to add a stiched piece to the front of  bag like this would look so pretty. I purchased that pattern that came with it, and the bags can be made in lots of different sizes.  I almost think I need to take it again in order to remember some of the tricks that the teacher taught.  I was so grateful for this new finishing idea! 

Well, it has been one week of finishes!  On a personal note, I am also doing these postings as a sort of challenge to myself to be consistently posting.  I realized one day how many things that were finished which I could share on this blog.  Another challenge I have been working on is finishing.  I discovered through blogs that there were other options for finishing besides just framing.  I also discovered a lot more about cross-stitch and embroidery in general, which I will share about at another time.  

To improve my finishing skills, I decided that I would definitely need to learn to use a sewing machine.  I had little experience with this.  To begin, I purchased several charms packs of Kaffe Fassett fabrics, and began to sew them together in order to gain practice with sewing a straight line, measuring, and pinning.  This quilt is one of the practice pieces.  I brought it to a quilt shop to be quilted and to have the binding placed.  On the train quilt I wrote about the other day, I was able to do these portions, so I am pleased with my progress.  I took a sewing class where we learned to make a slip cover for a pillow form, so that is where the pillows came from.  

I hope that everyone can see the quilt.  I must have taken this photo half a dozen times with this kitty trying to pull a "photo bomb".  :) ~Jaime 

I spent the better part of three weeks working on this quilt.  I was pleased with the way it came out!  This is my first quilt.  It was a gift for a very special person who loves trains.  I was seeing him today, so I had a deadline! 

I have a few of these scaves to show.  I purchased them as a kit that had a piece for the front and a piece for the back.  I loved the colors and the combintations.  I bought them because I wanted to have more experience with sewing straight lines, and using different types of fabric besides cotton.