Diagonal Madness - Part 1

I have just finished piecing the center portion on my Diagonal Madness quilt from one of Kaffe Fasset's books. Last December, when I was in waiting to start sewing for the high school play I cut these squares from my scraps. I was more concerned with having enough yardage then the exact layout of the colors.

I have been sewing it on and off between projects. I found was getting tiring and then the rows (which are sewn on a diagonal) began getting shorter. Light at the end of the tunnel.. The center square measures 72 x 60. There is a nice patch border which I started, but will put aside as I has been inspired for my next project - Pants - Vogue 2532. I actually bought this pattern in 2001 and never made it. It is currently available in latest Vogue pattern book, so I think it is time.

Blogging from my iPad

Here is a test to see if I can write a blog from my iPad. Lately things have been very busy at work. I had 11 hours overtime last week - that is alot of craft time.

Also I have been spending long hours at the hockey rink. It is down to 4 1/2 hours from 6 hours. Project to tackle there involve reading, knitting, hand sewing or in my case wrapping pipecleaners with floss for the Snow Queen Christmas ornaments I am making. It is getting colder in the rink and last week my fingers were starting to get numb after 2 1/2 hours. I think I need a pair of gloves without the thumb and first finger, so then I can still knit.

Typing on the iPad isn't too bad. (There are probably typos since I don't auto correct - too many wrong substitutions when you are asloppy typist). It certianly beats firing up the computer after a long day of working on the computer.

Let's see if I can add a picture from the iPad...

Nope it is not an option. I looked to see if I could mail it somewhere, but I think I need to be on Instagram or something like that.

Loading a picture from my Blogger stash is an option. So here is a butterfly not the hockey player I wanted.

I could not post from my iPad. I'm not sure if it was a technical or user error :). Back on the computer. Here is my life in the rink.

Flowers and Parsely for Butterflies

I am working on quilting the Big R's butterfly quilt. I decided to to do a continuous trail of connecting flowers. I made a template.

I have the one corner to complete. After I stitch around each butterfly. I'll fill in the gaps with little flowers. I'm still on track for my December deadline.

Two caterpillars are last signs of summer enjoying the parsley. An orb weaving spider entertained us with her housecleaning when she removed the fallen leaves from her web.

Summer Dress

Summer is coming to an end and I finished my summer dress in time. It is a pink floral lawn which I originally bought for Little C, but it was too light weight to take the stress of smocking. It is perfect for this Vogue 1152 by Rebecca Taylor.

I learned a new technique - invisible zipper on the side seam. This went in very easily and looks, well, invisible.This zipper is easier than a regular zipper. I also lowered the front hem to make the dress have a even seam all around. I prefer it longer in the front.

Once the bodice was together I put it on my new dress form helper, Faye, to work on setting the sleeves. It was not easy to get the dress on Faye since her shoulders are wide and fixed. The side seam opening is just barely wide enough to pass over. I have no problem getting the dress on. People must bend just right. After putting it on Faye I said "Yikes! Your dial is showing!"

I could tell from the pattern envelope it was low cut, but it is really low cut. I made an insert from the suede material I used for piping.

The back has an elastic fit. After I set to fit my back, which runs small. There was too material and it forms a puffy gather. If I had realized this I would have taken off an inch or so fabric from the center so there would less gathered. Problem solved with long hair. :)

The last hurrah for summer. Now is time for orb weavers building webs in your kitchen window and one last swallowtail caterpillar in the parsley.

.

And then There Were None

We plant parsley to share with the Swallowtail butterflies. As caterpillars they don't share very well due to their large appetites.

Earlier this season we had two caterpillars which didn't do too much damage. Recently we had a second batch which consisted of at least 8. Here are some in their immature phase.

After a while they started to disappear. I am not sure where they went. I did see one fall victim to one of those squishy jumpy spiders. The spider snapped up the little caterpillar with its mandibles. No picture because he jumped under cover when I stuck the camera in his space.

Here they are reaching maturity. You can see four caterpillars.

A few days later there were only three. Food was getting scarce so the littlest one struck out on his own. Here he is leaving the pot, but we don't know where he went.

Later the largest had found the last leaf. He is on the left and the middle sized one is on the right.

Then the middle one took off. He did a couple of laps on the rim of the basil and disappeared.

Checking on them later, we discovered the big one was gone. Sorry state this parsley is in, put certainly easier to weed.

A week later the parsley has made a comeback. We don't know where our caterpillars are hiding. Yesterday we saw two dancing around, but I don't think they are ours since they need 2 weeks to pupate.

Perfect Fit

The girls love their dresses.

Little C wanted to know how to sew fabric sew so it is stretchy, aka why the pleated fabric has give.

It is wonderful to be dressed, surrounded by a rainbow, loving everything you see!

Color Mood

When working on my current projects I notice they are following a similar color theme...

The next quilt...

 Socks to knit at hockey...

A new dress..

It must be summer time.