Tuesday, December 24, 2013

From My Stash to Yours, Merry Christmas

McCalls cat apron
From my stash to yours, Merry Christmas!

Thanks everyone for your comments on my last post.  Two great things happened:  I found a fellow sewist to trade fabric (Andrea of Needle Nose Apparel--she makes dog collars and dog pajamas for greyhounds!) AND the donation service came and took away 12 bags of clothes and fabric. 

And a third great thing happened:  I am now off for a week--my first week off at Christmas since 1998--and it is pretty fabulous!

I bought myself two things for Christmas:
Christmas presents to myself

I had been wanting a sewing machine necklace for a while now.  Elizabeth had one and I coveted it.  I bought mine on etsy from this seller.  I used the $50 gift card from the McCall's focus group (plus a little bit of my cash) to buy it.  I promise to write about the focus group soon.

I saw the labels on Lladybird's blog a while back, but they were out of stock at the time.  Now they are back at the Sublime Stitching shop.  I got them 25% off with a holiday sale.

I made myself an apron as a Christmas present to myself.  There was much fretting about placement of cats for maximum cuteness.  See the hot pink cats on the straps?  See how symmetrical they are?  See how the hot pink cat is in the middle?  Yes, yes, yes!

McCalls cat apron
Yes!
McCalls cat apron
I learned how to get this curve to come out flat instead of puckery:
McCall's 7931 apron with Kobayashi  Quiet Cat fabric
 I have always had trouble with that curve which is a narrow, double turned, 5/8" seam. This time I serged the edge first, then turned it once and ironed it flat.

Kobayashi Quiet Cats McCalls 7931 apron:  curved beauty!



And then I turned it under again and ironed again.
Kobayashi Quiet Cats McCalls 7931 apron:  curved beauty!
And then I stitched from the right side.

Kobayashi Quiet Cats McCalls 7931 apron:  curved beauty!
Hurrah! No puckers!
Who knew the iron could be such a friend?
Kobayashi Quiet Cats McCalls 7931 apron:  curved beauty!
I did that for finishing the other edges as well.
Kobayashi Quiet Cats McCalls 7931 apron:  curved beauty!
The fabric is Kobayashi Quiet Cats in the pink/green colorway (it comes in three colorways).
DSC03368
I bought my first length of it in Hawaii in May with MushyWear and bought more on Maigo Cute.

Christmas Eve morning
The reflection of the chair in the window makes it look like there's still snow outside.  After an unusual weekend of temps in the upper 60's F, the snow is all gone.  Now it's 40-something.

So, Merry Christmas y'all.  Have a great holiday!!
Be well!

14 comments:

  1. That is an adorable apron! And that necklace is sooo cute!!! I hope you have a Merry Christmas : )

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  2. Cat apron is delightful (yes, I DID notice how carefully you'd arranged balance of pink cats). Necklace will be a joy to wear, labels are always a source of pleasure.

    We're drying out down here after about 2 1/2" of rain over the past two days. It's dropped down into the 50s, from the high 70s early in the week. Hardly feels like Christmas at all -- winter here is supposed to be brown and grey, not green.

    Happy, happy winter break to you!

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  3. So pretty! Hooray for pink cats! Now I'm going down to gift myself an apron too! :-D

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  4. Gorgeous apron ~ and perfectly executed in cat placement! Merry Christmas from Down Under ... J

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  5. Your apron is gorgeous! Merry Christmas Kyle.

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  6. Oooh. Great cat placement on your new apron. It's so well made.
    Have a 'restful' holiday and Merry Christmas Kyle.

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  7. cute, cute apron! and the necklace is wonderful! Merry, merry!

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  8. The cat apron is too cute. Nice job on the symmetry. Your stitching is divine and the curve sits nicely as well. Happy holidays!

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  9. I love your apron! Merry Christmas!

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  10. I just love that cat print -- it is the perfect apron! Enjoy the holidays and Merry Christmas to you!

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  11. That apron screams cuteness and delicious meals to come. Merry Christmas.

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  12. Hope you had a nice Christmas. Super cute apron! Enjoy your week off!

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  13. Love the aprons! And I'm so excited we have matching necklaces! Happy holidays!

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